Based on the 2017 vintage and disgorged in January 2020, the latest incarnation of Esprit Nature is packed with aromas of yellow orchard fruit and peach with nuances of toasted bread, candied peel, white flowers, clear honey and fresh almonds. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and enveloping, it is elegantly vinous, with lively acids and a long, delicately oak-inflected finish.

A blend of Chardonnay from Aÿ and the Montage de Reims, there is aromas of citrus oil, fresh pear and linden blossom. On the palate, the wine is medium to full-bodied, vinous and satiny mtextured, with a delicate mousse, ripe but racy acids and a saline finish. Charming and structurally open-knit, it's already drinking well.

White fermented and aged in 500-liter French oak barrels, it’s creamy and spicy, and the oak adds layers of complexity, with yellow fruit and toast aromas and a round palate, textured and with structure and a faint bitterness in the finish. This should mature nicely in bottle.

There is an unexpected grace and a floral profile that is not common to find in this scorching-hot and dry vintage. Although the bouquet is dominated by purple and black fruits, there is a brief interlude of fresh garden rose or lilac, changing up the momentum of this wine in a most positive way by allowing for a harmony of low tones and high tones that are well matched. Bold and dark in appearance, the wine is robust, structured and velvety to the palate, but ultimately far more delicate than expected.

A harmonious bouquet featuring attractive red cherry and crushed strawberry scents, the oak neatly integrated and retaining fine delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with a sweet entry: black cherries, cassis and a hint of licorice. There is certainly good density in the mouth and the finish feels solid yet not imposing, allowing attractive sous-bois and cedar notes to flourish on the aftertaste.

Château Palmer is one of the vintage’s superstars. Opaque purple, with a gorgeous nose of blueberry, blackberry fruit, licorice, incense and graphite, the wine has a multi- dimensional, skyscraper-like richness, stunningly well-integrated acidity, tannin, wood, and alcohol, a finish of close to 45 seconds and a full-bodied mouthfeel. This is a great wine from Margaux in 2012 and one of the vintage’s most remarkable efforts. Anticipated maturity: 2022-2040+.

Domaine Henri Giraud has relied on time to develop its Ratafia. Patiently, the fruitiest juices from the best years from 1990 to 2016 were blended with Fine Champenoise and aged in small oak barrels in Solera. This alchemy discovered in the 13th century lets us taste today the caress of these magnificently transcended into soft and smooth Champagne grape juices. Its warm robe, amber with pretty copper reflections, almost red, evokes maturity and elegance.