Vinous (93)

Produced from a flint site that needed to be blown up to make the terroir and made from relatively young vines, this is initially a tender and supple style with a whiff of gunsmoke/flint, a taut line of precision that runs through its core, a mere hint of green herbs reminding you that Pouilly is a Sauvignon producer and even a hint of white pepper. It's a powerful style that has an attractive sense of bitterness holding it together. At just 13%, this is wonderfully balanced, aromatic and driven in this vintage. You may even feel this sense of spice that warms the palate, almost like you've had a warming Indian curry - it's not the alcohol but something else - maybe it's the lint. Unique and intriguing.

The Wine Cellar Insider (98)

Deep and shiny in color, tobacco leaf, cedar wood, pencil shavings and dark fruits appear with no effort at all. Full bodied, lively, vibrant and juicy fruits, this wine is long and intrepid with a strong tannic backbone. The tannins are perfectly polished and there is an established purity of fruit and a structure to age for decades. Like all the top vintages of Montrose, you will need to allow it time in the cellar, at least 10 to15 years, which in the world of Montrose is almost forward. The wine was made from blending 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot, reaching 13.5% alcohol with a pH of 3.65. The Grand Vin was made from 37% of the harvest, which took place September 12 to September 29.

There is a superb decadence to this first release of Montrose’s Grande Champagne Hors d’Age Cognac that brings to mind sultana and fig soaked in old Demerara rum. The signature of some extremely old spirit in the blend is instantly evident by virtue of an earthy complexity while the brightness and verve of younger cognac keeps the overall profile extremely lively and balanced. A fine brightness akin to mandarin orange with charred peel and candied bergamot adds character to the grape-driven palate. A long enduring finish brings in guava and honeyed mango as well as warming baking spices. A phenomenal effort from Montrose. If this is their first effort in Cognac then the future is very bright for this bottling indeed.

The Wine Independent (100)

A blend of 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot, the 2016 Mouton Rothschild has a pH of 3.62 and a very deep purple black color. It is very closed to begin, requiring a lot of swirling to unleash a powerful wall of crème de cassis, juicy black plums, and scents of boysenberries, followed by nuances of star anise, incense, violets, crushed rocks, and camphor, plus emerging iron ore and rose oil hints. The medium to full-bodied palate is densely packed with layer upon layer of black fruit preserves and perfumed floral and exotic spice accents, framed by beautifully ripe, plush tannins and seamless freshness, finishing with an epically long fruit and mineral firework display. Gorgeous!

Wine Enthusiast (96)

2016 marks the first bottling of de Nalys under the Guigal umbrella and this intensely ripe but pristine wine makes a promising debut. It's luscious but elegant, loaded with rich black-plum and cassis flavors firmed by piquant hits of licorice and pepper. Silky tannins make it approachable already but the wine should improve through 2036 and hold further still.

Vinous (94)

Glistening orange-pink. Vibrant, mineral-accented cherry, peach, and honeydew scents, along with orange pith and floral nuances. Stains the palate with juicy red berry, citrus fruit and lavender flavors that show very good depth as well as liveliness. Shows firm tension and dusty mineral character on the long, penetrating finish, which leaves melon and blood orange notes behind. - Josh Raynolds

James Suckling (94)

A red with very deep and intense fruit character, yet rich tannins to back it all up. Full-bodied, layered and powerful. The second wine of Cos d’Estournel is serious again in 2016. Try from 2025.

The Wine Independent (99)

The Palmer 2019 is deep garnet-purple in color. It needs considerable shaking to unlock notions of baked plums, boysenberry preserves, and crème de cassis, leading to wafts of rose oil and espresso. The medium to full-bodied palate is jam-packed with rich, seductive black and blue fruit, supported by heart-thumping tension and very fine tannins, finishing with epic length and jaw-dropping fragrance. Stunning!

The 2016 Palmer Historical XIX, a vintage now widely recognised as one of the greatest vintages in modern times in both Bordeaux and the Rhône Valley. Jancis Robinson suggests that 2016 is “the best Bordeaux vintage I will probably ever taste” across her extensive career as a Master of Wine.

Château Palmer was the pinnacle of success in 2016 achieving four perfect 100-point scores, giving Bordeaux collector’s even more reason than normal to eagerly add this sought-after wine to their collection.

This wine offers a rare, unique and fascinating historical insight into the history of Bordeaux. It is a collector’s gem, with around 4,500 bottles made.

Matthew Jukes (18+)

Following on from the terrific 2018 vintage, this is another exuberant wine with an inky dark hue and masses of swirling, black fruit notes. This is certainly the most exotically perfumed Thalabert I can remember and this reflects the unique fruit concentration and ripeness found in this vintage. Once you taste this wine you see that it is not all about the luxuriously appointed nose because the palate is packed with spice and tension and the finish is positively electric. In terms of accessibility and also potential, this wine is a conundrum – how can something so young and attractive also seem so compact and age-worthy? This is the key to all of Jaboulet’s 2019s. The exquisite balance between ravishing fruit and refreshing, robust tannins is mesmerising. This is a stupendous Thalabert and I think it is a notch up on the brilliant 2018.

Matthew Jukes (20++)

Like La Maison Bleue, La Chapelle barely moved an inch over the five days that it sat open (and gradually oxidising) on my tasting bench. This is a monumental wine with the finest Syrah nose I have seen since the ethereal and intriguing beauty of the remarkable 2016 vintage and also the monolithic stance of the legendary 1990. However, this is not to say that this vintage can be directly compared to either year. There is a latent power about this wine that is as elusive as it is impressive. This solaire vintage has certainly given La Chapelle a sense of foreboding power and yet there is so much grace here, too. You could be sniffing a handful of granite and gravel, a bouquet of freshly picked herbs, a mortar of freshly ground pepper or a punnet of juicy black fruit and yet there is so much more to discover here. What I find so remarkable about this wine is that it does not show any trace of over-ripeness nor does it have any unwanted oiliness or excessive alcohol. In spite of its richness and depth, this is a pristinely refreshing wine with crunch and crackle of filigree tannin which enlivens every sip. In this regard, it is a far less obvious superstar than the preening 1990 and it is a more erudite and statuesque model than the esoteric 2016. In short, this is one of only a handful of vintages of La Chapelle to which I have awarded a perfect score and who is to say that this will not happen again before too long? The care and attention in this entire portfolio of wines are evident and the hard work and holistic approach are not only paying off in the vineyards but also in the glass, too, and this makes 2019 another phenomenally successful vintage for Jaboulet.

Matthew Jukes (19+)

While there are faint roasted coffee bean notes here, which hint at the warm summer, and exotic rose and musk characters that only ever emerge in concentrated vintages, this is a masterclass in restraint and self-awareness. While this 2020 perhaps lacks the overall gravitas and high-rise tannins of the majestic 2019 vintage, this is a very seductive La Chapelle and one that will appeal to lovers of textural, velvety Syrahs. I am certain that everyone who drinks this wine will fall for its charms.

Matthew Jukes (19++)

I fell for this wine in a microsecond – the very moment the first molecule of perfume exploded on my receptors. This is a step-change vintage for La Maison Bleue because I have not seen this degree of single-mindedness and overriding intention before in this wine. 2019 La Maison Bleue seems as if it has realised that it does not need to sit behind La Chapelle in Caroline Frey’s portfolio. It signals, loud and clear, that it ought to be seated alongside its more renowned stablemate and be accorded the opportunity to address the masses as an equal, not a subordinate. This is a bold move from this honed, sleek wine. In 2019, with just that little bit more power and ambition under its belt, it has broken free and it looks absolutely sensational. The fruit is regal and layered and the tannins are precision-cut and perfectly positioned making it every inch a superstar. By the end of day five of my tasting these amazing wines, La Maison Bleue seemed as if it were saying, let’s keep going! While this is a ‘finished barrel sample’, this wine wanted to be tested to its limits and I cannot fault its enthusiasm and excellence. You simply must track it down!

James Suckling (95)

So aromatic with crushed currants, raspberries and blackberries with hints of graphite and lead pencil. Full-bodied and very tight with beautiful tannins and a long, flavorful finish. The tannins really build at the end of the palate. Try from 2024.

Wine Spectator (93)

A vibrant version, with lovely harmony to the spice and smoke accents and flavors of poached pear, pastry, apricot and honey. The refined, creamy mousse carries the flavor range on the lasting finish.

Wine Spectator (93)

A vibrant version, with lovely harmony to the spice and smoke accents and flavors of poached pear, pastry, apricot and honey. The refined, creamy mousse carries the flavor range on the lasting finish.

The Wine Independent (98+)

The 2020 Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is made from 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, and 6% Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet-purple in color, it needs considerable swirling to bring out fragrant scents of lilacs, tilled soil, rosehip tea, and Sichuan pepper, giving way to a core of cassis, black raspberries, and cedar chest with emerging iron ore and charcoal scents. The medium-bodied palate is so tightly knit, with firm, grainy tannins and lovely tension, finishing long and minerally.

Jeb Dunnuck (98+)

One of the top handful of wines in the vintage, the 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape Cuvée De Mon Aïeul is all Grenache, from the different terroirs (one sand, one clay, and one limestone) that was 50% destemmed and aged all in older demi-muids. Reminding me of the 2007 with its incredible perfume of ripe black raspberries, strawberries, flowery incense, peppery and Provençal garrigue, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a round, expansive texture, gorgeous tannins, and a blockbuster of a finish. A wine of incredibly purity, precision, and elegance, yet also with power and opulence, this sensational effort is in need of 3-4 years of bottle age and will keep for two decades.

Decanter (98)

Best in Show 70% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir With fourteen years' ageing under its belt, this Champagne has had time to gather and marshal all its resources - which it does with great style and assurance. It's a pale, glowing lemon yellow, with a fine mousse and ample wealth of billowing vanilla, cream and plump hazels. The palate has dramatic intensity and drive, delivering a wealth of chalky lemon; its athleticism and vigour almost come as a surprise after that floating veil of seductive scent. A fresh, mouth-cleansing finish completes the appeal of this skilful, sagely judged blend from a hugely likeable vintage.

Wine Enthusiast (99)

The great 2012 vintage shows well in this rich, full Champagne. Dominated as usual by Pinot Noir, the wine is powerfully ripe and impressively full of white fruits and tight minerality. Ready to drink from 2022, it is worthy of aging and certainly drinkable even in 10 years time.

Wine Advocate (95-97)

The 2013 Clos de la Roche Cuvée Vieilles Vignes, from vines planted in 1905, has an inviting, delineated bouquet with vibrant wild strawberry, raspberry preserve and mineral notes. The palate has great tension – so suave and poised with superb symmetry and an effortless finish that I don’t think the Clos Saint Denis has at the moment. Laurent Ponsot did not disguise his enthusiasm for this Grand Cru and I could understand why.

Jeb Dunnuck (96)

Unquestionably one of the gems in the vintage is the 2008 Pontet-Canet, which reminds me of the 2005 with its concentrated, deep, powerful style. Beautiful dark fruits, graphite, obvious minerality, and classic Pauillac lead pencil notes all emerge from this still youthful, full-bodied, and pure 2008 that’s 4-5 years away from maturity and will keep for 30+ years. Hats off to Alfred Tesseron for another awesome wine that ranks up with the crème de la crème of the vintage.

James Suckling (99)

The aromas to this are really amazing, with a potpourri of spices and dried flowers, as well as redcurrants, sweet plums and even some peaches. Full-bodied with layers of ripe fruit and ultra-fine tannins that spread across the palate in an encompassing yet always elegant and pure way. It’s succulent and unadulterated. Like crushed, perfectly ripened grapes. The length is rather endless. The tannins build. Fabulous young red. 35% in amphora and the rest in 50% new oak and 15% one-year oak. 65% cabernet sauvignon and 30% merlot, the rest cabernet franc and petit verdot. From biodynamically grown grapes. Try after 2028, but an absolute joy to taste now.

James Suckling (98-99)

This is integrated, with superb density and beauty, offering blackcurrant, mineral and some bark. Full-bodied, yet so polished and refined. Crushed stone. Lots of expression and texture to this wine. Creamy. Pure and precise. Elegant, yet layered. Slightly plusher than the 2019. Dense, yet agile. Fresh as always. 60% cabernet sauvignon, 32% merlot, 4% cabernet franc and 4% petit verdot. 50% new oak 15% old oak and 35% concrete amphorae.

IWSC (97)

An expressive buttered brioche nose, gun smoke reduction, red fruit and toasted almond and pistachio notes. This very precise and elegant Champagne has a piercing acidity that underscores the long finish of lime zest, quince and apple.

Jeb Dunnuck (99)

Reminding me of the 2016, the 2018 Château Rauzan-Segla reveals this beautifully fresh, complex bouquet that still has serious richness and depth. Based on 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, raised in 65% new barrels, it offers a dense purple hue to go with gorgeous notes of blackcurrants, spring flowers, cigar wrapper, and sandalwood. A quintessential Margaux with its spicy, complex, floral character, it's full-bodied and has a supple, elegant texture, no hard edges, a solid spine of acidity, and a great, great finish. This is a brilliant, heavenly 2018 to enjoy over the coming 30 years or more.

James Suckling (96)

Deep, spicy and fragrant, this is a very concentrated and elegant Chateauneuf-du-Pape with remarkably fine tannins and floral delicacy alongside its earthy primacy. Mainly produced from grenache vines planted in 1901 and 1902. From Demeter-certified biodynamically grown grapes. Drink or hold.

Jeb Dunnuck (99)

The 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape Collection Charles Giraud includes a big chunk of Mourvèdre and is 60% Grenache and 40% Mourvèdre that was partially destemmed and brought up in demi-muids. If offers a deep ruby/plum color as well as a rich, savory, complex bouquet of black raspberries, cassis, toasted spice, cured meats, and graphite. The Mourvèdre really shows in this beauty, and it's full-bodied, concentrated, and structured, yet never loses its seamless, flawlessly balanced profile. It's going to need 4-5 years of bottle age but will have 20-25 years of ultimate longevity. It's another thrilling wine from this estate.

Vinous - Neal Martin (93)

The 2018 Sergant, which impressed from barrel, has a captivating bouquet of precise black cherry, wild strawberry and rose petal aromas that waft from the glass. The palate is well balanced with fine-grained tannins, a silky-smooth texture and beautifully integrated oak toward the finish. This is a top-quality Lalande de Pomerol, a bit of a hidden gem. Go seek!

Displaying a strong, solid bead at the core of a pale-straw colour in the glass, it is immediately obvious that this is a cut above standard NV Champagne. The nose is at once powerful with ripe Granny Smith apples and seductive jasmine, tempered and restrained by pithier notes of grapefruit alongside an intriguing hint of chopped walnut. There is also a wonderfully generous depth of red currant fruit towards the back of the aromatic profile, conveying its predominance of Pinot Noir. The palate demonstrates its immediate quality once again with a very serious texture to the mousse which simply cannot be imitated, as well as a slightly prickly bead keeping the tongue alert to an attack of crisp apple and kiwi skin, moving into a gently sweet mid-palate before rounding off with a lick of oyster shell minerality. The skillful blending of Reserve Perpetuelle is a timely reminder that this is an art in which the Champenois have few rivals. The tension between rounded well-judged ripeness and austere, pitch-perfect acidity is something to behold, especially when we are used to paying significantly more to experience it. If Pinot is the guts and glory of this wine, Chardonnay is definitely the supporting arches, book-ending proceedings.