This 2005 is really coming into its own, with soft, welcoming rose bud, chalk, bilberry, cocoa bean and tobacco. The tannins remain well structured, and you can see the muscles that kept this pretty closed for the first...

The second wine of Château Pichon-Longueville is soft, perfumed and delicious. It's a wine with plenty of juicy fruit, though at this stage the wood is too dominant. The finish shows a hint of spice. ROGER VOSS

An alluring red, with fresh boysenberry and black pepper-dusted plum flavors underscored by smoked bacon, charred cedar and mocha. Pure and polished, this is well-built and seductive. Drink now through 2030. - J.M.

The 2020 L'Hêtre has a more restrained and nuanced bouquet that unfolds in the glass, with more mineralité and terroir expression than the preceding d'Aiguilhe. The palate is medium-bodied with finely chiseled tannins and...

The 2018 Prieure-Lichine has a deep garnet purple color. It opens with notes of stewed plums and crème de cassis, laced with cedar and Indian spices, leading to notes of sassafras and chargrill. Medium to full-bodied, the...

A classy, balanced and sumptuous du Tertre, a ton of appellation and vintage signature. Lace-like tannins, overperforms the estate at the time, showing just how much quality and value is out there for this vintage...

The 2023 Morgon opens on the nose with a signature Lapierre vibrancy, revealing fragrant lavender, crushed petals and vanilla. Layers of ripe raspberries, licorice and blueberries emerge, accompanied by a subtle wave of...

Located in Les Rugiens-Bas, this is a very fine example of Pommard which carries the weight and power expected of the AC but combines this with purity and a high degree of elegance. Dark and brooding in the glass, this is...

(92-94 points) When Mortet launched his own label, this cuvée took the back seat when compared with the Charmes-Chambertin; but his work in the vineyards is paying off, as evidenced by the 2022 Mazoyères-Chambertin Grand...

Precise and minerally on the nose, with fresh, chalky red berries and hints of tobacco and fine herbs. Tense and al dente on the palate, with fine, silky tannins, transparency and texture. There is initial balance to it...

The 2023 Branaire Ducru was bottled at the end of June. It has a more generous bouquet than anticipated, black plum and raspberry fruit laced with cinnamon and graphite scents, typically Saint-Julien. Fine delineation...

The first year with sufficient quality grapes, plus an improved global outlook, at least with the Chinese market, to allow the new owners to show what they had achieved over the previous four or five years. It is one of...

Toasted notes on the nose, remnants of oak and blackcurrant. Full and round. Plush, gently chewy fruit and powdery tannins give this a wider mouthfeel than some. Plenty of flavour and classic claret character, freshness...

This is a blend of 50% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Franc and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, matured in barrels using just 40% new oak, and in vats, for 15 months. Some smoky oak in the aromatic profile here, with a fruit profile that...

The estate lost some Grenache due to shatter, so the 2023 Châteauneuf Du Pape is based on 40% Mourvèdre, 30% Grenache, 10% Counoise, 10% Syrah, and the rest a mix of permitted varieties. It was all destemmed except for...

The 2012 Latour…wine of the vintage? It has to be a serious contender. In this blind taste-off between the five First Growths, its quality shines through. With exceptional delineation on the nose, it just oozes class with...

This impressive red lets warm paving stone, smoldering tobacco and iris hints peek out from behind its prodigious core of cassis and plum reduction, before a cascade of black tea and loam asserts itself on the finish...

An elegant expression of Cornas, with real complexity. High-toned cherry and olive tapenade are laced with sweet bay leaf, lavender and earth. Well-managed tannins support the supple core of red fruit. Shows a refined...

The 2023 Cos d'Estournel, which was bottled in July 2025, was tasted on two visits, showing much better the second in December. It has an intense nose with predominantly black fruit, violet and fresh mint emerging with...

The 2023 d'Armailhac has a delightful bouquet, beautifully defined with pure black fruit laced with graphite. The oak is seamlessly integrated. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, laden with (again)...

This smells and tastes like the essence of Moulin-a-Vent, with stunning red fruit aromas plus delicate spicy and earthy notes. Wonderful freshness and precision for this very hot and dry vintage on the medium- to...

Expansive nose of black cherry and red fruit with plenty of toasty oak. Bold and generous palate for a Grand Cru from the 2016 vintage. Keeps pumping out the red fruit at the elegant and slightly toasty finish. Drink or hold.

(97+ points) The 2020 Chambertin Clos-de-Bèze Grand Cru has a refined bouquet, beautifully poised with brambly red fruit, hints of sous-bois and incense. This is utterly seductive. The palate is medium-bodied with grippy...