96 Points - New Zealand Wine Rater. A wonderful Burgundian style Chardonnay from a producer who carefully select fruit from Marlborough's top organic single vineyards to produce wines of great elegance and complexity. A polished, complex nose that leaps from the glass. Bursting with appealing grapefruit and peach aromas with complex notes of toasted sourdough, popcorn and white pepper lees influence. The most impressive thing about this wine is the poise, balance and restraint on the palate. It'

Situated in an enviable small enclave among the classified growths of Saint-Julien, 5 hectares of vines are surrounded by the grand crus classés of Leoville Barton, Gruaud Larose, Beychevelle and Talbot. "The Château Moulin de la Rose Saint-Julien is a wonderful showing. It instantly starts off with aromas of red and dark berries woven together with flowers, spices, new leather and toast all unwinding in the glass. On the palate this is medium to full-bodied with excellent structure and wonderfu

92-95 Points - Jasper Morris MW. A rare chance to savour the stunning Meursault Cuvee Charles Maxime 2021 from Meursault masters, Domaine Latour Giraud. 2021 was a lovely but hugely challenging vintage in Burgundy. The little wine that was made offers a delicious combination of freshness, elegance, and harmony. The Cuvee Charles Maxime is a wonderful example of how good 2021 white Burgundy can be.  Boasting generous quantities of citrus, almonds, lemon confit and just a hint of butter, it’s powe

96 Points - bettane et desseauve. 'La Cuvée' comes from the purest grape juice and it alone allows Laurent‑Perrier to craft a champagne of great finesse and a beautiful freshness obtained after a long ageing process (4 years) in their cellars. Laurent‑Perrier’s style and personality are defined by its very high proportion of Chardonnay, made up of Chardonnay 50%, Pinot Noir 30-35%, Meunier 10-15% sourced from over 100 different Crus for maximum complexity and balance. Sensory Characteristics Eye

96 Points - bettane et desseauve. Laurent‑Perrier is selective when declaring vintages from only the very best years to create a rare and exceptional wine, characteristic of the House’s style. The 2012 wine year was complicated with winter and spring frosts, hail and cryptogamic diseases, which had an impact on the yield, which was rather moderate. The dry, sunny summer allowed the grapes to ripen to perfection allowing for an exceptional harvest. Sensory Characteristics EyeThe wine is white gol

The Planeta Chardonnay has become an illustration of the changes in Sicilian wine. It was created from a wish to compete in the world production of this noble and widespread variety. After a long process beginning in 1985, today Planeta’s Chardonnay is an icon for the whole of Sicily. A rich light gold colour, deep but transparent, the pleasing contrast of creaminess and crunchiness. A soft white wine supported by a refreshing note of acidity, with a slight mineral touch which harmoniously combi

Bronze Medal Winner. 2021 was a glorious year for Bordeaux and the vintage’s quality filtered down to the petit chateaux as the Bois de Rolland Cuvee Prestige 2021 shows. A year of extremes that saw everything from drought to deluges, hail to heat waves, all set against the COVID-19 pandemic, it was a vintage where winemakers needed to be on their guard. Those who were watchful saw reduced harvests of exceptionally ripe grapes that produced wines of wonderful quality. Awards Bronze Medal - Decan

90 Points - Gilbert et Gaillard. Champagne Bonvalet began with a wild dream: to create a Maison de Champagne from scratch. In 2012, Guillaume created his first cuvée, which took two more years of patience to distribute the first 2000 bottles of Champagne Bonvalet. Kosmos Blanc de Blancs is a 100% Chardonnay cuvee with 3 years maturation showing generous citrus and floral aromas with a lovely effervescence. Taste: "The nose of this Champagne is generous, with citrus and floral aromas. The palate

93 Points - VertdeVin. The 2,5 hectare parcel producing just 10,000 bottles of this confidential wine stand in a mythical triangle of vines surrounded by Château Palmer, Rauzan Segla and Cantenac Brown, just the finest terroir one could hope for in the appellation. "Generous nose showing fruits in brandy, dried fruits and fine oakiness. Warm, expressive attack echoing the nose beautifully. The mid-palate and finish are firmer and bolder in this characterful wine."  The wine is the epitome of the

90 Points - Jeff Leve. Château Vrai Canon Bouché hails from Canon Fronsac and since 2005 it has become one of this commune’s leading wines. Its single vineyard is planted with a blend of 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Franc and is hand-tended like it was a garden. The owners have steadily reduced the use of chemicals and have deployed natural methods to restore the soil’s vitality. 2017 was a particularly successful year for the property. Writing in the Wine Insider, Jeff Leve awarded it 90 points

J Vineyards bright and appealing Russian River Valley Chardonnay showcases the best of this classic cool-climate region. Aromas of citrus and orange blossom open with every swirl. Smooth and beautifully balanced, notes of yellow apple, meyer lemon and pear layer with suggestions of toasted macadamia and creamy almond. Hints of light toast and spice lift the fruit characteristics. The palate is rich, full and beautifully textured before finishing with a crisp and delicate flourish. Wine Press Rat

Recently purchased by the Tinazzi family, Pian del Gallo is located in Greve, one of the eight communes that form the Chianti Classico DOCG. Certified Organic for over 20 years, 2022 marked the first vintage from Pian del Gallo under the Tinazzi stewardship, making it one of Tinazzi's flagship names. Their Merlot Toscana is a wine with great fruit structure, fine tannins and a complex aromatic profile full of black fruits; the wines of Pian del Gallo are ones to follow. Taste A Merlot Toscana wi

Savvy white Burgundy buyers know Montagny Premier Cru is arguably the region’s best-value wine. What Domaine Masse does, is couple value with wines of outstanding quality. Produced from their small parcel of low-yielding old Chardonnay vines, their 2023 Montagny has a level of concentration that’s rarely found in this prodigious vintage. Elegant and well-structured, the sensitive use of oak has given a fine white Burgundy that many famous name producers would envy. It is offerings like this that

Château des Correaux’s Saint Veran is made from grapes drawn from the domaine’s own superb vineyards. Saint Veran's wines rarely fetch the high prices of its more fashionable neighbours making wines like this a rare Burgundy bargain. Château des Correaux’s approach to winemaking blends tradition with innovation. Most of the work is done in the vineyard following sustainable practices while intervention in the winery is kept to a minimum. Winemaker Germain Bernard wants his vines to speak for the

The 2nd wine of the Grand Cru Classé Château Jean Faure, La Reserve is a 50/50 blend of Merlot & Cabernet Franc, vinified separately to express the unique terroir of Château Jean Faure, the very same as its illustrious neighbours Cheval Blanc and Figeac. A wonderful introduction to a Château with a long history and which is located on one of the most prestigious terroirs of Saint-Émilion. Tasting Notes The black cherry colour of the wine also glimmers with very shiny ruby hues. The nose is r

90 Points - Wine Enthusiast. In the southernmost part of Burgundy’s Côte de Beaune, the 392 hectares (969 acres) of Santenay’s vines take root on the first slopes of the Mont de Sene hill. The name of this appellation refers to Roman times when the village was renowned for its thermal baths and its natural spring, "Santinae aquae", meaning "healing water" in Latin. Notes  of white flowers (acacia) and opens on lemon and candied pineapple. The palate is rich and mineral with a nice salinity, whi

Clement Fayat set up his construction business in the 1950’s. Having grown it to the 4th largest in its sector (just behind Bouygues – owners of Chateau Montrose) he decided to follow his passion and began to invest in properties in Bordeaux. A lover of Pomerol, he purchased Prieurs de la Commanderie in 1984 and has begun to achieve the potential quality that rough diamond always promised. Dusty garnet colour. Aromas and flavours of mocha, toasty pistachio, and berry tart with a supple, bright,

The Barossa’s tiny 2020 vintage – yields were 50% lower than the ten-year average – tested the winemaking mettle of all producers. The Lou Miranda team routinely take a fanatical approach to vineyard care, but in 2020 daily assessments were undertaken to ensure grapes were picked at the optimum moment. This turned out to be up to three weeks earlier than usual. The tiny harvest was sorted, pressed and fermented in stainless steel for nine days. The team watched fermentation like Goshawks to ensu

A medium bodied Chardonnay (with a dash of Sauvignon Blanc) with flavours of fresh nectarine, grapefruit and pear, with a soft, creamy palate complimented by textural oak. Fowles Wine vineyards are situated on a similar latitude to renowned wine regions like Gisborne in New Zealand, Sonoma and Napa Valleys in the USA, Mendoza in Argentina, Sicily in Italy, and Jerez in Spain and as the southernmost and coolest state on mainland Australia and has gained fame for its diverse wine regions and refre

Premier Cru quality Burgundy for village money, Domaine Monnier owns 1.4 hectares of the famous lieu-dit (named place) of Meursault’s Clos du Cromin. Located on the Volnay hill, its clay and stone soils provide ideal conditions for producing exceptional quality Chardonnay. Domaine Monnier’s Meursault Clos du Cromin 2022 was produced from low-yielding old vines which clearly benefited from the challenging, but outstanding conditions this vintage bought. Powerful yet subtle and refined and with wo

A wonderfully complex Blanc de Blancs champagne from the outstanding 2015 vintage. Michel Genet and his team are 'manufacteurs de Grands Crus' and their MG BB Vintage offers aromas of pastries with fragrances of fresh nuts and candied fruits, followed by tobacco, menthol anise and eucalyptus. This has a rich aromatic palette and powerful finish. About the Producer “Manufacteurs de Grands Crus”. Michel Genet like to call themselves “manufacteurs” (“artisans”) from the word’s Latin origins in manu

Montagny, an appellation in the Côte Chalonnaise region of Burgundy only make white wines and are a fuller style and offer great value for money. This Multi award winning wine from Domaine Feuillat-Juillot is from a small 1 hectare parcel of 28 year old vines, which are carefully hand picked to ensure selection of only the best quality fruit.  Beautifully balanced wine with a mineral, chalky nose with a touch of oyster shell and floral notes. Delicious on its own or paired with shellfish and fis

Recently awarded premier cru status "Les Crays” is a terroir of limestone scree on blue Pliensbachian marl. This south-facing slope, bright and protected from the cool north wind, produces fatty wines with chiseled minerality revealing rich and multiple citrus aromas. This cuvée is harvested on several plots planted between 1930 and 1966 forming 2.16 hectares in total. 4.2 Vivino (September 2024) Wine Press Ratings 93 Points - The Wine Front (2020) 91 Points - Decanter (2020) "In 2020, there was