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Expert Reviews 

Wine Advocate: 98 Points | Wafting from the glass with a deep and complex bouquet of dark wild berries, cassis, wilted rose petals, blood orange, exotic spices, licorice and coniferous forest floor, the 2017 Romanée-Conti Grand Cru is full-bodied, satiny textured and multidimensional. It's just as powerful as this year's La Tâche but even more elegantly framed by filigree structure, concluding with an intensely sapid and penetratingly fragrant finish. Pristinely balanced, this young Romanée-Conti possesses huge reserves for the long haul despite its deceptively supple youthful appeal, and it will reward extended bottle age.

Decanter: 98 Points | This has gained in weight and intensity since I tasted it from barrel in October 2018, but it’s still innately graceful: a string quartet rather than a full orchestra perhaps. On the nose, aromas of incense, fresh tobacco and forest floor are complemented by sweet spices and stylish new oak. The palate is layered, refined and savoury, gaining in intensity on the tongue and finishing clean, bright and refreshing with the promise of greater things to come. Stunning.

Burghound: 97 Points | Once again there is evident restraint to the almost taciturn but still kaleidoscopically broad-ranging nose of wonderfully pure and fresh and spicy aromas that include plenty of floral influences on the red currant, cherry, sandalwood and rose petal. The silky and equally pure middle weight flavors possess excellent punch and a similar level of minerality on the focused, powerful, linear and impressively persistent finish that slowly fans out as it sits on the palate. In contrast to the flash of the La Tâche, this is Zen-like in its sense of harmony and focus.

Expert Review 

Vinous 99 Points | The 2020 Romanée-Conti Grand Cru was picked on 26 and 28 August at 28.7hL/ha. As usual, I leave it for 5-10 minutes to open in the glass, predisposed not to show everything upon first pour. It reveals lovely dark berry fruit, sous-bois, clove and haunting sea spray notes (picture yourself walking along the pebble beach at Whistable and the tang of shucked oyster shell in the salty air). The palate is medium-bodied with very fine and pliant tannins. Harmonious to a tee with a perfect silver bead of acidity, long and languorous, this fans out with ineffable ease on the finish. Stunning. 500 cases produced. Tasted at Corney & Barrow’s annual in bottle tasting in London.

Expert Review - Vintage 2021

James Suckling 94 Points | A very expressive Gigondas with great Mediterranean herb character plus black olives. Powerful and structured, but with brightness and salty minerality lifting the bold palate. Made from grapes bought from three vineyards. A cuvee dominated by grenache, syrah and mourvedre with cinsault and clairette rose. 65% matured in concentrate tanks and 35% in oak barriques. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold.

Producer Description 

The vineyard is cultivated with the greatest respect for nature and people. The grapes come from terroirs located on the southern slope of the Dentelles de Montmirail.

A blend of Grenache, Syrah, and Cinsault. Aromas of a mix of black fruits along with red fruits join savory flavors of garrigue and black olives in the mouth. Supple tannins blend into a long finish. Serve with Leg of suckling lamb with thyme flower, ratatouille, Provençal tomatoes, and lamb tagine.

Producer Description 

Very beautiful 13 hectare estate recently discovered which produces gourmet wines, certified AB and vinified without additives and with little sulfur (below 35 mg/l). All the grape varieties are represented on varied terroirs. Prices remain reasonable. You have to know how to take advantage of it in this region.

Producer Description 

The storied Domaine de Montille traces its history in Burgundy back to the 1730s. Hubert de Montille took the helm in 1947 with a drive and passion that eventually earned the family a place in the upper echelon of Burgundy estates.

Following in his father’s footsteps, Etienne de Montille grew the family holdings to 35 hectares and in 1995, took the bold step of transitioning the vineyards to organic and biodynamic farming.

One of the rare Burgundy estates that excels in reds and whites in both the Côte de Beaune and the Côte de Nuits, along with many more sectors of the region with its sister petit negociant project, Maison de Montille (formerly known as DEux Montilles). 

The winemaking at de Montille has evolved over the years, and the resulting wines are less austere in their youth than in the Hubert era. Today’s wines are fresh and elegant with terroir-transparency and a structure that is built to last.

Winemaker Description 

Color is Yellow Gold. Great aromatic intensity of quince and vanilla. Rich, well structured, with quince and stewed fruit flavours. Complexity linked to a good concentration. Very nice length in the mouth.

Winemaker Description 

The Bandol Rouge is composed of 85% Mourvèdre, 10% Grenache and 5% Cinsault and grown on soils of limestone pebbles in brown clay, limestone and marl.

A complex nose of opulent Mourvèdre fruit and a whisper of animal/barnyard and turned earth.

On the palette fleshy raspberry melds with tea-leaf and currants around a core of chewy tannins.

Organic viticulture with absolutely no chemical herbicides, pesticides, or fertilizers. Soil is worked regularly by plow and hand-hoes. Buds are trimmed and a green harvest is practice to purposefully limit yields; the average yield is between 35-38 hl/ha. All grapes are harvested by hand, and selection takes place in the vineyards instead of on a sorting table. Grapes are de-stemmed and then gently pressed by pneumatic press. Wines ferment for 15-21 days in underground, temperature-controlled, gravity-fed cuves. Wine ages in oak foudres for 18 months.

ABOUT THIS PRODUCER

Before acquiring vineyards, Georges Delille trained as a sommelier in Paris. In 1963, he bought what would become Domaine de Terrebrune, a property in Ollioules, just east of Bandol, framed by the Mediterranean and the mountain called Gros-Cerveau (Big Brain), dotted with olive groves and scenic views—an idyllic spot. During the years following the declaration of A.O.C. Bandol (1941), mass overhauling and reconstruction of vineyards were commonplace, and vignerons were eager to revive the noble Mourvèdre grape. Georges spent ten years just renovating the property; he terraced hillsides, refashioned the masonry, replanted vineyards following the advice of Lucien Peyraud, designated soils to lie dormant and regenerate, and built a new cellar. In 1980, his son Reynald joined him after finishing winemaking school, and together they launched their first bottled vintage of Domaine de Terrebrune, which Reynald named in honor of the rich, brown soils they farm. Reynald’s credo of “Philosophy, Rigor, and Respect” is not a catch-phrase. He believes that the hard work and extra attention to the vines is worth it, and, as they say, the proof’s in the pudding—a glass of Terrebrune!

Expert Ratings

Expert Review - Vintage 2021 

Charles Curtis MW writes:  A classic Aligoté that expresses the essence of the grape with profuse aromas of gooseberry, fresh tarragon and flint. The wine offers bright acidity, medium body and impressive length. The yield was down by an average of 75% this year, with only three bunches per vine, not the 10-12 that are customary, but this light fruit load ensured the grapes ripened to perfection.  Drinking 2022 - 2030  - Decanter 92

Alan Meadows writes:  A very aligoté nose features notes of bright citrus, green apple and a whiff of quinine character. There is both excellent richness and density to the vibrant middleweight flavors that exude a subtle salinity on the clean and quite dry but not really austere finale. This is a very good example and worth a look.  - Burghound

Winemaker Notes

Expert Review - Vintage 2016 

Neal Martin writes: This delightful 2016 Rully Les Margotes 1er Cru will provide ample drinking pleasure over the next decade. Bright scents of Conference pear and Granny Smith apple on the nose seem to gain intensity with aeration; then, the palate is well balanced with nicely judged acidity. I admire the harmony and precision of this Rully, with just a kiss of lemongrass on the finish. Recommended. Tasted over lunch at Corney & Barrow in London. - Drinking 2022 -2028 - Vinous 90

Expert Review

Allan Meadows  of Burghound writes 91 Points | Bright red and dark berry fruit aromas are nuanced by notes of spice, earth and plenty of floral nuances, especially violet. The rich, concentrated and palate coating medium weight flavors possess plenty of sappy dry extract that buffers the firm tannins supporting the elegant yet powerful finish. At least some patience is strongly recommended. I would note that this example showed markedly better than one from last year, in fact so much so that I have no explanation.  

Expert Review - Vintage 2019

Robert Parker 91+ Points | Another comparatively structured wine is the 2019 Santenay 1er Cru Passetemps. Opening in the glass with notions of cherries, sweet red berries, petals and orange oil, it's medium to full-bodied, lively and fleshy, with a rich chassis of powdery tannin that will reward a bit of bottle age. 

Made with a mixture of raisined grapes and others with botrytis, it is an excellent example of a Coteaux du Layon from the Loire, which brings together the best of two worlds. This delicious dessert wine is made 50:50 of noble rot and late harvest grapes. Made biodynamically and with natural yeast, it exhibits succulent flavours of mango, pineapple, and sweet spices such as saffron. A very high acidity makes this wine quite refreshing considering how sweet it is. Fruit and/or nut based desserts, salty blue cheese Deliciously sweet, with good acidity, ideal as an aperitif, with cheese or after dinner. Winemaker Description. 

Expert Review - Vintage 2023

Reggie Solomon of the Wine Enthusiast 88 Points | This wine has a reserved nose of Fuji apple, dried mango, wet stone and pear. Lemon citrus leads on the mineral-driven palate with a supportive, tamed acidity in the background that lifts the finish. Confidently serve this medium-bodied Sauvignon Blanc as an aperitif or pair alongside a meal. 

Winemaker Description

Domaine Delobel is located in Ouchamps, on the Oisly vineyard in the Loire Valley . It was created by Benjamin Delobel , originally from Nord-Pas-de-Calais, in 2013. He has 12 hectares of vines, 10 hectares of Sauvignon Blanc and 2 hectares of Gamay and Pineau d'Aunis. The estate has been run in organic farming, certified since 2013. The farm's vines come from mass selections , which makes it possible to maintain the production quality of the old vines and a rich varietal complexity.

Angle Droit is made from Sauvignon Blanc . Manual harvests are carried out early in the morning, when temperatures are low to avoid oxidation of the juice. The grapes are pressed slowly in a pneumatic press then the wine is cooled in stainless steel vats. Aging is carried out on lees .

100% Gros Manseng.  The wine is of medium body with notes of spiced citrus, brioche and salty minerality. Winemaker Description. 

Expert Review

John Gilman 96 Points | This is my first taste of Domaine des Closiers top bottling, les Trezellières, which is made from a parcel of old vines and given fully two years aging in barrel, with somewhere between ten and twenty percent of the casks new. The 2019 les Trezellières is beautifully deep and refined aromatically, delivering scents of black cherries, cassis, Cuban cigar wrapper, a very complex base of soil, a touch of Cheval Blanc-like menthol, a gentle dollop of tree bark, cedar and a topnote of cigar smoke. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied, elegant and rock solid at the core, with great focus and complex, superb soil undertow, fine-grained tannins and a very long, pure and classy finish.

The small percentage of new oak gives this wine more refinement than the les Coudraies bottling, but because it is no more than twenty percent new oak, the wood influence is far more subtle out of the blocks than in Clos Rougeard’s Le Bourg bottling, which is the closest comparison I can think of for this brilliant young Saumur Champigny. Give this beautiful wine plenty of time in the cellar to properly resolve its tannins and completely blossom! (2019). 

Jeb Dunncuk 90-92 Points | Based on equal parts Grenache and Syrah brought up in tank, the 2021 Gigondas has an old school vibe in its red fruits, Christmas spice, flower, and white pepper-driven aromatics. Medium-bodied, pure, and silky on the palate, it should drink nicely right out of the gate.

Winemaker Description 

Black currant, blackberry and dried herbs on the nose. Mouthfeel is fruity with more berries and hints of licorice. low+ tannins and medium acidity. A nice red wine with soft tannins and appealing fruits. Aromas of red berries and a fun wine to enjoy with tapas or seasonal cuisine. 

Pair with beef, pasta or veal dishes.

Our Professional Review

Bart Hopkins of 67Wine.com | Juicy, round and succulent, with enticing cherry and raspberry fruit, delicately wrapped with gentle tannins. Priced like a Bourgogne, drinks like a Gevrey!

Winemaker Description

Sliced plum, dark currant and pungent earth and sauvage nuances. There is more volume, power and muscle to the bigger-bodied flavors that possess excellent underlying tension, all wrapped in a youthfully austere and very saline-inflected finale. Winemaker Description.

Winemaker Description

The Charmes-Chambertin is a dry red wine, coming from a terroir which benefits from an oceanic to semi-continental climate influence on limestone and marl soils.

This wine has a dark ruby, deep color. The bouquet on the nose is fine and delicate, very complex; before aeration, it opens with delicate notes of red and black fruits such as gooseberry, raspberry and blackcurrant, spicy aromas stand out clearly and spikes of violet and pink. Over time, musk notes, roasted coffee beans, licorice, and vanilla appear. The attack is fresh, the wine is dense, but full of sweetness, and ends on a both long and intense final note. 

Winemaker Notes

Winemaker Description 

Winemaker Description

Winemaker, Eli Ben-Zaken, crafts this wine by allocating a portion of premium grape varietals - Merlot, Malbec, and Cabernet Franc - destined for the winery's flagship wine, Domaine du Castel Grand Vin. The grapes are picked early to ensure that the resulting wine has enough acidity to offer the crisp and tart nature of a rose that is expected.

Then, the grapes are pressed and the juice is left in contact with the grape skins for just enough time to achieve the wine's impressive salmon hue. This has enchanting floral and berry aromas leading into a wonderful soiree of tart citrus and red fruit flavors on the palate and capped by a pleasing mineral finish. This rose is best in its youth.

A blend of 60% Merlot, 22% Malbec and 18% Cabernet Franc from high-density vineyards planted at 700 metres altitude, west of Jerusalem.  

Expert Review

Producer Description 

From the warm (even by today’s standards) 2019 growing season comes this masterful Vouvray Extra-Brut, which spent four full years on its lees, and to which Philippe and Vincent applied a mere 1.33 grams-per-liter dosage—their lowest ever.

Philippe prefers a small dosage to none, as he states that it improves the wine’s capacity to age, and he and Vincent employ rigorous double-blind dosage trials to determine the final amount.

With its low-for-Vouvray acidity and its full malolactic fermentation (rare for Foreau), this wine benefits from its modest dosage, as it maintains taut acidity and clings mightily to the palate as its notes of truffle, candied lemon, and lanolin echo far into the distance.

Winemaker Description 

Produced from their young vines from the first harvest selection, this Savennieres is a charming wine energized with aromas of citrus & white flowers, balanced with cool acidity.