Vinous (94-96)

One of my favorites from Drouhin this year is the 2021 Griotte-Chambertin Grand Cru. Splendid and vivacious red and black fruit vie for attention on the nose, the mineralité underneath almost too easy to overlook. The palate is beautifully-structured with crisp tannins, slightly chalky in texture with a very persistent, finely sculpted finish. Impressive.

Decanter (95)

The Mazis is a highlight of the Drouhin portfolio this year, offering up an utterly classic nose of wild berries, cassis, gamebird and bonfire. On the palate the wine is powerful, full-bodied and concentrated, with a deep, brooding core of fruit, fine but ample tannins, and an abundance of savage, savoury complexity. This is one of the smaller cuvées in the Drouhin cellar, but it is absolutely worth ardent pursuit.

Burghound (93)

A ripe if highly restrained mix of red and blue fruit is liberally sprinkled with spice and floral notes. There is good volume and solid mid-palate density to the seductively delicious big-bodied flavors that are shaped by a phenolically mature tannic spine, all wrapped in a mildly rustic but highly persistent mineral-inflected finish. Note well that this muscular and robust effort is definitely going to need at least 7 to 8 years of keeping and require 15+, perhaps even slightly more.

Jancis Robinson (17)

Cask sample. Gorgeously intense purple fruit on the nose. Sweet ripe cherries. More damson on the palate, very ripe, just fresh enough, almost a little jammy but rich and generous.

Jancis Robinson (17)

Cask sample. Mid cherry red. Stunning red-fruited perfume here. Floral and fruity in the extreme. Fine and finely chewy tannins, scented on the palate, with the dry character that it is hard to get in combination with this scentedness outside of the Côte d’Or. Pure, pretty but with depth as well. Long and moreish with the freshness to balance.

Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy (91-93)

An attractive mid crimson colour. A fine fresh bouquet, elegant fruit, not too demonstrative, but with a graceful detailed red fruit, alpine strawberry and little raspberry notes. Very nicely put together, all about the fruit more than the structure. Drink from 2030-2037. Tasted: November 2023.

James Suckling (94)

This has very bright and juicy, brambly dark berries with a wealth of attractive and juicy dark-fruit presence. This has depth, detail and long, layered dark-fruit flavors. Impressively chiseled finish. Drink or hold.

James Suckling (96)

Very pretty blackberry, blackcurrant, walnut, forest-flower and dark-walnut aromas follow through to a full body with round, juicy tannins that are fine-grained and beautiful. Lovely length and generosity, but reserved at the finish to give it tension. Mostly from the Soscol vineyard. 97% cabernet sauvignon. Drink or hold.

Wine Advocate (98+)

The 2013 Insignia (their 40th vintage) is a blend of 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petit Verdot, and the rest Merlot, Malbec and Cabernet Franc. This wine is aged 24 months in 100% new French oak barrels, and the production can vary from just over 10,000 cases to nearly 20,000 cases in a very abundant vintage. There were 12,300 cases produced in 2013, and this vintage of Insignia is certainly going to turn out to be one of the great ones. The wine offers a stunning inky blue/purple color, a gorgeous nose of blueberry and blackberry liqueur, pen ink, graphite, new saddle leather and barrique. The wine has fabulous concentration, a full-bodied, multi-layered mouthfeel, and tremendous finish with moderate tannin. It’s interesting to note that the Phelps winemaking staff had been gradually reducing the amount of Merlot in this wine over recent vintages. The 2013 should hit its peak in 5-7 years and last for 35-50.

Decanter (96)

This has a real sense of freshness and grip. A pure expression of Cabernet with a shot of eucalyptus and menthol, extremely concentrated but with elegance and power. The tannins just grip on to your palate and don't let go leading to a lovely chewy finish. This is great stuff, with a discernibly finessed style that shows a fine tannic balance magnified through the lens of Californian heat and laced through with cassis, espresso and chocolate block. Great structure, this will take a few decades of ageing in its stride. 100% new oak, from five vineyards around Napa Valley, mainly in Stags Leap and Oak Knoll.

James Suckling (99)

Blackberry and black chocolate with mint, conifer and clove. Sweet tobacco, violets and flowers, too. Some graphite. Cool and complex. Full-bodied with ultra fine, dusty tannins and a wonderful, extremely long finish. Savory and refined. A classic-styled 2018. This needs time, but is so approachable and gorgeous. One of the best Insignias ever. Alive and changing all the time. 40% Stags Leap AVA. 87% cabernet sauvignon, 8% petit verdot, 3% malbec and 2% cabernet franc. Leave this for five or six years, but so wonderful now.

Vinous (89-91)

The 2019 Bourgogne Pressonnier is cohesive on the nose of blackberry, boysenberry jam and light violet aromas unfurling with time. Silky-smooth on the entry (you might well mistake this for a Vosne-Romanée), building nicely in the mouth and showing good salinity on the finish.

Jancis Robinson (18)

Sweet, spicy nose. Very intense. Great polished tannins. Super-serious and bone dry. Tastes like essence of a wood-panelled room, somehow. (And I don’t mean wood panelling with TCA as in Middle Temple.) Very much for the patient.

Vinous (90-92)

The 2019 Gevrey-Chambertin Champs-Chenys offers mostly red berry fruit on the nose, which is maybe just a little smudged compared to Roty’s other Village Crus at the moment. The palate is medium-bodied with a fresh entry and a fine bead of acidity. The precise, chalky-textured finish compensates for the aromatics. I am sure the nose will gain more clarity during the remainder of élevage.

Vinous (93)

The 2017 Gevrey-Chambertin Les Fontenys 1er Cru has a very tight bouquet at the moment, offering a little leather and game and sufficient red fruit intensity. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, orange peel, white pepper and clove and hints of pain d’épices toward the focused, persistent finish. Very fine.

Vinous (93)

The 2018 Volnay Les Caillerets 1er Cru has a gorgeous fragrant floral bouquet with bunches of roses complementing the vibrant red fruit. Wonderful intensity. The palate is medium-bodied with gently grippy tannins, quite spicy towards the finish with a slightly confit towards the end. This is destined to age very well. Superb.

Vinous (93)

The 2018 Volnay Les Champans 1er Cru offers attractive black fruit mixed with briary, crushed rock and sea cave aromas on the nose that is all quite captivating. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins, good depth and grip with a saline finish that gets the saliva flowing. Classy, old school Volnay.

Wine Advocate (92-94)

The 2015 Volnay 1er Cru les Fremiets has an elegant bouquet with scents of briary, woodland and red berry fruit. There is lovely purity of fruit here, great transparency. The palate is well balanced with fine structure, quite firm tannin, superb focus with red merging with black fruit towards the slightly saline finish. This is a great wine from Jean-Pierre Chalot.

The Jules Desjourneys Beaujolais 2021 is an exquisite masterpiece meticulously crafted by Fabien Duperray — a vintner renowned for his unyielding focus on quality. Each bottle reflects the rolling hills of Beaujolais, France, from where its hand-harvested and fully organic Gamay grapes originate. The wine undergoes rigorous old-school fermenting techniques with native yeasts and no sulphur until bottling, thus preserving its purest characteristics.

Upon uncorking, you're immediately greeted by spirited notes of strawberries and red cherries. On the palate, the Jules Desjourneys Beaujolais 2021 charms with its ripe and forthright fruit character complemented by an undercurrent of mineral edge drawn from the region's granitic soils. The refined tannic structure and balanced acidity lead towards an elegant, lingering finish.

Indulge in the Jules Desjourneys Beaujolais 2021, a wine that truly stands as a testament to Fabien’s commitment to creating distinct, terroir-based wines.

Wine Advocate (97)

The 2019 Moulin-à-Vent Les Michelons is a strikingly sensual, vibrant wine that numbers among Duperray's greatest hits to date. Wafting from the glass with notions of cherries and raspberries mingled with vine smoke, peonies, rose petals and Indian spices, it's full-bodied, fleshy and textural, with a layered core of fruit, supple tannins and lively acids, concluding with a long, resonant finish.

Discover the elegant sophistication of Jules Desjourneys Moulin-a-Vent Styx 2016. Hailing from Burgundy, France, this cherished red wine exemplifies the fine craft of winemaker Fabien Duperray, known for his meticulous old-world techniques and measures to guarantee quality. Drawing from the vineyard's rich granitic soils, Jules Desjourneys Moulin-a-Vent Styx 2016 displays an exquisite synergy of intense berry flavours and a robust mineral structure.

This wine is a sublime result of 100% hand-harvested Gamay grapes, whole-cluster fermented to elegantly preserve the unique character of each bunch. The aging process involves 20 months in well-seasoned oak barrels which contributes to the layers of complexity, adding notes of spice that meld perfectly with the velvety tannins and rich fruit backdrop. The Jules Desjourneys Moulin-a-Vent Styx 2016 promises a wine of great longevity and evolving depth, perfect for enthusiasts of a truly refined vintage.

Experience the exceptional elegance of the Jules Desjourneys Songe Pinot Noir 2021, a Burgundian masterpiece meticulously crafted by talented winegrower, Fabien Duperray. Founded in 2009, his domaine sits in the esteemed Maconnais region of Burgundy, France, known for its exemplary Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes. Desjourneys' low-intervention approach, and old-vine plantings, coupled with organic practices, ensures purity and expression in every bottle.

This illustrious Pinot Noir exhibits exquisite depth, sporting a vibrant ruby hue and a gorgeous tapestry of aromas – red and black fruits, with hints of spice box. Its elegant structure is beset with fine tannins, revealing a palate of profound complexity and length. The synthesis of maturation in older barrels, combined with the fruit's natural acidity, brings about a wine offering a delicate balance of freshness and depth.

Savour the profound elegance of Jules Desjourneys Songe Pinot Noir 2021, a glorious demonstration of Burgundian winemaking at its finest.

Wine Advocate (94)

Deep and complete, the 2018 Morgon opens in the glass with notes of cassis, plums, smoked meats and cracked pepper. Medium to full-bodied, supple and layered, it's seamless and beautifully balanced, with powdery tannins and succulent acids. This is another terrific wine from Julien Sunier.

Wine Advocate (93)

The 2018 Régnié confirms its fine showing last year, wafting from the glass with a perfumed bouquet of raspberries, peonies, orange rind and exotic spices. Medium to full-bodied, supple and succulent and built around powdery tannins and lively acids, it concludes with a long and sapid finish.

Wine Advocate (95+)

Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2013 Alte Reben Shiraz is opening out into a bold, pure, pepper and licorice-laced nose over a core of black cherries and crushed blueberries with a touch of dried herbs. Full, rich and yet with plenty of freshness, this is a wine with great concentration, nice ripe tannins and a tantalizing finish. Yum!

Wine Advocate (95)

Kaesler’s icon cuvee is their Shiraz Old Bastard, produced from a single vineyard planted in 1896, and aged 22 months in 100% new French oak. The 2004 is a big yet remarkably elegant, deep purple-colored Shiraz offering notes of blueberries, black raspberries, and toasty oak, a superb texture, admirable richness, and a long, heady finish. There is plenty of tannin lurking beneath the cascade of fruit, glycerin, and extract. While accessible, it is too young to drink at present, and is meant to keep for 2-3 decades. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2025+.

Vinous (96)

Dark purple. Powerful, smoke- and spice-accented aromas of dark fruit preserves, vanilla, incense and violet. Alluringly sweet and broad on the palate, offering deeply concentrated blueberry, cassis, floral pastille and vanilla flavors plus suggestions of five-spice powder and cola. The floral quality repeats emphatically on an impressively long, velvety finish that"s framed by smooth, harmonious tannins.

Wine Advocate (94)

Sourced from vines planted in 1899 and 1965, Kaesler's 2015 The Bogan Shiraz aged 15 months in 25% new oak. It's a full-bodied but balanced Shiraz, with big blueberry and blackberry flavors but also savory hints of wood, grilled meat and dried spices. Plush and almost creamy on the palate, it moves easily into a long, velvety finish that picks up hints of plum and licorice. Flattering now, it should still be going strong in a decade or more.