Wine Producing Countries

wines

The 2019 Nuits Saint-Georges Aux Boudots 1er Cru, aged in 50% new oak, has an intense bouquet of floral and violet aromas joined by dark berry fruit and a touch of tobacco. The palate is medium-bodied and quite mineral-driven, with gentle grip and a savory, earthy, quite broody finish. This should be fascinating to watch evolve in bottle.Vinous Media | 91-93 VM(Domaine Georges Noëllat Nuits St. Georges "Les Boudots" 1er Cru Red) This is also notably ripe with its blend of plum, dark raspberry, range of spice elements and an exotic tea nuance. There is very good freshness and vibrancy to the delicious medium weight plus flavors that exude a discreet minerality on the dusty, moderately austere and firm but not rigid finale. This will need at least a few years to develop better depth and shed some of its tannic spine. (Drink starting 2029)Burghound | 89-92 BH

The 2019 Chablis Boucheron, which had been in barrel since March, has a pretty nose of expressive yellow flowers mixed with honeysuckle and light jasmine scents. The palate is lightly spiced on the entry, edgy and tensile, with a vibrant peppery finish. Good potential – lots of energy locked up in this Chablis.Vinous Media | 90-92 VM

Enriching blackcurrant, floral and fresh thyme aromas; glossy and slick with mouthwatering orange peel acidity and a succulent texture. Drinking Window 2021 - 2028.Decanter | 91 DEC

The 2020 Puligny-Montrachet Les Enseignères has a delightful, clean and precise bouquet with vibrant citrus fruit, mirabelle and a touch of juniper. The palate is well balanced with a fine bead of acidity, orange zest and apricot, poised and focused towads the finish that lingers in the mouth. Fine tension here. Excellent. Vinous Media | 91 VMPale lime and lemon, this starts quietly (cold sample) but does not take long to build, floral, cow parsley and elderflower, racy and lacy, chiselled, showing the class of what is surely the finest village vineyard in Puligny. Tasted: 10/1/2021.Jasper Morris | 91 JMNotably more elegant aromas feature notes of exceptionally pretty white orchard fruit, citrus blossom and carnation along with a hint of just sliced fennel. The beautifully textured middle weight flavors possess much better density on the bitter lemon-inflected finale. This could use better depth, but more will almost certainly develop with a few years of keeping.Burghound | 90 BH

A fine Chablis which manages to be both powerful and concentrated, yet still retains a lovely lift. Plenty of acidity and distinctive mineral flavours on the palate, along with some spiced, confit lemon character to finish. Will age well.Decanter | 93 DECDauvissat’s 2020 Chablis bursts with aromas of crisp green apple, white flowers, wet stones, oyster shell and struck match. Medium to full-bodied, taut and racy, it’s deep and incisive, with impeccable Chablisien credentials and a long, intensely mineral finish. As usual, it’s the reference point for the appellation.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPThe Dauvissat family’s 2020 Chablis AC is also excellent, showing of the purity of the vintage on both the nose and palate. The bouquet wafts from the glass in a stylish blend of lemon, pear, a lovely base of limestone, just a touch of iodine and a topnote of paraffin. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and vibrant, with a fine core, excellent wet stone mineral drive, bright acids and impeccable balance on the long, focused and complex finish. This has a bit more mid-palate depth than the Petit Chablis and will have a far longer shelf life. Fine juice. (Drink between 2024 - 2045)John Gilman | 91 JGThe 2020 Chablis Village has a fragrant orange blossom bouquet, delicate at first, then gaining in intensity and revealing touches of white tea. The palate is well balanced with markedly more weight than the Petit Village. A very subtle spearmint trait toward the finish lends another layer of complexity. This only just has its nose ahead of the Petit Chablis.Vinous Media | 88-90 VMA more restrained but equally fresh nose features notes of green fruit, oyster shell and lemon-lime wisps along with a very subtle dollop of menthol. There is excellent intensity to the sleek, detailed and delicious medium-weight flavors that terminate in a clean, dry and sneaky long finish. Excellent quality here for its level.Burghound | 90 BHThis feels like quite a big step up. More density, pure white fruit, super balance here, and admirable persistence. Above all a sense of harmony. A classic Vincent Dauvissat Chablis to be appreciated over the next decade. Drink from 2024-2030. Tasted: June 2022.Jasper Morris | 90 JM

The 2020 Chablis 1er Cru Séchet is brilliant, mingling aromas of crisp green apple and lemon oil with notions of oyster shell, freshly baked bread, white flowers and wet stones. Medium to full-bodied, ample and satiny, it’s racy and tensile, with tangy acids and a long, searingly mineral finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPPure, poised and dry with delightful nuance. This is a classic Séchet with a superb aftertaste, so much fruit to cover the dry bones typical of this vineyard – and indeed implied by its name. The 2020 is immaculately balanced pure and subtly nuanced. It may easily close down for a few years after bottling, so do not be afraid to keep it back. Drink from 2028-2035. Tasted: June 2022.Jasper Morris | 94 JMThe 2020 Chablis Les Séchets 1er Cru is very pure on the nose, though not quite as mineral-driven as the 2019, that I tasted last year (also from barrel). But the aromatics are very elegant. Ditto the palate, which delivers fine acidity, impressive concentration, white peach and dried mango flavors and plenty of spice toward the finish. Excellent.Vinous Media | 91-93 VMThe 2020 Chablis “Séchet” from Vincent Dauvissat is very refined this year, showing the classical proportions of the vintage to very fine effect. It delivers an aromatic constellation of green apple, lemon, a beautiful base of chalky soil and oyster shell, spring flowers and a lovely topnote of beeswax. Pure, full and racy on the palate, the Séchet shows off exemplary depth at the core, excellent focus and cut and an impeccably balanced, but still quite closed personality on the long finish. This is going to be an outstanding bottle, but it will demand just a bit of patience to allow it to properly blossom. (Drink between 2026 - 2060)John Gilman | 93 JGMore elegant and airier aromas include those of citrus blossom, algae, iodine and a touch of green apple. The detailed and very intense medium-bodied flavors flash both good minerality and salinity on the balanced bitter lemon-inflected finale. This promising if decidedly firm effort is firm enough to reward up to a decade of cellaring.Burghound | 92 BH

The 2020 Meursault Les Vireuils has a perfumed nose with white flowers, jasmine and light hazelnut aromas gently unfolding in the glass. The palate is well balanced with subtle tropical notes on the entry: wild peach and apricot, fine weight with a very pretty finish. This will be difficult to resist in its youth.Vinous Media | 91 VMA cool, pure and airy nose offers up notes of mineral reduction, apple, pear and exotic tea. There is terrific intensity to the attractively textured and overtly mineral-driven flavors that culminate in a sneaky long and well-balanced finale. This is a very good Meursault villages and worth considering.Burghound | 90 BH

Moderate reduction again pushes the underlying fruit to the background though there is outstanding freshness and verve on the palate of the medium-bodied flavors that retain lovely delineation on the moderately dry, youthfully austere and complex finale. Very solid quality here.Burghound | 91-93 BH

The 2020 Beaune Boucherottes 1er Cru is perhaps the one cuvée from this appellation that showed just a little sur-maturité, very slight touches of prune filtering though the red fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with chewy tannins, quite firm in the mouth with a slightly short finish.Vinous Media | 88-90 VM

The 2020 Puligny-Montrachet les Folatières 1er Cru has an expressive bouquet with green apple, wet limestone and light kiwi fruit scents. This is nicely focused and has more energy than the Pucelles. The palate is well balanced with a fine bead of acidity, quite poised and harmonious towards the finish that needs more mineralité. Maybe I was seeking a little more verve and tension.Vinous Media | 90-92 VM

The barrique-aged Tenuta Luce 2020 Lucente is a very well-priced blend of Merlot and Sangiovese. The wine shows a medium to full-bodied approach with sweet cherry, raspberry tart, almond cake and perfumed redwood or cedar smoke. It offers a contemporary style and soft texture that wraps fully over the palate. This is a handy, versatile wine to pair with a good many of your favorite Italian foods.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91 RPRaisins, fruit pastilles, dates and blackcurrants - super ripe, a bit jammy on the nose with a cola tang and lots of oak, ash/tar nuances that stick out. Still quite a lot of savoury leather and tobacco elements on the palate, alongside strawberry and red cherry fruit. Lightly framed - just missing some depth and weight but easy to drink and enjoy.Decanter | 90 DEC

Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2020 Marjosse comes barreling out of the glass with rambunctious scents of cassis, crushed blackberries and black plum preserves, followed by hints of dark chocolate, anise and tar, plus a fragrant waft of lavender. The medium-bodied palate is soft, juicy and wonderfully refreshing, delivering wonderful poise and expression with a fun burst of pure black fruit on the finish. Delicious!Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91-93 RPThe 2020 Marjosse sports a nicely defined nose of blackberry, undergrowth and light mushroom-like aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, a crisp line of acidity and a precise, focused finish. There is pleasing salinity here, and it feels tender from start to finish. Promising.Vinous Media | 89-91 VMA touch of reduction on the nose which clears as it relaxes in the glass. This is well put together, has definition and finesse, and is punching above its weight in the appellation. Ambitious, well managed tannins and juicy red fruits; 2% Malbec completes the plantings. I don’t have the 2020 blend.Decanter | 91 DECThis shows notes of ripe berries, vanilla, licorice, crushed walnut and cocoa. Medium-bodied with ripe, supple tannins and a creamy texture. Fruit-forward and flavorful. Drink now, but better give a year or two.James Suckling | 90 JS

The 2020 Chassagne-Montrachet Les Chênes has turned out very well. Exhibiting aromas of crisp Anjou pear, fresh peach, warm bread, vanilla pod and citrus zest, it’s medium to full-bodied, bright and seamless, with a pretty core of fruit, lively acids and a long, chalky finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90+ RPThis is aromatically similar to the straight Chassagne though with a pretty floral element. The vibrant middle weight flavors possess a slightly finer, if slightly less generous, mid-palate mouthfeel despite having better density, all wrapped in a lingering finale. This is a wine of contrasts as the mouthfeel is reasonably refined yet the finish flirts with rusticity. Les Chênes typically ages quite well, and this example should as well. Recommended.Burghound | 90 BH

There’s a new aromatic and showy 2020 Pour Ma Gueule Pinot Noir produced with grapes from a vineyard planted in Aconcagua Costa in 2007 with 10,000 plants per hectare on sandstone and calcium carbonate soils. It has a bright ruby color and a varietal nose of red berry fruit and flowers, with 13.8% alcohol, possibly reflecting a warm and dry year. The palate is medium-bodied, serious, with fine, chalky tannins. 18,846 bottles were filled in March 2021 after it matured in concrete with lees. A superb value, it’s one to buy by the case!Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91 RP

Quite a shy, flinty nose that develops attractive orange-blossom character with some aeration. But this has plenty of depth and a serious tannin structure that gives it quite some weight. Long, chalky finish that is just a touch on the austere side. From 2.7 hectares. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 91 JS

Rich candied-citrus nose, but none of the exotic-fruit character that some wines of the vintage have. Stacks of stony minerality on the palate enable it to carry all the flesh easily. Very clean finish with excellent energy and vitality. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 91 JS

Moderate wood surrounds the ripe blend of both red and black raspberry, exotic tea and pretty violet scents. The caressing, round and delicious medium weight flavors that possess good but not special density before firming up noticeably on the austere and much more mineral-driven finale.Burghound | 90-93 BHThe 2020 Volnay 1er Cru Clos des Chênes (Domaine Louis Jadot) reveals aromas of rich berries, orange rind, peonies and warm spices. Medium to full-bodied, with a lively core of fruit, ripe but firm tannins and a nicely defined finish, it will demand some bottle age.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91-93 RPThe 2020 Volnay Clos des Chênes 1er Cru comprises of one 456-litre barrel this year. It has a very well-defined bouquet with seamlessly integrated oak and impressive mineralité. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy black fruit, fine delineation, just a little chewiness on the entry but there is tension interwoven into this Volnay from start to finish, plus great persistency. Superb.Vinous Media | 91-93 VM

Mid lemon, a slightly subdued nose, competent if slightly lacking personality, middle weight and I like the quite generous finish. White fruit, good acid balance and relatively persistent. Tasted: October 2021.Jasper Morris | 91 JM

With forward aromas of ripe apple, acacia flowers and spice, this delicate, elegant wine exhibits admirable balance and finesse. Yet, there is enough substance and structure to draw it out to a lingering finish, although the texture is creamy rather than crisp. Heitz has nearly a half-hectare in La Barre, in stony soils over a slab of pure limestone just up the slope from Antoine Jobard. A very accomplished village-level Meursault.Decanter | 93 DECA hint of smoke character lurks in the background of the aromas of freshly sliced apple, hazelnut, acacia blossom and a touch of spiced pear. The succulent and seductively textured medium-bodied flavors possess fine richness as well as mid-palate density while exhibiting very fine depth and persistence for a villages-level wine. Worth checking out.Burghound | 90 BH

Purchased grapes, picked on 28th August. Mid lemon yellow, clearly a riper bouquet, slightly pungent even, the reduction showing less strongly gunflint, a bit more vegetal maybe. Good flesh on the bones, and I like the way this follows through. Some pears. Not really in place but I suspect may have greater potential than today’s showing. Tasted: October 2021.Jasper Morris | 90 JM

Another typical lemon and lime colour. Pleasing and perfumed nose with some steel behind, plus something of the grassy character of this vineyard. A lemon infusion to bring up the finish. Tasted: July 2021.Jasper Morris | 89-92 JMAn intense, focused white, with crushed stone and chalk dust framing green apple, lemon and greengage flavors. Balanced and long, with a steely finish. Drink now through 2028. 1,750 cases made, 175 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 91 WSNice density and concentration on the palate, with green apple acidity underneath. Suspect this will be a good Vaudevey, but being a tank sample will need to be re-tasted in bottle.Decanter | 91 DEC

Graphite, blackberry and plum aromas and flavors highlight this juicy red, which is balanced and plushly textured, with just the slightest hint of oak. Drink now through 2025. 18,000 cases made, 8,000 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

The 2020 Meursault Blagny 1er Cru has a lively Alpine-fresh bouquet with lemon verbena, fern and touches of yellow plum. Very vivacious and nicely delineated. The palate is well-defined with good weight, not complex perhaps, though there is satisfying density towards the finish with veins of shaved almonds and stem ginger, the latter lingering on the aftertaste. Excellent.Vinous Media | 91-93 VM