Jancis Robinson (18+)

Tasted at the domaine. Beautiful nose with succulent pastille juiciness and purity with a strong smoked note. Such ripeness on the palate with beautiful depth and weight – the tannins are defined and sculpted – hard to believe it has 100% new oak. Plush and forward in a beautifully packaged, layered finish.

James Suckling (98)

Beautiful interplay of vivacity and silkiness. Vibrant and phenolic, yet also supple with long, caressing layers of crushed almond, brown butter, apricot, praline, white chocolate and hints of sage. Really opens up. Fantastic integration. 100% new barrels from selected parcels of the Argonne forest. Drink or hold.

Vinous (97)

The MV 16 is bright, fresh and airy and yet has the natural richness of Aÿ that Giraud fans have come to expect. Apricot, tangerine oil, nutmeg, cinnamon, chamomile and dried flowers all meld together in a creamy, ample Champagne that hits all the right notes. A Champagne of towering presence, the MV 16 is classy, understated and undeniably alluring. It is also one of the most impressive Champagnes I have ever tasted from Claude Giraud. Even in the early going, the 70% new oak is so well-integrated. This set of new releases is full of highlights, but the MV 16 is especially fine. Don't miss it! Dosage is 6 grams per liter. Disgorged: December 11, 2020.

Jeb Dunnuck (98+)

Now the flagship of this estate, the 2020 Châteauneuf Du Pape is 75% Grenache and the rest Cinsault, Mourvedre, and a little Syrah. Sporting a deep ruby/purple hue, it offers a beautiful array of black raspberry and darker cherry fruit as well as lots of graphite, chalky minerality, Provençal garrigue, and spice. Beautiful on the palate as well, this medium to full-bodied effort has a layered, multi-dimensional mouthfeel, rock-solid underlying structure and concentration, building tannins, and a gorgeous finish. It needs to be forgotten for 2-4 years (although it certainly offers incredible pleasure even today) and will keep for two decades. Tasted twice.

Jeb Dunnuck (98+)

A powerhouse of a wine that flirts with perfection, the 2019 Hermitage reveals a dense purple hue as well as an extraordinary bouquet of sweet blue fruits supported by notes of crushed stone, lead pencil, leather, and ground pepper, with hints of flowers in the background. Full-bodied, stunningly pure, and massively concentrated, yet with riveting precision and elegance, it needs to be hidden in the back of the cellar for a decade and will evolve for 30, 40, if not 50 years. Tasting the trilogy of the 2018, 2019, and 2020 over the coming decades will be the equivalent of wine nirvana.

Jeb Dunnuck (99)

Another heavenly white from this estate is the 2020 Hermitage Blanc, which is the usual 80% Marsanne and 20% Roussanne from a mix lieux-dits. Incredibly perfumed with notes of acacia flowers, buttered stone fruits, toasted brioche, honeysuckle, and crushed stone, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a seamless, layered texture, beautiful mid-palate depth, and a great finish. The purity, balance, and intensity here are just about off the charts, and this beauty deserves a solid decade of bottle age, although you'll be excused if you drink one in its youth as well.

Indulge your senses with the Jerome Prevost Grand Cru NV, an emblematic reflection of the terroir of La Closerie, Reims. Jerome Prevost, highly admired within Champagne circles, is revered for his meticulous practice and devotion to the craft. This impeccable Grand Cru NV, predominantly made from Pinot Meunier, captures the quintessence of his artisanal approach, encapsulated in a single vineyard plot.

Bottled without fining or filtration, and fermented solely from natural yeasts, the wine exemplifies an unadulterated expression of Prevost's philosophy. The decades-old vines, deeply entrenched in calcareous soils, yield a wine of profound depth and complexity. Bright acidic backbone, entwined with nuances of chalky minerality and rich pear notes, the Jerome Prevost Grand Cru NV is a touchstone for boutique Champagne production.

Appreciated by wine purists, this beguiling wine faithfully represents the work of an innovative winemaker dedicated to precision and purity, and the eternal appeal of the Grand Cru designation.

Designed for true connoisseurs, Jerome Prevost La Closerie '&' Extra Brut LC19 NV is a wine of truly exceptional character. Crafted in the prestigious Champagne region of France, this limited-edition sparkling wine comprises of pure Pinot Meunier grapes grown on the two-hectare Les Béguines vineyard. This distinct varietal, planted by Prevost’s grandmother in 1962, adds a unique and compelling complexity to the overall flavour profile. Jerome Prevost follows the still relatively rare practice of bottling his champagnes by grape variety and terroir, allowing each to express its distinct personality. The LC19 NV is produced using the méthode champenoise, and given a low dosage to maintain an extra brut style. The result is a wine of refined elegance with a fine, delicate mousse, upfront acidity and underlying mineral notes. Experience the artisan mastery of Jerome Prevost with the La Closerie '&' Extra Brut LC19 NV, a champagne that brims with a passionate soul and definitive terroir expression.

Jeb Dunnuck (99)

There are two special cuvées from this estate. Looking first at the 2018 Cornas Cuvée Jana, it tastes like the essence of Cornas with its meaty, bloody aromas and flavors of scorched earth, ground pepper, rare steak, iron, cedar, and dark, almost blue fruits. Tight, tannic, and concentrated on the palate, this full-bodied effort packs incredible intensity and power yet stays lively, elegant, and weightless. It's a brilliant, brilliant Cornas, yet certainly not for those seeking instant gratification. It actually reminds me slightly of the incredibly age-worthy wines from Domaine Clape, and I suspect it will have a similar evolution. Hide bottles for 7-8 years and enjoy over the following two decades.

James Suckling (96)

Wonderful precision and depth right away on the nose, with dried pineapple, light apricot and hints of flint and slate. Medium-bodied palate that’s firm, bright and linear. Vivid,driven acidity adds focus and perfection. Dried lemon and a wonderful, creamy texture with a mineral undertone. Extremely long, almost endless. Sophistication here. Drink or hold.

James Suckling (99)

The tightness and tension of this is impressive considering the youngest wine from this is 2015 (hot and dry year), with some wines going back to 2000. Ginger and orange zest. Some creme brulee. It's medium-bodied with apple, pie crust and floral character. It's salty and zesty yet, at the same time, complex and gorgeous. Chamomile and other floral teas highlight everything. Turns rich and flavorful at the finish. Terrific release. Really takes off at the end. Drink or hold.

Jancis Robinson (19)

A blend of 198 wines from 11 different years, with the youngest the acclaimed 2012, back to a precious, powerfully aromatic lot of Verzenay Pinot Noir 1996. The final blend – 52% Pinot Noir, 35% Chardonnay and 13% Meunier – was bottled in 2013 and aged for seven years in Krug’s cellars in Reims. Yields in 2012 were 20% lower than usual because of a succession of meteorological events including frost, rain, storms and hail in winter and spring 2012, followed by the driest ripening season since 1974. Notably intense aroma with crème pâtissière dominant. Masses of extract and remarkable acidity underpinned by great depth of flavour and beautiful balance on the finish. I think this is going to be a really great, glamorous Krug Grande Cuvée that will continue to develop in bottle for many years to come. I suspect it will be even more enjoyable from the end of 2020. The length on the palate is remarkable. This is magnificently precise, a great tribute to the work of the old cellarmaster Eric Lebel, who is still in the background, and a wonderful welcome to his successor Julie Cavil, who has been learning from him since 2006.

Jancis Robinson (19)

A blend of 198 wines from 11 different years, with the youngest the acclaimed 2012, back to a precious, powerfully aromatic lot of Verzenay Pinot Noir 1996. The final blend – 52% Pinot Noir, 35% Chardonnay and 13% Meunier – was bottled in 2013 and aged for seven years in Krug’s cellars in Reims. Yields in 2012 were 20% lower than usual because of a succession of meteorological events including frost, rain, storms and hail in winter and spring 2012, followed by the driest ripening season since 1974. Notably intense aroma with crème pâtissière dominant. Masses of extract and remarkable acidity underpinned by great depth of flavour and beautiful balance on the finish. I think this is going to be a really great, glamorous Krug Grande Cuvée that will continue to develop in bottle for many years to come. I suspect it will be even more enjoyable from the end of 2020. The length on the palate is remarkable. This is magnificently precise, a great tribute to the work of the old cellarmaster Eric Lebel, who is still in the background, and a wonderful welcome to his successor Julie Cavil, who has been learning from him since 2006.

Wine Advocate (96+)

Based on the 2013 vintage and complemented by some 40% reserve wines dating back to 2000, Krug's newly released NV Grande Cuvée 169ème Édition is showing very nicely, unfurling in the glass with notes of citrus oil, buttered toast, dried apricot, warm biscuits and marmalade. Medium to full-bodied, deep and incisive, it's a tauter, more chiseled rendition of Grande Cuvée by comparison with the richer, more textural and more demonstrative 168ème Édition (based on the 2012 vintage) that preceded it; but its bright spine of acidity is nicely cloaked in fruit. Concluding with a long and sapid finish, this is a very classically balanced Champagne that will reward bottle age

Wine Advocate (96)

Based on the 2014 vintage, complemented by some 33% reserve wines from six other vintages, Krug's new NV Brut Rosé 26ème Édition is showing beautifully, offering up aromas of tart red berries and plums mingled with notions of warm biscuits, dried fruits, flowers and orange zest. Medium to full-bodied, taut and incisive, with terrific concentration, racy acids and a long, penetrating finish, it's an intensely flavored, electric wine that stands out as a particularly good recent release from this storied house.

Wine Advocate (96+)

The NV Rosé 27ème Edition, much like the Grande Cuvée 171ème Edition, was created based on the 2015 vintage and is complemented with 38 reserve wines sourced from nine different years (which makes up 55% of the blend). The youngest reserve wine dates back to 2015, while the oldest goes all the way back to 2005. Additionally, the blend includes 10% Pinot Noir, sourced from Aÿ and Mareuil-sur-Aÿ. This delightful rosé boasts a stunning, fresh bouquet of peony, blueberry, grapefruit, blood orange, warm biscuits and spring flowers. It has a medium to full-bodied texture and is both tense and crystalline, with a delicate yet concentrated structure and a salty, lingering and mouthwatering finish. I find the mid-palate particularly fascinating, as it is both fleshy and delicate. This lively and pure Champagne rosé from Krug is made up of 57% Pinot Noir, 23% Chardonnay and 20% Pinot Meunier.

Jeb Dunnuck (99)

Bottled end of February/early in March, the 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Chaupin is incredible stuff, and while I suspect it’s the best vintage to date, it’s going to be great comparing it to bottles of the 2005, 2007, 2010, and 2015 over the coming 15+ years. This beauty offers a thrilling blend of kirsch, blackberries, smoked earth, graphite, and licorice on the nose. It's full-bodied, deep, pure, ultra-fine, and powerful on the palate and flirts with perfection. It’s a tour de force in Grenache that readers need to snatch up!

Vinous (93-95)

Brilliant magenta. Ripe red and blue fruits, potpourri, incense and Moroccan spices on the deeply perfumed, expansive nose. Stains the palate with sweet boysenberry, black raspberry and floral pastille flavors, which are sharpened by building mineral and white pepper flourishes. Shows the depth and power of the vintage but comes off lively, even graceful. Delivers strong floral thrust on the extremely long, gently tannic finish.

Jeb Dunnuck (100)

The 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape Prestige Blanc is pure gold and a magical, perfect wine from this incredible family estate. Based largely on Roussanne with smaller amounts of Grenache Blanc and Clairette, it was brought up in used demi-muids. Honeyed pineapple, caramelized white peach, mango, honeysuckle, and exotic rose petal notes all emerge from this full-bodied white, which has bright acidity, incredible depth of fruit, and flawless balance. This extraordinary white needs plenty of air to show at its best (you could even open it the day before and keep it in the refrigerator overnight), and I suspect it will have two decades or more of overall longevity.

Jeb Dunnuck (98-100)

Incorporating 8% Mourvèdre, 12% Syrah and 5% other permitted variety, 60% destemmed, the 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Vieilles Vignes sports a deep, inky color as well as sensational notes of black currants, smoked meats, earth and crushed rocks. Deep, rich, unctuous and decadent, with huge extract and richness, yet never over the top or overripe, it's a killer wine that's going to flirt with perfection on release.

Wine Advocate (97)

The 2017 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Vieilles Vignes derives from parcels planted on classic clay and galets roulés soils. It's 65% Grenache, 20% Mourvèdre, 10% Syrah and 5% other varieties. Tight, intense, even clenched, it's in need of several years' cellaring before it becomes truly enjoyable to drink. For now, those gorgeous black cherries are restrained behind a firm wall of tannins. Full-bodied and rich, this is ripe, it just requires patience.

Wine Advocate (94)

Made from 50- to 100-year-old vines, the 2017 Rasteau Cuvee Confiance is a foudre-aged blend of 65% Grenache, 25% Syrah and 10% Mourvèdre. It shows more freshness than the younger-vine cuvées, featuring raspberry and garrigue notes on the nose. Still full-bodied and rich on the palate, it adds hints of chocolate on the long, velvety finish. Tasted twice (once blind), with generally consistent notes, although one bottle was a bit more chewy-tannic than the other.

Vinous (94-96)

Deep ruby. Spicy and energetic on the highly perfumed nose, displaying intense black raspberry and cherry scents and strong suggestions of candied lavender and smoky minerals. Supple, sweet and focused on the palate, offering deeply concentrated yet energetic red berry liqueur and cherry compote flavors that tighten up steadily with aeration. Shows excellent lift and clarity on the strikingly long, mineral-accented finish, which features lingering raspberry and floral notes and harmonious tannins. The interplay of power and finesse here is really something.

Vinous (91-93)

Inky ruby. A complex, deeply perfumed bouquet displays scents of boysenberry, cola, peppery spices and candied flowers, and a smoky mineral note emerges with air. Stains the palate with vibrant red and blue fruit and lavender pastille flavors; juicy acidity and a snap of white pepper provide focus and lift. Impressively balanced and densely packed, finishing with excellent persistence and smooth tannins that are quickly absorbed by the plush fruit.

Jeb Dunnuck (94)

The 2016 Côtes du Rhône Lieu-Dit Clavin comes from vines right around the estate and is always a sensational wine. The 2016 offers notes of blackberries, ground herbs, licorice, and crushed violets. Medium to full-bodied and incredibly well balanced, with serious length, it's another winner. It's going to keep for two decades.

Wine Advocate (97)

I'm increasingly convinced that Pierre Larmandier produced Champagne's wines of the vintage this year, and the 2011 Extra-Brut Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Vieille Vigne du Levant only compounds that suspicion. Unfurling in the glass with a deep and complex nose of citrus zest, crisp yellow apples, smoke, warm bread, mandarin oil and oyster shell, it's full-bodied and fleshy but incisive, with huge concentration, bright acids and a long, intensely saline finish. Totally transcending the reputation of 2011, it has many of the textural properties of a great white Burgundy, married with the cut and chalky grip of Champagne's Côte de Blancs.

James Suckling (97)

Full body. Lightly chewy. Phenolic tension gives it form and beauty. This is the first year to use numbers. 55% chardonnay and 45% pinot noir. 2007, 2006 and 2004. Drink or hold.

James Suckling (99)

Incredible aromas of apple skin, pie crust, praline and flowers. So young in the nose. Full-bodied with super-fine tannins. It’s tight and refined, yet structured and intense. Really long and beautiful. Still shy. Wonderful finish. 12 years on its lees before disgorging. Three vintages in the blend – 2008 (65%), 2007 (25%) and 2006 (10%). 60% chardonnay and 40% pinot noir. It’s the highest percentage of chardonnay ever.

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.