Jancis Robinson (17.5)

Succulent, polished fruit in beautiful balance. This is enough to inspire a rash of multi-vintage blends, no? Walter may disapprove of the incursion of those Bordeaux grapes but it's a really lovely drink, grown, presumably, not that far from Tenuta del Trinoro. Very long and nuanced. Beautiful texture and freshness. Lip smacking! How wonderful to find this under £20 a bottle. No prizes for label design but I'd much rather all the effort went into making a lovely (and ready) drink. Not a wine for long keeping. Just drink it. Very good value.

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.

David Duband Gevrey-Chambertin 2019 is an elegant offering from an acclaimed Burgundy producer. Based in the heart of the Côte d'Or, Duband's profound understanding of terroir is evident in this Pinot Noir's remarkable complexity. Harvested from 60-year-old vines, this vintage exudes cherry and blackberry aromas woven with delicate earthy undertones.

Significant to this expression is the philosophy of natural winemaking, with minimal intervention allowing the grapes' true character to shine. As a result, the David Duband Gevrey-Chambertin 2019 boasts excellent vintage typicity. Subtle oak nuances supplement the fruit-forward palate, while stylish tannins underpin the refined structure.

Vinified using indigenous yeasts and aged for 14 months in French oak, this wine exhibits both finesse and balance. Often enjoyed at the peak of its maturity, David Duband Gevrey-Chambertin 2019 will continue to evolve gracefully in the bottle, further enhancing its attractive profile.

Vinous (90)

The 2020 Gevrey-Chambertin Village, which this year contains the measly amount of Les Evocelles harvested, has superb concentration on the nose with black cherries, bilberry and light oyster shell scents, all beautifully-defined. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins and is very pure and concentrated, maybe just needing a little more mineralité to come through on the finish. Give this 3-4 years in bottle.

Vinous (91-93)

The 2018 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru includes 30% whole bunch and 60% new oak. It has a clean, well-defined bouquet with sous-bois and black truffle aromas permeating the red berry fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, fleshy and charming, leading to an elegant, refined, caressing finish. Delicious and probably one of Mortet’s earlier-drinking cuvées.

Vinous (93-95)

The 2018 Gevrey-Chambertin Lavaux Saint-Jacques 1er Cru is completely de-stemmed and raised in 70% new oak. It has a very well-defined bouquet of raspberry and wild strawberry scents, plus pressed rose petal and a touch of orange pith. The palate is very well defined with supple tannins, a perfect line of acidity and a slight confit-like finish. Understated and refined, this will give two decades of drinking pleasure.

Vinous (90)

The 2015 Duemani (Cabernet Franc) is a powerful, sumptuous wine endowed with considerable depth. Dried herbs, leather, cedar, smoke and tobacco give the Duemani its distinctive aromatic signatures. Even though the 2015 is quite powerful, the presence of slightly forward aromas leads me to believe it is best enjoyed sooner rather than later.

Jancis Robinson (16)

Deep cherry; less typically Chambolle than some, quite meaty actually. Floral later.

Burghound (88-91)

There is just reduction present to blur the nuances of the underlying fruit. More interesting are the very fresh and super-sleek middleweight flavors that possess fine intensity while exhibiting ample minerality on the lingering and youthfully austere finale. This is a Chambolle of contrasts as the lacy mid-palate is markedly different from the borderline rustic finale

Vinous (93)

The 2015 Gevrey-Chambertin Aux Combottes 1er Cru has quite a stemmy bouquet beneath an attractive carapace of black and red fruit. It is certainly well defined, charming and full of character. The palate is detailed and structured, yet endowed with thrilling focus. There is still a little new oak to be assimilated, but the tannins are very fine and there is wonderful mineral tension all the way through to the classy, ever so slightly lactic finish. This will require several years in bottle, but it will reward those with patience. Tasted blind at the annual Burgfest tasting.

Vinous (94)

The 2020 Gevrey-Chambertin Aux Combottes 1er Cru has a gorgeous bouquet with vibrant red fruit laced with pressed roses and peony. A 2020 with a spring in its step. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins, taut and fresh, more defined than last year with a pinch of white pepper on the finish. Excellent.

Vinous - Neal Martin (93-95)

The 2021 Gevrey-Chambertin Aux Combottes 1er Cru, which was made with 60% whole bunches, has a well-defined bouquet, quite tertiary in style with plenty of forest floor and pencil box aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with finely-chiselled tannins, one of the most mineral-driven in Dujac's range, precise and detailed, a pinch of spice, harmonious and quite persistent on the finish. A Combottes that feels like a Swiss watch - precise, precise, precise.

Vinous (95)

The 2016 Gevrey-Chambertin Lavaut Saint-Jacques 1er Cru has certainly stepped up in intensity since I last tasted it. Redcurrant, cranberry, juniper berries and just a touch of mint, fine delineation with fine focus. The palate is medium-bodied with saturated tannins, perfectly judged acidity, a touch of allspice and white pepper, fanning out gloriously on the expansive finish. Time to raise my previous score. Tasted at Domaine Duroché.

Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy (91-93)

4 barrels were made from three quarters of a hectare, equating to 12 hl/ha. Another fine ruby colour. The nose is more flamboyant than for the straight Gevrey, red fruit with a floral edge. Delicious though on the palate with fair intensity in a lifted cherry raspberry style with excellent persistence. Drink from 2025-2030.

Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy (91-94)

80 year old vines in deeper soil just below Rugiens, with deep roots which make it consistent each year. Avoided the frost. 30% whole bunch, three new barrels out of ten. A fine mid purple with some depth of fruit. The stems have done their job of lifting the bouquet, this is rather delightful, too much fruit to be called floral but there are some roses in the background too. A little firmer on the palate, and a fresh acidity to finish. Promising. Drink from 2027-2034.

Super precision on the nose, charming bright red and black fruits and that characteristic deftness of flavour from Chambolle-Musigny. An elegance on the palate, the tannins, acidity and alcohol all in perfect balance and bright, seductive notes of cranberry, redcurrant, touches of violets and soft subtle spices from the oak, with a line of minerality running through.

Vinous (91-93)

The 2019 Gevrey-Chambertin Lavaux Saint-Jacques 1er Cru is completely destemmed. It has an open-knit bouquet of brambly red fruit, singed leather and loamy aromas, all well defined. The palate is medium-bodied with crunchy black fruit and lightly spiced. The pleasant edgy finish leaves a hint of dark chocolate on the aftertaste. Very fine and commendable salinity.

James Suckling (93)

Notes of blueberries, blackberries, porcini and nutmeg. It’s full-bodied with fine tannins. Balanced with a fleshy texture. Round and velvety. Long, flavorful finish. Fine and fresh at the end. Drink or hold.

The Wine Independent (96)

This 2019 La Massa is a blend of Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. It starts with smoke, spice and bitter cherry notes on the nose. Oak notes dominate at first but on standing it opens up to fragrant, floral notes like rose and iris. On the palate it is round and smooth but not too heavy. This is a very stylish wine that manages to balance elegance with plenty of depth of flavor, tied together with juicy acidity and fine tannins. I love the purity, brightness of this wine and the deft touch of the winemaker. There is a brilliance to the fruit and a high quality to the tannins which mark it out as something special.

Wine Advocate (97)

This is a truly sumptuous wine that stands as a tall testament to the winemaking talents of Giampaolo Motta, his vision for interpreting this vintage and his specific vineyard site in Panzano in Chianti. This standout wine brings Fattoria la Massa to a new level of accomplishment and opens an exciting new chapter of possibility. The 2013 Giorgio Primo (50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot) is dark and impenetrable on first impact. The aromas accelerate slowly and grow evenly in power and intensity after a few quick swirls of the glass. The bouquet peels back with dark fruit aromas, baking spice and Mediterranean herb. The effect is seamless and smooth. A velvety texture is accented by full-bodied richness and just enough freshness to keep the palate energized. And, of course, this is just the beginning of a long cellar life.

Vinous (97)

The 2018 Giorgio Primo represents a new level of finesse at La Massa. Powerful and dense in the glass, with tremendous structure, Giorgio Primo is a terrific example of how compelling international varieties are in Panzano's Conca d'Oro district. Crème de cassis, spice, new leather, chocolate and sweet spice build into the textured, palate-staining finish.