Vinous (94)

The 2016 Pommard Clos des Epeneaux 1er Cru has a classic, undergrowth infused bouquet, a mixture of red and black fruit, hints of stewed black tea emerging with time, tobacco and rose petal. The palate is medium-bodied with fine grain tannin, succulent and juicy with a fleshy, almost Volnay-like finish that is very appealing. This is a well crafted and comparatively approachable Pommard. Tasted blind at the 2016 Burgfest tasting.

Vinous - Neal Martin (94)

The 2017 Pommard Clos des Epeneaux 1er Cru has a wonderful bouquet that fulfills its potential from barrel, offering immediately seductive brambly red fruit, crushed minerals and pressed rose petals. The 25–30% new oak is so neatly folded into the fruit that it is barely noticeable. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin and quite citrus-driven, revealing orange peel and blood orange notes. Linear at first and then gently fans out and gains depth toward the persistent finish. Superb.

Jancis Robinson (18.5)

Cask sample. Quite a price! Transparent crimson. Very dense nose with more layers than most of the 2018 red burgundies I have tasted so far. Pretty rich with grand cru density. Very well done. Actually the best Clos des Epeneaux I remember tasting en primeur. Long, rich, opulent but all in a convincing structure. Very long in fact.

Vinous (95)

The 2019 Pommard Clos des Epeneaux 1er Cru was bottled in June and July ‘21. Very perfumed and floral scents on the nose, dark cherries, bergamot, damp earth and touches of clove, later hints of violet and blood orange (traits that I observed out of barrel). This is nicely detailed. The palate is medium-bodied with succulent tannins, fine acidity, lightly spiced with a classy espresso-tinged finish that lingers in the mouth. Excellent.

Decanter (96)

The final blend of this is superb, including both the energy of the young vines and the density of the old. They deliver a lush, spicy fruit with a strong mineral underpinning, a dense texture, firm but supple tannins and an infinitely rewarding finish. The Clos des Epeneaux is produced from a monopole of 5.23ha located at the juncture of Grands Epenots (20%) and Petits Epenots (80%). The clos is divided by regisseur Paul Zinetti into four main subdivisions by age of vine and underlying soils which are farmed and vinified separately.

Vinous (91-93)

The 2021 Pommard Clos des Epeneaux 1er Cru, the crown jewel of the Domaine, has an intense nose with black cherries, raspberry coulis, white pepper and bay leaf. Lovely definition with a subtle briny note that emerges with time. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy red fruit, a firm grip and moderate weight, though it is missing some amplitude towards the finish due to the severely reduced volume. Yet it has plenty of freshness and length, so afford it five to six years in the cellar.

Tim Atkin MW (95)

The de Vogü  Amoureuses vines are the first ones on the right as you arrive from Vougeot. They suffer from virus and now are under a replanting program with the domaine's new winemaker, Jean Lupatelli. (The 2020 wines were made by Fran ois Millet.) Despite the state of the vineyard, there is excellent energy here with the lick of limestone texture countered by smooth tannins and a sweet fruit core. Strawberries, pomegranate seeds and warm earth lead into the strong finish. 2025-38

Decanter (98)

After sitting out the 2014 vintage, Andrea Costanti calls 2015 a beautiful year and one of the best in the history of Brunello. He deemed it exceptional enough to craft a Riserva (to be released in 2021) yet his classic Brunello hasn't suffered for it. In fact, it's one of the greatest successes of the vintage. Gorgeous, seductive aromas are already expressive but still youthful. Cherry and plum are enveloped by exotic spice and a faint smokiness. The palate is plush and velvety with layers of powdery tannins that build, and tangy acid that cleanses the palate. Hedonistic but brilliantly balanced, it is hard to resist now but the best is definitely yet to come.

Wine Enthusiast (99)

This savory stunner has enticing scents of violet, rose and wild berry that gain complexity alongside notes of leather, camphor and sandalwood. The elegantly structured palate is all about precision, featuring juicy cherry, blood orange, star anise and tobacco framed in taut, refined tannins. Bright acidity keeps it energized.

Wine Enthusiast (97)

Extremely elegant and focused, this compelling wine defies the heat of the vintage, starting with a heady fragrance of ripe dark-skinned berries, violet, camphor, dark spice and whiffs of crushed herbs. On the linear, elegantly structured palate, tightly woven but extremely polished tannins accompany juicy Marasca cherry, blood orange, licorice and white pepper while fresh acidity keeps it balanced and fresh. Drink 2025–2032

Decanter (100)

I remember tasting Costanti’s 2019 Rosso di Montalcino in 2021 and thinking how Brunello-esque it was: the sturdy structure was almost uncharacteristic, yet it certainly boded well for the Brunello. Simply gloriously sculpted, the 2019 Brunello di Montalcino is indeed statuesque and stately. While it doesn’t give everything up all at once, it is gracious in its presentation. From chestnut forest and sweet earth, to anise and orange extract, the aromas are visceral, and boundless depths of wild red berries suffuse the palate. It vibrates with scintillating acidity and long, tactile tannins which stretch out leisurely. I bet that Rosso has hit its stride now – if you have some, it’s what you'll want to drink while waiting for this captivatingly beautiful Brunello. I can't help but imagine what next year’s Riserva release has in store.

Wine Enthusiast (98)

Aromas of ripe dark-skinned fruit, forest floor, rose and wild mint shape the enticing nose. Elegantly structured and full of flavor, the linear, focused palate delivers mature Marasca cherry, blood orange, licorice and tobacco set against a backbone of refined tannins. Drink 2023 though 2035.

Wine Enthusiast (100)

This perfumed wine opens with layers of scents, including violet, woodland berries, new leather, forest floor and warm spices. Smooth and elegantly structured, the savory palate boasts juicy black-skinned berry, blood orange, licorice, tobacco and the barest hint of coffee bean alongside taut, fine-grained tannins. Bright acidity keeps it impeccably balanced. Drink 2026–2046.

Vinous (88-90)

The 2018 Chambolle-Musigny Village, matured in 30% new oak, has a generous bouquet of red berry fruit, plus touches of brown spice and light loamy aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins and lightly spiced red berry fruit mixed with white pepper and sage, dovetailing into a slightly compact but fresh finish. Fine.

James Suckling (97)

This has an unwonted, intensely floral note of eucalyptus and tee tree oil, which makes it immediately recognizable against other 2015 Brunellos. Besides that, there are ripe rose stems and dried lavender. It has a racy core of boisterous berries that dive inwards and outwards of firm, structured tannins. The juxtaposition of steely resolve and intense florals are quite remarkable. Very classy. Drink from 2025.

Wine Advocate (95)

Softer for sure compared to the 2016 wines, and more abundant in personality, the Cortonesi 2015 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva La Mannella is very expressive of the sunny, warm and luminous growing season. Rich fruit flavors of dark plum, black cherry and cassis are interwoven with spice, sweet tobacco and balsam herb. This wine is fermented in steel for 25 days and is then racked into oak for a long 48-months élevage. This wine is only made in the best years, and it draws its fruit from the estate's oldest vines, which are 37 years old. A mere 3,658 bottles were made. The tannins are a bit bitter and youthful, so give this wine more cellar time.

Wine Advocate (94)

The Cortonesi 2016 Brunello di Montalcino La Mannella shows dark fruit with dried cherry, blackcurrant and plum. On a second wave of aromas, you encounter softer spice with toasted almond, tilled earth and grilled herb. This is a classic expression of the crisp but sunny 2016 vintage with an open and food-friendly personality. There is a playful touch of sweet cherry on the close. Fruit is sourced from the La Mannella zone, one of the coolest growing areas in the appellation at moderate 350 meters above sea level. Winemaking is traditional, using 30-hectoliter Slavonian oak for three years of slow aging, and this reinforces all those fun berry notes on display in the 25,000-bottle release.

Wine Advocate (96+)

The Cortonesi 2016 Brunello di Montalcino Poggiarelli draws its fruit from a vineyard planted in the 1970s and replanted in part during the 1990s. Its fruit has made this designate wine since 1998, and like many of the Selezioni (and the Brunello cru expressions), this wine shows a pretty mineral character that lifts above the bright red fruit. It's absolutely true that these special sections from Montalcino are always recognized by their terrain or soil-adjacent aromas. In this case, I can smell those flinty or gravel-like tones from the schistous Galestro rocks. That special aromatic signature is followed by dark fruit and balsam herb, firm tannins and bright acidity. This is a limited 4,000-bottle release.

Jancis Robinson (17+)

Full bottle all of 1,405 g. 95% Sémillon, 4% Sauvignon Blanc, 1% Muscadelle. Cask sample. 18 months in oak envisaged. No information on yield. Greenish hint to the golden hue. Very classic with a botrytis note and some real freshness. Weight and integrity here with a savoury, even bacon-fat, finish. Not one of the sweetest wines, or what I probably mean is that the acidity is more pronounced than in many of its peers. Sleek and fresh. But probably for relatively early drinking. 13.5% Drink 2024 – 2038

A harmonious symphony of opulence and finesse, the David Duband Chambolle Musigny 2019 is the culmination of meticulous craftsmanship from renowned French winemaker, David Duband. Exquisitely hailing from his estate in the heart of Burgundy's Chambolle-Musigny village, this wine is a testament to sustained tradition and dedicated viticulture. Each grape was handpicked from this famed appellation before undergoing rigorous selection and gentle destemming, a technique employed by only the most discerning of vignerons.

The wine exudes a pristine ruby hue and reveals an exquisite bouquet of wild berries and violets, underpinned with a subtle hint of oak. On the palate, its opulence is eloquently balanced with a fine line of acidity, unveiling a depth of intricate texture and jubilant fruit flavours. The David Duband Chambolle Musigny 2019 offers a testament to the mastery of its eponymous creator, expertly capturing the quintessence of its prestigious terroir.

As an acclaimed French winemaker, David Duband casts a spell with his rendition of the Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Sentiers 2020, a quintessentially 'Burgundian' Pinot Noir. This elegant wine hails from Chambolle-Musigny, a highly reputed French appellation where winemaking has rich historic lineage. Meticulous vine management using biodynamic principles and the tinder care the Sentiers vineyard is given result in a wine marked with finesse and structure.

The David Duband Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Sentiers 2020 exhibits vibrant aromas of dark cherry, violet, and damp earth, underpinned by an enchanting minerality. Defined by its refined palate, this wine is a harmonious balance of intense fruit, silky tannins, and a lingering finish. David Duband's talent for harnessing the terroir's unique character is evident in each bottle, promising an extraordinary journey into the heart of Burgundy enjoyment. Due to its limited production, each bottle is a prized possession for any discerning wine enthusiast.

Wine Advocate (97+)

Another killer Cote Rotie is the 2009 Cote Rotie la Landonne and it's a bigger, rich, more opulent version of the 2010. Raspberries, chocolate, exotic flowers, violets and ample minerality all give way to a full-bodied, seamless, layered 2009 that has massive mid-palate depth and a monster finish. Raised all in new oak, it should be drinkable at an earlier age than the '10, yet have a similar evolution.

Wine Advocate (93)

A forward, sexy-style Cote Rotie that shows more oomph than most in the vintage, Jamet's 2000 Cote Rotie offers the hallmark complexity of the estate with its perfumed raspberry, game, flowers, olives and peppery bouquet. This carries to a full-bodied, voluptuously textured, seamless wine that has excellent purity, low acidity and tons of charm. Probably closest in style to the 1990, drink this character-filled beauty over the coming 5-7 years.

James Suckling (95-96)

Plenty of violets, pepper and deep-set spices are all part of the equation here, and this is a very complex Côte Rôtie that has a wealth of darkly stony notes, coal smoke and dark chocolate. Just superb! The palate's succulent and swathed in plush, fine tannins that envelop black- and red-plum flavors. Plenty of volume, great elegance and a lot of detail. A vintage when experienced makers could still shine, and the sorting in the vineyard was clearly a large part of this. Classy wine with so much on offer. Best from 2020 for a decade or more. Tasted in tank shortly before bottling.

Vinous (96)

Deep, lurid purple. Assertive, highly perfumed aromas of fresh blackberry, cherry, Moroccan spices and violet pick up olive and licorice nuances with air. Juicy, energetic and appealingly sweet, offering palate-staining red/blue fruit preserve, spicecake and violet pastille flavors that become deeper as the wine opens up. The floral and mineral notes repeat with gusto on an impressively long, focused finish that features youthfully firm tannins and a touch of bitter chocolate.

Decanter (97)

Elegant, perfumed, floral nose. This is generous, fresh and beguilingly complex already. It's dark and brooding but brimming with fruits, spices, flowers, a touch of smoke and graphite with a remarkably mineral, salty finish. Serious, but beautiful.

Decanter (96)

Liqueur-fruited, incredibly dense and opulent. The alcohol is quite high and the fruit very dark, underscored by big, slightly blocky and tight tannins. Rich, warming and generous style; very much a solaire vintage.

Vinous (97)

Opaque ruby. Vibrant blackberry, cherry, incense, Moroccan spice, potpourri and smoky mineral qualities on the expansive, seductively perfumed nose. Offers vibrant black and blue fruit, spicecake, olive and floral pastille flavors that show bright detail and energetic mineral lift. The floral and spice notes recur strongly on the youthfully gripping finish, which features mounting tannins and lingering smokiness.

Vinous (97)

Opaque ruby. Vibrant blackberry, cherry, incense, Moroccan spice, potpourri and smoky mineral qualities on the expansive, seductively perfumed nose. Offers vibrant black and blue fruit, spicecake, olive and floral pastille flavors that show bright detail and energetic mineral lift. The floral and spice notes recur strongly on the youthfully gripping finish, which features mounting tannins and lingering smokiness.

Wine Advocate (98-100)

Lovers of Côte Rôtie shouldn't bother waiting for reviews of this bottling—just try to get as much as you can every year. The 2017 Cote Rotie Cote Brune should be bottled by the time you read this, but at the time of my visit, it was still in barrel. Aromatically, this has it all—violets, stems, cracked pepper, amazing fruit. It's full-bodied, dense and absolutely packed, yet it comes across as silky, lithe and engaging, with tremendous length and complexity on the finish. Always a thrill to taste out of barrel, it does firm up after bottling, so try to resist the urge to pop a cork before 2025 or so.