France

Alan Meadows - Burghound A discreet application of wood sets off ripe and fresh aromas of poached pear, just sliced green apple and lemon-lime nuances that are picked up by the rich and voluminous medium-bodied flavors that exude evident minerality on the clean, dry and sneaky long finish. This too could use a bit more depth but it's already more complex plus it's a bit more tightly wound. Even so, this refreshing effort could also be enjoyed young without leaving too much potential on the table. Jasper Morris, Inside Burgundy, 90 points. Also a lemon and lime colour, with a little more flesh than the Bataillère. Light fennel...

Jeb Dunnuck 93 points. 'This has a bright pale golden core with an oily texture. On the nose are some subtle aromas of barrel ageing like baking spice, hints of leather, tar, smoky minerals, fine mediterranean herbs and candle wachs - a very complex and intriguing wine. Medium-bodied and balaneced on the palate with ripe yellow fruit with savoury spices and herbs. This is delicious and layered and works with a white range from fish to white meat. A real treat!'    "The 2022 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc Cuvée Tradition is a blend of Clairette, Grenache Blanc, Grenache Gris and Bourboulenc, aged partially in...

WE 97 Wine Enthusiast,  (95-97 points) Barrel Sample. An elegant wine, aristocratic in its poise and restraint yet it is full of great richness. The botrytis is dominant now, giving the dry core a push of density. The more exuberant side of this great wine will take its time but is sure to be there. ROGER VOSS  WA 96 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, July 2021. (WA 94-96+ points) The 2020 Coutet has a pale lemon-gold color, waltzing out of the glass with energetic notes of lemon tart, pink grapefruit, green mango and lime blossoms, with hints of chopped almonds, clover honey, candle wax and straw, plus a waft of sea spray. The...

Fantastic energy and length to this young Sauternes, with dried-apple, apple-pie, spice and cinnamon character . Medium body, medium sweetness and a vibrant finish. - James Suckling 95-96 points. Great quality, bright and concentrated, dried apricots, mandain peel, fig, pineapple and candied ginger, with a touch of bitterness and a mouthwatering finish. This is gorgeous, one to look out for. - Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux, 95 points.

WE 96 Wine Enthusiast To begin with the wine seems reticent, hiding its glories. Then, little by little, the remarkable richness of the wine comes through, offering an impressive array of flavors and balance between sweet and dry. The wine will definitely age well. Barrel Sample: 94-96  Decanter Powerful fleshy exotic fruits - the juice comes in from the first moment and doesn't let up, ensuring the apricot and mango fruits are shot straight through the core of steel. A brilliant showcase of what the soils of Barsac can do. Barrel Sample: 95. #SAUT

94-95 Points, James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com: "Spicy and intense with dried-apple, peach and some stone character. It’s medium-bodied and sweet, yet fresh and vivid.' 05/21.   94 Points, Antonio Galloni, Vinous: “The 2020 Guiraud is very delicate and beautiful. Hints of jasmine, lemon confit, green pear, mint and chamomile lend vibrancy to this mid-weight, wonderfully nuanced Sauternes. The mid-weight style of 2020 is hugely appealing.” 12/22.   #SAUT

Crystalline and clear, fresh on the nose, lightly fragrant with white floral notes and lemon, quince, pear and apple notes. Fresh and really lively, zesty lemon with a butteriness that coats the mouth instantly with soft flecks of caramel, curd, toast and vanilla. Easy to drink and enjoy, well made with energy and sustains the flavour to a long, lingering finish. Mouthwatering and fun, not the most complex but I love the weight and texture this has. Winemaker Pierre Chapuis. - 92. Tasted by Georgina Hindle. Decanter. Drinking Window: 2023 - 2030

.The Vineyard: Corton Charlemagne is a grand cru situated on the Corton hill and benefiting from strong sunshine. Its aspect ranges from East to South. Whereas the neighboring plots are planted with pinot noir on clay and limestone, the grapes growing in the Corton Charlemagne area are planted in a layer of sandy soil on top of a bedrock of calcareous marl, which is particularly well-suited to chardonnay. Grape Variety: chardonnay Appellation: Grand Cru Location: in the village of Aloxe-Corton Origin: Corton Charlemagne owes its name to two emperors: Corton is the contraction of Curtis d’Otton, (which...

Decanter 95 points. Good luck not falling in love with this, with its intense, concentrated depths of citrus, slate, graphite, spiced pear and cold ash, vivid, drawn out and full of character. Domaine Maurice & Anne-Marie Chapuis is a family estate that has been based in Aloxe-Corton for 6 generations, Pierre Chapuis winemaker today, with 1ha of south/southeast-facing slopes in Corton Charlemagne - and it seems significant that they have chosen to release a small amount through the Place de Bordeaux this year. 95 points, Jane Anson (Aug 2023).  

Burghound 91-93 points.   Chablis "Montée de Tonnerre" 1er Cru White barrel Score: 91-93 Tasted: Aug 10, 2023 Drink: 2029+ Issue: 92   Burghound: "An elegant, pure and airy nose consists of plenty of floral nuances long with hints of iodine, mineral reduction and just sliced pear. There is excellent richness and volume to the decidedly punchy medium weight flavors that also flash fine minerality on the balanced, long and refined finale." (91 - 93) Note: from Côte de Bréchain Tasting note: An elegant, pure and airy nose consists of plenty of floral nuances long with hints of iodine,...

BILL NELSON BURGUNDY REPORT: At this time the nose is airy and clean but still lacking some of the volume of the previous wines. Wow again – intense – extra mineral – a little extra volume in the mouth – it’s a step up from the brilliant Forets. Beautiful clarity and texture with balanced concentration. Gorgeous wine and currently just a nose short of greatness!

Burghound 91-94 points. "A very pungent nose of wood toast and heavy lactic character again renders the nose impossible to fairly assess. Otherwise, there is exceptionally good richness and volume to the dense and opulent flavors that brim with sappy dry extract that coats the palate on the powerful, serious and moderately austere finale. This is very promising and a wine that should be approachable after 5-ish years but should repay up to a decade of keeping...."   Issue: 92 Note: from a .32 ha parcel; note that Testut uses a different spelling for the vineyard as they do not use the more typical "Grenouilles"....

The Rive Droite Chablis from Domaine Testut comes from 45-year-old massale selection vines planted in clay and limestone soils. The resulting wine tends to be incredibly complex, with elegant minerality and freshness that will only improve with time. BILL NELSON BURGUNDY REPORT: Fresher, lots of clarity – if a less overtly concentrated nose. A little gas – more incisive again – essence of citrus intensity but with fine texture and a more floral delivery of flavour. A wine of extra energy and pure joy! Bravo – just so delicious and already more approachable than the previous – though the bottling has certainly...

Burghound 89 points/Outstanding Top Value. "A ripe, fresh and nicely layered nose features notes of apple, lemon rind and that lovely quinine-iodine character that clearly identifies this as Chablis. The palate impression is quite rich with fleshy and plump middleweight flavors that are supported by good underlying tension that carries over to the clean, dry and bitter citrus finale. I wouldn't describe this as exactly classic in style but it is refreshing and well-made. Worth a look." BH Issue: 92 Outstanding Top value Tasting note: "A ripe, fresh and nicely layered nose features notes of apple, lemon rind and that lovely...

Burghound 89-91 points. Outstanding Top Value. "A slightly riper nose freely offers up a hint of the exotic on the blend of white and yellow orchard fruit where a touch of post-malolactic fermentation character lurks in the background. The old vines are in evidence on the medium weight flavors as there is better density along with plenty of sappy dry extract that buffers moderately firm acidity on the lingering and balanced finish. This is also worth a look though note that my predicted range assumes that the nose will clean up once the wine is racked." BH Issue: 92 Outstanding Top value Tasting note: A slightly riper nose freely...

Age of vines 25 years Grape variety Chardonnay Ageing Half French oak barrels and half in tanks. No new oak. Origin of wood: Allier, Vosges Bertranges. Wine remained 12 months in barrels and in tanks : blending before bottling. Viticulture Pruning style: Guyot simple. Manual harvest. Green work (de-budding, leaf-thinning,...) Triple sorting: in the vineyard (twice) and in the winery on sorting table Winemaking The grapes are pressed upon arrival at the winery. We practice a fermentation with a low temperature to keep all the flavours. We start the alcoholic fermentation in vats to have a regular fermentation, then when alcoholic fermentation...

Jasper Morris MW 91-93. "4 barrels from their own vines in Clos Charreau, plus one more barrel purchased. An attractive pale lemon and lime. A fine generosity of fruit with a refreshing backbone, slightly lime infused. Overall, this treads with light feet while still representing the long-term potential of Morgeot. Drink from 2026-2032. Tasted: October 2023."   Grape variety Chardonnay Average age of the vines 30 years Maturation 12 months in oak barrels (1/4 new barrels) Tasting notes A rich and powerful wine which needs 2-3 years to really develop. TASTING NOTES Shining lemon yellow colour, this is a very radiant wine. With...

Justin's Tasting Note: "From the top of village of Meursault, this wine show the freshness of cold area of Meursault. Nice acidity with lots of energy.. Great salinity at the end." Jasper Morris MW: "Pale lemon yellow. The nose is clean-cut, with ripe balanced fruit, not yet much character. Easy-going, some white fruit and flesh. An attractive balance between the fruit and the acidity. Does what it says on the tin. Drink from 2026-2029. Tasted: October 2023." Ageing: French oak barrels Origin of wood: Allier and Bertranges 25 % of new oak. Wine remained 24 months in barrels. Viticulture: Pruning style: Guyot simple...

Age of vines 40 years Grape variety Chardonnay Ageing French oak barrels. Origin of wood: Allier and Bertranges 25 % of new oak. Wine remained 24 months in barrels. Viticulture Pruning style: Guyot simple. Manual harvest. Green work (de-budding, leaf-thinning,...) Winemaking The grapes are pressed upon arrival at the winery. We practice a fermentation with a low temperature to keep all the flavours. We start the alcoholic fermentation in vats to have a regular fermentation , then when alcoholic fermentation is running we put the wine into barrels . We use only natural yeasts to keep the charm and character of each wine. Tasting notes Pale...

This delicious white comes from a plot of limestone soil high up on the hill. It’s floral and zippy, with fantastic energy. This delivers the quality and complexity of a village wine for the price not far off others’ Bourgogne Blancs.

James Suckling 95 points. "Attractive notes of hazelnuts, pie crust, baked apples, sweet chestnuts and lime curd. Generous and ripe, yet graceful, with a full body and long, creamy finish, with fantastic tension and persistency. Better from 2024." Le Clos Saint-Jean, in Chassagne-Montrachet, takes its name from the Benedictine abbey of Saint-Jean le Grand d'Autun which once owned it. Years of planting 1992 Nature of soils Complex, made up of limestone marls, yellow or red clays, scree and gravel limestone, light.

James Suckling 94 points. "The first vintage of this Chassagne, showing aromas of lemons, pears, sourdough, white rosemary and some toasted hazelnuts. Beautiful balance, with a full body, caressing layers and fresh acidity. Long and remarkable for a village wine. Drink or hold."  

James Suckling 94 points. "This is a lively and ripe Meursault with generous notes of mangoes, baked apples, pears, cream and lemon curd. Full-bodied and vivid, with a bright streak of acidity throughout. Then some crushed stone minerality at the end. Drink or hold." Located just south of Volnay and Pommard in the Côte de Beaune, Meursault is the largest white wine commune in the south of the Côte-d'Or. The "Golden Triangle" begins in Meursault, an area renowned for producing the best white wines and bounded by the villages of Chassagne-Montrachet and Puligny-Montrachet. Average age of the vines 25 years...

James Suckling 94 points. "Clear and creamy with aromas of green apples, lemons, mango stones and fresh apricots. Some blanched almonds. Full-bodied and elegant, with lovely ripeness balanced with fresh minerality. Drink or hold." Favorite terroir of Chardonnay with its prestigious neighbors, Puligny-Montrachet is bordered to the north by Meursault and its famous “Charmes” and Chassagne-Montrachet to the south, a village with which it shares the “Montrachet”. This climat takes its name from the 14th century: diminutive of hare, the latter were very abundant in this area. Years of planting 1942 Nature of...

James Suckling 95 points. "Classy and powerful, showing lime peel, grilled pineapples, white sesame seeds, yellow nectarines and mangoes. All about the fruit concentration, with a full body and fleshy yet energetic layers. Fresh zesty notes linger. Youthful for now. Try from 2024."   Favorite terroir of Chardonnay with its prestigious neighbors, Puligny-Montrachet is bordered to the north by Meursault and its famous “Charmes” and Chassagne-Montrachet to the south, a village with which it shares the “Montrachet”. Years of planting 1929 (21.5 a), 1992 (20.5 a) and 1995 (39 a) Nature of soils At the bottom...

James Suckling 93 points. Hints of white pepper and white tea here among the apricot, pear and baked apple fruit. Lovely ripeness for the vintage, with a medium to full body and bright, focused fruit. Delicious finish.  This is one of the 3 original 1er Cru of Mercury. From grapes that were sustainably grown, with no use of herbicides. Drink or hold. JS.

James Suckling 97 points. What a breathtaking nose of apricot, orange blossom and bergamot this Puligny-Montrachet has! Super silky on the rich palate, which is neither creamy, chalky nor acidic, but has exactly the right amount of all of these elements, beautifully woven together to create an extremely sensual whole. From grapes that were sustainably grown, with no use of herbicides. Drink or hold. JS. Favorite terroir of Chardonnay with its prestigious neighbors, Puligny-Montrachet is bordered to the north by Meursault and its famous “Charmes” and Chassagne-Montrachet to the south, a village with which it shares the...

This wine immediately shows the talents of the winemakers. Floral tones, slightly citrus also in the scent. The taste has a pleasant acidity, is also very precise. Long and impressive aftertaste. Serve with seafood, grilled fish dishes, veal and cheeses such as Comté and Beaufort.   Details  Vineyard 7 hectare vineyard near the town of Epineuil, with a relatively rich top layer on a subsoil of Kimmeridge, the typical limestone for which Chablis is known. Vinification The grapes are cold stabilized after harvest and vinification takes place 60% in temperature controlled stainless steel vats. The other 40% on wooden...

Jasper Morris From Troesmes, above the lake at Beines, where the soil is reasonably full. The 2021 Beauroy has a pale lemon colour, a softer and quite graceful nose, with a crunch of citrus acidity at the finish. Drink from 2024-2028.  A relatively new wine in the Lavantureux stable, the premier cru Beauroy is a round, ample expression of Chablis from a south-facing parcel. Silky and suave on the palate, it finishes with a whisper of salinity. Drink it over the next eight years. —Anthony Lynch. WINERY NOTES: Beauroy is a south facing 1er Cru. This aspect allows it to receive more sunlight than any of our other vineyards. The wine...

Jasper Morris 92-94. "Ripe , spicy nose, very typical of Bougros. There is a huge mouthful here with excellent tension, some peach notes, everything is there in the rich but balanced style of the vintage. And very long. Tasted Sept 2020." Now that the new generation has settled in at Domaine Lavantureux, we can barely keep track of the new developments, each one more exciting than the last. This bottling marks just their third release from Bougros, a grand cru with abundant sun exposure noted for its high proportion of clay. It stands out from their other wines for its lavish richness, pampering your palate with decadent,...

Jasper Morris 95 points. A paler colour and richer nose, some wood, some muscle. Gently concentrated, with some citrus, then a wealth more fruit on the second half of the palate, a surge of energy. A really very long finish. Drink from 2027-2034. 

Jasper Morris 91 points. Paler yellow, a lighter nose than the Vieilles Vignes but perhaps with more elegance. This was previously vinified and partly aged in 50% wood which shows in the coconut and the more tannic finish, both of which should subsequently integrate. Drink from 2024-2028.  

Jasper Morris 94 points. Clear pale lemon. The nose does not really speak at this stage. The volume of fruit is present, but perhaps not quite the nobility. Perhaps this is just very backward, with saline and citrus notes, with clearly some concentration on the palate. Drink from 2024.

Decanter 93 points. "TOP VALUE & UNDER THE RADAR The new generation arrived in 2010 with the arrival of David & Arnaud, following on from their father/grand-father. Roland first bottled his own wines in 1979 and the domaine has gone from strength to strength in recent years. Vauprin is a special selection on the hill of Vauprin, situated close to Lignorelles. Vines range from 20-80 years old and the parcel is 1.8ha in size. This AP Chablis is notable for the confident way in which oak is used (up to 50%, ranging from new to five-year-old). Lovely density on the palate allied to purity of fruit. Here, the oak really does add a...

Rich and Fruity, full of minerality with excellent balance. This domain is a benchmark reference for the Chablis Appellation. This estate has been in the hands of the Lavantureux family for 4 generations and covers a total of 20 hectares. It is now run by the latest generation of 2 sons. Arnaud is in charge of vineyards and winemaking, David of sales, communication and marketing. They have made an immediate impact, as judged by their peers in the region: Winner of Trophy “Young Talent of Burgundy” 2016 and 2017.

Decanter 92 points. "From south-west facing vines in the hills around Lignorelles, the vines were planted in the 1960's and cover 3ha. The wine is fermented in steel tanks, with 60% aged for 10-12 on lees in tank, and 40% in older wood. Doesn't have quite the richness of the Vauprin Chablis but this is still a very fine, pure expression of 2021. Lovely acidity and mineral notes compliment the grapefruit characters and ripe pear fruit on the palate. Complex and classy. No hurry to drink this."   WINERY NOTES: A flattering nose, reveals flavors of ripe fruits, also identifiable during Tasting because of the natural...

"Brisk fresh yellow, smoky bacon note, and a smoky graphite note, though very pure on the palate, full of fruit, extremely long. Drink from 2024-2026." Jasper Morris MW.    "Freshness and minerality are essential to make a grand Petit Chablis. Roland Lavantureux adds righteousness and elegance." Hachette Guide.   Winery Notes: A Shiny yellow color, a fine and fruity nose with notes of agrums : we just open a bottle of Petit Chablis ! The mouth is pleasant and surprises by its freshness. We recognize peach and grapefruit. It is crispy and intense. This wine can be tasted as aperitif, with starter, oysters or...