95-97 Point Wines

wines

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

What a complex nose of white peaches, apricots and white flowers with a hint of fresh almonds. Considering the ample weight and concentration of this, it remains very straight and precise right through the long and focused finish. Only just beginning to open up. From a warm site with a very stony soil. From organically grown grapes. Matured in 50% new oak and 50% once-used oak. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 95 JS

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

This peerless wine is the summit of the domaine wines from Chartron. It is produced from a half-hectare of vines at the northern end of the original Chevalier-Montrachet. This is the Clos des Chevaliers, right next to the vines from Domaine d’Auvenay. The aromas span a complex range from lime zest through ripe pear to nectarine and passionfruit, with exotic spice, flint, and smoke nuances. The core of the texture is a rapier-fine acidity (even in sunny ’22), but there is density and weight as well. Allow seven to ten years before opening; this should drink well for 30 - 40 years from the vintage.Decanter Magazine | 97 DECA full primrose yellow. The bouquet is sturdier here, surprisingly, after the pure white fruit Bâtard. However, the chiselled elegance of Chevalier shows much more on the palate, where there is an impressive, if initially restrained, intensity and a second wave of flavour further back on the palate. This will be particularly fine and the aftertaste is notably persistent. A very long finish indeed. Drink from 2030-2040. Tasted Oct 2023.Jasper Morris | 95-98 JMThe 2022 Chevalier-Montrachet Clos de Chevaliers Grand Cru has a taut and precise bouquet: much more mineralité than the Bâtard-Montrachet, quite tensile with a hint of white peach and orange blossom. The palate is beautifully balanced with fine depth and concentration counterbalanced by a brisk line of acidity. It gradually builds to a very suave and prolonged finish. Excellent.Vinous Media | 93-95 VMHere the more restrained and cooler nose is even more floral-suffused with it array of citrus, Granny Smith apple, spice and an abundance of citrus elements. The wonderfully textured and almost painfully intense larger-scaled flavors possess a mouthfeel that is akin to rolling tiny pebbles around the mouth and this stony character continues onto the powerful, focused, austere and hugely long finale. This is extremely classy and very much built to repay extended keeping In a word, terrific.Burghound | 93-96 BH

This Corton-Charlemagne retains the stamp of Jean-Michel Chartron’s winemaking and its Côte de Beaune identity, yet it is quite distinct from the wines of Puligny. The exotic aromas range from apricot and nectarine to pomelo and passionfruit. The texture is sturdy and dense, but there is enough structure to balance the richness, albeit in a different register. The grapes are from a small domaine-owned parcel supplemented with grapes exchanged with another grower nearby. This wine will open three to five years after release and should age well.Decanter Magazine | 95 DECFive barrels. Fresh lemon and lime. A very pure clean white fruit on the palate. More perfumed than mineral at the outset. A generous concentrated white fruit across the palate, ripe apples in particular, well backed by its oak, with good length too. To bottle in April 2024. Drink from 2029-2037. Tasted Oct 2023.Jasper Morris | 92-95 JMAn equally fresh nose features notes of green apple, petrol, citrus confit and an elegant floral wisp. The bigger-bodied flavors possess excellent volume and mid-palate density along with a similar amount of sappy dry extract that imparts an attractive texture while also buffering the moderately firm acid spine shaping the tautly muscular and nicely persistent finish where a touch of austerity slowly emerges. This could use better depth so a few years of keeping are in order but it won’t be necessary to hold it for years.Burghound | 91-93 BHThe 2022 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru has a slightly chalky bouquet with hints of walnut and smoke. It becomes flintier with aeration. The palate is well-balanced, though it doesn’t quite deliver the mineralité that a cooler season might have bestowed. It is a good length, though I am unsure if it will be a long-term proposition.Vinous Media | 90-92 VM

Legendary for its old Chardonnay vines and unusual mix of disparate soils, Ritchie Vineyard is home to Ramey’s 20 rows, planted in 1972. Part of this selection includes Old Wente Clone. “We have worked with the same 20 rows since 2002,” says Claire Ramey. This wine exudes a beautiful floral lift, while the palate is nothing short of a steel beam of intensity, softened by a juicy core. Layers of citrus peel, apricot, and poached pear unfold, leading to a fabulous sprinkling of crunchy sea salt on the finish. One of the most food-friendly wines in the lineup, it demands pairing with rich fish or chicken dishes. Mineral intensity lingers long on the finish, reinforcing its precision and structure.Decanter | 96 DEC

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

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

Powerful, dense, and supple, the Corton Charlemagne from Boillot is an impressive wine with aromas of ripe apple, quince and apricot, floral notes, and butter. The grapes are sourced from parcels in Aloxe and Pernand; Boillot purchases the fruit as grapes, and his team does the harvest and the pressing. The result is classic Corton-Charlemagne in style that will open properly in three to five years and should age for 20 beyond that.Decanter | 96 DECThe 2022 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru is a blend of fruit from Aloxe-Corton (75%) and Pernand-Vergelesses (25%), a combination that works well in giving the wine balance. There’s quite a bit of phenolic intensity and youthful austerity here. Herbs, crushed rocks, graphite, mint and citrus confit build nicely. I very much admire the vibrancy here, even if the 2022 remains a bit unyielding today. - Antonio GalloniVinous Media | 93-95 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

This wine is rich, zesty, with aromas of pineapple, mango, citrus blossom, and dried herbs on the nose. The flavors on the palate are Golden delicious apple, brulee orange slices, Meyer lemon cream, dried herbs, and a long mouth watering finish. The ultimate Old Vine SB experience. Pair with Grilled Spot Prawns, Dandelion Salad Wine Enthusiast | 95 WE

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

From red slate soils and exclusively ungrafted massal selections, the 2023 Steffensberg Riesling is deep, pure, intense and refined on the nose that is fascinating in its purity and aromatic intensity that intermingles with saline notes of slate shards and herbal nuances. Lush and elegant on the palate, this is an intense yet refined, mouth-filling and textural, enormously savory and sustainable Riesling with spectacular length. 12% stated alcohol. Screw cap. Tasted in December 2024.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPThis wine is young and might seem eccentric to some because the youthful and more mature elements are not yet totally integrated, but how could you not like it? The way freshness and creaminess are interwoven on the medium-bodied palate is stunning. The stone fruit and smoky aromas are fascinating. Then comes the long, silky and delicate finish. From organically grown grapes. Drinkable now, but best from 2026. Screw cap.James Suckling | 95 JS

Tasted on multiple occasions, the 2023 Châteauneuf Du Pape Blanc is flat-out great. A blend of 70% Clairette and 30% Roussanne brought up in a mix of foudre and smaller concrete vessels, its medium gold hue is followed by a sensational perfume of stone fruits, dried pineapple, white flowers, and crushed stone. This carries to a medium to full-bodied white with an elegant, layered mouthfeel, perfectly integrated acidity, and a great finish. It’s approachable today yet will benefit from a year or two of bottle age and keep for well over a decade. If you get a chance, don’t miss this! There are a tiny 250 cases made.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDThis is a very powerful white Châteauneuf – textural and driving, with intensity and freshness. The oak is mostly present in texture and shape. It’s very ripe but not overdone; the alcohol is in balance and the driving acidity will propel it forward; it’s a savoury, saline style that will age well. Grown in lieu-dit Les Serres, mostly galets roulés with sand. Fermented in foudre, demi-muid and concrete eggs; aged in foudre and concrete egg for six months.Decanter | 96 DECThis youthful white Chateauneuf manages to be rich and creamy, but also lively with stacks of candied fruit aromas and a touch of waxiness on the full-bodied palate. Wonderful purity at the very silky finish that’s simultaneously expansive and precise. A cuvee based on clairette with a small amount of roussanne from organically grown grapes. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 95 JSVinified in foudres, large barrels and concrete tanks and matured for six months in wooden tanks (50%) and egg-shaped concrete tanks (50%), Ferrando’s 2023 Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc evokes aromas of spring flowers, herbs, spices, ripe orchard fruits and jasmine. Medium to full-bodied, charming and delicate, it’s enveloping and crystalline with bright acids and an ethereal finish enhanced by vertical energy. This blend of 70% Clairette and 30% Roussanne is one of the finest classic white wines of the appellation. Vinified with no malolactic fermentation to preserve freshness and finesse.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPBottled in January 2024, the 2023 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc is an expressive white. As usual, the malolactic fermentation was blocked to preserve the wine’s freshness. Vivid spring blossom, lime flesh, ripe pear, quince and flintstone nuances are front and center. Closing with good persistence on the sapid finale, the 2023 will provide plenty of pleasure soon after release.Vinous Media | 93 VMFragrant and bright, with notes of honeysuckle blossoms, lemon pulp and yellow apple driven by a succulent, mouthwatering acidity that cuts through. Salty, yeasty notes add savory richness to the supple palate, with well-integrated elements of acacia marking the firm, dry finish. There’s good precision, freshness, focus and length. Clairette and Roussanne. Drink now through 2028. 700 cases made, 200 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

The 2023 Gewurztraminer Brand Grand Cru combines a lovely mix of nettle, rose, white summer blossom and juicy Mirabelle aromas. The palate adds sweetness to a body that is essentially taut and sleek, expressing its granite. Lovely tension pervades this and leaves a profound sense of peach, stone and citrus. (Sweet)Vinous Media | 95 VM

The 2023 Pinot Gris Wibtal Sommerberg Grand Cru was picked at 400 meters of elevation, facing south-southeast. The gentlest reduction adds a delicious smoky tinge to the nose with pear and citrus tones in equal measure. The palate, once again, is a little mind-bender, lending Riesling poise, freshness and citric verve to this stony, taut, superbly sleek Pinot Gris. The zestiness on the palate becomes ever more intense, only aided and abetted by its vivid juiciness. The 2023 is delicious and so memorable. (Dry)Vinous Media | 97 VM

The 2023 Riesling Vanne Sommerberg Grand Cru is from very old vines. One parcel is now over 100 years old and the other is exactly 70 years old. Boxler emphasizes that this really is only from the old vines themselves—any re-planted younger vines were put into the Riesling Réserve. Stone dust and green-yellow citrus aromas shimmer with the slightest reduction, combining into a wonderfully appetizing nose. The palate is concentrated, with a slight phenolic frame, mouthwatering brightness, freshness and structure helping each other out. Smooth tangerine appears on the mid-palate with an almost creamy effect, forming an elixir of a wine. A luminous echo of tangerine reverberates on its uncompromising, superbly sleek body. Whoa. (Dry)Vinous Media | 97 VM

An extraordinary white, with details of beeswax, honeysuckle and lanolin giving way to succulent white peach, nectarine and lemon curd flavors on a plush, juicy frame. Shows details of marmalade and candied ginger, with hints of litsea oil and lemon balm that linger on the long, expressive finish. Drink now through 2035. 5,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WSThe core grapes for Quintessa’s Illumination white are sourced from the winery’s estate in Rutherford, along with fruit from another site in South Napa and a vineyard in Sonoma’s Bennett Valley. In 2023, the blend included 58% Sauvignon Blanc, 32% Sauvignon Blanc Musqué, and 10% Sémillon. The grapes were whole-cluster pressed before fermentation, initiated by native yeasts in a mix of French oak barrels, acacia barrels, egg-shaped concrete fermenters, and stainless steel barrels. The wine is then aged in a variety of vessels, including concrete eggs, ceramic amphorae, French oak barrels, French acacia barrels, and stainless steel, along with neutral oak cigar barrels. There is some bâtonnage until blending and bottling, which occurs in March following the previous harvest. The wine is not fined but is filtered. Delicate aromatics of orchard fruits and tropical fruit, like white peach and white flowers, mingle with slivered almonds and a hint of sea spray minerality. What a pleasure-packed wine, so vivid with incredible tension, bright acidity, and a compellingly rich texture. Very long, layered, and generous. (60% Napa, 40% Sonoma).Decanter | 95 DECAs usual, the 2023 Illumination is a blend of Napa and Sonoma-sourced fruit, including Sauvignon Blanc from the estate (Musqué), southern Napa and Bennett Valley, plus Sémillon from Calistoga. Fermented and aged in a mix of oak and acacia, stainless steel and concrete, it kicks off with scents of struck flint and pencil shavings, backed by notes of pear, fig and pineapple. It’s medium to full-bodied but also bright, fresh and zesty, with a lingering finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RP

...The complexity and richness of Special Cuvée is unparalleled among the entry non-vintage blends of every Champagne house, short of ascending to the mesosphere of Krug. Its grand recipe explains why, built on incredible depth of 50%-60% reserves. Triumphant complexity is a given at Bollinger, but it’s the dynamic freshness and vitality that really set it apart as one of the most affordable Champagne benchmarks.Decanter | 96 DECBollinger’s NV Special Cuvée knocks it out of the park. Made from 60% Pinot Noir, 25% Chardonnay and the rest Pinot Meunier, with 30% of the blend brought up in barrels, it boasts a rich, deep, medium to full-bodied style as well as terrific notes of lemon curd, crème brûlée, caramelized stone fruits, and hints of toasty nuttiness that develop with time in the glass. It’s a big, rich Champagne that stays balanced and pure. Beautiful stuff.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JDBollinger’s NV Special Cuvée knocks it out of the park. Made from 60% Pinot Noir, 25% Chardonnay and the rest Pinot Meunier, with 30% of the blend brought up in barrels, it boasts a rich, deep, medium to full-bodied style as well as terrific notes of lemon curd, crème brûlée, caramelized stone fruits, and hints of toasty nuttiness that develop with time in the glass. It’s a big, rich Champagne that stays balanced and pure. Beautiful stuff.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JDRestrained and very pretty aromas include those of yeast, Meyer lemon, petrol and green apple where the latter element is picked up by the utterly delicious, vibrant and detailed flavors that possess fine complexity on the agreeably dry but not austere finish. The supporting mousse is dense but fine and overall, this is a wine that could be enjoyed now or held for up to a decade. Excellent. (Drink starting 2024)Burghound | 93 BHOne of Bollinger’s great assets is a massive stock of reserve wine, including 600,000 magnums held under cork. Gilles Descôtes tends those reserves, working with the blending team to subsume the variations of the current vintage into Bollinger’s Special Cuvée by using a majority of reserve wines in the blend. The result is a rich and harmonious Champagne with deep reserves of flavor. Its substantial, formal structure feels polished, its flavors balancing the cool earthiness of a limestone cave and the sunnier, bright floral notes of fresh cream. Built for food, whether emphasizing the freshness with lobster bisque, or the depth with beef Wellington and chanterelles.Terlato Wines Int’l., Lake Bluff, ILWine & Spirits | 93 W&S Like its rosé counterpart, the latest release of Bollinger’s NV Brut Special Cuvée is showing especially well, bursting from the glass with aromas of honeyed apples, crisp stone fruit, buttery pastry, ripe lemons and fresh walnuts. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and vinous, with a deep core of beautifully ripe fruit, racy acids and a pillowy mousse, it’s a charming, characterful wine that proves that Special Cuvée is firmly back where it belongs.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPThere’s a pleasing, snappy quality to the acidity framing this elegant Champagne, enlivening accessible flavors of currant, Marcona almond and orchard blossom, with a minerally touch of saline-laced oyster shell that lingers on the finish. Drink now through 2022. 11,000 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 92 WSLots of biscuit aromas and a wide spectrum of fresh-citrus, candied-citrus, red-apple and red-berry notes. Mouth-filling creaminess, plus quite an imposing presence and powerful structure for an NV Brut. Long, citrus and chalky finish that’s very clean and properly dry. 60% pinot noir, 30% chardonnay, 10% pinot meunier. Almost 20% barrel fermented and 62% reserve wines. Based on the 2017 vintage and disgorged July 2021. Drink now.James Suckling | 92 JSFine bubbles combine nicely with the cooked apples, pie crust and lemon rind. Some biscuit, too. Full body. Layered and creamy with a crisp finish. Always delicious. Drink now.James Suckling | 92 JSDominated, as always, by Pinot Noir and with wood fermentation and aging, this Champagne has a great poise between freshness and richness. It is intense and ripe, with apple and minerality coming together. The bottling is ready to drink.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WE (60% Pinot Noir, 25% Chardonnay and 15% Pinot Meunier; 8 g/l dosage; L1403801): Pale yellow. Toasty aromas of apple and pear nectar are complemented by hints of toffee, honey and orange zest. Full and expansive on the palate, offering ripe orchard and pit fruit flavors and an undercurrent of smoky minerals and buttered toast. Smooth and gently spicy on the clinging, nicely focusd finish.Antonio Galloni | 91 AG(NV Bollinger “Special Cuvée” Brut NV (Aÿ)) The current release of Bollinger “Special Cuvée” is composed of its customary blend of sixty percent pinot noir, twenty-five percent chardonnay and fifteen percent pinot meunier. It was finished with a dosage of eight grams per liter and offers up is classic pinot-shaded bouquet of white peach, apple, bread dough, a beautiful base of soil tones, a touch of hazelnut and a smoky topnote. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and complex, with a fine core of fruit, a good spine of acidity, elegant mousse and a long, well-balanced and classy finish. This is still a young wine and I would tuck it away in the cellar for at least a few years and let its acids relax a bit and its secondary layers of complexity emerge. (Drink between 2020-2040).John Gilman | 91+ JGNotes of flowery beeswax, white fruit, and quince on the nose. The palate has a flinty austerity with Braeburn, white pepper and subtle spice followed by yeasty richness and brisk finish. Drinking Window 2020 - 2025.Decanter | 90 DEC

The floral bouquet is very fine and elegant but also quite delicate, suffused with touches of slightly candied citrus, but the telltale autolytic note of hazelnuts is less pronounced than usual. There is, however, some almond nuttiness on the palate, as well as racy rectitude and vivacity that give thrust to a long, surprisingly breezy finish. Will benefit from five to 10 years of cellaring. Disgorged January 2020. Dosage: 4.5g/L. Elaborated from 146 wines and 11 different vintages, the oldest of which dates back to 2000. 40% reserve wines. Drinking Window 2021 - 2035.Decanter | 94 DEC

The NV V.P. Vieillissement Prolongé (base 2014) is a powerful, explosive wine. The combination of the base year, with the extended time on the lees and low dosage, yields an especially stark, austere Champagne that will need a few years to unwind following its disgorgement just a few months ago. Orchard fruit, chalk, mint, white pepper, plum and slate are some of the many notes that build into the intense, mineral-drenched finish. This is a wine for the patient. Dosage is 3 grams per liter. Disgorged: October, 2022.Vinous Media | 96 VMThe NV Champagne Grand Cru VP Viellisement Prolongent Extra Brut (which I believe is based on the 2014 vintage, with 2012 and 2013 reserve wine) is expressive and elegant with ripe pineapple, lemon custard, and white flowers. The mousse is elegant, and it’s long on the palate, with another level of refinement and precision. There’s more focus here, with great length and a wonderful and balanced savory edge. At this stage, it still feels like it would benefit from more time in bottle. Drink 2024-2042. This spent 7 years on the lees before disgorgement.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JD

The May 2017 disgorgement of Fallon’s NV Brut Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Ozanne is showing brilliantly, wafting from the glass with aromas of citrus oil, crisp yellow orchard fruit, freshly baked bread, toasted nuts, candied peel and honeycomb. Full-bodied, vinous and concentrated, it’s layered and textural, with a bright spine of acidity, a pearly enlivening mousse and a long, intensely sapid finish. Its combination of power and tension makes this the finest wine I’ve tasted from Fallon to date. Of course, finding any of the thousand or so bottles released every year is next to impossible, but readers able to track one or two down are in for a treat.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPThe NV Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Ozanne is laced with gorgeous scents of pastry, brioche, citrus, white flowers and yellow orchard fruit. Warm, oxidative tones add breadth and volume, but the wine remains weightless, impeccable and pure. The delineated, crystalline finish leaves a lasting impression. This is a super-impressive showing from a producer who appears to have a very bright future. Ozanne is the old, historical name by which Avize was known prior to 796. Disgorged May 25, 2012.Antonio Galloni | 93 AG