Brilliant Burgundies
In January, James Suckling and his team visited Burgundy to find the best wines of the 2015 and 2016 vintages, tasting and rating more than 300. Although the 2015 reds are impressive and packed with concentrated fruit yet firm tannins, the 2016 reds revea
After tasting some 300 bottles, James Suckling declares his top 10 Burgundies
1 JOSEPH DROUHIN MONTRACHET GRAND CRU MARQUIS DE LAGUICHE 2016 The complexity and sheer magnitude of Montrachet is on full show. A powerful expression of the largest holdings on the Puligny side of the vineyard. Grilled hazelnut, grilled peach, grapefruit and lemon, as well as a layer of spiced nougat-like aromas. The long, concentrated and dense palate starts cloaked in flavours of rich peach and glossy fruits. The flavours then peel away in layers, revealing a very focused, refined and essence-like citrus core with tremendous elegance and intensity. Drink or hold through the next decade—or longer. 99 points 2 LOUIS LATOUR CHÂTEAU CORTON GRANCEY GRAND CRU 2016 Love the depth of fruit and intensity of this wine. It has dark fruit and floral undertones, as well as meat, which is very captivating. Full body and nice, powerful tannins. Chewy and powerful. Focused austerity. A wine for the cellar. Try in 2022.
99 points 3 LOUIS LATOUR ROMANÉESAINT-VIVANT GRAND CRU 2016 Shows its intensity, complexity and greatness from the beginning. Blackberry, liquorice and stone aromas. Full body and a centre palate that shows ripe fruit and full richness. Then the tannins kick in. Great wine. Drink in 2024.
100 points 4 LUCIEN LE MOINE MONTRACHET GRAND CRU 2015 Mind-blowing aromas of dried apple and dried mushroom with hints of peat. Sicilian lemon, too. Fullbodied, dense and powerful. Yet dry and vivid with a sense of muscle. Very tensioned and formed. Drink or hold. It’s a white for decades ahead. 100 points
5 JOSEPH DROUHIN CHAMBOLLE-MUSIGNY 1ER CRU LES AMOUREUSES 2016 So perfumed and floral. Enticing. Fullbodied yet so refined and wonderful, with dusty-textured tannins at the front of the mouth. Dense yet so polished and beautiful. Flows on the palate. Fantastic to taste now but will be great in three or four years. 98 points 6 DOMAINE FAIVELEY CORTON CLOS DES CORTONS FAIVELEY GRAND CRU 2015 I’m amazed. This is extremely fresh, with orange zest and smoky notes as well as intense cherry aromas. With its stunning concentration and vitality, this could wake the dead. A great and dynamic expression of this unique terroir that can be drunk now, but it also has a huge future. 97 points
7 LUCIEN LE MOINE MAZIS-CHAMBERTIN GRAND CRU 2015
Aromas of spices, thyme, redcurrant and fresh herbs. A big and powerful grand cru yet it shows such freshness and brightness. Layered and dense. Incredible depth and tenure. The power of Burgundy. Drink in 2022 but amazing to taste now. 100 points 8 LOUIS JADOT CHAPELLECHAMBERTIN GRAND CRU 2015 From old vines planted in the early 1920s at very high density (more than 11,000 per hectare). It has a very impressive sense of completeness and a regal air. Loaded with red cherry, orange zest and fresh sappy aromas. It delivers velvety, fine tannins in a seamless mode. Very impressive from start to finish. Already drinking well, with a good 20-year window ahead.
97 points 9 BOUCHARD PÈRE & FILS CHEVALIERMONTRACHET GRAND CRU 2015 Super refined and complex, with flinty, stony accents across aromas of lime, lemon, grapefruit, white peach, green mango, orange blossom, as well as white flowers and light spices. The palate has a strong chord of acidity in a refined and powerful shape. A rock star. Try from 2021. 96 points 10 ALBERT BICHOT CORTON-CHARLEMAGNE GRAND CRU DOMAINE DU PAVILLON 2016 This has a flinty appeal with aromas of white peach and lightly spiced peach custard. Very impressive power, which really explodes on the palate with powerful white peach, grilled hazelnuts and citrus hints. A little honey to close. Very long and seamless. Superb. Drink or hold. 95 points