James Suckling (98)

This shows superb finesse and balance with wonderful, harmonious fruit and tannin tones that give the wine purity and focus. Dried spices, blackberries, walnuts and tile. Deep, contained structure with pure, fine tannins. The finish is incredible and goes on for minutes. A blend of 56% syrah, 31% carmenere, and 13% cabernet sauvignon. From biodynamically grown grapes. One for the cellar. Better after 2022, but already fantastic.

Wine Advocate (96)

The Enzo Boglietti 2016 Barolo Arione draws its fruit from Serralunga d'Alba, from a vineyard site that has gained much attention in recent years. Arione has thick silty soils and these contribute to the gentle finesse and floral perfumes of the wine. Don't forget power. There is plenty of muscle flexing in this brawny, determined Nebbiolo with firm tannins and deep structure. A mere 2,000 bottles were produced. Count on this wine to complete a long and rewarding drinking arc.

Wine Advocate (95)

I had the luck of tasting two vintages of the Chardonnay from slate/schist soils side by side, including the 2016 Aconcagua Costa Las Pizarras Chardonnay. The juice from the whole clusters decanted for 24 hours, fermented in oak barrels with indigenous yeasts and then aged in barriques for 14 months. It's a little more compressed than the 2017 and has good, vibrant flavors with some floral notes and some gentler flavors, perhaps more similar to the 2014, with the austere schist minerality but with more volume and juicy fruit. There is a little more malolactic in this year. If people have the idea that 2015 is warmer than 2016 and that 2017 is again warmer, the character of these Aconcagua Costa bottlings is the opposite: 2015 and 2017 are fresher, and 2016 is a little warmer. This sometimes happens, as the cooler years are harvested later and the warmer ones see an earlier harvest, so that the wines are exactly the opposite of what you expect. This is great, and its only problem is being tasted next to the 2017, which is otherworldly. 5,000 bottles were filled in May 2017.

Espérance de Trotanoy is the second wine of Château Trotanoy. This Merlot-dominated wine is made from vines averaging 35 years. Espérance de Trotanoy is made from the same vines, same wine-making team and same facilities as the first wine. It is produced in very limited quantities and only in exceptional years. It is vinified in small concrete vats and aged in French oak barrels.

This 2016 has a darkly berried, gently leafy nose, with pure violet aromatics. The palate is textured, with dried-earth minerality, lifted by arching acidity, which makes this hugely approachable and perhaps offers a glimpse into the character of Trotanoy 2016 itself in years to come. There is more than enough ageing potential and tannic rigour here to see this through a decade and more.

Vinous (94)

The 2017 Clos Vougeot Grand Cru is well defined and precise, with cranberry, raspberry and vibrant red cherry scents that soar from the glass. The oak here is very well assimilated. The well-balanced palate offers fine but firm tannins that frame the black cherry and raspberry fruit. Lovely tension and mineralité on the finish, which delivers just the right amount of spice and length. Excellent. Tasted blind at the Burgfest 2017 tasting.

Wine Advocate (92-94+)

The 2017 Grands Echézeaux Grand Cru is a great success, unfurling in the glass with aromas of blackberries, wild berries, rich soil tones and espresso roast, framed by a lavish but nicely integrated touch of toasty new oak. On the palate, it's full-bodied, ample and layered, with a generous core of ripe but juicy fruit, concluding with an expansive, saline finish. While this is quite giving and charming by the standards of the appellation, it's the most concentrated wine in the Eugénie portfolio this year, and will likely prove the longest lived.

Wine Advocate (93-95)

The king of the cellar chez Coche this year is the 2017 Meursault 1er Cru Charmes, a beautiful wine that unfurls in the glass with scents of white peach, oatmeal, spring flowers and subtle spices. On the palate, it's medium to full-bodied, layered and satiny, with a deep, concentrated core, lovely purity and a bright, precise finish. This is a classic in the making that will reward cellaring.

Wine Advocate (98)

The consistency and depth of this wine is just incredible. Like the Carla 6, the 2016 Giorgio Primo shows an inky dark color, almost totally black, with penetrating fruit and long waves of rich fruit flavor throughout. George the First casts mesmerizing spells of spice, tar and smoke. This is a blend of 50% Merlot, 45% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Petit Verdot. This is another outstanding effort from Fattoria La Massa and its eccentric but visionary founder, Giampaolo Motta. Some 16,000 bottles, magnums, double magnums and other large formats were created.

Wine Advocate (97)

Wow, there is a very impressive freshness here that defies the heat of this vintage. The 2017 Saffredi does not seem like a 2017 at all. Now celebrating its 30th birthday, Saffredi is 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 10% Petit Verdot. Thanks to the vineyard's proximity to the sea, leaving leaves on the vines and the sharp diurnal shifts of the area, the fruit was able to ripen in a balanced manner despite the hot and dry summer. The team at Fattoria le Pupille knew they would have to be ready to harvest early and lose some their yields, and they did. In the end, production was down 25%, but the result is a fresh, thick and beautiful red made with ripe fruit and dark concentration. This is a great effort from Fattoria le Pupille. This wine will be released in November.

Wine Advocate (98+)

The Fèlsina 2016 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Colonia is true, elegant and bright. This wine is teaming with inner energy and beautiful fruit resonance that comes forward with forest berry, tilled earth, cassis and pressed violet. These aromas are held in tension, creating a crest or halo that radiates from deep inside. It remains mid-weight in approach, but don't underestimate the length and polished mouthfeel that drives a long and very elegant finish. I came back to my sample 24 hours later and appreciated the perfectly aligned and integrated character of the tannins. Give this wine plenty of time to evolve and flesh out in your cellar.

Jeb Dunnuck (98)

Lastly, the 2016 Ermitage Le Méal is the top wine from Ferraton, and rightly so, as it’s a magical wine in 2016. Rocking notes of black raspberries, blackberries, toasted spices, tapenade, and dry aged beef all emerge from the glass, and it hits the palate with a wealth of material yet stays balanced, layered, and seamless. It's a sensational wine that's up with the top wines of the vintage. Hats off to the team at Ferraton for this remarkable wine as well as their full lineup of wines in 2016.

Vinous - Neal Martin (98+)

The 2016 Figeac has a nose of real pedigree, featuring very well-defined, ferrous black fruit with hints of truffle and tobacco and conveying exceptional mineralité and tension. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grained tannins, a fine bead of acidity and wonderful structure and density toward the finish. This is a seriously fine proposition, although it is a surly Saint-Émilion that may well close down for a while before blazing brightly in 15–20 years’ time. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting.

Wine Advocate (96+)

Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, the 2016 Fonplegade opens with a very savory nose of smoked meats, tapenade, sautéed herbs and beef drippings over a core of plum preserves, chocolate-covered cherries and cedar chest plus wafts of violets and cigars. Medium to full-bodied, the palate possesses both intensity and elegance, with the black fruit layers superbly framed by firm, fine-grained tannins and wonderful freshness, finishing long and mineral laced.

Vinous (100)

The 2016 Flaccianello della Pieve is off the charts. Fresh, vibrant and explosive, with tremendous overall intensity, the 2016 possesses magnificent richness, with sumptuous fruit purity and simply unreal balance. Creamy, silky tannins add to the wine's sophistication and overall polish. The 2016 is dark, inky and powerful, but not at all heavy. Giovanni Manetti gave the 2016 18 months in French oak (75-80% new), followed by 6 months in cask. This is the first vintage in which a small amount (2%) of the wine was aged in amphora. In a word: stunning! Don't miss it.

Vinous (95)

The 2016 La Grande Rue Grand Cru has a very pure, almost pastille-like bouquet with copious red cherry fruit mixed with crushed strawberry and a little cassis. La Grande Rue? [Post script: Bingo!] The palate is very pretty with fine-grain tannin. This is surfeit with freshness and vitality, although it does not quite have the depth and structure of other Grand Crus from the appellation. It does fan out towards the finish. The persistence, and the saline aftertaste are very appealing. Excellent. Tasted blind at the 2016 Burgfest tasting.

Vinous (96)

The 2017 La Grande Rue has a deep, introspective bouquet, offering more black fruit than red; touches of oyster shell and seaweed percolate through with time. The palate is where the quality shines through, in the filigreed tannins and the wonderful sense of symmetry. Fresh as a daisy without compromising intensity, especially on the pixelated finish, which seems to go on forever. Brilliant. This far exceeded my expectations. Tasted blind at the Burgfest 2017 tasting.

Wine Advocate (96)

This is the classic Barolo from Fratelli Alessandria, made with a blend of fruit from various sites in Verduno. (From the 2017 vintage forward, the new name "del Comune di Verduno" will reflect its origins.) The 2016 Barolo opens to tight elegance and a nervous quality that pits red fruit energy over lean fruit weight. The results are graceful, lithe, fragile and lasting. The wine's aromas unfolded slowly and seductively, revealing wild berry, cassis, bitter cherry, toasted almond and blue flower. This is a dreamy wine that promises more beauty as it continues its bottle evolution. An ample 20,000 bottles were produced. This is one of the very best values found anywhere in Barolo.

Jane Anson Inside Bordeaux (97)

A great year for Brunello and this is like a breath of fresh air, transporting you to Tuscany. Emphasis on dried herbs, leather, campfire smoke with traces of sweet cherry, butterscotch and coffee bean. Love the soft and gentle waves of flavour that gather power through the palate; tannins are grippy and mouthwatering, and this is pretty irresistible. One of the original producers of Brunello in the 1800s, with vineyards planted between 250-400 metres above sea level, still setting the pace.

James Suckling (96)

Plenty of complexity to this, with cherry, plum, blackberry and hints of cedar and stone. Full-bodied with layered, velvety tannins and a flavorful finish. Punctuated and defined for the 2017 vintage. Drinkable now, but better after 2023.

Indulge your senses with Geantet Pansiot Vosne-Romanee 2017, a premium offering from the renowned Burgundy vineyards of France. Exceptionally crafted by the illustrious Geantet Pansiot family, who have been honing their winemaking skills since 1954, this wine masterfully captures the delicate balance between tradition and innovation. The climate, predominantly Continental, and the limestone-clay soils of Vosne-Romanee impart distinctive characteristics to this wine.

Authentic to its roots, the Geantet Pansiot Vosne-Romanee 2017 showcases intricate layers of cherry, dark berries and violets, embraced by silky tannins and a lean mineral thread. Exceptional ageing potential adds to its appeal. Utilising organic farming methods, the grapes were handpicked at their peak of ripeness and aged in French oak barrels, resulting in a sophisticated wine that speaks volumes of its terroir. Experience the culmination of heritage, passion and finesse with the Geantet Pansiot Vosne-Romanee 2017.

Wine Enthusiast (93)

Silky and smooth, this poised red opens with aromas of woodland berry, forest floor and camphor. It's savory and polished, offering flavors of juicy black cherry and licorice with a hint of hazelnut before finishing on a note of blood orange. Lithe tannins and fresh acidity keep it balanced. It's already accessible, but will also age well for several years. Drink through 2026.

Wine Advocate (100)

The Gianni Brunelli Le Chiuse di Sotto 2016 Brunello di Montalcino is a stunning wine with so much vitality, life and energy. It shows a brazen level of clarity and frankness. If you seek the truth in Sangiovese, I think you find it here. This Brunello unfolds to lasting purity, elegance and length. It is luminous and radiant. When tasted next to the 2015 Riserva from this estate (something I did on multiple passes), I continued to recognize the lifted and exciting personality of this wine next to the broader and heavier character of the Riserva. This Brunello shows extreme precision and focus, both to the bouquet and the mouthfeel. Wild berry, blue flower and licorice converge to perfection, and it's impossible to beat this quality at this price.

Vinous (96)

The 2017 Barolo Castelletto captures all of the savory and mineral complexity of this high-altitude site. Ethereal and gracious, the Castelletto has so much to offer. Pine, mint, blood orange, crushed raspberry and star anise are all finely sculpted throughout. This is one of the best Barolos I have ever tasted from Manzone. Don't miss it.

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.

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.

Decanter (97)

Grattamacco is one of the highest estates in Bolgheri, located just beneath the village of Castagneto Carducci. It has a distinctive contribution of 15% Sangiovese to the blend, along with the Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. This indigenous grape gives the wine a particular freshness and drinkability, rejuvenating the tension of the classic Bordeaux varieties. In 2016, Grattamacco has exceeded itself, with aromas of elegant, youthful red currant fruits integrated with citrus notes and cedar wood. On the palate the wine is perfectly balanced, and more immediately drinkable than some of the other top samples. It has delicious tension and ripeness, with a mediterranean character and a hint of kiwi on the finish.

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.