France

Rated 100 by Decanter A sensational Troplong. Vibrant and vivid, this makes you smile from the first smell: milk chocolate, floral notes of roses and lavender, wet stones, liquorice, cinnamon and ripe bramble fruits. Round and thrilling on the palate, tannins are abundant with a chalky blueberry coolness while a salty tang settles around the mouth. Lovely precision and purity of fruit; you feel the sharp definition - still linear which makes it less immediately charming than the 2019 but giving undeniable complexity. Deep but not heady, this remains pure and detailed, with a leanness from the terroir really setting this apart. After a few...

VM 96 Vinous, February 2024 The 2021 Troplong Mondot is fabulous. It offers up a rush of dark red-toned fruit, crushed rocks, leather, menthol, cedar and blood orange. As always, Troplong Mondot is marked by a strong presence of Cabernet Sauvignon that seems to add brooding intensity, muscle and power. I tasted it three times. A bottle given a brief decant of about 20 minutes showed best. The 2021 spent 13 months in oak (two months less than normal), in a mix of 60% new, 21% 20-hectoliter cask and 19% once-used. The 2021 is a Troplong Mondot of extreme purity and class. -- Antonio Galloni.   #BORD

  100 Decanter "A supremely excellent Troplong in 2022 that has the hallmarks of a concentrated vintage but delivered with ultimate poise and precision. A joy to taste and once again one of my favourites. Sharp, sleek, sour, bright and cool - I love the instant freshness and drinkability of this, tannins are fresh and detailed with both a plush and cool texture underpinned by layers of flavour with depth and concentration. Clearly muscular but pixelated - it’s not tense, lean or austere but generous, charming and playful. Supple and succulent, still with ripe strawberry, cherry and raspberry fruit, a mix of bright red and...

  98-99 points James Suckling "The most structured and impressive Trottevieille I have ever tasted. It is full-bodied yet compacted with a fine velvet texture. Intense finish with super tension and focus. Could move up a notch." (4/2022) 95-97 points Jeb Dunnuck "My rough note on the 2022 Château Trotte Vieille included more than one expletive, and this beauty is straight-up gorgeous. Vivid blue fruits, violets, flowers, and chocolate all make an appearance on the nose, and it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a seamless, layered texture, perfect tannins, and nicely integrated oak. Based on 50%...

99James Suckling Fantastic texture and structure to this wine with firm, silky tannins that go on and on. Love the crushed blackberries, blueberries and salt. Floral and mineral character, too. Full and tight with great length. Chewy at the very end, indicating real structure. All about structure and length. 50% cabernet franc, 49% merlot, and 1% cabernet sauvignon.Barrel Sample: 98-99 D96Decanter xcellent grip and tension through the palate, a well-judged and well-balanced Trottevieille, doing exactly as well as expected in a vintage that favours clay and limestone soils that keep freshness and focus. Elegant and sleek, plenty of tight...

James Suckling 94-95 points. The origin of the name "Trottevieille" dates back several hundred years. Legend has it that there was once a stagecoach stop near the chateau. As soon as a team stopped, an elderly lady trotted down to get the news, hence the name “Trotte Vieille” (meaning “the Trot of the Elderly”). This Premier Grand Cru Classe of Saint-Emilion, Chateau Trotte Vieille, is home to a small parcel of vines rescued from the terrible damage caused by phylloxera during the second half of the 19th century. The vineyard Chateau Trotte Vieille 2021 is a Saint-Emilion wine made from a...

St Emilion Rated 100 by Wine Enthusiast Barrel Sample. This is a dense and luscious wine, the best yet from this estate. Its great structure and tannins show a style that is powerful but all within. This is a magnificent vintage from this Premier Grand Cru Classé estate, and fully deserves to be aged for many years. JD99 Rated 99 by Jeb Dunnuck The local bad boy of Bordeaux, Jean-Luc Thunevin, continues to fashion truly brilliant wines, and his 2019 is no exception. Based largely on Merlot with small amount of Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2019 Château Valandraud is a deep purple-hued beauty offering up a...

Wine Advocate 90-92. Sporting a deep purple-black color, the 2020 Vieux Maillet rolls out of the glass with upfront scents of plum preserves, blueberry compote and spice cake, plus hints of black truffles and crushed rocks. The elegantly crafted, medium-bodied palate is chock-full of crunchy black fruits with ripe, rounded tannins and great freshness, finishing on a lingering mineral note. LPB Jun 2021. Falstaff 92 points. Deep ruby, opaque core, purple reflections on the rim. Fresh cherry fruit, a hint of cassis underscored with new wood spices. Medium body, fine cherry fruit, fresh, well-structured, integrated tannins, remains...

James Suckling 95 points.   "A very elegant and beautifully balanced wine, in which the interplay of bright acidity, fine dry tannins and oyster-shell minerality is really fascinating. Very long, super bright finish." James Suckling   Passionate about wine and viticulture, Justin Onclin produced his first vintage of Château Villemaurine in 2007, 2 years after his acquisition. He was immediately seduced by the richness and extraordinary potential of Château Villemaurine. The wine has a deep colour, a very concentrated nose, with very smooth fruits, very round tannins. It presents a beautiful and long amplitude...

Wine Advocate 95 points. The 2021 de Fieuzal, a blend of 50% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Petit Verdot, has an expressive, sensual bouquet with aromas of blackberries, blackcurrant, rose, licorice and spring flowers. Medium to full-bodied, elegant and refined, pure and crystalline, it’s perfectly balanced with a sapid, tense and ethereal finish. Gourmand and charming, this is a superb rendition of sandy, gravelly soils. Keep it over the next decade. YC Feb 2024.   #BORD

JS 96 jamessuckling.com, March 2023 Some black pepper with crushed stone. Black berries, black cherries, and bark. Medium-bodied with lovely fruit and balance, and a gorgeous finish of peaches and tangerines. Fantastic. Drinkable but will age beautifully. JD 94 jebdunnuck.com, March 2023 Another head-turningly good Right Bank is the 2020 Clos De L'Oratoire, which comes from the team of Stephan von Neipperg. This medium to full-bodied, focused, elegant 2020 has good concentration, the vintage's pure, layered profile, classic aromas of black raspberry, cassis, graphite, and flowers, and plenty of chalky minerality on the finish. A...

93-95 Points, Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate: “The 2020 Clos du Marquis is composed of 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot and 6% Cabernet Franc, weighing in with an alcohol of 13.57%, a pH of 3.76 and an IPT (tannins index) of 84. The Cabernet Sauvignon was harvested from the 26th to 29th of September, the Merlot from the 11th to the 16th of September and the Cabernet Franc from the 18th to the 29th of September. Deep purple-black in color, it bursts from the glass with flamboyant notes of crushed blackberries, ripe, juicy plums and blackcurrant pastilles, with suggestions of licorice, red roses and espresso....

Rated 98 by Wine Enthusiast Barrel Sample. This is a ripe and structured wine that has a dense structure and concentrated blackberry fruit, yet it still shows the freshness typical of the vintage. It has an excellent long-term aging potential. DC 97 Rated 97 by Decanter Deliciously seductive nose, heady! Crystalline texture and purity here with a pulsing drive from start to finish. The fruit is super glossy and shiny, it feels precise and purposeful with blackcurrant and black cherries at the fore. Tannins are well integrated, just perceptible giving a nice weight and frame to the palate. Succulent and sophisticated. Drinking Window...

Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider, 90 points. 2021 Vintage Tasted: May 2022 The property lost 30% of their crop due to frost damage. The wine they were able to produce is medium-bodied, soft, fresh and forward, with a lean to the spicy, red plum and earthy side of the style range. This is a fine, well-priced, early drinking charmer. Drink from 2023-2035.   #BORD    

Rose petals and raspberry leaf aromatics, crushed and fragrant. This is delicious, with slate backed redcurrant and raspberry fruit, clear texture and grace, upward lift through the palate, jewel like in colour, easy to approach and yet with clear ageing ability, great quality. Juicy and mouthwatering finish, a wonderful testament to the easy beauty of these less renowed Burgundy appelations. 1.5ha for the 1er Cru, set across three plots, Les Vercots, Les Guérets and Les Valozières. A hot year where harvest took place August 23 to 29, fully completed before September even began. Bottled unfiltered, with 15% whole bunch...

Decanter 93 points. Jane Anson 92 points  

The Corton hill lies to the North of the end of the Côte de de Nuits where vines mingle with stone quarries. The vineyards form a kind of amphitheater which is not found elsewhere in the Côte. On the Southern side of the appellation, the dark soils are made up of limestone debris while those on the Northern side, are mainly pebbly. The wines are smooth and distinguished.    The Vineyard: Our Aloxe-Corton Premier Cru is a blend of 3 Premier Cru plots: Les Vercots, Les Guérets, situated South of the village, which give it its structure and its power, and Les Valozières, which has an Eastern aspect and...

The Vineyard: Our vines grow on a soil of clay and limestone. Aloxe-Corton is one of the first villages of the Côte de Beaune as it occupies a pivotal position between Côte de Beaune and Côte de Nuits. Aloxe-Corton wines combine the subtlety of the wines of the Côtes de Beaune and the power of the wines of the Côte de Nuits. Grape Variety: Pinot noir Appellation: Village Location: Aloxe-Corton Tasting notes: The wine has a beautiful bright cherry hue. Its first nose reveals caramel aroma, after a rapid evolution, some raspberries and strawberries appear. When tasting it, one         is...

The Corton hill lies to the North of the end of the Côte de de Nuits where vines mingle with stone quarries. The vineyards form a kind of amphitheater which is not found elsewhere in the Côte.   The vineyard is between 250 and 330 meters of altitude, Corton Grand Cru Les Languettes is an East-facing plot located at mid-slope and we are one of only two owners of this plot. Its peculiar feature is that the wine takes this climat name when planted with Pinot Noir and the name of Corton Charlemagne Grand Cru when planted with Chardonnay. The wine combines complexity and finesse.  

The Corton hill lies to the North of the end of the Côte de de Nuits where vines mingle with stone quarries. The vineyards form a kind of amphitheater which is not found elsewhere in the Côte. The vineyard is between 250 and 330 meters of altitude Corton Perrières is adjacent to the plot Les Languettes.   The Vineyard: Our plot is situated near our parcel of Corton Languettes and yet it is completely different from it. The soil consists of clay and limestone with streaks of iron oxide which account for its reddish color. Grape Variety: Pinot noir Appellation: Grand...

The Corton hill lies to the North of the end of the Côte de de Nuits where vines mingle with stone quarries. The vineyards form a kind of amphitheater which is not found elsewhere in the Côte. The vineyard is between 250 and 330 meters of altitude Corton Perrières is adjacent to the plot Les Languettes.

The vineyard of Savigny-les-Beaune is located on the banks of the Rhoin, a little stream which cuts through the Côte de Beaune. The vineyards are planted on gentle slopes by the Rhoin with a southern aspect. It borders the clay soils of the Corton hill. The depth of the soil contributes to giving the wine a powerful, fruity taste.

JD 98+ jebdunnuck.com, March 2023 (98+ points) The Grand Vin 2020 Domaine De Chevalier ratchets everything up another notch and will be one of the legendary wines from this address. Notes of pure cassis, graphite, lead pencil, and scorched earth define its incredible aromatics, and it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, ultra-fine tannins, no hard edges, and a great, great finish. This is pure, classic, regal Pessac-Léognan is as good as anything in the vintage. Give bottles 4-6 years and it will evolve for 50, 60, 70+ years. I absolutely love this wine. The blend is 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot, and the...

Wine Advocate 94+. The 2021 Domaine de Chevalier reveals a deep, complex bouquet with aromas of blackberries and blueberries mingled with spices, cigar wrapper and coniferous forest floor, followed by a medium to full-bodied, sweet and concentrated palate animated by bright acids and framed by fine, powdery tannins. It's an impressive effort that will reward a bit of bottle age. It's a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 10% Petit Verdot and 5% Cabernet Franc. Published:  Feb 09, 2024.   #BORD

The Burgundy Pinot Noir from the Justin Girardin estate 2022 offers a beautiful ruby colour and a fresh and elegant nose. Fresh and elegant nose. Red fruit aromas. Supple wine, lightly structured, fruity and fresh. Age of vines: 50 years old Grape variety: Pinot Noir Ageing: French oak barrels Origin of wood: Allier and Vosges 50 % in oak (no new oak) 50% in tank Wine remained 15 months in barrels. Viticulture: Pruning style: Cordon de Royat and Guyot simple Manual harvest Green work (de-budding, leaf-thinning,...) Triple sorting: in the vineyard (twice) and in the winery on sorting table Winemaking: Grapes are destemmed, put into vat...

Age of vines 25 years. Grape variety Pinot Noir. Ageing French oak barrels. Origin of wood: Allier and Vosges 25% of new oak. Wine remained 15 months in barrels. Viticulture Pruning style: Cordon de Royat and Guyot simple. Manual harvest Green work (de-budding, leaf-thinning,...). Triple sorting: in the vineyard (twice) and in the winery on sorting table Winemaking Grapes are destemmed, put into vat at 12°c during 5 days (cold pre-fermentary) to extract the primary aromas. Indigenous yeasts. Smooth extraction respecting the grape variety, terroir and vintage. Fermentation lasts around 20 days. Tasting notes The bouquet is ripe and fresh,...

Age of vines 25 years Grape variety Pinot Noir AgeingFrench oak barrels. Origin of wood: Allier and Vosges 25%ofnewoak. Wine remained 15 months in barrels. Viticulture Pruning style: Cordon de Royat and Guyot simple Manual harvest Green work (de-budding, leaf-thinning,...) Triple sorting: in the vineyard (twice) and in the winery on sorting table Winemaking Grapes are destemmed, put into vat at 12°c during 5 days (cold pre-fermentary) to extract the primary aromas. Indigenous yeasts. Smooth extraction respecting the grape variety, terroir and vintage. Fermentation lasts around 20 days. Tasting notes This Chassagne is a food wine,...

Clos Saint-Jean is a Premier Cru vineyard located on the hillside above the streets and houses of Chassagne-Montrachet village. It is planted to both Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, making high-quality examples of both. It is the Clos Saint-Jean Premier Cru red wines that are of particular note, displaying rich, ripe characters despite their often lighter color. The individual Clos Saint-Jean lieu-dit covers a little over five hectares (12.3 acres) of east-facing Côte d'Or midslope, but the wider site is considered to include Chassagne du Clos Saint-Jean (2 hectares/5 acres) along the same slope to the south, with Les Rebichets (5.4...

Only one barrel made.

Justin's tasting note: "An elegant wine with a character all of its own! Bright, vivid, red colour. Intense and fruity nose where notes of wet undergrowth and wild nature can be detected. Fleshy and well structured on the palate. A little chunky in its youth, it becomes rounder and delicious to drink as it gets older. Very flavourful aftertaste." This red wine is produced on the Aubuzes climat in Maranges on the edge of the Santenay vineyard. The name of the place is a local variant of "Aubues" from the Gallic word "albucre" which means a whitish clay soil. Here the soil is rich and clayey, covered with...

Age of vines 50 years Grape variety Pinot noir Ageing French oak barrels Origin of wood: Allier and Vosges 15%ofnewoak. Wine remained 12 months in barrels. Viticulture Pruning style: Cordon de Royat and Guyot simple Manual harvest Green work (de-budding, leaf-thinning,...) Triple sorting: in the vineyard (twice) and in the winery on sorting table Winemaking Grapes are destemmed, put into vat at 12°c during 5 days (cold pre-fermentary) to extract the primary aromas. Indigenous yeasts. Smooth extraction respecting the grape variety, terroir and vintage. Fermentation lasts around 20 days. Tasting notes Beautiful ruby colour, a red fruits...

Age of vines 55 years Grape variety Pinot noir Ageing French oak barrels 50% of new oak with 24 months of maturing Viticulture Pruning style : Guyot simple Manual harvest, green work (de-budding, leaf-thinning,...) Winemaking Grapes are destemmed, put into vat at 12°c during 5 days (cold pre-fermentary) to extract the primary aromas. Indigenous yeasts. Smooth extraction respecting the grape variety, terroir and vintage. Fermentation lasts around 20 days. Tasting notes A pinot noir with aromas of blackberry, blueberry, pepper, with a solid but fine structure. The nose offers a beautiful aromatic bouquet marked by aromas of small black...

 Age of vines 45 years Grape variety Pinot noir Ageing French oak barrels. Origin of wood: Allier and Vosges 20 %,of new oak. Wine remained 15 months in barrels. Viticulture Pruning style: Cordon de Royat and Guyot simple Manual harvest Green work (de-budding, leaf-thinning,...) Triple sorting: in the vineyard (twice) and in the winery on sorting table Winemaking Grapes are destemmed, put into vat at 12°c during 5 days (cold pre-fermentary) to extract the primary aromas. Indigenous yeasts. During fermentation, the temperature is monitored so that it is around 26 °c with a peak at 30°c. Smooth extraction respecting the grape...

Darren Harris 16.5/20. Deep garnet. A rich and powerful nose with warm plum, earth, some Christmas pudding spices and a kiss of oak. On the palate we have juicy black-red fruits in what is a mouthfilling wine. The tannins are well coated by the lucsious fruit. No shortage of flavour here. JROB 16.5 Jancis Robinson         Age of vines 45 years Grape variety Pinot noir AgeingFrench oak barrels Origin of wood: Allier and Vosges 20 %,of new oak. Wine remained 15 months in barrels. Viticulture Pruning style: Cordon de Royat and Guyot simple Manual harvest Green work (de-budding, leaf-thinning,...) Triple sorting: in...

Age of vines 50 years Grape variety Pinot noir Ageing French oak barrels. Origin of wood: Allier and Vosges 15%of new oak. Wine remained 12 months in barrels. Viticulture Pruning style: Cordon de Royat and Guyot simple Manual harvest Green work (de-budding, leaf-thinning,...) Triple sorting: in the vineyard (twice) and in the winery on sorting table Winemaking Grapes are destemmed, put into vat at 12°c during 5 days (cold pre-fermentary) to extract the primary aromas. Indigenous yeasts. Smooth extraction respecting the grape variety, terroir and vintage. Fermentation lasts around 20 days. Tasting notes This is a delicate wine marked by...

Jasper Morris MW. "In bottle. An attractive mid crimson. An attractive fresh raspberry fruit, middling concentration, slightly dry tannins just behind the bottling. The fruit has a riper aspect here. Drink from 2025-2029. Tasted: October 2023."   Age of vines 50 years Grape variety Pinot noir Ageing French oak barrels. Origin of wood: Allier and Vosges 15%ofnewoak. Wine remained 12 months in barrels. Viticulture Pruning style: Cordon de Royat and Guyot simple Manual harvest Green work (de-budding, leaf-thinning,...) Triple sorting: in the vineyard (twice) and in the winery on sorting table Winemaking Grapes are destemmed, put...

Jasper Morris MW. "There is a generosity of clean fruit on the palate, middling raspberry and strawberry, not too weighty but also not too over-ripe. Light tannins behind, quite an elegant style."

93 Points, Neal Martin, Vinous: "The 2020 Les Griffons de Pichon Baron contains the Petit Verdot that was previously blended with the Les Tourelles. This has an intense nose with graphite and chalk-tinged black fruit, touches of black olive compote emerging with time, all with wonderful delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with quite firm and saturated tannins, very pure, precise and poised. Gentle grip with a lively, citrus-fresh finish, and hints of blue fruit on the aftertaste." 12/22. #BORD

James Suckling 97 points. What a sensational perfume this Morgon has! So rich and sensual, yet so refined and complete on the enveloping yet delicate palate. Mind-blowing concentration at the breathtakingly long finish that builds to a gigantic climax. Drink or hold. 97 points. Reviewer Name:  Stuart Pigott Review Date:  14th April 2022.     Morgon is probably the most famous of the Beaujolais Crus, alongside Fleurie, and it has long been said that this appellation combines the 'charm of a Burgundy and the fruit of a Beaujolais'. This Aux Charmes 2018 is sourced from a plot of 50 year old vines in the south-west...

James Suckling 98 points. "Hold onto your hat for the breathtakingly deep, fresh and savory nose of this extraordinary Morgon. Gigantic concentration of black cherry and black raspberry fruit, plus a staggering mineral freshness in the finish that may be too much for some, but I find extremely exciting. The finish is as long as the universe is wide. Drink from release."

James Suckling 96 points. Redefines Santenay elegance! What a beautiful nose of dried citrus peel, summer flowers and red berries! This is an extraordinarily sophisticated and refined wine for the appellation, with super-fine tannins and uplifting freshness for the very warm year. Super- long and silky finish! Drink or hold. In old French "La Maladière" means establishment of assistance to the sick. These establishments received donations. This climat name in Santenay refers to one of them which belonged to the Maladière de Chagny, a few kilometers away. Years of planting 1963 (0.52 ha), 2005 (0.51 ha) and 1990...

• Vines planted by David and Arnaud Lavantureux’s grandfather from 1969 to 1978. • 100% destemmed • Whole-berry fermentation in stainless steel lasts one month and a half • Aged for one year in 75% barrels and 25% stainless steel.   Winemaker Notes Epineuil shares the prized Kimmeridgian marl that makes up the soils of Chablis, and this rouge echoes the bright, mineral backbone that characterizes Lavantureux whites. What's more, the brothers have shown to have real touch with the Pinot grape, yielding a wine of striking finesse that shows off the crunchy red fruit, floral notes, and peppery spice typical...

Wine Advocate 93 points. Unwinding in the glass with aromas of sweet blackberries and raspberries mingled with hints of rose petal and spices, the 2020 Mondot is medium to full-bodied, ample and fleshy, with a pure, seamless core of vibrant fruit and a long, succulent finish. Derived from Merlot growing on recently acquired vineyards on Saint-Émilion's limestone plateau, some 40% of the blend is matured in tank, with the rest in once-used barriques. - William Kelley, Wine Advocate   #BORD

Jeb Dunnuck 97 points. As always, the 2017 Châteauneuf Du Pape Cuvée De Mon Aïeul is all Grenache (from La Serres, La Crau, and La Guigasse) that was not destemmed and was brought up all in used demi-muids. It's an extraordinary wine, offering a mammoth bouquet of kirsch liqueur, black raspberries, ground pepper, white flowers, and spice. Full-bodied, concentrated, and opulent on the palate, with silky tannins, it's not going to match the 2010 or 2016, but t’s a magical, elegant, layered wine that does everything right. About 650 cases per year. 100% Grenache

Wine Advocate 95 points. Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux tasting. The 2012 Vieux Château Certan has a potent, smoke, cooked meat, Cabernet Franc-scented bouquet that is beautifully defined—quintessentially Pomerol. You want typicité? Come right here. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, quite gentle as it sashays across the mouth. The acidity is very well judged and leads to an elegant tobacco tinged finish. Alexandre and Guillaume Thienpont have produced one of the finest wines of the Right Bank in 2012, one that is up there with the greats. NM Oct 2016.   #BORD

Wine Advocate 98 points. Composed of 80% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2017 Vieux Château Certan sports a deep garnet-purple color. No mincing about, the bouquet absolutely prances out of the glass with stunning scents of candied violets, chocolate-covered cherries, roses and eucalyptus over a core of black plum preserves, mulberries, black raspberries and blueberry pie plus wafts of licorice, iron ore and truffles. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has fantastic balance and expression, with very fine-grained, silt-like tannins and well-knit freshness, finishing with epic length and perfume.LPB Mar 2020...

VN 98 Vinous, February 2024 The 2021 Vieux Château Certan may very well be the wine of the vintage on the Right Bank. Intensely aromatic and nuanced, with exceptional balance, the 2021 is super-classy right out of the gate. Naturally, it doesn't have the richness or density of most prior vintages, but it more than makes up for that with its sublime harmony and overall freshness. All the elements are so well proportioned. Readers should plan on cellaring this beauty for at least another handful of years. -- Antonio Galloni  WE 98 Wine Enthusiast, June 2022 (WE 96–98 points) The wine has freshness and a fine perfume that...