Wine Advocate (94)

A wine of grand cru depth and dimension even in this challenging vintage, the 2013 Pommard 1er Cru Les Rugiens delivers a reserved bouquet of sweet red fruits, spices, candied peel and subtle espresso roast. On the palate, it's full-bodied, ample and layered, with excellent concentration, satiny tannins and a long, chewy finish that's lent delineation by the wine's tangy acids. The only missing ingredient is time.

Wine Advocate (94)

A wine of grand cru depth and dimension even in this challenging vintage, the 2013 Pommard 1er Cru Les Rugiens delivers a reserved bouquet of sweet red fruits, spices, candied peel and subtle espresso roast. On the palate, it's full-bodied, ample and layered, with excellent concentration, satiny tannins and a long, chewy finish that's lent delineation by the wine's tangy acids. The only missing ingredient is time.

Wine Advocate (95)

More brooding than the Grands Epenots, the 2017 Pommard 1er Cru Les Rugiens unfurls in the glass with a deep-pitched bouquet of cassis, black cherries, rich soil tones, peonies and dark chocolate, deftly framed by a discreet touch of oak. On the palate, it's full-bodied, deep and concentrated, with a textural attack, muscular but velvety structuring tannins and a long, resonant and intensely sapid finish. This is a brilliant wine from Gaunoux, and one of the wines of the vintage along the Côte de Beaune this year.

Wine Advocate (95)

More brooding than the Grands Epenots, the 2017 Pommard 1er Cru Les Rugiens unfurls in the glass with a deep-pitched bouquet of cassis, black cherries, rich soil tones, peonies and dark chocolate, deftly framed by a discreet touch of oak. On the palate, it's full-bodied, deep and concentrated, with a textural attack, muscular but velvety structuring tannins and a long, resonant and intensely sapid finish. This is a brilliant wine from Gaunoux, and one of the wines of the vintage along the Côte de Beaune this year.

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.

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.

Tim Atkin MW (95)

Block W is located in Faure, very close to the cooling breezes of False Bay on the Bredell farm and is my pick of the Mulderbosch Chenins in 2018. Intense, focused and mealy, with some added texture from 100% malolactic fermentation, lovely weight and concentration and a lingering, bone dry finish.

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.

Vinous (95)

The 2019 Cabernet Franc Dolomite has an energetic, tensile nose of wonderfully defined red and black fruit, sage, bell pepper and clove aromas; hints of dried blood emerge with time. The palate is very well balanced, taut and fresh, with supple tannins, a fine bead of acidity, a harmonious, sophisticated finish, and suggestions of black pepper on the aftertaste. This is a brilliant Cabernet Franc from Raats that will age gloriously.

Vinous (97)

The 2018 MR de Compostella is a blend of 54% Cabernet Franc, 23% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Malbec, 5% Merlot and 3% Petit Verdot. It presents a compelling bouquet of blackberry, charcoal, cedar and tobacco, all showing wonderful delineation and focus. But it is not the most flamboyant on the nose compared to other vintages; this takes its time to open at a stately pace. The palate is medium-bodied with saturated tannins, perfectly judged acidity, a silky-smooth texture and an utterly harmonious, complex finish. Residues of allspice and clove linger on the long aftertaste. Brilliant.

Greg Sherwood MW (98)

Never made with exactly the same blend in any two vintages, the 2020 is a classic Cape Bordeaux assemblage of 30% Cabernet Franc, 28% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Malbec, 16% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot with a total production of only 1,000 x 6. The wine displays a real intensity in the glass with a ruby red rim and a red / black plum heart. The aromatics are vibrant and fabulously perfumed, bursting from the glass with expressive notes of red and black berry fruits, black currant, raspberry, red and black cherry, before notes of earthy blueberry emerge with suggestions of pressed violets, lavender, sweet sandalwood, star anise and graphite spice. On the palate, the vintage’s regal elegance emerges with exhilarating acids framing the plush opulent red and back berry fruits, saline cassis, tart red cherry and a blueberry confectionary generosity. Tasting the wine with Bruwer Raats, inevitable comparisons were made to the iconic 2017 MR, with both wines sharing a beautifully bright acid freshness and a weightless concentration of pure berry fruits with only the slightest suggestion of vanilla oak spice. This really is a wine with a mixed palette of colours, flavours and fruits and the most seamlessly elegant, finessed velvety tannins. Following on from the 2018 blockbuster, with no 2019 MR produced, this 2020 is a bold, enchanting, characterful wine full of precision that trumpets the return of this incredible benchmark Cape classic. A breathtaking wine on so many levels. Drink from 2024 to 2045+.

Greg Sherwood MW (99)

The MR de Compostella from Bruwer Raats and Mzokhona Mvemve possesses one of the most successful critical track records out of almost any red wine produced in South Africa let alone just in the Cape Bordeaux Blend category. The newest 2021 release astonishingly takes this wine to yet another higher niveau of quality with a blend of 26% Cabernet Franc, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Malbec, 20% Merlot and 2% Petit Verdot. Made from vines aged between 9 and 22 years old, all grown on deep decomposed dolomitic granite soils with table mountain sandstone, the aromatics are wonderfully bold and exuberant displaying seductive notes of blackberries, crème de cassis, violets, sweet cherry tobacco, black cherries and tart black plum. The lifted perfumed intensity is incredibly pure and piercing with salty liquorice, cedar spice and beautifully detailed maritime oyster shell nuances. In the mouth, the concentration and focused steely intensity is astounding – tart, bright and architecturally soaring, shaping this wine into a powerful, linear, multi-dimensional masterpiece. Packed full of salty cassis, tart plum and black currant, the tightly wound core of power, refined extraction and polished marble tannins leave you in no doubt that this harmonious, vibrant beauty is a spellbinding, timeless classic in the making. If you wanted just one wine to convince an international fine wine connoisseur of the true greatness of South Africa’s finest terroirs and winemaking, you have found your candidate! Simply an incredible wine. Drink this beauty from 2024 and savour over the next 30+ years. But you might need more than just one or two cases in your cellar!!

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