Immerse yourself in the exceptional experience of sipping the Christophe Pacalet Chenas 2011, a truly delightful embodiment of the Beaujolais region's prestige. Masterfully crafted by renowned winemaker Christophe Pacalet, nephew of the famous Marcel Lapierre, this exquisite bottle showcases his remarkable expertise and pioneering philosophy towards natural winemaking. The Chenas grape, the rarest of the ten Crus of Beaujolais, is meticulously harvested and vinified, giving the wine its layers of complexity and charm.

Dataing back to 2011, this vintage thrills the palate with vibrant red fruits, floral nuances, and spice tones underpinned by a lively acidity and soft, delicate tannins. The wine, embracing its mineral-rich terroir, imparts a lingering, well-defined finish. Matured with indigenous yeasts in old oak barrels, the Christophe Pacalet Chenas 2011 exhibits an unparalleled depth of character. Each sip is a testament to Pacalet's dedication to enhancing the profile of the Beaujolais region.

Vinous - Stephen Tanzer (92-94)

Good full red. Sexy aromas and flavors of blackberry, blueberry, gunpowder and smoky soil tones. Silky-rich and classically dry, displaying excellent chewy depth of material in a very pretty package. Finishes very long, with suave, fine-grained tannins and lovely lift. Should be a beauty.

Wine Advocate (96+)

The deep garnet-purple 2011 Astralis offers a nose redolent of Christmas pudding, allspice, mocha and anise along with a lovely core of prunes, black cherry preserves and dusty earth. Medium to full-bodied, it fills the mouth with elegant, effortless fruit, with a medium level of finely grained tannins, just enough acidity, and a long and multi-layered finish. Drink it 2015 to 2030+.

Wine Advocate (93)

This is another brilliant offering from Philippe Cuvelier, who has totally revolutionized the quality of this famous estate. The 2011 Clos Fourtet exhibits a dense blue/purple color as well as beautiful notes of creme de cassis, blueberries and raspberries, a complete as well as layered mid-palate, sweet tannin, good acidity and a charming personality. This is a highly successful effort for the vintage. Consume it over the next 10-12 years.

Vinous (90)

Bright ruby. Complex nose melds blackberry, licorice, violet and wild herbs. Subtly rich and elegant, offering dark berry, bitter chocolate and cracked pepper flavors. Finishes with substantial ripe but silky tannins and delicate, lingering spicy nuances.

The Clos Rougeard Saumur-Champigny Le Bourg 2011 is an exceptional French wine demonstrating excellent finesse and complexity. Produced by the internationally recognised Foucault brothers, this enticing Cabernet Franc offers a full-bodied experience with sumptuous flavours, firm tannins, and enchanting minerality. This wine is crafted in the Loire Valley from a single plot 'Le Bourg', matured in oak barrels for up to two years.

Hand-picking at harvest ensures the highest quality grapes are selected for vinification, maintaining the integrity of the wine and amplifying its unique sense of place. The Clos Rougeard winery, regarded as the jewel of Saumur-Champigny, handles the entire process with great caution to protect the wine's exclusive properties.

The Clos Rougeard Saumur-Champigny Le Bourg 2011 reflects the temperament, passion, and endless pursuit of quality that define the winery, making it a leading light amongst fine wines globally.

Vinous (92+)

Deep ruby. Lovely lift to the gamey aromas of blackberry, violet and wild flowers. Discreetly sweet, layered and seamless, showing perfectly integrated acidity and a chalky quality to the vibrant tannins. Juicy, vinous, intense and delicately suave, this distinguished cabernet franc finishes with subdued cassis fruit, subtle spices and superb length, reminding Nady of the 1993.

Wine Advocate (91)

The 2011 Chateauneuf du Pape offers gorgeous kirsch and strawberry-styled fruits to go with notions of spring flowers, licorice and rose petal. A perfumed, medium to full-bodied effort, it has loads of charm and class and will have a decade of overall longevity.

Vinous - Neal Martin (89)

The 2011 Clos Saint-Martin was inevitably going to be a comedown from the previous pair of vintages. This is more conservative and more tertiary in style, with less forward fruit; a touch of cinnamon in the background lends some intrigue. The palate is medium-bodied and clearly more approachable and pliant than the 2010. Commendable in terms of the weight and grip on the entry, though it does taper quickly and leaves you desiring more length on the finish. As such, I would open bottles in the near future and not cellar for too long. Tasted at a vertical of recent vintages at the château.

Vinous (96)

Two vintages of Coche Dury’s Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru follow. Neither 2011 nor 2003 is especially highly regarded, but it is precisely vintages like these that can be so instructive because they tell us so much about what talented growers can achieve in challenging years. The 2011 Charlemagne needs several hours of air to open, which is not surprising, as it has always been a stubborn wine. I remember that Jean-François Coche hesitated to show the Charlemagne when I stopped by to taste the bottled 2011s, as he felt the long malos had resulted in a wine that needs more time in bottle to fully come together. Now, at nearly age ten, the 2011 remains quite vibrant and nervy, with striking citrus, floral and mineral notes laced into a racy frame. All it needs is a bit more flesh, but it’s the sort of flesh that develops with more time in bottle.

Wine Advocate (91)

The 2011 Meursault (Les Vireuils) has an engaging bouquet of fresh apricot, passion fruit and flint, later a subtle hint of white chocolate that lends panache. The palate is very well-balanced with a fine line of acidity and grilled walnut, almond and fresh lemon all vying for attention. Long in the mouth with a persistent finish, this is a very fine Meursault Villages, as one has come to expect from this address. Drink 2015-2030.

Jancis Robinson (19)

Wonderful combination of substance and perfume. Very rich and intense. Already quite complex and the fruit almost completely masks the tannin in this wine. Such magnificent fruit! Quite a backbone, sneaks up on you after tasting. An approachable de Vogüé Musigny…?!

Vinous (93+)

(bottled the day before my visit; aged in 40% new oak): Complex, vibrant aromas of peach, orange zest and lemon accented by white pepper. Rich, ripe, tactile and sweet, with the intense citrus and stone fruit flavors accented by peppery spices and complicated by vanilla and leesy nuances. A very good showing today, but this is still a baby.

Vinous (93+)

(bottled the day before my visit; aged in 40% new oak): Complex, vibrant aromas of peach, orange zest and lemon accented by white pepper. Rich, ripe, tactile and sweet, with the intense citrus and stone fruit flavors accented by peppery spices and complicated by vanilla and leesy nuances. A very good showing today, but this is still a baby.

Vinous (93+)

(bottled the day before my visit; aged in 40% new oak): Complex, vibrant aromas of peach, orange zest and lemon accented by white pepper. Rich, ripe, tactile and sweet, with the intense citrus and stone fruit flavors accented by peppery spices and complicated by vanilla and leesy nuances. A very good showing today, but this is still a baby.

Vinous (92+)

Good bright medium red. The most complex and complete of these 2011s on the nose, offering scents of black cherry, menthol, wild herbs and sexy underbrush; sappy and ripe but with noteworthy medicinal reserve. Silky on entry, then thick, bright and highly concentrated, with the violet and licorice lift and firm spine of acidity of a top Cote de Nuits wine. Lovely focus and dark fruit intensity here. Finishes bright and long, with serious but fine-grained tannins. This should age beautifully.

Vinous (94)

A rush of dark red and black fruit, menthol, mocha, spice, tobacco and cedar flesh out in the 2011 Barolo Sorì Ginestra. Some of the typical darker, more balsamic notes of Ginestra are covered by the pure intensity of the fruit. As always, Ginestra is a wine that is defined by its combination of expressive aromatics, rich fruit and incisive tannins. In 2011 readers should expect a Ginestra that will drink well a little earlier than normal.

Savour the sumptuous elegance of Corte Saibante, Amarone della Valpolicella, Classico 2011, a testament to the art of Italian winemaking tradition. Corte Saibante crafts this quintessential Amarone in the heart of the Classico zone in Valpolicella, using the appassimento method whereby the grapes are air-dried before fermentation, intensifying the flavours. The handpicked Corvina, Rondinella, and Molinara grapes are meticulously harvested from select aged vineyards, ensuring superior quality.

The full-bodied Corte Saibante, Amarone della Valpolicella, Classico 2011 is characterised by an intense, ruby-red hue, and delivers exquisite notes of dried fruit, sweet spice and chocolate, flawlessly balanced by robust tannins and a lingering, velvety finish. A remarkable wine, it promises to age beautifully. With a reputation for crafting superior wines, Corte Saibante ensures this Amarone is an unforgettable experience, appealing to even the most discerning palate.

Vinous (92+)

Good bright red. Complex, ripe aromas of raspberry, cherry, iron, minerals, spices, pepper and truffley underbrush. The sweetest, supplest and most refined of these 2011s, offering lovely harmonious acidity to its red fruit, red licorice and mineral flavors. Really coats the mouth and vibrates on the long, firmly tannic finish, which features a late burst of ripe but lively red fruits. Winemaker Yves Confuron says the 2011s here have similar precision to the 2010s but more middle, although he believes that the wines have shut down following the September 2013 bottling.

Wine Enthusiast (97)

This is a fabulous gran reserva from a very good but lightly heralded vintage. Aromas of spiced plum, black olive, fig, tobacco and cassis come together like a puzzle. A deep, pure palate shows near-perfect balance, while this tastes of plum, berry fruits and earthy spice. Smooth, elegant and chocolaty on the finish, this delivers all one can ask for from Rioja. Drink through 2035.

Wine Enthusiast (97)

This is a fabulous gran reserva from a very good but lightly heralded vintage. Aromas of spiced plum, black olive, fig, tobacco and cassis come together like a puzzle. A deep, pure palate shows near-perfect balance, while this tastes of plum, berry fruits and earthy spice. Smooth, elegant and chocolaty on the finish, this delivers all one can ask for from Rioja. Drink through 2035.

James Suckling (92)

The wine has a lovely softness to it with a chocolate, currant and blueberry character. Full body, with velvety tannins and juicy finish. Savory wine. 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot.

James Suckling (92)

The wine has a lovely softness to it with a chocolate, currant and blueberry character. Full body, with velvety tannins and juicy finish. Savory wine. 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot.

Vinous (92-94)

The 2011 Meursault is totally alive in the glass. Gunpowder, slate and green pear notes emerge from a wine that impresses for its pure energy and drive. Next to some of the other wines in the range, the 2011 is a bit rough around the edges, but there is no lack of conviction and personality. It will be interesting to see if bottle age softens some of the contours. Still, there is a lot to like here.

Vinous (94-96)

The 2011 Puligny-Montrachet Les Folatières , on the other hand, conveys an impression of pure silk. Here the flavors are more sculpted and finessed than in the Richarde, while the minerality is also more apparent. With time in the glass the beauty and purity of the fruit emerges, but the Folatières convinces for its regal texture and personality alone. Readers who can find the 2011 are going to be thrilled.