Vinous (96-98)

The 2020 Chambertin Grand Cru has a magnificent bouquet with delineated redcurrant, raspberry and strawberry scents, quite pixelated in style, very focused and shimmering with tension. The palate is extremely well balanced with fine but firm tannins that frame some exquisite red fruit with real mineralité that just floods through on the finish. Brilliant.

Vinous (93-95)

The 2021 Chambertin Grand Cru offers a touch more complexity and nuance than the Clos-de-Bèze with red berry fruit, orange rind, crushed stone and wilted rose petals. It's a little more delineated and focused. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, again, quite creamy in texture with a bit of new oak on the finish (though there is a prudent use of new wood - one new barrel out of three). Quite seductive, this should age well in bottle, though afford it four to five years at least.

Vinous (98)

The 2017 Chambertin Grand Cru is just a glorious success. Vivid red fruit, Morello cherries, wild strawberry and pressed violets on the nose, the aromatics here feel so animated and exquisitely defined. The palate is perfectly balanced with a killer line of acidity: crystalline red fruit, filigree tannins and more freshness than it knows what to do with. There is a sense of "channeled intensity" in this Chambertin and whilst there is no question that it is a 20- to 30-years wine, I felt no guilt in polishing this off in its youth. Tasted at Maison de Colombier in Beaune.

Vinous (98)

The 2018 Chambertin Grand Cru has a very intense, brilliantly-defined bouquet with laser-like precision, incredibly focused and perfectly integrated oak. Less generous than Bichot's Chambertin at the moment though - this is biding its time. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy red fruit, insistent grip and plenty of freshness. Maybe just a little more confit in style than others. Still, a fabulous Chambertin that gains clarity and precision in the glass. Effortless. Tasted blind at the Burgfest 2018 red tasting.

Jeb Dunnuck (98-100)

The same 60/40 split of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, brought up in new oak, the 2018 Tench Vineyard EE Red Wine is another incredibly pure, complex, yet powerful 2018. Rocking levels of crème de cassis, spring flowers, chocolate, and graphite give way to a full-bodied, pure, and seamless wine that has incredible potential.

Wine Advocate (97-99+)

A barrel sample, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Tench Vineyard is deep garnet-purple colored and skips out of the glass with bright, cheery blackberries, crushed blackcurrants and plum preserves scents with hints of menthol, bay leaves and candied violets. Full-bodied, the palate is bombastic and juicy with plush tannins and lively acid, finishing long.

Vinous (95-97)

The 2018 Chambertin Grand Cru is matured entirely in new oak with 40-50% whole-bunch fruit. It displays sublime purity on the nose, which offers layers of brambly red fruit mixed with crushed stone, pressed rose petals and freshly tilled soil. The medium-bodied palate delivers supple tannins and a perfect line of acidity. Tighter than the Mazis-Chambertin, with a precise and quite conservative finish. This is another profound Chambertin from Arnaud Mortet.

James Suckling (99)

This is luxurious red for the vintage with velvety tannins that give it superb depth and richness. Lots of tile, dry earth, clay and chocolate. Full-bodied, but almost weightless in the sensibility of the wine. It goes on for minutes. Lovely dried oranges and savory, fruity and forest-floor character at the end. 80% cabernet sauvignon, 14% cabernet franc, 4% petit verdot and 2% merlot. Unfined and unfiltered. Drink in 2025.

Immerse yourself in the exquisite presentation of the Henri Rebourseau Chambertin Grand Cru 2019. A legendary product from the esteemed vineyards of Chambertin Grand Cru, part of France's cherished wine region, Burgundy, it replicates the reputable legacy of its producer, Henri Rebourseau. This majestic wine crafted in 2019, showcases a perfect blend of Pinot Noir grapes. Following traditional protocols of fermentation and maturation, it exemplifies the exemplary commitment to authenticity that is synonymous with the Henri Rebourseau estate.

Boasting characteristic vivacious ruby hues, the Henri Rebourseau Chambertin Grand Cru 2019 reveals nuanced aromas of red fruits, spices and earthy undertones. On the palate, it is rich and layered, balancing complexity with finesse. Each sip culminates in a long, persistent finish, echoing the wine's inherent elegance.

The Henri Rebourseau Chambertin Grand Cru 2019 reverberates the classic essence of Burgundy. It is a definitive embodiment of the region's terroir and a testament to the artistry of French winemaking.

James Suckling (100)

If every Chambertin was like this, we could give up our job. So much spice, earthy and meaty character, but in the end it's the amarena-cherry fruit that wins out. Enormous concentration and finesse. Staggering purity of flavor. Then comes the spectacularly uplifting finish that just doesn't want to stop. Drink or hold.

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.

Wine Advocate (96)

Tasted blind at the Burgfest 2014 tasting, the 2014 Chambertin Grand Cru from J L Trapet showed some stem addition on the nose, although there is sufficient fruit to support and absorb it over time. Indeed, with aeration it gains more harmony and the whole bunch influence seems to recede. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, a superb thread of acidity, grippy in the mouth with a tightly wound, quite firm and masculine finish and a hint of tobacco on the aftertaste. This is a Chambertin surfeit with personality and nobility. Tasted September 2017.

Vinous (97)

The 2015 Chambertin Grand Cru has a captivating bouquet of blackberry, raspberry, crushed iris petals and orange sorbet, so beautifully defined that you can pick out each and every nuance. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, well-judged acidity and perfectly integrated oak, fanning out silky-smooth and harmonious on a finish that has class and panache. One of the best Chambertins you will find. Tasted blind at the annual Burgfest tasting.

The wines of Domaine Trapet are the epitome of Burgundian elegance, purity, and finesse. Vinification techniques depend on the vintage but generally consist of a brief period of cold maceration, followed by fermentation in open top wood fermenters with partial inclusion of stems (30 to 50%). Maceration is long and slow, with delicate extraction via punch-down and then gentle pump-overs in the later stages. Sulphur is added only at bottling, in minute doses.

 

The three magnificent Grand Crus Domaine Trapet owns in Gevrey-Chambertin are in top echelons and again in 2016, Le Chambertin under Jean-Louis’ care, has received outstanding reviews. The Trapet Pere & Fils Chambertin Grand Cru 2016 is awarded a 95-97 pts from Neal Martin (Wine Advocate) and 93-96 pts from Allen Meadows (Burghound).