Vinous (95-97)

The 2019 Montrachet Grand Cru (Marquis de Laguiche) is very intense on the nose, featuring subtle licorice scents tucked behind the citrus fruit; this seems to expand with aeration. The palate is beautifully balanced with a playful entry of apricot and quince. It builds beautifully in the mouth, revealing hints of crème brûlée and almond shavings toward the well-defined finish. Hints of chai tea and grilled hazelnut swirl around on the aftertaste. This is a long-term Montrachet.

James Suckling (100)

An unusually bright, light-gold color with hints of green in it distinguish this rare wine from the first glance before rich, layered and complex aromas lead to even richer poached pears, hazelnuts and cream on the palate. Full-bodied but light on its feet, the wine shows deft balance, great depth and incredible length on the finish. Best from 2028.

Burghound (93)

A ripe if highly restrained mix of red and blue fruit is liberally sprinkled with spice and floral notes. There is good volume and solid mid-palate density to the seductively delicious big-bodied flavors that are shaped by a phenolically mature tannic spine, all wrapped in a mildly rustic but highly persistent mineral-inflected finish. Note well that this muscular and robust effort is definitely going to need at least 7 to 8 years of keeping and require 15+, perhaps even slightly more.

Jancis Robinson (17)

Cask sample. Gorgeously intense purple fruit on the nose. Sweet ripe cherries. More damson on the palate, very ripe, just fresh enough, almost a little jammy but rich and generous.

Jancis Robinson (17)

Cask sample. Mid cherry red. Stunning red-fruited perfume here. Floral and fruity in the extreme. Fine and finely chewy tannins, scented on the palate, with the dry character that it is hard to get in combination with this scentedness outside of the Côte d’Or. Pure, pretty but with depth as well. Long and moreish with the freshness to balance.

Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy (91-93)

An attractive mid crimson colour. A fine fresh bouquet, elegant fruit, not too demonstrative, but with a graceful detailed red fruit, alpine strawberry and little raspberry notes. Very nicely put together, all about the fruit more than the structure. Drink from 2030-2037. Tasted: November 2023.

Wine Advocate (87)

Offering up aromas of beeswax, pear, waxy citrus rind and macadamia nut, the 2008 Brut Vintage Cuvée Royale is medium-bodied, tangy and somewhat ephemeral, even when tasted from magnum. It's a rather meager wine that appears to antedate Joseph Perrier's recent improvements in quality.

James Suckling (94)

This has very bright and juicy, brambly dark berries with a wealth of attractive and juicy dark-fruit presence. This has depth, detail and long, layered dark-fruit flavors. Impressively chiseled finish. Drink or hold.

James Suckling (96)

Very pretty blackberry, blackcurrant, walnut, forest-flower and dark-walnut aromas follow through to a full body with round, juicy tannins that are fine-grained and beautiful. Lovely length and generosity, but reserved at the finish to give it tension. Mostly from the Soscol vineyard. 97% cabernet sauvignon. Drink or hold.

James Suckling (99)

Blackberry and black chocolate with mint, conifer and clove. Sweet tobacco, violets and flowers, too. Some graphite. Cool and complex. Full-bodied with ultra fine, dusty tannins and a wonderful, extremely long finish. Savory and refined. A classic-styled 2018. This needs time, but is so approachable and gorgeous. One of the best Insignias ever. Alive and changing all the time. 40% Stags Leap AVA. 87% cabernet sauvignon, 8% petit verdot, 3% malbec and 2% cabernet franc. Leave this for five or six years, but so wonderful now.

Vinous (90-92)

The 2019 Gevrey-Chambertin Champs-Chenys offers mostly red berry fruit on the nose, which is maybe just a little smudged compared to Roty’s other Village Crus at the moment. The palate is medium-bodied with a fresh entry and a fine bead of acidity. The precise, chalky-textured finish compensates for the aromatics. I am sure the nose will gain more clarity during the remainder of élevage.

Vinous (93)

The 2017 Gevrey-Chambertin Les Fontenys 1er Cru has a very tight bouquet at the moment, offering a little leather and game and sufficient red fruit intensity. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, orange peel, white pepper and clove and hints of pain d’épices toward the focused, persistent finish. Very fine.

Vinous (93)

The 2018 Volnay Les Caillerets 1er Cru has a gorgeous fragrant floral bouquet with bunches of roses complementing the vibrant red fruit. Wonderful intensity. The palate is medium-bodied with gently grippy tannins, quite spicy towards the finish with a slightly confit towards the end. This is destined to age very well. Superb.

Vinous (93)

The 2018 Volnay Les Champans 1er Cru offers attractive black fruit mixed with briary, crushed rock and sea cave aromas on the nose that is all quite captivating. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins, good depth and grip with a saline finish that gets the saliva flowing. Classy, old school Volnay.

Wine Advocate (92-94)

The 2015 Volnay 1er Cru les Fremiets has an elegant bouquet with scents of briary, woodland and red berry fruit. There is lovely purity of fruit here, great transparency. The palate is well balanced with fine structure, quite firm tannin, superb focus with red merging with black fruit towards the slightly saline finish. This is a great wine from Jean-Pierre Chalot.

The Jules Desjourneys Beaujolais 2021 is an exquisite masterpiece meticulously crafted by Fabien Duperray — a vintner renowned for his unyielding focus on quality. Each bottle reflects the rolling hills of Beaujolais, France, from where its hand-harvested and fully organic Gamay grapes originate. The wine undergoes rigorous old-school fermenting techniques with native yeasts and no sulphur until bottling, thus preserving its purest characteristics.

Upon uncorking, you're immediately greeted by spirited notes of strawberries and red cherries. On the palate, the Jules Desjourneys Beaujolais 2021 charms with its ripe and forthright fruit character complemented by an undercurrent of mineral edge drawn from the region's granitic soils. The refined tannic structure and balanced acidity lead towards an elegant, lingering finish.

Indulge in the Jules Desjourneys Beaujolais 2021, a wine that truly stands as a testament to Fabien’s commitment to creating distinct, terroir-based wines.

Wine Advocate (97)

The 2019 Moulin-à-Vent Les Michelons is a strikingly sensual, vibrant wine that numbers among Duperray's greatest hits to date. Wafting from the glass with notions of cherries and raspberries mingled with vine smoke, peonies, rose petals and Indian spices, it's full-bodied, fleshy and textural, with a layered core of fruit, supple tannins and lively acids, concluding with a long, resonant finish.

Discover the elegant sophistication of Jules Desjourneys Moulin-a-Vent Styx 2016. Hailing from Burgundy, France, this cherished red wine exemplifies the fine craft of winemaker Fabien Duperray, known for his meticulous old-world techniques and measures to guarantee quality. Drawing from the vineyard's rich granitic soils, Jules Desjourneys Moulin-a-Vent Styx 2016 displays an exquisite synergy of intense berry flavours and a robust mineral structure.

This wine is a sublime result of 100% hand-harvested Gamay grapes, whole-cluster fermented to elegantly preserve the unique character of each bunch. The aging process involves 20 months in well-seasoned oak barrels which contributes to the layers of complexity, adding notes of spice that meld perfectly with the velvety tannins and rich fruit backdrop. The Jules Desjourneys Moulin-a-Vent Styx 2016 promises a wine of great longevity and evolving depth, perfect for enthusiasts of a truly refined vintage.

Discover the sublime taste of Jules Desjourneys Pouilly Fuisse Vignes De La Cote 2020, an exquisite white wine produced in France's Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region. As a true connoisseur's delight, this particular vintage encapsulates a vivid expression of the renowned Pouilly-Fuisse terroir, boasting a distinct mineral edge with harmonious floral undertones.

Having meticulously committed to manual harvesting and biodynamic principles, the respected producer, Jules Desjourneys, ensures a wine of superior quality and integrity. The vines are aged between 40 to 60 years old and meticulously grow on southeast-orientated slopes on limestone soil. After being harvested, the grapes undergo a rigorous sorting process before a long and slow fermentation in oak barrels, imbuing this velvety wine with subtle complexity.

Unparalleled in depth and character, the Jules Desjourneys Pouilly Fuisse Vignes De La Cote 2020 offers an exquisite sensory experience with its high acidic structure, robust palate, and elegant finish. Perfect for any wine aficionados seeking a refined imbibe.

Experience the exceptional elegance of the Jules Desjourneys Songe Pinot Noir 2021, a Burgundian masterpiece meticulously crafted by talented winegrower, Fabien Duperray. Founded in 2009, his domaine sits in the esteemed Maconnais region of Burgundy, France, known for its exemplary Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes. Desjourneys' low-intervention approach, and old-vine plantings, coupled with organic practices, ensures purity and expression in every bottle.

This illustrious Pinot Noir exhibits exquisite depth, sporting a vibrant ruby hue and a gorgeous tapestry of aromas – red and black fruits, with hints of spice box. Its elegant structure is beset with fine tannins, revealing a palate of profound complexity and length. The synthesis of maturation in older barrels, combined with the fruit's natural acidity, brings about a wine offering a delicate balance of freshness and depth.

Savour the profound elegance of Jules Desjourneys Songe Pinot Noir 2021, a glorious demonstration of Burgundian winemaking at its finest.

Wine Advocate (94)

Deep and complete, the 2018 Morgon opens in the glass with notes of cassis, plums, smoked meats and cracked pepper. Medium to full-bodied, supple and layered, it's seamless and beautifully balanced, with powdery tannins and succulent acids. This is another terrific wine from Julien Sunier.

The flagship of the Kaiyo stable, the Signature has a delicate nose with vanilla, ripe dried fruit and hints of cherry, with a long lingering finish. Still showing the aromatic complexity and drying flourish of the mizunara oak so unique to the great single malts of Japan, it is far more accessible and tempered than most. A phenomenal introduction to the cask type and a superb value.

Greg Sherwood MW (96)

This certainly is a deep, broody exotic expression of Cabernet Sauvignon that is more reminiscent of a cool vintage Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon than anything from Bordeaux or the Cape. Opened and tasted over 4 to 5 hours, the wine hits its stride surprisingly quickly with plenty of perfumed purple flowers, violets, bruleed black berries, baked blueberry crumble, crème de cassis and a pleasing note of mocha and vanilla pod spice. Initial notes of kelp and maritime seashore salinity quickly give way to a more weighty, sensual melange of black berry compote nuances and hints of cherry kirsch liquor. While this wine certainly shows all the deft elegance and finesse we associate with the 2017 vintage, it also displays a certain extra gravitas, power and weight of fruit concentration combined with great poise, density and a seamlessly textured mineral graphite finish. This is a dark horse that will drink well on release and age deceptively well for 20+ years.

Greg Sherwood MW (97)

The 2018 Paul Sauer is a classical blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc from vines averaging 30 years of age grown on dryland vineyards of Decomposed Granite and Hutton and Clovelly soils. Vibrant and ruby / purple, the wine almost glows in the glass with inviting promise. At this youthful stage, the Cabernet Sauvignon component shines through strongly revealing a generally dark, broody, black fruited demeanour embellished with subtle notes of saline crème de cassis, star anise, lead pencil shavings, dried violets and signature nuances of freshly tilled earth, buttered brown toast and hints of breakfast espresso. In the mouth, the palate shows gorgeous elegance, purity and fruit focus with the most fine grained filigree tannins, soothingly generous black berry fruits and delicious mouth-watering acids. This wine is precision personified showing such effortless grace and harmony together with a measured power and intensity. The 2018 is certainly a very classically schooled expression that waltzes across the palate without ever putting a foot out of place. Like all truly great Bordeaux blends, this has the finesse and textural harmony to drink on release but also the intensity and gravitas to age effortlessly for 20 to 30+ years.

Greg Sherwood MW (96+)

This classically styled Paul Sauer 2019 is a blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Cabernet Franc and 11% Merlot. After noticeably more fruit forward aromatics on the 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 on release, this 2019 represents somewhat of departure in style with a decidedly tight, broody aromatic profile of inky dark berry fruits, iodine, crushed gravel, Bouquet Garni, dried herbs, sweet clove and graphite before subtle hints of pithy black currant and black cherry join the party and mingle with perfumed notes of pressed violets and lilac. Despite its 24 months in 100% new French Never oak 225 litre barriques, there is only a mere suggestion of wood influence with a beautifully refined cedar spice and unsmoked cigar nuances. On the palate, the results of a cooler and smaller harvest manifest themselves through a distinctly classical Old World restraint, purity, wound spring tension and supremely refined tannins that linger on the palate with seamless precision. As with many longer, cooler Bordeaux vintages, there is more a sense of concentration and power rather than an actual overt textural display, with sinewy black fruits, cocoa powder and earthy, brambly layers concertinaed by lively acids and yet more overt minerality. An impressive creation indeed that will benefit from a good 8 to 10 years in the cellar to fully blossom despite its textural finesse, balance and accessibility.