Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy (91)

(5-Star Wine) One plot is in Valvent opposite 1er cru Epinottes, the other opposite Forêts. There is more yellow in the colour here than the Petit Chablis, with an exceptional intensity that makes it almost hard to taste. Immaculate youthful bitterness and great length.

Wine Advocate (93-95)

From 70-year-old vines, the 2016 Condrieu Chéry is a bit more concentrated than Niero's Les Ravines bottling, but otherwise, it's similar in its aromas of crushed stone and pineapple. Like the other wines at this estate, it's aged 12 months in a mix of stainless steel (60%) and oak barrels (40%), giving it a rich, slightly oily texture. It's harmonious and long, with pineapple and melon flavors giving way to gingery spice on the finish.

Wine Advocate (90-93)

A new acquisition, the inky/purple-tinged 2003 St.-Joseph exhibits tremendous flavor intensity, loads of body, amazing glycerin, and high alcohol. It should drink well for 10-12 years.

Wine Advocate (97)

Subtle notes of baking spices frame hints of tea, olives and raspberries on the nose of the 2016 Cote Rotie la Landonne. A paragon of elegance, it's medium to full-bodied, but silky from start to lingering finish. It's a wine that's pretty much guaranteed to make even the steeliest curmudgeon smile, as it's so bright, ephemeral and luscious. It's not the rich, ripe wine the 2015 is, but it's suave, complex and long.

Wine Advocate (88-90)

The 2013 Nuits Saint Georges 1er Cru les Chaignots has darker fruit on the nose than the village cru: blackberry and raspberry, light sous-bois scents emerging with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with a slightly lactic entry, hints of mocha lining the red berry fruit with quite a forward, sumptuous finish that comes as a surprise given the vintage. This may improve once in bottle.

Decanter (95)

Les Vaucrains is marked by its proximity to the combe at the southern end of Nuits-St-Georges, which gives the wine an added lift of freshness. Like Les St-Georges which abuts it, this is quite a firm, shuttered wine with an overlay of 30% new wood, good concentration, fine tannins and enough backbone and acidity to age.

Relish in the sophistication of the Robert Sirugue Bourgogne Aligote 2015, a definitive masterpiece hailing from the esteemed vineyards of Burgundy, France. Produced by the distinguished Maison Robert Sirugue who have been crafting gastronomic wines in Vosne-Romanée since the 1920s, this wine reflects their inimitable commitment to quality and the quintessence of their terroir. This Aligote, a grape varietal indigenous to Bourgogne, is adeptly cultivated on one hectare plot enriched by calcareous clay soil, which provides rich mineral nuances to the wine.

The Robert Sirugue Bourgogne Aligote 2015 is expertly matured for 10 months in stainless steel vats, featuring a bright and clear golden colour. Its nose is a delightful blend of floral and citrus aromas, followed by a zesty, vivacious palate with a beautifully balanced acidity. A timeless classic, it stands as a perfect companion to seafood, goat cheese, or as an aperitif. Delight in the artistry of Robert Sirugue with this sensational Bourgogne Aligote.

Indulge your senses with the Robert Sirugue Bourgogne Pinot Noir 2015. Exclusive to the famed Bourgogne region in France, this wine displays the fine artistry of the Sirugue family, renowned vintners in Vosne-Romanée. This Pinot Noir boasts an enticingly velvet ruby hue, a testament to its meticulous vinification process.

The grapes are manually harvested at optimal maturity, carefully selected before a gentle destemming and fermentation. This diligent process imparts an evocative bouquet of ripe cherries, redcurrants, and hints of spice on the palate. Complex yet elegantly balanced, this dry red wine enchants with a measured acidity and tannins that extend into a smooth finish.

Robert Sirugue Bourgogne Pinot Noir 2015 exemplifies decades of winemaking heritage, a truly splendid addition to any connoisseur's collection. From the first sip, you'll experience a taste of French luxury that compels sophistry and sophistication. Enjoy this exquisite wine in all its glory.

Vinous (92+)

(bottled in August; from 85-year-old vines on marne and calcaire): Pure saline minerality on the nose. Musky, highly concentrated and densely packed, with its stone fruit and citrus flavors kept under wraps today by stony minerality and strong acidity. A very taut, sappy wine with outstanding mineral grip. The rising, palate-staining finish boasts penetrating salty minerality. Very impressive--and built to age.

Vinous (93-96)

Good bright, deep red. Aromas of black raspberry, rose petal and menthol show an almost liqueur-like ripeness. Then wonderfully sappy and vinous in the mouth, with a powerful crushed stone element giving punch to the creamy mid-palate. This is in the style of Potel's Lavaux Saint-Jaques, offering outstanding precision and class and a powerful impression of energy. Can't quite match the Chambertin for sheer grip but this wine is like a wake-up call to the taste buds. (The Griottes-Chambertin, which finished its malo later, was quite youthfully clenched and oaky, and impossible to assess with confidence.)

Jeb Dunnuck (94-96)

The same blend as the 2016, the 2017 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Prestige is another inky colored wine from this estate that has an elegant, mineral-laced, balanced profile that’s very much in the style of the 2017 vintage. Blackberries, raspberries, crushed rocks, ground pepper, and violet notes all give way to a full-bodied 2017 that has terrific purity, no hard edges, building tannin, and a great finish. It's going to hit the ground running and cruise in good cellars for two decades. It has slightly more freshness and minerality than the Reserve cuvée.

Wine Advocate (94-96)

Sabon's 2017 Chateauneuf du Pape Reserve should be a stellar wine worthy of cellaring when it's released. The sample I was shown displayed gorgeous red fruit aromas of raspberries and strawberries allied to darker notes of plum and chocolate. This full-bodied, richly concentrated wine is packed and stacked, loaded with ripe tannins that should guarantee a long life.

Wine Advocate (90)

The 2018 Cotes du Rhone is 100% Syrah, sourced from the Gard (on the right bank of the Rhône) and Vinsobres (left bank, higher elevation). Violets, black olives and cassis and blueberry flavors provide terrific varietal expression in a medium to full-bodied package framed by silky tannins. Depending on your local pricing (I've seen it for as little as $12.99 or as much as $20), it should be a terrific value.

Wine Advocate (90-92)

An 80-20 blend of Grenache and Mourvèdre, the 2019 Cotes du Rhone Villages Plan de Dieu Vieilles Vignes is an excellent option for consumers who don't want to spend the extra money for the Saurel family's Gigondas bottlings. The garrigue on the nose is a bit more subtle than normal this year, with the bulk of the aromatics being super ripe cherries and berries. Full-bodied and intense, with a helping of firm tannins that keep the jamminess in check, it finishes dusty and savory, with ample length. This is a big wine, yet one I suspect will mature relatively quickly; drink it over the next 5-6 years.

Jeb Dunnuck (100)

Even better (as well as a perfect wine), the 2017 Châteauneuf Du Pape Collection Charles Giraud checks in as a nominal blend of 60% Grenache and 40% Mourvèdre that was brought up in demi-muids. It reveals a deep purple color as well as heavenly notes of blackberry and currant fruits intermixed with loads of cured meats, spice box, Asian spices, and a distinct loamy soil and minerality. Always more structured and powerful than the Reserve Auguste Favier release (no doubt due to the Mourvèdre component), it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, building yet polished tannins, flawless balance, and a great, great finish. Pure perfection in a glass, it’s as good as wine gets. Give bottles 2-4 years and enjoy over the following two decades. Hats off to winemaker Isabelle Ferrando for yet another thrilling wine!

Vinous (96)

Saturated ruby. Highly expressive, mineral-accented cherry and dark berry liqueur, cola, licorice and potpourri scents are complemented by an exotic spice nuance. Broad and fleshy in the mouth, offering deeply concentrated black raspberry, boysenberry and bitter cherry flavors that become sweeter and more lively as the wine opens up. Shows excellent clarity and floral lift and finishes extremely long and spicy, with steadily building tannins adding closing grip.

Jeb Dunnuck (99)

The 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape Collection Charles Giraud includes a big chunk of Mourvèdre and is 60% Grenache and 40% Mourvèdre that was partially destemmed and brought up in demi-muids. If offers a deep ruby/plum color as well as a rich, savory, complex bouquet of black raspberries, cassis, toasted spice, cured meats, and graphite. The Mourvèdre really shows in this beauty, and it's full-bodied, concentrated, and structured, yet never loses its seamless, flawlessly balanced profile. It's going to need 4-5 years of bottle age but will have 20-25 years of ultimate longevity. It's another thrilling wine from this estate.

Vinous (95)

Limpid ruby-red. A highly complex, mineral-accented bouquet displays Chambord, incense and baking spice qualities, and a suave floral nuance builds with air. Stains the palate with lively, sharply delineated red berry liqueur, lavender and spicecake flavors braced by a core of juicy acidity. In a vibrant style, finishing spicy and very long, leaving notes of candied flowers behind.

Jeb Dunnuck (96)

Deeply colored, the 2016 Gigondas La Louisiane comes from single vineyard on the lower plain, not far from the estate, and is 80% Grenache, 15% Mourvèdre, and the balance Syrah and Cinsault. It offers a classic bouquet of dark berry fruits, peppery herbs, garrigue, and obvious minerality. Reminding me of the 2010 with its pure, straight style, it’s full-bodied and elegant on the palate, and is going to benefit from 2-3 years of bottle age.

Jeb Dunnuck (96)

Deeply colored, the 2016 Gigondas La Louisiane comes from single vineyard on the lower plain, not far from the estate, and is 80% Grenache, 15% Mourvèdre, and the balance Syrah and Cinsault. It offers a classic bouquet of dark berry fruits, peppery herbs, garrigue, and obvious minerality. Reminding me of the 2010 with its pure, straight style, it’s full-bodied and elegant on the palate, and is going to benefit from 2-3 years of bottle age.

Wine Advocate (95-97)

The 2018 Gigondas La Louisiane looks to be another terrific example of this cuvée. Raspberries, black cherries, tea leaves and violets all appear on the nose, while the full-bodied palate is rich, velvety and long on the finish.

Wine Advocate (94-96)

The 2019 Gigondas La Louisiane hails from a south-facing slope of clay and sand and is a blend of 80% Grenache, 15% Mourvèdre and 5% Syrah and Cinsault, all aged in foudre. Loaded with black cherries and mixed berries, it's a big, full-bodied effort that drinks surprisingly well already yet has the concentration, length and structure that should enable it to age another 15 years or more.

Jeb Dunnuck (95-97)

The 2016 Gigondas Cuvee Louisiana is more elegant and finesse-driven when tasted side by side with the La Souteyrade cuvee. Offering notes of blueberries, violets, lavender and flowers, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, serious depth of fruit, ripe tannin and a big finish.

Jeb Dunnuck (94-96)

Also showing considerable elegance, the 2019 Gigondas Les Souteyrades sports a ruby/purple hue to go with beautiful and exotic notes of black raspberries, kirsch, candied orange, violets, and peppery garrigue. Beautifully balanced, medium to full-bodied, and downright silky on the palate, this heavenly Grenache should be snatched up by readers. It's going to keep for 15 years.