Vinous (93+)

The 2016 Clos des Lambrays Grand Cru is extremely well defined on the nose with blacker fruit than its peers, wet limestone scents percolating through the red berry fruit, somehow sedate and effortless. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy red fruit, nigh perfect acidity, a touch of fleshiness towards the finish. It is not the most ambitious Grand Cru, yet in terms of sheer pleasure, this hits the spot. Drink over the next 15 to 20 years. Tasted blind at the Burgfest 2016 tasting.

Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy (90-94)

Pink red purple, the fruit is lively but not too powerful, but the structure is surprisingly austere. While there is plenty of fruit, the structure is currently angular and the wine will need to fill out. In the balance.

Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy (95-97)

(5-Star Wine) In Laurent’s time at Domaine Ponsot this could be a veritable hit or a slight miss. The 2016 looks like the former. It has a gorgeous purple black centre, then a marvellous richness of red and black fruit through the middle, a very valuable bite of acidity, and all sorts of detailed little red fruits dancing across the palate, offering amazing detail. Very promising!

Vinous (93-95)

(as with the Bâtard, the yield was not much more than ten hectoliters per hectare): Very pure aromas of lemon, lime, white flowers and liquid stone. Quite rich and concentrated but tight and youthfully clenched. There was very little fruit in 2016 from the upper, more minerally part of the vineyard, noted Brice de la Morandière, which may have resulted in a heavier wine than normal. But this wine boasts a strong spine, even if it's still an infant today.

Wine Spectator (94)

This white starts out rich and creamy, offering lemon cake, peach, spring blossom and pastry flavors, gaining focus on the finish, where the vibrant structure emerges. Fine length. Drink now through 2027. 650 cases made, 94 cases imported.

Vinous (92+)

(30% new oak, or roughly the same percentage as all of the 2015 crus here): Bright dark red. Very sexy, subtly complex scents of dark raspberry, black cherry, licorice, coffee and mocha, with suggestions of liqueur-like ripeness. Densely packed and thick, with subtle sweetness supported by ripe acidity. Quite juicy and savory in the mouth, then firmly tannic but not dry on the very long, rising back end. The yield here was a normal 42 hectoliters per hectare. This wine struck me as a bit New World in character when I first tasted it from barrel, but today it's clearly communicating its Morey terroir. (Lignier did not open a bottle of his Clos Saint-Denis, as he has just 140 bottles--plus another 140 for the owner of the vineyard.)

Vinous (92-95)

(aging in 33% new oak; these vines just under Mazis-Chambertin are now 104 years old, according to Boillot): Bright ruby-red. Very ripe but youthfully brooding aromas of black cherry, licorice, menthol and stone. Then surprisingly fat, pliant and sweet in the mouth, with its dark cherry and black raspberry fruit displaying outstanding creamy depth and volume. Wonderfully rich, seamless and relaxed, finishing with utterly suave tannins and terrific length, if not yet quite the complexity of the Champonnets. But that will come with time. This wine struck me as more relaxed than Boillot's 2016s from frost-affected vines on the Côte de Beaune. A splendid Gevrey premier cru in the making.

Vinous (88-90)

(Boillot assembled eight parcels of old vines ranging from 59 to 70 years of age): Bright red-ruby. Deep, pure, youthful scents of black cherry, dark raspberry and licorice. Intensely flavored if a bit medicinal and tight, with its blackberry and violet flavors complicated by bitter chocolate and a cool herbal nuance. Aeration brought an enticing touch of sweetness and some old-vines creaminess. This serious village wine finishes with ripe, dusty tannins and good subtle persistence.

Unveiling the superbly crafted Louis Boillot Volnay 1er Cru Caillerets 2016, a masterpiece from the illustrious winemaker, Louis Boillot. Harmonious and expressive, this remarkable vintage is produced in the acclaimed vineyards of the premier cru, Caillerets, nestled in the heart of France's historic Volnay region. Infused with the delicate essence of fresh fruits and spiced undertones, this Pinot Noir variety is refined through traditional, time-honoured vinification methods. Boillot's masterful hand and decades-honed expertise imbue this creation with a distinctive elegance and an intricate complexity.

Boillot's pursuit of pure expression led him to adopt biodynamic farming techniques, a practice mirrored in every sip of this opulent wine. The burgundy red colour and silken texture add to the harmonious experience this Louis Boillot Volnay 1er Cru Caillerets 2016 provides. A perfectly curated balance between fruity vivacity and structured tannins makes this a truly exceptional addition for connoisseurs.

Vinous (93-95)

The 2018 Clos Saint-Denis Grand Cru has a cohesive, focused bouquet of intense red currant, wild strawberry and crushed stone aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with crisp acidity and slightly angular tannins that will be softened with time. I appreciate the energy and backbone of this Grand Cru. Excellent.

Decanter (95)

The Bonnes-Mares is an excellent, cellar worthy wine this year, opening in the glass with a bouquet of cherries, wild berries, currant leaf, coffee and gamebird. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied and concentrated, with excellent depth, rich but chalky tannins, and good energy through the long, penetrating finish. This is firmly structured but has the dimension and amplitude to carry it.

Decanter (95)

The Bonnes-Mares is an excellent, cellar worthy wine this year, opening in the glass with a bouquet of cherries, wild berries, currant leaf, coffee and gamebird. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied and concentrated, with excellent depth, rich but chalky tannins, and good energy through the long, penetrating finish. This is firmly structured but has the dimension and amplitude to carry it.

Decanter (95)

The Bonnes-Mares is an excellent, cellar worthy wine this year, opening in the glass with a bouquet of cherries, wild berries, currant leaf, coffee and gamebird. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied and concentrated, with excellent depth, rich but chalky tannins, and good energy through the long, penetrating finish. This is firmly structured but has the dimension and amplitude to carry it.

Wine Advocate (96+)

Tasted from bottle, the 2016 Chambertin Clos de Bèze Grand Cru (Domaine Louis Jadot) is showing marvelously, unfurling in the glass with a deep bouquet of juicy cherries, cassis, blood orange, violets and rich spices, its framing of new oak already almost entirely integrated. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, multidimensional and utterly complete, with a bottomless core of cool, sappy fruit that entirely conceals its supple but abundant tannins. Immensely concentrated and strikingly structurally refined, this is a brilliant Clos de Bèze that's more classically balanced than the more overtly ripe 2015.

Wine Advocate (96+)

Tasted from bottle, the 2016 Chambertin Clos de Bèze Grand Cru (Domaine Louis Jadot) is showing marvelously, unfurling in the glass with a deep bouquet of juicy cherries, cassis, blood orange, violets and rich spices, its framing of new oak already almost entirely integrated. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, multidimensional and utterly complete, with a bottomless core of cool, sappy fruit that entirely conceals its supple but abundant tannins. Immensely concentrated and strikingly structurally refined, this is a brilliant Clos de Bèze that's more classically balanced than the more overtly ripe 2015.

Wine Advocate (95)

The 2016 Chapelle-Chambertin Grand Cru (Domaine Louis Jadot) is showing even better from bottle than it did from barrel, unfurling in the glass with a lovely and expressive bouquet of cherries, dark chocolate, incense and subtle hints of smoky new oak and clove. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, ample and velvety with a deep core of fruit, tangy but ripe acids and a long, penetrating finish. It's a beautifully elegant and direct example of Chapelle-Chambertin, from a parcel planted in 1920-1921 where most of the old vines remain intact.

Wine Advocate (93-95)

The 2016 Clos Saint-Denis Grand Cru has a clean and pure bouquet with ample smoke-tinged blackberry and raspberry fruit, controlled and focused, the mineral scents emerging with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with filigree tannin, plenty of dusky red fruit laced with graphite, although it deserves more complexity and detail to come through ont he finish. That may come with time. It is not up there with the outstanding 2015 but it is still extremely fine.

Wine Spectator (97)

Rose, cherry and spice aromas introduce this light-bodied, saturated version. The flavors add wild strawberry, incense and kirsch notes, while remaining persistent on the kaleidoscopic finish. Feels tense now, yet should develop nicely over time. A mineral element lingers.

Vinous (89-91)

Medium red. Sexy fruit cocktail notes of raspberry and pomegranate are complicated by savory minerality and a whiff of coffee. Nicely ripe and pliant, with its red fruit and spice flavors conveying a relaxed quality despite the fact that 40% of the crop was lost. This rather suave wine finishes with a touch of menthol, ripe tannins and attractive floral persistence. This fruit was picked early, on September 22, but the grower did a very good job sorting, noted Barnier. As Jadot purchased the sizable Domaine Prieur-Brunet last summer, there will be a separate domain bottling of Santenots beginning with the '17, but this négociant version will continue to be made. (My sample of the Volnay en l'Ormeau, a site hard hit by frost, was a bit oxidative as well as quite tannic, and impossible to assess.)

James Suckling (99)

Love the depth of fruit and intensity of this wine. It has dark fruit and floral undertones, as well as meat, which is very captivating. Full body, purity of fruit and nice, powerful tannins. Chewy and powerful. Focused austerity. A wine for the cellar. Try in 2022.

Wine Spectator (93)

There is purity and elegance in this red, whose cherry, rhubarb, currant and spice flavors converge on the refined structure. Firms up as the finish reveals mineral details and more spice notes. Best from 2023 through 2040. 250 cases made, 50 cases imported.

Distinguished Louis Moreau Chablis Grand Cru Le Clos Clos des Hospices 2016 is something every wine connoisseur would covet. Born in Chablis, near Burgundy region of France, this wine reflects the excellence of Louis Moreau’s vineyards, nurtured by a multi-generational wine family tenacious about cultivating the best grapes.

The wine indulges the senses with its brilliant clear yellow colour and intricate bouquet of floral and citrus aromas. Benefitting from the chalky soils of Le Clos vineyard positioned encircling 'Les Clos des Hospices', the wine has a distinctive minerality. Cultivated from 100% Chardonnay grapes and matured precisely 12 months in stainless steel vats, this wine has a naturally pure, intense, and crisp taste enlivened with zesty citrus.

Reserve a bottle of Louis Moreau Chablis Grand Cru Le Clos Clos des Hospices 2016 and relish the harmonious interplay of intricate fruit flavours and fresh acidity. This is French artisan winemaking at its prime.

The Louis Moreau Chablis Grand Cru Vaudesir 2016 is a sublime expression of the celebrated Chablis region. Produced by the Moreau family, custodians of the winemaking tradition for six generations, this exceptional vintage captures the unique characteristics of the Grand Cru vineyard, Vaudésir.

Harvested with utmost precision, these Chardonnay grapes undergo a careful vinification process. Fermentation occurs in stainless steel vats, preserving the inherent minerality and freshness whilst the ensuing maturation in the same vessels strikes a balance between fruit intensity and subtlety. The result is a wine that boasts a harmonious bouquet of bright citrus and distinctive flinty notes.

The palate displays an impressive structure with layers of crisp apple and white peach, illuminated by an undercurrent of mineral sharpness. The Louis Moreau Chablis Grand Cru Vaudesir 2016 offers a striking wine that continues to evolve, promising prolonged ageing potential that’s a testament to the Moreau family's dedication and expertise.

Indulge in the exquisite Louis Remy Gevrey-Chambertin Les Seuvrees 2016, a truly remarkable Burgundy hailing from the acclaimed winemaking region of Gevrey-Chambertin in France. Conceived by esteemed vintner Louis Remy, this sumptuous Red showcases the unparalleled skill and craftsmanship of one of Burgundy's most revered producers.

Grown in the prestigious Les Seuvrees vineyard, renowned for its mineral-rich soil, this vintage offers an extraordinary balance of power and elegance. The maturation process in French oak barrels leaves an indelible imprint, culminating in richly layered flavours that transcend the typical Pinot Noir.

Brilliant ruby in hue, the Louis Remy Gevrey-Chambertin Les Seuvrees 2016 captivates with an intoxicating bouquet of ripe red fruits and delicate spices, underlain with a subtle earthiness. Impeccably structured and beautifully refined, it encompasses a wealth of complexity waiting to be unearthed. Immerse in its eloquent narrative as it unfolds sip by sublime sip.