Esmonin/Sylvie Gevrey-Chambertin 1er cru Clos St-Jacques 2021

95 points Christy Canterbury, MW (TimAtkin.com): "I really like Sylvie's style in this cooler vintage – on all of her wines. Her ripe fruit cradles the high acidity and her characteristically concentrated fruit profile suavely absorbs the brooding tannins. The 2021 has masses of wild black fruit flavors, including plums, figs and cassis. Scented licorice and warm spices layer onto the palate. Between the crisp acidity and the lightly leathery tannins lies a delightfully balancing, mid-palate creaminess. Sylvie's portion of this coveted Premier Cru sits at the opposite end of the clos from the winery. (2023)"

90-95 points Jasper Morris, MW (Inside Burgundy): "Black centre with purple rim. A little toasty barrel note, actually quite a lot. It is like a reduction but not. The fruit itself on the palate is very pure, extremely dark in character with an additional kick of flamboyant dark raspberries and morello cherries at the finish. The whole bunches may give a light additional lift through the middle of the intense fruit but are no more visible than that. Toast from the oak returns to finish. For some palates, this wine will definitely merit the top end of the wide bracket; others might score at or below the bottom end! Drink from 2027-2034. (Nov 2022)"

'Outstanding'/91-93 points Allen Meadows (Burghound): "(from a large 1.6 ha holding of 40+ year old vines). A subtle but not invisible application of wood frames the overtly floral-suffused nose of plum, dark currant and sauvage aromas that, like the Gevrey VV, is also quite ripe. There is better density still to the delicious tension-filled medium weight plus flavors that exude ample minerality on the sappy, dusty and more refined finish. This mineral-driven effort is also very much built-to-age and 12 to 15 years of cellaring should see it at its best. Drink: 2033+. (Jan 2023)"

91-93 points Neal Martin (Vinous): "The 2021 Gevrey-Chambertin Clos Saint-Jacques 1er Cru has a tightly-knit bouquet, a mixture of red and black fruit, sous-bois, veins of dark chocolate and freshly-rolled tobacco. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy red fruit, grainy texture, well balanced with a fresh, marine-influenced finish. Not the length of recent vintages, yet it has commendable focus and sense of energy. Drink: 2028-2046. (Jan 2023)"