Wine Producing Countries

wines

With only a tiny proportion of oak (8% of the volume), the 2022 Sauvignon Blanc Batch 111 The House features classic grapefruit and grassy aromas, plus hints of snow pea and pineapple. It’s medium to full-bodied, plump, round and easy to drink, with enough citrus zest on the finish to keep me coming back for additional sips.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91 RPFruity and herbal influences vie for dominance in this full-bodied, relatively crisp wine. Opening with cut grass and parsley aromas, the wine moves to vivid lemon and grapefruit flavors on a lively texture. Wine Enthusiast | 90 WE

Powerful, dense, and supple, the Corton Charlemagne from Boillot is an impressive wine with aromas of ripe apple, quince and apricot, floral notes, and butter. The grapes are sourced from parcels in Aloxe and Pernand; Boillot purchases the fruit as grapes, and his team does the harvest and the pressing. The result is classic Corton-Charlemagne in style that will open properly in three to five years and should age for 20 beyond that.Decanter | 96 DECThe 2022 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru is a blend of fruit from Aloxe-Corton (75%) and Pernand-Vergelesses (25%), a combination that works well in giving the wine balance. There’s quite a bit of phenolic intensity and youthful austerity here. Herbs, crushed rocks, graphite, mint and citrus confit build nicely. I very much admire the vibrancy here, even if the 2022 remains a bit unyielding today. - Antonio GalloniVinous Media | 93-95 VM

The 2022 Muscadet “la Pépiè” from Domaine de la Pépière is a lovely wine on both the nose and palate. The bouquet is bright and precise, wafting from the glass in a mix of lemon, breadfruit, dried flowers, lovely leesy tones, wet stone minerality and a briny topnote of damp ocean breeze. On the palate the wine is bright, ripe and full-bodied, with a lovely girdle of acidity, superb mineral drive, fine focus and a long, perfectly balanced and complex finish. First class juice. (Drink between 2023 - 2035)John Gilman | 91+ JG

The 2022 Chablis Grand Cru Blanchots is very promising, bursting with aromas of orange zest, citrus blossom, buttery pastry and fresh hazelnuts. Full-bodied, satiny and layered, it’s elegantly textural, with attractive mid-palate depth and purity.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPThe 2022 Chablis Blanchot Grand Cru is blessed with one of Piuze’s most enticing aromatics—gorgeous minty yellow plum mixed with jasmine and dried honey. The palate is well balanced with yellow plum (again), stem ginger, white peach and a hint of lemongrass. Very harmonious and persistent - this is an excellent Blanchot.Vinous Media | 93 VMSubtle if easily perceptible wood can be found on the airy and floral aromas of sea water, citrus and a hint of wet stone. The rich and solidly concentrated medium-bodied flavors exude an almost palpable minerality on the impressively long finale. This is notably more refined than the Bougros though it too could use better depth but with at least a decade of upside development potential, more will almost certainly develop.Burghound | 93 BHPale colour, a full and ripe nose, the white flowers are entwined with a little honeysuckle. Fresh enough on the palate with a fine white fruit thread, sinuous yet precise, and with great length. A fine and typical rendition of Blanchots. Drink from 2027-2037. Tasted: October 2023.Jasper Morris | 93 JM

A picture of poise and style, the wild and free 2022 Chardonnay is a delight, with subtle popcorn, grapefruit, floral and nectarine aromas seamlessly intertwined with quality oak. Tangy, with bite, it’s finely tuned and incredibly detailed, showing reserved power. Savory oatmeal and oat bran layers build, opening up with French nougat and a finish topped with subtle flinty tones. Stunning.Vinous Media | 96 VM

Attractive nose of ripe mangoes, pineapple and grilled lemons with some toasty, nutty notes and hints of smoky minerality. Cardamom and pie crust, too. It’s full-bodied, nervy and juicy, with bright acidity and savory nuances. It’s layered and long and it builds up on the palate, with vibrant, spicy notes of candied ginger, dried lemons and bitter citrus peel. Truly the Montrachet of Italy. Drink or hold. James Suckling | 98 JSThis is Marchesi Antinori’s top white wine, and it comes from the region of Umbria. The Castello della Sala 2022 Cervaro della Sala is based on Chardonnay and has a small part of the local grape Grechetto in the blend. The nose opens to a reductive note of flint or matchstick, but it lifts quickly to reveal soft orchard fruit, white peach and minty apple. There are delicately applied toasted notes with a hint of pecan or macadamia nut. To finish, you also get salty mineral notes that underline the extremely vertical or lifted personality of the bouquet. Renzo Cotarella tells me that tweaks to winemaking in recent years have attempted "to slim down the wine and not make it any bigger." This was a hot vintage, but Cervaro della Sala remains true to its leaner and meaner blueprint. However, given its accessible personality, we could expect a shorter drinking window for the 2022s.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RP

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

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

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

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

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

Perfumed and delicate upon first pour, the 2022 Sauvignon Blanc Vieris slowly evolves, wafting up with dusty white flowers and cracked slate, evolving into ginger-infused pear and green melon. This is cool-toned with soothingly round textures, yet energetic as well, showcasing ripe pit fruits and crunchy mineral tones that add tactile satisfaction toward the close. The 2022 tapers off with a floral resonance and long, becoming classically dry and slightly austere, demanding patience while still leaving the palate completely refreshed. Despite the warm vintage, this is a Vieris that will excel in the cellar.Vinous Media | 94 VMThis well-meshed white is compact up front, opening on the palate to reveal layers of melon, grapefruit peel, lentil and chive blossom notes framed by vibrant acidity. A smoke-tinged, mineral-driven underpinning echoes on the finish. Drink now through 2032. 600 cases made, 200 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

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

A seductive, flavorful, vibrant and vertical Sancerre. The nose offers notes of pears, quince and stones. Medium-bodied with bright acidity. Plenty of vitality and verticality to the mineral edge. Lively, mouthwatering finish. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 92 JS

The 2023 Domaine Durand Sancerre has a captivating profile, featuring white orchard fruits and flowers. This wine boasts a medium to full-bodied structure, with a satiny and deep palate that has a seamless texture. At its core it has a fleshy fruitiness, culminating in a long, saline, ethereal finish.Sokolin Tasting Panel | 93 SP

A fresh and crunchy white with light lemons, mangoes and bitter limes. It’s medium- to full-bodied with lots of fruit. The hot growing season comes through, but it remains fresh at the end. Drink now.James Suckling | 93 JS

The 2023 Grechetto entices with a savory bouquet of crushed stones, salty sea air lime zest and green apples. It is nearly oily in texture, with zesty acidity to balance and ripe tropical fruits swirling throughout. It finishes structured and with a lemony concentration, leaving hints of sour melon and spice to linger on. Wow, this Grechetto packs a serious punch. The complexity within can be better understood when considering that it hails from 78-year-old vines.Vinous Media | 93 VM

This wine is rich, zesty, with aromas of pineapple, mango, citrus blossom, and dried herbs on the nose. The flavors on the palate are Golden delicious apple, brulee orange slices, Meyer lemon cream, dried herbs, and a long mouth watering finish. The ultimate Old Vine SB experience. Pair with Grilled Spot Prawns, Dandelion Salad Wine Enthusiast | 95 WE

The 2023 Langhe Bianco Dragon is mostly Chardonnay, with touches of Sauvignon Blanc, Nascetta and Riesling. Pear, white flowers and tangerine oil inflections grace this expressive, mid-weight Bianco. Creamy, silky contours wrap it all together. Baudana’s Dragon has come a long, long way in recent years.Vinous Media | 92 VM

There is good Chablis typicity present in the form of iodine, seashore and petrol along with citrus zest top notes. The delicious, vibrant and precise middle weight flavors flash good minerality on the clean, dry and saline-inflected finish. This is very good for its level and worth considering.Burghound | 89-91 BHThe 2023 Chablis Village was assembled for my visit by Didier Picq from 10 vats. It has an attractive if light bouquet with apple blossom and fresh pear aromas. The palate is well balanced with a fine bead of acidity, a little creaminess towards the finish. This will drink well for 4-6 years.Vinous Media | 88-90 VMBlend made up. Fresh pale yellow, immediate energy on the nose, this keeps growing in the glass, with good tension, even a little pleasing bitterness at the finish. Very promising. Drink from 2026-2030. Tasted Jul 2024.Jasper Morris | 87-90 JM