France Wines

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In Les Combards, the upper slope section of Caillerets. Pale lemon yellow. Quite a strict nose, a little suggestion of sulphur in with the stones. Always likely to be more austere from its location. At this stage at least it is not quite as complete as the very best Caillerets, but lovely wine. The finish is the best, with ripe lemons. Drink from 2028-2035. Tasted Oct 2023.Jasper Morris | 92-94 JMThe 2022 Chassagne Montrachet Les Caillerets 1er Cru has another expressive bouquet, with hints of yellow flower combining with citrus peel and lemon verbena. This gains intensity in the glass. The palate is well balanced, with a crisp, orange rind- and tangerine-tinged entry. Perhaps the Morgeot Les Grand Clos conveys more terroir on the finish, but this will still offer eight to ten years’ drinking pleasure.Vinous Media | 91 VM

The 2022 Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru Morgeot Les Grands Clos has a clean and precise bouquet of Granny Smith and Conference pear, quite Puligny-like in style. The palate is fresh on the entry, with a fine bead of acidity, quince and orange zest in the background and a lifted, very expressive finish that is an absolute delight.Vinous Media | 92 VMMid lemon colour, racy. A little stricter and chunkier than the graciousness of Fairendes, with a lemon infused energy at the back. Much more massive in structure, a real sense of energy throughout, less elegance than Fairendes, more power. Drink from 2028-2036. Tasted Oct 2023.Jasper Morris | 92-95 JM

Aromas of green apple, white flowers, orange oil and buttery pastry preface the 2022 Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Vergers, a medium to full-bodied, taut and racy wine with a satiny attack and all this site’s signature energy and cut.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPLight soil which gives high acid wines. Pale lemon colour. A stricter white fruit up at this end of the village, but no less intense. Excellent tension, you can almost taste the mother rock. A clean and crystalline finish. Drink from 2028-2035. Tasted Oct 2023.Jasper Morris | 93 JMHere the wood treatment is less subtle though by no means invasive on the smoky and floral-suffused aromas of mostly white fleshed fruit and citrus rind. The rich and generously proportioned yet quite punchy middle weight flavors also possess a seductive texture thanks to the sappy dry extract that serves to buffer the moderately firm and bright acidity supporting the solidly lengthy finish. This is not as dense as the Fairendes but it’s finer with fine complexity as well. Worth checking out.Burghound | 92 BH

The 2022 Puligny-Montrachet Noyers Brets has also turned out very nicely, revealing aromas of apple blossom, pear and hazelnuts, followed by a medium to full-bodied, satiny and fleshy palate that’s bright and saline.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91 RPPale colour with green reflexes. There is clay in the soil here, just under Enseignères. Very intense, liquorice notes over and above concentrated fresh apple, plenty of body, good acidity, Impressive length. I like this! Drink from 2026-2032. Tasted Oct 2023.Jasper Morris | 91 JM

Racked to tank. A glowing pale primrose. Not very much reduction. Good weight, a light lemon acidity behind a fine depth of concentrated fruit. With time I think more personality will emerge. Drink from 2028-2035. Tasted Dec 2023.Jasper Morris | 91-94 JM

Attractive sunny, warm notes on the nose, with a touch of white peach. Much more acidity and flintiness evident. A very high-quality Chablis which will benefit from several years ageing. Raveneau has two plots for its AP Chablis, one in a valley by Montmains, the other opposite Forêts; 1.1ha in total.Decanter | 93 DECNotes of lemon oil, lime zest, white flowers and freshly baked bread introduce the 2022 Chablis Village, a medium to full-bodied, bright and ample wine that remains pure and racy in this warm vintage, concluding with a saline finish.Robert Parker wine Advocate | 90 RPThe 2022 Chablis-Villages is a step up from the Petit Chablis as you would expect with hints of yellow fruit, Vervane and light apple strudel scents. Lovely delineation. The palate is taut and crisp with fine tension, lightly spiced with a brisk, saline finish that lingers in the mouth. This is a lovely Chablis Village that will age over the next decade.Vinous Media | 90 VMHere there is slightly better Chablis typicity to the ripe, fresh and ever-so-vaguely exotic aromas of white peach, mandarin orange, citrus confit and quinine. The succulent and generous yet decidedly punchy medium-bodied flavors conclude in a crisp, refreshing, very dry and highly refreshing finish that offers notably better depth and persistence. This is an excellent Chablis villages.Burghound | 90 BHMore lime than lemon in colour, really quite backward, lime opal fruits, much more Chablis than indicative of a hot and dry summer. Racy, stylish, full-bodied, some impressive weight here without removing typicity, length and future charm, but will take some time to develop. Drink from 2026-2030. Tasted May 2023.Jasper Morris | 89-91 JM

Raveneau mature all its Petit Chablis in 400 and 500-hectolitre barrels. Plenty of interest here, with density of ripe stone fruit and very linear acidity. Undoubtedly a very high class Petit Chablis which focuses on precision and elegance.Decanter | 93 DEC

Cool, ripe and pretty aromas include those of green apple, wet stone, petrol and a hint of soil tones. The vibrant medium weight flavors are, somewhat surprisingly, finer than those of the Caillerets if not as rich while displaying fine length on the compact, lemony and lightly mineral-infused finale. This is lovely and understated and a wine that should repay up to a decade of keeping.Burghound | 91 BH

Lovely nose of candied citrus with just a touch of butterscotch. Quite rich on the medium- to full-bodied palate, but very gentle and delicate. Lovely harmony of fine tannins, chalky minerality and ripe acidity that is already extremely satisfying in the long, silky finish. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 94 JSThe dense texture in this balanced and juicy white embraces ripe peach, spiced pear, butterscotch and smoke flavors. This is solidly structured, with light tannins lending a tactile feel on the lingering finish. Best from 2025 through 2032. 180 cases made, 60 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 92 WSThere is a vague hint of exotic character to the aromas of white and yellow peach, passion fruit, spice and wet stone. Here too there is excellent volume to the beguilingly rich flavors that, somewhat curiously, display a touch of rusticity on the otherwise markedly zest-inflected finale. This could use better depth so a few years of cellaring should help.Burghound | 90 BH

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

Raveneau mature all its Petit Chablis in 400 and 500-hectolitre barrels. Plenty of interest here, with density of ripe stone fruit and very linear acidity. Undoubtedly a very high class Petit Chablis which focuses on precision and elegance.Decanter Magazine | 93 DECThe 2022 Petit Chablis has a pretty bouquet with lime and light Golden Delicious scents. The palate is well balanced with a citric entry, modest weight, a little chalky in texture towards the finish. Fine.Vinous Media | 88-90 VM

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

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

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

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

Always one of the more quintessentially Chablisien wines in the range, the 2022 Chablis 1er Cru Les Lys offers up notes of citrus oil, white flowers, wet stones and oyster shell, followed by a medium to full-bodied, satiny and pure palate that’s suave but incisive, concluding with a saline finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPWith its particular northerly exposition within Vaillons, you would expect Les Lys to be very successful in 2022. And it is. A fine blend of freshness allied to sun-drenched ripeness, with a pronounced mineral finish. A great example of the distinctive terroir of Les Lys. Long, mineral, salty tail.Decanter Magazine | 93 DECThe 2022 Chablis Les Lys 1er Cru comes from north/northwest-facing vines. This complex and detailed bouquet of yellow fruit, lemon verbena and lemon thyme is quite minerally and focused. The well-balanced palate has a fine acidic spine, more sapidity than the Vaillons and a persistent and detailed finish as it fans out. Superb.Vinous Media | 91-93 VMThere is a certain coolness to the otherwise ripe aromas of apple, pear, sea breeze and quinine. The succulent and unusually rich middleweight flavors are also nicely refined while flashing a bead of minerality on the youthfully austere, balanced and lilting finale that could use better depth. This citrusy effort is really quite good and one that should benefit markedly from a few years of keeping.Burghound | 91 BHJust assembled so cloudy, as all the lees remain in suspension. The bouquet is less fine but shows nonetheless a wealth of pure white fruit which is attractive. Lots of marl with a mix of portlandian and kimmeridgian soils, the former adding the body, the latter leaving the lick of salinity. Good length. Drink from 2026-2034. Tasted Jun 2023.Jasper Morris | 91-93 JM

This also displays moderate wood influence on the ripe layered and pure nose that displays good layering and ample Chablis typicity. There is impressive mid-palate density to the opulent and lavishly rich medium-bodied flavors that possess a borderline lush, even creamy, mouthfeel, all wrapped in a citrusy and sneaky long finish. This unusually powerful effort should also be capable of mid-term development yet drink well after only 5 or so years.Burghound | 91-94 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

Although 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 DECThe 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 VMProminent 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 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 VMBougros, 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 DECFresh 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 JMOnce 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 BH

The 2022 Chablis Vaillon 1er Cru Cuvée Guy Moreau, matured half and half in vat and barrels, has a cohesive nose with shucked oyster shells infusing the citrus fruit. Quite classic in style. The palate is well-balanced with impressive depth and elegance. Sapid towards the finish with gentle grip, this Cuvée Guy Moreau is extremely promising.Vinous Media | 92-94 VMA slightly cooler nose reflects notes of white pepper and a touch of the exotic while the wood treatment, while subtle, is a bit more noticeable. The old vines are in evidence as the mouthfeel of the medium-bodied flavors is markedly denser as the sappy extract coats the palate while buffering the moderately firm acid spine shaping the very dry, more complex and slightly long finale. Lovely.Burghound | 90-93 BH

The 2022 Chablis Les Clos Grand Cru has a beautifully defined bouquet with yellow plum, wet stone, hints of baked bread and pressed white flowers. Very good intensity. The palate is well-balanced with fine delineation, very good salinity and tension with superb precision towards the finish. This Les Clos doesn’t want the Valmur to get all the acclaim.Vinous Media | 94-96 VMModerate wood is present on the overtly floral-suffused nose of mostly white fleshed fruit, especially pear and apple, along with notes of citrus confit, acacia and oyster shell whiffs. There is excellent richness and concentration to the markedly powerful larger-scaled flavors that coat the palate on the overtly stony, dry and compact finale. At least moderate patience will be required as this is pretty tightly wound.Burghound | 92-95 BH

A wine of intense concentration, tension and focus, even in the warm conditions of 2022. Aroma notes of ripe apple, peach and quince, then the volume and density you’d expect from 2022, but it’s well balanced by the fresh acidity that draws it to a lingering finish. Grapes from Niellon’s plot of old vines are fermented on native yeasts in 40% new cask. This wine is among the best from this vintage and will make old bones if you are so inclined.Decanter | 98 DECThe vines were planted in 1962 and 1968. Pale to mid lemon in colour. A light reduction on the nose. The limestone is close to the surface on the nose, a little biscuit note, this is discreet but evidently with a fine tensile strength. Just leave this the time to blossom and it will become a really fine example. Drink from 2030-2038. Tasted: October 2023.Jasper Morris | 95 JM

The magnificent, carousel-like sweep of the hill of Corton – almost 100 m top to bottom, and revelling in every exposition save north – means that exact location on the hill is critical for quality. The white wines of Corton-Charlemagne come overwhelmingly from south-west- and west-facing vineyards, coolly exposed, so often these are among the least articulate of all Burgundy’s great white Grands Crus in their youth. Not, though, in the case of this wine from the generous 2022 vintage. It’s promisingly pale, but already compelling on the nose, with subtle oak, wild hawthorne blossom and refined grape and cool citrus. It has all the controlled breadth you’d expect on the palate with more white blossom and subtle, vinous, breath-freshening fruits. The finish is long and lingering, mingling ripe, fruit-bonded acidity with a quiet pulse of ripeness. It will, of course, be better after a decade in a cool cellar, but there’s nothing to stop you enjoying the wine soon, either. Alcohol 13.0%. (DWWA 2024). - Decanter | 97 DECFour plots all in Pernand. Pale in colour with ripe apple notes. The bouquet suggests a leaner style of wine than the palate delivers, which may be a question of being just after bottling. There is some complexity on the palate, a little lime, a phenolic touch. I don’t notice the 40% new wood, so there is clearly good fruit concentration.Jasper Morris | 92-95 JM