Size: 2.3 ha (5.51 ac)
Variety: Chardonnay
Vine Age: Planted in 1917 and 1963
Terroir: Early-ripening site, this is a monopole with the old stone walls of the Clos still bordering the parcel. Historically, the “quart”... Read More

The 2022 Gigondas from Domaine Raspail-Ay exhales a deep, complex bouquet of ripe cherries, flowers, dark wild berries and peonies mingled with gentle, oaky notes. Medium to full-bodied, dense and concentrated, it has a fleshy... Read More

A touch of yellow pear flashes up on the nose, immediately signalling both ripeness and the sense of juiciness that pervades the entire wine. This is accompanied by some ripe Mirabelle plum and only restrained hints of creaminess.... Read More

More garrigue, Provençal herbs, pepper, and ripe framboise and cherry notes all emerge from the 2021 Châteauneuf Du Pape Vieilles Vignes, another beautiful 2021 from this estate that has a gorgeous sense of purity... Read More

More closed, yet still loaded with potential, the 2017 Châteauneuf Du Pape La Reserve offers a tight, reserved bouquet of cassis and blackberry fruits intermixed with ample spice box, mineral, and meaty notes developing... Read More

The 2022 Châteauneuf Du Pape La Réserve (60% Grenache and 40% Mourvèdre) is deeper ruby-hued and boasts a gorgeous nose of ripe black raspberries, smoked garrigue, spring flowers, and graphite. It plays in... Read More

There's real drive and focus to this harmonious Champagne, with racy acidity enmeshed in the finely detailed, satinlike mousse and enlivening a lovely range of ripe cherry and cassis fruit and Marcona almond flavors, plus... Read More

The 2016 B 16 is a small bottling from Bollinger that takes the place of the Grand Année, as conditions did not allow Bollinger to bottle their flagship cuveé. Brisk floral top notes give this mid-weight, expressive... Read More

In contrast to the bigger, richer Deus-Ex Machina, the 2020 Châteauneuf Du Pape La Combe Des Fous is all about finesse and elegance, probably due to the inclusion of Cinsault and Vaccarese in the blend. Deeper ruby/purple-hued,... Read More

Régnard, one of the oldest and most prestigious houses in Chablis, was founded by Zéphir Régnard in 1860.
In 1984, Baron Patrick de Ladoucette purchased Régnard and has perpetuated the style and tradition... Read More

An impressive, substantial Sancerre, with just a hint of toasty brioche, which adds a touch of delicious opulence, but this is mostly about freshness and elegance, with dried herb oil, chives and a saline beam of energy on a well-integrated... Read More

The 2023 Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Morgeot Marquis de Laguiche is excellent, offering up aromas of pear, orange oil, buttered toasted, fresh mint and white flowers. Medium to full-bodied, satiny and layered, it's fresh... Read More

No Renaissance was produced in this vintage. Reminding me of the 2017, the 2022 Cornas reveals gorgeous red and black fruits, violets, bouquet garni, and gamey, iron-like nuances. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it has fine... Read More

Subtle and complex with blackberries, violets, lilacs, roses and hints of ink. So floral, yet subtle on the nose. Full-bodied with incredible polish and beauty, the silky tannins running the length of the wine and going on and... Read More

A great Cheval Blanc that stands up to the potential that I found during en primeur. Extremely restrained and classic in its construction, shot through with points of mint, liquorice, raspberry and eucalyptus. The fresh aromatics... Read More

Floral and dark-fruited aromas of black cherries, potpourri, licorice, blood oranges and fresh plums. The palate is mineral-driven and tactile, with fine-grained tannins, focused acidity and a chalky mouthfeel. Flavors of graphite,... Read More

Practicing organic
100% Pinot Noir
From a 1 ha parcel in “Les Combes”, a lieu-dit that is at the bottom of the Corton slope, directly adjacent to Corton “Les Chaumes”
Planted in 1942
Grown on clay and limestone... Read More

Black fruit coulis, intense spice aromas and some smoke on the nose. Powerful and robust in the best possible way, the tannins are remarkably polished for a Rhone red with stacks of mourvedre in it. Very compact core, but also... Read More

Tasting note: Slightly more prominent wood sets off slightly riper aromas of white orchard fruit, floral wisps and a similar hint of lemon zest. There is even better volume to the less refined medium weight flavors that also terminate... Read More

Lovely dark red fruits on the nose, a gorgeous sultry florality to it, something a little bit savoury too, pencil led and smoke - extremely welcoming. Great succulence on the palate, juicy and alive, really fresh with the charm... Read More

The 2020 Château Mangot Todeschini Distique has a similar celery/vegetal nuance, and although it’s more integrated, it's still a head scratcher. A blend of 40% each of Cabernet Franc and Merlot, with the balance... Read More

I was able to taste three wines from Domaine Santa Duc. Starting with the 2020 Gigondas Aux Lieux-Dits, which spent 18 months in 36-hectoliter Stockinger foudres, it has a floral, elegant, medium-bodied profile as well as lots... Read More

The refined, delicious and caressing middleweight flavors possess very good punch on the firm, balanced, moderately dry and bitter lemon-inflected finish. This markedly stony effort is also quite good and worth considering. *Sweet... Read More

There's an array of flavours and complex aromatics on offer here. It's powerful and brooding, with a lyrical acidity that helps to lift up the relatively foursquare tannins on the attack. After a few minutes in the glass... Read More

An incredibly impressive wine in 2022 shaping up to be the wine of the vintage not only as it seems to defy the hot and dry conditions in every way but delivers such confidence and charm it makes it hard to resist. Gorgeous aromatic... Read More

One of my favorite wines at this address, the 2022 Les Hauts-Lieux, derives from vines planted on a cooler, higher elevation on calcareous soils. These grapes, including more Mourvèdre (20%), are picked 15 days later than... Read More

The red 2021 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Barberini actually sees less new oak than the white version (about 70% is aged in barrel). Leather, earth, spice, vanilla, black cherries and plums all appear on the nose, while the full-bodied... Read More

Looking at the reds, the 2020 La Chapelle De La Mission Haut-Brion is flat-out stunning and unquestionably a great wine in its own right. Cassis, black raspberries, tobacco, and sandalwood are just some of its nuances, and it's... Read More

When young, Carbonnieux white wines are delightfully refreshing and pure with a fruity, floral intensity. When mature they develop hints of dried and candied fruits giving scope for a large range of gastronomic pairings. The batches... Read More

Fabio and Claire Gazeau-Montrasi direct this 6 ha domaine perched high above the village of Fuissé. Fabio Gazeau told me that 2022 definitely easier to manage than either 2020 or 2021 though this isn't to say that there... Read More

With high expectations that this will be classified at the next round in 2022, and the new winery by Sir Norman Foster nearly completed, it's fair to say that this is a good moment for Le Dôme. The high Cabernet Franc... Read More

The 2023 Chasseignes is already a delight to drink. There's no need to wait: it offers a warm welcome with a round and immediately charming entrance before tightening up as it moves through the mouth. There’s a belt... Read More

Tasting note: Perfumed and very pretty aromas of red and dark cherry, violet and crushed anise lead to beautifully textured and attractively vibrant middleweight flavors that also exude a subtle minerality on the youthfully austere... Read More

Fragrant strawberry, lavender, red cherry and licorice introduce the 2022 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Les Safres. Bottled in February 2024 and checking in at 15.12% alcohol, this medium-bodied red is the product of a co-fermentation... Read More

The 2018 Brut Vintage is absolutely delicious, just as it was last year. Floral and citrus notes give the 2018 lovely aromatic lift to play off its mid-weight personality. This is a classy, polished Vintage Champagne marked by... Read More

One of the greatest Rose's from the Loire!

5-Star Producer of Sancere, a very limited wine.

100% Pinot Noir
80+ year old vines
Direct press rosé
Indigenous yeast
Fermented in large ancient demi muids (80+ years old)... Read More

Very rich and spicy, with impressive concentration and stacks of fine, soft tannins on the full-bodied palate. There’s licorice and meaty intensity in the crescendo finish. A cuvee of 60% grenache, 20% syrah, 10% mourvedre... Read More

Grape Variety : 100% Chardonnay

Dosage : between 2 and 4 g/L - Extra Brut

Harvest : 2018

Bottling and disgorgement : according to the moon cycles

T E R R O I R

Vineyard located in Festigny and Le Breuil

Soil : clay and limestone... Read More

The 2013 Extra Brut Les Empreintes is a wine of extraordinary beauty. Vivid and precise, the 2013 is just so expressive today. The blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir works beautifully here. Like so many of the wines in this tasting,... Read More

The 2016 Latour is a vintage that I have tasted a couple of times post-bottling. On one occasion, it warranted a perfect score, but that was then moot since this vintage had not been released. Now that it is due to hit the shelves... Read More

Rich black cherry and strawberry fruit, with impressive density and palate weight. The balance is good, with fur-coat tannins and admirable freshness. Yet again, this vintage turns out a wine seemingly far too good for the climatic... Read More

The 2019 Les Forts de Latour appears to have tightened up a little since I last tasted it a few years ago. Unwinding in the glass with aromas of sweet cassis fruit mingled with hints of cedar, iris, orange zest and new oak, it's... Read More

The flagship is the 2018 Châteauneuf Du Pape La Réserve and it’s an even split of Grenache and Mourvèdre that was all destemmed and was brought up mostly in demi-muids (there was a small part in larger,... Read More

This Burgundian beauty exudes charm and intensity with ripe fruits, bright aromatics, and the structure to age gracefully. It's a welcome introduction to an exciting year in Burgundy and an ideal choice for your Easter table!... Read More

The 2022 Château Cheval Blanc Le Petit Cheval Blanc comes from vines just across the road from the château and is 70% Sauvignon and 30% Semillon brought up in a mix of demi-muids and foudre for 20 months. Green citrus,... Read More

Tasting note: There is a whiff of spice sitting atop the ripe aromas of black raspberry coulis, violet and earth. The caressing middleweight plus flavors manage to be at once succulent yet powerful before culminating in an equally... Read More

The 2020 Gazin is a wine of total precision and class. Vibrant, with tremendous nuance, the 2020 is so impressive. Dark red cherry, iron, tobacco, white pepper and crushed flowers abound. The 2020 is a standout Gazin.

François de Nicolay succinctly described the 2022 growing season as hot and dry but with no disease pressure to speak of, which always makes things easier to manage. However, fruit maturities spiked at the end and it was... Read More

The 2021 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Vieilles Vignes is made from vines aged between 80 and 100 years. The 2021 Vieilles Vignes wafts from the glass with expressive aromas of redcurrant, red and black cherry, raspberry, strawberry,... Read More

Jean-Guillaume Bret, who with his brother Jean-Philippe manages this 12 ha domaine, and which buys in another 8 to 10 ha of organically farmed must and/or fruit which they sell under the Bret Brothers label (see herein), enthusiastically... Read More

Peaches, fresh crushed strawberries and roses on the nose. Full-bodied and generous. Fine tannins that frame the wine beautifully and set it up for a fresh finish. Some fruit tea and cedar undertones. Enticing finish with hints... Read More

Plenty of blackberry, blueberry, lead pencil and violet aromas here that follow through to a full body, with ultra-fine tannins that run the length of the wine. So integrated and polished.Changes a lot in the glass. Thoughtful... Read More

This refined Bordeaux blend encapsulates the essence of the renowned Saint Emilion appellation. With a storied history of excellence spanning over a century, the estate produces wines that elegantly express lush red fruit, gentle... Read More

The 2020 Tour Saint Christophe opens in the glass with aromas of sweet cherries, raspberries and petals, followed by a medium to full-bodied, lively and pure palate that's rich and fleshy, with generously extracted tannins... Read More

One of the standouts in the vintage is the 2021 Châteauneuf Du Pape, a ripe, round, medium to full-bodied 2021 offering a beautiful array of black cherry and darker berry fruits, ample Provençal spice, and dried flower... Read More

From a château that deserves more recognition in the market, the 2020 Château De Fieuzal is a brilliant Pessac- Léognan based on 65% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the rest Petit Verdot raised in 60% new... Read More

Composed of 77% Merlot, 18% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, with an alcohol of 14.5% and a pH of 3.57, the deep purple-black colored 2020 Fleur Cardinale bursts from the glass with powerful notes of crushed blackberries,... Read More

Grivault owns the largest portion of Meursault Perrieres – 2.54 hectares total. The Grivault wines are regular medal winners and frequently earn the coveted “Tasteviné” designation from the Chevaliers... Read More

Drinking Better with Tedder 94: Classic Chablis in every way. It smells and tastes of the sea... sea spray, oyster shells, oyster water, crushed rocks, fleur de sel and iodine are matched with ripe lemon, lemon zest and a rich,... Read More

A touch of stewed plum fruit, though quite reserved aromatically. There's some welcome body and fruit here, and the alcohol is relatively mild. Finishes dry and savory. Well balanced and very drinkable.

Like the Lavières, there is a touch of post-bottling reduction but there is excellent freshness and underlying tension on the palate of the rich and wonderfully textured bigger-bodied and tautly muscular flavors that culminate... Read More

Enticing, fragrant aromas of toast, lemon zest and an earthy-smoky nuance lead to a palate of subtle Bosc-pear, mango, papaya, even pineapple flavors. Lifted by fresh acidity on the medium-bodied palate, the wine keeps unfolding... Read More

The 2021 Condrieu Invitare shows the fresher style of the vintage while still bringing plenty of classic Viognier texture and richness. Flowers, apricots, and orange-tinged aromas and flavors all emerge from the glass, and it's... Read More

Magnificent wine – the best ever under the Chanel regime. Beautifully fragrant with dark fruit, spice and floral notes. Plentiful but fine tannins provide a velvety texture and there’s great persistence on the finish.... Read More

Careful and seductive oaking, this develops and builds in power and finesse over the palate, and is a seriously enjoyable Pomerol, just packed full of appellation typicity. A yield of 35hl/ha, vinified in new oak barrels, and... Read More

An overtly floral-suffused nose speaks of red cherry, raspberry and a hint of herbal tea. The supple, caressing and succulent medium-bodied flavors possess a lovely sense of underlying tension on the lightly stony, focused and... Read More

The 2020 Sancerre Generation XIX is seductive with its round, full body caressing the palate. It offers pure fruit that's redolent of pineapple as well as florals. At 14.5% alcohol and with 10 months on lees, there's plenty... Read More

One of the world’s greatest expressions of Grenache year-in and year-out, the 2020 Châteauneuf Du Pape Vieilles Vignes is all varietal that was brought up in larger foudre. This cuvée comes from the Charbonnieres... Read More

One of the very finest wines produced in this less heralded vintage is Egly's 2014 Brut Grand Cru Millésime, a strikingly vinous and enveloping Champagne that wafts from the glass with aromas of pear, mirabelle plum,... Read More

The 2021 Bourgogne Hautes Côtes de Nuits Les Dames Huguette is initially quite bashful on the nose, dark berry fruit intermingling with brown spices and orange blossom, gently unfolding with aeration. The palate is well... Read More

This is really something. Electric on the palate. The aromas are so complex with sliced fresh and dried ginger, subtle pie crust, tarte tatin and hints of nutmeg with some salted caramel. Toasted bread, too. Always subtle. The... Read More