Wine Advocate (92-93)

The 2014 Clos de la Roche Grand Cru, which comes from three sources, is a little more savory on the nose compared to the Clos Saint Denis, perhaps sans the same level of purity. There is more tertiary notes here, a hint of bacon fat even. The palate is medium-bodied with firm, slightly broader tannin than the Clos Saint Denis that lends it the weight, the presence, albeit without the nervosité or the mineral core expressed by the Clos Saint Denis. Very fine, but I would like to see more nuance develop during the rest of its élevage.

Vinous (92-94)

(one new barrel out of three and a half; from Pierre Damoy fruit): Healthy medium red. Very late-harvested aromas of ripe black cherry, red licorice and spices, complicated by nuances of honeysuckle, menthol, mint and leather. At once tightly wound and seamless, massive yet light on its feet, conveying terrific energy to its intense flavors of black cherry, raspberry and cinnamon. Finishes with suggestions of medicinal red cherry and licorice and excellent lift.

An exquisitely crafted vintage, the Alain Michelot Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Les Saint-Georges 2014 hails from one of the most prestigious vineyards in Burgundy, France. This exceptionally concentrated Pinot Noir presents itself with superb elegance and unrivalled power. Fruit for this wine is grown in calcareous clay soils, reinforcing its firm structure and encouraging its remarkable aromatic intensity.

Producer Alain Michelot’s commitment to minimal interventionist winemaking is palpable in every sip, allowing the terroir to truly speak for itself. Hand-harvested, the grapes are entirely destemmed before undergoing a pre-fermentation cold soak to enhance their berry flavours. This process is followed by an unhurried, temperature-controlled fermentation, promoting tannin softness and elegance. Barrel ageing for up to 20 months in French oak lends a seamless finish.

The Alain Michelot Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Les Saint-Georges 2014 is a fine exemplar of purity and finesse, a vital addition to the cellar of any aspiring oenophile.

Wine Advocate (91)

The 2014 Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Charmes has a fragrant and perfumed bouquet, wilted rose petals littered over red cherry and strawberry fruit, displaying fine transparency and delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin and contains plenty of energy. It is more linear than I expected -- there is a palpable strictness here -- yet there is impressive focus and structure on the finish. I would give this 2-3 years in bottle and you should have a charming Charmes. Tasted September 2016.

Wine Advocate (92-94)

The 2014 Richebourg Grand Cru clearly has the best bouquet amongst the A.F. Gros range: wonderful, minerally red berry fruit, dried flowers and just a hint of warm gravel in the background. It gains intensity in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with supple, ripe tannin. The acidity is very well judged and there is a creamy texture lending harmony to this Richebourg. I do think it is the most complex Richebourg I have tasted from the domaine in recent years, but it is one of the most sensual. Give it 8-10 years in bottle so that it can show what it can do.

Wine Spectator (95)

A powerful, dense version, evoking cherry, currant and spice flavors, with underlying accents of mineral and tobacco. Tight and chalky on the finish, but showing promise. Best from 2020 through 2040.

Vinous (90-92)

(the Arlauds have gotten this fruit from 60-year-old vines through a fermage arrangement since 2004): Good bright red. Lively aromas of black raspberry, spices and violet. Juicy, fruity, spicy and fresh; very ripe but not a fleshy style. Finishes with noteworthy verve and punch, and the spine to reward aging. This dark clay and calcaire soil would probably be great for Chardonnay, noted Cyprien Arlaud.

Wine Advocate (97)

Tasted blind at the Burgfest 2014 tasting, Rousseau's 2014 Chambertin Grand Cru has a fruit-driven bouquet laden with black cherries, crushed strawberry, ink and a touch of bay leaf. As it aerates, the fruit seems to take more of a back seat and the terroir comes through. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, very pure and elegant, iron fist/velvety glove and so forth. This is what a grand cru should be. Utterly seductive and captivating, its satin texture might lure you into opening a bottle too soon. Give it a decade to admire Rousseau at full flight. Tasted September 2017.

Wine Advocate (97)

Tasted blind at the Burgfest 2014 tasting, Rousseau's 2014 Chambertin Grand Cru has a fruit-driven bouquet laden with black cherries, crushed strawberry, ink and a touch of bay leaf. As it aerates, the fruit seems to take more of a back seat and the terroir comes through. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, very pure and elegant, iron fist/velvety glove and so forth. This is what a grand cru should be. Utterly seductive and captivating, its satin texture might lure you into opening a bottle too soon. Give it a decade to admire Rousseau at full flight. Tasted September 2017.

Burghound (97)

A brilliantly discreet spicy nose consists of sandalwood, essence of black cherry liqueur, violets and a hint of the sauvage. There is seriously good size, weight and power to the imposingly scaled flavors that display almost painful intensity on the driving, explosively long and very firmly structured finish where a pleasing bead of minerality appears which helps to add lift to the finish. This is powerful and presently quite compact yet my sense is that despite being very tightly wound today, it should progressively unfold such that in 7 to 8 years, it may be sufficiently civilized to enjoy if you don't wish to wait for its full maturity.

Burghound (97)

A brilliantly discreet spicy nose consists of sandalwood, essence of black cherry liqueur, violets and a hint of the sauvage. There is seriously good size, weight and power to the imposingly scaled flavors that display almost painful intensity on the driving, explosively long and very firmly structured finish where a pleasing bead of minerality appears which helps to add lift to the finish. This is powerful and presently quite compact yet my sense is that despite being very tightly wound today, it should progressively unfold such that in 7 to 8 years, it may be sufficiently civilized to enjoy if you don't wish to wait for its full maturity.

Burghound (97)

A brilliantly discreet spicy nose consists of sandalwood, essence of black cherry liqueur, violets and a hint of the sauvage. There is seriously good size, weight and power to the imposingly scaled flavors that display almost painful intensity on the driving, explosively long and very firmly structured finish where a pleasing bead of minerality appears which helps to add lift to the finish. This is powerful and presently quite compact yet my sense is that despite being very tightly wound today, it should progressively unfold such that in 7 to 8 years, it may be sufficiently civilized to enjoy if you don't wish to wait for its full maturity.

Burghound (97)

A brilliantly discreet spicy nose consists of sandalwood, essence of black cherry liqueur, violets and a hint of the sauvage. There is seriously good size, weight and power to the imposingly scaled flavors that display almost painful intensity on the driving, explosively long and very firmly structured finish where a pleasing bead of minerality appears which helps to add lift to the finish. This is powerful and presently quite compact yet my sense is that despite being very tightly wound today, it should progressively unfold such that in 7 to 8 years, it may be sufficiently civilized to enjoy if you don't wish to wait for its full maturity.

Wine Spectator (96)

Notes of dusty cherry, currant and leafy underbrush are the highlights of this tightly wound red, which is not giving much today, yet there is a center of sweet berry fruit. The fine aftertaste is fresh and resonant, with refined tannins. Best from 2022 through 2040.

Vinous (92)

The 2014 Gevrey-Chambertin from Armand Rousseau showcased the beauty of this true Burgundy lover’s vintage. It offered crisp, delineated raspberry and wild strawberry fruit laced with sous-bois. The palate displayed exquisite balance, obviously endowed with less concentration than the equivalent 2015 or 2016, yet nimble and lithe, and so precise and detailed on its carefree finish that you could easily misconstrue this as a premier cru. Wonderful.

Wine Advocate (86-88)

The 2014 Gevrey Chambertin Clos du Château has a pretty red cherry and strawberry nose that is in keeping with the Rousseau style. The palate is crisp and lively, with fine tannin but not immense weight, but it is fresh on the tart cherry finish. Note that it has not been decided if this will be released or not. It sounds as if it will and it deserves to be, as it is keeping with the Rousseau style.

Wine Advocate (96)

The 2014 Ruchottes Chambertin Grand Cru takes time to unfurl in the glass, eventually opening out with dark berry fruit, a touch of briary and blueberry, and a suggestion of sea spray. It is paradoxically intense but subtle. The palate is medium-bodied and here, it just shows the wood a little more than say, the Clos de la Roche. There is good density here, but it is the acidity that drives this forward and imparts so much tension. This is a Ruchottes that rivets you to the spot.

Introducing the 'Arnaud Ente Bourgogne Blanc 2014', a vision of authentic craftsmanship, from one of the most respected vintners in Burgundy, Arnaud Ente. This elegantly balanced Chardonnay was vinified with indigenous yeast and matured meticulously in oak barrels for 12 months before a further 6 in stainless steel, creating an intricate, textural experience.

Arnaud Ente Bourgogne Blanc 2014 hails from Burgundy, a region revered for its limestone-rich soils and cool climate, both pivotal in imbuing Ente's wines with matchless acidity and mineral depth. Remarkably, this wine is an embodiment of the meticulous viticulture and hands-on vinification at the estate.

Its shimmering gold hue is a prelude to an aromatic symphony of orchard fruits, honey and toasted nuts, flawlessly balanced on the palate with a lasting finish. Acquiring a bottle of Arnaud Ente Bourgogne Blanc 2014 is an investment in a true artisanal expression of one of Burgundy's greatest terroirs.

Vinous (95)

You may raise an eyebrow at my score, but this note was taken under blind conditions where it could have been a Chardonnay from anywhere in the world. The 2014 Meursault Clos des Ambres has a killer reduction on the nose with intense mineralité. It almost shocks the senses. The palate is fresh and vivacious, so penetrating and razor-sharp that you might think it is a Grand Cru. The energy just bursts through on the finish. In fact, this ends up with my highest score in a tough blind tasting. I can understand why people pay top dollar. Tasted a the New World/Old World Chardonnay Challenge in London.

Vinous (92)

(the crop level here was just ten hectoliters per hectare, according to Ente, who bottled this wine almost entirely in magnums): Reticent menthol and mint notes are lifted by a piercing Riesling-like aroma of fresh pineapple. Densely packed and vibrant but at the same time utterly smooth and seamless. Boasts terrific citrus and stone fruit intensity, but this very pure, penetrating wine is extremely primary today in spite of its subtle sweetness. This remarkable village wine, made from very old vines in L'Ormeau Clos just below the town of Meursault, really dances on the palate.

Vinous (89)

Bright, dark red. Slightly high-toned aromas of dark cherry, menthol, earth, leather and minerals; I might have guessed Nuits-Saint-Georges. Surprisingly supple and sweet in the mouth, offering considerable early appeal. Not especially complex but nicely full and satisfying. Finishes with substantial dusty tannins and lingering suggestions of leather and saline minerality. This wine was vinified with 40% whole clusters.

Vinous (90-92)

(50% vendange entier; 70% new oak): Deep, bright red-ruby. Musky aromas of black raspberry, black cherry, licorice and dark chocolate are a bit inexpressive in the early going. The youthfully stunted palate is somewhat musclebound and dry today, with the wine's sweetness currently in the deep background. This powerfully tannic Clos-Vougeot is likely to need extended bottle aging.

Vinous (92-94)

(60% vendange entier; 80% new oak; according to Pascal Lachaux, 90% of the vines here run north-south): Bright, deep red. Wonderfully elegant, expressive nose combines redcurrant, raspberry, iron, tobacco and underbrush complemented by sweet smoky oak. Suave and fine-grained, with the red fruit flavors lifted by a peppery topnote. This very silky, smooth wine finishes with terrific rising length and solid tannic grip. A lovely showing today: seems clearly better than the Clos-Vougeot in 2014. These iron-rich soils generally yield relatively tender wines in a Chambolle style, noted Charles Lachaux.

Vinous (92-94)

(60% vendange entier; 80% new oak; according to Pascal Lachaux, 90% of the vines here run north-south): Bright, deep red. Wonderfully elegant, expressive nose combines redcurrant, raspberry, iron, tobacco and underbrush complemented by sweet smoky oak. Suave and fine-grained, with the red fruit flavors lifted by a peppery topnote. This very silky, smooth wine finishes with terrific rising length and solid tannic grip. A lovely showing today: seems clearly better than the Clos-Vougeot in 2014. These iron-rich soils generally yield relatively tender wines in a Chambolle style, noted Charles Lachaux.

Vinous (91-94)

(vinified entirely with whole clusters and aged in 80% new oak): Healthy deep red. Sexy aromas of red berries, spices, pepper and crushed stone. Distinctly extract-rich, rocky wine with terrific sappy energy and tensile strength. Comes across as a bit cooler in character than the Echézeaux and finishes with serious building tannins. The family's holding is in the highest, windiest part of this grand cru, including one parcel that's surrounded on three sides by woods and thus receives less afternoon sun.

Vinous (91-94)

(vinified entirely with whole clusters and aged in 80% new oak): Healthy deep red. Sexy aromas of red berries, spices, pepper and crushed stone. Distinctly extract-rich, rocky wine with terrific sappy energy and tensile strength. Comes across as a bit cooler in character than the Echézeaux and finishes with serious building tannins. The family's holding is in the highest, windiest part of this grand cru, including one parcel that's surrounded on three sides by woods and thus receives less afternoon sun.

Vinous (89-92)

(vinified with 40% whole clusters): Medium red. Fruit-driven aromas of red cherry and strawberry. The silkiest and thickest of these 2014s to this point but with plenty of energy and cut. Boasts a sexy stem component and finishes juicy and persistent, with plenty of ripe tannins. Charles Lachaux told me that he uses the whole-cluster fermentation to soften the structure of this wine and he predicts that it will make a nice drink in five years, earlier than past vintages.

Vinous (87-89)

(a blend of eight vineyards): Bright medium red. Very dark aromas of black cherry, blackberry, licorice, herbs and spices. A juicy, youthfully tight midweight with a firm spine of dusty tannins and sneaky persistence. (Incidentally, the 2014 Bourgogne Rouge showed sexy red fruit flavors in a round, juicy style and should offer early pleasure. )

Vinous (94+)

(100% vendange entier): Very deep red with ruby tones. Slightly high-toned, chocolatey-ripe aromas of black raspberry, menthol and minerals. Fat and sweet but youthfully closed; doesn't offer quite the lift of the Reignots today but this is a remarkably full, large-scaled wine for the year. A bit darker and earthier in its fruit character. Sweetness builds with air.