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wines

The 2022 Rosé BY.Ott is such a complete wine. It’s just so elegantly put together. Orange oil, strawberry fruit, strawberry top (yes, the leafy part), ruby red grapefruit and fresh mint form an intoxicating bouquet as the 2022 puts on weight in the glass, especially in the mid-palate. Fresh, lively, juicy, salivating—all of these apply. A satisfying mineral bitterness tugs at the tongue as the wine exits the mouth, lingering with the subtlest hint of fruit sweetness. The finish is long and measured. Very well done. - Billy NorrisVinous Media | 92 VM

The dark red 2022 Pinot Noir Seaview Ridge Vineyard offers another level of complexity and a touch of umami richness in its notes of black cherries, sea brine, brushy herbs, and licorice. Medium-bodied, it takes on greater intensity and concentration on the palate, with ripe tannins, a darker mineral tone, and a long finish. It is another very well-styled wine that has the potential to age gracefully over the next 10-12 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDDelicious and delicate from Flowers Sea View Ridge site just over 3 km from the ocean and surrounded by dense evergreens, this wine reflects the climatic edges of coastal viticulture at over 500m.—aromas of seaspray, tart cranberry and a squeeze of blood orange. The palate is reflective of elegance, with hints of smoky clove, tart wild red strawberries and white peppercorn.Decanter | 94 DECAn open-knit version, showing nice energy as its light, briary matrix holds a core of black and red cherry and singed wood spice notes together. Offers a zip of blood orange zest and a twang of minerality on the finish. Drink now through 2031. 750 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

The 2022 Chablis Vaillon 1er Cru Cuvée Guy Moreau, matured half and half in vat and barrels, has a cohesive nose with shucked oyster shells infusing the citrus fruit. Quite classic in style. The palate is well-balanced with impressive depth and elegance. Sapid towards the finish with gentle grip, this Cuvée Guy Moreau is extremely promising.Vinous Media | 92-94 VMA slightly cooler nose reflects notes of white pepper and a touch of the exotic while the wood treatment, while subtle, is a bit more noticeable. The old vines are in evidence as the mouthfeel of the medium-bodied flavors is markedly denser as the sappy extract coats the palate while buffering the moderately firm acid spine shaping the very dry, more complex and slightly long finale. Lovely.Burghound | 90-93 BH

The 2022 Chablis Les Clos Grand Cru has a beautifully defined bouquet with yellow plum, wet stone, hints of baked bread and pressed white flowers. Very good intensity. The palate is well-balanced with fine delineation, very good salinity and tension with superb precision towards the finish. This Les Clos doesn’t want the Valmur to get all the acclaim.Vinous Media | 94-96 VMModerate wood is present on the overtly floral-suffused nose of mostly white fleshed fruit, especially pear and apple, along with notes of citrus confit, acacia and oyster shell whiffs. There is excellent richness and concentration to the markedly powerful larger-scaled flavors that coat the palate on the overtly stony, dry and compact finale. At least moderate patience will be required as this is pretty tightly wound.Burghound | 92-95 BH

This bottling is made from the same tuffeau-based vineyard as the Silex Noir and Trois Argile Demi-Sec bottlings from Domaine Pinon. It is handled the same in the cellars as the regular Sec bottling, with indigenous yeast fermentation and aging in a variety of older, large oak barrels. The wine offers up a beautifully refined aromatic constellation of apple, sweet quince, bee pollen, white lilies, a gorgeous base of chalky soil tones and a nice touch of lanolin in the upper register. On the palate the wine is vibrant, focused and full-bodied, with a rock solid core, superb mineral drive and cut, snappy acids and great balance on the long, complex and very precise finish. This is outstanding juice. (Drink between 2023 - 2065)John Gilman | 94 JGThe 2022 Les Déronnières Sec is the domaine’s limestone-derived dry Chenin that sits almost above the cellars on the appellation’s premiere cotes. Julien Pinon calls it a parcel for lazy people (!) as it’s easier to maintain than clay parcels, leading to better drainage, fewer frosts and requiring less work while making smaller bunches with smaller berries. It may offer tenderness initially but remains a fresh, well-defined style. There is plenty of concentration here, and the balance is impeccable. In addition to attractive apple fruit, it has spiced pastry flavors.Vinous Media | 93 VM

Starts ripe and fleshy in the mouth, then the minerality comes through. Fresh and direct, a very nicely balanced wine which, although approachable now, will age. The vines here lie on very steep slopes with full exposition to the sun. Early harvesting is the key to freshness.Decanter | 93 DECA small lot so better to assemble early, which has just been done. A fresh green light shines through the clouds nonetheless. Picked among the first, a little yellow fruit plums and fresh white peaches. Salty rather than saline, with a fine firm backbone. The finish is particularly impressive, with the fruit becoming ever fresher at the back of the palate. Drink from 2030-2040. Tasted: June 2023.Jasper Morris | 93-96 JMSlightly more evident wood can be found on the cool and elegant aromas of mineral reduction, spiced pear and pretty floral whiffs along with a plenitude of classic Chablis elements. The understated, pure and borderline delicate flavors are at once supple yet beautifully detailed as well as almost aggressively mineral-driven on the superbly long finish. This is pretty much textbook Vaudésir.Burghound | 92-94 BHThe 2022 Chablis Vaudésir Grand Cru has a less immediate nose than the Bougros, with hints of lanolin and estuarine scents, lemon verbena and fern. This builds with confidence in the glass. The palate is well-balanced with fine delineation and cohesion, a welcome sour lemon edge, and salinity with a primal grapefruit finish. Again, this will require time once in bottle.Vinous Media | 91-93 VM

The domaine’s 2022 Chablis 1er Cru Fourchaume, a parcel selection in Vaulorent, opens in the glass with notes of sweet citrus fruit, white flowers and oyster shell, followed by a medium to full-bodied, ample and pillowy palate that’s cool and fleshy, concluding with a saline finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RP

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

The 2022 Languedoc Les Darons brings more density and richness, with ripe black cherries, wild strawberry, ground pepper, and floral notes in a medium to full-bodied, pure, beautifully balanced package. The purity and balance here are top-notch. The blend is 70% Grenache, 25% Syrah, and the rest Carignan, from old vines, with the aging in concrete. This is going to be a smoking value.Jeb Dunnuck | 92-94 JDA well-made red from old grenache with notes of cherries, blueberries, stones and black pepper. Medium body with fine, firm tannins. Textured and balanced with a compact and juicy peppery finish. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 92 JS

Julien Brocard’s ’7 Lieux’ are seven distinct vineyards, run biodynamically under his own name. Fermented with indigenous yeast and matured for 12 months in foudres. Lovely wine with a fine balance of fleshiness, power, vivid acidity and lingering minerality to keep everything precise and in check. You can almost feel the health of the vineyard. Delicious.Decanter | 94 DECThe 2022 Chablis La Boissonneuse has a clean, precise bouquet with more mineralité than the Petit Chablis, a subtle crustacea scent emerging with time. The palate is taut on the entry with commendable linearity, certainly one of the stricter, meaner takes of the vintage that will appeal to Chablis purists. Good value.Vinous Media | 90 VM

This Vire Clesse from Roally showcases the pinnacle of Maconnais Chardonnay, hailing from one of the finest vintages in recent memory. On the nose, it offers an enticing bouquet of spring flowers intertwined with aromatic notes of lemon balm, white peach and verbena. On the palate, it is lively and fresh and the wine’s minerality shines through exhibiting the characteristic flinty undertone that is prized in the best examples from this appellation. This is the under $35 bottle of white Burgundy that Puligny Montrachet lovers serve at parties and pools. Sokolin Tasting Panel | 94 SP

Shows richness and ripeness on the palate, countered by pretty strident acidity. Not quite at its best at the moment and likely needs 12 months in bottle. Should then open out and be a fine example.Decanter | 93 DECThe 2022 Chablis Montée de Tonnerre 1er Cru, matured in foudres, offers a touch of white chocolate interwoven in the citrus fruit, a subtle yeasty, bready note surfacing with time. The palate is well-balanced with lime and Granny Smiths on the entry, the foudres imparting underlying sweetness, candied orange peel and apricot towards the pretty finish. Enjoy this over the next decade.Vinous Media | 91 VMHere the cool and beautifully layered nose makes clear that it could be from nowhere else but Chablis with its array of oyster shell, brine, acacia blossom and Granny Smith apples. There is excellent punch to the classy medium weight flavors that brim with minerality on the youthfully austere and solidly persistent finale. This is perhaps not quite as refined as a classic MdT, indeed it’s borderline tannic, yet I suspect it will round out with a few years of bottle aging, in fact it will need at least some patience.Burghound | 90-93 BH

Cool, fresh and lively, yet the brisk acidity provides a great counterfoil for some succulent, juicy and ripe fruit. Clear Chablis origin, with the focus and intensity on the palate. This should have a long drinking window and is a very classy example, marrying the warmth of 2022 and the density of the premier cru.Decanter | 94 DEC

Plenty of density evident. A fine combination with concentration, a touch of smoke and richess on the palate, cut with direct acidity. Sunny and ripe yet remains fresh and focused. Will appeal when still relatively young but has the ability to age well.Decanter | 93 DECDiscreet if still noticeable hints of the exotic can be found on the ripe aromas of white and yellow peach, mango, citrus confit and a light touch of iodine. The middleweight flavors possess very good volume and richness allied with solid energy on the bitter lemon-suffused, balanced and sneaky long finale. While this delicious effort could use better depth, the underlying material appears up to the task if given a chance.Burghound | 90 BHThere is a fresh lime note in the otherwise pale colour. A lighter nose than some, less intensively Chablis, then a very fresh attack. The 2022 Brocard Fourchaume is no more than medium bodied, quite incisive, with medium concentration. Drink from 2026-2031. Tasted: June 2023.Jasper Morris | 90-92 JM

Coming from a 1.8ha plot, at one of the highest plantings of AP Chablis, this has more concentration than brothers David and Arnaud’s ’straight’ Chablis, with an additional mineral character balancing the concentration of fruit on the palate. Manages to have weight and force, yet remains light and delicate on its feet. A touch of wood adds a different type of complexity on the palate.Decanter | 93 DEC

Generous but not dominant wood fights a bit with the otherwise airy aromas of Granny Smith apples, just sliced citrus and a lovely array of Chablis elements that include iodine, oyster shell, and tidal pool wisps. The racy, intense and markedly stony broad-shouldered flavors possess evident power on the firm, compact and balanced finale that is dry but not especially austere. While perfectly normal in the context of what is typical for Les Clos, this is definitely going to need at least some forbearance, both to better integrate the wood treatment as well as develop better depth. Excellent.Burghound | 93-96 BH20% new wood and 80% inox for vinification, then all to barrel, but will not be bottled until February 2024. The bouquet shows all the majesty of Clos plus some wood as well. Early days. This absolutely fills the palate but the wood has the upper hand for the moment. It cannot entirely keep the fruit out of the picture though. This will get there but you need to wait. Drink from 2032-2040+. Tasted: June 2023.Jasper Morris | 93-95 JM

Matured in a mix of 500-liter oak and 228-liter steel barrels, the 2022 Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos is deep and layered, exhibiting aromas of pear, white flowers, blanched almonds and honeycomb. Medium to full-bodied, satiny and enveloping, with attractive purity of fruit and bright balancing acids, it underlines this estate’s continued progress.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RP

Evoking aromas of flowers, peony, rose, lilac and iris mingled with delicate blackberry notes, the 2022 Echalas, matured for 18 months in barrel, possesses a medium to full-bodied, satiny and seamless palate with a creamy texture and an incisive mid-palate. It concludes with a penetrating, saline finish. This is a real success that could age beautifully over the next decade. Part of the La Noue parcel is planted with stakes or échalas, as in Northern Rhône.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RP

From the cool climate, Talley Vineyards in the SLO Coast is a sterling example of saline minerality and finely etched citrus fruits that true coastal regions can produce—aromatics of grilled lemon, sea air, petrichor, and crushed slate. The palate is linear, with intense Meyer lemon pulp, flinty lime peel, and tangy grilled pineapple flesh—gorgeous intensity.Decanter | 94 DECA mellow, ripe but balanced wine that’s super smooth, fresh and lingering in the finish. Medium-bodied with good acidity and subtle baked apples, lemon zest, toast and minerals. Barrel fermented with native yeast. Sustainable. Drink now.James Suckling | 92 JS

There’s complexity and depth to this racy, seductive white. With time in glass, layers of white peach, verbena and white blossoms emerge, coursing alongside fresh thyme, oyster shell minerality and briny saltiness. Shows plenty of zip through the long and textured finish. Drink now through 2030. 667 cases made, 250 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WSA well-rounded, precise and focused Sancerre with aromas of quince peel, leaves, stones and hints of guava. It’s medium- to full-bodied with bright acidity and a dense core of juicy fruit and spices. Mouthwatering finish with excellent persistence. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 92 JSThis Sancerre is a delight. The gold-hued wine has a rich, perfumed nose of peach blossom, baked apple and self-confidence. Honeysuckle and orange blossom support complex orchard fruit on the palate whose finish is satisfying and tart-leaning.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WE

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

Cool and airy but ripe aromas are comprised by notes of citrus rind, white flower and plenty of mineral reduction character. There is excellent volume to the mouthcoating and punchy yet refined larger-bodied flavors that possess impressive concentration and power on the clean, dry and well-balanced finish. This is a wine that has excellent development potential yet is not so backward that it couldn’t be enjoyed after only four to five years of keeping. One to consider.Burghound | 93 BHJust bottled. A pretty, light lemon colour. A pleasing fragrance with spring flowers and the lighter side of plum fruit. Generous on the palate with a graphite touch which is probably the oak speaking, a wealth of fruit through the middle and enough flesh to cover the final point of acidity. Fine length as ever.Jasper Morris | 93 JMThe 2022 Meursault Goutte d’Or 1er Cru is airy and delicate in its first impression, but there’s plenty of depth below its lifted, expansive bouquet. Ripe pear, mint, white pepper, baked apple tart and a hint of new oak all grace this wonderfully expressive, nuanced Meursault. Lovely. - Antonio GalloniVinous Media | 91-93 VM

Vaulorent is the opposite in style to Fourchaume for Droin, with soils only 10cm thick. This comes through on the palate with its pronounced mineral character. Shy and introverted at the moment, this is undoubtedly a fine wine which will need quite a bit of time to come round. Very crisp apple fruit flavours and a flinty finish.Decanter | 94 DECA distinctly smoky nose features notes of apple and pear confit along with various floral and seashore hints that are trimmed in just enough wood to notice. The medium-bodied flavors are rich, even plush, with a highly seductive texture that carries over to the surprisingly powerful, well-balanced and strikingly long finale. This is also lovely and harmonious.Burghound | 92 BHThe 2022 Chablis Vaulorent 1er Cru has a sensual bouquet with yellow plum, jasmine and saffron scents that billow from the glass. The palate is very well-balanced with a fine bead of acidity, very focused and sharp, and citrus-fresh towards the finish. Almost clinical (in a good way), though that is one of Droin’s tropes.Vinous Media | 91-93 VM

Lovely fruit quality; weighty, ripe and powerful but balanced with citrus freshness. A little more approachable than Vaulorent for the moment. Blue and white clay adds extra depth.Decanter | 93 DECThe 2022 Chablis Montée de Tonnerre 1er Cru has a clean, precise bouquet that is more austere than Droin’s other Premier Crus at the moment. More to give? (Droin mentioned this had just undergone some filtration). The palate is well-balanced with a crisp entry, fresh and saline with a more malic finish. Maybe the purists/classicists’ choice? This will need considerable aging.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92-94 RPA more floral and slightly more elegant nose is composed of notes of cool green apple, oyster shell, iodine and hint of crushed anise with a similarly discreet application of wood. The middleweight flavors are not as rich though they are noticeably finer with a slightly more evident bead of minerality as well on the tension-filled, lingering and well-balanced finish. This stylish and classy effort could also use better depth but the Droin MdT has an excellent track record, and 2022 should prove no different.Burghound | 92 BHA clear mid lemon yellow. The bouquet is well balanced, confit de citron but not too peachy. Just a little spritz in the mouth, though this will be less evident after bottling. There is a full, rich, ripe yellow plum fruit, but not exaggerated and well within the style of Montée de Tonnerre. Drink from 2027-2033. Tasted Jun 2023.Jasper Morris | 91-93 JM

A pure version, with a mix of sel gris, quinine and Key lime notes leading the way, backed by subtle accents of lemon curd, salted butter and honeysuckle. The long, refined finish shows a flash of wet stone. Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon. Drink now through 2027. 1,452 cases made, 250 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WS