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This wine exhibits strength as well as richness. With a dense texture and powerful, warm yellow- and white-fruit flavors, its ripe character is supported by toast and a tight structure. Drink from 2024.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEThe 2019 Chablis Les Blanchots Grand Cru is very well defined on the nose, where sea spray and oyster shell notes combine with citrus aromas. Hints of green olive emerge with time. The well-defined palate is taut on the entry, with hints of chai tea and chamomile infusing the white peach and citrus notes, and builds nicely toward a very composed finish. Superb.Vinous Media | 94 VMLaroche owns 11 acres of Blanchots, a cru named for the layer of white clay over Chablis’s Kimmeridgian limestone. That clay helps retain some moisture, which may be why this particular grand cru shows so beautifully in 2019. It’s as full as you would expect from the heat of the season, but the dynamic energy of the wine sustains freshness and buoys the broad flavors of yellow apple and puff pastry. It’s generous in spirit, without being overwhelming in alcohol. Lush and delicious, it lasts on floral apple and tangy white cranberry notes. A keeper.Wine & Spirits | 94 W&SThe 2019 Chablis Grand Cru Les Blanchots wafts from the glass with notions of crisp orchard fruit, white peach, apple blossom, toasted almonds and vanilla pod. Full-bodied, concentrated and reserved, with good cut and back-end grip, it concludes with a long, delicately honeyed finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93+ RP

Fresh, cooling tones of lemon and grapefruit are accented by burnt butterscotch in this robust yet sharply honed white. Reflective of an intensely hot vintage, it’s broad shouldered and weighty yet firmly anchored by a steely, smoky mineral undertow. Tight in youth, the wine should mature beautifully and be at peak from 2024 through 2035.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WEThe 2019 Chablis Les Preuses Grand Cru has an intense bouquet that shrugs off the reduction to deliver crushed pebbles and honeysuckle and jasmine scents. The palate is well balanced with a fine bead of acidity, taut and fresh. The elegant finish just needs to develop a little more persistence on the aftertaste. But overall, this is very promising.Vinous Media | 92-94 VMPlump and also juicy, this white borders on orange framing the core peach and melon flavors. A mineral note grounds this version as it plays out on the lingering finish. Fine balance, with a lemon aftertaste. Drink now through 2026.Wine Spectator | 92 WSAn expressive and decidedly ripe yet fresh nose reflects notes of honey, dried yellow orchard fruit and just enough Chablis typicity to make one remember where this is from. There is fine volume and richness to the palate soaking medium-bodied flavors that are shaped by bright acidity on the dry, youthfully austere and lingering finale. The nose is certainly not classic but I very much like the palate impression.Burghound | 91 BH

A touch of fresh, ripe lemon zest is all that peeps though on this wine’s shy and closed nose. More air reveals lovely hints of petrichor and chalk. The palate is rounded and textured. Yeastiness and chalky depth align themselves to bright, ripe lemon, and the lemony chalkiness lasts beautifully. Drink by 2040.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEShowing rather more of a rich, toastier style, this has some driving mineral characters underneath with lovely concentration. The freshness imparted by the east-facing, steeply-sloping face of Blanchot contrasts with the warmth and ripeness of the 2019 vintage. A Grand Cru which has a fine balance of richness, power and structure, that is already drinking very well. Drinking Window 2022 - 2030.Decanter | 93 DEC

The 2019 Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos is, if anything, more introverted than Les Preuses this year. Mingling notes of citrus oil, pear and crisp stone fruit with hints of fresh bread, vanilla pod and wet stones, it's full-bodied, layered and muscular, with huge concentration, framed by chalky extract and lively acids. Concluding with a long, saline finish, it will require considerable patience.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97+ RP(Domaine Vincent Dauvissat Chablis - Les Clos Grand Cru White) A perfumed and slightly minty nose offers up notes of green apple, lemon zest, algae and oyster shell. The sleek, delineated and powerful large-scaled flavors are shaped by a firm citrus-tinged acid spine on the exuberantly spicy, strikingly long and bone-dry finish. This brilliant youthfully austere effort is also going to require extended patience before arriving at its apogee. In sum, this is a knockout. (Drink starting 2031).Burghound | 96 BHThe 2019 Chablis Les Clos Grand Cru is more strict and linear on the nose compared to Les Preuses, gradually developing some subtle grilled almond and walnut aromas. You just need about 30 seconds and you are lost in the aromas. The palate is exceptionally well balanced with a nigh-perfect thread of acidity. This Les Clos displays ethereal poise from start to finish and is blessed with a pixelated quality that distinguishes it from any other. Brilliant. Candidate for wine of the vintage.Vinous Media | 96-98 VM

A relatively young estate, Lavantureux is definitely a domaine to watch. Arnaud and David are now running things, with a recent 0.95ha acquisition in Vau de Vey. Farmed by hand, this is a delightful Premier Cru which emphasises the character of this steep, stony climat. Lovely density on the palate with an intriguing lime character, balanced by mineral, flinty notes and a touch of creamy oak adding more complexity. Subtle and nuanced. Drinking Window 2022 - 2027.Decanter | 95 DECAromas of honeysuckle, lemon grass and citrus follow through to a medium body with fine tannins and a fresh, bright finish. Lots of lemon rind at the end. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 93 JSThe 2019 Chablis 1er Cru Vau de Vey is a fine success, offering up aromas of citrus oil, white flowers, nutmeg and smoke. Medium to full-bodied, bright and chiseled, with fine depth at the core and a saline finish, this is certainly oak-inflected in style but integrates that patina more completely than the Vauprin.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPThe 2019 Chablis Vau de Vey 1er Cru has a lovely, pure, well-defined bouquet of mineral-tinged citrus fruit, dewy meadow and light flinty scents. The palate is taut and fresh with orange peel and a touch of yellow plum on the entry. There are hints of tropical fruit, but they are discreet, and the wine maintains wonderful focus on the finish. Delicious!Vinous Media | 92 VM

A striking young wine, Dauvissat’s brilliant 2020 Chablis 1er Cru La Forest unfurls in the glass with aromas of crisp orchard fruit, orange oil, pear, oyster shell, freshly baked bread and smoke, framed by a deft touch of reduction. Medium to full-bodied, deep and multidimensional, it’s taut and concentrated, with racy acids, chalky structuring and a long, searingly mineral finish. Recent years have delivered so many brilliant renditions of La Forest that it’s hard to pick a favorite between the likes of 2008, 2014, 2017 and 2019, but the 2020 is certainly a worthy entrant into the competition, and it’s worth a special effort to seek out.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95+ RP(Domaine Vincent Dauvissat Chablis "La Forest" 1er Cru White) A highly complex nose combines notes of citrus rind, sea breeze, petrol and shellfish. There is excellent size, weight and intensity to the more robust and muscular if less refined flavors that brim with dry extract before terminating in a mineral-driven and bone-dry but not really austere finale. I very much like the balance, and this should also age gracefully yet it’s not so structured that it couldn’t be approached after 5-ish years if desired. (Drink starting 2030)Burghound | 92-94 BH(Chablis “la Forest”- Domaine Vincent Dauvissat) The 2020 la Forest from Vincent Dauvissat is truly outstanding this year and reminds me very much of the great potential I saw when I first tasted vintages like 1985 and 1990 here, which also were so classically-cut out of the blocks. The superb aromatic constellation delivers scents of apple, pear, lemon, a beautiful base of chalky minerality, paraffin, vanillin oak and a lovely floral topnote that shares a mix of white lilies and lime blossoms. On the palate the wine is pure, precise and full-bodied, with impeccable focus and grip, a lovely core of fruit, outstanding soil undertow and a long, zesty and finish that closes with snappy acids and a complex, seamless finish. A classic in the making. (Drink between 2026-2065)John Gilman | 94+ JGThe 2020 Chablis Fôrets 1er Cru is backward on the nose, the most stubborn and recalcitrant of Dauvissat’s Premier Crus despite rigorous coaxing. The powerful palate is linear, like the Montée de Tonnerre, but displays a little more puissance toward the finish. But, maybe, the Montée has more charm. We will see.Vinous Media | 91-93 VM

(Chablis “Bougros”- Domaine Patrick Piuze) Bougros can sometimes be a bit more fruit-driven in personality out of the blocks than most other grand crus, but this is most emphatically not the case with Patrick Piuze’s version in 2020. The aromatic constellation is precise and minerally in personality, offering up scents of apple, pear, beeswax, a hint of crème patissière, citrus peel, oyster hell minerality, vanillin oak and a topnote of dried flowers. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and defined by its underlying soil, with a lovely core of perfectly ripe fruit, a fine girdle of acidity, lovely focus and grip and a long, nascently complex and beautifully balanced finish. (Drink between 2028-2080)John Gilman | 95 JGThe 2020 Chablis Grand Cru Bougros is ample and generous, wafting from the glass with aromas of pear, honeycomb, beeswax, white flowers and freshly baked bread. Full-bodied, satiny and layered, it's fleshy and enveloping, with a racy spine of acidity and a long, saline finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPThe 2020 Chablis Bougros Grand Cru has a well defined bouquet that offers fine mineralité and terroir expression, wet limestone and light smoky scents coming through. The palate is well balanced with a fine bead of acidity, veins of desiccated orange peel and mandarin, a little pepper and even a hint of rhubarb toward the finish. A wonderful Bougros.Vinous Media | 92-94 VMA rich, open-knit white, hallmarked by floral, yellow plum and peach aromas and flavors. Glides across the palate, ending with peach, spice and stony length. Drink now through 2027.Wine Spectator | 91 WS(Maison Patrick Piuze Chablis - Bougros Grand Cru White) Restrained if dense aromas are composed by notes of green fruit, oyster shell and lemon zest. The sleek, intense and delicious middle weight flavors are not quite as concentrated nor are they are refined but they do offer fine depth and persistence. This built-to-age effort should be approachable after only 4 to 5 years but reward a decade plus of cellaring. (Drink starting 2030)Burghound | 91-93 BH

TOP QUALITY PRODUCER Quite a different, cool, fresh character on the nose. Louis Moreau always aim to pick early to preserve freshness. Lemon-lime citrus characters dominate the palate giving lots of vibrant acidity, balancing the concentrated fruit notes and providing a great backdrop for future ageing. Needs a two or three years to settle in bottle, and it’s a keeper.Decanter | 95 DECThis white’s creamy texture is offset by lively acidity that frames its lemon, yuzu, floral and vanilla flavors. Tense and racy, picking up mineral and herbal accents on the long finish. Drink now through 2032. 712 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

One of the Dauvissat specialities, the La Forest is a triumph in 2021. From seven small parcels, the total site is less than 1ha with average vine age more than 40 years. Intriguing, slightly smoky nose, highly distinctive and different to others in the range. Plenty of power, ripe stone fruit flavours, zesty citrus acidity with a herbaceous edge adding an extra dimension. Definitely of grand cru quality.Decanter | 95 DECThe 2021 Chablis 1er Cru La Forest is a young classic, mingling scents of sweet citrus oil and peach with notions of white flowers, struck match, bee pollen and youthful reduction in an incipiently complex bouquet. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and textural, it’s concentrated, taut and incisive, with a long, mineral finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPThere is a hint of phenolic character on the aromas of crushed leaf, mineral reduction, lemon-lime and seaweed. The denser, succulent and powerful larger-scaled flavors are supported by a firm acid spine on the stony, youthfully austere and bitter citrus rind finale. This is quite dry and I very much like the balance though I would note that at least some patience is strongly suggested as this is quite tightly wound today. In a word, terrific.Burghound | 94 BHI always think of Vincent Dauvissat’s la Forest as his baby les Clos, as with ten years or more of bottle age, the two often resemble each other a bit aromatically and flavor-wise. The 2021 version of la Forest chez Dauvissat is going to be stellar. The bouquet wafts from the glass in a complex mix of pear, fresh lime, flinty minerality, citrus blossoms, discreet vanillin oak and a topnote of beeswax. On the palate the wine is deep, pure and full, with a superb core of fruit, excellent complexity and cut, fine focus, bright acids and a long, complex and impeccably balanced finish. This is superb. (Drink between 2026 - 2060)John Gilman | 94 JGAlso a fine clear colour, though without a green tint. The Forest 2021 has a solid full fruit on the nose, perhaps less intense at the edges. Very pure white fruit, good acidity, not the volume which the 2022 will have but it is coming out very well even so. Drink from 2026-2033. Tasted: May 2023.Jasper Morris | 93 JM

Given all of the fireworks in this tasting from the Montée de Tonnerre upwards, I was wondering if the 2021 les Clos could somehow acquit itself impeccably, given how stunning the lineup had been up until this point. It does not disappoint! The aromatic constellation here is complex and precise, offering up scents of green apple, lime, grapefruit, flinty minerality, citrus peel, dried flowers and gentle smokiness in the upper register. On the palate the wine is beautifully complex, well balanced and poised, with a full-bodied format, great depth at the core, brisk acids and laser-like focus on the long and stunning finish. (Drink between 2028-2065). John Gilman | 96 JGThe 2021 Chablis Les Clos Grand Cru comes from 4.1 hectares mainly located on the upper sector of the Grand Cru, the vines planted in the postwar period by Maurice Fèvre, the father of William Fèvre. It has a powerful bouquet with hints of white flower permeating the citrus fruit and apple blossom aromas. The palate has wonderful salinity on the entry, a fine bead of acidity, citrus-fresh with clementine, hints of peach and a twist of bitter lemon that keeps the finish on its tippy-toes. Great potential.Vinous Media | 93-95 VM

The 2021 Chablis Les Preuses Grand Cru comes from 2.5-hectares split over two parcels. This has one of my favourite aromatics from Fèvre this year with superb delineation and mineralité. The palate is harmonious and poised, very focused and tensile, plenty of energy with a touch of lime and clementine towards the persistent finish. This is an outstanding Chablis that should age supremely well in bottle.Vinous Media | 94-96 VMOne of the domaine’s standout wines, this immediately strikes you with its precision and clarity. Fevre’s vines are from two different sites, with varying expositions - one lower down and facing south-east, the other high on the plateau. Great elegance with plenty of weight and concentration on the palate, full and fleshy. Grapefruit notes to the fore but plenty of mineral/saline notes on the long, persistent finish. A delicious, aristocratic grand cru. Fevre owns 2.5ha within Les Preuses. Drinking Window: 2026 - 2038Decanter | 95 DEC

Droin’s vines have an average age of 50 years with 1.75ha on Kimmeridgian marl with some blue-clay (Marne-bleu). As expected from Montée de Tonnerre, this has more power on the palate but also displays a remarkable balance between weight and elegance - ’complet’ as Benoit Droin says. It would be a shame to drink this before 2-3 years and it will keep a very long time. Finishes with a vibrant hit spicy zesty fruit.Decanter | 95 DECThe 2021 Chablis Montée de Tonnerre 1er Cru has perhaps the most austere bouquet amongst Droin’s Premier Crus, though it is very defined with subtle struck flint notes coming through. The palate is very well balanced with a fine bead of acidity, taut and fresh, superb acidity with real weight and concentration on the finish. Another superb wine from Droin this year.Vinous Media | 92-94 VMModerately generous wood stops short of fighting with the ripe white orchard fruit, wet stone and spice that also display just enough Chablis typicity to be interesting. A highly sophisticated mouthfeel suffuses the solidly dense middleweight flavors where an almost pungent minerality adds a sense of lift to the attractively dry and sneaky long finale. This beauty is a combination of power and refinement that should age effortlessly.Burghound | 91-94 BH

TOP QUALITY PRODUCER Weighty, profound and rich, this is a stunning Les Clos which has an extra level of depth and richness that would please many a Côte-d’Or fan. White flowers on the nose, spice and stone fruit on the palate with 40% oak and a lingering, freshening mineral undertow. A grand cru with gravitas that will drink for 15-20 years. Droin has 1.4ha with vine age averaging 40 years. Its plots are located in various sectors of the cru with some lower down in the western sector, and part on the blue clay soils on the mid-slope.Decanter | 96 DECLike the Grenouilles, there is enough wood to merit mentioning but not enough to overshadow the cool, airy and very fresh aromas of oyster shell, white flower and ocean breeze. The succulent yet powerful and delineated flavors brim with both minerality and dry extract, all wrapped in a driving bitter lemon-inflected and youthfully austere finale. This is a lovely combination of power and refinement that should amply repay a decade plus of cellaring.Burghound | 92-95 BHThe 2021 Chablis Les Clos Grand Cru has a clean and precise bouquet, flint and chalk filtering through the citrus fruit, gaining intensity as it opens in the glass, though I feel the Grenouilles has more sophistication. The palate is well balanced with a fine bead of acidity, very harmonious, nicely poised with a dab of stem ginger and white pepper towards the finish that is resolutely classic in style. Very fine.Vinous Media | 92-94 VM

Droin owns 0.33ha in the renowned premier cru of Vaulorent. Benoît notes the higher incidence of limestone in the soils, giving more a more aromatic profile, great length and purity. Although the Droin premiers crus are all lovely wines, this is a distinct step up – a premier cru Chablis which would grace any table along with the world’s finest wines. Filigree, precise acidity on the palate – delicate, very refined, yet a wine which will last a very long time.Decanter | 95 DECThe 2021 Chablis Vaulorent 1er Cru has a more complex bouquet that matches the Mont de Milieu, real mineralité, struck flint scents blossoming in the glass. The palate is very cohesive with lemon and touches of apricot, spicy and very persistent on the finish. This is an excellent Chablis from Droin.Vinous Media | 91-93 VMSmoky white orchard fruit aromas enjoy added breadth in the form of acacia blossom, citrus rind and quinine. The exceptionally rich and solidly voluminous medium-bodied flavors display focused power and a subtle minerality on the clean, dry and more complex finale where a touch of wood appears. I very much like the persistence, and this should amply repay 6 to 10 years of keeping.Burghound | 91-93 BH

UNDER THE RADAR A very elegant Bougros which matches the ripeness of this full sun site with great acidity and purity of flavour. There is lots of depth here with some zesty citrus characters and a stony, mineral thread in the background. Cleansing acidity on the finish. A grand cru which definitely shows its class, while managing to be both drinkable now yet have a long future ahead.Decanter | 95 DEC