Jeb Dunnuck (99)

I was able to taste the 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape multiple times, and it’s the finest vintage I’ve ever tasted from this estate, surpassing even the 2016. Lovers of classic, impeccably made Châteauneuf du Pape should back up the truck on this beauty. A wine of incredible richness and depth, as well as elegance, it has a gorgeous nose of peppery herbs, blackberries, garrigue, cured meats, and sandalwood. Full-bodied and concentrated, it builds incrementally on the palate and is perfectly balanced, with sensational purity, ripe tannins, and a great, great finish. There’s nothing over the top or out of place, and traditionally made Châteauneuf du Pape doesn’t get much better. It needs 2-4 years of bottle age and will shine for well over two decades. Bravo!

Jeb Dunnuck (98+)

Lastly, and a wine that will be a candidate for perfection in 4-5 years, the 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape Centenaire reveals a deep ruby/purple hue as well as extraordinary notes of black cherries, licorice, iron, nori, and peppery garrigue. As with the base 2019, the estate did an incredible job with the tannins, and this wine is flawlessly balanced, with ultra-fine tannins, no hard edges, and the sheer class to evolve for 25+ years. This is a perfect example of power with no sensation of weight or heaviness. The blend in 2019 is 84% Grenache, 10% Mourvèdre, and 6% Syrah, and it wasn’t destemmed and was brought up mostly in concrete tanks, with just 6% in very old barrels.

Vinous (94)

Roederer's 2009 Brut Nature is compelling. Powerful, ample and creamy, the 2009 has more than enough natural richness and texture to carry the wine with no dosage. The Brut Nature emerges from vineyards in Cumieres, where the wines are naturally tense, which creates a fascinating push and pull with the ripeness of 2009 and no dosage approach. Of all the grand marque Chefs de Caves, Jean-Baptiste Lecaillon is the closest to his vineyards and the most artisan in spirit. That comes through loud and clear in this fabulous Champagne. The Brut Nature is also the single best value within the Roederer range today.

Wine Enthusiast (95)

The Roederer style has become drier as the fruit has become riper and this finely balanced Champagne is an excellent example. Taut and textured, with great freshness allied to the mineral and fruit tones, this wine just hints at tannins as it moves towards maturity. Drink from 2022.

Decanter (97)

Softly shimmering straw gold, green tints, with a delicate filigree dancing at will around the glass. The nose is gently authoritative; spring flowers garlanding stone fruit, a hint of hawthorn maybe, then lemongrass. The palate has encyclopaedic depth, the intricacies of the Perpetual Reserve weaving their early magic; almond, sloe, gingerbread and apples; the finish has a pleasing twist of bitterness, courtesy the small percentage of oak-aged reserve wine. Maybe the dosage can come down even further, such is the engaging and subtle complexity harnessed elsewhere?

Jeb Dunnuck (100)

The 2008 Cristal is a perfect wine, and Champagne simple does not get any better. This incredible wine offers a beautiful perfume of clean, crisp fruits, layers of complexity in its toasted spice and white flowers, and an utterly seamless, yet powerful style on the palate. This is a rich, decadent expression of Cristal yet it’s still crystalline and elegant, with no sensation of weight, and it just glides over the palate. Haut Couture at its finest and this majestic, profound, legendary Cristal can be drunk anytime over the coming 2-3 decades.

Jeb Dunnuck (100)

The 2008 Cristal is a perfect wine, and Champagne simple does not get any better. This incredible wine offers a beautiful perfume of clean, crisp fruits, layers of complexity in its toasted spice and white flowers, and an utterly seamless, yet powerful style on the palate. This is a rich, decadent expression of Cristal yet it’s still crystalline and elegant, with no sensation of weight, and it just glides over the palate. Haut Couture at its finest and this majestic, profound, legendary Cristal can be drunk anytime over the coming 2-3 decades.

Jeb Dunnuck (97)

The 2009 Cristal is a beauty, with incredible richness as well as elegance, which are the hallmarks of this cuvée. Always a rough blend of 60/40 Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from estate vineyards, it has a toasty, yet pure bouquet of stone fruits, rising bread, white flowers, and toasted bread, as well as a terrific sense of chalky minerality. While it’s not built around sheer richness and power (à la Krug), it’s perfectly balanced, has a fine, fine mousse, and shines for its class and purity. Bravo! It’s going to keep for another two decades.

Jeb Dunnuck (97)

The 2009 Cristal is a beauty, with incredible richness as well as elegance, which are the hallmarks of this cuvée. Always a rough blend of 60/40 Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from estate vineyards, it has a toasty, yet pure bouquet of stone fruits, rising bread, white flowers, and toasted bread, as well as a terrific sense of chalky minerality. While it’s not built around sheer richness and power (à la Krug), it’s perfectly balanced, has a fine, fine mousse, and shines for its class and purity. Bravo! It’s going to keep for another two decades.

Decanter (99)

Created in 1876 to satisfy the demanding tastes of Tsar Alexander II, Louis Roederer’s Cristal has since become a symbol of luxury all around the world. Produced only during the best years, it’s made from 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay, the grapes coming from 45 of the finest lieux-dits in the region. 2013 was a late bloomer, with flowering only taking place in July after a cool spring. The summer was ideal with long periods of dry and warm weather. One third of the wine is aged in oak and there’s no malolactic fermentation. Vincenzo Arnese: Packed with elegant yet powerful aromas of ripe orchard trees that merge with brioche and dry cookies. This is a harmonious and well-defined Champagne with integrated residual sugar and astonishing acidity. Divine! Pedro Ballesteros Torres MW: Lemon coloured with a pink hue. Like a blanc de noirs, with cherries and white fruit aromas. Balanced and suave. Goes from less to more, with an exceptionally long and complex finish. Amanda Barnes: Appealing notes on the nose of pastry dough and apple tart that are very open. On the palate there’s beautiful concentration with lingering savoury notes. Minerally and sophisticated. Nominated by Peter Liem

Jeb Dunnuck (98)

Sourced from 39 plots, the 2014 Champagne Cristal is 60% Pinot Noir and the remainder Chardonnay, with 32% aged in oak, and it has 7 grams per liter dosage. It is highly expressive of classic elegance and purity, revealing aromas of crushed rock, almond croissant, and perfume of citrus blossoms. The palate is hyper-refined in its mousse, with pinpoint bubbles, a subtly rounded mid-palate, an irresistible chalky texture, and energy throughout its long and floral finish. Everything about this feels perfectly tailored. Drink 2024-2044.

Jancis Robinson (17.5)

Rich, indulgent, baked character on the nose. Long, toasty palate. Certain minty freshness. Understated as yet

Wine Advocate (99)

A candidate for wine-of-the-vintage honors in Champagne, Roederer's 2013 Cristal Rosé is showing brilliantly, unfurling in the glass with notes of crisp orchard fruit, white flowers, red berries, stone fruit, freshly baked bread and tangerine oil. Full-bodied, layered and multidimensional, the vintage's bright girdling acids are amply cloaked in exuberant, expressive and notably concentrated fruit; so while this Cristal is as tensile and age-worthy as one would expect, it's also impressively fleshy and generous given the year. Concluding with an intensely sapid finish, the 2013 isn't as overtly structured as the muscular, tightly wound 2012: rather, it's the 2013's alliance of cut and flesh, precision and charm that's so compelling this year. This is another banner vintage for what I consider the reigning champion of the region's tête de cuvée bottlings, and it will be worth an effort to acquire.

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 (93)

Deep, lurid violet. Potent, mineral- and spice-accented red and dark fruit preserve aromas take on hints of olive and licorice as the wine opens up. Shows very good depth as well as energy in the mouth, offering gently sweet raspberry, cherry and floral pastille flavors and a touch of spicy black pepper. Distinctly suave and focused on the impressively long finish, which features sneaky tannins and a late, sweetening jolt of candied violet. For an entry-level Côte-Rôtie, this wine is awfully impressive. 10% new oak.

Wine Advocate (94)

The 2015 Cornas Domaine de Saint Pierre is a full-bodied, concentrated wine that brings the essence of Cornas to the bottle in its scents of crushed stones and firm, tannic finish. Hints of toasted almond and mocha give it a gloss of modernity, but its red plum fruit, hints of iron or blood, and sturdy feel bring it right back to the appellation's granite slopes.

Wine Advocate (93-95)

Although the fruit sourcing has changed from the old days, the 2018 Crozes Hermitage Domaine de Thalabert remains a solid offering in the Jaboulet lineup. Violets accent blackberries and plums on the nose, while the palate is full-bodied, lush and velvety, underscored by doses of salinity and licorice on the lengthy finish.

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.

Jeb Dunnuck (100)

Lastly, and a legendary wine in the making, the 2015 Hermitage La Chapelle is reminiscent of the 1990 with its full-bodied, opulently, sexy, yet concentrated style. Offering sensational notes of blackcurrants, smoked herbs, beef blood, and chocolate, it’s a huge yet elegant wine that has masses of sweet tannin, incredible purity and finesse, and a killer finish. It’s the finest wine from this estate in close to 30 years. Hats off to Caroline Frey and Jacques Desvernois!

James Suckling (97-98)

Very spicy and peppery with blue-granite aromas plus hints of grilled and smoked meat. Cloves and nutmeg. Full body, round and juicy tannins and a super spicy finish that almost burns with so much character yet turns fine and focused at the end. A beauty.

Jeb Dunnuck (99)

The 2017 Hermitage La Chapelle showed incredibly well and is a brilliant wine that's reminiscent of a richer, denser 2011. Loads of sun-kissed dark fruits, leather, graphite, and flowers, with ample spice and sandalwood nuances, give way to a full-bodied, pure, deep, multi-dimensional Hermitage that’s just about as good as it gets. The balance, length, and depth of this is something to behold, and while it unquestionably offers pleasure today, it has another 20-30 years of prime drinking ahead of it.

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!

Jeb Dunnuck (100)

I was also able to taste the 2016 Châteauneuf Du Pape Cuvée Da Capo, which comes mostly from older vines in the La Crau lieu-dit and spends an additional year in a large foudre. The 2016 vintage was truly magical for the region, and this Cuvée Da Capo is unquestionably one of the finest vintages for this cuvée ever made, in the same league as, if not surpassing, the 1998, 2003, 2007, and 2010. Sensational notes of cured meats, crème de cassis, crushed violets, ground pepper, tapenade, truffle, and sweet herbes de Provence all soar from the glass and it hits the palate with a massive, full-bodied style that stays seamless, weightless, and as pure as they come. Traditional, classic Châteauneuf Du Pape doesn’t get better. I hate to be the guy who throws out the “best to date” line very often, but this is truly magical stuff.

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.

Immerse yourself in the enchanting world of French winemaking with the Philippe Dremont La Moca Grand Cru 2017. Produced in the revered vineyards of Champagne, France, it exudes quality and authenticity. The breathtaking terroir lends itself brilliantly to the cultivation of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier - the trademark blend of this exquisite grand cru.

Expert winemaker, Philippe Dremont, employs traditional manufacturing techniques, allowing the wine to ferment naturally with indigenous yeasts. Aged for 36 months in French oak barrels, this delectable champagne boasts an alluring complexity. Expect a plethora of impressive notes including candied fruits, honey, and toasted brioche. A subtle minerality enhances the elegance of the champagne, followed by a lingering finish that epitomises the quality and craftsmanship of the Philippe Dremont La Moca Grand Cru 2017.

Its golden hue and fine bubbles are a visual testament to this champagne's grandeur. An exclusive delight for true connoisseurs.