Wine Enthusiast (97)

Fragrant and delicious, this gorgeous wine opens with inviting aromas of rose, sandalwood, camphor and perfumed berry alongside whiffs of truffle and French oak. The full-bodied palate combines elegance and structure, featuring ripe Morello cherry, crushed raspberry, licorice and a dollop of vanilla alongside firm, refined tannins. It's already tempting but hold for more complexity.

Vinous (93)

The 2018 Barolo Le Vigne is a mid-weight, tightly wound wine, with a classic sense of austerity that will need at least a few years in bottle to start softening. Red cherry fruit, white flowers, mint and chalk lend brightness and tension throughout. In 2018, the blend of vineyards is Baudana, Villero, Vignane and Merli.

Vinous (97)

The 2019 Barolo Le Vigne is pure and total seduction. Kirsch, sweet pipe tobacco, mint, cedar, dried herbs and orange peel all grace a Le Vigne built on mid-weight structure and energy. There is a feeling of youthful classicism and austerity that is so beguiling. Readers should plan on being patient, though. The 2019 won't be ready to drink anytime soon, but there is enough fruit to make me think it will be superb, in time.

Wine Advocate (100)

Here it is: the newest creation to emerge from the talented hands of Luciano Sandrone and his family. To be released in 2019, the 2013 Barolo Vite Talin is a wine born from a single vine. They noticed one plant that behaved differently than the others. It produced dark and concentrated fruit. Unlike common Nebbiolo, its leaves showed shallow sinuses between the lobes. Its vigor was different, producing fewer very loose clusters with small berry and seed size. The Sandrone family first noticed this vine in 1987 and named it Talin (a dialect version of the Italian name Natale) after the farmer who originally had the vine. For years, they vinified fruit from this vine separately in order to study its progress. They had a hunch that this mysterious vine was indeed genetically Nebbiolo, and they eventually received confirmation of this from the University of Turin. With this, they earn the right to call this wine Barolo. The massal selection is from Le Coste, and Barolo now results in less than one hectare of vines (6,000 square meters) and less than 2,000 bottles produced per year. This first vintage celebrates the 40th anniversary of the estate (1978-2018). The wine opens to an intense, dark color with extra pulp, power and structure in the mouth. The tannins are soft and rich. The wine is fermented in oak with maceration times that range from 20 to 25 days. It is then aged in tonneaux for two years before going into oval-shaped bottles for another two years before its commercial release. In total, it completes six years of aging at the winery. This is a game changer for the Sandrone family and for Barolo. What I find fascinating is that Barolo Talin takes us away from the discussion of vineyards and crus. It reminds us that the Nebbiolo grape is ultimately what is behind every great Barolo that we love. This wine takes us to the heart of Nebbiolo.

Vinous (93)

Full, bright red. Subdued but deep aromas of smoky red fruits, plum, dried rose, camphor and game; Barolo meets Burgundy. Fat, lush and compellingly sweet; broader and suppler today than Le Vigne, conveying an impression of lower yields. Already shows compelling depth. Here the tannins seem finer and sweeter, or is there simply more powerful buffering material? Lovely finishing flavors of red fruits and spices.

Vinous (95+)

Good bright ruby-red. Deeper but less forthcoming on the nose than Le Vigne, hinting at black cherry, menthol and flowers. Then broader and deeper on the palate, conveying a more classically dry impression than the wonderfully sweet, round 2007. As creamy as this is, it's dominated today by its impression of energy and medicinal black cherry reserve. Most impressive right now on the tightly coiled, rising, electric finish, which unfurls spectacularly as the wine sits in the glass. A great expression of Cannubi terroir.

Vinous (97)

The 2010 Barolo Cannubi Boschis is just starting to show the first signs of aromatic maturity. Dark and dense on the palate, the 2010 remains massively tannic in feel, though. Tasting the 2010 next to the current releases shows the style prevalent at the time that favored more overt fruit, greater extraction and heavier oak signatures. Black cherry, espresso, chocolate, menthol and dried flowers all develop as the 2010 opens up with time in the glass. This is dark, virile and powerful in style; I would wait a few years, as it is going through a phase of closure today.

Rarely does a wine exude the excellence of terroir as playfully and profoundly as the Lucien & Andre Brunel Chateauneuf-du-Pape Les Cailloux 1989. Produced by father-son duo, Lucien and Andre Brunel, whose familial lineage in winemaking dates to the 17th century, this wine comes from Southern Rhône's prestigious Les Cailloux vineyard. This 1989 vintage carries 13% alcohol and boasts of Grenache-led grapes, blended to perfection with Syrah, Mourvèdre and Cinsault.

Meticulous viticulture methods and sustainable cultivation practices enhance the remarkable complexity of this wine. Enjoy the distinct expression of the heavily pebbled, clay-limestone soil that imparts a unique mineral character. This full-bodied red captivates with its multifaceted bouquet, combining mature, dark fruits, earthy undertones and hints of black chocolate, leading to a rich and lasting finish.

Experience the iconic integrity, grandeur and elegance of the Lucien & Andre Brunel Chateauneuf-du-Pape Les Cailloux 1989, a cornerstone of a true connoisseur's collection.

Vinous (92)

Good full red. Roasted plum, smoke, licorice and game on the nose; less expressive than the 2001 following the October bottling. Sweet and supple in the mouth, with floral red fruit flavors and a silkiness of texture that reminded me of Burgundy. Sound acids give this 2000 a juicy quality and contribute to the impression of grip.

Jeb Dunnuck (95)

The 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape is flat-out brilliant, and readers looking for an incredible wine that will drink well for upwards of two decades should back up the truck on this one. Incredible black cherry, Provençal garrigue, pepper, and licorice notes give way to a full-bodied, perfectly balanced, seamless 2019 with ripe tannins, no hard edges, and a great, great finish. You could safely put this up with the crème de la crème in a blind tasting and it would do just fine. The blend is 70% Grenache, 15% Mourvèdre, 12% Syrah, and the rest Cinsault, aged mostly in concrete tank, with 12% brought up in old barrels.

Burghound (89-92)

A moderately toasty nose reflects notes of cassis, wild red currant and soft floral wisps. The sleek, muscular and broad-shouldered flavors make quite a contrast with the slightly skinny and lean finish where the wood toast telegraphed by the nose resurfaces. Again, this may come together but that is far from a certainty.

Burghound (93-96)

Ripe aromas include those of plum, dark cherry, warm earth and a whisper of the sauvage. The supple, delicious and dense big-bodied flavors flash enormous power and drive that really builds from the mid-palate to the explosively long and sappy finish where the only nit is a hint of warmth. Note that this is very firmly structured and in need of at least a decade of keeping and should reward almost two.

Vinous (94-97)

Good medium ruby. High-pitched violet perfume lifts the aroma of ripe black cherry. Wonderfully suave, intense and refined, with a pungently fresh quality that reminded me of cut grass. This highly concentrated wine has perfectly integrated acidity, as well as a stronger limestone character than usual. In a rather masculine style but also seamless and suave. Finishes with outstanding length and class, the tannins totally buffered by fruit and minerals. Mounir Saouma noted that this wine has been great since the beginning.

Burghound (90-93)

Reduction knocks down the underlying fruit though wisps of spice escape the funk. More positively are the racy and highly energetic middle weight flavors that brim with minerality on the markedly firm but balanced and persistent finish that will need to add depth to reach the upper end of my projected range.

Burghound (93-95)

This too is firmly reduced. There is almost painful intensity to the beautifully delineated and mineral-driven broad-shouldered flavors that possess a highly refined textured before culminating in an almost crisp, moderately austere and wonderfully persistent finale that is quite firmly structured. This is a bit atypical but no less attractive for it and a Bèze that should amply reward a decade plus of cellaring. Lovely.

Burghound (91-94)

A notably fresher nose offers up notes of various red berries along with a plentitude of floral nuances. There is also better energy on the palate of the medium-bodied flavors that exude evident minerality on the saline and lingering if again mildly rustic finish. With that said, this is much better-balanced.

Vinous (92-94)

(from vines in both Charmes and Mazoyères): Dark red-ruby. Inviting aromas of raspberry, minerals, smoked meat and dried rose, along with a cool licorice note. Juicy, intense wine with excellent definition and lovely inner-mouth floral lift. Still a bit youthfully medicinal but already conveys an attractive texture and a harmony of elements. Finishes juicy, spicy and quite long, with suave, fine-grained tannins and a repeating suggestion of medicinal reserve. Saouma was not the only producer I visited this fall who noted that Charmes-Chambertin has benefited substantially from global warming. Not too long ago, Charmes typically had a greenness as well as underripe tannins, he said. (I will withhold early judgment on a 350-liter barrel of Griottes-Chambertin, which was fusel and extremely reduced, and still had some unconverted malic acidity.)

Burghound (88-91)

A somber nose half-heartedly offers up notes of forest floor, earth and leather on the essence of red berry fruit-scented aromas. There is better volume and muscle to the bigger and richer if decidedly grippy and somewhat short finish. This too may lengthen out but today it seems a bit clipped and compact.

Burghound (92-95)

This is very ripe, indeed to the point where the cassis, warm earth and softly floral-scented aromas exhibit hints of mocha. In much the same fashion as the Clos St. Denis there is a relatively sleek mouth feel to the solidly intense and muscular larger-scaled flavors that possess a lovely sense of harmony and excellent complexity on the lingering finish that is a bit less youthfully austere than usual.

Wine Advocate (94+)

The 2016 Echézeaux Grand Cru wafts from the glass with a deep bouquet of smoked meats, cassis, blackberries, incense and rich soil tones. On the palate, it's full-bodied, velvety and enveloping, with rich but supple tannins, a deep and concentrated core of fruit, lively acids and a long, thrillingly carnal finish. This is a beautifully made Echézeaux from this challenging frost vintage.

Vinous (93-95)

(the crop level here was barely 15 hectoliters per hectare, according to Saouma): Full, bright ruby. Higher-toned and considerably more expressive on the nose than the Echézeaux, offering aromas of black raspberry, licorice and violet along with suggestions of more exotic ripeness. Densely packed and seriously concentrated, but a bit youthfully imploded owing to its crushed-rock minerality; conveys a strong impression of dry extract but little early sweetness. As young as this wine is, it's much more harmonious today than the Echézeaux. Finishes very long, with serious but fine-grained tannins.

Burghound (91-93)

An overtly floral and well-layered nose is elegant, airy and pure with plenty of spice elements adding breadth to the super-fresh essence of red currant aromas that are trimmed in discreet oak nuances. There is notably more size, weight and power to the tautly muscular flavors that culminate in a serious, robust and lingering finish. This is not a monster of concentration but I like the balance and overall sense of harmony.

Burghound (93-95)

(Don't Miss!) There is enough reduction to mask the fruit but not the sauvage elements Mazis is famous for. There is a bit more size, weight and power to the big-bodied flavors that brim with both minerality and dry extract, all wrapped in a dusty, mouth coating and tightly wound finish that is austere but not rustic. Once again ample patience will be required as this is very clearly built-to-age.

Burghound (91-94)

Prominent spice nuances add breadth to the distinctly earthy and sauvage-inflected deeply pitched nose of red and dark currant, poached plum and leather. The succulent but muscular medium-bodied plus flavors possess plenty of minerality and even better depth and persistence on the attractively balanced if very firm finish.

Burghound (91-93)

A ripe yet cool nose reflects notes of black raspberry, poached plum and a lovely violet top note. There is very good volume to the caressing yet muscular medium-bodied flavors that deliver fine length and even better depth. This should be excellent in time.

Experience the exquisite allure of the Lucien Muzard Santenay 1er Cru Maladiere 2015, a fine vintage hailing from the esteemed vineyards of Santenay, Burgundy. Crafted by the renowned Muzard family, descendants of centuries-old line of winemakers, this robust yet nuanced red wine speaks to the extraordinary terroir and meticulous care of the winemaker. Employing traditional viticulture methods, the grapes are harvested by hand to ensure the preservation of complex aromatic profile.

The Lucien Muzard Santenay 1er Cru Maladiere 2015 is characterised by its rich, full-bodied mouthfeel and refined tannic structure. Aromas of red and black fruits mingle with subtle hints of minerals and spices, providing an enticing olfactory experience. On the palate, it reveals a vivacious acidity balanced with a lingering finish that evokes its old-world roots.

Boasting of longevity that only grows more elegant with age, Lucien Muzard Santenay 1er Cru Maladiere 2015 is truly a testament to exceptional Burgundian winemaking.

Vinous (95+)

The 2017 Barolo Baudana is such a gorgeous wine. It, too conveys the power of Serralunga, but with a bit less heft than is typically the case. Sweet dark cherry, iron, cedar, rose petal, mint and white pepper give the 2017 its effusive, inviting personality. This is such a tremendous showing.