Proprietary Blend Wines

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Smoky black cherries, savory herbs, crushed stone, and graphite nuances all emerge from the 2022 Château Fombrauge, a wonderfully textured, full-bodied Saint-Emilion that has ripe, integrated tannins and a great finish.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDSoft herbal and menthol accents on the nose join ripe bramble berries and touches of cedar spice. Juicy and fleshy, this has a nice overall expression combining strength and heft with focus and push. Lovely bitter orange, cocoa and coffee touches join the fruit with fine tannins giving a touch of bite to the palate. Feels finessed and well worked.Decanter Magazine | 93 DECAromas of white pepper, iron, fresh blackberries and currants. Juicy and firm, with a medium to full body and firm, dusty tannins that tightened at the end. Very good length. Drink from 2026.James Suckling | 93 JSA juicy blend of Merlot (along with a good proportion of Cabernet Franc), the wine is rich and structured. Juicy black fruits will develop well, as the wood aging adds a fine polish. Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEThe blend in 2022 is 71% Merlot and 29% Cabernet Franc, the focus clearly on the Cabernet which only accounts for 9% of the vineyard. A dark, smoky and toasted nose, laden with vanilla pod, toasted cranberry, rose-petal tobacco and dark chocolate, very typical of the style for Fombrauge. This is followed by a svelte, dark and polished palate, with a rich core of peppery tannins, leading into a finish framed by the structure. This is old-school Magrez in terms of colour, flavour and extract, but it has a fresher, more vivacious, more peppery edge than it used to. Nicely done. It needs cellar time of course. Tasted twice. The alcohol on the label is 14.5%.The Wine Independent | 93 TWIThe 2022 Fombrauge has an intense bouquet with blackberry, raspberry and floral scents. Very aromatic anis and orange pith touches develop in the glass with time. The palate is well balanced with grippy tannins, yet there is satisfying freshness and salinity. The finish is nicely detailed and persistent. Afford this Saint-Émilion a couple of years in bottle.Vinous Media | 92 VMA polished, direct style, with a mix of blackberry and cherry compote notes leading the way, along with light red licorice, sweet toast and black tea hints. A subtle tug of earth keeps this just honest enough on the finish. Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Drink now through 2035. 26,417 cases made.Wine Spectator | 91 WSThe 2022 Fombrauge displays a deep and complex yet oaky bouquet with aromas of cassis, spices, graphite and fresh tobacco. Firm and dense, concentrated and fleshy, the palate is medium to full-bodied, chunky and heavily extracted. This demonstrative, modern-styled wine is a blend of 71% Merlot and 29% Cabernet Franc.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 88-90 RP

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

Based on 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and the rest Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, the 2022 Château Lascombes pulls from 40% of the total production and was aged 18 months mostly in barrels (60% new) with a small portion in foudre. This inky hued beauty boasts a rich, concentrated, full-bodied, well-oaked style as well as pure cassis and darker berry fruits, some graphite, scorched earth, and licorice nuances, terrific overall balance, and a great finish. This more modern styled, pure, seamless beauty will benefit from 4-6 years of bottle age and keep for 30 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 96+ JDThis large estate is now settled well into its elegant stye. This new release is lifted with a licorice aroma and dense texture. It is juicy, packed with chocolate flavors and ripe tannins. The wine has a fine future. Drink from 2029.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEThis is a full-bodied Bordeaux with lots of velvety tannins and intensity. It’s a bit old-school now with so much fruit and texture, but it’s impressive, to say the least. Plenty of blackcurrant and blueberry character. Shows the richness of the vintage. Best after 2030.James Suckling | 94 JSDried flowers, exotic spices and some herbal notes join black fruit on the nose. Compact and filling on the palate, tannins are massy and firm and although there is clear juiciness, the tannins are doing all the talking right now. Not as easy as some, there’s tension and some restriction from cedar and liquorice spice but there’s also purity of fruit and a long mentholated, salty stone finish. A touch rustic but that should soften and even out in a few years.Decanter Magazine | 93 DECThe 2022 from Lascombes is a blend of 67% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot, the remaining 3% being Petit Verdot. A dark, opaque hue in the glass, and a highly scented nose laden with oaky dark chocolate, with notes of rose petal, black cherry, currant and black pepper. It has a dark and brooding intensity, but there is an undeniable sense of breadth and maturity here, and this shows on the palate which is finely polished and laden with bitter dark chocolate, tar, currant and damson, all resting on a firm tannic backbone. A huge and self-confident style here, with delicious grip, which holds together well through to the finish of rich and peppered fruit. This is impressive although it perhaps lacks typicity, although whether the terroir would come to the fore after twenty years in bottle – a possibility – is something we will only answer by coming back to this in 2042. In the meantime, I look forward to seeing what future vintages, under Axel Heinz, who joined Lascombes, in 2023, are like.The Wine Independent | 92 TWIWarm and caressing up front, with a velvety edge to its cassis and black cherry compote flavors, backed by singed black tea, wood spice and walnut husk notes that then leave a subtle, burly edge as they finish. A bit ambitious in style for this warm vintage. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2038. Tasted twice, with consistent notes. 15,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 91 WSThe 2022 Lascombes was difficult to pin down in barrel. Now in bottle, it seems to have settled down a little, although I find a little warmth commingling with the black cherry, iodine and cassis aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with a bold, ripe entry and peppery finish. This is a powerful Margaux, leaning more toward the exotic side than its peers. It’s not bad, though my preference lies with the ensuing vintage.Vinous Media | 90 VM

Beautiful, with a ripe, layered style, the 2023 Châteauneuf Du Pape Blanc offers honeyed lemon, quince, crushed stone, and floral nuances that develop beautifully with time in the glass. It’s medium to full-bodied, has a deep, layered mouthfeel, beautifully integrated acidity, and a great finish. It has a touch more depth and volume compared to the 2024 and is a sensational white from this fabulous winemaker that will keep for 20+ years if well stored. Drink 2025-2045.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDA truly stunning white, offering layers of complexity, this is supple and generous, with sun tea and dried herbs cruising alongside warm apple and quince. Round in feel, with flattering notes of macadamia and spices, but this stays fresh. Bitter chamomile and grapefruit pith elements add contrast to the full, salty finish. Drink now through 2035. 500 cases made, 50 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 96 WSThis is a relatively full-bodied wine, with a pear and quince profile, slightly tingling acidity and salinity, and a touch of pink grapefruit. It’s certainly powerful, but it has good freshness and a mineral edge. The very long finish is lifted by the Bourboulenc and Piquepoul. Made from equal parts Roussanne, Grenache Blanc, Clairette, Bourboulenc, Piquepoul and Picardan; no malo; fermented and aged in stainless steel.Decanter Magazine | 96 DECA creamy, well-rounded yet lively and citrusy white. It shows notes of fresh lemons, grapefruit, dried herbs, fennel and mild spices. It’s medium- to full-bodied. Plenty of volume on the ample palate, harmonious and poised. There is so much texture on the mid-palate with a caressing touch at the edge. Round and aromatic with a fresh, citrusy finish. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 96 JSCrafted from six permitted varieties in equal proportions, co-fermented and cold-settled for one night, the 2023 Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc from Clos des Papes exhales a delicate, complex bouquet of fennel, verbena, pear, iodine, herbs and acacia blossoms. Medium to full-bodied, pure and seamless, it’s built around bright acids, a layered, lovely structured texture and a long, ethereal, saline finish. The phenolic aftertaste adds a racy profile that I find particularly appealing.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPVivid honeysuckle, lemon peel, ripe pear and spring blossom introduce the 2023 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc. Fennel and grapefruit add more layers to what is yet another captivating white Clos des Papes from Paul-Vincent Avril. Medium-bodied and nicely balanced by mild acidity, the 2023 closes with delicate salinity on the persistent finale.Vinous Media | 94 VM

Tasted on multiple occasions, the 2023 Châteauneuf Du Pape Blanc is flat-out great. A blend of 70% Clairette and 30% Roussanne brought up in a mix of foudre and smaller concrete vessels, its medium gold hue is followed by a sensational perfume of stone fruits, dried pineapple, white flowers, and crushed stone. This carries to a medium to full-bodied white with an elegant, layered mouthfeel, perfectly integrated acidity, and a great finish. It’s approachable today yet will benefit from a year or two of bottle age and keep for well over a decade. If you get a chance, don’t miss this! There are a tiny 250 cases made.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDThis is a very powerful white Châteauneuf – textural and driving, with intensity and freshness. The oak is mostly present in texture and shape. It’s very ripe but not overdone; the alcohol is in balance and the driving acidity will propel it forward; it’s a savoury, saline style that will age well. Grown in lieu-dit Les Serres, mostly galets roulés with sand. Fermented in foudre, demi-muid and concrete eggs; aged in foudre and concrete egg for six months.Decanter | 96 DECThis youthful white Chateauneuf manages to be rich and creamy, but also lively with stacks of candied fruit aromas and a touch of waxiness on the full-bodied palate. Wonderful purity at the very silky finish that’s simultaneously expansive and precise. A cuvee based on clairette with a small amount of roussanne from organically grown grapes. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 95 JSVinified in foudres, large barrels and concrete tanks and matured for six months in wooden tanks (50%) and egg-shaped concrete tanks (50%), Ferrando’s 2023 Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc evokes aromas of spring flowers, herbs, spices, ripe orchard fruits and jasmine. Medium to full-bodied, charming and delicate, it’s enveloping and crystalline with bright acids and an ethereal finish enhanced by vertical energy. This blend of 70% Clairette and 30% Roussanne is one of the finest classic white wines of the appellation. Vinified with no malolactic fermentation to preserve freshness and finesse.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPBottled in January 2024, the 2023 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc is an expressive white. As usual, the malolactic fermentation was blocked to preserve the wine’s freshness. Vivid spring blossom, lime flesh, ripe pear, quince and flintstone nuances are front and center. Closing with good persistence on the sapid finale, the 2023 will provide plenty of pleasure soon after release.Vinous Media | 93 VMFragrant and bright, with notes of honeysuckle blossoms, lemon pulp and yellow apple driven by a succulent, mouthwatering acidity that cuts through. Salty, yeasty notes add savory richness to the supple palate, with well-integrated elements of acacia marking the firm, dry finish. There’s good precision, freshness, focus and length. Clairette and Roussanne. Drink now through 2028. 700 cases made, 200 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

The 2023 Rosé Mirabeau en Provence Pure makes a lasting impression as enriching notes of confectionery spice and sweet smoke complement freshly sliced nectarines. It’s silken in form, with stimulating acidity and citrus tones that add lovely depth as ripe pit fruits swirl throughout. The 2023 tapers off with admirable length, spicy and energetic, leaving a mineral tinge that adds a lovely punctuation. - Eric GuidoVinous Media | 90 VM

Delicate and floral in the glass, the 2023 Rosé Château de Selle Cru Classé wafts up with a captivating blend of freshly sliced nectarines, minty herbs, peach sorbet and wet stone. This is seamlessly silky and serene, focused on purity, with ripe orchard fruits and candied lime motivated by a core of tantalizing acidity. It’s potent and long, with a spicy flourish of ginger and citrus while leaving a sweet herbal tinge that lingers on and on. The 2023 Château de Selle is simply stunning. - Eric GuidoVinous Media | 93 VMBright and vivid nose with strawberries, dried raspberries, cherry blossoms and a light, spicy undertone. Medium-bodied, round-textured and lengthy with lots of energy and a crisp, mineral backbone. Round and textural finish. From organically grown grapes. Drink now.James Suckling | 93 JSThe nose of this wine is high intensity, with candied peach bursting out of the glass. The palate is in perfect balance, tart flavors of apple and grapefruit play off of the bitter grapefruit leading into the superlong finish.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WEDense and complex, this ultra-pale version starts off a bit closed before opening up to reveal apple blossom, crunchy nectarine and pear flavors cut with notes of crushed flint, while a thread of salty, smoky dried green herbs cruises through. Creamy and refined, this is drinkable and delicious. Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah and Mourvèdre. Drink now through 2028. 11,000 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

As always, this estate crafted one of the most perfumed and complex rosé wines in France. The 2023 Bandol Rose exhales aromas of spring flowers, guava, lemon, spices and iodine mingled with delicate licorice hints. Medium-bodied, textural and layered, it’s perfectly balanced with a fleshy core of fruit and bright acids, concluding with a long, mineral and iodine-inflected finish. Kudos!Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPWonderfully perfumed, the 2023 Rosé entices with orange oil, nectarines, crushed wild berries and savory herbs. Rich and broad yet with a stimulating core of acidity, this plays a game of contrasts on the palate, mixing citrus-laced green melon with zesty spice and crisp mineral tones. A cascade of rosy inner florals fills the senses, as a resonance of white peach and a zest of lime keep the mouth salivating. Glorious today yet also gently tannic, the 2023 is a showstopper.Vinous Media | 93 VM

The grapefruit and honey aromas of this wine are echoed in its crisp and rounded textures. It is ripe with apple and spice flavors, the wood aging subtly in the background. Drink from 2027. Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEWith its lemon rind and grassy notes, this Sauvignon Blanc dominated wine - ever reliable - continues to appeal in 2023, although it does have some varietal aspects that come across as less nuanced when compared to some of its peers. Nonetheless, this is excellent white wine, with grip, juiciness, depth and freshness. To be served confidently with fish in a cream sauce.Decanter Magazine | 93 DECVery bright and mineral with lively citrus-fruit, ginger, white-flower and crushed-stone character. A hint of seashell, too. It’s medium-bodied, fresh and focused with tense acidity and a firm, lightly phenolic finish.James Suckling | 93-94 JSA blend of 65% Sauvignon Blanc and 35% Sémillon, the 2023 Carbonnieux Blanc exhibits elegant aromas of pear, white peach, spring flowers and herbs, followed by a medium-bodied, satiny and long texture enhanced by bright acids and a lively mid-palate. It concludes with a long, delicate, mouthwateringly mordant finish, making it a classic white wine from this estate.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90-92 RPThe 2023 Château Carbonnieux Blanc is light gold-hued and offer terrific aromatics of ripe citrus, minty herbs, and a kiss of grapefruit. These carry to a medium-bodied white with a round, supple texture, nicely integrated acidity, and outstanding length.Jeb Dunnuck | 90-92 JDThe white 2023 Carbonnieux leaps with notes of lime leaves, Granny Smith apples, and grapefruit, plus touches of white pepper and wet slate. Medium-bodied, the palate is zippy and crisp, with a zesty finish.The Wine Independent | 88-90 TWI

Another exceptional vintage for Smith-Haut-Lafite Blanc. It’s so complex and structured, offering a palate that feels similar to the texture of a red wine with a velvety tannin structure. There’s a lot going on here. Spice, crushed seashell and citrus blossom. Salty, too. Weightless and so long. 90% sauvignon blanc, 5% sauvignon gris and 5% semillon.James Suckling | 97-98 JSStrong aromatics, on the expressive side with herbal accents, spiced wood, green apple, quince, apricot, mango, peach honeycomb and elderflower. Very floral. Fresh and expansive, mineral and direct, but a good body full of fruit, freshness and honey characters. Definitely more opulent and exotic than the others in the range with hints of tropical fruit - pineapple and mango but also some lovely bitterness which adds tension to balance it out. A good combination, more vibrancy and energy than in previous years. Succulent and sumptuous with salinity. Very good and very easy to drink. Ageing 50% new oak.Decanter Magazine | 96 DECThe 2023 Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc was picked from August 23 to September 9 at 36hL/ha and matured in 50% new oak. It has a reticent bouquet at first, requiring a few swirls of the glass to reveal touches of orange pith, peach skin, wild fennel and light pressed white flower scents. The palate is very well balanced with a lovely creamy texture, counterbalanced by the taut line of acidity. Very poised and focused, it’s somehow almost Corton-Charlemagne-inspired on the finish (perhaps due to the umami). This is a seriously fine white Pessac-Léognan.Vinous Media | 95-97 VMOne of the bigger, richer wines in the vintage, the light gold-hued 2023 Château Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc offers up a killer nose of orange blossom, honeyed citrus, toast, spice, and minty flowers. It’s medium to full-bodied and has a richly textured, layered mouthfeel, bright acidity, and a great finish. It’s probably the white of the vintage.Jeb Dunnuck | 95-97 JDAromas of white fruits, crisp orchard fruits, spices, smoke, spring flowers and pear introduce the 2023 Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc, a medium to full-bodied, layered and textured wine with a fleshy core of fruit and racy acids, concluding with a mineral, fresh and long finish highlighted by delicate notes of thyme and garrigue. Comprising 50% Sauvignon Blanc, 5% Sémillon and 5% Sauvignon Gris and matured in 50% new oak, this blend is among the finest white wines produced at this address.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94-96 RPA blend of 90% Sauvignon Blanc, 5% Semillon, and 5% Sauvignon Gris, the white 2023 Smith Haut Lafitte is aging in 50% new oak. After a swirl or two, it prances out with gregarious notes of white peaches, fresh pineapple, and green mangoes, opening out to underlying hints of lime blossoms, wet slate, and fresh ginger. The medium-bodied palate is satiny and vivacious, with a racy backbone and a long, exotic fruit-laced finish. Yum!The Wine Independent | 94-96 TWI

All Grenache sourced mostly from the Chapouin lieu-dit with a splash from Janasse, the 2023 Châteauneuf Du Pape Cuvée Chaupin shows a medium ruby hue followed by a pretty, perfumed, remarkably elegant profile. It has a core of sweet red and black berry fruits, absolutely heavenly Provençal aromatics of herbes de Provence, black olive, pepper, and flowers, plus ripe, velvety tannins, flawless balance, and a great finish. Partially destemmed and aged 12 months in 70% foudre and 30% demi-muids, this heavenly 2023 will drink beautifully over the coming two decades. There are roughly 1,500 cases produced. Drink 2025-2045.Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDAs always, a pure Grenache Noir sourced from sandy soils, the 2023 Chateauneuf du Pape Chaupin is a terrific effort. Mingling aromas of wild herbs, dark berries, baked mulberries and garrigue, it avoids the excesses of over-ripeness or overt spice, instead delivering a beautifully controlled expression. Medium- to full-bodied, dense and layered, it displays impressive concentration and a sense of coiled energy, its muscular core of fruit framed by a fine chassis of ripe tannins. The finish is long, delicately spiced and impressively persistent. This will reward patience, as time in bottle should bring greater harmony and finesse.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95+ RPHuge in scale, with a potent, warm, sappy profile. Its opulent rush of ripe cherry and licorice is well-framed by polished, firming tannins. Alder, anise and lavender smoke stream through; the finish is well-supported and reined in. Concentrated and broad-shouldered. This is for fans of the hedonistic style yet still shows drive and complexity. Best from 2027 through 2040. 3,333 cases made, 112 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 94 WSA solid, well-composed and flavorful red with cherries, sweet strawberries, warm herbs and a hint of baked orange. Full-bodied with fine tannins giving a refined texture. Juicy and driven, with a long, flavorful and well-structured finish. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 94 JSStrawberry compote, raspberry jam, licorice and crushed violets introduce the expressive 2023 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Chaupin, with ripe black cherry adding more complexity. Neatly structured through firm tannins, the full-bodied 2023 packs ample flavor concentration and density, doubling down with blackberry flavors and garrigue on the long, savory conclusion. This won’t need as much time to come around as the Vieilles Vignes from the same vintage tasted alongside.Vinous Media | 93 VM

Tiny touch of rose gold to the yellow colour. Spiced pink grapefruit aromas lead to a silky and smooth palate that’s very elegant. There’s some lovely acidity, and a deep, saline, tense finish that has great length. The oak works well, it doesn’t occlude the fruit and freshness. Wonderful stuff. Fermented and aged in new oak barriques.Decanter Magazine | 96 DECAll Clairette Rose and vinified and aged nine months in 100% new French oak barrels, the 2024 Châteauneuf Du Pape Chapelle Blanc displays a medium gold hue and has fabulous notes of ripe orchard fruits, brioche, caramelized orange, and spice. It’s medium to full-bodied, round, concentrated, and textured on the palate, with ample mid-palate depth and volume, a great mouthfeel, and outstanding length. With roughly 166 cases produced, it’s up with the crème de la crème in the vintage and will keep for 10-15 years if well stored. Drink 2025-2040.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JDNotes of herbs, confit citrus and spices preface the 2024 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc, a medium- to full-bodied, round and sappy wine with a juicy, enveloping mid-palate that lead to a fresh, mouthwatering finish. This is a blend of 40% Clairette Rose, 40% Grenache Blanc and 20% Roussanne.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91 RP

Based on 100% Roussanne from the Vaudieu lieu-dit and aged nine months in 50% new French oak, the 2024 Châteauneuf Du Pape Les Vieilles Roussannes is a voluptuous, layered beauty offering honeyed orange, ripe stone fruits, brioche, crushed stone, and floral nuances. It has perfectly integrated oak, a multi-dimensional mouthfeel, integrated acidity, and a spectacular finish that rivals Beaucastel’s Vieilles Vignes Roussanne. This deep, medium to full-bodied white shows terrific purity and incredible depth, with roughly 125 cases produced. It will evolve beautifully for 20+ years. Drink 2025-2045.Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDDeep pear scents and honeysuckle, then a full-bodied, rich and powerful palate. An opulent wine that’s seen considerable oak influence, making for a finish that’s riven with cinnamon, nutmeg and clove, with a very long finish. The acidity and freshness bring some balance, but this will always be a hedonistic treat albeit an elegant one. Limestone soils, fermented and aged in barriques, 50% new.Decanter Magazine | 96 DECA stylish, golden-hued white, with a decadent robe of toasty oak around warm, spiced apple and juicy pear. Long and savory despite its opulence, with beautiful density and complexity. Salty intensity and a bitter kick of quinine build toward the finish, expertly offsetting the lushness. Tangy acidity keeps pace throughout. The oak will integrate with more time in bottle. Drink now through 2032. 450 cases made, 50 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 94 WSBottled on the morning of my visit, the perfumed 2024 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc Les Vieilles Roussanne unwinds with prominent herbal tea, honeysuckle and a nuance of cedar. Open-knit and concentrated, the full-bodied 2024 carries impeccable freshness all the way through to the sapid close. Roussanne-lovers better line up for this one.Vinous Media | 92 VM

The 2024 Rosé Château Romassan is a wine of supreme textural finesse and elegance. Beautifully weighted, broad and nearly opulent, yet in no way heavy, the 2024 drapes a blanket of floral-inflected orchard fruit across the tongue, coating every corner of the mouth through the long, focused finish. Rosewater, orange confit and a tickle of sea salt last well after the wine has exited the stage. This is such an intentional Rosé made with the highest level of craftsmanship. I wouldn’t hesitate to age this Bandol for a few years to allow even further complexity to develop. Bravo.Vinous Media | 94 VMIntense aromas of peach and the ocean, this rosé is bright with fruit but also rich with minerality. The palate is immediately spicy and robust. Tons of minerality with great texture and a lingering heat. Pair with Bouillabaisse.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEA sophisticated, polished Bandol, with a seductive, juicy palate that’s all rounded off. Hums with vivid energy behind its notes of melon and garrigue. Cool stone minerality lines the finish, which is focused and mouthwateringly long. Delicious and just beginning to unfurl. Mourvèdre, Cinsault and Grenache. Drink now through 2029. 2,806 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

This wine showcases enticing aromas of ripe stone fruit, summer berries and delicate rose. On the palate, vibrant notes of raspberry and ripe cherry bring warm, sun-kissed flavors, complemented by balanced acidity and a satisfying weight. Best enjoyed between 2025 and 2028.Sokolin Tasting Panel | 92+ SP

A well-rounded, focused and delicious rosé showing dried raspberries, frozen strawberries and mild spices on the nose. Medium-bodied with bright acidity. Balanced and driven, with a lively center palate and a persistent, flavorful finish. Drink now.James Suckling | 92 JS

Meet the summer’s next showstopper! This bone-dry beauty in the iconic blue bottle is bursting with a rush of sea-breeze minerality, keeping things edgy, crisp and oh-so refreshing. You will be swept away by the lively bouquet of sun ripened strawberries, juicy nectarines, honeydew melon, and a zing of orange zest-all lifted by a bright, mineral sparkle that only gets bolder as you swirl. An impressively long, silky finish that lingers with a wave of mineral freshness and just a whisper of lavender. Sokolin Tasting Panel | 93+ SP

This Rosé is a rich earthy expression with lots of peach aroma to back up its stoniness. The full bodied palate has fantastic minerality and an everlasting white pepper finish.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WEA poised, tangy and charming rosé with aromas of nectarines, almond powder and sweet spices. Medium-bodied with a delicious mid-palate. Juicy fruit mingles with the spices and onto the tangy, mouthwatering finish. From organically grown grapes. Drink now.James Suckling | 90 JS

You’ll probably know the Miraval name because of its celebrity owners: Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie bought the Provence estate in 2011. But behind the starry names is a range of rather good wines, perfect for summer drinking. This blend of Cinsault, Grenache, Rolle and Syrah delivers fresh strawberry and grapefruit zest aromas. Fresh, crisp and mineral, with silky red berry fruit, this is far too easy to drink... Enjoy!Decanter Magazine | 92 DEC

The 2024 Cheverny Blanc from François Cazin is made from grapes that are organicallyfarmed and hand-harvested. The 2024 version is crafted from its customary blend of eighty percentsauvignon blanc and twenty percent chardonnay, with the two grapes fermented together and agedin stainless steel and older oak foudres. The wine comes in at twelve percent octane and deliversa vibrant and lovely bouquet of gooseberry, fresh lime, green apple, chalky soil tones, fresh-cutgrass and a topnote of orange peel. On the palate the wine is deep, bright and full-bodied, with asucculent core of fruit, beautiful soil signature and grip, zesty acids and seamless balance on thelong, complex and very precise finish. This may well be the best Cheverny Blanc I have evertasted! Shocking quality for such a difficult growing season! 2025-2035+.John Gilman | 93+ JG

An elegant Champagne, with a smoky, minerally underpinning and subtle flavors of poached pear, toast, candied lemon zest and ginger riding the finely detailed bead. Harmonious, and hard to stop sipping. Drink now through 2020. 10,000 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 92 WSOne of the great signatures of the region, its calligraphy flowing with elegance, panache and balance, the last reflected in the equal proportions of the three great varieties of Champagne. A flamboyant straw gold lustre, and an immediately seductive nose, encyclopaedic in its indulgence. Nougat, praline, white pepper, spice and nectarine were first to the page for this taster, but there is much more behind that, the sugar discrete yet edifying, the long yeast ageing responsible for a happy and altogether luminous marriage of power and finesse. Consistently excellent. Drinking Window 2020 - 2025.Decanter | 92 DECThis has impressively energetic style with bold lemon, peach and berry aromas, in quite pure mode. The palate delivers a boldly vinous impression with a succulent drive of citrus and hazelnut flavors. Drink now.James Suckling | 92 JSI put this bottle of Pol Roger non-vintage Brut in my cellar in the spring of 2015, so this is from the base year of 2010, as Pol Roger aged their White Label cuvée three and a half years sur latte at this time. This bottling usually receives a dosage of eleven grams per liter for the American market, so it is interesting that even with extended bottle age, the rather generous dosage does not stick out at all. The wine is aging beautifully, offering up a deep and still quite vibrant bouquet of apple, white peach, warm biscuits, a complex base of soil tones, plenty of smokiness and a topnote of dried flowers. On the palate the wine is vibrant, full-bodied, focused and complex, with a fine core of fruit, lovely soil inflection, still excellent mousse, lovely balance and grip and a long, complex and classy finish. I have been working through a case of this wine over the last three or four years and the bottle seems fresher and more structured today than it did a couple of years ago! It will have no trouble cruising along another fifteen-plus years, for those so inclined to let it get to its nutty tertiary stage of development. (Drink between 2024-2040).John Gilman | 92 JGA great disgorgement of Pol Roger’s basic Brut, a blend that includes 25 percent reserve wines, this is a gracious, red-fruited Champagne. Though the wines go through malolactic, this emphasizes freshness, with a tingle of ginger and mineral acidity lifting the flavors in the finish.Wine & Spirits | 92 W&SOffering up aromas of pear, peach and freshly baked bread, the new release of Pol Roger’s NV Brut Reserve is medium to full-bodied, fleshy and charming, with a generous core of fruit, lively acids and a saline finish, complemented by an elegant pinpoint mousse. It’s a demonstrative, expressive Brut Reserve that will pick up additional complexity with more age on cork.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91 RPThis is a well-balanced, ripe wine in the producer’s rich house style. A brighter, more mineral crispness and acidity also come through strongly in this bottling. The aftertaste brings together a mineral texture and full yellow and apple fruits.Wine Enthusiast | 90 WE

Beautifully balanced and refined in texture, this displays exotic ground spice and floral accents to the flavors of poached white peach, Meyer lemon and candied ginger, with hints of pastry and honey. Offers a lasting, mouthwatering finish. Drink now through 2023. 2,917 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WS(full malo; 9 g/l dosage; LAH9T): Light yellow-gold. Smoky citrus and orchard fruits on the deeply perfumed, mineral-tinged nose. Offers broad, toasty orange and pear skin flavors with an undercurrent of dusty minerals. Picks up floral and ginger nuances with air, along with hints of iodine and tarragon. Rich yet lively blanc de blancs with powerful back-end lift and finishing grip.Vinous Media | 92 VMWith its 100% Chardonnay, this Champagne is finely textured, elegant with minerality and the freshest crispest apple flavors. It does have some weight and certainly has intensity—a satisfying, textured wine that is ready to drink.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WEIf chardonnay could be a red wine, it might have the red fruit flavors of this blanc de blancs. Perhaps it’s the floral aspects that turn its chamomile and yellow flower notes toward violets, or the deep earth tones adding color to the flavor. The fruit is persistent, sunny in the middle, then shaded by an almost tannic character to the lees that places the wine with food, particularly roast veal. Moët Hennessy USA, NYWine & Spirits | 92 W&SThis blanc de blancs (100% Chardonnay) is sourced mostly from the Côte des Blancs and Montagne de Reims, including a portion of premier cru vineyards. It has a lean, lemon and apple bite backed up by some smooth creaminess. It’s fuller in body than stablemate Veuve Clicquot, displaying good acidity and power. Dosage 9g/l.Decanter | 91 DECSuper curated reduction here, heading into slightly meaty territory with grapefruit, toasted lemon peel and hazelnuts. The palate is delivered in a smooth, sweet-fruited style with approachable peach flesh. Drink now.James Suckling | 91 JS(NV Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs Brut NV (Reims)) The current release of Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs non-vintage Brut is fermented in stainless steel, goes through full malolactic and was finished off with a dosage of nine grams per liter. The bouquet wafts from the glass in a bright blend of lemon, apple, warm bread, a touch of smokiness, dried flowers and a lovely base of soil. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, crisp and focused, with brisk acids, frothy mousse, good cut and grip and a long, still fairly youthful finish. This has plenty of acidity, so its dosage comes across as lower than its nine grams. This will have no difficulty aging gracefully, but is already quite tasty. (Drink between 2016-2035)John Gilman | 91+ JGThis is a fabulous version of Ruinart’s NV Brut Blanc de Blancs. The wine seems fresher, more vibrant and less obviously sweet than in the past, all of which makes this a far more interesting wine. The trademark profile of lemon, jasmine and green apples is very much in the forefront while the wine’s textural finesse and length are both first-class. This release of the NV Brut makes a great introduction to the wines of Ruinart, Champagne’s oldest house. This is Lot LAGJSAF. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2014.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90 RP

Bollinger’s NV Special Cuvée knocks it out of the park. Made from 60% Pinot Noir, 25% Chardonnay and the rest Pinot Meunier, with 30% of the blend brought up in barrels, it boasts a rich, deep, medium to full-bodied style as well as terrific notes of lemon curd, crème brûlée, caramelized stone fruits, and hints of toasty nuttiness that develop with time in the glass. It’s a big, rich Champagne that stays balanced and pure. Beautiful stuff.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JDRestrained and very pretty aromas include those of yeast, Meyer lemon, petrol and green apple where the latter element is picked up by the utterly delicious, vibrant and detailed flavors that possess fine complexity on the agreeably dry but not austere finish. The supporting mousse is dense but fine and overall, this is a wine that could be enjoyed now or held for up to a decade. Excellent. (Drink starting 2024)Burghound | 93 BHOne of Bollinger’s great assets is a massive stock of reserve wine, including 600,000 magnums held under cork. Gilles Descôtes tends those reserves, working with the blending team to subsume the variations of the current vintage into Bollinger’s Special Cuvée by using a majority of reserve wines in the blend. The result is a rich and harmonious Champagne with deep reserves of flavor. Its substantial, formal structure feels polished, its flavors balancing the cool earthiness of a limestone cave and the sunnier, bright floral notes of fresh cream. Built for food, whether emphasizing the freshness with lobster bisque, or the depth with beef Wellington and chanterelles.Terlato Wines Int’l., Lake Bluff, ILWine & Spirits | 93 W&S Like its rosé counterpart, the latest release of Bollinger’s NV Brut Special Cuvée is showing especially well, bursting from the glass with aromas of honeyed apples, crisp stone fruit, buttery pastry, ripe lemons and fresh walnuts. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and vinous, with a deep core of beautifully ripe fruit, racy acids and a pillowy mousse, it’s a charming, characterful wine that proves that Special Cuvée is firmly back where it belongs.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPThere’s a pleasing, snappy quality to the acidity framing this elegant Champagne, enlivening accessible flavors of currant, Marcona almond and orchard blossom, with a minerally touch of saline-laced oyster shell that lingers on the finish. Drink now through 2022. 11,000 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 92 WSLots of biscuit aromas and a wide spectrum of fresh-citrus, candied-citrus, red-apple and red-berry notes. Mouth-filling creaminess, plus quite an imposing presence and powerful structure for an NV Brut. Long, citrus and chalky finish that’s very clean and properly dry. 60% pinot noir, 30% chardonnay, 10% pinot meunier. Almost 20% barrel fermented and 62% reserve wines. Based on the 2017 vintage and disgorged July 2021. Drink now.James Suckling | 92 JSDominated, as always, by Pinot Noir and with wood fermentation and aging, this Champagne has a great poise between freshness and richness. It is intense and ripe, with apple and minerality coming together. The bottling is ready to drink.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WE (60% Pinot Noir, 25% Chardonnay and 15% Pinot Meunier; 8 g/l dosage; L1403801): Pale yellow. Toasty aromas of apple and pear nectar are complemented by hints of toffee, honey and orange zest. Full and expansive on the palate, offering ripe orchard and pit fruit flavors and an undercurrent of smoky minerals and buttered toast. Smooth and gently spicy on the clinging, nicely focusd finish.Antonio Galloni | 91 AG(NV Bollinger “Special Cuvée” Brut NV (Aÿ)) The current release of Bollinger “Special Cuvée” is composed of its customary blend of sixty percent pinot noir, twenty-five percent chardonnay and fifteen percent pinot meunier. It was finished with a dosage of eight grams per liter and offers up is classic pinot-shaded bouquet of white peach, apple, bread dough, a beautiful base of soil tones, a touch of hazelnut and a smoky topnote. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and complex, with a fine core of fruit, a good spine of acidity, elegant mousse and a long, well-balanced and classy finish. This is still a young wine and I would tuck it away in the cellar for at least a few years and let its acids relax a bit and its secondary layers of complexity emerge. (Drink between 2020-2040).John Gilman | 91+ JGNotes of flowery beeswax, white fruit, and quince on the nose. The palate has a flinty austerity with Braeburn, white pepper and subtle spice followed by yeasty richness and brisk finish. Drinking Window 2020 - 2025.Decanter | 90 DEC

A fine straw-gold colour with great finesse of bubble flow and mousse. Joyful aromas of apple blossom and ripe pear. A full, defined palate demonstrates richness that will help to give this a long life in the cellar.Decanter | 95 DEC(NV Billecart-Salmon Brut Réserve NV (2008 Release)) This particular bottle of Brut Réserve had been in my cellar since 2008, and it has aged beautifully and was drinking very well when opened this past spring. The excellent nose wafts from the glass in a mélange of apple, peach, warm bread, a touch of ginger, a lovely base of soil and plenty of upper register smokiness. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bdoied, complex and still rock solid at the core, with fine mousse, bright acids and lovely length and grip on the wide open, complex and classy finish. This particular release of Brut Réserve had been particularly steely out of the blocks, which is why I tucked some away to see how it evolved with bottle age. Yet again, a pretty strong argument for treating non-vintage Brut bottlings like other fine wines and cellar them for some time before starting to drink them! (Drink between 2014-2025).John Gilman | 92 JGA harmonious Champagne that’s satiny in texture, framing flavors of Asian pear, star fruit, pastry and honey with mouthwatering acidity. Offers a fine and creamy finish. Drink now through 2021.Wine Spectator | 91 WSPlenty of ripe strawberries and wild raspberries on the nose here. Really attractive and vibrant in the mouth with fresh wild strawberries. It also shows a fleshy, fresh-fruit texture. Drink now.James Suckling | 91 JSBased on the 2015 vintage and disgorged with nine grams per liter dosage, the latest release of Billecart’s NV Brut Réserve contains fully 55% reserve wines and is showing very well, offering up complex aromas of warm bread, crisp green orchard fruit and citrus oil. On the palate, it’s medium to full-bodied and charming but lively, with an elegantly textural attack, a fleshy core of fruit and lively balancing acids.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90 RP(40% pinot meunier, 30% pinot noir and 30% chardonnay; L200352): Light, bright gold. Fresh red berries, orange zest and white flowers on the perfumed nose. Juicy and precise, offering energetic redcurrant and blood orange flavors that show good concentration and a supple texture. A mineral nuance adds bite to the finish, with the floral note echoing.Vinous Media | 90 VMThis producer’s nonvintage cuvée showcases a blend of grapes from all the regions of Champagne. Rich with white stone fruit, it balances ripe acidity and a taut texture. This complex wine is ready to drink.Wine Enthusiast | 90 WE

Lemony richness on the nose, a struck match character that falls in with lemon vanilla note. Toffee apple allure on the palate with chalky coolness & savoury nutty finish. Drinking Window 2020 - 2025.Decanter | 94 DECToasty and generous with lemon freshness, this also has quite some dried-pear and peach aromas from mature elements of the blend, plus a touch of spice at the long, structured finish. The cuvée is based on 2015 and is 50% pinot noir, 30% chardonnay and 20% pinot meunier. Reserve wines make up more than one third of the blend. Drink now.James Suckling | 92 JS(roughly 50% pinot noir, 30% chardonnay and 20% pinot meunier; Lot 14009913): Light gold. Musky orchard fruits and dried fig on the mineral-accented nose. Fleshy and broad on the palate, offering smoky pear and nectarine flavors and a hint of honey. Finishes on a gently spicy note, with very good cling and a touch of bitter lemon pith. Things have definitely begun to turn around for this bottling, which had been lagging behind the winery’s vintage offerings for some time.Vinous Media | 90 VMThis fresh and balanced Champagne is lightly toasty, with snappy acidity and a lively, creamy mousse carrying flavors of white cherry, pickled ginger and Marcona almond. Offers saline-laced minerality.Wine Spectator | 90 WSOne of the most popular of all Champagnes, this is now showing a freshness that wasn’t always there. The crisp texture and green-apple flavors give it an immediate drinkability as well as perfumed acidity and a vibrant aftertaste. Drink this bottling now.Wine Enthusiast | 90 WEBrisk lemon-lime flavors and floral apple clarity lend this wine its freshness and mineral-tinged refreshment. It smells like chalk, then the flavors are enriched by toasty brioche and spiciness from the lees aging. Simple and saturated, finely made in a grand-marque style.Wine & Spirits | 90 W&S