Vinous (90-92)

The 2017 Gevrey-Chambertin Clos Prieur 1er Cru, which is a new long-term contract for Drouhin, is lucid ruby in color. It has a fresh raspberry and crushed strawberry nose, touches of mint and allspice emerging with time. The palate is medium-bodied with gentle grip on the entry. It feels well structured, with good backbone, maybe missing a little tension toward the finish, but persistent and satisfying. Give it two or three years in bottle.

Vinous (93+)

Good bright medium red. Aromas of raspberry, rose petal, minerals and crushed stone convey a very sexy, slightly high-toned liqueur-like quality. Dense, fine-grained and taut, displaying piquant mineral energy and mouthwatering acidity to its flavors of raspberry, cherry and blood orange. Really compelling inner-mouth tension here. This firmly tannic, classic 2014 finishes with lovely rising floral length. I would not be at all surprised if a decade of cellaring brought an even higher score.

Jancis Robinson (17.5)

Cask sample. Bright mid crimson. Pale rim. Really quite heady and distinctive on the nose. Attractive savoury cut on the palate but quite full bodied. This does immediately taste like grand cru weight. Masses of fruit and a little bit of bitter cherry on the end. Lightly muscular in a good way. Clean and brisk and long.

Tim Atkin MW (95)

This is the most brooding of the four of five Clos Saint Jacques tasted for this report. It is singularly concentrated with tightly coiled black fruits: blackberries, sloe and black currants. The tannins are slightly coarse but not drying and will nicely melt into this boisterous wine in due time. The fresh current of acidity draws out the finale that shows some herbal uplift. 2025-38

Jancis Robinson (18)

Cask sample. Bright mid garnet. Sweet, jewelly, bright-fruited nose. Superior density and great fragrance. Real impact on the palate. Great persistence. Refined but not scrawny. Lifted and elegant on the nose with real breadth on the palate. Just gorgeous already even though one knows that it will just go on getting better and better.

Jancis Robinson (17)

Cask sample. Deep garnet. Intense ferny undergrowth on the nose and pretty exciting vivacity on the palate. More concentrated than most. Closer perhaps to the traditional view of red burgundy. There is so much fruit that you could, with murder in mind, drink this even sooner. GV (relatively).

Tim Atkin MW (95)

This wine smells like where it comes from: high on the hills of Gevrey, tucked in near to the forest. Forest floor and fresh mushrooms mingle with bramble and blackberries. Nicely ripe and less crunchy than it often is, the full body is surrounded by spicy tannins and generous acidity. 2024-35

Jancis Robinson (17.5)

Danish pastries and roasted plums on the nose, very sweet and spicy. Fleshy and opulent on the palate, with great intensity of fruit. The tannins build and offer depth, structure and savour. Long and expansive on the finish.

Vinous (93-95)

The 2019 Gevrey-Chambertin Les Cazetiers 1er Cru has an exquisite bouquet of crystalline red berry fruit laced with minerals, wonderfully delineated and focused. The palate is smooth and sensual on the entry, and very cohesive, with a perfect line of acidity. Pure and ravishing, armed with a satin-textured finish, this is going to be very difficult to resist once in bottle. Superb.

Burghound (88)

Here too the wood toast is sufficiently present to warrant pointing out on the cool, pretty and airy red berry fruit aromas where background hints of just turned earth and violet add breadth. I very much like the mid-palate texture of the medium-bodied flavors that contrast somewhat with the mildly edgy if still persistent and slightly firmer finish. This may better harmonize with a few years of keeping but for the moment, it's not quite as well-balanced.

Experience the divine balance of fruit and ground in the Marc Roy Gevrey-Chambertin La Justice 2018. Elegantly hailing from the heart of France's renowned Burgundy region, this dignified, single-vineyard Pinot Noir exhibits the expertise of fourth-generation vigneron, Alexandrine Roy. Her passion for minimalistic, traditional methods reflects in this wine — a testament to the purity that Gevrey-Chambertin is renowned for.

The Marc Roy Gevrey-Chambertin La Justice 2018 exhibits a stunning ruby-red colour, hinting at the delicate aromas of raspberry and spices. A sip hints of firm yet supple tannins, underlined by nuances of red fruit and earthy notes. Each bottle proudly stands testament to the meticulous hand harvesting and diligent, indigenous yeast fermenting process employed by the estate. For enthusiasts of well-structured Burgundian wines, this nuanced creation offers both complexity and finesse. Enjoy this exquisite wine today, or allow it to age gracefully, unveiling its full potential in the years to come.

Vinous (86-88)

The 2019 Gevrey-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes comes from vines up to 85 years old. It has a sensual bouquet of brambly red fruit, undergrowth and light truffle aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins, moderate acidity and decent length. What is missing is a little tension and precision on the finish compared to other vintages.

Vinous (87-89)

The 2020 Gevrey-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes has a clean and pure bouquet with perfumed raspberry and wild strawberry scents, a subtle earthiness underneath. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy red fruit, fine acidity, gentle grip with a nicely structured, Morey-like finish. Fine.

Wine Advocate (98+)

A blend of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% Cabernet Franc, the 2018 Oakville Estate Proprietary Red Wine was aged for 22 months in French oak barrels, 55% new. Deep garnet-purple colored, it sashays out of the glass with flamboyant scents of candied violets, red roses, black raspberries and fragrant earth over a core of cassis, wild blueberries and Morello cherries with a waft of pencil lead. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is an exercise in poise, featuring beautifully balanced velvety tannins and seamless freshness framing the opulent black and red berry layers, finishing very long and perfumed. 670 cases were made.

Wine Spectator (94)

'#1 in Wine Spectator Top 100 2022' - Packs in generous steeped plum, boysenberry and mulberry flavors backed by a broad swath of roasted alder and bittersweet cocoa. Brimming with dense fruit, and is squarely in the not-shy style. The long finish has a serious loamy tug, too. Best from 2023 through 2035. 10,000 cases made.

Jeb Dunnuck (100)

The 2015 Screaming Eagle is another monumental wine from this address, and it's one of those cases where if you afford it, you should buy it. A blend of 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc, this magical elixir boasts a deep purple color as well as a blockbuster bouquet of blueberries, creme de cassis, violets, incense, and cedarwood. Reminding me of the 2015 Château Margaux with its off the charts class and purity, it’s full-bodied, thrillingly textured, and has a finish that just won't quit. This legendary wine is going to keep for 30-40 years.

Wine Advocate (97+)

Beautiful floral notes intermixed with creme de cassis, licorice and charcoal jump from the glass of this dense purple-colored 2002. Opulent, broad, full-bodied and more mature than I expected given how this wine showed in its youth, this deep, rich Cabernet Sauvignon is exceptional. However, in this vintage it has to take a back seat to a number of other cuvees. The final blend was 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc.

James Suckling (100)

The subtle and nuanced aromas to this are so enticing with perfumed, floral, blackcurrant and blackberry character. Roses, too. Some lavender. Full-bodied yet so refined and polished with the most transparent and polished texture. Firm and seamless. So beautiful now. Give it three or four years to come around, but this already sings.

Wine Advocate (100)

Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, the 2018 Screaming Eagle soars out of the glass with vibrant notions of ripe blackberries, black cherries and fresh red and black currants plus wafts of licorice, candied violets, cedar chest and clove oil with a beguiling touch of sea spray. Medium-bodied with jaw-dropping elegance, the palate is finely textured and yet built like a brick house with a super taut backbone and exquisitely knit acidity. The intense black and red fruit flavors are accented by layers of mineral and floral notions, finishing with incredible length and depth. Undeniably stunning. “I loved it!” winemaker Nick Gislason told me when I asked him for his thoughts on the 2018 vintage. “Everything is just really perfumey with a lot of verve and a lot of freshness. It’s a wholesome vintage, if that makes sense? The canopies were big and healthy; there was a lot of life in the vineyard. After 2017, it felt like the bloom that comes afterward.” He went on to say, "We made a little 2017 red. Only four barrels of the Cab! Ten barrels of The Flight. Only from grapes that came in before the fires—mainly Merlot and a couple of blocks of Cabernet." Whereas Screaming Eagle is mainly sourced from Cabernet Sauvignon grown on the western side of the estate, there is one plot of old Merlot (1980s plantings) on the eastern side of the vineyard that continually makes the backbone of this Second Flight/The Flight. This is planted on very gravelly, well-drained soils. Gislason explained, “The Cabernet Sauvignon for The Flight is always about being fresh, light and perfumey, without the firmer tannins that Cabernet can sometimes give. There is a ‘fresh’ end of the property that this tends to come from. There is some other Merlot on the other side of the property that doesn’t have the acidity, perfume or brightness we’re looking for. We don’t use this in The Flight.”

Wine Advocate (98)

The 2017 Sauvignon Blanc is 100% Sauvignon Blanc, coming from a small section of estate vines closer to the Napa river. It is entirely fermented in French oak, but only about 5% is new. The grapes are pressed straight to barrels and kept on their gross lees. The wine is fermented using native yeasts. This vintage, the nose is not at all shy—it comes bounding out of the glass with exuberant scents of ripe peaches, passion fruit and musk perfume plus wafts of honeycomb, elderflower, ripe gooseberries and lemongrass with a waft of Bosc pears. The palate is super intense and yet ethereally weighted, light-bodied and oh-so-fine, elegant and refreshing, featuring a whole array of chalk and sea spray sparks, creating a shimmer to all the many citrus and stone fruit layers, finishing with great length and energy. There is a truly interesting phenolic texture to the palate that reminds me of some Chardonnays, particularly Burgundian examples. Winemaker Nick Gislason commented that the gross lees contain a lot of phenolic content, which is where the wine picks up that textural component. Love it!

Vinous (98)

The 2016 The Flight is gorgeous. Dark, brooding and closed in on itself, the 2016 is going to need a number of years to be at its very best, but it is incredibly beguiling today. Plum, black cherry, lavender, blood orange menthol, and a host of more mineral-driven notes punctuate this super-expressive wine. This is a decidedly tannic and powerful edition of The Flight. I can't wait to see how it ages. Bottled just six weeks before this tasting, the 2016 appears to have a very bright future. Time in the glass brings out some of the softer edges that will almost surely emerge with cellaring. The Flight is built on a core of older Merlot vines from the southeast corner of the estate. It is an absolutely riveting wine from Screaming Eagle.

James Suckling (100)

This is an incredible wine with such depth and energy and ethereal, mind-blowing sensibility. It sent shivers down my spine tasting it. It just shines on the nose, like bright sunlight breaking through a dark sky. Aromas of raspberries, citrus, violets and dark earth. Full-bodied with extremely fine tannins that go vertical and endless, from top to bottom. A monument for merlot-based wines. Drinkable now, but needs six to eight years to come around.

James Suckling (99)

Extremely floral and aromatic with violets and lavender throughout. Black olives, too. It’s medium-to full-bodied with firm, very fine-grained tannins that run the length of the wine. Goes on for minutes. A greenish undertone comes out at the end with some spearmint, green tea and green olive. About two-thirds merlot. Best after 2028, but already stunning.

Tim Atkin MW (94)

Like the domaine's La Combe d'Orveau, this Premier Cru sits high on a slope above Grand Crus. The vines averaged 44 years old for the 2020 vintage, with the larger part planted in 1974 and the smaller bit planted in 1986. The focused, pure nose smells of blackberry coulis and fresh flowers. The palate bustles with freshness and energy as the finely-hewn tannins frame the medium body. 2024-35

Vinous (89-91)

The 2020 Gevrey-Chambertin Village has a very attractive, quite floral bouquet, understated but opening with lovely red berry fruit and rose petals. The palate is medium-bodied with firm tannins, quite structured with a Morey-like personality on the finish. This is quite stylish and should age well in bottle.

Vinous (91-93)

The 2019 Gevrey-Chambertin Aux Etelois was completely destemmed and has a reserved bouquet, quite earthy in style at first, featuring brambly red berry fruit. It becomes spicier with aeration, revealing hints of cumin and bay leaf. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, smooth and beautifully balanced, the oak seamlessly integrated. It lingers nicely on the finish, completing a very composed and seductive Aux Etelois.

Vinous (93)

The 2018 Gevrey-Chambertin Les Champeaux 1er Cru seems to be fulfilling the promise it showed from barrel. Elegant and very pure on the nose, it unfurls with those same brambly red berry fruit scents, tinged with potpourri and wilted rose petal. The palate conveys that sense of transparency, filigreed tannins framing pretty red fruit, and shows decent grip on the finish. I can see this maturing with style.

Vinous (94-96)

The 2020 Gevrey-Chambertin Les Champeaux 1er Cru contains 20% whole bunch with 50% new oak. There is a very tiny reduction here but there is plenty of red berry fruit with touches of orange pith. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy red fruit, very cohesive and fine tuned towards the pixelated finish. Very long, very finessed.

Vinous (94-96)

The 2020 Gevrey-Chambertin Lavaux Saint-Jacques 1er Cru contains no stems this year. It has a very delineated and focused bouquet with superb mineralité and tension. The palate is very well balanced with the 50% new oak neatly integrated. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, fine delineation and so much freshness thank to the limestone soils. Very fine tension on the tightly-coiled finish. This has great potential. Wonderful.