“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.”

“Sweet start and some transparency. Really confident and beautifully balanced. Quite forward but a real charmer.”

“Cask sample. 18–20 months in French oak.
Mid crimson. Relatively dark-fruited and rocky on the nose but the fruit shows its sweetness as it opens. Firm, dry and very finely textured, more chalky than chewy. This has depth and, most noticeable of all, excellent persistence. Lingers on and on in its dark, embryonic state. Balanced now and so much more to come. (JH) ”

“Bright medium red. A bit less expressive and deep on the nose than the Pougets, dominated by medicinal dark fruits. Showing considerably less early sweetness, with the red berry and salty mineral flavors coming across as rather bit austere compared to the Pougets. Best today on the pungent, spicy, firmly tannic finish. This is from deeper soil than the Pougets.”

“The 2016 Corton Grèves Grand Cru was showing quite a bit of oak on the nose but there was more than enough fruit packed behind it. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, a fine bead of acidity with a subtle marine influence surfacing toward the finish that just tapers in when I want it to fan out. But this is a pretty Corton Grèves in the making.”

“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.”

“The 2015 Meursault Blagny has an unapologetically tropical-driven bouquet with pineapple and mango to the fore, a generous dab of honey ramming home the point. The palate is balanced with good acidity, quite linear and feels just a little muted on the finish, as if it wants to leave the aromatics to do all the talking. Give it 2-3 years in bottle. Drink 2018 - 2024”

“Tank sample. Textured with a bit of a green streak. Fresher than many Jadot whites. Drink 2021 - 2027”

“With the acquisition of the Domaine Prieur-Brunet, Jadot became landholders in this premier cru, and it's from this purchase that the 2018 Meursault 1er Cru Charmes (Domaine Louis Jadot) derives. Revealing aromas of pear, peach, pastry cream and white flowers, it's medium to full-bodied and richly layered but lively, concluding with a nicely defined finish.”

“The 2016 Meursault 1er Cru Les Perrières is the first vintage that is domaine, as Jadot now owns the vineyard instead of buying in the fruit. It has a straightforward bouquet with lime flower, smoke and walnut coming through with aeration. The palate is well balanced with good acidity, quite rich in style although I am seeking more stoniness, more mineralité to come through on the finish and define it as a Perrières. This is one where I feel it might have been better to pick a day or two earlier.”

“(2016 was the first year the Jadot team farmed this plot; the yield was full in 2016, as in Narvaux and other high sites in the village, noted Barnier; two of the five barrels were new): Bright lemon-yellow. Less fruity and floral on the nose than the Genevrières, hinting at almond and spicy oak. Then concentrated and harmonious in the mouth, showing a ripe pineapple flavor and a seductive balance of sweetness and acidity. The salty, palate-saturating finish boasts sneaky length and lift. This wine comes across as a bit riper than the Charmes, and will rely as much on its mineral underpinning as on its acidity for longevity. Barnier told me that the Jadot team will force the vines' roots deeper over the next several years in search of greater minerality.”

“(from 80-year-old vines; Jadot purchases juice): Bright yellow. Mirabelle and lemon aromas are accented by a minty nuance. Boasts very good juicy lift to its lemon and peach flavors but less richness and extract than the Folatieres; there was more juice in the Clos de la Garenne grapes, noted Barnier. I like the balance and the vivacity of fruit here. (There's no Pucelles in 2012 as the grower would not give up the fruit).”

“An elegantly layered and cool nose features aromas of lemon peel, white flowers and spiced pear. There is a really lovely texture to the solidly constructed and concentrated middle weight flavors that display ample minerality on the citrus-inflected and dry but not especially austere finish. The inherent class of Puligny is on display here.”

“Solid, bullseye stuff. Perhaps not as intricate as some but no one would be disappointed. A solid bet.”

“(these 80+-year-old vines, which Frédéric Barnier described as "near the end of their lives," produced just over half of a normal crop in 2014 as they suffered through a hot, dry flowering): Very ripe, inviting aromas of yellow peach, butter and clove. Wonderfully rich, plush and sweet, but the ripe yellow peach fruit and creamy old-vines texture are enlivened by mineral lift. Finishes tactile and very long, with a strong impression of dry extract. A superb vintage for this consistently excellent wine bottling.”

“(these very old vines produced just under 30 hectoliters per hectare in 2016): Pale yellow. Pure but reticent nose hints at white peach, menthol, mint and pungent fresh herbs. A step up in power and grip from the Combettes but not quite as expansive as that wine, at least in the early going. Finishes savory, dry and long, with excellent structure and grip.”

“Cask sample. Quiet and dusty on the nose. Cool and lightly cedary. Taut and zesty and utterly embryonic and with promise. Mouth-wateringly delicious. (JH)
”

“The 2018 Puligny-Montrachet Clos de la Garenne 1er Cru has an impressive bouquet of green apples, fresh pear and touches of petrichor, developing light walnut aromas so that it becomes almost Meursault-like. The palate is taut and fresh with a menthol undercurrent, and quite concentrated, displaying good definition and a palpable sense of energy toward the finish. This is excellent.”

“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”

“Oak a little more evident on the nose than on the Chassagne La Romanée. More cedary. Likewise on the palate, a little aggressive in its cedary character but there’s still deep fruit here to balance in time. Firm and savoury on the finish. Lovely wine but needs time. (JH)”

“Compared to the 2017 vintage that shows a more accessible and full-bodied style, the 2018 Cervaro della Sala is a classic edition—it's about as classic as I have ever tasted this landmark white from Umbria to be. This cooler vintage prizes finesse and elegance, and those traits are matched by efforts in the winery to accomplish that same goal. On many levels, the 2018 vintage opens a new chapter for Cervaro della Sala, with a stronger emphasis on preserved lemon, crisp pear and crushed mineral. The wine offers beautiful freshness and linearity. I must also mention that this vintage is released while the fruit is still a bit closed or shy. That slightly reductive approach bodes very well for the wine's future evolution. 2020-2035”

“What a beautiful nose of elderberries, freshly picked blackcurrants, citrus, herbs, licorice and crushed stones, amidst a backdrop of coffee beans, cedar and vanilla. Full-bodied and very subtle and refined with tightly wound tannins and an impressive balance of fruit and acidity. Long, grainy and elegant on the finish. A masterpiece. Drink in 2020.”

“A blend of Merlot and Sangiovese in equal parts, the 2016 Siepi is a luscious and soft wine that oozes forth with dark berry intensity. The fruit is compact and dense. This wine performs beautifully in terms of aromas, but the mouthfeel is especially fine-tuned and elegant in this classic vintage. Dark fruit is followed by spice, tar, rose bud and sharp mineral nuances that recall the gravel and limestone-rich soils of Chianti Classico. This is perhaps the best vintage of Siepi I have tasted thus far.”

“(14.2% alcohol: made from vines in both Uco Valley and Luján de Cuyo): Bright ruby-red. Pungent aromas of cassis, blackberry, herbs and grapefruit are pure and unadorned. Juicy and stylish in a European style, conveying an impression of delicacy and terrific penetration. This is sweeter and suppler than the 2015 Nicasia Vineyard Malbec but I'm not sure that it's deeper. Finishes with a powerful spine, strong supporting acidity and terrific length.”

“(from 70-year-old vines): Bright, dark red-ruby. Superripe, slightly roasted aromas of kirsch, blackberry, licorice and minerals. Fat, velvety and rich; can't match the Adrianna Vineyard bottling for definition or lift but this is more opulent, glossy and sweet. Really stains the palate with dark fruits and licorice on the very long, smoothly tannic finish. Winemaker Alejandro Vigil describes this bottling as Catena's asado wine.”

“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.”

“They are particularly proud of Graciano in 2011 – much riper than usual. Blackish purple. Seems a tad raw to me, but maybe it's riper than usual. Very interesting but marked acidity. It does taste like a blending grape to me.”

“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.”

“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.”

“The 1994 Gran Reserva 890, from an excellent vintage, exhibits a dark ruby/brick color. Its complex perfume is composed of nuances of scorched earth, cedar, mineral, red currants and cherry. On the palate, additional notes of toast, fungi, and floral scents emerge. This elegant wine has sufficient depth, concentration and weight to drink well for another 6-8 years.
”

“2001 is a great vintage for all the wines from La Rioja Alta but the long-awaited 2001 Gran Reserva 890 is otherworldly. 2001 was a slow maturing vintage which produced smaller grapes especially in the old vineyards on the slopes of the Sierra Cantabria in the villages of Brinas, Labastida and Villalba where the vineyards that make it into this wine are located. The final blend contains a majority of Tempranillo with 3% Graciano and 2% Mazuelo. The wine ferments with the natural yeasts attached to the grapes in stainless steel vats and is aged for six years in used American oak barrels with 12 manual rackings. A selection of the best barrels were blended together and bottled unfiltered in March 2008. Only 15,000 bottles were produced. It shows (even) younger and more concentrated than the 2004 904, a darker shade of red and a somehow backward and reticent nose (relatively speaking) of forest floor, cold bonfire, antique shop, truffles, game, sandalwood, nutmeg and clove. The fruit is also a little darker and the palate more austere, but still showing vibrant and supple, with clean flavors and a great finish. This is my favorite modern time 890. Bravo! Drink 2016-2026.


”

“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)”

“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.”

“The 2015 Chapelle-Chambertin Grand Cru has an open red cherry, crushed strawberry and sea spray-scented bouquet that perhaps does not quite have the complexity, nor the intrigue of the Mazis-Chambertin at this stage. The palate is refined with grippy tannin and a commendable sense of energy and tension. The salinity comes through on the finish and lends this grand cru fine sappiness, urging you back for another sip. For those with patience...”

“”

“The 2015 Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru has a rounded, generous bouquet with scents of red cherries, kirsch and incense. The palate is sweet and precocious on the entry with brown spices infusing the red cherry fruit, although I found the new oak a little conspicuous towards the finish. I would look for more refinement once this grand cru is in bottle.”

“**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 exceptional freshness of the 2010 vintage is more than apparent here with a restrained and cool nose of intensely earthy red and dark berry fruit aromas that also display forest floor and humus notes. There is outstanding concentration to the extract-rich broad-shouldered flavors that display plenty of power and muscle on the impressively persistent finish. This is a big wine yet it carries its size and weight effortlessly in large part because of the fine mid-palate concentration and relatively fine grain of the tannins.”

“Good full red. Rather hermetic, reduced nose hints at black cherry and botanical herbs. Extremely rich but closed, with a medicinal reserve to the black cherry, menthol and pepper flavors. Best today on the very long, strong finish, where the youthful tannins grab the palate and don't let go. This will need extended cellaring.”

“The 2010 Clos Vougeot bursts onto the palate with a rush of dark red fruit. This is another wine that had a very slow malolactic fermentation (at the time of this tasting there was a portion of the wine still finishing its malo). The 2010 needs time to find its balance but the raw materials are superb.”

“The 2010 Beaune Boucherottes, from a parcel on the lower part of the hill, emerges from the glass with sweet roses, red cherries, raspberries and white flowers. This is a relatively bright, focused style that shows the more feminine side of Beaune. Clean mineral notes give the finish an attractive element of pure energy. The Boucherottes should drink well upon release.”

“Medium red. Pure but subdued aromas of medicinal cherry and smoky, spicy oak. The richest and broadest of these Beaune wines but reticent today and in need of more élevage to gain in precision. This very backward wine finishes with ripe, building tannins. Barnier noted that he probably won't bottle the "serious" 2015s until May.”

“Medium red. The nose suggests a more angular wine than the Baudes, offering scents of black cherry, cola and fresh flowers. Then wonderfully sweet and broad but firmly built, conveying superb density of texture and inner-mouth lift without any rough edges. The serious but refined tannins saturate the palate and leave the taste buds refreshed. Really captivating sweetness here.”

“(this 45-year-old massalle selection yielded just half of a normal crop in 2015, as was the case with most of Jadot's other Beaune holdings): Bright dark red. Pure, vibrant aromas of black raspberry, minerals, licorice and crushed stone. In a distinctly juicy, stony style with brisk hints of mint and licorice. Tight and firmly tannic on the finish, but with good lingering fruit and surprising breadth. This will need time in bottle.”

“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.”

“Dark red cherry, plum, menthol, licorice and new leather explode from the glass in the 2012 Echézeaux. A rich, layered wine, the 2012 boasts superb depth and pure power, with tons of richness, breadth and volume. Today, the Echézeaux is simply magnificent. However, it will require bottle age to show at its best. Jadot's Echézeaux emerges from parcels in Les Rouges du Bas.”

“The 2012 Grands Echezeaux Grand Cru is more mild-mannered and serious on the nose when compared to the Echezeaux - poker-faced black fruit hand in hand with tertiary aromas. The palate is very refined with silky smooth tannins. This is very harmonious with impressive weight and sensuality towards the finish that fans out with more precision and grace than the Echezeaux, retaining tight control at every moment. Excellent.”

“Brooding and slightly closed on the nose, starting to unfurl with a little time in the glass. Dark fruits, Sichuan pepper and cinnamon. The palate is more revealing but still structured, with exotic spices, black cherry and pithy, layered tannins. Bright acidity keeps everything in check and adds a moreish quality to the finish. Fantastic depth.”

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

“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.”

“Dark fruits on the nose, with white pepper and a lick of smoke. Silky, refined tannins and generous forest fruits at the core. Depth and breadth of fruit. The oak is currently sweet and smoky on the finish and will need time to integrate.”

“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 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 2016 Tignanello is flat out stunning. Dark, dense and resonant, the 2016 is a wonderfully complete wine that will provide readers with decades of pure drinking pleasure. The 2016 is especially dark and brooding, and yet the tannins are incredibly polished to the point of being perceptible. In the glass, the 2016 is complete and regal, perhaps because of the super-classic blend of 80% Sangiovese, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Cabernet Franc. The pedigree of the vintage comes through in the wine's extraordinary balance and total sense of finesse. I don't think there is another wine anywhere in the world made entirely from estate fruit that can match Tignanello for quality, consistency and value within its peer group of top-flight reds.”

“To hit the market in June, the 2016 Tignanello is a rock-solid wine and a stunning beauty. The wine offers an impeccable level of precision and laser-focus delivery of fruits, spices, tilled earth, espresso beans and Mediterranean herbs. This vintage follows the classic blending formula of 80% Sangiovese with about 13% Cabernet Sauvignon and 7% Cabernet Franc. The vines are now 15 to 20 years old. Compared to the 2015 vintage that ultimately appeared more chewy and succulent, this expression from the iconic 2016 vintage is more vibrant, nervous and jazzed. It shows more savory spice, saltiness and minerality, with a beautifully integrated quality of tannins. Some 320,000 bottles were produced. This wine is at the top of the list of some of the best Tignanello ever made, including the vintages 2007, 2009, 2010, 2013 and 2015.”

“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 fi nesse, but it has an extra degree of nuance that refl ects
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 fl avors alone is mesmerizing. Bright red-toned berries, mocha, spice, cedar, new leather and liquorice
are some of the many notes that linger on a fi nish framed by silky, perfectly ripe tannins.”

“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 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 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.”

“Complex aromas of blueberry, rose petal, licorice, and currant. Full body, ultra fine tannins and a fresh and clean finish. Balanced and very refined. A wonderful purity and beauty. Give it three to four years to come together but already a beauty. A blend of 60% cabernet sauvignon, 16% carmenere, 11% malbec, 8% merlot and 5% petit verdot.”

“The 2016 Bolgheri Superiore Ornellaia is a wine of extreme complexity and precision. It offers monumental depth with profound layers of black fruit, coffee, licorice and baking chocolate. I tasted this 2016 vintage beside the less-impactful 2015 vintage (which was reviewed last year). These two editions are very different when compared side to side, and this 2016 release is clearly superior in terms of the quality, clarity and intensity of its offerings. This Ornellaia delivers glossy shine and a polished texture that segues to important richness, concentration and textural fiber. It wraps thickly over the palate, imparting waves of sweet dark fruit and dark spice that linger for many long minutes. This beautiful wine is hitting the market now, but collectors will want to put it straight into their cellars for safekeeping.”

“This wine is made exclusively with fruit from the gorgeous Tenuta Tignanello in San Casciano Val di Pesa (home to its namesake wine Tignanello, and Solaia) and sees mostly Sangiovese blended with a smaller part Cabernet Sauvignon and other complementary grapes. The Marchesi Antinori 2018 Chianti Classico Riserva Marchese Antinori vaunts a smooth and silky personality with ample berry definition and brightness. The previous 2017 vintage revealed more black and purple fruits because of the scorching hot and dry summer that year, but this wine from the cooler 2018 growing season focuses on red raspberry and cherry instead. That fruit is framed by light spice (from Hungarian and French oak) and licorice. Some 273,000 bottles were produced.”

“This is a wine that simultaneously defines elegance and power. Complex aromas of blueberry, black currant, and black licorice. Full-body yet refined and beautiful with stunning length and complexity. It has a transparency that shows such greatness and beauty. Half the normal production. Has an energy and brightness. Chile's first perfect wine and well deserved. Better in 2020.”