Wine Advocate (100)

The 2016 IX Proprietary Red Estate is a blend of 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc, 10% Merlot and 7% Petit Verdot. Deep garnet-purple, it comes strutting out of the glass with flamboyant Black Forest cake, blueberry compote and plum pudding notions plus hints of spice cake, unsmoked cigars, menthol, licorice and dusty soil and accented by wafts of tar and black tea. The palate is full-bodied yet incredibly poised and vibrant with amazing freshness and very fine-grained, very firm tannins. It possesses the most provocative earthy sparks, providing arresting depth to the very long, beautifully perfumed finish. Stunning.

The Wine Independent (100)

The 2018 IX Estate is deep purple-black in color. It gives up crushed blueberries, fresh blackcurrants, and black cherry preserves with an evocative undercurrent of licorice, sandalwood, clove oil, and cumin seed plus a waft of iron ore. The full-bodied palate is firm, tightly wound, and so, so intense, featuring exquisitely ripe, fine-grained tannins and seamless freshness, finishing very long and opulent.

James Suckling (100)

Ripe cherries, plums and flowers on the nose. Orange peel, too, together with hints of thyme, bay leaf and sage. Medium-to full-bodied, incredibly deep and fresh, with fine tannins that carry you deep down into the finish. It tells you its great, but makes you spend time in order to understand it. Reminds me of the 1990 Latour. Try after 2027.

Wine Advocate (100)

The 2010 IX Estate Syrah is one of the most compelling Syrahs ever made in California. It ranks alongside some of the perfect Syrahs from Sine Qua Non in Santa Ynez and the Santa Rita Hills. Tasting like liquified steak au poive with blackberry and blueberry sauce, this amazing wine reveals staggering aromas of flowers, bouquet garni, melted asphalt, licorice, pepper and meaty notes. It should drink well for 15+ years assuming you have that much patience.

Jeb Dunnuck (100)

Lastly, the 2016 Syrah IX Estate reminds me of the otherworldly 2010 and is as profound as Syrah gets. Tasting like Guigal’s Côte Rôtie La Mouline (maybe on steroids) with its huge notes of bacon fat, spring flowers, blue fruits, barbecued meats, and incense, it’s full-bodied and massive yet also thrillingly pure, seamless, elegant, and weightless. It’s certainly approachable today yet is going to benefit from 2-4 years of bottle age and keep for two decades.

Vinous (98)

Colgin's 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Tychson Hill is fabulous. Rich, dense and beautifully textured, the 2016 possesses tremendous nuance and pure class. An exotic mélange of super-ripe dark cherry, plum, spice, rose petal and mocha develop effortlessly, but it is the wine's balance that really stands out most. I imagine the 2016 will give readers a broad window of pure drinking pleasure. This is a super-refined, polished vintage for the Tychson Hill.

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

Vinous (90-92)

Moderately saturated ruby-red. Blackberry, cassis and menthol aromas are lifted by a mineral element. Juicy, saline and youthfully tight, even a bit clenched, but with harmonious bright acidity giving verve to the wine's dark berry flavors. Serious building tannins saturate the entire palate on the rather suave, fine-grained finish.

James Suckling (99)

Impressive purity of fruit and definition with black currant, oyster shell, blueberries and slate. Graphite too. Very complex yet subtle. Full-bodied, very chewy and powerful yet polished and gorgeous. Muscular, well-formed tannins. Electric style. Best ever from here. Drink in 2020.

James Suckling (100)

This is sensational with blackberries, blueberries and mineral. Extremely floral, too. Full-bodied but so seamless and refined with polished tannins that just melts into the wine. Goes on for minutes. A subtle and glorious wine that will be a new classic for Napa Valley. An emotional red that touches your soul. Energy. 46% cabernet sauvignon, 31% cabernet franc, 17% petit verdot, and 6% merlot. Very approachable now but better in 2022.

Vinous (100)

The 2016 Proprietary Red Wine Sage Mountain Vineyard may very well be the single greatest vintage made here thus far. It is quite simply a stunning wine and a towering achievement from the Mondavi family. Powerful, ample and sweeping in stature, the 2016 boasts breathtaking intensity in all of its dimensions. I see the pure, vibrant fruit of the 2013, but with more finessed tannins that add to the wine's feeling of real sensuality. Bright, precise and finely sculpted with remarkable persistence and perfectly integrated tannins, the 2016 is positively stellar - not to mention one of the wines of the vintage.

Wine Advocate (97+)

A blend of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Cabernet Franc, 9% Petit Verdot and 9% Merlot, the deep garnet-purple 2017 Proprietary Red soars out of the glass with notions of baked blueberries, plum preserves and blackcurrant cordial, backed up by nuances of chocolate mint, wild sage, violets and pencil shavings, plus an earthy hint of Chinese five spice. The rich, seductive, full-bodied palate is jam-packed with spicy black fruit preserves, framed by wonderfully plush tannins and a lively backbone, finishing long and opulent.

James Suckling (100)

This has incredible nuances and delicacy with power. It’s full-bodied with lots of gentle tannins that spread across the palate. The character is full of blackberry, blackcurrant and lead pencil. Some conifer and pine needles. Sage at the end, too. Savory. So long-lasting and layered. Such purity. It’s so complex and changes all the time in the glass. Goes on for minutes. 54% cabernet sauvignon, 31% cabernet franc, 9% petit verdot and 6% merlot. Organically grown grapes. So drinkable now, but will age beautifully.

James Suckling (99)

Blackberries, dark wet soil and blackcurrants. Graphite, too. So aromatic. Pure fruit. Full-bodied with superbly polished, fine tannins that draw you down through the center of palate. Extremely layered and the texture is so curated, giving wonderful persistence. Real plushness and fine, velvety texture. 50% cabernet sauvignon, 37% cabernet franc, 7% petit verdot and 6% merlot. Better after 2026.

Vinous (89-91)

The 2017 Gevrey-Chambertin Village comes from four sectors, 50% in the south and 50% in the north of the appellation, and was completely de-stemmed. This shows just a bit of reduction on the nose, although that will be resolved by bottling time. The medium-bodied palate is fresh and sorbet-like, displaying grainy tannin and kirsch and cassis notes toward the joyous finish. Expect a decade of drinking pleasure.

Vinous (90-92)

The 2018 Gevrey-Chambertin Village has a perfumed, quite floral bouquet of dark cherries, raspberry and light tobacco aromas that gently unfold in the glass. The palate is very smooth and harmonious, with lightly spiced red fruit. Gains weight and grip toward the very finely detailed finish, which nudges Premier Cru in quality. Yeah... that good.

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.

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

Wine Advocate (100)

As stunning as this basic Cabernet Sauvignon is, the 2002 Maya, a proprietary blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon and 45% Cabernet Franc, is pure perfection. It boasts an inky purple color as well as an extraordinary perfume of incense, black fruits, charcoal and forest floor. Full-bodied, with monumental intensity, a multidimensional texture/mouthfeel, and a stunning finish, this beauty reveals the brilliant quality of the Dalla Valle Cabernet Franc plantings meshed with their powerful Cabernet Sauvignon. Anticipated maturity: 2018-2040+.

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.