The 2020 Crozes-Hermitage La Guiraude outperforms the 2022 in a landslide. Precise black cherry, red plum, cedar and pencil shaving come alive in the glass. Full-bodied, polished and complex, the 2020 engages the palate...

The 2020 Pinot Noir Clos de la Faille Monopole is from vines planted in 1998 next to a geological faultline at 280m altitude on a mix of Triassic sandstone and limestone topped with iron-rich tertiary conglomerates. The...

Crafted from fully destemmed grapes, the elegant and polished 2020 Saint-Joseph totally delivers. Violets, black cherry, raspberry and discrete cedar usher in. Ripe tannins structure this medium-bodied and concentrated...

(90-92 points) The 2020 Beaune Montreveneaux 1er Cru is composed and focused, the oak neatly integrated here (20%), touches of undergrowth coming through. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, crisp acidity...

(93+ points) Wafting from the glass with aromas of wild berries, violets, sweet spices, loamy soil and roses, the 2020 Pommard 1er Cru Epenots is medium to full-bodied, layered and multidimensional, with a concentrated...

The 2020 Saint-Aubin 1er Cru Sur le Sentier du Clou has turned out nicely, exhibiting aromas of sweet citrus fruit, white flowers, freshly baked bread and a deft touch of reduction, followed by a medium-bodied, satiny and...

The 2020 Les Pensées de Lafleur is a wine that I rated very highly at the blind Southwold tasting—but on this bottle, perhaps in juxtaposition with the 2019, there is a patina of over-ripeness on the nose. The palate...

The full-bodied 2020 Cornas is a wild thing. Concentrated and expressive, it combines all the elements that Clape-enthusiasts rave about: a juicy core of fruit, ferrous gradations, crushed flowers, meaty undertones...

(90-92 points) This is also aromatically cool but ripe and spicy though in this case the red and dark raspberry scents are notably more floral in character. The delicious, intense and well-detailed lighter weight flavors...

(90-92 points) An overtly floral and spice-suffused nose is a bit more deeply pitched with mostly notes of poached plum and black cherry liqueur. There is better vibrancy to the precise and attractively textured...

Gorgeous and captivating, with heavy salty energy and simmering power. Stunning in both scale and range, offering a meaty, smoky core of red berry, bitter cherry and earth flavors held up by bolts of iron. Shows a supple...

(95-97 points) From a tiny parcel (1.5 hectares) of old-vine Mourvèdre (92-94%), with the balance a mix of Cinsault and Syrah, the medium to full-bodied 2020 Bandol Rouge Cuvee Cabassaou is impressively rich, concentrated...

(94 - 96 points) Mainly Mourvèdre (85%), with Cinsault and Grenache, the 2020 Bandol la Tourtine was still in foudre at the time of my visit last year. Scents of cola, smoke and red berries provide ample complexity on the...

Classic notes of graphite, spring flowers, blackberries, crushed stone, and smoky oak all emerge from the 2020 Côte Rôtie La Turque. Based on 93% Syrah and 7% Viognier and brought up in 100% new French oak for 42 months...