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.

Andreas Larsson (95)

I must say that I was quite excited to taste the Champagne that everybody talked about, but no one tasted yet. A great reunion with my old friend, Rodolphe Péters whose champagne making skills are nothing less than exceptional. A ground-breaking style that blends Chardonnay from Côte de Blancs of which one part is the actual vintage, one part reserve wines and one part mature wines from bottle. The rosé part being Pinot Noir from Vertus made as a rosé de saignée blended just before bottling to keep the notion of youthful red fruity freshness. It shows a very gentle bright rosé colour and a vivid mousse with fine bubbles. The nose starts out elegantly – layered and nuanced with chalky notes, fresh hazelnut, marzipan, fresh butter, pink citrus and lemongrass. After some time in the glass the Pinot enters with aromas of crushed raspberry, cherry and pain d´épice. The palate is nicely built, showing great flavour intensity and an invigorating freshness. It´s classically bone dry (4,5 grams of dosage) with a chalky presence, balanced by a mellow creaminess. Flavours of marzipan, confit de citron and peach with layers of mature nuttiness and pastry. Elegantly built with great persistency and precision. Drinks truly well today but should certainly improve from further cellaring.

Decanter (93)

Gosset is the oldest house in Champagne, and is a favourite among wine trade insiders. This non-vintage cuvée is redolent with the aromas of mellow red apple fruit. It has beautifully subtle autolysis on the palate, with creamy apple and plum flavours, and a great precision at the same time.

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.

Jancis Robinson (19.5)

This and three other wines are still available on the island, but only released by John Cossart sparingly and at a very high price. They originate from the 1820s, held first in wood, then demi-johns and the remnant finally bottled off between the 1920s and the 1960s. A famous wine. Tawny, rose colour, very pale rim. Light marine, very Atlantic nose. Wonderfully soft, fragrant swish over the palate. Then great grip. Grand and old indeed! Pretty cheesy on the end but this is surely the island in a bottle. So clean and tasty. Ocean spray. Lone yachtsmen would love this!

Wine Advocate (99)

Medium to deep garnet colored, the 2012 Hill of Grace Shiraz is a little reticent on the nose to begin, opening out to a somewhat paradoxically tantalizing Black Forest cake, beef dripping, fertile loam and tree bark nose with hints of black pepper, Marmite, bay leaves, eucalyptus, licorice and baker’s chocolate. The medium to full-bodied palate is a wonderfully intricate mélange of mineral, savory, dark fruits and spice layers, framed by velvety tannins and refreshing acidity, finishing epically. This is a truly great Hill of Grace that has just entered the first stage of its drinking window and should continue to develop beautifully over the next 25+ years.

Wine Advocate (95+)

Il Poggione is a Brunello superstar and a vintage like this reveals every reason why that affirmation is true. From the second the 2012 Brunello di Montalcino pours into the glass, you know you are in for something special. The wine is darkly saturated and rich in appearance. Absent are those slightly amber or browning hues you often get with Sangiovese in a hot vintage. Nor does the wine show flat or tired characteristics. Instead, the quality of fruit is vibrant and rich. This is a healthy, generous and exuberant Brunello with dark density and succulent fruit flavors that are followed by integrated spice and tobacco. The balance is impressive and one thing you get here is fresh acidity. This is not to be underestimated, because the acidity quota in the 2012 vintage across the appellation is not as high or evident as usual. This is one of the year's best Brunellos.

Wine Advocate (85)

Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2012 Johann Shiraz Cabernet has an open, expressive cassis and blackberry tart scented nose with a cedary background and hints of baker's chocolate and yeast extract. The oak slightly overshadows the relatively elegant, medium-bodied fruit core, finishing with chewy tannins and lingering wood flavors. It would actually be an impressive wine were it not for the clumsy oak usage.

Vinous (92-95)

A rich, deeply layered wine, the 2012 Echezeaux covers every corner of the palate. Dark red cherries, plums, menthol, licorice, smoke and new leather are some of the many notes that blossom in a wine that stands out for its superb balance and potential. This is another wine with significant promise for the future.

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.

Wine Advocate (94)

A new bottle from Prévost, the NV Extra Brut & (LC18) is a blend that marries 20% Les Béguines with the balance deriving from other sites in Gueux that share the same sandy soils. It's based on the 2018 vintage, with some 20% reserve wines from 2017. The label is easy to distinguish thanks to the large red ampersand. Offering up aromas of pear, red apple, walnuts, fresh bread and mandarin, it's medium to full-bodied, layered and vinous, with a fleshy core of fruit and a saline finish. While it's produced from purchased grapes, Prévost farms some of the sites and determines the date of harvest and sorting, though he told me that the average yield is naturally a touch higher than in his own vineyards.

Wine Advocate (98+)

Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2012 Shiraz The Armagh offers a gorgeous perfume of baking spices, violets, Sichuan pepper and fragrant earth. More earthy and savory in the mouth than on the nose, the palate is superbly structured and taut—built for the long-haul—with a long, complex finish. Still very youthfully, forget this wine for 3-5 more years and consider drinking it over the next 20+.

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.

Wine Spectator (92)

Delivers a gorgeous array of violet, plum sauce, melted black licorice and steeped blackberry fruit, lined with subtle ganache and fruitcake notes. Long and fleshy through the finish, with a lovely graphite accent carrying all the components. Very pure, with a lovely mouthfeel. Best from 2016 through 2024. 833 cases made. -JM

James Suckling (96)

Incredible purity of fruit to this red with plums, cherries and berries. Full body, ripe and silky tannins and a fantastically long finish. Love the bitter-orange undertone to this. Drink in 2020.

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.

Jancis Robinson (17)

Very vibrant, a bit of a brisk wake-up call. A cold shower of a wine! But very good zestiness. Very, very clean. Lovely aperitif, lots of character. Not that long though.

Vinous - Neal Martin (91)

The NV Trilogie was a fantastic wine, a blend of three vintages of declassified fruit from Le Pin. There are two or three different blends, this one comprising 2013, 2014 and 2015. Again, served blind, I stupidly guessed Saint-Émilion! I know that Jacques Thienpont and Fiona Morrison dislike the speculation that shrouds Trilogie due to its connection. Affordability was their original intention, but you cannot fight market forces and the truth is that this is a delicious, surprisingly complex multi-vintage blend. As one of the only people that ever tasted the declassified 2013 Le Pin, serving as a guinea pig for Jacques on one visit, I can vouchsafe that he made far better use of the fruit that year.

Indulge in the exquisite taste of Littlemill Lowland Single Malt Distillery Collection Bottled 2004 NV, a distinct Scotch from the time-honoured Littlemill Distillery. Nestled in the tranquil Lowlands of Scotland, Littlemill Distillery, one of the oldest distilleries in Scotland, is renowned for its adherence to the traditional method of Scotch whisky production.

This single malt, distilled and bottled in 2004, astounds the palate with its complex layering of flavours. Its creation is marked by meticulously controlled fermentation, distillation, and maturation process that honours Scotland's artistry of whisky making. Expect an enchanting fusion of rich, honeyed fruits, floral notes, and subtle spices with a hint of toasted oak.

The Littlemill Lowland Single Malt Distillery Collection Bottled 2004 NV stands alone in its category, highlighting the heritage of Littlemill and the mastery of their production. Despite the distillery's closure, this spirit distinctly exemplifies the timeless quality of Scotch whisky.

Wine Advocate (100)

The 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder is as compelling a Cabernet Sauvignon as one could ever hope to taste. This 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from a high-elevation site boasts an inky/purple color, and smells of ink, blueberry liqueur, blackberries, black raspberries, mulberries, licorice, charcoal and camphor. With magnificent fruit richness, a layered, full-bodied mouthfeel, and incredible length, this seamlessly constructed 2012 should provide immense pleasure for 25+ years. Kudos to winemaker Chris Carpenter as he is clearly at the top of his game.

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.