Vinous (94)

The 2014 Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Minéral is a powerful, intense Champagne that captures all of the natural power of these old vines in Avize and Cramant. Aptly named, the Minéral is infused with tremendous mineral and soil inflections that give a real feeling of gravitas. Crushed rocks, slate, chalk and citrus accents are some of the many nuances that emerge with a bit of time in the glass. This release is fabulous. It is also a reticent wine, though, so at least a year or two in bottle will help soften. Dosage is 3 grams per liter. Disgorged: April, 2020.

James Suckling (95-96)

Beautiful depth here, with currants and blackberries, as well as hints of fresh herbs and wet earth. Medium-to full-bodied, layered and long, with depth and beauty. Savory. Impressive for the vintage. Persistent.

Burghound (92-94)

Sweet spot Outstanding. Elegant if restrained aromas are cool and pure with notes of apple, acacia blossom, lemon-lime and a whiff of mineral reduction. The racy and wonderfully refined middle weight flavors are lacy, indeed almost delicate, with plenty of lovely underlying tension on the lingering and impeccably well-balanced finale. This is pretty much classic Bouchères that should age well over the medium-term. In a word, lovely.

Jeb Dunnuck (95-97)

Moving to the two Châteauneuf-du-Pape releases and 35% Mourvèdre, 25% Grenache, 8% Syrah, 12% Counoise, the rest other permitted varieties (Marc calls this a Mourvèdre vintage), the 2017 Châteauneuf-du-Pape sports an inky purple color as well as a textbook Mourvèdre nose of black, black fruits, smoked meats, crushed rocks, charcoal, and pepper. It's deep and full-bodied, with beautiful purity and building structure. Production is down 40%, but this brilliant wine is certainly in the same league as the 2016.

Decanter (97)

Gorgeously aromatic and concentrated nose, rich with wild flowers and bramble fruits. Lovely cool blue fruits on the palate, blueberries, plums and black cherries with lashings of graphite, slate and liquorice giving a real spicy menthol mineral tone to the palate. Such complexity with poise and polish. Youthful for sure, but this will be excellent. The texture is so attractive and likeable. This has energy and vibrancy despite still being knitted down, it's just giving a hint of what's to come. Buy and hold on to.

A family-run Champagne house with a history dating back to 1878, many of the grapes grown by Maison Bénard Pitois are bought by Bollinger but they keep selected parcels from their 1er Cru vines in Mareuil-sur-Aÿ to create this excellent value Brut Réserve and their other releases.

 

Made from a blend of 60% Pinot and 40% Chardonnay, it was aged for 30 months on lees, double the usual Non-Vintage ageing period of 15 months, and elegant brioche and almond complexity really shines through. It was also partly aged in wooden barrels, which has given it the richness..

Vinous (86-88)

The 2019 Vougeot Clos de Village has a light, slightly green bouquet, although there are no stems here. The palate is medium-bodied with slightly coarse tannins on the entry, but it coheres toward the finish. A lightweight Vougeot considering the vintage. Just three barrels produced. 

Jeb Dunnuck (99)

The 2020 Château Calon Ségur is pure gold and another masterpiece from this estate. Harvested all in September and pulled from their 48 hectares of vines, the blend is 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Petit Verdot that spent 20 months all in new French oak, and it hit 13.2% natural alcohol. My notes started and ended with "wow," and this riveting Saint-Estèphe offers a heavenly bouquet of red and black currants, truffly earth, iron, espresso, and tobacco leaf. With incredible purity of fruit, full-bodied richness, and ultra-fine tannins, it's a deep, pure, layered 2020 that deserves at least 7-8 years of bottle age and will cruise for 40-50 years in cold cellars. Hats off to the team at Calon Ségur.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (97)

Nicolas Audebert and his team have done it again. The 2017 Canon is shaping up to be one of the wines of the vintage. Rich and vertical in construction, the 2017 possesses off-the-charts richness and intensity in all of its dimensions. In the glass, the 2017 is sumptuous and layered, with superb detail and tons of sheer pedigree. In 20 years, readers will have a fabulous time tasting the 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 together and debating their respective merits. Dark plum fruit, striking Franc aromatics and the clean, focused energy of Saint-Émilion's limestone plateau make for a ravishing, exquisite wine of the highest level. In a word: breathtaking.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (98)

The 2018 Canon is every bit as magnificent from bottle as it was from barrel. Maybe more so. Vertical and explosive in the glass, Canon sizzles with tension and vibrancy. Readers will find a majestic, soaring Grand Cru Classé that captures all the magic of Saint-Émilion's limestone plateau. Canon exudes mind-blowing precision and deliciousness. It is another magnificent effort from Technical Director Nicolas Audebert and his team.

Vinous - Neal Martin (95)

José Sanfins has overseen a 2019 Cantenac Brown that will give immense pleasure in coming years. The bouquet has tightened up since I tasted the barrel sample (also at the château, in summer 2021): blackberry, raspberry and cedar are now accompanied by just a touch of peppermint. The palate is medium-bodied, taut and fresh, with sappy red fruit, fine acidity and a vibrant, harmonious finish. This Margaux brims with confidence and should give 30 to 40 years of drinking pleasure. The insiders' Margaux of choice.

James Suckling (98)

An amazing 2008 rosé Champagne that has all the structure and aromatic complexity - sushi ginger, oolong tea and caramelized mandarin orange - we associate with this vintage, but also has more charm than most. On the palate, this has stunning concentration, yet is diamond bright. The interplay of creaminess, fine tannins and mineral acidity builds and builds at the breathtaking finish. The color comes from about 7% pinot noir red wine, partly from the little-known Les Riceys in the far south of Champagne. Drink or hold.

The Wine Independent (100)

The 2019 Cheval Blanc is a blend of 58% Merlot, 34% Cabernet Franc, and 8% Cabernet Sauvignon. 41 out of 53 blocks have had a part to play this year, representing 10 different soil types. The Grand Vin in 2019 represents 82% of production. Deep purple-black in color, it needs a lot of swirling to shake loose fragrant scents of Indian spice, potpourri, star anise, and cardamom, over a core of preserved plums, boysenberries, and charcoal with touches of wood smoke and cracked black pepper. Full-bodied, rich and immediately impactful in the mouth, the layered nuances slowly expand, beautifully framed by ripe, rounded tannins and seamless freshness, finishing with cascading savory and earth flavors and lots of lingering mineral notes.

James Suckling (97-98)

This is so finely textured with very precise, tight tannins. Medium to full body. Lots of layers here with black and blue fruit, stones, tar, dark cocoa and spices. Dried herbs. Long and persistent. Stays focused all the way. So precise. 52% cabernet franc, 43% merlot and 5% cabernet sauvignon.

Jeb Dunnuck (99)

Including slightly more Cabernet Sauvignon than usual, the 2018 Château Clinet is 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon that was brought up in 75% new French oak. One of the superstars of the vintage, it has incredible elegance and finesse as well as gorgeous richness and depth. Notes of cassis and truffly dark fruits as well as tobacco, damp earth, chocolate, and lead pencil shavings emerge from the glass, and it's full-bodied, with a seamless, multi-dimensional texture, gorgeous tannins, and a great, great finish. It already offers incredible pleasure, but it won't hit maturity for another 5-7 years and should evolve for 30 years or more. This magical wine is in the same league as the 2015 and 2016, and drinking these beauties over the coming decades will be an incredible treat.

The Wine Cellar Insider (98)

Flowers are the first thing you notice before discovering all the spice, cloves, kirsch, and dark cherries on the nose. On the palate, the wine is silky, elegant, fresh, supple, and refined. The kirsch shows a beautiful purity and spicy character, along with its refined tannins and peppery strawberries that kick in at the end of the finish. The wine is a blend of 55% Grenache, 30% Mourvedre, and 10% Syrah with the remaining 5% consisting of various, allowable grape varieties. The grapes are as always 100% destemmed. The production is quite low this year at only 25 hectoliters per hectare. The wine is 15.2% ABV, but you do not sense any heat.

Wine Advocate (94-96)

Delectable swirls of strawberries, cherries and red raspberries mark the nose of the 2022 Chateauneuf du Pape Les Safres, a 90-10 blend of Grenache and Mourvèdre from the sandy soils of the les Bédines lieu-dit. Full-bodied yet silky, this vintage shows even more persistence of flavor on the finish than usual.

Jeb Dunnuck (96-98)

The 2022 Clos Saint-Martin comes from a tiny 1.3-hectare vineyard of clay and limestone soils and is based on 80% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon. Glass-staining purple-hued, with powerful aromatics of pure cassis, blackberries, spicy oak, graphite, and chalky minerality, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a layered, concentrated mid-palate, remarkable purity, and one hell of a great finish. This is another absolutely brilliant Saint-Emilion that readers will love to have in their cellar. Tasted twice.

The Wine Independent (100)

Deep garnet in color, the 2016 Cos d'Estournel is quite closed to start, requiring a lot of coaxing to bring out profound notions of creme de cassis, wild blueberries, black cherry compote, and rose oil, leading to suggestions of Indian spices, crushed rocks, and dried lavender. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is both opulent and energetic, revealing loads of perfumed black fruit layers and a plush, polished texture, finishing with epic length and depth.

Wine Advocate (93+)

Composed of 38% Grenache, 36% Syrah, 10% Cinsault, 9% Carignan and 7% Pinotage, the 2020 Elpidios comes from 12 different vineyards and was made from 50% whole-cluster fruit. On the nose, the wine offers soft herbal hints of mint and menthol with a delightful undertone of wild brush before swaying with a red-fruited nature and delicate dusty essence. Medium-bodied and with 13.5% alcohol, the wine is juicy and mineral on the palate and offers delightful herbal essences across the structured mid-palate. The wine glides to a delightfully minty finish that will remain food-friendly for over a decade. Give it at least one more year in the bottle, and decant for at least 30 minutes before enjoying.

Tim Atkin MW (96)

Hoë-Steen is a cooler, south-facing site on red, iron-rich clay soils that's generally picked last at the winery. Planted in 1968 with 2% Palomino and Crouchen Blanc, it's one of the Cape's most intense Chenin Blancs. Dense, layered and structured, the 2021 has aniseed and wild flower aromas, lots of grip, focus and extract and a palate of acacia honey, waxed lemons and wet stones.

Tim Atkin MW (97)

It's always hard to pick a favourite among David and Nadia Sadie's superb array of whites, but this is mine in 2021. Sourced from a north-facing site on granite that's always picked early to retain acidity, Plat'bos is effortlessly balanced and complete, with salty minerality, lots of concentration, wax and lanolin undertones, spice and citrus flavours and a thrilling, energetic finish.

Christian Eedes (96)

Grapes from a 1984 vineyard on iron-rich gravel situated in one of the more arid parts of the Swartland. 40% matured in concrete egg. A hint of reduction precedes dried herbs, white peach, citrus and melon while the palate has great purity, bright acidity and a pithy finish. Not without weight and texture despite an alcohol of just 12.5%.

Christian Eedes (98)

Grapes from a 1985 vineyard on shallow shale. Pretty aromatics of hay, potpourri and dried herbs before lime and white peach. The palate is crystalline in structure – great clarity of fruit and zippy acidity before an extremely long and dry finish. Poised and super-intricate, this is just about pitch perfect.

Experience the superior quality craftsmanship of 'De Pez 2019', a testament to true Bordeaux mastery from one of St. Estephe's oldest vineyards. Meticulously produced at Château de Pez, a keen emphasis is laid on environmentally friendly agriculture and hand harvesting to inspire, realise and winnow the best produce. Devotion in every detail results in a wine that mirrors the terroir's authenticity.

Alluringly deep ruby in appearance, the De Pez 2019 presents a complex blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Matured in French oak barrels, it exudes profound notes of ripe red fruits adorned with hints of tobacco and spicy undertones. On the palate, it delivers a captivating combination of deep fruitiness mingled with polished tannins, culminating in an alluringly long finish. This full-bodied red orchestrates a symphony of taste, true to its Bordeaux lineage.

Unquestionably, De Pez 2019 is a benchmark exemplar of refined winemaking; a timeless choice for devotees of exceptional Bordeaux wines.

Vinous (93-95)

A highly fragrant bouquet evokes ripe, mineral-accented black/blue fruits, Moroccan spices, olive and candied flowers, along with a smoky mineral element that builds as the wine opens up. Juicy, energetic and focused on the palate, offering appealingly sweet boysenberry, cherry preserve and violet pastille flavors that deepen steadily through the midpalate. The floral note resonates on the impressively long finish, which features well-knit tannins and a smoky mineral quality.

James Suckling (98)

This is a very thick, dense DP with layers of ripe fruit. Dried apple, pineapple and pie crust with some nougat undertones. Dense and layered with chewy tannins and a juicy finish. Umami undertone. This has the highest percentage of pinot noir ever. 15 years on the lees in bottle. 62% pinot noir and 38% chardonnay. Drink or hold.

James Suckling (93)

This is a very solid Pomerol with a nice balance of fine, dry tannins with well-judged ripeness. But the red-fruit character is a bit shy and a couple of years are probably needed for it to open up fully. Long and complex, dry finish. Drink or hold.