Wine Varietals

wines

The 2023 Montmains is one of my favorite premier crus in the Piuze cellars this year. The wine’s bouquet is pure, precise and complex, offering up notes of lemon, pear, a touch of tangerine, beeswax, spring flowers, lemon peel and a beautiful foundation of chalky minerality. On the palate the wine is crisp, full-bodied and deep at the core, with great soil signature and grip, a fine spine of acidity, lovely balance and a long, focused and complex finish. Most impressive. 2028-2055+.John Gilman | 93 JGPatrick Piuze’s 2023 Chablis 1er Cru Montmains has turned out well, opening from the glass with notes of acacia, pear, peach and youthful reduction. Medium to full-bodied, concentrated and tensile, built around a chalky core, it’s laden with bright acidity and concludes with a long, saline finish. It’s produced from a parcel just next to Raveneau’s.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92+ RP

The 2023 vintage of “Vaillons” Les Minots from Patrick Piuze is excellent. The wine’s aromatic constellation offers up a superb blend of fresh lemon, pear, tart orange, chalky soil tones, anise, spring flowers and a topnote of beeswax. On the palate the wine is deep, zesty, complex and full-bodied, with a succulent core of fruit, superb mineral undertow, bouncy acids and lovely balance on the long and vibrant finish. This will drink beautifully upon release and has the balance to age gracefully for several decades. 2025-2055.John Gilman | 92+ JGDerived from one of the warmest places in the valley, Patrick Piuze’s 2023 Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons Les Minots is flamboyant and demonstrative, soaring from the glass with a bouquet of marzipan, peach and dried white flowers mingling with passion fruit. Enveloping and underpinned by racy acids, it’s full-bodied, rich and gourmand and, unsurprisingly, in the context of the warmer site, is among the first that is harvested. While it offers immediate appeal, it has proven to be an age-worthy bottling.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91 RP

The 2023 Chassagne-Montrachet Maltroye 1er Cru has a "buttoned-down" nose that demands coaxing to reveal its yellow fruit, hazelnut and light orange rind scents. The palate is well balanced and opens up wonderfully with aeration, displaying a touch of orange rind, spice and smokiness on the finish. It’s quite mercurial and, to my senses, fascinating.Vinous Media | 92 VM

The 2023 Chassagne-Montrachet Morgeots 1er Cru has a little more mineralité on the nose than the Vergers. Its bouquet contains light hints of clementine and beeswax aromas. The palate is well balanced, fresh and concentrated with a slightly viscous opening. It just needs a little more terroir to shape the finish.Vinous Media | 90 VM

With aromas and flavors of citrus pith, dried grasses and salted lime, this wine offers palate-filling flavor with a pleasing balance of texture and mouthwatering length. Deftly integrated oak brings additional complexity in good balance. Wine Enthusiast | 92 WEGroth’s 2023 Estate Sauvignon Blanc offers up scents of pink grapefruit, ripe figs and Anjou pear. Made in second-fill acacia wood, neutral French oak barrels and concrete eggs, with six months of sur lie aging, it’s just medium-bodied but nicely plump and rounded on the mid-palate, turning crisp and refreshing on the lemon-and-grapefruit finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91 RPShows wonderful restraint, with mandarin orange, lemon curd, salted melon, Honeycrisp apple and pear notes on a firm texture, plus a hint of beeswax and plenty of length. The acidity keeps the flavors bright. Drink now. 39,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 91 WSNotes of sliced golden apples, candied lemons, citrus blossom and stone. Medium-bodied, sleek and polished with vivid acidity. Pretty and refreshing. Drink now.James Suckling | 90 JS

I tasted the 2023 Chardonnay Belle Côte from tank just before it was bottled. From vines planted in 1990, it’s open and expressive, its peach and guava aromas complemented by nuances of elderflower, graham cracker and crème brûlée. The full-bodied palate is satiny and expansive with tropical, spicy flavors. Its concentration is balanced by vibrant acidity, and it has a long, bright finish. A total of 2,038 cases were made, and the wine will be released in April of 2025.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94-96 RP

I tasted the 2023 Chardonnay La Carrière from tank just before it was bottled. It has inviting aromas of guava, peach, panna cotta, well-integrated new oak spices and top notes of Meyer lemon. The palate is satiny and mouth coating with luxuriously ripe, layered, spicy flavors. It’s balanced by vibrant acidity that adds focus to its generous flavors, and it has a very long, nuanced finish. A total of 2,478 cases were made, and the wine will be released in April of 2025.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93-96 RP

A fresh, linear, eye-opening young wine that’s delicious and appetizing, and will develop more complexity and nuance with time in the bottle. Stunning aromas of black cherries, vibrant raspberries and cedary spices lead to mouthwatering red cherry, cranberry, star anise and mineral flavors that expand on the palate. Drinkable now and best from 2030.James Suckling | 98 JSI tasted the 2023 Pinot Noir Le Caprice as a sample just before it was bottled. It has slowly unfolding aromas of cranberry, red cherry, tea leaves and mint, becoming more floral as it airs in the glass. The palate is layered and concentrated with woodsy, earthy flavors evocative of a forest. It’s structured by silky tannins and vibrant acidity and boasts a flourish of spicy accents on the long finish. A total of 979 cases were made, and the wine will be released in April of 2025.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93-95 RP

Mid lemon yellow. Grilled almonds Marjolaine suggests, and I agree. Once more the flesh and the oak on the nose are apparent. All the requisite weight and white fruit, silky length, a little salinity, understated but very long indeed. Rather hidden at the moment. Drink from 2030-2040. Tasted Nov 2024.Jasper Morris | 93-96 JMThe 2023 Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru, from vines planted in 1996, had quite a bit of that matchstick reduction on the nose when I tasted it from barrel, but you can discern the concentration here. The palate is well balanced with a slightly honeyed opening. Acidity counters its richness as hints of ginger and white pepper emerge toward the finish. Powerful compared to its peers, this Grand Cru will require two or three years in bottle.Vinous Media | 91-93 VM

The 2023 Chassagne-Montrachet Village is a blend of three parcels (Les Chaumes, Lombardes and Charrières) and sees 15% aged in clay jars to gain freshness. It has a vibrant nose and fine mineralité, with a touch of orange zest and grapefruit developing in the glass. The palate is well balanced with a keen line of acidity and a twist of orange rind on the finish. Not long, but I appreciate the vigor and attack of this Chassagne Village.Vinous Media | 90 VMIn bottle. Pale lemon in colour. A little stricter than the Bourgogne Chardonnay, which provides better balance with the undeniable flesh behind. A good thread of acidity, a touch of fennel, a little salinity and persistent. Drink from 2026-2029. Tasted Nov 2024.Jasper Morris | 90 JM

More yellow in the colour, a waxy flesh, slight evolution in the sample, I cannot quite see the stones up front. They do appear on the palate and the wine extends very well through to a flinty finish, with some saline notes right at the back. Drink from 2028-2034. Tasted Nov 2024.Jasper Morris | 91-93 JMThe 2023 Chassagne-Montrachet En Cailleret 1er Cru has a strict, almost sullen nose that demands coaxing from the glass, with hints of chamomile interlacing the orchard fruit, though I seek just a little more mineralité. The palate is well balanced with tropical notes of passionfruit and guava on the entry. Smooth in texture with countervailing acidity, the 2023 finishes open and easy-drinking. Drink just a year after bottling and enjoy this in its youth.Vinous Media | 89-91 VM

The 2023 Chassagne-Montrachet Les Houillères is a level up from the regular Village, with more mineralité and terroir expression. The palate is well balanced and linear in style, with a keen line of acidity, fine weight and a sapid, chamomile-tinged close. Maybe the 2022 had a touch more depth on the finish, but this is worth seeking out.Vinous Media | 91 VMOld vines with a younger plot as well. Mid lemon yellow. The bouquet has a discreet distinction, more in minerals than flesh, one jar again. Tighter and more precise on the palate, with a light ripe citrus note added to the orchard fruit. In bottle. Drink from 2027-2030. Tasted Nov 2024.Jasper Morris | 91 JM

Lemon zest and crushed green apples come together with a whiff of spring flowers as the 2023 Orvieto Classico Superiore San Giovanni della Sala blossoms in the glass. It opens with a pleasant inner sweetness matched by masses of citrus-tinged orchard fruits, all balanced by a core of saline minerals and juicy acidity. The 2023 cleans up beautifully, both long and potent yet remarkably fresh. Sour melon hints slowly fade.Vinous Media | 92 VMWell-cut acidity defines aromas and flavors of white peach, pomelo, spring herbs and white blossoms in this light-bodied, lithe white, with a salty finish. Grechetto, Procanico, Pinot Blanc and Viognier. Drink now. 840 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

The 2023 Rosé Mirabeau en Provence Pure makes a lasting impression as enriching notes of confectionery spice and sweet smoke complement freshly sliced nectarines. It’s silken in form, with stimulating acidity and citrus tones that add lovely depth as ripe pit fruits swirl throughout. The 2023 tapers off with admirable length, spicy and energetic, leaving a mineral tinge that adds a lovely punctuation. - Eric GuidoVinous Media | 90 VM

Aromas of grilled pineapple, kaffir limes, flint and lemon pith. The palate is light-bodied with bright acidity, giving flavors of guavas, lychees and grapefruit. Vibrant and fresh. Drink now.James Suckling | 91 JSAromas of fresh, lively citrus, kumquats, and passionfruit, notes of various layered mint herbs and chamomile tea intertwine with flavors of melon, tangerine, and sedimentary rock roll into a juicy sun-kissed finish. Pair with the beach and friendsWine Enthusiast | 91 WE

The 2023 Les Boucauds is a rounded, full style from a clay-chalk parcel. This is open and approachable from the off, with a touch of alcohol-tinged heat. The richness of the clay provided a sense of volume on the palate but it’s not loud. There’s lovely richness of texture after spending 14-16 months on lees. The 2023 has fine talc and floral perfume lingering on the long finish.Vinous Media | 92 VMA richly styled version, with hints of warm hay and beeswax atop a core of apple and preserved lemon. Waxy in feel, with real weight to the lush palate. Savory, succulent acidity slices through, maintaining balance and tension. Delicious through the long, mineral-rich, salty finish, where there’s a hint of blanched almond. Drink now through 2030. 3,500 cases made, 700 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

Delicate and floral in the glass, the 2023 Rosé Château de Selle Cru Classé wafts up with a captivating blend of freshly sliced nectarines, minty herbs, peach sorbet and wet stone. This is seamlessly silky and serene, focused on purity, with ripe orchard fruits and candied lime motivated by a core of tantalizing acidity. It’s potent and long, with a spicy flourish of ginger and citrus while leaving a sweet herbal tinge that lingers on and on. The 2023 Château de Selle is simply stunning. - Eric GuidoVinous Media | 93 VMBright and vivid nose with strawberries, dried raspberries, cherry blossoms and a light, spicy undertone. Medium-bodied, round-textured and lengthy with lots of energy and a crisp, mineral backbone. Round and textural finish. From organically grown grapes. Drink now.James Suckling | 93 JSThe nose of this wine is high intensity, with candied peach bursting out of the glass. The palate is in perfect balance, tart flavors of apple and grapefruit play off of the bitter grapefruit leading into the superlong finish.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WEDense and complex, this ultra-pale version starts off a bit closed before opening up to reveal apple blossom, crunchy nectarine and pear flavors cut with notes of crushed flint, while a thread of salty, smoky dried green herbs cruises through. Creamy and refined, this is drinkable and delicious. Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah and Mourvèdre. Drink now through 2028. 11,000 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

The 2023 Chardonnay Les Granitiers is grown in granitic soils, as the name suggests, primarily those found in the high-elevation vineyards of Escolle (58%), Coastview (37%), and Pelio (5%), which all ripen at different times. As a result, the juice is fermented separately from each site in stainless steel and later aged in neutral barrels for 9-10 months. Smith picks the grapes relatively lean but not lacking in flavor, producing a wine that’s light on its feet. Green apple, apricot, sea spray, and racy acidity highlight a finessed, elegant framework of beautiful structure, built to age another 8-10 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDThis blend of Escolle, Coastview and Pelio vineyards is a fascinating display of the range of Monterey. The nose is both welcoming with warmth and very stony in minerality, showing nectarine and paraffin aromas. The palate opens up into lively flavors of lemonade and white rose, with a ripping acidity from start to finish.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEThe 2023 Chardonnay Les Granitiers offers a lovely cross section of Monterey County, hailing predominantly from the Escolle site in the northern Santa Lucia Highlands and the high-elevation Coastview in the Gabilan Mountains. The nose is pure, stony and crunchy, leading to an electric, laser-focused palate with just enough breadth to avoid austerity. It finishes with a breezy clarity and additional alpine notes after time in the glass. I suspect this will develop quite well in the cellar and could use a bit of time to fill out.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92+ RPThe 2023 Chardonnay Les Granitiers is a blend from Escolle, Coastview and Pelio, all in Monterey County. Light citrus and floral inflections grace this airy, delicate Chardonnay from Samuel Louis Smith. Brisk and inviting, the 2023 is a fine choice for drinking now and over the next handful of years.Vinous Media | 91 VM

From a mostly decomposed granite, 1600-feet-elevation, northeast-facing site with different exposures, the 2023 Pinot Noir Michaud Vineyard is the first vintage for Smith from this vineyard, which he calls as old school and rugged as Chalone. Earth, black tea, and gravelly rock highlight an elegantly poised, complex, floral, and mineral wine that shows both dustiness in texture and ample structure for aging. Cellar through 2037.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDThe cranberry aromas on the nose of this bottling is layered in cedar, pine duff and dried mushroom scents on the complex nose of this bottling. Cherry, red currant and cranberry flavors are cut by graphite and sandalwood on the savory palate. This is a very young wine from an appellation that always benefits from age. Drink now-2040.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WE

Grapes for the 2023 Chardonnay Russian River Valley were harvested over the course of a month, from initial picks on September 13 to the last pick on October 14. It was barrel-fermented, underwent full malolactic conversion and was matured for 12 months in 10% new French oak barrels. It has open, inviting aromas of stone fruit and pineapple, panna cotta, ginger, toasted brioche and honey. The palate combines concentrated, layered flavors with fireworks of fresh acidity, and it has a very long, perfumed finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPSourced from Lafranchi, Westside Farms, Sonoma Foothills, Martinelli Laughlin, Kilcullen, Dutton Sebastopol, and Frank Johnson—all cool-climate sites with low-vigour soils such as Goldridge loam, planted between 1978 and 2017 and aged for 12 months on the lees in barrel (10% new French oak). This is clean and sleek, a beautifully balanced medium-bodied Chardonnay with luxuriously ripe stone and orchard fruit. Exotic baking spices complement layers of guava, white peach, and macerated mango with apricot. But what’s most impressive is the intensity and purity of the fruit—so precisely delineated, profoundly spicy, and laser-focused. At $50, this is one of the finest, most balanced, and well-structured Chardonnays from the Russian River Valley at this price point.Decanter Magazine | 95 DECLeaps out of the glass with intensity, offering vibrant fruit flavors of crisp Meyer lemon, apple and pear. Aromatic details of tangerine, lime sherbet and lemon blossoms add complexity alongside fresh herbal accents of lemon balm and sweetgrass. Crushed rock minerality lingers on the long, expressive finish. Drink now through 2039. 13,549 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WSEnergetic acidity and ample fruit flavors give this full-bodied wine a sense of strength and structure. After a blast of green apple, pine bough and citrus aromas, an array of subtle baking spice, ripe pear and baked apple flavors come out as you sip. Drink now.James Suckling | 94 JS

Boasts an impressive concentration of lime, passion fruit and green apple aromas, with a firm, flinty minerality. The texture is dense but not heavy and surprisingly fresh for the vintage. The complex flavours echo on an interminable finish – this is among the great successes in Puligny this year. The grapes are from the 1.16ha of old vines at the north end of the clos that the Chartron family has owned for over a century. Cellar it for three to five years and drink over the next 20.Decanter Magazine | 95 DECTo my palate, Jean-Michel’s Clos de la Pucelle is always one of the finest premier cru bottlings made in Puligny and the 2023 version is no exception. The bouquet is complex, refined and vibrant, wafting from the glass in a mix of white peach, golden delicious apple, fresh almond, chalky soil tones, crème pâtissière, vanillin oak and citrus zest in the upper register. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, very pure on the attack, rock solid at the core, with fine soil inflection, a lovely spine of acidity, great focus and grip and a long, complex and racy finish. This is more reserved than the Folatières in personality today, as it should be, but will clearly hit the higher mark once it is properly ready to drink. Great juice. (Drink between 2030 - 2060)John Gilman | 94+ JGPale lemon and lime. The bouquet is fresh and chiselled, a little more herbal in style, much steelier than Folatières. On the palate one finds the Pucelles rhythm, waves of white fruit of controlled intensity, with a more mineral finish. The length also exceeds that of the excellent Folatières. Drink from 2029-2034. Tasted Oct 2024.Jasper Morris | 92-94 JMThe 2023 Puligny-Montrachet Clos de la Pucelle 1er Cru is the monopole of the domaine. It has a more backward nose than other cuvées, with touches of orange blossoms and Granny Smith apples. The palate is well balanced, taut and fresh with a fine bead of acidity. It is tightly wound on the saline finish. This is a Puligny that will bide its time in bottle and reward those with the nous to cellar. This is very promising.Vinous Media | 91-93 VMHere too there is a suggestion of the exotic to the beautifully well-layered aromas of honeysuckle, white peach, acacia and subtle wood influence. The finer and more seductive, though less powerful and mineral-driven, flavors tighten up noticeably to become compact, serious and youthfully austere on the finale. While qualitatively similar to the Folatières, these are two very different wines.Burghound | 91-93 BH

A marvellous success, with a great concentration of pomelo, passion fruit and nectarine aromas, with a hint of white blossoms and flinty minerality. The texture is lively and crisp, but there is enough density to give this impressive length on the finish. The grapes are from the half-hectare the domaine owns here; they are lightly crushed before fermentation and ageing in cask, 30% new. Give this wine five to seven years before opening; it should last 20 years for those who have the patience to wait.Decanter Magazine | 95 DECThe 2023 Puligny-Montrachet “Folatières” from the Chartron family is an excellent wine. It was raised in twenty percent new oak this year and reveals a refined aromatic constellation of pear, apple, chalky soil tones, fruit blossoms, vanillin oak and a lovely topnote of orange zest. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, crisp and precise, with a succulent core of fruit, excellent acidity and soil signature, fine balance and a long, very elegant finish. Fine, fine juice. (Drink between 2028 - 2050)John Gilman | 93 JGThere is a whiff of exoticism to the cool aromas of citrus confit, white peach, passion fruit and acacia blossom. There is better volume to the solidly concentrated and relatively powerful medium-bodied flavors that retain good delineation on the stony, youthfully austere and serious finale that is supported by lemon-tinged acidity. This is a big, even robust, Folatières. (Drink starting 2031)Burghound | 91-93 BHThis is made from Chartron Hameau de Blagny vines (80%) plus some purchases. Pale in colour, on the leaner side, less engaging than Enseignères, quite tightly wound, a bit of white fruit but also plenty of oak. Needs a little time to come into place.Jasper Morris | 91-94 JMThe 2023 Puligny-Montrachet les Folatières 1er Cru has a straightforward bouquet that doesn’t have the same degree of mineralité as the Vieilles Vignes this year. I wonder if this has more to give. The palate is taut on the entry, with satisfying weight, yet it needs a little more tension and energy on the finish.Vinous Media | 89-91 VM

The 2023 Clos des Chevaliers from Domaine Chartron was one of the most brilliant wines I tasted during my entire nearly three weeks in the cellars here in Burgundy. The wine is utterly brilliant on both the nose and palate, with the bouquet offering up a pure, beautifully complex and elegant blend of apple, pear, fresh almond, crème pâtissière, a complex foundation of limestone minerality, lemon blossoms, a refined framing of vanillin oak and a topnote of lemon zest. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, complex and seamlessly balanced, with a great spine of acidity, a gorgeous core of fruit, great mineral drive and cut and a very, very long, vibrant finish. Pure magic. (Drink between 2030 - 2075)John Gilman | 98 JGThe delicious Clos du Chevalier is the top wine in the Chartron cellar, boasting intense aromas of lemon peel, mandarin and passionfruit, with nuances of acacia flower and a pronounced saline minerality. The texture is lively and vibrant but rich as well, with a superb balance between the extract and the racy acidity. The clos, a former monopole of the Chartron family, is above the Montrachet from Marquis de Laguiche; although they sold 0.16ha to Lalou Bize-Leroy for its Domaine d’Auvenay, Chartron still owns a half-hectare of Chevalier here. Cellar this for at least a decade before opening.Decanter Magazine | 96 DECThe 2023 Chevalier-Montrachet Clos de Chevaliers Grand Cru is Charton’s best Grand Cru this year. Intense and flattering citrus fruit notes commingle with crushed stone and light undergrowth scents blossoming in the glass. The palate is fresh, vibrant, beautifully balanced and very harmonious with a long and tender finish. Cohesive and multi-layered, très bon vin!Vinous Media | 95-97 VMAn attractive pale colour with a lime streak. Pure and stylish on the nose, with the white limestone feel of classic Chevalier. The bouquet will express itself more later on, I suspect. On the palate, the terroir also reverberates, with a very fine-boned acidity alongside the nuanced white fruit and flowers, with just a little well-judged oak bringing up the rear. A high-class finish. Very distinguished. Drink from 2030-2037. Tasted Oct 2024.Jasper Morris | 94-97 JMA markedly more floral-suffused nose speaks of distinctly cool white orchard fruit aromas, mineral reduction, Asian-style tea and a lovely range of spice nuances. The gorgeously textured and notably denser medium weight plus flavors exude a prominent stoniness on the sappy bitter citrus-tined finale that goes on and on. Like the Clos du Cailleret, the mouthfeel is like sucking on a small pebble and overall, this superb Chevalier should amply reward extended cellaring.Burghound | 92-95 BH

The 2023 Rully “Montmorin” from Domaine Chartron has also been bottled prior to my mid-January visit to the estate. The wine is really refined this year, offering up a lovely aromatic constellation of apple, wet stone minerality, dried flowers, a nicely discreet framing of new oak and a topnote of limepeel. On the palate the wine is pure, precise, full-bodied and shows off lovely depth of fruit at the core, with good mineral undertow, excellent acids and grip, fine balance and a long, complex and seamlessly balanced finish. Fine juice. (Drink between 2025 - 2040)John Gilman | 92 JG

Fantastic depth and length to this wine, showing aromas and flavors of sliced apples, stone, flint,matchstick and white pepper. It’s full-bodied and reserved, with very fine layers of bright fruit and minerals. Tight, structured and compact with a long finish. Already impressive, but best after 2027.James Suckling | 98 JSOpulent, creamy and expansive, this white fills the mouth, offering peach, apple, quinine and salty mineral flavors embraced by vanilla and toasty oak notes. There’s a tactile sensation, and this still lacks integration, yet all of the components are there, along with power and length. Best from 2027 through 2042. 3,800 cases made, 1,400 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WSLatour’s 2023 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru wafts from the glass with notes of pear, mandarin oil and peach mingled with notes of struck match and freshly baked bread. Medium to full-bodied, satiny and seamless, it’s rich and textural, with a sweet, layered core of fruit and an expansive finish. Now bottled under Diam, it should age with grace.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92-94 RPCool, pretty and attractively layered aromas include those of Granny Smith apple, spice, wet stone and a plentitude of citrus elements. There is both more volume and richness to the bigger-bodied flavors that exhibit good power on the balanced, sappy and moderately firm finale. This also could use better depth but that should develop in time.Burghound | 90-93 BH