Wines

"Aromatic, with accents of bread dough, smoked almond and creme de cassis, this creamy Champagne is lightly chalky in texture and framed by firm acidity, with flavors of glazed apricot, orange blossom and rich hints of clover honey and coffee liqueur. Drink now through 2022. 11,000 cases imported." 93pts WS

62% Pinot Noir, 24% Chardonnay, 14% Meunier Only 5 to 6% red wine added due to its power Over 85% Grands and Premiers crus. Cellar aged for more than twice the time required by the appellation. Moderate, 7 to 8 grams per liter.

The Bollinger champagne House has created prestigious champagnes with character, distinguished by their elegance and complexity, since 1829. These outstanding wines are the result of rigorous attention to detail, for Bollinger accepts nothing less than excellence. Each and every detail represents a quest for a certain form of perfection.This uncompromisingly independent spirit, dedicated to unostentatious achievement, exemplifies the inimitable elegance for which the Champagne region is renowned and which has so impressed the Court of England that the House has been awarded the Royal Warrant since 1884. In 2008, for the first time in its history, the House placed its future into the care of a Chairman who was not a family member. Their choice fell on Jerome Philipon, originally from the Champagne region, who had led an impressive career with large industrial groups. The choice might be unexpected - but Bollinger has never hesitated to reject conformity for the good of the House and its wines! With the Bollinger family?€?s support, Jerome Philipon has extended his predecessor?€?s programme of modernisation and investment. With him, the House has continued to preserve its traditional expertise while incorporating the best of new technologies for the future development of the brand, both in terms of quality and commercial growth.

Camille Saves rose Cuvee from the Bouzy Grand Cru terroir with a blend of two years. The NV Brut Rose Grand Cru is arguably the most complex wine in this range. A vinous, deeply resonant Champagne, the NV Brut Rose Grand Cru blossoms in the glass with gorgeous depth and richness. The Rose is 60% Chardonnay and 40% Pinot Noir, with the Pinot driving the wine's texture and pure sense of volume. Saves's Rose is often one of the best, as it is again this year. Dosage was 8 grams/liter. Alc: 12%.

95-97+ points Jeb Dunnuck
I was able to taste the 2022 Ch??teau Beychevelle on multiple occasions, and it never failed to impress me. Based on 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot that will see 18 months in 70% new oak, it's one of those wines that makes you stop and say "wow" due to its purity, depth, and texture. Sporting a dense purple hue as well as lots of blueberry and black cherry fruits, it's full-bodied and has a layered, seamless mouthfeel, building yet gorgeous tannins, and subtle background notes of crushed violets, flowers, and graphite. This is a sensational effort from director Philippe Blanc.

95-97 points Vinous
The 2022 Beychevelle was picked between 12-29 September at 36hL/ha, matured in 70% new oak. It has an intense bouquet with black cherries, blueberry and touches of cassis and violet. Not as ostentatious as some other Saint-Julien wines at this early stage, but delineated, and it positively brims with energy. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy black fruit framed by beautifully-sculpted tannins. The 2022 is very harmonious, satin-like in texture, and gently fans out toward the finish. It ends up being one of the most seductive Beychevelles I have tasted from barrel, one not to be overlooked. Chapeau, Mr. White! 14.08% alcohol. (Neal Martin)

Clos Puy Arnaud is nearly always a seriously made as well as potentially long-lived offering, as evidenced by the 2005. This blend of 60% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, and Carmenere boasts a saturated blue/purple color in addition to a sweet nose of black raspberries, cranberries, crushed rocks, and background wood. Displaying terrific old vine intensity, it hits the palate with a rush of fruit, glycerin, and tannin. With good structure, purity, and potential, it will require 2-3 years to settle down, and should last for 15 or more years. - WA(90-92)

Wine Advocate, 96pts. - "Pale to medium gold colored, the 2009 Coutet leaps from the glass with warm apple pie, dried mango, fresh straw, lemongrass, ginger and cr?me caramel notes. The rich, concentrated, unctuous flavors are lifted by amazing freshness, finishing epically long, layered and with a tantalizing nuttiness."

Decanter, 96pts. - "On clay over limestone soils, relatively cool compared to Sauternes, this has a purity and freshness that is striking . . . Full of the quince, candied orange, truffle, apricot and lemon curd that you hope for in a quality sweet Bordeaux, coupled with lime blossom, ginger and citrus zest adding poise and character."

96-97 points James Suckling
This is one hell of an Issan with blackberry, blackcurrant, and hazelnut aromas and flavors. Cherries. Cedar. Full and intense with tannins that are long and bright. Goes tight at the end, indicating greatness. 65% cabernet sauvignon, 30% merlot, 2% cabernet franc, 2% malbec and 1% petit verdot

96 points Decanter
Deep, heady, really quite seductive and aromatic on the nose, draws you in with bramble fruits, chocolate, exotic spices and perfumed floral nuances. Juicy and lively, pure and focussed, but such a vibrancy to this wine. Sweet and sour elements combine with really salty, chalky, powdery and quite filling tannins that give the nuance of flavour and texture. Bright yet serious, finessed yet layered. Lovely intensity of elements. On the more savoury side right now in terms of lingering flavour but there?€?s mouthwatering acidity giving the liveliness and sense of fun. I really like this, textured, upfront, forward, extremely drinkable and so approachable, but thrilling too. An exciting wine with great integration and finesse and still clear strength underneath. One of the most exciting wines this year. Stylish, potent and polished. I love it! A yield of 30hl/ha. Harvest 15 - 28 September. 1% PV planted in 1948, 12% press wine. 2% Malbet and 1% Petit Verdot complete the blend. Total acidity: 3.55. 50% new barrels. 3.67pH.

93 points Wine Enthusiast
Barrel sample. A big, firm and hard wine, with solid fruits, layers of dry tannin and great power. There's an intensity to this wine with acidity adding to the complexity and structure.

97-98 points James Suckling
This is a big move forward for Giscours. Full-bodied yet agile and fresh with tannins that are precise and integrated, with great beauty and length. Well-structured and vivid. Extremely fine yet defined tannins, and then it opens like a butterfly.

96 points Decanter
A seriously impressive and beguiling Giscous in 2022 and one of the most elegant. A remarkable wine with gorgeous clarity and purity and just the most gentle seduction, even more so because it really doesn't feel as if it's trying too hard yet still delivering depth and complexity. Fresh and lifted, fragrant and so juicy but with textured tannins that give both the weight, structure and density to the quite bright, tangy, vibrant fruit. Nicely composed, feels quite powerful yet restrained and finessed offering lots of immediate drinking appeal but with a serious backbone that suggests long ageing too. Elegant, fineseed, subtle confidence with such cool minerality that gives freshness all the way through. It's not the most dense, or fleshy, but so refined. A compelling wine. Possible upscore in bottle. 3% Cabernet Franc completes the blend. 3.70pH. A yield of 27hl/ha, the lowest ever. No Sirene de Giscours this year. 100% grand vin. Ageing 17 months, 50% new oak. 10-15% press wine

95-97 points Vinous
The 2022 Giscours is a regal, sophisticated wine. Succulent red cherry, blood orange, spice, menthol and rose petal lend notable vibrancy and freshness throughout. Most surprisingly, the 2022 remains light on its feet, especially for a wine made from such low yields in a warm, dry year. Over the last few years Giscours has been one of the most improved properties in the M??doc. The 2022 is another step in that direction. Sublime.

93-95 points Vinous
The 2022 La Croix Ducru-Beaucaillou contains a lot more Merlot this year as they were compensating for the lack of Cabernet Sauvignon, this Deuxi??me Vin raised in 80% new oak. It has a delineated bouquet with a mixture of red and black fruit. The briary and smoky aromas feel more understated compared to its peers. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins and seamlessly integrated oak that lends a silky texture. Very harmonious with an insistent grip (the IPT is 93), it lacquers the mouth long after it has departed. That Pauillac tincture is displayed and defines its precise finish. Excellent, but be warned that the oak will require several years to assimilate fully. Not so far behind the Grand Vin because of the growing season.

93-95 points Jeb Dunnuck
The second wine of this great ch??teau, the 2022 La Croix Ducru-Beaucaillou is based on two-thirds Merlot with the balance mostly Cabernet Sauvignon, raised in 80% new French oak. Hitting 14% natural alcohol, its vivid purple hue is followed by stunning aromatics of cassis, blueberries, tobacco, graphite, and chalky minerality. Full-bodied on the palate, it brings plenty of concentration and structure yet is balanced and has a great mid-palate and outstanding length. If there was a ranking for the top second wines in Bordeaux, this would be in the top handful of releases.

96 points Decanter
Juicy and intensely ripe in terms of texture - tannins are fleshy but also really cool giving this a push-pull of bright acidity and actually quite serious mineral elements of flint and liquorice. Such an appealing weight in the mouth, layered and structured with expressive fruit and lively juiciness all combining to a stylish and inviting whole. So much going on but managed with finesse and elegance. A clear success in 2022. Harvest 8-30 September. Ageing 21 months in French oak, 60% new. Tasted twice.

96 points James Suckling
This is extremely linear and refined with a super-fine line of tannins running through the center of the wine. It?€?s full-bodied, yet tight and sophisticated, with a long, long finish. Plenty of blackcurrant, dark chocolate, walnut and cedar in the aftertaste. Try after 2025.

95 points Jeb Dunnuck
Tasted on multiple occasions, the 2020 Ch??teau Lascombes is clearly another brilliant wine from this ch??teau that readers will love. Sporting a deep purple hue as well as a classic bouquet of cassis, dried flowers, freshly sharpened pencils, and obvious minerality, it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, has a layered, elegant mouthfeel, lots of building tannins, and a great finish. It?€?s going to need 4-6 years at a minimum but is some serious Margaux brilliance that will have 30 years of longevity.

95 points James Suckling
Aromas of crushed blackcurrants and cherries with dried Provence herbs, lavender, raw walnuts and spiced cedar. Graphite, too. Full and muscular with a broad-shouldered, velvety tannin structure that goes on for minutes. Textured and chalky with a lingering finish. Very polished. 55% cabernet sauvignon, 40% merlot and 5% petit verdot.

94 points Vinous
The 2019 Reserve de la Comtesse is elegant, silky and nuanced, with terrific presence and tons of pure class. Crushed red berry fruit, mint, blood orange, rose petal and spice all build with a bit of aeration. I am so impressed with the wine's breadth and textural intensity. The 2019 Reserve is without a doubt one of the best recent editions here. Antonio Galloni (02/22)

92-94 points Vinous
The 2019 Reserve de la Comtesse is conspicuously deep in colour. The bouquet takes time to unfurl with exceedingly pure blackberry, raspberry and cassis aromas, the oak seamlessly integrated. The palate is very well balanced with fresh acidity, fine grain tannins, a touch of salinity developing towards the finish that has more grip than previous vintages. Superb. Neal Martin (6/20)

Organic

96 points James Suckling
Attractive aromas of blackberries, plum skins, cloves, cardamom, dark chocolate, cedar and graphite. Some wet stones, too. Full-bodied, opulent and broad-shouldered. Structured and refined. It has a deep core of ripe black fruit covered with layers of plush and velvety tannins that linger for a long time on the palate. Really long and even.

96 points Jeb Dunnuck
I continue to absolutely love what this estate puts in the bottle, and it remains an incredible value given its quality. The 2020 Ch??teau Saint-Pierre (Saint-Julien) reveals a deeper ruby/purple hue to go with gorgeous aromatics of blackcurrants, smoked tobacco, gravelly earth, and chocolate. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it shows the more elegant, pure, precision style of the vintage, has perfectly integrated background oak, ripe tannins, and a great finish. This brilliant Saint Julien will benefit from 4?€?6 years of bottle age and have 30+years of overall longevity. Bravo.

#4 on The Wine Spectator's Top 100 Wines of 2022

95 points Wine Spectator
Well-built and rather refined for the vintage, with a deep well of red and black currant paste and plum reduction flavors supported by a deeply inlaid iron note, all of which run the length of the wine. Offers subtle savory, tobacco and singed cedar notes that add range, with a savory echo that leaves a mouthwatering feel in the end. Built to cellar. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Best from 2025 through 2040.

In fascinating contrast to ?€?Vaillon?€?, Defaix?€?s ?€?C??te de Lechet?€? is a master class in mineral precision. This remarkably steep site (a 45% gradient) with very poor soil produces a wine that Danny describes as embodying ?€?the real, true mineral expression of Chablis.?€? Freshly blasted chalk dominates the nose, with notes of lemon, honey, and fresh herbs lurking underneath; still, this is a wine of minerality first and foremost. The family owns a 3.5-hectare parcel of 45-year-old vines in this distinctive cru, most of which are planted within a parcel known as the Clos des Moines.

92-94 points Wine Advocate
Scents of leather, violets, cherries and strawberries mark the nose of the 2021 Ch??teauneuf du Pape Cuv??e R??serv??e, tasted as a representative assemblage from several foudres. Medium to full-bodied, it's silky but firm, with a long, slightly tannic finish.

As always when visiting Laurence Feraud, there are multiple cuv??es and appellations to sample. In this write-up, I've concentrated on the home estate's wines from Chateauneuf du Pape, but readers shouldn't overlook the C??te du Rh??ne wines from the sister property, Ch??teau du Pegau, the n??gociant offerings under the Selection Laurence Feraud label, or her children's (Justine and Maxim) newly acquired, certified organic estate, Domaine Porte Rouge.

According to Feraud, with 2021, "We're back to an old style of vintage. For me, Ch??teauneuf du Pape is spicy, a bit rustic but not a big, fat, jammy wine."

Rich, viscous, nervy, and wonderfully lemony, Domaine Tempier has created a southern masterpiece. A freshly grilled fish and a hot summer day know no better companion.
Blend: 60% Clairette, 18% Ugni Blanc, 19% Bourboulenc, 3% Marsanne

92 points Wine Spectator
A graceful rose thats lacy and airy in texture, with finely knit acidity enlivening the flavors of ripe cherry and strawberry fruit and lemon chiffon, accented by hints of smoke and spice. Drink now through 2022. 400 cases imported.

91 points Wine Advocate
The NV Brut Rose is very, very pretty. This is a fresh, energetic wine that impresses for its length and persistence. The wiry finish suggests the wine will drink well for a number of years, perhaps more if the fruit fleshes out.

89-92 points Burghound
(85% from Vaumuriens-Haut and 15% from En Chiveau). This is quite firmly reduced and while the underlying fruit appears to be ripe it?€?s difficult to read in this condition. Otherwise there is excellent punch to the chalky- textured and muscular medium weight flavors that conclude in a sleek, chiseled, linear and youthfully austere finish. This is an excellent Pommard villages with fine aging potential.

90pts Wine Spectator
"The Laurent-Perrier NV Brut is a blend of 50% Chardonnay, 35% Pinot Noir and 15% Meunier, and is based on 2009 plus 15-30% reserve wines from two or three vintages. Citrus colored, this signature LP has a refined, fresh and elegant nose with brioche and delicate citrus flavors. Lean, refined and elegant on the palate, this is a dry and silky textured, vivacious, and perfectly fresh and balanced aperitif Champagne. It does not have the opinion-dividing thrill and tension of the Ultra Brut, but will probably find more friends." 90pts WA

"A harmonious Champagne, with a vibrant backbone of acidity and a well-knit mix of poached pear, lemon preserves, smoke and toast. Very accessible. Drink now through 2018. 22,000 cases imported."

92 pts Wine Spectator
An elegant rose, with flavors of dried cherry, oyster shell, candied ginger and orange peel riding through the delicate mousse. Shows fine integration.

Organic

"(50% pinot noir and 25% each of chardonnay and pinot meunier): Pale, bright pink. A wild, pungent bouquet evokes redcurrant, cherry and licorice, with a suave floral quality in the background. Juicy, penetrating red fruit flavors are braced by a note of blood orange and show impressive intensity. Finishes brisk and incisive, with excellent length." 91pts Vinous

"(50% pinot noir and 25% each of chardonnay and pinot meunier): Pale, bright pink. A wild, pungent bouquet evokes redcurrant, cherry and licorice, with a suave floral quality in the background. Juicy, penetrating red fruit flavors are braced by a note of blood orange and show impressive intensity. Finishes brisk and incisive, with excellent length." 91pts Vinous

"Lively and mouthwatering, with flavors of black currant, graphite, candied lemon zest and smoky mineral, supported by a creamy mousse. A balanced crowd-pleaser. Drink now through 2018. 40,000 cases imported." 90pts WS

"Smoky and focused, with an intensity to the racy acidity and tightly knit flavors of white peach, chamomile, crystallized honey, pickled ginger and pink peppercorn. Exhibits lovely texture and offers a long, mineral-tinged finish." 92pts WS

"The wine shows a superb, golden yellow color with a beautiful luminosity and a fine and persistent mousse. The nose is clean and intense with warm, rich notes of brioche, French toast and roasted almonds. On the palate the wine is very supple and harmonious, with notes of honey and minerals on the long, sustained finish. Ruinart Blanc de Blancs is produced from a blend of 100% premiers crus Chardonnay grapes from the best of recent vintages. Grapes from the estate vineyards in Sillery and Brimont (ancestral home of the Ruinart family) are joined by carefully selected grapes from other premiers crus vineyards in the C??te de Blancs and the Montagne de Reims." Winemaker notes

For classic rose Champagne elegance, it is hard to top Ruinart. From the first glance at its rounded bottle, to its strawberry tinted bubbles that dance up the from the bottom of the flute, nothing says "tonight is the night" more than this delightful fizz. Typical baguette notes merge with pinot-noirish aromas and flavors of cranberries and honeysuckle. The top shelf of rose sparklers. - PJ

There's good cut to this, and the firm acidity finds a nice balance with the flavors of bread dough, spiced citrus peel and juicy Golden Delicious apple, with a modest finish. WS 89

90 pts Wine Advocate
The NV Brut Rose Prestige is gorgeous. It shows lovely length and focus in an understated style that is quite appealing. There is tons of depth to the fruit as the wine opens up in the glass. The Rose Prestige can be enjoyed as an aperitif, but it also has enough body to pair beautifully with a wide range of foods. This is a great version of the house?s Rose. This is Lot L1204SZ07700. Disgorged May 2011 (not indicated on label). Anticipated maturity: 2011-2014.

"This seems drier than its stablemate, the famous Yellow Label, and is the better for it. There is an urgent freshness here, driven by red currants and tight plum skin flavors. It is lively but full in the mouth, and shows just the right bottle age." 91pts WE

Made using 50 to 60 different crus, the cuvee is based on Brut Yellow Label's traditional blend: 50 to 55% Pinot Noir, 15 to 20% Pinot Meunier, and 28 to 33% Chardonnay.

Like a sweeter version of a good blanc de blancs, with graphite, honey and lemon notes that mix with the richness and lively acidity. - WS88

Organic

90 points Vinous
The 2019 Brut Nature Blanc de Noirs L'Arbre, from a parcel in Pouillon, is seriously impressive. Bright, focused and super-polished, with tons of aromatic presence, L'Arbre shows a refined, elegant side of Meunier that stands apart from the typically bigger style found in most mono-varietal bottlings. There's tons of energy and vibrancy. The 2019 feels a bit severe, but some of that may be attributable to its recent disgorgement. Naturally the vintages are different, but the 2018 version is quite a bit more open.

100% Pinot Meunier from the single parcel of Voyet in the Marne village of Pouillon, this is the Cuillier family's most historic vineyard. Sandy soils over limestone. The winery embraces regenerative principles of cover cropping and low-/no-till farming to increase soil organic matter and to preserve and enhance biodiversity. Applies homemade composts to enrich soil and incorporates Vitiforestry, which is the intentional integration of trees into the vineyards (a.k.a Agroforestry when integrated into other agricultural crops). Indigenous yeast fermentation in small stainless steel tank. Aged in tank for 12 months followed by 36 months sur lattes. No fining or filtration, disgorged by hand, zero dosage.