Wine Producing Countries

wines

The Très Girard is spot-on typical Morey, with a bit more tannin and grip and less sweet fruit than some of the other offerings in the cellar. Since he doesn’t have a lot of village-level vines, he has purchased fruit from this site in the heavier soils at the base of the slope for many years. One-third of the grapes are fermented as whole clusters, and the wine is ageing in cask (20% new). This should open in three to five years and drink well for 10 years or more afterwards.Decanter Magazine | 93 DECPurchased in grapes since 2009. A full ruby crimson. Rich bright fruit on the nose, a wealth of dark cherry and raspberry on the palate, even if a little bit firm in tannins at the finish. They will settle down. Drink from 2029-2034. Tasted Dec 2024.Jasper Morris | 90-92 JMThe 2023 Morey-Saint-Denis Très Girard is blended with 30% whole cluster. It offers dark berry fruit mixed with brown spices and nicely integrated 50% new oak. The palate is fresh and very harmonious on the entry with finely chiseled tannins and a tensile, precise finish. Very fine.Vinous Media | 89-91 VM

I think of Lignier’s ‘Trilogie’ as a village++. The grape blend is nearly two-thirds from the village-level part of Chenevery, planted in the 1960s, withi a bit of fruit from old cordon-trained vines in the clay-rich soils of Clos Solon, and a bit more of Les Porroux (30%), the total amounts to a hectare of old vines, low-yielding due to age, even in 2023. The ripe plum and currant fruit aromas are accented by hints of smoke and spice and a suggestion of black tea. The texture has lovely depth and richness, and should drink well for 20 years at least.Decanter Magazine | 94 DECA blend of Chenevery, Clos Solon and Les Porroux. Mid ruby in colour. The fruit is sufficiently ripe to cover the structure without turning into lush dark fruit., More of a sweet red cherry. Excellent intensity, this is a cut above Très Girard both in class and intensity. Tannins are present, but subdued beneath the fruit. Drink from 2030-2036. Tasted Dec 2024.Jasper Morris | 91-93 JMThe 2023 Morey-Saint-Denis Trilogie comes from three parcels (as you would expect). This has a perfumed, floral bouquet with touches of peony infusing the dark berry fruit and hints of bay leaf coming through with time. The palate is very well balanced with a sorbet-fresh entry and lively blood orange infusing the dark cherry and cassis fruit on the crunchy finish. This is what you might describe as a "solid" Morey-Saint-Denis without the flair or chutzpah of the Vieilles Vignes.Vinous Media | 90-92 VM

The Pommard En Brescu from Domaine Hubert Lignier is high-toned with red berry-fruit aromas and a floral edge. It’s light bodied with fresh acidity and firm tannins. The grapes are from 0.40ha that Lignier purchased in 2014, planted on terraces high on the slope overlooking the Clos des Mouches. The grapes are partially destemmed and fermented with native yeasts before ageing in cask (20% new).Decanter Magazine | 93 DECVines in terraces, planted 1997, vines purchased 2014. A lighter crimson ruby colour. Some firm red berry fruit on the nose. Plenty of energy on the palate, actually fills the mouth despite this being a cool, hillside site. A fine long dark red fruit finish, covering the tannins. Drink from 2030-2035. Tasted Dec 2024.Jasper Morris | 89-92 JMDeep ruby color. A distinctly earthy yet cool and airy nose of both red and dark currant introduces caressing, delicious and seductively textured medium weight flavors that also conclude in a dusty, youthfully austere and firm but not grippy finish.Burghound | 87-90 BH

The 2023 Volnay Village comes from two lieux-dits. It has a lively, punchy bouquet with blackcurrant and raspberry scents and great vigor. The palate is smooth and sensual, with touches of dark chocolate and pain d’épices infusing the red berry fruit with a caressing and quite persistent finish. This is very fine.Vinous Media | 89-91 VM

Lignier’s new cuvée in Morey is the premier cru Les Sorbès. The wine boasts a ripe blackberry fruit with an almost gamey savoury note and hints of mineral and spice. Although the flavour is substantial, the texture is pleasantly ethereal, almost like a wine from Chambolle. This is the first vintage of this wine; Lignier sourced enough fruit for four barrels from the site located down the slope below the Clos de Tart and the village.Decanter Magazine | 94 DECSlightly fuller crimson colour with a floral nose, a touch of peony. All destemmed as it is the first year of this contract. More sweet cherry fruity intensity on the palate, a little gentian at the finish, an interesting, complex wine. The fruit has more sucrosity than some. Drink from 2030-2037. Tasted Dec 2024.Jasper Morris | 91-94 JMHere too there is a hint of herbal tea on the softly wooded nose of earthy red currant aromas. The seductive, round and utterly delicious middle weight flavors are shaped by relatively fine-grained tannins on the youthfully austere and lingering finale where the only reproach is a touch of warmth. This is a wine of finesse but with sufficient stuffing to repay up to a decade of aging.Burghound | 90-93 BHThe 2023 Morey-Saint-Denis Les Sorbés comes from a purchase of fruit that represents four barrels this year. This has a vibrant floral bouquet with lovely delineation and lift, as rose petal and bergamot infuse the raspberry fruit. The palate is well balanced with supple tannins and a caressing finish, a little fleshy and perhaps Chambolle-like. This will drink well in its youth.Vinous Media | 89-91 VM

The 2023 Chardonnay Hyde Vineyard is elegant and expressive! Quince and white peach are accented by wafts of matchstick, elderflower, Greek yogurt and crème brûlée. The medium-bodied palate is bursting with concentrated, nuanced flavors delivered in a silky texture. Vibrant acidity adds compelling tension, and it has a very long, elegant finish. It should be long lived in the cellar.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPThe 2023 Chardonnay Hyde Vineyard is classy, elegant and polished. Soft contours and lifted aromatics convey total finesse. Orchard fruit, lemon confit, marzipan, white flowers, mint, white pepper and acacia are all very nicely lifted. This is an especially refined rendition of Hyde.Vinous Media | 95 VM

A laser-focused, nicely lean and precise wine from a great vineyard that was one of Russian River Valley’s early chardonnay sites. It holds its crisp green apple and mineral flavors rather tightly now, suggesting a good potential for further aging. Full-bodied. Drinkable now and best from 2030.James Suckling | 96 JSThe 2023 Chardonnay Rochioli Vineyard is a potent, intensely mineral wine, a Chardonnay that captures the personality of this site. Broad and ample on the palate, the 2023 possesses superb textural intensity and the drive to match. Slate, mint, white flowers, chalk and dried herbs linger on the polished, salivating close.Vinous Media | 95 VMThe 2023 Chardonnay Rochioli Vineyard has pure, expressive aromas of poached pears, quince, vanilla custard, matchstick and floral perfume. The medium-bodied palate is taut and energetic with mineral-laced flavors, fireworks of fresh acidity and a long, bright finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RP

The 2023 Chardonnay Woolsey Road Vineyard is one of the stars in this range from Ramey. Creamy and layered, with superb persistence, the 2023 is a real standout. Lemon confit, marzipan, white flowers, mint, white pepper and tangerine peel soar across the palate. All the elements are so well balanced. What a stunner.Vinous Media | 96 VMA very pretty, fruity wine at first whiff, then it gets more concentrated, structured and tense on the palate. Medium-bodied and well braced by citrus acidity, with green apples, golden apples, baking spices and Bosc pears in a rich but lively texture. From a Martinelli family vineyard. Drink now or hold.James Suckling | 96 JSThe 2023 Chardonnay Woolsey Road Vineyard is exotic and perfumed! Peach, lime custard, lemongrass, pie crust and roasted almond aromas pour from the glass. The full-bodied palate is concentrated and sapid with youthfully flinty flavors. Racy acidity adds tension, and it has a very long finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RP

Wow, so rich, mouth-filling, vibrant and delicious that it’s hard to put down the glass. Absolutely packed with baked apple, poached pear, almond croissant, brioche and lemon curd flavors. It’s linear and alive with acidity, yet layered and creamy in texture, creating a viscosity that carries the abundant flavors through a lingering finish. Drink now or hold.James Suckling | 98 JSFrom the first vineyard of the estate, the 2023 Chardonnay Mon Plaisir has a similar bright yellow hue and a more focused feel with notes of lime zest, crushed stones, melon, sweet spices, and vanilla. The palate is full-bodied, with focused acidity, and feels more tension-driven, with a long, mouthwatering finish that floats off the palate with a mineral-toned feel. It will take time to open it, but it should have a good deal of longevity. Drink 2026-2040.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDThe 2023 Chardonnay Mon Plaisir has arresting scents of flint, candle smoke, crème brûlée and spice over a core of peach and guava fruit. The full-bodied palate is elegantly styled with a silky texture, taut acidity and nuanced but youthfully coiled flavors. Concentrated and energetic, it will benefit from several years in the cellar. 1,117 cases were made.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95+ RP

Top notes of lanolin and vanilla are backed by honeysuckle, peach and lemon tart flavors in this youthful white. With air, this gains freshness and elegance, leaving a salty, mineral element to mingle with the oak spice on the finish. Best from 2027 through 2038. 60 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WSThere is a lovely, opulent balance between the richness of this wine and the elegance of its acid structure. The initial attack is redolent of grapefruit and quince with hints of hawthorn flowers and chalk. The texture is tightly wound and powerful, yet the wine is silky and very fine, even at this stage. The grapes are from the heart of the Vaillon lieu-dit and were planted in 1933 by Fabien Moreau’s grandfather Guy. One third was fermented in cask, two-thirds in tank; aged for a total of 18 months before bottling.Decanter Magazine | 93 DECThe 2023 Chablis Vaillon 1er Cru Cuvée Guy Moreau, which comes from 90-year-old vines, did not finish its fermentation until the following June. It is a little broader on the nose compared to the regular cuvée and this displays a touch more depth. The palate is well balanced and fresh with a bead of acidity and hints of toffee apple and white peach toward the finish. This is very fine.Vinous Media | 91 VMHere too a whiff of the exotic can be found on the slightly riper and lightly oaky aromas of pear, apple and citrus confit plus just enough Chablis typicity to be interesting. As is usually the case, the old vines are in evidence on the middle weight plus flavors thanks to the abundance of sappy dry extract that coats the palate on the seductively textured finish. This does however need better depth so at least some patience is recommended.Burghound | 91 BHLively lemon and lime. The oak ageing means that the bouquet is more hidden in youth. There is a suggestion of greater depth of fruit, along with a little biscuity touch. Some decent acidity, but soft white fruit and flesh dominates the palate. Fair length, not so much tension. Hovering on 13% alcohol. Drink from 2026-2032. Tasted Jun 2025.Jasper Morris | 90 JM

Broad and densely textured, with flavors of peach and apple, but mostly vanilla and lanolin from the oak. This is less expressive and focused than its peers yet shows staying power, echoing the oak spice on the finish. Best from 2027 through 2037. 150 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 91 WSPale in colour with a green tint. The Vaillons has kept its fresh kimmeridgian nose, though the palate is softer and fleshier, in white fruit, than a Chablis of the past. A little lick of iodine on the stones to finish. This wine has retained some tension, without recourse to acidification, because the malolactic was partially blocked. Drink from 2026-2032. Tasted Jun 2025.Jasper Morris | 91 JMThe 2023 Chablis Vaillon 1er Cru, which did not complete malolactic fermentation to retain acidity, has a vivacious, flinty nose that leaps from the glass. The palate is well balanced with a steely opening. Seductive lemon thyme and orange pith notes come through on the mid-palate, with a dab of ginger that enlivens the finish. The 2023 is very fine.Vinous Media | 90 VMVague whiffs of the exotic and a phenolic hint lurk in the background of the aromas of pear, citrus rind and discreet spice nuances. There is both more volume and refinement to the nicely concentrated medium-bodied flavors that possess better depth on the equally lightly austere finish that offers a bit more persistence.Burghound | 90 BH

Pale lemon with a lime tint. The bouquet is sublime, with all the class of Clos yet in a refined way. The marine fossils are at work. There is adequate flesh but it is better controlled here, leading to a tighter finish. Understated, showing the sunshine in a balanced form, and pleasingly persistent. Drink from 2027-2036. Tasted Jun 2025.Jasper Morris | 94 JMRipe, elegant and relatively cool aromas include those of acacia, oyster shell, iodine and a slightly more moderate dollop of wood that can also be found on the intense big-bodied flavors that exude evident minerality on the impressively long finale where the only nit is a touch of warmth. I would add that the wood influence is sufficient such that there is a borderline tannic quality to the finish. Patience strongly advised.Burghound | 93 BHThis is a ripe style, revealing a flash of pineapple, along with peach, mirabelle plum and melon, plus a hint of seashore. Unfolds effortlessly on the palate. Fresh finish. Drink now through 2033. 200 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 92 WSThe 2023 Chablis Les Clos Grand Cru has a neutral, stony nose that is outperformed by the Valmur this year. The palate is well balanced with a fine bead of acidity. Fresh clementines intermix with gooseberry and red apple notes. It is quite peppery and admirably persistent toward the finish. Give this a couple of years in bottle.Vinous Media | 91+ VM

The Valmur from Domaine Christian Moreau is a vivacious wine with abundant aromas of ripe pear and melon, hints of acacia blossoms and spice underpinned with a flinty minerality. The texture has tension and snap, yet there a rich, almost plump side here that remains perfectly balanced with the crisp acidity; the finish echoes with a hint of ’beautiful bitterness’. The grapes are mostly from the 0.70ha parcel facing southeast; there is a bit from the northeast-facing side for balance. Undoubtedly charming on release, this will effortlessly age for 20 years or more.Decanter Magazine | 94 DECThe 2023 Chablis Valmur Grand Cru is more old school, with greener, apple-like fruit. It’s quite stony and more reserved than the Vaudésir. The palate is fresh and vibrant, with a lively thread of acidity. This is composed, with a dash of spice toward the finish that has put on a bit of weight since last year. The 2023 is very promising.Vinous Media | 93 VMBroad and shaded by oak spice, this white exhibits lemon, apple, honeysuckle and salty mineral flavors, all delineated by lively acidity. Fades briefly before returning with echoes of fruit and flowers on the finish. Best from 2027 through 2040. 20 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WSA pungent nose of smoky reduction, citrus and moderate wood toast is all that can be discerned at present so be sure to give this some air if you’re tempted to open a bottle young. Otherwise, the rich, powerful and concentrated broad-shouldered flavors also possess plenty of sappy dry extract before concluding in a lemony, dry and moderately austere finale. This is a big and firmly structured wine that is quite promising.Burghound | 93 BHPale lemon and lime colour. A tighter bouquet with a light reduction. Good tension here, thanks to the lower alcohol perhaps. Some muscles but all in a discreet fashion. 12.3% alcohol. Drink from 2027-2036. Tasted Jun 2025.Jasper Morris | 93 JM

Very pale with a green tint. Immediately saline on the nose. Medium bodied, white fruit, greater intensity at the finish and just a little bit more tension which is a bonus. 12.8% alcohol. Drink from 2027-2036. Tasted Jun 2025.Jasper Morris | 93 JMThe 2023 Chablis Vaudésir Grand Cru has a tightly wound bouquet with scents of tangerine, freshly picked gooseberry and flinty aromas. The palate is taut and fresh, mixing red apple with orange rind and light white tea notes. This is a well-crafted Vaudésir with satisfying weight on the finish.Vinous Media | 92 VMA ripe style, this white offers peach, apple and light citrus flavors, with a stony, mineral undertow. Starts out plump and fleshy, then the cleansing acidity sweeps in. Excellent length. Drink now through 2033. 20 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 92 WSA deft application of wood sets off ripe but not really exotic aromas of white peach, acacia, citrus zest and a touch of algae. There is both fine intensity and a lovely texture to the mineral-driven medium weight flavors that deliver very good length on the balanced, refined and notably more complex finale. Lovely.Burghound | 92 BH

Ornellaia owns 13 hectares of white varieties, and this 100% Sauvignon Blanc is sourced from the prime Bellaria vineyard at around 100 metres above sea level on limestone soils. ‘An original expression of this grape variety’, is how Marco Balsimelli describes it. Well balanced and very fresh, it has good body and plenty of energy, with ripe notes of guava, apricot and mango. The oak vinification with batonnage lends a creamy tone and texture but it remains poised throughout, with a sapid, mineral finish.Decanter Magazine | 95 DECMade with Sauvignon Blanc, the 2023 Bolgheri Bianco Ornellaia shows a softer more cushiony profile than recent editions. The Sauvignon Blanc is sourced primarily from the Bellaria vineyard at 130 meters in elevation. Parcel selection played a key role in 2023, with Poggio alle Gazze dell’Ornellaia showing more exotic fruit, and the estate choose to emphasize a distinctly Mediterranean expression with riper yellow fruit tones for this wine. Fermentation is carried out with great precision with strict protection from oxygen, followed by time in barrique, with about 30% new French oak, tonneaux and amphorae. The wine ages for 10 months on the fine lees with daily bâtonnage at first, then gradually reduced. This vintage outperforms the 2022 in terms of length and polish, offering notes of white pepper, ginger, lemon peel, exotic flower and spice. This wine is scheduled for release in March 2026.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPThe 2023 Ornellaia Bianco, 100% Sauvignon Blanc, is soft, open-knit and ready to go. Scents of orchard fruit, sage, white flowers, mint and white pepper open with some coaxing. In 2023, the Bianco is quite soft and generous in feel. Exotic tropical notes run through the textured, creamy finish.Vinous Media | 92 VM

From a vineyard that was originally planted in 1982, with 12 feet spacing between the rows, the 2023 Pinot Noir Marjorie Vineyard boasts a youthful ruby red color and lifts with notes of cranberries, cinnamon, clove, dusty earth, and minty herbs. The energy of the palate is fantastic, with salty minerality, refreshing acidity, and a long, energetic finish. It’s packed with tension and should only improve over the next several years with some patience. This was my favorite in the range at this tasting, Drink it over the coming 20 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDAn elegant, delicious and structured medium-bodied wine with pleasing aromas of bright raspberries, strawberries, crushed rose petals, pink peppercorns and some cool blue fruit. A nervy backbone with fine, chalky, mouth-filling tannins and a zesty finish that goes on and on. Drinkable now, but it will age wonderfully. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 97 JSMarjorie is part of the Cristom heritage, with the original planting dating back to 1982, first planted on its own roots and eventually replanted vine by vine. The 2023 is made with 45% whole cluster. It’s a small block, so they’re careful with it. This vintage was made after half of the block was removed. There is an umami character to the Majorie Pinot Noir aromatics, a depth showing salty brine. It always has fleshy red fruits, blood orange, and soaring acids accenting mint leaves and herbs. It’s spicy and salty through the finishDecanter Magazine | 96 DECThe 2023 Pinot Noir Marjorie Vineyard is youthfully understated and coy, blending dusty floral tones with dried strawberries and nuances of autumnal spice. Harmonious and pure in style, it offers vivid raspberry fruit elevated by a hint of sour citrus as a collection of fine-grained tannins adds cheek-puckering tension through the close. Spicy and exceptionally long, the 2023 finishes structured with a tart blackberry twang. Patience is required.Vinous Media | 95+ VMThe 2023 Pinot Noir Marjorie Vineyard was fermented with 45% whole clusters and matured for 18 months in 31% new French oak. It has layered, savory scents of mushrooms, flint and pipe tobacco over a core of red cherry, blackberry and orange peel. The medium-bodied palate pairs earth-laced flavors with pleasantly rustic, chalky tannins. It’s balanced by bright acidity and has a long, layered finish. 636 cases were made.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPWell-framed and tightly focused, with raspberry and red currant flavors that take on forest floor and black tea as this gathers tension toward medium-grained tannins. Drink now through 2034. 636 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

A carefully calculated blend of 44% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Cabernet Franc and 26% Merlot, the Marchesi Antinori 2023 Bolgheri Superiore Guado al Tasso shows lovely fruit ripeness followed by elegant volume and depth. The wine consistently delivers an all-rounder profile, offering a 360-degree presentation that engages the palate and senses with controlled intensity. In what can be considered an underdog vintage, this bottling stands out with unexpected finesse, confirming the estate’s ability to keep standards high in a classic Bolgheri Superiore expression.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPThe 2023 Guado al Tasso is dynamic and wonderfully complex right out of the gate. I especially admire its energy. Mocha, rose petal, mint, blood orange and red plum race across the palate, all supported by brisk acids. Beams of tannin lend considerable shape and momentum. An impressive wine in every way, the 2023 points to a new standard of finesse at Guado al Tasso.Vinous Media | 96 VM

Laced with pure cherry, strawberry, graphite and tobacco aromas and flavors, this red is beautifully supported by a backbone of vibrant acidity and taut, refined tannins. Everything is framed by vanilla and toasty oak in the best sense, revealing harmony, with a long, orange-tinged finish and, yes, even drinkability at this stage. Best to give this a few more years in the bottle. Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2027 through 2045. 29,167 cases made, 11,083 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 97 WSThe 2023 Tignanello is a classy, polished wine. Soft and open-knit with lovely, forward fruit and bright acids, the 2023 is a total delight. Floral, spice and blood orange overtones meld into a core of red Sangiovese-driven fruit. There’s a touch more Cabernet Franc in this year’s blend. That comes through in the wine’s aromatic presence. The 2023 is a juicy, midweight Tignanello that offers tons of immediacy and sheer appeal. It’s finesse over power.Vinous Media | 95 VM

Abundant aromas of sliced cooked apples and crushed stones. Full-bodied palate with earth, cooked-apple and spice flavors. The tannin texture makes it quite muscular for a white. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 95 JSThe 2023 Marquis de Laguiche Morgeot is even a hair better than the Meursault “Perrières” this year chez Drouhin! The marvelously precise and complex bouquet wafts from the glass in a complex blend of apple, pear, lemon blossoms, crème pâtissière, chalky soil tones, fresh almond and vanillin oak. On the palate the wine is full-bodied, complex and really has a great girdle of acidity this year, with a beautiful core of fruit, lovely mineral drive and grip, great focus and balance and a very long, vibrant and lifted finish. Great juice. (Drink between 2025-2055)John Gilman | 94+ JGThe 2023 Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Morgeot Marquis de Laguiche is excellent, offering up aromas of pear, orange oil, buttered toasted, fresh mint and white flowers. Medium to full-bodied, satiny and layered, it’s fresh and racy, with good energy for a cuvée that can sometimes be very rich, concluding with a saline finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93-94 RPGlowing pale primrose. This has an immediate presence from the first sniff. Very pure white fruit but with a sense of strictness too. Fully ripe at the back of the palate yet still entirely harnessed. Ripe lemons and limes with some orchard fruit at the base. Long and extremely classy. Drink from 2030-2038. Tasted Nov 2024.Jasper Morris | 93-96 JMModerate wood surrounds the aromas of poached pear, rosemary oil and more discreet floral elements. There is fine density and evident power to the succulent and sappy larger-bodied flavors that are supported by a firm acid spine on the sneaky long and well-balanced finale. This is also very good with equally good development potential.Burghound | 90-93 BH

This wine is truly excellent, showing a mineral-edged nose with pure energy and tension. Aromas of struck match, citrus blossoms, crushed stones and salted nuts. The palate is taut, with no hard edges and driving acidity that keeps you salivating for minutes. Closing in on perfection. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 99 JSThe 2023 Chardonnay Hyde Vineyard is airy, gracious and understated. It’s a wine of restraint, even for this house. Seamless and elegant in the glass, the Hyde is exquisitely finessed. Today, the 2023 is rather quiet, but time in bottle should help this really blossom. Aeration brings out the wine’s mid-palate oiliness and texture. The Hyde was aged 70% in barrel, 20% in foudre and 10% in concrete. The precision here is unreal.Vinous Media | 96 VMAn impressive white, with toasted fennel seed, honeysuckle, Opal apple and white peach flavors that are generous and plump, plus a drizzle of clover honey, salted toffee, lemon meringue and salted, toasted brioche. The fruit flavors take over on the finish, expanding in different directions with plenty of oomph and intensity. Drink now through 2036. 2,700 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WS

The 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon Vixen Block Wildfoote Vineyard represents the last vintage Bevan received fruit from the site, following the purchase of the property by Shafer Vineyards. It’s a fitting send-off, delivering seamless, complex swirls of purple raspberries, fine suede and lovely floral notes. Full-bodied yet silky, it’s framed by fine-grained tannins, which wash gently across the long, generous finish. The wine neatly captures the complexity and textures of the Stags Leap District, wrapping the tannins in an elegant final bow.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 99 RPMore blue fruits, crème de cassis, liquid violets, and scorched earth, as well as a beautiful floral character, define the 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon Wildfoote Vineyard Vixen Block. It’s a full-bodied Cabernet with fine, polished tannins, flawless overall balance, and a blockbuster of a finish. This ripe, sexy wine still plays in the fresher, focused style of the vintage and is good for 20-25 years of prime drinking. Drink 2025-2050.Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDThe 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon Wildfoote Vineyard Vixen Block is inky, deep and pliant. Rich blue fruit, licorice, spice, menthol and lavender are all dialed up in this unctuous, full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon from Russell Bevan. This is classic Stags Leap, done in a decidedly extroverted style. Sweet floral notes explode on the captivating finish.Vinous Media | 97 VM

The 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon John C. Sullenger Vineyard comes from a site just south of To Kalon. Loaded with black cherries and ripe fruit, this full-bodied wine is rich, voluptuous and silky on the outside, but underneath that flesh, there’s a firm structure and dusty tannins that linger easily on the elegant finish. This is a real beauty from the western side of Oakville.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPAnother Oakville beauty, the 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon John C. Sullenger Vineyard sports an inky purple hue and gorgeous aromatics of cassis, currants, iron, leafy tobacco, and violets. It’s medium to full-bodied, tight and focused on the palate, with building tannins, the fresher, structured style of the vintage, and outstanding length. It’s tight and reserved at the moment, so hide bottles for 3-4 years if you can. It’s another brilliant wine I’d love to have in the cellar, and it will see its 20th birthday in fine form. Drink 2028-2045.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JD

A pretty white with lots of depth and length. Medium-bodied with a creamy texture and notes of lemon rind, sliced mangoes and peaches. Velvety phenolics give form and balance. A blend of 81% sauvignon blanc, 11% semillon and 8% muscadelle. drink or hold.James Suckling | 94 JSCitrus, powerful stone fruits, toasted cumin, slate. Love the slow unroll through the palate, this will take its time and can age, good stuff, 3.12ph, 50% new oak, aged on lees. Cazes family owners.Janes Anson | 94 JAicking for the 2023 Blanc de Lynch‑Bages pops from the glass with vibrant notes of white peaches, fresh pears, and lemon curd, followed by hints of lime blossom, wet pebbles, and wild thyme. The light to medium‑bodied palate is zippy and refreshing, with loads of citrus and chalky layers and an invigorating finish. The blend is 81% Sauvignon Blanc, 11% Sémillon, and 8% Muscadelle.The Wine Palate | 93 TWPThe 2023 Blanc de Lynch-Bages is a delight. Lemon peel, white pepper, mint, chalk, passion fruit and tangerine peel give the Blanc its exotic, layered feel. As always, a touch of Muscadelle lends an exotic flair.Vinous Media | 92 VMGreen apple, crisp and fresh on the nose with some lemon citrus bitterness. Mellow and round, this has a nice weight on the palate, the acidity is masked by the ripeness of the fruit only lingering in the soft bitter orange on the back palate. Lemon, peach, some vanilla edges and a touch of yoghurt but overall clean and direct with lots of length. Calm, round and easy to drink. This has the highest percentage of Sauvignon Blanc in the blend. Bottled during the first week in April 2024 but won’t be released until September. 3.12pH.Decanter Magazine | 92 DECPicking for the 2023 Blanc de Lynch-Bages started in late August, and it had been bottled the week before tasting. It pops from the glass with vibrant notes of white peaches, fresh pears, and lemon curd followed by hints of lime blossom, wet pebbles, and wild thyme. The light to medium-bodied palate is zippy and refreshing, with loads of citrus and chalky layers and an invigorating finish. The blend is 81% Sauvignon Blanc, 11% Semillon, and 8% Muscadelle.The Wine Independent | 92 TWIFirst made in 1978 (the first vintage sold was 1990), the 2023 Château Lynch-Bages Blanc is Sauvignon Blanc-dominated and offers bright citrus, honeyed flowers, and some chalky minerality in a medium-bodied, lively, juicy, elegant style. It’s not massive, but it’s balanced and impeccably made.Jeb Dunnuck | 90-92 JDAlready bottled, the 2023 Blanc de Lynch-Bages possesses a lemony bouquet of citron oil, lemongrass, spring flowers and a lactic touch, which can be attributed to its recent bottling. Juicy and fresh, it is moderately weighted with a phenolic texture and a long, mouthwatering finish with a somewhat musky-inflected aftertaste due to the presence of Muscadelle. This is a blend of 81% Sauvignon Blanc, 11% Sémillon and 8% Muscadelle. It has a pH of 3.12 and was matured for six months on the lees with 50% new oak.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 89-91 RP

Derived from over 70-year-old vines at the top of a south- and southeast-facing slope, the 2023 Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos opens with a deep bouquet of orange peel, Anjou pear, beeswax and jasmine, mingling with notes of warm stones. Full-bodied, multifaceted and layered, it is concentrated and enveloping, with a muscular core balanced by ample chalky extract that imparts a sensation of freshness, laden with racy acidity and culminating in a long, saline finish. Harmonious yet built for the long term, it will richly reward patience.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPYear after year, Fèvre’s Les Clos is among the great wines of Chablis. In 2023, the pronounced aromas range from grapefruit to nectarine and green apple, laden with pungent, salty mineral notes and a little smoky reduction – a bit of everything, really. The texture is dense, almost impenetrable at this age, but enlivened by a lovely hint of bitterness at the end. It is truly a wine for the ages. Ideally wait a decade before opening; this wine will last at least 40 years.Decanter Magazine | 96 DECAfter the fireworks of the les Preuses and Côte de Bouguerots, I always approach Domaine Fèvre’s les Clos as if there could not possibly be yet another level of quality here, but it always manages to land just a touch higher in the hierarchy than the two magical wines that preceded it in the tasting! The 2023 les Clos is stellar, offering up a vibrant bouquet of apple, pear, lime, beeswax, a gorgeous base of chalky soil tones, raw almond, citrus zest and a topnote of white flowers. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, complex and perfectly balanced, with a beautiful core of fruit, a superb girdle of acidity, superb mineral drive and cut and a long, seamlessly balanced and complex finish. Great juice. (Drink between 2033-2070)John Gilman | 96 JGA more restrained nose grudgingly exhibits pronounced mineral reduction nuances that add breadth to the markedly floral nose of seashore, iodine and oyster shell scents. I very much like the mouthfeel of the powerful and concentrated larger-scaled flavors that are akin to rolling a small pebble around the mouth while displaying excellent length on the very dry, long, youthfully austere and balanced finish that is supported by overtly citrus-tinged acidity. Patience strongly recommended.Burghound | 94 BHA glowing lemon and lime colour. The bouquet is very backward at first, less demonstrative than Preuses. A greater richness of texture than Côte Bouguerots to add to the chiselled white fruit intensity and them a gorgeous, concentrated succulent aftertaste without sucrosity. Good acidity at the back. Drink from 2030-2040. Tasted Jun 2024.Jasper Morris | 94-96 JMThe 2023 Chablis Les Clos Grand Cru comes from 4 hectares of vines, mostly at the top of the slope on limestone-rich soils. Oyster shell and light sea spray scents on the nose entwined with hints of orange pith and wild mint. The palate is very concentrated and intense, more so than William Fèvre’s other Grand Cru. Very harmonious with a poised, stem ginger tinged-finish that lingers long in the mouth. Excellent.Vinous Media | 93-95 VMA chalky, stony mineral element leads off, with peach, yellow plum and orange Creamsicle, plus touches of herbs. This is supple and juicy, with charm through the persistent, mouthwatering finish. Drink now through 2034. 300 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WSDelicate aromas of lemon blossom, green apple and honeysuckle waft from the glass buttressed by zested orange peel. Fresh and bright on the palate, the wine is steely in texture with gentle acidity that refreshes without making itself the center of attention. Wine Enthusiast | 93 WE

Sourced from an east-facing slope that yields one of the racier and more ethereal wines in the range, the 2023 Chablis Grand Cru Les Preuses opens with aromas of oyster liquor, orange peel, white flowers and lemon oil. Medium- to full-bodied, taut and tensile, it is nakedly chalky, incisive and searingly saline. The site is so steep that special cable equipment is employed for its cultivation.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPThe 2023 Chablis “les Preuses” from the domaine is simply superb on both the nose and palate. The utterly complex bouquet wafts from the glass in a mix of apple, fresh lime, anise, citrus zest, a touch of paraffin and a stunning foundation of chalky minerality. On the palate the wine is pure, precise, full-bodied and utterly defined by its underlying minerality, with a great core of fruit, a fine spine of acidity, laser-like focus and a long, complex and beautifully balanced finish. A great example of les Preuses. (Drink between 2033-2070)John Gilman | 95+ JGAn airy, expressive and beautifully layered nose speaks primarily of citrus, acacia blossom, iodine and shellfish nuances. There is excellent volume and better mid-palate density to the solidly powerful and intense medium-bodied flavors that possess a sappy texture that carries over to the balanced, long and quite serious finale. This too is very classy and a wine that should amply repay up to a decade of keeping.Burghound | 94 BHThis wine has an intriguing duality. Enticing aromas of dried summer field grass and fall-picked red apple open on the nose punctuated by hints of green pear and forest floor. The rich and fulsome palate parades around a reserved fruit core that projects strength.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEA stunning nose, a little wrapping of seaweed around the stones. Perfectly balanced, then just when you are enjoying the subtlety, you sense the huge block of central white fruit as well. Only a little bit spicy, in fact even quite juicy at the finish. A long-term keeper, potentially a magnificent Preuses. The texture of a silk cravat suggests Didier Seguier. Drink from 2030-2040. Tasted Jun 2024.Jasper Morris | 94-96 JMThis is rich and interwoven with peach, yellow plum, earth, stone and oyster shell aromas and flavors. Tangy and mouthwatering, with terrific harmony and a long, citrus- and mineral-tinged aftertaste. Drink now through 2033. 120 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WSThe 2023 Chablis Les Preuses Grand Cru comes from 2.5 hectares of vines split over two parcels. Scents of grapefruit, white flowers, and crushed stone. A touch of sea spray comes through with time and eventually gains admirable intensity. The palate is fresh and vibrant on the entry, fine acidity, maybe not quite as complex as the Côte Bouguerots. A little more understated on the finish. But this will age well in bottle.Vinous Media | 91-93 VM