Wine Producing Countries

wines

Bottled yesterday. Pale colour, elegant and stylish, then keeps going, this isa Folatières of elegance more than weight, with a classy and nuanced white fruit. Allow for this to develop more body as it grows up in bottle. Drink from 2028-2037. Tasted Oct 2023.Jasper Morris | 93 JMThere is a vague whiff of the exotic present on the elegant nose that offers up essence of pear, passion fruit and discreet floral wisps. The middleweight flavors are finer though not as concentrated while displaying very good length on the, stone and bitter lemon-inflected bone-dry finale.Burghound | 91 BH

Grandfather Fernand Coffinet, who planted the almond tree on the edge of this plot, died at the start of the year, so this wine is something of a homage to him. Clear bright pale colour. The nose shows the muscle in a harmonious way. Almost lean at the front then with a growing flesh behind. Huge potential here, less charming than Dent de Chien but a fabulous finish as well, stretching out even further than does the Dent de Chien. Drink from 2030-2040. Tasted Oct 2023.Jasper Morris | 95-97 JM

Pale clear lemon. This is one of the more crystalline Maltroies, from vines below the house. Then fleshier on the palate with good white fruit concentration. The wine maintains a fine balance throughout between the flesh and the more linear thread. Drink from 2027-2035. Tasted Oct 2023.Jasper Morris | 91-93 JM

In Les Combards, the upper slope section of Caillerets. Pale lemon yellow. Quite a strict nose, a little suggestion of sulphur in with the stones. Always likely to be more austere from its location. At this stage at least it is not quite as complete as the very best Caillerets, but lovely wine. The finish is the best, with ripe lemons. Drink from 2028-2035. Tasted Oct 2023.Jasper Morris | 92-94 JMThe 2022 Chassagne Montrachet Les Caillerets 1er Cru has another expressive bouquet, with hints of yellow flower combining with citrus peel and lemon verbena. This gains intensity in the glass. The palate is well balanced, with a crisp, orange rind- and tangerine-tinged entry. Perhaps the Morgeot Les Grand Clos conveys more terroir on the finish, but this will still offer eight to ten years’ drinking pleasure.Vinous Media | 91 VM

The 2022 Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru Morgeot Les Grands Clos has a clean and precise bouquet of Granny Smith and Conference pear, quite Puligny-like in style. The palate is fresh on the entry, with a fine bead of acidity, quince and orange zest in the background and a lifted, very expressive finish that is an absolute delight.Vinous Media | 92 VMMid lemon colour, racy. A little stricter and chunkier than the graciousness of Fairendes, with a lemon infused energy at the back. Much more massive in structure, a real sense of energy throughout, less elegance than Fairendes, more power. Drink from 2028-2036. Tasted Oct 2023.Jasper Morris | 92-95 JM

Aromas of green apple, white flowers, orange oil and buttery pastry preface the 2022 Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Vergers, a medium to full-bodied, taut and racy wine with a satiny attack and all this site’s signature energy and cut.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPLight soil which gives high acid wines. Pale lemon colour. A stricter white fruit up at this end of the village, but no less intense. Excellent tension, you can almost taste the mother rock. A clean and crystalline finish. Drink from 2028-2035. Tasted Oct 2023.Jasper Morris | 93 JMHere the wood treatment is less subtle though by no means invasive on the smoky and floral-suffused aromas of mostly white fleshed fruit and citrus rind. The rich and generously proportioned yet quite punchy middle weight flavors also possess a seductive texture thanks to the sappy dry extract that serves to buffer the moderately firm and bright acidity supporting the solidly lengthy finish. This is not as dense as the Fairendes but it’s finer with fine complexity as well. Worth checking out.Burghound | 92 BH

The 2022 Puligny-Montrachet Noyers Brets has also turned out very nicely, revealing aromas of apple blossom, pear and hazelnuts, followed by a medium to full-bodied, satiny and fleshy palate that’s bright and saline.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91 RPPale colour with green reflexes. There is clay in the soil here, just under Enseignères. Very intense, liquorice notes over and above concentrated fresh apple, plenty of body, good acidity, Impressive length. I like this! Drink from 2026-2032. Tasted Oct 2023.Jasper Morris | 91 JM

Racked to tank. A glowing pale primrose. Not very much reduction. Good weight, a light lemon acidity behind a fine depth of concentrated fruit. With time I think more personality will emerge. Drink from 2028-2035. Tasted Dec 2023.Jasper Morris | 91-94 JM

Cool, ripe and pretty aromas include those of green apple, wet stone, petrol and a hint of soil tones. The vibrant medium weight flavors are, somewhat surprisingly, finer than those of the Caillerets if not as rich while displaying fine length on the compact, lemony and lightly mineral-infused finale. This is lovely and understated and a wine that should repay up to a decade of keeping.Burghound | 91 BH

Lovely nose of candied citrus with just a touch of butterscotch. Quite rich on the medium- to full-bodied palate, but very gentle and delicate. Lovely harmony of fine tannins, chalky minerality and ripe acidity that is already extremely satisfying in the long, silky finish. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 94 JSThe dense texture in this balanced and juicy white embraces ripe peach, spiced pear, butterscotch and smoke flavors. This is solidly structured, with light tannins lending a tactile feel on the lingering finish. Best from 2025 through 2032. 180 cases made, 60 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 92 WSThere is a vague hint of exotic character to the aromas of white and yellow peach, passion fruit, spice and wet stone. Here too there is excellent volume to the beguilingly rich flavors that, somewhat curiously, display a touch of rusticity on the otherwise markedly zest-inflected finale. This could use better depth so a few years of cellaring should help.Burghound | 90 BH

This beautiful Puligny-Montrachet 1er cru has a subtle nose of bergamot and orange zest with notes of wild herbs. Excellent tension on the generous but focused palate, driving the very long, structured finish, which has a serious stony minerality. From a high-altitude site that may well become better known due to climate change. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 95 JSThis white is creamy, with ample baking spice, butterscotch, peach and lemon cake flavors. Shows latent power yet remains fresh and long on the complex finish, where the fruit and spice elements echo. Drink now through 2030. 1,250 cases made, 350 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 92 WSA discreet application of wood frames the pretty aromas of the essence of pear and apple compote, carnation and crushed fennel. The sleek and intense middleweight flavors possess both good richness and a subtle minerality that adds a sense of lift to the markedly zest-inflected finale that exhibits solid length. Once again there is enough gas to notice so a few minutes in a decanter would be helpful.Burghound | 91 BH

Very cool and and focused, this mouthwatering Saint Romain has an extreme chalky minerality. Only medium-bodied, but really concentrated. Super-fresh and focused finish with so much fresh herb complexity (think sage and thyme). Very long and polished finish. From biodynamically grown grapes. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 95 JSThe 2022 Saint-Romain Sous Le Velle is comparatively more backward on the nose, a little chalky in style with light Golden Delicious and orange pith scents. There is fine delineation with neatly integrated oak. The palate is well-balanced, with a tang of orange zest on the entry. This has a silver beard of acidity, lending real tension and matching the impressive depth towards the vibrant finish. Sous Le Velle is often one of the go-to vineyards in Saint-Romain, and this proves exactly why.Vinous Media | 91-93 VMPalish lemon and lime. A fine and classy bouquet, floral but still with the racy freshness of St-Romain. Fresh apples on the palate, with an intensity that will demand a little bottle age. Drink from 2026-2030. Tasted Oct 2023.Jasper Morris | 91 JM

Always one of the more quintessentially Chablisien wines in the range, the 2022 Chablis 1er Cru Les Lys offers up notes of citrus oil, white flowers, wet stones and oyster shell, followed by a medium to full-bodied, satiny and pure palate that’s suave but incisive, concluding with a saline finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPWith its particular northerly exposition within Vaillons, you would expect Les Lys to be very successful in 2022. And it is. A fine blend of freshness allied to sun-drenched ripeness, with a pronounced mineral finish. A great example of the distinctive terroir of Les Lys. Long, mineral, salty tail.Decanter Magazine | 93 DECThe 2022 Chablis Les Lys 1er Cru comes from north/northwest-facing vines. This complex and detailed bouquet of yellow fruit, lemon verbena and lemon thyme is quite minerally and focused. The well-balanced palate has a fine acidic spine, more sapidity than the Vaillons and a persistent and detailed finish as it fans out. Superb.Vinous Media | 91-93 VMThere is a certain coolness to the otherwise ripe aromas of apple, pear, sea breeze and quinine. The succulent and unusually rich middleweight flavors are also nicely refined while flashing a bead of minerality on the youthfully austere, balanced and lilting finale that could use better depth. This citrusy effort is really quite good and one that should benefit markedly from a few years of keeping.Burghound | 91 BHJust assembled so cloudy, as all the lees remain in suspension. The bouquet is less fine but shows nonetheless a wealth of pure white fruit which is attractive. Lots of marl with a mix of portlandian and kimmeridgian soils, the former adding the body, the latter leaving the lick of salinity. Good length. Drink from 2026-2034. Tasted Jun 2023.Jasper Morris | 91-93 JM

The 2022 Baron de Brane Blanc is a tasty dry white to drink now and over the next few years. Strong varietal Sauvignon Blanc notes are front and center. Citrus peel, crushed rocks, sage, mint, slate and tomato leaf are all very nicely delineated.Vinous Media | 90 VM

The Rochioli family has been growing grapes on their property since the late 1950s, with the vineyard now farmed by the third generation. The 2021 Ramey Rochioli blend is sourced from 82% Mid-40 Block and 18% River Block. This wine delivers a gorgeous intensity of fruit and pressed wildflowers. On the palate, ripe lemon peel fruit expands into the mid-palate, where density builds alongside remarkable tension, all balanced by an extraordinary silky richness. Pure and riveting, laced with subtle vanilla accents, fantastic ginger character, and poached pear. A Chardonnay of intense richness and impressive length. (The first vineyard-designate release from Ramey was the 2015 vintage, though Ramey has been sourcing these grapes since 2008.)Decanter Magazine | 95 DEC

Woolsey Road benefits from two pillars of the Chardonnay world: it originates from the Hyde family’s cuttings of Old Wente and is farmed by the third and fourth generations of the Martinelli family. This Chardonnay showcases a remarkable flavour intensity, with rich citrus fruit—lemon, lime, and grapefruit zest—woven with oyster shell minerality. Restrained yet brimming with tension, this wine has so much going on. A real depth of fruit and mineral integrity is evident, though it remains somewhat shy, biding its time. Make no mistake—this will blossom into a rich and excellent wine, fully deserving of its high praise. It is focused and laser-like in its precision, with remarkable restraint and tension. This vineyard is owned by the Martinelli family and was planted to Ramey’s specifications in 2007. According to Ramey, it lies directly south of the Martinelli Winery on Woolsey Road. The vines are spaced one metre by two metres on a northeast-facing slope. Planted on 420A rootstock, known for its low vigour, the vines are cane-pruned. The site’s Huichica clay loam over clay soil composition contributes to the wine’s mineral-driven precision. This cool-climate site was planted with Old Wente cuttings from Chardonnay vines Ramey originally planted at Platt Vineyard.Decanter Magazine | 96 DEC

This also displays moderate wood influence on the ripe layered and pure nose that displays good layering and ample Chablis typicity. There is impressive mid-palate density to the opulent and lavishly rich medium-bodied flavors that possess a borderline lush, even creamy, mouthfeel, all wrapped in a citrusy and sneaky long finish. This unusually powerful effort should also be capable of mid-term development yet drink well after only 5 or so years.Burghound | 91-94 BH

Simply stunning and undeniably one of the whites of the vintage, the 2022 Château Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc has a light gold hue as well as a brilliant perfume of honeyed grapefruit, crushed stone, and lemon zest. Rich, full-bodied, beautifully balanced, and concentrated on the palate, it’s one of those rare whites that brings a red wine-like sense of structure and mouthfeel while staying vibrant, juicy, and incredibly precise. Give it 2-3 years and enjoy through 2042.Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDThe sliced apples and pears with lemon blossoms and hints of dried pineapple and flint follow through to a medium body with brightness and energy. The finish is impressive with white pepper, crushed sea salt and spice. Really great finish here. All about energy. 90% sauvignon blanc, 5% semillon and 5% sauvignon gris. Better after 2028 but already a joy to taste.James Suckling | 98 JSThis shimmers with a salted butter note that adds a flattering edge to its panoply of shortbread, singed almond, honeysuckle, lemon curd and creamed white peach flavors. Feels regal, with a long finish that deftly toes the balance between the toasted and fresh, unadorned sides of the spectrum. A rare dry white that can handle all four seasons as anything from a solo aperitif to a main course partner. Beautiful. Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon and Sauvignon Gris. Drink now through 2035. 2,000 cases made, 250 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 97 WSA beautifully alluring nose, with ripe pineapple, honeysuckle, and a subtle spiciness, alongside freshly picked pear. The Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon characters shine through, giving both aromatic intensity and depth. On the palate, there’s a purity of fruit - quince, mango, and pineapple - layered with crisp green apple, wet stones, and a delicate struck match note, complemented by a touch of toast. Despite the ripe fruit expression, the palate is taut, driven by acidity and subtle bitterness that accentuates every nuance. It finishes crystalline, cool, and mouthwatering, with an elegant balance of juiciness and tension. No flabbiness, no sharpness, just elongated precision. The unmistakable SHL signature is strong here, showcasing multifaceted complexity with peach juiciness, white chocolate richness, and a honeyed weight. This is impeccably crafted and will only grow in stature with time.Decanter Magazine | 96 DECThe 2022 Blanc from Smith Haut Lafitte is an impressive effort this year, evoking aromas of white fruits, pear, white peach, spices and spring flowers. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and layered, it’s rich and concentrated with ripe acids enhanced by beautiful, chalky dry extracts, culminating in a long, saline and lovely oaky finish. This white wine always rewards patience and marries tension and charm to pleasing effect.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPThe 2022 Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc—which Fabien Teitgen told me was not picked too early like other châteaux—has a very fine bouquet of mainly yellow fruit, Anjou pear and beeswax scents, as a fennel tincture gradually surfaces in the glass. The palate is well balanced with lemon curd, white peach and a hint of mango. It shows fine delineation and a little more tension than its peers, representing one of the best examples in a vintage that did not really favor dry whites.Vinous Media | 94 VMThe 2022 Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc is a blend of 90% Sauvignon Blanc, 5% Semillon, and 5% Sauvignon Gris, with a yield of 24 hl/ha and aging in 50% new oak. It bursts from the glass with bold notions of Bosc pears, grapefruit oil, and white peaches, followed by wafts of coriander seed, sea spray, and wet pebbles. The medium-bodied palate is charged with a lively backbone, supporting the generous stone fruit and pear flavors, finishing long and chalky.The Wine Independent | 93-95 TWI

The lemony nose shines like the morning star. Very cool and elegant with no trace of the opulence that’s widely considered to be typical for this appellation. Becomes more and more fascinating the further it flows over your palate. Wonderful, crystalline minerality and lime freshness at the very long finish. From 8.6 hectares of vines at 300 meters altitude on a stony, limestone soil, where the grapes have to be picked a week later than those in the warmer sites of this appellation. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 94 JSThere is a lovely freshness to Bouchard’s Meursault Les Clous 2022 that brings a marvellous balance and length to the wine. The initial attack boasts aromas of citrus and apricot, acacia flowers and a saline minerality. There is richness as well, with notes of marzipan as the wine opens up on the palate. The grapes are from a parcel of over eight hectares that average 300 metres elevation, planted in stony marl soils that hold enough water to avoid stress in the summer’s heat.Decanter Magazine | 93 DECThe 2022 Meursault Les Clous has a slight reduction on the nose, making it difficult to read. The fresh palate has plenty of extract, orange pith, mandarin and light stem ginger touches, becoming quite waxy in texture towards the finish. With good weight and length, this is much better than the previous vintage.Vinous Media | 90-92 VMNotably cooler aromas are comprised by notes of lemon rind, hazelnut and acacia blossom. The medium weight flavors are finer but not denser while exuding evident minerality on the slightly drier and sneaky long finish. This is an excellent villages and is recommended, especially for those who have the patience to cellar it for up to a decade. One to look for, particularly for value.Burghound | 90-92 BHAromas of pear, orange oil, mint and grapefruit introduce the 2022 Meursault Les Clous, a medium to full-bodied, satiny and giving wine with an expressive core of fruit and a saline finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 89-91 RPMid lemon and lime. A perfumed floral hillside note. Quite lean on the palate but with a fresh drive that keeps the white fruit going through to the back of the palate. Drink from 2027-2033. Tasted Oct 2023.Jasper Morris | 89-91 JM

The 2022 Pouilly-Fuissé Ax - B comes from the non-Première Cru classified part of Aux Bouthières and pressed at very low pressure, and aged for 15 months in used barrel. This is initially very understated, demands more coaxing from the glass than the Vieilles Vignes. But with time, it offers more mineralité and terroir expression, fine delineation with subtle struck flinty aromas manifesting with aeration. The palate is very well balanced with a taut line of acidity, certainly spicier and more peppery than the Vieilles Vignes with a soft landing on the finish. Great complexity here as I found in barrel last year - recommended.Vinous Media | 92 VM

A hidden gem of a wine that doesn’t get the recognition it deserves, the 2022 Château Couhins Blanc is 93% Sauvignon Blanc and 7% Sauvignon Gris brought up in 18% new barrels, with the balance in used oak and tank. Bright citrus, honeyed lime, mint, sappy flowers, and chalky minerality all define the aromatics, and it’s medium to full-bodied and concentrated on the palate, with gorgeously clean acidity and a great finish. Savvy readers should snatch up this ripe, voluptuous, sensationally layered, textured, complex white. It’s always hard to predict how these concentrated dry whites will age, yet this should benefit from 2-3 years of bottle age, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see it still drinking beautifully at age 20.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDThe 2022 Couhins Blanc is superb, especially in the way it balances its brisk, saline character with notable mid-palate depth. White flowers, citrus peel, white pepper, sage and mint are all beautifully delineated. Intensely saline, mineral undertones support the persistent finish. This is commendable.Vinous Media | 94 VMClear, pure and mineral with sour cream, white fruit and a touch of gooseberries. Medium-bodied on the palate, this has fresh medium acidity. Dissolved yet grainy in texture with a lengthy finish. Drink now.James Suckling | 94 JSThe 2022 Couhins Blanc, a blend of 93% Sauvignon Blanc and 7% Sauvignon Gris, is showing well today, evoking aromas of white fruits, lemon, lemon peel, spring flowers and fennel. Medium to full-bodied, juicy and enrobing, it’s fresh and lively with a perfumed mid-palate that segues into a long, mouthwatering finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPTense and vibrant on the palate, zingy and fresh, this is lively and delivers a straight line of acidity with lemon, lime and pineapple. Not the longest finish, a little restricted but this has a clean and crisp body. A lovely mineral, almost salty line from start to finish and a real feeling of cool freshness. I like this a lot. It delivers complexity and freshness. A great 2022.Decanter Magazine | 92 DEC

The 2023 Sancerre “l ’Authentique” from Domaine Thomas-Labaille is a beautiful, classic example and augurs very well for other bottlings from this next vintage in the pipeline. The wine offers up a superb bouquet of gooseberry, lime, fresh-cut grass, an excellent base of limestone minerality, citrus blossoms and a topnote of orange peel. On the palate the wine is bright fullbodied, complex and nicely balanced, with a fine core of ripe fruit, superb soil transparency and grip, bright acids, lovely focus and bounce and a long, complex and vibrant finish. Lovley Sancerre. 2024-2032+. 92.John Gilman | 92 JG