Vinous (94)

The 2013 Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Minéral is powerful, ample and generous. All of the natural richness of 2013 comes through in this striking, layered exquisitely beautiful Champagne that melds together the essence of top sites in Avize (Les Champboutons) and Cramant (Les Bionnes). Dried citrus, lemon oil, almond and savory herbs add striking shades of nuance throughout, but what is most remarkable about the Minéral is the interplay of textural richness and energy. A Champagne of total seduction, the 2013 simply has it all. Dosage: 5 gr/L. Disgorged: May, 2019.

Vinous (94)

The 2014 Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Minéral is a powerful, intense Champagne that captures all of the natural power of these old vines in Avize and Cramant. Aptly named, the Minéral is infused with tremendous mineral and soil inflections that give a real feeling of gravitas. Crushed rocks, slate, chalk and citrus accents are some of the many nuances that emerge with a bit of time in the glass. This release is fabulous. It is also a reticent wine, though, so at least a year or two in bottle will help soften. Dosage is 3 grams per liter. Disgorged: April, 2020.

Vinous (94)

The 2015 Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs Minéral Grand Cru is bracing, taut and wiry. Crushed rocks, mint, white pepper and lemon peel drive this blend. The Minéral is especially fine in 2015. There is a bit of youthful austerity, but nothing a few years in bottle can"t take care of. The Minéral is one of the finer 2015s I have come across so far. Dosage is 3 grams per liter. Disgorged: May, 2021.

James Suckling (96)

Sharp and focused with very fine bubbles. Precise. Lots of almonds, lemon peel, crushed stones, white pepper and apricot stones, as well as white pears. This has captured so much energy, with a long and refined finish. 100% chardonnay. 3g/L dosage. Disgorged May 2022. Drink or hold.

Wine Advocate (94+)

The 2018 Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Minéral, disgorged in August 2024 with three grams per liter dosage, introduces the range of vintage wines. Defined by poor soils with just about 50 centimeters of topsoil, it comes from two chalk-based, old-vine parcels: Le Champ Bouton in Avize (vinified in tank) and Les Bionnes in Cramant (vinified in an old 600-liter barrel). “In 2017, we lost about 50% to 60% due to frost, then in 2018 we harvested three times the volume of 2017,” reveals Ambroise Agrapart, who is now making the wines, though his father is still very much present. More generously structured compared to the 2016 yet more precise than the 2017, it wafts from the glass with notes of tangerine zest, green apple and dried white flowers. Nakedly chalky with electric-like acidity, it maintains its reputation as the most tensile wine in the range, capturing the freshness much better than many other wines of this vintage.

Vinous (96)

The 2013 Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Vénus is a gorgeous and eccentric wine. Sweet floral and minty overtones give the Vénus its distinctive high-toned profile. The richness and depth of this Chardonnay from a parcel planted in 1959 that has always been manually farmed, comes alive with a bit of time in the glass. The Vénus is such a special Champagne, as it is elusive and constantly changing in the glass as it shows a different side of its personality with each taste. I very much admire the sense of precision here. Vénus remains one of the most distinctive wines in all of Champagne. No dosage. Disgorged: May, 2019.

Vinous (95)

The 2015 Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs Vénus Grand Cru is sublime. Lemon confit, menthol, dried herbs and white pepper all meld together in the glass. More of a wine than Champagne, the Vénus is creamy and open-knit, with lovely freshness and plenty of character. No dosage. Disgorged: May, 2021.

Wine Advocate (98)

From old vines in lieu-dit La Fosse that are planted at somewhat lower density (1.2 meters apart) but where there are consequently very few missing vines or replants, Agrapart's striking 2016 Extra-Brut Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Vénus unwinds in the glass with scents of citrus oil, crisp stone fruit, toasted almonds, warm biscuits, orange zest and iodine. Full-bodied, concentrated and tightly wound, with terrific depth at the core, racy acids and a long, intensely saline finish, it's another brilliant wine from this benchmark grower-bottler.

Wine Advocate (96)

Disgorged in August 2024 without dosage, the 2018 Brut Nature Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Vénus, as always, derives from La Fosse aux Pourceaux, a 0.6-hectare plot of land in Avize planted in 1959, which is farmed solely by man and horse, without the use of heavy mechanical equipment. With texture defined by the maturation in old 600-liter oak barrels, Vénus is more discreet than the broad shouldered Avizoise but more demonstrative than the crystalline Minéral, despite the short distance between La Fosse aux Pourceaux and Le Champ Bouton that defines Minéral. Unfurling from the glass with aromas of honeysuckle, pear, fresh hazelnut and iodine, it is a harmonious wine with an intensely chalky profile, laden with bright acids. More elegant than its 2017 rendition, Agrapart’s desire to capture freshness and precision is very well realized in this edition.

Vinous - Neal Martin (91)

The 2015 Aile d'Argent Blanc has a lively, quite fresh bouquet with scents of pear, melon and touches of yellow flowers; there is plenty of energy here. The palate is well balanced with a spicy, lemongrass-tinged opening, not deep or voluminous but displaying a pleasant sharpness toward the finish. Enjoy this over the next decade, or possibly more. Tasted blind at the Southwold 2015 Bordeaux tasting.

James Suckling (97-98)

A very exotic Aile d’Argent with dried-mango, fresh-pineapple, and sliced-lemon aromas and flavors. Full-bodied and very ripe, yet it’s framed by bright acidity. Tangy and vivid with a long, intense finish. Exciting. Contrastive. 38% semillon and the rest sauvignon blanc and gris.

James Suckling (95-96)

This is full-bodied with layers of fruit. Ripe and flavorful. Lots going on with a fleshy feel. No malolactic this year. Sweet peach, honeysuckle and citrus. Contrastive. 52% sauvignon blanc, 14% sauvignon gris and 34% semillon.

Jane Anson Inside Bordeaux (96)

Beautiful intensity and grip through the palate, this shows white pear, juicy citrus, and slate-filled salinity on the finish. Great stuff, with teasingly drawn out flavours, lift and tension, and hidden depths. Some frost meant the yields were lower than normal at 32hl/h. 15% malolactic fermentation to soften the acidities, with Sauvignon Gris vines included within the Sauvignon Blanc count, and no Muscadelle in the blend as the vines have now been uprooted, giving a slight break in style (for the better in my opinion). 3.25ph, 45% new barrels for ageing. First year with Jean-Emmanuel Danjoy as director from beginning to end of the growing season, after Philippe Dhaulluin's retirement.

Jane Anson Inside Bordeaux (96)

Beautiful intensity and grip through the palate, this shows white pear, juicy citrus, and slate-filled salinity on the finish. Great stuff, with teasingly drawn out flavours, lift and tension, and hidden depths. Some frost meant the yields were lower than normal at 32hl/h. 15% malolactic fermentation to soften the acidities, with Sauvignon Gris vines included within the Sauvignon Blanc count, and no Muscadelle in the blend as the vines have now been uprooted, giving a slight break in style (for the better in my opinion). 3.25ph, 45% new barrels for ageing. First year with Jean-Emmanuel Danjoy as director from beginning to end of the growing season, after Philippe Dhaulluin's retirement.

Jane Anson Inside Bordeaux (96)

Great depth and freshness, fleshy nectarine and spiced pear, fennel and oyster shell, grilled oak and genersoity. Balances salinity and flesh, expertly judged. Harvest August 29 to September 6, 45% new oak for ageing. Co-fermented Muscadelle with Sauvignon Gris.

Vinous (93-95)

The 2011 Chambertin Clos de Bèze is endowed with serious depth, richness and power. Violets, plums, black cherries, mint and licorice all meld together in a deeply expressive, resonant Bèze. Totally alive in the glass, the 2011 impresses for the striking purity of its fruit. The 2011 Bèze is shaping up to be a beauty of a wine.

Vinous (92-94)

(one new barrel out of three and a half; from Pierre Damoy fruit): Healthy medium red. Very late-harvested aromas of ripe black cherry, red licorice and spices, complicated by nuances of honeysuckle, menthol, mint and leather. At once tightly wound and seamless, massive yet light on its feet, conveying terrific energy to its intense flavors of black cherry, raspberry and cinnamon. Finishes with suggestions of medicinal red cherry and licorice and excellent lift.

A notable embodiment of meticulous winemaking, the Alain Burguet Vosne-Romanee 1er Cru Les Rouges du Dessus 2017 wine is a sophisticated choice for connoisseurs. Made in France's esteemed Burgundy region, this wine's essence narrates the rich story of Alain Burguet, a reputable producer known for his refined vintages and his devotion to traditional methods. Matured in Burguet's cellars, this particular cuvée hails from the prized Les Rouges du Dessus vineyard, identified for its superior terroir.

Nurturing Pinot Noir grapes organically with minimal intervention, Alain Burguet Vosne-Romanee 1er Cru Les Rouges du Dessus 2017 bestows a rich, yet balanced profile with abundant fruit notes. The wine bewitches with an alluring nose of red berries and delicate spices, promising a tantalising experience. With an elegant finish and commendable ageing potential, this wine unequivocally exudes Burgundy's grandeur. Delve into the esoteric world of fine wines with this sublime vintage.

Embodying utter sophistication, Alain Burguet Vosne-Romanee 1er Cru Les Rouges du Dessus 2018 originates from France's renowned Burgundy region. Esteemed vintner Alain Burguet meticulously combined traditional and modern winemaking methods to cultivate this exceptional wine. Renowned for their commitment to organic viticulture, their vineyards are tended without chemical intervention, ensuring the purest expression of the terroir.

The wine reveals intense aromas of ripe black cherries and earthy undertones, transcending into an alluring palate of red fruit tones balanced by a distinguished minerality. Its depth and complexity are a testament to the sandy limestone soils from which its Pinot Noir grapes were harvested. Well-structured with a delicately smooth texture, this wine exhibits an exquisite balance of opulent fruitiness and firm tannins, promising excellent ageing potential.

Exemplary of Burguet's consistent pursuit of excellence, Alain Burguet Vosne-Romanee 1er Cru Les Rouges du Dessus 2018 truly is a magnificent wine encompassing the essence of Burgundy.