Burghound (95)

(Outstanding) A cooler and more elegant nose is dazzlingly pure with its elegant aromas of anise, essence of violet and rose petal, black cherry and an interesting hint of Asian-style tea. There is excellent power and underlying tension to the large-scaled flavors that possess a positively gorgeous mouthfeel while exhibiting stunningly good length on the stony, detailed and compact finale. This is picture perfect Rugiens.

The Michel Magnien Chamboll-Musigny Argillieres 2016 is a masterwork cultivated in Burgundy's prestigious Côte d'Or. It speaks of the expertise of its producer, Michel Magnien, a fourth-generation wine-grower dedicated to bio-dynamic viticulture. Crafted from Pinot Noir, this wine reveals the profound relationship between grape and terroir, reflecting its clay-limestone (Argillieres) soil origins. Artisanally matured for 18 months in French oak barrels, the wine’s evolution nurtures an expressive bouquet, highlighting ripe cherries, spice, and subtle earthiness.

On the palate, it offers a remarkably balanced, refined structure, affluent in fruit intensity, harmonised with supple tannins and elegant acidity. The Michel Magnien Chambolle-Musigny Argillieres 2016 presents an ethereal journey through the Burgundian countryside, encapsulating the essence of its revered vineyard pedigree. This exceptional wine showcases the potential of meticulously crafted, earth-conscious wines - a grand testament to Michel Magnien's holistic approach to winemaking.

Vinous (88)

The 2020 Chambolle-Musigny Village, matured in 30% new oak, is vibrant and fresh on the nose: black cherries, strawberry pastille and just a touch of violet petal. The palate is a little oaky on the entry. Good depth, quite dense for a Chambolle, touches of blood orange and pain d'épices towards the finish. Give it a couple of years in bottle.

Immerse in the aromatic symphony of the Mischief Mayhem Chambolle Musigny Cras 2015. Produced in the acclaimed vineyards of Chambolle Musigny in the Burgundy region of France, this exceptional wine mirrors the in-depth knowledge and passion of its creators, Mischief and Mayhem. This superior vintage, gloriously resonates the quintessential characteristics of this revered terroir.

Perfected over time, the Pinot Noir grapes were hand-harvested at optimal ripeness and underwent careful cold maceration to enhance flavour depth. The wine was matured in French oak barrels for 18 months, contributing to an elegant, balanced structure with fine-grained tannins.

Mischief Mayhem Chambolle Musigny Cras 2015 offers an enticing bouquet of red cherries interspersed with violet undertones. The palate is intriguing, with a pleasant acidity prolonging a nuanced finish of earthy mineral notes. Celebrate this tour de force of winemaking innovation - Mischief Mayhem Chambolle Musigny Cras 2015, the epitome of Burgundian finesse and terroir expression.

Vinous (90-93)

The 2018 Chablis Vaillons 1er Cru is another wine in this range with quite a bit of promise. Exotic and tropical, with terrific depth, the 2018 has a lot to offer, even if it is clearly an adolescent today.

Wine Advocate (93+)

Aromas of ripe peaches, pears and almond paste preface the 2018 Chablis Grand Cru Bougros, a full-bodied, ample and blocky wine that's quite structured and reserved by the standards of this often-extroverted climat, displaying a layered mid-palate that's framed by a generous endowment of chewy dry extract. It's an impressive but muscular example of the vintage.

Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy (91-95)

Pale colour with green tints, very fresh, there is even a little bit of noble reduction. The 2018 Forêts delivers an absolutely scintillating, crystalline purity. There is impressive weight on the palate, balanced by a refreshing greener element to the fruit.

Vinous (92-94)

A wine of textural depth and resonance, the 2018 Chablis Monts-Mains 1er Cru shows terrific power and richness in its broad, sweeping feel. Even with all of its density and overtness, the 2018 retains terrific freshness to balance things out.

Wine Advocate (94)

The 2015 Chablis 1er Cru Montee de Tonnerre has a tightly wound bouquet with a slight fumé note at first, then a trace of sea cave and a tang of the sea. The palate is very well balanced with a fine line of acidity. This has wonderful harmony, a dash of nutmeg and spice that emerges toward the finish and a very persistent aftertaste that will not go away (not that you want it to). This is an outstanding Montée de Tonnerre destined to give a lot of Chablis-lovers a lot of pleasure.

Burghound (95)

This is perhaps the most elegant and floral-infused wine in the range with its array of various white flower scents, especially acacia that are nuanced by wisps of ocean breeze, iodine and algae. The restrained and well-detailed flavors possess a sophisticated and refined mouthfeel while the stony and chiseled finish exhibiting excellent persistence on the bone-dry finish. This is class in a glass and a stunning rendition of the appellation though note well that at least moderate patience is strongly advised.

Burghound (95)

A discreet, even timid nose speaks of markedly cool, airy and admirably pure aromas of high-toned floral wisps, iodine and plenty of oyster shell and tidal pool nuances that are trimmed in just enough wood to mention. The racy, mineral-driven and ultra-refined middle weight flavors possess the finest and most delicate texture in the entire range, all wrapped in a strikingly long and strikingly layered finale. This is textbook MdT and a genuine knockout.

Vinous (95)

The 2017 Chablis Vaillons 1er Cru is an exceptionally beautiful wine endowed with tremendous length and pure power. Lemon confit, dried flowers and mint are some of the many notes that build in the glass. Textured and resonant through to the finish, with captivating beauty and tons of sheer allure, the Vaillons is so gorgeous. Frankly, it is hard to move on from it in this tasting.

Vinous (91)

The 2019 Chablis-Villages is well defined and pure on the nose, offering scents of dried honey, dandelion and a little quince jus, all pretty and growing in stature with aeration. The palate is well balanced with a waxy-textured opening. There’s good depth for a Village Cru, and a slightly pithy, peach skin finish. Excellent.

Burghound (96)

As is often the case, this is aromatically quite similar to the Montée de Tonnerre with just a touch more wood in evidence. Here too the slightly richer flavors possess an equally gorgeous texture with a bit more mid-palate stuffing to the intense, powerful and bone-dry finale that exhibits simply huge length. This beauty is even firmer, and I wouldn't even think about opening a bottle for at least 10 years, research purposes aside!

Wine Advocate (97)

Serious and tensile, Raveneau's 2019 Chablis Grand Cru Clos unwinds in the glass with aromas of orange oil, white flowers, confit lemon, green apple and deftly judged reduction. Full-bodied, taut and chiseled, it's an immensely concentrated, racy wine with huge depth at the core and a long, intensely saline finish. Its style exemplifies the 2019 Chablis vintage at its best.

Burghound (97+)

A restrained nose immediately makes clear that it could be from nowhere else but Chablis with its array of mineral reduction, oyster shell, iodine, spice, floral and citrus aromas. There is once again excellent volume and intensity to the even more concentrated big-bodied flavors that deliver huge length on the bone-dry, austere and compact finish. This is presently a block of stone that is going to need at least some patience and a wine that should repay 15+ years of cellaring. Moreover, it is not only a candidate for wine of the vintage honors but could legitimately vie for being one of the all-time great examples of Raveneau Clos. I shudder to think at what price it will trade at but if you can afford it, don't hesitate.

Wine Advocate (87-89)

The 2015 Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos has a pleasant peach and nectarine scented bouquet that might not sing of Chablis, but is attractive in a rather obvious way. The palate is medium-bodied with a slight viscosity on the entry, hints of praline and almond towards the finish. It is attractive, but drink it in its youth.

Vinous (92-95)

A wine of total sensuality, the 2016 Chambolle-Musigny Les Charmes 1er Cru possesses stunning aromatic lift and inner sweetness, not to mention phenomenal overall balance. Sweet red cherry, kirsch, rose petal, mint and spice literally soar out of the glass, while firm tannins extend the structured finish in this tightly wound Burgundy. The 2016 is aging in 350L barrels. The larger format seems to confer an extra element of finesse that makes the Charmes totally seductive. - Antonio Galloni

Vinous (93)

The 2016 Chambolle-Musigny Les Sentiers 1er Cru has an outstanding bouquet - exquisitely defined red berry fruit with subtle earthy tones. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, plenty of tightly coiled red fruit with a citrus-fresh finish that revivified the senses and leaves you urging for the next sip. Superb and classy. Tasted blind at the 2016 Burgfest tasting.

Burghound (92-94)

(from a 2.5 ha parcel of 35+ year old vines – two thirds of the blend is from Chapelot and the remainder is from Pied d’Aloup and Montée de Tonnerre proper; the Pied d’Aloup vines were planted in 1935). This would be difficult to mistake for anything other than Chablis with its aromatic profile of oyster shell, iodine, citrus and acacia blossom, all trimmed in a delicate dollop of oak. The super-sleek, intense and stylish middle weight flavors are also quite classy and I very much like the balance. This is also notably firmer and very much built-to age. Excellent. (92-94)/2030+

Wine Advocate (92)

Aromas of green apple, white flowers, oyster shell and beeswax introduce the 2019 Chablis 1er Cru Montmains, a medium to full-bodied, satiny and incisive wine that's quite tightly wound, built around tangy acids and chalky dry extract. This Montmains retains a very classic profile in this ripe vintage.

Vinous (91-93)

The 2019 Chambolle-Musigny La Combe d'Orveau 1er Cru has a showy bouquet with raspberry, cranberry, bergamot and tea leaf aromas, perhaps just needing a little more cohesion that should develop during the remainder of its maturation. The palate is medium-bodied with grippy tannins, black fruit laced with graphite leading to a fresh, classically styled finish that stylistically reminds me of Morey than Chambolle. Time will let it make up its mind what it wants to grow up and become, but it will be quite excellent.

Vinous (89-91)

The 2020 Chambolle-Musigny Village, matured in around 25% new oak, has quite a perfumed bouquet with red cherries and rose petal scents, quite airy and nicely focused. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, slightly creamy in texture, gaining weight towards the finish that feels quite caressing.

Halliday Wine Companion (96)

90/8/2% cabernet sauvignon/petit verdot/malbec. Wild ferment, matured in French oak (44% new) for 18 months. Not enough can be said in favour of the 2018 vintage, producing wines just like this. Powerfully ripe and dense, with epic length of flavour. This is a structural and concentrated cabernet capable of decades of graceful evolution in the cellar. Wild raspberry, salted licorice, aniseed, pomegranate, ferrous and kelp. Saline acid. It comes in at under $50, and long may that continue, for it is one of the great-value premium wines of the region.

Halliday Wine Companion (96)

Bright crimson-purple; this has provenance written large across its visage, likewise purity. Restructuring of the Vasse Felix offers to the market has lifted, not compromised, this dark, fruit-filled cabernet.

Vinous (91)

Deep ruby. Vibrant, spice-accented red and blue fruit aromas are complemented by suggestions of cigar box and candied flowers. In a juicy, energetic style, showing very good clarity to the bitter cherry and cassis flavors. Turns sweeter with air and finishes long and smooth, with just a hint of fine-grained tannins.

Wine Enthusiast (97)

One of the most renowned Chardonnays in Australia, the latest release is a knockout. A cool vintage allowed for gorgeous natural acidity and bright fruit to shine. Being the most cellarworthy of the Vasse Chards, Heytesbury is always structuredand more oak driven when young. It opens with heady aromas of toasted nuts, flint, seashell, vanilla pod and a seaweed-like umami note amid melon and lemon curd. The palate is fabulously fresh with textural complexity, and lingering nut, saline and citrusnotes on the lengthy finish.