Vinous (91-93)

The 2010 Nuits St. Georges Les Chaignots wraps around the palate with layers of black fruit, spices and menthol. It shows fabulous depth and richness in a relatively full-bodied, opulent style for the domaine. It comes across as quite open and ready for business, although it is hard for me to see this not shutting down in bottle.

Ascend to the zenith of viticultural excellence with the tantalising Giraud Chateauneuf-du-Pape Tradition 2020. This stellar vintage emerges from the esteemed house of Giraud, a family-run estate headquartered in the historic, sun-drenched vineyards of Chateauneuf-du-Pape, France. Remarkably, the Giraud siblings’ dedication to organic viticulture yields grapes of supreme quality from their old Grenache vines. Superior manual harvest and rigorous berry selection culminate in a wine that exudes impeccable purity.

Fortuitously, the 2020 vintage marks a feat in the winemaking world with its profound concentration and balance. Burgeoning with dark berry flavours and sprinkles of spice, the Giraud Chateauneuf-du-Pape Tradition 2020 tastefully acknowledges its terroir's earthy and stony streaks. Veering towards full-bodied, its palate-coating, silky tannins and vibrant acidity add to the harmony. Aged predominantly in old oak foudres, this French red encapsulates the beauty and finesse of the Southern Rhône valley, offering a wine experience par excellence in every sip.

James Suckling (96-97)

Lots of deep blue fruit with blackberries and grape skins, as well as tar and asphalt. Lead, too. It’s full-bodied, yet very tight with powerful, defined tannins, surrounded by attractive ripe fruit. Serious. Reminds me of the excellent 1975. A blend of 65% cabernet sauvignon and 35% merlot.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (96)

The 2016 Gloria is one of the undisputed stars of this vintage. Rich, deep and explosive, the 2016 possesses tremendous intensity in all of its dimensions. Sweet red cherry, tobacco, menthol, licorice and dried rose petal all add complexity. In 2016 Gloria is a real head-turner. It should be a fabulous value as well. There is not much else to say.

Jeb Dunnuck (99)

The 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape Vieilles Vignes is based on 45% each of Grenache and Mourvèdre, with the balance Syrah, all destemmed and raised in 55% new French oak. Gorgeous cassis, violet, graphite, fruitcake, and peppery herbs define this brilliant effort, and it's full-bodied, with a pure, seamless texture, wonderful tannins, and one heck of a great finish. This magical 2019 is going to benefit from 4-5 years of bottle age (it's brilliant even today) yet keep for 20 years or more. Châteauneuf du Pape lovers need to have this in their cellar!

Jeb Dunnuck (93-96)

The deep, inky-hued 2020 Château Grand-Puy Ducasse has a seriously impressive, balanced, full-bodied, structured style that's going to reward patience. Pure crème de cassis, black raspberry, graphite, lead pencil, and spring flower notes all define the bouquet, and it has plenty of background oak, a dense, chewy mid-palate, lots of tannins, and a great finish. It's going to need to be forgotten for 7-8 years but will evolve for 30 years or more.

Vinous - Neal Martin (97)

Two bottles of the 2010 Grand Puy-Lacoste were opened, the first showing just a little oxidation. The second has an attractive minty bouquet, a mixture of red and black fruit laced with subtle marine/seaweed notes, a touch of graphite developing with time. The palate is medium-bodied with impressive tension and wonderful freshness right from the start. There is a sense of coiled up energy here and the finish just leaves you breathless. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners 10-Year On Bordeaux horizontal.

Vinous - Neal Martin (97)

The 2016 Grand Puy-Lacoste has a clean, precise bouquet with nicely detailed blackberry, briar and tobacco aromas, touches of mint emerging with time, all utterly charming. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins and a fine bead of acidity, conveying a sense of symmetry throughout and leading into a deft, quite persistent finish. This is very classy, and it should age with style. Tasted blind at the Southwold tasting.

The fruit profile is typically darker than the Lacoste but it is still vibrant, fresh and wonderfully concentrated. The palate is beautifully linear and balanced with excellent focus, mineral grain and a bit of muscle. 78% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Merlot. The highest alcohol levels ever at 14% but you’d never know it and it’s still not a patch on some of the big bruisers this year. As it sits in the glass it becomes even more forward and clear with lively red currant on top of the deeper black berry.

Immerse yourself in the experience of Guiberteau Saumur Les Arboises 2016, a quintessential Loire gem from renowned organic viticulturist, Romain Guiberteau. An expert in Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc, Guiberteau continues to dazzle with his 2016 vintage confirming his status as a prominent producer in Saumur. Crafted from centuries-old vines in pure tuffeau soil, the wine was matured using traditional methods, resulting in an opulent and profound representation of the terroir.

Guiberteau Saumur Les Arboises 2016 reveals deep concentrations of black and red fruit alongside delicate herbal notes. Its velvety texture is invigorated by a fine crystal line of acidity, concluding with a seamlessly extended finish. This bottle's elegant complexity reflects Guiberteau's dedication to organic farming and respect for nature which results in expressive, terroir-driven wines of phenomenal quality and personality. Behold an outstanding wine that has been highly acclaimed by critics globally.

Wine Advocate (98)

Now that it's in bottle, the 2014 Cote Rotie La Turque has exceeded all of my earlier expectations. It's got those classic Côte Rôtie elements on the nose of smoked bacon, olives and violets, seamlessly entwined with supple tannins and raspberry fruit. Medium to full-bodied, it's silky and fine, showing tremendous length and complexity on the finish. On this occasion, La Turque came to the head of the class as the most approachable, exciting and elegant of the three La Las.

Much more deftly concentrated on the nose but the fruit remains lithe and light rather than thick. Nice acidity and tannic structure but still classic. A fine 1er Cru for sure and one for a long time. Still a fairly muted 18 but a pretty and well integrated nose that is not overtly oak laden. Rich and sensual style across the supple palate.

The divine Guy Amiot et Fils Chassagne-Montrachet Vv Rouge 2019 is elaborated through the authentic French savoir-faire. This cherished wine originates from the celebrated vineyards of Chassagne-Montrachet in the heart of Burgundy, France. Possessing four generations of wine mastery, Guy Amiot, along with his son, Thierry Amiot, craft wines that are emblematic of their terroir with a precise balance of tradition and innovation. This remarkable wine, cultivated with diligence in 2019, exhibits an exquisite harmony of ripe, dark fruits and rich, spicy undertones, whilst maintaining an enticing, vibrant acidity.

Burgundy’s limestone-rich soils contribute to the unmistakable minerality in this sophisticated wine. The grapes are meticulously harvested by hand to ensure only peak quality. True to Burgundian style, this wine matures in oak barrels, a detail that imparts a complex aroma and lush palate. Favourably reviewed in trusted wine publications, the Guy Amiot et Fils Chassagne-Montrachet Vv Rouge 2019 is a testament to artisanal winemaking.

Wine Advocate (88-90)

Aromas of wild berries, rose petals, orange peel, spices and plums introduce Guyon's 2019 Bourgogne Pinot Noir, a medium-bodied, bright and velvety wine that's lively, charming and perfumed. This is a fine cuvée in the making and will be worth consideration.

Wine Advocate (90-92)

The 2019 Chorey-lès-Beaune Les Bons Ores is shaping up very nicely, unfurling with aromas of raspberries, sweet berries and plums complemented by hints of rose petals and spices. Medium to full-bodied, layered and concentrated, it's fleshy and charming, with fine depth at the core and a seamless, elegant profile. I can't think of many wines from this appellation operating at this level.

Wine Advocate (95-97)

The 2019 Echézeaux Grand Cru is brilliant, soaring from the glass with scents of exotic spices, wild berries, plums, rose petals, raw cocoa, peonies and blood orange. Full-bodied, layered and multidimensional, it's deep and complete, with supple tannins and a gourmand, enveloping core of fruit, concluding with a long and mouthwatering finish. This is the finest Echézeaux I've tasted from Guyon.

Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy (97-100)

First picked, 100% decorticated. “This is the best wine I have made in my life”. Rich noble imperial purple. All right, team, this really is it! “Tu le bois avec le nez, you drink it with your nose”. No question here. This completely works as there is not the slightest sensation of cooked fruit. No spitting. I don’t know what to say. Actually I was just formulating the words that this is the finest Echezeaux I have tasted in my life when Jean-Pierre interrupted to say that Michel Bettane thought the same! An intensely seductive lush red velvet fruit covering an entirely perfect bone structure. One of the wines of the vintage. Could be THE wine of the vintage. Tasted: November 2021

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (96)

The 2020 Haut-Bages Libéral is exceptionally beautiful and vivid. Hard candy, kirsch, rose petal, cinnamon and blood orange are some of the many notes that race across the palate. A wine of magnificent purity and silkiness, the Haut-Bages Libéral is simply captivating in its intensity. Bright acids punctuate the articulate, persistent finish. Magnificent.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (96)

The 2014 Haut-Bailly has turned out beautifully. Dark, sumptuous and expressive, the 2014 exudes depth and finesse. Ample and resonant on the palate, with striking depth, the 2014 possesses exceptional balance and class. Hints of smoke, tobacco and licorice infuse the deep, creamy finish.

James Suckling (98)

This is an incredible young red with precision and focus that is second to almost none. Full body with a ultra-fine tannin drive that is seamless as it is endless. It ends with such power. Try in 2024 but already impressive to taste.

James Suckling (98)

Wonderful aromas of tobacco, sweet fruit and licorice follow through to a full body with ultra-fine tannins that caress every inch of your palate. Love the length and subtlety to this young wine. Gorgeous. Drink after 2024.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (88-90)

Haut-Bailly's 2013 La Parde Haut-Bailly impresses for its silky tannins and feminine, gracious personality. Raspberries, crushed flowers and sweet spices are some of the many notes that flesh out in an inviting, fruit-driven red that will drink well right out of the gate. The blend is 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 46% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc.

James Suckling (94-95)

I can’t remember a Haut-Batailley this tannic, yet the tannins are savory and very ripe with beauty and purity. Full-bodied, chewy tannins and a long and intense finish.

The Wine Independent (100)

Composed of 56% Merlot, 37.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 6.5% Cabernet Franc, the 2016 Haut-Brion is deep garnet in color. The nose beings with simple licorice notes before slowly unfurling to deliver growing scents of creme de cassis, plum preserves, dark chocolate, and lilacs, followed by suggestions of crushed rocks, tar, black truffles and cardamom. The full-bodied palate is a tightly coiled spring, taut with black fruit preserves and earthy layers and framed by very firm, grainy tannins, delivering a burst of freshness to carry the long, long, long finish. This will need a good 7-10 more years to fully blossom, and it will be well worth the wait.

James Suckling (98)

This is extremely aromatic and perfumed with crushed-berry, flower, currant and orange-peel character. Full-bodied, very tight and focused with fabulous depth and density that brings you down through the wine. Deep and serious. Very classic wine that reminds me of top Haut-Brions of the mid-1980s. Try after 2025.

Wine Advocate (100)

The 2018 Haut-Brion is composed of 49.4% Merlot, 38.7% Cabernet Sauvignon and 11.9% Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet-purple in color, the wine needs a lot of swirling before it begins to release a whole complex melody of notes, one at a time to begin: tilled earth, followed by pronounced licorice, then crushed rocks, then the preserved plums. Eventually, it all comes together into a fascinating crescendo of intense crème de cassis, rose oil, wild blueberries and kirsch notes, giving way to quiet, persistent leitmotif scents of cinnamon stick, truffles and redcurrant jelly. The medium to full-bodied palate delivers all this and more, revealing tightly wound black fruit, red berry and exotic spice layers within a solid, wonderfully plush frame and seamless freshness, finishing with epic length and loads of earth and mineral sparks. This is a profound, highly intellectual, multilayered baby, which will require a good 7-8 years to begin to sing its incredible song, then should cellar a further 40 years at least. By way of reference, think 1989 with more restraint and even greater purity.

James Suckling (100)

The black cassis comes out of the glass, together with iodine, sandalwood and subtle moss and wet-bark undertones, then turning to violets. The palate is mind-blowing, with a cashmere texture that unravels on the palate and continues on for minutes. It’s full of superbly complex, ethereal character and mouth-feel, One of the wines of the vintage. As glorious as it may be to taste now, this is one for your deep cellar. Try in 2029.

Vinous (93-95)

(13.4% natural alcohol; this vineyard saw less frost than the Boillots' Clos Vougeot parcels but the crop is small here even in the good years, according to Guillaume Boillot, who is aging the wine in a new barrel but vinified it in a traditional cuve for 25 days): Bright dark, red. Medicinal dark fruit and licorice aromas are a bit muted today by a strong oak element. Densely packed and wonderfully tactile but also juicy and energetic, conveying a strong impression of thrust to its very intense black cherry and saline soil flavors. Very concentrated, voluminous wine with a powerful impression of terroir; altogether fatter than the Boillot's '16 from the Côte de Beaune. Really spreads out to saturate the palate and linger on the dense, spicy aftertaste. One feels the thick skins in the wine's very natural tannins.

Burghound (95)

A gorgeously spicy nose features elegant red berry, Asian-style tea and a hint of violet aromas. The succulent and seductively textured medium weight plus flavors coat the palate with plenty of sap while delivering excellent length on the strikingly long finish where the only nit is a hint of warmth. This will need a few years to develop more overall depth but this should be seriously good when it finally reaches its apogee.