90+ Point Wines: French

The 2022 Romanée St. Vivant Grand Cru is a real head-turner. What a wine! As is so often the case, Romanée St. Vivant is not an obvious wine, rather it is a Burgundy of detail, of understatement, of total class.... Read More

For its high level of concentration, this fabulous Fleurie has a surprisingly sleek, medium-bodied palate. Great elegance and fine tannins keep this cool and precise all the way through the long, velvety finish. Right at the end,... Read More

I tasted two components that will make up the bulk of the 2020 Cornas Renaissance, both still in foudre. From Patou and 15- to 20-year-old vines, a medium to full-bodied sample featuring mentholated red plum notes, chewy tannins... Read More

The 2021 Riesling stems from two main parcels on the Sommerberg Grand Cru, steep and granitic. The vines are between 50-60 years old. There is a little more topsoil, for slightly more intensity. The nose will give little away... Read More

Mid lemon and lime. The bouquet is not overly weighty. The hillside vineyards and those below complement each other. There is certainly excellent energy beneath here, a fine thread to freshen the weight of white orchard fruit.... Read More

Mid lemon and lime. The bouquet is not overly weighty. The hillside vineyards and those below complement each other. There is certainly excellent energy beneath here, a fine thread to freshen the weight of white orchard fruit.... Read More

Tasted from magnum (the 750-milliliter bottle costs $285), the NV Brut (Gold) opens with lovely matured brioche, toast and ripe fruit flavors. Fresh, pure and elegant on the palate, with beautifully matured flavors and an elegant... Read More

... takes it time to open (in fact, I afforded it an hour in my glass before commencing my note). Black fruit, leather, damp undergrowth/moss, touches of morels develop in the glass, distinctly different from the Charmes-Chambertin.... Read More

A pure syrah that is juicy and charming, with a vivacious personality on the medium-bodied palate. Gentle tannins underline the fruit and give it a very smooth finish. Charcuterie aroma alongside the red berries. From flat vineyards... Read More

Tremendously dense and powerful, the 2019 Cornas is a dazzling, dark-fruited beast that's loaded with mint, cassis and licorice notes. Full-bodied and almost overflowing with intensity, it somehow manages to pull all that... Read More

The 2022 Cornas is both classic and rustic, with hints of ripe black fruits, earthy tones and leather on the nose. It’s full-bodied, fleshy and expansive, showing elevated flavor concentration. Beefy and monolithic, the... Read More

Pale gold in color with a fine mousse, the Brut Majeur is aromatic on the nose. On the palate, it is well balanced and shows great style and complexity. Pinot Noir gives the wine richness and a long finish while Chardonnay, from... Read More

Great Terroirs, Singular Methods

Key to the fantastic complexity of the Bérêche Champagnes are the number of different terroirs that make up the estate’s holdings. Their holdings can be found, for example, in their home... Read More

Grape Varieties: Primarily Chardonnay.
Style: Sparkling Champagne, Extra Brut (meaning very dry with low sugar dosage).
Color: Straw yellow with golden reflections.
Nose: Hints of stone, chalk, and fresh red berries. Some reviewers... Read More

The NV Brut Reflet d’anton (base 2018) is exquisite. Silky, aromatic and sublime, the Reflet d’Antan is all finesse. Silky contours caress the palate.Readers will find a Champagne of mind-blowing polish. Orchard fruit,... Read More

Formulation

100% Chardonnay Grands Crus de villages de la C'te des Blancs : Avize, Chouilly, Cramant, Mesnil-sur-Oger
Vinification in stainless steel tanks

From 33% to 40% reserve wines Ageing on lees: 4 to 5 yearsAppearance:... Read More

Appearance: This cuvée, with reflections of straw yellow, stands out by the finesse of its slowly rising bubbles and its persistent and abounding mousse.

The palest of rosés, this is an elegant, structured wine. Its dryness is balanced by the fine apple and red-currant fruits and the strong sense of minerality. Fragrant and lightly structured, this fine bottling is ready... Read More

The palest of rosés, this is an elegant, structured wine. Its dryness is balanced by the fine apple and red-currant fruits and the strong sense of minerality. Fragrant and lightly structured, this fine bottling is ready... Read More

Based on the 2016 vintage, the new NV Brut Rosé from Billarcart-Salmon has turned out nicely, mingling notes of red berries and plums with notions of peach, dried flowers and orange rind. Medium to full-bodied, pillowy... Read More

Based on the 2015 vintage and disgorged with nine grams per liter dosage, the latest release of Billecart's NV Brut Réserve contains fully 55% reserve wines and is showing very well, offering up complex aromas of warm... Read More

Producer tasting notes: "Intense fruit and toasted aromas blended with the mineral notes typical of this appellation on the nose. A rich, powerful wine with a strong personality. Very good ageing potential."

Deft and dancing on the palate, this brut-style blend of 80% Clairette, 15% Aligoté and 5% Muscat offers cutting white peach and apricot flavors edged by crisp tangerine acidity. Made via the traditional method, it has... Read More

Actually a paler colour than the village Santenay, but a finer fruit, alpine strawberry and light raspberry, with sound acidity and slightly more refined tannins. Slightly more whole bunch vinification for this wine, around 20%.... Read More

Cru Cuvée Vive unfurls in the glass with scents of wet stones, iodine, lemon oil, crisp green apple and brioche. On the palate, the wine is medium to full-bodied, with a ripe core of fruit, racy acids and a penetratingly... Read More

A superb non-vintage bottling that beautifully synthesizes the pure and opulent fruit of top quality chardonnay vineyards in the Côte de Blancs with a racy, structured minerality that gives the wine superb length and cut.... Read More

Striking nose of nectarines, pink grapefruit and watermelon with pronounced flinty complexity. This starts juicy and zesty, then turns very dry. Long stony finish. A cuvee of 2020 vintage wines, 75% chardonnay and 25% pinot noir... Read More

The October 2019 disgorgement of Varnier-Fannière's NV Brut Grand Cru Cuvée Saint-Denis continues to show very nicely, revealing aromas of ripe citrus fruit, yellow apple, fresh apricot, wheat toast and marzipan,... Read More

The 2015 Hors Série is a new 100% Chardonnay from vineyards in Avize and Merfy. A rich, potent Champagne, the Hors Série offers up a striking interplay of rich Chardonnay fruit along with the more oxidative notes... Read More

The 2014 Angelus has developed with some panache during its barrel maturation and now in bottle, it conveys attractive blackberry, briary and vanilla pod aromas, the oak neatly integrated. It is not the most powerful bouquet that... Read More

A blend of 62% Merlot and 38% Cabernet Franc, the 2015 Angelus reveals a deep garnet-purple color and fragrant aromas of crushed red currants, warm plums and pencil shavings with hints of incense, sage, violets and tobacco. Full-bodied,... Read More

Sporting a deep garnet-purple color, the 2016 Angélus erupts from the glass with powerful notes of blackberry pie, ripe black cherries and juicy black plums with an undercurrent of star anise, rose petals, chocolate mint,... Read More

Strength and elegance go together in this wine. It has a pure line of clear berry fruits that float above the tannic core. It is not so much rich as dense the tannins a vivid counterpoint to the fruit. The wine finishes with fine... Read More

The wine is powerful and impressively rich. Its perfumed character is intense from 50% Cabernet Franc. With layers of great, velvety tannins and wonderful juicy acidity, the wine is set to age well.

#5, Wine Spectator Top 100 Wines of 2025

A big wine with rich tannins and a dense structure, the wine is solid, the clay soil showing both in the wine's ripeness and its power. It is a fine wine, concentrated and with layers of black plum flavors. Drink this wine... Read More

Drink: 2024-2064

Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, the 2018 Canon la Gaffeliere out of the gate delivers a seductive nose of plum preserves, kirsch and Black Forest cake with nuances of lilacs, underbrush, Indian spices and dusty soil. The... Read More

Medium to deep garnet in color, the 2011 Cheval Blanc features a nose of warm mulberries, preserved plums and figs with suggestions of dried herbs, dusty soil and underbrush plus a touch of Sichuan pepper. Medium to full-bodied,... Read More

This wine has power and density. It also offers a perfumed intensity of black fruits and ripe tannins. The shape of the wine is already there even if it is still very young. Ripe and sweet, the fruit is delicious and open, bringing... Read More

Deep garnet colored, the 2009 Cos d'Estournel features a myriad of wonderfully intense notes, including blackcurrant pastilles, redcurrant jelly, kirsch and blueberry compote with hints of rose hip tea, sautéed herbs,... Read More

The 2000 vintage of this wine was ranked #2 on the Wine Spectator's Top 10 Wines of 2003

Cos d'Estournel has become, in the eyes of lovers of fine wines, the archetype of a certain style of masculine elegance in which... Read More

TASTING NOTES:
The rigor of the selection combined with the large proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon has revealed a wine with unique balance, very precise, very pure with a wide-ranging of aromatic complexity, both fruity and spicy.... Read More

A first-growth level wine. With aristocratic ease it conveys nimble energy and sneaky sensuality. Pencil lead, white tobacco, cassis, juicy blackberry and cherry gorgeously delineated with refined tannins providing impressive... Read More

The 2018 D'Issan is composed of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot, aging in 50% new and 50% second year barrels for an estimated 18 months. With 13.97% alcohol and a deep garnet-purple color, it features baked berries,... Read More

The 2021 D'Issan offers up attractive aromas of wild berries, violets, fresh mint and pencil shavings, followed by a medium to full-bodied, polished and seamless palate that's layered and suave, with a pretty core of fruit... Read More

#1 Wine of the Year, James Suckling

This is a big white with sliced apple, pineapple and lychee fruit. It’s full-bodied and dense with lots of fruit and phenolics on the mid-palate. A roundness and power at the end. From the same plots as Yquem. Harvested... Read More

Pale to medium gold colored, the 2009 d'Yquem bursts from the glass with gregarious crème caramel, allspice, dried apricots, mandarin peel and pineapple upside down cake scents plus a fragrant undercurrent of fungi,... Read More

Pale to medium lemon-gold color, the 2010 d'Yquem has retreated into its shell at this youthful stage, offering spritely suggestions of lemon curd, lime cordial and green mango with wafts of honeysuckle, spice cake, sea spray... Read More

Pale to medium lemon-gold color, the 2010 d'Yquem has retreated into its shell at this youthful stage, offering spritely suggestions of lemon curd, lime cordial and green mango with wafts of honeysuckle, spice cake, sea spray... Read More

A blend of 80% Sémillon and 20% Sauvignon Blanc, the 2022 d'Yquem is a strong candidate for the title of wine of the vintage. Exhibiting a remarkably delicate, complex and energetic bouquet of rose, confit citrus, exotic... Read More

Matured 100% in foudres, the 2022 Chateauneuf du Pape from Château de Beaucastel evokes aromas of dark wild berries, dark cherries, spices and licorice mingled with a touch of chocolate. Medium to full-bodied, deep and dense,... Read More

Tasted from foudre, the 2020 Chateauneuf du Pape Hommage à Jacques Perrin is approximately 60% Mourvèdre (from the same parcel, year after year), with the balance a blend of Grenache, Syrah and Counoise. Ripe plums... Read More

Bright purple color with red reflections, nose with aromas of ripe black fruits, spices aromas, licorice and vanilla notes.
This wine will sublimate a lamb mouse from Barèges (Pyrenees), a duck breast with Madiran sauce,... Read More

The 2019 De Sales has a deep garnet-purple color, rolling effortlessly out of the glass with impressively intense baked cherries, plum preserves and fruitcake scents with nuances of potpourri, licorice, chocolate box and fragrant... Read More

This blend of Malbec with 5% Merlot is made in a style that is easy and ready to drink relatively young. A fruity wine, it’s full of black-currant and plum flavors, with fresh acidity at the end. The wine is ready now.... Read More

Powerful and muscular, the 2019 Ducru-Beaucaillou offers up aromas of cassis, raspberries and cherries mingled with notions of violets and iris, framed by a generous application of creamy new oak. Full-bodied, velvety and concentrated,... Read More

Distinctive, with atypical (for St.-Emilion) force and drive to the black currant, roasted cedar and maduro tobacco flavors, which are supported by a dense, loam-tinged structure. Terrific roasted espresso, ganache and fig paste... Read More

Grape/ Blend: 80% Grenache and 20% Syrah

Aged in high quality oak barrels, the wine acquires its complexity over a period of months, subtly combining aromas of dark fruit and spices with the tannins in the wood, to reach a sublime balance. The complex blending procedure,... Read More

This firm wine shows the tannic side of the vintage. Those tannins are dusty, enriched with black-currant fruits and a dense backdrop. The wine is concentrated and elegant, very ageworthy and not likely to be ready before 2025.... Read More

#1, Wine Spectator Top 100 Wines of 2025

#63 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2018

A deep red - violet color. A jammy nose of red fruits. Notes of licorice and vanilla. On entering the mouth it is silky with an exceptional melting quality. Highly precise tannins with exceptional... Read More

A blend of 79% Cabernet Sauvignon and 21% Merlot, the 2022 Grand-Puy-Lacoste is a brilliant classic in the making, wafting from the glass with aromas of dark berries, violets and pencil shavings, followed by a medium to full-bodied,... Read More

The 2020 Haut-Brion is more aromatically demonstrative than La Mission Haut-Brion, bursting with aromas of blackberries and raspberries mingled with licorice, cigar wrapper, pencil shavings and nicely integrated new oak. Full-bodied,... Read More

Much more Semillon-based compared to its stablemate, the Haut-Brion Blanc, the 2019 Château La Mission Haut-Brion Blanc is 70% Semillon and 30% Sauvignon Blanc. It's a much more subdued, classic Semillon, offering ripe... Read More

The 2019 La Mission Haut-Brion unwinds in the glass with aromas of inky berry fruit, wild plums and cherries mingled with notions of warm spices, burning embers and creamy new oak. Full-bodied, deep and layered, it's rich... Read More

A solid step up over the Le Gay, the 2020 Château La Violette reveals a vivid purple hue to go with a jaw-droppingly good bouquet of pure black cherry and cassis-like fruits supported by complex notions of iron, violets,... Read More

Baron Eric de Rothschild, chairman of Domaines Barons de Rothschild (DBR), described Château Lafite Rothschild and its terroir as a viticultural tour de force with the power to, “turn bare earth into heaven.”... Read More

One of the greatest wines produced in Bordeaux this year is the 2019 Lafite Rothschild, an impeccably balanced classic of immense charm and grace. Wafting from the glass with arresting aromas of cassis, blackberries and cherries... Read More

Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2016 Lagrange sashays out of the glass with notions of candied violets, cassis, underbrush and warm black plums with waves of Black Forest cake, cedar chest and yeast extract scents. Medium to full-bodied,... Read More

Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2017 Larcis Ducasse (a blend of 92% Merlot and 8% Cabernet Franc) has a very enticing nose of kirsch, warm blackberries, baked plums and wild blueberries with hints of pencil lead, tar, tilled... Read More

This is the first vintage to not be offered En Primeur, meaning this is the first commercial release for this wine. It is composed of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot and 2% Petit Verdot. Deep garnet-purple in color, it opens... Read More

Composed of 65.8% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31.9% Merlot, and 2.3% Petit Verdot, the 2019 Les Forts de Latour is deep garnet-purple in color. It opens with classic scents of cedar, cassis, and plum preserves, followed by suggestions... Read More

A wine with berry, chocolate and spice character. Full body, with velvety tannins and a savory finish. It shows currant and berry. I love the texture to this. Third wine of first growth Latour. Drink or hold.

Blended of 97.1% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2.6% Merlot and 0.3% Petit Verdot, the deep garnet-purple colored 2015 Latour is exquisitely perfumed, displaying fragrant notes of crushed black cherries, raspberry preserves, cassis and black... Read More

The 2017 Latour is a blend of 92.1% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7.8% Merlot and 0.1% Petit Verdot with 13.3% alcohol and an IPT of 66. Deep garnet-purple in color, it starts off a little broody before exploding from the glass with powerful... Read More

Château Lauriga is owned by Languedoc superstar Paul Mas, whose mission has been to elevate the prestige of his home territory to compete with other top French regions. This wine comes from the estate's top parcels.... Read More

Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2018 Bon Pasteur offers up expressive notions of baked red and black cherries, mulberries and warm blueberries with hints of licorice, chocolate box and menthol. The full-bodied palate has great... Read More

Another absolutely perfect wine in this incredible vintage, the 2020 Château Tertre Roteboeuf comes from a tiny hillside vineyard (5.6 hectares) and is 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc raised all in new Radoux barrels.... Read More

A blend of 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot and 11% Cabernet Franc.

The Petit Lion shares the philosophy of its two elder siblings; it is vinified and aged in order to preserve its fresh, ripe fruit flavours throughout its life. However, it is designed as a second wine, and is therefore made to... Read More

Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion is a wine that harmonizes radiance, power, and depth. This stunning expression of Pessac-Léognan terroir has a hefty amount of Cabernet Franc, which is unusual for the Left Bank. The... Read More

As often quoted in the Médoc, There is no great vineyard which cannot see the river. As all the best Grands Crus from the Médoc area, Château Loudenne's vineyard benefits from an exceptional terroir: two gravelly hills that... Read More

While the 2022 Château Lynch Bages Blanc had been bottled just prior to my visit, it wasn't showing any worse for wear and has a terrific perfume of honeyed lime, white flowers, citrus, and chalky minerality. Based on... Read More

This has a nice generous feel, with cassis and damson plum unfurling easily, backed by light floral and iron notes through the fresh finish.

A true classic from this estate, the 2019 Lynch-Bages has turned out brilliantly, unwinding in the glass with aromas of cassis and sweet blackberry fruit mingled with licorice, mint, cigar wrapper and loamy soil. Full-bodied,... Read More

#3, Wine Spectator Top 100 Wines of 2023!