Wine Ratings

wines

A more floral and elegant nose freely offers up its slightly riper array of plum, black cherry and exotic spice nuances. The lilting and beautifully detailed middleweight flavors deliver outstanding length on the balanced, youthfully austere and stony finale. This doesn’t presently have quite the same depth as the Clos l’Audignac but the texture is more sophisticated and overall, this is class in a glass.Burghound | 93 BH

With 2.15ha, a blend from three plots in Chapelot, Montée de Tonnerre and Pied d’Aloup, with vines in the latter now 87 years old. As expected of Montée de Tonnerre, this will need a lot of time to come round. Powerful, primary and concentrated, with restrained mineral, stony notes. Great purity here, salty finish.Decanter Magazine | 93 DECLike the Vaillons, this is also quite firmly reduced though there is some wood influence present as well. The focused and beautifully refined flavors ooze minerality on the almost painfully intense, bone-dry and strikingly long but not especially austere finale. This is very stylish as well as classy. Well worth checking out.Burghound | 93 BHChapelot, Pied d’Aloue, Cote de Bréchain. Mostly tank. Very pretty lemon and lime colour. A clean, incisive bouquet, very pure and with class. Tension at the back, extremely youthful but definitely promising. Drink from 2025-2028. Tasted Jun 2022.Jasper Morris | 91-94 JM

The 2021 Chablis Bougros Grand Cru, 80% aged in oak, has a delightful bouquet with orchard fruit, lemon verbena and orange pith scents that burst from the glass. The palate is well balanced with a fine bead of acidity, quite precise with a welcome touch of bitter lemon that keeps the finish on edge. Not a long-term Bougros perhaps, but finely crafted. Tasted blind at the BIVB tasting in Chablis.Vinous Media | 93 VM

Droin’s Vaudésir comes from just over 1ha with vines planted on both north- and south-facing slopes. A little subdued on the nose and palate, this is a subtle grand cru with plenty of definition, and will blossom with two to three years additional bottle age. No oak.Decanter | 92 DECThe 2021 Chablis Vaudésir Grand Cru has a taut and fresh bouquet, wonderful mineralité with a hint of smoke and flint coming through. The palate is well balanced with a saline note, fine depth, lemon and a little more lime. Builds nicely in the mouth, a lovely Vaudésir.Vinous Media | 91-93 VMHere too moderate wood sets off the overtly spicy and ripe aromas of white and yellow peach, iodine and hints of seashore. The sleek, delicious and intense flavors are just a bit more refined, indeed they are almost delicate, while still delivering excellent length on the citrus-tinged finish where a bit of wood slowly emerges.Burghound | 91-94 BH

Droin’s Montmains site is on a gentle slope with richer, deeper, kimmeridgian marl soils. A colder site, making the wine richer and with great density on the palate. Distinctly more weight than the Vaillons, giving the blend plenty of gravitas. 8-10 months ageing on fine lees adds a creamy character with acidity less pronounced than with the Vaillons. Classy.Decanter | 92 DECThe 2021 Chablis Montmains 1er Cru has a classic Chablis-like bouquet with scents of shucked oyster shell and light fumé notes emerging from the glass. The palate is well balanced with a saline, lemon rind infused entry, moderate weight, perhaps not quite as precise as the Vaillons yet with satisfying persistence. Fine.Vinous Media | 89-91 VMAn even more floral-suffused nose speaks of the pretty essence of pear and apple while offering better overall typicity. The palate impression of the middleweight flavors is also plump, round and fleshy with its reasonably persistent, dry and balanced finale that also could use better depth. This attractive effort should be approachable young yet also reward 4 to 7 years of keeping.Burghound | 89-92 BH

A weighty Les Clos which shows a fine balance between the intensity of minerality and acidity, melding with some juicy, confit-citrus fruit on the palate. Oak is restrained and in balance with the wine. A classy and refined example from this, the largest, part of the grand cru.Decanter | 94 DEC

Droin’s Fourchaume is located in the Vaupulent sector, on deep, clay-rich soils. A warmer site, this is a;ready very appealing with nice touches of baked apples and stone-fruit on the palate, with softer acidity and concentration. Although accessible early, this has the concentration to age extremely well and will deliver more saline aspects with more bottle age.Decanter | 92 DECA whiff of mineral reduction is present on the nose of pear and apple compote where there is just enough Chablis typicity to be convincing. The succulent, round and palate coating flavors possess good underlying tension while delivering solid depth and length on the delicious finish where the only nit is a hint of warmth.Burghound | 90-92 BHThe 2021 Chablis Fourchaume 1er Cru shows a little more reduction on the nose compared to other cuvées but a pleasant flintiness develops with time. The palate is well balanced with a cohesive entry, fine weight although it doesn’t quite deliver the same precision as the Mont de Milieu at the moment. Fine.Vinous Media | 89-91 VM

An exuberantly fresh nose of spicy purple fruit, exotic tea, violet and hints of cinnamon and sandalwood are trimmed in discreet but not invisible wood. There is both good richness and punch to the supple medium-bodied flavors that conclude in a lightly austere but impressively long and harmonious finale. This could use better depth but like the VRBM, the Rouget Ech has an excellent track record for aging well.Burghound | 92-94 BHThe 2021 Echézeaux Grand Cru, aged in 100% new oak, is tasted from two barrels as one is heavily reduced, while the other shows fine delineation: crushed strawberry, wild mint and loam. The palate is heavily reduced at first, quite dense and broad-shouldered, black cherries mixed with cassis, a little chocolaty towards the finish.Vinous Media | 91-93 VM

The 2021 Chablis Vaillon 1er Cru Cuvée Guy Moreau comprises just five used barrels this year. The fine bouquet is a little more mineral-driven than the regular cuvée with touches of wet pavement and citrus lemon. The palate is well-balanced, fresh and taut, with a fine bead of acidity, growing a little more compact towards the finish but with slightly more salinity to get the tastebuds going. Very fine.Vinous Media | 92 VMHere too there is a vaguely exotic note to the pretty and very floral aromas of spice, pear, apple and quinine that are trimmed in subtle wood. The old vines are very much in evidence on the concentrated, palate coating and rich bigger-bodied flavors that possess focused power on the saline and intensely bitter zest-suffused finish. This should be excellent in time.Burghound | 92 BHThis white packs a mix of peach, melon, lime and pastry flavors, which pick up light smoke and mineral accents as this builds to the finish. Firm, crisp and long. Drink now through 2026. 20 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 90 WSThis and the Grands Crus were made entirely in wood so as to keep the existing stock of barrels full of wine. Pale yellow, with a little butteriness from the wood. This slightly dominates the palate with a note of acidity to finish. Will sort itself out in due course. Drink from 2025-2028. Tasted: June 2022.Jasper Morris | 90-93 JM

Aromas of raspberries, cassis, forest floor, espresso toast, spices and orange zest introduce the 2021 Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru, a medium to full-bodied, ample and layered wine with lively acids, ripe tannins and a broad, saline, peony-inflected finish. This is a beautiful middle-weight in the making.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93-95 RPThe 2021 Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru sported quite hefty reduction on the nose that made it difficult to read during my visit at the Domaine. The palate is medium-bodied with a smooth, slightly lactic entry, powdery texture, tight and firm. Maybe not quite the complexity or amplitude of Dugat’s other cuvées on the finish, but it will evolve with time in bottle. A bit stoic at the momentVinous Media | 92-94 VMFirm reduction. The round and seductively textured medium-bodied flavors are not especially dense, but they do offer excellent length on the balanced finish. As it usually does at this point, this will need to add depth, but more should almost certainly develop as the Dugat Charmes has an excellent aging track record.Burghound | 91-93 BH

The 2021 Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru, located right above their Caillerets, comprises of a single 600-liter barrel that was racked into an old Stockinger to limit oxygen ingress. It has a taut and focused bouquet with crushed stone infusing the citrus fruit, hints of honeysuckle and pressed white flowers. The palate is medium-bodied with a very subtle reduction on the entry, orange rind and hints of yuzu; the 2021 is quite mineral-driven with a clean and precise finish. Excellent.Vinous Media | 94-96 VM1 x 600 litre barrel! Full lemon yellow. Plenty of weight apparent and a suggestion of class without having found its definition. Actually, it is pretty much complete on the palate, ripe apples, medium plus flesh, a certain juiciness over and above the natural austerity of the vineyard, and very persistent. Drink from 2027-2035. Tasted: October 2022.Jasper Morris | 94-96 JM This is even more floral on the slightly more expressive nose that features notes of Poire William, zest, green apple and soft spice nuances, especially anise. The round but almost painfully intense medium weight plus flavors possess a caressing mouthfeel along with almost as much mineral character as the Caillerets while delivering stunningly good length on the beautifully nuanced finale. This is very classy and somewhat surprisingly for a young Chevalier, not especially austere. With that said, this beauty is built to reward mid to longer-term cellaring.Burghound | 93-95 BH

The Pouilly-Fuissé “les Vieux Murs” bottling from Maison Jean Loron is made from fruit sourced in two villages in the appellation: Fuissé, which is a bit warmer and provides a round, plush core of fruit, and the higher elevation Solutré, which delivers far more chalky minerality to the wine and the cut and acid backbone. The 2021 les Vieux Murs offers up a bright, classic and complex bouquet of apple, pear, orange zest, almond, chalky minerality, just a touch of buttery oak and a floral topnote redolent of fruit blossoms. On the palate the wine is bright, full-bodied, focused and complex, with a lovely core of fruit, excellent soil signature and grip, zesty acids and a long, poised and beautifully balanced finish. In the cooler vintage of 2021, this excellent wine comes in at an even thirteen percent octane and is truly outstanding. (Drink between 2025 - 2035)John Gilman | 92 JG

An overtly floral-suffused and more expressive nose freely offers up elegant aromas of white orchard fruit, zest and a touch of spice. There is again excellent mid-palate density to the pretty middleweight flavors that exude evident minerality on the powerful, focused and superbly long finale. This is lovely and a wine that should generously repay extended cellaring.Burghound | 93 BH

Lime blossom, citronella, hazelnut and toasty oak aromas and flavors mark this exuberant white, which combines lively acidity with a creamy texture. Offers a lingering hazelnut aftertaste. Drink now through 2028. 1,510 cases made, 33 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 92 WSPale lemon colour. Another stylish nose with a little more depth of fruit throughout, there being more clay in the soil. Ripe citrus once again, some tension and weight, Drink from 2026-2032. Tasted Dec 2023.Jasper Morris | 90 JMThe 2022 Meursault Le Limozin doesn’t quite deliver the precision of the Les Chevalières on the nose, just a bit blurred by direct comparison. The palate is medium-bodied with a thick and concentrated entry, walnut and grilled almonds, and good extract on the finish that delivers real weight. Give it a couple of years in bottle.Vinous Media | 89-91 VM

The 2022 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru comes from the southerly exposed lieu-dit of Les Chaumes and matured in used barrels (just one and a half, to be exact.) This has real presence on the nose: plenty of light honey scents, yellow plum, dried white flowers, and chamomile aromas. The palate is very well-balanced, with Satsuma and lime on the entry. It is not the most complex Corton-Charlemagne, but there is engaging balance and real depth, growing almost playful towards the finish with candied orange peel lingering in the mouth. Give this two or three years in bottleVinous Media | 92-94 VMHere too moderate wood influence is present on the ripe aromas of petrol, citrus rind and soil tones. The wood is also evident on the palate of the larger-bodied and more concentrated flavors that exhibit solid power on the lightly mineral-driven, balanced and lingering finish. This isn’t exactly rustic though it’s not refined either and has the stuffing to repay up to a decade of keeping.Burghound | 91 BH

25% whole bunch vinification. Still in barrel. A rich saturated purple. The fruit swarms across the palate, yet with a fine sense of balance. Fine grained tannins, not too wild a style of Bonnes Mares, and indeed the holding is on the white soil which explains the elegance. Drink from 2032-2040. Tasted Nov 2023.Jasper Morris | 94-96 JMThe 2022 Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru has a well-defined bouquet with black cherries, wild strawberries and iris flower, more intense than the 2023. Taut and focused, the palate is medium-bodied with a fresh entry, quite linear for a Bonnes-Mares, with a bright, vivacious finish. Very fine.Vinous Media | 93 VMHere the grudging nose is even spicier with a slightly more deeply pitched array of plum liqueur, dark currant and floral suggestions that are trimmed in hints of menthol. There is a bit more volume and mid-palate density, if less obvious minerality, to the medium weight plus flavors that are at once punchy and overtly powerful, all wrapped in a clearly built to age finale. This is excellent but patience will definitely be required.Burghound | 92-94 BHAromas of sweet red cherries, figs, rose petals and spices introduce the 2022 Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru, a medium to full-bodied, deep and layered wine that’s one of the riper, more muscular wines in the range, exhibiting just a touch of sur maturité.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90-92 RP

The 2022 Chambertin Clos de Bèze Grand Cru is showing brilliantly, wafting from the glass with notes of red berries and cherries mingled with incense, rose petals, spices and peonies. Full-bodied, fleshy and layered, it’s seep and multidimensional, with a concentrated core of fruit and a long, resonant finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93-95 RPThe 2022 Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru has a well-defined bouquet with black cherries, wild strawberries and iris flower, more intense than the 2023. Taut and focused, the palate is medium-bodied with a fresh entry, quite linear for a Bonnes-Mares, with a bright, vivacious finish. Very fine.Vinous Media | 93 VM25% whole bunch vinification. More of a pinky purple. Still in barrel, so the bouquet reflects this. There is a fine and concentrated mineral thread through the middle of this wine and significant class to the fruit. Does it have the silky sensual quality of the very finest? Drink from 2032-2040. Tasted Nov 2023.Jasper Morris | 93-96 JMLike the Clos de Vougeot, this too is quite firmly reduced and revealing nothing aromatically. More interesting are the beautifully textured and tension-filled bigger-bodied flavors that exhibit fine length on the dusty and balanced finale. This would benefit from having better depth but the potential to develop it appears to present.Burghound | 92-95 BH

From east-facing vines on the border with Chassagne-Montrachet, planted on red clay soils. The 2022 is a wine with surprising lemony freshness and hints of greengage plum and tarragon. The texture displays a refreshing, lively acidity and mineral depth that carry the wine to a marvellous finish. The family farms almost 1ha here; grapes are picked ripe (but not overly so) and sorted carefully before a light crushing and fermentation in cask, where they age over two winters.Decanter Magazine | 94 DECThe 2022 Saint-Aubin 1er Cru Charmois is showing very well, unwinding in the glass with notes of ripe citrus fruits, freshly baked bread, toasted nuts and white flowers. Medium to full-bodied, satiny and layered, it’s beautifully pure and ethereal, with bright acids and a saline finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPClear mid lemon. There is very little apparent on the nose at first. Some fruit, and even some summer flowers, begin to emerge. There is a freshness to this along with concentration. It remains quite discreet, backward, needing the rest of the elevage, but there is a mineral note to the final acidity which promises very well. Drink from 2027-2032. Tasted Oct 2023.Jasper Morris | 90-93 JM

The delicate nose of floral honey and acacia blossoms leads you into this elegant Meursault Charmes. Very focused and vibrant on the medium- to full-bodied palate, the fine tannins keeping this straight. If the firm finish was a bit more elegant, this would certainly rate higher. Drinkable now, but best from 2025.James Suckling | 93 JSMore subtle oak influence can be found on the cool, airy and exceptionally pretty aromas of citrus, white flower and Granny Smith apple. Once again there is a beguiling texture to the impressively rich and mineral driven medium-bodied flavors that coat the palate on the youthfully austere, firm and beautifully persistent finale. While this could reasonably be approached after only three to four years, it has an excellent track record for aging and is a wine that should repay up to a decade of keeping.Burghound | 92 BHNotes of freshly sliced citrus and mineral reduction combine with those of white flower and discreet spice nuances that are trimmed in discreet oak. There is a restrained energy to the caressing, intense and lilting middle weight flavors that possess good richness but also a lovely sense of refinement on the bitter lemon-infused finale. This is certainly pretty but it will need a few years of cellaring to better develop the overall depth.Vinous Media | 91-93 VMMid lemon yellow. This is rather more open on the nose, with an easy white fruit, no great detail as yet but showing more on the palate. Quite intense apples with some ripe citrus rind alongside, medium plus bodied, fair length. Drink from 2028-2034. Tasted Nov 2023.Jasper Morris | 90-93 JM

A powerful and ripe Meursault with plenty of Mirabelle plums filling out the generous medium- to full-bodied palate. Attractive interplay of creaminess, fine tannins and freshness. Matured in small oak barrels, of which one third were new. Very limited production. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 93 JSThe 2022 Meursault Santenots 1er Cru has a complex nose: yellow fruit, spice box, touches of fennel and crushed stone, all coming through with aeration. The palate is very well-balanced with good weight - a lovely creamy texture whilst retaining tension. More open than other cuvées and persistent in the mouth, this is a well-crafted and delicious Meursault.Vinous Media | 92-94 VMAll from Les Santenots Blanc. A lime and lemon colour, some charm to the nose along with the energy. Rather a pretty expression of fruit, then a little more flesh behind, well integrated with the oak. A supple rounded Meursault with still a sense of refinement. Drink from 2027-2033. Tasted Nov 2023.Jasper Morris | 91-93 JMThere is enough wood present to merit pointing out surrounding the ripe aromas of primarily pear compote and citrus confit. The sleek, intense and solidly voluminous flavors possess an interesting hint of sweetness on the lingering finish that could use a bit better depth. With that said, this is sufficiently tightly wound to repay 6 to as much as 10 years of cellaring which should prove beneficial.Burghound | 90 BH

Bottled in late July. Pale lemon colour. A pure and fresh bouquet, mostly white fruit. Particularly stony this year behind a raft of white apple fruit, plenty of energy, starting to soften at the back. Middleweight plus, quite attractive. Tasted Oct 2023.Jasper Morris | 92 JM

TOP VALUE Jessiaume is using the 2ha of domaine vines it recently recovered from a sharecropping contract to produce this lovely wine with aromatic raspberry fruit and a floral edge. Supple and approachable, with a pleasant sweetness to the fruit, structure and freshness. A noticeable step up from the other village-level bottlings. Organic.Decanter Magazine | 94 DECThis red Santenay has a crisp acidity, but there’s excellent concentration and finely nuanced red-fruit aromas that easily balance this. Cool and elegant on the medium-bodied palate, where the fine-grained tannins, fruit and freshness neatly interlock. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 93 JSThe 2022 Santenay La Cassière has a pleasant bouquet with wild strawberry and raspberry fruit and some judicious and prudent use of new oak (20%). The palate is medium-bodied with crunchy red fruit, more harmonious, and unlike the Vieilles Vignes, the finish has more substance. Drink over 4-6 years.Vinous Media | 89-91 VMFrom a plot below La Maladière, recovered by the domaine in 2021. An attractive lighter purple colour. This is an elegant style of Santenay. Quite nuanced, pleasing light red fruits, enough acidity and good length. Very far from rustic! Tasted Oct 2023.Jasper Morris | 87-90 JM

A lovely, rich and supple Bourgogne Blanc, with aromas of ripe apple, nectarine and white blossoms. The texture is silky and delicate, yet there is impressive extract that will make for perfect drinking over the next several years. The grapes come from 5ha spread over eight parcels. Paul Delorme was delighted with the results, particularly the moderate alcohol and crisp acidity. A marvellous introduction to the domaine.Decanter Magazine | 93 DEC

The Beaux Monts from Hudelot-Noëllat is another level of richness and depth in 2022, with a pronounced mulberry and fig fruit aroma touched with earth, smoke and spice. The wine is dense and tannic, impressively muscular for this appellation. One can only imagine the secret is the old vines and judicious punching down; Van Canneyt farms 0.3 hectares at the top of the slope; otherwise, it is a cool terroir. The grapes were partially destemmed and firmly punched down before ageing in cask (25% new).Decanter Magazine | 95 DECRuby purple in colour, with an intensity on the nose well ahead of its predecessors. The Beaumonts goes into the mouth discreetly, then blossoms, offering summer pudding fruits with vivacious acidity, an excellent balance here. Tasted Nov 2023.Jasper Morris | 93-96 JMAromas of plums, red berries, orange zest, exotic spices and potpourri preface the 2022 Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Beaumonts, a medium to full-bodied, deep and layered wine with a concentrated core of fruit that’s framed by sweet, powdery tannins. It’s pure and complete.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92-94 RPThe 2022 Vosne-Romanée Les Beaumonts 1er Cru has red and black fruit, plus a touch of shucked oyster shell and Japanese nori. Impressive delineation and focus. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, a pretty and relatively delicate Les Beaumonts. It is sapid and quite linear, maybe needing a little more grip on the finish. Give it 3-4 years once in bottle. Again, I think this will gain weight during its élevage.Vinous Media | 92-94 VMA more deeply pitched and spicier, if perhaps slightly less elegant, nose is comprised by notes of exotic tea, sandalwood and an interesting hint of star anise. Here too the medium-bodied flavors possess a really lovely and sophisticated texture yet no lack of power on the intensely mineral-driven, dusty and youthfully austere finale. Excellent quality in an equally age-worthy package.Burghound | 91-94 BH