Vinous (86-88)

The 2019 Monthélie Clos Les Champs Fulliot 1er Cru comes from 0.9 hectares of vine. It was the second parcel to be picked because of its warm microclimate, yet I find more precision on the Les Duresses. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, a mixture of red and black fruit and touches of dark chocolate and tar. There is more elegance and terroir expression on the Les Duresses this year. 

Vinous (98)

The 2017 Montrachet Grand Cru has a slight reduction on the nose, although it is nothing to get too worried about. I think it has exceptional mineralité covered up by its youth. The medium-bodied palate is taut, fresh and quite saline, with a fine bead of acidity and some vanilla-y oak toward the very saline finish, though that will be eaten with bottle age. There is outstanding precision on the aftertaste, and that seems to be accentuated with aeration. I gave this a tepid reaction from barrel, but here in bottle, it received my highest score out of over two hundred 2017s. Tasted blind at the annual Burgfest tasting in Savigny-lès-Beaune.

Decanter (97)

Bouchard’s holding here is superb: 0.90ha on the edge of the Puligny side at midslope between Ramonet and Domaine de la Romanée-Conti. In 2019, Bouchard emphasised the richness by picking this parcel last. Ripe apples, white flowers and even a touch of honey make their appearance on the nose, while the texture on the palate is unctuous and deep without being heavy. There is still enough freshness to keep this lively through the intensely long finish.

James Suckling (95)

This a firm and pretty red with a solid tannin backbone to the medium body. Ripe fruit with some walnut, tobacco, and floral undertones. It’s long and flavorful. Balanced and firm. Classic style. Drink in 2025.

Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy (92-95)

Absolutely black centre to this with a massively concentrated bouquet, thus far hiding the detail. Inky depths. I would like to see this again after racking. The wine is not destabilised on the palate and the concentration is certainly exceptional, fresher at the finish. There is certainly an awful lot of wine here: buy it if you want a wine for 25 years time! Tasted: November 2021

Wine Spectator (96)

The core of this red is loaded with pure plum, blueberry and black currant fruit flavors. The polished structure is integrated, with alluring ganache, anise and sweet tobacco notes throughout, all in a polished and balanced frame. A very classy red that isn't shy about its power but pushes its purity to the fore. Best from 2024 through 2039.

Wine Spectator (96)

The core of this red is loaded with pure plum, blueberry and black currant fruit flavors. The polished structure is integrated, with alluring ganache, anise and sweet tobacco notes throughout, all in a polished and balanced frame. A very classy red that isn't shy about its power but pushes its purity to the fore. Best from 2024 through 2039.

James Suckling (97)

Very attractive aromas of currants, tile and sandalwood with black and red currants. It’s full-bodied with a tight, dense center-palate that remains closed in and tight. Yet there is underlying seriousness and length to this. Perhaps the greatest Branaire-Ducru ever made. Try after 2026.

James Suckling (95-96)

Dark-berry and blue-fruit character to the firm, chewy tannins that are polished and solid. Medium to full body. Wood and walnut undertones now. Impressive.

Jeb Dunnuck (97)

Darker currants, leafy herbs, graphite, tobacco, and subtle orange zest-like nuances all emerge from the 2022 Château Branaire-Ducru, a ripe, concentrated, flawlessly balanced Saint-Julien. With medium to full-bodied richness, a concentrated, layered mouthfeel, and plenty of tannins, it's another no-brainer of a 2022 that readers will love to have in their cellar. The 2022 is 60.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31.5% Merlot, 5.5% Cabernet Franc, and the balance Petit Verdot, aged 18 months in oak.

Jane Anson Inside Bordeaux (97)

Full sweet spot Brane Cantenac, not tasting quite as luscious as during the recent vertical at the estate, with the austerity more evident in the tannins, but come on, this is still hard to argue with, full of character and sap and vivid life, cocoa bean, brambled autumnal fruit, cola, crushed rocks and crayons. 70% new oak barrels. Eric Boissenot consultant, Henri Lurton owner, Christophe Capdeville technical director.

Jane Anson Inside Bordeaux (97)

Full sweet spot Brane Cantenac, not tasting quite as luscious as during the recent vertical at the estate, with the austerity more evident in the tannins, but come on, this is still hard to argue with, full of character and sap and vivid life, cocoa bean, brambled autumnal fruit, cola, crushed rocks and crayons. 70% new oak barrels. Eric Boissenot consultant, Henri Lurton owner, Christophe Capdeville technical director.

Wine Advocate (97)

Derived exclusively from the château's holdings on the deep gravel soils of the plateau of Brane, the 2019 Brane-Cantenac has turned out brilliantly and merits a special effort to seek out. Wafting from the glass with aromas of wild berries, pencil shavings, violets, sweet loamy soil and cardamon, it's medium to full-bodied, layered and concentrated, with lively acids, ripe tannins and a beautifully seamless, perfumed profile. Retaining all the estate's signature elegance but with an extra dimension of depth and intensity, it's the finest Brane-Cantenac of the modern era and one of the great successes of the 2019 vintage.

James Suckling (94-95)

A medium-bodied, very polished Brane-Cantenac with firm yet fine and textured tannins. Deep and compact core of black fruit, herbs and spices. Pretty licorice and clove notes. Structured and long. 74% cabernet sauvignon, 22% merlot, 2% cabernet franc, 1% petit verdot and 1% carmenere.

Vinous (95)

The 2019 Barolo Cannubi is one of the best wines I have tasted from Brezza in a very long time. Sweet, perfumed and silky, the 2019 bristles with Cannubi character. Crushed red berry fruit, cedar, mint, rose petal and orange zest are some of the notes that grace this exquisite but potent Barolo. Give the tannins a few years to soften.

Vinous (91)

The 2016 Barolo Castellero is a powerful, pleasantly rustic wine that is going to need at least a few years to come into its own. Burly tannins convey an impression of rusticity, but beyond that, there is good depth and plenty of fruit as well. Readers should plan on cellaring the 2016 for at least a few years. Scorched earth, tobacco, menthol, macerated dark cherry, licorice, game and incense add to the wine's dark, wild and virile feel.

Steeped in tradition from the sun-kissed hills of Piemonte, Italy, the Bricco Ernesto Vino Bianco 2021 is every connoisseur’s delight. This elegant white wine is born from a meticulous harvesting process carried out entirely by hand. Producer Bricco Ernesto injects passion and dedication into every bottle, delivering fine quality and consistency year after year.

Gracefully maturing in stainless steel tanks, the Bricco Ernesto Vino Bianco 2021 offers a hint of zest that captivates from the first sip. Made primarily from Moscato grapes, it yields an aromatic, fragrant nose, whilst the careful inclusion of 10% Cortese and Favorita grapes balances this with herbal notes and a refreshing minerality.

A perfect partner for refined pallets and gastronomy, Bricco Ernesto Vino Bianco 2021 complements remarkably well with seafood dishes, cheeses and white meats. Raise your glasses to a sublime, Italian expression of terroir, transcending the ordinary to deliver a truly unforgettable white wine experience.

Halliday Wine Companion (99)

One of Australia's icons. The decision not to use any new French oak, and to limit the alcohol to 13.5%, has resulted in a wine with a unique sense of place. It is also superbly balanced, dark fruits married to superfine tannins - another feature of a classic Hunter shiraz.

Halliday Wine Companion (99)

Pale straw-green - an extraordinary colour of an extraordinary wine. A fragrant bouquet floats out of the glass and introduces a palate that has the best of all worlds: lemon, lemon curd, beeswax and fruit spice with no hint of the searing acidity Hunter Valley semillon can throw at the unwary. Here it is perfectly (and naturally) balanced. A worthy companion to the sublime Graveyard Shiraz '18.

Vinous (90)

The 2019 Barbera d'Alba Ciabot del Fi emerges from a vineyard in Serralunga. Deep and fleshy in the glass, the 2019 is packed with dark fruit, leather, spice, dried herbs, menthol and licorice. The 2019 was aged in cask, which helps round some of the edges while preserving plenty of intensity.

Vinous (88)

The 2019 Barbera d'Alba Sorì del Drago is a powerful, brooding wine laced with dark black fruit, licorice, gravel, smoke and dried herbs. This heady, explosive Barbera packs a serious punch. Vineyard sites are Brea, Gianetto and Garblèt Sue'.

Vinous (89)

The 2020 Barbera d'Alba Sorì del Drago, from sites in Castiglione and Serralunga and done entirely in steel, packs as huge punch. Juicy dark cherry, plum, cinnamon, spice and pomegranate are all dialed up in this sumptuous, generous Barbera. Terrific.

James Suckling (94)

Walnuts, berries, tar and hints of smoke on the nose. It’s full-bodied with chewy tannins and a dusty finish. Chewy at the end. Drink after 2023.

Vinous (89)

The 2017 Barolo is a terrific choice for drinking now and over the next decade or so. In 2017, Brovia's straight Barolo is quite floral and lifted in feel. Crushed flowers, mint, spice, blood orange and sweet berry fruit are laced throughout. As a reminder, the Brovia Barolo is a blend of all four sites the family bottles as vineyard designates, with an emphasis on the Brea cru. This mid-weight Barolo is all charm.

Wine Advocate (93)

The Brovia 2018 Barolo is a classic wine with a smooth and silky mouthfeel that is brightened by cassis, dried cherry, tar, licorice and campfire ash. The firm tannins give ample support and contribute to the wine’s considerable length.

Vinous (94)

Lavender, mint, sage, smoke, tobacco and plums are all laced together in the 2011 Barolo Brea Vigna Ca'Mia. As always, the Ca'Mia is a decidedly vertical Barolo built on a spine of persistent tannin, but in 2011 there is a little bit of added polish that serves to soften the contours. Tucked off the main road, Brea remains one of the least well-known vineyards in Serralunga. The 2011 is a great wine to start exploring some of the nuances of this site. A huge finish that brings together power and voluptuousness captures the pure radiance of the year.