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Monsieur Riffault’s 2021 Puligny AC is outstanding and was clearly one of the best villages level wines I tasted on this trip. The bouquet is flat out beautiful, jumping from the glass in a mix of lemon, white peach, a gorgeous base of chalky minerality, vanillin oak and a floral topnote redolent of apple blossoms. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied and nicely concentrated at the core, with a supreme sense of elegance, lovely transparency and grip, zesty acids and a long, focused and seamlessly balanced finish. Fine, fine juice. (Drink between 2025 - 2045)John Gilman | 91+ JGA subtle but perceptible dollop of oak frames fresh and bright aromas of citrus, acacia and Granny Smith apples. The racy and moderately concentrated medium-bodied flavors possess both excellent precision and a really lovely texture, all wrapped in a markedly dry but not really austere finale that flashes excellent length. This is a very fine Puligny villages and worth checking out plus it should age gracefully.Burghound | 90 BHThe 2021 Puligny-Montrachet Village has a taut and strict nose, well defined, green apple mixed with subtle petrichor/wet pavement scents. The palate is well balanced with lemon zest, lime and a dab of ginger, gently building towards a nicely composed and delineated finish. This should give 8-10 years’ drinking pleasure.Vinous Media | 89-91 VMNoticeably more of a primrose yellow colour at this stage (long before cleaning up). A bit more lees in the sample. Concentrated, backward, really a lot more wine here than the Chassagne, a full fruit with some yellow notes, ripe but balanced, and avoids the sweet and sour which afflicted so many 2016s. Fair density, medium length, a sound and solid 2021 Puligny. Drink from 2025-2030. Tasted: October 2022.Jasper Morris | 89-91 JM

A beautifully layered nose freely reveals its aromas of wet stone, apple, pear and full-on floral scents. There is even better mid-palate density to the seductively textured medium weight flavors that possess more evident minerality on the bone-dry and distinctly linear finale that is shaped by overtly citrus-tinged acidity. This will need a few years to develop better depth.Burghound | 90-93 BHThe Sauzet team run the vineyards then purchase the grapes. Pretty and lively colour with a fine floral bouquet, a touch of spring flowers. Punchy in a good way, lemon and lime flavours but with adequate ripeness, leaves an attractive tingle on the tongue and medium plus length. Drink from 2026-2030. Tasted: October 2022.Jasper Morris | 90-93 JMThe 2021 Clos de la Garenne from Domaine Sauzet is excellent. The wine offers up a very stylish aromatic constellation of pink grapefruit, lemon, limestone minerality, citrus blossoms and vanillin oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and vibrant, with a lovely core of fruit, excellent mineral drive and grip, a fine girdle of acidity and a long, properly reserved finish. This is going to be an excellent bottle, but it will need a bit of bottle age before it starts to blossom. (Drink between 2026 - 2055)John Gilman | 92 JGThe 2021 Puligny-Montrachet La Garenne 1er Cru is quite backward on the nose, mineral-driven, slightly flinty in style. The palate is well balanced with fine acidity, perhaps just a bit too much lime on the finish compared to other cuvées? Yet it should drink well for 10-12 years.Vinous Media | 89-91 VM

The 2021 Chassagne-Montrachet Villages contains three barrels of the young vines in Les Caillerets. It has a crisp and enticing nose with apple blossom and crushed stone that soars from the glass. The palate is well balanced with fine nervosité, taut and linear with a vibrant, malic finish and a stony aftertaste.Vinous Media | 90-92 VM

Here too moderate wood sets off the overtly spicy and ripe aromas of white and yellow peach, iodine and hints of seashore. The sleek, delicious and intense flavors are just a bit more refined, indeed they are almost delicate, while still delivering excellent length on the citrus-tinged finish where a bit of wood slowly emerges.Burghound | 91-94 BHThe 2021 Chablis Vaudésir Grand Cru has a taut and fresh bouquet, wonderful mineralité with a hint of smoke and flint coming through. The palate is well balanced with a saline note, fine depth, lemon and a little more lime. Builds nicely in the mouth, a lovely Vaudésir.Vinous Media | 91-93 VMDroin’s Vaudésir comes from just over 1ha with vines planted on both north- and south-facing slopes. A little subdued on the nose and palate, this is a subtle grand cru with plenty of definition, and will blossom with two to three years additional bottle age. No oak.Decanter | 92 DEC

The 2021 Chablis Vosgros 1er Cru has quite a lot of reduction on the nose compared to the Village Cru. The palate is much more expressive, very harmonious and citrus-fresh, lime and orange rind, fine weight with a very smooth and satisfying finish. Don’t miss out on this delightful Vosgros - fresh and rich, as Benoît Droin mentions.Vinous Media | 91-93 VMVosgros is sometimes described as a ’left-bank’ premier cru with ’right-bank’ exposure. It is a valley which is very cold but has a sunny westerly exposition. Closed and precise at the moment, this spend 8-10 months on lees giving the wine a creamy yet elegant texture. A very classy premier cru, this will need several years to fully blossom.Decanter | 92 DECLike the Petit Chablis, moderate amounts of classic Chablis typicity are present on the lemon rind, white orchard fruit and petrol-scented nose. There is very good volume and punch to the delicious medium-bodied flavors that possess good muscle on the clean, dry and slightly austere finale that is supported by citrus-tinged acidity.Burghound | 90-92 BH

An airy, distinctly cool and restrained nose somewhat grudgingly offers up an array of the essence of pear, apple, acacia and an interesting whiff of just sliced lime. The rich and solidly concentrated medium-bodied flavors are at once succulent and seductive before terminating in a similar zest-inflected finish that offers notably better depth and persistence. Lovely and excellent quality here for a villages Puligny.Burghound | 90 BH

The brioche and cooked-apple and cream character really comes through here. Full-bodied and round with fine bubbles. Flavorful and intense. Vivid, bread-dough finish. This is four years on lees. 55% chardonnay and the rest pinot.James Suckling | 93 JSThe latest rendition of Laurent-Perrier’s NV Brut is showing nicely, wafting from the glass with scents of almond paste, iodine, white peach, warm biscuits and mandarin. On the palate, the wine is medium to full-bodied, with an elegant, lively profile, displaying a youthfully frothy mousse, good tension at the core and an attractively chalky finish. This is an excellent non-vintage wine that seems to reflect the maison’s efforts to improve their grape sourcing over the last few years.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91 RPThe nonvintage cuvée from this producer is definitely on the dry side. Like many Champagnes in the range, it has benefited from long aging before release, giving a wine that has richness as well as great fruits, hints of maturity coming through. Drink now.Wine Enthusiast | 91 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

Very pinot noir, thanks to all the red-berry and spice aromas, with quite a bold flavor profile that also pushes a long way in the red-wine direction, without losing the elegance of good Champagne. It’s the delicate touch of the tannins that makes this balancing act work. Very well-integrated acidity. Drink now.James Suckling | 92 JSA firm rosé, with a finely detailed bead and a subtle, toasty underpinning, this shows delicate notes of baked plum, red licorice and Mandarin orange peel. Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay. Drink now. Wine Spectator | 90 WS