Wine Advocate (99)

One of the wines of the vintage, but likely to prove slower evolving and more introverted than its 2019 counterpart, the 2020 Lafleur unwinds in the glass with aromas of cherries, raspberries, kirsch, black truffle, orange zest and vine smoke. Full-bodied, layered and multidimensional, it's deep and concentrated, with a tightly wound core of fruit framed by rich, powdery tannins, concluding with a long, saline finish. This is another magical bottle from an estate that just seems to do everything right.

Immerse your refined palate in the remarkable experience of the Lafleur Saint-Jean Pomerol 2014. Made in the prestigious region of Pomerol in southwestern France, this exquisite full-bodied red wine showcases the deft craftsmanship of the Guillot family, highly esteemed winegrowers for centuries. Lafleur Saint-Jean Pomerol 2014 is a seductive blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc grapes, skilfully harvested from the fertile soils of their own estate.

Aged in fine French oak barrels for 12 months, the wine possesses a sophisticated balance of intense fruit flavours coupled with an earthy backbone. Expect mouth-watering notes of blackcurrant, plum, and cherry, lifted subtly by complex undertones of truffle and tobacco. Lafleur Saint-Jean Pomerol 2014 is a wine that enchants the senses, with its bold, velvety texture and an enduring finish that encapsulates the passion and dedication of its maker.

Indulge in the magnificence of Lafleur Saint-Jean Pomerol 2014 - an exemplification of superior French winemaking.

Vinous (92)

Medium red. Cool, subtly herbal scents of raspberry, licorice, black pepper and leather, plus a hint of medicinal menthol. Supple, spicy and fine-grained, conveying a subtle sweetness to its raspberry and spice flavors. Opens nicely to fill the mouth, but without leaving any impression of heaviness. Delivers lovely perfumed lift--and darker fruits than it showed a year ago in the barrel. Finishes fresh, classically dry and persistent, with a fine dusting of tannins. Not particularly backward in the context of this collection.

Winery note: The Premier Cru vineyards of Nuits-Saint-Georges are divided into sections.
Damodes is positioned on the north side of the village immediately above Boudots (which sits adjacent to possibly Burgundies greatest premier Cru Vosne-Romanée Malconsorts) and on the border with Vosne-Romanée
The vineyard is on the upper slope with well-draining soil. The wines, whilst clearly made in the style of Nuits-Saint-Georges, show an influence from Vosne-Romanée next door. Notable floral notes and black fruit flavours.

Showcasing the expertise of two celebrated winemakers, Pascal Marchand and Moray Tawse, the Marchand & Tawse Nuits-Saint-George Longecourts 2018 is an exquisite testament to Burgundy's terroir. Prodigiously crafted in the renowned Nuits-Saint-George region, the nuances of this vintage evoke a sense of place as no other.

The duo's commitment to biodynamic farming practices ensures the purity and uniqueness of their wines. Handpicked from the 'Longecourts' plot, the Pinot Noir grapes undergo careful vinification, with indigenous yeasts fostering natural fermentation. Matured for 18 months in French oak barrels, the resultant wine exhibits slight smoky hints underpinning a bright, red fruit profile.

The Marchand & Tawse Nuits-Saint-George Longecourts 2018 is an eloquent representation of the pair's reverence for tradition, interlaced with innovative techniques. Each sip invites connoisseurs to appreciate the sublime complexity - a harmonious blend of characteristic minerality, velvety textures, and persistent finish.

The Wine Independent (100)

The 2018 Petrus has a deep garnet purple color. It skips out of the glass with lifted scents of Morello cherries, redcurrant jelly, and fresh mulberries, plus suggestions of black olives, truffles, and underbrush. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is very firm and taut with ripe, grainy tannins and muscular fruit, finishing long and earthy. Typically for this vineyard, it will require patience!

Vinous (94)

The 2015 Nuits Saint-Georges Les Pruliers 1er Cru has a temptress of a nose, with open, welcoming red cherry, crushed strawberry and subtle mineral scents. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grained tannin. There is plenty of tightly knitted fruit here, and a patina of oak that is still to be assimilated, but also wonderful detail and subtlety on the sublime, sophisticated finish. This has enormous potential. Tasted blind at the annual Burgfest tasting. (DIAM 10 closure)

Decanter (100)

Straight off you see this is a vintage with big shoulders and textured, muscular tannic grip, not giving as much today as it will be in another five years time, but one that makes you happy to wait. This is expressive and nuanced with subtle kicks of spice and cut herbs alongside the concentrated cassis and graphite. Rich with a ripe round mouthfeel, there is alcohol here but it is balanced by so many other qualities that you barely notice. Great stuff. These were tasted blind but it stood out heads and shoulders above the rest. Clearly an exceptional bottle in a great vintage.

Jeb Dunnuck (100)

Reminding me a little of the 1998, the 2019 Château Trotanoy is all Merlot sourced from a 7-hectare vineyard planted on dark clay and gravelly soils. A prodigious wine in every way, it offers a serious, dense, powerful, full-bodied style as well as notes of ripe black cherries, damp earth, tobacco, cedar pencil, and graphite. As with the other top wines in the vintage, it has an incredible sense of purity and precision, building, firm tannins, awesome mid-palate depth, and a huge finish. It's not for those seeking instant gratification and is much more structured and backward than I would have thought from barrel. It needs a solid decade of bottle age and will have 40+ years of longevity. It's another brilliant, brilliant wine from this team that I wish every reader could taste.

James Suckling (100)

Love the perfume and finesse here with fresh flowers, blackberries, crushed stones and cement. Cedar. Full and very long with tight and muscular tannins that go on for minutes. Tight and thoughtful. Soulful. Try after 2030.

Wine Advocate (96)

One of the stars of the vintage, the 2011 Vieux Château Certan was brilliant from barrel (I vividly remember tasting it as a student), and it is beginning to show all of that potential in bottle. Wafting from the glass with inviting aromas of mulberries, cherries, vine smoke, bitter chocolate, violets and spices, framed by a deft application of classy new oak, it's medium to full-bodied, velvety and layered, with terrific concentration, powdery tannins and a long, sapid finish. Even better, this terrific wine remains notably undervalued in the market today.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (97+)

One of the unquestioned stars of the vintage, the 2014 Vieux Château Certan soars out of the glass with aromatic intensity, bright acids and finely sculpted fruit. Cool, intense but very much reserved in the style of the year, the 2014 exudes class. The flavors are intense and vibrant throughout. Dark red and purplish-hued stone fruit, lavender, mint and spice lead into the striking finish. The 2014 is just as impressive today as it was from barrel. As always, Vieux Certan has the rare ability to confer power without excess weight. The 2014 is a magical bottle. Readers who can find it should not hesitate. The blend is back to classic proportions of 80 % Merlot and 20 % Cabernet Franc.

James Suckling (100)

The blackberries, blueberries, oyster shell and violets are so mesmerizing. Full-bodied, focused and deep. It takes you to another space and plane. Dried flowers and dark fruit. The tannins are perfectly crafted. Keeps going as you taste it. Drink in 2023 but why wait?

The Wine Independent (100)

In 2016 it was extremely dry at Vieux Chateau Certan so they had to delay the harvest. They marked the vines on which the berries had dried and didn't harvest them. The blend in 2016 was 85% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Cabernet Sauvignon and it has a deep garnet-purple color. It pops with scents of vibrant black plums, juicy blackberries and redcurrant jelly, leading to hints of licorice, wood smoke, crushed rocks, and violets, plus a hint of cumin seed. Full-bodied, rich and seductive, the palate has a firm frame of ripe, rounded tannins and seamless freshness supporting the dense, muscular fruit, finishing long. The fruit is so primary - it's in a time capsule. This was the first vintage bottled using their own bottling line.

Wine Advocate (99+)

The 2018 Vieux Château Certan is composed of 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc, weighing in with 14.4% alcohol and an IPT (total polyphenol index) of 77. Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, the nose is locked down tight at this youthful stage, requiring a lot of patient swirling to release a profound powerhouse of a perfume: preserved plums, blueberry compote, ripe black cherries and boysenberries, leading to suggestions of Indian spices, lilacs, espresso and licorice, plus a waft of sandalwood. The medium to full-bodied palate has an amazing sense of cohesiveness. There are no edges to the seamless flow of exquisitely fine-grained tannins and perfectly knit acidity, beautifully framing the blue and black fruits, which are at once elegant and also so, so rich. It finishes with many slowly lapping waves of minerals and exotic spices, which just go on and on. It is a wine that is, simply put, an experience not to be missed. Give it a good 6-8 years in the cellar and drink it over the next 30 years or more.

Wine Advocate (100)

One of the wines of the vintage, the 2019 Vieux Château Certan unfurls in the glass with a striking bouquet of cassis and cherries mingled with notions of violets, loamy soil, sweet spices and incense. Full-bodied, ample and layered, it's seamless and enveloping, with a fleshy core of beautifully vibrant fruit, lively acids and ripe, powdery tannins. Concluding with a long, resonant finish, this perfumed, sensual Vieux Château Certan is a remarkable achievement from Alexandre and Guillaume Thienpont.

Wine Advocate (100)

One of the wines of the vintage, the 2019 Vieux Château Certan unfurls in the glass with a striking bouquet of cassis and cherries mingled with notions of violets, loamy soil, sweet spices and incense. Full-bodied, ample and layered, it's seamless and enveloping, with a fleshy core of beautifully vibrant fruit, lively acids and ripe, powdery tannins. Concluding with a long, resonant finish, this perfumed, sensual Vieux Château Certan is a remarkable achievement from Alexandre and Guillaume Thienpont.

James Suckling (98-99)

Extraordinary clarity and brilliance on the nose with ink and iodine, blackberry and blueberry. Really perfumed already. Full-bodied with fine tannins and superb depth and length. I love the complexity and the great texture. Energetic finish.