98-99 Point Wines

wines

This great Bonnes Mares starts cool and restrained, but expands rapidly as it moves over the palate, with delicate, spicy almond and cream character. Mouth-filling and generous yet subtle and light-footed, this is at the upper limit of medium-bodied. Then a huge wave of salty minerality comes through at the finish to give the wine a whole extra dimension and making this an almost overwhelming expression of beauty. Drinkable now.James Suckling | 98 JSIn bottle. Made as three cuvees, then assembled. A rich mid purple with a deliciously heady bouquet, the sumptuous side of dark raspberry, perfumed yet precise, purple fruit with some redder layers beneath, a little white pepper spice, multiple layers of fruit, very engaging with just a very slight youthful bitterness. Irreproachable. Drink from 2032-2045. Tasted Nov 2023.Jasper Morris | 97 JMAnother cuvée that was also in bottle when I visited, the 2022 Bonnes Mares Grand Cru unfurls in the glass with aromas of cherries and raspberries mingled with exotic notes and sweet forest floor. Medium to full-bodied, layered and fleshy, it’s concentrated and textural, with nicely integrated tannins, lively acids and a long, saline, rose-inflected finish. Its more sensual style is a welcome evolution.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPAn even spicier and more floral-suffused nose is comprised mostly by blue pinot fruit and discreet earth wisps. The succulent, refined and vibrant medium-bodied flavors aren’t especially concentrated though they do possess impressive power on the beautifully long and equally well-balanced finale. This is a wine that is certainly built to repay extended keeping but it’s not so compact that it couldn’t be reasonably approached after only 7-ish years.Burghound | 94 BHThe 2022 Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru had been bottled in October 2023, just before my visit at the Domaine. It has a compact nose: mainly black cherries and crushed strawberry fruit, well-defined if maybe missing the amplitude of other Bonnes-Mares that I have tasted. The medium-bodied palate has a slightly creamy-textured opening, sweet blackberry and raspberry and touches of dark chocolate and mocha. There’s fine depth on the finish with light grip. Some wood tannins mark the finish and slightly occlude the fruit expression here.Vinous Media | 90 VM

A great Burgundian legend is back in very top form. Enveloping nose of red fruit, red roses and wildflowers. Anything but dramatic, this stuns you with its incredible finesse and extraordinary textural complexity. On the upper edge of medium-bodied, also thanks to the fabulously fine tannins that interlock perfectly with the intense minerality to drive the super-long finish. Drinkable now, but best from 2025.James Suckling | 99 JSThis is aromatically quite similar to the 1er except that it is notably more restrained and requires considerable swirling to coax the nose to reveal its nuances. On the palate though there is noticeably more size, weight and mid-palate density thanks to the abundant sap that imparts a highly seductive mouthfeel while also buffering the firmer, though just as fine, tannic structure shaping the hugely long, youthfully austere and decidedly powerful finish that is akin to rolling tiny rocks around the mouth. This is also positively brilliant with the development potential to match.Burghound | 96 BHAs mentioned in the introduction, there are seven separate parcellaire cuvées of Musigny which will be blended. We tried four of them, representing different sectors. Les Petits Musigny (north): An even purple, succulent red fruit. Fresh raspberry and strawberry, touch of liquorice, very even, fair acidity, soft tannins. Les 13 ouvrees: Stonier than north Musigny. A touch darker in colour and definitely a richer bouquet, more headily floral. More clearly the weight of Musigny, but also shows as quite a bit riper. Grand Musigny Haut: A glowing mid purple. A lovely tensile strength, not so evidently ripe, but correctly so, red to dark red in fruit. Good acidity, and fairly complete. Grand Musigny Bas: Glowing purple perhaps fractionally deeper than the upper part. The nose is less extrovert but clearly has superb class and a poised density. The sense of completeness of GM Haut but noticeably more intense through the mid palate. The fruit is a fraction riper, perfectly so, with a few suggestions of dark raspberry in the fruit. Very persistent indeed and a freshness to the finish, enough to make a major wine. I don’t feel it correct to award five stars until I have seen the full blended wine, preferably in bottle, but I certainly don’t rule that out. Drink from 2035-2050. Tasted Nov 2023.Jasper Morris | 95-100 JMThe 2022 Musigny Vieilles Vignes Grand Cru is very attractive, bursting with aromas of cherries, raspberries, blood orange, rose petals and vine smoke. Full-bodied, rich and concentrated, it’s layered and fleshy, with a deep and seamless core of fruit that conceals powdery structuring tannins, concluding with a broad, perfumed finish. If this fulfills all its promise in bottle, it may make my score look conservative.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94-96 RP

Wonderful aromas of crushed violets and wisteria as well as black-truffle undertones and blueberries. Medium- to full-bodied, this has a beautiful center palate and an endless finish. It’s so polished and refined with breathtaking length that caresses every inch of the finish. A masterpiece for the vintage. 90% merlot and 10% cabernet franc. Try after 2030 and beyond.James Suckling | 100 JSNoemie Durantou remarked that this vintage is the best she had ever known with respect to the Merlot, and given that the 2022 L’Eglise-Clinet contains 90% Merlot, that pre-empted a fabulous Pomerol. Durantou also mentioned that her wines were a little more "shy" compared to the previous day, though the bouquet only needed four or five minutes’ coaxing before it unfolded with wonderfully delineated, focused scents of black cherries, peony, blood orange and crushed stone. Exquisitely balanced, the palate has a cashmere texture thanks to the pliant tannins, gaining density all the time. The finish is powerful and very sustained, disguising the 14.6% alcohol extremely well thanks to its countervailing acidic spine, though you feel a dab on the aftertaste. The 2022 is a L’Eglise-Clinet built for the long-term and continues the estate’s stunning run of form.Vinous Media | 99 VMLastly, the 2022 Chateau L’Eglise Clinet is 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc that was harvested from the 3rd to the 9th of September, with its elevage spanning just 12 months in 85% new French oak followed by roughly four months in tank before bottling. It’s another riveting 2022 in the vintage that brings remarkable depth and intensity while at the same time staying light on its feet, graceful, and balanced. Ripe black cherries, cassis, graphite, leafy tobacco, and damp earth and floral notes all shine here, and it’s full-bodied, has a concentrated, powerful mouthfeel, ripe and perfectly polished tannins, and a great finish. It deserves 7-8 years of bottle age and will have 30-40 years of prime drinking. It will probably merit a perfect rating at maturity, and if this doesn’t put a smile on your face, nothing will.Jeb Dunnuck | 98+ JDWild strawberries, dried herbs, blueberries, pencil lead and fragrant violets - the aromatics are stunning. You can feel the sculpting straight away - fine but firm and slightly grippy tannins set the frame from which the blackcurrant, salty liquorice and dark chocolate emerge as well as continued florality - the violet accents really making their mark. This is a serious wine, dark and almost heady if it weren’t so cool and fresh. There’s no hint of overt heat or spice on the palate, instead you get a layering of pure fruit, fleshiness and minerality. Juicy and alive too, this really packs a lot and changes to red berry fruits after a few minutes with tobacco and slate on the finish. Complex and characterful. A dark horse but a thoroughbred. A wine that as soon as you’ve tasted it you want to taste it again. 3.65pH. Higher than usual new oak at 85% compared to between 75-80% in a normal year.Decanter Magazine | 98 DECOffering up deep aromas of mulberries and cassis mingled with incense, licorice, rose petals, spices and hints of new oak, the 2022 L’Eglise Clinet is full-bodied, deep and layered, with an elegantly muscular core of ripe but vibrant fruit that’s framed by sweet, powdery tannins. Concentrated and multidimensional, it concludes with a long, resonant finish. A blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, harvested between September 3 and 9, this compelling Pomerol checks in at a largely concealed 14.6% alcohol.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96-98 RPA blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, with a pH of 3.6, L’Eglise Clinet 2022 was picked between the 3rd and 9th September and is aging in 85% new oak. It has a deep garnet-purple color and after a swirl or two, vivacious notes of crushed black plums, boysenberry preserves, and lilacs soar from the glass, followed by hints of menthol, wood smoke, crushed rocks, and sandalwood. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is electric, delivering energetic black fruit and mineral layers, with a firm, fine-grained texture and lovely tension, finishing long and earthy. Very seductive!The Wine Independent | 96-98 TWIRipe, fleshy and dense in feel, with full-throated notes of boysenberry and blackberry preserves wrapped in licorice and bramble. The frankly toasted finish offers more than enough fruit to push through, with a late tug of earth to keep everything grounded. For the hedonist crowd. Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2027 through 2042. 850 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

The more ethereal and mineral-tinged of the two Altamira single-plot bottlings, the 2022 Jardín de Hormigas Los Amantes hails from limestone gravel soils with less topsoil than the Meteroa bottling. It leads with an expressive yet coiled nose that dynamically gains dimension with every swirl. While also exuding the floral, lifted bouquet typical of Altamira, there is austerity and focus here that sets it apart from the Meteora bottling. This difference is fully realized on the palate, where a compelling combination of sleek, polished focus and mineral-drenched lift releases into a soaring, discreetly juicy finish that lingers with crushed-stone nuances, managing a completeness that is rare in such overtly mineral-driven wines, which can easily feel like they are lacking depth. That couldn’t be farther from the case here. This is a stunning, definitive and transparent example of Altamira Malbec rendered in high definition.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98+ RP

One of the few 2022 Tuscan wines where you can really see that this will benefit from a few years in bottle, right now it is, hovering on the edge of something delicious, vibrating over the tannic architecture, feathered, campfire smoke, fennel, blackberry, liquorice and crushed peonies, and the bitter fennel and slate scrape, dense, contrast of textures and flavours like only truly great wines can do, a reflection of skilful construction. A gorgeous wine, slowly stretching out in the palate, 65% new oak for ageing. Harvest began August 9 for the whites, and the reds began August 25 with Masseto, and then a few days later for Ornellaia, one of the earliest on record, with around 38hl/h yield.Jane Ansen | 99 JAA Mediterranean-style wine. Stunning elegance on the nose, with vibrant dried eucalyptus leaves, flowers, restrained brambleberries and hints of black cherries, dried bananas, milk chocolate, cloves and graphite. The palate is full-bodied with elegant tannins and a touch of dust. It’s savory and well packed, with integrated, brilliant freshness and a ripe, fruity finish with a toasty aftertaste of blond tobacco. Try from 2026.James Suckling | 98 JSTasted a few months after it was bottled, the Ornellaia 2022 Bolgheri Superiore Ornellaia will be coming to market in March 2025. The blend is 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and 10% Petit Verdot. The wine sees 18 months of aging with up to 70% new oak, but the trick, proprietor Lamberto Frescobaldi tells me, is drawing from a large group of coopers with different toast levels and forests. "I don’t want to make a wine of any one tonnellerie," he says. The oak element is crucial to the identity of this wine that reveals dark fruit, blackberry, sweet spice and cinnamon. Most of the vines were planted in the 1980s, and the average age of the plants is over 20 years old. Fruit comes from many parcels, including Bellaria, Bellaria Nuova, Bellaria Alta, Pero, Fosso, Vigna Vecchia and Stallina. Indeed, some 80 wines are made before final blending. The 2022 vintage will be remembered for its full-bodied appeal, concentrated fruit and generous oak renderings. Petit Verdot plays a slightly larger role in this vintage and was one of the surprise hits of 2022. It serves to elongate the wine and adds to its length. The wine’s abundant fruit weight cedes to elegantly integrated tannins. This vintage will appeal to die-hard Ornellaia enthusiasts.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPThe 2022 Ornellaia is a terrific wine for the year. Dark red-toned fruit, mocha, new leather, licorice and spice all take shape in a mid-weight, pliant Ornellaia that is quite alluring, even in the early going. The blend is 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and 10% Petit Verdot, unusual for the elevated presence of Petit Verdot, which did better than Franc in 2022. The higher percentage of Petit Verdot comes through in the wine’s dark-leaning personality and also in the quality of tannins. More than anything else, the 2022 is a reminder of how important a tool blending is, especially in challenging years. I can’t wait to see how this ages. The 2022 Ornellaia is clearly among the most successful wines of the vintage.Vinous Media | 96 VMThe 2022 Ornellaia is 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, and 10% each Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. A deep but bright purple/red color, it has a fantastic nose of blackberries, polished cedar, lavender, sweet herbs, and dark cocoa. Full-bodied, it has a rich structure, with warming concentration but a very balanced feel. The tannins are ripe and frame the underlying mineral notes very nicely, its fruity richness fleshing it out harmoniously. It is not a fruity vintage for this wine, though, and its structure leads here. Drink 2027-2050.Jeb Dunnuck | 96+ JDFeaturing a hefty 10% of Petit Verdot this year for an injection of freshness and structure, Ornellaia 2022 is rich, deep and tightly coiled, with some pretty red fruits and floral notes overlaying dark, juicy berries. It’s a dense style which reflects the vintage but looks towards harmony and poise: the woody frame and fine, structural tannins are countered by very good acidity and a bright fruit profile, with some breezy herbs helping to lift the long, fresh finish. Give this some more time in the bottle before enjoying.Decanter Magazine | 96 DECBroad and lush, this red reveals ripe flavors of black currant, black cherry and blackberry shaded with cedar, iron and sweet spices. Balanced, with a few youthful edges that still need polishing. Its fine core of saturated fruit persists on the aftertaste. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2028 through 2043. 2,165 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 95 WS

The 2022 Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard is compelling and exotic! Aromas of Hawaiian flowers, crème brûlée, stone fruit preserves and quince paste pour from the glass in fragrant waves. The full-bodied palate offers unparalleled depth of flavor, and its richness is complemented by a luxurious, satiny texture. It’s seamlessly balanced by vibrant, shimmery acidity and has an epically long finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPThe 2022 Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard is a bright yellow/silver hue and offers more tropical richness, shining with notes of salted pineapple, white peach, and honeyed citrus. The palate is rich and keeps a good deal of reined-in energy; it naturally goes big. It has opulence and hedonism but is so well balanced. Drink 2025-2037.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDLemon sorbet, mango puree and pineapple flavors are fleshy, expressive and generous on a supple and juicy frame. Details of orange zest, lemon blossoms and fresh grated ginger add some aromatic zing, with lemon verbena and jasmine blossoms lingering. Drink now. 300 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WSThe 2022 Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard is a very pretty wine, although it is on the lighter side texturally. Dried citrus peel, chamomile, almonds, crushed flowers and herbs confer a decidedly savory profile. It’s all about understatement here.Vinous Media | 91 VM

The nose of this Spatlese makes me think of 18th century engravings of pear and white peach varieties, but that only hints at the enveloping and astonishingly fine fruit that follows on the palate. A masterpiece of finesse, precision and balance, but even that doesn’t say the most important thing, which is the breathtaking leafy freshness and stony clarity at the stunningly long finish. When will it ever stop? From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 99 JSThe 2022 Schloss Johannisberg Grünlack Riesling Spätlese opens with a clear, intense, aromatic, savory and flinty bouquet of tropical fruits intertwined with almost slatey, in any case, savory and saline notes. It is perfectly ripe and super precise and irresistible. Rich and lush but fine and elegant on the palate, this is another highlight of the 2022 vintage in the Rheingau. It is incredibly savory, lush and saline. You can’t stop swallowing this beauty and picture-book Spätlese. It is mouthwatering without end. This is a fabulous wine of great precision and piquancy! 8% stated alcohol. Natural cork. Tasted at the domaine in September 2023. 40,000 bottles produced.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94+ RPThe 2022 Riesling Schloss Johannisberg Grünlack Spätlese was harvested at the bottom of the slope with excellent water availability and without any botrytis at all. Bright tangerine and lemon citrus notes make the mouth water before even taking the first sip. More air adds faint notes of passion fruit foliage and then veers back to Navel orange peel. The palate is slender, brimming with sweet citrus, exploding into aromas combining tangerine peel and juice with riper and more tart notions of apricot, peach, lemon and kumquat. Purity, luminosity and lightness are vivid and exquisite here. Lovely balance, vivid freshness, lightness and depth are combined with bravura. There’s 8.9g/L acidity and 76g/L residual sweetness, a lovely high-wire act. (Sweet)Vinous Media | 94 VMUnctuous and plump, with fleshy peach skin and mango underscored by stony minerality. Fluid and open in feel, with a creamy texture hemmed in by a steely spine of flint. Acidity holds a firm grip, and the smoky finish is taut and firm. Serious and delicious. Drink now through 2040. 2,000 cases made, 100 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

The drought and heat of 2022 pushed vines in Tuscany to their limits, and the outcome in many cases are wines of density and concentration but with a vein of freshness – and that’s exactly what we see here in the 2022 Solaia. It opens with cool aromas of damp earth, woodland berries, red fruit coulis and a waft of balsamic herbs. In the mouth it is immediately very fleshy, almost voluptuous but holding its shape. Balsam-infused black cherry and dark berries are deepened by chocolatey wood, while succulent acidity brings out the top end and leads to a long, bright, energetic and fresh finish which is full of promise for the future.Decanter Magazine | 98 DECThe 2022 Solaia is dark, layered and exceptionally beautiful. Like Tignanello, it has gained notable depth and complexity, especially in the mid-palate. Black cherry, plum, graphite, mocha, lavender and dried herbs all take shape in the glass. Gorgeous savoury overtones build into the deep, resonant finish.James Suckling | 98 JSThe 2022 Solaia is dark, layered and exceptionally beautiful. Like Tignanello, it has gained notable depth and complexity, especially in the mid-palate. Black cherry, plum, graphite, mocha, lavender and dried herbs all take shape in the glass. Gorgeous savoury overtones build into the deep, resonant finish.Vinous Media | 96 VMBlueberry, black currant, eucalyptus and lavender aromas delicately waft out of the glass on the stunning 2022 Solaia along with whiffs dark spice. A blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignion, 10% Cabernet Franc and 10% Sangiovese, the structured, linear and savory palate delivers ripe black cherry, raspberry, red currant and layers of dark exotic spice accompanied by taut, close-grained that give the finish some grip. Drink 2027–2037. Abv: 14% Kerin O’Keefe | 96 KOA deep well of blackberry, plum and blueberry flavors marks this dense, structured red. Though muscular, this offers refined tannins and overall is polished and harmonious. Cedar, iron, mineral and sweet spice elements emerge as this stays persistent on the long aftertaste. Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2027 through 2043. 7,576 cases made, 600 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 95 WS

The 2022 Cheval des Andes is a significant upgrade to Mendoza’s historic regional blends, combining grapes from Las Compuertas (Luján de Cuyo) and Paraje Altamira (Uco Valley). The 2022 vintage allowed for a slower ripening of Cabernet Sauvignon, which take prominence in this blend alongside 30% Malbec and 5% Petit Verdot...A bouquet of bright fruit—raspberry, blueberry and delicate cassis—and complementary bay leaf and mint tones give way to a touch of ash and mild bell pepper. Boasting serious concentration, fine tannins and a slight creaminess, the 2022 has a structure that is firm but never tight, maintaining weight without losing balance. The finish is long, energetic and full of flavor. This is an exceptionally beautiful wine. Drink: 2026-2042.Vinous Media | 99 VMEarthy, savoury nose full of wet soil, peppercorns and blackcurrants alongside violets, chocolate, cherries and raspberries. Well crafted, such a svelte and streamlined expression with real charm and finesse. There’s power for sure but it’s funnelled into one line from start to finish. I love the brightness and opulence here yet there’s super charm and precision too. Great energy, succulence and vibrancy with natural acidity creating a salivating effect that makes you want to come back for another glass. Expertly made with an accumulation of details that make it so enjoyable. The joint project of Château Cheval Blanc and Terrazas de los Andes. Winemaker Gérald Gabillet.Decanter Magazine | 98 DECAromas of dark currants, spices, cloves and a touch of elderberries. The palate is elegant and medium- to full-bodied with polished, precise tannins, firm fruit, a juicy backbone and a solid and flavorful finish. 65% cabernet sauvignon and 35% malbec from Lujan and Altamira. Drink from 2027.James Suckling | 98 JSSoon to be released through La Place de Bordeaux, the 2022 Cheval des Andes opens with an exotic, spice-driven bouquet, supplemented by lifted herbal notes and a vibrantly red-fruited and perfumed backdrop. The palate is similarly energetic, melding an elegantly rich, polished texture with a slender, tensile energy. It concludes with a long, persistent and high-toned finish that gradually unfurls a sturdy structure of supremely refined tannins. This is an excellent counterpoint to the comparatively darker and more open-knit 2021, showcasing a brighter, more tenacious profile while sacrificing none of the grace, nuance and textural attention to detail that has come to define Cheval des Andes. It’s a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Malbec and 5% Petit Verdot.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPSupremely structured and rather muscular in style, this offers a loam and iron base, juxtaposed against subtle floral and dried thyme notes that mix with a dense, compact core of cherry and Santa Rosa plum. For all this muscle, there’s finesse on the finish, with mace and floral red currant details lingering around well-formed tannins. Built to cellar. Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Petit Verdot. Best from 2036 through 2040. 8,333 cases made, 1,600 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 94 WSA partnership between Château Cheval Blanc and Terrazas De Los Andes, the 2022 Cheval Des Andes blends 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Malbec, and 5% Petit Verdot. Iron and gunpowder aromatics dominate, with a supple tension to the tannins and well-integrated oak. This will drink well over the next 12-15 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JD

This vintage of the 2022 Masseto is 100% Merlot. The nose is pronounced, leading with its mineral aromas of crushed dark stones. It smells like dissolved minerals, delicate peppery accents, black plum, red apples, lavender perfume, and sage. The aromatics are quite profound in this vintage, and on the palate, it’s full-bodied and more structured, with ripe tannins and a good deal of depth and richness, with the minerality shining through. Long on the palate, it’s generous all the way through, and while it feels approachable upfront, more structure comes through on the finish. Allow it some time in cellar and drink 2028-2058.Jeb Dunnuck | 98+ JDThe summer was so arid in 2022 that the vines shut down and ripening was halted until mid-August rains arrived. This helped to preserve acidity in the grapes, giving sensational freshness to balance the rich and finely structured palate. Masseto 2022, then, combines the best of both worlds: fruit ripeness and concentration, and freshness and poise. It’s not as immediately seductive as the 2021, but there is so much potential in this long-lived vintage. Scents of cool, damp earth, dark hedgerow berries, Mediterranean scrub, and cocoa and wood give a sense of what is to come once time has untangled everything. Zingy, crunchy acidity steals the show early on, segueing into a mouthful of succulent yet dense dark berries and spice imbued with plenty of energy. Then some balsamic herbs and floral notes lighten the palate, before a touch of salinity and some bitter herbs emerge on the finish, with a refrain of bright cherry. Something special.Decanter Magazine | 98 DECA solid and structured red with blackcurrant, chocolate and walnut aromas and underlying toasted wood. Medium- to full-bodied with chewy tannins and a chewy, savory finish. Hints of coconut and toasted oak. It’s muscular and toned. It needs time to soften. Best after 2028.James Suckling | 97 JSThis red is both well-structured and framed with new oak nuances of vanilla, toast and resin, setting the stage for plum, blackberry, fruitcake, mineral and tobacco flavors. There’s a salty element interwoven throughout, along with a fluid feel. Offers fine grip on the lingering finish, so give the dense tannins some time to integrate. Merlot. Best from 2028 through 2043. 410 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 96 WSThe 2022 Masseto is soft, open-knit and relatively easygoing. The mid-weight structure of the year is very much in evidence in a wine that speaks more to finesse than power. Dark red cherry, plum, new leather, licorice and incense gradually open over time, supported by fine, silky tannins that wrap it all together in style. Masseto is typically much more potent in the early going, in 2022 the more refined style that has begun to emerge here along with the style of the year yield a Masseto that is quite elegant. Its balance is beyond reproach, especially in the integration of something that usually requires at least a few years in bottle.Vinous Media | 95 VM

A very delicious and complex aromatic wine with layers of textures and flavors. On the nose, dark cherries, black raspberries, cola, flowers and bay leaves. The palate leans toward dark fruits like crushed blackberries and blueberries. Super fresh and delicious, with notes of sage in the finish. So yummy. From organically grown grapes.James Suckling | 98 JSA deep ruby color, the 2022 Pinot Noir Kanzler Vineyard comes from the southern end of the Russian River Valley close to Marin, a cool-climate site with late-ripening 30+ year old vines. The nose is bright and fresh with cranberry and snappy pomegranate fruit, as well as cinnamon, salty earth, and vibrant acidity. It has a medium-bodied frame with more tension and a clean, stony textured finish. This was a highlight for me. Drink 2026-2040.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDThe 2022 Pinot Noir Kanzler Vineyard comes from vines planted in 1990. Fermented with around 25% whole clusters, it has complex aromas of red and black berries and plums, grapefruit peel, Angostura bitters, licorice, woodsmoke and mossy bark. The medium-bodied palate is stunning! It floods the mouth with layer after layer of floral fruit. It’s structured by silky tannins and vibrant acidity and has a hauntingly long finish. It will be long lived in the cellar.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPThe 2022 Pinot Noir Kanzler Vineyard is plump, juicy and ready to go. Vivid floral and savory overtones play off a core of exuberant Russian River fruit. Black cherry, mocha, cloves, new leather and a kiss of French oak build into the supple finish.Vinous Media | 93 VMOffers red and black cherry pâte de fruit notes, with flashes of singed anise, sassafras and rose hip. A bramble detail adds energy through the finish. Best from 2026 through 2029. 200 cases made.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

The tension and linearity of this wine are incredible, as fresh, vivid fruit flavors ride an electric wave of bracing acidity from the first whiff to the long, lingering finish. Layers of haunting mushroom, iron and bay leaf nuances meet cranberries, sour cherries, rhubarb and black tea flavors that linger and echo after the last sip. An impeccable wine for drinking now through at least 2032.James Suckling | 98 JSThe 2022 Pinot Noir Mineral Springs Ranch is spicy, with nuances of white pepper, dusty rose and dried strawberries. Its soft texture offers a tart core of fruit to balance as crisp mineral tones and inner florals arch across the palate. Structured yet balanced and long, this 2022 finishes with admirable length and a sour citrus tinge that adds freshness. Patience is suggested.Vinous Media | 94+ VMThis wine reminds me that I live in Oregon. It smells like the loamy soil and pine needles I encounter on forest walks. At the same time, the cherry-flavored pipe tobacco and well-worn Pendleton wool shirt aromas remind me of campfire sessions at the beach. The wine’s elegant texture befits its nice acidity and firm tannins without being harsh. Ripe blackberry and sourdough bread flavors are spiced up by Thai basil and black pepper. Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEVibrant and tart with acidity, this red offers well-sculpted cherry and cranberry flavors highlighted by savory tea and tarragon tones that build toward lively tannins. Drink now through 2032. 2,340 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WSA medium, matte-red color, the 2022 Pinot Noir Mineral Springs Ranch is ripe with autumnal spiced aromas of baked cherries, mushroom-covered earth, walnut, and baking spice. The palate is medium-bodied, with ripe tannins and a more modest feel through the finish. It’s showing some development at this tasting and I would recommend drinking it over the next 6-7 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JD

A stunning wine marked by finesse and delicacy. This is ethereal but also deep, with moss and mineral aromas followed by delicate yet naturally racy sweet berries, decadent roses, spices and forest floor. Almost full-bodied for a pinot, but this is much more about texture than anything else. Tense, round and elastic, with a ripe but minerally finish that expands at the end and goes on and on. Real depth in an airy, super-delicate way. 80% whole bunches and 20% new oak barrels. So good to drink now, but this is age-worthy and is likely to morph into something stunning in a decade.James Suckling | 99 JS Though well-marked by new oak for now, this red features ripe cherry, blackberry, violet, sandalwood and mineral aromas and flavors. Silky and elegant, yet there’s underlying intensity and power. Harmonious in its youth, with its full potential and pedigree on display on the long, detailed aftertaste. Best from 2029 through 2050. 422 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 98 WSThe 2022 Clos des Lambrays Grand Cru is a blend of 11 different cuvées and includes, for the first time, the plot of "30 Rangs". This vintage includes 80% whole bunches, and like La Richemoine, it is deftly subsumed on the nose, which blossoms with vivacious red berry fruit, forest floor, white truffle, and light autumn leaf scents. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, a svelte Clos des Lambrays with a slightly chalky, mineral-rich finish. Very tender and complex, this is undoubtedly a great wine with a long-term future.Vinous Media | 96-98 VMThe 2022 Clos des Lambrays contains 80% whole bunches (100% in the very old vines, a lower proportion elsewhere). A fine even deep ruby purple. The bouquet is backward with still a suggested intensity of fruit that can easily cope with the stems. Beautifully suave with an enveloping dark red fruit, a very graceful finish on silky, refined tannins, and we don’t often say silky for Morey St Denis. They are caressing, according to Jacques. The floral touch works throughout, beautifully long and sensual. Drink from 2032. Tasted Nov 2023.Jasper Morris | 96-98 JMProduced from two large parcels of differing vine ages - one that is approximately two-thirds of the blend and is now 50+ years of age and a second, smaller group of vines that are approximately 25+ years of age; made with 80% whole clusters and 80% new wood.Burghound | 93-96 BH

Opulent, yet with racy acidity underneath, this red bursts with cherry, strawberry, floral, mineral and spicy oak aromas and flavors. Silky and airy, gliding effortlessly across the palate. Yet there’s ample support in the form of dense, finely wrought tannins, and the finish seems to go on forever, with a flash of cinnamon along with mineral and spice details. Best from 2030 through 2050. 20 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 98 WSNicolas Groffier has done a superb job with his Amoureuses; he will separate the upper and lower parts in 2022. Just under Musigny, he explains, there is a lot of sand, which helps the vines ripen to a greater degree. This cuvée has a black plum and cassis fruit character with notes of earth and smoke. The texture is fuller and more powerful, with great ripeness and depth. One should wait seven to ten years to open this monumental wine and drink over the next thirty.Decanter Magazine | 97 DECAlso made with 30% new wood and 100% whole bunches. A fine fresh purple, albeit a little less dense than the clay version. The bouquet is lighter, more airy, this is more cerebral, a romantic lover (I think that bit was a contribution from Nicolas!). With a delicious purity of cherry and alpine strawberry topnotes, less body behind. Really markedly different! Delicate and sensual together. I am going to give my preference, albeit fractional, to Grâce des Argiles as that seems to be the wine which is more typical of my expectation of Amoureuses. Drink from 2030-2040. Tasted Nov 2023.Jasper Morris | 95-97 JM

The Grand Vin 2022 Clos Apalta checks in as 68% Carménère, 23% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the rest Merlot that spent two years in 70% new French oak. Smoking notes of black raspberries, leafy herbs, iron, and violet carry to a brilliantly balanced, seamless, medium to full-bodied red that has ultra-fine tannins, integrated acidity, and a great finish. It’s an absolutely sensational red from this team that comes close to topping out my scale. I love it today yet see no reason it shouldn’t evolve for 15+ years.Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDThe carmenere character is more obvious and confidently transparent this year, but in a really complex and layered way. Cedar, black olives, graphite, paprika and hints of pepper and iodine. It’s well rounded, with a light sanguine note to the ripe fruit. The tannins are fine-grained yet polished. The lengthy finish doesn’t want to stop. 68% carmenere, 22% cabernet sauvignon and 10% merlot. Drink from 2027.James Suckling | 99 JSThe 2022 Clos Apalta is 68% Carménère, 22% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Merlot from Apalta. This aged primarily in French oak vats with 10% of the blend in 225-liter Bordeaux barrels. It opens with black fruit, a delicate ash note, underbrush, boldo and gentle spice over subtle oak. Blueberry, blackberry and sour cherry aromas complete the aromatic profile. On the palate, this is dry for the house style, with medium structure, refined grip and juicy flow. The finish is long and finely tuned. This vintage offers a more restrained version of Clos Apalta. It’s less opulent than usual but with captivating nuance and poise. The 2022 is a terroir-driven response to a cooler year.Vinous Media | 98 VMGorgeous nose, pixelated, not shouting but lovely expressions of dried herbs, toast, some sweet spices, blackcurrant and crystalline blue fruit and lead pencil. Broad and structured but so graceful with delicate and grippy tannins that fill the mouth and leave a coating of powdery, graphite edge chalkiness. Compact but sculpted, you can feel the muscles here with both ripe and cooling elements. Precise and characterful. Juicy as well as mouthwatering with a depth that is so captivating. Linear and straight but still with grip and intensity. A knockout wine! Ageing 21 months in 73% new oak, 27 two-year-old French oak 225l barrels. 3.78pH. Cooler and drier conditions than in 2021 with lots of sun and light and excellent sanitary conditions although 35% lower yields. Harvested on March 11.Decanter Magazine | 96 DECA particularly pretty and floral expression of Clos Apalta, the 2022 Clos Apalta is beautifully lush and expressive on the nose, combining a deep core of black and blue fruit aromas with pencil lead, camphor and bramble accents, developing dried purple flower notes that continue to gain volume with aeration. The palate displays the house’s quintessentially lavish yet graceful style before concluding with a long, staining, and saturated finish that blends sweet fruits with a toasty, oak-driven backbone, polished tannins and bright acidity. As always, this is quite a stylized expression of Apalta but one that retains a sense of nuance. This blend of 68% Carménère, 22% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Merlot fermented and aged in a mix of barrique, puncheon and large cask.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RP

From blue marls with a high share of calcium and magnesium and aged in doppelstücks (2,400 liters), the 2022 Ried Zieregg Kår GSTK is spectacularly deep, intense and ripe on the saline and enormously mineral as well as lemony (and yeasty) nose. Full-bodied, enormously saline and mineral on the palate, this is an intense and bitter, all in all still abstract but tensioned and saline or mineral Ziregg with huge complexity and aging potential. Tasted as a sample in April 2025.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RPThis shows wildly dark, spicy and smoky aromas of tobacco, ash, black currants, ginseng, kaffir lime leaves and citrus brightness. It’s medium- to full-bodied with deep, salty and spicy intensity. Very long, tense and savory. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 96 JS

Aromas of lemons, pie crust and a salty, minerally edge. Austere yet voluminous, incisive and saline, it shows a medium- to full-bodied structure, with an attractive interplay of freshness and nervy texture that drives the finish. This comes from a vineyard planted on decomposed gneiss soil in Sanxenxo. This wine should evolve beautifully with time in the bottle. Already drinkable. Drink now or hold.James Suckling | 98 JSThe nose of the 2022 Leirana O Pradiño is very expressive and complex, different, with notes of quince, smoke and citrus, and the palate is marked by the soils, beautifully textured, tasty and long, with great balance, a little more volume and a harmonious finish. It comes from a single vineyard in the village of Sanxenxo. The wine matured for 12 months in a 600-liter barrel. 750 bottles were produced. It was bottled in August 2023.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95+ RPThe 2022 Albariño Leirana O Pradiño, from Salnés, Rías Baixas, is planted on gneiss soils with ample sun exposure. Golden in color, it reveals resin and ripe stone fruit aromas. Compact on the palate, it shows intense freshness, a creamy mid-palate and a lingering saline finish. Refined and distinctive.Vinous Media | 93 VM

The 2022 Château Clinet showed beautifully, with an almost Médoc-like style in its darker cassis, graphite, cedar pencil, and tobacco aromas and flavors. Full-bodied on the palate, it has ripe, velvety tannins, a round, layered mouthfeel, and remarkable purity. Pomerol was one of the erratic appellations in 2022, but this beauty does everything right and brings a beautiful mix of richness and elegance. It should round into form with just short-term bottle age and evolve for two decades. The blend is the usual 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon.Jeb Dunnuck | 96-98 JDStreamlined and sleek, silky smooth but also gorgeously textured, clean and clear with grip and interest. Less fleshy and chewy than some, more charming and elegant with tannins that have a weight in the mouth. There is clear power and concentration underneath the juicy acidity with a straight backbone and direct energy from start to finish. Appealing layers of salinity, blackcurrant fruit, creamy vanilla, cool cola touches and crushed stones on the finish. Feels well made and sophisticated. 3.74pH. A yield of 34hl/ha. Earliest harvest ever starting on 6 September for Merlot and 20 and 21 September for Cabernet Sauvignon.Decanter | 96 DECA blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon that represents the earliest harvest in this estate’s history (beginning on September 6), the 2022 Clinet is a success, offering up aromas of cherries and dark berries mingled with hints of spices and a discreet patina of new oak. Medium to full-bodied, ample and layered, it’s impressively vibrant, with a rich core of fruit framed by powdery tannins from judicious extraction. This has more in common with the more refined 2018 and 2019 vintages at this address than with the powerhouse 2020, and that is no mean feat in an even more extreme vintage. Bravo to Ronan Laborde and his team.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94-96 RPThe 2022 Clinet is a blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon picked from 6-21 September at around 34hL/ha. There were apparently many bunches, but the berries were small. Aged in 80% new oak and 20% 2nd fill barrels, the 2022 offers black fruit on the nose with traces of Japanese nori probably emanating from the Cabernet. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, well-judged acidity and a fine backbone that gently grips the mouth. This is a linear Pomerol with impressive delineation on the almost pastille-like finish. I appreciate this Clinet’s persistence and discrete spiciness on the aftertaste. Excellent. But it is a vintage that requires time in bottle.Vinous Media | 94-96 VMA very fine and polished red with silky tannins, medium body and a savory finish. Hints of hazelnut to the currant and berry fruit.James Suckling | 94-95 JSThe 2022 Clinet is a blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, aging in 80% new oak. It was harvested from harvest from the 6th to the 21st of September and yields were 34 hl/ha. Deep garnet-purple in color, it storms out of the glass with powerful notes of plum preserves, crème de cassis, and boysenberries, leading with suggestions of sandalwood, mossy tree bark, sassafras, and mocha with a waft of tar. The full-bodied palate is rich and densely laden with black fruit preserves, supported by firm, grainy tannins and just enough freshness, finishing long and opulent. This is a wonderfully decadent wine that will be very long-lived but will require some patience.The Wine Independent | 94-96+ TWI

Stunning aromas of blackcurrants, dark mushrooms and black cherries with forest-floor notes. Full body that fills your mouth with fine, caressing tannins and dark, flavorful fruit. The tannins are very intense and structural, spreading across the palate in layers and giving intensity and energy. Plenty of energy and verve here. This has gravity, too.James Suckling | 98 JSThe deeply colored and glass-staining 2022 Château Giscours is packed with cassis, black cherries, violets, and graphite-like aromatics. Medium to full-bodied, it’s concentrated and intense, with beautifully ripe tannins, a pure, graceful mouthfeel, and a long, structured finish. There’s serious depth here, and while it already shows remarkable balance, I suspect it will shut down for a period before emerging as a classic Margaux a decade or so after the vintage. This beauty is going to be long-lived, and you can expect at least 30-40 years of prime drinking.Jeb Dunnuck | 97+ JDA seriously impressive and beguiling Giscous in 2022 and one of the most elegant. A remarkable wine with gorgeous clarity and purity and just the most gentle seduction, even more so because it really doesn’t feel as if it’s trying too hard yet still delivering depth and complexity. Fresh and lifted, fragrant and so juicy but with textured tannins that give both the weight, structure and density to the quite bright, tangy, vibrant fruit. Nicely composed, feels quite powerful yet restrained and finessed offering lots of immediate drinking appeal but with a serious backbone that suggests long ageing too. Elegant, fineseed, subtle confidence with such cool minerality that gives freshness all the way through. It’s not the most dense, or fleshy, but so refined. A compelling wine. Possible upscore in bottle. 3% Cabernet Franc completes the blend. 3.70pH. A yield of 27hl/ha, the lowest ever. No Sirene de Giscours this year. 100% grand vin. Ageing 17 months, 50% new oak. 10-15% press wine. Tasted twice.Decanter | 96 DECThe 2022 Giscours was picked between 1 and 29 September, one of the earliest ever, with no SO2 added until blending and using bio-protection (yeasts) to protect the must. It has a delightful and sensual bouquet with lifted, violet and peony-scented blueberry and black cherry fruit. This is very well-defined and perhaps the purest I have encountered from barrel. The palate is medium-bodied with a disarming silky texture, harmonious and focused. It’s mineral-driven with a poised and pixelated finish. Certainly, this represents one of the best wines from this Margaux estate in recent years, echoing their golden period of the 60s and early 70s. Tasted twice with consistent notes.Vinous Media | 95-97 VMWarmed cassis and plum notes form the core, while lilting lilac, violet and iris accents stream throughout. Offers a flash of black tea on the finish, along with a beguiling, cashmere-like mouthfeel. Judicious toast lets it all play out beautifully. A pitch-perfect example of the vintage profile. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2026 through 2040.Wine Spectator | 95 WSWith the 2022 Giscours, this estate takes another step up, delivering a deep and characterful wine redolent of cherries, dark berries, violets, peony and forest floor. Medium to full-bodied, broad shouldered and layered, it’s deep and elegantly muscular, with impressive concentration, abundant but refined tannins and a structural authority reminiscent of the great Giscours vintages of the 1970s. Why is it so good? There are many reasons, but one is the high proportion of old vines—almost 60% of the blend deriving from vines that are over 50 years old—in a vintage that favored vines with deep, well-established root systems. Another is the increasing precision of harvesting at this address: Giscours’s old vines are frequently co-planted with younger replacements that have filled any gaps in the ranks over the years; so, blocks are now picked in two or three passages instead of all at once, with the younger vines picked first.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94-96 RPA blend of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot, and 3% Cabernet Franc, the 2022 Giscours has a pH of 3.7 and 13.6% alcohol. It has a deep garnet-purple color and bursts with notes of baked black plums, warm cassis, and blackberry preserves, giving way to subtle suggestions of sassafras, roses, and Sichuan pepper. The delicately played medium-bodied palate is soft-spoken and refreshing, featured very fine, silt-like tannins and seamless freshness to frame the subtle red and black berry layers, finishing on a mineral note. If you love blockbusters, look elsewhere, this is all about grace. Note that no second wine (La Sirène de Giscours) was made in 2022 and the yield for Giscours was just 27 hl/ha.The Wine Independent | 94-96 TWI

Simply stunning and undeniably one of the whites of the vintage, the 2022 Château Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc has a light gold hue as well as a brilliant perfume of honeyed grapefruit, crushed stone, and lemon zest. Rich, full-bodied, beautifully balanced, and concentrated on the palate, it’s one of those rare whites that brings a red wine-like sense of structure and mouthfeel while staying vibrant, juicy, and incredibly precise. Give it 2-3 years and enjoy through 2042.Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDThe sliced apples and pears with lemon blossoms and hints of dried pineapple and flint follow through to a medium body with brightness and energy. The finish is impressive with white pepper, crushed sea salt and spice. Really great finish here. All about energy. 90% sauvignon blanc, 5% semillon and 5% sauvignon gris. Better after 2028 but already a joy to taste.James Suckling | 98 JSThis shimmers with a salted butter note that adds a flattering edge to its panoply of shortbread, singed almond, honeysuckle, lemon curd and creamed white peach flavors. Feels regal, with a long finish that deftly toes the balance between the toasted and fresh, unadorned sides of the spectrum. A rare dry white that can handle all four seasons as anything from a solo aperitif to a main course partner. Beautiful. Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon and Sauvignon Gris. Drink now through 2035. 2,000 cases made, 250 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 97 WSA beautifully alluring nose, with ripe pineapple, honeysuckle, and a subtle spiciness, alongside freshly picked pear. The Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon characters shine through, giving both aromatic intensity and depth. On the palate, there’s a purity of fruit - quince, mango, and pineapple - layered with crisp green apple, wet stones, and a delicate struck match note, complemented by a touch of toast. Despite the ripe fruit expression, the palate is taut, driven by acidity and subtle bitterness that accentuates every nuance. It finishes crystalline, cool, and mouthwatering, with an elegant balance of juiciness and tension. No flabbiness, no sharpness, just elongated precision. The unmistakable SHL signature is strong here, showcasing multifaceted complexity with peach juiciness, white chocolate richness, and a honeyed weight. This is impeccably crafted and will only grow in stature with time.Decanter Magazine | 96 DECThe 2022 Blanc from Smith Haut Lafitte is an impressive effort this year, evoking aromas of white fruits, pear, white peach, spices and spring flowers. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and layered, it’s rich and concentrated with ripe acids enhanced by beautiful, chalky dry extracts, culminating in a long, saline and lovely oaky finish. This white wine always rewards patience and marries tension and charm to pleasing effect.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPThe 2022 Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc—which Fabien Teitgen told me was not picked too early like other châteaux—has a very fine bouquet of mainly yellow fruit, Anjou pear and beeswax scents, as a fennel tincture gradually surfaces in the glass. The palate is well balanced with lemon curd, white peach and a hint of mango. It shows fine delineation and a little more tension than its peers, representing one of the best examples in a vintage that did not really favor dry whites.Vinous Media | 94 VMThe 2022 Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc is a blend of 90% Sauvignon Blanc, 5% Semillon, and 5% Sauvignon Gris, with a yield of 24 hl/ha and aging in 50% new oak. It bursts from the glass with bold notions of Bosc pears, grapefruit oil, and white peaches, followed by wafts of coriander seed, sea spray, and wet pebbles. The medium-bodied palate is charged with a lively backbone, supporting the generous stone fruit and pear flavors, finishing long and chalky.The Wine Independent | 93-95 TWI

Very complex aromas of pears, persimmons, honey and cooked apples. Mineral undertones. Always subtle and multidimensional. Full-bodied with a tight and dense middle palate that gives a superb mouthfeel. It’s lively and flavorful at the end but in a reserved way. Just a hint of bitter lemon and lilac. I really want to drink this, but give it three or four years to reach the right place.James Suckling | 99 JSBased on 70% Sauvignon Blanc and 30% Semillon that spent nine months in barrel, the 2022 Domaine De Chevalier Blanc is a brilliant white revealing a vivid gold hue as well as bright citrus, crushed stone, mint, and honeysuckle-driven nuances. Pure, focused, and elegant, it has remarkable balance, integrated acidity, medium to full body, and a beautifully layered texture. It should evolve beautifully for 20+ years.Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDThis is a magnificent white wine, balancing the herbal element of Sauvignon Blanc with the rich Sémillon in a melange that promises considerable aging. Produced in small quantities on the Domaine de Chevalier vineyard it is one of the legendary white wines of Bordeaux. Drink from 2027. Wine Enthusiast | 97 WEThe 2022 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc has turned out brilliantly in bottle, wafting from the glass with aromas of pear, jasmine, white flowers, spring blossoms and spices. Medium to full-bodied, layered and enveloping, it’s charming and sappy with a dense structure, bright acids, gastronomic bitterness and a long, saline and mouthwatering finish. Confirming my expectations, this blend of 70% Sauvignon Blanc and 30% Sémillon is one of the best white wines of the vintage. It should gain harmony with age.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPThis is lovely from the get-go, delivering a sensation of shimmering, wet pebbles, plus fresh thyme, oyster shell, quinine and Key lime zest notes that streak and glide at the same time. The long, unadorned finish hums like a tuning fork. Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon. Drink now through 2035. 2,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WSPineapple, honey, lemon, peach, lime - a lovely expression on the nose, fresh and fragrant, open and alive. Great depth of flavour and purity. Gorgeous depth and body, really fills the mouth with some bitterness that gives a nice counter to the acidity. This widens and expands and then elongates and makes your mouth water in just the right places. This is fantastic, moreish and really complete. Feels retrained and just the right amount of each aspect. Great to drink now and age.Decanter Magazine | 94 DECThe 2022 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc offers more complexity on the nose than the L’Esprit, with scents of yellow fruit, melon and lime. The palate is well balanced with texture, notes of peach skin, pear and a dash of stem ginger, leading to a brisk harmonious finish. Although it does not rank among the best recent vintages due to the limitations of the growing season, this is still a capable Domaine de Chevalier Blanc.Vinous Media | 93 VMThis is a blend of 70% Sauvignon Blanc and 30% Semillon, and the élevage was in close to 40% new oak, for between 16 and 18 months. I like the powdery substance and intensity evident on the nose here, with crushed gravel and citrus fruits, lemon peel, white chocolate and waxy smoke, all delivered with a sense of phenolic maturity. This latter element pervades the palate, which presents lemon meringue and pastry notes, wrapped up with touches of tobacco oak, with a firm central spindle of oak and rather confident acidity which integrates with this delicately bitter grip. Great energy on the finish, with a delineated finish too, the length bitter and acid-washed. This is a very stylish interpretation of the vintage, with maturity and vivacity, and it will develop well. Tasted twice. The alcohol on the label is 13.5%.The Wine Independent | 92 TWI

The 2023 Syrah Sonoma Hillsides is one of the greatest wines I have tasted from Pax Mahle. The Hillsides is a blend of the best sites in the range, fermented in cement with whole clusters and also aged in cement. The long growing season resulted in a rich, heady wine with intense fruit and perfectly ripe tannins. Magnificent.Vinous Media | 98 VMVery pure and perfumed aromas of blackberries, dark cherries, plums, cured meat, dried herbs and violets. The palate is supple, with seamlessly integrated tannins and bright acidity, giving flavors of mulberries, graphite, black olives and mocha. A serious northern Rhone-inspired syrah with a soft touch. Excellent. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 96 JS

I tasted the 2023 Chardonnay La Carrière from tank just before it was bottled. It has inviting aromas of guava, peach, panna cotta, well-integrated new oak spices and top notes of Meyer lemon. The palate is satiny and mouth coating with luxuriously ripe, layered, spicy flavors. It’s balanced by vibrant acidity that adds focus to its generous flavors, and it has a very long, nuanced finish. A total of 2,478 cases were made, and the wine will be released in April of 2025.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93-96 RP

A fresh, linear, eye-opening young wine that’s delicious and appetizing, and will develop more complexity and nuance with time in the bottle. Stunning aromas of black cherries, vibrant raspberries and cedary spices lead to mouthwatering red cherry, cranberry, star anise and mineral flavors that expand on the palate. Drinkable now and best from 2030.James Suckling | 98 JSI tasted the 2023 Pinot Noir Le Caprice as a sample just before it was bottled. It has slowly unfolding aromas of cranberry, red cherry, tea leaves and mint, becoming more floral as it airs in the glass. The palate is layered and concentrated with woodsy, earthy flavors evocative of a forest. It’s structured by silky tannins and vibrant acidity and boasts a flourish of spicy accents on the long finish. A total of 979 cases were made, and the wine will be released in April of 2025.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93-95 RP

The 2023 Clos des Chevaliers from Domaine Chartron was one of the most brilliant wines I tasted during my entire nearly three weeks in the cellars here in Burgundy. The wine is utterly brilliant on both the nose and palate, with the bouquet offering up a pure, beautifully complex and elegant blend of apple, pear, fresh almond, crème pâtissière, a complex foundation of limestone minerality, lemon blossoms, a refined framing of vanillin oak and a topnote of lemon zest. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, complex and seamlessly balanced, with a great spine of acidity, a gorgeous core of fruit, great mineral drive and cut and a very, very long, vibrant finish. Pure magic. (Drink between 2030 - 2075)John Gilman | 98 JGThe delicious Clos du Chevalier is the top wine in the Chartron cellar, boasting intense aromas of lemon peel, mandarin and passionfruit, with nuances of acacia flower and a pronounced saline minerality. The texture is lively and vibrant but rich as well, with a superb balance between the extract and the racy acidity. The clos, a former monopole of the Chartron family, is above the Montrachet from Marquis de Laguiche; although they sold 0.16ha to Lalou Bize-Leroy for its Domaine d’Auvenay, Chartron still owns a half-hectare of Chevalier here. Cellar this for at least a decade before opening.Decanter Magazine | 96 DECThe 2023 Chevalier-Montrachet Clos de Chevaliers Grand Cru is Charton’s best Grand Cru this year. Intense and flattering citrus fruit notes commingle with crushed stone and light undergrowth scents blossoming in the glass. The palate is fresh, vibrant, beautifully balanced and very harmonious with a long and tender finish. Cohesive and multi-layered, très bon vin!Vinous Media | 95-97 VMAn attractive pale colour with a lime streak. Pure and stylish on the nose, with the white limestone feel of classic Chevalier. The bouquet will express itself more later on, I suspect. On the palate, the terroir also reverberates, with a very fine-boned acidity alongside the nuanced white fruit and flowers, with just a little well-judged oak bringing up the rear. A high-class finish. Very distinguished. Drink from 2030-2037. Tasted Oct 2024.Jasper Morris | 94-97 JMA markedly more floral-suffused nose speaks of distinctly cool white orchard fruit aromas, mineral reduction, Asian-style tea and a lovely range of spice nuances. The gorgeously textured and notably denser medium weight plus flavors exude a prominent stoniness on the sappy bitter citrus-tined finale that goes on and on. Like the Clos du Cailleret, the mouthfeel is like sucking on a small pebble and overall, this superb Chevalier should amply reward extended cellaring.Burghound | 92-95 BH