Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

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 mingled with violets, cigar box and warm spices, it's medium to full-bodied, deep and seamless, its velvety attack segueing into a layered, concentrated mid-palate framed by exquisitely powdery tannins and ripe acids, and concluding with a long, perfumed finish.

One of the unequivocally great wines of the vintage is the 2019 Cheval Blanc, a stunning young Saint-Émilion that wafts from the glass with aromas of wild berries and plums mingled with notions of lilac, pipe tobacco, violets, raw cocoa, licorice, crushed mint and burning embers. Full-bodied, layered and enveloping, it's deep and intense, with beautifully rich, powdery tannins and vibrant flavors. Concluding with a long, saline finish, this rivals the 2016 as the finest Cheval Blanc of the decade, and in many respects it might be thought of as the latter vintage's sun-kissed cousin.

Like its stablemate Langoa Barton, the 2019 Léoville Barton is a timeless classic, made for patient connoisseurs. Offering up aromas of blackcurrants, plums, pencil shavings and licorice, it's full-bodied, deep and concentrated, its deep core of fruit framed by a chassis of rich, powdery tannin that makes itself felt on the youthfully firm finish. While it's clearly built for the long haul, its structural seamlessness and mid-palate plenitude mark it out as one of the finest wines from this château in recent times.

The 2019 Les Carmes Haut-Brion has turned out very well in bottle. Mingling aromas of plums and cassis with notions of blood orange, warm spices and new oak, it's full-bodied, velvety and seamless, with an ample core of bright, succulent fruit that's framed by an elegantly muscular chassis of ripe, powdery tannins and lively acids. Concluding with a long, expansive finish, it's reminiscent of a more giving, extroverted version of Pouthier's superb 2016.

This is a slightly more subdued vintage of this legendary wine, albeit just as sophisticated as past editions. The 2014 Barolo Sperss opens to gorgeous aromas of dark fruit, wet earth and white truffle. The vineyards in Serralunga d'Alba produced much less fruit than average and suffered from bouts of downy mildew during the rainy seasons. But Serralunga d'Alba fruit is also harvested late, and that extra time was important for achieving grape ripeness targets. The wine presents depth and complexity within the context of a thinner vintage. Having said that, the bouquet is spectacular.

Unwinding in the glass with aromas of raspberries, cherries, sweet spices, rose petals and forest floor, the 2019 Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Les Murgers is medium to full-bodied, concentrated and lively, with a deep, layered, elegantly muscular profile and a long, penetrating finish. (WK)

The 2019 Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Charmes is superb, mingling aromas of orange rind, blackberries and cassis with hints of rose petals, loamy soil and truffle in a complex bouquet. Medium to full-bodied, layered and textural, it's deep and concentrated, with lively acids and a chassis of rich, powdery tannin. This is well worth seeking out. (WK)

Aromas of dark berries, cherries, red fruits, sweet spices and rose petals preface the 2020 Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Beaumonts, a medium to full-bodied, layered and multidimensional wine that's deep and concentrated, with bright acids and a long, saline finish. (WK)

Lavish and enveloping, the 2019 Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Suchots offers up inviting aromas of plums, raspberries, sweet spices, rich soil tones and rose petals. Medium to full-bodied, layered and textural, it's concentrated and gourmand, with lively acids and a long, expansive finish.

Lavish and enveloping, the 2019 Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Suchots offers up inviting aromas of plums, raspberries, sweet spices, rich soil tones and rose petals. Medium to full-bodied, layered and textural, it's concentrated and gourmand, with lively acids and a long, expansive finish. (WK)