James Suckling (96)

Beautiful clarity on the nose with lavender, raspberry and violet aromas. Medium to full body, firm and silky tannins and a long, fresh and simply fantastic finish. Best ever. Better in 2021.

Immerse yourself in the sensory delight that is the Castagnier Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Amoureuses 2012. This illustrious wine, crafted in the heart of France's Burgundy region, boasts rich layers of complexity. Hailing from the esteemed Domaine Jacques-Frédéric Mugnier, it tells a tale of dedication to terroir and traditional winemaking methods. The harvest of Pinot Noir grapes is meticulously orchestrated to preserve the dense flavour and velvety mouthfeel.

The Castagnier Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Amoureuses 2012 embodies subtlety, finesse, and elegance. Its enchanting nose unveils notes of ripe berries and vibrant floral essences, underpinned by a distinctive mineral streak. On the palate, one can anticipate a sublime sequence of luscious fruit and silky tannins. A masterstroke of winemaking wizardry, this luxurious red provides a long and compelling finish. Ideal as a cellaring wine, its potential for ageing is remarkable, promising continued evolution and an enhanced drinking experience.

Wine Spectator (97)

A focused, balanced style, evoking pure cherry, raspberry, mineral and floral aromas and flavors, this is elegant and fluid yet dense and well-structured, ending with lively acidity and dusty tannins. The finish goes on and on. Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2025.

James Suckling (94)

Very perfumed with black currant and cassis bush character. Medium to full body, fine and chewy tannins and a long and flavorful finish. Still a little tight but fun to taste now. Better in 2018.

Vinous (94+)

A bold, racy wine, the 2012 Lupicaia packs a serious punch. Succulent red cherry, plum, licorice, spice, leather, menthol and blood orange infuse this exotic, flamboyantly ripe wine. A host of expressive floral/savory notes give the 2012 its distinctive upper register. In 2012, Lupicaia is bright and also more understated than it can be. Time in the bottle tends to do wonders for this top-flight Tuscan red. The 2012 should be fabulous starting in another few years, give or take.

James Suckling (98)

Very dense and powerful with a tight palate of blue fruit and raspberry undertones. Salty with wonderful length and intensity. A blend of malbec from Nicasia Vineyard in Altamira and Adrianna Vineyard in Gualtallary. Drink in 2022 but so great now.

James Suckling (98)

Very dense and powerful with a tight palate of blue fruit and raspberry undertones. Salty with wonderful length and intensity. A blend of malbec from Nicasia Vineyard in Altamira and Adrianna Vineyard in Gualtallary. Drink in 2022 but so great now.

Wine Advocate (95)

The 2012 White Bones Chardonnay is also sourced from selected rows in the Adrianna vineyard in Gualtallary, produced in exactly the same way as the White Stones Chardonnay with barrels developing a thin layer of yeasts on top that provide extra complexity and nuances. The oak feels better integrated each vintage and while 2012 was clearly warmer and riper than 2011, the wine keeps that sharp acidity that provide freshness. However, in 2012 this is almost challenged by its sibling White Stones, which nearly reaches the same level of sophistication and complexity. I'm dying to taste the 2013s of these two groundbreaking Chardonnays. This vintage also yielded fewer bottles, around 2,100 of the elixir.

Wine Enthusiast (96)

Enticingly fragrant, this gorgeous wine opens with classic Nebbiolo aromas of woodland berry, wild rose, forest floor, pipe tobacco, dark spice and a balsamic whiff of menthol. Reflecting the nose, the delicious, structured palate delivers dried cherry, raspberry compote, truffle, star anise and a note of crushed mint. Firm but noble tannins provide the framework and bestow impressive aging potential.

Vinous (90-93)

(Tremblay took over these 15-year-old vines in 2009; not destined for the U.S. market): Dark red. Sappy nose combines minerals, flowers and earth; I would have picked it blind as Vosne-Romanee. Then juicy and spicy on the palate, offering black raspberry and brown spice flavors lifted by minerals. Nice density without weight here, and very bright on the long, juicy finish. Sexy juice.

Vinous (93-95)

The 2012 Vosne-Romanée Les Rouge du Dessus is arguably the hidden jewel in Cecile Tremblay's lineup. Layers of deeply spiced dark fruit jump from the glass in a wine of extraordinary purity. The brush strokes are broad in a wine with massive tannins and equally rich fruit. All the 2012 needs is time. Today it is embryonic, but dazzling all the same. The 2012 was vinified with 70% whole clusters.

Vinous (93)

The 2012 Blanc de Noirs Côte de Bechalin La Parcelle is bright, precise and beautifully lifted. Orchard fruit, mint, white pepper and floral notes lend brightness. This is a decidedly taut, vibrant Blanc de Noirs, especially considering the vintage. Gracious, medium in body and supremely inviting, the Côte de Bechalin is another stellar wine in this set of new releases. No dosage. Disgorged: April, 2019.

Wine Advocate (95)

Cerbaiona's 2012 Brunello di Montalcino is a nuanced and delicate wine that offers ample power, intensity and length. What the wine does best is paint a portrait of the grape in its most pure and naked state. It offers crisp outlines with loads of wild berry, blue flower and moist earth on the inside. That balanced ensemble of flavors adds to the long and polished persistence you feel in the mouth. Give this wine another 10 years of aging to best appreciate its slow evolution and budding complexity.

Wine Advocate (95)

Cerbaiona's 2012 Brunello di Montalcino is a nuanced and delicate wine that offers ample power, intensity and length. What the wine does best is paint a portrait of the grape in its most pure and naked state. It offers crisp outlines with loads of wild berry, blue flower and moist earth on the inside. That balanced ensemble of flavors adds to the long and polished persistence you feel in the mouth. Give this wine another 10 years of aging to best appreciate its slow evolution and budding complexity.

Vinous (88)

The 2012 Barolo Bricco Rocche is a bit deeper and more layered than the Brunate, but it, too, comes across as understated, with limited depth, complexity and pedigree, especially considering the potential of this historic Castiglione Falletto site. Today, the Bricco Rocche looks to be an early maturing Barolo.

The CG Paris Chiroubles Vieilles Vignes 2012 is a distinguished vintage, hailing from the famed vineyards of Chiroubles in the Beaujolais region of France. Produced by iconic winemaker, CG Paris, this wine is a jewel of the vineyard's distinguished heritage. This exceptional wine opens with a bouquet of red berries accented with a distinct, mineral undertone - an ode to the granite-rich soil in which it was cultivated.

Matured in French oak casks for 12 months, the wine flaunts a structured, well-rounded body, with tantalising flavours of ripe red cherries and a hint of rustic earthiness, providing a delightful finis. This vintage's velvety tannin structure and vibrant acidity make it a perfect accompaniment to both red meat dishes and strong cheeses. Indulge in the allure of French viticulture with the perfection that is the CG Paris Chiroubles Vieilles Vignes 2012, a testament to centuries of winemaking expertise.

Distinguished in the illustrious Beaujolais region of France, the CG Paris Chiroubles Vieilles Vignes 2012 is an exquisite example of expert winemaking. With the age-old vines planted on steep, granitic slopes, this wine captures the essence of its hallowed terroir. The winemaking approach, under the leviathan of Charles Gaget, adheres strictly to the traditional Beaujolais method, with semi-carbonic maceration yielding an eloquent expression of the Gamay grape.

This vintage is a testament to its remarkable year, showcasing fruit-forward complexity harmonised with vibrant acidity. The nose swoons with scents of black cherry and violets while the lush palate intrigues with vibrant raspberry and earthy undertones. A wine that embodies finesse and elegance, the CG Paris Chiroubles Vieilles Vignes 2012 is a choice worthy of the discerning connoisseur. Clearly, a testament to the exceptional potential of the Cheroubles cru, and a maharishi in the illustrious lineage of CG Paris offerings.

Wine Advocate (93)

One can’t say enough about the amazing job that Alain Vauthier and his daughter have done at this historic property on the decomposed limestone slopes of St.-Emilion. About half of their production goes into the second wine, Chapelle D’Ausone, which gives you an indication of the compulsive perfectionist attitude of the Vauthiers. The 2012 Chapelle D’Ausone has a dense ruby/purple color and is rich, broad and expansive, with notes of plum, blueberry and black raspberry fruit, powdered chalk and flowers. The wine is medium to full-bodied, beautifully pure and long and rich. This is better than many of the vintages of Ausone in the 1940s, 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s, which says a lot about what Vauthier has achieved. Drink it over the next 20-25 years.

Vinous (92)

Vivid ruby. Highly aromatic cherry and red berry scents are complicated by licorice, Indian spices and cola. Deeply concentrated dark fruit flavors show a suave blend of sweet and tangy, with a mineral nuance adding lift. Gains weight and sweetness on the clinging finish, which features a cherry-cola quality and fine-grained tannins that come on late.

Wine Advocate (99)

The 2012 Ermitage Cuvee de l'Oree is still firing on all cylinders, sporting heavenly notes of powdered rock, white flowers, honeyed orange blossom, white currants and a saltiness that keeps you coming back to the glass. Full-bodied, voluptuous and decadent, drink it anytime over the coming 2-3 decades.

Wine Advocate (99)

The 2012 Ermitage Cuvee de l'Oree is still firing on all cylinders, sporting heavenly notes of powdered rock, white flowers, honeyed orange blossom, white currants and a saltiness that keeps you coming back to the glass. Full-bodied, voluptuous and decadent, drink it anytime over the coming 2-3 decades.

Wine Advocate (100)

Another wine that topped out on my scale, the 523-case 2012 Ermitage l'Ermite is as profound an Hermitage as you can find. Coming from the granite soils located around the Chapel on the top of Hermitage hill, it's always the most tight, backward and structured of the releases, even more so than the Pavillon, which always seems to have another layer of sweet fruit to me. The 2012 is deeper and richer than the 2011, yet as with most 2012s, it more approachable and forward than the 2010 (and 2009 in this case). Exhibiting awesome notes of powdered rock, creme de cassis, liquid violets and lite gunpowder, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, awesome mid-palate depth and building, ultra-fine tannin that frame the finish. It's an incredible wine that will won't start to become approachable until a decade after the vintage, and then will keep for three decades.

Wine Advocate (100)

White wine simply doesn't get any better than the 2012 Ermitage l'Ermite Blanc. A massive, concentrated, yet insanely pure and focused effort, it has an incredible bouquet (almond paste, orange rind, caramelized peach), full-bodied richness, no hard edges and finish that just won't quit. Of all the 2012 whites, this has the most minerality, purity and precision. I'd happily drink it anytime over the coming 3-4 decades.

Wine Advocate (100)

Sharing some similarities to the le Meal (yet its from a very different terroir), with its full-bodied, decadent, heavenly profile that somehow stays pure, poised and elegant, the 2012 Ermitage le Pavillon (767 cases) offers an extraordinary perfume of cassis, raspberries, crushed flowers, powdered rock and smoked earth. Coming all from the granite soils of the les Bessards lieu-dit, which produces some of the most muscular, concentrated wines on the planet, this serious 2012 is more approachable than either the 2009 or 2010, yet certainly is at the same level of quality. Give it 6-7 years in the cellar and enjoy it through 2042.

Wine Advocate (97)

A wine I've been lucky enough to have multiple times recently, the 2012 Ermitage les Greffieux is a full-bodied, deeply fruited, concentrated and blockbuster effort that's stays elegant, polished and balanced. Exhibiting incredible amounts of bloody meat, olive tapenade, campfire and sweet, expansive fruit, it needs 4-5 years in the cellar, and will drink nicely through 2034.

Vinous (92)

(20% new oak): Opaque ruby. Intense, mineral-driven aromas of ripe blackberry, smoked meat and incense. Pliant, supple and sweet, with a distinct smokiness to its dark berry and spicecake flavors. Finishes with slow-building tannins, repeating smokiness and strong floral persistence. A very strong showing for this bottling.

Wine Advocate (96+)

In complete contrast to the sexy, flamboyant les Granits, the tiny production 2012 Saint Joseph le Clos (which comes from a vineyard just a couple kilometers from the les Granits) is firm, tight and structured, with edgy notes of cassis, blackberry, powdered rock and ground herbs. Full-bodied, concentrated and rich, it needs 3-4 years in the cellar, and will have two decades of longevity. This is almost non-existent in the marketplace, but it's worth the effort to track down.

Vinous (94+)

The 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Pritchard Hill is rich and explosive, with tons of concentration, depth and structure. Dark blue and black fruit, mocha, smoke, menthol, licorice and spices all burst from the glass as this huge, tannic Cabernet Sauvignon shows off its pure class. Readers will have to be patient with the 2012, a wine that will blow the roof off the house with its unbridled power.