Vinous (90-92)

The 2019 Morey-Saint-Denis Les Millandes 1er Cru came across very backward on the nose, gradually opening with black fruit and black olive/briny aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with ripe black cherry and blueberry fruit, sweet and sorbet-fresh with a high-toned, yet focused finish that lingers long in the mouth. Very promising but it will require 3-4 years in bottle.

Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy (92-94)

Fresh dark purple, a mild reduction, a wine of elegance and charm on the palate with a surprisingly peppery finish. Almost exotic Asian spices. The fruit itself spreads beautifully across the palate, a mix of red and black. Tasted: December 2021

The Aurelien Verdet Morey-Saint-Denis Rouge 2016 is an exquisite Burgundy wine, exhibiting a delightful composure of elegance and depth. Bracing the standards of eco-conscious viticulture, Aurelien Verdet, the young noted producer, employs organic and biodynamic methods in the legendary terroirs Near Nuits-Saint-Georges. The grapes are handpicked at the peak of ripeness, ensuring that the wine's aromatic profile achieves a balance of ripe red berry expressions and earthy undertones.

The grapes are fermented in wooden vats then aged in French oak barrels for 18 months. This intensive process bestows the Aurelien Verdet Morey-Saint-Denis Rouge 2016 with its sophisticated character. Decanting is advised to unlock its full palate potential, which includes tones of raspberry, dark cherry and hint of spices, complemented by silky tannins. This wine's vivacious complexity serves as testament to Verdet’s commitment to traditional Burgundian winemaking standards. A gem for any serious aficionado of French Wine.

Vinous (89-91)

The 2017 Morey-Saint-Denis Village comes from four climats scattered across the appellation and sees one-third new oak. Compared to the Chambolle Village, there is more fullness of fruit on the nose, which offers red cherries, crushed strawberry and rose petal aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy red fruit, a fine bead of acidity, a little piquancy toward the finish and a bit of orange zest on the aftertaste. Excellent.

Wine Advocate (90-92)

A cuvée that's often the insiders' choice chez Dujac, the 2021 Morey-Saint-Denis 1er Cru has turned out well, mingling aromas of plums and berries with hints of baking spice and orange rind. Medium to full-bodied, ample and fleshy, it's layered and textural, with sweet tannins, lively acids and a perfumed finish.

Decanter (92)

Faiveley's exemplary Mercurey Premier Cru comes from a substantial six-hectare parcel that faces east on a very gentle slope. Just a little more concentrated than its La Framboisière cuvée - which is also worth buying - this is rich, sunny and full of red berry and bramble fruit with good underlying zip, fine tannins and suave 30% new wood.

Wine Advocate (92)

Faiveley's 2019 Mercurey 1er Cru Clos des Myglands has turned out beautifully, wafting from the glass with aromas of cherries and raspberries mingled with woodsmoke, loamy soil and warm spices. Medium to full-bodied, lively and charming, it's velvety and succulent, with fine depth at the core and a suave, elegant profile.

Wine Advocate (93)

Aromas of plums, spices, incense and soil tones, framed by a touch of toasty new oak, introduce the 2019 Mercurey 1er Cru Clos du Roy, a medium to full-bodied, layered and velvety wine that's fleshy and concentrated, with fine, powdery tannins and lively acids. This is an enveloping, gourmand wine from a 2.6-hectare parcel.

Wine Advocate (93+)

From vines planted in 1982 in the sloping, southeast-facing part of Faiveley's parcel in the Clos du Roy, the 2017 Mercurey 1er Cru Clos du Roy La Favorite offers up a more overtly oak-inflected bouquet of dark berry fruit, spices, incense and vanilla pod. On the palate, it's medium to full-bodied, layered and muscular, with ripe acids and an ample chassis of powdery tannin framing a nicely concentrated core of fruit. This shows definite promise, but it will demand some patience.

Wine Advocate (93+)

Faiveley's 2018 Mercurey 1er Cru Clos du Roy La Favorite has turned out brilliantly, mingling aromas of blackberries and cassis with nuances of licorice, violets and coniferous forest floor. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and concentrated, it's seamless and layered, with fine depth at the core, succulent acids and a long, expansive finish. This would embarrass plenty of wines from the Côte de Nuits in a blind tasting.

Bright aromas of raspberries, crushed red plums and Morello cherries surrounded with warm spices and a touch of oak. Super texture, fine tannins and concentration, with a line of richness running through the palate. A long, textured finish with bright fruits and spice lingering.

Wine Advocate (93+)

A small cuvée of some 900 bottles derived from the most steeply sloping part of Faiveley's holdings in this climat where the vines produce small, shot berries, the 2020 Mercurey 1er Cru Clos du Roy La Favorite unwinds in the glass with scents of cherries, sweet plums, cocoa nib, loamy soil and licorice. Medium to full-bodied, layered and concentrated, it's more structured and introverted than the regular cuvée, and it will reward a bit of patience.

Wine Advocate (90+)

The 2017 Mercurey 1er Cru Les Vasées unfurls in the glass with aromas of smoky blackberries, cassis, grilled game bird and espresso roast. On the palate, it's medium to full-bodied, layered and nicely concentrated, its fine but chalky tannins largely cloaked in fleshy fruit.

Regarded as the epitome of eponymous exquisiteness is the Francois Raquillet Mercurey 1er Cru Les Vasees 2018. This exquisite red wine is carefully crafted by Francois Raquillet, an 11th generation winemaker, in Burgundy's esteemed Côte Chalonnaise region. Dating back to sixteenth-century, the estate’s commitment to tradition and detail is evident in each bottle.

Les Vasees 2018 is synonymous for its distinct finesse, expressing a harmony of ripe black fruits, complemented by svelte tannins and an invigorating mineral backbone. The wine is made from hand-picked Pinot Noir grapes, grown in calcareous-clay soil and matured in French oak barrels. This gentle approach ensures preservation of the elegant fruit character alongside development of a mesmerising complexity.

A wine deserving its Premier Cru status, the Francois Raquillet Mercurey 1er Cru Les Vasees 2018 offers a refined drinking experience and typifies the irrefutable cachet of fine French wines.

Embark on a distinguished vinous journey with the impeccably crafted Georges Lignier Morey-Saint-Denis 1er Cru Clos des Ormes 2018. Cultivated in the prestigious vineyards of Burgundy, this epitome of French viticulture exhibits the savoir-faire of generational winemaking. Lush, elegant and truly captivating, this Pinot Noir is nurtured on marl and limestone-dominated soil for ultimate depth, ensuring a characteristically terroir-driven palate. Winemaker Benoît Stehly follows time-honoured practices, emphasising on organic viticulture and meticulous hand-harvesting for pure expressions of fruit.

Matured in French oak barrels, the Georges Lignier Morey-Saint-Denis 1er Cru Clos des Ormes 2018 teases with vibrant red fruit, culminating in a complex, layered experience on the palate. Its silky tannins, sombre colour, and sublime textures promise a truly divine libation. Indulge yourself in a bottle of this refinely structured, multi-faceted wine that impeccably showcases the prestige of its noble birthplace.

Vinous (87-90)

(no new oak used here or in the foregoing wines): Palish medium red. Spicy redcurrant and raspberry aromas are complemented by a suggestion of smoke. Subtly sweet and a touch reduced, showing good intensity and verve to its flavors of red fruits, brown spices and underbrush. Finishes with rather fine-grained tannins and a slightly rustic peppery nuance.

Wine Advocate (92-94)

The 2015 Morey-Saint-Denis 1er Cru Clos de la Bussière, which contains 50% whole bunch fruit, has a clean and precise, almost pixelated bouquet with blackberry, briary and cold limestone scents that gain intensity in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with crisp acidity, quite structured in the mouth with filigree and tensile tannin. This is very focused, linear in style, which is surprising given the warmth during the growing season, with great clarity on the finish. This is just a fantastic Morey-Saint-Denis from Christophe Roumier.

Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy (86-88)

Again quite a full yellow. The nose is full of apples and the palate brings out the chiselled hillside aspect but there is still some flesh. He has kept CO2 high (1100-1200) and this assists the final crisp aftertaste. But this is not really my wine. Drink from 2024-2026.

Vinous (91-93)

The 2018 Morey-Saint-Denis Les Millandes 1er Cru is another cuvée that includes 100% whole bunch this year. It has a well-defined bouquet, the stemmy element not quite as pronounced as on the Gevrey Champonnet and more integrated with the fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, a fine bead of acidity, and generous peppery black fruit laced with cedar and white pepper. The grippy finish needs time to abrade its edges. A traditionally cut Morey-Saint-Denis that needs to be consumed with food. Good potential here.

Vinous (93-95)

The 2019 Morey-Saint-Denis Les Millandes 1er Cru comes from vines over 70 years old and was cropped at 45hl/ha, the first vineyard to be picked in order to moderate alcohol. Containing 100% whole bunch, it has an intense bouquet of pine-needle-infused red and black fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy black fruit, and a little tarry toward the finish. Perhaps the most peppery of the domaine’s wines. I can see this aging beautifully.

Burghound (91-93)

A ripe yet cool nose reflects notes of black raspberry, poached plum and a lovely violet top note. There is very good volume to the caressing yet muscular medium-bodied flavors that deliver fine length and even better depth. This should be excellent in time.

Vinous (92-94)

The 2019 Morey-Saint-Denis Les Millandes 1er Cru is 50% whole bunch with no new oak. It has a more powerful bouquet compared to the Clos des Ormes, although it does not exude the same mineralité or finesse. On the other hand, the palate is very well balanced and seems to have more depth and precision than the Clos des Ormes, leading to a compelling mineral-driven, saline finish that lingers for 45+ seconds. Superb.

Wine Advocate (91-93+)

The 2019 Morey-Saint-Denis 1er Cru Cuvée des Alouettes opens in the glass with notes of plums, cherries, raw cocoa, cinnamon and licorice. Medium to full-bodied, velvety and fleshy, it's layered and elegantly gourmand, with lively acids and a precise, mineral finish. As usual, this hails entirely from the Clos de Monts Luisants, but the domaine opts not to mention the lieu-dit on the label to avoid confusion with their emblematic white wine from the same vineyard.