Vinous (86-88)

The 2018 Bourgogne Rouge has a fragrant bouquet of dark cherries and raspberry scents, quite gentle in style. The palate is medium-bodied with crunchy red fruit and fine acidity. The 20% new oak lends a little weight toward the finish. This is definitely one of the superior generic red Burgundy wines you will find this year.

Vinous (91-93)

The 2019 Nuits Saint-Georges Les Charmois has slightly more red fruit than the Aux Lavières, hints of potpourri and lavender complementing the cranberry jus and red currants; more cassis aromas develop later. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, very sensual and harmonious. The sorbet-fresh finish delivers black cherry fruit laced with citrus fruits. Very fine.

The Real Review (94)

Bright, fresh, elegant wine with oyster shell, grapefruit/citrus, green apple and spicy oak flavours with a vibrant backbone of mouth-watering acidity and peppery phenolics. High energy wine that is drinking well upon release.

James Suckling (93-94)

This is very St.-Estephe, with blackcurrant, lead pencil, graphite and crushed stone. Medium-bodied, linear and structured. Excellent finish. 64% cabernet sauvignon, 29% merlot, 4% petit verdot and 3% cabernet franc. 13.35% alcohol. 3.75 pH.

James Suckling (94-95)

There’s depth and beauty to this wine. It offers crunchy fruit, a chalky undertone and a hint of raw coffee bean. Medium body. Fine tannins. Bright and transparent. 90% merlot and 10% cabernet franc.

A gem within the fine wine collection is the Le Mesnil Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru 2013. Hailing from Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, a prime Champagne region, this well-crafted wine bears the signature of Champagne Le Mesnil, a revered cooperative with unmatched commitment to quality. The vintage 2013 is 100% Chardonnay, meticulously hand-picked and vinified to produce a Blanc de Blancs of unparalleled strength and finesse.

Matured on lees for a noteworthy period, the wine showcases the unique terroir of Côte des Blancs, offering a mesmerising dance of creamy mousse, lush ripe fruit with hints of toasted almonds and brioche. The taste evolves on the palate, culminating in a long and magnificent finish.

If seeking a companion for a delicate entrée or a delightful standalone drink, the Le Mesnil Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru 2013 exemplifies the best of Champagne. It's a sublime testimony to the producer's mastery over the grape and terrain.

James Suckling (95-96)

This is a tighter and more compact Petit Mouton with a full-bodied, compact palate that is framed nicely by the tannins. Savory and juicy. Structured. Contained. 79% cabernet sauvignon, 12% merlot, 7% cabernet franc and 2% petit verdot. Better than 2022?

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (94)

The 2019 Le Petit Smith Haut Lafitte is fabulous. Rich, powerful and vibrant, Le Petit packs a serious punch. Readers will have a hard time keeping their hands off this jewel of a wine. Black cherry, plum, new leather, licorice, mocha and dried herbs build as this effusive, generous wine shows off its racy, alluring personality. I loved it.

James Suckling (98)

The purity here is really something. Blackberries and blackcurrants with sandalwood, mint and other classic herbs. Full-bodied and dense with ultra-fine tannins. Silky in all ways. Goes on for a long, long time. A blend of 79% cabernet sauvignon, 11% cabernet franc and 10% merlot. Joyous and serious wine for the vintage. And comparable to 2014 and 2015. Try after 2023.

Vinous (97+)

The 2016 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva is brooding and powerful, wafting up with a darkly floral mix of sweet mint, smoke and animal musk before a core of black cherry emerges. The textures are like pure, elegant silk, slowly draped across the palate, delivering an array of opulent black and red fruits contrasted by zesty citrus tones and spice. The sheer density here is amazing, but even more impressive is that the 2016 stays in perfect balance from start to finish, tapering off long, structured and classically dry. The Pertimali Riserva is created through a selection in the vineyard, and it spends 48 months refining in oak casks. There will be no Riserva created in 2017 or 2018.

Wine Advocate (96)

The 2010 Viña Tondonia Reserva has all I expect from a Reserva from Tondonia, complexity, elegance and evolution, a developed nose with notes of forest floor and wild berries, herbs and flowers, a touch of iodine, brick dust and very fine, polished tannins. It has the seriousness and elegance of Tondonia. This is a blend of 70% Tempranillo, 20% Garnacho (they use the masculine form of the name of the grape) and 5% each Graciano and Mazuelo that fermented in the ancient oak vats from when the winery was created 144 years ago and matured in well-seasoned, American oak barrels for six years. It has 13% alcohol, a pH of 3.4 and 6.6 grams of acidity. 260,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in May 2017.

Wine Advocate (95)

Desvignes's 2018 Morgon Côte du Py Javernières is superb, bursting from the glass with a captivating bouquet of violets, raspberries, dark chocolate and smoky blackberries. On the palate, it's full-bodied, velvety and layered, with a deep and multidimensional core, succulent acids and powdery tannins. Beautifully balanced and structurally refined despite its power and concentration, this is worth a special effort to seek out.

Tim Atkin MW (95)

Beautifully concentrated, this even has a bit of baby fat on it now. That's just fine as that provides a landing pad for the tangy tannins and racy acidity in this cuv e. The vines sit in iron-rich soils which give a slightly burly edge to the mouthfeel, despite the lush ripeness. For those preferring richer Pinot styles, this will show well now. For those seeking more finesse and multi-dimensional aromatic development, give this five years or so. 2023-38

Wine Advocate (93-95)

The 2016 Clos Saint-Denis Grand Cru has a clean and pure bouquet with ample smoke-tinged blackberry and raspberry fruit, controlled and focused, the mineral scents emerging with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with filigree tannin, plenty of dusky red fruit laced with graphite, although it deserves more complexity and detail to come through ont he finish. That may come with time. It is not up there with the outstanding 2015 but it is still extremely fine.

James Suckling (97)

A very cool and tight Corton Charlemagne with the intense spice, bold structure and steeliness that we expect from this appellation. Staggering concentration, which at this early stage makes the wine slightly austere, but all this gives it great aging potential. Fantastic integration of oak, fruit and mineral acidity at the amazing finish. Drinkable now, but best from 2024.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (98)

The 2012 Cristal is the first made entirely from biodynamically farmed vineyards. Passionfruit, mango, spice and ginger open first, but it is the wine’s textural richness and volume that stand out most. The 2012 is one of the most opulent, flamboyant recent Cristals. Those qualities feel especially amplified in this tasting, perhaps because of the presence of wines from the surrounding vintages. It was a complicated season, as mildew reduced yields significantly, resulting in an especially rich Cristal that seems to be gaining intensity with time in bottle. Dosage is 7 grams per liter. Disgorged: 2020.

Jeb Dunnuck (98)

Sourced from 39 plots, the 2014 Champagne Cristal is 60% Pinot Noir and the remainder Chardonnay, with 32% aged in oak, and it has 7 grams per liter dosage. It is highly expressive of classic elegance and purity, revealing aromas of crushed rock, almond croissant, and perfume of citrus blossoms. The palate is hyper-refined in its mousse, with pinpoint bubbles, a subtly rounded mid-palate, an irresistible chalky texture, and energy throughout its long and floral finish. Everything about this feels perfectly tailored. Drink 2024-2044.

James Suckling (95-96)

Very pretty and polished with blackberry, blueberry and ink character, as well as a hint of hazelnut. It’s medium-bodied with well-integrated tannins to the fruit. Fine and flavorful finish.

James Suckling (95-96)

A beautifully structured and complex white with pristine, bright citrus fruit and an exotic touch. There’s a mineral character to it, too, with oyster-shell and crushed-stone notes. It’s medium- to full-bodied with racy acidity that adds energy and tension. Very long finish with fine tannins that frame it nicely.

Jeb Dunnuck (97)

A rock star Margaux that should be snatched up by readers, the 2018 Château Marquis D'Alesme reveals a dense purple hue as well as ripe, sexy notes of blackcurrants, spicy oak, tobacco leaf, earth, and cedar. Deep, full-bodied, and gorgeously concentrated, it has velvety tannins, a layered, mouthcoating texture, and a great finish. It's a baby, but wow, what a wine. Hide bottle for 5-7 years if you can (you'll be forgiven for opening a bottle early) and it's going to evolve for 30-40 years.

Decanter (100)

Dense garnet in colour, this vintage of Masseto is restrained with a lavish elegance on the nose, displaying mint, milk, wild fennel (typical along the roads in Bolgheri), leather and white truffle. It is vibrant and mineral on the big palate, creamy at first then velvety on the mid-palate and super-ripe on the finish, woven with refreshing acidity and cassis meatiness. One of the greatest Masseto ever, and one of the best wines produced in Bolgheri (alongside Ornellaia 1998 and Sassicaia 1985). Simply, perfect!

Decanter (94)

While at the village level in 2018 we seem to find more dilute wines, Massolino should be considered an exception because they produced just a village Barolo, a blend of all their MGAs, including Vigna Rionda. The wine shines for its bright ruby colour, meaty and tarry with a incredible depth of rhubarb and minerality. Open-knit with its wild strawberry and cherry fruits, it flows on the velvety palate, lean yet refined, with polished tannins and brilliant integrated acidity. The finish is all cherry kernel and liquorice root. With this 2018 the estate confirms its consistency.

Introducing the remarkable Monte Faustino Fornaser Amarone della Valpolicella Classico 2017. Born from Veneto's fabled Valpolicella region in Italy, this wine is a testament to meticulous viticulture and winemaking practices. Monte Faustino, a bespoke winery where the Fornaser family exudes passion and respects deep-rooted Italian traditions, is renowned for its singularly stunning wines.

The 2017 vintage involves hand-picked Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara grapes, partially dried on 'arele' trays, enhancing intensity and concentrating aromas. The fermentation process, followed by a 30-month maturing period in Slavonian oak barrels, yields a beautifully balanced wine that defies comparison.

Endowed with a rich ruby red hue, the Monte Faustino Fornaser Amarone della Valpolicella Classico 2017 offers multifaceted sensory notes, a delightful spectrum spanning spiced fruit, tobacco to chocolate. Nuanced acidity complements embracing tannins, elegantly harmonising in a persistent finish. This fine wine is an epitome of quality, mastery, and timeless Italian character.

Halliday Wine Companion (99)

Stands proudly at the head of the Mount Mary portfolio. A blend of 44% cabernet sauvignon, 30% merlot, 16% cabernet franc and 5% each of malbec and petit verdot, each variety handled according to its structure. Open/static fermenters, wood/stainless steel, 10-14 days on skins, 35% new oak from a range of coopers and forests, 16-20 months in barrel. Mesmerisingly silky, with a kaleidoscope of fruit and secondary flavours.

Jane Anson Inside Bordeaux (98-100)

High Cabernet, and the grape is dominant not just in blend but character, totally delicious, with tension, flesh, and confidence, building layers of black fruits, graphite, cocoa bean, espresso, pomegranate and smoked earth throughout the palate. When Cabernet works at Mouton, it is hard to beat, and it's on full display in 2023. One of my clear wines of the vintage. Of any vintage. 100% new oak for ageing. 40% grand vin, harvest September 7 to 30.

James Suckling (99)

Fantastic aromas that are complex and complete with blackcurrants, blueberries and herbs, such as basil and bay leaf. But always subtle. Full-bodied yet linear and very refined with a very persistent finish. It shows drive and brightness. So refined at the end. Needs at least three to five years to come together.

Jancis Robinson (17.5)

Very intense green notes on the nose. Rich and polished and really gorgeous. Long.

Wine Advocate (94+)

Planted in pure limestone above Gerard Perse’s other famous vineyard/terroir, Chateau Pavie, this 10-acre site’s vines average 47 years of age. Fashioned from remarkably low yields, this blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc is a powerful, dense, tannic wine that will require considerable time to round into shape. It exhibits a dense purple color along with sweet aromas of mulberries, black currants, minerals, cold steel, graphite, and background spice. Full-bodied, highly-extracted, dense, and made in an unfashionably tannic, broodingly backward style, this is a wine for the ages. It requires 8-10 years of cellaring, and should last for 25-30+.

James Suckling (95-96)

There is a really pretty, powdery-tannin texture to this, with dark-berry and currant character. Some orange peel, too. It’s full and layered with a sense of precision and focus. Framed and open-grained in the texture. Velvety. Real Pauillac personality here. 70% cabernet sauvignon, 20% merlot and 10% cabernet franc. May be better than 2022.

Wine Advocate (97)

The 2018 St Henri Shiraz is a terrific effort, perhaps rivaling the top-flight wines under this label in 1976 and 1986. Remarkably fine and silky in texture yet simultaneously dense and concentrated, it showcases the amazing fruit harvested in 2018. Boysenberry, mulberry and mocha shadings all swirl together effortlessly in a whorl of full-bodied elegance, finishing long and effortless. Mainly Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale, it includes smaller amounts of fruit from Port Lincoln, Robe, Padthaway, Clare Valley and the Adelaide Hills, all aged 12 months in large old wooden vats.