Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy (94)

Fullish yellow. The complex nose shows the power of the vintage, a few drier tannins behind, fair acidity. I think the Clos character is there, but it is reticent today. The palate does deliver detail and layers of fruit though. The finish does also suggest the necessary class. Really good length here.

Vinous (91-93)

The 2018 Meursault-Blagny 1er Cru comes from a single plot of around half a hectare in the lieu-dit of La Pièce Sous La Bois. It conveys superb terroir expression, almost Puligny-like in its evocation of wet, cold limestone, wet pavement after a sudden shower and light lemon peel elements. The palate is taut and crisp on the entry, a fine bead of acidity slicing through the intense citrus and orange peel notes, which segue into a quite a spicy ginger-tinged finish. I just want more on the aftertaste, which disappears quicker than I would like.

Vinous (92-94)

The 2018 Meursault Charmes 1er Cru conveys more discipline on the nose compared to the Genevrières, offering walnut and light nutmeg notes, a hint of lanolin in the background and later a discreet petrolly note. The palate possesses the taut line of acidity necessary to counterbalance the intensity and richness of this Charmes. It feels long and generous toward the finish, where hints of stem ginger and grilled almonds linger on the aftertaste. This should offer 12–15 years of drinking pleasure, possibly more.

Wine Advocate (93)

The 1988 Chambertin Grand Cru from Rousseau offers up a complex and pristine bouquet of red and black berries, grilled meat, wood smoke and cedary wood. On the palate, the wine is medium-full, with a firm but fine chassis of tannin and taut but integrated signature 1988 acidity—structural elements framing a Chambertin of great depth and intensity. This is not as ample or authoritative as the very greatest vintages, but in terms of balance, complexity and concentration, it doesn't miss a beat.

Vinous (93)

The 1998 Chambertin is one of the real surprises in this tasting. From a vintage that never got much of a look, Rousseau's Chambertin is a pure and total delight. It is not the most complex wine in the vertical, nor is it the most pedigreed, but it is absolutely exquisite, as all of its elements are in perfect balance. The plum, sweet tobacco, menthol and red cherry flavors, along with the wine's soft, open-knit personality, make the 1998 impossible to resist today. Readers looking for a vintage of the Rousseau Chambertin that is peaking will find much to admire in the 1998.

Jancis Robinson (19)

100% new oak. Not the flash appeal of the Clos de Bèze and it's so much more youthful but it’s a huge success in 2011. Chewy end and more muscular but it’s all there for the taking – except that it’s a bit tighter than Clos de Bèze so may be better to concentrate on the latter for the moment. Vibrant and resonant.

Wine Advocate (97)

Tasted blind at the Burgfest 2014 tasting, Rousseau's 2014 Chambertin Grand Cru has a fruit-driven bouquet laden with black cherries, crushed strawberry, ink and a touch of bay leaf. As it aerates, the fruit seems to take more of a back seat and the terroir comes through. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, very pure and elegant, iron fist/velvety glove and so forth. This is what a grand cru should be. Utterly seductive and captivating, its satin texture might lure you into opening a bottle too soon. Give it a decade to admire Rousseau at full flight. Tasted September 2017.

Vinous (98+)

Bright medium red. Very pure but very reticent nose hints at blueberry, raspberry, licorice, game and woodsmoke. Delivers a compelling combination of fine-grained texture, deep sweetness and restrained power; still youthfully compressed but already boasts thrilling mouthfilling perfume of tart red fruits, spices and saline minerality. This spectacular Chambertin broadens out on the back half without giving any impression of weight. A wine of uncommon depth and class, with no sign of overripeness. With its salty, crushed-rock minerality, this wine saturates every square millimeter of the palate and stimulates the salivary glands on the sensationally long finish.

Wine Advocate (98)

Tasted from bottle, the 2016 Chambertin Grand Cru claims the place of king of the Rousseau cellar this year, soaring from the glass with a complex bouquet of ripe red berries, cherries and plums, complemented by nuances of blood orange, peonies, raw cocoa, grilled meats and spices. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, deep and multidimensional, with terrific concentration, lively acids and a muscular chassis of ripe tannins that's largely concealed by a prodigious core of fruit. Long, sapid and penetrating, like the Clos de Bèze, this will make for fascinating comparisons with its 2015 counterpart in two decades' time.

Vinous (98)

The 2018 Chambertin Grand Cru has a very intense, brilliantly-defined bouquet with laser-like precision, incredibly focused and perfectly integrated oak. Less generous than Bichot's Chambertin at the moment though - this is biding its time. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy red fruit, insistent grip and plenty of freshness. Maybe just a little more confit in style than others. Still, a fabulous Chambertin that gains clarity and precision in the glass. Effortless. Tasted blind at the Burgfest 2018 red tasting.

Burghound (99)

A distinctly cool and exuberantly fresh nose features reticent wonderfully spiced notes of various dark berries along with forest floor nuances that include humus and earth. The intensity of the imposingly broad-shouldered and muscular flavors is borderline painful with impressive power on the hugely long finish that is supported by incredibly dense but quite fine-grained tannins. This is magnificent and a wine of class and grace that will justly vie for wine of the vintage honors when it's time for such assessments. It's extremely rare that I put 30-year initial drinking windows for modern red Burgundies, but my prediction is that this stunningly brilliant wine will age glacially.

Jancis Robinson (18)

Looks if anything less blue than most other vintages. Pretty complete and rich on the nose for a 2004! Most impressive… Very fruity and dense and exciting. Really lively and vigorous. Long. Lively cherry fruit.

Burghound (96)

This is quite ripe yet the impression is one of freshness with no surmaturité while the aromas reveal an exuberant spiciness to the dense mix of red and black fruit and wet stone aromas. The supple, round and marvelously well-detailed broad-shouldered flavors possess a silky mid-palate brimming with dry extract on the almost painfully intense and massively long mineral-driven finish that displays stunning persistence. The 2009 is an impeccably well-balanced effort in yet another in a long line of great vintages for this storied wine.

Jancis Robinson (19)

100% new oak. Great intensity. No problem of too much oak. Great energy and delight. So juicy and appetising yet with great concentration and fine tannins. Magnificent.

Burghound (97)

A brilliantly discreet spicy nose consists of sandalwood, essence of black cherry liqueur, violets and a hint of the sauvage. There is seriously good size, weight and power to the imposingly scaled flavors that display almost painful intensity on the driving, explosively long and very firmly structured finish where a pleasing bead of minerality appears which helps to add lift to the finish. This is powerful and presently quite compact yet my sense is that despite being very tightly wound today, it should progressively unfold such that in 7 to 8 years, it may be sufficiently civilized to enjoy if you don't wish to wait for its full maturity.

Vinous (96-98)

The 2018 Chambertin Clos-de-Bèze Grand Cru has a very well-defined bouquet of red berry fruit laced with undergrowth, rose petals, incense and hints of white pepper; so much vigor here. The palate is medium-bodied with filigreed tannins, wonderful tension and great length on the finish. This is a class apart, an intellectual and downright delicious Chambertin that will surely gain even more sophistication during its second winter in barrel. Awesome.

Vinous (97)

A last minute addition, Rousseau's 2002 Clos St. Jacques nearly stole the show (actually it did!), proving why it is revered among Burgundy lovers. Arguably one of the youngest and most vibrant wines of the evening, the Clos St. Jacques impressed for its intense fruit and phenomenal balance. It was the perfect ending to a fabulous night of food, wine and conversation.

Wine Advocate (97)

One of the great renditions of this cuvée in recent times is the 2005 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos Saint-Jacques, a magical wine that unfurls in the glass with a deep and complex bouquet of red berries and plums mingled with hints of raw cocoa, violets, blood orange and peony, complemented by enticing carnal bass notes. Full-bodied, deep and multidimensional, it's seamless and complete, with fine concentration, racy but ripe acids and ample reserves of fine, powdery tannin, concluding with a long and sapid finish. The 2005 Clos Saint-Jacques is a decade away from full maturity, but its reference-point quality has long been impossible to miss. This bottle, enjoyed in a Burgundian restaurant, only amplified my regret that I have none of this particular vintage in my own cellar.

Wine Spectator (95)

Packed with sweet fruit, this silky red exudes cherry, strawberry, licorice, sandalwood and mineral aromas and flavors. Despite its intensity, this remains lithe and refined, with excellent harmony and resonance on the long finish. Best from 2012 through 2024. 50 cases imported. -BS

Vinous - Stephen Tanzer (92-94)

Good bright, deep red. Highly perfumed aromas of blackberry, cherry, red licorice, rose petal, violet and spices, plus a suggestion of honey. Silky, intensely flavored and classy on the palate, with a compellingly perfumed quality that carries through to the mounting, palate-staining finish. Displays the electric quality of the vintage's better examples. This was 12.2% natural alcohol, chaptalized to 13%.

Vinous (96)

Rousseau's 2011 Gevrey-Chambertin Clos St. Jacques is flat-out gorgeous. Waves of blue/purplish fruit hit the palate in an intense, explosive Burgundy loaded with pure class and pedigree. This is another 2011 that is going to need considerable time in bottle to come around. Today, the Clos St. Jacques impresses for its richness, power and depth.

Wine Advocate (86-88)

The 2014 Gevrey Chambertin Clos du Château has a pretty red cherry and strawberry nose that is in keeping with the Rousseau style. The palate is crisp and lively, with fine tannin but not immense weight, but it is fresh on the tart cherry finish. Note that it has not been decided if this will be released or not. It sounds as if it will and it deserves to be, as it is keeping with the Rousseau style.

Vinous (90+)

Superripe aromas of dried fruits complicated by white flowers and a peppery nuance. Then distinctly less fleshy and generous in the middle palate than the Petits Charrons, with the peppery quality carrying through in the mouth. Markedly different in texture and style, and in need of patience.

Vinous (88-90)

Pale yellow. White pepper, menthol and fresh herbs on the lively nose. Nicely balanced if on the lean side, showing lovely cut and definition to its brisk flavors of lemon oil, orange zest and spices. Firm but not hard. (Ente's Bourgogne Aligoté offers an aromatic nose of orange oil and flowers and a chewy, sappy palate impression, with a surprisingly fleshy old-vines richness to buffer its impression of tautness. It will be worth seeking out. And his Bourgogne Chardonnay, made in a more opulent, even slightly exotic style, is sweet and fine-grained for its appellation, with yellow peach, tangerine and floral flavors leading to a rich, spicy but firm finish. I rated this wine 87-88.)

Hailed from one of Burgundy's most sought-after vignerons, the Arnaud Ente Meursault 2016 is a fine representation of artisanal craftsmanship in winemaking. This exquisite vintage is meticulously crafted by Arnaud Ente, famed for his obsession with detail and passionate adherence to the principles of biodynamic viticulture.

Born of Chardonnay grapes from idyllic vineyards in Meursault, the meticulous care in hand-harvesting and sorting reflects in its distinct character. Slow fermentation using natural yeasts followed by maturing in oak barrels for up to two years gifts it a multidimensional taste.

The Arnaud Ente Meursault 2016 offers a remarkable balance of rich, mineral complexity and refreshing acidity. Its nose is beautifully expressive, carrying alluring hints of orchard fruits, honey, and buttered toast. On the palate, it unfolds layers of apple, pear, and citrus zest underpinned by nutty, creamy undertones. Its sumptuously long finish makes it a coveted addition to any sophisticated collection.

Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy (90-93)

Pale clear colour. A gentle fresh apple nose, this has notable tension on the palate, not a rich, ripe rounded Meursault – but that is not the intention anyway. The attack suggests that this is only just ripe, but the finish indicates that it was picked at a very good moment, otherwise you wouldn’t have this length of flavour. Fine tension to finish.

Wine Advocate (93)

Ente’s 2010 Meursault Le Clos des Ambres is impeccable. It is also quite closed in on itself. Today, it is the minerality that dominates, but there is no denying the wine’s pedigree and sheer class. With air, the aromas and flavors become vivid, nuanced and breathtakingly beautiful. The airy, ethereal finish is the stuff dreams are made of. This is simply drop-dead gorgeous. Anticipated maturity: 2012+.

Vinous (90)

Pale straw-yellow. Much less expressive on the nose than the basic village wine, hinting at hazelnut and lees. Then fat and rich in the mouth, offering very good floral lift to the flavors of tangerine and spices. Perhaps a bit youthfully aggressive in the mid-palate today, but the finish is suave and long, with nicely delineated lemon and pineapple flavors.

Introducing a splendid iteration of superior wine named Arnaud Ente Meursault Clos des Ambres 2018, which exemplifies the artistry inherent in French winemaking. Arnaud Ente, a renowned producer hailing from Burgundy, has utilised traditional cultivating techniques and coaxed the essence of the mesmerising Meursault terroir into each bottle. The winery is committed to creating limited quantities, thus ensuring unsurpassed quality and exclusivity.

Arnaud Ente Meursault Clos des Ambres 2018 bursts with vibrant flavours of citrus and orchard fruits, balanced beautifully by inventive nuances of fresh earth and delicate minerality. The vintage's developing complexity is a testament to its potential longevity. Produced in the heart of Meursault, this Chardonnay promises classic refinement, embodying the distinct character of this prestigious appellation. This is truly a unique drop, enjoyed by wine lovers who appreciate the blend of Burgundian tradition and modern intricacy.

Savour the magnificence of Arnaud Ente Meursault La Seve du Clos 2012, a real gem from Burgundy, France. Arnaud Ente, the producer, is lauded as one of the region's most outstanding artisans. Taught by his father-in-law, he adopted a meticulous, intensive approach to viticulture, and a minimalist stance towards vinification.

This wine springs from a single parcel in Meursault, harvested by hand, and fermented using indigenous yeasts. Aged in French oak barrels, only a minimal amount of new oak is used to respect the purity of the fruit and reflect the unique terroir.

The 2012 vintage delivers an intoxicating bouquet of hazelnut and brioche, with an energetic palate of ripe citrus and mineral undertones, sumptuously textured. It is a white burgundy that showcases Arnaud Ente's commitment to quality and detail. Arnaud Ente Meursault La Seve du Clos 2012 offers an unparalleled tasting experience, one to be enjoyed in contemplative sips. The splendiferous synthesis of traditional viticulture and modern winemaking.