Burgundy

A. P. de Villaine Bourgogne Blanc les Clous Aime 2016 (750ML)

A. P. de Villaine Bourgogne Rouge la Fortune 2016 (750ML)

90 VM "The 2016 Bourgogne La Fortune has a lovely raspberry and blackberry bouquet with a subtle sea influence coming through with aeration. The palate is surprisingly structured for a Bourgogne Rouge with black pepper and...

A. P. de Villaine Bouzeron Aligote 2017 (750ML)

93 DE / 90 WA Pierre de Benoist says that he wants bitterness in his wine and, in the best possible way, he gets what he wants: this is racy and refined, its greenness and salinity balanced by pretty white fruit. The...

Alain Chavy Bourgogne Blanc 2016 (750ML)

The 2016 Bourgogne Chardonnay, matured in used oak, has quite a powerful bouquet for a generic white Burgundy, leaping from the glass with chalky scents complementing the citrus fruit. The palate is fresh on the entry with...

Alain Chavy Puligny Montrachet 2017 (750ML)

86-88 VM The 2017 Puligny-Montrachet is a blend of several parcels within the appellation and matures in 25% new oak with 30% in 400-litre barrels. It has a straightforward bouquet with fresh apple peelings and a subtle...

Alain Chavy St Aubin en Remilly 1er Cru 2017 (750ML)

89-91 VM The 2017 Saint-Aubin En Remilly 1er Cru matures in 30% new oak, feels very primal on the nose, not quite expressing the terroir with the clarity of its peers, at least at the moment. The palate is showing more...

Arnoux-Lachaux Nuits-Saint-Georges 2010 (750ML)

90 WS "A dark well of black cherry, plum and charred oak aromas and flavors are allied to equally dense tannins. Muscular, if a bit monolithic, with a spice and tar finish. Impressive, but for fans of the style. Drink now...

Benjamin Leorux Nuit St Georges aux Boudots 1er Cru 2015 (750ML)

92-94 WA The 2015 Nuits Saint-Georges 1er Cru Les Boudots has a clean and precise bouquet, quite intense with blackberry, crushed strawberry and crushed violet scents, the whole bunch component barely recognizable. The...

Bernard & Thierry Glantenay Volnay Santenots 1er Cru 2015 (750ML)

93 VM /16.5 JR The 2015 Volnay 1er Cru shows a lot of reduction on the nose that makes the fruit and terroir difficult to read at the moment. The palate probably indicates the potential more than the aromatics,...

Blain-Gagnard Chassagne Montrachet Clos St Jean 1er Cru 2017 (750ML)

94 WS / 91 BH Tasting note: A relatively pungent nose reflects notes of lemon rind, quine, resin, apple and pretty floral-suffused aromas. There is excellent volume to the attractively textured and notably more concentrated...

Blain-Gagnard Chassagne Montrachet les Caillerets 1er Cru 2016 (750ML)

92 BH The expressive nose also displays a whiff of the exotic on the layered aromas of pear, resin and petrol. I very much like the sense of underlying tension on the mineral-driven and beautifully delineated flavors that...

Bonneau Du Martray Corton Charlemagne 2016 (1.5L)

95 VM / 94 WA (production was half of normal in 2016; aged in 30% new oak and bottled at the beginning of April of this year): Pale yellow-green. High-pitched aromas of citrus peel, menthol, lavender and white pepper...

Bruno Clavelier Chambolle Musigny La Combe d'Orveau 1er Cru 2016 (750ML)

91-93 VM (just three barrels made): Bright medium red. Dark, complex nose melds black cherry, raspberry, licorice, minerals and rose petal. Plush, fine-grained and broad on entry, offering a captivating hint of sweetness,...

Chandon de Briailles Corton Bressandes Grand Cru 2015 (750ML)

95 WA / 92-95 BH / 17.5 JR / 96 DE The 2015 Corton Bressandes Grand Cru is superb, soaring from the glass with a stunningly complex bouquet of cassis, plums, tar, black truffle, dark chocolate and rich spices. On the...

Charlopin Parizot Gevrey Chambertin les Evocelles 1er Cru 2015 (750ML)

91-93 WA / 90-92 VM The 2015 Gevrey-Chambertin Les Evocelles was showing a little reduction on the nose, although underneath I found some lovely ripe cranberry and mulberry fruit mixed with fine mineral notes. The palate is...

Chateau de Puligny Montrachet St Aubin 1er Cru En Remilly 2015 (750ML)

90-92 WA / 89-92 BH The 2015 Puligny Montrachet is actually 80% declassified vines in the Chalumeaux vineyard. It has an expressive, granite and slate-tinged bouquet that is nicely focused, more intense than many village...

Clos De Tart Grand Cru 2017 (750ML)

96-98 VM / 96 DE / 93-95 WA / 91-94 BH The 2017 Clos de Tart Grand Cru was matured in around 80% new oak, the barrels toasted “chauffe blonde”. Jacques Devauges mentioned that the wine needed oxygen ingress...

Clos Frantin Vosne Romanee Malconsorts 1er Cru 2014 (3.0L)

93 BH / 92-94 WA / 89-92 VM Discreet wood adds to the breadth of the overtly spicy and fresh if restrained nose of dark currant, plum and violet scents. There is both good volume and muscle to the mineral-inflected...

Comte de Vogue Bonnes Mares 2015 (750ML)

97 DE / 95 WA / 95 BH / 94 VM Deep red, almost to the embarrassment of the winemaker, but it's on account of the small berries and ratio of skins to juice. Heady and sumptuous nose, with cherries and black fruits,...

Comtes Lafon Macon Clos de la Crochette 2016 (750ML)

87-90 BH / 89 VM Tasting note: Reduction presently flattens the underlying fruit. On the plus side there is both good detail and unusually good refinement to the succulent yet tension-filled flavors that exude a fine bead...

Comtes Lafon Macon Milly Lamartine Clos du Four 2016 (750ML)

88-90 BH / 88+ VM Tasting note: This is also quite firmly reduced. There is a bit more volume to the sappy and extract-rich mid-palate that exhibits impressive intensity while delivering slightly better depth and...

Comtes Lafon Monthelie Duresses 1er Cru 2015 (750ML)

 89-91 BH / 89-91 VM Tasting note: There is just enough reduction present to impede saying much about the nose other than the underlying fruit appears to be ripe. The delicious, rich and solidly voluminous flavors...

Confuron-Cotetidot Echezeaux Grand Cru 2015 (750ML)

95 VM / 18 JR Bright red-ruby. Wonderfully sappy scents of black cherry and boysenberry are considerably more expressive today than those of the 2016. Suave and spicy on the palate, showing compelling sweetness to its red...

Courcel Pommard Grand Clos Des Epenots 1er Cru 2008 (750ML)

94 BH / 91 WS An unusually high-toned nose also displays a touch of wood that sets off subtle lower register notes of earth and humus that carry over to the textured and relatively supple medium weight plus flavors that...

Courcel Pommard Grand Clos Des Epenots 1er Cru 2015 (750ML)

94 WS / 93 BH / 93 VM / 18 JR A dense, well-structured style, yet with ample black cherry, blackberry, violet and iron flavors for balance. This red unfolds nicely, leaving a complex finish that introduces an accent of...

de Montille Beaune Perrieres 1er Cru 2015 (750ML)

90-92 VM / 89-91 WA (two-thirds vendange entier; 25% new oak): Bright, full red. Distinctly limestone-driven aromas of raspberry, earth and smoky minerality. Silky, sappy and impressively concentrated, with black raspberry...

de Montille Clos Vougeot 2016 (750ML)

 93-95 WA / 92-94 BH The 2016 Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru is one-third whole cluster, less than in recent years according to winemaker Brian Sieve, with almost 50% new oak. It has a beautiful bouquet with scents of...

de Montille Nuits-Saint-Georges Aux Thorey 1er Cru 2016 (1.5L)

91-93 WA / 90-93 BH The 2016 Nuits Saint Georges 1er Cru Aux Thorey includes two-thirds whole cluster fruit, matured in 50% new oak. It has a fragrant bouquet with hints of crushed violet suffusing the red berry fruit, more...

de Montille Volnay Brouillards 1er Cru 2015 (750ML)

  Volnay is the stronghold of the family estate. This modestly-sized appellation of 207 hectares, entirely devoted to Pinot Noir, is nestled on the middle of the slopes and composed of a terroir dominated by clay, marl...

de Montille Vosne Romanee les Malconsorts 1er Cru 2015 (750ML)

94 -97 VM / 93-95 WA / 92-94 BH 100% vendange entier; 60% new oak): Bright dark red. Knockout discreet nose combines raspberry, Oriental spices, rose petal and flinty minerality. Extremely intense in the mouth, with its...

de Montille Vosne Romanee Pommard les Rugiens-Bas 1er Cru 2016 (750ML)

92-94 VM / 92-94 WA / 91-93 BH (one-third vendange entier; 40% new oak; just racked following a very late malo): Healthy medium red. Compelling aromas and flavors of redcurrant, iron, rose petal and minerals. At once silky...

Desaunay-Bissey Grands Echezeaux Grand Cru 2015 (750ML)

The Grand Echezeaux are situated right at the point where Clos de Vougeot, Le Musigny and Grand Echezeaux come together - nearly 70 year old vines produce one of the potentially great wines of Burgundy. Bruno also makes...

Domaine de l'Arlot Mont des Oiseaux 2015 (750ML)

90-92 WA / 89-91 VM The 2015 Nuits Saint Georges 1er Cru Mont des Oiseaux is the same vineyard as the Petit Arlot, which is to say that it still comes from the younger vines in Clos de l'Arlot. At the time of my visit, the...

Domaine des Lambrays Clos des Lambrays Grand Cru 2016 (750ML)

96 WS / 96 JG / 93-95 WA A racy style, defined by bracing acidity propelling the black currant, blackberry, iron, earth and spice flavors to a lingering conclusion. Balanced and full of energy, this needs time to really...

Dominique Laurent Echezeaux VV Grand Cru 2015 (750ML)

92-94 VM (from En Orveaux; "Réserve Personnelle" in indicated on the neck label): Bright red-ruby. Vibrant, complex aromas of tart cherry stomp, mint and red licorice. Suave on entry, then tighter in the middle,...

DRC La Tache 1999 (750ML)

99 BH Everything that I saw from cask made it into bottle intact and words remain inadequate to describe just how good this wine is as the '99 is a classic La Tâche in every respect with its incredibly pure,...

Drouhin Chambolle Musigny 1er Cru 2016 (750ML)

93 DE / 93 JS / 93 WS This premier cru blend, like its Vosne-Romanée counterpart, is very fine this year, offering up a lovely nose of creamy red fruit, venison and forest floor. On the palate the wine is...

Dugat-Py Bourgogne Halinard 2011 (750ML)

Dugat-Py Gevrey Chambertin Coeur Du Roy 2011 (750ML)

91+ VM / 90 BH Aromas of blueberry, violet, coffee and leather. Not a particularly fleshy style but juicy and energetic, with lovely precision and acid spine to the intense black cherry and violet flavors. Finishes peppery,...

Duroche Gevrey Chambertin Le Clos 2015 (750ML)

90-92 WA The 2015 Gevrey Chambertin Le Clos, which comes from vines located near the church inside the village, veers more towards red fruit on the nose: strawberry pastilles and redcurrant, a touch of orange sorbet. The...

Eugenie Clos Vougeot Grand Cru 2014 (750ML)

95 BH / 94+ VM This is also quite aromatically restrained with its compact and dense mélange of freshly turned earth, humus, spice and plum-scented nose. There is excellent ripeness displayed by the bold,...

Eugenie Echezeaux Grand Cru 2014 (750ML)

93 BH / 92+ VM / 90-92 WA Deep ruby color. An ultra-spicy and attractively fresh nose is composed by openly floral, Asian tea, plum and black currant scents. There is a lovely sense of energy to the fleshy and concentrated...

Eugenie Echezeaux Grand Cru 2017 (750ML)

18 JR / 93-95 WH / 91-93 BH Deep cherry red. Less open than the Brûlées and a hint of smoky reduction adding complexity at this point, very slight and attractive. Under that there’s pure, sweet red and...

Eugenie Vosne Romanee 1er Cru Aux Brulees 2016 (750ML)

95 VM / 17+ JR The 2016 Vosne-Romanée Aux Brûlées 1er Cru is blessed with a very complex and engaging bouquet: blackberry, raspberry, hints of black tea and kelp. It is mercurial in the glass, constantly...

Eugenie Vosne Romanee Village 2016 (750ML)

16.5 JR / 87-89 WA From Vigneaux and the bottom bit of Brûlées because they don’t reckon it’s up to premier cru standard – a little bit rustic. And young vines. Racked and in tank. No whole...

Eugenie Vosne Romanee Village Clos D'Eugenie 2016 (750ML)

17 JR / 90-92 WA 60% whole bunch. Just six barriques. Not a registered name; a commercial name. Racked and in tank. Just beside the winery and walled. Deep garnet. Sweet and fragrant in a floral sort of way. Masses of...

F. Lamarche Vosne Romanee Les Suchots 2014 (750ML)

92-94 WA / 17 JR The 2014 Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru les Suchots has a quintessential Suchots bouquet, much more outgoing and vibrant than the 2014 Les Chaumes with plenty of red cherries, fresh strawberry and spice. The...

Faiveley Batard Montrachet 2015 (750ML)

92 VM / 90-92 BH Pale, bright yellow. Yellow fruits and spices on the nose. A step up in ripeness, richness and sweetness from the more laidback Bienvenues-Bâtard, this mouthfilling grand cru captures the sheer volume...

Faiveley Bienvenues Batard Montrachet 2015 (750ML)

96-97 JS / 91 VM / 91-93 BH Fabulous aromas of crushed lemons, stones, yogurt, flan and cooked apples follow through to a full body, round and rich fruit and a flavorful finish. Dense and so long. Fantastic potential. -...

Faiveley Chablis Les Preuses 2014 (750ML)

93-95 GV Bright green-tinged yellow. Excellent acidity and cut, but a powerful and rich Preuses. Aromas of orange peel and white flowers with classic mineral on the palate. A creamy and complex quality. There’s no...