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Dedicated to the memory of the British wartime Prime Minister, who regularly drank Pol Roger, this is always a superlative Champagne. This 2000, at 14 years old, has developed a pale gold color and toastiness. That intensifies the mature flavors and rich texture, while allowing the tight mousse and acidity to keep a sense of structure. It will age much further, although it is perfectly ready to drink now. Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEThe 2000 Pol Roger “Cuvée Winston Churchill” is going to be an outstanding vintage for this fine bottling. The cépages this year is roughly eighty-five percent pinot noir and fifteen percent chardonnay (my host did not have the exact breakdown with him), the dosage was eight grams per liter and the wine is just now entering the market after eleven years on its lees. The wine offers up a fine, youthful nose of apple, tart orange, a very complex base of minerality, brioche, smoke and a fine dollop of citrus zest in the upper register. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and nascently complex, with a rock solid core of fruit, excellent focus and grip, elegant mousse, brisk acids and outstanding length and grip on the racy and intensely flavored finish. A fine, fine example of Winston Churchill, I would give the 2000 vintage a good four or five years in the cellar to start to blossom before opening it with conviction. It should age very well indeed. (Drink between 2018-2060)John Gilman | 95+ JGThe 2000 Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill is another vintage that’s drinking at peak today, offering up aromas of yellow apples, crisp stone fruit, butter toast, honeycomb and butterscotch, followed by a medium to full-bodied, ample and fleshy palate that’s pillowy, open-knit and charming. There’s no reason to defer gratification!Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPThe first thing that is evident about the 2000 Brut Cuvee Sir Winston Churchill is its finesse and total silkiness. The 2000 is a rich, creamy and deeply expressive Winston Churchill. I don’t see the 2000 being an especially long-term ager, but it is wonderfully radiant and open today. Hints of pasty, spice, apricots and succulent ripe pears blossom on the expansive, broad-shouldered finish.Vinous Media | 94 VM2000 may not be the most highly rated vintage in its old age, but today some are surprising with their flamboyance and fun – perhaps this is a little more straightforward than some, but it’s immediate, deep and heady with dark honey, bramble and strawberries and cream, heading to tropical ripeness with mango and candied fruits. With a bittersweet twist on the smoky, chewy and buttery finish, this is carrying plenty of appealing fruit weight and impact. Tasted in magnum.Decanter Magazine | 94 DECA discreet, almost shy nose reflects notes of green apple, yeast and Meyer lemon nuances along with plenty of floral influence. By contrast there is plenty of body and punch to the powerful but not especially dense middle weight flavors that are supported by a full-on but not aggressive mousse as well as excellent depth on the lingering finale. This is very clearly still on the way up and even waiting another 5 to 7 years may not see this at its full apogee. What is clearly evident though is that this is going to be a very long distance runner in magnum format.Burghound | 94 BHSmoky, with firm structure and a minerally base note, this offers a fine, creamy texture and hints of dried apricot, lemon curd, cassis, biscuit and blanched almond. The lingering finish echoes the minerality with a touch of oyster shell. Drink now through 2018. 375 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

With its gold color and mature, toasty flavors, this is possibly the greatest Winston Churchill ever. It has weight and richness, with a dense, full and rich texture. It’s in perfect balance, bringing together maturity and crisper apple and green plum fruit flavors that are cut with lemon. A mineral edge gives a nervy character that will allow this magnificent wine to age further.Wine Enthusiast | 98 WEThe 2002 Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill is developing superbly in bottle, and the wine is beginning to show wonderful complexity, wafting from the glass with scents of green apple, orange rind and pear that mingle with hints of warm biscuits, freshly baked bread and iodine. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, broad and fleshy, with ripe acids, appreciable structuring dry extract and concentration and a long, vinous and expansive finish. Readers with the 2002 Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill in their cellars should be very happy indeed.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPThe 2002 Brut Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill is wonderfully open, expressive and resonant. The richness of the vintage comes through nicely, yet the more overt elements are very nicely balanced by a good deal of freshness. Baked apple, pastry, candied lemon, dried flowers and warm, toasty notes shape the generous, resonant finish. With time in the glass, the 2002 takes a on a striking, vinous character. Readers might want to consider opening the 2002 a few hours in advance, as it really blossoms with air.Vinous Media | 95 VMThere’s a sense of quiet elegance and grace to this harmonious Champagne. Refined and lacy in texture, with finely wrought acidity lending focus and length to the spice- and graphite-laced flavors of ripe apricot and blackberry, lemon meringue pie, chopped almond and briny mineral. Drink now through 2029. 500 cases imported. — ANWine Spectator | 95 WS(Pol Roger, Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill, Champagne, France, White) More about structural fascination than aromatic pleasure. With its high acidity and simultaneously rich and impressive depth, this is reminiscent of the heroic 1996, and is equipped to develop far into the future. (Drink between 2020-2040)Decanter | 95 DE(Pol Roger “Cuvée Winston Churchill” Brut Millésime (Épernay)) The 2002 Pol Roger “Cuvée Winston Churchill” is still a young wine, but it is showing lovely potential and is probably only four or five years from starting to really drink with some of the generosity of maturity. The deep and pure bouquet offers up a still quite primary blend of apple, fresh-baked bread, a complex base of soil, gentle leesiness and a smoky topnote. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, crisp and rock solid at the core, with a lovely girdle of acidity, pinpoint bubbles and lovely length and grip on the vibrant and very promising finish. Fine juice in the making. (Drink between 2019-2040)John Gilman | 94 JG

A blend of 65% Pinot Noir consisting of Premier and Grand Crus from the Montagne de Reims and the Vallee de la Marne and 35% Chardonnay from the Cote des Blancs. Significantly, this has nine years ageing on its lees (longer than some Prestige Cuvees), the 2008 was first released onto the global market back in March 2019. With an Extra Brut dosage of 4g/l, this is a highly expressive, confident and convincing interpretation of the vintage. Right now, it is youthfully sharp and focused with fine salinity, depth, acidity and balance, and as such is already extremely approachable. The flavour spectrum encompasses toast, oyster shell, citrus, cream and a flinty, mineral depth. There’s supreme balance and elegance here, combined with a hidden underlying power that will continue to emerge and broaden with time. The finish is dry and long.Decanter | 97 DECA stunningly pure nose with aromas of apples, pears, grapefruit, dried flowers and fresh bread dough, all intermingled. The palate has a super fresh, sleek and vibrant feel with elegance, length and precision. The finish is so long and so precise. A stunning Champagne. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 96 JSBuilding on the structured Pinot Noir, often a hallmark of this producer’s Champagnes, this wine is densely textured and full of white fruits from the Chardonnay. Still young, it remains on the fruit spectrum so wait until 2021 for the full glory of the maturity to come through.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEDisgorged with four grams per liter dosage, the 2008 Extra Brut Vintage hasn’t appreciably evolved since I last tasted it. Offering up pretty aromas of honeycomb, crisp green apple, white flowers and fresh pastry, it’s medium to full-bodied, tensile and incisive, with a tightly wound core, racy acids and an elegant pinpoint mousse. I wouldn’t open bottles from my own cellar for another five years, as this is evolving at a glacial pace.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPA graceful Champagne that swathes the palate in a fine and creamy mousse, carrying flavors of baked blackberry, lemon meringue pie and chopped almond. Vibrant acidity creates a mouthwatering impression on the minerally finish. Drink now through 2026.Wine Spectator | 93 WSThe 2008 Brut Vintage is a delicious wine with which to explore the vintage, as it offers a lovely combination of richness, energy and early approachability. There is a sense of vibrancy that is so appealing. Orchard fruit, dried flowers, mint, spice and hazelnut all grace this enticing, impeccably rendered 2008 from Billecart-Salmon. Lovely. The blend is 65% Pinot Noir from the Montagne de Reims and the Vallée de la Marne and 35% Chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs done entirely in stainless steel. Dosage is 4 grams per liter. (Originally published in August 2020)Vinous Media | 92 VM

Bollinger’s 2015 Brut Grand Année is an intriguing wine in that is clearly reflects the decision to pick on the later side in order to avoid vegetal notes derived from the mismatch of alcoholic and phenolic ripeness. "Balance was hard to achieve in 2015," Chef de Cave Denis Bunner notes. "At 10% in sugar, the fruit was simply not ripe. We had to wait to reach the optimal window of ripeness." Bunner also opted to increase the Chardonnay, so the blend is 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay, as opposed to the more typical 70/30 blend, with more Verzenay than Aÿ in the Pinots. Dried citrus peel, sage, menthol, sage, tangerine peel and spice build with some coaxing. Light tropical overtones develop with aeration. There’s real density and textural richness here. This will be a fascinating vintage to follow. Stylistically, it is the complete opposite from the much more linear 2014 that precedes it. Dosage is 8 grams per liter. Disgorged: May 2023.Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media | 96 VMEnticing, fragrant aromas of toast, lemon zest and an earthy-smoky nuance lead to a palate of subtle Bosc-pear, mango, papaya, even pineapple flavors. Lifted by fresh acidity on the medium-bodied palate, the wine keeps unfolding in toasted walnuts, honey and a dash of bitter marmalade. It’s mouth-filling, alive with acidity and full of finesse. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 96 JSVelvety burnished gold in color with near imperceptible fine bubbles, the Grand Année 2015 is a 60% Pinot Noir, 40% Chardonnay blend of 11 crus, 79% Grands Cru and 21% Premiers Crus, that is 100% barrel fermented, aged 7 years on lees and finished with an 8 grams per liter dosage. It opens toasty and rich with red forest fruit aromas accented by bruised apple, warm spice, Acacia honey, and a refreshing whiff of chalk. Plush and generous, the medium-bodied palate fills out with a seamless depth of orchard fruit concentration lifted by buoyant, finely spun acid energy and a satiny, pinpoint mousse. This 2015 lingers long on the palate and has an attractive kiss of bitterness. Disgorged October 2023.The Wine Independent | 96+ TWIA forward vintage for La Grande Année, with warmth evident in its roasted orange, Comice pear and Mirabelle plum, all polished with a sense of savoury maturity that is very Bollinger at heart. There’s a little more oxygen influence seemingly at play than in the 2014, with brine, nuts and a little dried leaf character already taking this far beyond fruit. The food-friendly chewiness of 2015 is there, but the mousse is supple and the Chardonnay brings the wine to a close with a fine, cooked lemon snap. This will start to show its best integration from 2025 onwards, although it is open for business now. 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay from the Montagne de Reims, Grande Vallée de la Marne and Côte des Blancs, all fermented in small oak barrels and disgorged in May 2023 after seven years on lees.Decanter | 94 DEC

The 2017 Côte de Bouguerots is also a brilliant example of the vintage. The nose is refined and vibrant, jumping from the glass in a complex blend of pear, fresh lime, a touch of white peach, complex, chalky minerality, white lilies, beeswax and citrus peel. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied, racy and deep at the core, with laser-like focus, great length and grip and a beautifully soil-defined and elegant finish. This has cut, purity of fruit and mineral drive to burn. (Drink between 2025-2065)John Gilman | 96 JGA deft touch of wood can be found on the cool and equally pure aromas of various citrus, spiced pear and oyster shell hints. There is fine density and punch to the brooding and powerful large-scaled flavors that brim with minerality on the tightly coiled bitter lemon-inflected finish where the wood telegraphed by the nose resurfaces. This is quite simply terrific.Burghound | 94 BHThere’s a chalky definition on the nose here that is really striking; it combines with fresh lime juice and aromas of lime oil, as well as green mangoes. The palate is so juicy and so succulent and offers a seamlessly smooth run of white peaches, wrapped tight with fresh acidity and turning gently savory at the finish. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 94 JSClear pale colour, very engaging nose with the desired marine qualities coupled to a density of lively fresh fruit suitable for a grand cru. Very linear but exceptionally intense, on a bench of deep white fruit, a little oak in the background, and impressively long. Tasted Jul 2021.Jasper Morris | 94 JMTasted from bottle, the 2017 Chablis Grand Cru Bougros Côte Bouguerots is already quite open and expressive, bursting with aromas of fresh peaches, oatmeal and dried white flowers, with little trace of the reduction it showed from barrel. On the palate, the wine is medium to full-bodied, satiny but incisive, displaying good concentration and an impressive spine of tangy acidity, which lends superb cut and drive to the chalky finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPThe 2017 Chablis Bougros Côte Bouguerots Grand Cru has a gentle, lilting apple blossom bouquet, quite simple for a Grand Cru. The palate is well balanced with crisp acidity, taut and linear, with green apple and citrus peel toward the edgy finish. Understated, but a classy number, though it does miss a little nervosité to those looking for it. Tasted blind at the annual Burgfest tasting in Savigny-lès-Beaune.Vinous Media | 93 VM

The second vintage of this wine, the 2018 Chardonnay Powder House comes from eight acres of what are now estate-owned vines planted in 2013 to Hyde Old Wente and Mt. Eden clones on Goldridge soils. The vineyard is located in downtown Forestville, right across from the high school. It bursts with tantalizing notions of peaches and cream, orange sherbet and lemon pastilles giving way to a grounded, serious core of Bosc pears, beeswax and baking bread. Full-bodied with a gorgeous creaminess to the texture, it delivers loads of citrus sparks among the stone fruit background with a lively backbone and very long finish. 1,000 cases were made.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 99 RPThe first vintage of this cuvée I’ve been able to taste (it was first made in 2017), the 2018 Chardonnay Powder House comes from a site on the Sonoma Coast and is from a mix of old Wente and Mt. Eden clones. Its lighter gold hue is followed by a beautiful bouquet of white flowers, honeyed white peach, nectarines, and mint. It’s a classic Aubert Chardonnay, with clean, pure, complex aromatics, full-bodied richness, bright acidity, and a stunning sense of opulence pared with freshness. Drink bottles over the coming 7-8 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDSmoky richness accents the concentrated apple and peach pastry flavors, supported by steely acidity. Luscious spiciness emerges midpalate, with a long finish that lingers with intense minerality and sea salt details. Best from 2022 through 2027. 946 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WSLots of aromas and flavors of lime zest and lime curd, dried pineapple, hawthorn and crushed hazelnut. Full-bodied and oily on the palate with lingering notes of lime and flint. Tight ending, but keeps going. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 96 JSThe 2018 Chardonnay Powder House is a bit nervous today. Bright mineral notes give the 2018 a good bit of energy and tension to drive the citrus and floral flavors. I am really looking forward to tasting the 2018 after bottling, as I imagine it will be a bit more relaxed.Vinous Media | 92-95 VM

Flinty and steely with dried-apple, cooked-apple, pineapple, stone and honeysuckle aromas and flavors. Full-bodied and layered. Dense and agile with a vivid, flavorful finish. Complex, rich and so long. Still tight. But ever so serious and complex. Another triumph from Aubert from this vineyard. Drinkable now, but better in a year or two.James Suckling | 99 JSThe 2018 Chardonnay Sugar Shack is produced from Montrachet clone vines (what Mark Aubert calls “the citrus circus clone") grown in Rutherford AVA. It starts off a little closed at this youthful stage, soon unfurling to reveal notions of peach cobbler and pink grapefruit with an undercurrent of allspice, powdered ginger and chalk dust. The palate comes through with a powerful wall of concentrated stone fruit and baking spice flavors, supported by just enough freshness to lend balance and lift, finishing long and decadently toasty.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPThe 2018 Chardonnay Sugar Shack is wonderfully alluring from the first taste. The Sugar Shack is typically among the more overt wines in this range. The 2018 has plenty of that, but the cool, even growing season and bright acids temper some of that natural exuberance nicely. Orange peel, spice, butter and sweet vanillin all meld together in this wonderfully open-knit, luscious Chardonnay from Mark Aubert.Antonio Galloni | 93-96 AGCreamy and honeyed notes accent the lusciously spiced flavors of ripe peach and baked apple. Toasty and buttery on the juicy finish. Drink now through 2024. 743 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

The 2018 Chardonnay UV-SL springs from the glass with wonderfully intense notes of candied orange peel, pink grapefruit and white peaches with suggestions of crème caramel and spice cake plus compelling sparks of yuzu zest and wet pebbles. The full-bodied palate is remarkably elegant with a gorgeous satiny texture and fantastic tension delivering a very long, energetic finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RPIntense aromas of lemon curd, lime zest, white peach, butterscotch and flint. It’s full-bodied and creamy, compact and phenolic. So focused. Crushed flint on a long, mineral and smoky finish. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 97 JSThe 2018 Chardonnay UV-SL springs from the glass with wonderfully intense notes of candied orange peel, pink grapefruit and white peaches with suggestions of crème caramel and spice cake plus compelling sparks of yuzu zest and wet pebbles. The full-bodied palate is remarkably elegant with a gorgeous satiny texture and fantastic tension delivering a very long, energetic finish.Vinous Media | 94-97 VMLithe, with notes of dried thyme to the Gala apple and pear tart flavors, rich and pure. Toasty accents show midpalate. The long finish is filled with flinty and minerally components. Best from 2021 through 2026. 874 cases made. — KMWine Spectator | 94 WS

A tank sample, the 2018 Chardonnay Ma Belle Fille comes from a block planted to a field selection of Hudson, Old Wente, Montrachet and Calera clone selections. Winemaker Nick Morlet informs me that the berries are tiny across the board here. It prances out of the glass with joyful orange oil, fresh grapefruit and lime cordial aromas plus nuances of shaved almonds, wet slate, nutmeg and beeswax with a hint of honeysuckle. The palate is very tight-knit and a little closed at this stage, with emerging sparks of intense citrus fruits and savory/yeasty/toasty notes, framed by amazing freshness and a silken texture, finishing long and chalky. 2,190 cases are due to be made.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97-100 RPThe 2018 Chardonnay Ma Belle-Fille is dense, powerful and tightly wound. I would give it a few years to come together. Ripe apricot, orange confit, baked apple tart and wild flowers infuse the 2018 with notable complexity to match its dense, packed personality.Vinous Media | 95 VMIntensely fruity and powerful, this is filled with concentrated pear tart flavors that feature notes of gooseberry and quince paste, showing hints of dried tropical fruits. Brioche and rich toasty details emerge on the unctuous finish. Drink now through 2026. 2,174 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

From a 20+-year-old section of Hudson selection Old Wente clone vines, the 2019 Chardonnay Hudson (a barrel sample) delivers a full-on exotic nose of tropical fruits, pineapple upside-down cake, beeswax and spiced pears with an undercurrent of cashews and brioche plus a touch of yuzu zest. Full-bodied, the palate is satisfyingly savory and multilayered, with tons of mineral sparks accenting the opulent fruit, and the long, decadent finish is beautifully offset by racy freshness.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97-99 RPAn inviting nose of jasmine, lemon leaf, chalk and beeswax. Full-bodied and light on its feet with delicate expressions of herbs and spices that carry over the palate in layers. Subtle vanilla bean and toasted thyme on the palate. Supremely elegant. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 99 JSThe 2019 Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard is a total knock-out. Ripe pear, white flowers, mint and apple tart are all beautifully lifted. Rich in texture, yet light on its feet, the Hudson is unbelievably beautiful and vivid in the glass. In a word: stunning.Vinous Media | 96-98 VMThere’s unctuous minerality and savoriness to the baked apple and dried pear flavors that are lacy and well-spiced, with toasty and buttery accents on the broad-textured finish. Elegant and complex. Drink now through 2026. 579 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

The 2019 Chardonnay Trenton Roadhouse is plush, open-knit and gregarious, offering immediate appeal in a portfolio of cellar-worthy 2019s. The nose is toasty and gregarious with a fragrance of golden apples, roasted almonds and beeswax. The full-bodied palate features loads of expansive fruits and savory tones streaked with graphite and finishing very long and energetic.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPThe 2019 Chardonnay Trenton Roadhouse is one of the most reticent wines in this range. Bright saline and mineral notes give the Trenton Roadhouse terrific energy and cut. Readers should plan on cellaring the 2019 for at least a few years, as it is pretty reticent at this stage. Even so, the wine’s beauty and elegance are impossible to miss. Goldridge soils with fine-grained sands over clay yields a Chardonnay of tremendous class.Vinous Media | 96 VMWhile the 2019 Chardonnay Trenton Roadhouse comes from the Russian River, it has a Sonoma Coast-like sense of minerality and freshness, with vibrant lemon and poached pear fruits, notes of crushed stone, flowers, and honeyed toast, medium body, bright acidity, and a great, great finish. It’s going to benefit from a year in bottle and cruise for a decade.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDDried apple and light caramel drops. Some chalk-like undertones. Full-bodied with a solid center palate, which fades gently at the end, in a really nice and attractive way. Drink now.James Suckling | 95 JSSucculent apricot, butterscotch and green apple flavors are fresh and in focus, but gain momentum as notes of white flowers, tarragon and spice come in on the long finish. Drink now through 2030. 1,050 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

A stunning wine, showing both power and elegance, this has a creamy, supple texture paired with vibrant, mouthwatering acidity that turns up the intensity. Presents plump, fleshy apricot, peach cobbler and dried mango flavors complemented by notes of savory Himalayan salt and butterscotch. The long, harmonious finish features lingering accents of candied ginger peel. Drink now through 2030. 2,100 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WSThe 2019 Chardonnay (Napa Valley) is superb. Powerful and resonant in the glass, with notable depth as well as structure, the 2019 is mesmerizing. Lemon peel, white pepper, chalk and mint lend brightness throughout. There is more than enough backbone to allow the 2019 to age gracefully for years to come. What a wine!Vinous Media | 95 VM

This is really complex with the complete character profile of Peter Michael chardonnay. It’s full and very layered with a great center palate. Incredibly thought-provoking and satisfying. Dried apple and lemon with lightly toasted oak. Great finish. Changes all the time. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 99 JSAn eastern-facing slope on white, dusty soil, this vineyard is the latest of the Peter Michael Chardonnay vineyards to ripen each year. The site is planted mainly to Old Wente and See clone selections with a little Rued clone. Planted in 1990, these are the oldest vines on the estate. A tank sample due to be bottled within the next couple of days, the 2019 Chardonnay Belle Cote’s nose needs a little coaxing to reveal elegantly expressed scents of lemon curd, lime leaves and Bosc pears plus suggestions of baker’s yeast, toasted almonds and crushed rocks. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is beautifully poised if a little youthfully closed, revealing glimpses at loads of citrus, savory and mineral nuances with a racy line and creamy texture, finishing on a lingering zesty note. 2,396 cases were made.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97-98 RPThe 2019 Chardonnay Belle-Côte emerges from the oldest vines on the estate. White flowers, mint, pear, white pepper and citrus give the Belle-Côte a brilliant upper register that really distinguishes it in this lineup. Vivid and sculpted, the Belle-Côte is wonderfully expressive today. I can’t wait to taste it with a few years of bottle age. At times, the Belle-Côte has a Riesling-like aromatic presence that is incredibly distinctive.Antonio Galloni | 97 AGAnother estate Knight Valley release, the 2019 Chardonnay Belle-Cote is one of the richer, more powerful Chardonnays in the lineup. Buttered lemon, flower oil, toasted almond, honeysuckle, and brioche are some of the nuances here, and it’s full-bodied, with a layered, multi-dimensional mouthfeel, integrated acidity, and a distinct sense of minerality on the finish. It’s another rich, concentrated, age-worthy Chardonnay from this team that will have a solid decade of overall longevity.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDElegant, plush and rich-tasting, with well-knit apple and pear tart flavors that are supported by suave acidity. Light buttery accents midpalate linger onto the juicy finish, which features ripe tangerine and blood orange notes. Drink now through 2025. 2,366 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

The 2019 Chardonnay Ma Belle-Fille is from an estate vineyard in Knights Valley, which is in Sonoma, just north of Napa Valley. Beautiful white flowers, honeysuckle, green almond, and chalky minerality all emerge from this beauty, and it's another full-bodied, rich, concentrated Chardonnay from this team that checks in with the crème de la crème of the vintage. Despite its richness level and decadence, it stays lively and fresh. This is straight-up brilliant ChardonnayJeb Dunnuck | 97 JDMa Belle Fille is the highest of the Peter Michael vineyards, located at 1,200-1,800 feet. Planted to a field selection of Hudson, Old Wente, Montrachet and Calera clones, it is also the earliest ripening vineyard. A tank sample due to be bottled in just a few days, the 2019 Chardonnay Ma Belle Fille slips seductively out of the glass with tantalizing notes of warm apple slices, ripe nectarines and spice cake, giving way to a beautiful perfume of honeysuckle, beeswax and tangerine peel, plus a waft of cashews. Full-bodied, the palate delivers mouth-coating stone fruit and spiced apple flavors with a lively backbone and decadent oiliness to the texture, finishing on a long-lasting honey-nut note. 2,017 cases were made.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97-98 RPLithe and well-knit, with lacy richness to the apple pastry and pear tart flavors that are backed by lively acidity. Brioche accents midpalate lead to a juicy finish that lingers with fresh minerality. Drink now through 2025. 2,006 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

This is a dense and layered white with a broad palate. It’s full and rich, yet fresh and yummy. Lovely cooked apple, vanilla and praline at the finish. Aniseed aftertaste. Drink now and enjoy.James Suckling | 97 JSThe 2019 Chardonnay Mon Plaisir is another gorgeous wine in this range from Peter Michael. This south/southeast facing block yields a Chardonnay of notable richness and viscosity. Even so, the Mon Plaisir retains terrific energy. Apricot, honeysuckle, mint, butter and pastry flesh out over time. The 2019 is a wine of breadth and power. Superb.Vinous Media | 96 VMThe 2019 Chardonnay Mon Plaisir from Knights Valley reveals a medium gold hue as well as beautiful golden delicious apple, white flowers, toasted bread, and almond paste-like nuances. It’s medium to full-bodied and has a layered, textured mouthfeel, nicely integrated acidity, and straight-up stunning length on the finish. It builds nicely with time in the glass and, if anything, was even better on the second day, so don’t be afraid to give this some air. It will evolve for at least 8-10 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDThe 2019 Mon Plaisir comes barreling out with bold notes of ripe apricots, fresh pineapple, and poached pears with touches of almond croissant, nutmeg, and honeysuckle. Medium to full-bodied, the palate delivers impressive energy and freshness, with a satiny texture and a spicy lift on the long finish.The Wine Independent | 96 TWIFrom vines now more than 20 years old, the 2019 Chardonnay Mon Plaisir is a mix of Old Wente selection and another selection, said to come from Montrachet. Despite coming from a sun-drenched site, the pear and melon notes are quite tight and citrusy but prominent, with the oak and lees work pushed well into the background. It’s medium to full-bodied, plump and generous in the mouth, with a long, mouthwatering finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95+ RPA chiseled style, with powerful, well-structured flavors of fresh-cut apple, dried pear and lemon tart that are supported by fresh acidity. The rich and minerally finish is well-spiced. Drink now through 2026. 954 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

A cool, late-harvest site relative to Aubert’s other sources, the 2020 Chardonnay Larry Hyde & Sons also sees a bit less new French oak (50%). Readers will note that the oak made virtually no impression on me, as the wine bursts with aromas of ripe, honeyed melon, balanced by bright lime notes. Full-bodied, creamy and lush on the palate, this is just a pleasure to drink, finishing long and zesty.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPThis stunning version opens with a rich impression, with candied ginger, marmalade and honeyed overtones to the core of fresh fruit flavors, including notes of pear, apple, melon and citrus. Hints of orange blossoms and minerality mingle with fresh acidity, while a nutmeg-dominant wave of spices gain momentum on the long finish. Drink now through 2033. 1,538 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WSA big and juicy white with cooked apple, pear, honey, and mineral. Flint. Full and layered with a flavorful and delicious finish. Drink now.James Suckling | 96 JS

The 2020 Chardonnay McCrea Vineyard is powerful and full of personality. It offers aromas of white peach, elderflower, lime peel, meringue and dried mint. Creamy and harmonious, with tangy yet integrated acidity, the medium-bodied palate unfurls layer after layer of candied citrus and flinty sparks, and it finishes with incredible length and spiciness.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPLovely aromas of peach, grapefruit, brioche and dried herbs. Medium-bodied and elegant with great balance. Straw character comes through towards the finish. Delicious, with mildly oily texture. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 96 JSPacks a powerful, creamy mix of lemon bar, marmalade and buttery pastry flavors and a lovely sweet cream note to complement apricot, fresh citrus and spice accents. Reveals a whisper of flinty minerality and toasted, salted almond on the finish. Drink now through 2029. 1,340 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

A gorgeous nose of sliced pear, grapefruit, hazelnut and fresh thyme. Medium-to full-bodied with great texture. Rock-salt salinity. Real nuance and delicacy. Firm, but really layered and long. Flinty at the end. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 97 JSThe 2020 Chardonnay Stone Flat Vineyard is pure and layered with scents of candied peaches, dried herbs, lime candy and jasmine. It continues to offer new aromas with each return to the glass. The palate is powerful and satiny, its concentration balanced by tangy acidity, and it finishes with lots of flinty nuances. It feels youthfully tense compared to some of the other Kistler Chardonnays this vintage.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPFocused and intense, this white is aromatic up front, with fresh-clipped notes of lemon verbena and basil and just a hint of flint and chalk. Packs an incredibly juicy core, with mouthwatering Meyer lemon, yuzu and Honeycrisp apple flavors, plus grace notes of honeycomb and salted lime. The intense finish is focused and long. Drink now through 2030. 900 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WSThe 2020 Chardonnay Stone Flat Vineyard offers a light resinous pine note on the nose, with white peach and apple skin. The texture is lifted and cleansing, with freshness in its notes of red apple, apple blossom, and lemon curd.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDThe 2020 Chardonnay Stone Flat Vineyard is pretty ripe in this vintage. It offers up scents of apricot, hazelnut, dried flowers, chamomile, sweet spice and orange peel. Medium in body, yet quite extroverted, the 2020 is nicely balanced.Vinous Media | 91 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

The 2020 Chardonnay Belle Côte, matured for 12 months in about 40% new French oak, explodes with singular aromas of ginger, lemongrass and Meyer lemon with streaks of flint and dried herbs. The medium-bodied palate is just as intense, offering highly concentrated fruit, seamless acidity, expansive, spicy flavors and a finish that goes on and on. Ultra concentrated and perfumed, the Belle Côte is especially expressive this vintage. 2,782 cases were made.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RPThe aromas of the 2020 Chardonnay Belle-Côte are more herbaceous and move into bright green apple and a very pleasant smokiness. The texture is silky, with Corton-like richness, yet it has levity. Drink over the next 10 or more years.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDThis is an open and thoroughly satisfying young chardonnay, with sliced dried apple, pineapple, lemon zest and honey suckle. Full-bodied with plenty of chardonnay character that evolves on the palate to white-spice and gunpowder undertones. Pine needles, too. A fantastic Belle-Cote for the vintage. Drinkable now, but better in a few years.James Suckling | 97 JSThe 2020 Belle Cote was tasted as a barrel sample. It needs a little coaxing to reveal elegant scents of lemon tart, lime leaves, and fresh nectarines with hints of green guava, spice cake, and powdered ginger. Full-bodied, the palate is concentrated with pleasant oiliness and just enough freshness, finishing spicy. The grapes were harvested on 23 September.The Wine Independent | 94-96 TWIShows salted butterscotch, peach and tangerine flavors that are polished and focused, with lemon blossom, poached pear and candied ginger notes on a plush, elegant frame. Features a fresh edge of acidity. Drink now through 2032. 2,782 cases made. Wine Spectator | 93 WS

The nose of the 2020 Chardonnay Ma Belle-Fille is layered with fresh and citrus tones, with lime blossom, white flowers, and lemon pith. The mouthfeel is stony and has more tension while still having a classic viscous feel.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDExquisite, with a generous, fleshy core of ripe peach and apricot flavors, which mingle effortlessly with salted butter notes of fresh pastry, lemon blossom and clipped herbs. The frame is silky and smooth, with fresh acidity weaving in and out, keeping the flavors fresh and focused. Drink now through 2030. 1,636 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WSThe 2020 Chardonnay Ma Belle Fille comes across as quite tight and mineral, with hints of pencil shavings and toasted almond accenting pineapple and lime. Medium to full-bodied, with ample richness and generosity, it finishes long and lean, with a mouthwatering edge to the citrus flavors.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95-97 RPVery floral and foresty on the nose, with bark, green pine needle, lemon curd and dried apple. Perfumed. Medium-bodied, dense center-palate. Flinty and spicy. Some blanched almond. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 94 JS

Aromas of citrus, apple skin, grape skin, vanilla, and brioche. Full-bodied with an oiliness and acidity that runs so long. Sort of rock and roll here. Tight on the finish. Flinty. Needs time to open. Released in the fall, 2023. Better after 2023 to 2024.James Suckling | 97 JSThe 2021 Chardonnay Park Avenue was tasted as a tank sample, due to be bottled in December 2022. It skips out of the glass with bright, cheery notes of ginger ale, sassafras, lemon curd, coriander seed, and crystallized orange peel with a hint of white pepper. The full-bodied palate is satiny smooth with layers of citrus and stone fruits, supported by a lively backbone, finishing long and minerally. Aubert bought this vineyard in 2013. It’s located right in between the Lauren and CIX vineyards. A neighbor who owned these 12 acres next to Lauren, previously planted with apples, passed away. There is a long road leading up to the vineyard, hence the name Park Avenue. This is mainly Hyde Clone with a little bit of Montrachet on 101-14 and 420A rootstocks.The Wine Independent | 97-99 TWILocated next to the Lauren site and planted in 2016 to a combination of Montrachet and Hyde Old Wente, the 2021 Chardonnay Park Avenue Estate kicks off with scents of crushed stone, lemon, black tea and some slightly richer notes of stone fruit. Medium to full-bodied, it’s quite liner and direct, with a long, mouthwatering finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPThe 2021 Chardonnay Park Avenue is one of the most powerful wines in this lineup. It offers a striking mix of orange confit with earthy, saline and mineral notes. Like all the 2021s here, the Park Avenue exudes textural intensity and persistence. The palate-staining finish is unforgettable.Vinous Media | 96 VMThis stunning white offers a wonderful mix of fleshy grilled peach, mango and lemon curd flavors, with lush acidity and a whiff of minerality, followed by notes of green cardamom, toasted, salted hazelnut and crème brûlée on the long, juicy finish. Drink now through 2032. 1,947 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WS

Due to the challenges of the vintage, the 2021 Hermitage Blanc is a blend of the estate’s Hermitage Tradition bottling and Ex Voto, which gives it a singular profile. Less oaky than the 2020, it is elegantly floral, revealing aromas of almonds, spring flowers, white peach and orchard fruits mingled with delicately spicy notes. Medium- to full-bodied, textural and satiny, it offers a deep, fleshy core of fruit, mineral acidity and an elegant overall profile, and it should deliver a broad drinking window, even if it is much more approachable at this stage than the 2020.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPQuince, white flowers, and gorgeous citrus notes all emerge from the 2021 Hermitage Blanc. Based on 95% Marsanne and 5% Roussanne, aged 24 months in equal parts new and used French oak, it’s concentrated, medium-bodied, has terrific mid-palate depth, integrated acidity, and a pure, focused style. This brilliant white will keep for a decade or more. Drink 2025-2035.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDThere’s flattering, toasty cedar atop warm red currant and ganache in this rich red. Salty density builds, with campfire ash, black peppercorn and dried herbs. The finish is salty, long and well-meshed. Best from 2026 through 2040. 2,915 cases made, 50 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 92 WSShowing slightly less flavor concentration than the surrounding two vintages, the 2021 Hermitage Blanc still delivers. Made in a refreshing style and displaying bright citrus fruits paired with cedar and floral notes, the 2021 is a distinctively elegant Hermitage Blanc.Vinous Media | 91 VM

A bigger, richer white, especially in the context of the vintage, the 2021 Château La Mission Haut-Brion Blanc offers up a medium to full-bodied, vibrant, concentrated style as well as classic notes of honeyed melon, crushed stone, white flowers, and dried herbs. I love its mid-palate depth, and it has beautifully integrated acidity and outstanding length. It’s another serious, age-worthy white in 2021 that will benefit from short-term bottle age and be long-lived.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDThe 2021 La Mission Haut-Brion Blanc marries the natural energy of this cool year with lovely mid-palate creaminess and texture. Understated yet persistent, the 2021 presents a gorgeous display of pear, white flowers and mint, along with a subtle touch of oak that frames the finish. Today, the 2021 is quite a bit less expressive than it was en primeur. It was also bottled in May 2022 (versus May 2023 for the reds) and may be in a closed period, which is not unusual for wines from cold years. We shall see.Vinous Media | 95 VMPeach and waxed-lemon character here. Some fennel and aniseed, too. Very fresh. Medium to full body with a round, creamy palate. A little closed for now at the end. 55.2% semillon and 44.8% sauvignon.James Suckling | 95-96 JSLa Mission Haut-Brion Blanc 2021 leaps from the glass with notes of fresh grapefruit, white peaches, and honeysuckle, leading to touches of elderflower and sea spray. The medium-bodied palate is tightly wound, with vibrant stone fruit and zesty flavors, supported by a crisp backbone, finishing long and steely.The Wine Independent | 95 TWIA fresh, incipiently complex bouquet of pear, grapefruit, freshly baked bread and wet stones prefaces the 2021 La Mission Haut-Brion, a medium to full-bodied, fleshy wine with a satiny attack that segues into a taut, structured mid-palate built around chalky dry extract, which lend this a more tightly-knit, mordant profile than the broader, fatter and more enveloping Haut-Brion Blanc.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94+ RPFloral and green fruit aromas on the nose. Juicy and upfront, lively and fun, this has zing and focus. I love the almost sherbet lemon touch to the initial expression followed by soft green fruit and some softly spiced herbal accents. It’s clear and clean, bright and focussed. Tapers a little towards the finish, just lightening, but lovely and enjoyable - very aerial in style.Decanter | 94 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