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 | "Cyril Gautheron is a superb producer making wines in a crisp cool classically Chablis… More (+) "Cyril Gautheron is a superb producer making wines in a crisp cool classically Chablis style, which is now really quite hard to achieve in these warmer seasons." – Jasper Morris, on Gautheron's 2022sFourneaux premier cru “Vieilles Vignes” 2022 saw 15% oak, which contributes roundness and complexity. Its most impressive feature, however, is its showy length on the palate, a result of the old vine concentration. The balance of depth, energy, fruit and stones here is just terrific. We expect lovely evolution and a long, happy life for this wine. Less (-) | |
 | "Cyril Gautheron is a superb producer making wines in a crisp cool classically Chablis… More (+) "Cyril Gautheron is a superb producer making wines in a crisp cool classically Chablis style, which is now really quite hard to achieve in these warmer seasons." – Jasper Morris, on Gautheron's 2022sThis Montmains cuvée, from old vines, is magnificent this year. Impeccable balance amid lush fruit and piercing stones. Morris gave it his coveted 5 star rating, awarding 92-95 pts and writing "This has the requisite bite, the reductive crunch with massive intensity, all the power without the heaviness. Very fine long aftertaste. A classic in the making." Less (-) | |
 | Gautier Desvignes has become well known among our readers (and in the wine press)… More (+) Gautier Desvignes has become well known among our readers (and in the wine press) for his gorgeous, affordable, beautifully crafted Burgundies from Givry. William Kelley of the Wine Advocate calls him “one of the leading lights in the Côte Chalonnaise.” But alongside a stellar lineup of reds that grab most of the attention, Desvignes is also a skilled crafter of whites Burgundies. His minimal use of oak and careful fermentation achieves white Givrys with terrific balance of fruit, freshness, and minerals.Gautier’s 2022 village level “En Cheneves” is crisp and precise with a lovely mix of stones and yellow fruit. It’s 90% Chardonnay with 10% Pinot Blanc, a combination that gives beautiful aromatics with classy and concentrated texture. (Picture a particularly accessible St-Aubin, but at a discount.) It’s light on oak, and mostly about ripe springtime fruit – easy and friendly. Less (-) | |
 | We’ve long enjoyed the delicious and well-priced St-Emilion from Chateau Montlisse. Made from 85%… More (+) We’ve long enjoyed the delicious and well-priced St-Emilion from Chateau Montlisse. Made from 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc, it’s a rich, velvety blend with a classic combination of dark fruit and spice, but well supported by a solid backbone and lively freshness. We’ve just received the terrific 2019, and it’s as good as ever.From a magnificent vintage, the 2019 Château Montlisse is everything you want from a sub-$50 Bordeaux: smooth and elegant, with mellow fruit and gorgeous earthy notes, and a solid core of structure and concentration. Look for notes of plums and toast with cassis, dark chocolate and dried violets. Neal Martin in Vinous cited “fine grained tannins and well judged acidity,” concluding, “this is a classy offering from Montlisse.” Pour this with a steak salad or this hearty Mushroom Farro. Less (-) | |
 | We found Piero’s 2021 Chianti Classico Riserva extraordinary – perhaps the best vintage he’s made. It’s… More (+) We found Piero’s 2021 Chianti Classico Riserva extraordinary – perhaps the best vintage he’s made. It’s long and sleek, packed with deep black fruit and tension. The oak is already integrated beautifully, as are the tannins. It will drink better young than recent vintages, but has more than enough material to go the distance. Galloni thought the 2021 Bugialla “another superb offering,” and awarded 94 points, finding “macerated black cherry, dried herbs, lavender and spice, all [ ] amplified in the glass.” Bear in mind that Riservas are big wines and generally need a few years to show their finer points. Less (-) | |
 | We have worked with the Domaine Vessigaud for just a few vintages, but we… More (+) We have worked with the Domaine Vessigaud for just a few vintages, but we see the same knack for making the most of the clay-limestone terroir that underlies Pouilly-Fuissé’s possibilities. Vessigaud is Demeter certified (the highest Biodynamic level), and the results in the glass are obvious: vibrant wines full of tension and bursting with life. We are not alone in our views — as William Kelley writes: “succulent but serious, any bottle bearing Vessigaud’s label is worth seeking out.”The Pouilly-Fuissé “Vieilles Vignes” 2023 is the principal cuvée of the domaine, made from 20 small parcels scattered across the Fuissé part of the appellation. The vines range from 40 to 70 years old, face all four points of the compass, and grow in a variety of marl, clay and limestone soils. Elevage for this cuvée is 80% in larger, older, oak barrels, and 20% in concrete vats, all for 18 months. The result is a wine of excellent balance and complexity. A series of very hot days at the end of the 2023 growing season concentrated the grapes, both in freshness and ripeness, making this a big, well balanced Pouilly-Fuissé. Less (-) | |
 | A humble thirtysomething winemaker with a near limitless attention to detail, Gautier landed at… More (+) A humble thirtysomething winemaker with a near limitless attention to detail, Gautier landed at his family’s domaine a decade ago, and has since transformed it into one of the region’s superstars. We find ourselves saying this almost every year, but his 2023s are the best he’s made – ripe and sleek with perfect extraction and maturity, vibrant textures, and elegant, lifting finishes. Gautier called them “digeste” (roughly, “digestible”), which is an excellent characterization.At the northern end of town lies the Givry 1er cru “Clos Charlé,” a Givry of a different character. This is finer and more chiseled, with beautiful detail and loads of dark fresh fruit. The tannins are fine grained and seamless, with pretty notes of rose petals and cool berries. It has the weight of a Beaune 1er cru, with a stony freshness amid the perfectly detailed fruit. Less (-) | |
 | A humble thirtysomething winemaker with a near limitless attention to detail, Gautier landed at… More (+) A humble thirtysomething winemaker with a near limitless attention to detail, Gautier landed at his family’s domaine a decade ago, and has since transformed it into one of the region’s superstars. We find ourselves saying this almost every year, but his 2023s are the best he’s made – ripe and sleek with perfect extraction and maturity, vibrant textures, and elegant, lifting finishes. Gautier called them “digeste” (roughly, “digestible”), which is an excellent characterization.The Givry 1er cru “Clos du Vernoy” is the domaine’s monopole, and it’s beautiful this year. Located just behind the domaine, this is the most serious of Gautier’s cuvées – the most ambitious and probably the most impressive, given time. It is tightly wound with notes of plum, cassis and cool earth: compact and well built, with inky tannins to match the gorgeous fruit. Try this in six months and you’ll be really impressed; try it in 18 months and you might trade in your stock of Gevrey-Chambertin for more of it. Less (-) |