James Suckling (99)

So much crushed stone, rosemary, lavender, mint and blackberry. Full-bodied and very structured with layers of powerful and polished tannins. It goes on for minutes. Ink, blackcurrants and blueberries. 60% cabernet sauvignon, 35% merlot and 5% petit verdot. Needs at least five or six years to open. Try after 2025.

James Suckling (99)

So much crushed stone, rosemary, lavender, mint and blackberry. Full-bodied and very structured with layers of powerful and polished tannins. It goes on for minutes. Ink, blackcurrants and blueberries. 60% cabernet sauvignon, 35% merlot and 5% petit verdot. Needs at least five or six years to open. Try after 2025.

Wine Advocate (92-94)

The 2019 Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Lavrottes opens in the glass with aromas of raspberries, plums and forest floor, complemented by hints of sweet spices and raw cocoa. Medium to full-bodied, mineral and incisive, it's concentrated and youthfully tightly wound, concluding with a youthfully grippy finish. This will take its time to come together, as is generally the case, but it's very promising.

Wine Advocate (90-92)

The 2019 Nuits-Saint-Georges Village is a fine follow-up to the excellent 2018 rendition, bursting from the glass with notes of wild berries, orange rind, warm spices and rich soil tones. Medium-bodied, lively and precise, it's deep and concentrated, with a seamless profile and beautifully powdery tannins. Cropped at a modest 30 hectoliters per hectare, it's a cuvée that seems to go from strength to strength as yields fall.

The Wine Independent (100)

Composed of 36% Cabernet Franc, 34% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 30% Merlot, the 2019 Figeac is deep garnet-purple colored. It needs considerable swirling to coax out its alluring perfume of redcurrant jelly, juicy blackcurrants, and blackberries, with underlying suggestions of candied violets, chocolate box, fragrant earth, and lavender plus a touch of crushed rocks. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has a mind-blowing array of layers with exceptionally ripe, fine-grained tannins and jaw-dropping tension, leading to a fantastically persistent mineral and floral-tinged finish that makes your heart stop. With its energy, structure, and incredible depth, truly, this is a towering triumph.

Wine Advocate (92-94)

Aromas of cherries, raspberries, warm spices and loamy soil introduce the 2019 Corton-Bressandes Grand Cru, a medium to full-bodied, rich and fleshy wine that's enveloping and gourmand, structured around ripe tannins and succulent acids. Like the Romanée-Saint-Vivant, this is sourced from the Poisot family.

Wine Advocate (92-94)

Derived from lieu-dit Charlemagne, the 2019 Corton Grand Cru reveals aromas of sweet red berries, woodsmoke, raw cocoa and peonies. Medium to full-bodied, elegant and fine-boned, it's pure and precise, with a more ethereal profile than the richer, more soil-driven Aloxe-Corton premiers crus that preceded it.

Vinous (94)

The 2019 Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru has a rather terse bouquet, more saline than the Criots, touches of oyster shell coming through with time in the glass. The palate is well balanced with more weight and density than the Criots, grippy and saline with a long spicy aftertaste. This is excellent - but serious and warranting cellaring for three or four years.

Vinous (93)

The 2019 Chassagne-Montrachet Les Caillerets 1er Cru has a crisp, more understated bouquet with more earthy overtones that the domaine's other cuvées. The palate is one of the most terroir-expressive from the domaine, very well defined with a lightly spiced finish. This has a real spring in its step.

Jancis Robinson (17.5)

Bottled. A little more subdued on the nose than the Bâtard-Montrachet. But more intense on the palate. Deeper, creamier and more opulent and still with the right balance between zippy fruit and creamy oak.

Wine Enthusiast (95)

Lovely aromas of violet, iris and perfumed berry lift out of the glass. Firmly structured and focused, the linear palate shows refinement and finesse, with taut, refined tannins framing juicy red cherry, strawberry compote and star anise. Fresh acidity keeps it vibrant and balanced. Best 2029-2039

Wine Enthusiast (96)

Truffle, camphor violet and ripe berry aromas come together on this fragrant red. Full-bodied and full of flavor, the delicious palate doles out juicy Morello cherry, raspberry compote, baking spice and star anise while firm, refined tannins provide support. Bright acidity keeps it balanced. Drink 2027–2039.

Wine Enthusiast (96)

Truffle, camphor violet and ripe berry aromas come together on this fragrant red. Full-bodied and full of flavor, the delicious palate doles out juicy Morello cherry, raspberry compote, baking spice and star anise while firm, refined tannins provide support. Bright acidity keeps it balanced. Drink 2027–2039.

Indulge your palate with the exquisite Fontanabianca Langhe Nebbiolo 2019. Hailing from the heart of Piemonte, Italy, this fine wine is produced by the esteemed Fontanabianca winery, renowned for preserving authentic traditions in winemaking. Grown on south-east facing vineyards situated on mountainous terrains, the Nebbiolo grapes yield complex, powerful, yet delicately balanced wines.

Fontanabianca Langhe Nebbiolo 2019 undergoes alcoholic fermentation for 11 days in stainless steel tanks, followed by malolactic fermentation in barrels, accentuating its luscious character and depth. Displaying a vibrant ruby-red hue, it entices with rich aromas of dried fruits, spices, and subtle floral notes of rose. On the palate, the wine lavishes you with intense, harmonious flavours, paired with well-integrated tannins and a pleasingly persistent finish.

Trust Fontanabianca's commitment to producing wines of unparalleled quality to offer you the noble essence of the Langhe terroir condensed into a bottle of their splendid 2019 Nebbiolo.

Wine Enthusiast (94)

Editors' Choice. Delicate aromas recalling scorched earth and truffle mingle with mocha and botanical herbs on this 100% Sangiovese. Elegant and enveloping, the supple palate features fleshy plum, orange zest and baking spice before an espresso finish. Soft tannins offer supple support. Drink through 2024.

Decanter (96)

Fontodi’s brand spanking new Terrazze San Leolino Gran Selezione is a stunner. San Leolino was recognised locally as a cru site 200 years ago. The recently renewed terraces sit at 450 metres in Panzano but - unlike Fontodi’s Vigna del Sorbo, which is characterised by Galestro - the soil here is calcareous Alberese. Though recently bottled, this is forthright in its earthy, stony, mineral-like aromas. Elegant yet profound, the palate demonstrates decisive rose, red cherry and long-chained, enveloping tannins, finishing with a tangy salinity. It is still very buttoned up but has so much promise.

Decanter (97)

At an elevation of 400 metres, Vigna del Sorbo boasts Chianti Classico’s classic Galestro soil. The warm southwest-facing vineyard typically yields a powerful, intense wine in need of ageing. The 2019 demonstrates all the wild, penetrating characteristics of this site but it comes into harmony quickly, revealing its balance and precision. Wood-driven top notes of smoke and vanilla meld into pressed violets, rosemary and liquorice. Luscious red cherry and dark plum flesh are wrapped in long, layered chalky tannins. Across the palate there's an energetic beam of unwavering acidity, giving the wine a linear feel. The finish reverberates with fennel and crushed stone.

Wine Advocate (98)

The 2019 Flaccianello della Pieve is another stunning wine that sums up the character of the vintage and reflects the sun-drenched beauty of its quintessentially Tuscan surroundings. Giovanni Manetti and his team have two new important wines in the works, but Flaccianello remains an old love and a wine that hits the highest marks for quality consistency vintage after vintage. I tasted this wine next to the 100-point 2016 vintage for friendly comparison, and perhaps the main difference is that the tannins are finer and more accessible in this bottle. It offers rich concentration and layers of dark fruit that wrap thickly over the senses. Tannin management is an active pursuit. Time in barrique has been reduced over the years in favor of a final six-month resting period in larger oak casks. In fact, the barrel room was recently enlarged to give more room to these bigger vessels. The 2019 vintage recalls the balance of 2001 with the freshness of 2013. However, 2019 is more profound.

Experience the distinctive taste of Fortunate Son The Warrior 2019, exquisite wine crafted in the renowned vineyards of Sonoma County, California. This bold red blend exhibits a smooth, harmonious composition of Syrah, Grenache, and Mourvèdre grape varieties, matured splendidly in a balanced climate of cool nights and warm days.

Employing a traditional fermentation process in stainless steel vats with gentle pump-overs, the Warrior 2019 demonstrates the Fortunate Son winery's commitment to preserving the integrity and characteristics of each varietal. Aged in French oak barrels, this grand cuvée unveils intricate layers of blackberry, cassis and anise, underscored by notes of mocha and subtle earthiness.

Fortunate Son The Warrior 2019 encapsulates the unwavering dedication of its producers to quality and complexity. A testament of excellence, it seamlessly melds time-honoured techniques and modern innovation, making this full-bodied wine a precious addition to any well-curated collection.

Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy (94-98)

Perfect fresh mid red to purple in colour. There is an extra distinction to the bouquet, with a touch of spice and a little bit of blood orange. Very nuanced this year. Sweetly harmonious across the middle of the palate, iron-rich at the finish, supple and extremely persistent. Long, harmonious, with a silky touch.

Vinous (95)

The entrancing 2019 Munjebel Rosso FM (Feudo di Mezzo Sottana) blossoms in the glass, with a dusty mix of sweet minty herbs and bright cherry complemented by a hint of cinnamon sugar. Its textures are like pure silk slowly draped across the palate, creamy, smooth, yet lifted and refined, delivering ripe red and hints of blue fruit under an air of lavender and violets. A pleasant inner sweet lingers on, along with a coating of fine tannins, as residual acids and hints of sour citrus maintain a lovely balance. The word “radiant” comes to mind and stays with me throughout the entire experience. Bravo. The Munjebel FM is a 100% Nerello Mascalese produced from the lower elevations of the Feudo di Mezzo cru. This is pure class.

Vinous (89)

The 2019 Barbera d'Alba is a fabulous every-day wine. Floral aromatics and red berry fruit grace this airy yet flavorful Barbera from Fratelli Alessandria. The 2019 is not a powerhouse, but it is supremely delicious and very easy to like.

Wine Advocate (95-96)

The 2019 Brauneberger Juffer Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese opens with a bright and coolish, very delicate and filigreed bouquet of herbal/floral aromas intertwined with bright, young spring fruit and aromas of broken slate. On the palate, this is a round, charming, highly finessed and very elegant Spätlese with the lovely fruit and juiciness of the JSU and its unrivaled finesse. The weightless finish is salty-piquant, precise and highly stimulating. This 2019 is a picture-book Spätlese from the Juffer Sonnenuhr. Tasted as a sample in April 2020.

Jane Anson Inside Bordeaux (94)

Touch of reduction, with flint and gunsmoke adding focus and interest. Stands out for its grip and tension and a feeling of depth to the stone and citrus fruit. Touches of green apple and gooseberry also.

Wine Advocate (97)

This is a gorgeous vintage that continues to flesh out beautifully. I added an extra point to my score since the last time I tasted the 2019 Bolgheri Rosso Camarcanda in order to underline the great potential of this vintage. This wine could legally be a Bolgheri Superiore, but Angelo Gaja prefers not to use qualifying wine terms such as Superiore, Classico or Riserva in his various wine projects spanning from Piedmont to Tuscany to Etna. Semantics aside, this is a gorgeous wine—one of the best made at Ca' Marcanda for sure—with impressive intensity and balance. Dark fruit and blackberry are contrasted against spice, tobacco, grilled rosemary and Mediterranean bramble. The 2019 vintage saw favorable weather conditions and "just the right amount of rain," Gaja says.

Wine Advocate (98)

The 2019 Cru Truquilemu has even lower alcohol (12.5%) but a little less acidity and higher pH than the 2018. This Cariñena field blend comes from a section of the old Truquilemu vineyard that they have been vinifying for 20 years now and is cultivated with a combination of original methods of cultivating the old vines—i.e., farmed by hand and horse, accompanied by the lens, analysis and scientific ideas of Professor Alvaro Peña [Garage partner] and their in-house PhD in viticulture. This is the fruit of precise focus on small pieces of the vineyard, fermented separately in open-top 1,500- and 2,500-kilo lagar fermenters, using punch-downs and more full clusters and stems than in the regular Truquilemu. They use first-class barrels that are third-use or older and age the wines slowly over two winters, but the wines never have any notes from the wood—the barrels act as neutral containers that allow the wines to breath and develop. The 2018 feels a little more complete than this, which is still amazing. 4,229 bottles were filled in January 2021.