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The 2017 la Dominode is the most structured young Savigny premier cru in the cellars, but its potential is enormous. The youthful nose was still in the process of absorbing its serving of new oak, but will do so seamlessly with a bit more age, and offers up a fine blend of black plums, red and black cherries, pigeon, dark soil tones, raw cocoa, a bit of bonfire, cedar and an exotic topnote of licorice. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and nicely reserved out of the blocks, with an excellent core of fruit, fine-grained tannins and a long, soil-driven and complex finish. This is serious juice. (Drink between 2026-2065)John Gilman | 94+ JGHere too a generous dollop of wood frames the very spicy aromas of plum liqueur, dark raspberry and subtle humus and underbrush scents. The sleek and impressively intense medium weight flavors brim with minerality while offering the best complexity and persistence in the range on the balanced, firm and serious finish. This too should amply reward mid to even longer-term cellaring potential.Burghound | 92 BHThe 2017 Savigny-lès-Beaune La Dominode 1er Cru has another promising bouquet of pure blackberry, bilberry, crushed stone and light loamy scents that gain intensity in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with crisp tannin, offering plenty of crunchy black fruit. Slightly tarry toward the finish but perhaps offers the most persistency amongst Pavelot’s impressive range. Cellar this for three years if you can.Vinous Media | 91-93 VM

The 2020 Puligny-Montrachet Les Folatières 1er Cru has a straightforward bouquet: orchard fruit and Granny Smith apples with just a touch of petrichor. It’s not complex, but it has more typicité than some of its brethren (even if it needs to shake off some reduction that actually becomes more evident with aeration). The palate is well-balanced with plenty of concentration, real weight and heft in the mouth, citrus peel mixed with lanolin and a hint of fennel. Spicy towards the finish, this lingers long in the mouth. Power and tenderness combined. Tasted blind at the annual Burgfest tasting.Vinous Media | 95 VMFresh in colour, a lifted perfumed floral nose, on the sharper side. Then some bacon fat as well as lemon balm. Not quite sure what to make of this. No faulting the intensity, but it is not quite harmonious today. Drink from 2025-2030. Tasted May 2024.Jasper Morris | 92 JM

An abundance of Chablis typicity is present on the aromas of mineral reduction, white orchard fruit, citrus zest and tidal pool. There is again very good volume and density to the medium-bodied flavors that are unusually powerful for Fourchaume, all wrapped in a lemony and almost salty finish. This is quite promising and particularly so for a négociant offering.Burghound | 90-93 BH(Chablis “Fourchaume”- Domaine William Fèvre (Domaine vines)) The Fourchaume from the estate’s own holdings in Fourchaume (all of which lie in Vaulorent) is a notable step up in the 2020 vintage from the bottling made from purchased fruit. The nose is pure, deep and precise, delivering scents of pear, apple, lime blossoms, just a touch of paraffin, spring flowers and a very complex base of limestone minerality. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied, racy and rock solid at the core, with a bit more of a reserved personality than the above wine, but more backend lift, cut and grip. This wine has great focus and balance and will be stunning once it starts to blossom in four or five years. (Drink between 2026 - 2060)John Gilman | 93+ JGQuite a lot of weight here. A tad overripe perhaps? Less precision than the other wines so far. Big, powerful example of Fourchaume. Loads of acidity to keep everything fresh, should age well, perhaps not in quite such an elegant way.Decanter | 92 DEC

Complex smoky and nutty character, excellent concentration with a wonderful mineral acidity that keeps this very bright through the long, multilayered finish. No hint of anything exotic or overly ripe in spite of the ample depth.James Suckling | 96 JS

The 2022 Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Les Pruliers is unusually supple and suave for this site, offering up aromas of dark berries, orange zest, peonies, vine smoke and grilled squab, followed by a medium to full-bodied, supple and velvety palate with lively acids, sweet tannins and a saline finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92-93 RPThis is aromatically similar to the Perrières with perhaps just a touch more sauvage character in evidence. The powerful if slightly less concentrated flavors pack first-rate punch on the moderately austere, vibrant and compact finale that is also built to repay longer-term cellaring, indeed 20 years would not be a surprise.Burghound | 92-94 BHDense youthful purple, with an exceptionally youthful bouquet in concentrated fresh raspberry mode, vivid but plentiful tannins and good acidity excellent tension - this one always needs time says Bertrand. Drink from 2031-2039. Tasted Nov 2023.Jasper Morris | 92-95 JMThe 2022 Nuits Saint-Georges Les Pruliers 1er Cru offers a mixture of red and black fruit on the nose, with background touches of wild mint and menthol, quite ripe and opulent. The palate is medium-bodied with a succulent opening. Again, overtly fruit-driven with a sorbet-fresh finish. Maybe it needs a little more finesse and Pinoté to develop in barrel? Give it three or four years.Vinous Media | 91-93 VM

The 2022 Chablis Montée de Tonnerre 1er Cru has a very impressive bouquet with wonderful marine-inflected malic scents, quite strict and focused, leaning more to traditional old school Chablis. The palate is very well balanced with a sapid entry, linear and strict with a twist of sour lemon on the finish. Excellent.Vinous Media | 93 VMCool and restrained, not showing a lot at the moment, but has a fine balance between fruit ripeness and a fine thread of acidity. Precise, this will need time. Samuel Billaud has one plot in Chapelot and one in Montée de Tonnerre.Decanter Magazine | 93 DECFresh mid lemon. Very classy on the nose, with the extra fruit-driven intensity. A brilliant core with the extra fruit from this sunny site making it more accessible. A tropical take on grapefruit promotes a lovely aftertaste Drink from 2027-2036. Tasted Jun 2024.Jasper Morris | 93 JMAn elegant, pure and beautifully airy nose presents ripe but wonderfully fresh aromas of mineral reduction, acacia blossom and oyster shell trimmed in enough wood to merit mentioning. The racy and borderline painfully intense middleweight flavors exude a bracing minerality that adds a sense of lift to the detailed, focused and lingering finale that is neither especially dry nor austere. Other than a trace of backend warmth, this is a classic MdT though one that could use better depth, so a few years of patience will be necessary.Burghound | 92 BH

The 2022 Chassagne-Montrachet La Boudriotte 1er Cru has a crisp and precise bouquet, very focused with seamlessly integrated oak, crushed limestone and petrichor scents percolating through the yellow fruit. The palate is very well-balanced, with a slightly honeyed opening. It’s one of the richer cuvées by taste, though analytically, it has very good acidity and 13% alcohol. Fans out wonderfully on the finish. Excellent.Vinous Media | 93 VMAn expressive nose freely offers up its array of various white orchard fruit, petrol and rosemary oil scents. Here too there is good volume to the medium-bodied and fleshy flavors that also coat the palate with dry extract on the clean, dry and lingering finish. This needs better depth but that should reasonably occur with a few years of cellaring.Burghound | 91 BH

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

The domaine’s 2022 Chablis 1er Cru Fourchaume, a parcel selection in Vaulorent, opens in the glass with notes of sweet citrus fruit, white flowers and oyster shell, followed by a medium to full-bodied, ample and pillowy palate that’s cool and fleshy, concluding with a saline finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RP

Didier Séguier notes that Montmains, with it’s deep clay soil, imparts extra richness. A favourite cuvée for Séguier, this is very mineral in character, tempering the richness and power on the palate. Fèvre owns 3.8ha of Montmains, coming from 10 plots across all three sub-climats.Decanter | 93 DECClear lemon and lime colour. Just a very light coquillage reduction. Then the wine builds a beautiful level of intensity on the palate, a lime thread, very salivating for its dry finish. An impeccable balance, this is faultless. And so persistent! Nothing heavy, nothing over sunny. Drink from 2027-2035. Tasted: June 2023.Jasper Morris | 93-95 JMThe cool and almost reticent nose makes clear that it could be from nowhere but Chablis with its array of prominent mineral reduction, shellfish and iodine-scented pear and floral aromas. The more refined if perhaps slightly less generous middleweight flavors possess both good volume and vibrancy on the lightly stony, persistent and balanced finish. This lovely effort should be more than capable of delivering 7 to 10 years of cellaring potential.Burghound | 90-93 BHThe 2022 Chablis Montmains 1er Cru has a tightly wound bouquet, maybe a little reduced now, rendering it challenging to read. The palate is well-balanced with a malic entry, fine acidity, and modest depth, with a peppery touch lingering on the aftertaste. This needs a little more personality and engagement.Vinous Media | 89-91 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

A beautifully layered nose subtly blends notes of poached pear, just sliced apple, spice and a touch of citrus confit. There is an equally beautiful texture to the seductive and caressing medium weight flavors that possess sneaky good length on the balanced finale. This is lovely and while it’s not particularly intense, it remains refreshing and inviting as well as a wine that could be enjoyed on the younger side if desired.Burghound | 92 BHThe 2023 Chassagne-Montrachet Chenevottes 1er Cru has a lovely bouquet with citrus peel and light floral scents. It’s a little more reductive than other cuvées, but that’s no bad thing. The palate is well-balanced with a fine bead of acidity, building nicely in the mouth with just a hint of peach skin on the finish. Excellent.Vinous Media | 91-93 VMPale lemon and lime. There is a touch of citrus with the minor reduction. Firm at the finish which is no bad thing as there is a considerable volume of white orchard fruit which needs to be kept in place. Easy of access once again. Drink from 2026-2030. Tasted Oct 2024.Jasper Morris | 91 JM

The 2023 Puligny-Montrachet Champ Canet 1er Cru showed more reduction on the nose, yet there is clearly a lot of intensity here. It’s slightly more resinous than its peers, containing touches of melted candle wax and lanolin. The palate is well balanced and poised, with a keen silver thread of acidity and real energy building toward an assertive and complex finish. It is far superior to the 2022 when I tasted it last year. This is superb.Vinous Media | 93-95 VMA fine mid lemon colour. Discretion continues to be the Sauzet watchword. The Champ Canet has the ideal balance between the concentration of white fruit flesh, acidity, nuance and length. The fruit ripples over a bed of minerals. Very compelling. Drink from 2029-2035. Tasted Oct 2024.Jasper Morris | 93-96 JMVery firm reduction is such that the lightly wooded nose reveals nothing today. By contrast, there is good verve to the delicious and attractively textured flavors that aren’t quite as dense as those of the Truff but, also somewhat unusually, they do display more minerality on the bitter lemon zest-inflected finale.Burghound | 90-93 BH

Top notes of lanolin and vanilla are backed by honeysuckle, peach and lemon tart flavors in this youthful white. With air, this gains freshness and elegance, leaving a salty, mineral element to mingle with the oak spice on the finish. Best from 2027 through 2038. 60 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WSThere is a lovely, opulent balance between the richness of this wine and the elegance of its acid structure. The initial attack is redolent of grapefruit and quince with hints of hawthorn flowers and chalk. The texture is tightly wound and powerful, yet the wine is silky and very fine, even at this stage. The grapes are from the heart of the Vaillon lieu-dit and were planted in 1933 by Fabien Moreau’s grandfather Guy. One third was fermented in cask, two-thirds in tank; aged for a total of 18 months before bottling.Decanter Magazine | 93 DECThe 2023 Chablis Vaillon 1er Cru Cuvée Guy Moreau, which comes from 90-year-old vines, did not finish its fermentation until the following June. It is a little broader on the nose compared to the regular cuvée and this displays a touch more depth. The palate is well balanced and fresh with a bead of acidity and hints of toffee apple and white peach toward the finish. This is very fine.Vinous Media | 91 VMHere too a whiff of the exotic can be found on the slightly riper and lightly oaky aromas of pear, apple and citrus confit plus just enough Chablis typicity to be interesting. As is usually the case, the old vines are in evidence on the middle weight plus flavors thanks to the abundance of sappy dry extract that coats the palate on the seductively textured finish. This does however need better depth so at least some patience is recommended.Burghound | 91 BHLively lemon and lime. The oak ageing means that the bouquet is more hidden in youth. There is a suggestion of greater depth of fruit, along with a little biscuity touch. Some decent acidity, but soft white fruit and flesh dominates the palate. Fair length, not so much tension. Hovering on 13% alcohol. Drink from 2026-2032. Tasted Jun 2025.Jasper Morris | 90 JM

Broad and densely textured, with flavors of peach and apple, but mostly vanilla and lanolin from the oak. This is less expressive and focused than its peers yet shows staying power, echoing the oak spice on the finish. Best from 2027 through 2037. 150 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 91 WSPale in colour with a green tint. The Vaillons has kept its fresh kimmeridgian nose, though the palate is softer and fleshier, in white fruit, than a Chablis of the past. A little lick of iodine on the stones to finish. This wine has retained some tension, without recourse to acidification, because the malolactic was partially blocked. Drink from 2026-2032. Tasted Jun 2025.Jasper Morris | 91 JMThe 2023 Chablis Vaillon 1er Cru, which did not complete malolactic fermentation to retain acidity, has a vivacious, flinty nose that leaps from the glass. The palate is well balanced with a steely opening. Seductive lemon thyme and orange pith notes come through on the mid-palate, with a dab of ginger that enlivens the finish. The 2023 is very fine.Vinous Media | 90 VMVague whiffs of the exotic and a phenolic hint lurk in the background of the aromas of pear, citrus rind and discreet spice nuances. There is both more volume and refinement to the nicely concentrated medium-bodied flavors that possess better depth on the equally lightly austere finish that offers a bit more persistence.Burghound | 90 BH

The Fèvre bottling of premier cru Beauroy is teeming with wonderful aromas of lime peel and green apple, touched with a bit of smoky reduction and a lovely salty edge on the finish. The texture is lively and fresh, but there is also density here. The grapes come from three parcels located in part of the Beauroy climat called Troésmes. There are two parcels of old vines (up to 50 years of age) and one of young vines. The grapes are fermented and aged partly in tank and partly in cask (40–50%).Decanter Magazine | 94 DECThis sunny white is broad and fleshy, evoking peach, yellow plum, orange peel and neroli aromas and flavors. An undercurrent of lively acidity and mineral keeps this defined and propels the long aftertaste. Drink now through 2033. 40 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WSA step up in tension, the 2023 Chablis 1er Cru Beauroy, sourced from a high-maturity site planted with 60-year-old vines, delivers notes of white flowers, pear, peach and honeysuckle. Medium- to full-bodied, ample and textural, the palate is lively and charming. A notably sunny terroir, Beauroy—like Vaillons and Vaudésir—is harvested on the early side to preserve balance and freshness.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91 RPThe 2023 Chablis “Beauroy” from Domaine Fèvre is a very pretty example of the vintage. The wine’s nose is complex and nicely succulent in personality, offering up notes of pear, tart orange, wet stone minerality, lime peel and a topnote of fruit blossoms. On the palate the wine is full-bodied, zesty and nicely reserved in profile today, with a good core of the vintage’s beautiful fruit, good acids and grip and a long, soil-driven and beautifully balanced finish. This will be one of the earlier-drinking premier crus in the stables this year and will make an excellent addition to a well-stocked wine list. (Drink between 2026-2050)John Gilman | 91+ JGBlended yesterday with its lees, so troubled. Will stay on lees through to the spring, but the upheaval dumbs down the nose and fattens the palate, so it is hard to taste with exactitude today. Even so, the central core is in place with attractive flavours to finish, and enough acidity. Drink from 2026-2032. Tasted Jun 2024.Jasper Morris | 90-92 JMThe 2023 Chablis Beauroy 1er Cru had just been pumped so it was extremely cloudy in the glass as they keep the lees. The bouquet is well defined with light marine/oyster shell scents. The palate is balanced with pleasing fatness on the entry, not a steely or austere Beauroy. A sunny Chablis that has a "smile" on the finish.Vinous Media | 88-90 VMA slightly riper yet still attractively fresh nose combines notes of white peach and passion fruit with those of iodine and shellfish. There is a lovely texture to the rich and sappy medium-bodied flavors that also conclude in a lingering if mildly warm finale. Once again, this should drink well after only a few years of keeping.Burghound | 88-90 BH

Sourced from a north-facing site beneath forest cover with clay-rich soils, a parcel selection in Vaillons, the 2023 Chablis 1er Cru Les Lys is among the most quintessentially Chablisien wines in the portfolio and is harvested around a week later than the fruit that enters the Vaillons bottling. It offers aromas of oyster juice, white flowers, lemon oil and Granny Smith apple, followed by a medium- to full-bodied, incisive and pure palate that is elegant yet racy and fresh, concluding with a long, saline finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPI love Domaine Fèvre’s Les Lys bottling, year in and year out, and the 2023 is another absolutely superb premier cru in the making. The exposition of this vineyard is plain north, which may account why it acquits itself so well so often in this age of global warming. The 2023 Les Lys is a beautiful wine on both the nose and palate, offering up a complex blend of lime, pear, stony minerality, a touch of anise, dried flowers and an exotic touch of mossiness in the upper register that recall a bit the Abtsberg vineyard from Maximin Grünhaus. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, precise and complex, with a great core of pure fruit, a lovely girdle of acidity, fine minerality and a long, vibrant and impeccably balanced finish. (Drink between 2029-2060)John Gilman | 93+ JGThe 2023 Chablis Les Lys 1er Cru comes from a single hectare of vines. Lime, red apple and touches of orange pith and peach skin develop in the glass. The palate is well balanced with a taut line of acidity, silky smooth, very composed with a lot of finesse on the finish. This is one of the domaine’s hidden gems and should not be under-estimated.Vinous Media | 91-93 VMThis ripe white’s peach, apricot and melon flavors are accented by earth, citrus peel and vanilla notes. Airy in texture and mouthwatering on the finish. Drink now through 2033. 50 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 91 WSThis is also quite fresh though a bit cooler with its array of pretty floral, citrus confit, iodine and oyster shell nuances. There is unusually good richness and volume for Les Lys to the sappy and succulent flavors that terminate in a sappy, powerful and lightly bitter lemon-inflected finale. Good if not special quality here.Burghound | 90 BHClear pale lemon yellow. The nose is taking coaxing but has the precision. Very good tension, still with delicacy despite the concentration, nothing dilute here, good tension with a little bitterness at the back. Very promising. Drink from 2027-2034. Tasted Jun 2024.Jasper Morris | 90-92 JM

In the hands of Fèvre winemaker Didier Séguier, premier cru Montmains has a certain initial reserve. But with time, the green apple and gooseberry notes, touched with acacia blossoms and spice, open up on the palate. The texture is lively and fresh, yet there is substance here as well. The grapes are assembled from 10 parcels throughout Montmains, including some in Forêts and Butteaux. Séguier explains that Butteaux is deep in the valley and further from the Serein so it ripens later. The grapes are fermented in tank and older casks for 40–50% of the harvest.Decanter Magazine | 95 DECDelicate aromas of white blossom, brioche, freshly-cut golden apple and dried grass draw in the nose with feathery opulence. The palate is rich with citrusy acidity that plays second fiddle to fall-ripened orchard fruit that washes across wet stone on the finish. Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEThere’s a sleek feel to this white despite its rich texture, revealing lemon, apple and flint flavors, plus a hint of honey. Harmonious and enticing, this ends with citrus and stone elements. Shows fine expression and length. Drink now through 2032. 250 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 92 WSThe 2023 Montmains from Didier Séguier is a beautifully classic example in this vintage. The wine’s aromatic constellation is complex and refined, delivering a mix of green apple, lemon, wet stone minerality, a touch of menthol, dried flowers and a topnote of lime peel. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and precise, with a lovely core of fruit, excellent backend mineral drive, fine balance and a long, zesty and complex finish. Fine juice. (Drink between 2027-2050)John Gilman | 92 JGSourced from a large 3.8-hectare south- and southeast-facing site, where individual parcels are harvested and vinified separately, the 2023 Chablis 1er Cru Montmains reveals aromas of Granny Smith apple, jasmine, pear and oyster shell. Medium- to full-bodied, the palate is taut and racy, concluding with a saline finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91 RPAssembled earlier today, so cloudy and this procedure also masks the nose. Classic Montmains behind, with the usual reductive grip, yet also some elegance, very persistent. The lees were first class, says Didier Seguier and this certainly has the makings of a first class Montmains. Drink from 2027-2034. Tasted Jun 2024.Jasper Morris | 91-94 JMAn exuberantly fresh nose speaks of mineral reduction, prominent floral, oyster shell and essence of pear scents. There is again solid volume and richness to the seductively textured middle weight flavors that possess just a bit more finishing verve as well as more evident minerality. Here too there is a touch of warmth but it’s not really enough to materially impair the overall sense of balance.Burghound | 88-91 BH

Crushed stone and green apple mingle on the nose that rests against a wall of baby’s breath and muddled white blossom. The steely palate accentuates purity of fruit while elevating freshness on the finish that is lifted by a nervy layer of acidity. Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEThe 2023 Chablis “Vaillons” from Domaine William Fèvre is another absolutely classic expression of this fine premier cru vineyard. The bouquet is bright and complex, wafting from the glass in a lovely mix of lemon, pink grapefruit, anise, citrus peel, chalky minerality, white flowers and a gentle topnote of beeswax. On the palate the wine is vibrant, full-bodied and focused, with a great core of fruit, lovely bounce and grip, seamless balance and a long, mineral-driven and complex finish. First class Vaillons! (Drink between 2028-2055)John Gilman | 93 JGSourced from a sunny, precocious site that is typically among the first to be harvested, the 2023 Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons delivers aromas of beeswax, orange oil, pear and honeysuckle. Full-bodied, enveloping and charming, it is underpinned by ripe yet vibrant acidity and concludes with a saline finish, reflecting the personality of the warm vintage. The wine is derived from 3.5 hectares, the majority of which lies within Vaillons proper.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92+ RPLinear in profile, yet with a fleshy texture enveloping flavors of lemon cake, yellow plum and apple. There’s an underlying flintiness that, coupled with the acidity, brings clarity to the citrus-tinged aftertaste. Excellent length. Drink now through 2033. 150 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 92 WSThe 2023 Chablis Vaillons 1er Cru has much more composure than the Montmains, more harmonious and poised. Light sea spray scents mixed with Crustacea come through with aeration. The palate is well balanced with fine delineation, quite linear and malic with a concentrated finish. I prefer this to the Montmains this year.Vinous Media | 90-92 VMAn exuberantly fresh nose features notes of essence of apple, sea breeze, pink grapefruit and oyster shell. The delicious, fleshy and solidly concentrated medium weight flavors deliver good if not truly special length on the lightly stony, balanced and bitter lemon-inflected finale. This is sufficiently rich to allow for early accessibility but it also has the stuffing to repay 6 to 10 years of cellaring.Burghound | 89-91 BHMid lemon yellow. A little headier in bouquet than the Montmains, balanced by a reductive note. Richer than usual for Vaillons but still with some balance. A little youthful bitterness. Not quite in place today. Drink from 2026-2033. Tasted Jun 2024.Jasper Morris | 89-91 JM

The 2023 Chassagne-Montrachet “Boudriotte” from Domaine Fontaine-Gagnard is not quite as buttoned up behind its structure as the lovely la Grande Montagne, but it too is going to need a couple of years in the cellar before drinking in earnest. The wine offers up a lovely bouquet of apple, lime, wet stone minerality, a touch of almond, vanillin oak and a Ramonet-like hint of peppermint in the upper register. On the palate the wine is deep. full-bodied, complex and beautifully balanced, with a fine core, lovely acids and grip and a long, well balanced and zesty finish. Fine juice. (Drink between 2029-2060)John Gilman | 93 JGThe 2023 Chassagne-Montrachet La Boudriotte 1er Cru comes from lower down the slope. It has a taut and fresh bouquet—a little austere at first—but gradually reveals its energy. The palate is well balanced with a brisk, edgy opening and citrus-fresh orange zest notes toward the penetrating finish. This has great potential. I can imagine it marrying perfectly with fruits de mer.Vinous Media | 91-93 VMThis is also quite firmly reduced though here too there is both good freshness and vibrancy to the slightly bigger-bodied and more powerful, if less mineral-driven, flavors that also offer acceptable depth and persistence though here, the finish isn’t as awkward. Again, I attribute the slight lack of harmony to the very recent bottling.Burghound | 91 BH

Forward aromas of lemon peel, green apple and pear are accented with flint, chalk and spice notes. The texture is lively and taut, and the tension draws the wine to a dynamic finish. The grapes are from a 0.33ha plot on the right bank, very near the grands crus in thin, stony soils over a compact layer of Kimmeridgian – classic Chablis. Benoît Droin says of this wine, ’it’s not to drink, it’s to wait 15 years’, but wine lovers will be forgiven for jumping the gun.Decanter Magazine | 94 DECThe 2023 Chablis 1er Cru Vaulorent offers up aromas of white peach, flowers and oyster shells, followed by a medium to full-bodied, satiny and layered palate that’s suave and ethereal, with racy acids and a saline finish. This is especially good in 2023.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93+ RPThe 2023 Chablis Vaulorent 1er Cru has a vibrant, minerally bouquet with a sea spray/oyster shell scent that becomes more intense with aeration. Very precise. The palate is smooth on the entry, very detailed with a fine bead of acidity, subtle praline and chai notes towards the elegant and seductive finish. Not long term perhaps, but beautifully crafted.Vinous Media | 93 VMAs with the Montmains, a discreet application of wood sets off ripe orchard fruit, especially pear, suffused with oyster shell, lemon zest and cool floral wisps. There is fine density to the intense and succulent medium weight flavors that deliver very good persistence on the citrusy, balanced and sappy finale. As it often is chez Droin, this is really quite stylish if perhaps slightly more forward than it usually is. Either way, it is lovely.Burghound | 92 BHBenoît uses 30% barrel vinification here with younger wood given the intrinsic power of Vaulorent. Lots of stones show in the nose. After this austere start there is a wealth of richer white fruit, infused with minerals, leading to a generous finish without any tropical notes. This should develop into a classic. Drink from 2027-2035. Tasted Jun 2024.Jasper Morris | 92-94 JM

The Vaulorent from Fèvre is more mineral than its Montée de Tonnerre, if a bit less lush, with aromas of lime peel, mirabelle plum, and passion fruit. The texture is chiselled and concentrated, with layers of tightly wound extract and a dense, chalky finish. The grapes are from 3.6ha in Vaulorent, which is part of Fourchaume but located on the side of the grands crus. Winemaker Didier Séguier chooses his favourite blocks for this bottling and crafts a ’classic’ Fourchaume from the rest. Fermentation is done in older casks for 40-50% of the grapes. (Drink between 2030-2060)Decanter Magazine | 95 DECSourced from the upper part of the climat and planted with 40- to 60-year-old vines, the 2023 Chablis 1er Cru Vaulorent wafts from the glass with a deep bouquet of lemon oil, white flowers, orange peel, peach, pear and a delicate reductive signature. Medium- to full-bodied, concentrated and layered, it is framed by ample, chalky structuring extract and racy acidity, concluding with a persistent, saline finish. This is a terrific performer once again.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94+ RPA bit more vertical than the more complete, rounder Fauchaume. This shows a touch of smoky, flinty stones with slightly crisper acidity. Lots of brightness with a saline, pithy finish. It challenges you a bit more with slightly more austerity perhaps. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 94 JSThe 2023 Chablis “Vaulorent” from Domaine William Fèvre is outstanding. The wine’s bouquet is bright and complex, hopping from the glass in a mix of lime, pear, green apple, chalky minerality, a touch of anise and a lovely floral topnote redolent of citrus blossoms. On the palate the wine is full-bodied, pure and shows off superb depth of fruit at the core, with great mineral drive and cut, snappy acids and outstanding length and grip on the complex and racy finish. A classic in the making! (Drink between 2030-2060)John Gilman | 94+ JGDistinctive, this white is downright spicy, featuring flavors of peppery greens, lemon, lime zest and mineral, plus a hint of white pepper. Well-defined and balanced, with a long, stony finish. Best from 2026 through 2038. 150 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WSGreen apple, bosc pear and white peach skin aromas merge in the glass accentuated by hints of dried herbs and bread dough. The palate elevates fresh orchard fruit, toasted lemon peel and crushed wet stone. Pair with grilled-cheese toast and lentil soup.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WERipe, fresh and pretty aromas are comprised by notes of the essence of white fleshed fruit, especially peach and pear, along with hints of acacia, mineral reduction and algae. There is a bit more volume to the highly seductive and caressing medium-bodied flavors that retain good underlying tension that also suffuses the balanced, youthfully austere and slightly firmer finish. Worth considering.Burghound | 92 BHPale but glowing, a note of citron confit, an additional depth compared to the Fourchaume. More flesh but perfectly proportioned, fine and elegant, and very long indeed. This should be first class. Flavours will absolutely not go away! As much yellow as white but balanced. Drink from 2028-2036. Tasted Jun 2024.Jasper Morris | 92-95 JMThe 2023 Chablis Vaulorent 1er Cru has a mineral-driven bouquet–oyster shells and a touch of petrichor, quite intense. The palate is well balanced with a pleasant "bite" on the entry. A twist of sour lemon imparts tension and gets the saliva flowering. Fine weight on the finish, this should age well in bottle.Vinous Media | 90-92 VM

The Maltroie red has a deep ruby colour and an admirable concentration of red and black fruit with hints of earth, smoke and violets. The texture is silky, but there is also depth and enough structure to draw this out to a lingering finish. The grapes are from 0.44ha of the Clos de la Maltroie, not to be confused with Clos du Château de la Maltroye.Decanter Magazine | 95 DECThe 2023 Chassagne-Montrachet Clos de la Maltroie 1er Cru is clean and precise on the nose, with touches of lemon rind and crushed stone. The palate is taut and fresh, with plenty of lime and citrus fruit and more stony notes developing on the finish. The 2023 is a level up from 2022.Vinous Media | 90-92 VMA more floral-suffused nose offers up vaguely exotic aromas of white peach, lychee and passion fruit along with just sliced citrus hints. I very much like the sense of underlying tension and caressing mouthfeel the barely middle weight flavors display before culminating in a balanced, long and agreeably dry finale. This too could use better depth but the development potential seems clear.Burghound | 90 BHNot much deeper in colour than the village wine but with significantly more fruit weight, still strawberry up front underpinned by a little raspberry, and here also the evidence of some new wood. One new barrel out of four. Drink from 2028-2032. Tasted Oct 2024.Jasper Morris | 89-92 JM

Always the last plot to be picked of any vintage, the 2023 Chassagne-Montrachet Clos des Murées 1er Cru has more reduction on the nose at the moment. The palate is well balanced and quite powerful with a fine bead of acidity, slightly honeyed fruit notes and a little viscosity toward the finish. This will be attractive in its youth, though I believe other cuvées will have more longevity.Vinous Media | 90 VMA cool and airy nose is very fresh with its aromas of just sliced apple, pear and floral nuances. The medium weight flavors are not quite as dense but they’re finer with more evident minerality on the lingering and balanced finale that could also use more depth. I would add that the Clos des Murées is often mildly exotic but such is not the case in 2023.Burghound | 90 BH