Spain

93 Points! The 2016 Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Beaux Monts is showing well from bottle, unwinding in the glass to offer up a youthfully reserved bouquet of blackberries, cherries, plums, grilled game bird, rich soil and smoky new oak. On the palate, the wine is medium to full-bodied, rich and voluptuous, with a succulent core of fruit, vibrant fruit flavors and a fine-grained framing of structuring tannins. It's appreciably more reserved than earlier renditions of this cuvée, perhaps because Maxime Cheurlin now has an air-conditioned cellar and is maturing his wine for two winters in barrel. It will be interesting to follow its evolution over the coming decade. - William Kelley, robertparker.com

91-93 Points! The 2016 Nuits Saint Georges 1er Cru Aux Cras was more backward on the nose compared to the domaine’s other 2016s, partly because it underwent a late malolactic, according to Maxime Chuerlin. The palate is medium-bodied with candied red berry fruit on the entry mixed with cassis and ink. I appreciate the grainy structure here, but it is more backward and sultry than Maxime’s other barrel samples at the moment. That said, it is clearly well defined and harmonious on the finish, and it should develop with style once in bottle. - Neal Martin, Wine Advocate