Vinous (91-93)

(just 2-1/2 barrels produced, or 15 hectoliters per hectare): Bright dark red. Vibrant aromas of black cherry, violet and dark chocolate. Richer and rounder than the Monthélie-Les Duresses, with more power and framing acidity to its slightly medicinal black cherry fruit. At once thick and elegant, this highly concentrated, long wine finishes with very classy tannins.

Crafted in the esteemed Burgundy region of France, the Comtesse de Cherisey Meursault 1er Cru Blagny La Genelotte 2016 is a masterful example of viticulture finesse. This radiant white wine embodies the time-honoured traditions of its monopole vineyard, nestled within Meursault's Blagny sub-region. With meticulous cultivation practices, Comtesse de Cherisey yields immaculate Chardonnay grapes that capture the region's terroir exquisitely.

Undergoing cautious vinification in French oak barrels, this enticing nectar lends itself to elegant complexity. Predominantly mineral, the palate unravels with tropical fruit and floral notes, sung alongside a harmonious, creamy length. The 2016 vintage, marked by its favourable growing conditions, delivers an exceptional balance of opulence and acidity.

The ensemble of traditional and avant-garde techniques undertaken by the revered Comtesse de Cherisey Meursault 1er Cru Blagny La Genelotte estate manages to create a truly distinctive tasting experience with the 2016 vintage. One that will captivate white Burgundy aficionados and discerning collectors alike.

Vinous (90-92)

Bright red-ruby; a bit less saturated than the Nuits-Saint-Georges but still deep for the year. Lively aromas and flavors of black raspberry, violet and minerals. Dense, very ripe and juicy, conveying a lovely combination of sweetness and energy. Finishes very long, with a serious mass of ripe tannins and enough ripe acidity to leaven its pronounced sucrosité and stimulate the salivary glands. Like a Spanish lady educated in Switzerland is how Confuron described this very ripe but lively wine.

Vinous (91-94)

Healthy dark red with ruby tones. Black cherry and licorice aromas are lifted by a violet topnote. Tight and minty on entry, then a bit more pliant in the middle, conveying an impression of medicinal reserve to its dark flavors of black cherry, spices and minerals. Finishes with substantial tooth- and tongue-dusting tannins. This wine also had a late malo and comes off as very backward today, in need of more élevage to gain in flesh and sweetness.

Vinous (90-92)

Bright ruby-red. The most floral on the nose of these village wines, with its aromas of dark raspberry, licorice and bitter chocolate also conveying an almost minty coolness. Juicy but a bit bound-up, showing strong mint, spice and violet qualities as well as firm acidity; this is tough to taste following the exceptional Gevrey villages. Finishes bright and long, with savory mineral and spice notes and very suave, building tannins that eventually turn more dusty and granular.

Wine Advocate (88-90)

The 2016 Gevrey-Chambertin Villages also comes from three vineyards and is matured in one-third new oak. This has an impressive bouquet like the Morey-Saint-Denis, with delineated red berry fruit and fine mineralité considering this is only a village cru. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grained tannin and well-judged acidity, dipping a little toward the finish but still equipped with fine detail and precision. Excellent, albeit maybe earlier drinking than the Morey-Saint-Denis.

Wine Advocate (87-89)

The 2016 Chambolle-Musigny Village comes from two parcels that Thomas told me were only slightly touched by the frost, and it matured in one-third new oak. It has a crisp, well-defined and very natural bouquet that unfolds gracefully in the glass with vibrant red fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with crunchy tannin and tightly knit red fruit. Maybe it misses a little weight toward the back end due to the difficulties in the appellation and the frost, but I admire the transparency here.

Wine Advocate (89-91)

The 2016 Vosne-Romanée Village comes from three vineyards covering 1.5 hectares and sees one-third new oak. It has a fragrant bouquet with ebullient strawberry and raspberry fruit entwined with cold stone aromas and discrete sous-bois aromas. The palate has a little more substance than its fellow village crus even if it does not quite deliver the same finesse as the Morey-Saint-Denis or the Gevrey-Chambertin. Still, I appreciate the deft spicy note that sustains the finish.

The Wine Independent (100)

Deep garnet in color, the 2016 Cos d'Estournel is quite closed to start, requiring a lot of coaxing to bring out profound notions of creme de cassis, wild blueberries, black cherry compote, and rose oil, leading to suggestions of Indian spices, crushed rocks, and dried lavender. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is both opulent and energetic, revealing loads of perfumed black fruit layers and a plush, polished texture, finishing with epic length and depth.

The Wine Independent (100)

Deep garnet in color, the 2016 Cos d'Estournel is quite closed to start, requiring a lot of coaxing to bring out profound notions of creme de cassis, wild blueberries, black cherry compote, and rose oil, leading to suggestions of Indian spices, crushed rocks, and dried lavender. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is both opulent and energetic, revealing loads of perfumed black fruit layers and a plush, polished texture, finishing with epic length and depth.

The Wine Independent (100)

Deep garnet in color, the 2016 Cos d'Estournel is quite closed to start, requiring a lot of coaxing to bring out profound notions of creme de cassis, wild blueberries, black cherry compote, and rose oil, leading to suggestions of Indian spices, crushed rocks, and dried lavender. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is both opulent and energetic, revealing loads of perfumed black fruit layers and a plush, polished texture, finishing with epic length and depth.

The Wine Independent (100)

Deep garnet in color, the 2016 Cos d'Estournel is quite closed to start, requiring a lot of coaxing to bring out profound notions of creme de cassis, wild blueberries, black cherry compote, and rose oil, leading to suggestions of Indian spices, crushed rocks, and dried lavender. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is both opulent and energetic, revealing loads of perfumed black fruit layers and a plush, polished texture, finishing with epic length and depth.

The Wine Independent (100)

Deep garnet in color, the 2016 Cos d'Estournel is quite closed to start, requiring a lot of coaxing to bring out profound notions of creme de cassis, wild blueberries, black cherry compote, and rose oil, leading to suggestions of Indian spices, crushed rocks, and dried lavender. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is both opulent and energetic, revealing loads of perfumed black fruit layers and a plush, polished texture, finishing with epic length and depth.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (92)

The 2016 Cos Labory is a supple, pretty wine with plenty of near and medium-term appeal. Sweet tobacco, cedar, leather, scorched earth and menthol are all nicely laced together. From bottle, the 2016 is a bit more subdued than it was from barrel, while some slightly rough contours are going to need time in bottle to sort themselves out fully.

Exuding French elegance, Couhins Blanc 2016 is a compelling redefinition of excellence in viticulture. This White Bordeaux varietal is meticulously crafted in Pessac-Léognan, a lauded subregion of Graves. Couhins Blanc 2016 is from Château Couhins, a producer bestowed with Cru Classé status for its white wine. The exceptional terroir, with gravelly soil interspersed with clay, deftly infuses complex flavour profiles into the wine.

The vintage underwent meticulous vinification, with the savvy use of oak for ageing balancing the vivacious Sauvignon Blanc’s acidity, and eliciting a resinous, toasty charm. This bestows the Couhins Blanc 2016 with a multifaceted character, marrying ripe citrus fruits and acacia flower undertones, robed in creaminess from the judicious malolactic fermentation.

A stellar embodiment of the Château's commitment to traditional viticultural methods, every sip reaffirms the calibre of Couhins Blanc 2016, an absolute delight for the discerning palate. This is not just a wine, but a symphony of craftsmanship in a bottle.

Vinous (92-94)

Bright ruby-red. Deep, ripe aromas of black cherry and chocolatey oak, plus a high-toned whiff of sherry. Then large-scaled and aromatic in the mouth, conveying stronger terroir personality than the foregoing wines. Complex and fine-grained, with a positive trace of bracing bitterness. Chewy, chocolatey, well-integrated tannins take over the entire mouth on the back end. This nuanced, fine-grained wine finishes with a trace of dried herbs and has the structure to age. The yield here was just eight hectoliters per hectare, according to estate manager Yves Confuron.

Vinous (91)

Brilliant violet color. Lively, mineral-tinged aromas of fresh cherry and dark berries, smoky minerals and violet. Smooth, sappy and energetic in the mouth, offering gently sweet black raspberry, floral pastille and allspice flavors and a zesty touch of cracked pepper. Shows very good clarity and spicy cut on the floral-tinged finish, which is framed by gentle, harmonious tannins.

Vinous (91)

Brilliant violet color. Lively, mineral-tinged aromas of fresh cherry and dark berries, smoky minerals and violet. Smooth, sappy and energetic in the mouth, offering gently sweet black raspberry, floral pastille and allspice flavors and a zesty touch of cracked pepper. Shows very good clarity and spicy cut on the floral-tinged finish, which is framed by gentle, harmonious tannins.

Wine Advocate (95)

With coaxing, the pale lemon colored 2016 Coutet slowly unfurls to give a myriad of preserved lemons, pineapple pastry, almond croissant, fresh ginger and lime blossoms scents with nuances of chalk dust, white pepper, star anise and cedar. Rich, seductive and yet exquisitely balanced, the satiny-textured palate has layer upon layer of citrus and savory notions, finishing very long and spicy.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (89)

The 2016 Croix Canon is a plump, juicy wine that can be enjoyed with minimal cellaring when it is released in a few years' time. Black cherry, gravel, smoke, leather and spice all run through this pleasantly hearty, rustic Saint-Émilion. I would prefer to drink it over the near and medium term.

The Wine Cellar Insider (93)

Ripe, lush, sweet, dark red fruits, silky textures and a long, earthy, fruit-filled finish, with a blast of licorice, dark cocoa and black cherries in the finish. This could be the best vintage of d'Aiguilhe produced yet!

James Suckling (95-96)

This is really tannic and muscular for d’Armailhac. Perhaps the most powerful ever. Full and chewy yet balanced and polished. Very, very impressive. Greatest ever?

James Suckling (96-97)

This is so energetic for a young d’Issan with lots of white pepper, crushed stones and blackberries. Full body, ultra-fine tannins and great length. One of the greatest ever. Superb depth and intensity to this real Bordeaux. Wow.

James Suckling (99)

A very classic Yquem. Breathtakingly wide spectrum of floral honey, exotic fruit (passion fruit, mango and pineapple), caramel and marzipan aromas. But none of this is a jot too much. In fact, the wine is extremely precise and finely nuanced. Wonderful freshness and textural complexity, in spite of the considerable concentration and extravagance. Very suave and sensual finish that goes on and on. Drink or hold.

Jancis Robinson (17.5)

Tasted blind. Deep crimson. Appetising freshness but a little hint of wood shavings (Cabernet Franc?) on the nose. Bone dry and pretty vital but relatively early maturing. Lovely drink with St-Estèphe minerality. Everything in the right place but not a long-distance runner. Very pure though.

Wine Advocate (93)

Notes of citrus zest, white flowers and almond paste introduce the 2016 Pouilly-Fuissé Les Crays Vieilles Vignes, a medium to full-bodied, elegantly textural wine with lovely tension and vertical line, along with all the depth and concentration that Barraud's wines so routinely attain. It isn't as rich and full-bodied as La Verchère, but it's finer-boned and more precise.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (93)

The 2016 Dassault is a gorgeous wine. Plush, deep and beautifully resonant, the 2016 has so much to offer. A whole range of raspberry jam, cedar, espresso and white chocolate notes develop as this plush, modern Saint-Émilion shows everything it's got. I would give the 2016 a few years in bottle to allow the tannins to soften. There is so much to like and admire here. Tasted two times.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (93)

The 2016 Dassault is a gorgeous wine. Plush, deep and beautifully resonant, the 2016 has so much to offer. A whole range of raspberry jam, cedar, espresso and white chocolate notes develop as this plush, modern Saint-Émilion shows everything it's got. I would give the 2016 a few years in bottle to allow the tannins to soften. There is so much to like and admire here. Tasted two times.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (93)

The 2016 Dassault is a gorgeous wine. Plush, deep and beautifully resonant, the 2016 has so much to offer. A whole range of raspberry jam, cedar, espresso and white chocolate notes develop as this plush, modern Saint-Émilion shows everything it's got. I would give the 2016 a few years in bottle to allow the tannins to soften. There is so much to like and admire here. Tasted two times.