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“There is an initial hint of hazelnut and creaminess on the nose that precedes both lemon and red berry tones. The palate picks up the creaminess that is suggested on the nose and fills the mouth with textured lemony freshness. This is concentrated and rich, yet with a lovely pink grapefruit pithiness and real verve to make the mouth water on the long finish.”

“A very pure and incisive nose, with refined mineral chalkiness to the fresh strawberry and grapefruit aromas. Again, pure is the word to describe the linear, dry palate, which delivers crisp yet textured acidity, together with elegant, freshly chopped raspberries and strawberries. A truly outstanding rosé here! Drink now.”

“Bottled just a week prior to my April visit, the 2021 Cotes de Provence Rose Rock Angel was still showing well. Scents of toasty oak and vanilla accent tangerine and peach on the nose, giving this medium-bodied rosé an almost creamsicle-like aspect. Generous, silky and long, it might be even better later this year.”

“The latest release of this wine in the range from Esclans is a ripe, full rosé. It has the crispness but the red fruits are warm and rounded. That gives a fine rosé that is definitely made for food and will be ready from 2023.”

“Subtle but fresh. More air lends a note of strawberry icecream. The palate comes with lovely lightness but opens up into gentle, juicy, white peach while hints of white citrus pith lend a subtle hint of spice. Freshness and texture stand out.”

“With pretty aromas of lavender, rosehip, strawberries, cherriers and cloves. It's medium-bodied with crisp acidity and a supple, creamy palate. Perfumed and elegant. Drink now”

“Brilliant peach skin. Red berries and pit fruits on the nose, and a floral nuance in the background. Silky and open-knit, showing good depth as well as energy to the red currant and nectarine flavors, which pick up a refreshingly bitter orange zest quality on the back half. Finishes long and juicy, with a repeating floral note and subtle grip. Don't hate on this wine just because it’s popular.”

“Pastel colours. Sweet cherry, almond milk, marzipan. Taut and juicy on the palate with good density, delicately sweet fruit, racy acidity, a rosé with a lot of traction and tension and with very good mineral underpinning, fresh, pithy finish, and above all, a very good length.”

“Pale Provençal pink. Quite a big wine. Arguably less refreshing than some of its peers. But perhaps with age it will assume relative greatness? Very definitely a wine for food, this has depth and potential. Some persistence and it lasted well in an open bottle over 24 hours.”

“Just weeks after tasting the 2001 Château d’Yquem at the estate, another bottle was served at a lunch in London and it was perfection. The aromatics are practically identical and likewise the palate, but this bottle, which had been decanted, displays a scintilla more tension, perhaps more "vibrancy" that so effortlessly counterbalances the richness. Irrespective of points, it is simply one of the most magnificent wines of any kind that can pass your lips. 2021 - 2100”

“Mid gold. Extremely embyronic. Intense and spicy on the nose. Wonderfully big and rich and almost over the top - lots of botrtytis and very very pure honey and pear juice essence. Great freshness - although we jumped from 1934 to 2001, the 2001 is so good that it easily stood up to the jump and didn't seem too callow. Just at the end there's a little note of chewiness. Wonderfully round and sumptuous. Great vivacity. Drink 2015-2050 Date tasted 13th Feb 08”

“Green-fruit flavours. Fresh and lively. Seems drier than it used to be. Racy and medium length.”

“Green-fruit flavours. Fresh and lively. Seems drier than it used to be. Racy and medium length.”

“The 2016 Chablis Fourchaume 1er Cru has a well executed bouquet with fresh green apple and wet limestone scents, strict and linear, very Chablis. The palate is very well balanced with a fine bead of acidity, one of the more graceful and elegant Fourchaumes in this vintage with a precise, slightly nutty finish that lingers in the mouth. Enjoy this over the next 6 to 10 years. Tasted blind at the BIVB Chablis tasting.”

“Cask sample. Some creamy oak here to offset the piercing lemon/grapefruit freshness. Just a very slight creamy note bringing harmony to the high acidity. Well balanced on the palate too, with grapefruit zest and pith but a rounded texture. Creamy, almost chewy. (JH) ”

“The 2016 Beaune 1er Cru Les Grèves Blanc was impacted by the frost so that it was cropped at just 15 hectoliters per hectare, one-third that of Bressandes Blanc. It has a pretty lime and white peach-scented bouquet with a little more detail than the Bressandes Blanc. The palate is well balanced with a fine bead of acidity, here a subtle marine influence coming to play toward the finish with a touch of oyster shell on the aftertaste. Fine.”

“Notes of orange oil, fresh pastry, pear and warm bread preface the 2019 Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Abbaye de Morgeot (Domaine Louis Jadot), a medium to full-bodied, fleshy and enveloping wine that's lively and charming, with a generous core of fruit girdled by lively acids.”

“The 2019 Chassagne-Montrachet Abbaye de Morgeot 1er Cru has a lovely bouquet of orange blossom, freshly sliced pear and light nectarine aromas, plus a hint of praline in the background. The palate is well balanced with a honeyed opening, quite rich in style, and yet there is wonderful tension. Appealing tropical notes of passion fruit and guava on the finish. This will be irresistible once bottled. ”

“Pale, bright yellow. Lemon and a whiff of apple on the nose. Then concentrated and densely packed, with harmonious acidity contributing to the impression of inner-mouth floral perfume. Finishes juicy and long, with a firm edge that will require five years of cellaring. This displays the power and thrust of the vintage.”

“In contrast, Jadot’s 2010 Chassagne-Montrachet Morgeot Clos de La Chapelle, from deeper soils on the back of the Abbaye de Morgeot, possesses gorgeous depth, but it is also tightly wound and inward. Cool, saline notes dominate today, but there is more than enough fruit to allow the 2010 to develop beautifully in bottle over the coming years. The huge, textured finish leaves a lasting impression. It would be fascinating to taste both of the Jadot wines from the Abbaye de Morgeot in ten years’ time. Anticipated maturity: 2015+.”

“There is good intensity to the powerful large-scaled flavors that possess a distinct malic acid tang on the energetic finish. This seems to have the richness and mid-palate concentration to eventually stand up to the firm acid spine but for the moment, the acidity has the upper hand.”

“Very full and round, ripe and easy to love. Lots of creamy appeal. Then vitality and energy on the finish. Very nice wine, but maybe not for the very long term.”

“The swan song for this cuvée is the 2020 Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Morgeot Clos de la Chapelle (Duc de Magenta), a muscular, concentrated wine that exhibits aromas of orange oil, peach, buttery pastry and white flowers. Medium to full-bodied, satiny and textural, with a fleshy core of ripe fruit and bright balancing acids, it offers a classic expression of Morgeot in all its exuberance.”

“The 2020 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru (Domaine des Héritiers Jadot) is broad and muscular, unfurling in the glass with aromas of lime cordial, orange zest, white flowers and pastry cream. Full-bodied, rich and textural, it's a thick, fleshy wine with terrific concentration and tangy balancing acids.”

“Pale lemon yellow. The bouquet is quite quiet though with promise. This is classic on the palate, rippling stones dusted lightly in lemon. The oak in support is well judged. Perfect acidity to finish – it is there but ripe not trenchant. Fine and quite nuanced finish with some floral notes. Tasted: November 2021”

“The 2015 Beaune 1er Cru Bressandes has a satisfying density and cohesion on the nose, a mixture of red and black fruit with just a slight reductive tinniness that will go before bottling. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin. This Bressandes has plenty of rondeur, a fine line of acidity with a slightly broody finish that should open up (eventually). This is a very capable Bressandes.”

“Bright light yellow. Vibrant aromas of lemon, lime, white peach, wild herbs and flowers. Juicy and nicely balanced, showing good freshness from the stony, high-altitude soil. (Jadot's Bressandes red actually comes from the lower part of the slope.) Not hugely rich but pliant and nicely balanced. Finishes with a salty element and an edge of bitter lemon. This will need a couple years in bottle to digest its oak.”

“Bright light yellow. Subtle scents of pineapple, peach and crushed stone. Very ripe, even a bit exotic, conveying a slightly aggressive quality and some warmth to its pineapple and lichee flavors. Broad and lively but doesn't have quite the definition or thrust of the Genevrières--or the balance. Incidentally, as of 2016 this will be an estate bottling as Jadot bought the vineyard; previously they worked with purchased juice.”

“Bright yellow. Pure but reticent aromas of white peach and minerals come across as a bit riper than the Blagny. A step up in texture too, but still quite dry and salty, showing very good lemony cut and a tactile, salty aftertaste. Barnier blocked 80% of the malolactic fermentation here, noting that these vines often ripen quickly and can produce fatter wines than he likes. This rather austere Meursault displays a tactile, salty aftertaste with a faint stony edge. I'd give it at least two or three years of cellaring before pulling the cork.”

“Cask sample. Richly creamy on the nose, definite oak presence and a touch of clementine that for me is classic Meursault. Deep, mildly chewy and very fresh. Depth and length. Chewy and satisfying. (JH) ”

“Cask sample. Nervy and lively with great appeal and a green-fruit juicy note that makes the wine much more refreshing than the Blagny. Really racy.”

“The 2019 Meursault Les Charmes 1er Cru was missing the degree of energy conveyed by the preceding Meursault Blagny, coming across a little static by comparison. The palate is rounded and honeyed on the entry, offering notes of dried honey, peach skin, nectarine and a dab of spice. What it needs is more tension to balance the richness; it just falls a bit short in that respect. ”

“Lemon yellow, a powerful heady nose, possibly heavy. No, I go with heady on tasting, a round rich ball of fresh plum fruit, good acidity and a tangy lemon meringue finish. Tasted: October 2020”

“Offering up notes of pear, honeycomb, white flowers and struck match, the 2019 Meursault 1er Cru Charmes (Domaine Louis Jadot) is medium to full-bodied, layered and fleshy, its ripe core of fruit girdled by lively acids, concluding with a saline finish. As readers may remember, this derives from vineyards acquired with Jadot's Prieur-Brunet purchase.”

“So ripe, but also very rich and deep, this has stunning textural complexity on the full body, the exotic fruit-cocktail aromas and the vanilla oak lit up by live-wire acidity, which also drives the long, tightly wound finish that’s full of energy. Drink or hold.”

“The 2015 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Clos de la Garenne, under the "Domaine Due de Magenta" label, has an expressive bouquet with good fruit concentration: dried honey, orange zest and a touch of pralines developing in the glass. The palate is fresh on the entry with a keen thread of acidity, nicely balanced with a harmonious and focused finish. This is worth looking out for, once in bottle. Drink 2017 - 2026”

“Tank sample. Intense liquorice nose. Then excellent acidity. Still very youthful and the two aspects are not yet married, but this almost tastes acidified, the acid is so marked!”

“Bright lemon-yellow. Nose dominated by smoke, soil and rocks, with white stone fruit and citrus zest in the background. Fat, rich and sweet; a lovely mouthfilling wine with a plush texture and serious depth to its peach and mineral flavors. The very old (80 years) vines give the middle palate a creamy, glyceral quality but there's enough ripe acidity and supporting minerality here to support the wine's considerable baby fat.”

“The 2019 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Clos de la Garenne (Duc de Magenta) opens in the glass with scents of honeyed pear, white flowers, baking spices and vanilla pod. Medium to full-bodied, rich and layered, it's fleshy and concentrated, with lively acids and a toasty, oak-inflected finish.”

“The 2019 Puligny-Montrachet Clos de la Garenne 1er Cru, which comes from cordon-trained vines up to 85 years old, has a very different bouquet from the La Garenne – more tropical tones here, powerful, with peach, grapefruit, and passion fruit. The palate is slightly honeyed on the entry with a waxy texture, spicier than the La Garenne. The weighty, concentrated finish lingers in the mouth. No shy retiring wallflower, this will be intriguing to watch evolve in bottle. Excellent. ”

“Cask sample. Heady, almondy nose. Really quite concentrated but with an excellent level of acidity too. Finishes just a little suddenly but most of this wine is pretty impressive, and it will presumably continue to develop. Some chew on the end at the moment. Hint of banana!”

“The 2012 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Folatieres comes from vines on the upper reaches of the climat, just 50-meters from Chevalier-Montrachet. It has a very refined bouquet with subtle mineral scents, smoke and some pressed flowers. The palate is well-balanced with a fine line of acidity that neatly counterbalances the rounded, rich, lightly honeyed fruit, leaving the finish voluminous and satisfying. Excellent.”

“Very lifted, 'spiny' nose. Excellent palate weight without any heaviness. Sweetness and acidity seem well married. Such a charmer with some herbal notes. Really lovely wine with great energy. Long and neat. Drink 2015 to 2021”

“The 2015 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Referts was more austere than the Puligny La Garenne on the nose and needed more coaxing before it offered pleasant, if not riveting grass-clipping and granite aromas. The palate is smooth on the entry with spicy citrus fruit, though I discern more mineralité and tension coming through on the La Garenne at this moment. Let's see how it plays out once in bottle. Drink 2018 - 2027”

“Tank sample. This seems to have better balance than most Jadot whites (no MLF apparently) with some real freshness as well as luscious fruit. Still lots to chew on, but it has energy.”

“Bright light yellow. Ripe but reticent nose shows a smoky quality. Concentrated, rich and sweet but with a slight alcoholic warmth (14%) to its flavors of white peach and citrus fruits. Barnier describes this wine as "a Meursault Charmes with less freshness." It's fatter than that wine but could use a bit more firmness.”

“The 2019 Savigny-lès-Beaune Clos des Guettes Blanc 1er Cru has a more delineated and mineral-driven bouquet compared with the Haut Jarrons this year. The palate is very well balanced with a peachy opening, a fine bead of acidity and a touch of lemongrass spicing things up toward the finish. Enjoy this over the next decade. ”

“So much white-peach, pear and some floral notes, complemented by just a hint of oak. At once generous, but rather sleek, this is very polished for this appellation, with a mineral finish that’s very refreshing.”

“The 2019 Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Cru Clos des Guettes Blanc (Domaine Gagey) mingles notes of pear and peach with hints of white flowers and almond paste in an inviting bouquet. Medium to full-bodied, satiny and fleshy, it's round and enveloping, with a generous, charming profile this year.”

“From 20- to 50-year-old vines in a south/southwest-facing vineyard, the 2019 Sancerre Les Romains offers a pure yet intense and iodine-scented bouquet of shells and oysters along with algae aromas. Full-bodied, rich and powerful on the palate, this is an elegant, refined, balanced and refreshingly mineral Les Romains with a long, juicy, pretty aromatic, seriously structured and persistent salty finish with stimulating grip. Impressive, as always. Tasted in February 2021.”

“Tiers Vineyard replanted in 2003 to clones 76 and 95 at 1.5m row spacing. Close planting produces earlier ripening and fuller flavours, yielding a generous style in this warm year. Pristine white peach fruit glimpses at mandarin exotics, underscored by toasty, spicy, honeyed French oak. The signature tense acidity of this cool site defines a lively, long finish. Drink now. ”

“This is the final Riserva to benefit from the late Franco Biondi Santi`s masterful hand. It boasts enticing scents of rose, underbrush, red berry, new leather and crushed mint. The chiseled palate features succulent Morello cherry, pomegranate, orange zest, star anise and a hint of tobacco, all framed in taut, polished tannins. Firm acidity lends youthful tension and keeps it impeccably balanced.”

“You will notice the dedication printed below the label of the wine label. It reads: "Dedicato a Franco Biondi Santi." Indeed, the Biondi-Santi 2012 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva is the last vintage made by the towering father figure of Brunello whom most everyone referred to as the "gentleman of Montalcino." Il Dottore, as he was also respectfully addressed, died at age 91 in April 2013, and he was very active in the winery as this magnificent wine took shape. This Riserva is a true work of beauty. It is released one year later than usual. The wine reflects the natural heft and power of the 2012 vintage, and it also shows that distinctive open-knit and accessible personality that characterizes this warm and sunny growing season. Il Dottore's magic touch is revealed in the level of fine detail and precision that transcends vintage, grape and territory. That extreme focus is an achievement of this estate alone located in the celebrated Il Greppo property. This Brunello pours from the bottle with a magnificent garnet color, and it evolves in the glass with dark fruit, candied orange peel, spice, licorice, anise seed, cola and balsam herb. The aromas are magical and ethereal, albeit slightly ripe and soft as expected of this vintage.”

“I always look forward to tasting the wines of Bruno Rocca and his family because they are always so expressive of vintage and territory. The 2018 Barbaresco gives us quite a few blanket descriptors that can be applied to the 2018 growing season. The wine is ethereal and delicate with cool-climate freshness, wild berry, fragolino di bosco and rose hip. There is a transparent and honest quality to the fruit that leaves plenty of room for those background tones of crushed limestone or white rock. To the palate, this Barbaresco is extremely fine and polished. About 14,000 bottles were released.”

“Pale brick. Intense but lifted nose of leaf mould. Big impact on the nose and really muscular tannins on the palate. A baby! But with great potential.”

“This light-bodied red is highlighted by cherry, strawberry, rose and mint aromas and flavours. Firm and linear, with a spicy, earth-tinged finish.”

“The 2018 Catena Alta Malbec shows more evolution and ripeness than the 2019. It's varietal and floral with a mixture of red and black fruit, sweet spices and aromatic herbs. It has moderate ripeness—in fact, it's a little lower in alcohol than the 2019—a medium body and fine-grained tannins, with good grip. 162,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in October 2019.”

“(14.5% alcohol; here the layer of calcaire lies underneath a meter of soil): Bright medium ruby. Aromas of black cherry, licorice, bitter chocolate and violet are currently showing a bit more oak influence than the River Stones Malbec. Denser on the palate than that wine as well, conveying a greater impression of power leavened by superb mineral energy. This wine always begins with about 1.5 grams per liter more acidity than the River Stones, noted winemaker Alejandro Vigil, despite the fact that in 2015 one of the components was picked with potential alcohol of 15.5%. Boasts an exhilarating balance of sweetness and acidity. Although the tannins are beautifully buffered, this wine will need aging to unfold.”

“Sexy scents of red and black fruits, coffee and herbs. Dense, juicy and fine-grained, conveying terrific energy to its flavors of currant, chocolate and mocha. This is less thick than some of the new Malbec releases from Catena but it's still a bit youthfully imploded and in need of more time in bottle. But it has the dusty tannins and fresh supporting acidity to reward aging. In the early going, its penetrating character reminds me a bit of Cabernet. (60% from Nicasia Vineyard in Paraje Altamira and 40% from Angelica Vineyard in Lunlunta; Vigil describes this wine as "an old-vine blend--a mix of new and old _terroirs")”

“Deep garnet in color, the 2010 Cos d'Estournel unfurls slowly, measuredly, releasing delicate notes of dried mulberries, stewed plums and blackcurrant pastilles before giving way to notions of potpourri, black cherry compote and chocolate box plus touches of dried sage, tobacco and new leather. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has a rock-solid foundation of very firm, grainy tannins and very lively acidity supporting the remarkable intensity of tightly wound fruit layers, finishing very long and fragrant. Give it another 4-5 years in bottle and this will be stunning! 2024 - 2060.”

“Very healthy deep crimson. Luscious fruit. Very beguiling. Spreads right across the palate. Extremely seductive. Just slightly inky on the finish at the moment but there is masses of ripe fruit and tannin here.”

“There’s clarity and beauty to this wine as always with pure dark berry, stones and spices. Some clove too. Full body, firm and silky tannins and a long finish. Pure and precise wine with so much class. Try in 2020.”

“This is a complex and rich wine dominated by superripe fruit. It is a wine of extremes, of fruit, of dark tannins allied to some bitterness from the black chocolate extract. Ripe plums and sweet black fruits are given a lift at the end with bright acidity.”

“The 2018 Cos d’Estournel showed a lot of promise when I tasted it from barrel. Now in bottle and given a 2–3-hour decant, it has a gorgeous and disarmingly pure bouquet, slightly high-toned with iodine scents infusing the lush blackberry and boysenberry scents. The oak is seamlessly integrated. The palate is fresh and crisp on the entry, delivering silky-smooth tannins, perfect acidity and a sense of harmony than is very persuasive. I cannot recall a Cos d’Estournel in recent years with such fine tannins. It gently fans out toward the finish while retaining superb precision, completing what is a beautifully crafted Cos d’Estournel with a long future ahead. 2025 - 2060”

“The 2018 Cos d'Estournel is a blend of 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc, aged in 50% new oak barriques. The alcohol weighs in at just over 14.5%. Sporting a deep purple-black color, it needs a lot of swirling to begin to unlock a powerful nose of crème de cassis, stewed plums, wild blueberries and chocolate-covered cherries, followed by nuances of Sichuan pepper, star anise, tree and clove oil, plus a waft of charcoal. The full-bodied palate is densely packed with taut, muscular black fruits and earthy layers, framed by super firm, ripe, grainy tannins and seamless freshness, finishing very long and wonderfully earthy. A very impressive behemoth, this is going to need a good seven to 10 years to truly show its stuff and should drink for a good 40 years and beyond. 2028 - 2068”

“A dense, immense, solidly powerful wine. The ripest fruit overflows, paralleling the dark, solid tannins. As so often, Lynch-Bages is a blockbuster, dark and concentrated, with immense aging potential.”

“Performing even better from bottle than it did from barrel, this appears to be the finest Lynch Bages since the 2000, 1990 and 1989. According to the chateau, the 2009 has the highest level of polyphenols ever measured as well as high alcohol (nearly 13.5%). A blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest largely Merlot with touches of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, it is an expressive, voluptuously textured effort with unctuosity and powerful, juicy, succulent blackberry and black currant flavors, low acids, a layered, massive mouthfeel, but no sense of heaviness or fatigue. This exquisite Lynch Bages should drink well for 30+ years.”

“The 2019 Château Lynch-Bages is stunningly good, and it's going to be interesting to compare this to the 2018 over the coming decades. Based on 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, and the balance Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, brought up in 75% new French oak, its dense purple hue is followed by an incredible bouquet of pure crème de cassis, freshly sharpened cedar pencil, spring flowers, smoke, and graphite, with an almost liqueur of rocks-like minerality. A massive, incredibly concentrated Lynch-Bages, Jean-Charles has hit a home run in the vintage, and this sensational wine has building, perfect tannins, insane purity, and a finish that won't quit. It has the purity, finesse, balance, and depth to offer pleasure not only today but to evolve for 40 to 50 years. Smart money will hide these for a good 7-8 years, but wow, what a wine. Bravo.”

“The 2019 Lynch-Bages is a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Petit Verdot. Deep garnet-purple colored, it needs a fair bit of swirling to uncover profound blackcurrant preserves, mulberries, and juicy plums scents with hints of crushed rocks, Indian spices, and fragrant earth. Medium to full-bodied, it is firm, very fine-grained with generous fruit and fantastic tension, finishing with epically long lingering exotic spices. This wine has high ambitions and it delivers!”

“A true classic from this estate, the 2019 Lynch-Bages has turned out brilliantly, unwinding in the glass with aromas of cassis and sweet blackberry fruit mingled with licorice, mint, cigar wrapper and loamy soil. Full-bodied, rich and concentrated, it's a deep, multidimensional wine built around a chassis of rich, powdery tannins and succulent balancing acids. The last vintage produced in Lynch-Bages old winery, it will be interesting to compare this benchmark wine with subsequent vintages over the coming years.Drink Date 2029 - 2065”

“Tasted blind. Very dark crimson. Intense, layered nose. Complete, composed, a little spicy. Lots of interest here. Youthful, but with lots tucked in for the future. Interesting topnote. Satin texture on the mid palate before a mass of tannin makes its presence felt. Such a way to go! Rich with iodine notes. Bonfire aroma and really quite painful acidity. Lots of sandy tannin. Not married yet. 14.5%
Drink 2030 – 2050”

“The 2019 Lynch-Bages is a Pauillac that needs more encouragement from the glass compared to its peers, eventually revealing blackberry, pencil box and cedar scents that could only come from this appellation. Wonderfully delineated, and it seems to finally respond to aeration and gain intensity. The palate is medium-bodied and grippy, with concentrated black fruit, a liberal pinch of black pepper and an extremely persistent, almost Lafite-like finish. Jean-Charles Cazes has overseen a great Lynch-Bages of the modern era. 2026 - 2060”

“Tight black fruits, run through with espresso, cocoa bean and bitter black chocolate shavings. Brilliant quality, with tannic heft and precision. Takes a jump halfway through the palate and lifts right off. I have tasted this several times over the past few months, and it consistently performs. 75% new oak, Eric Boissenot consults.”

“70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot. Black almost to the rim. So dark the aroma is quite subdued but there's cassis and rocky purity. Extremely firm, thick, compact. A wall of tannins now, almost impassable, but there's a sense of balance, and a need for great patience. (JH) 14.5%
Drink 2030 – 2045”

“The 2019 is a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot and 3% each of Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. The wine will be aged for 18 months in 70% new French oak, and has an abv of 14%. Harvest began on 23rd September with Merlot and ended with the Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot on 9th October. Very deep, saturated purple in colour. The nose is rich and brooding, full of cassis, graphite, cedar and bitter cocoa. The palate has spectacular drive, with intense and focused cassis fruit at the core. The tannins are bold, mouthcoating and very grippy but fully ripe. They match the great density of the fruit, adding great depth. Layer upon layer of fruit and spice build to a spectacular, muscular finish that is extremely long and perfectly balanced. A true vin de garde that will be one of the longest lived in 2019. Outstanding.”

“Fantastic blackberries, blackcurrants, lead pencil and violets. So Pauillac on the nose! Full-bodied with a dense, layered palate and tight yet plush tannins that give the wine layers and gravitas. Compact. Long finish. Silky. Reminds me of a modern, classic version of something like the wonderful 1985 Lynch. Try after 2026.”

“70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot. Barrel sample.
Big, bold and broad-shouldered. A wine that states its presence. Spicy, dark-fruit and graphite nose. Juicy and wholesome on the palate with layers of generous fruit and muscle-flexing tannin. All tight and contained. Long, dry finish. (JL)
Drink 2030 – 2050”

“The 2019 Montrose is very clearly one of the wines of the vintage. Rich, inky and towering in concentration, the 2019 possesses off the charts intensity and tons of structure to back it up. Succulent black cherry, plum, tobacco, gravel and licorice infuse the 2019 with striking depth. The 2019 is not quite as opulent as some recent vintages, and that's a good thing. Readers will find a regal wine that marries elegance with power. Unforgettable. Tasted two times. 2034 - 2069”

“The 2019 Montrose is a blend of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot. Deep garnet-purple colored, it needs a lot of swirling to unlock a vibrant core of ripe, juicy blackcurrants, freshly picked blueberries, and redcurrants with touches of garrigue, iris, tilled earth, and Sichuan pepper, plus a waft of wood smoke. Medium to full-boded, the palate is taut and muscular, framed by firm, grainy tannins and bold freshness, finishing very long and achingly perfumed. This is a real head-turner!”

“Gorgeous rich colour here, a lovely wine full of pleasure. Chocolate, mocha, cappuccino, lots of toasted oak, great quality, with concentrated black fruits along with slate, crushed stone, smoked earth - measured, confident, delicious. I have tasted this a few times this year, and it has consistently been punching at the very top of its game. A no-brainer to recommend. 12% press wine, 47hl/ha yield, 60% new oak.”

“Tasted blind. Looks very youthful – dense crimson. Super-rich and almost Napa concentration! Fruit dominates tannin initially. Edgy and dramatic. Then, there is lots of tannin. Dry finish. Needs many, many years to take full advantage of what this wine has to offer. 14.5%. Drink 2033 – 2057”

“The 2019 Montrose has turned out very well in bottle, wafting from the glass with a dramatic, perfumed bouquet of wild berries and cassis mingled with notions of lilac, violets, pencil shavings and warm spices, framed by nicely integrated new oak. Full-bodied, layered and seamless, it's deep and multidimensional, with lively acids, beautifully refined tannins and a long, resonant finish. Checking in at 14.4% alcohol (rather higher than, for example, the brilliant 2009's 13.7% or the 2016's 13.3%), this is an undeniably powerful, ripe Montrose, but for now everything appears to be kept in check.Drink Date 2029 - 2065”

“The flagship 2019 Château Montrose is also brilliant, although it's not going to match the all-time greats from this estate. Gorgeous cassis, graphite, damp earth, cedar pencil, and tobacco are just some of the nuances here, and it's medium to full-bodied, with a pure, graceful, layered mouthfeel, building tannins, and a great finish. It doesn't have the overall density or mid-palate of the 2018 or 2016, but it’s flawlessly balanced and just incredibly impressive. Showing more and more tannins with time in the glass, it will need a decade of bottle age and will evolve for 30+ years.”

“Blueberries, cracked white and black pepper with dried flowers. Some crushed stone and slate, too. Full-bodied with tannins that grow on the palate and continue on. It’s polished and very fine with lovely length. Drink after 2027.”

“Oh this is good, it steals up on you with real depth of flavour, stately and concentrated in a way that reminds me of a 1996 or a 2016. Extremely measured, very clear that this is going to age effortlessly, it is extremely discreet and yet packed with persistent flavours. A masterclass in the flavours and aromatics that you expect in a great Médoc wine - slate, crushed stones, savoury blackcurrant, liquorice, hints of smoke and cold ash. After five minutes in the glass the sweeter berry fruit comes out, and the whole thing is sappy and mouthwatering, and makes you smile. 12% press wine, 3.77pH. A yield of 47hl/ha. 60% new oak. 1% Petit Verdot completes the blend. Drinking Window 2029 - 2050”

“64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot. Barrel sample.
Deep purple-black hue. Slightly shy and reserved but clearly has plenty of depth. Elegant, dark-fruit fragrance as the wine opens. Clean and direct on attack with a marked note of salinity. Plenty of power but really refined tannins assisted by a bright, juicy quality to the fruit. Incredible length on the finish. (JL)
Drink 2030 – 2050”

“The 2018 Pichon-Lalande was given an hour’s decant and then observed over the next 24 hours. It has clearly retained the showstopping nose that I encountered from barrel, those same “gentle waves" of black cherries and blueberry, incense and violets lending it a Margaux-like allure. The palate is vibrant and full of tension from the start, the acidity slicing through the layers of quite plush black fruit, judiciously laced with tobacco and mint. There is a beguiling sense of harmony conveyed by this Pichon-Lalande and although there is clearly plenty of structure, the tannins are so pixelated and pliant that it might well be broachable in 4–5 years’ time. Personally, however, I would prefer to cellar it for 8–10 years (by which time I hope that the new Cure album is finally released). However long you decide to keep it tucked away, this is a quite brilliant Pauillac. 2025-2055”

“This has to be up there with one of the most seductive Comtesses on record with layers of alternating softness and concentration combined with a lot of 2016’s elegance and power.

The nose on this stands out a mile, getting it right up on the podium before you even take a sip. Rich raspberries combine with peonies and curls of woodsmoke while the appellation’s signature slate, cedar, liquorice and tannic grip slowly builds up on the palate.

I’ve tasted this several times with each conveying a juiciness and elegance that is quite different in style to many in Pauillac this year - it's a 98-100 for me, and I'm already looking forward to re-tasting it in bottle. 1% Petit Verdot completes the blend. 60% new oak used. 13% press wine. 3.75pH, 88IPT – higher even than the 80IPT in 2016. Drinking Window 2026 - 2040”

“The 2018 Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is a blend of 71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot with a pH of 3.85, an IPT (total polyphenol index) of 87 and 14% alcohol. The grand vin represents 50% of the crop this year. Deep garnet-purple colored, it charges out of the gate with bold scents of baked plums, ripe blackcurrants and wild blueberries, followed by hints of cedar chest, pencil lead, bouquet garni and charcuterie, plus a waft of lilacs. The medium-bodied palate is beautifully crafted with its seamless freshness and firm, grainy tannins supporting the compelling, finely knit black fruits and savory nuances, finishing on a lingering fragrant-earth note. This will need a good 5 years to come around and should easily cellar for another 30 years or more. Drink: 2026 - 2056”

“Brilliant violet. Highly perfumed aromas of ripe dark fruits, potpourri and incense are complicated by exotic spice and woodsmoke nuances. Sweet, seamless and expansive on the palate, offering densely packed blackberry, cherry-vanilla and rose pastille flavors that are braced by a spine of juicy acidity. Finishes sweet and impressively long, showing outstanding clarity and fine-grained tannins that blend smoothly with the wine's sappy fruit.”

“Intense and brooding nose. Much edgier than the 2021, though arguably more burgundian. Quite a bit of tannin in evidence. Pretty serious and it will probably last longer than the 2021. Meat-and-veg sensation in this complex wine. Dry finish. Winemaker Liam Idzikowski thinks this is like the Octagon 2018…”

“The 2018 Flaccianello della Pieve is another stellar wine from Fontodi. It is the richest Flaccianello ever made (in terms of dry extract), with elevated acidity that trails the 2016 by just a touch, but it does not taste like that at all. Dark cherry, violet, lavender, spice, mocha and graphite build with a bit of time in the glass. Like the Sorbo, the 2018 Flaccianello is not a wine of size, as in most previous years, but rather a wine that exudes vibrancy, energy and class from start to finish. I absolutely loved it.”

“Generally speaking, I have reservations concerning the 2018 vintage that saw intermittent periods of hot and cold with some rain thrown in at the end of the growing cycle. The 2018 Flaccianello della Pieve blasted straight through any lingering doubt and is the result of a deft winemaking hand. This is a phenomenal and proudly confident vintage of the estate's top Sangiovese, which represents a blend of organic fruit from the best parcels. The wine's personality reveals brooding darkness and austerity, and these impressions are reinforced by savory tones of cigar smoke and earthy leather. The core of the wine is tight and richly concentrated with generous blackberry and plum. The velvety tannins are integrated but still youthful and grippy. You'll definitely need to give this elegant wine more time in the bottle. Production is an ample 60,000 bottles.

”

“Sophisticated aromas of lead pencil, graphite and blackcurrant. Hints of black olives and herbs, too. Full-bodied, yet tight and deep, with super precision and intensity to the tannins. Incredible balance of structure and finesse to this.
Give it time in the cellar. Better after 2027.”

“The 2019 Cepparello is super-impressive, even though it has just been bottled. Ample and creamy, with its classic sense of mid-weight structure, the 2019 has so much to offer. Silky tannins wrap around a core of red/purplish berry fruit. New leather, spice and a hint of oak meld together effortlessly in the glass. I can't wait to check in on it in another 6-12 months or so. The 2019 is shaping up to be positively stellar. 2027-2049”

“Paolo di Marchi’s leaving present to Tuscany is this delightful 2019 Isole e Olena Cepparello. Cepparello is a blend of Sangiovese from different vineyards, selected by Di Marchi on the basis of "the best exposure, elevation, soil, genetics and age. I feel this adds complexity.” The first vintage was in 1980 when 100% Sangiovese was not permitted under the Chianti Classico rules. Those rules have since changed but the wine remains an IGT Toscana. It has a supremely enticing nose with cream and exotic spice, reminding me of Arabian spice markets. With the 2019 there is an added precision to the aromas, less heavy oak, and no greenness on the palate. It is concentrated with a rich velvety texture but without any heaviness and with a gentle unforced quality. The tannins are fine and very well integrated, in fact finer and better integrated than even the excellent 2016 vintage. It is of course very young now but it’s almost too delicious not to drink! Supremely graceful, it just gets better and better. 2023-2042”

“Tasted twice, the 1995 Gran Reserva 890 is a blend of 95% Tempranillo (from Brinas, Labastida and Villaba), 3% Graciano and 1% Mazuelo, all aged in American oak for six years and delivering a headache-avoiding 12.7% alcohol. It has a heavenly bouquet that soars from the glass with soy, marmalade, a touch of Seville orange marmalade and cloves, all with superb delineation. The palate is very well-balanced with crisp, finely-tuned tannins that lend it wonderful focus. One can find vivacious flavors of strawberry, orange sorbet and citrus lemon while the finish is incredibly youthful and displays a level of tension that Alfred Hitchcock would be proud of. Outstanding traditional Rioja pulled out from the top drawer. Why? Because it whisks the drinker from wherever they are to, where the wine was born. Drink now-2030+”

“95% Tempranillo, 3% Graciano, 2% Mazuelo. 40-year-old vines from Rodezno (La Rioja). Hand-harvested with bunch selection. After the alcoholic fermentation, the wines are selected for the assemblage. Ageing for 72 months in American oak barrels, 20% new. No filtration. 15,900 bottles.
A classic rioja. Endless sweet spices and very marked aromas of vanilla, coconut, nutmeg and cinnamon. Wood dominates, but that is the delicious soul of rioja. The palate is exciting: deep, long, elegant, delicate, complex, with great class. What delicacy and softness of the palate! Its scent never ends and is at a precious stage of maturity. Very impressive. (FC)”

“I tasted the 2005 Gran Reserva 890 again, and I liked it better this time than in my previous review, even if I normally like the Gran Reserva 904 better than this bottling, as I find it better balanced. I tend to feel less energy in this wine, as it spends a very long time in barrel, six years in this case. 2005 was an excellent vintage, and they implemented some improvements in the harvest, introducing 350-kilo boxes and refrigerated transport to the winery, which they think provides better grapes and potentially better quality of the wines. The palate is medium-bodied, the tannins have mostly melted, and it has lively acidity that lift the wine up. This is a very classical and polished Rioja. 57,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in March 2012.”

“Bizarre as it may sound, the 2010 Les Forts de Latour is also the finest I have ever tasted from this selection, which comes from specific vineyards, not really so much a second wine as just another wine from estate holdings. A blend of 72.5% Cabernet Sauvignon and 27.5% Merlot that represents 40% of the production, this astonishing wine hit 14.3% natural alcohol. Extremely ripe and rich, it reminds me of the 1982 on steroids (and that wine is still drinking great 30 years after the vintage). Sensational notes of graphite, crushed rocks, black fruits, camphor and damp forest notes are present in this expansive, savory, full-throttle wine, which is better than many vintages of the great Latour itself from the past. (That may be a heretical statement, but it's the truth as I see it.) This wine needs a good 5-6 years of cellaring and should age for three decades at minimum, given the fact that the 1982 is in terrific form and wasn't this concentrated or prodigious.”

“Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. This is a very strong performance from Les Forts de Latour. It has a vivacious bouquet with ripe blackcurrant, raspberry, cedar and mint scents, very ripe and opulent with layers of discretely embroidered vanillary new oak. The palate is medium-bodied with very fine tannins, well judged acidity and a sophisticated, graphite finish with a long cedar and sous-bois influenced tail. Excellent. Tasted January 2014.”

“Aromas of currants, blueberries and blackberries with a dark chocolate undertone. Perfumes and beautiful. Full body, with velvety tannins that are fine-tuned and tentative. It lasts for minutes. Gorgeous fruit and richness. Perhaps the greatest Les Fort ever? Try in 2018.”

“The 2016 Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Baudes, which comes under the Domaine Gagey label, has a vibrant and fresh, rose petal-scented bouquet with plenty of Morello cherry and crushed strawberry scents. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grain tannin, good tension even if it is just missing some complexity toward the finish, as if running out of ideas two-thirds of the way through.”

“(90% of a normal crop): Healthy dark red. Lively, precise aromas of dark raspberry, herbs, brown spices and red licorice. A saline, sappy wine with lovely flavor depth and intensity; possesses plenty of medicinal reserve but this is already much sweeter, saltier and showier than the Sentiers. Finishing notes of fruits, flowers and spices blow past the round, dusty tannins on the resounding finish. No dilution here! This premier cru stains the palate without leaving any impression of heaviness.”

“Cask sample. Lightish crimson. Fragrant with sweet red cherry, charming and seductive. Relatively slight on the palate. The tannins are super-fine and the freshness is there but the density is less than I might have expected in the middle. (JH)
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“The 2016 Chapelle-Chambertin Grand Cru has a very well-defined bouquet, a melange of red and black fruit, truffle and smoke gently unfolding in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with fine definition, quite tensile and focused but very precise and fanning out with confidence on the tender finish. As good, if not better than, the 2015 Chapelle-Chambertin from Jadot.”

“The 2020 Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru (Maison Louis Jadot) has turned out nicely this year, bursting with aromas of orange rind, sweet berry fruit, petals and spices. Medium to full-bodied, velvety and perfumed, it's ample and generous, concluding with a youthfully chewy finish.”

“Old vines. Cask sample. Mid crimson. Rich, deep, sweet red fruit with a little touch of smoky, toasty oak on the nose. A wine you just want to inhale. Tannins are firm, compact, like many layers of paper, with some oak sweetness on the palate too but definitely in the background. The tannins are up front here, the fruit, a little hidden behind. Less captivating on the palate than on the nose, and clearly needs more time than some.”

“The 2015 Clos Saint-Denis Grand Cru, which lies adjacent to Philippe Charlopin's (in fact, both were bought at the same time), has a very impressive dark berry, sous-bois, incense and iris-scented bouquet that is beautifully defined. The palate is medium-bodied with fine balance and structure. There are layers of dark berry fruit here laced with chalk and a dash of black pepper, but what really elevates this is the precision and focus on the finish - one of the best amongst Louis Jadot's wines. This is an outstanding Clos Saint-Denis that will give 20-30 years of pleasure.”

“**Note: from 90+ year old vines that are worked by horse**
Here the generous wood treatment is borderline intrusive as the menthol element all but dominates the markedly spicy and ripe dark berry fruit aromas. The medium-bodied flavors are even richer than those of the Clos de la Roche and more refined as well though, as one might reasonably expect, less powerful before culminating in a highly seductive and strikingly complex finale. This beauty isn't quite as structured but it should have no difficulty rewarding from 15 to 20 years of bottle age.”

“The 2019 Clos Saint-Denis Grand Cru (Domaine Gagey) offers up notes of cherries, red berries, rose petals, raw cocoa, espresso roast and sweet soil tones. Full-bodied, layered and muscular, it's rich and dramatic, with an enveloping core of fruit and ripe, refined tannins.”

“The 2019 Clos Saint-Denis Grand Cru demonstrates a little more amplitude than the Clos de la Roche because of the one-third stem addition. It is exquisitely defined, offering precise black fruit laced with melted tar and graphite notes, and wonderful focus. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins framing the judiciously spiced black fruit that segues into a very harmonious, grippy finish. This is one of Jadot’s best cuvées this vintage.”

“Full medium red. High notes of spices and flowers lift the aromas of cherry and licorice. A distinctly floral, saline style of Clos Vougeot, conveying a juicy quality to its cherry, redcurrant, menthol and mineral flavors. Still rather tightly wound and not yet showing the richness, fleshiness or sweetness of the vintage, this wine may be in the process of shutting down in bottle. Quite precise in the context of its vintage but very closed today, with a medicinal quality that calls for patience. But the tooth-coating tannins are refined and the wine's finishing salty minerality suggests that it will reward extended aging.

”

“Mingling aromas of sweet berry fruit and plums with hints of raw cocoa, warm spices and orange rind, the 2019 Corton Grèves Grand Cru (Domaine Louis Jadot) is medium to full-bodied, rich and chalky, with fine concentration and a youthfully tightly wound profile. This is promising, but it will require a bit of patience.”

“The 2019 Corton-Grèves Grand Cru was showing some reduction on the nose, although there appears to be fine compact red fruit here. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, and lightly spiced with white pepper and sage toward the finish, which shows a little more elegance compared to the Clos du Roi this year. Fine.”

“Cask sample. Sweetly aromatic. Very lively and racy. Transparent and rather ethereal. Quite chiselled in structure, almost like a really good white wine. Pleasing balance and persistence. Nice minerally undertow. Cool and refreshing rather than sweet and flattering – tant mieux! ”

“The 2012 Beaune Clos des Ursules is the most lifted and refined of the Beaune 1er Crus from Jadot. Sweet raspberries, tobacco, freshly cut flowers, mint and cinnamon meld together gracefully in the glass. The Ursules is distinguished from the other Beaunes by its silky tannins and fabulous length. There is plenty of richness in the glass, but without the excess weight or extraction found in some of the other wines.”

“This is aromatically quite similar to the Boucherottes with perhaps just a bit more floral influence. The mouth feel is also comparable because while there is excellent volume and intensity, the texture of the medium-bodied flavors is notably refined, all wrapped in a moderately austere, concentrated and driving finish. This is an interesting exercise in contrasts with a polished mid-palate juxtaposing against a robust, serious and old school finish. This will require ample patience.”

“The 2012 Beaune 1er Cru Clos des Ursules is one of their premier holdings with a propensity to age with class. It has a fragrant, more floral bouquet with fine delineation - perhaps more feminine than the other Beaune premier crus. The palate is ripe and generous on the entry. This has good substance and breeding, the quality of the terroir really coming through on the persuasive finish that lingers long in the mouth. This Clos des Ursules is brimming over with confidence and class. Bravo!”

“Good saturated dark red. Aromas of cherry and redcurrant liqueur are perked up by stony minerality. Then surprisingly dry and backward but with good intensity and depth to its red fruit flavors. Finishes with big, dusty, serious tannins and a ripe note of roasted herbs. I may be underrating this.”

“Smudgy crimson. Heady sweetness. Really exciting depths to this. Very serious. Racy, punchy and super clean and bracing on the finish. Impressively persistent.”

“The 2012 Clos des Ursules is another superb bottle in the making, with the depth and purity of the vintage very much in evidence in its superb bouquet of cassis, black cherries, a touch of plumminess, a very complex base of soil tones, cocoa and a gentle base of new wood. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied and shows superb mid-palate depth, with a fine chassis of ripe, well-integrated tannins, excellent focus and grip and a long, nascently complex finish. Fine juice”

“Cask sample. More sombre than Boucherottes, darker fruited in aroma. Chewy and red-fruited on the palate, a touch of strawberry sweetness. Dry textured but with juicy fruit at the core. (JH) ”

“Good dark red. Aromas of cherry and flowers are complemented by a hint of mocha. Plusher in texture than the Bressandes but also with good reserve to its flavors of dark cherry and menthol. Turns more imploded and medicinal on the back half, ultimately finishing with a firm tannic spine. This solidly structured wine is a bit less sweet and floral than the Bressandes and more dominated by soil tones in the early going.”

“The 2016 Beaune 1er Cru Clos des Ursules has a refined bouquet, probably the most mineral driven of the three Beaune premier crus under the "Domaine des Héritiers Jadot" label. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, an insistent grip in the mouth, more black fruit surfacing toward the structured, saline, marine-influenced finish. Excellent.”

“The most reserved of these Beaune cuvées is the 2020 Beaune 1er Cru Clos des Ursules (Domaine des Héritiers Jadot), a medium to full-bodied, layered and concentrated wine evocative of orange rind, red berries, plums, warm spices and peonies. Lively and structured, it will require and reward patience.”

“The 2020 Beaune 1er Cru Clos des Ursules (Domaine des Héritiers Jadot) has also turned out very well, unwinding in the glass to reveal aromas of sweet cherries, wild berries, spices and licorice. Medium to full-bodied, supple and layered, it's seamless and complete, with powdery tannins, lively acids and a harmonious, integrated profile.”

“Solid deep crimson purple. Magnificent deep rich imperial purple and feels much the same way on the nose. The fruit profile is a fraction darker than the estimable Boucherottes and perhaps with even more intensity, less heart on the sleeve, more wait for me in twenty years’ time. Tasted: November 2021”

“The 2020 Corton-Pougets Grand Cru (Domaine des Héritiers Jadot) is excellent, mingling aromas of cherries and raspberries with notions of raw cocoa, orange rind, warm spices and smoke. Full-bodied, velvety and layered, it's deep and concentrated, with powdery tannins, bright acids and a long, resonant finish.”

“The last vintage before pulling out the vines, with the likelihood that in due course Pougets will be replanted in chardonnay to make Corton-Charlemagne. Very dark purple and heady on the nose. Is it in balance? Plump and juicy on the palate, a bold expression of super ripe dark cherries, slightly more tannin, not quite sure of the equilibrium. Tasted: November 2021”

“Medium red. Aromas of musky redcurrant, cherry and coffee, plus an element of spicy oak. Medicinal cherry and spice flavors show good energy but modest flesh. Some oak tannins may be accentuating the skin tannins here. Frédéric Barnier noted that vineyards on the north side of Beaune were generally more frosted (Jadot made only tiny quantities of Cent-Vignes and Toussaints), but that there was also no Aigrots in 2016.”

“The 2016 Beaune 1er Cru Aux Cras has a fragrant and floral bouquet with rose petal and peony scents infusing the red cherry and strawberry fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with a fleshy mouthfeel, softer than the other premier cru Beaunes this vintage with an appealing, sorbet-fresh finish. Enjoy this Beaune premier cru in its youth after a couple of years.”

“Here the attractively layered nose is slightly less ripe and composed more of fruit from the red side of the fruit spectrum. The rich, supple and generously proportioned flavors possess an opulent mouth feel while also delivering equally good depth and length on the mildly rustic finale. This isn't elegant but it is impressive.”

“(vinified with 50% whole clusters; one of the two barrels was new until the racking after the malolactic fermentation): Bright medium red. Reticent nose offers scents of medicinal dark cherry and dark chocolate, plus a suggestion of sweet oak. Dark fruit flavors are accompanied by exotic liqueur and chocolate notes. A rather serious style of Volnay, less red fruity and floral in character than most of the foregoing samples if a touch rustic in the early going. Already boasts very good palate presence but this will not be an early drinker.”

“Cask sample. Bright red! Much less expressive nose than the Estournelles and much less concentrated. Almost as though they are not trying that hard with this exalted appellation. Nothing terribly wrong with it but it really suffers in comparison with the Estournelles at practically half the price. Just a bit ho-hum – as though the yield was a bit high?”

“The 2020 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Estournelles Saint-Jacques (Domaine Louis Jadot) is very pretty, unwinding in the glass with notes of cassis, dark berries, peonies and wintergreen. Medium to full-bodied, bright and tightly wound, with fine, chalky tannins and lively acids, it will require some bottle age.”

“A fresher clear purple compared to many wines this year. Beautifully pure, a very accurate rendition of the stony white soil of Estournelles, with length and grace. Tasted: November 2021”

“Tank sample. Dark crimson. Much more appetising than the Clos de Rochegrès. Great freshness and energy on the end. But still lots of chew – and personality.”

“Tank sample. Bright crimson (darker than most of the red burgundies) with masses of obvious tannin. Slightly dry end. Very youthful. Some sweetness.”

“The 2020 Moulin-à-Vent Clos de Rochegrès unwinds in the glass with scents of cherries, cassis, dark berries, sweet soil tones and spices. Medium to full-bodied, ample and fleshy, it's bright and seamless, with powdery tannins, lively acids and a saline finish. It's less ethereal than the 2019 without being as muscular as the 2018, striking a nice balance.”

“The 2018 Nuits Saint-Georges Les Boudots 1er Cru has a fragrant bouquet of perfumed red berry fruit mixed with rose petals. The medium-bodied palate delivers supple tannin and a fine bead of acidity. Well balanced, with a judicious dash of white pepper and clove toward the finish. A lovely Boudots.”

“The 2018 Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Les Boudots (Domaine Gagey) is showing nicely in bottle, bursting with aromas of cherries, sweet berries, orange rind, plums and sweet soil tones. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and charming, with an enveloping core of fruit, melting tannins and succulent acids, it's forward and giving out of the gates; indeed, this is unusually demonstrative for a young Boudots.”

“This is aromatically similar to the Clos des Chênes but with a touch of menthol. The suave, round and utterly delicious flavors are shaped by relatively fine tannins and plenty of sappy dry extract yet the finish is exceptionally firm, intense and highly persistent finish, that is at present overtly austere. Somewhat curiously, this is not quite as refined as the Clos des Chênes and is actually on the robust side at present. Note further that this will require a very long cellar snooze before it is completely ready for prime time."”

“The 2010 Volnay Clos de la Barre is a huge, implosive wine loaded with fruit. This explosive Volnay bursts onto the palate with black cherries, tar, licorice, smoke and incense. The aromas and flavors take on a decidedly exotic quality as the wine sits in the glass. This is another wine with a bright future. Anticipated maturity: 2018-2028.”

“Mid ruby. Scented and subtle on the nose. Very firm and fine with great precision. Great line of fruit, most impressive. Real delineation.”

“The 2020 Crozes Hermitage les Meysonniers feature gorgeous blueberries and florals on the nose, while the palate is medium to full-bodied and silky textured. It does appear to lack a bit of the richness shown by the 2019, with the flavors falling away quickly on the finish.”

“100% Syrah. Cask sample.
Good, deep colour to the rim. Zesty, dark and red-fruit notes. Spicy and ripe on the palate. Freshness maintained. Grainy tannins but honed, giving some grip on the finish.”

“The inky colored 2017 Ermitage Le Pavillon comes from the biggest, baddest part of Hermitage and was brought up all in 20-25% new French oak barrels. Huge crème de cassis, crushed flowers, graphite, and liquid rock notes all dominate the bouquet, and this massively rich, powerful, yet pure and classic Hermitage builds incrementally on the palate, has a wealth of tannins, flawless balance, and a great finish. Showing the sexy, expressive style of the vintage, it has some upfront charm, yet I suspect it will close down (as has the 2015) with a few years of bottle age and require a decade or more of cellaring. There are just 894 cases of this magical elixir.”

“Potentially perfect and quite likely a 30-year wine, Chapoutier's 2017 Ermitage le Pavillon makes a strong case for the vintage. From its compelling aromas of crushed stone, cassis, licorice and chocolate and the incredibly intense notes of salted licorice to the full-bodied, concentrated, chewy palate and tremendous length, there's absolutely nothing to find fault with. 2025 - 2045”

“The 2019 Chianti Classico Riserva Marchese Antinori is rich, layered and exceptionally polished. This is an especially serious vintage for the Marchese Antinori. All of the fruit comes from the Antinori family's Tignanello estate. Silky tannins wrap around a core of dark red cherry/plum, spice, leather and tobacco. There's tremendous weight, power and depth, that much is pretty clear”

“Antinori's 2010 Tignanello is stunning, as it has been since I started tasting the component wines in 2011. Firm yet sweet, silky tannins form the backbone for this gorgeous, vivid wine. Dark red cherries, plums, cloves, mint and sage inform a Tignanello that impresses for its delineation, nuance and power. Clean, saline notes support the mineral-drenched finish. The 2010 isn't huge, but rather is a vertical wine endowed with tremendous energy and vibrancy. I can't remember a Tignanello with this much crystalline tension and pure energy. Simply put, the 2010 Tignanello is a magnificent, towering wine from Antinori.”

“Humming with energy and life from the very moment you put your nose in the glass, Marchesi Antinori’s 2010 Tignanello shows magnificent aromatic layering and an enormous capacity to peel back and reveal itself in beautiful slow motion. This is an articulate wine with a long story to tell about the quality of its profound 2010 fruit. This Tignanello has the elegance of 2004 and the structure of 2007. A brief note on the structure: The mouthfeel here is not broad and big. Instead, it shows a sharp and elegantly streamlined feel with impressive persistency. Compared to 2009, the Sangiovese component is slightly higher with 80% of the noble Tuscan variety followed by 15% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Cabernet Franc. Anticipated maturity: 2016-2035.
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“This wine brought to mind precise imagery of tailcoats, striped dress pants, wingtip collar shirts and other gentlemen's fashion choices from the Roaring Twenties. Sporting a retro but classic personality, the Marchesi Antinori 2018 Tignanello is quite the dapper and jovial wine that hits the market just as much of the world is emerging from a dark chapter of lockdowns and coronavirus curfews. I love the optimism that springs bright with such clarity and detail from within this blend of Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. The 2016 vintage was a benchmark for sure, but I prefer the 2018, thanks to that tinge of nostalgia or emotion that is so deftly rendered in this cool, long growing season.

The 2018 vintage offers a deconstructed Tignanello upon first inspection because you can clearly make out the varietal typicity of the grapes, especially the green spice and white pepper of the two Cabernets, along with aromas of crushed limestone that recall the white rocks carefully placed in the vineyards to protect the rows. The wine's fruit weight is contained and polished, and there are no exaggerations, excesses or loose ends. The results are calculated and exacting, especially if you consider the tannic management (with aging in both new and used Hungarian and French oak for up to 16 months) and the quality of the elegant mouthfeel. With time in the glass, those deconstructed elements converge to create unity and balance. The Tignanello vineyard is 57 hectares and sits at a breezy 390 meters above sea level with alberese and galestro soils. Those elevations proved important for shedding excess humidity at the end of this 2018 growing season. Production for this excellent wine is an impressive 345,000 bottles.”

“The 2018 Tignanello is a wine of breathtaking purity. Impossibly silky and persistent, the 2018 is all class, all the way. In many ways, the 2018 reminds me of the 2004 because of its finesse, but it has an extra degree of nuance that reflects important strides that have been made at the estate in the intervening years. Winemaking today is more gentle, while new oak is also less intrusive. The result is a Tignanello that bristles with class.

The purity of the flavors alone is mesmerizing. Bright red-toned berries, mocha, spice, cedar, new leather and liquorice are some of the many notes that linger on a finish framed by silky, perfectly ripe tannins.”

“The 2017 Barolo is a gorgeous, harmonious wine. In this vintage, the straight Barolo is a bit lighter than normal, as most wines are, but it is so impeccably balanced. Pliant and inviting, the 2017 will be pleasurable to drink in another year or two. The purity of the flavors is just striking. Red berry fruit, rose petal, mint, cinnamon and crushed rose petal are some of the many aromas and flavors that grace this exquisite Barolo from the Massolino family. So many 2017s are marked by sinewy tannins, here, they are especially fine.”

“Massolino's classic 2017 Barolo sees most of its fruit come from Serralunga d'Alba, although a small percentage of the blend comes from Castiglione Falletto. Compared to its peers from this hot and dry growing season, this wine is delicate and almost fragile. It softly reveals cassis, red berries and exotic plum. A second wave of aromas introduces spice, red earth and rusty notes. These results achieve very good balance overall.”

“Jaboulet's 2018 Hermitage La Chapelle features scents of crushed stone, violets and cassis. It's a classic trio, backed by a wine that's full-bodied, rich and powerful yet also airy, somehow carrying intense plum and black olive flavors without any sense of heaviness or excess weight. Then the wine finishes long and softly dusty, with tannins that accentuate its savory character, picking up delicious hints of licorice at the very end. The proportion of new oak has been trimmed back to a very reasonable 20% and is hardly noticeable in the wine. 2023-2045”

“A deep, powerful, primordial wine (which is exactly what you’d expect for a great vintage of this cuvée), the inky hued 2018 Hermitage La Chapelle offers tons of crème de cassis as well as a liquid rock-like minerality, peppery herbs, burning embers, and graphite aromas and flavors. The palate mirrors the intensity of the bouquet and is full-bodied, concentrated, and tight, yet still packs a huge amount of baby fat. The 2018 is a beautifully pure, balanced, massively endowed La Chapelle that will need a decade of cellaring and keep for 3-4 decades with no problems.”

“Opaque ruby. Displays powerful, highly perfumed aromas of black/blue fruit preserves, licorice, cola, baking spices and potpourri, along with an exotic suggestion of incense. Utterly stains the palate with intense blackberry, cherry, cassis, floral pastille and spicecake flavors that deliver a suave blend of weight and energy. Youthfully solid tannins add shape and grip to an extremely long, mineral- and floral-accented finish that shows outstanding clarity and dark fruit thrust.”

“The 2018 Geyserville is an infant. That much is obvious, especially in this lineup of otherwise more settled 2018s. Ripe Zinfandel flavors drive the overall profile. A blast of wild cherry, leather, tobacco, smoke, licorice, menthol and spice hit the palate first, followed by swaths of tannin and a touch of new oak that suggest the wine still needs time to come together. Readers should be in no rush. I am not sure the 2018 will ever be truly refined, as it is quite burly today. Aeration helps to some degree. The fermentations at Geyserville were slow to start and slow to finish. That longer time of extraction comes through in potent tannins that will likely always mark the wine.”

“The 2020 Geyserville is quite soft in this vintage. Bright red-fleshed fruit, crushed flowers, cedar, spice and sweet pipe tobacco all grace this mid-weight edition of Geyserville. All things considered, the 2020 is nicely done.”

“69% Zinfandel, 20% Carignane, 8% Petite Syrah, 2% Alicante Bouschet, 1% Mataro.
Plummy, ripe and fresh. Super-smooth texture. Milk chocolate, a few drops of liquorice. There's a little herby character on the dry, moderately long finish.”

“The 2018 Lytton Springs is magnificent. Elegant, layered and so complete, the 2018 has a lot to offer, but it needs time to fully come together. Sweet red cherry, red plum, blood orange, spice, mint and rose petal open up in the glass. Bright acids and beams of tannin give the wine its vibrant energy. Readers should plan on cellaring the 2018 for at least a few years. Wow!”

“The 2020 Lytton Springs is a very pretty wine. Bright floral and spice accents open first. Silky and medium in body, with plenty of persistence and fine balance, the 2020 is pretty impressive, especially for the year. Zinfandel character really drives the feel in 2020. A burst of red/purplish fruit, rose petal, cinnamon and dried herbs lingers on the open-knit, intensely perfumed finish.”

“79% Zinfandel, 11% Petite Sirah, 10% Carignane.
Full force Zinfandel juiciness on the nose but it finishes with an almost rasping dryness to the palate. Perhaps it's just too young, but this seems tight and austere, which is unexpected. I think I'd put this in Châteauneuf if tasted blind!”

“68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 10% Petit Verdot, 2% Cabernet Franc, bottled May 2008. Though a cool October slowed ripening, all parcels were harvested within five weeks, and natural yeasts started the primary within three days. Those first fermentations alerted us to how rapidly colour and tannin were being extracted. We reduced pumpovers, and pressed at day 10. Uninoculated secondary began in tank; 80% of the 36 lots were racked to barrel for completion. 13 were selected for the first assemblage in late January. Four intense Cabernet lots required egg-white fining to soften tannins. Additions of Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc contributed depth.
Dark black cherry colour and almost a little purple at the rim. Similar aromas to the Santa Cruz 2006 but more fragrant still. There's some sweet oak (I hadn't even thought of oak up to this point, which shows how much of a support role it plays). Has red and black fruit, a hint of liquorice and a little peppery. So pure. Deep and concentrated with purity and density and yet light on its feet. The tannins are so supple they slide across the palate, even though the structure is tight and very firm – but it's lithe. Amazing to have such dense tannins with no astringency. With time, a touch of coffee. Succulent fruit even with all that ripe tannins. (JH)”

“A dark, brooding beauty, the 2006 Monte Bello is still very, very young. The aromatics alone are enticing, but the tannins still need time to soften. The 2006 is a masculine, vertical Monte Bello that demands cellaring. Even so, it is pretty impressive today. Scents of lavender, sage, mint and savory herbs add closing flourishes. The perfumed sweetness of the fruit - one of the hallmarks of the very late harvest - remains one of the signatures of the 2006. The 2006 can be enjoyed today or cellared for another 25+ years.”

“The 2010 growing season was long and cool, reflecting the influence of an El Niño year, defined by a short but intense heat wave in late August. But whereas Ridge's Sonoma County vineyards experienced a high of 117 degrees Fahrenheit for two days, Monte Bello ridge only reached 105 degrees. The ensuing 2010 Monte Bello is very classic in profile, offering up aromas of crushed cassis, plums, cigar tobacco, rich loamy soil, black tea and dark chocolate. On the palate, it's medium to full-bodied, with a deep and concentrated core of vibrantly crunchy fruit framed by velvety tannins, concluding with a long, tangy finish that's still youthfully chewy. Though the two vintages are very close in quality, the 2010 is very different in profile from the somewhat larger scaled 2012: it's less expansive, but built around a brighter vertical line. I'd recommend cellaring it for an additional three or four years and don't expect it to truly hit its stride until after 2025. The blend is 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Franc, and it attained 13.2% natural alcohol.”

“The 2010 Monte Bello is just as stunning as it has always been. Today, the 2010 appears to be entering a closed phase, so it is best left alone for at least another 5-10 years, perhaps longer. The signatures are super-ripe, exotic fruit, sweet aromatics and firm tannins, all of which ensure the 2010 will be utterly magnificent in a few decades. The growing season was characterized by mostly cold weather, with an unexpectedly intense heat spike in mid-October that gave the fruit a final push. One of the things that makes this vintage so compelling is the interplay of firm structural elements from the cold year and a high level of ripeness that was achieved late. In my view, the 2010 is one of the most thrilling recent Monte Bellos, however it won't be ready to drink for a number of years and it won't peak for quite some time beyond that.”

“The 2013 Monte Bello is a very special vintage for this great wine. Amazingly, it has yet to shut down, unfurling in the glass to reveal a bouquet of black raspberries, cassis, rich espresso roast, cigar wrapper, subtle black truffle and burning embers that has already integrated its 100% new oak remarkably completely. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, powerful and multidimensional, with a lavishly textural attack that segues into a stunningly layered, richly structured mid-palate endowed with incredible depth and concentration underpinned by succulent acids. The finish is long, vibrant and beautifully delineated. The 2013 is a blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Petit Verdot, 7% Cabernet Franc and 5% Merlot, and it attained 13.6% natural alcohol. Analytically, this ranks as one of the most tannic vintages of Monte Bello ever produced, but the tannins are of such high quality and cloaked in such a wealth of fruit that Ridge forwent their habitual egg white fining this year—beginning a trend that has continued since. This profound Monte Bello will begin to blossom as it reaches age ten and should prove practically immortal.”

“The 2013 Monte Bello is utterly spellbinding in its beauty. Finely sculpted and chiseled, with super-expressive aromatics and searing tannins, the 2013 is shaping up to be a modern-day classic. The 2013 is remarkably pure and vibrant for such a big wine. It will be years before the 2013 is close to being ready to drink. Even so, it is magnificent today. Where will the 2013 end up? The future seems limitless for now. Quite simply, the 2013 is a must-have wine. In 2013, Monte Bello is very heavy in Cabernet Sauvignon, partly because Merlot suffered in the drought-like conditions. The 2013 has already begun to shut down in bottle. Readers need to be in for the long haul.”

“Cask sample. Very Cabernet nose, again with spice – great polish and depth. Firm acidity and much more obvious tannins than the 2014.”