Chardonnay Wines

wines

Firm reduction renders the nose unreadable at present. More interesting are the intense and beautifully textured medium weight flavors that also brim with minerality and ample amount of dry extract that buffers the firm acid spine supporting the unusually powerful, serious, compact and stunningly long finish. This is also like rolling small rocks around the mouth and is a wine that should amply repay a decade or more of keeping.Burghound | 91-94 BH The blended premier cru bottling of Terroir de Blagny is really good in 2021, but this is a structured wine that will need time in the cellar to unfurl. The bouquet is deep and youthful, offering up scents of tart orange, fresh pineapple, chalky soil elements, vanillin oak and a striking topnote of lemon blossoms. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and racy, with a superb core of fruit, impressive cut and grip, fine focus and a long, nascently complex and well balanced finish. (Drink between 2026 - 2055)John Gilman | 93 JGThere was just enough wine to fill one 350 litre and one 228 litre barrel, even with the three vineyards of Truffière, Hameau de Blagny and Champ Gain blended together. A vibrant fresh primrose colour, with plenty of energy to the nose as well. Fresh plums with citrus notes, a good density of fruit, some length behind. Still shows the hillside character. Savoury notes at the finish. Drink from 2026-2030. Tasted: October 2022.Jasper Morris | 90-93 JMThe 2021 Puligny-Montrachet Terroir de Blagny 1er Cru is a blend of Hameau de Blagny, Champs Gain and Truffières that together amounted to 600 liters. It has an attractive nose of apple blossom, dewy meadow, wet limestone and citrus peel that unfolds in the glass. The palate is very well balanced with quite a sharp, citric entry. Vibrant and lively, though maybe not as complex as some of Sauzet’s best cuvées this year. But what else can you do with such miniscule volumes?Vinous Media | 90-92 VM

Boillot’s emblematic 2018 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Clos de la Mouchère has turned out brilliantly, wafting from the glass with aromas of pear, hazelnut, dried white flowers, citrus oil, blanched almonds and smoke. On the palate, the wine is medium to full-bodied, deep and multidimensional, with terrific concentration, searing levels of extract and a long, mineral finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPA whiff of matchstick is present on the elegant and highly restrained aromas of acacia blossom, spice, white orchard fruit and a hint of Asian-style tea. There is excellent volume and minerality to the strikingly textured medium-bodied flavors that display outstanding complexity on the balanced, dry and impressively persistent finish. This is one very classy wine that is already wonderfully harmonious.Burghound | 94 BHSlightly fuller yellow in colour, with more opulent fruit on the nose. Perhaps a little on the heavy side. A latent waxiness, a considerable volume of fruit, a wine of great potential which has not yet fully found its feet. There is a huge amount still to come. Tasted: May 2022.Jasper Morris | 94 JMThe 2018 Puligny-Montrachet Clos de la Mouchère 1er Cru has yet another reductive nose that at present obscures the terroir expression. The palate is well balanced with a saline entry. Plenty of concentration here and the acidity is taut and lends adequate tension. Touches of sour lemon on the marine-influenced finish. Give this 3-4 years in bottle and then plenty of time in a decanter. Tasted blind at the Burgfest 2018 white tasting.Vinous Media | 93 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

The Champ Canet has not quite fallen clear yet. However, the bouquet is stunning! And keeps changing. The immediate fruit now adds a little toasty note, plus the additional depth and complexity of having been kept on more lees. The fruit ripened nicely, with a touch of honeysuckle but it is a minority component, with ripe citrus taking the lead. A fascinating, complex finish. Drink from 2028-2037. Tasted: October 2023.Jasper Morris | 94-96 JMThe 2022 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Champ Canet is excellent, mingling aromas of lemon oil, citrus confit, white flowers, freshly baked bread and mandarin, followed by a medium to full-bodied, satiny and seamless palate that’s concentrated and structured, concluding with a long, nutmeg-inflected finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92-94 RPThe 2022 Puligny-Montrachet Champ Canet 1er Cru felt much more closed when I tasted it at the Domaine, introverted with dewy meadow scents. The palate is well-balanced, but it doesn’t quite convey the mineralité and tension of its fellow Premier Crus at the moment. Does it have more to give? I remain cautious for now.Vinous Media | 90-92 VM

Lemon and lime in colour, a little softer than the Garenne in the bouquet. This is quite complete with a lifted energy to it, very long, not trying to be fuller bodied that it can be, the citrus note has both a light lime note as well as some lemon, while pure orchard fruit forms the back bone. Very old vines which yield little. Drink from 2027-2035. Tasted: October 2023.Jasper Morris | 92-94 JMThe 2022 Puligny-Montrachet Hameau de Blagny 1er Cru has a complex bouquet that takes time to open in the glass: touches of wet pavement, Granny Smith apples and hints of fennel in the background. The palate is well-balanced, tensile and linear with a taut bead of acidity; this delivers an almost minimalist finish that is very Blagny in style. Good salinity and length. Very fine.Vinous Media | 91-93 VMOffering up notes of flowers, pear, freshly baked bread and hazelnuts, Sauzet’s 2022 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Hameau de Blagny is medium-bodied, bright and lively, with tangy acids and chalky grip on the finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90-92 RP

The 2022 Puligny-Montrachet Les Combettes 1er Cru has a clean, precise bouquet with wet limestone, Granny Smith apples, menthol and light sea spray scents that could only originate from this appellation. The palate is very well-balanced, one of the most powerful of Sauzet’s Premier Crus. It possesses perhaps its spiciest and most texturally satisfying finishes that lingers long in the mouth. Excellent.Vinous Media | 93-95 VMAnother beautiful bouquet after an elegant colour. This keeps building, and seems to have rediscovered the magic of Combettes which I thought was lost in the hottest years. There is a fulsome weight of white fruit, while retaining energy. Just enough acidity, with ripe apples at the finish. Drink from 2027-2036. Tasted: October 2023.Jasper Morris | 92-95 JMThe 2022 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Combettes is terrific, offering up aromas of pear, citrus zest, white flowers, toasted nuts and fresh mint, followed by a medium to full-bodied, satiny and layered palate that’s dense and structured, with racy acids and chalky grip. I suspect it may surpass even the excellent 2020 version.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92-94 RP

The 2022 Chablis Grand Cru Blanchots is very promising, bursting with aromas of orange zest, citrus blossom, buttery pastry and fresh hazelnuts. Full-bodied, satiny and layered, it’s elegantly textural, with attractive mid-palate depth and purity.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPThe 2022 Chablis Blanchot Grand Cru is blessed with one of Piuze’s most enticing aromatics—gorgeous minty yellow plum mixed with jasmine and dried honey. The palate is well balanced with yellow plum (again), stem ginger, white peach and a hint of lemongrass. Very harmonious and persistent - this is an excellent Blanchot.Vinous Media | 93 VMSubtle if easily perceptible wood can be found on the airy and floral aromas of sea water, citrus and a hint of wet stone. The rich and solidly concentrated medium-bodied flavors exude an almost palpable minerality on the impressively long finale. This is notably more refined than the Bougros though it too could use better depth but with at least a decade of upside development potential, more will almost certainly develop.Burghound | 93 BHPale colour, a full and ripe nose, the white flowers are entwined with a little honeysuckle. Fresh enough on the palate with a fine white fruit thread, sinuous yet precise, and with great length. A fine and typical rendition of Blanchots. Drink from 2027-2037. Tasted: October 2023.Jasper Morris | 93 JM

The 2022 Chablis Fourchaume 1er Cru has a discrete nose that gradually reveals one of Droin’s more floral bouquets this year. The well-balanced palate has a slightly richer, nuttier opening and good depth, tensile with a subtle reduction on the persistent finish. Excellent.Vinous Media | 92-94 VMA very elegant example of Fourchaume. A fine, all round package with depth and weight of fruit. Enough acidity to balance. Would drink this earlier than some, as it has a very generous fruit character. Droin’s vines are planted in the Vaupulent climat.Decanter | 92 DECModerate wood surrounds the ripe and more floral-inflected nose of essence of pear, mineral reduction and a similar very vague hint of the exotic. The wood can also be found on the palate of the rich and opulent yet solidly punchy medium-bodied flavors that exhibit fine depth and persistence though. With that said, and as good as this certainly is, it isn’t a match for the Mont de Milieu.Burghound | 90-92 BH

The 2022 Chablis Montmains 1er Cru offers scents of grapefruit and orange rind on the nose, less flamboyant than the Vaillons, yet showing impressive delineation already. The palate is well-balanced, with a tangy opening and hints of marmalade infusing the citrus fruit with an almost steely finish. This will need time in bottle.Vinous Media | 91-93 VMAlthough these a rich, deep soils, Droin says they retain a lot of seashell character. Lively and fresh on the palate, you can feel the cool terroir combined with warm, ripe fruit. Very classy and will age beautifully. Benoit Droin explains that it is the argile-bleu (blue clay) found here which adds extra volume.Decanter | 93 DECProminent notes of mineral reduction and just picked white flowers suffuse the aromas of tidal pool, algae and zest. The rich but vibrant medium weight flavors possess even more obvious minerality that seems to become more obvious on the cool, firm and delineated finish that is clean, dry, citrusy and sneaky long. Lovely.Burghound | 90-93 BH

The 2022 Chablis Vosgros 1er Cru, which is already in bottle, has a harmonious bouquet with fleeting lime, wet stone and a touch of citrus peel. Nicely detailed. The palate is sapid on the entry, with plenty of oyster shell/marine notes and a classically styled, almost "mean" finish. Very fine.Vinous Media | 92 VMDroin explains that although Vosgros is technically a left bank premier cru, it faces the same way as the top right bank climats. Although with a direct southwesterly exposition, the vines are located in a very cold valley. More restraint here, good density, but a little less of a mineral thread.Decanter | 91 DEC

The 2021 Saint-Aubin Hommage à Marguerite debuted five vintages earlier, a blend of Les Perrières, Les Combes and Les Criots. It has a clean, precise bouquet with crushed limestone filtering through the green apple and white peach notes. Understated by gaining intensity in the glass. The palate is well-balanced with a peachy opening, good depth, a little creamier than other cuvées with ample weight on the Chassagne-inspired finish. Lovely.Vinous Media | 90-92 VMThe blended St-Aubin premier cru has impressive depth and richness, with aromas of apricot and quince underscored with mineral and floral notes. The texture is dense but lively, with crisp acidity and plenty of extract balancing precisely on the lingering finish. The grapes are blended from Les Perrières (near the village), Les Combes (down-slope from En Remilly), and Les Creots (in Gamay, facing due south). Colin feels the blend of the three is better than any of them bottled separately.Decanter | 92 DECA blend of three plots, Combes, Créot and Perrières. A little more colour here, while the nose is stricter up front. The fruit emerges more generously on the palate, with some yellow fruits and a lime-laden finish. A trace of youthful bitterness in the finish. Drink from 2025-2028. Tasted: October 2022.Jasper Morris | 90-92 JMThe 2021 Saint-Aubin 1er Cru Hommage à Marguerite was quite tightly wound when I tasted it, unfurling in the glass with aromas of pear, citrus oil, clear honey, white flowers, toasted nuts and fresh mint. Medium-bodied, layered and rather concentrated, with racy acids and chalky grip, it will certainly benefit from further élevage.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 89-91 RPModerate wood influence still allows the cool aromas of white flowers and petrol to be appreciated. There is a bit more volume if perhaps not quite the same underlying tension to the medium weight flavors that terminate in a stony and lingering finish that is quite dry while offering notably better depth.Burghound | 89-91 BH

Here too there is plenty of petrol character to the cool and nicely layered nose of ripe yellow orchard fruit, resin and rosemary oil. The attractively textured, rich and solidly concentrated medium weight flavors exude a subtle minerality while offering outstanding complexity on the sappy, balanced and sneaky long finish. If you allow this to warm up a touch of warmth slowly emerges but it’s a non-issue if the proper serving temperature is maintained.Burghound | 93 BH

Fresh pale green tint. Didier describes this as the entry level grand cru. The average age of the vines is at or above 60 years. There is admirable tension here, an electric start, more middleweight through the middle, then quite a powerful middle with decent dry extract, and good length. Keeps coming back. Drink from 2030-2040. Tasted: June 2023.Jasper Morris | 92-95 JMThe 2022 Chablis Bougros Grand Cru, matured around one-third in used barrel, sports a subtle reduction on the nose that works to its favor: white flowers commingle with Mirabelle and crushed stone. The palate is well-balanced and precise, harmonious with orange pith and nectarine, just a touch of praline. It builds nicely in the glass and then slams its foot on the accelerator right on the finish as if to say: That’s all for now. One for the patient amongst you.Vinous Media | 92-94 VMOnce again there is plenty of mineral reduction character suffusing the aromas of ripe pear, soft wood and tidal pool. The rich, full-bodied and overtly powerful broad-shouldered flavors are robust but not rustic on the bitter lemon, dry and balanced finale. This also needs more depth but that is virtually always the case with young Bougros.Burghound | 91-93 BHBougros, according to Didier Séguier, is the place for those who like lots of ripeness and not too much minerality. Quality has increased greatly here with reduced yields. Plenty of weight and ripeness but also with finesse and appeal.Decanter | 92 DEC

A stunning example, with finesse allied to power. Real tension and energy here. Will be approachable quite young, but really should be aged for over five years for the best result. Fèvre has 2.24ha within Montée de Tonnerre. Plots are located in Pied d’Aloup (facing east) with profound Kimmeridgian soils bringing freshness, Chapelot facing south on deep soil adding richness, and Côte de Brechain facing west on top of the hill with the oldest plots dating back to 1936.Decanter | 95 DECFrom multiple plots: east facing kimmeridgian marl in Pied d’Aloue (0.50ha), one hectare in Chapelot, (more soil here, fatter wine), then the rest in Bréchain, where vines dating back to 1936, give tension. What a beautiful bouquet. This has the sensual aspect of a delightful sunny summer, yet with an entrancing freshness behind. This is quintessential right bank, yet with balance Drink from 2027-2037. Tasted: June 2023.Jasper Morris | 93-95 JMAn elegant, pure and wonderfully airy nose more freely reflects its aromas of white flowers, prominent mineral reduction and plenty of seashore elements. There is at once more volume but, somewhat surprisingly, even better refinement to the medium weight plus flavors that retain excellent detail while also flashing an almost pungent stoniness on the driving, firm and impeccably well-balanced finale. One to look for as this is very impressive.Burghound | 92-94 BHThe 2022 Chablis Montée de Tonnerre 1er Cru is more reticent on the nose and perhaps doesn’t quite engage as the 2021 did last year. A bit bashful at the moment. The palate is well-balanced with a saline entry, though it feels strict and contained, without the flair demonstrated by the Les Lys at the moment. Has this got something up its sleeve? It’s a bit too austere and reticent for my liking.Vinous Media | 89-91 VM

Fèvre has 3.65ha of Vaulorent. Situated on the grand cru hill rather than the Fourchaume slope, the soils here are characterised by lots of Kimmeridgian marl. Tight and tense, lots of energy here, powerful and precise and compensates with concentration and density more akin to Chablis Grand Cru. GIve this five years and it will be stunning.Decanter | 96 DECSome of the Vaulorent may be taken out to make a separate Fourchaumes bottling, that decision has not yet been made. More lime than lemon in colour, the nose is so stylish yet with obvious concentration beneath. I love the texture of this wine, which has taken on a little bit of the cashmere qualities of this sector, while nonetheless retaining its mineral core. Very stylish once again. Drink from 2027-2037. Tasted: June 2023.Jasper Morris | 92-95 JMThe 2022 Chablis Vaulorent 1er Cru has another tightly wound nose like the Montée de Tonnerre, a subtle marine element emerging with time, a touch of wild fennel. The palate has much more body and depth than the aforementioned Premier Cru, with good density, a crisp line of acidity and a welcome touch of spice enhancing the finish. Excellent.Vinous Media | 92-94 VMSlightly more evident wood influence can be found on the less elegant but beautifully layered nose of citrus confit, acacia blossom and wet stone scents. The rich, very generous and solidly powerful larger-bodied flavors are not quite as mineral-driven though they are even more concentrated, all wrapped in a beautifully balanced, long and complex finale. This is also impressive even though I have a slight preference for the MdT at this early stage.Burghound | 91-94 BH

A distinctly cool and very restrained nose only grudgingly reveals its aromas of green apple, mineral reduction, lemon zest and elegant floral wisps. There is first-rate volume and almost painful intensity to the big-bodied and muscular yet refined flavors that exude plenty of minerality on the austere and cuts-like-a-knife finish. This massively long effort is beautifully balanced and a wine that should easily reward 10 to 15 years of keeping. If you can find it, buy it.Burghound | 93-96 BHPale colour, and I am not really picking the nose here. Fairly good mineral intensity on the palate, with white fruit around, a little citrus at the finish, medium nobility. Tasted: October 2021.Jasper Morris | 92-94 JM

A ripe and generous Corton-Charlemagne with a caramelized-pear aroma, but the stony character that’s typical for the site is the dominant aspect of the wine. Serious structure here! Drink or hold.James Suckling | 95 JSFrom holdings located in the south-facing climat Les Languettes, Drouhin produced three barrels of the 2019 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru (Domaine), a medium to full-bodied, layered and nicely concentrated wine that’s bright and structured, evocative of white flowers, pomelo, orange oil and buttery pastry.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93-95 RPThe 2019 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru was a small yield this year, with just three barrels produced instead of the usual six. It has an understated bouquet of light dandelion and patisserie aromas. The well-balanced palate displays fine delineation and a tang of marmalade toward the finish. This is a nicely composed Corton-Charlemagne, though I wager it will be best consumed within its first decade. Vinous Media | 92-94 VMProminent aromas of mineral reduction and floral elements are laced with hints of wood toast, citrus peel, apple and anise. The sleekly muscular and stony big-bodied flavors are also nicely refined yet powerful while possessing excellent delineation on the youthfully austere finale. This is clearly ripe yet manages to retain the style of a classic CC.Burghound | 92-94 BHFrom a 0.33ha, domaine-owned parcel in Aloxe with an eastern exposition and densely planted 40-year-old vines on thin soils over the limestone bedrock. The fruit is pressed as whole bunches and fermented on native yeasts in cask (one-quarter new) to give a lovely definition of fruit that stretches from green apple to apricot, with hints of smoke, spice, and mineral. On the palate, the texture is broad yet well balanced by firm acidity on the lingering finish. Drinking Window 2024 - 2039.Decanter | 93 DEC

The 2019 Chablis Mont de Milieu 1er Cru has an attractive nose, more extrovert than others from this climat, displaying scents of yellow plum, pressed white flower, crushed rock and subtle Granny Smith apple. The palate is clean and fresh, a dab of bitter lemon on the entry combining neatly with the silver bead of acidity. Quite tensile toward the finish, which lingers in the mouth. This may warrant a higher score with bottle age. Very fine.Vinous Media | 92+ VM

The 2018 Chablis Côte de Jouan 1er Cru has a gorgeous bouquet of lemon curd, orange pith and honeysuckle scents that seem to grab the olfactory senses. The palate is well balanced with a fine bead of acidity, taut and crisp, leading to a complex finish of sour lemon, kumquat and saline notes that linger on the aftertaste. Superb.Vinous Media | 93 VM

The 2019 Chablis Vaudésir Grand Cru has a very pretty bouquet of yellow flowers, honeysuckle and light white truffle scents, plus a touch of flint in the background. The palate is well balanced with a fine bead of acidity. This is certainly one of the more elegant Grand Crus in 2019, displaying admirable poise and a touch of spice toward the lingering finish. Excellent.Vinous Media | 93 VM

A well-layered nose blends notes of citrus, mineral reduction, Granny Smith apples and a touch of wood toast. There is both excellent minerality and punch to the moderately concentrated flavors that possess slightly better ripeness on the clean, dry and persistent finale. (Drink starting 2024)Burghound | 92 BH

The 2019 is a fabulous wine, with ripe apple fruit showing a citrusy edge to it, balanced acidity and impressive length on the palate. Roulot now farms 5ha of vines in this appellation, located between the village and the Route Nationale, spread over eight parcels. The fruit is lightly crushed and fermented in cask (mostly used) before ageing for one year. (Drink between 2021-2029)Decanter | 92 DEC

Bright and expressive, this white sports apple, lemon, spring meadow and gravel dust flavors. The vibrant structure holds court on the lingering finish. Drink now through 2028. 500 cases made, 75 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

(Domaine Leflaive Meursault-Blagny "Sous le Dos d’Âne" 1er Cru White) A cool, pure and airy nose is comprised by notes of apple, citrus and white peach. There is once again fine punch and delineation to the middle weight flavors that exude a subtle minerality on the linear, youthfully austere and bone-dry finale. This is going to need at least a few years of patience to further flesh out the finish as it’s quite compact at present. (Drink starting 2027)Burghound | 90-93 BHThe 2019 Meursault 1er Cru Sous le Dos d’Ane is also a touch reductive out of the gates, unwinding to reveal aromas of crisp green orchard fruit, hazelnuts, dried white flowers and smoke. Medium to full-bodied, ample and satiny, with lively acids and a long, saline finish, it’s a seamless, elegant wine from a parcel located just above Pierre Morey’s Meursault Perrières.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPThe 2019 Meursault Sous le Dos l’Ane 1er Cru has a very Puligny-like bouquet, well defined, quite poised with traces of yellow plum and apricot, very pretty. The palate is quite edgy on the opening. There is a small reduction at play here, but fine weight and concentration with a tensile, stem ginger-tinged finish that is very satisfying. Maybe not long-term, but utterly delicious. Closure: Diam 30Vinous Media | 92 VM

The 2019 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Clavoillon has turned out very nicely, mingling aromas of pear and citrus oil with hints of wheat toast, fresh bread and hazelnuts in an inviting bouquet. Medium to full-bodied, satiny and concentrated, with terrific cut and a long, saline finish, it's taut and incisive, showing promise for the cellar.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RP(Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet Clavoillon 1er Cru White) The 2019 Puligny-Montrachet Clavoillon 1er Cru has an austere nose that demands coaxing from the glass; struck flint and sea spray scents, cool, calm and collected. The palate is taut on the entry, then fans out with glee, notes of dessicated orange peel, white peach and tangerine, a lovely bitterness that counterbalances the concentration on the finish. Exccellent. Closure: Diam 30Vinous Media | 93 VM(Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet "Clavoillon" 1er Cru White) An overtly floral suffused nose displays notes of pear compote, citrus confit and subtle spice wisps. There is excellent vibrancy to the attractively textured medium weight flavors that also exude a refreshing salinity on the citrusy, dry and notably more complex finish that is perceptibly firmer. This should age well. (Drink starting 2029)Burghound | 91-94 BH