Wine Varietals

wines

Grandfather Fernand Coffinet, who planted the almond tree on the edge of this plot, died at the start of the year, so this wine is something of a homage to him. Clear bright pale colour. The nose shows the muscle in a harmonious way. Almost lean at the front then with a growing flesh behind. Huge potential here, less charming than Dent de Chien but a fabulous finish as well, stretching out even further than does the Dent de Chien. Drink from 2030-2040. Tasted Oct 2023.Jasper Morris | 95-97 JM

A jeweled ruby/red hue, the 2022 Pinot Noir The Plow is an exceptional wine all around and its name pays tribute to all of those who work in the vineyard for the estate. In the glass, it reveals a spiced and complex nose with aromas of black cherries, anise, sappy forest herbs, fresh leather, and crushed flowers. As it opens, it continues to evolve and bring forward more sanguine notes of blood orange that frame the wine beautifully. The palate offers outstanding depth and intensity with a characteristic elegance and weightless feel, plush tannins, refreshing salinity, and mineral underpinnings. I would recommend stashing this one away for a few years and drink 2026-2040. Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDSmoky, earth-driven umami marks this aromatically intense bottling of The Plow from Lingua Franca. Sourced from choice blocks in the Lingua Franca estate Block 1, with a special massal selection of 777 as well as 115 in Block 3, Calera Clone in Block 6, and structure from clone 943 in Block 4. Gravelly soils give this wine all the earthen intensity you can handle. Turned soils and singed violets come together with notes of smoky clove and salty soy. The palate delivers ripe blackberries, savoury sesame oil and rich ferrous minerality that carries the finish with a touch of iron and blood. Wow.Decanter Magazine | 96 DECAn air of dusty rose and crushed chalk gives way to herbal-tinged blackberries as the 2022 Pinot Noir The Plow blossoms in the glass. Soothingly round and supple, yet also savory to the core, this drenches the palate with masses of red/blue fruit and saline mineral tones, all offset by a hit of sour citrus. Perfumed inner florals resonate over a bed of fine-grained tannins as The Plow finishes dramatically long, youthfully structured and spicy.Vinous Media | 94 VMSteely and vivid, with bright acidity and stony minerality, this Pinot offers cranberry and pomegranate flavors laced with forest floor and tea leaf as this gathers tension toward fine-grained tannins. Drink now through 2032. 1,188 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

This beautiful Puligny-Montrachet 1er cru has a subtle nose of bergamot and orange zest with notes of wild herbs. Excellent tension on the generous but focused palate, driving the very long, structured finish, which has a serious stony minerality. From a high-altitude site that may well become better known due to climate change. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 95 JSThis white is creamy, with ample baking spice, butterscotch, peach and lemon cake flavors. Shows latent power yet remains fresh and long on the complex finish, where the fruit and spice elements echo. Drink now through 2030. 1,250 cases made, 350 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 92 WSA discreet application of wood frames the pretty aromas of the essence of pear and apple compote, carnation and crushed fennel. The sleek and intense middleweight flavors possess both good richness and a subtle minerality that adds a sense of lift to the markedly zest-inflected finale that exhibits solid length. Once again there is enough gas to notice so a few minutes in a decanter would be helpful.Burghound | 91 BH

Very cool and and focused, this mouthwatering Saint Romain has an extreme chalky minerality. Only medium-bodied, but really concentrated. Super-fresh and focused finish with so much fresh herb complexity (think sage and thyme). Very long and polished finish. From biodynamically grown grapes. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 95 JSThe 2022 Saint-Romain Sous Le Velle is comparatively more backward on the nose, a little chalky in style with light Golden Delicious and orange pith scents. There is fine delineation with neatly integrated oak. The palate is well-balanced, with a tang of orange zest on the entry. This has a silver beard of acidity, lending real tension and matching the impressive depth towards the vibrant finish. Sous Le Velle is often one of the go-to vineyards in Saint-Romain, and this proves exactly why.Vinous Media | 91-93 VMPalish lemon and lime. A fine and classy bouquet, floral but still with the racy freshness of St-Romain. Fresh apples on the palate, with an intensity that will demand a little bottle age. Drink from 2026-2030. Tasted Oct 2023.Jasper Morris | 91 JM

Retasted nearly a year after bottling, the 2022 is more settled and accomplished. The plum and black cherry fruit aromas are still primary, but the texture is perhaps more expressive, with a creamy, silky, approachable nature that echoes on the palate. Tasted side-by-side with the 2023 vintage, this will be ready to drink sooner; it should be drinking well in another three or four years and will last a further 20 beyond that.Decanter Magazine | 95 DEC

A good bit of this wine comes from Bishop Creek, up to one-third, though it includes five to six other sites. ‘The idea of this wine is to express both the Valley and the vintage,’ says Jean Nicolas Méo. It’s both a vineyard and barrel selection and 30% new oak. The aromatics are grounded in red florals, with touches of earth and a spritz of spiced blood orange. The palate is elegant and refined, with tart berries, a silken structure and a beautiful finish of savoury spice. We make the barrel selection for this wine first before we make our single vineyard wines. ‘These are the best sites and our best barrels from the vintage,’ says partner Jay Boberg.Decanter Magazine | 95 DECThe 2022 Pinot Noir L’Ensemble is a top 100 Wines of the Year contender. Sporting a reflective medium ruby hue in the glass, it’s pretty and inviting on opening, with pure notes of wild berries, delicate spices, crushed stones, and fresh roses. Medium-bodied on the palate, it’s refreshing and light on its feet, with fine tannins, a clean feel all the way through, and a tapered, mouthwatering finish. Seamless and pure, this is a fantastic appellation wine to enjoy over the next 10-12 years. I would snatch up a case or two to enjoy more frequently.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDElegant and pure, this pinot opens with aromas of fresh cherries, red currants, subtle flowers, dried tangerine peel and savory herbs. The palate is medium-bodied and effortlessly balanced, with silky tannins and lively acidity carrying the wine to a long, smooth, slightly spiced finish. I like the mineral tension. Better from 2027.James Suckling | 94 JSA steely version, with chiseled acidity and pinpoint notes of cranberry and cherry that are laced with stony minerality, forest floor and rose petal details as this gathers tension toward fine-grained tannins. Drink now through 2033. 1,348 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WSThis best barrel selection from prime Willamette Valley vineyards invites you in with aromas of rose petals, red cherries, sweet pea flowers and lemon. Crisp acidity awakens the palate to fresh flavors of boysenberries, rosemary and orange zest. L’Ensemble’s tannins are as silky as its texture. To quote the Fine Young Cannibals, the L’Ensemble is a "Good Thing." Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEThe 2022 Pinot Noir L’Ensemble is a total pleasure to take in, mixing wild blueberries and cherries with sweet spice and hints of cola. This is fruit-forward yet refined, with juicy acidity and bitter tinges of clove and citrus that add contrast throughout. It tapers off with medium length, leaving a tart cranberry crunchiness and a pleasantly chewy sensation that persists.Vinous Media | 92 VM

The 2022 Pinot Noir Fiddlestix Vineyard is a high point of a beautiful lineup, showcasing both Tyler’s high-fidelity winemaking and the pedigree of this famed vineyard site now part of the estate roster. The darkest, most brooding nose in the range, the aromas here are almost sweet in their concentration but offer a balancing, savory energy. The palate is driven by an umami-like richness, with immense confidence and intensity. It finishes with decadent fruit flavors surrounded by woody, drying tannins that continue to swell with aeration. This wine shows another level of richness than is typical in the Tyler lineup, and it should have an impressive aging trajectory.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPThe 2022 Pinot Noir Fiddlestix is laced with dark cherry, plum, mocha, spice and licorice. Forward and juicy, with tons of immediacy, the Fiddlestix is very nicely balanced. There’s gorgeous mid-palate structure and overall resonance here. The 2022 is impeccable. This is the first site Justin Willett picks. The style is on the more forward, juicy side for Tyler, which is likely attributable to the Dijon clones planted here.Vinous Media | 94 VM

The Rochioli family has been growing grapes on their property since the late 1950s, with the vineyard now farmed by the third generation. The 2021 Ramey Rochioli blend is sourced from 82% Mid-40 Block and 18% River Block. This wine delivers a gorgeous intensity of fruit and pressed wildflowers. On the palate, ripe lemon peel fruit expands into the mid-palate, where density builds alongside remarkable tension, all balanced by an extraordinary silky richness. Pure and riveting, laced with subtle vanilla accents, fantastic ginger character, and poached pear. A Chardonnay of intense richness and impressive length. (The first vineyard-designate release from Ramey was the 2015 vintage, though Ramey has been sourcing these grapes since 2008.)Decanter Magazine | 95 DEC

Woolsey Road benefits from two pillars of the Chardonnay world: it originates from the Hyde family’s cuttings of Old Wente and is farmed by the third and fourth generations of the Martinelli family. This Chardonnay showcases a remarkable flavour intensity, with rich citrus fruit—lemon, lime, and grapefruit zest—woven with oyster shell minerality. Restrained yet brimming with tension, this wine has so much going on. A real depth of fruit and mineral integrity is evident, though it remains somewhat shy, biding its time. Make no mistake—this will blossom into a rich and excellent wine, fully deserving of its high praise. It is focused and laser-like in its precision, with remarkable restraint and tension. This vineyard is owned by the Martinelli family and was planted to Ramey’s specifications in 2007. According to Ramey, it lies directly south of the Martinelli Winery on Woolsey Road. The vines are spaced one metre by two metres on a northeast-facing slope. Planted on 420A rootstock, known for its low vigour, the vines are cane-pruned. The site’s Huichica clay loam over clay soil composition contributes to the wine’s mineral-driven precision. This cool-climate site was planted with Old Wente cuttings from Chardonnay vines Ramey originally planted at Platt Vineyard.Decanter Magazine | 96 DEC

Ample, textural and flavorful. Flinty oak, apricots, minerals, nectarines and subtle grapefruit on the nose. It’s full-bodied for rosé, mingling spices and herbs at the center palate. Focused, tactile and well-built. Long and flavorful finish. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 95 JSThere’s a fresh and floral-accented immediacy on the nose of the 2022, followed by flattering vanilla and hazelnut from the oak and an attractive whisp of resiny pine forest. The palate is flowing, rounded and textural with a persistence underscored by fine-boned structural grip. While it’s a match for the 2023 in elegantly contained power, it doesn’t have quite the same exceptional focus and drive. Interestingly, for Provence rosé overall, 2022 was the better vintage.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEThere’s a fresh and floral-accented immediacy on the nose of the 2022, followed by flattering vanilla and hazelnut from the oak and an attractive whisp of resiny pine forest. The palate is flowing, rounded and textural with a persistence underscored by fine-boned structural grip. While it’s a match for the 2023 in elegantly contained power, it doesn’t have quite the same exceptional focus and drive. Interestingly, for Provence rosé overall, 2022 was the better vintage.Decanter Magazine | 94 DECA sturdy, substantial rosé in a flattering style, with creamed mango, persimmon and bergamot flavors cruising alongside fleur de sel and smoky mineral notes. Shows grip at the end, with white tea tannins and silky acidity driving the smoky, focused finish. Grenache, Rolle and Syrah. Drink now through 2030. 800 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

This impeccably structured version shows a simmering intensity that remains graceful on the palate, with detailed raspberry flavors that draw in accents of forest floor and rose petal as this builds tension and richness toward medium-grained tannins. Drink now through 2034. 553 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WSThe Summum comes from the lowest-yielding vines in the La Source parcel and this wine is made with 33% whole cluster. The aromatics balance elegance with deep umami character. Elements of turned earth and smoky rose petals play off against tart blackberries and blood oranges. The palate shows a concentration of fruit yielding freshness throughout. Plum skin and blackberries with mint are given over to savoury herbs, mouthfuls of dried violets, turned earth, smoked sea salt and a hint of nori, a wonderful display of umami and forest floor.Decanter Magazine | 96 DECMade from the oldest vines on the Seven Springs property, this medium-bodied and complex wine seamlessly blends savory notes of black tea and bay leaves with tart cherry, strawberry, raspberry and mushroom undertones. Best from 2027.James Suckling | 96 JSThe newest Summum is a showstopper. Fresh, floral aromas of mainland roses and tropical plumeria flowers join together with tart red raspberry and roasted pork shoulder notes. A crisp mouthfeel and texture showcase flavors like Rainier cherries, lime and bittersweet dark chocolate. Pour this with grilled portobello mushrooms and Coltrane’s “Giant Steps.”Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEThe 2022 Pinot Noir Summum is perfumed with peppery florals and dusty lavender, complementing crushed wild berries. This is full of energy, cooling and racy, with depths of tart red fruit cascading beneath an air of violet and rose. It takes on a grippy sensation as fine tannins mount toward the close. The Summum is fermented using 30-40% whole clusters and refined in 60% new French oak.Vinous Media | 95 VMFermented with whole clusters, the 2022 Pinot Noir Summum unfurls dramatically on the nose, wafts of tar and underbrush giving way to cranberry, autumn leaves and dried flowers. The medium-bodied palate has a concentrated core of nuanced fruit. It’s structured by silky tannins and vibrant acidity and has a long, bitters-laced finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPThe 2022 Summum Pinot Noir is an outstanding young wine. Like the la Source bottling this year, the wine comes in at 13.2 percent octane and offers up a superb and utterly refined bouquet of black cherries, sweet dark berries, raw cocoa, dark soil tones, pigeon, woodsmoke and a gentle framing of cedary oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, tangy and precise, with a great core of black fruit, superb soil transparency and grip, ripe, fine-grained tannins and laser-like focus on the long, complex and nascently complex finish. As I have mentioned before, the Summum bottling is made from the same parcels of vines as the la Source, with the team at Evening Land making a vineyard selection of the very finest bunches to be dedicated to this cuvée. This will need an extended period of hibernation, but it will be outstanding once it is ready to go. (Drink between 2037 - 2075)John Gilman | 94 JG

A hidden gem of a wine that doesn’t get the recognition it deserves, the 2022 Château Couhins Blanc is 93% Sauvignon Blanc and 7% Sauvignon Gris brought up in 18% new barrels, with the balance in used oak and tank. Bright citrus, honeyed lime, mint, sappy flowers, and chalky minerality all define the aromatics, and it’s medium to full-bodied and concentrated on the palate, with gorgeously clean acidity and a great finish. Savvy readers should snatch up this ripe, voluptuous, sensationally layered, textured, complex white. It’s always hard to predict how these concentrated dry whites will age, yet this should benefit from 2-3 years of bottle age, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see it still drinking beautifully at age 20.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDThe 2022 Couhins Blanc is superb, especially in the way it balances its brisk, saline character with notable mid-palate depth. White flowers, citrus peel, white pepper, sage and mint are all beautifully delineated. Intensely saline, mineral undertones support the persistent finish. This is commendable.Vinous Media | 94 VMClear, pure and mineral with sour cream, white fruit and a touch of gooseberries. Medium-bodied on the palate, this has fresh medium acidity. Dissolved yet grainy in texture with a lengthy finish. Drink now.James Suckling | 94 JSThe 2022 Couhins Blanc, a blend of 93% Sauvignon Blanc and 7% Sauvignon Gris, is showing well today, evoking aromas of white fruits, lemon, lemon peel, spring flowers and fennel. Medium to full-bodied, juicy and enrobing, it’s fresh and lively with a perfumed mid-palate that segues into a long, mouthwatering finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPTense and vibrant on the palate, zingy and fresh, this is lively and delivers a straight line of acidity with lemon, lime and pineapple. Not the longest finish, a little restricted but this has a clean and crisp body. A lovely mineral, almost salty line from start to finish and a real feeling of cool freshness. I like this a lot. It delivers complexity and freshness. A great 2022.Decanter Magazine | 92 DEC

A deeper and layered profile emerges in the 2022 Pinot Noir Eileen Vineyard, which comes from windswept site where the grapes get thick skins from the wind. It has a more woodsy profile, with savory saline, brothy feel, tea leaf, toasted spice, and black cherries. Drink it over the coming 15-20 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDEileen is at the top of the hill, staring out towards the Coast Range. This wine is a picture of elegance, and the turbulence from the Van Duzer Corridor moves through the clusters and vines. It’s satiny, with spiced aromatics, wild herbs and bright tart cranberries. The site’s higher acids lift the silky mouthfeel, it comes together beautifully. Blue fruits, wild spearmint and Chinese five spice frame an elegance of red berries and pine bough freshness. The finish shows a sweetness of berries and a note of green peppercorn.Decanter Magazine | 97 DECThe 2022 Pinot Noir Eileen Vineyard seduces with a sweetly spiced yet refined bouquet that blends cloves and cinnamon sticks with dusty rose, mint and bright cherries. Silken to the core and lifted in feel, this sweeps across the palate with grace, soothing with its juicy acidity as ripe red berry fruits slowly saturate. It’s gently tannic and potent, leaving a staining of primary concentration while finishing dramatically long and classically dry. The Eileen Vineyard refined for seventeen months in 32% new French oak.Vinous Media | 95 VM

The 2022 Pinot Noir Marjorie Vineyard comes from the only pre-existing vines the family acquired when they purchased the winery in 1992. A deeper magenta color, it’s perfumed with seductive notes of violets, black raspberries, sweet herbs, and forest earth. The palate offers plenty of purity, and it has a fantastic, savory finish, with ripe tannins and even acidity. It’s drinking well now, with a wide window for enjoying over the coming 15 or so years.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDA powerful, structured and densely packed wine that is deep in color and saturated with black fruit, dark spices and a bitter chocolate aspect that adds to its grippy mouthfeel. Smoky, peppery, grilled herb accents, too. Drinkable now, but best from 2029.James Suckling | 97 JSThe wild mint leaps from the glass at the outset, the Marjorie site was planted in 1982, on its own roots, replanted vine by vine starting in 2000. Aromatics of fresh spearmint, red bramble fruits and a tart spritz of blood orange complete the aromatic appeal. The tannins are substantial here and frame the wine’s elegance with a structure that will enable some great ageing. It’s a tough site to farm because of the spacing and the low pH. Tart red berries and a melange of dried scrub flavours meld into notes of blackberry and mint and a touch of white pepper to finish.Decanter Magazine | 96 DECCherry cola, spice cake, mint leaves and red currants form an enticing bouquet as the 2022 Pinot Noir Marjorie Vineyard opens in the glass. This is cool-toned and racy in style, with vibrant acidity that adds an abundance of energy as tart wild berries swirl throughout. Minerality comes forward through the close, along with a chalky saturation and edgy tannins that promise many years of evolution.Vinous Media | 93 VM

Although the vines for this Fremiets are very close to those for the Clos des Angles bottling, the style is very different – it is much more mineral, almost salty, with bright black fruit, notes of violets and spice, and a texture with abundant tannic grip and an almost chewy feel. The domaine farms nearly 1.6 hectares on the steeper slopes with shallow soils. Although it is not as reserved as the Clos des Ducs, this would benefit from five years of age before opening. (Drink between 2025 - 2050)Decanter Magazine | 95 DECThe 2022 Volnay Fremiet 1er Cru has more depth and fruit concentration compared to the Clos des Angles. The nose displays a mélange of red and black fruit, pressed flowers and a touch of loam aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grain tannins, just a slight lactic note on the entry, segueing into a more marine-tinged latter half. A pinch of black pepper appears toward the finish. Give this two or three years in bottle.Vinous Media | 93 VMAromas of kirsch, black raspberry, anise and plenty of spice nuances are trimmed in just enough oak to notice. The suave, palate coating and solidly concentrated flavors possess a richer and more generous mouthfeel where equally fine-grained tannins shape the less mineral-driven but slightly longer finish. In the context of what is typical, this is a relatively powerful Frémiets that is very much built to repay extended keeping.Burghound | 92-94 BHOffering up aromas of raspberries, plums, sweet spices and petals, the 2022 Volnay 1er Cru Fremiet is medium to full-bodied, pure and lively, with refined, powdery tannins and a fine-boned, elegant profile.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91-93 RPMid crimson purple. The vineyard is just above Clos des Angles, and bears some similarity on the nose. However, the fruit is a little deeper, and darker on the palate, good acidity here, just a little more structure all round. Drink from 2030-2037. Tasted Oct 2023.Jasper Morris | 91-94 JM

The 2022 Pinot Noir Outcrop is fantastically spicy! Raspberry and strawberry jam, orange peel and candied violets are accented by wafts of resinous herbs, white pepper, lavender and bitters on the nose. The light-bodied palate is silky and vibrant, its concentrated flavors focused on bright citrus and floral perfume at this early stage. As it airs in the glass, it reveals even more nuance and detail, and it has a hauntingly long finish. It will be long lived in the cellar.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPOwn-rooted, Wadenswil vines from a northern exposure produce wines of savoury structure in the Eyrie Vineyards Outcrop. Fruit character predominates the aromatics, with a spicy blood orange melding with notes of sweet strawberries and savoury dried lavender. The palate goes savoury immediately with tea leaves, fresh mint, and a melange of white and green peppercorns. Structure, texture and, ultimately, longevity will win out.Decanter Magazine | 96 DECThe 2022 Pinot Noir Outcrop is a pale ruby hue and is pretty and floral with notes of ripe candied raspberries, pretty flowers, and sweet herbs. Medium-bodied and well-defined, with a really mouthwatering structure, it’s the most savory of these wines from Eyrie, with notes of tea leaf and mountain herbs. Drink 2025-2040.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JDOutcrop is five acres of the Wadenswil clone planted with a northern exposure between 1982 and 2000. The wine’s ripe blackcap raspberry, Stargaze lily ad orange zest aromas make an arresting perfume. The Outcrop’s tart blackberry, black tea and earthy, plum -like dried ancho chile flavors seal the deal. This is beautifully balanced, with lemony acidity and silky tannins. Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEA savory, textural and vibrant red with notes of wild strawberries, dried roses, wild herbs, crushed stone and white pepper. It’s medium-bodied with bright acidity and character. Silky texture with an ethereal character. Refined and infused with a long, textural finish. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 94 JSLavender and violet tones give way to wet stone and hints of blackberry as the delicate 2022 Pinot Noir Outcrop slowly blossoms in the glass. Silky-smooth and pliant, it sweeps across the palate with tart red and blue fruits, taking on a spicy tension toward the close. While not overly tannic, the 2022 finishes remarkably long and potent, with a flowery concentration that lingers on.Vinous Media | 93 VM

The 2022 Pinot Noir Sisters is sapid and seamlessly structured. It opens slowly on the nose, blossoming from macerated strawberries, orange peel and tea leaves to lavender, white pepper and resinous herbs. The light-bodied palate pairs luxurious, velvety tannins with fireworks of acidity that sparkle with wild berry and floral perfume, and it has a long, latent finish. It will benefit from long-term cellaring.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95+ RPThe 2022 Pinot Noir Sisters Vineyard is lifted and refined, with a dusty bouquet of dried black cherries and flowery underbrush lifted by hints of mentholated herbs. It’s more energetic within, silky-smooth yet spry, with bright wild berry fruits and a cascade of rosy inner florals that swirl throughout. Saline mineral tones emerge toward the close as the 2022 finishes with a youthful tension, leaving edgy tannins and notes of spiced blood orange that punctuate the experience quite nicely.Vinous Media | 94 VMUsually a delicate expression for Eyrie, the 2022 Pinot Noir Sisters Vineyard is over the top out of the gate. The palest red ruby shade, its perfume is floral and highly expressive, with notes of fresh flowers, wild strawberries, Herbes de Provence, and stony earth. It has dark mineral notes on the palate, with real intensity, refreshing, mouthwatering mineral persistence, and a long finish. It seems like it’s going to be a cuddly wine, but it’s savory and structured on the palate. Drink 2025-2037.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDSmoky gunflint, fresh mint and pine tar aromatics come from the Sisters, a vineyard planted in 1989 that now serves as an experimental nursery for Jason Lett and Eyrie Vineyards. It is the lowest elevation of the Eyrie estate sites. The palate gives gobs of earthen mineral tones, turned soils, and hints of pencil lead. A richness of pomegranate molasses, smoky clove and tea tree oil savouriness round out this wonderfully textured and structured Pinot Noir.Decanter Magazine | 94 DECSisters is four acres of Pommard and Wadenswill clones planted in the Dundee Hills in the late 1980s. It leads with aromas of loamy soil, meadow flowers and dark, brambly berries. The flavors are a mix of boysenberries and black tea, with wee bits of coriander, sage and crushed brick dust. I’d love to try this with a pork belly banh mi.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WELovely nose with some forest berries, red currants, crushed stone and potpourri. Medium-bodied with silky tannins. Velvety, poised and delicious, with a succulent, vibrant finish. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 93 JS

Justin Willett’s transparent, focused winemaking style is well-suited for this site, endowing the 2022 Chardonnay Sanford & Benedict Vineyard with compelling crystalline purity. A beautiful, nuanced nose of clementines, petrichor and white flowers gives way to a precise, lively yet pillowy palate, concluding with a fine-grained chalky finish that remains bright and rounded simultaneously. A graceful, understated expression of this site, I suspect some additional weight and dimension will come from a year or two in the cellar.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95+ RPThe 2022 Chardonnay Sanford & Benedict Vineyard is another stellar wine in this range from Tyler. Complex, layered and nuanced, the S&B Chardonnay has so much to offer. There’s gorgeous texture here, not to mention tons of S&B character. Clean mineral notes extend the finish.Vinous Media | 95 VM

The 2022 Chablis Grenouilles Grand Cru has a more low-key nose than the impressive 2021, well-defined with crushed limestone, Granny Smiths and peach skin aromas. The palate is well-balanced, with a fine bead of acidity counterbalancing the richness. Tensile, quite saline, building gradually towards a very cohesive finish. Refined and sophisticated.Vinous Media | 92-94 VM

Here the equally cool, airy and elegant nose reflects citrus and floral scents that are liberally-suffused with a similar dose of borderline pungent wet stone nuances. There is both excellent volume and focused power to the dense and intense medium-bodied flavors that exude an almost palpable minerality on the superbly long finish that comes close to etching itself on the palate. This is an absolute knockout and a clear candidate for the best premier cru of the vintage.Burghound | 96 BHGuillaume Boillot continues to work his nearly four hectares of old vines in the Clos de la Mouchère in several parcels; we tasted each section separately. The vines near the wood surrounding Clos de la Garenne have bright citrus notes with hints of flint and mineral. Those near Clavoillon have more of a ripe pear and marzipan aroma; they are less focused but have more density, elegance and depth. The combination makes a superb wine that is one of the delights of Boillot’s cellar.Decanter | 95 DECMid yellow, with a biscuity touch. Seems unsubtle until you get to the palate which is super powerful but also with subtlety. This Monopole vineyard comprises four distinct terroirs though they are always assembled. An electric backbone stops the power overturning the balance. Yellow fruit, and then an extraordinary, indeed grand cru, weight. Incisive white fruit finish. Drink from 2030-2038. Tasted: December 2023.Jasper Morris | 95-97 JMThe 2022 Puligny-Montrachet Clos de la Mouchère 1er Cru is one of the most shut down of the whites in this vast range. Mineral and savory notes abound, but fruit is decidedly pushed into the background. Citrus confit, crushed rocks, mint and white pepper all race across the palate. There’s quite a bit of youthful austerity at this stage, but this should come together in time. A whole range of complex floral and tropical nuances linger. - Antonio GalloniVinous Media | 93-95 VM

A picture of poise and style, the wild and free 2022 Chardonnay is a delight, with subtle popcorn, grapefruit, floral and nectarine aromas seamlessly intertwined with quality oak. Tangy, with bite, it’s finely tuned and incredibly detailed, showing reserved power. Savory oatmeal and oat bran layers build, opening up with French nougat and a finish topped with subtle flinty tones. Stunning.Vinous Media | 96 VM

The 2002 Clos de Vougeot le Grand Maupertui Grand Cru, which comes from vines born in 1904, is endowed with darker fruit than the Grands-Echézeaux. Well-defined, maybe a little opulent in style, yet still controlled. The palate is well-endowed with dark berry fruit, more black than red, pain d’épice and white pepper. There’s plenty of substance and grip towards the finish. But it is always elegant and deserves 10-12 years in bottle. Excellent.Vinous Media | 95-97 VMThe vines were planted in 1904. A richer deeper ruby purple. A flamboyant pure fruit on the nose, sort of unexpected for Clos Vougeot. Excellent tension on the palate, all the structure that a Clos Vougeot needs but nothing in excess. Seamless, sensual, yet with all the strictness it should have. Very fine. Drink from 2032-2040. Tasted: November 2023.Jasper Morris | 95-98 JMThis is also quite spicy and even more aromatically restrained with its fresh nose of earthy red pinot fruit. The denser and even more powerful larger-bodied flavors deliver excellent length on the impressively long and very much built-to-age if decidedly austere finale that flirts with rusticity. This is a classic CV and one that should age accordingly.Burghound | 92-95 BH

A lovely mid purple. Very perfumed and with density, I suspect with detail to follow as well. Succulent, and with amazing depth plus magical length. One or two darker fruit notes, stopping short of chocolate. But this is a profound and sensual Echezeaux from a domaine noted for its lighter style. Drink from 2030-2038. Tasted: November 2023.Jasper Morris | 96-98 JMThe 2022 Echézeaux Les Loachausses Grand Cru (not the easiest lieu-dit to pronounce but is actually a monopole of the Gros family) is the most taciturn on the nose amongst Anne Gros’ cuvées. There is a touch of crushed stone that develops in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with a lot of sucrosity on the entry. It has fine depth and is quite linear, and maybe it needs to muster a little more complexity and terroir expression on the finish. I’m sure it will.Vinous Media | 91-93 VMModerate wood influence can be found on the exuberantly spicy and smoky nose of mostly dark currant and violet scents. There is good energy to the delicious if not especially dense middleweight flavors that conclude in a firm finale that exudes focused power as well as a touch of warmth.Burghound | 91-93 BH

The 2022 Richebourg Grand Cru is intense on the nose: mainly black fruit with a pronounced marine/oyster shell influence. It gains complexity and nuance on the glass. The palate is well-balanced, and the 40-50% new oak neatly enmeshed (higher than previous vintages). It has a fine bead of acidity with a dense and convincing finish, suggesting this will mature gracefully over the next 30-40 years. Almost crystalline - a great Richebourg from Anne and Julie Gros.Vinous Media | 96-98 VMThis is a thrilling wine, deceptively light in colour but aromatically powerful, with a concentrated pomegranate and black cherry fruit character and an extraordinary sense of density, substance, and length on the palate. The grapes come from the Gros family holdings in Les Vérroilles; the youngest vines are 50 years old; the balance is 75. They are destemmed and gently fermented before ageing in cask (30% new). This wine is a model of both finesse and power. Ideally, wine lovers will wait a decade from the vintage to sample its beauties; this wine will live a half-century.Decanter | 96 DECA brilliant purple, with a fascinating touch of spice to add to the depth of dark yet royal fruit. Just keeps getting more profound on the nose. Incredibly intense through the middle, excellent mineral acidity behind, and a length well above the others. Thank you for this perfection. Drink from 2032-2040. Tasted: November 2023.Jasper Morris | 96-99 JMHere too there is a plethora of spice elements present on the slightly more elegant nose of violet, lavender, exotic tea, and red and dark currant scents. The impressively scaled flavors are not nearly as dense as those of the CV but they’re notably finer and more mineral-inflected as well, all wrapped in a balanced and hugely long finale. This is certainly classier than the CV but good as it is, it’s not necessarily qualitatively better.Burghound | 92-95 BH

One of the standouts of the vintage that impressed equally on three different occasions. Fragrant and expressive on the nose, lovely scents and dark fruits. Smooth and crisp, silky but concentrated, such precision and detail straight away with succulent and juicy acidity. There’s concentration no doubt, it’s ripe and intense, the dark perfumed blackcurrants and black cherries give a serious backbone and tension to the wine, while the minty, stony freshness carries the flavour and gives the energy and definition. Excellently weighted on the palate, with structure and a mouthwatering sensation that comes in once the weight settles. So well constructed with a beautiful texture and overall integration of all the elements. Exceptional quality and drinkability on offer with a delicious salty, graphite and flint finish that puts you at the estate. Overlook this at your peril. 2.5% Petit Verdot completes the blend. 3.65pH. Harvest 12 - 24 September. 60% grand vin production. A yield of 34hl/ha. Tasted three times. This vintage was the first to be made 100% in the new cellar with double the number of vats than were available in 2020 for more precise fermentations. HVE3 certified. Harvest 12 September - 24 September.Decanter | 97 DECThe fine and intense tannins are very impressive because they fold beautifully into the wine, with blackcurrants, black cherries, hints of chocolate and hazelnuts. It’s full-bodied with tight and focused fruit and a long and classy finish. Fantastic definition to this. Fresh. 60.5% cabernet sauvignon, 31.5% merlot, 5.5% cabernet franc, and 2.5% petit verdot.James Suckling | 96-97 JSA brilliant wine that’s the finest young vintage I’ve tasted at this Saint-Julien estate, the 2022 Branaire-Ducru wafts from the glass with aromas of violets, blackberries, sweet cassis, licorice and pencil shavings, followed by a medium to full-bodied, layered and multidimensional palate that’s succulent, sapid and perfumed, framed by supple tannins and concluding with a long, mouthwatering finish. It’s a blend of 60.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31.5% Merlot, 5.5% Cabernet Franc and 2.5% Petit Verdot that checks in at a healthy pH of 3.65. Why is it so good this year? In addition to the quality of the vintage, the new gravity-flow winery means fruit can be handled more gently, and picked more precisely, sub-block by sub-block, as the team now have fully 63 vats at their disposal, almost double their capacity through 2020. Given the Maroteaux family’s sensible approach to pricing, this is likely to number among the must-purchase wines of the 2022 vintage, and it comes warmly recommended.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95-97 RPThe 2022 Branaire Ducru was harvested from 12-24 September at 34.5hL/ha, the blend representative of their vineyard plantings. This feels refined and focused on the nose with plush red berry fruit, dried rose petals and orange rind scents. Classic Branaire. The palate is fresh on the entry with pliant tannins. It’s very well structured to the degree that it conveys a sense of symmetry. Lightly spiced toward the finish with notes of graphite lingering on the aftertaste, this represents an excellent Branaire Ducru that will age over many years and will surely appeal to those seeking more classical Saint-Julien. Tasted three times and was more impressive each time. Branaire-Ducru continues its upward trajectory under proprietor François-Xavier Maroteaux. 14.3% alcohol.Vinous Media | 95-97 VMAn absolute gem of a Saint-Julien, the 2022 Château Branaire-Ducru clocks in as 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, and the balance Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Pure cassis, black raspberries, spicy wood, and dried flower notes all define the aromatics, and it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, a silky, elegant, beautifully balanced mouthfeel, and terrific tannins. In addition, it has a sense of freshness and purity that keeps you coming back to the glass. It’s clearly the finest wine I’ve tasted from this château, which going forward merits serious attention.Jeb Dunnuck | 95-97 JDThe 2022 Branaire-Ducru is made from 60.5% CS, 31.5% Merlot, 5.5% Cabernet Franc, and 2.5% Petit Verdot with a yield of 34.5 hl/ha. Deep garnet-purple in color, it gallops out of the glass with energetic notes of crushed blackcurrants, fresh blackberries, and juicy plums, plus suggestions of clove oil, fertile loam, and dried lavender. The medium to full-bodied palate has a lot of elegance and finesse for its density and hefty weight, featuring lively black fruit layers and an approachable, grainy texture, finishing on a mineral note. Nicely done! The pH is 3.65.The Wine Independent | 94-96 TWI