Refreshing Whites

wines

Quite an aromatic chardonnay here, with discerning notes of sliced green apples, melon and lemon zest. Round and textured, with simple apple pith and nectarines in the pristine yet flavorful palate. Lots of fruit in the round, medium- to full-bodied palate. Drink now.James Suckling | 91 JS

Restrained and with notable concentration, this is an intense premier cru with great potential. Notes of peach fruit cut with zesty lime citrus. Very fine. From 68-year-old vines on very dense, white clay soils which are like concrete when dry, heavy when wet.Decanter | 94 DECThe 2022 Chablis Butteaux Vieilles Vignes 1er Cru comes from vines around 70 years old, only slightly older than the regular cuvée, but on different soils (white clay rather than brown with high fossil content). It is usually bottled slightly later. The nose is a little more expressive with hints of red cherries and peach skin - very well defined. The palate is well-balanced with more harmony than the regular cuvée, a crisp line of acidity and touches of oyster shell on the saline finish. Great persistence here. Excellent.Vinous Media | 92-94 VMSmall millerand crop that ripened early. Pale in colour without too much nose. Nicely balanced on the palate though, a more tightly knit white fruit than the regular bottling, with a little lemon zest, and a balanced long finish. Picked at the right moment I suspect. Drink from 2027-2035. Tasted: June 2023.Jasper Morris | 91-94 JMThis is similar to the regular cuvée except that it seems ever-so-slightly riper. By contrast, there is better concentration and power to the medium-bodied flavors and, somewhat unusually, the mouthfeel is finer as well, particularly on the more complex if also more austere finale. Lovely.Burghound | 90-93 BH

Cool, fresh and lively, yet the brisk acidity provides a great counterfoil for some succulent, juicy and ripe fruit. Clear Chablis origin, with the focus and intensity on the palate. This should have a long drinking window and is a very classy example, marrying the warmth of 2022 and the density of the premier cru.Decanter | 94 DEC

This bottling is made from the same tuffeau-based vineyard as the Silex Noir and Trois Argile Demi-Sec bottlings from Domaine Pinon. It is handled the same in the cellars as the regular Sec bottling, with indigenous yeast fermentation and aging in a variety of older, large oak barrels. The wine offers up a beautifully refined aromatic constellation of apple, sweet quince, bee pollen, white lilies, a gorgeous base of chalky soil tones and a nice touch of lanolin in the upper register. On the palate the wine is vibrant, focused and full-bodied, with a rock solid core, superb mineral drive and cut, snappy acids and great balance on the long, complex and very precise finish. This is outstanding juice. (Drink between 2023 - 2065)John Gilman | 94 JGThe 2022 Les Déronnières Sec is the domaine’s limestone-derived dry Chenin that sits almost above the cellars on the appellation’s premiere cotes. Julien Pinon calls it a parcel for lazy people (!) as it’s easier to maintain than clay parcels, leading to better drainage, fewer frosts and requiring less work while making smaller bunches with smaller berries. It may offer tenderness initially but remains a fresh, well-defined style. There is plenty of concentration here, and the balance is impeccable. In addition to attractive apple fruit, it has spiced pastry flavors.Vinous Media | 93 VM

The 2022 Sauvignon Blanc is a little sweaty on the nose, with lemongrass and enoki mushroom, cilantro, layers of apple skins and brine. There’s even a hint of kelp. In the mouth, the wine is concentrated and pure, with loads of flavor and structure. Very good. 13% alcohol, sealed under screw cap.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91 RP

Usually a benchmark for the appellation, Droin’s Chablis has a lot more density and concentration than the Petit Chablis. More structure and minerality here. Will be very good and a classic example.Decanter | 92 DECThe 2022 Chablis Village has a crisp, focused bouquet with hints of pressed white flowers and wet stone. The elegant palate has flecks of white peach and apricot, balanced and lovely with a charming, precise finish. This is very capable and should age well in bottle.Vinous Media | 89-91 VM

The 2022 Chablis Vaillons 1er Cru has a complex bouquet with touches of white peach and a muscat-like scent, very focused and seductive. The palate conveys energy and vigor with citrus fruit and hints of orange zest towards the persistent finish. Superb.Vinous Media | 92-94 VM

The 2022 Chablis Vosgros 1er Cru, which is already in bottle, has a harmonious bouquet with fleeting lime, wet stone and a touch of citrus peel. Nicely detailed. The palate is sapid on the entry, with plenty of oyster shell/marine notes and a classically styled, almost "mean" finish. Very fine.Vinous Media | 92 VMDroin explains that although Vosgros is technically a left bank premier cru, it faces the same way as the top right bank climats. Although with a direct southwesterly exposition, the vines are located in a very cold valley. More restraint here, good density, but a little less of a mineral thread.Decanter | 91 DEC

Plenty of density evident. A fine combination with concentration, a touch of smoke and richess on the palate, cut with direct acidity. Sunny and ripe yet remains fresh and focused. Will appeal when still relatively young but has the ability to age well.Decanter | 93 DECDiscreet if still noticeable hints of the exotic can be found on the ripe aromas of white and yellow peach, mango, citrus confit and a light touch of iodine. The middleweight flavors possess very good volume and richness allied with solid energy on the bitter lemon-suffused, balanced and sneaky long finale. While this delicious effort could use better depth, the underlying material appears up to the task if given a chance.Burghound | 90 BHThere is a fresh lime note in the otherwise pale colour. A lighter nose than some, less intensively Chablis, then a very fresh attack. The 2022 Brocard Fourchaume is no more than medium bodied, quite incisive, with medium concentration. Drink from 2026-2031. Tasted: June 2023.Jasper Morris | 90-92 JM

Lots of complexity for a ’straight’ Chablis, combining power and weight, freshened by vibrant acidity. Very classy. Produced from vines replanted by Jean-Marc, this certainly adds more depth and concentration.Decanter | 91 DECAn aromatic Chablis with aromas of grapefruit, pineapple and lemons. Hint of sage. Medium-bodied, ripe yet fresh and saline, with a creamy and tasty finish. From biodynamically grown grapes. Drink now.James Suckling | 91 JSThe 2022 Chablis Sainte Claire, which comes from organically grown fruit within several large parcels, is one of the hidden gems from Brocard. The enticing nose offers Mirabelle, wet stone and nuanced patisserie scents, with just a hint of white asparagus in the background. The palate is well-balanced, with a crisp bead of acidity and commendable depth. This is a strong follow-up to the impressive 2021; who knows, it may surpass it.Vinous Media | 90+ VMA mid lemon and lime colour. The nose has slightly broader fruit than the straight Chablis. There is very good tension, a slight sherbetty lift, while the taste of oyster shells returns in force before a clean long finish. Drink from 2025-2028. Tasted: June 2023.Jasper Morris | 90 JM

A slightly riper if still agreeably fresh nose freely offer up its array of white and yellow orchard fruit, citrus rind, apple and tidal pool hints. The palate impression of the medium weight flavors possesses more volume still with a lovely sense of richness and minerality that adds a sense of lift to the very dry but not really austere finale. A few years of cellaring should see this drinking well. (Drink starting 2027)Burghound | 89-92 BHThe 2022 Chablis Vaucopin 1er Cru, aged entirely in tank, has a crisp, slightly yeasty bouquet that feels quite primal at the moment, even compared to the Chablis Village. The palate is pithy on the entry, with fine depth if missing a little complexity on the finish. Let’s see if it kicks on during the remainder of its élevage.Vinous Media | 88-90 VM

An unusually bright, light-gold color with hints of green in it distinguish this rare wine from the first glance before rich, layered and complex aromas lead to even richer poached pears, hazelnuts and cream on the palate. Full-bodied but light on its feet, the wine shows deft balance, great depth and incredible length on the finish. Best from 2028.James Suckling | 100 JSDrouhin’s Montrachet Marquis de Laguiche is always a classic expression of Montrachet, and often among the best ’bargains’ from this site. The 2022 has exotic aromas of ripe peach, nectarine, green apple and hints of acacia flowers, star anise, and beeswax. The texture has the weight of the vineyard and a creamy opulence, yet there is enough freshness to carry the wine to a charmingly persistent finish. The grapes from the Laguiche holdings are from five parcels totalling just over two hectares, picked in three passes by the Drouhin team. (Drink between 2030 - 2070)Decanter | 96 DECStill on its fine lees. A fine fresh very pale primrose colour. Super discreet nose, just offering some light floral notes at first, but you know there is so much more to come. It is not over exuberant but the fruit comes across the palate in little wavelets, perfectly balanced acidity, the oak subsumed into the intensity of the fruit. The 2022 Marquis de Laguiche Montrachet bows out with a wonderfully long and fine finish. Drink from 2034-2045. Tasted: November 2023.Jasper Morris | 96-98 JMThe 2022 Montrachet Marquis de Laguiche Grand Cru was harvested in three picks this year. Exhibiting aromas of pear, peach, honeycomb, toasted nuts, baking spices and buttered toast, it’s full-bodied, ample and unctuous, with a richly layered core of fruit, lively acids and a long, resonant finish. Tasted from a barrel sample before an aerating racking, it displayed fine tension.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94-96 RPSmoky notes of mineral reduction add breadth to the cool and airy nose of mildly exotic white peach, citrus confit and a plenitude of floral wisps that are trimmed in discreet oak influence. The refined medium weight flavors possess good if not genuinely special density but with a positively gorgeous texture that carries over to the stony bitter lemon zest finale that possesses stunningly good length and terrific complexity. This is very classy and a wine that I suspect will add weight with bottle aging.Burghound | 93-96 BH

Julien Brocard’s ’7 Lieux’ are seven distinct vineyards, run biodynamically under his own name. Fermented with indigenous yeast and matured for 12 months in foudres. Lovely wine with a fine balance of fleshiness, power, vivid acidity and lingering minerality to keep everything precise and in check. You can almost feel the health of the vineyard. Delicious.Decanter | 94 DECThe 2022 Chablis La Boissonneuse has a clean, precise bouquet with more mineralité than the Petit Chablis, a subtle crustacea scent emerging with time. The palate is taut on the entry with commendable linearity, certainly one of the stricter, meaner takes of the vintage that will appeal to Chablis purists. Good value.Vinous Media | 90 VM

A bright yellow hue with green highlights, the 2022 Chardonnay Durant Vineyard is expressive in its lacy perfume of jasmine, tarragon, salty earth, and bright green apple. Medium-bodied, it offers beautiful, pristine, ripe fruit, a pithy texture, and a delicate arch to its rounded mouthfeel, with no harshness. It’s refined and graceful, with a floral flourish of lemon blossoms lasting long on the finish. Drink 2024-2034.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JDThe 2022 Lark Block bottling of chardonnay from Durant Vineyard is truly one of the finest white wines I have yet had the pleasure to taste from Kelley Fox. The bouquet is very precise and has a gently exotic floral sheen to it, offering up scents of pear, casaba melon, fresh almond, a beautiful base of soil tones, lemon peel, orange blossoms and a touch of honeysuckle. On the palate the wine is bright, full-bodied, focused and complex, with superb depth at the core lovely soil inflection, a fine spine of acidity and a long, vibrant and impeccably balanced finish. This is very easy to drink out of the blocks, but there is so much more lurking here right below the surface that I would definitely try to give the wine three or four years in the cellar to allow its secondary layers of complexity to start to emerge. It is a great wine. (Drink between 2024 - 2040)John Gilman | 94 JGThe 2022 Chardonnay Durant Vineyard blossoms in the glass as wildflowers and crushed apples give way to mint and crushed stone suggestions. This opens with a lovely inner sweetness and supple texture contrasted with zesty acids and crisp orchard fruits. It tapers off with amazing tension, grippy and cheek puckering with a citrusy concentration as savory herbs and a sensation of liquid stone fade.Vinous Media | 93 VM

The 2022 Saumur Blanc from Lena Filliatreau is a lovely wine. The bouquet wafts from the glass in a vibrant blend of sweet quince, lemon, chalky soil tones, limepeel, a touch of lanolin and a topnote of dried flowers. On the palate the wine is bright, full-bodied and complex, with a lovely core of fruit, fine soil signature, zesty acids and excellent focus and grip on the long and very well balanced finish. Fine juice that is already quite easy to drink, but will be even better with a few years’ worth of bottle age. (Drink between 2023 - 2040)John Gilman | 92 JG

There’s a lovely lift of passion fruit, guava, citrus and floral aromas to start, backed by a gunflint and briny note. The palate is a graceful balance of texture, acidity, flavor and length. The long, lifted acidity and chalky bite to the finish make one want to reach for another glass. This is classy and food-friendly. Wine Enthusiast | 92 WEOffers lime, pear and lemon zest notes that are elegant, but not shy on power, with accents of matcha, lemon thyme and a touch of crunchy sea salt on the juicy finish. Drink now. 35,000 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

This stellar Sancerre is a remarkable expression of the Sauvignon Blanc grape. This wine captivates the senses with an enchanting mélange of aromas, featuring vibrant notes of pink grapefruit, pear and green apple. These scents are harmoniously balanced, offering a fresh and crisp bouquet that invites you to delve deeper. The wine’s crisp acidity and mineral undertones contribute to its refreshing character, making it an excellent companion for a variety of dishes, from seafood to goat cheese. What truly sets this Sancerre apart, however, is its long, lingering finish. Sokolin Tasting Panel | 94+ SP

A blend of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Nascetta and Riesling, the Luigi Baudana 2022 Langhe Bianco Dragon makes a very pretty appearance in the glass with brilliant luminosity. The wine plays its cards well with complexity, a tropical side with star fruit, minerality and sliced honeydew melon (the ripe side of the cut).Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91 RP

Aged for seven months in wood, this ripe wine has power as well as richness. Its spicy character chimes with the dense white fruits from old Sémillon. Drink from 2025.Wine Enthusiast | 91 WE

Oozing with character, this succulent and mouthwatering white offers a fleshy, juicy mix of perfectly ripe peach, mango and lemon bar flavors, with fresh herbal accents of lemon verbena and vetiver. Offers accents of freshly grated ginger, tangerine and crunchy sea salt on the finish. Drink now through 2036. 7,442 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WSLight butter and vanilla bean aromas lead to vivid, racy lemon curd, lime zest and cream flavors in this well-balanced, medium-bodied wine. The most affordable of the Ramey chardonnays, it still delivers an elegant texture and delicious flavors. Drink now.James Suckling | 92 JS

Fine combination of fruit ripeness allied with purity of flavour, zesty citrus acidity and a lingering mineral quality on the finish. Plenty of concentration here. Will age but already drinking well. Based in Lignerolles, Lavantureux are one of the region’s rising stars.Decanter | 91 DEC