James Suckling (96)

This is a beautiful Carraudes with currant, sweet-tobacco and wet-earth aromas and flavors. Medium-bodied with a dense center-palate and tight, polished tannins. Fresh, with tension. Reminds me of the 1995 Lafite. This is so Lafite in character. It shows so much cabernet sauvignon character. It’s 68% cabernet sauvignon, 27% merlot and the rest cabernet franc. Try after 2026.

James Suckling (96-97)

This is very classically structured with a palate that starts off slowly. Full-bodied and chewy with a soft, creamy texture and a long finish. Savory. A touch austere. 52% cabernet sauvignon, 42% merlot and 3% cabernet franc, the rest petit verdot.

James Suckling (96-97)

This is very classically structured with a palate that starts off slowly. Full-bodied and chewy with a soft, creamy texture and a long finish. Savory. A touch austere. 52% cabernet sauvignon, 42% merlot and 3% cabernet franc, the rest petit verdot.

Jane Anson Inside Bordeaux (97)

Enticing inky depths to the colour, slate tannins that are fully in control, adding precision and power to the cassis fruits. As it opens, the austerity recedes and sweet blackberry and loganberry fruit appear, along with a seamless delivery of cocoa bean, sage, cedar, cigar box, eucalyptus leaf. Once again you are aware that it has retained the character of Clerc Milon's early days, coming friom the natural concentration of the soils, but everything has been magnified and heightened. A profound wine that shows the possibilities contained within this site. Jean-Emmanuel Danjoy technical director, 50% new oak.

Wine Advocate (95)

The 2019 Clerc Milon is a real success. At more than 70%, this blend contains one of the highest proportions of Cabernet Sauvignon in the property's recent history, and the result is a wine of real nobility. Offering up aromas of violets, wild berries, licorice, loamy soil and cigar wrapper, it's full-bodied, layered and multidimensional, with notable depth at the core, lively acids and ripe, powdery tannins that assert themselves on the finish. From clay-limestone soils rather than the sandy gravels that characterize d'Armailhac, this is by some margin the more structured and serious of Mouton-Rothschild's two Pauillac stablemates.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (90-93)

The 2013 Clinet is terrific. Dark red and blue fruits, new leather, violets, menthol and sweet spices meld together in a wine of rare distinction for the year. This is one of the more pliant, expressive 2013s readers will come across. The finish is long, silky and polished. The oak needs time to fully integrated, but I don't think that is going to be a problem. This is a terrific showing.

Jeb Dunnuck (99)

Tasted on four separate occasions, the 2016 Château Clinet is another brilliant wine from this estate. Showing slightly more freshness and purity than the 2015, its saturated purple color is followed by a thrilling array of crème de cassis, graphite, ground herbs, and a terrific sense of minerality. Deep, full-bodied, with building tannins, and a magical sense of purity and elegance paired with real density and depth, it needs short term cellaring and will keep for three decades.

Jeb Dunnuck (93-95)

Reminding me of the 2014, the 2017 Château Clinet is a beautiful, dense, concentrated wine that has terrific notes of blueberries, spring flowers, and chocolaty oak. It’s very much in the style of the vintage with its cool, perfumed aromatics and sensational purity of fruit, yet it also has richness and weight. It’s a brilliant Pomerol.

Jeb Dunnuck (99)

Including slightly more Cabernet Sauvignon than usual, the 2018 Château Clinet is 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon that was brought up in 75% new French oak. One of the superstars of the vintage, it has incredible elegance and finesse as well as gorgeous richness and depth. Notes of cassis and truffly dark fruits as well as tobacco, damp earth, chocolate, and lead pencil shavings emerge from the glass, and it's full-bodied, with a seamless, multi-dimensional texture, gorgeous tannins, and a great, great finish. It already offers incredible pleasure, but it won't hit maturity for another 5-7 years and should evolve for 30 years or more. This magical wine is in the same league as the 2015 and 2016, and drinking these beauties over the coming decades will be an incredible treat.

Vinous - Neal Martin (98)

The 2019 Clinet has maintained the stunning delineation that I discerned from the barrel sample. Pure black cherries, hints of cassis and wilted violet scents unfold in the glass with effortless ease, and the oak (75% new, 25% used for 18 months) is neatly integrated. The poised palate is medium-bodied, taut and fresh, with fine-grained tannins and disarming mineralité, particularly toward the finish, which delivers tremendous length and saliva-inducing salinity on the aftertaste. There is a pleasing strictness to this Clinet that is apposite to the flamboyant and decadent wines of the Nineties. This Clinet is one of Ronan Laborde's great achievements.

Vinous - Neal Martin (98)

The 2019 Clinet has maintained the stunning delineation that I discerned from the barrel sample. Pure black cherries, hints of cassis and wilted violet scents unfold in the glass with effortless ease, and the oak (75% new, 25% used for 18 months) is neatly integrated. The poised palate is medium-bodied, taut and fresh, with fine-grained tannins and disarming mineralité, particularly toward the finish, which delivers tremendous length and saliva-inducing salinity on the aftertaste. There is a pleasing strictness to this Clinet that is apposite to the flamboyant and decadent wines of the Nineties. This Clinet is one of Ronan Laborde's great achievements.

Jeb Dunnuck (96-98+)

I continue to love the wines from this estate, and the 2020 Château Clinet is no exception. Straight-up sensational notes of blueberries, cassis, violets, tobacco, and earth all emerge from the glass, and this beauty is full-bodied, with a rich, concentrated mid-palate, flawless balance, and a great finish. It shows the tighter, fresher, more focused style of the vintage, yet it still brings plenty of mid-palate depth as well as an expansive texture. It has enough oak to warrant short-term bottle age but will have 25-30 years of overall longevity. This is a gorgeous wine.

Decanter (95)

An exceptional Clinet in 2021. Richly scented, dark and roguish, a touch of sour cherry and perfume to the nose. Round, supple, generous and vibrant on the palate - this has a lifeforce to it with nuance of red berry flavour and real persistency as well as juicy acidity. I love the upfront nature of this and the really quite vivid and expressive red fruits while the background gives the savoury, menthol, liquorice notes offering depth and wideness - lots of terroir and grape markers in the glass - particularly the high percentage (25%) of Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend. Tannins are firm and supportive with the overall freshness lifting the frame, delivering a full mouthfeel with a density of tannins and black fruit that doesn't dip. Well worked and presented. A touch of wood on the finish but subtle and supportive. You also get the florality all the way through which is just so appealing. Supremely well worked, charming but also confident - I absolutely love it and it clearly stood out every time tasting it - four times in total. 45,000 bottles made, same production as 2020.

Vinous - Neal Martin (93+)

The 2016 Clos du Clocher has a rich, opulent bouquet with layers of macerated small black cherries, crème de cassis and violet aromas. There is brightness and vivacity here. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, finely judged acidity, a slightly lactic texture and flecks of dark chocolate toward the finish, which fans out nicely. This will need time, but it is very promising. A composed and refined Pomerol from Jean-Baptiste Bourotte.

Vinous (96)

The 2015 Vosne-Romanée Les Malconsorts 1er Cru seems to have been born to embarrass my rather tepid reaction to this wine from barrel. Wow! This has me smitten. It offers a very floral, seductive bouquet with pressed violet petals liberally scattered over the black cherry and wild strawberry fruit, and just a hint of vanilla in the background. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grained tannin. This is very cohesive, harmonious and silky-smooth in texture, with a light touch of blood orange and brown spices that impart complexity on the finish. Excellent. Tasted blind at the annual Burgfest tasting.

Burghound (92-94)

A relatively deeply pitched nose offers plenty of both floral and spice elements along with notes of plum, dark cherry and a touch of Asian-style tea. As is usually the case there is excellent volume and a taut muscularity to the sappy broad-shouldered flavors that flash superb depth and persistence. Note well though that this classic example is definitely built-to-age and is going to need at least most of a decade to be approachable. Recommended.

Vinous (94)

The 2018 Vosne-Romanée Les Malconsorts 1er Cru is showing some reduction on the nose, slightly smudged red fruit, leather and undergrowth. It does seem to gain clarity with modest aeration though. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, taut and crisp, quite linear with fine sapidity on the structure, backward finish. A Premier Cru with a long future ahead. Tasted blind at the Burgfest 2018 red tasting.

Vinous - Neal Martin (94)

The 2015 Clos l’Eglise needs encouragement on the nose. Initially surprisingly taciturn, it reveals well-defined blackberry, raspberry, leather and truffle scents. The palate is silky smooth with fine delineation, quite poised with dark chocolate and espresso complementing the lush red fruit. There is gentle grip towards the finish that gains length, though never achieves the heights of the following vintage. Still, this is going to give a lot of pleasure over the next 10-15 years. Tasted at the Clos l’Eglise vertical.

Vinous (90-92)

The 2019 Vosne-Romanée Village contains 20% whole bunch from the La Violette lieu-dit and destemmed fruit from the Quartiers de Nuits and Basses-Maizière lieux-dits. Aged in 30% new oak, it is quite backward and surly on the nose at first, but opens to reveal white pepper and clove aromas tincturing the tightly wound black fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with crunchy black fruit, and quite sweet at its core, with that white pepper leitmotif and a touch of graphite toward the crunchy finish.

Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy (90-92)

Thomas has enough fruit to vinify two vats, using 40% whole bunches for Les Violettes and none for Quartiers de Nuits, to make 20% for the whole cuvée which is assembled as soon as the wine goes to barrel. Vibrant purple, a very heady nose, slightly heated lush raspberry. But the nobility of the terroir shows through in the mouth where the raspberries are less lush and are joined by a few strawberries. Good acidity, considerable length. Tasted: November 2021

Chateau d’Armailhac is typically light in style for Bordeaux yet with plenty of Pauillac character. The 2009 is higher in Cabernet Sauvignon. It is a deeper ruby colour with more spice and cedar notes. Wine from this great vintage will improve for well over a decade.

Decanter (94)

Wonderful florality on the nose, perfumed and full of black cherries. Great freshness here, such good juice content, immediately so alive and fresh, there is a real buzz to this wine with some creamy/chalky edges that are so refreshing. Great personality with vibrant fruit. Rich and layered, super concentrated but with this fun lively aspect. Tannins are chewy and ripe because of the weather but there's a great lift and sense of life to this. I really like it. A blend of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot.

Immerse in the splendour of the 'David Duband Vosne Romanee 2019', a truly majestic red Burgundy wine from the prestigious terroirs of Burgundy, France. Brought to life by renowned winemaker David Duband, the 2019 vintage echoes a perfect blend of tradition and innovation. Each grape is hand-harvested and meticulously sorted to ensure only the finest contribute to this sophisticated potion.

David Duband, known for crafting beautiful Pinot Noirs, presents a refined balance of ripe, dark fruit and aromatic spices in the Vosne Romanee 2019. Aged in French oak barrels to develop complexity, every sip greets the palate with an elegant interplay between sweet black cherries, rich spices and fine-grained tannins. This distinctive wine embodies Vosne Romanee's characteristic opulence harmoniously blended with a controlled potency that lingers on the palate.

A bottle of 'David Duband Vosne Romanee 2019' is no less than experiencing the enchantment of Burgundy encapsulated in a glass.

Experience the essence of Burgundy with the David Duband Vosne Romanee 2020. Made by the expert hands of David Duband, a respected French vigneron who has been making wine since 1991. He embraces the concept of terroir viticulture, incorporating principles of organic and biodynamic farming.

This exquisite Pinot Noir originates from the acclaimed Vosne-Romanée appellation, renowned for producing world-class wines. The 2020 vintage enjoyed superb weather conditions, producing complex, elegant wines of remarkable balance.

David Duband Vosne Romanee 2020 showcases a radiant ruby hue, enamoured with harmonious aromas of violet, blackcurrant and truffle. On the palate, one can savour spicy notes of liquorice and clove, accentuated by a silky-smooth texture and long finish. It exhibits excellence in its purest form.

This is an extraordinary wine, encapsulating the famed elegance of Burgundy in a single bottle. A remarkable testament to the mastery of David Duband and the exceptional terroir of Vosne-Romanee.

Jeb Dunnuck (97)

Talk about value, the 2009 Duhart-Milon is straight up sensational stuff. Made from 63% Cabernet Sauvignon and 37% Merlot, it gives up classic notes of blackcurrants, pencil shavings, saddle leather and smoked herbs, it’s full-bodied, deep and concentrated, with fine tannin, impeccable balance and a great, great finish. It’s a heavenly bottle of wine that will compete with the best out there. Buy this wine!

Wine Advocate (94)

Deep garnet in color, the 2010 Duhart-Milon rocks up with upfront notions of baked plums, warm cassis and mulberries plus suggestions of cigar box, sandalwood, dried roses and forest floor. Full-bodied, rich and decadent in the mouth, the palate has a beautiful texture of velvety, fantastically ripe tannins and lovely freshness, finishing very long and very classy.

James Suckling (93)

This shows lots of sweet tobacco and blueberry character. Full and silky with fine tannins. Keeps fresh. Long. Well done.

James Suckling (95-96)

This is a very powerful Duhart with blackcurrant and blackberry character. Lots of graphite and black tea. Full-bodied and muscular with lots of formed muscles and great length. Could be best ever?

James Suckling (95-96)

This is so refined with beautiful currant, berry and some subtle chocolate and coffee. It’s full and very subtle with fine tannins that have a long finish. Such purity and finesse with structure. Fresh and savory. 72% cabernet sauvignon and 28% merlot.