New Arrivals

Our new sustainably made tote bags are the smartest way to transport your bottles. These thick, high-quality canvas bags are produced for us by Re-wrap, a small firm specializing in sustainable and reusable textiles. Inside, you’ll find three individual bottle compartments, plus plenty of room for other shopping.

Tasting 2009 Les Forts de Latour was a truly exciting moment. The wine was so fantastic that we wondered how the Grand Vin could beat it on earth. We were soon put right on that front - however, that should be fine with the fact that Les Forts is a brilliant wine in 2009. It has a complex nose with ultra-concentrated blackcurrant and blackberry fruit mingling with darker, more brooding, earthy notes. Glorious fruit follows on the palate, and the massive, high, ripe tannins seem to melt on the tongue. It’s not quite as ethereal as the Grand Vin, but this isn’t far off; it’s a fabulous second wine.

Berry Bros. & Rudd

This 2019 vintage is the best yet of our Nuits-St Georges from Benjamin Leroux. The nose is a heady perfume of dark berry fruit, violets and white pepper. The palate is creamy and succulent with a hint of vanilla. The tannins are like crushed velvet. This would be a perfect pairing with spiced lamb or lentil dishes.

Drink now until 2028

Adam Bruntlett, Senior Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd

Pierre Girardin Bourgogne Chardonnay Éclat de Calcaire unveils itself with a discreet presence and a velvety touch that gently caresses the palate. Olfactorily, it unfurls a spectrum of scents highlighted by crisp apples and succulent pears, interwoven with delicate hints of citrus. On the palate, its enveloping texture and well-balanced acidity lead to a pristine and invigorating finish.

We are delighted to be working with Château La Mascaronne’s brilliant team to produce this superb, terroir-driven rosé. The nose is full of juicy redcurrants and wild strawberries, with a refreshingly bright lift. The palate has the wonderfully pure, stone-pebble element of the property’s unique limestone-based vineyards. An herbal twist of wild oregano completes the delicious, salivating finish. This is drinking beautifully now, ready to open and share on a warm evening.

Catriona Felstead MW, Senior Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd

2005 Taittinger Comtes de Champagne is finely aromatic, a rich and creamy Blanc de Blancs at its very best. Although the 2005 can be enjoyed from release, a decade of patience will be well rewarded.

When Pierre Taittinger first discovered the Champagne region, he was a young officer during the First World War. He returned several years later to invest his energy into developing a family-owned independent Champagne house in Reims which is still managed by the Taittinger family today. 

Francois Taittinger chose Chardonnay as the dominant grape as he believed that modern tastes would increasingly appreciate the lightness, finesse and elegance of the Chardonnay grape in their flagship offering - Comtes de Champagne - first produced in 1952.

“We will never produce a large quantity of Comtes de Champagne because the technical characteristics we require so that this cuvée can be a very great wine are essentially unique in Champagne and very financially demanding. 

The Comtes de Champagne displays an eternal youth derived from our province’s greatest Chardonnay, a triumphant blend of force and elegance. Connoisseurs will appreciate it.”

Pierre-Emmanuel Taittinger

A lean and focused Champagne with lemon rind hints and a fine mineral drive. It's chalky and stony with a tense, firm structure. - Decanter

This village-level Morey is from two, roughly equal-sized parcels at the top of the slope; one is in Les Larrets, the other in En la Rue de Vergy. Yields were only 20 hl/ha due to the organic conversion of the vineyards, and the wine shows a pleasantly forward, plummy fruit on the nose, plenty of density and length. Aged in 30% new casks, as director Jacques Devauges notes, this is 'an energetic, tonic wine'. - Decanter

The sensuous, generous dollop of 40 % Merlot that went into this I think is what makes this so exquisite and beguiling. Warm, sweet red fruit with a hint of vanilla leading you to a palate which is plump and fleshy but elegant and sophisticated. It really reminds of a top Grand Cru Burgundy from a great year with its purity and grace. Please don't be put off if you read words like "elegant" to mean thin and lacking flavour as it can often mean in wine terms. Quite the contrary here, this is jam packed full of oomph and the finish is 3 to 4 minutes long. If its a small Christmas Day or New Years Eve gathering this year for you ( or you are an incredibly generous host/hostess and having the hordes in!) and you want something that will tick all the boxes ( and some boxes you hadn't even known you had) you wont be disappointed and you will certainly have a very happy Christmas.

Simon Staples, Berrys' Fine Wine Director (November 2009)

Francois Xavier Borie is now producing some of Bordeaux's greatest wines, expressing the personality of the terroir possibly more than any other proprietor. A fabulous wine balancing concentration, ripeness of fruit and complex structure all in one. One of the finest wines of the vintage.

Pretty pink purple with medium depth, this is extremely elegant, fills the mouth discreetly but with perfect composure and very good length, lightly marked by vanilla oak. Extremely attractive fruit that has not got too ripe.

Jasper Morris MW, InsideBurgundy.com (November 2020)

The first impression is as invigorating as a sea breeze. I love the interplay of mirabelle, grapefruit and lychee fruit with minty freshness and waxiness from lees contact. And all this is welded to a beautifully proportioned palate with plenty of structure, bright acidity and the mousse animating. It's a very salty finish that pulls you back for more. 

A cuvee of 41% Chardonnay, 33% Pinot Noir and 26% Pinot Meunier. Of these, 15% fermented in oak and 85% in stainless steel. The final blend contained 36% reserve perpetual and 10% reserve wines of the 2012 - 2018 vintage from oak. The dosage is 7 g/l. 

Drink or hold

Stuart Pigott, Senior Editor at JamesSuckling.com (August 2023)

The first vintage of Leclerc Briant’s Abyss was in 2012. The cuvée takes its name from its unique ageing: it is stored 60 metres under the sea off the coast of Brittany for up to a year. Leclerc Briant considers this the ideal environment for the maturation of Champagne, devoid as it is of oxygen and light. Prior to submersion, the wine was aged for 10 months in second-fill oak barriques quietly sourced from some top estates in Bordeaux.

Abyss is always Leclerc Briant’s most intriguing cuvée, but the stunning 2018 is one of the finest they have released. The nose blends floral and white-peach aromas with a savoury and mineral edge. The palate is zesty and refreshing with a vivacious energy and tension running through it. A gentle salinity on the palate is interwoven with a purity of fruit derived from winemaker Hervé Jestin’s terroir-driven approach. This is a prestige-cuvée Champagne like no other, perhaps with its finest vintage yet.

Henrietta Gullifer, Account Manager, Berry Bros. & Rudd

The wine's intense red color reveals aromas of ripe red fruits and spices, with a beautiful tannic structure in the mouth. The vines for this wine are traditionally farmed by the winemaker Pierre Girardin, thus guaranteeing exceptional quality. For vintage 2021, this wine reflects the unique terroir of the region and fully expresses all the viticultural expertise of the house. Ideal to accompany meat dishes, this red wine is a real gem to enjoy in a convivial atmosphere.

Very much a young wine in its primary stage, this is silky and powerful and tasted excellent during this vertical, despite 2010 being an extremely difficult vintage for winemaker Michael Silacci. 

The year got off to a cool start, followed by a heatwave - the grapes at Opus escaped the shrivelling that much of Napa saw because of leaf cover. There are still plenty of signposts towards a hot summer - olive paste, rosemary, garrigue and liquorice notes, gorgeous ground coffee bean edging, and an excellent layer of freshness that picks things up on the finish and stops it being overly powerful. 

I like years in Napa that have a little fault in them - too much perfection with the natural generosity of Napa can make for an overly powerful wine, and I celebrate the nuances here. 

1% Malbec and 4% Petit Verdot complete the blend. 19 days skin contact.

Drink 2021 - 2040

Jane Anson, Decanter.com (September 2019)

This has a bright pink-purple colour, displaying darker fruit compared to the Vosne-Romanée and somewhat firmer tannins, combined with very good acidity behind. This is an excellent, intense, structured village wine. Drink 2020-2027
Jasper Morris MW, Wine Buyer

Etienne Grivot held off until 10th September because he felt the tannins were not quite ripe before then. Sugar levels never rose too high and acidity levels are good. When asked to describe the vintage, Etienne opined that 2015 has “charm and sensuality up front, energy behind; a charming but sophisticated vintage”. The vintage continues a superb recent run from the Grivots, with Etienne as éminence grise and Mathilde taking increasing responsibility during vinification.

From five plots around the vineyard, Arnaud doesn’t use any whole-bunch here, feeling the floral profile of the vineyard does not need further embellishment. The nose is beautifully perfumed, with wild strawberry and delicate flowers drifting from the glass. Juicy, ripe red berries fill the palate, rounding out the middle, before the arrival of intensely fresh and chalky tannins. Seductive but serious.

Berry Bros. & Rudd

From five plots the vineyard, this is a wine for which Arnaud never includes any whole bunches. It has a wonderful, floral, red berry lift to the nose, while the palate is defined by the acidity and ethereal energy. Still discreet and hidden, this needs time to open. The new oak (70 percent) is so well-integrated as to be barely noticeable.
Adam Bruntlett, Wine Buyer

The domaine was founded by Charles Mortet, but rose to fame with the exceptional 1993 vintage crafted by his son Denis who tragically died at the age of 51 in January 2006. Denis believed with a deep passion that the work in the vineyard was everything. He has been succeeded by his equally, indeed exceptionally, talented son Arnaud, now also with the assistance of his sister Clémence. At the domaine everything starts in the vineyard, where every measure is taken to produce the finest, ripest fruit possible, creating a style of wine which, as Denis used to say is “a pleasure to drink young or old”. Arnaud Mortet is very happy with the quality of the 2016 vintage, explaining that its balanced profile with a mixture of ripeness and elegance will please everyone. Yields are very variable across the range, with anything from 30 to 70 percent of the crop having been lost to frost. Fortunately, mildew was not an issue as he acted swiftly to treat the vineyard when conditions began to deteriorate. He has generally used fewer whole bunches this year than in 2015.

Domaine Denis Mortet in Burgundy was founded by Denis Mortet in the early 1990s. He died at the age of 51, after taking his own life in January 2006. In his brief, but highly acclaimed passage from the winemaking scene, he rose to become a colossal figure in Burgundy, fashioning wines from relatively modest vineyard holdings which punch far above their weight. He rose to fame with an exceptional range of wines from the 1993 vintage. 

Our longstanding relationship with Benjamin means that we are often the first to taste exciting new wines. This is the case here, where I spotted this new cuvée in the cellar in May and quickly snapped up the entire production of seven barrels, made from organic grapes sourced from a good friend. The vines are well-sited on the hillside in Comblanchien, a village just south of Nuits St Georges which is gaining more attention as a source for great-value reds. Ben’s wine has a wonderful, perfumed nose with red and black berries and floral touches. The palate is juicy, crunchy and succulent with precise limestone tannins and a fresh finish. Quintessential Burgundian Pinot Noir.

Drink 2023 - 2030

Berry Bros. & Rudd

This bright purple Clos de Vougeot wine is a blend from two holdings, one near the top of the Clos and the other lower down. The fruit is a little reticent on the nose at first but develops strongly to the back of the palate. A deep, rich, complex, and spicy finish envelopes the palate, with a noteworthy structure also in evidence.

Two recent trends that winemaker Pierre Vincent has continued here are a slight reduction in the amount of new oak, which now mostly comes from the local forest of Cîteaux, and a slight increase in the use of stems during vinification. The latter is subtly judged, though, as there is rarely any outright feel of the stems in the bouquet or palate. 2010 is a tiny crop, averaging 24 hl/ha across the cellar, but the wines are magically concentrated.

Berry Bros. & Rudd

The 2014 Chambolle Musigny 1er Cru les Véroilles has a perfumed and floral bouquet with touches of violet infusing the red berry fruit, complex and engaging, more mercurial in the glass - perhaps a Chambolle with secrets to covet. The palate is very supple and silky in texture, and there is wonderful, saturated tannin here matched with a sorbet-like freshness and great precision towards the tender finish. This is a divine, delectable wine from Ghislaine Barthod. - Wine Advocate 92-94/100

Bibi Graetz considers his new-and-improved 2022 a true renaissance of Casamatta – becoming “a little Testamatta”. From around 420 metres above sea level, the Sangiovese used here comes from Bibi’s Vincigliata and Olmo vineyards in Fiesole. This is bright and energetic, vinified entirely in stainless steel to protect that character. Leaping with perfume, the wine flows with red berries and sweet dried violets. This is followed by glistening red cherries, fresh cranberries and supreme balance on the palate. This is one for the true Bibi fans.

Charlie Leech, Buying Assistant, Berry Bros. & Rudd (June 2024)

Formerly known as the cuvée "La Croix Blanche," Tremblay's 2018 Bourgogne Côte d'Or derives from well-situated parcels in the communes of Vosne-Romanée and Chambolle-Musigny. Offering up an inviting bouquet of red berries, woodsmoke and raw cocoa that's framed by a deft touch of oak, the wine is medium to full-bodied, velvety and concentrated, with a fleshy core of fruit, elegant structuring tannins and lively acids.

William Kelley, Wine Advocate (January 2020)

From a mix of Meursault, St. Aubin, Puligny and Chassagne.

A fresh and ripe nose combines notes of apple, pear and a pretty floral whiff. There is good vibrancy and very good density as well to the delicious flavors that conclude in a citrus-tinged finish that is refreshing and sneaky long. This is quite good for what it is and worth checking out, especially as an all-around house white.

Drink from 2021 onward

Allen Meadows, Burghound.com (June 2020)

This parcel of old vines is situated at the top of the vineyard, alongside Drouhin’s Clos des Mouches.  The aromas are of red and black fruit, with some  spice adding complexity. On the palate, it is all  cherry, with real richness, plenty of power and chalky but ripe tannins. The finish is creamy and floral. Drink 2022-2027.

After the famine of 2016, this year is something of a feast, at least in the case of the reds. Sadly, the whites, which Dominique praises as having excellent clarity, are in slightly smaller volumes than 2016. The good news is that the full range of red wines has been made, and in good volume too. Dominique is effusive in his praise for the 2017 reds, describing them as appealing, with beautiful balance, a lightness of touch, refined tannins and a floral character with stunning red fruit.

The 2015 Barolo Riserva Vigna Rionda is a magnificent wine that shows all the magic this site is so famous for. All the Rionda signatures open in the glass. Sweet dark cherry/plum, lavender, spice, mint and pine meld together in a sensual, beautifully layered Barolo that pushes all the right buttons. The 2015 is going to need a few years to soften, but it is undeniably vivid and arresting in its sheer allure.

Drink 2025 - 2042

Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com (January 2021)

Ripe purple, with a dense concentration of dark cherry fruit, there is something a touch firmer behind, with more structure, as befits a Premier Cru. The bones are covered by delicious, unctuous fruit. This is a wine with great persistence. Drink 2020-2028.
Jasper Morris MW, Wine Buyer

Paul Zinetti’s second harvest at the domaine has at least given him a few more grapes to play with than 2014 and fruit of exceptional quality. Nonetheless 2015 was once again a very short crop because of the previous hail damage, delivering just one third of what used to be normal. The grapes were mostly de-stemmed, although some whole bunches were used, but always a minority.

This is actually quite aromatically similar to the Fichots with perhaps just a bit more sauvage character. The supple but punchy middle weight flavours deliver similar depth and persistence on the slightly firmer and more rustic finale.

Drink from 2025 onward

Alan Meadows, Burghound.com (April 2020)

An incredibly fresh, mineral and focused Champagne with aromas and flavours opening up in the glass beautifully. The nose is highly perfumed bringing notes of white flowers, fresh citrus fruits, lemon, grapefruit-like, with white peach and fresh yeasty dough coming along. On the palate the wine has a gentle creamy entry and shows racy acidity, amazing purity and steeliness, it will go a long way. Flavours of lemon, lime and orchards with touches of white pepper with a chalky finish and impeccable balance, truly exquisite and amazing vintage of Comtes to buy now and leave in the cellar for a few years.

Drink 2024 - 2040

Berry Bros. & Rudd

Blend: 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay.

The 2015 Grande Année is a testament to Bollinger’s exceptional winemaking, being aged for 7 years, all under natural cork which sets them apart. With their emphasis on a high proportion of Pinot Noir in the blend, the Champagne offers a symphony of aromas, from small stone fruits and a medley of red currant to exotic touches of mango, all layered with a delicate woody scent. On the palate, it presents a rich texture reminiscent of Mirabelle plum jam, culminating in a finish that blends nougat and citrus notes for a generous and complex tasting experience. 

Sigurdur Thor Gunnlaugsson, Account Manager, Berry Bros. & Rudd (March 2024)

Ch. Montrose is at the leading edge of low-impact winemaking in Bordeaux. For more than 15 years, the property has been improving biodiversity and vineyard health energy use – plus, all the CO2 from fermentation is captured and turned into bicarbonate of soda. “Ch. Montrose is in the middle of nature,” says spokesperson Lorraine Watrin. “Our vision here is to reveal the beautiful riches of the terroir.”

In 2010, Ch. Montrose purchased 22ha of prime land from their neighbours, Ch. Phélan-Ségur. The vineyard borders Montrose on its western side and is planted with 2/3 Merlot and 1/3 Cabernet Sauvignon. According to who you speak with, this may be Phélan’s best parcel, and the Merlot is especially prized. This has given the Montrose team a short-term puzzle, resulting in a higher-than-usual proportion of Merlot in the blend for the Grand Vin. This will be adjusted over the coming years as the existing Montrose Merlot on excellent Cabernet land near the river has been replanted for the latter. Still, there is an embarrassment of fine Merlot on the estate. Not that this is a problem: in 2012, Merlot excelled. 

This dense and spicy wine contains 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot. The very low-yielding Cabernet is fully ripe and gives an earnest backbone to some high-quality Merlot. This is not a traditional Montrose but undoubtedly a beguiling one.

Mark Pardoe MW, Wine Director, Berry Bros. & Rudd

This is a delightful and fresh Pinot Noir vibrating with enchanting fruit-driven notes. From Bourgogne's natural wine legend Yann Durieux, it’s a 100% Pinot Noir from selected parcels near the commune of Villers-la-Faye, not far from Les Grands Ponts, on the border between Hautes Côtes de Nuits and Hautes Côtes de Beaune. Natural wild fermentation, and nothing added or taken away, with no hint of added SO2.

Not old by the standards of this domaine's other vineyard holdings - it was planted in 1980 - this 0.5ha piece of Les Petits Vougeots always seems to produce a delightfully scented, hedonistic Pinot in the hands of Charles van Canneyt. It's crunchy, juicy and vibrant, with chalky minerality and enticing raspberry and red cherry fruit. Drinking Window 2023 - 2029. - Decanter 95/100

This wine expresses the exceptional character of a great terroir combined with a great grape variety. Its fine, complex nose features notes of red and black fruit (cherry, raspberry, blackcurrant) combined with delicate nuances of oak and subtle hints of spices. On the palate, this wine's smooth, full-bodied texture is supported by elegant tannic structure. An exceptional, classy wine that is endowed with remarkable length.
On the palate, all the crispiness of Pinot Noir with very pleasing, smooth, mouth-filling tannic texture.

The 2016 Vosne-Romane 1er Cru Aux Malconsorts actually has a similar bouquet to the Les Beaux Monts but with heightened mineralit which is prioritized over the fruit. I was momentarily whisked back to my youth, pot-holing in the Lake District, that tang of limestone and moorland in the air. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grain tannin. As Alec Seysses remarked, there is more wine in the Malconsorts compared to the Beaux Monts. It has brilliant delineation and a very complex finish that fans out with real confidence. This is one of the top wines from Dujac. Chapeau.
Neal Martin - 29/12/2017

Tasted at the Domaine

The 2016 Vosne-Romanée Les Chaumes 1er Cru has an expressive bouquet with blackberry and raspberry. It is quite floral, with touches of orange blossom surfacing with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with grippy tannin. There is plenty of matière here, with a masculine, spicy, and saline finish that appears to have gained length since I tasted it in barrel. This is very promising.

Drink 2023 - 2040

Neal Martin, Vinous.com (October 2019)

An overtly floral and spicy nose is quite restrained if exceptionally pretty with its cool array of spice, Asian-style tea, and red and blue pinot fruit scents. There is a terrific vibrancy to the much more mineral-driven medium-weight flavours, which also culminate in a linear and delineated finish that really firms up as it sits on the palate. This is very much built-to-age and will need at least half a dozen years to unwind. In a word, excellent.

Drink from 2027 onward

Allen Meadows, Burghound.com (January 2018)

Robert Parker has been quoted as saying that the wines of Vérité can compete with the best of Bordeaux when tasting a vertical of La Muse; “Not just ‘like Pétrus’ but a great vintage of Pétrus’.” Gorgeous, dark, layered fruit within a broad structured frame. Balances weight, power and freshness very well and develops meaty animal hints alongside the dark blackcurrant fruit. At 15 years old, the tannins are super fine, and the length across the palate is remarkable. A real treat, drink now and over the coming 15 years.

Martyn Rolph, Head of Buying, Berry Bros. & Rudd

The 2013 Le Desir represents 2,500 cases. 

This is the softest of the three wines in 2013, and this blend of 61% Cabernet Franc, 23% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Malbec emerges with more than half of the cuvée coming from Hillsides in Alexander Valley, 37% from Chalk Hill and the rest tiny dollops from Bennett Valley and Knights Valley. Opaque purple, like its siblings, the wine shows incredible floral, blueberry and espresso notes, exotic Asian spices, velvety texture, a supple, multilayered mouthfeel and an incredible finish, with incense and liquorice. 

This is a magnificent young wine, with a good 40-50 years of upside potential. Pierre Seillan is justifiably proud of what he has achieved, and his first vintage of Vérité was only 1998, but they go from strength to strength.

Drink 2015 - 2065

Robert M. Parker, Jr., Wine Advocate (October 2015)

From a south-facing vineyard immediately above the hamlet of Gamay, this delivers immediate pleasure. There is a pure expression of the redcurrant end of Pinot Noir’s spectrum, both aromatically and with the energy on the palate. This is more than a simple, pretty wine; there is a surprisingly well-layered palate, with more strawberry notes among the sapid tannins.

Drink 2023 - 2028

Berry Bros. & Rudd

The nose is complex and fascinating, slightly floral, with a little bit of graphite, giving the idea that the main block of wine is not even starting to show but is just giving off a few little waves of flavour to amuse us with. Huge potential here, more acidity at the back, what a wealth of fruit! Startling stuff and really very long indeed.

Jasper Morris MW, InsideBurgundy.com (February 2022)

This comes from the estate’s younger vines, many planted in albarelli “bush” style. Cool fermentation and short maceration aid aromatics and drinkability. Nine months in old tonneau and terracotta amphorae retain fruit purity without sweet oak influence and give a pleasing suppleness to the tannins. This is a bright expression of Rosso, but not without complexity. Floral high notes, spice, wild mint, fresh currents, dried cranberry and cherry flesh tannins are framed by a tangy freshness and earthy Tuscan charm.

Drink 2023 - 2030

Berry Bros. & Rudd

I knew it was only a matter of time before Davide Cilli would make a wine at Promontory that would represent the maximum expression of this rugged hillside site. The 2014 Promontory has been exceptional in the past, but it has also gained another gear or two over the last year, which is pretty much now standard for these wines. Stunningly delineated and precise, with tremendous purity and exceptional balance, the 2014 Promontory dazzles from start to finish. 

This is an especially translucent style, one that is more about persistence and balance than power alone. Stated simply, the 2014 Promontory is towering achievement from one of Napa Valley's most talented young winemakers. Kudos to the Harlan family and the winegrowing team led by Bob Levy and Cory Empting for creating the framework that allowed Cilli to craft this exquisite, riveting Cabernet Sauvignon.

Drink 2022 - 2039

Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com (December 2018)

This vineyard is located right next door to Vosne-Romanée and this Nuits-St Georges Les Damodes 1er Cru from Pierre Vincent shares many of its aromatic characteristics, with lovely soft, fleshy fruit and an impressive purity.

From Lavières and Bas de Combe plus two vineyards nearer to Nuits. Again there is no especial depth of colour, yet with this sublime fragrance. The whole bunches are a bit firmer but the fragrance comes behind.

Jasper Morris MW, Inside Burgundy (Novemeber 2018)

There is exceptional weight to the nose of this majestic Montrachet; the fruit absolutely dances in the glass, keeping the wood in check. With massive weight, real elegance and perfect balance, this is a winner!

Tessons sits above Grands Charrons. The limestone influence is even more to the fore. Jean-Baptiste has 0.5 hectares of this eight-hectare vineyard. The oldest vines date from 1958. The stronger presence of tartaric acidity in 2020 allows a more honeyed, spicy note to show alongside the usual lemony accent. The wine is purposeful with real clarity. Drink 2023-2035. 

The 2018 Meursault 1er Cru Les Perrières opens in the glass with notes of citrus oil, pear, oatmeal and struck flint, framed by a deft touch of smoky reduction. On the palate, it's medium to full-bodied, deep and intense, with racy acids and a searingly chalky finish. Anne Morey tells me that her father farmed this 0.55-hectare parcel before acquiring it at the end of the 1980s, and the composition of the soils suggests that this was the location where rejected stones from the quarry that lends the climat its name were discarded. - Wine Advocate

A lovely wine, the 2018 Meursault Les Grands Charrons opens in the glass with notes of pear, peach and apple blossom, framed by delicate hints of wheat toast and praline. Medium to full-bodied, elegantly textural and precise, it's built around lively acids and fine-structuring dry extract. This may not be the most long-lived rendition of this cuvée, but it's among the most immediately charming.

Once again, the bearded Bernard Boisson presided over my annual tasting in the usual, refreshingly old-school, manner, offering splashes from a variety of bottles, some open for several days and some opened for my benefit. As readers will remember, Bernard's holdings have been entirely divided between his son Pierre and daughter Anne, who work together in the vineyards and cellar, since 2017. As I've written before, in his day, Bernard Boisson was one of the village's latest harvesters; and his wines only spent a year on the lees, with much of the production sold to the négociants.

With Pierre's arrival at the domaine some 15 years ago, that changed dramatically: the domaine has returned, as Bernard puts it, to do things as they were done in his grandfather's era. That means early harvesting, little débourbage, long sur-lie élevage ranging from 19 to 22 months and restrained use of new oak—up to 30%, largely from Saint-Romain's Tonnellerie Gillet. The entire production is now bottled without filtration. This is a fine address, and this first look at the 2018s—as well as some later-released 2017s—revealed wines that are very much in the classic style that followers of these domaines have come to expect.

Drink 2022 - 2035

William Kelley, Wine Advocate (January 2021)

From Laurent’s oldest vines in the Clos du Roy, this cuvée is brimming with its customary griotte aromas. On the palate, firm tannins, a cool berry fruit profile and crisp acidity point to the vineyard’s soil of hard Comblanchien limestone, and to the wine’s capacity to age.

Drink 2021 - 2028

Berry Bros. & Rudd

This is a wine with real personality. It’s from four plots of vines planted in the 1940s, including one on gravel to which David attributes its spicy, savoury aromas. Lots of juicy black fruit on the palate, with just the right degree of firmness to the tannins to give an extra sense of freshness.

Drink 2021 - 2025

Berry Bros. & Rudd

Another new lieu-dit bottling is the 2017 Mâcon-Verzé Le Monté, which derives from a vineyard located above the hamlet of Escolles on a plateau rich in flint, and fully one-third of which was fermented and raised in wood. Unfurling in the glass with scents of pear, pastry cream, smoky and toasted nuts, it's medium to full-bodied, with a broader attack and a more saline finish than the Chênes, though it shares the incisiveness that distinguishes all of Leflaive's Mâcon cuvées this year.

Drink 2018 - 2028

William Kelley, Wine Advocate (August 2019)

South west and sunny despite the altitude. Clear pale colour, a fine ripe but balanced nose, with real grip on the palate, some weight. Good tension despite the flesh.

Jasper Morris MW, Insideburgundy.com (November 2019)

I tasted two vintages of the top Garnacha (Peluda), so next to the 2017 Les Manyes, I also had the 2018; it was great to see the differences in the wines, even if the analytical data showed pretty similar. This amazing vineyard at 800 meters in altitude on red clay and gypsum soils has more in common with some vineyards from Montsant than the majority of other vineyards from Priorat. In 2016, they started ageing the wine 100% in concrete, and they have no intention of going back.

This is quite austere and compact and has had a slow oxidation in concrete, and the wine feels quite stabilized and fresher than other 2017s but again perhaps not as deep as the 2018. It's not a showy vintage; it's quite subtle. It takes a long time to open up in the glass, and it's clearly the freshest of the 2017s. 3,200 bottles were filled in June 2020 after a longer élevage, exclusively in concrete for this second bottling lot.

Drink 2020 - 2028

Luis Gutiérrez, Wine Advocate (December 2020)

Their first year of conversion to biodynamics. Vines were planted in 1934 and the late 1960s—half whole bunch.

Dark garnet. Very sumptuous, well-developed, rich notes on the nose. It has fully evolved already with some meatiness and delivery of finesse. It is a really useful, quite precocious 2005 Grand Cru. There are no infinite layers but lots of pleasure and good structure. Just a hint of dustiness. Mildly chunky on the end. Lip-smacking. 

Drink 2015 - 2030

Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com (August 2015)

While most vineyards in Bolgheri lie on flat alluvial plains, Grattamacco’s are on slopes, some reaching up to 200 metres’ altitude. This gives the wines of this organic estate more energy and freshness. The 2020 Bolgheri Rosso has an attractive and distinctive Mediterranean nose of wild herbs, bell pepper, cassis, rosemary and peppery smoke. The palate is silky and vibrant: black cherry layered with spice, with supple tannins and tangy fruit charm. This is a testament to the expert winemaking of Luca Marrone and the exceptional terroir of Grattamacco.

Drink 2024 - 2030

Davy Żyw, Senior Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd

From vines averaging between 60 and 70 years of age located in Les Champs Perriers, En Derée, Sylvie, Les Jeunes Rois, La Justice, La Burie and La Platière.

A perfumed and very pretty nose features notes of various dark berries, spice, earth and a hint of violet. The rich, naturally sweet, very round, medium-bodied flavours possess both excellent mid-palate volume and outstanding depth in the well-balanced finish. As it almost always does, this boxes well above its weight for a villages level Gevrey.

Drink from 2022 onward

Allen Meadows, Burghound.com (January 2018)

Deep dark purple, slight lack of freshness on the nose, but that soon blows off. Much riper fruit and drier tannins, this vineyard has been caught out a bit. - Jasper Morris

A heavenly, heady bouquet enthrals the nose whilst supple, vigorous black fruit flavours dance across the palate. This may have a firm, tannic finish but there is so much fruit here that this will develop beautifully over a decade or more.

From the villages portion of La Bossière among other parcels.

A slightly riper mix of dark currant, plum and freshly turned earth introduces very rich and attractively vibrant middle weight flavors that exude a subtle minerality on the youthfully austere finish. This too is very good for a villages level Gevrey.

Drink from 2026 onward

Allen Meadows, Burghound.com (January 2020)

Two thirds comes from their normal grape purchases to which is added a plot of Aux Leureys, recovered as part of the Daniel Rion inheritance. A rich even purple. Lifted raspberry fruit, not too dark, then a bundle of dark red cherries on the palate. Just fills the mouth out a little more than the very fine Bons Batons. Good length, a Côte de Nuits-Villages of considerable charm. 

Drink 2026 - 2034

Jasper Morris MW, Inside Burgundy (October 2023)

From this vintage onwards, Thierry has incorporated the fruit from vines that are 30-years-old or older to give an extra kernel of concentration to what is a beautifully harmonious wine. Drink from 2015.

Tasted blind at the Burgfest 2014 tasting, Ghislaine Barthod's 2014 Chambolle Musigny 1er Cru les Cras has a slightly leathery, animally bouquet, but behind that is plenty of gutsy red fruit laced with pressed flowers. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannin, quite Morey-Saint-Denis in style in terms of structure, with a slightly tarry finish that needs more elegance to show through. I am certain that it will with time; indeed, the wine appeared to rapidly improve and gain cohesion in the glass as it aerated. Tasted September 2017.
Neal Martin - 31/10/2017

The 2012 Troplong Mondot has a fragrant bouquet with black cherry, cough candy and touches of marmalade, not complex but vigorous and fresh. The palate is medium-bodied with a fine bone structure and good acidity. Some expressive Cabernet Franc lends a Left Bank tincture to the spicy, black pepper-tinged finish. Classy, but not sure about its longevity. Tasted twice at Bordeaux Index's Ten Year-On tasting and blind at the Southwold Ten-Year On tasting.

Drink 2022 - 2032

Neal Martin, Vinous.com (September 2022)

The annual release of 10 year old Château Palmer, and this time it's an often-underrated but delicious vintage that sits in the shadow of the most prestigious years of the last decade. Proof of how slowly this wine ages, it is packed with blueberry and cassis fruits, a shot of mint leaf, mandarin peel, sage and dark chocolate, with shoulders and a serious architecture, bigger than you might expect for a vintage with such an easy-drinking, gourmet reputation.

I last tasted this vintage around eight months ago and it has opened up further since then, often the case as wines shift around the decade mark, and this is an upscore. A moment when Palmer was fully committing to farming biodynamically, doubling its coverage to almost 15 hectares, and had just unveiled a new cellar. Harvest October 1 to 15, Sabrina Pernet technical director, Thomas Duroux director. 68% new oak. No rush to drink, and has many decades ahead, but you can begin thinking about it.

Drink 2023 - 2042

Jane Anson, JaneAnson.com (July 2022)

Swathes of Cabernet fruit here. This wine has wonderful concentration, impressive layers of new oak, opulent fruit and a marvellously long finish. This is a wine that can be enjoyed in its youth, middle age and in 10 years time. Outstanding!

Extremely Cabernet dominant, with savoury black fruit and a ton of Pauillac character. A fairly reserved, finely-boned Lafite, with menthol and tobacco leaf. Subdued right now but in it for the long haul. The vintage with the Chinese symbol for eight engraved on the bottle, to commemorate the planting of the Long Dai vineyard in China - a fact that made the price of this bottle shoot up when it was released. Harvest October 1 to 14. 40% of overall production.

Drink 2021 - 2038

Jane Anson, Decanter.com (February 2021)

Made from 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, the silky, incredibly concentrated and elegant brambly fruit is wonderfully fragrant with lovely minerality and hints of cedar. The super-ripe tannins are accompanied by layer upon layer of fruit alongside a freshness and firm acidity. This slumbering giant will eventually awaken and become one of the most prized of the 2005 treasures. Even so it is utterly compelling now, with each taste like a PhD of Claret, such is its complexity. It may not have the immediate appeal of the legendary 2000 but we were all agreed that it is unquestionably a better wine. One of the wines of the vintage.

Berry Bros. & Rudd

Aromas of minerals, forest floor, fresh mushrooms, plums, and currants are present in the moderately fragrant bouquet. Angular, with hard tannin, medium body, and sweet plums as well as currants, this 2002 is harder and tougher-textured than from barrel. Like many 2002s, it is reserved and angular at present. It remains to be seen whether it will flesh out and reveal more charm and succulence. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2020.
Robert M. Parker, Jr. - 29/04/2005

What a lovely expressive nose: the sweet red fruits combine with violet notes. The palate has structured, yet very fine, grainy tannins. The pure, crunchy red fruit flavours are immediately appealing. Ch. du Tertre always offers great value for money and the 2015 vintage is no exception. Cool, refreshing acidity appears on the finish and the tannins are tremendously well textured. The wine brims with dark fruit flavours, and the fruit is dense, concentrated and luscious. The broad, fleshy fruit profile really appeals. Quite restrained, but precise and quite sophisticated. This is really cool on the finish and so attractive.

Blend: 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 10% Petit Verdot, 10% Cabernet Franc

With a massive concentration of bramble fruit and a high level of firm, ripe tannins adding structure, Cheval Blanc was one of the most masculine wines we tasted on the Right Bank during the 2009 en primeur tastings. Dense and earthy with a dark olive, almost sweet ‘n’ sour twist, this was a big, complex wine with many layers of flavour rippling across the palate towards the toasty finish. Very impressive indeed, this was one of the best Merlot-dominant (60%) wines we tasted in 2009.

Berry Bros. & Rudd

2010 was a superb vintage in Bordeaux that will go down in history for its excellent quality, so it’s worth searching out those great value gems that still exist from 2010. Chateau Cantemerle is a Bordeaux property capable of producing exceptional wines that compare with Ch. Batailley and Ch. Haut Bages Liberal in terms of the value it can offer. 

Classic Claret, elegant and charming, medium-bodied with good ageing potential and best of all, well priced. Named as a 5ème Cru Classé in the 1855 classification and situated just outside the Margaux Appellation, it’s one of the first classed growths one encounters in the Medoc as one drives up from the city of Bordeaux.

Wine critics worldwide see Chateau Cantemerle as offering some of the best value in Bordeaux with its combination of good quality and modest pricing. It will never be an investment wine per se, but mainly from a good vintage such as 2010, one can have a case of wine that will cellar effortlessly and will always be a joy to drink. 

This will fit perfectly into the Cellar of any connoisseur and, at this price, is an outstanding value; after five years or so of patience, you will have a great case of wine to drink over the next 15 years. 

This is terrific! Always reliable, good value but perhaps too steady, their 2010 takes it up several notches and on to a whole new level. It is generous with ripe fruit and should offer terrific value for the best Cantemerle we can ever recall tasting.

Simon Staples, Berry Bros. & Rudd

The 1996 Ausone is a vintage that I have tasted on four or five occasions. This was similar to previous examples with a very floral and outgoing bouquet, those wilted violet petals infusing the boysenberry and blueberry fruit, quite glossy in style, one of the most modern of that decade. It certainly has more intensity than earlier vintages. 

The palate is medium-bodied with sweet and ripe tannin, impressive acidity and weight, although it does not revel in the complexity of other vintages, perhaps because the growing season did not favour the Right Bank. There is a touch of headiness on the finish that is a little otiose, but otherwise, this is a thoroughly enjoyable Ausone—tasted at the Ausone vertical in London.

Drink 2018 - 2038

Neal Martin, Vinous.com (March 2018)

This is the baby Testamatta Bianco. It is produced using the youngest vines on the island of Giglio. The grapes are hand harvested and vinified entirely in stainless steel. The fermentation temperatures are kept low, protecting the wine’s fresh, crisp brilliance. The coastal fingerprint is unmistakable, the palate awash with grapefruit peel and lemon peel. Also present is the signature salty, fennel-like refreshment and complexity typical of Bibi Graetz’s whites. You may not have heard of Ansonica (the dominant grape), but you will certainly be pleased you found it.

Charlie Leech, Buying Assistant, Berry Bros. & Rudd (June 2024)

The 2006 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva emerges from the glass with freshly cut flowers, sweet red berries, liquorice and spices, all wrapped around a sensual, elegant frame of the notable class. Considerable aeration is needed to bring out the wine’s depth and textural richness. This is an excellent wine, but more often than not I am attracted more to the straight Brunello here, as is the case again in 2006. Costanti gave the 2006 Riserva 36 months in oak, 18 months in medium-sized barrels, followed by 18 months in cask.

Drink 2016 - 2026

Antonio Galloni, Wine Advocate (April 2012)

14.3% alcohol

Rich dense purple with ultra lush extrovert raspberry, a thick sweet texture, plump through the middle, not unbalanced but you can still see the heat a bit. The tannins are ripe though and there is some acidity. 

Jasper Morris MW, InsideBurgundy.com (November 2021)

All the fruit is sourced from 1.5 ha within the Meursault commune which cover all aspects, from north to south. Aged in 600l and 500l barrels to avoid oak influence and retain the wine’s energy. There is a good spicy attack and, at tasting, some crispy reduction. A neat and delicious wine.

Drink 2023-2027

This is from two domaine vineyards near Clos de la Maréchale in Prémeux-Prissey – Chaillots and Roichottees – and purchased fruit from Bons Batons in Chambolle-Musigny. Each represents roughly a third of the blend. This is lovely with the spicy, limestone feel of Prémeaux and perfumed elegance of Chambolle. Juicy, creamy and saline, it will offer much pleasure in the short and medium term. 

Drink 2024 - 2030

Berry Bros. & Rudd

An explosive nose and dark fruit layered over a velvety texture. Though it is tightly knit, the exuberant fruit keeps trying to burst out. Made with 80% whole bunch and 80% new barrel this year, this is a dense glowing purple with a super succulent nose; very Chambolle. Hugely seductive with astonishing length and intensity. Bravo.

This superb domaine grows in reputation and also in size: this year sees the first vintage of Nuits-St Georges, Clos de Thorey. Look out for even further additions in the next two years. Winemaker Pierre Vincent’s style is for lighter colours and very sensual wines and he has done a cracking job again in 2012; a vintage which supported the plentiful use of whole bunch fermentation. The domaine is certified organic and fully biodynamic.

Berry Bros. & Rudd

Only a small holding, alas, but the wine is very grand.Thoroughly rich, robust fruit, a mix of darker fruit and pureed berries, is supported by an excellent tannic structure.This will repay keeping for a decade. Drink 2015-2020

This is one-third whole-bunch this year, using the older vine fruit and de-stemming the younger portions where stems are typically less ripe. The high active limestone content in this vineyard gives an energetic and mineral expression of Pinot Noir, with succulent cherry fruit in the middle and a violet perfumed lift to accompany the chalky tannins. Drink 2021-2026.

Winemaker Brian Sieve draws comparisons between the white wines of 2017 and 2014, explaining that the texture, weight and freshness are very similar in both years, although 2017 has perhaps a little more fruit ripeness, along with excellent tension and persistence. He believes that this same freshness and brightness in the reds will provide ageing capacity, pointing out that they worked hard to restrict the yield of Pinot Noir to achieve riper grapes. Overall slightly less whole-bunch fermentation was used as Brian felt the stems and fruit were not as ripe as in richer vintages.

The 2015 Barolo Monvigliero is a wine of pure and total seduction. The warm vintage has filled out the wine's frame beautifully. The interplay of ripe, succulent 2015 fruit and aromatic intensity from the whole clusters yields a positively stunning, breathtaking wine of the very highest level. Once again, Burlotto's Barolo Monvigliero takes a place among the most compelling wines of the vintage. Readers who can find it should not hesitate!

Drink 2023 - 2055

Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com (February 2019)

Definitely more savoury, more mysterious, with a darker hue, earthier even, than the playful fruitiness of (baby sister) Villero. Tasted from barrel just prior to bottling in July 2014, Monprivato 2010 displays an intense spicy incense character; the palate suggests essential oils, together with exquisite balance and composure. Great.
David Berry Green

The Roagna 2015 Barbaresco Pajè Vecchie Viti opens to a light garnet color and a deep glossy shine. Fruit from old vines manages to intercept that impossible meeting point between power and elegance. This wine shows a delicately lifted and bright bouquet, yet it also reveals compact fruit and long persistence. You feel that extra richness on the finish. Production is a mere 2,418 bottles. - The Wine Advocate

Yellow colour with a nose showing ocean, saltiness and seaweed at first. With time in the glass, it shows tarragon and butterscotch, and at last, it offers honey and coffee. Intense palate with minerals, citrus and oxidized red apples that are starting to dry out. Nice finish showing sea buckthorn on the long-lasting finish.

The 2012 Comtes de Champagne is gorgeous. Warm and resonant in the glass, the 2012 Comtes shows all the allure that makes this vintage so appealing. The combination of bright citrus, mineral and floral notes typical of Comtes, enhanced by the soft contours of the vintage, makes for an inviting, open-knit Champagne that is quite showy right out of the gate. Light tropical accents on the finish add an exotic flair. Usually, I recommend cellaring just-released Comtes, but that won’t be necessary here.

Drink 2022 - 2042

Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com (May 2022)

Fruits of a one hectare plot in the southern Grand Cru village of Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, Salon is the most famous statement of Chardonnay Champagne that one is likely to encounter; aged for a decade and to be kept, if one has the patience, for another decade at least. Green gold colour then intense aromas of honeydew melon, nectarine and recently  cooked brioche. The palate has a linear shard of acidity, a Keatsean composure and yet real energy and dazzling potential. From the best vintage so far this century, surely a contender for the best wine of the century...so far!

Berry Bros. & Rudd

I was a huge fan of the 2008 Sir Winston but this is certainly equally as good. The 2012 maintains the classic Pol richness and vivacity whilst also perfectly showcasing the elegance and length of the vintage. Sir Winston is all about subtle balance, never overstated but always reassuringly forthright. The elegance of the vintage comes across in the wine’s more welcoming personality, 2008 is impressively tight whilst 2012 shows generous fruit in the mouth, an open and approachable feel yet still with tremendous power and depth behind.

Red fruit crunchiness aligns neatly with impressions of brioche, baked apple and honey. The finish is long and fine, offering an uplifting combination of quince and citrus, but the standout for this year’s offering has to be its precision. Winemaking has never been better at this address and the class and finesse of the 2012 demonstrates that in spades.

Peter Newton, Account Manager, Berry Bros. & Rudd

An absolute privilege to sample the latest Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill. There is incredible precision on the nose, showing delicate notes of waxed lemon, violets and a touch of toasted almond. The palate is simply divine; ripe and opulent white peach, apricots, apple tarte tatin, freshly baked bread encompassed in a vibrant mousse. There is an exceptional backbone of minerality too, giving this Champagne superb balance. I’d put this up with the 2008 in quality, it is truly exceptional.

Paul Keating, Account Manager, Berry Bros. & Rudd

The 2015 Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill from Pol Roger shows opulent aromas of brioche, apricot and honeydew melon on the nose. This is followed by a lively palate of tangy lemon, apple and gingerbread. The finish is long and luxurious, leaving behind a lasting impression of creamy vanilla and toasted almond. This is an absolutely stunning expression

Joshua Friend, Senior Account Manager, Berry Bros. & Rudd

In classical Pol Roger style, this Rosé shows power, sophistication, and charm. Salmon pink in the glass, the nose is a heady mix of forest fruits and fine patisserie. The palate shows opulence but a firm grip and chalky cleansing tension. A blend of 60% Chardonnay, and 40% Pinot Noir, using the assemblage method using Pinot Noir red wine from the Grand Cru villages of Ambonnay and Bouzy, together with Hautvilliers. This gives a fantastic depth of fruit with a smoky, floral scent and muscularity on the palate. A proudly Pinot style, with raspberry and blood orange, mesmerized by a seamless, foaming and long mineral finish. Just superb. Drink with roast chicken and bearnaise. Or it is a spiced fish stew with a saffron rouille.

Perfect to drink now, but it will cellar to 2035.

Davy Zyw, Senior Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd (November 2022) 

The 2014 Brut Zéro Grand Blanc was made without any additions of sulfur dioxide. The buttery richness of raw short crust pastry is foremost on the nose, complemented by springy panettone. The freshness on the palate is immediate and deliciously bracing. Tiny, fine bubbles whirl up freshness, yeasty flavors and stony, chalky saltiness. Tension and tautness are compelling, as is the layered depth of rich, buttery autolysis. The finish is lasting, long and totally full-flavored. Zero dosage. Disgorged: May, 2022.

Drink 2023 - 2040

Antonio Galloni, Vinous (November 2023)

Laurent-Perrier make vintages very rarely, only selecting the very best years. This makes their Brut Millésimé a rare and outstanding champagne that expresses clearly the specific character of each vintage in the Laurent-Perrier style.

A charming nose that is both pronounced but also incredibly delicate. Touches of Amalfi lemons, oranges, stewed green apples and fresh pastries entice. The palate feels surprisingly settled, given the relatively recent disgorgement and the gentle mousse, a hallmark of the cuvée. Vibrant citrus, lemon compote, apple Tarte Tatin and a steely backbone.

Delicate floral aromas give a really refreshing feel, but there is considerable potential to age. This will cellar for 4 years or 40; the choice is yours. What is clear is that Grand Siècle has been, and still is, hugely underappreciated. 60% Chardonnay and 40% Pinot Noir coming from 2008, 2007 and 2006. 12 years lees ageing.

Paul Keating, Private Account Manager, Berry Bros. & Rudd (April 2022)

This is a completely different terroir expression to the 045, and the last vineyard to harvest each year – Paul never encounters problems with this ‘golden child’ plot. The soil is a deep, limey chalk. From the 2020 vintage, this has not gone through malolactic fermentation and has no added sugar, in order to express the purity of the Pinot Noir in Verzenay. A gourmand, exuberant champagne, this has been aged in 100% Burgundy barrels and demi-muids.

The nose has more tropical, exotic fruit flavours, extremely pure and intense, while the palate has a beautifully fine texture and citrus flavours. The finish is pure Pinot Noir, with a hint of iodine and a lovely minerality; this is such a food wine – but best paired with seafood.

Drink now to 2030

Davy Żyw, Senior Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd

Krug ID: 322038

The 2011 Vintage is a very pretty wine in this highly challenging vintage. Apricot, mint, dried herbs and a kiss of French oak open nicely in the glass. There is some of the savory character of 2011, but it is nicely woven into the wine’s fabric. To be sure, the 2011 is a slender vintage at Krug. That is especially evident in the wine's light-ish mid-palate and overall feel, yet all the elements are impeccably balanced. I expect the 2011 to be a relatively early maturing Vintage and would not push my luck on aging. Disgorged: Summer 2022.

Drink 2024 - 2036

Antonio Galloni, Vinous (November 2023)

The 2002 Clos du Mesnil is wonderfully pliant and expressive in the glass. The radiant personality of the year comes through in the wine's ripe, tropically-leaning flavours and open-knit personality. 

I imagine the 2002 will develop relatively quickly by Clos du Mesnil standards. Even so, there is more than enough freshness underpinning the fruit to support at least two decades of very fine drinking. 

Drink 2019 - 2032

Ian D'Agata, Vinous.com (March 2018)

This is an incredible rosé with super fine tannins that are layered and caress the palate, giving this Champagne an incredible mouthfeel. Iron and stone in the nose. Iodine. Dried flowers as well as dried strawberries and peaches. It's full-bodied but not overpowering and shows super complexity. Chalky sensation as well. A truly great wine for the table. You sip and fall in love. Aged all this time in the cellar of Dom Perignon. 

Drink or hold

James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com (August 2023)

This is the result of nearly 15 years of cellar ageing. With this time comes an added power that doesn’t feature in standard vintage Dom Pérignon. The nose has beautiful ripe orchard fruit, honeysuckle and freshly baked pastry. The palate is as rich as one would expect from Plénitude 2 in this hot vintage. But the balance of a creamy acidity and flint-like minerality give the wine a lively balance. There are layers of marzipan and candied pineapple, apricot compote, warm breakfast pastry and liquorice. A wonderful salinity rounds out this remarkable wine. I thoroughly enjoyed this recently, but I dream of how well it will develop over 8-10 years in the cellar.

Paul Keating, Private Account Manager (June 2021)

After a long day of tasting young Barolo, I craved Champagne. There is a sort of symbiotic relationship between Champagne and Piedmont that I can’t really explain except to say I enjoy it tremendously. The growers really seem to be on the same wavelength in so many ways, so when I saw Jérôme Prévost’s NV Les Béguines, I grabbed it. 

The Béguines (2019 disgorgement) is wonderfully fresh and open-knit and so expressive. Sometimes I think we open these wines too soon after release; I know I do. But with a few years on the cork, the Les Béguines offers up pear, spice, ginger and dried flowers, all with notable freshness and verve.

Drink 2022 - 2028

Antonio Galloni, Decanter.com (December 2022)

This rare and exclusive Clos is nestled above the domaine above the town of Avize. 2012 marks its introduction into the Waris Hubert range, which marries the extraordinary quality of the vintage—50% fermented and matured in barrique, 50% in inox tank.

This rich and complex Champagne takes its position amongst the finest Clos in Champagne. The nose is seductive, with a distinct crepe suzette character. There is autumnal spice on the palate, and foam surges over golden apple and roasted stone fruit, typical of Avize village, which added richness to the 2012 character. Mineral, poised and brimming with energy. 

Drink 2023 - 2040+

Davy Żyw, Senior Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd

Disgorged January 2018. Dosage is 6 grams per liter.

The NV Bulle de Rosé is a pretty wine, even if it is a bit less exciting than the other Champagnes in this range. Pale-coloured, light and gracious, the Bulle de Rosé is an enjoyable drink. Even so, I think Fred Savart could do more to elevate this wine to a level where it is closer to his other Champagnes. The Bulle de Rosé is the same base as the Accomplie, approximately 65% Pinot Noir and 30% Chardonnay, with about 5% still red Pinot.

This is another stellar set of wines from Fred Savart. There is not much else to say. Minimal handling allows for a very pure expression of the sites Savart works with. As always, these are rich, vinous Champagnes built on textured,multi-dimensional profiles.

Drink 2022 - 2028

Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com (July 2018)

There are 5,400 bottles of the NV Extra-Brut Blanc de Blancs Les Pierrières (2017), disgorged in February 2022 after 48 months on the lees—and this is the last time there will be two disgorgements, as from next year onward, Les Pierrières will systematically see 48 months' tirage before disgorgement. Wafting from the glass with scents of confit citrus fruit, lemon zest, spring flowers, almond paste, pastry cream and wet stones, it's medium to full-bodied, satiny and precise, with terrific cut and tension, concluding with a long, saline finish. An additional year before disgorgement delivers a less primary, more integrated, seamless Champagne.

Drink 2022 - 2040

William Kelley, Wine Advocate (August 2022)

Exceptionally rich nose. But then on the palate it's very firm and refreshing with masses to titillate both brain and palate. Clean, fresh finish – very appetising yet with many layers. Some hazelnut aroma and a definite relationship with white burgundy.

The length and finesse of the finish is quite remarkable. This is a very fine wine indeed that happens to have bubbles. Extremely precise winemaking. So clean and energetic.

Drink 2020 - 2026

Jancis Robinson, jancisrobinson.com (June 2020)

The 2014 Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Minéral is a powerful, intense Champagne that captures all of the natural power of these old vines in Avize and Cramant. Aptly named, the Minéral is infused with tremendous mineral and soil inflections that give a real feeling of gravitas. Crushed rocks, slate, chalk and citrus accents are some of the many nuances that emerge with a bit of time in the glass. This release is fabulous. It is also a reticent wine, though, so at least a year or two in bottle will help soften.  - Antonia Galloni

This is a beautiful wine from a complicated vintage – 2017 in Mesnil-sur-Oger was one of storms and heavy rains, and an early harvest to avoid frost risk. Luckily these grapes are sheltered by the eponymous walled vineyard just behind Madame Cazal’s chateau, from old, low-yielding vines planted in the 1980s.

Only 4000 bottles were produced, and 10% of the wine was aged in oak barrels for 10 months. The result is an incredibly fresh nose of nectarine and buttery brioche, with an energetic, lively palate brimming with apples and citrus peel. As with all Delphine’s wines, the texture is velvety soft and the structure is stunning, meaning this wine is delicious to drink now until 2036. 

Katie Merry, Assistant Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd

The Champagne Chavost Blanc d'Assemblage Brut Nature has a brilliant pale gold colour; the wine immediately entices with a profusion of fine, persistent bubbles that dance elegantly in the glass.

On the nose, alluring aromas of fresh white flowers and a touch of honeyed notes intertwine with vibrant citrus zest, creating a bouquet of exquisite fragrances. Crisp apple and pear flavours intermingle harmoniously with a delicate hint of toasted almonds, leading to a beautifully balanced and invigorating finish.

Perfect as a celebratory aperitif or paired with delicate seafood dishes.

Creamy and flavorful, yet it remains precise and vertical, with an array of lemons, green apples, pie crust, almonds, hazelnuts and chalk. Medium-bodied with creamy, fine bubbles. Lots of energy, with zesty citrus notes at the end. Layered blanc de blancs. 100% chardonnay from 4 Grand Cru villages. 40% from 2018 and 60% from 2017. Disgorged May 2022. - James Suckling 95/100