Jean Guiton Ladoix 1er Cru La Corvee 2016 is a Burgundian gem that encapsulates the essence of the magnificent Côte de Beaune. Guillaume Guiton, the yeoman producer, brings forth a firm-handed, yet elegant expression of Pinot Noir. It's crafted in the heart of Burgundy, in the vineyard La Corvée, noteworthy for its clay-limestone soil that imbues a characteristic minerality.

This wine was aged for 15 months in French oak barrels, articulating a captivating balance between vibrant fruit notes and polished tannins. On the palate, the Jean Guiton Ladoix 1er Cru La Corvee 2016 whispers of morello cherries, ripe strawberries, and delicate undertones of French oak spice.

It is a testament to Guiton's craft, a wine lover's dream for those seeking the hallowed combination of power and subtlety. Ensure your cellar is graced with a bottle or two of Jean Guiton Ladoix 1er Cru La Corvee 2016.

Vinous - Stephen Tanzer (87-88)

(from 45-year-old vines in Concoeur, in the hills behind Vosne-Romanée; there was no frost here in 2016 but vines in a small valley just 500 meters away were decimated, according to Tardy; 12.1% natural alcohol chaptalized to 12.8%): Healthy dark red. Ripe, sappy aromas of black cherry, black raspberry and licorice. A medium-bodied wine with sweet berry and cherry fruit flavors framed by a firm edge of acidity and complicated by a leathery nuance. Lovely vinosity here, with an acidulated red fruit character and fine, dusty tannins that suggest this wine will evolve slowly. Tardy told me that Domaine Berthaut-Gerbet and Domaine Arlaud own vines in the same windy, rocky, essentially flat site.

Vinous - Stephen Tanzer (87-88)

(from 45-year-old vines in Concoeur, in the hills behind Vosne-Romanée; there was no frost here in 2016 but vines in a small valley just 500 meters away were decimated, according to Tardy; 12.1% natural alcohol chaptalized to 12.8%): Healthy dark red. Ripe, sappy aromas of black cherry, black raspberry and licorice. A medium-bodied wine with sweet berry and cherry fruit flavors framed by a firm edge of acidity and complicated by a leathery nuance. Lovely vinosity here, with an acidulated red fruit character and fine, dusty tannins that suggest this wine will evolve slowly. Tardy told me that Domaine Berthaut-Gerbet and Domaine Arlaud own vines in the same windy, rocky, essentially flat site.

Vinous (96)

The 2016 Romanée Saint Vivant Grand Cru has a beautifully defined bouquet. The fruit is darker than its peers: blackberry, boysenberry, hints of blueberry and crushed violet petals. This is quintessential Romanée-Saint-Vivant. The palate is medium-bodied with very fine tannin and perfectly judged acidity. This is endowed with disarming structure and poise, fanning out beautifully towards the finish. A fabulous wine but it deserves a decade in the cellar. Tasted blind at the 2016 Burgfest tasting. (DIAM 10 closure)

Hailing from the renowned Burgundy region of France, the Jean-Marc Blain-Gagnard Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru Clos Saint Jean Blanc 2016 is a paragon of white wine distinction. This illustrious bottle is crafted with artisan care by Jean-Marc Blain and his wife Claire Gagnard, aiming for maximum viticultural authenticity. The wine is a 100% Chardonnay creature, born from Premier Cru vines in the esteemed Clos Saint Jean vineyard. Sourced from 60-year-old vine stock, the grape is handled meticulously, undergoing malolactic fermentation in barrel followed by up to 12 months of aging.

Vibrantly typifying the region's characteristic minerality, it presents an opulent bouquet of apple, citrus and a delicate hint of honey. On the palate, a masterful balance of ripe fruit, bright acidity and round, creamy notes persists through an impressively long finish. A judicious pairing to shellfish or poultry, the Jean-Marc Blain-Gagnard Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru Clos Saint Jean Blanc 2016 is nothing short of vinous enlightenment.

An exquisite gem, the Jean-Marc Blain-Gagnard Montrachet Grand Cru 2016 is a white wine that truly encapsulates the spirit of Burgundy, France. Crafted meticulously from 100% Chardonnay grapes, fiercely nurtured in the limestone-rich soils of the Côte de Beaune, the wine imparts an inherent complexity.

Produced by the esteemed Jean-Marc Blain and his wife Claudine, the Gagnard family, with vineyards traced back as far as 1792, this wine bears testimony to their traditional, yet innovative, winemaking philosophy. After hand harvesting, the wine enjoys a long fermentation in oak barrels, adding tints of maturity and character to its palate.

Sumptuous and potent, this Jean-Marc Blain-Gagnard Montrachet Grand Cru 2016 unfurls layers of stone fruit, citrus and mineral nuances, enveloped in an elegant, creamy texture with a lingering finish. An unparalleled treasure for the discerning connoisseur.

Vinous (91-93)

(the Bouleys own a parcel of 50-to-55-year-old vines in the windy northern part of the cru that mostly avoided the frost in 2016; almost entirely destemmed): Full, deep red. Aromas of dark cherry and black raspberry are complemented by a musky oak element. Concentrated, rich and sweet, displaying an old-vines density to its flavors of cherry and saline minerality. This nuanced wine seems a bit less austere than usual but is nonetheless a more powerful style than the Carelles. Finishes with ripe tannins, subtle persistence and noteworthy grip.

Vinous (91)

Pale, bright straw-yellow. Aromas of yellow peach, toast and spices. Rich, fine-grained and a bit youthfully bound-up, showing good energy and a phenolic firmness in the early going. Ripe stone fruit flavors are leavened by saline minerality. Most impressive today on the savory, firm, persistent back end. This lively wine has harmonized nicely since I first tried it from barrel a year ago but needs at least a few years of cellaring.

Vinous (90+)

(Jobard lost 40% of the crop here as both his lowest and highest vines were affected by frost; he described this as the worst frost year in this cru since 1981): Ripe yellow fruits and spices on the nose; a bit less floral than the Blagny. Sappier than the Blagny, showing good citrussy energy and a savory quality. Nicely concentrated but less refined and elegant than the Blagny. Finishes a tad spiky and phenolic, in need of time to find its ultimate harmony.

James Suckling (93-94)

Right on the border with Pommard. This wine is from a 7-hectare plot of chardonnay within this climat. There’s a spiced hazelnut edge across an array of white peaches and citrus fruits. It has a strong core structure with fleshy surrounds. Long, dense and smooth. Terrific. Drink or hold.

James Suckling (93-94)

Right on the border with Pommard. This wine is from a 7-hectare plot of chardonnay within this climat. There’s a spiced hazelnut edge across an array of white peaches and citrus fruits. It has a strong core structure with fleshy surrounds. Long, dense and smooth. Terrific. Drink or hold.

Burghound (92)

Here the nose plays on the edge of reduction and while it doesn't completely mask the floral-scented nose of dark berries and earth, it does render it less expressive. The rich and notably denser medium-bodied flavors also flash a lovely minerality that adds a sense of lift to the much firmer, even robust finish that is presently somewhat youthfully austere. Patience required but this should ultimately be excellent.

Wine Advocate (92)

Drouhin's 2016 Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru is showing very well from bottle, unfurling in the glass with aromas of ripe cherry and berry fruit that mingle with nuances of espresso, dried flowers and grilled meats, all framed by some toasty new oak. On the palate, it's medium to full-bodied, ample and satiny, with a sappy core of nicely concentrated fruit, fine tannins and bright balancing acids. This is an elegant, racy Charmes-Chambertin that is somewhat reminiscent of the 2010 rendition.

James Suckling (94-94)

Some very attractive clarity of fruit on the nose with an array of peaches, white nectarines, melons and honeysuckles. The concentration is staggering. Very, very deep and dense with great acid drive underlying the fleshy ripe fruits. A citrus, stony finish with honeysuckles, spice meat and stone fruits. Superb. Drink or hold.

James Suckling (94-94)

Some very attractive clarity of fruit on the nose with an array of peaches, white nectarines, melons and honeysuckles. The concentration is staggering. Very, very deep and dense with great acid drive underlying the fleshy ripe fruits. A citrus, stony finish with honeysuckles, spice meat and stone fruits. Superb. Drink or hold.

James Suckling (96)

This is a Clos de Vougeot with a dense and velvety texture that shows richness and structured. Yet, there is a friendliness and polish to the palate. Hazelnut and cream undertones. Reserved and almost shy at this point. Savory and flavorful. Drink in 2021.

James Suckling (97)

A small parcel that yields just six barrels. Impressive citrus aromas with a flinty edge, as well as pithy lemons and grapefruit. It delivers a mouthwatering impression of power and clarity. The palate has a very succulent, powerful and refined feel with a stunning,saline mineral cut. Supreme concentration and power. This is great. Organically farmed grapes. Drink or hold through to 2025+.

Decanter (95)

The Mazis is a highlight of the Drouhin portfolio this year, offering up an utterly classic nose of wild berries, cassis, gamebird and bonfire. On the palate the wine is powerful, full-bodied and concentrated, with a deep, brooding core of fruit, fine but ample tannins, and an abundance of savage, savoury complexity. This is one of the smaller cuvées in the Drouhin cellar, but it is absolutely worth ardent pursuit.

Decanter (92)

Aromas of pear, crushed rock and flowers precede a concentrated, minerally, almost saline Perrieres, with a rich core of fruit and a precise, stony finish despite its mid-palate amplitude.

Burghound (93)

A ripe if highly restrained mix of red and blue fruit is liberally sprinkled with spice and floral notes. There is good volume and solid mid-palate density to the seductively delicious big-bodied flavors that are shaped by a phenolically mature tannic spine, all wrapped in a mildly rustic but highly persistent mineral-inflected finish. Note well that this muscular and robust effort is definitely going to need at least 7 to 8 years of keeping and require 15+, perhaps even slightly more.

Wine Advocate (97)

The 2016 Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru Très Vieilles Vignes is showing superbly from bottle, unfurling in the glass with a complex bouquet in which notes of blackcurrants, cherries, spiced plums and dark chocolate mingle with nuances of peony, orange rind and grilled meats. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, deep and dense, with a layered and immensely concentrated core that largely conceals the wine's rich structuring tannins, concluding with a long, resonant finish. This Charmes' precision and definition rank it a touch higher than the domaine's 2015, though it would be fascinating to taste the two side-by-side.

Vinous (93+)

The 2016 Volnay Les Champans 1er Cru has a wonderful bouquet of vivacious red cherry, wild strawberry, pressed rose petals and touches of sage and thyme. The palate is very well balanced with supple tannins and a fine bead of acidity, and crescendoing gently to a slightly meaty, delineated, long finish. I suspect this might close down for a few years, but there is huge potential here.