Chardonnay Wines

wines

Wafting from the glass with attractive aromas of pear, orange zest, white flowers and freshly baked bread, the 2021 Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons is medium to full-bodied, with an elegantly satiny attack that segues into a layered core of bright fruit, concluding with a saline, perfumed finish. It’s produced from four of this large premier cru’s climats.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RP

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

This is also aromatically cool and almost as reticent with its airy aromas of white pepper, mineral reduction, essence of pear and a suggestion of wood influence. The gorgeously textured medium weight flavors possess an even more developed sense of refinement while exhibiting fine length on the quinine, stony and bitter lemon zest-suffused finale. This is lovely and a Vaillons of finesse in 2022.Burghound | 90-93 BHThe 2021 Chablis Vaillons 1er Cru had been blended the previous week, during which a majority of the lees is kept. Often one of my favorite cuvées from William Fevre, the entrancing bouquet has impressive intensity on the nose. The palate is well-balanced with lemon verbena and touches of pear, a fine sense of energy and composure, and a persistent finish. This already looks very promising.Vinous Media | 90-92 VMTypical Vaillons perfume and freshness. Precise but with good weight and precision. A classy Vaillons which will drink well when young but will also age. Fèvre owns 3.5ha, with 50% in Vaillons, and the rest spread between Chatains, Roncière and Melinots. Early harvest here.Decanter | 92 DEC

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 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 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

Vestiges of malolactic fermentation presently mask the underlying fruit. On the plus side there is more volume still to the attractively textured medium weight flavors that brim with dry extract on the mineral-inflected, dry and focused finish. This is at once powerful yet refined and should also age well but be enjoyable young.Burghound | 89-92 BHLumpp opines that the stony, southeast-facing slopes of this lieu-dit represent Givry’s best terroir for white wine, and his 2016 Givry 1er Cru Crausot is certainly impressive, revealing fragrant aromas of white peaches and spring blossom, followed by a medium-bodied, elegantly glossy palate, with lovely purity and stony depth. It has the structure to improve with a few years’ bottle age.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91 RP

A hint of petrichor colors this wine’s lemony, bright nose with a stony allure. The palate dresses this lemony richness in nutty, rounded smoothness without denying its mouthwatering essence. The midpalate is buffered, chalky and intense, with reverberating richness and freshness that makes this wine a real joy.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEPart of the wider Montmains Premier Cru, Butteaux is situated on the top of the hill, located on sparse Kimmeridgian soil with the presence of the much-vaunted blue clay. In 2019, the exposure of this site has added an extra layer of richness to the palate. Fine acidity keeps the wine in balance with purity of fruit very evident. Lots of concentration for further ageing. A fine Premier Cru, appealing now but with much more to come. Drinking Window 2022 - 2027.Decanter | 93 DECThe 2019 Chablis Butteaux 1er Cru has a very promising bouquet of honeysuckle, jasmine, citronella and Japanese yuzu. Very fine delineation and focus on display here. The palate is well balanced with a supple and harmonious opening, lively and pretty, offering yellow plum and citrus notes, and becoming spicier with a dab of stem ginger toward the finish. This Butteaux will be difficult to resist in its youth, but it will give 12–15 years of drinking pleasure.Vinous Media | 92 VM

The 2019 Chablis Vaulorent 1er Cru has an expressive nose of crushed stone, mirabelle and light honeysuckle aromas, one of the classiest from Brocard in 2019. The palate is fresh and saline on the entry, with driving acidity, superb tension and a judicious kiss of salinity on the racy finish. A great Chablis from Brocard. Recommended.Vinous Media | 94 VMMossiness accompanies pear and lemon notes on this wine’s nose along with a lift of dried hayflower. The palate adds ripe roundness and intense, multidimensional creaminess that takes in yeast, smokiness and chalkiness alongside the intense lemon. Drink 2022–2040.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WE(Maison Jean-Marc Brocard Chablis "Vaulorent" 1er Cru White) This is aromatically similar to the Fourchaume with its softly honied and exotic aromas that are ripe but fresh while exhibiting good Chablis typicity. There is fine volume to the punchy and tautly muscular flavors that possess a borderline tannic mouthfeel that carries over to the markedly dry finale. Solid quality here that is marked by the vintage but not excessively so. (Drink starting 2025).Burghound | 91 BH

A relatively recent estate - Celine’s father is Jean-Marc Brocard, whilst Frederic worked at Domaine Durup. A classy Vosgros with ripeness of stone fruit allied to an intriguing fennel/herb character on the palate. Fleshy, with plenty of warmth from the vintage, this is married with a tangy, flinty finish. A fine Premier Cru, drinkable already and with good concentration for further ageing. Drinking Window 2022 - 2028.Decanter | 93 DECApple, lemon, buttermilk and yeast all show on this wine’s funky nose. The palate unites these notions on a buffered, concentrated, chalky and lemony body that has subtle depth. The wine is smooth, fresh and understated.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WE

Subtly smoky and thrilling in minerality, this pure-fruited, lemon-scented Chablis highlights white peach and lime flavors etched by limestone and chalk. Despite a hot vintage, it’s a classic, cooling expression of Mont de Milieu vinified entirely in stainless steel. It’s at peak from 2023 to 2035 but the wine should hold longer still.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEThe 2019 Chablis Mont de Milieu 1er Cru has a clean, Alpine-scented bouquet that displays fine mineralité and tension. In the mouth, it’s fresh, vibrant and quite spicy on the midpalate, leading into an engaging, intense finish. This is a superb Mont de Milieu that should age with style. A Chablis with pedigree.Vinous Media | 93 VMMore depth and resolve on the nose here, with a deeper hue in the glass and some intriguing spice and woody notes on the palate. Good concentration with some refreshing citric acidity to finish. This shows the combination of ripeness and stony minerality which makes Mont de Milieu one of the leading Premier Crus. Drinking Window: 2021 - 2027Decanter | 92 DEC

The 2019 Saint-Aubin Les Murgers des Dents de Chien 1er Cru has more delineation and mineralité compared to the Les Perrières, more terroir expression in situ. The palate is very well balanced with a fine bead of acidity, tropical tones such as passion fruit and mango, counterbalanced by a spicy/ginger tinged finish. It does not quite kick on as I might have hoped, yet there is still a lot of potential here. Expect this to land at the top of my banded score.Vinous Media | 90-92 VM(Jean Chartron St. Aubin "Murgers des Dents de Chien" 1er Cru White) Restrained aromas of very pretty white orchard fruit, rose petal and acacia blossom introduce intense and seductively textured medium-bodied flavors that exhibit slightly better overall depth and persistence. This is lovely and a wine that should age well over the mid-term. (Drink starting 2025).Burghound | 90-92 BHThe 2019 Saint-Aubin 1er Cru Les Murgers des Dents de Chien has turned out nicely, exhibiting notes of pear, crisp green apple, white flowers and fresh pastry. Medium-bodied, bright and precise, with tangy acids and a saline finish, it will show well out of the gates.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90 RP

Pale lemon colour, racy and fruity together, quite exuberant, a little warmth but the fruit is in the lead and it finishes cleanly on the minerals, with very good length. Long slow fermentation through to the next harvest. This works very well. Tasted: June 2021.Jasper Morris | 91-93 JM

The 2019 Chablis 1er Cru Butteaux Vieilles Vignes is excellent, mingling aromas of pear, citrus oil and warm bread with hints of iodine. Bottled later than the younger-vine cuvée of Butteaux, it’s medium to full-bodied, layered and concentrated, with racy acids and chalky grip.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93+ RPLike the regular cuvée, this too flirts with volatile acidity though it is admittedly extremely subtle on the nose of essence of pear, quinine and lemon-lime scents. The texture of the slightly denser flavors is equally attractive while offering more evident power on the minerally finish that is impressively persistent, dry and youthfully austere. Once again, at least some patience is suggested. (Drink starting 2025)Burghound | 91 BH

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 2019 Chablis 1er Cru Montée de Tonnerre unwinds to reveal aromas of citrus oil, warm pastry, crisp green orchard fruit and vanilla pod. Medium to full-bodied, satiny and precise, it’s lively and mineral, concluding with a saline finish. Tightly wound and gently patinated by its élevage, this will develop well with time in bottle.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93+ RPThe 2019 Chablis Montée de Tonnerre 1er Cru, from vines on white and blue clay, has a backward nose that mixes struck flint with Granny Smith apples, suggesting old-school Chablis. The palate is well balanced with a fine bead of acidity and beautifully composed, maybe the most harmonious of Droin’s Premier Crus. A little spiciness manifests on the finish. Superb.Vinous Media | 93 VM(Domaine Jean-Paul et Benoit Droin Chablis "Montée de Tonnerre" 1er Cru White) An equally pure and elegant nose is quite different as here there is much more smoky reduction to the citrus-inflected pear and shellfish scents. The rich yet nicely restrained medium weight flavors brim with minerality and excellent detail, all wrapped in a slightly more complex finish. This is only a touch better than the Vaulorent but overall, it’s just a bit more complete. (Drink starting 2025)Burghound | 93 BH

Matured for one year in barrel and six months in tank, the 2019 Montagny 1er Cru delivers aromas of pear, peach and white flowers. Medium to full-bodied, ample and charming, with a satiny attack and mouthwatering acids, it’s the most open-knit, giving white in the cellar, and it’s drinking well out of the gates.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91 RPPurchased fruit, blended from two sites - L’Épaule and Creux de Beauchamp - planted with old vines. Both vineyards are densely planted and propagated using massale selection, to give super-ripe grapes with aromas of apple and just a bit of spice. A long maturation on the lees gives this wine a density and supple texture that is truly appealing. Drinking Window 2021 - 2029.Decanter | 90 DEC

The 2019 Chablis Vaillons 1er Cru has a less flamboyant bouquet than its peers. This feels more reserved and flinty, though very nicely defined and focused. The palate is well balanced, with the weight and density I look for in a Vaillon, and a little spicier than the Vosgros. A touch of lemongrass and a hint of green olive appear toward the finish. Fine.Vinous Media | 91 VMAromas of peach, apricot, honey, white flowers and iodine preface the 2019 Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons, a medium to full-bodied, satiny and charming wine that’s the most demonstrative premier cru in the cellar this year.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90 RP

The 2019 Chablis 1er Cru Sécher has turned out beautifully, mingling notions of orange oil and peach with hints of beeswax and rock salt. Medium to full-bodied, satiny and incisive, with fine depth at the core, tangy acids and an intensely saline finish, it will require some time to unwind.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92+ RP

Old vines grown on a warm, exposed slope (important in Chablis) give this wine its richness and textured concentration. Ripe apple and tangy lime flavors complement a tight edge that will soften as the wine matures. Drink from 2023. Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEDomaine Laroche traces its beginnings back to AD867. This high-quality example of Premier Cru Chablis Vieilles Vignes shows purity of fruit, density of flavour and some subtle, judicious, oak maturation adding some extra layers of complexity. With a mineral aftertaste, this also has intriguing hints of honey and lemon curd on the nose and palate. Drinking Window 2022 - 2028.Decanter | 93 DECThe 2019 Chablis 1er Cru Les Vaillons Vieilles Vignes unwinds in the glass with aromas of green orchard fruit, pastry cream, fresh bread and light reduction. Medium to full-bodied, ample and saline, it’s bright and chiseled, with a classically Chablisien tang.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPThe 2019 Chablis Les Vaillons Vieilles Vignes 1er Cru has a crisp nose of Granny Smith apples, freshly sliced Nashi pear, wild fennel, green olives and touches of crushed limestone. The palate is fresh and crisp on the entry, demonstrating admirable weight. A little viscosity toward the finish betrays the warmth of the summer, yet the acidity keeps it fresh and tensile. Delicious.Vinous Media | 91 VMAn inflection of green herbs and green fruit marks this round, lively white, with apple, yellow plum and earth notes completing the profile. Excellent length. Drink now through 2025. 1,500 cases made, 150 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

Pops of hazelnut and cream lend richness to this ripe, lusciously textured Chablis. Bright lemon and yellow-apple flavors on the palate maintain the appellation’s characteristic steeliness and nerve but this mouthfilling Chardonnay is welcoming young and likely to drink well through 2035.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEThe 2019 Chablis Montée de Tonnerre 1er Cru has a taut, crisp, energetic bouquet that displays fine delineation and plenty of mineralité. The fresh, vibrant palate delivers crisp acidity and lemon zest, orange peel and subtle apricot notes, maintaining superb precision and poise through to the satisfyingly persistent finish. Superb!Vinous Media | 93 VMA ripe version, with apple and melon flavors holding court and a hint of pineapple. The acidity amps up on the mouthwatering finish, where a vein of mineral shines through. Drink now through 2026. 215 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

The complex nose of candied citrus, flint, hazelnut and toasty oak leads you into this impressively rich and concentrated dry white for Pernand-Vergelesses. Very focused, super-elegant finish that has so much life. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 94 JSAn open-textured white, with apple, almond and baking spice flavors. Leans to the oxidative side, but there’s ample acidity and this actually picks up energy on the finish, turning more minerally and focused. Decant. Drink now through 2028. 500 cases made, 150 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 92 WSA touch of new wood influence is present on the fresh mix of white and yellow peach, citrus confit and anise hints. The round, rich and enveloping flavors also possess an attractive texture as well as better depth and persistence on the clean and dry finale.Burghound | 91 BH

Crystal clear like a mountain stream, a light oak influence adds a note of lanolin to the apple, melon and lemon fruit. Turns more sleek and defined on the long, mineral- and herb-tinged aftertaste. Drink now through 2027. 269 cases made, 64 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 94 WSThe 2019 Chablis Les Séchets 1er Cru comes from vines located just above Vincent Dauvissat’s. The well-defined bouquet features honeysuckle and subtle white flower aromas. The palate is where the action is: it delivers vibrant citrus fruit, orange zest and light ginger notes. Lovely depth on the finish. This is an excellent Chablis.Vinous Media | 93 VMThe 2019 Chablis 1er Cru Séchet is taut and chiseled, unwinding in the glass to reveal aromas of citrus oil, white flowers, beeswax and crushed chalk. Medium to full-bodied, concentrated and incisive, it will require and reward a bit of bottle age.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93+ RP

This white is lean, sporting lemon, green plum, chamomile and lanolin aromas and flavors. A spine of vivid acidity keeps it focused and long, while the balance and harmony bode well for the future. Shows excellent length. Drink now through 2027. 263 cases made, 93 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 94 WSThe 2019 Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons Les Minots is lovely, wafting from the glass with notes of clear honey, citrus oil, white flowers and oatmeal. Medium to full-bodied, satiny and succulent, it’s bright and charming, concluding with a long, mineral finish. As I’ve written before, this hails from one of the sunnier, warmer lieux-dits within the larger climat of Les Vaillons, and it typically produces a more generous, gourmand wine; it’s also often where Piuze begins his harvest.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPThe 2019 Chablis Vaillons 1er Cru "Les Minots" has a pretty beeswax and gravel bouquet. The palate is concentrated with fine depth and a touch of viscosity.Vinous Media | 91 VM