Wine Ratings

wines

The 2023 Gevrey-Chambertin Village presents a pretty nose with a mixture of blackcurrant and raspberry fruit. Well defined with nicely integrated oak, it conveys a sense of transparency. Fine tannins frame the palate, offering raspberry and strawberry fruit with a dash of spice on the finish, which is more structured than I expected. Delightful.Vinous Media | 90-92 VMThe 2023 Gevrey-Chambertin Village offers up aromas of cherries, raspberries, spices and licorice, followed by a medium to full-bodied, fleshy and textural palate. Lively and mouthwatering, it’s an especially charming, giving vintage of the Dugat village bottling.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 89-91 RPA slightly riper nose freely offers up its array of plum, dark currant and more prominent earth influence. There is more size and weight, if not necessary better density, to the sappy, dusty and complex finale that is noticeably firmer. This is a lovely Gevrey villages and worth considering.Burghound | 89-91 BH

Aromas of cherries, raspberries, smoke and spices introduce the 2023 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru, a medium to full-bodied, pure and layered wine with a fleshy core of fruit, sweet tannins and lively acids, concluding with a long, mineral finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91-93 RPThe 2023 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru has an elegant bouquet that gains intensity in the glass: black cherry, raspberry and light floral scents of peony and rose petal, all finely delineated. The palate is very silky on the entry with good grip, a little sweeter than the previous vintage, with touches of cassis infusing the red fruit. This builds nicely in the mouth through a slightly confit-like finish. Very fine.Vinous Media | 91-93 VMA subtle but not invisible application of wood frames the more elegant and slightly cooler nose of newly turned earth, essence of red berries and crushed anise character. The palate feel of the medium weight flavors is also supple but punchy with excellent delineation on the impressively long, youthfully austere and well-balanced finale. This too is worth a look.Burghound | 90-93 BH

The 2023 Gevrey-Chambertin La Marie shows a patina of new oak on the nose (30%), though it combines with the lifted raspberry and blueberry fruit. It is showier than the Village Cru. The palate is medium-bodied and harmonious with good weight. There are fine "shoulders" here with a similarly peppery finish to the Village, but this will need a couple of years in bottle to assimilate the wood.Vinous Media | 91-93 VMThe 2023 Gevrey-Chambertin La Marie opens in the glass with aromas of dark berries, cherries, vine smoke and spices. Medium to full-bodied, dense and layered, it’s lively and concentrated, with a more muscular, structured profile than the blended Gevrey bottling.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90-92 RPFirm reduction presently renders the nose impossible to read. More interesting are the supple but punchy medium-bodied flavors that possess good detail and slightly better mid-palate density while delivering solid power on the rustic, serious and firmer finale. This is very Gevrey in character and at least some patience would be a good idea and overall, this too is a very good villages.Burghound | 89-91 BH

A beautifully layered nose subtly blends notes of poached pear, just sliced apple, spice and a touch of citrus confit. There is an equally beautiful texture to the seductive and caressing medium weight flavors that possess sneaky good length on the balanced finale. This is lovely and while it’s not particularly intense, it remains refreshing and inviting as well as a wine that could be enjoyed on the younger side if desired.Burghound | 92 BHThe 2023 Chassagne-Montrachet Chenevottes 1er Cru has a lovely bouquet with citrus peel and light floral scents. It’s a little more reductive than other cuvées, but that’s no bad thing. The palate is well-balanced with a fine bead of acidity, building nicely in the mouth with just a hint of peach skin on the finish. Excellent.Vinous Media | 91-93 VMPale lemon and lime. There is a touch of citrus with the minor reduction. Firm at the finish which is no bad thing as there is a considerable volume of white orchard fruit which needs to be kept in place. Easy of access once again. Drink from 2026-2030. Tasted Oct 2024.Jasper Morris | 91 JM

With the 2023 Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos Hommage à Louis, the Droins have regained the right to designate Les Clos on the label from the INAO, but they’re also continuing with the Hommage à Louis moniker. Whatever its name, the wine is lovely, opening in the glass with notes of green apple, peach and lemon mingled with iodine and toasted nuts, followed by a full-bodied, layered and concentrated palate that’s deep, dense and muscular.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPThe 2023 Chablis Les Clos Grand Cru Hommage à Louis has the best bouquet amongst the Grand Crus from Droin. Very vibrant and intense, with crushed limestone and flint. The palate is well balanced with melon, grapefruit, orange rind and quince on the entry, building nicely towards a slightly oily-textured finish. I can see this aging well in bottle - more complexity on the finish compared to say, the Valmur or Grenouilles.Vinous Media | 94 VMI believe that the authorities have now confirmed that all of Benoît Droin’s plots are properly within the boundaries of Les Clos, though Benoît will continue to use the Hommage epithet alongside the vineyard name. the 2023 Hommage à Louis has a clear and classic nose after the pale lemon colour. Brilliant balanced juice, the Clos transcends the vintage. All white fruit of course but some crunch to the white apple fruit. Juicy and generous but still with a fine firm classic core. Fabulous finish. Drink from 2028-2040. Tasted Jun 2024.Jasper Morris | 94-97 JMSmoke and light wood nuances set off cool floral and spicy aromas of freshly grated citrus, white peach, honeysuckle and tidal pool wisps. There is again fine intensity to the dense and stony broad-shouldered flavors that flash fine length on the ever-so-mildly warm finale where a touch of youthful austerity slowly emerges. This refreshing effort is so rich that it should drink reasonably well young but the better choice would be to allow it to age for at least a few years as it could also use more overall depth.Burghound | 93 BH

This exquisite wine enchants with a complex nose of lime peel, gooseberry and pear with hints of smoky reduction and a salty mineral edge. The wine is dense and compact, and its weight is perfectly balanced by racy acidity. The grapes are from 1.76ha in the blue clay soils of the Côte de Bréchain. They are crushed and fermented in tank and cask (25%). In the view of Benoît Droin, this is a ’super premier cru’ – grand cru-adjacent, like Chambolle Amoureuses and Gevrey-Chambertin Clos Saint-Jacques.Decanter Magazine | 95 DECAromas of citrus blossom, orange oil, white flowers, iodine and honey introduce the 2023 Chablis 1er Cru Montée de Tonnerre, a medium to full-bodied, satiny and layered wine that’s rich and dense. It’s a strong effort with good cellaring potential.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPThe 2023 Chablis Montée de Tonnerre 1er Cru has a more austere bouquet of light fumé notes mixed with petrichor–a more uncompromising aromatics than the Vaulorent, one for hardcore Chablis-lovers. The palate is taut and fresh, displaying good body and density. Very pure with a strict and persistent finish. Excellent.Vinous Media | 93 VMThis too possesses just enough wood to merit pointing out on the smoky nose of white flowers, wet stone and soft quinine whiffs. The elegant, intense and focused medium-bodied flavors exude evident minerality on the unusually powerful, balanced and precise finale. This is also lovely though with the proviso that it definitely needs to develop better overall depth.Burghound | 91 BHPale in colour, quite strict on the nose. This is so much less exotic than the Mont de Milieu but it has a generous flesh through the middle, more white peach than yellow, but all very well harnessed. Crunchy finish. 30% was made in barrel. Drink from 2027-2034. Tasted Jun 2024.Jasper Morris | 91-94 JM

I have always liked the Mâcon-Milly-Lamartine bottling from Les Héritiers du Comte Lafon, as this is one of the more limestone-defined cuvées in their fine lineup. The 2023 is no exception, as this is a lovely wine, offering up a bright and classic nose of apple, nectarine, chalky soil tones, orange zest and a topnote of spring flowers. On the palate the wine is full-bodied, focused and nicely racy out of the blocks, with a good core, fine mineral undertow and lovely balance on the long and complex finish. Good juice. (Drink between 2025 - 2037)John Gilman | 91 JGFrom foudre. This one had finished fermenting. Mid lemon yellow a mix of apples and pears on the nose. More generous than usual but still with its more typical white fruit with some minerals. Fine length. Drink from 2024-2026. Tasted Mar 2024.Jasper Morris | 88-90 JM

The les Maranches bottling is made from a nice blend of older and younger vines, with half planted in 1977 and half in 1999. The younger vines always seem to contribute a nice sensation of fruit energy to the wine and the 2023 shows this beautifully, as it delivers a vibrant bouquet of peach, apple, a touch of hazelnut, a good base of soil, dried flowers and a whisper of oak from the foudres in which the wine is raised. On the palate the wine is full-bodied, complex and nicely succulent at the core, with a good foundation of soil tones, sound acids, fine focus and a long, classy and very nicely balanced finish. (Drink between 2025 - 2035)John Gilman | 91 JGThe Uchizy has fallen clear, with a lemon and lime colour. Pure clear and chiselled, less evidently 2023, a little reduction, then the muscatty component arrives behind. Long, refined and not too fleshy. Drink from 2025-2027. Tasted Mar 2024.Jasper Morris | 89-91 JM

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

Another exceptional vintage for Smith-Haut-Lafite Blanc. It’s so complex and structured, offering a palate that feels similar to the texture of a red wine with a velvety tannin structure. There’s a lot going on here. Spice, crushed seashell and citrus blossom. Salty, too. Weightless and so long. 90% sauvignon blanc, 5% sauvignon gris and 5% semillon.James Suckling | 97-98 JSStrong aromatics, on the expressive side with herbal accents, spiced wood, green apple, quince, apricot, mango, peach honeycomb and elderflower. Very floral. Fresh and expansive, mineral and direct, but a good body full of fruit, freshness and honey characters. Definitely more opulent and exotic than the others in the range with hints of tropical fruit - pineapple and mango but also some lovely bitterness which adds tension to balance it out. A good combination, more vibrancy and energy than in previous years. Succulent and sumptuous with salinity. Very good and very easy to drink. Ageing 50% new oak.Decanter Magazine | 96 DECThe 2023 Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc was picked from August 23 to September 9 at 36hL/ha and matured in 50% new oak. It has a reticent bouquet at first, requiring a few swirls of the glass to reveal touches of orange pith, peach skin, wild fennel and light pressed white flower scents. The palate is very well balanced with a lovely creamy texture, counterbalanced by the taut line of acidity. Very poised and focused, it’s somehow almost Corton-Charlemagne-inspired on the finish (perhaps due to the umami). This is a seriously fine white Pessac-Léognan.Vinous Media | 95-97 VMOne of the bigger, richer wines in the vintage, the light gold-hued 2023 Château Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc offers up a killer nose of orange blossom, honeyed citrus, toast, spice, and minty flowers. It’s medium to full-bodied and has a richly textured, layered mouthfeel, bright acidity, and a great finish. It’s probably the white of the vintage.Jeb Dunnuck | 95-97 JDAromas of white fruits, crisp orchard fruits, spices, smoke, spring flowers and pear introduce the 2023 Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc, a medium to full-bodied, layered and textured wine with a fleshy core of fruit and racy acids, concluding with a mineral, fresh and long finish highlighted by delicate notes of thyme and garrigue. Comprising 50% Sauvignon Blanc, 5% Sémillon and 5% Sauvignon Gris and matured in 50% new oak, this blend is among the finest white wines produced at this address.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94-96 RPA blend of 90% Sauvignon Blanc, 5% Semillon, and 5% Sauvignon Gris, the white 2023 Smith Haut Lafitte is aging in 50% new oak. After a swirl or two, it prances out with gregarious notes of white peaches, fresh pineapple, and green mangoes, opening out to underlying hints of lime blossoms, wet slate, and fresh ginger. The medium-bodied palate is satiny and vivacious, with a racy backbone and a long, exotic fruit-laced finish. Yum!The Wine Independent | 94-96 TWI

All Grenache sourced mostly from the Chapouin lieu-dit with a splash from Janasse, the 2023 Châteauneuf Du Pape Cuvée Chaupin shows a medium ruby hue followed by a pretty, perfumed, remarkably elegant profile. It has a core of sweet red and black berry fruits, absolutely heavenly Provençal aromatics of herbes de Provence, black olive, pepper, and flowers, plus ripe, velvety tannins, flawless balance, and a great finish. Partially destemmed and aged 12 months in 70% foudre and 30% demi-muids, this heavenly 2023 will drink beautifully over the coming two decades. There are roughly 1,500 cases produced. Drink 2025-2045.Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDAs always, a pure Grenache Noir sourced from sandy soils, the 2023 Chateauneuf du Pape Chaupin is a terrific effort. Mingling aromas of wild herbs, dark berries, baked mulberries and garrigue, it avoids the excesses of over-ripeness or overt spice, instead delivering a beautifully controlled expression. Medium- to full-bodied, dense and layered, it displays impressive concentration and a sense of coiled energy, its muscular core of fruit framed by a fine chassis of ripe tannins. The finish is long, delicately spiced and impressively persistent. This will reward patience, as time in bottle should bring greater harmony and finesse.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95+ RPHuge in scale, with a potent, warm, sappy profile. Its opulent rush of ripe cherry and licorice is well-framed by polished, firming tannins. Alder, anise and lavender smoke stream through; the finish is well-supported and reined in. Concentrated and broad-shouldered. This is for fans of the hedonistic style yet still shows drive and complexity. Best from 2027 through 2040. 3,333 cases made, 112 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 94 WSA solid, well-composed and flavorful red with cherries, sweet strawberries, warm herbs and a hint of baked orange. Full-bodied with fine tannins giving a refined texture. Juicy and driven, with a long, flavorful and well-structured finish. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 94 JSStrawberry compote, raspberry jam, licorice and crushed violets introduce the expressive 2023 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Chaupin, with ripe black cherry adding more complexity. Neatly structured through firm tannins, the full-bodied 2023 packs ample flavor concentration and density, doubling down with blackberry flavors and garrigue on the long, savory conclusion. This won’t need as much time to come around as the Vieilles Vignes from the same vintage tasted alongside.Vinous Media | 93 VM

Delicate and aromatic with fresh flowers and al dente apples, following through to a medium body with lovely depth and intensity. Tight and fresh at the end. Subtle. Drink now.James Suckling | 93 JSAromas of white flowers, sweet stone fruit and vanilla pod introduce Drouhin’s 2023 Puligny-Montrachet Village, a medium to full-bodied, ample and fleshy wine that’s lively and charming.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90 RPThe 2023 Puligny villages from Joseph Drouhin is very pretty this year. The wine’s bouquet is bright and wide open, offering up scents of apple, pear, almond, chalky soil tones and vanillin oak. On the palate the wine is elegant, full-bodied and complex, with good, but not great depth at the core, bouncy acids, lovely balance and a long, wide open and succulent finish. This is very tasty right out of the blocks, but has the balance to also age quite gracefully. (Drink between 2025-2045)John Gilman | 90 JGPale lemon and lime, with at the moment more oak showing, as the Puligny has not yet been racked. There is plenty of quality orchard fruit, while a good thread of acidity extends the fruit well out at the back of the palate. Drink from 2028-2032. Tasted Nov 2024.Jasper Morris | 89-91 JMThe 2023 Puligny-Montrachet Village, from purchased grapes, has a light, apple blossom-scented bouquet with just a touch of wet stone. The palate is crisp on the entry with pretty citrus fruit notes and a nicely detailed finish. Drink this over the next four to six years.Vinous Media | 88-90 VMProminent floral aromas, especially acacia and carnation, add breadth to the nose of the essence of poached pear and just enough wood to notice. The sleek and refined middle weight flavors are more voluminous and richer, if less obviously mineral-inflected, while delivering fine length on the suave and sappy finish where the wood telegraphed by the nose resurfaces. While this should amply repay short to mid-term keeping, it could be enjoyed young too.Burghound | 88-91 BH

Made from a single vineyard of very old vines, some almost centenarians, Garrus is the pinnacle of the Esclan estate wines and, although it’s very early days, I have a feeling that, like Les Clans, it has reached new heights in the 2023 vintage. It’s liltingly fragrant and floral on the nose – a little prettier, more elegant and precise than Les Clans 2023 – while the palate has riveting purity and tension. It has succulent, scented white peach fruit and a mouthwateringly saline, mineral drive. The oak is controlled and the wine is still tightly wound, but there’s no mistaking the density – or the energy, length and refinement. If you drink it this year (2025), allow it time to open up in the glass or consider decanting it.Decanter Magazine | 97 DECA splendid rosé, driven and tense. It shows notes of lemon tea, melon, fresh apricots, wild herbs and some rocks. Medium- to full-bodied with bright acidity. Seductive and succulent, with a stream of acidulated fruit on the palate framed harmoniously and funneling into the long finish. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 95 JSLively aromas of candied peach with a touch of grapefruit and vanilla. The palate is creamy and the vanilla from the oak works well in this highly structured rosé. Drink summer 2026. Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEFleshy yellow plum, cherry and clementine notes are salty and concentrated in this lushly styled, delicious rosé. Much more than a poolside sipper, this brims with range, depth and energy, while heather, chamomile and saline energy grace the drawn-out, saline-streaked finish. Grenache, Rolle and Syrah. Drink now through 2028. 3,000 cases made, 1,500 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

This has quite some power and concentration for a regular Sancerre. Medium- to full-bodied thanks to the pronounced tannins, but this is still bright and refreshing thanks to the animating wet-stone freshness in the long, compact finish. Plenty of yellow grapefruit aromas and flavors, with a touch of yellow bell peppers. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 92 JS

Tiny touch of rose gold to the yellow colour. Spiced pink grapefruit aromas lead to a silky and smooth palate that’s very elegant. There’s some lovely acidity, and a deep, saline, tense finish that has great length. The oak works well, it doesn’t occlude the fruit and freshness. Wonderful stuff. Fermented and aged in new oak barriques.Decanter Magazine | 96 DECAll Clairette Rose and vinified and aged nine months in 100% new French oak barrels, the 2024 Châteauneuf Du Pape Chapelle Blanc displays a medium gold hue and has fabulous notes of ripe orchard fruits, brioche, caramelized orange, and spice. It’s medium to full-bodied, round, concentrated, and textured on the palate, with ample mid-palate depth and volume, a great mouthfeel, and outstanding length. With roughly 166 cases produced, it’s up with the crème de la crème in the vintage and will keep for 10-15 years if well stored. Drink 2025-2040.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JDNotes of herbs, confit citrus and spices preface the 2024 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc, a medium- to full-bodied, round and sappy wine with a juicy, enveloping mid-palate that lead to a fresh, mouthwatering finish. This is a blend of 40% Clairette Rose, 40% Grenache Blanc and 20% Roussanne.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91 RP

Based on 100% Roussanne from the Vaudieu lieu-dit and aged nine months in 50% new French oak, the 2024 Châteauneuf Du Pape Les Vieilles Roussannes is a voluptuous, layered beauty offering honeyed orange, ripe stone fruits, brioche, crushed stone, and floral nuances. It has perfectly integrated oak, a multi-dimensional mouthfeel, integrated acidity, and a spectacular finish that rivals Beaucastel’s Vieilles Vignes Roussanne. This deep, medium to full-bodied white shows terrific purity and incredible depth, with roughly 125 cases produced. It will evolve beautifully for 20+ years. Drink 2025-2045.Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDDeep pear scents and honeysuckle, then a full-bodied, rich and powerful palate. An opulent wine that’s seen considerable oak influence, making for a finish that’s riven with cinnamon, nutmeg and clove, with a very long finish. The acidity and freshness bring some balance, but this will always be a hedonistic treat albeit an elegant one. Limestone soils, fermented and aged in barriques, 50% new.Decanter Magazine | 96 DECA stylish, golden-hued white, with a decadent robe of toasty oak around warm, spiced apple and juicy pear. Long and savory despite its opulence, with beautiful density and complexity. Salty intensity and a bitter kick of quinine build toward the finish, expertly offsetting the lushness. Tangy acidity keeps pace throughout. The oak will integrate with more time in bottle. Drink now through 2032. 450 cases made, 50 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 94 WSBottled on the morning of my visit, the perfumed 2024 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc Les Vieilles Roussanne unwinds with prominent herbal tea, honeysuckle and a nuance of cedar. Open-knit and concentrated, the full-bodied 2024 carries impeccable freshness all the way through to the sapid close. Roussanne-lovers better line up for this one.Vinous Media | 92 VM

The 2024 Rosé Château Romassan is a wine of supreme textural finesse and elegance. Beautifully weighted, broad and nearly opulent, yet in no way heavy, the 2024 drapes a blanket of floral-inflected orchard fruit across the tongue, coating every corner of the mouth through the long, focused finish. Rosewater, orange confit and a tickle of sea salt last well after the wine has exited the stage. This is such an intentional Rosé made with the highest level of craftsmanship. I wouldn’t hesitate to age this Bandol for a few years to allow even further complexity to develop. Bravo.Vinous Media | 94 VMIntense aromas of peach and the ocean, this rosé is bright with fruit but also rich with minerality. The palate is immediately spicy and robust. Tons of minerality with great texture and a lingering heat. Pair with Bouillabaisse.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEA sophisticated, polished Bandol, with a seductive, juicy palate that’s all rounded off. Hums with vivid energy behind its notes of melon and garrigue. Cool stone minerality lines the finish, which is focused and mouthwateringly long. Delicious and just beginning to unfurl. Mourvèdre, Cinsault and Grenache. Drink now through 2029. 2,806 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

The 2024 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru has a pretty bouquet with hints of rose water and apricot, even a hint of quince infusing the citrus fruit. Good delineation, as one comes to expect from this address. The palate is fresh and vibrant on the entry. Fine grip, the terroir flooding through towards the finish that fans out as a Grand Cru ought to. You can feel the terroir on the aftertaste… as if you’ve just popped a bit of limestone in your mouth!Vinous Media | 95 VMRobin Rapet waited until 22 September to pick the Corton-Charlemagne, and harvested everything, almost 3ha, together. ’Normally, we pick the vines facing southwest, then those facing west. This year they predicted rain, and we picked everything,’ says Rapet, which gives a wine that is at the same time rich, fresh and slightly exotic. The complexity was enhanced by the variety of maturation: one concrete egg, one amphora and one wine globe. Overall, one third of the part in barrel is new, and two-thirds are older barrels.Decanter Magazine | 95 DECEverybody seemed to be picking their Corton-Charlemagne on the same day on the Pernand side, Saturday 21st, because rain threatened. Pale lemon in colour. A little tension showing on the nose which is not exuberant. 60% wood with one third new, plus wineglobe, egg, amphora and foudre. Interesting complexity on the palate, just a little softness in the white fruit through the middle, then stones behind. Drink from 2030-2036. Tasted Oct 2025.Jasper Morris | 92-95 JM

From Les Chaumes. Mid lemon yellow. The nose is more about vanilla and coconut than fruit at the moment, but there is time. The density is certainly there, though this is a broad based Corton without the seeming minerality of Corton-Charlemagne. But it does seem a little overdone on the oak front. One barrel, one year old wood.Jasper Morris | 91-94 JM

Laurent Lignier has crafted a delicious wine from his holdings in Clos de la Roche, with dark plummy fruit and notes of ground coffee, earth and spice. The texture is serious, dense with tannin and extract, with enough acidity to draw the flavours out on the palate. Yields were tiny – just five barrels instead of the customary 15-20. This wine will begin to open in three to five years and will drink well for decades after that.Decanter Magazine | 94 DECLaurent has not made the special cuvée in 2024. Here there are 5 barrels from 0.90ha, two thirds Monts Luisants, one third Fremières. A fine mid crimson with a slightly weaker rim. The nose is very high class though, with just a little savoury edge to the mineral red fruit, good tension at the finish, maybe a little blueberry, classic Clos de la Roche with quite some staying power. Drink from 2032-2040. Tasted Nov 2025.Jasper Morris | 94-96 JMThe 2024 Clos-de-la-Roche Grand Cru has an exquisite bouquet that is easily the best that Laurent Lignier conjured this vintage: wonderful redcurrant and raspberry scents, freshly picked roses and crushed stone. The palate is medium-bodied with finely honed tannins, a silver thread of acidity and silky texture that instantly seduces. There is just a tingle of white pepper on the finish that completes a lovely Clos de la Roche. Divine.Vinous Media | 93-95 VMModerate wood influence sets off overtly floral-suffused aromas of wild red berries, spice and a suggestion of wet stone. The succulent, round and utterly delicious medium-bodied flavors possess a lovely sense of underlying tension that adds to the appeal of the powerful, impressively long and well-balanced finale. This is though compact and very firmly structured so at least mid-term patience is recommended.Burghound | 91-94 BH

The 2024 Puligny-Montrachet Champ Canet 1er Cru comes from a single hectare block. The aromatics leap from the glass with vivacious citrus peel, crushed stone and white flower scents that are beautifully defined. The palate has exquisite balance, a shimmering line of acidity and wonderful poise with a persistent, subtly spiced creamy texture on the finish. I thought the 2023 was outstanding…the 2024 could be even better.Vinous Media | 94-96 VMThe 2024 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Champ Canet has turned out very nicely, offering up a reductive bouquet of pear, baking spices, sweet citrus oil, toasted nuts and struck match. Medium- to full-bodied, satiny and suave, with a layered core and a mineral finish, it will offer a broad drinking window.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92-94 RPA faint green tint. Very slightly reductive. A little more perfumed afterwards, so there is certainly adequate ripeness here. Fairly generous on the palate, complex, and needing more time. Drink from 2030-2035. Tasted Oct 2025.Jasper Morris | 92-94 JM

The Puligny Garenne has not fallen clear after a recent stirring. This blocks the nose a little, while nourishing the palate which has impressive depth and length. A little lemony note to the acidity. Probably not a typical note but clearly a promising wine. Drink from 2029-2034. Tasted Oct 2025.Jasper Morris | 91-93 JMThe 2024 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru La Garenne offers up aromas of apple, pear and fresh mint, followed by a medium-bodied, delicate and fine-boned palate.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90 RPThe 2024 Puligny-Montrachet La Garenne 1er Cru from the top of the slope has a pretty nose with light orange blossom and apricot scents unfolding with aeration. The palate is leesy on the entry, fine weight, not quite the same tension as some of the other Premier Crus but there is satisfying length. Probably one of the earlier drinking cuvées from Sauzet.Vinous Media | 88-90 VM

The 2024 Puligny-Montrachet Les Combettes 1er Cru comes from a single block towards the north part of the vineyard. There is a lovely smokiness on the nose, crushed stone and light sea spray scents deftly translating the pedigree of Combettes. The palate is fresh and sapid on the entry. This is nicely detailed, citrus-fresh towards the finish that lingers in the mouth. It is a Puligny that you really appreciate in retrospect and tempts you back for another sip. The 2023 was great…likewise the follow-up.Vinous Media | 94-96 VMThe 2024 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Combettes is lovely, offering up aromas of honeyed orchard fruits, toasted nuts, white flowers and deftly judged reduction, followed by a full-bodied, ample and satiny palate with exceptional volume and density for the vintage, concluding with a long and expansive finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93-95 RPMid lemon yellow. A little touch of biscuit on the nose, then a broad swathe of white orchard fruit. Combettes likes a year with a bit more water and this shows in the quality of the 2024. Just the right trace of acidity at the back to keep this in balance, while we benefit from the broad brush of the fruit. Drink from 2030-2036. Tasted Oct 2025.Jasper Morris | 93-95 JM

The 2024 Puligny-Montrachet les Folatières En la Richards 1er Cru was an absolute knockout last year. This vintage is definitely impressive with fine tension and mineralité, a sense of gusto and purpose that shaded the preceding Truffières. The palate is taut and fresh with a keen line of acidity. Detailed with a clever reduction that surfaces on the finish but never defines this wine, this seems very persistent and will repay cellaring. Superb.Vinous Media | 93-95 VMThe 2024 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Folatières En la Richarde opens in the glass with a generous bouquet of ripe citrus fruits, peach, toasted nuts and honey. Medium- to full-bodied, satiny and suave, it’s deep and layered, with a pleasing sense of completeness and a long finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92-94 RPPale colour with a faint lime streak. Plenty of tension, more a limestone feel, perhaps less ripe, evidently a little stricter. Quite generous fruit on the palate, even a suggestion of bacon fat, and notable length. This is one of the more backward wines in the stable, but with potential. Needs time. Drink from 2031-2037. Tasted Oct 2025.Jasper Morris | 92-95 JM

The 2024 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Referts is richer and more muscular than the Perrières, offering up reductive aromas of pear, sweet citrus fruits and spices. Medium- to full-bodied, layered and satiny, it’s deep and textural, with good persistence on the saline finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92-94 RPThe 2024 Puligny-Montrachet Les Referts 1er Cru takes a little time to unfurl on the nose, eventually offering light walnut and flinty aromas that pin it down as Puligny. The palate is well balanced with a twist of orange rind on the entry. Fine weight, very cohesive, this gains momentum and structure towards the finish. Quite a "solid" Puligny, one with substance, one that I would be inclined to cellar for three or four years. Great promise.Vinous Media | 92-94 VMPale lemon yellow with a faint green tint. The bouquet shows proximity to Meursault with a little more flesh. A little touch of biscuity oak. More volume in the mouth, just a little less mineral but still there is a fine vigorous aftertaste. Drink from 2030-2034. Tasted Oct 2025.Jasper Morris | 91-93 JM