Vinous (95-97)

The 2020 Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru, matured in 15% new oak, showed just a tiny morsel of reduction on the nose, that the concentration here was still tangible. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy red fruit, fine acidity, taut and fresh and very precise. This has real class and verve, though it will benefit from several years in bottle.

James Suckling (95)

Really fresh and vivid with sliced grapefruit, lemon, green apple and white peach. Apricot, too. Medium to full body with phenolic texture and a long, vivid finish. 70% sauvignon, 20% semillon and 10% muscadelle. Drink or hold.

The Wine Independent (96)

This 2019 Caiarossa Caiarossa is a fascinating blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Sangiovese, Petit Verdot, and Alicante. It has a deep purple, ruby color and a hedonistic, dense, fragrant nose of irises and violets, smoke and Mediterranean macchia. There is a lovely nervosity and tension in this vibrant and juicy wine. Though it feels a little less silky than the Aria di Caiarossa, it does have a wonderful texture, and it has a lovely freshness and vivacity.

Wine Advocate (100)

Crushed stone, mint, blackberries and cassis all appear upon the nose of the 2020 Ermitage le Pavillon. The great vintages of these wines soak up the oak, like this one has. Full-bodied, concentrated and massive in scale, it's a mouthful of dark fruit flavors that gradually morph into something more savory on the long, silky-firm finish, adding notes of black olives and espresso. It's really impressive, as it maintains a sense of elegance all along its path.

Wine Advocate (100)

Crushed stone, mint, blackberries and cassis all appear upon the nose of the 2020 Ermitage le Pavillon. The great vintages of these wines soak up the oak, like this one has. Full-bodied, concentrated and massive in scale, it's a mouthful of dark fruit flavors that gradually morph into something more savory on the long, silky-firm finish, adding notes of black olives and espresso. It's really impressive, as it maintains a sense of elegance all along its path.

Vinous (92+)

The 2020 Sangiovese Romagna Predappio is spicy and deep, with sweet rose and dusty black cherries accentuated by hints of ash and mint. This is undeniably elegant in feel, washing silken waves of ripe wild berries across the palate that leave a mineral staining, along with sweet inner herbal tones. It finishes with a lingering concentration and super-fine tannins as tobacco and cocoa notes slowly fade. The 2020 will require a bit more time in bottle to soften its contours, but it’s packed full of potential. It’s hard to think of this as Chaira Condello’s entry-level wine.

Vinous (94-96)

The 2020 Echézeaux Grand Cru offers real intensity on the nose, quite powerful with pure dark cherries, cassis, crushed violet and blood orange. Stylistically, this is not unlike Thomas Collardot’s good friend, Sébastien Cathiard’s in style. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy red fruit, fine acidity, veins of blood orange and a pinch of sea salt. Lovely structure and focus on the finish. Excellent - this is an Echézeaux from the top drawer.

Tucked within the Burgundy's prized Côte de Beaune, the Croix Beaune Tuvilains 2019, from the sacred plots of Domaine Croix, is a fine testament to the opulence of the 2019 vintage. This Pinot Noir is grown in limestone-rich soil and harvested in small, meticulously manicured parcels to preserve the integrity of each grape. Its vinification in traditional Burgundian open-top wooden vats, followed by ageing in French oak barrels, ensures a harmonious balance between fruit and oak nuances.

A sip of Croix Beaune Tuvilains 2019 reveals complex layers of ripe red fruits, elegantly underpinned by earthy notes and a subtle spiciness. The wine's delicate tannins and balanced acidity make for a seamless finish, capturing the essence of French wine-making sophistication.

The impeccable craftsmanship of winemaker David Croix indubitably shines through in this vintage, making the Croix Beaune Tuvilains 2019 an invincible selection for the discerning wine lover.

Wine Enthusiast (96)

Barrel Sample. Famed for its white wine, this estate has produced another impressive vintage. It has great poise between lusciousness and a tight mineral texture, giving balance and longevity. Nutmeg flavors come from the wood aging. It should cellar well.

Wine Advocate (98)

I tasted two vintages of the single-vineyard Canta la Perdiz, from the vineyard that they consider to produce their most elegant red. The youngest of the two, the 2019 Canta la Perdiz was cropped from a warm and dry year, fermented with indigenous yeasts in concrete with full clusters and a slow malolactic in barrel (seven months) and then spent 35 months in French oak barrels. It has a very expressive nose that is open and immediate, with polished tannins and surprisingly integrated oak after such a long élevage. It's a vintage of pleasure and juiciness but with serious structure and depth, and it is very harmonious and balanced with fine-grained chalky tannins. It has 14.5% alcohol and a pH of 3.55 denoting good freshness. 1,847 bottles and 30 magnums produced. It was bottled in September 2022.

Vinous (96-98)

For the first time, Maxime Chuerlin decided to use stems in his crown jewel, the 2019 Grands Echézeaux Grand Cru, settling on 25% whole bunch for this year. This was an astute decision, because it lends freshness and more complexity to the bouquet of blackberry, undergrowth, tobacco and crushed limestone aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, hints of peppermint behind the black fruit and touches of white pepper and sage toward a finish that fans out wonderfully. A slam-dunk for Maxime Churlin. Five barrels produced, matured entirely in new oak.

James Suckling (99)

Aromas of cedar, earth, tree bark, fruit tea, black tea and cherries. Then it turns to fresh and dried flowers. Medium to full body as it grows on the palate with superb fine tannins that run the length of the wine. It’s structured and powerful with great length. The acid, tannin balance is incredible. Very clear and transparent. What a wine. Drinkable but better in three or four years.

Jeb Dunnuck (100)

For lovers of this estate, you’re going to want to stop everything and go find the 2019 Brunello Di Montalcino Madonna Delle Grazie if you have the means. There’s simply nothing else like it, and it needs to be experienced. It pours a saturated, youthful ruby color and has an unmistakable and distinctive nose that is highly expressive, with layered aromas jumping from the glass and unfolding notes of cassis, wildflowers, orange marmalade, clove, and blackberries. (Words do this no justice.) Equally potent and layered on the palate, it continues seamlessly, with noble structure and profound concentration through a stunning and long finish that lasts for several minutes (or as long as I could give it until moving on). Remarkable and singular, it truly stands apart from the crowd, even in this phenomenal vintage, where it’s hard to do much wrong. Profound. It’s a showstopper now and will be one of the great wines of the region for decades. Drink 2028-2050.

Vinous (92)

The 2020 Rosso di Montalcino is dark and youthfully inward, as nuances of black currant and licorice are offset by crushed ashen stone. It’s silky and enveloping, yet with a saline-core of minerality and bright acids that create a more tactile feel, as a saturation of tart red berries form toward the close. This tapers off long and lightly structured, yet still quite fresh, begging for a short stay in the cellar before revealing all of its charms. Wow. The 2020 from Il Poggione mixes the warmth of the vintage with the house style to create a truly captivating Rosso.

Vinous (97)

The 2019 Barbaresco Montestefano shows the greater body and breadth that is typical of this site vis-à-vis the Montefico. Black cherry, plum, lavender, spice, leather and rosewater build in the glass. The 2019 marries pliant fruit with explosive energy along with the searing tannins that are typical of this very young vintage. The 2019 is quite simply mind-blowingly great. It might be even better with more time in bottle!

The Lacroix Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru La Boudriotte 2019 is an exquisite manifestation of the Burgundy region's illustrious viticulture. Crafted in France's famed Lacroix vineyards, this premium Chardonnay carries the vibrant expressivity of its Montrachet terroir in an impressive balance of intensity and finesse. The vintage revels in a meticulous vinification process, aged in oak barrels to impart a delectable smoky note.

Boasting a radiant golden hue, this wine is an olfactory symphony of ripe orchard fruit interlaced with elegant mineral touches. The palate is bathed in a rich fulfilment of flavours embodying both depth and length, whilst the underlying acidity gives an invigorating lift to its complex character. The finish, lingering and harmonious, will undeniably leave a lasting impression.

A testament to the winemaking prowess of the prestigious Lacroix estate, the Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru La Boudriotte 2019 will astound the palates of discerning oenophiles and collectors alike.

Decanter (93)

Le Cinciole’s annata is a perennial overperformer and the 2019 shouldn’t be missed. Despite long ageing before release – first in cask, then concrete, and finally in bottle, it takes time to come out of its shell. Seductive truffle and forest floor slowly waft from the glass then give way to scented lavender, sage and dark red cherry. It flows effortlessly and energetically across the palate, with nervy, citrussy acidity providing the backbone. Chalky tannins are in the background making for an elegant frame.

James Suckling (100)

The purity of blackcurrants, blueberries, creme de cassis, and flowers. Hints of subtle spearmint. Iron. Blood orange. Medium-bodied with a compacted palate, like a cylinder of perfectly ripe fruit and fine tannins. A million layers of tight-grained tannins. It goes on and on. Such freshness and weightlessness to it. Ethereal. New classicism. Modern take on the 1986. 12.79% alcohol. 84% cabernet sauvignon, 13% merlot, 2% cabernet franc and 1% petit verdot. Drink after 2030 but hard to not drink now.

Vinous (96-99)

The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate is off the charts. What a wine. The 2019 captures all the Togni signatures, but with both more fruit richness and energy than is the norm. A Cabernet of gravitas and consequence, the 2019 is shaping up to be one of the wines of the year. Black cherry, plum, graphite, spice and incense build into the palate-staining finish. The 2019 is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, all co-fermented. I can't wait to taste it from bottle. All I can say is: Wow!

Decanter (95)

Guidalberto 2020 is a blend of 50% Merlot and 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, matured for 15 months in oak (20% new), including a small percentage of American oak. The aromas are a little heavier, with ripe dark fruit and a fragrant, floral note. It's a little less finely detailed aromatically than the 2021, with some smoke, spice and green herb qualities. The palate is round, medium-full bodied with juicy, bright acidity. It's a very friendly wine with very fine tannins and there's a little more grip and silty texture to the tannins.

The Wine Independent (98)

The 2019 Marchesi Antinori Tignanello is brimming with youthful ebullience and demands to be noticed. The nose is immediate, direct, and very charming, with sweet, ripe, cherry fruit. On the palate it is supremely harmonious and balanced with delicious flavors of cream, spice and vivid, just-ripe, crunchy blackberry. The tannins are beautifully refined as with the superb 2016 but, if anything, there is even more refinement. Although it has not had time to develop any of its complexity or depth yet, it shows incredible potential and is already very much at ease with itself. It seems a return to a more normal vintage in 2019 has meant the vines were comfortable and not overly stressed. This 2019 Tignanello seems to reflect this wonderful sense of ease. Renzo Cotarella, CEO of Antinori and head of winemaking described this wine as ‘sbarazzino’ – vivacious. I can see what he means.