Vinous (92-94)

The 2018 Echézeaux Grand Cru is matured entirely in new oak. It soaks up that wood nicely thanks to the ample fruit concentration of black cherries and cassis, here joined by attractive pine/cedar aromas that gain intensity with every swirl of the glass. The palate is a little woody at the moment and needs more fruit on the midpalate, to the extent that I wager Rouget's Vosne-Romanée Beaumonts might ultimately show better. We will see.

Vinous (94+)

Good medium red. Subtle, pure, high-pitched aromas of black cherry, blackberry, violet and licorice. Chewy, intense and penetrating, with plenty of stem-driven energy behind the saline, soil-driven flavors of minerals, dark berries and graphite. There's no easy sweetness here, but this builds impressively in the glass and leaves the taste buds quivering on the very long, lightly peppery back end. These firm tannins will need a decade of patience. Like the Grands-Echezeaux, this wine was aged in 80% to 90% new oak.

Vinous - Stephen Tanzer (91-93)

Ruby-red. Perfumed, inviting aromas of bitter chocolate, blood orange and Moroccan spices. Round, concentrated and ripe, with sappy density to the flavors of dark fruits and spices. This is much easier to taste today than the Brulees. Finishes with sweet, ripe, even tannins and excellent length. Should be superb.

Vinous (93+)

(the crop level in these north-facing vines in Combe d'Orveaux was just 22 hectoliters per hectare): Bright dark red. Pungent, sappy aromas of raspberry and smoky minerality. Dense, sweet and tactile, with its highly concentrated berry flavors enriched by salty mineral extract. Offers terrific inner-mouth tension and lift. Still a baby, but its very long, firmly tannic finish avoids dryness. As youthful as this is, it's more expressive in the middle palate than the 2015 Grands-Echézeaux or Clos Vougeot.

Vinous (93+)

Good full, deep red. Complex aromas of black raspberry, cherry, coffee and game. Silky, spicy and fresh, with lovely lift and definition to the rather lush fruit. A lightly peppery quality perks up the wine without introducing greenness. Best on the very long, building finish, which features suave tannins and lingering sweetness. Seems every bit as long as the 2009 version. This was vinified with one-third whole clusters, and that percentage seems struck me as just right.

Jancis Robinson (18)

Barrel sample. Mid crimson, a little lighter in colour than the Grands Échezeaux. Brighter fruited and a little more floral, with a stony/mineral elegance as well as that pure and perfumed dark-red fruit. A youthful beauty.

Vinous (91-93)

(25% vendange entier; 45% new oak): Bright, dark red-ruby. Captivating aromas of dark raspberry, smoky soil tones and salty minerality, plus a suggestion of graphite. Wonderfully deep, plush wine with complex flavors of raspberry and saline minerality accented by peppery herbs. This energetic, finely balanced wine finishes with lively tannins and palate-staining fruit. Technical directly Jerome Flous finds it more salty and tannic than usual but the finish offers compelling perfume. The upper portion of this vineyard, situated on pure stone, was replanted in 2005, while the lower part features 50-to-60-year-old vines on deeper soil. The two components are like two different wines, notes Flous.

Vinous (94)

The 2018 Gevrey-Chambertin Les Cazetiers 1er Cru shows some reduction on the nose (a common trait amongst the flight of Cazetiers) but there is decent, quite intense red fruit underneath, waiting to blossom. The palate is medium-bodied with a smooth, plush veneer. Quite oaky at the moment and yet there is sufficient fruit to soak that up with 3-4 years in bottle. A luxuriant finish in the positive sense of the expression. Tasted blind at the Burgfest 2018 red tasting.

James Suckling (98)

An extraordinary wine, even for this very special Grand Cru. So mineral and pure with a gigantic concentration of sour cherries. The extremely fine and racy finish lifts off towards the heavens. You could drink it on release, but this has enormous aging potential. Try to wait until 2023.

Vinous (97)

The 2016 Mazis-Chambertin Grand Cru has a detailed, mineral-driven bouquet with precise red fruit intermingling with sous-bois and light rose petal aromas. This is a killer combination of power and finesse. The palate is medium-bodied with fine, supple tannins and a perfectly judged bead of acidity. Silky in texture, it fans out with marvelous precision towards the finish. The oak is seamlessly integrated. A fabulous wine from start to finish. Tasted blind at the 2016 Burgfest tasting.

Vinous (95)

The 2017 Mazis-Chambertin Grand Cru has a fulsome, seductive bouquet of maraschino cherries, crushed strawberry, orange blossom and light tangerine aromas. The palate is almost pixelated on the entry and shows wonderful acidity and mineralité. Tensile from beginning to end, culminating in a vivid, almost sorbet-fresh finish. This is a superb Mazis. Tasted blind at the Burgfest 2017 tasting.

Vinous (95)

The 2018 Mazis-Chambertin Grand Cru has a delightful, well-defined bouquet with pure dark berry fruit, just a touch of reduction, yet you can tell the caliber behind it. The palate is medium-bodied with a harmonious, creamy-textured opening, well judged acidity, very good Clos-de-Bèze spine with a sapid finish. Superb. Tasted blind at the Burgfest 2018 red tasting.

Jeb Dunnuck (98+)

More bloody meat, black raspberries, wood smoke, spice, and truffle notes emerge from the 2017 Hermitage Le Méal, a massive, opulent effort that has loads of opulence and fruit, building tannins, a gorgeous mid-palate, and a monster finish. It's one of the finest wines I've tasted from this estate! It’s already approachable yet promises to evolve gracefully for 20-25 years or more.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (97)

The 2017 Figeac is outrageously beautiful. Rich, deep and ample, the 2017 soars out of the glass with vertical intensity and explosive power. The flavors are just pulsing with energy. Time in the glass brings out a captivating range of lavender, spice, mint and rose petal overtones. The 2017 Figeac is a towering achievement from Technical Director Frédéric Faye and his team. When Michel Rolland was appointed consulting winemaker some years back, many feared the personality of Figeac would be lost. It is impossible for an outsider to truly know how small or large the impact of a single person is, but Figeac has indisputably been one of the very finest wines of the Right Bank over these last few years. The 2017 is a real "wow" wine; don't miss it.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (95)

The 2019 Fonplégade is elegant, refined and full of character. Sweet dark cherry, chocolate, leather, spice, menthol and licorice build effortlessly in the glass. Fonplégade is a Saint-Émilion that emphasizes elegance over sheer power.

Vinous (84-86)

From purchased grapes in the Côte de Nuits, the 2018 Bourgogne Rouge has a slightly tarry bouquet of ripe summer fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with ripe tannins, fine acidity and a slightly compact finish. Give it a year once in bottle.

Vinous (89-91)

The 2018 Vosne-Romanée Aux Réas has a detailed, finely proportioned bouquet of red cherry and crushed strawberry fruit. The palate is fresh and almost citric on the entry, with a fine bead of acidity and an attractive peppery finish. Drink over the next 6–8 years.

Vinous (93-95)

The 2018 La Grande Rue Grand Cru is the famous 1.65-hectare monopole of the domaine that runs parallel to Romanée-Conti and La Romanée on the other side of the road. It has a well-defined bouquet of dark cherries, raspberry, wild hedgerow and traces of Chinese tea, developing tertiary notes after a couple of minutes in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grained tannins, a satin-like texture and just the right amount of acidity. The caressing, slightly gourmand finish displays hints of meat juices and a subtle savory aspect lends complexity. Very fine.

Experience the splendour of the Frederic Esmonin Ruchottes-Chambertin Grand Cru 2014. Expertly crafted offering an intoxicating bouquet of ripe cherries, profound black fruits, and truffle undertones. Grown in the esteemed Ruchottes-Chambertin vineyard of Burgundy, France, the terroir's excellence shines through in every sip, reflecting the unique blend of limestone and clay soil imparting a velvety tannin structure and a robust concentration.

This exquisite Grand Cru is assembled by none other than Frederic Esmonin, a celebrated winemaker renowned for his meticulous attention to detail. Handpicked and matured in French oak barrels, this Pinot Noir reveals a delicate balance of fruit, acidity, and minerality, evolving beautifully with time. The alluring complexity and sensual depth of the Frederic Esmonin Ruchottes-Chambertin Grand Cru 2014 offers a sublime journey, unmatched in the world of fine wine.

James Suckling (96-97)

This is really fantastic with so much intensity and focus. Firm, linear tannins frame the wine beautifully. Polished and fine. It’s full-bodied, yet tight and posed. Complex flavors of blackberry, black olive, mushroom and bark. Persistent finish. Best of the trilogy?

Vinous (91-93)

The 2019 Nuits Saint-Georges Aux Boudots 1er Cru, aged in 50% new oak, has an intense bouquet of floral and violet aromas joined by dark berry fruit and a touch of tobacco. The palate is medium-bodied and quite mineral-driven, with gentle grip and a savory, earthy, quite broody finish. This should be fascinating to watch evolve in bottle.

Crafted by the renowned Maxime Cheurlin, the inimitable Georges Noellat Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Feusselottes 2015 is a stunning example of meticulous wine making. Hailing from the famed Burgundy region in France, this radiant ruby potion encapsulates the terrain's unique terroir with exceptional grace, complexity and depth. Matured meticulously in aged oak barrels for 12-15 months, the vibrant aromas of raspberry, redcurrant and delicate spice permeate from the glass with an alluring charm.

Cheurlin, a sixth-generation vintner, meticulously tends his vines to ensure utmost quality. The Feusselottes plot is a mere 0.45 hectares, adding exclusivity to this already prestigious cuvée. A sorcerer of balance, Cheurlin marries vibrant acidity with subtle tannins to produce a harmonious symphony of flavours that dances across the palate. True to form, the Georges Noellat Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Feusselottes 2015 captivates with its finesse, culminating in a lingering finish that entices sip after heavenly sip.

Vinous (93-95)

The 2019 Echézeaux Grand Cru, which comes from vines with an average age of 80 years in the Les Creots lieu-dit, has a wonderfully detailed bouquet of precise black cherries, raspberry and wild strawberry fruit laced with minerals. The palate brims over with energy. Very focused and structured, with a black-pepper-tinged, slightly savory finish that lingers in the mouth. The 100% new oak is neatly assimilated here, although it will need 4–5 years in bottle.

Wine Advocate (95)

Cropped at a mere ten hectoliters per hectare thanks to devastating spring frosts, the 2016 Grands Echezeaux Grand Cru is one of the finest wines Maxim Cheurlin has produced to date. Unfurling in the glass with complex aromas of cherries, cassis, dark chocolate, grilled venison, loamy soil and black truffle, it's full-bodied, deep and multidimensional, with searing levels of concentration, rich structuring tannins and bright acids, concluding with a long and expansive finish.