92-94 Point Wines

wines

Daivissat’s Chablis parcel comes from two parcels - the smaller near Beine (0.6ha) and the much larger plot adjacent to Premier Cru Foret (2.5ha). Profound, concentrated, prominent lime/lemon zest on the palate, a touch of honey, confited citrus zest to finish. So long. A profound Chablis.Decanter | 93 DECA more floral and more citrus-infused nose speaks of cool and admirably pure aromas of iodine, ocean breeze and green apple along with a hint of the exotic. The rich and solidly concentrated medium-weight flavors also possess excellent length on the bright, clean and very dry finish. This chiseled and promising effort should amply repay 7 to 10 years of cellaring.Burghound | 90 BHThe Domaine Dauvissat 2021 Chablis AC is also an outstanding example of its respective level, delivering a vibrant and complex nose of fresh lime, apple, a lovely base of chalky minerality, just a touch of oyster shell and a topnote of straw. On the palate the wine is bright, full-bodied, focused and well-balanced, with a lovely core, zesty acids and a fine signature of minerality on the long and classy finish. There is a nice touch of salinity to the mineral expression here from the vintage’s short yields. (Drink between 2024 - 2045)John Gilman | 90+ JGThe 2021 Chablis Village is a clear step up from the Petit Chablis, beautifully defined with light pressed flower scents that complement the granite scents. The palate is saline on the entry with a fine bead of acidity, fine depth with quite a persistent finish. Elegant and somehow, understated.Vinous Media | 89-91 VM

Bright and inviting, the 2021 Chardonnay Drouhin Oregon Roserock has high-toned aromatics including loads of lime zest, honeyed apple, and a lifted note of gunflint that is well-managed. Medium-bodied and energetic, with balanced ripeness as well as loads of fresh citrus and a long finish, it has more reductive and bright-toned energy that lasts for ages through the finish. Drink 2023-2030.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDNotes of dried apples, glazed lemons, orange curd, roasted almonds and crushed stones. Hints of dried lemon peel, too. Full-bodied and broad yet it is delicate with impressive fresh acidity. Incredible minerality here with a touch of zestiness at the end. Lingering finish. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 94 JSFrom the Eola-Amity Hills, fast becoming Oregon’s best Chardonnay sub-appellation, given its windy conditions and volcanic soils. The Roserock shows flinty aromatics and laser-focused brightness with hints of cut early-season pears, white flowers and smoky minerality. The palate is balanced, bright and savoury, with minerality written all over it. Notes of crushed granite and green peppercorn complement grilled lemon peel, briny seaspray and smoky flint.Decanter | 93 DECDriven by electrifying acidity and a texture as crisp as a new dollar bill, this is a wine for fans of the lean, but hardly mean, style of Chardonnay. Pineapple and chamomile aromas are complemented by bits of fresh-cut grass and thyme. Flavors of chilled orange segments, lemon verbena and toasted filberts go on forever. Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEBrisk and fresh, with pear and grapefruit flavors accented by spice and white blossom aromatics as this glides on the steely finish. Drink now. 2,405 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

The 2021 vintage of Cape Mentelle Sauvignon Blanc includes 9% Semillon in a blend that is commonly found in Margaret River. Vibrant and piercing aromas are on display with impressive complexity including passionfruit, freshly cut grass, lanolin and hay. Exceptional purity follows on a light weight palate with juicy acidity providing energy and tropical fruit flavour impact. The finish is zesty and refreshing with impressive focus from start to finish.Vinous Media | 92 VM

Striking nose of rosehip and lime zest with delicate wild flower and herb aromas. Simultaneously structured and elegant, this dry riesling has remarkable concentration for just 11.5% alcohol. Long, silky, mineral finish. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 93 JSThe 2021 Kallstadter Riesling Kabinett trocken is clear, refined and elegant on the beautifully aromatic nose. Vinified in small and up to 60-hectoliter oak casks, this is a subtle, frisky but seriously calcareous Riesling with and intense and well-structured fruit texture and vivacious but ripe acidity that is interwoven with fine phenolic grip and stimulating, sustainable salinity. A gorgeous, still young Riesling bottled with 11.2% alcohol. Natural cork. Tasted at the domaine in August 2022.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90 RP

This estate makes a bevy of terrific dry whites in addition to an incredible Sauternes. Starting with the 2021 Lions De Suduiraut Blanc Sec, which is a blend of 52% Semillon and 48% Sauvignon Blanc, it offers subtle grapefruit and citrus notes, a kiss of minerality, and a refreshing, vibrant, wonderfully balanced style on the palate. It’s a seriously good bottle of wine to drink in its youth.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDThe 2021 Lions de Suduiraut Blanc Sec is gorgeous. Rich, creamy and expressive, the 2021 is exquisite in its balance of textural richness and freshness. Orchard fruit, white flowers, mint, lemon oil and chamomile envelop the palate, while bright floral accents perk up the finish. Lions is the new name for the Blanc Sec, which is the same wine as before.Antonio Galloni | 91 AGA tangy white with sliced grapefruit, apple and celery character. Medium body. Fresh finish. White pepper. Dry and chalky.James Suckling | 91 JS

Cut grass, dark green herbs and yellow apple aromas show on the nose of this bottling. It’s very lean on the palate with a zippy, energetic acidity that cuts right through the cement, crushed stone and serrano flavors, engaging the palate on all sides.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEThe 2021 Sauvignon Blanc Au Naturel is laced with hints of pear, mint, chamomile, spice and apricot. Racy and textured in feel, the Au Naturel has plenty of richness to play off the natural vivacity of the year.Antonio Galloni | 92 AGAll varietal, the 2021 Sauvignon Blanc Au Naturel offers a touch more oomph in its white peach, melon, white flowers, and honeysuckle-like aromas and flavors. It’s rich, medium-bodied, balanced, and certainly an outstanding expression of Sauvignon Blanc.Jeb Dunnuck | 91 JD

The 2021 Meursault Le Limozin, matured in a prudent 20% new oak, has a wonderful and expressive nose with just a soupçon of reduction (Parigot was prudent with the SO2 addition). The palate has exquisite balance, beautifully integrated oak, grilled walnut and litchi, superb salinity towards the extended finish - the wine of the vintage from this address.Vinous Media | 92-94 VM

The white 2021 Cargol Treu Vi has notes of pollen and yellow fruit with some browning apples. It has contained ripeness and 12.4% alcohol with a very low pH and high-ish acidity but comes through as more evolved and somewhat riper than the phenomenal Principia Mathematica form this same vintage. It has pungent flavors and a medium-bodied palate, with some spice from aging in 300-liter barrels for 10 to 11 months. 2,100 bottles were filled in August 2022.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RP

A more restrained nose grudgingly reflects its aromas of strong petrol and mineral reduction with background hints of citrus zest and oak. There is fine mid-palate density to the tautly muscular broad-shouldered flavors that also exude evident minerality on the tightly coiled, lingering and balanced finale. This could use better depth so like the En Caradeux, at least a few years of keeping should prove beneficial.Burghound | 92 BH15 hl/ha despite the best efforts of a wine turbine and bonfire which I saw in action at 4.30a.m. on a cold snowy morning. Pale colour, backward nose, white flowers perhaps. This has a fine balanced fruit, actually sweeter and riper, then oakier behind, with an attractive mineral thread. Needs a little freshening, which will happen before bottling Drink from 2026-2032. Tasted: October 2022.Jasper Morris | 92-95 JM

The 2021 Chablis Bougros Grand Cru, 80% aged in oak, has a delightful bouquet with orchard fruit, lemon verbena and orange pith scents that burst from the glass. The palate is well balanced with a fine bead of acidity, quite precise with a welcome touch of bitter lemon that keeps the finish on edge. Not a long-term Bougros perhaps, but finely crafted. Tasted blind at the BIVB tasting in Chablis.Vinous Media | 93 VM

The one-hectare parcel that constitutes the 2021 Chablis Valmur Grand Cru yielded five barrels this year. This also has a heavy reduction and is quite yeasty at the moment. The palate is well balanced with a marine-influenced entry, flecks of white chocolate complementing the citrus fruit with a longer finish than the Blanchot. Fine sour lemon mixed with orange rind on the aftertaste. Excellent.Vinous Media | 92-94 VM

The 2021 Puligny-Montrachet Clos de la Pucelle 1er Cru, which is half the normal yield, sports a very subtle reduction on the nose, but there is fine delineation and focus here. The palate is well balanced with good weight, lime mixed with tangerine and nectarine, crisp acidity with a lightly spiced finish. There is real nobility evident here.Vinous Media | 92-94 VMThis delicious wine puts the emphasis firmly on citrus and mineral on the initial attack, while the texture on the palate opens up to show concentration, breadth, and spice. The grapes come from a 1.16-hectare plot at the northern end of the vineyard that the family has owned since 1917. Portions have been replanted over time, and the oldest vines date to the ‘50s and ‘60s. The fruit is gently pressed, and the must settled overnight before fermentation in cask (25% new) with relatively few lees.Decanter | 93 DEC

The 2021 Sauvignon Blanc Vieris opens slowly in the glass, holding back in its youthful state, with hints of lemon oil, rosemary and wet stone accentuated by sweet spice. This is seamlessly silky, almost oily in feel, with sapid yellow citrus and savory herbal tones enriched by vibrant acidity. It finishes potent and spicy, leaving the palate saturated in an intense staining of primary concentration. The potential here is off the charts, but today, the Vieris is one of the most backward wines out of the 2021 portfolio.Vinous Media | 94+ VM

I loved the 2021 Lirac Blanc, one of those whites that truly over-delivers. Beautiful notes of pear, white flowers, citrus, and some salty, mineral-like nuances define this beauty, and it’s medium-bodied, with terrific balance, integrated acidity, and a great, great finish. Bravo. Drink this over the coming 2-4 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDThere’s a touch of oak on the nose and palate that helps to frame the tangy citrus notes, and lends a touch of spice, but it’s far from overwhelming. Full-bodied, classically Lirac in its breadth on the palate. Ends on a nip of grapefruit bitterness. Good acidity. Also contains Marsanne, Viognier and Piquepoul.Decanter | 92 DECBrimming with stone-fruit aromas with a touch of mango, this is a rich but very clean and crisp dry white from the Southern Rhone. Good concentration and a touch of positive tannin help it carry the generous body and 14.5% alcohol. From organically grown grapes. Drink now.James Suckling | 90 JS

The 2021 Sauvignon Blanc Quarz is deeply alluring, with a rich mix of savory herbs and grapefruit rinds lifted by a cooling whiff of white smoke. This is potent and supple with medium-bodied weight and a pretty inner sweetness, verging on decadence, yet is balanced by a stimulating core of zesty acidity. Candied lemon and lime resonate throughout as a burst of salty minerality and chalk dust adds perfect contrast. Like most vintages of Quarz, this will cellar beautifully over the medium term. That said, there’s no harm in enjoying it now in this wonderfully primary state.Vinous Media | 93 VM

Droin owns 10ha of AP Chablis. Much more interest here with a deeper hue in the glass and much more interest on the nose. Some greengage on the palate, together with a hint of pear and white peach. Pretty much a benchmark example of what village Chablis should be. Concentration and a lengthy mineral character to finish.Decanter | 92 DECThe 2021 Chablis Village has a fresh nose with Granny Smith apples and a touch of fresh pear. With good balance and acidity, the palate is quite saline in the mouth with veins of orchard fruit, hints of wild peach and citrus peel, delicate and refined on the finish.Vinous Media | 88-90 VMThis is aromatically similar to the Petit Chablis though with more citrus elements in evidence. There is again good richness to the succulent and rounded medium-weight flavors that also exude a refreshing salinity on the clean, moderately dry and sneaky long finish that is slightly firmer.Burghound | 88-91 BH

Droin’s Montmains site is on a gentle slope with richer, deeper, kimmeridgian marl soils. A colder site, making the wine richer and with great density on the palate. Distinctly more weight than the Vaillons, giving the blend plenty of gravitas. 8-10 months ageing on fine lees adds a creamy character with acidity less pronounced than with the Vaillons. Classy.Decanter | 92 DECThe 2021 Chablis Montmains 1er Cru has a classic Chablis-like bouquet with scents of shucked oyster shell and light fumé notes emerging from the glass. The palate is well balanced with a saline, lemon rind infused entry, moderate weight, perhaps not quite as precise as the Vaillons yet with satisfying persistence. Fine.Vinous Media | 89-91 VMAn even more floral-suffused nose speaks of the pretty essence of pear and apple while offering better overall typicity. The palate impression of the middleweight flavors is also plump, round and fleshy with its reasonably persistent, dry and balanced finale that also could use better depth. This attractive effort should be approachable young yet also reward 4 to 7 years of keeping.Burghound | 89-92 BH

Droin’s Fourchaume is located in the Vaupulent sector, on deep, clay-rich soils. A warmer site, this is a;ready very appealing with nice touches of baked apples and stone-fruit on the palate, with softer acidity and concentration. Although accessible early, this has the concentration to age extremely well and will deliver more saline aspects with more bottle age.Decanter | 92 DECA whiff of mineral reduction is present on the nose of pear and apple compote where there is just enough Chablis typicity to be convincing. The succulent, round and palate coating flavors possess good underlying tension while delivering solid depth and length on the delicious finish where the only nit is a hint of warmth.Burghound | 90-92 BHThe 2021 Chablis Fourchaume 1er Cru shows a little more reduction on the nose compared to other cuvées but a pleasant flintiness develops with time. The palate is well balanced with a cohesive entry, fine weight although it doesn’t quite deliver the same precision as the Mont de Milieu at the moment. Fine.Vinous Media | 89-91 VM

The 2021 Corton-Charlemagne from Domaine Jean Chartron is another outstanding wine in the making. The complex nose wafts from the glass in a mix of apple, pear, a fine base of chalky soil tones, a touch of almond, spring flowers crème pâtissière and vanillin oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, crisp and nascently complex, with a fine core of fruit, excellent focus and balance, bouncy acids and a long, balanced and soil-driven finish. This not showing quite the same mineral dimension as the top two Puligny premier crus right now, but it may well catch up in this regard with some extended bottle age. Fine juice. (Drink between 2027 - 2060)John Gilman | 94 JGThis delicious wine presents aromas of citrus peel and hawthorn flowers coloured with a chalky, saline mineral edge and notes of cream, butter, and spice. This year the wine is made exclusively from a domaine-owned parcel in Pernand from the lieu-dit En Charlemagne that was planted in 1961 and picked on 25 September just before the rain. It produced a single barrel, which is ageing in a two-year-old cask from the cooper Chassin.Decanter | 93 DECOnce again there is an attractive coolness to the essence of green apple, spice and mineral reduction scents. There is superb delineation to the bigger-bodied and more powerful flavors that are at once muscular yet refined, all wrapped in a moderately austere finale where a touch of wood slowly emerges. This tightly wound and very promising effort should age like a classic Corton-Charlemagne.Burghound | 92-94 BHOne barrel, an exchange. Paler colour and correctly chiselled. Very tight and with excellent concentration. The length is good too. Just a baby, but with promise. Stony lemons to finish. Drink from 2026-2031.Jasper Morris | 92-94 JMThe 2021 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru, reduced to one and a half barrels due to the absence of any exchange, sports quite a bit of reduction on the nose that makes it difficult to read at present. The palate is well balanced with fine acidity, quite taut and maybe just missing a little tension on the finish. Fine, though Chartron has made better in the past.Vinous Media | 90-92 VM

Some buttery notes emerge under the delicate lemony characters, giving depth and seamless balance to the zingy acidity. It should develop additional complexity with more time in bottle. Montée de Bouffant is a parcel on steep slopes at 240m above the village of Chavignol. The grapes are harvested by machine and fermented in a mix of concrete and stainless steel and then aged for six months. The first record of the 35-hectare domaine is from 1510 and Laurent Reverdy, who took over from his father Alain in 2000, is the 14th generation.Decanter | 93 DEC

Perfumed and delicate upon first pour, the 2022 Sauvignon Blanc Vieris slowly evolves, wafting up with dusty white flowers and cracked slate, evolving into ginger-infused pear and green melon. This is cool-toned with soothingly round textures, yet energetic as well, showcasing ripe pit fruits and crunchy mineral tones that add tactile satisfaction toward the close. The 2022 tapers off with a floral resonance and long, becoming classically dry and slightly austere, demanding patience while still leaving the palate completely refreshed. Despite the warm vintage, this is a Vieris that will excel in the cellar.Vinous Media | 94 VMThis well-meshed white is compact up front, opening on the palate to reveal layers of melon, grapefruit peel, lentil and chive blossom notes framed by vibrant acidity. A smoke-tinged, mineral-driven underpinning echoes on the finish. Drink now through 2032. 600 cases made, 200 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

Cool and airy but ripe aromas are comprised by notes of citrus rind, white flower and plenty of mineral reduction character. There is excellent volume to the mouthcoating and punchy yet refined larger-bodied flavors that possess impressive concentration and power on the clean, dry and well-balanced finish. This is a wine that has excellent development potential yet is not so backward that it couldn’t be enjoyed after only four to five years of keeping. One to consider.Burghound | 93 BHJust bottled. A pretty, light lemon colour. A pleasing fragrance with spring flowers and the lighter side of plum fruit. Generous on the palate with a graphite touch which is probably the oak speaking, a wealth of fruit through the middle and enough flesh to cover the final point of acidity. Fine length as ever.Jasper Morris | 93 JMThe 2022 Meursault Goutte d’Or 1er Cru is airy and delicate in its first impression, but there’s plenty of depth below its lifted, expansive bouquet. Ripe pear, mint, white pepper, baked apple tart and a hint of new oak all grace this wonderfully expressive, nuanced Meursault. Lovely. - Antonio GalloniVinous Media | 91-93 VM

Vaulorent is the opposite in style to Fourchaume for Droin, with soils only 10cm thick. This comes through on the palate with its pronounced mineral character. Shy and introverted at the moment, this is undoubtedly a fine wine which will need quite a bit of time to come round. Very crisp apple fruit flavours and a flinty finish.Decanter | 94 DECA distinctly smoky nose features notes of apple and pear confit along with various floral and seashore hints that are trimmed in just enough wood to notice. The medium-bodied flavors are rich, even plush, with a highly seductive texture that carries over to the surprisingly powerful, well-balanced and strikingly long finale. This is also lovely and harmonious.Burghound | 92 BHThe 2022 Chablis Vaulorent 1er Cru has a sensual bouquet with yellow plum, jasmine and saffron scents that billow from the glass. The palate is very well-balanced with a fine bead of acidity, very focused and sharp, and citrus-fresh towards the finish. Almost clinical (in a good way), though that is one of Droin’s tropes.Vinous Media | 91-93 VM

Lovely fruit quality; weighty, ripe and powerful but balanced with citrus freshness. A little more approachable than Vaulorent for the moment. Blue and white clay adds extra depth.Decanter | 93 DECThe 2022 Chablis Montée de Tonnerre 1er Cru has a clean, precise bouquet that is more austere than Droin’s other Premier Crus at the moment. More to give? (Droin mentioned this had just undergone some filtration). The palate is well-balanced with a crisp entry, fresh and saline with a more malic finish. Maybe the purists/classicists’ choice? This will need considerable aging.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92-94 RPA more floral and slightly more elegant nose is composed of notes of cool green apple, oyster shell, iodine and hint of crushed anise with a similarly discreet application of wood. The middleweight flavors are not as rich though they are noticeably finer with a slightly more evident bead of minerality as well on the tension-filled, lingering and well-balanced finish. This stylish and classy effort could also use better depth but the Droin MdT has an excellent track record, and 2022 should prove no different.Burghound | 92 BHA clear mid lemon yellow. The bouquet is well balanced, confit de citron but not too peachy. Just a little spritz in the mouth, though this will be less evident after bottling. There is a full, rich, ripe yellow plum fruit, but not exaggerated and well within the style of Montée de Tonnerre. Drink from 2027-2033. Tasted Jun 2023.Jasper Morris | 91-93 JM

A pure version, with a mix of sel gris, quinine and Key lime notes leading the way, backed by subtle accents of lemon curd, salted butter and honeysuckle. The long, refined finish shows a flash of wet stone. Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon. Drink now through 2027. 1,452 cases made, 250 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WS