France

95 Points! I think the finest vintage for the classic cuvee ever, the 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape is a sensational blend of 65% Grenache, 20% Mourvedre, 12% Syrah and the balance other permitted varieties. Aged mostly in tank, it offers a massive array of smoked herbs, lavender, black raspberries, toasted nuts, truffle and garrigue. Full-bodied, ripe, decadent and concentrated, it has slightly less structure than the '09, but has more raw material. This flat-out awesome Chateauneuf will have 20 years of longevity. - Jeb Dunnuck, robertparker.com, 2015

95 Points! The 2017 Chimère reminds me a little of the 2011 with its more elegant yet still powerful style. Beautiful notes of black cherries, blueberries, cured meats, pepper, tree bark, and new leather all emerge from the glass, followed by a rich, medium to full-bodied, tight, backward and unevolved Mourvèdre that needs forgotten for 4-5 years. As always, this cuvée is primarily Mourvèdre (it’s normally blended with Grenache and other varieties, even some white varieties) and there are a scant 100 cases made. - Jeb Dunnuck

92 Points! Light, green-tinged yellow. Mineral-accented aromas and flavors of candied orange, pear, white flowers and ginger. Juicy and precise, presenting lively citrus and orchard fruit flavors underscored by chalky minerality. Dry and incisive on the finish, which shows outstanding clarity and persistence. - Josh Raynolds, Vinous

This is another stellar set of Champagne from Christophe Baron. The 2018s are simply lights out. Readers will note the addition of a new wine in this range, the Closeaux, which rounds out the collection of four pure Meunier Champagnes, all bottled in magnum only. Mignon and his cousins practice a decidedly Burgundian approach to winemaking. The wines are fermented in 600L Taransaud demi-muids (25% new), with heavy lees stirring, an approach Baron favors for building the wines, especially on the mid-palate and that allows for bottling with no dosage. As for 2018, Baron calls it a typical modern vintage for Champagne marked by climate change. “You better get used to it, because this is the future!” he told me emphatically. - Antoni Galloni, Vinous Media

92+ Points! Opening in the glass with aromas of sweet berries, cherries and plums framed by a deft application of toasty new oak, the 2018 Beaune 1er Cru Célébration (Maison Louis Jadot) is medium to full-bodied, deep and layered, with a fleshy core of fruit structured around rich tannins and succulent acids. It's a hearty, generous wine that should evolve nicely in the cellar. As usual, it's a blend of more than a dozen Beaune premiers crus. - William Kelley, robertparker.com

92 Points! The 2018 Beaune 1er Cru Célébration offers crunchy red berry fruit on the nose, crushed strawberry mingling with raspberry preserve and cranberry. A light vanilla scent emerges from the background. It is all disarmingly seductive (even more so the following day). The palate is medium-bodied with a very smooth and silky texture. Tart red cherries and crushed strawberry on the entry, modest depth, cashmere in texture and more sumptuous than previous iterations, unsurprising given the style of the 2018 vintage. Even if the 2018 Célébration does not quite 'kick on' towards the finish, it is still utterly delicious. - Neal Martin, Vinous Media