95-97 Point Wines

wines

One of the Dauvissat specialities, the La Forest is a triumph in 2021. From seven small parcels, the total site is less than 1ha with average vine age more than 40 years. Intriguing, slightly smoky nose, highly distinctive and different to others in the range. Plenty of power, ripe stone fruit flavours, zesty citrus acidity with a herbaceous edge adding an extra dimension. Definitely of grand cru quality.Decanter | 95 DECThe 2021 Chablis 1er Cru La Forest is a young classic, mingling scents of sweet citrus oil and peach with notions of white flowers, struck match, bee pollen and youthful reduction in an incipiently complex bouquet. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and textural, it’s concentrated, taut and incisive, with a long, mineral finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPThere is a hint of phenolic character on the aromas of crushed leaf, mineral reduction, lemon-lime and seaweed. The denser, succulent and powerful larger-scaled flavors are supported by a firm acid spine on the stony, youthfully austere and bitter citrus rind finale. This is quite dry and I very much like the balance though I would note that at least some patience is strongly suggested as this is quite tightly wound today. In a word, terrific.Burghound | 94 BHI always think of Vincent Dauvissat’s la Forest as his baby les Clos, as with ten years or more of bottle age, the two often resemble each other a bit aromatically and flavor-wise. The 2021 version of la Forest chez Dauvissat is going to be stellar. The bouquet wafts from the glass in a complex mix of pear, fresh lime, flinty minerality, citrus blossoms, discreet vanillin oak and a topnote of beeswax. On the palate the wine is deep, pure and full, with a superb core of fruit, excellent complexity and cut, fine focus, bright acids and a long, complex and impeccably balanced finish. This is superb. (Drink between 2026 - 2060)John Gilman | 94 JGAlso a fine clear colour, though without a green tint. The Forest 2021 has a solid full fruit on the nose, perhaps less intense at the edges. Very pure white fruit, good acidity, not the volume which the 2022 will have but it is coming out very well even so. Drink from 2026-2033. Tasted: May 2023.Jasper Morris | 93 JM

A bigger, richer white, especially in the context of the vintage, the 2021 Château La Mission Haut-Brion Blanc offers up a medium to full-bodied, vibrant, concentrated style as well as classic notes of honeyed melon, crushed stone, white flowers, and dried herbs. I love its mid-palate depth, and it has beautifully integrated acidity and outstanding length. It’s another serious, age-worthy white in 2021 that will benefit from short-term bottle age and be long-lived.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDThe 2021 La Mission Haut-Brion Blanc marries the natural energy of this cool year with lovely mid-palate creaminess and texture. Understated yet persistent, the 2021 presents a gorgeous display of pear, white flowers and mint, along with a subtle touch of oak that frames the finish. Today, the 2021 is quite a bit less expressive than it was en primeur. It was also bottled in May 2022 (versus May 2023 for the reds) and may be in a closed period, which is not unusual for wines from cold years. We shall see.Vinous Media | 95 VMPeach and waxed-lemon character here. Some fennel and aniseed, too. Very fresh. Medium to full body with a round, creamy palate. A little closed for now at the end. 55.2% semillon and 44.8% sauvignon.James Suckling | 95-96 JSLa Mission Haut-Brion Blanc 2021 leaps from the glass with notes of fresh grapefruit, white peaches, and honeysuckle, leading to touches of elderflower and sea spray. The medium-bodied palate is tightly wound, with vibrant stone fruit and zesty flavors, supported by a crisp backbone, finishing long and steely.The Wine Independent | 95 TWIA fresh, incipiently complex bouquet of pear, grapefruit, freshly baked bread and wet stones prefaces the 2021 La Mission Haut-Brion, a medium to full-bodied, fleshy wine with a satiny attack that segues into a taut, structured mid-palate built around chalky dry extract, which lend this a more tightly-knit, mordant profile than the broader, fatter and more enveloping Haut-Brion Blanc.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94+ RPFloral and green fruit aromas on the nose. Juicy and upfront, lively and fun, this has zing and focus. I love the almost sherbet lemon touch to the initial expression followed by soft green fruit and some softly spiced herbal accents. It’s clear and clean, bright and focussed. Tapers a little towards the finish, just lightening, but lovely and enjoyable - very aerial in style.Decanter | 94 DEC

Layered, elegant, vivid and mineral-driven, this full-bodied wine paints a distinct picture of one of Sonoma County’s oldest, most iconic chardonnay vineyards. Stone, kiwi and crisp apple notes fill the aromas, while light accents of butter and vanilla bean highlight the vibrant green apple and lime flavors. It expands on the palate and echoes for minutes in the finish. This wine is known to age well, so drink or hold.James Suckling | 97 JSElegant and precise, this crisp expression offers plenty to admire -- apple, lemon zest and Sumo orange notes, plus an aromatic punch of yuzu, orange blossoms and sweet grass. A quiet toasted brioche detail lingers in the background, as does a savory thread of freshly grated ginger and toasted green tea hints. Drink now through 2032. 774 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WSThe 2021 Chardonnay Rochioli Vineyard is bright and focused, but also understated in feel. Sweet floral and citrus notes give the 2021 lovely aromatic presence to match the wine’s understated, mid-weight personality. Bright saline tones add energy and tension throughout. Lemon peel, white pepper and crushed rocks linger.Vinous Media | 93 VM

Bright straw-colored, the 2021 Chardonnay Woolsey Road Vineyard is forward on the nose with notes of melon rind, fresh pear, flint, and delicate baking spice, and it has a lot of vibrant nature. Medium to full-bodied, it offers fantastic tension and a linear feel with great length, and it’s going to age very well. Drink 2025-2040.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDThe 2021 Chardonnay Woolsey Road Vineyard is another dense, ample wine in this range. The Woolsey Road has a good deal of phenolic intensity. There’s real breadth and resonance here. Lemon confit, white pepper and dried herbs are nicely amplified.Vinous Media | 94 VMFragrant, focused and precise, offering flavors of lemongrass and lemon blossoms, with Meyer lemon and green papaya accents, plus a touch of tangerine. Shows green tea, lemon balm and white pepper notes on a mouthwatering frame, with a hint of salinity that lingers. Drink now. 787 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WSRichness and concentration are the hallmarks of this full-bodied, mouth-filling wine. Deep in Bosc pears, baked apples and baking spices, it offers a creamy texture balanced by moderate acidity. Drink now or hold.James Suckling | 93 JS

Lime and spicy pear with crushed stone. Kumquats. Smoke and iron. Kiwi. Full and rounded with bitter pear and steel. Dried limes. Unique minerality. Bright acidity. Touch of sweetness at the end that makes it fascinating. 65% sauvignon blanc and 35% semillon. September release. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 97 JSThe 2021 Y d’Yquem is a blend of 65% Sauvignon Blanc and 35% Sémillon, possessing 7.2 grams per liter of residual sugar. Strait-laced notes of struck flint and wet slate on the nose give way to a delicate core of lime blossoms and lemonade with hints of aniseed and grapefruit. The medium to full-bodied palate reveals a racy backbone and intense citrusy flavors with a compelling oiliness to the texture, finishing with a minerally lift. This should evolve beautifully over the next 15+ years.The Wine Independent | 95 TWISuave, with alluring acacia, elderflower and lemon pith notes backed by a long finish revealing racy and creamy aspects. Offers nice chalk and orange blossom details in the background, too. Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon. Drink now through 2028.Wine Spectator | 94 WSFrom the same vines as its parent d’Yquem, the wine is fresh and full of ripe yellow fruits. Ripe apricots and honey come together with the beautiful texture in this rich, but dry, wine. Drink from 2027. Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEIn fact, the first pour was the dry wine, the 2021 Y de Yquem. This latest release has a more powerful bouquet, with a distinctive marine influence, a nuanced oxidative trait that lends freshness. The palate is, likewise, quite intense with razor-sharp acidity to the extent that I find this refreshingly penetrating in style, hints of tinned apricot and white peach filtering through on the finish. A lovely dry Sauternes.Vinous Media | 90 VM

TOP QUALITY PRODUCER Quite a different, cool, fresh character on the nose. Louis Moreau always aim to pick early to preserve freshness. Lemon-lime citrus characters dominate the palate giving lots of vibrant acidity, balancing the concentrated fruit notes and providing a great backdrop for future ageing. Needs a two or three years to settle in bottle, and it’s a keeper.Decanter | 95 DECThis white’s creamy texture is offset by lively acidity that frames its lemon, yuzu, floral and vanilla flavors. Tense and racy, picking up mineral and herbal accents on the long finish. Drink now through 2032. 712 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

Wow. This is fantastic with mangoes, lemons, pears and hints of vanilla. Mineral, too. It’s full-bodied with bright fruit and a vivid finish. Lots of minerals. A selection of the best grapes of Inama in the grand cru Foscarino. Much less use of barrels than in the past with large casks and stainless. Superb. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 97 JSThe 2021 Soave Classico I Palchi Foscarino Grande Cuvée is a platinum-golden color with a youthfully intense bouquet that blends raw almond with stone dust, dusty dried flowers and Asian pear. This seduces with its silken textures and supple personality, washing across the palate with crisp, ripe orchard fruits complicated by a salty mix of savory herbs and minerals. The 2021 tapers off dramatically long and fresh, leaving a resonance of mint and liquid stone.Vinous Media | 95 VMThis is the third vintage produced, and the team at Inama is happy with what they’ve learned along the way in order to get to this point. The 2021 Soave Classico Foscarino Grande Cuvée I Palchi is what they describe as the most representative of the goal for this wine. Made with 100% Garganega, the wine is beautifully textured and fresh, almost crunchy, and very detailed across with peach, honeydew melon, exotic fruit and crushed oyster shell. I Palchi consists of terraced vineyards with 50- to 60-year-old vines trained with the overhead pergola trellis system. Garganega tends to be a very vigorous grape. The choice of oak use here is carefully contemplated with 50% Stockinger oak casks, 10% new oak, 20% used wood and 20% acacia wood.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94+ RPI Palchi (first vintage, 2019) is the replacement for Du Lot, which Alessio Inama described as ’oily, powerful, oaky.’ The name means ’parcels’, referring to the terraces of pergola-trained old-vine Garganega which provide the fruit for this wine. ’Crazy selection is the game changer,’ he explained, noting that only bunches which have achieved a certain yellow hue are picked, as those grapes offer body combined with freshness. Ageing is for six months in 50% large casks, 10% new vapour-toasted barriques, 20% used barriques and 20% stainless steel. The wine is then blended before spending a further six months in stainless steel. Rich, round and flinty, it’s full of exotic and peachy yellow fruits, allied to lovely freshness and poised sapidity. Smoky and spicy hints emerge on the long, slightly woody finish. Class.Decanter | 94 DECGrown on wide terraces on the Monte Foscarino, this Soave showcases Garganega’s importance as one of Italy’s great and noble white grapes. The nose opens with aromas of fleshy white peach, Fuji apple, acacia honey, dried yellow flowers and subtle hints of baking spice. Rich and full in body, yet graceful at the same time, the wine has notes of roasted orange peel, apricot and pear all dusted with baking spices and finishing with a crushed stone minerality. Drink now–2035.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEFresh and finely meshed, with minerally hints of chalk and saline underscoring flavors of yellow apple and pear, spring blossoms and grapefruit pith. This drapes the palate like raw silk -- textured but without excessive weight -- and lingers on the lightly spiced finish. Drink now through 2031. 25 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

Gaja Chardonnay competes with top white Burgundies, and why wouldn’t it.  You can actually taste the pedigree. I had the pleasure of tasting back vintages at Hotel Pellicano in Tuscany and actually think it ages better than most white Burgundy today. A masterpiece!Dave Sokolin | 97+ DSWhat a beautiful chardonnay, with sliced cooked apples, pears, light cream and pineapple, but so well knit together with a mouthfeel that is caressing and fine textured. So enticing to drink now, but will improve with age. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 96 JS

There is complexity on the nose, weight and concentration on the palate, along with great acidity, all combined with the ripeness of fruit and mineral notes on the finish. Just bottled but still showing beautifully. Manager Guillaume Michel notes that his Montée de Tonnerre is 100% from Chapelot. This is a south-facing, homogenous parcel from the bottom of Chapelot to the mid-level.Decanter | 95 DECThe 2022 Chablis Montée de Tonnerre 1er Cru has an attractive bouquet with touches of frangipane infusing the citrus fruit and hints of dried orange peel coming through with time. The palate is well-balanced with a waxy-textured opening. Good delineation, quite saline, with a twist of sour lemon dovetailing into a slight nutty/smoky note on the finish. One of the finest Premier Crus from Louis Michel.Vinous Media | 92-94 VMLean and tightly packed, with apple, lemon and stone flavors, this intense, balanced white remains well-delineated from start to finish, ending with compact fruit and mineral accents. Best from 2026 through 2033. 450 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 92 WSA more elegant, airier and more floral-suffused nose combines notes of spiced pear and enough Chablis elements to be more than just interesting. The refined, delicious and caressing middleweight flavors possess very good punch on the firm, balanced, moderately dry and bitter lemon-inflected finish. This markedly stony effort is also quite good and worth considering.Burghound | 91-94 BHFrom the Chapelot sector. Mid lemon yellow. the nose is much more backward than Vaulorent though with power. Picked 6th September at 12.5%. Plenty of guts to this, a more austere stoniness on the second half of the palate, no shortage of fruit, becoming just a little more opulent at the finish. Drink from 2027-2035. Tasted: June 2023.Jasper Morris | 91-94 JM

Quite subtle and restrained on both nose and palate. Plenty of warmth of fruit, but as yet quite restrained. Lovely, salty, zesty notes promise a lot in the future. Ripe peach fruit characters develop with a few minutes in the glass. This will be a great example of Les Clos once in bottle. Tank sample.Decanter | 95 DECQuietly powerful, with subtle fruit flavors, a full body (for Chablis) and layers of fruit, minerals and toast that build on the palate and linger in the finish. Grown on a south-facing slope in clay-based but stony soil. 30% was barrel-fermented, and it shows an opulent, rich expression underlain by a minerally, saline character. Drinkable now, but will develop much more complexity with time. From organically grown grapes. Best from 2029.James Suckling | 94 JSA rich style, exhibiting peach and canteloupe flavors, with a hint of vanilla. Balanced and refreshing, this firms up, with a tactile sensation on the extended finish. Needs time to fully integrate. Best from 2026 through 2032. 1,812 cases made, 110 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 92 WSBright full lemon colour with greener notes behind. Floral though with more latent power than that suggests. There is no doubting the intensity of white fruit across the palate, lemons and apples joining the white fruit at the finish, then a more headily perfumed note at the very end, muscat and passion fruit, which suggests that it was time to pick these grapes. Drink from 2028-2035. Tasted: October 2023.Jasper Morris | 92-95 JMGenerous wood and vanilla nuances wood frame cool and exuberantly fresh aromas of citrus, apple and ocean brine. There is borderline painful intensity to the imposing and tautly muscular larger-scaled flavors that retain a lovely sense of refinement on the powerful, balanced, bone-dry and built-to-age finale. As is usually the case with this wine, it’s going to require at least a few years of patience to develop better depth and better integrate what at this point is a borderline annoying level of wood.Burghound | 91-94 BHThe 2022 Chablis Les Clos Grand Cru is two-thirds aged in stainless steel and the remainder in wooden barrel for nine months, plus five months, whereby the entire blend is raised in vat. The nose has good intensity: green apple and light kiwi fruit, leesy at the moment but well defined. The palate is taut on the entry with fine depth, well-judged acidity, and smooth in texture with hints of Conference pear mixed with quite spicy peppery notes towards the finish. Good potential.Vinous Media | 90-92 VM

Very appealing, with a fine balance of richness and ripeness of fruit, combined with white pepper, saline minerals and plenty of freshening acidity. A very classy example.Decanter | 95 DEC

Lastly, the 2022 Chardonnay Rosemary’s Vineyard is another Arroyo Grande release that saw 14 months in 30% new French oak. It’s a slightly more savory, masculine styled effort that has both citrus and stone fruits, lots of crushed stone minerality, honeyed white flowers, blanched almonds, and subtle spicy oak aromas and flavors. It has rock-solid concentration, bright yet integrated acidity, and a gorgeous finish. It’s up with the finest Chardonnay in the vintage.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDThe 2022 Chardonnay Rosemary’s Vineyard is another gorgeous Chardonnay from Brian Talley and his team. Complex and multi-dimensional, the Rosemary’s is wonderfully dynamic from start to finish. Layers of rich orchard fruit intermingle with bright acids and light tropical accents that add raciness. I especially admire its complex, multi-dimensional personality.Vinous Media | 95 VMA stunningly beautiful Chardonnay, the Rosemary’s is from the coolest site, the cool Talley Estate. Planted in 1987 to complement the Pinot Noir planted across the estate driveway. Within three to five years, this wine will become ethereal. Beguiling aromatics of lemon verbena, English hawthorn and concentrated grilled fleshy pineapple with a kiss of herbaceous wild tarragon. The texture is extraordinary, and 14 months of sur lie elevage in 30% new French oak has imparted intense lemon curd flavours, lemon oil and grilled lemon peel. There’s a soaring minerality marked by briny sea air, bright white pepper and savoury notes of cardamom mark the finish. (Tasted from bottle #5631.)Decanter | 95 DECA generous, plush, delicious wine with ample baked-fruit flavors and spicy vanilla bean accents. Medium-bodied with energizing acidity and a lingering finish. Estate grown on the Talley family’s original vineyard site. Sustainable. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 94 JSAged for 14 months in 30% new French oak, the 2022 Chardonnay Rosemary’s Vineyard splits the difference between a fresh, vibrant frame and toasty, punchy richness. The nose is reminiscent of a classic California Chardonnay, albeit with notably more verve and zest. The palate is powerful, yellow-fruited and creamy, leading to a finish that combines butterscotch-laden power with saline, stony refreshment.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RP

A markedly floral-suffused nose is both cool and strikingly pure with its airy aromas of essence of white orchard fruit, passion fruit and plenty of spice and citrus elements. There is first-rate volume to succulent but punchy large-bodied flavors that are rich to the point of opulence yet there is very good delineation to the powerful, sappy and palate coating finish where the only nit is a trace of warmth. I would point out that this is presently decidedly compact and tightly wound so this would best be purchased knowing that at least mid-term cellaring will be in order.Burghound | 96 BHThe 2022 Batard-Montrachet Grand Cru emerges from holdings that straddle the Chassagne and Puligny sides. Super-elegant and refined, Boillot’s Batard has a ton to offer, even if it is rather reticent at this stage. White flowers, mint, spice and light pastry overtones add layers of nuance. The 2022 is unctuous, but not at all heavy. This really opens beautifully onto its explosive finish. - Antonio GalloniVinous Media | 95-97 VMA glowing pale yellow. Super-concentrated if not yet very yielding bouquet. Extra tension here, certainly some depth, but perhaps more in class than power. That will change with time – the class with remain but the depth will expand. White fruit, tension, some youthful bitters, but keeping itself to itself for the moment. Really very long finish though. Drink from 2030-2040. Tasted: December 2023.Jasper Morris | 95-98 JM

Grandfather Fernand Coffinet, who planted the almond tree on the edge of this plot, died at the start of the year, so this wine is something of a homage to him. Clear bright pale colour. The nose shows the muscle in a harmonious way. Almost lean at the front then with a growing flesh behind. Huge potential here, less charming than Dent de Chien but a fabulous finish as well, stretching out even further than does the Dent de Chien. Drink from 2030-2040. Tasted Oct 2023.Jasper Morris | 95-97 JM

This beautiful Puligny-Montrachet 1er cru has a subtle nose of bergamot and orange zest with notes of wild herbs. Excellent tension on the generous but focused palate, driving the very long, structured finish, which has a serious stony minerality. From a high-altitude site that may well become better known due to climate change. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 95 JSThis white is creamy, with ample baking spice, butterscotch, peach and lemon cake flavors. Shows latent power yet remains fresh and long on the complex finish, where the fruit and spice elements echo. Drink now through 2030. 1,250 cases made, 350 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 92 WSA discreet application of wood frames the pretty aromas of the essence of pear and apple compote, carnation and crushed fennel. The sleek and intense middleweight flavors possess both good richness and a subtle minerality that adds a sense of lift to the markedly zest-inflected finale that exhibits solid length. Once again there is enough gas to notice so a few minutes in a decanter would be helpful.Burghound | 91 BH

Very cool and and focused, this mouthwatering Saint Romain has an extreme chalky minerality. Only medium-bodied, but really concentrated. Super-fresh and focused finish with so much fresh herb complexity (think sage and thyme). Very long and polished finish. From biodynamically grown grapes. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 95 JSThe 2022 Saint-Romain Sous Le Velle is comparatively more backward on the nose, a little chalky in style with light Golden Delicious and orange pith scents. There is fine delineation with neatly integrated oak. The palate is well-balanced, with a tang of orange zest on the entry. This has a silver beard of acidity, lending real tension and matching the impressive depth towards the vibrant finish. Sous Le Velle is often one of the go-to vineyards in Saint-Romain, and this proves exactly why.Vinous Media | 91-93 VMPalish lemon and lime. A fine and classy bouquet, floral but still with the racy freshness of St-Romain. Fresh apples on the palate, with an intensity that will demand a little bottle age. Drink from 2026-2030. Tasted Oct 2023.Jasper Morris | 91 JM

The Rochioli family has been growing grapes on their property since the late 1950s, with the vineyard now farmed by the third generation. The 2021 Ramey Rochioli blend is sourced from 82% Mid-40 Block and 18% River Block. This wine delivers a gorgeous intensity of fruit and pressed wildflowers. On the palate, ripe lemon peel fruit expands into the mid-palate, where density builds alongside remarkable tension, all balanced by an extraordinary silky richness. Pure and riveting, laced with subtle vanilla accents, fantastic ginger character, and poached pear. A Chardonnay of intense richness and impressive length. (The first vineyard-designate release from Ramey was the 2015 vintage, though Ramey has been sourcing these grapes since 2008.)Decanter Magazine | 95 DEC

Woolsey Road benefits from two pillars of the Chardonnay world: it originates from the Hyde family’s cuttings of Old Wente and is farmed by the third and fourth generations of the Martinelli family. This Chardonnay showcases a remarkable flavour intensity, with rich citrus fruit—lemon, lime, and grapefruit zest—woven with oyster shell minerality. Restrained yet brimming with tension, this wine has so much going on. A real depth of fruit and mineral integrity is evident, though it remains somewhat shy, biding its time. Make no mistake—this will blossom into a rich and excellent wine, fully deserving of its high praise. It is focused and laser-like in its precision, with remarkable restraint and tension. This vineyard is owned by the Martinelli family and was planted to Ramey’s specifications in 2007. According to Ramey, it lies directly south of the Martinelli Winery on Woolsey Road. The vines are spaced one metre by two metres on a northeast-facing slope. Planted on 420A rootstock, known for its low vigour, the vines are cane-pruned. The site’s Huichica clay loam over clay soil composition contributes to the wine’s mineral-driven precision. This cool-climate site was planted with Old Wente cuttings from Chardonnay vines Ramey originally planted at Platt Vineyard.Decanter Magazine | 96 DEC

A hidden gem of a wine that doesn’t get the recognition it deserves, the 2022 Château Couhins Blanc is 93% Sauvignon Blanc and 7% Sauvignon Gris brought up in 18% new barrels, with the balance in used oak and tank. Bright citrus, honeyed lime, mint, sappy flowers, and chalky minerality all define the aromatics, and it’s medium to full-bodied and concentrated on the palate, with gorgeously clean acidity and a great finish. Savvy readers should snatch up this ripe, voluptuous, sensationally layered, textured, complex white. It’s always hard to predict how these concentrated dry whites will age, yet this should benefit from 2-3 years of bottle age, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see it still drinking beautifully at age 20.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDThe 2022 Couhins Blanc is superb, especially in the way it balances its brisk, saline character with notable mid-palate depth. White flowers, citrus peel, white pepper, sage and mint are all beautifully delineated. Intensely saline, mineral undertones support the persistent finish. This is commendable.Vinous Media | 94 VMClear, pure and mineral with sour cream, white fruit and a touch of gooseberries. Medium-bodied on the palate, this has fresh medium acidity. Dissolved yet grainy in texture with a lengthy finish. Drink now.James Suckling | 94 JSThe 2022 Couhins Blanc, a blend of 93% Sauvignon Blanc and 7% Sauvignon Gris, is showing well today, evoking aromas of white fruits, lemon, lemon peel, spring flowers and fennel. Medium to full-bodied, juicy and enrobing, it’s fresh and lively with a perfumed mid-palate that segues into a long, mouthwatering finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPTense and vibrant on the palate, zingy and fresh, this is lively and delivers a straight line of acidity with lemon, lime and pineapple. Not the longest finish, a little restricted but this has a clean and crisp body. A lovely mineral, almost salty line from start to finish and a real feeling of cool freshness. I like this a lot. It delivers complexity and freshness. A great 2022.Decanter Magazine | 92 DEC

The 2022 Chablis Grenouilles Grand Cru has a more low-key nose than the impressive 2021, well-defined with crushed limestone, Granny Smiths and peach skin aromas. The palate is well-balanced, with a fine bead of acidity counterbalancing the richness. Tensile, quite saline, building gradually towards a very cohesive finish. Refined and sophisticated.Vinous Media | 92-94 VM

Here the equally cool, airy and elegant nose reflects citrus and floral scents that are liberally-suffused with a similar dose of borderline pungent wet stone nuances. There is both excellent volume and focused power to the dense and intense medium-bodied flavors that exude an almost palpable minerality on the superbly long finish that comes close to etching itself on the palate. This is an absolute knockout and a clear candidate for the best premier cru of the vintage.Burghound | 96 BHGuillaume Boillot continues to work his nearly four hectares of old vines in the Clos de la Mouchère in several parcels; we tasted each section separately. The vines near the wood surrounding Clos de la Garenne have bright citrus notes with hints of flint and mineral. Those near Clavoillon have more of a ripe pear and marzipan aroma; they are less focused but have more density, elegance and depth. The combination makes a superb wine that is one of the delights of Boillot’s cellar.Decanter | 95 DECMid yellow, with a biscuity touch. Seems unsubtle until you get to the palate which is super powerful but also with subtlety. This Monopole vineyard comprises four distinct terroirs though they are always assembled. An electric backbone stops the power overturning the balance. Yellow fruit, and then an extraordinary, indeed grand cru, weight. Incisive white fruit finish. Drink from 2030-2038. Tasted: December 2023.Jasper Morris | 95-97 JMThe 2022 Puligny-Montrachet Clos de la Mouchère 1er Cru is one of the most shut down of the whites in this vast range. Mineral and savory notes abound, but fruit is decidedly pushed into the background. Citrus confit, crushed rocks, mint and white pepper all race across the palate. There’s quite a bit of youthful austerity at this stage, but this should come together in time. A whole range of complex floral and tropical nuances linger. - Antonio GalloniVinous Media | 93-95 VM

A picture of poise and style, the wild and free 2022 Chardonnay is a delight, with subtle popcorn, grapefruit, floral and nectarine aromas seamlessly intertwined with quality oak. Tangy, with bite, it’s finely tuned and incredibly detailed, showing reserved power. Savory oatmeal and oat bran layers build, opening up with French nougat and a finish topped with subtle flinty tones. Stunning.Vinous Media | 96 VM

A bright yellow hue with green highlights, the 2022 Chardonnay Durant Vineyard is expressive in its lacy perfume of jasmine, tarragon, salty earth, and bright green apple. Medium-bodied, it offers beautiful, pristine, ripe fruit, a pithy texture, and a delicate arch to its rounded mouthfeel, with no harshness. It’s refined and graceful, with a floral flourish of lemon blossoms lasting long on the finish. Drink 2024-2034.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JDThe 2022 Lark Block bottling of chardonnay from Durant Vineyard is truly one of the finest white wines I have yet had the pleasure to taste from Kelley Fox. The bouquet is very precise and has a gently exotic floral sheen to it, offering up scents of pear, casaba melon, fresh almond, a beautiful base of soil tones, lemon peel, orange blossoms and a touch of honeysuckle. On the palate the wine is bright, full-bodied, focused and complex, with superb depth at the core lovely soil inflection, a fine spine of acidity and a long, vibrant and impeccably balanced finish. This is very easy to drink out of the blocks, but there is so much more lurking here right below the surface that I would definitely try to give the wine three or four years in the cellar to allow its secondary layers of complexity to start to emerge. It is a great wine. (Drink between 2024 - 2040)John Gilman | 94 JGThe 2022 Chardonnay Durant Vineyard blossoms in the glass as wildflowers and crushed apples give way to mint and crushed stone suggestions. This opens with a lovely inner sweetness and supple texture contrasted with zesty acids and crisp orchard fruits. It tapers off with amazing tension, grippy and cheek puckering with a citrusy concentration as savory herbs and a sensation of liquid stone fade.Vinous Media | 93 VM

All Clairette Rose, the 2023 Châteauneuf Du Pape Chapelle Blanc is brilliant stuff, offering a clean, crisp, yet still concentrated style in its orange blossom, honeyed citrus, toasted spices, and chalky minerality. It’s medium to full-bodied, has a fresh, focused mouthfeel, beautifully integrated acidity, and a great finish.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JD

The white 2023 Micalet comes from 2.4 hectares planted in 1948 at 730 to 750 meters in altitude on the slopes of the Penya Foradà on rocky white soils with a field blend of mainly Tortosí, Trepadell, Malvasía and Merseguera. Part of the vineyard is ungrafted, and those grapes are harvested earlier, with the rest coming in some 10 days later. The must fermented in concrete egg and oak barrels with indigenous yeasts, where it matured without racking for 10 months. This year has incredible freshness, reflected by a pH of 3.07 and 6.3 grams of acidity, tension and contained ripeness as shown by the 12.5% alcohol. It’s a white of precision and elegance; it’s crystalline, seamless, ethereal and nuanced, with purity and freshness. This is vibrant, sharp and austere, chalky, mineral and saline. A Mediterranean Roulot? 2,300 bottles produced. It was bottled in May 2023,Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96+ RP