Wine Advocate (96)

The 2022 Navatalgordo, a village red from the village of the same name, is one of two completely new village wines from 2022, as the one from Rozas is an evolution of the Rozas 1er Cru. This was produced to reflect the character of the village, showcasing wines with tension and sharpness. It comes from soils with lots of quartz and was made with their own grapes and ones purchased from growers that have been working together with them at an average 1,100 meters in altitude. It fermented with full clusters in concrete and oak vats with 35- to 40-day maceration, and its élevage was in concrete and oak foudres. This village produces wines with lower alcohol, lower pH and higher acidity, even in warmer years like 2022. And the wine has more color, even if the alcohol is lower, from the cold. It's a wine that needs more time, more Barolo with a chalky character and slow development. It has a very floral and expressive nose, with electric acidity, and is tense, serious. This is the 2022 that feels less like 2022... Only with time in the glass did it develop some meaty aromas (Bovril?) and spiciness, which pointed at a warmer year and more Gevrey character. It has a contained 13% alcohol and a pH of around 3.0! Incredible parameters for a year like 2022. 11,047 bottles produced. It was bottled in August 2023. Only a little sulfur was added at bottling time, never before, as they feel the profile of the wine is more apt to work without added sulfur.

Vinous (95)

The 2021 Rozas 1er Cru is 100% Garnacha from a Vino de Paraje in Valle Sur, Sierra de Gredos. Fermented with whole clusters, it presents sour cherry, herbal tones, orange peel and a touch of cherry over a delicate profile. A hint of chocolate-orange emerges with air. Grippy yet delicate, it has a lightly aqueous feel and a touch of fruit, gaining depth and definition on the finish. This modern red avoids the region’s sun-driven style in favor of varietal expression.

Wine Advocate (95)

The Rozas 1er Cru has a slight change in 2022 and turned into a village wine, the 2022 Rozas. They selected the best five vineyards that used to go to the Rozas 1er Cru, vineyards they have worked since 2012. In this warmer vintage, they did a softer vinification, with less maceration and more fermentation without skins, to avoid over-ripeness and notes of black fruit in the wine. It has more fruit and some silty tannins, which are more like Italian tannins in the more Mediterranean years like this 2022. This village is more subject to the changes in the years, with more herbal and ethereal notes in the wines in cooler years and juicier and with more marked tannins in the warmer ones. It has 14.5% alcohol and is more jovial, definitely not banal. 10,992 bottles produced. It was bottled in August 2023.

Wine Advocate (99)

The pale, delicate and ethereal 2021 Tumba del Rey Moro feels more austere than any other vintage of this single-vineyard wine. It comes from vines at 1,100 meters above sea level on granite soils in the village of Villanueva de Ávila and has a notable absence of fruit. Instead, it's mineral and floral, with subtle herbal notes ("piparra" peppers again!). It was harvested around the 12th of October, and by that time, the grapes had had a full development of aromas and flavors. The wine finished with 14% alcohol but with gobsmacking balance and freshness. The alcohol is not noticeable, a constant across the portfolio. The nose was shy at first and took time to develop, but when it did, it was layered and complex, with more Burgundian floral notes. The palate is super austere with lots of energy, reminiscent of liquid granite, with grip and light. It's a sharp vintage of Tumba del Rey Moro. 1,712 bottles produced. It was bottled in April 2023.

Emanating from the romantic hills of Piedmont, Italy, Comero Sizzano 2017 presents an exquisite vintage that embodies the expertise of the Comero vineyards. The marriage of Nebbiolo and Vespolina grapes, masterfully matured in stainless steel and large oak barrels for a full-bodied flavour, imbues this vino with an unmissable aroma of red fruits, violets and luxurious spices reserved only for the highest quality wines.

Comero Sizzano 2017’s balanced tannins and luscious acidity truly set it apart; it rests gently on the palate, leaving a decadent aftertaste that lingers. The deep ruby red colouring perfectly complements the harmonious blend of fruit-rich and floral complexities, capturing the radiant Italian sun, fertile soils, and centuries-old passion of the Comero estate.

Brimming with a philosophy of hard work, respect for nature, and commitment to time-honoured traditions, Comero's Sizzano 2017 represents a sublime testament to expert Italian winemaking. Simply put, it is an essential addition to any connoisseur's collection.

Hailing from the renowned wine-growing region of Piedmont, Italy, Comero Sizzano 2018 is a true gem for the discerning palate. Renowned producer, Comero, meticulously produces this elite wine in the historical town of Sizzano. This masterly crafted blend of Nebbiolo and Vespolina grapes are traditionally harvested by hand in late October, ensuring an unparalleled quality.

Distinguished by its rich ruby hue, Comero Sizzano 2018 mesmerizes with sensual notes of ripe berries, violets, and subtle hints of warm spice. The maturation process in French oak adds to its complexity and exquisite depths of flavour, resulting in a wine that boasts a captivating balance of elegance and earthiness.

Revered by wine connoisseurs, each bottle of Comero Sizzano 2018 communicates its prestigious pedigree and the uncompromising dedication to excellence by the producer. A bottle from this remarkable vintage leaves a lasting impression and is a testament to Italy's enduring wine heritage.

Jancis Robinson (17)

Cask sample. Pale blueish crimson. Lively and racy with real lift, though a tad rawer than the Clos des Epeneaux. A very serious Côte de Beaune by any measure.

Vinous (89-91)

The 2019 Auxey-Duresses 1er Cru, a blend of two vineyards Les Beautrains and Les Bas des Duresses as usual, matured in around 25% new oak. It has a refined bouquet with a little more purity and sensuality compared to the Auxey Village. The palate is well balanced with gentle grip on the entry, quite rich but fresh in style with candied orange peel infusing the mixture of black and blueberry fruit. Crunchy, almost brittle texture towards the finish which is surprising given the type of growing season. Recommended.

Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy (88-89)

12 barrels here, so not so bad. The usual almost purple-black colour of this cuvée offers plenty of energy. Dark berry fruit, with a rather stricter finish, and reasonably prominent acidity. Drink from 2026-2030. Tasted: November 2022

Vinous (94)

The 2016 Pommard Clos des Epeneaux 1er Cru has a classic, undergrowth infused bouquet, a mixture of red and black fruit, hints of stewed black tea emerging with time, tobacco and rose petal. The palate is medium-bodied with fine grain tannin, succulent and juicy with a fleshy, almost Volnay-like finish that is very appealing. This is a well crafted and comparatively approachable Pommard. Tasted blind at the 2016 Burgfest tasting.

Vinous - Neal Martin (94)

The 2017 Pommard Clos des Epeneaux 1er Cru has a wonderful bouquet that fulfills its potential from barrel, offering immediately seductive brambly red fruit, crushed minerals and pressed rose petals. The 25–30% new oak is so neatly folded into the fruit that it is barely noticeable. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin and quite citrus-driven, revealing orange peel and blood orange notes. Linear at first and then gently fans out and gains depth toward the persistent finish. Superb.

Jancis Robinson (18.5)

Cask sample. Quite a price! Transparent crimson. Very dense nose with more layers than most of the 2018 red burgundies I have tasted so far. Pretty rich with grand cru density. Very well done. Actually the best Clos des Epeneaux I remember tasting en primeur. Long, rich, opulent but all in a convincing structure. Very long in fact.

Decanter (96)

The final blend of this is superb, including both the energy of the young vines and the density of the old. They deliver a lush, spicy fruit with a strong mineral underpinning, a dense texture, firm but supple tannins and an infinitely rewarding finish. The Clos des Epeneaux is produced from a monopole of 5.23ha located at the juncture of Grands Epenots (20%) and Petits Epenots (80%). The clos is divided by regisseur Paul Zinetti into four main subdivisions by age of vine and underlying soils which are farmed and vinified separately.

Vinous - Neal Martin (93)

The 2021 Pommard Clos des Epeneaux 1er Cru has a classy bouquet with assiduous use of whole cluster that complements the red berry fruit. Wonderful delineation and focus. The palate is medium-bodied with fine delineation, fresh and vibrant, finely sculpted tannins with a sense of mineralité and tension on the finish that has far more sustain than its peers. This is a classy and quite delicious wine for the vintage. Tasted blind at the Burgfest tasting.

Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy (93-96)

(5 Star Wine) First we tasted the component parts. (1) Young vines from 1980s. A deep concentrated purple. Lesser foliage in the hot dry summer has concentrated the colour and other aspects, giving a dark style of fruit as well, with a nutty finish, but good acidity. (2) A blend, mainly from plot #3 and a bit of #1. Mid purple in colour, less demonstrative on the nose. A much suppler style of fruit, less forceful acidity, fine length, more typical Epenots here. (3) Old vines, 90+ years old: A deep glowing purple. A little more intensity, a gorgeous quality of deep red fruit, just a touch tougher in its tannins, plus the acidity. (4) Press wine: dark purple, powerful rather than fine on the nose, more volatile, but could be useful in the blend. Sweet thick dark red to black fruit. Chunky stuff. And now the blend: A deep purple colour with only a very slightly lighter rim. The bouquet suggests poise as the fruit has melded together harmoniously. On the palate this is, as almost always, a much more complete wine than the individual parts. The wine seems to push down deeper while retaining all the class of the very best components. We are approaching the cusp of red and black fruit, the acidity is perfectly harnessed and the tannins are fine grained. Potentially a very fine Clos des Epeneaux. Drink from 2032-2040+. Tasted: October 2023.

Jancis Robinson (17)

Cask sample. Polished and velvety without the energy of the Auxey Premier Cru. Sort of splits the difference between its two stablemates but I’m not sure wholly satisfactorily for the price.

Vinous (91-93)

The 2021 Volnay Les Frémiets 1er Cru has exquisite definition on the nose: a mélange of red and black fruit, allspice and light iris flower scents. The palate is medium-bodied with lithe tannins, more red fruit developing laced with clove and a touch of cooked meats, quite complex towards the finish that lingers in the mouth. Classy and certainly with the substance to age.

Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy (91-93)

Six barrels, two of them new. A medium to bright purple. The nose is invigorating with as little as 10% whole bunches, enough to add a floral note. This is lively on the palate, a Fremiets which has remembered it is in Volnay, not Pommard, delightfully stylish at the finish. Drink from 2032-2037. Tasted: October 2023.

Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy (89-92)

Mid crimson to purple, with some reduction on the nose. A concentrated dark raspberry fruit, still with this reductive element. If and when that clears there is a fine long finish to look forward to instead. Impressive fruit in the end, so scored on the asu,mption that the reduction will clear. Drink from 2028-2034. Tasted: October 2023.

Vinous (94)

The 2017 Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru has a complex bouquet that is slightly more Musigny in personality than I expected. There is mainly dark fruit here, mixed with potpourri and incense and becoming more flamboyant as it aerates in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grained tannins, and quite compact in style because, as François Millet noted, these 2017s are beginning to close down. But there is certainly good density here, and an enticing tensile finish.

Vinous (96-98)

The 2018 Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru is a limpid deep purple. It has a heavenly bouquet distantly related to the Les Amoureuses, offering precocious but detailed blueberry, black cherry, crushed iris petal and crushed limestone aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with an edgy, marine-influenced opening, a tang of shucked oyster shells infusing the black and blueberry fruit, leading to a detailed, tensile, lightly spiced finish. A long tail of white pepper lingers on the aftertaste. This is absolutely divine.

Burghound (93-95)

(from a 2.67 ha parcel situated entirely in terres rouges soil in the far southern portion of the vineyard). A riper and more restrained nose requires some swirling to reveal its aromas of plum liqueur, blue berry, earth and a more restricted range of spice elements. The bigger and richer flavors possess an opulent richness and a velvety texture that coats the palate and enrobes the firmer tannic spine shaping the powerful, tautly muscular and strikingly persistent finale. This offers a completely different expression compared to the Amoureuses but one that is equally interesting. This too possesses superb development potential though patience definitely advised. (93-95)/2039+

Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy (97)

In bottle. Made as three cuvees, then assembled. A rich mid purple with a deliciously heady bouquet, the sumptuous side of dark raspberry, perfumed yet precise, purple fruit with some redder layers beneath, a little white pepper spice, multiple layers of fruit, very engaging with just a very slight youthful bitterness. Irreproachable. Drink from 2032-2045. Tasted: November 2023.

Jancis Robinson (19)

I bowed to this bottle. Very deep ruby. Lovely savour. Bones and richness on the end with dry finish. Much, much more grown-up than the Iona. Precise and fresh. Really expressive and gorgeous. Long and stunning now. Bone-dry end.

Wine Advocate (96)

The 2014 Musigny Vieilles Vignes Grand Cru has a very intense, cold stone and blackberry scented bouquet, moving towards subtle marine like aromas (oyster shells, Crustacea) with time. There is just wonderful precision here. The palate is medium-bodied with a gentle grip in the mouth, firm backbone, a slightly more masculine Musigny with just a hint of savoriness towards the long finish. This is showing great personality even at this early juncture, although of course, it will not even consider reaching its drinking plateau without 8-10 years in bottle. I suspect this Musigny will only gradually open. Tasted November 2016.

Vinous (97-99)

The 2018 Musigny Vieilles Vignes Grand Cru is even darker than the Bonnes-Mares. It has a spectacular bouquet of intense black fruit, blueberries and shucked oyster shells, the mineralité heightened over the Bonnes-Mares and lending a great deal of precision. The palate is medium-bodied with blueberry, boysenberry and black currant fruit, extraordinary tension, razor-sharp acidity and a dash of white pepper on the crystalline finish. One of the finest Musignys I have tasted from barrel at de Vogüé.

Vinous (97-99)

The 2018 Musigny Vieilles Vignes Grand Cru is even darker than the Bonnes-Mares. It has a spectacular bouquet of intense black fruit, blueberries and shucked oyster shells, the mineralité heightened over the Bonnes-Mares and lending a great deal of precision. The palate is medium-bodied with blueberry, boysenberry and black currant fruit, extraordinary tension, razor-sharp acidity and a dash of white pepper on the crystalline finish. One of the finest Musignys I have tasted from barrel at de Vogüé.