Refreshing Whites

wines

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

Bursting with aromas of apples, pears, almonds, warm bread and dried fruits, the 2019 Méthode Ancestrale Une Bulle is medium to full-bodied, fleshy and concentrated, with lively acids and a pillowy mousse. It’s a touch drier than its 2018 counterpart.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RP

Such an expressive nose of white peaches, nectarines, mandarin oranges, white flowers and vanilla. Grows with each swirl of the glass. Intensely mineral and racy palate that feels lighter than it is, because it’s so precise and vibrant, the lime and mineral freshness making the long. dry finish mouthwatering. The first release from David and Paul Hobbs’ riesling project in the Finger Lakes. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 94 JSA fresh, high-pitched style, with pippin apple, fennel and lime pith notes backed by a twinge of slate on the finish. An understated style, but with purity and latent length, showing a sense of precision. Drink now through 2024. 1,847 cases made.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

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

A lifted but guarded sense of lemon zest plays on this wine’s nose, forthright at one moment, restrained the next. The palate channels concentrated but creamy lemon peel, mouthwatering in its frankness but buffered by lovely chalkiness. Lemony limestone freshness rings long after the last sip.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEThe 2019 Chablis Vau de Vey 1er Cru has an intriguing, melted candle wax and white flower nose, showing touches of apple peel and chalk dust. This seems to grow in complexity in the glass. The palate is well balanced and spicy, with a fine bead of acidity. Orange peel and touches of bitter lemon give way to a slightly oily-textured finish. This is a very engaging Vau de Vey that will be fascinating to see mature in bottle.Vinous Media | 92 VMHere the expressive nose is blessed with more evident Chablis character in the form of iodine, oyster shell and citrus along with ripe pear and apple whiffs. There is fine underlying tension to the impressive dense and stony medium weight flavors that are not especially complex, but the citrus-tined finish is refreshing plus there is enough underlying material to suggest that more depth should develop in time.Burghound | 90 BH

Produced from 2.5 ha of domaine vines around the village of Beaune, notably the young vines of the Clos des Mouches, along with some purchased must. The grapes are pressed gently as whole clusters, lightly settled and fermented in cask (20% new). The wine has a lovely, buttery nose, with a ripe apple fruit and rich, nutty aromas that develop with time. Drinkable now, this will definitely continue to improve. Drinking Window: 2021 - 2029Decanter | 92 DEC

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

A lifted intensity of lemon and hazelnut on this wine’s subtle nose promises concentration. The palate presents lemon zestiness and a yeasty texture that seems to fizz with freshness. It has lemony resonance, mouthwatering brightness and a rounded body to back it all up. Wine Enthusiast | 92 WEThe 2019 Chablis Saint Martin, which had already been bottled, has a charming nose of fragrant yellow flowers, caramelized pear and hints of chalk, all very well defined. The palate is well balanced with a fine bead of acidity, taut and fresh, revealing a twist of sour lemon toward the finish. This is a very fine entry-level Chablis that deserves your consideration.Vinous Media | 91 VMThis special cuvée pays homage to the relics of St Martin, kept in the C9 cellars now owned by Domaine Laroche. This is a pretty strident example of Chablis with powerful acidity that is a little dominant at the moment. Ripe, sunny, peach fruit characters promise a bright future but this really needs 6-12 months to settle down. Drinking Window 2022 - 2026.Decanter | 90 DEC

The 2019 Onomatopoeia is all Chardonnay from the cooler Edna Valley, and it’s a bright, medium-bodied, beautifully balanced white offering classic citrus and lemon fruits, notes of sappy herbs, vibrant acidity, and a great finish. Aged 14 months in 48% concrete eggs, 26% in new barrels, and the rest in neutral oak, bottled unfined and unfiltered, it’s incredibly impressive.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDThe 2019 Chardonnay Onomatopoeia is creamy, open-knit and inviting, all of which make it a good choice for drinking now and over the next few years. Lees stirring and full malolactic fermentation add textural richness. Hints of apricot, lemon confit, sage and chamomile linger.Antonio Galloni | 91 AG

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

A delicious, creamy white with lemon-rind, dried-apple and pear character. Medium to full body, with energetic acidity and a polished finish. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 94 JSThe 2019 G Lot Chardonnay was produced with grapes from a plot in the Adrianna vineyard that was planted in Gualtallary in 1992 at almost 1,500 meters above sea level. This fermented in 500-liter oak barrels, 25% of them new, where it matured for one year. It has a classical nose of barrel-fermented Chardonnay, with spicy, smoky and toasty notes from the barrels combined with white fruit and flowers. The palate is sharp and austere, combining freshness and structure, creamy oak and chalky minerality. 30,000 bottles were filled in February 2020.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPGrapes from Gualtallary handled elegantly: 30% aged for 12 months in new French oak while the rest sat in used barrels. Golden yellow in the glass, the 2019 Chardonnay Luca delivers a nose of vanilla, hazelnuts, corn and ginger with juicy hints of fresh pear. Both smooth and fleshy, the freshness brings a chalkiness to the flavors underlined by the smoke in the very lengthy finish. A Californian style wine.Vinous Media | 92 VMBig and rich, with a luscious allure to the ripe apple and creamy baked pear flavors filled with concentrated spice and pastry accents. Savory hints on the firm and well-structured finish. Drink now through 2024. 800 cases made, 800 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 90 WSA smooth mix of melon, tropical fruit, vanilla and woody aromas open this high-elevation, mostly barrel-fermented Chardonnay that’s balanced yet a touch creamy in feel. Light oak, buttered white-bread toast and subtle white-fruit flavors are short on a plump finish. Wine Enthusiast | 90 WE

A blend of equal parts Marsanne and Roussanne, the 2019 Crozes-Hermitage Domaine Mule Blanche Blanc has a rounded, medium-bodied, nicely textured style that carries plenty of pear, citrus blossom, and sappy herbs notes as well as a touch of salty minerality. A fleshy, undeniably delicious, balanced white, it’s ideal for drinking over the coming 4-5 years, if not longer. It would be a great introduction to the white wines of this appellation.Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JDAlready bottled, the 2019 Crozes Hermitage Mule Blanche (Domaine) harkens back toward the quality of the superb 2017, with gentle nutty complexities interwoven with crushed stone, spice, melon and pear. Medium to full-bodied, this 50-50 blend of Marsanne and Roussanne from Les Chassis displays beautiful harmony and roundness while remaining long and crisp on the finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RP

Bursting from the glass with aromas of peach, pear, fresh mint, baking spices, pastry cream, toasted almonds and white flowers, Ramonet’s 2019 Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru is full-bodied, rich and concentrated, with a generous core of fruit, ripe acids and a long, expansive finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RP

Bracing minerals, sliced pears and apples, wet stones and a gently floral edge here. So pure and fresh. The palate has a succulent, powerfully aligned drive of fresh apple and pear flavors with a mouthwateringly fresh stream of acidity. More citrusy at the finish. From biodynamically grown grapes. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 95 JSLighter and livelier than the 2018 (a warmer vintage, which weighed in a full percent higher in finished alcohol by volume), Rippon’s 2019 Mature Vine Riesling strikes a winning balance between fresh green apple, tangy citrus and spring-like florals. It’s medium-bodied (12% alcohol) and almost dry, with great concentration and length. Classically built, it should age well for over a decade.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94+ RPLike many wines made by Nick Mills at Rippon, this needs to time to reveal its true character. This is an attractive Riesling with silken texture, but it is a quiet wine that requires exploration. Expect subtle yet stimulating floral aromas, and apple and lemon peel allied with brioche-like notes from time on lees playing a supporting role. New Zealand Riesling can be austere due to its acidity, but Mills has found a happy medium between acidity and sweetness, leaving a dry, clean, balanced finish.Vinous Media | 93 VM

Just a whisper of vanilla wafts on the nose of this steel-honed, fruity Chardonnay. A richly concentrated expression of a ripe vintage, it has Mirabelle and white-melon flavors that are pertly balanced by streaks of lime. Creamy in texture and endless on the finish, it’s irresistible young but likely to drink well through 2030.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEA dynamic estate in Lignerolles, with David and Arnaux now in charge of the winemaking. Vauprin is one of the estate’s signature wines - a selection from a small, southerly-facing, parcel on local hills named Vauprin. This is a serious, intense Chablis that balances a luxurious texture on the palate, concentration of fruit, along with the unmistakable lift and drive of Chablis. Drinking well now though it will be even better in 12 months. Drinking Window 2022 - 2026.Decanter | 93 DECLemon tree, mineral and flint on the nose with a hint of matchstick. Full-bodied with density and intensity. So much character here. Some phenolics. Flavorful finish. This is so real. Drink now.James Suckling | 93 JSThe 2019 Chablis Vauprin has a backward bouquet, offering sultry malic scents that gradually open to show a little undergrowth along with attractive apple peel and dewy meadow notes. The palate is fresh on the entry, offering lively, vivacious orange zest and citrus flavors. Lovely peach notes surface toward the finish. A Chablis-Villages that aims for wide appeal and, judging by this sample, will succeed.Vinous Media | 90 VM

Lovely peach, pear and yellow plum notes form the core, with well-inlaid acidity for support and light verbena and shortbread accents gilding the lush finish. Marsanne and Roussanne. Drink now through 2024. 300 cases made, 10 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WSBeautifully pure quince, ripe peach, and caramelized citrus notes emerge from the 2019 Crozes-Hermitage Blanc, which shows a more medium-bodied, clean, vibrant style. It doesn’t have the richness of the Saint-Joseph releases, yet I love its purity of fruit as well as its balance. It’s going to gain depth with a year of bottle age and keep for 7-8 years, probably longer.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JDSvelte in structure yet pulsating with rich black plum and cassis, this full-bodied Syrah calibrates pure, ripe fruit against complexities of granite, fur and black olive. Matured ten months in oak, it’s a velveteen, concentrated sip but brisk and bright too, finishing on fine-grained, upright tannins. Approachable young, the wine will likely drink beautifully through 2030.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEVery good - this is a fairly rich style of white Crozes, the oak is quite lovingly applied, but it works well. Lacks a bit of focus, but it’s enjoyable with concentrated pear and melon flavours. Drinking Window 2021 - 2022.Decanter | 90 DEC

The 2019 Chardonnay Quink Vineyard is another fabulous wine from Trail Marker. Mount Eden Clone Chardonnay in this Santa Cruz Mountains site yields a wine that is rich, creamy and vibrant. Lemon confit, tangerine oil, mint, chamomile and light tropical inflections all build in the glass. Low yields and small berries amplify both fruit richness and salinity.Antonio Galloni | 92-94 AG

The 2020 Chardonnay Katherine’s Vineyard is bright and wonderfully saline, with plenty of mineral and savory accents. Citrus peel, mint, white pepper, chalk and dried flowers open nicely with a bit of time. There’s terrific energy and plenty of cut. Most of this fruit is sourced from the own-rooted vines first planted in 1971.Antonio Galloni | 94 AGThe 2020 Chardonnay Katherine’s Vineyard is terrific and shockingly good given the quantities produced. Burgundian-like aromas of stone fruits, chalky minerality, honeyed flowers, and brioche all define the nose, and it’s medium-bodied, with a supple, rounded texture, integrated acidity, and a great finish.Jeb Dunnuck | 90 JDDried lime peel, seared lemon pith, white flower and a hint of grass show on the nose of this bottling. There’s an earthy, crushed rock element to the palate, where dried apple and herb flavors also arise. Wine Enthusiast | 90 WE

An excellent white Carbonnieux with sliced-lemon, lime and mineral character, as well as hints of citrus seeds. It’s medium-to full-bodied with lots of bright acidity and a flavorful finish. Minerally at the end.James Suckling | 93-94 JSCrisp and tight with fine citrus flavors, the wine is beautifully proportioned with textured, zesty acidity. It shows balance between its structure and its fruits that will only get better as it matures.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEOne of the benchmark wines for white Pessacs, and it has succeeded here. Plenty of curling aromatics out of the glass, a lovely grip and bounce. Good stuff. A yield of 47hl/ha. 25% new oak. Drinking Window 2022 - 2032.Decanter | 93 DECThe 2020 Carbonnieux Blanc is a very pretty wine. Bright Sauvignon Blanc notes give the 2020 its distinctive aromatic signatures, while the Sémillon adds just enough mid-palate creaminess to hold it all together. Lemon confit, white flowers, sage, mint and tomato leaf linger nicely.Antonio Galloni | 90-92 AGThe 2020 Carbonnieux Blanc delivers loads of zesty sparks of yuzu and lime peels over a core of green apples, fresh grapefruit and crushed rock with a hint of wild thyme. The medium-bodied palate is crisp and refreshing, offering a great intensity of citrusy flavors with a chalky finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 89-91 RP

Even if already sold out, I also tasted the white 2020 Cullerot because it’s probably their finest vintage for this wine. The nose is very expressive, with notes of flowers, talcum powder, fennel and aniseed, pollen and herbs, with a soft texture combining volume with freshness in a year when the grapes ripened properly. It’s been settled by some time in bottle and feels very harmonious and ready. It has 13.2% alcohol with a pH of 3.23 (the white does not go through malolactic) and feels very balanced, tasty and supple. 40,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in February 2021.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92+ RP(Cullerot Blanco- Celler del Roure) Celler del Roure is blessed with ancient cellars carved into the bedrock below the winery, where past generations fermented and aged the wines in amphorae dug into the stone. They were not used for several decades, but recently the winery decided it would be interesting to see how these amphora wines would taste and started to produce a lineup of bottlings made from these ancient vessels. The Cullerot Blanco bottling is composed of a blend that includes Pedro Ximénez, Macabeo and Malvasia, among other varieties co-planted in the vineyards. The wine starts out fermentation in stainless steel tanks and then is transferred to the amphorae embedded in the rock for six months of aging. The 2020 Cullerot comes in at thirteen percent alcohol and offers up a complex nose of tart orange, breadfruit, lemongrass, lovely soil tones, citrus peel and a touch of honeysuckle in the upper register. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, nicely ripe and complex, with a fine core, excellent soil signature, zesty acids and a long, complex and very well balanced finish. This is most impressive! (Drink between 2022 - 2028)John Gilman | 92 JG

Aromas of sliced apples and lime zest with citrus blossom and crushed stones. Polished and round-textured on the palate with a full body and tangy acidity. Creamy finish. 60% sauvignon blanc and 40% semillon. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 93 JSThe 2020 Cuvee Caroline leaps from the glass with notes of lemon drops, fresh grapefruit and lime cordial, plus wafts of yuzu and honeysuckle. Medium-bodied, the palate has a seriously racy backbone cutting through the intense citrus and savory layers, finishing with great length and a skip in its step.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90-92 RPWood aged, this balanced wine is poised between ripe citrus and spice. It offers a hint of pineapple along with lively acidity.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WEZesty and creamy and softly mouthwatering, a combination of lemon juice and orange rind giving a touch of bitterness with clear fragrance and oaky tones adding to the density on the palate but just detracting from some of the bright energy. Feels a touch heavy, though will be nice with food. I do like the weighty creaminess and this delivers a lot of flavour.Decanter | 92 DECThe 2020 Chantegrive Cuvée Caroline has a perfumed nose with pressed white flowers, jasmine, chai and light pear scents, quite complex and full of vigor. The palate has a citric edge on the entry, taut and fresh, not a powerful dry white Graves yet with energy and tension. The sliced pear notes come through nicely on the finish. Very fine.Vinous Media | 90 VM

This focused and pure wine opens with aromas of fresh and ripe Fuji apples, yellow flowers and distinct chalky notes. The palate is bright with vibrant acidity layered by roasted lemons and cream. Well balanced and intriguing, it’s a wine to drink now through 2030.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEThis is a delicious, full-bodied chardonnay with hazelnut cream, praline, apple pie, fresh mangoes and salted caramel on the nose. Lemons and gun flint too. Full of energy. Tangy acidity. Exciting. Drink now or hold.James Suckling | 93 JSShowing nice body and fruit weight, the Cordero San Giorgio 2020 Oltrepò Pavese Chardonnay Rivone opens to generous peach, orchard fruit and sweet pear. The wine’s aromas are soft and nicely layered with some nuttiness and spice. The wine’s natural acidity would match a classic chicken roast.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91 RP

The 2020 The Agnes has a clean, precise, crushed stone nose with dewy green apple, fresh pear and grassy meadow aromas. The palate is well balanced, taut and fresh, featuring a fine bead of acidity and a spicy undertow that defines the finish. Reserved but cerebral. I would like to see where this goes with bottle age.Vinous Media | 93 VM