Burghound (95-98)

(from an incredible 6.46 ha parcel, which doesn’t include the .67 ha section planted to chardonnay). This too is quite aromatically restrained though aggressive swirling does eventually coax the pure and elegant aromas to emerge and when they do, they are almost a hypothetical blend of the Amoureuses and the Bonnes Mares. The concentrated, powerful and decidedly muscular flavors retain plenty of refinement and minerality that conclude in a wonderfully complex and superbly long finale. The mid-palate texture is akin to rolling rocks around in the mouth and the finish just goes on and on. This too is brilliant, and the word Zen definitely comes to mind. (95-98)/2041+

Vinous (89-91)

Bright ruby-red. The musky dark raspberry and mocha nose exudes a sexy sweetness. Less dense but more delineated than the Clos du Château, conveying a much lower pH impression. Fresh raspberry, blackberry, spice and licorice flavors linger nicely on the lively finish. Very Nuits in character.

Vinous - Neal Martin (94-96)

The 2018 Volnay Les Santenots-du-Milieu 1er Cru has the most intense bouquet of Dominique Lafon’s Volnays this year, intense black cherry scents intermingling with boysenberry and light cassis aromas, all delivered with the utmost detail. The palate offers black cherry and raspberry fruit infused with violets, very fine tannins and gentle grip. The silky-smooth finish fans out gloriously. Stunning.

Wine Enthusiast (99)

This savory stunner has enticing scents of violet, rose and wild berry that gain complexity alongside notes of leather, camphor and sandalwood. The elegantly structured palate is all about precision, featuring juicy cherry, blood orange, star anise and tobacco framed in taut, refined tannins. Bright acidity keeps it energized.

Wine Enthusiast (98)

Aromas of ripe dark-skinned fruit, forest floor, rose and wild mint shape the enticing nose. Elegantly structured and full of flavor, the linear, focused palate delivers mature Marasca cherry, blood orange, licorice and tobacco set against a backbone of refined tannins. Drink 2023 though 2035.

Wine Advocate (96+)

The Cortonesi 2016 Brunello di Montalcino Poggiarelli draws its fruit from a vineyard planted in the 1970s and replanted in part during the 1990s. Its fruit has made this designate wine since 1998, and like many of the Selezioni (and the Brunello cru expressions), this wine shows a pretty mineral character that lifts above the bright red fruit. It's absolutely true that these special sections from Montalcino are always recognized by their terrain or soil-adjacent aromas. In this case, I can smell those flinty or gravel-like tones from the schistous Galestro rocks. That special aromatic signature is followed by dark fruit and balsam herb, firm tannins and bright acidity. This is a limited 4,000-bottle release.

Jancis Robinson (17.5)

Superb. The acidity is geometric, triangular, feisty, orange-blossom fragrant, direct. The fruit is orange and passion fruit bleeding into plums and tea leaves and sage and mint and thyme and scribbles of pencils and late-summer nights and the finish is like walking through a just-harvested hay field when the first cool rain of autumn is falling soft as mist. Love this. It's delicious, delicious, delicious. I tasted it right at the end of a very long tasting – seven hours on my feet – and it quite literally revived my flagging soul.

Jancis Robinson (17.5)

Succulent, polished fruit in beautiful balance. This is enough to inspire a rash of multi-vintage blends, no? Walter may disapprove of the incursion of those Bordeaux grapes but it's a really lovely drink, grown, presumably, not that far from Tenuta del Trinoro. Very long and nuanced. Beautiful texture and freshness. Lip smacking! How wonderful to find this under £20 a bottle. No prizes for label design but I'd much rather all the effort went into making a lovely (and ready) drink. Not a wine for long keeping. Just drink it. Very good value.

Vinous (92-95)

The 2015 Corton La Vigne au Saint Grand Cru exudes freshness and vivacity. Hints of orange peel, cranberry and white pepper from the whole clusters (45%) add a striking aromatic upper register. This is another wine with a super-appealing push and pull between ripeness of fruit and salivating acidity. Quite frankly, in a blind tasting, this would be very hard to peg as wine from a warm vintage. - Antonio Galloni

English critic Matthew Jukes has declared that Lionel's wines are 'worth their weight in gold', and we certainly think that is the case with this Cupano Vino Rosso 4th Edition NV. This is made from a blend of barrels that taste excellent but do not feel ready in time when Cupano blended their Montalcino releases so they were left aside. Instead of waiting to use it for a Brunello that might disrupt the usual annual releases of the estate wines, it has instead become a upmarket 'vin de copains' - wine for friends.

 

This 4th Edition comes from the 2018 and 2019 vintages and is made from 80% Sangiovese that would normally be used in their Brunello di Montalcino or Rosso di Montalcino and 20% Merlot that would usually be used in their superb Super Tuscan Ombrone. With the power on the nose and palate that Cupano is usually associated with, this shows all the wonderful Sangiovese character one could want without the oak that a young Brunello would show.

waiting to use it for a Brunello that might disrupt the usual annual releases of the estate wines, it has instead become a upmarket 'vin de copains' - wine for friends.

 

For each new Vino Rosso release, famous french artist Gerard Fromanger paints a special new label and this 4th edition is the most impressive yet. While production has been upped from the last release, this 4th Edition is still made in tiny quantities with only 830 six packs made.

Burghound (93)

Outstanding. Pungent aromas of wood and reduction clearly need aeration so be sure to do that if you choose to crack a bottle young. By contrast there is fine density and verve to the utterly delicious middleweight flavors that possess a more refined and more mineral-driven texture before culminating in a clean, very dry and sneaky long finish. Assuming this cleans up appropriately it should ultimately offer very fine quality over a mid-term aging curve.

Wine Advocate (92)

Bottled in February 2021 (no, that isn't a typo), Defaix's 2009 Chablis 1er Cru Côte de Léchet wafts from the glass with aromas of honeycomb, golden orchard fruit, apricot, spices and dried white flowers. Medium to full-bodied, broad and satiny, it's a lively, saline wine that concludes with a delicately nutty finish.

Vinous (91-93)

The 2020 Meursault Les Perrières 1er Cru has a well-defined nose with perhaps more mineralité than others. The palate is medium-bodied with a smooth entry, light tropical notes with hints of peach and apricot, quite sensual towards the finish that lingers in the mouth. Delicious, but maybe it just needs a little more tension. Closure: Diam

Burghound (94)

The ripe and ultra-fresh aromas are from the darker side of the fruit spectrum while including plenty of spice, warm earth, menthol and plenty of sauvage character. There is both fine detail and a beguiling texture to the equally broad-shouldered and even more mineral-inflected flavors that possess even better complexity on the balanced and hugely long finish. Unusually, this appears to be just a bit less structured than the Bressandes and should also be approachable on the younger side if that's your preference.

Wine Advocate (94)

The 1971 Richebourg Grand Cru from Domaine de la Romanée-Conti was poured from magnum. It had a powerful, almost burly bouquet as you would expect from this vineyard—perhaps autumnal, brown leaves and a cold Sunday afternoon, touches of Earl Grey infused the dark berry fruit (darker than the 1971 Grands Echézeaux tasted alongside incidentally). The palate is medium-bodied with a fine line of acidity, hints of dried orange peel infusing the black and red fruit, all with impressive energy considering that this is now the same age as yours truly. Perhaps I found more breeding on the aforementioned Grands Echézeaux, and yet this is still a gorgeous mature Burgundy that will continue to give immense pleasure over the next decade for those privileged with the experience. Tasted November 2016.

Vinous (92-94)

The 2017 Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru is completely de-stemmed and matures in 80% new oak. It has an expressive and aromatic bouquet with pretty blueberry, raspberry and iodine aromas that burst from the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, very effervescent from the start with vivid red and black fruit infused with orange zest and light fig notes. Very fine.

Vinous (92)

The 2016 Puligny-Montrachet Les Combettes 1er Cru is taut and fresh, showing more vigour and mineralité compared to its showing in bottle last year. The palate is well balanced with good depth, a little creaminess coming through towards the finish with touches of orange zest and dried apricot developing. This has caught up with the Folatières since it lagged behind when tasted from vat. Tasted at Flint Wines Domaine Dujac tasting in London.

Vinous (89-91)

The 2018 Puligny-Montrachet Village comes from the 12 parcels located around the appellation. It offers attractive dewy green apples, freshly sliced pear and hints of mirabelle on the nose, which needs a few swirls of the glass to awaken. The palate is well balanced with orange zest and citrus lemon and hints of lime, all matched with a fine bead of acidity, the 15% new oak neatly folded into the finish. Recommended.

Wine Spectator (92)

Sweet oak lends vanilla and toasty accents to the core of cherry and strawberry fruit. Linear in profile, with freshness and dusty tannins framing the candied berry notes on the long finish. Best from 2017 through 2027. 130 cases made.

Decanter (96)

You're almost always assured of a great Corton from this 2.7ha monopole, which has performed especially well in the warmer conditions of 2017, retaining acidity and freshness. Fine tannins, chalky minerality and beautifully judged oak all support savoury raspberry, red cherry and pomegranate fruit flavours.

Decanter (95)

The 0.81ha vineyard for these grapes is at the top of the hill, resulting in very cool conditions for the vines. This terroir produces a spicy, vivacious wine with notes of cassis and mulberry, accented with smoke and new leather. The 2020 vintage was aged half in new casks and half in two-year-old barrels to give a wine with plenty of finesse and high-toned elegance, yet one that in no way lacks solid ‘Nuits’ character.

Wine Advocate (95+)

Fattoria dei Barbi is one of the historic, grandfather estates of the appellation, and this important point comes to mind every time I have the honor of reviewing their new releases. The wines always show a distinctly traditional side that is just part of this estate's DNA, and I'd like to think that this defining characteristic would not change even if a concerted effort was made to do so. Territory speaks loud in the 2016 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva. The wine offers purity and deep layering with alternating tones of dried cherry, dark spice, cola and crushed flowers. Only 4,000 bottles were made.

Wine Advocate (98)

The consistency and depth of this wine is just incredible. Like the Carla 6, the 2016 Giorgio Primo shows an inky dark color, almost totally black, with penetrating fruit and long waves of rich fruit flavor throughout. George the First casts mesmerizing spells of spice, tar and smoke. This is a blend of 50% Merlot, 45% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Petit Verdot. This is another outstanding effort from Fattoria La Massa and its eccentric but visionary founder, Giampaolo Motta. Some 16,000 bottles, magnums, double magnums and other large formats were created.

Wine Advocate (97)

Wow, there is a very impressive freshness here that defies the heat of this vintage. The 2017 Saffredi does not seem like a 2017 at all. Now celebrating its 30th birthday, Saffredi is 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 10% Petit Verdot. Thanks to the vineyard's proximity to the sea, leaving leaves on the vines and the sharp diurnal shifts of the area, the fruit was able to ripen in a balanced manner despite the hot and dry summer. The team at Fattoria le Pupille knew they would have to be ready to harvest early and lose some their yields, and they did. In the end, production was down 25%, but the result is a fresh, thick and beautiful red made with ripe fruit and dark concentration. This is a great effort from Fattoria le Pupille. This wine will be released in November.

James Suckling (97)

A fantastic nose to this with currant, sage, rosemary and rose-petal character. Sweet tobacco and spicy chocolate, too. Very complex. The palate shows lovely depth of fruit with blackberries, blackcurrants and fine tannins. It’s racy and refined with a direct, focused palate. Just a baby. A blend of cabernet sauvignon 60%, merlot 32% and petite verdot 8%. This needs at least two or three years to soften. Try in 2023.

Wine Advocate (98+)

The 2016 Fontalloro is the best vintage of this landmark wine that I have tasted thus far. This is a very elegant vintage, with more volume in the mouth and precise notes of tar, licorice, camphor ash, resin and Indian spice. In a race between the highly competitive 2015 and 2016 vintages, I give a slight advantage to this wine. The warmer 2015 vintage shows more richness and exuberant fruit. However, this wine from 2016 offers a more focused and chiseled delivery. I am hopeful that this wine will continue to evolve and sharpen as it ages in the bottle. This is a beautiful wine to put aside in your cellar for ten years or more.

Wine Advocate (98+)

The 2016 Fontalloro is the best vintage of this landmark wine that I have tasted thus far. This is a very elegant vintage, with more volume in the mouth and precise notes of tar, licorice, camphor ash, resin and Indian spice. In a race between the highly competitive 2015 and 2016 vintages, I give a slight advantage to this wine. The warmer 2015 vintage shows more richness and exuberant fruit. However, this wine from 2016 offers a more focused and chiseled delivery. I am hopeful that this wine will continue to evolve and sharpen as it ages in the bottle. This is a beautiful wine to put aside in your cellar for ten years or more.

Vinous (95)

Fontalloro is exquisite in 2017. It is also such a contrast to the Rancia, as the two wines could not possibly be more different. Fontalloro is bright and vibrant, with more sweet red Sangiovese character than the darker Rancia. It is also incredibly delicious now, even though it clearly has the energy to age for many years. The 2017 is one of the finest Fontalloros I can remember tasting.

Wine Advocate (95)

To my palate, the 2018 vintage sometimes feels a little too ripe or baked. I was reminded of those characteristics when tasting the Fèlsina 2018 Fontalloro. There is plenty of dark fruit at its core, but this wine also reveals dry tones of jarred oregano, grilled Mediterranean herb, crushed aspirin and graham cracker. The mouthfeel is pleasantly lean and silky, and perhaps the wine delivers more in terms of length than it does weight or texture. A little more bottle age should help flesh out and soften these results.