90+ Points | Critical Acclaim | Wine & Sparkling Wine

Antinori · Pian delle Vigne · Rosso di Montalcino 2024

Pian delle Vigne is Antinori’s estate in the hills surrounding Montalcino, Tuscany. The 2024 Rosso di Montalcino is a Tuscan red for the table, suited to pairing with hearty, savory dishes.

Expert Review · 2023 Vintage

Jeb Dunnuck · 90 Points · 2023
A youthful medium red hue, the 2023 Rosso Di Montalcino is expressive and ripe out of the gate, with notes of baked red cherries, leather, and balsamic herbs. Plush and inviting, the palate is ripe with pliant tannins and medium to full-bodied richness. It's delightful now and will drink well over the coming 5-6 years.

Food Pairings

Enjoy it with pasta with tomato sauce, roasted poultry, grilled meats, or aged cheeses.

At a Glance

• Producer: Antinori
• Estate: Pian delle Vigne
• Wine: Rosso di Montalcino
• Vintage: 2024
• Country: Italy
• Region: Tuscany
• Bottle size: 750ml

A versatile Tuscan red for relaxed dinners and generous, savory food.

Prunotto Barbaresco Classico · Piedmont · 2023

Prunotto, part of the Antinori family portfolio, makes this Barbaresco from Nebbiolo grown in Piedmont's Langhe hills. A classic choice for the table, it brings together red-fruit character, floral lift and the structure that makes Barbaresco rewarding with food.

The existing tasting notes describe cherry, wild strawberry, rose petals, spice and earthy accents, with vibrant acidity and graceful tannins. Pair with roasted meats, mushroom dishes, truffle pasta or aged cheeses.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2023 

Graphite, macerated cherry and raspberry aromas and flavors highlight this supple, vibrant red. Remains succulent and balanced from beginning to end, with ample structure to age gracefully.

Wine Spectator · 93 points

Pouring a pale ruby color, the 2023 Barbaresco comes from vineyards in Barbaresco and Treiso, including fruit from Monteribaldi. It opens with a lifted and expressive bouquet of ripe strawberries, mixed berries, purple flowers, and dusty earth, with subtle darker undertones. Medium-bodied, it shows vibrant acidity, salinity, and bright fruit with wonderful length and energy. Destemmed and fermented in stainless steel and aged in large barrels, it’s already very appealing now but should age nicely as well.

Jeb Dunnuck · 92 points (2023 vintage)

A subtle wine with red-cherry and red-currant aromas, enhanced by camphor and a fresh floral bouquet. The supple, medium-bodied palate shows crisp acidity and lightly framed tannins, with grip in the finish. Drink or hold.

James Suckling · 92 points

Wine Details

• Producer: Prunotto (Antinori)
• Appellation: Barbaresco DOCG, Piedmont, Italy
• Vintage: 2023
• Grape: Nebbiolo
• Size: 750ml

Powerful and generous, this distinguished Grand Cru red Burgundy opens with aromas of blackcurrant and blackberry. The 2023 vintage unfolds with black cherry, licorice, and nutmeg on the palate, finishing with a touch of pepper and impressive length.

Made from 100% Pinot Noir, this signature cuvée brings together five Domaine Louis Latour vineyards on the Corton hillside: Bressandes, Perrières, Grèves, Clos du Roi, and Chaumes. Each is aged separately before the finest barrels are selected for the final blend.

Hand-harvested grapes from mature vines undergo traditional fermentation in open vats, followed by ten to twelve months in French oak barrels, 35% new. The result combines concentrated fruit, spice, and the depth expected of Corton Grand Cru.

Expert Ratings

97 Pts James Suckling: Fresh, lively and elegant, this is not at all what the world expects from this Grand Cru, but it is so exciting, whipping across your palate at a very brisk clip. Silky tannins and a really long, stony finish with terrific energy. Drink or hold.

94 Wine Spectator: Graphite, smoke, black cherry, blackberry, earth, sandalwood and toasty oak flavors permeate this muscular red. Feels balanced and complex despite a final impression of gripping tannins; this just needs time. Best from 2029 through 2050

Grape: 100% Pinot Noir
Place: Aloxe-Corton, Côte de Beaune, Burgundy, France
Appellation: Corton Grand Cru AOC
Style: Dry red wine, oak-aged
Aging: 10–12 months in French oak, 35% new
Serving temperature: 61–63°F (16–17°C)
Producer’s cellaring potential: 10–15 years

Generous fruit and silky texture meet in this elegant Premier Cru red Burgundy. The 2023 vintage opens with expressive aromas of blackcurrant and licorice, followed by a full, rounded palate with notes of mocha. Supple tannins and lively freshness carry the wine into a long, graceful finish.

Made from 100% Pinot Noir, “En Chevret” comes from an east-facing vineyard just below “Les Caillerets,” near the border with Meursault. Vines averaging 25 years of age grow in clay-limestone soils, with grapes harvested by hand.

Traditional fermentation in open vats is followed by ten to twelve months in French oak barrels, 35% new, crafted at Louis Latour’s own cooperage. This careful aging complements the wine’s fruit and adds depth to its polished character.

Expert Rating

95 James Suckling: Spicy, lifted notes of black cherries, dried herbs, pencil shavings, potpourri and cola. Tightly wound with finely tuned tannins and energetic acidity, this has a textural, grippy and fruit-driven palate. There's so much to love here for early drinking with fine structure and a mineral finish. Drink or hold.

Grape: 100% Pinot Noir
Place: Volnay, Côte de Beaune, Burgundy, France
Appellation: Volnay Premier Cru AOC
Vineyard: En Chevret
Style: Dry red wine, oak-aged
Aging: 10–12 months in French oak, 35% new
Serving temperature: 59–63°F (15–17°C)
Producer’s cellaring potential: 7–15 years

Richly expressive and beautifully rounded, this Premier Cru red Burgundy opens with aromas of wild strawberry, licorice, and forest floor. The 2022 vintage offers silky tannins and a generous palate, revealing cherry, fresh almond, and lingering licorice notes.

Made from 100% Pinot Noir, “Les Chaillots” comes from Aloxe-Corton, the historic home of the Latour family in Burgundy’s Côte de Beaune. The vineyard’s name derives from “caillou,” meaning pebble, a reference to its stony soils of limestone, alluvial sand, and gravel.

Grapes are harvested by hand from vines averaging 35 years of age. Traditional fermentation in open vats is followed by ten to twelve months in French oak barrels, 35% new, crafted at Louis Latour’s own cooperage.

Expert Rating

94 points by James Suckling: Here’s the proof that Aloxe-Corton can produce well-structured and sophisticated wines. Only red fruit, but at the riper end of that spectrum, with just a hint of positive vegetal character. The healthy tannins build very nicely in the finish, and there’s a mineral freshness that gives this an extra dimension.

Grape: 100% Pinot Noir

Place: Aloxe-Corton, Côte de Beaune, Burgundy, France
Appellation: Aloxe-Corton Premier Cru AOC
Vineyard: Les Chaillots
Style: Dry red wine, oak-aged
Aging: 10–12 months in French oak, 35% new
Serving temperature: 59–63°F (15–17°C)
Producer’s cellaring potential: 10–15 years

Silky and inviting, this classic red Burgundy opens with aromas of cherry and forest floor. The 2023 vintage offers a rounded, fresh palate with expressive blackcurrant flavors and a delicate finish, balancing fruit with subtle earthy complexity.

Made from 100% Pinot Noir grown in Santenay, at the southern end of Burgundy’s Côte de Beaune, the wine comes from hand-harvested grapes on vines averaging 30 years of age. Marl and limestone soils contribute to its regional character, while traditional fermentation in open vats is followed by ten to twelve months in stainless steel to preserve freshness and fruit expression.

Awarded 92 points by Vert de Vin, it is a versatile accompaniment to beef in red wine sauce, rabbit terrine, or creamy Brie. Serve slightly cool.

Grape: 100% Pinot Noir
Place: Santenay, Côte de Beaune, Burgundy, France
Appellation: Santenay AOC — Village
Style: Dry red wine
Aging: 10–12 months in stainless steel
Serving temperature: 57–59°F (14–15°C)
Producer’s cellaring potential: 3–5 years

Expressive and generous, this distinctive Pinot Noir combines dark fruit and warm spice with refreshing energy. The 2022 vintage reveals aromas of black cherry, mocha, nutmeg, and licorice. On the palate, rich fruit and licorice notes are supported by pleasing tannins and lively freshness.

Grown in the southern Beaujolais countryside, “Les Pierres Dorées” brings Louis Latour’s Burgundian expertise to vineyards around Morancé and Theizé. Clay-limestone soils rich in iron oxide give the landscape its characteristic ochre color, while elevations of 280–400 meters help preserve freshness in the grapes.

Expert Rating

90 Points · James Suckling: “This pinot noir, from a high-altitude limestone terroir in the south of the Beaujolais region, has an eye-popping freshness. Juicy and crisp with plenty of crunchy sour cherry fruit plus a touch of licorice. Restrained tannins, but they are quite dry. These vineyards were planted from 2012 and now total 20 hectares.”

Made from 100% Pinot Noir, the wine is fermented in traditional open vats and aged for ten to twelve months in a combination of stainless steel and French oak barrels. Awarded 90 points by James Suckling, it offers an appealing balance of richness, aromatic complexity, and freshness.

Serve slightly cool alongside herb-crusted lamb, roasted quail, tuna tartare, or goat cheese.

Grape: 100% Pinot Noir
Place: Southern Beaujolais, Burgundy, France
Appellation: Coteaux Bourguignons AOC
Style: Dry red wine
Aging: 10–12 months in stainless steel and French oak
Serving temperature: 57–61°F (14–16°C)
Producer’s cellaring potential: 5–7 years

Power, elegance, and exceptional pedigree come together in this Grand Cru Chardonnay from Burgundy’s celebrated Corton hillside. The 2023 vintage reveals a brilliant pale-yellow color and expressive aromas of toasted almond and vanilla. Generous and full-bodied, the palate unfolds with fresh almond and roasted coffee notes, leading to a long, richly layered finish. Sourced from southeast-facing vineyards with stony limestone soils, this wine reflects Louis Latour’s historic connection to Corton-Charlemagne, where the family is the appellation’s largest vineyard owner. Hand-picked grapes undergo barrel fermentation and full malolactic fermentation, followed by eight to ten months in 100% new French oak barrels crafted at the house’s own cooperage. Awarded 98 points by James Suckling, this distinguished white Burgundy offers the depth for special-occasion dining and a producer-estimated cellaring potential of 10–15 years. Serve alongside lobster, fine fish dishes, shellfish, or mature cheeses for a memorable pairing.

Expert Ratings

98 James Suckling: 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.

94 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: Latour'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.
Barrel Sample: 92-94

93 Wine Spectator: Opulent, 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.

Grape: 100% Chardonnay
Place: Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru, Aloxe-Corton, Côte de Beaune, Burgundy, France.

Primus · Carménère · Apalta, Colchagua 2022

Primus finds its home in Chile’s Apalta Valley, where the producer describes a respectful approach to the vineyard rooted in regenerative organic and biodynamic principles. This 2022 Carménère brings the region’s red-fruit and herbal character to a bottle made for the table.

The winemaker describes red fruit, cedar and boldo herbs, with cherry, pepper and rosemary on a fresh, fruity palate. Silky, velvety tannins and good volume make it a natural companion for beef empanadas, curried lamb or a slow-cooked stew.

Expert reviews · 2022 vintage

James Suckling · 91 points

Sweet spices, preserved cherries and hints of white pepper and grilled herbs. Fresh, medium-bodied palate with slightly chewy tannins. From organically grown grapes with Ecocert certification. Vegan. Sustainable. Better in two more years.

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate · 91 points

The 2022 Primus Carmenere represents the Neyen de Apalta style well, offering woody, herbal and slightly resinous aromas against a bed of ripe yet succulent red fruit aromas. The palate is plush and layered while remaining contained and classy, concluding with a refined, elegant finish.

Wine Spectator · 89 points

Redolent with wild berry and cherry notes, this red weaves in sage, mace and mineral accents that linger nicely around fine tannins and peppery accents. Drink now through 2030. 4,300 cases made, 1,000 cases imported.

Wine details

• Producer: Primus
• Vintage: 2022
• Grape: Carménère
• Origin: Apalta, Colchagua Valley, Chile
• Farming: Organically grown grapes, per the existing James Suckling review
• Style: Red wine
• Size: 750ml
• Pair with: beef empanadas, curried lamb or stews

An Apalta red with ripe fruit, savory herbs and a silky finish.

MAGNUM SIZE: Agrapart · L’Avizoise Grand Cru · Champagne 2019

Grand Cru pedigree. Remarkable depth. Magnificent in magnum.

A magnum of vintage Blanc de Blancs from Avize in Champagne’s Côte des Blancs, L’Avizoise is Agrapart’s expression of the upper hillside, where the estate’s existing producer profile describes more clay over the chalk. This is the powerful side of Avize, framed by the chalky character that defines the village.

The Agrapart family has bottled Champagne under its own name since the domaine’s founding in 1894. Pascal Agrapart helped establish its reputation for site-driven wines; Ambroise joined him in the 2018 vintage. For this 2019 Extra Brut, the 1.5-liter format makes a striking bottle to open around a generous table.

From the existing producer profile

“At the top of the hill where there is more clay, he produces his most powerful wine, ‘L’Avizoise’.”

Powerful, expressive, and beautifully textured, Pascal Agrapart’s Avizoise 2019 showcases the generous side of Grand Cru Chardonnay. Presented in an impressive 1.5-liter magnum—the equivalent of two standard bottles—this vintage Blanc de Blancs brings depth and elegance to a celebratory table or a carefully chosen Champagne collection.

The 2019 combines ripe orchard fruit and citrus with floral nuances, freshly baked bread, and a chalky mineral character. Its concentrated, richly textured palate is enlivened by fine bubbles and vibrant freshness, delivering a Champagne with both presence and finesse.

The Vineyard: Grand Cru Avize

Avizoise comes from the Robarts and Gros Yeux parcels in Avize, a Grand Cru village in Champagne’s Côte des Blancs. These sites share a deep layer of clay-rich topsoil over chalk, a geological profile that contributes to the cuvée’s distinctive density and richness. Made entirely from Chardonnay, Avizoise expresses this terroir in a style that is generous, elegant, and particularly well suited to the dining table.

About Pascal Agrapart

Based in Avize, Pascal Agrapart is a grower-producer working exclusively with estate-grown grapes. Pascal and his son Ambroise tend approximately 12 hectares of vineyards, predominantly planted to Chardonnay in Grand Cru villages of the Côte des Blancs.

The domaine places living soils at the center of its vineyard philosophy. Ploughing and compost made from local ingredients help sustain the health of the vineyards, while careful harvesting and pressing preserve the character of the fruit. The Champagnes are bottled at the estate without fining or filtration and are riddled by hand.

Serving & Food Pairings

Serve in a tulip-shaped Champagne glass or a white wine glass to allow the aromas and texture to unfold. Suggested pairings include butter-poached lobster, seared scallops, roast chicken, turbot with a creamy sauce, or aged Comté. The magnum format makes an especially striking centerpiece for a dinner or celebration.

Wine Details

• Producer: Pascal Agrapart
• Cuvée: Avizoise
• Vintage: 2019
• Region: Champagne, France
• Origin: Avize, Côte des Blancs
• Classification: Grand Cru
• Grape: 100% Chardonnay
• Style: Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut
• Bottle Size: Magnum — 1.5 Liter

Ratings & Reviews

Vinous 97

97The 2019 Brut Nature Blanc de Blancs L’Avizoise Grand Cru is dialed up to the maximum. Ample and broad on the palate, the Avizoise is seriously impressive right out of the gate. So expressive today, the 2019 will only improve over time. Even in the early going, it soars with tremendous textural resonance and body. The natural gravitas of these sites (Champboutons and Bionnes) in Avize comes through loud and clear. The Avizoise is the most dense and potent of these Champagnes from Agrapart. It is bottled with no dosage but does have 3 grams of natural residual sugar. Disgorged: June 2025; multiple disgorgements throughout the year. - By Antonio Galloni on November 2025.

97 James Suckling

Reviewed October 2025

An austere nose of lime zest, chalk and lemon leaves. It needs time in the glass to become gentler, with lemon curd and apple flavors, pinprick bubbles, a medium body and very good concentration that’s typical of the vintage. A restrained wine with zesty, integrated acidity and a super tight-knit texture. Drink or hold.

Wine Advocate 95 Points 

Review Date: 03/2026

Disgorged in October 2025 without dosage, the 2019 Blanc de Blancs Avizoise leaps from the glass with a flamboyant bouquet of orange confit, ripe peach and rose apple, mingled with freshly baked bread. On the palate, it is full-bodied and immensely concentrated, open-knit and muscular, with a rich, textural core of fruit and succulent yet vibrant acidity, enlivened by a pinpoint mousse and concluding with a flavorful finish tinged with orange. Avizoise is often the richest and most demonstrative wine in the portfolio, but this year it goes well beyond that descriptor. A residual sugar of around four grams per liter lends a more generous, giving style, and the wine will age on its concentration rather than its acidity. As ever, it derives from clay-rich soils in the commune of Avize and is typically where Agrapart begins the harvest; yields were reduced by some 30% due to frost this year. (KK)

An Avize-focused Champagne for a gathering worth opening a magnum.

Paitin di Pasquero-Elia · Barbaresco Serraboella Sorì Paitin DOCG · Piedmont · 2022

For eight generations the Pasquero-Elia family has farmed the hills of Neive, weathering wars and hard vintages to build a deep, lasting bond with their land. Since 1893 their Sorì Paitin, the warmest, steepest, southwest-facing slope of the Serraboella MGA cru, has been one of the traditional benchmarks of Neive's Barbaresco.

Paitin's approach is rooted in classic Piedmontese winemaking and in patience: long macerations and unhurried aging that let the terroir speak. In 2022 the family didn't make its Vecchie Vigne, so fruit from those old vines went into this bottling instead, which makes it an especially strong year for this wine.

Tasting Notes

Dark and layered, with graphite, licorice and pencil shavings over raspberry, macerated cherry, strawberry and blood orange. Clove, hazelnut, rose and a cool mint lift emerge as it opens. The active limestone soils give it volume, firm tannins and bright, steely acidity. It's a structured, long, detailed Barbaresco that will reward cellaring.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2022

96 Points — Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
"Because the Vecchie Vigne was not made in 2022, fruit from the old vines was directed to this wine instead. The Paitin 2022 Barbaresco Serraboella Sorì Paitin is a beautiful wine with dark elements of graphite, dusty root, pencil shaving and licorice. This site has active limestone, and this brings a sense of greater volume in terms of mouthfeel, tannic firmness and balanced acidity."

94 Points — James Suckling
"Well defined aromas express a striking mix of clove, mushroom and hazelnut. On the palate, sweet spice infuses the raspberry canvas. This is vertical and fairly austere, with dry tannins around the edges which bolster the wine with a forceful grip. Steely acidity accentuates, and some cooling mint, rose and pepper emerge as the wine opens. Dynamic rather than elegant, and in need of more time. In Piemontese dialect, sorì refers to the best exposed slope of a hill. For the Paitin estate, that means the warmest, steepest section of the Serraboella MGA, which faces southwest."

93 Points — Wine Spectator
"A generous, lively red, this evokes strawberry, cherry, raspberry, rose hip, eucalyptus and mineral flavors. Firmly structured, with a linear path of assertive tannins gripping the finish. Nonetheless, this is long and detailed."

91–94 Points (Barrel Sample) — Vinous
"The 2022 Barbaresco Sorì Paitin is a promising wine. Although not fully formed, the 2022 possesses notable textural depth. Macerated cherry, blood orange, spice, menthol and crushed autumn leaves build with some coaxing. I am looking forward to checking in on this once it has been bottled."

Pairings & Serving

• Tajarin or risotto with white truffle or mushrooms
• Braised beef, brasato al Barolo, and slow-roasted lamb
• Wild game and aged cheeses like Parmigiano-Reggiano and Castelmagno
• Decant 1–2 hours and serve at 60–64°F. Cellar-worthy for many years.

Specs

• Producer: Paitin di Pasquero-Elia
• Wine: Barbaresco Serraboella Sorì Paitin
• Vintage: 2022
• Country: Italy
• Region: Piedmont
• Appellation: Barbaresco DOCG (Serraboella MGA, Neive)
• Grape: 100% Nebbiolo
• Type: Red wine
• Size: 750 ml

A 96-point, old-vine-boosted Barbaresco from one of Neive's great historic crus.

Quinta do Noval · 10 Year Old Tawny Port · Douro, Portugal · NV

Quinta do Noval is one of the most storied names in Port, a single great vineyard in the heart of the Douro Valley where wines have been made since the early 18th century. Home to the legendary Nacional parcel, Noval draws on 200 hectares of terraced vines whose varied aspects, climates and soils give its wines a depth and complexity all their own.

Tasting Notes

Aged for years in oak, this 10 Year Tawny keeps more ruby color and fruit than many tawnies, the signature of the Noval style. Expect layers of fig, dried apricot, cherry and orange zest woven with toffee, honey, roasted nuts, chocolate and espresso, then a smooth, spicy, seamless finish. Chill it lightly as an aperitif, or serve it a touch warmer with dessert.

From the Producer

"Quinta do Noval is an historic name with iconic status in the world of wine. But it is above all a vineyard. In the heart of the Douro Valley, great wines have been made in this place since the early 18th century.

Known throughout the world for its Port wines, whether the Quinta do Noval Vintage Port made from a strict selection of the best wines from our 200 hectare vineyard, or the Quinta do Noval Nacional, extraordinary product of the tiny Nacional parcel at the heart of the property, or indeed our aged Tawny Ports and Colheitas, Quinta do Noval produces great wines that bear the stamp of their origin.

The subtle differences of aspect, climate and soil of the various parcels of this extensive vineyard give the wines of Noval complexity and depth that are unique to Quinta do Noval, whether we are making Port wines or unfortified red and white wines.

The team at Quinta do Noval is devoted to the task of looking after this great vineyard terroir. Every year we strive to make wines that are worthy to carry the Noval name and to take their place alongside all the great wines from the illustrious past of Quinta do Noval. We are very conscious of this glorious history, but we are also aware that today is a great time for Quinta do Noval, and that our vineyard is capable of producing wines that are among the greatest in the world."
— Christian Seely

Expert Reviews

92 Points — Jeb Dunnuck
"Quinta Do Noval's NV 10 Year Tawny offers up a semi-opaque ruby hue as well as a tons of cigar wrapper, chocolate, espresso, and candied black olive aromas, just to name a few. It's complex, medium to full-bodied, and rounded on the palate, with plenty of fruit as well as complexity. Aged in oak in a solera system for multiple years, this is in a sweet spot for me, with a solid mix of sweet fruit and some complex, spicy, tertiary nuances."

92 Points — James Suckling
"This smooth and sleek Port combines fresh fruit with good, mature nut, honey and fig flavors to be enjoyed before a meal if chilled and for dessert at a warmer temperature. Plenty of ruby in the color, with less amber than many tawnies, and accompanying fruitiness that is characteristic of Noval."

91 Points — Wine Spectator
"Concentrated flavors of dried pear, apricot, cherry and spice combine into this seamless package. The finish features toffee and orange zest notes, with hints of smoke."

90 Points — Wine Enthusiast
"This dry, balanced aged tawny is both fruity and showing good aging characters. Red fruits are cut with acidity and shaped by the old wood and spice flavors. It has a delicious, ripe aftertaste."

Pairings & Serving

• Crème brûlée, pecan pie, and nut- or caramel-based desserts
• Aged cheeses, especially blue cheese and aged Manchego
• Dark chocolate, dried fruit and roasted almonds
• Serve lightly chilled (55–60°F) as an aperitif, slightly warmer with dessert
• Keeps well for several weeks after opening

Specs

• Producer: Quinta do Noval
• Wine: 10 Year Old Tawny Port
• Vintage: Non-vintage
• Country: Portugal
• Region: Douro
• Appellation: Porto
• Grapes: Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinto Cão, Sousão, Tinta Roriz
• Style: Fortified, aged Tawny Port
• Size: 750 ml

A benchmark 10 Year Tawny from one of the Douro's greatest estates, with four 90+ scores to prove it.

A landmark Rioja with old-vine depth and modern elegance. First produced in 1986, Barón de Chirel helped establish a new direction for premium Rioja, combining Marqués de Riscal’s heritage with Bordeaux-inspired winemaking. The 2020 vintage delivers a compelling combination of concentrated fruit, complex aromatics and substantial structure.

Sourced from low-yielding vineyards around Elciego, with vines approximately 80–110 years old, this wine captures the intensity of exceptional old-vine fruit. Individual parcels are fermented separately in French Allier oak vats, followed by 16 months in French oak barrels and a further 20 months of bottle maturation before release.

Tasting Notes

Expressive aromas of dark berries, violets and graphite unfold with subtle leather and integrated oak. The palate is rich and concentrated, with layers of dark fruit supported by ripe, energetic tannins. Its combination of depth, structure and aromatic complexity makes this a distinctive choice for collectors and lovers of powerful Rioja.

Ratings & Critical Acclaim

100 Points — Guía Proensa
The producer lists a perfect 100-point score for the 2020 vintage.

97 Points — Guía Peñín 2026
A standout score for the 2020 vintage, confirmed by Marqués de Riscal.

96 Points — Jeb Dunnuck: From century-old bush vines, the 2020 Baron de Chirel blends Tempranillo and Cabernet Sauvignon aged entirely in French oak. It’s made in a modern style, powerful, intensely concentrated, and undeniably herbal and earthy. It can only be made in certain vintages because the two varieties ripen so differently – Tempranillo early and Cabernet late – so getting them to hit around the same time has been challenging over the years; sadly, climate change may be changing that, with Cabernet ripening sooner than it often used to. Currant, tobacco leaf, and dark cherry exude from a full-bodied core of supple tannin and lovely violet aromatics, a true testament to how well these grapes work together in the right hands.

93 James Suckling: Iodine, mussels and some dark chocolate with blackberries and dark plums. Pretty opulent and a little more generous than the 2021 and 2019. More muscular, too, with fine-grained tannins and a long, creamy finish.

93 Points — Wine Enthusiast: Commanding intensity and palate coating tannins lead the charge with this full-bodied Tempranillo. Aromatics of crushed fennel seed, wet tobacco, and cocoa linger through flavors of dark fruits robed in spiced chocolate. A kiss of balsamic appears through the finish. Lavish, structured, and delicious..

Food Pairings

Pair with roasted lamb, grilled steak, venison or slow-cooked game. It also complements cured ham and mature cheeses, making it an excellent centerpiece for a Spanish-inspired dinner.

Wine Details

Producer: Marqués de Riscal
Wine: Barón de Chirel
Vintage: 2020
Appellation: Rioja DOCa, Spain
Style: Full-bodied red wine
Principal Grape: Tempranillo
Aging: 16 months in French Allier oak barrels, followed by 20 months in bottle before release
Alcohol: 15.5% ABV
Bottle Size: 750ml
Serving Temperature: 16–18°C / 61–64°F

94 Points Wine Spectator • 94 Points James Suckling

Named for the celebrated architect behind Hotel Marqués de Riscal, Frank Gehry Selection brings together the estate’s winemaking heritage and a spirit of creative ambition. Carefully selected fruit from estate vines more than 80 years old gives this distinctive Rioja remarkable depth and character.

The 2019 vintage underwent meticulous berry-by-berry sorting before aging for 26 months in French oak barrels. This exacting approach produces a wine that combines concentration and structure with freshness and polished tannins.

Deep cherry in color and almost opaque, it reveals layered aromas of ripe dark fruit, balsamic nuances and subtle minerality. The palate is rich and enveloping yet lively, with refined tannins and a persistent finish accented by toasted French oak. Its firm structure and bright acidity provide a foundation for further bottle development.

Professional Ratings

94 Points Wine Spectator - May 31, 2025 "Freshly brewed coffee, eucalyptus, black licorice and dried violet notes offer an enticing mesh of aromas on the nose of this rich, layered red. Shows concentration and subtle power in a sleek, well-knit form structured by finely sculpted tannins. There's a pure beam of black currant alongside flavors of fresh, loamy earth, dried mint, olive and dark chocolate."

James Suckling — 94 Points
94 Points James Suckling - July 28, 2025 "A creamy and polished wine with black currant, chocolate and coffee aromas. It's medium- to full-bodied with lovely fruit and tannins and a hint of dried fruit."

Food Pairing: Roast beef, grilled lamb, poultry, gently seasoned casseroles, cured ham and medium-aged cheeses.

Region: Rioja DOCa, Spain
Principal Grape: Tempranillo
Vine Age: More than 80 years
Aging: 26 months in French oak
Alcohol: 15%
Bottle Size: 750ml
Serving Temperature: 61–64°F (16–18°C)

The 2023 The Eyrie Pinot Noir comes from the historic vineyard where The Eyrie Vineyards began—one of the foundational sites of Oregon Pinot Noir. Complex, structured and remarkably elegant, this limited-production bottling captures the character of old vines and the distinctive volcanic soils of the Dundee Hills with exceptional clarity. The Eyrie is the winery’s original vineyard and home to the hawks that inspired the Eyrie label. Its seven acres of Pinot Noir were planted from the mid-1960s through 1974 with Wädenswil, Pommard and Upright clones.

Situated between approximately 260 and 410 feet in elevation, the vineyard faces south while rolling toward eastern and western exposures. Eyrie identifies this historic site as the original planting of Pinot Noir in the Willamette Valley. All of Eyrie’s estate vineyards are certified organic and farmed using regenerative, no-till practices. The emphasis is on maintaining healthy soils and biological diversity while allowing the vines and individual vineyard sites to express themselves with minimal intervention.

The 2023 vintage began with a cold, dry early spring followed by substantial April rainfall. A warm, dry summer with cool nights provided steady ripening, while late-August rains refreshed the vines ahead of an exceptionally favorable September harvest. Eyrie describes the resulting wines as vivid and aromatic, with moderate alcohol and firm yet balanced structure.

In the cellar, The Eyrie Pinot Noir is fermented with native yeast in small 11-hectoliter open-top fermenters and punched down by hand twice daily. It completes native malolactic fermentation before aging for 14 months in a blend of cooperage incorporating approximately 19% new oak. Eyrie uses essentially the same vinification for its single-vineyard Pinot Noirs, allowing differences in site, vine age, elevation and exposure to remain at the forefront.

The 2023 The Eyrie is dense and compact while retaining the graceful character for which the estate is known. Layers of ripe berries are joined by citrus, savory herbs and earthy nuances. The palate is full and firm but beautifully balanced, with restrained oak allowing the purity of the fruit and vineyard character to dominate. It is already compelling with generous aeration, yet its concentration and structure point toward significant cellar potential.

Expert Rating

96 Points — Paul Gregutt: Gregutt describes the 2023 as a particularly strong expression of Dundee Hills Pinot Noir, emphasizing its density, balance and tightly wound structure, along with a complex combination of berries, citrus, herbs and earth. He particularly notes the remarkably subtle influence of new oak and the purity of the underlying fruit. Only 236 cases were produced.

A compelling piece of Oregon wine history and an exceptionally distinctive Pinot Noir, The Eyrie combines old-vine depth with freshness, restraint and precision—a cellar-worthy expression of one of the Willamette Valley’s most historically important vineyard sites.

Region: Dundee Hills, Willamette Valley, Oregon
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Vineyard: The Eyrie
Clones: Wädenswil, Pommard & Upright
Elevation: Approximately 260–410 feet
Farming: Certified Organic / Regenerative No-Till
Fermentation: Native Yeast, Open-Top Fermenters
Aging: 14 Months, Approximately 19% New Oak
Alcohol: 13.98%
Production: 236 Cases
Bottle Size: 750ml

The 2023 Outcrop Vineyard Pinot Noir is a beautifully focused and distinctive expression of the Dundee Hills, combining bright red fruit, savory complexity and the stony mineral character that defines this unique Eyrie estate vineyard.

Outcrop Vineyard takes its name from the ridge of underlying rock that runs perpendicular to the hillside. Situated above Eyrie’s historic original vineyard, the five-acre site ranges from approximately 280 to 360 feet in elevation and faces north-northeast. The vineyard is planted to the Wädenswil clone of Pinot Noir, with vines dating from the early 1980s through 2000. Despite its northern exposure, reflected warmth from the neighboring original Eyrie vineyard helps ripen the fruit while preserving freshness and aromatic detail.

Eyrie farms its estate vineyards organically and practices regenerative, no-till viticulture, with particular attention to soil health and biodiversity. The vineyard’s thin, rocky volcanic soils contribute to the distinctive mineral and savory personality of Outcrop Pinot Noir.

For the 2023 vintage, Eyrie’s single-vineyard Pinot Noirs were vinified using native yeast in small open-top fermenters, with hand punch-downs and native malolactic fermentation, followed by approximately 14 months of aging. The single-vineyard wines are deliberately produced using the same cellar approach so that differences in vineyard, elevation, exposure and vine age remain clearly expressed in the finished wines.

The 2023 Outcrop is notably precise and mineral-driven, opening with raspberries and pomegranate alongside blood orange and subtle red licorice. A distinctive stony, almost steely mineral quality runs through the wine, while tea-like tannins add savory structure and grip. Elegant in weight yet firmly structured, it balances vivid fruit with earthy complexity and a long, textured finish.

Expert Rating

95 Points — Paul Gregutt Gregutt highlights the wine’s rocky, mineral character, raspberry and pomegranate fruit, blood orange and red licorice, with substantial tea-toned tannins supporting the finish. Only 198 cases were produced.

An expressive, site-driven Oregon Pinot Noir that beautifully demonstrates Eyrie’s restrained winemaking philosophy and the individual personality of one of its historic Dundee Hills vineyards.

Region: Dundee Hills, Willamette Valley, Oregon
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Vineyard: Outcrop Vineyard
Clone: Wädenswil
Elevation: Approximately 280–360 feet
Farming: Certified Organic / Regenerative No-Till
Fermentation: Native Yeast
Aging: Approximately 14 Months
Alcohol: 13%
Production: 198 Cases
Bottle Size: 750ml

The 2023 Sisters Vineyard Pinot Noir is a beautifully detailed expression of one of The Eyrie Vineyards’ distinctive estate sites in Oregon’s Dundee Hills. Delicate yet expressive, it combines bright red fruit, floral perfume, savory earth and fine mineral character with the graceful structure that has long defined Eyrie Pinot Noir.

Sisters Vineyard sits at approximately 220 to 330 feet elevation and takes its name from the three original “Pinot sisters” planted there: Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc. The Pinot Noir blocks include Pommard and Wädenswil clones, and the vineyard’s direct southern exposure helps produce wines known for their aromatic character and elegant balance. Eyrie farms its estate vineyards organically and employs regenerative, no-till farming practices designed to support healthy soils and vine biodiversity.

The 2023 growing season was dynamic, beginning with a cool, dry spring before substantial April rain and a warm, dry summer moderated by cool nights. Late-August rain refreshed the vines before an exceptionally favorable September harvest period. The resulting wines show vivid aromatics, moderate alcohol and firm but balanced structure.

In the cellar, the Sisters Vineyard Pinot Noir is fermented with native yeasts in small open-top fermenters, punched down by hand twice daily and allowed to complete native malolactic fermentation. The wine was aged for 14 months in a mixture of cooperage, including approximately 19% new oak, allowing the character of the vineyard to remain at the forefront. Production was just 235 cases.

The wine is red-fruited, perfumed and finely textured, showing fresh red berries and subtle floral notes alongside orange peel, savory spice and earthy mineral nuances. Fresh acidity gives the light-to-medium-bodied palate energy and definition, while gently spicy tannins carry through a long, evolving finish.

Expert Rating

94 Points — James Suckling Red-fruited, delicate and perfumed. Light- to medium-bodied with fresh acidity, orange peel flavors and gently spicy tannins. The long finish evolves from bitter flowers to citrus to savory spices.

An elegant and highly expressive Oregon Pinot Noir, the 2023 Sisters Vineyard combines immediate aromatic appeal with enough freshness and structure to reward further time in the cellar.

Region: Dundee Hills, Willamette Valley, Oregon
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Vineyard: Sisters Vineyard
Farming: Certified Organic
Fermentation: Native Yeast
Aging: 14 Months, Approximately 19% New Oak
Alcohol: 14.15%
Production: 235 Cases
Bottle Size: 750ml

A distinguished single-vineyard Brunello Riserva combining concentrated dark fruit, vibrant freshness and finely structured Tuscan elegance.

Wine Description

Frescobaldi CastelGiocondo Ripe al Convento Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2020 is a limited-production expression of Sangiovese from one of the estate’s most treasured vineyard sites. The wine takes its name from a historic vineyard situated beside an ancient monastery on the CastelGiocondo estate in southwestern Montalcino.

Located in the highest part of the estate at approximately 450 meters above sea level, the Ripe al Convento vineyard benefits from excellent sun exposure, cooling Mediterranean winds and mineral-rich marly soils. The vineyard extends across two sides of a ridge: its southern exposure contributes richness and power, while the southeast-facing vines bring freshness, tension and aromatic precision.

The 2020 Riserva presents a deep and layered bouquet of blackberry, blackcurrant, blueberry and Morello cherry, accompanied by rose, violet and subtle balsamic notes. With time in the glass, aromas of autumn spice, cocoa, tobacco, dried herbs and earth begin to emerge.

Generous and velvety on the palate, the wine balances concentrated dark fruit with lively acidity and an appealing crunchy-cherry character. Fine-grained yet confident tannins provide structure and definition, carrying the wine toward a long, savory and beautifully composed finish.

Winemaking and Aging

The Sangiovese grapes are carefully selected from the single Ripe al Convento vineyard and undergo an additional selection upon arrival at the winery. Fermentation takes place under controlled temperatures to preserve the character and aromatic detail of the fruit.

The wine is matured for 36 months in oak casks before further refinement in bottle. This extended aging gives the Riserva greater structure, complexity and longevity while allowing the fruit, tannins and savory elements to develop exceptional harmony.

Only approximately 18,000 bottles of the 2020 vintage were produced.

About Ripe al Convento

Ripe al Convento represents one of the most structured and age-worthy expressions produced at Tenuta CastelGiocondo. Its name refers both to the exceptional ripeness achieved by the Sangiovese grapes and to the vineyard’s location beside the estate’s historic monastery.

The combination of high elevation, favorable exposures and distinctive soils produces a Brunello Riserva of depth and power, balanced by the freshness, elegance and mineral character that distinguish the finest wines of Montalcino.

Expert Ratings

95  Wine Spectator: There’s plenty of black cherry and blackberry fruit in this red, along with mineral and black pepper notes, plus a touch of forest floor. Dense and even muscular for the vintage, with a vibrant feel and well-endowed, dusty tannins. Needs time to harmonize. Best from 2029 through 2045.

94 Decanter: The Ripe al Convento vineyard expands over two sides of a single ridge. Vines with a southern exposure give muscle to the blend while those facing southeast lend tension. The 2020 bottling demonstrates both facets within the gracious context of the vintage. Still restrained in aromas, it hints at smoke, thyme, mint and cocoa. Generous in girth, this oozes blackberry and blue plum with a velvety mouthfeel and carob accents. Confident tannins sport a fine grain and supply a satisfying bite. Lively acidity accentuates the salty tang. By no means austere but will be more expressive after another year in bottle.

94 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: In the bottle with the dark blue label, the Frescobaldi 2020 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva CastelGiocondo Ripe al Convento shows dark fruit and blackberry at its core, followed by balanced freshness and an attractive crunchy cherry fruit character. This vintage is marked by lively fruit and slightly greater accessibility in terms of tannic impact. The wine can be enjoyed happily in the near or medium term. With 36 months of aging in oak casks, this is a release of 18,000 bottles. Ripe al Convento is sourced from a single vineyard adjacent to the historic monastery on the estate, and the Riserva bottling reflects both extended aging and a more structured interpretation of the vintage.

Food Pairing

An excellent partner for braised beef, roasted lamb, venison, wild boar, osso buco and bistecca alla Fiorentina. Its earthy, savory character also complements porcini mushrooms, truffle dishes, aged Pecorino Toscano and Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Serving Suggestions

Serve at approximately 60–65°F in a large red-wine glass. Decanting for one to two hours is recommended when enjoying the wine in its youth. Although already approachable, its concentration, acidity and structured tannins will allow it to develop additional complexity with further bottle aging.

Wine Details

Frescobaldi CastelGiocondo Ripe al Convento Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2020

Brunello di Montalcino Riserva DOCG, Tuscany, Italy | 750ml

Tenuta delle Terre Nere Etna Rosso — Etna DOC, Sicily, Italy 2024

Tenuta delle Terre Nere is one of Sicily’s most celebrated and visionary organic estates — a winery that has done more than almost any other producer to reveal the extraordinary potential of Mount Etna as a world-class wine region. Founded by Marco de Grazia after over forty years of passion in the world of fine wines, the estate sits on this island within an island: an extreme volcanic landscape at altitudes of 2,100 to 2,900 feet above sea level where hot sun, cool breeze, and cold nights combine to produce wines of exceptional finesse and elegance. Ancient lava soils, pre-phylloxera old vines, certified organic farming, and an unfined, unfiltered winemaking philosophy focused on expressing the refined and multifaceted microcosm of this ancient volcanic terroir make Terre Nere the benchmark for Etna Rosso. The 2024 earned 94 Points from James Suckling and 92 Points from Wine Spectator.

The nose is perfumed and precise: crushed stones, plum, cherry, dried lavender, rosemary, pureed raspberry, blood orange peel, and clove, with a hint of vanilla, cream, and fresh herbs. On the palate, the wine is medium-bodied and silky with juicy acidity, chewy but polished tannins, light sandy texture, and a long mineral-laced finish. It is elegant, complex, and deeply satisfying — the kind of volcanic Sicilian red that disappears fast and rewards patience in the cellar in equal measure.

"Crushed stones with plums, cherries and just a hint of vanilla and cream. Medium-bodied, showing fresh herbs and a touch of flower stems. Chewy tannins, but polished and very drinkable." — James Suckling, 94 Points. (Vintage 2024). 

"A perfumed red, with dried lavender and rosemary notes wafting through flavors of pureed raspberry, plum sauce, blood orange peel and clove. Silky in texture, with juicy acidity and light, sandy tannins firming the mineral-laced finish. Drink now through 2033." — Wine Spectator, 92 Points. (Vintage 2024). 

• Producer: Tenuta delle Terre Nere, Etna, Sicily, Italy
• Vintage: 2024
• Appellation: Etna Rosso DOC, Sicily, Italy
• Blend: Nerello Mascalese, Nerello Cappuccio (old vine, pre-phylloxera)
• Farming: Certified Organic — unfined & unfiltered
• Altitude: 2,100–2,900 feet above sea level on volcanic lava soils
• Closure: Cork
• Size: 750ml
• Drink: Now through 2033
• Tasting Notes: Crushed stone, plum, cherry, lavender, rosemary, blood orange peel, clove, mineral finish
• Best Paired With: Grilled swordfish, roasted lamb, pasta alla Norma, aged pecorino, wild mushroom dishes

Sicily’s benchmark Etna Rosso at an honest price — Tenuta delle Terre Nere is the standard for what old-vine, organic, volcanic Nerello Mascalese from Etna can deliver.

Adegas Guímaro Mencía — Ribeira Sacra, Spain 2024

Adegas Guímaro is Ribeira Sacra's most celebrated rebel — a family estate founded by Pedro Rodríguez, whose pioneering work in one of the world’s most dramatic wine landscapes helped put this Galician appellation on the international map. Guímaro means “rebel” in Gallego, and the name fits: farming old-vine Mencía on Ribeira Sacra’s impossibly steep, slate-terraced hillsides — vineyards cultivated since Roman times, rivaling the Douro, Côte Rôtie, and the Mosel in their dramatic beauty and treacherous terrain — demands spirited determination, eternal optimism, and a deep sense of tradition. The 2024 Mencía is a high-energy, mineral-driven Joven crafted from concentrated old-vine fruit, earning 92 Points from both James Suckling and Wine Advocate and overdelivering at every price point.

The nose is vivid and expressive: ripe cherries, dark plum, red fruit, and earth, with sweet spice, luscious savory depth, and a mineral undercurrent driven by the region’s signature slate soils. On the palate, the wine is silky and juicy with vibrant acidity, smooth tannins, and a long, mineral finish with subtle herbal lift. Often described as a cross between Pinot Noir and Syrah in its elegance and energy, it is approachable, versatile, and deeply satisfying — the kind of Spanish red that disappears fast at the table.

"Savory and silky, with luscious flavors of red fruit, plums, earth, and sweet spice. Old vine Mencía vines lead to concentrated and juicy grapes." — Producer’s Notes, Adegas Guímaro

• Producer: Adegas Guímaro, Ribeira Sacra, Galicia, Spain
• Vintage: 2024
• Appellation: Ribeira Sacra DO, Galicia, Spain
• Varietal: Mencía (100% old vine)
• Farming: Steep slate terraces, old vines — hand-harvested, sustainably farmed
• Closure: Cork
• Size: 750ml
• Tasting Notes: Ripe cherry, dark plum, red fruit, earth, sweet spice, slate minerality, silky finish
• Best Paired With: Roasted pork loin, grilled chorizo, seared duck breast, aged Tetilla cheese, mushroom dishes

Ribeira Sacra’s most iconic rebel at an honest price — Guímaro Mencía is the benchmark for what old-vine, slate-driven Galician red can deliver.

A Grand Cru-caliber Spätburgunder of extraordinary depth and finesse—wild red fruit, limestone minerality and Burgundian elegance from Ingelheim’s historic Pares vineyard.

Expert Rating

97 Points James Suckling: “Breathtaking nose of ripe wild berries and herbs, savory and a touch of sous bois. Great concentration and amazingly mouth-filling for just 12.5%, this is a German pinot noir masterpiece and one of the wines of the vintage! Staggering length, the finish still tightly wound. You need some patience to get the best this has to offer. From biodynamically grown grapes. 100% whole cluster, wild-fermented, then 18 months in small oak. Unfiltered and unfined. Drinkable now, but best from 2025.”  STUART PIGOTT — JAMES SUCKLING

The AdamsWein Pares Spätburgunder 2023 is one of Simone Adams’ most ambitious and profound Pinot Noirs, produced from the historic Pares vineyard in Ingelheim, Rheinhessen. Pares is recognized as a VDP.GROSSE LAGE, Germany’s equivalent of a Grand Cru vineyard, and is widely regarded as one of Ingelheim’s most important sites for Spätburgunder. AdamsWein itself is not a VDP member, however, so the estate cannot officially place “GG” on its label.

Situated at approximately 250 meters elevation on the western slope of the Mainzer Berg, Pares combines loess and sandy loam over a limestone base. The limestone gives the wine its unmistakable tension, mineral drive and finely structured finish, while the site’s elevation and exposure help preserve freshness and aromatic clarity.

Simone Adams’ parcel has an unusual history. The land had been abandoned for roughly three decades before Adams reclaimed and replanted it, using her own selections derived from traditional German Pinot material rather than relying on Burgundian clones. The result is a Spätburgunder with an identity distinctly its own—powerful and complex, yet unmistakably tied to Ingelheim.

The 2023 Pares sits at the pinnacle of the AdamsWein Pinot Noir range. It shows remarkable depth and intensity, with raspberry and ripe cherry at its core, surrounded by darker berry fruit, floral notes, savory spice and an earthy, limestone-derived mineral character. Gerstl describes an exceptionally noble aromatic expression, with Burgundian raspberry and cherry notes rising from considerable depth, and awarded the wine a perfect 20/20. Robert Parker awarded the 2023 Pares 95 points.

On the palate, the wine is layered and concentrated without becoming heavy. There is a compelling wildness to the fruit, but also tremendous clarity, freshness and precision. Fine tannins give the wine structure while vibrant acidity and chalky minerality keep everything focused through the long, persistent finish. A recent tasting at the estate singled out the 2023 Pares as the most complete of the single-vineyard wines, emphasizing its combination of depth, layered fruit and freshness.

Winemaking

The 2023 single-vineyard Spätburgunders at AdamsWein were made with 100% whole clusters and matured for approximately 18 months in barrel. Treating the vineyard wines similarly in the cellar allows the differences among Ingelheim’s individual sites to remain particularly transparent.

Adams favors spontaneous fermentation, restrained intervention and minimal sulfur. The estate does not filter or fine its wines, emphasizing purity of fruit and vineyard expression.

Organic & Biodynamic Farming

The 2023 Pares is certified organic, with German retailer Weinfurore specifically identifying the wine as coming from controlled organic cultivation and displaying certification DE-ÖKO-022.

AdamsWein began ecological soil cultivation in 2017 and converted the estate completely to biodynamic farming in 2020. U.S. importer Bowler Wine likewise categorizes AdamsWein’s Pares as biodynamically farmed.

About AdamsWein

Based in Ingelheim am Rhein, AdamsWein is run by Simone Adams, who took over her family estate in 2010. Her work focuses particularly on Burgundy varieties—Spätburgunder and Chardonnay—grown on Ingelheim’s limestone-rich soils. Production is small, yields are restrained and the wines are made with an emphasis on site transparency rather than extraction or overt winemaking.

Grape: 100% Spätburgunder / Pinot Noir
Vintage: 2023
Region: Rheinhessen, Germany
Village: Ingelheim am Rhein
Vineyard: Pares
Site Classification: VDP.GROSSE LAGE / Grand Cru vineyard
Style: Dry Red Wine
Alcohol: 12.5%
Farming: Certified Organic; Biodynamic
Vinification: 100% whole cluster
Élevage: Approximately 18 months in barrel
Robert Parker: 95 Points
Gerstl: 20/20

Character: Raspberry · Cherry · Wild Berries · Flowers · Spice · Limestone · Mineral

Food Pairing

A serious Pinot Noir suited to equally refined dishes: roast duck, venison, lamb, veal, beef tenderloin, roast chicken, wild mushrooms and truffle dishes. Its acidity and mineral structure also make it particularly compelling with richer poultry and game preparations.

Serving & Cellaring

Serve slightly cool at approximately 55–60°F (13–16°C). In its youth, this is a wine worth giving one to two hours in a decanter. Its structure and concentration point toward exceptional longevity; Gerstl gives a suggested drinking window of 2032–2060, although the wine is already impressive today. 

Silky, floral and intensely mineral Pinot Noir from Ingelheim—German Spätburgunder with remarkable Burgundy-like finesse.

Expert Rating

Vinous 94 Points: "The 2023 Spätburgunder Ingelheimer Auf dem Haun is from a west-facing, ventilated site on limestone with a high day-night amplitude. This was made with 100% whole bunches and spent 18 months in 20% new oak. Superb aroma on the nose sends out red flower petal notes, perhaps of peony, eglantine and a beautiful smattering of white pepper. It is exquisitely aromatic, wonderfully lifted, so floral and tender, yet profound and fresh, with a lovely depth. This is all tone, finesse, scent and poise. Its nature is totally disarming and the vivid scent is a killer. The 2023 is wonderful, enduring, bright, fine and silky. (Bone-dry)” — Anne Krebiehl MW, Vinous, July 2025

The AdamsWein Spätburgunder “Auf Dem Haun” 2023 is a superb single-vineyard Pinot Noir from Ingelheim in Rheinhessen, made by Simone Adams, one of Germany’s most compelling producers of Burgundian varieties. From limestone-rich soils at higher elevation, Auf dem Haun produces a particularly refined style of Spätburgunder—fragrant, mineral and beautifully poised rather than heavy or extracted.

The 2023 is immediately striking for its perfume. Delicate aromas of red cherry, wild strawberry and red berriesmingle with peony, rose petals and white pepper, followed by subtle earthy and savory notes. Vinous emphasizes the wine’s remarkable floral lift, freshness and depth, describing a Pinot built around tone, finesse, scent and poise.

On the palate, the wine is silky, precise and wonderfully energetic. Pure red fruit is framed by fine savory tannins and a distinctly saline mineral character. There is impressive concentration here, but everything remains graceful and transparent, with freshness carrying the wine through a long, mouthwatering finish. Wine Advocate likewise highlights its purity, red-cherry and strawberry character, fine tannins and persistent saline finish.

This is the kind of German Pinot Noir that makes the comparison with Burgundy especially compelling. It has the aromatic delicacy and textural refinement associated with fine Côte d’Or Pinot, yet retains the freshness and limestone-driven character of its Rheinhessen origins. The 2023 is already beautifully expressive, but its balance and structure suggest considerable potential for further development in bottle.

About the Vineyard

Auf dem Haun is one of Simone Adams’ prized Ingelheim parcels. The site sits relatively high on the slope and is distinguished by limestone-rich soils, which help produce wines with tension, freshness and pronounced mineral definition. Adams has increasingly focused her range around individual vineyard expressions, allowing differences in soil and exposition to become more transparent in the finished wines.

About AdamsWein

Based in Ingelheim am Rhein, AdamsWein is led by Simone Adams, whose Pinot Noir and Chardonnay have become particularly admired for their precision, moderate alcohol and distinctly Burgundian sensibility. The estate works organically and favors spontaneous fermentation and restrained cellar intervention, with the goal of allowing vineyard character to remain at the center of each wine.

Grape: 100% Spätburgunder / Pinot Noir
Vintage: 2023
Region: Rheinhessen, Germany
Village: Ingelheim am Rhein
Vineyard: Auf dem Haun
Style: Dry Red Wine
Alcohol: 12.5%
Farming: Organic

Character: Red Cherry · Wild Strawberry · Peony · White Pepper · Limestone · Saline · Silky

Food Pairing

An excellent partner for roast duck, chicken, pork tenderloin, veal, grilled salmon, mushroom dishes and earthy risottos. Its bright acidity and fine tannins also make it especially versatile with charcuterie and moderately rich cheeses.

Serving & Cellaring

Serve slightly cool at approximately 55–60°F (13–16°C). A young bottle will benefit from 30–60 minutes of air. While already wonderfully fragrant and silky, its balance, concentration and mineral structure should reward additional bottle age.

94 Points VINOUS: “The 2024 Chardonnay Auf dem Haun is on the Mainzer Berg, facing west, on weathered limestone with very thin topsoil. The tender nose is shy, offering a touch of dried maize and a hint of lemon. The palate is utterly bright and serene, with supple, smooth, buffered freshness against a backdrop of smooth, lemony yeast. This textural element carries salt, freshness and that lovely feeling of deep, deep stone. The lemony brightness redoubles on the finish. This is exquisitely balanced, long and so clear-cut. (Bone-dry)” — Anne Krebiehl MW, Vinous, July 2026

The AdamsWein Chardonnay Auf Dem Haun 2024 is an exceptionally refined, mineral-driven Chardonnay from Ingelheim in Germany’s Rheinhessen, crafted by winemaker Simone Adams. More reminiscent of fine white Burgundy than conventional German Chardonnay, it combines concentration and texture with striking freshness, salinity and precision.

The Auf dem Haun parcel sits higher on the slope than Adams’ Heerweg vineyard, where the leaner site naturally produces a more elegant expression. The soils are a complex mixture of loess, loam, clay and marl, giving the wine both depth and a distinctive stony, mineral character. The vineyard is organically farmed, and AdamsWein completed its organic conversion in 2023.

The 2024 opens gradually with lemon zest, yellow apple and restrained citrus fruit, layered with smoky reduction, wet stone, subtle herbs and delicate savory notes. With air, the fruit becomes broader and more expressive while remaining beautifully controlled. The palate is concentrated yet remarkably graceful, with a creamy texture balanced by energetic acidity and a pronounced saline, tactile minerality.

There is a distinctly Burgundian sensibility here: understated fruit, beautifully integrated oak and a structure built around texture and mineral tension rather than overt richness. Falstaff described the wine as possessing the imposing structure of a young great Burgundy and awarded the 2024 95 points. Vinous awarded 94 points, highlighting its brightness, deep stony character, saline freshness and exceptionally clear, persistent finish.

Winemaking

The Chardonnay grapes are whole-cluster pressed and spontaneously fermented, allowing indigenous yeasts to emphasize the character of the vineyard. The wine is matured for approximately 12 months in French barriques, with only a modest proportion of new oak, followed by minimal sulfur additions before bottling. The restrained élevage provides texture and complexity without obscuring the fruit or mineral character.

The finished wine is completely dry, with approximately 12.5% alcohol, preserving remarkable freshness despite its concentration. Falstaff reports just 0.8 g/L residual sugar.

About AdamsWein

Based in Ingelheim am Rhein, AdamsWein is the estate of Simone Adams, whose wines have developed a reputation for their individual vineyard expression, minimal-intervention winemaking and distinctly Burgundian refinement. Her Chardonnay and Spätburgunder are particularly compelling, combining cool-climate freshness with impressive depth, texture and longevity.

Grape: 100% Chardonnay
Vintage: 2024
Region: Rheinhessen, Germany
Village: Ingelheim am Rhein
Vineyard: Auf dem Haun
Farming: Organic
Style: Dry White Wine
Alcohol: 12.5%
Élevage: Approximately 12 months in French barrique
Vinous: 94 Points
Falstaff: 95 Points

Character: Lemon · Yellow Apple · Wet Stone · Smoke · Saline · Mineral · Precise

Food Pairing

A superb partner for roasted or grilled fish, lobster, scallops, roast chicken, veal, pork tenderloin and creamy mushroom dishes. Its combination of richness, acidity and mineral tension also makes it excellent with dishes finished with beurre blanc or light cream sauces.

Serving & Cellaring

Serve around 50–54°F (10–12°C) rather than overly chilled. In its youth, the wine benefits from air and can be decanted for 30–60 minutes. It has the structure and concentration for serious bottle development, becoming more layered and expressive as its youthful reduction and tightly wound mineral character relax.

95 Points Vinous: “The 2025 Riesling Niersteiner Pettenthal Grosses Gewächs opens with flintiness and smoke. Underneath that lies a tender touch of ripe, yellow, red-cheeked peach that beckons with juiciness. Rounded, ripe generosity just flows on the palate, energised by a salty, zesty undertow that seems to reach deep into the red rock. This is wonderfully aromatic, beautifully long and lasting, absolutely pure. The more air this gets, the more peach appears. (Bone-dry)” — Anne Krebiehl MW, Vinous

The Gunderloch Pettenthal Riesling GG 2025 is a profound, beautifully sculpted dry Riesling from one of the most celebrated vineyards of Germany’s Rheinhessen. Pettenthal is classified as a VDP.GROSSE LAGE®, Germany’s equivalent of a grand cru vineyard, and lies on the dramatically steep Roter Hang (Red Slope) above the Rhine at Nierstein. Its distinctive red, iron-rich slate and clay soils give the wines remarkable mineral intensity, spice and longevity.

The 2025 vintage combines impressive concentration with an unusually elegant, cool-toned personality. The bouquet unfolds gradually with citrus zest, lemon balm and crystalline orchard fruit, followed by savory nuances of green olive, rosemary, wet stone and delicate herbal spice. Rather than relying on overt fruitiness, this is a Riesling defined by precision, tension and a compelling stony character.

On the palate, the wine is bone-dry, focused and beautifully structured, with vibrant acidity carrying layers of citrus and mineral flavor through a long, persistent finish. There is considerable depth beneath its restrained exterior, suggesting a wine that will become increasingly complex with bottle age. Gunderloch gently presses the grapes, transfers the juice without pre-clarification into traditional large wooden casks and allows spontaneous fermentation to complete fully dry—a style designed to emphasize vineyard character rather than winemaking intervention.

The 2025 growing season proved particularly favorable on the Roter Hang, avoiding both frost and hail while receiving sufficient summer rainfall to prevent excessive drought stress. The resulting Pettenthal shows the generosity of the vintage without sacrificing freshness or precision.

About Gunderloch
Founded in 1890, Gunderloch is one of Rheinhessen’s historic benchmark estates and remains closely associated with the great Riesling vineyards of the Roter Hang. Today the estate is led by Johannes Hasselbach, with Riesling accounting for approximately 85% of its production. Pettenthal, Rothenberg, Hipping and Ölberg are among its prestigious VDP.GROSSE LAGE sites.

Grape: 100% Riesling
Region: Rheinhessen, Germany
Vineyard: Niersteiner Pettenthal
Classification: VDP.GROSSE LAGE® / Grosses Gewächs (GG)
Style: Dry White Wine
Character: Citrus · Herbs · Red Slate · Mineral · Precise · Long

Food Pairing: Excellent with oysters and shellfish, grilled or roasted fish, lobster, sushi and sashimi, roast chicken, pork, veal and sophisticated vegetable dishes. Its mineral intensity and acidity also make it particularly compelling with richer seafood preparations.

Serving: Serve at approximately 48–52°F (9–11°C). A young bottle will benefit from some air before serving, while its structure makes it an excellent candidate for extended cellaring.

Not Available for Immediate Delivery. Please allow 3-5 business days for fulfillment.

Powerful · Mineral · Structured · Saline · Age-Worthy

A profound Grand Cru Chablis with remarkable concentration, old-vine depth and a long, mineral finish.

Domaine William Fèvre’s Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos 2022 is a serious and commanding expression of one of the most celebrated vineyards in Chablis. Les Clos is renowned for producing wines of exceptional structure, power and longevity, and William Fèvre’s 2022 captures that character with impressive purity and depth.

The domaine owns approximately 4.1 hectares within Les Clos, with its parcels situated toward the top of the hill. A significant portion of the vines are remarkably old, with roughly half planted by William Fèvre’s father in the 1940s and 1950s. These mature vines contribute extraordinary concentration, complexity and mineral intensity to the finished wine. :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}

The 2022 vintage opens gradually in the glass, revealing aromas of ripe citrus rind, crisp orchard fruit and delicate white flowers, framed by a subtle touch of youthful reduction. The bouquet is restrained at first, but there is an unmistakable sense of purity and depth beneath the surface.

On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, dense and satiny, with layers of white fruit, lemon, green apple and mineral character. Vibrant acidity provides energy and lift, while a pronounced chalky and saline quality gives the wine remarkable definition.

There is tremendous concentration here, but also finesse. The wine carries both power and precision, building across the palate toward a long, stony finish marked by citrus, white peach and persistent salty minerality.

Among William Fèvre’s Grand Cru bottlings, Les Clos is one of the most structured and substantial. It is a wine built for the cellar, with the depth, acidity and mineral backbone to develop additional complexity over many years.

Food Pairing

Pair with lobster, langoustines, scallops, Dover sole, turbot and other rich seafood, as well as roast poultry, veal and refined dishes prepared with beurre blanc or delicate cream sauces.

Its combination of richness, acidity and mineral intensity also makes it an excellent partner for mature cheeses and more elaborate seafood preparations.

Serve lightly chilled to allow the wine’s texture, old-vine concentration and mineral complexity to fully emerge.

Professional Ratings

98 Jasper Morris: Mostly from old vines, a good half planted between 1948 and 1952. Translucent lemon and lime colour. The bouquet is not ready to unfurl yet there is a sense of sublime purity about the nose. A wine in perfect harmony on its wide bench of white fruit. Just a little touch of spice behind, good acidity. Sign up for this! Barrel Sample: 95-98

96 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: The 2022 Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos is a serious, structured wine, unwinding in the glass with aromas of ripe, waxy citrus rind, crisp orchard fruit and white flowers, framed by a deft touch of youthful reduction. Full-bodied, dense and satiny, it's layered, concentrated and multidimensional, with the most structure and substance of any wine in the range, but also the greatest need for patience to realize all its considerable potential. Rating:-96+

95 Decanter: Small yield, very concentrated, with masses of density on the palate. Plenty of drive and energy but has finesse to balance out the power. White peach fruit characters, vibrant acidity and a pronounced mineral, salty finish. Very long future ahead. Fèvre owns 4.1ha of the 25ha total within Les Clos. Its plots situated on the top of the hill, with 50% of the vines planted by William Fèvre's father in the 1940s and 1950s.

93 Vinous: The 2022 Chablis Les Clos Grand Cru has a surprisingly primal bouquet with gooseberry, melon, fruits de mer and citrus peel, with more oyster shell scents developing as it opens, though never quite achieving the flair of the Valmur. The palate is well-balanced, steely and strict, with fine intensity and a saline finish. But it doesn't quite have the precision of Fevre's best cuvées at the moment. Barrel Sample: 91-93

92 Wine Spectator: Greengage, apple, lemon and mineral flavors are aligned with a bright structure and chalky texture in this lively white. Dynamic and balanced, with a lingering aftertaste of stone and stone fruit.

The Style

Powerful, concentrated and deeply mineral — a monumental Grand Cru Chablis with remarkable old-vine depth, vibrant acidity and exceptional aging potential.

There's a precision to William Fèvre's Beauroy that announces itself immediately — white peach, citrus confit, subtle florals and that unmistakable Chablis minerality cutting through every sip. This is Premier Cru from the Troësmes sector of the left bank, where approximately 1.1 hectares of 60-year-old vines dig into clay-limestone soils that give the wine its characteristic tension and depth. The 2024 vintage is an unusually concentrated expression: rich and powerful on the palate, yet precise and fresh in the way only Fèvre's vineyard-focused approach achieves. The finish is bright, persistent, and beautifully defined — the kind that stays with you long after the glass is empty.

• Grape: Chardonnay
• Region: Chablis Premier Cru, Burgundy, France
• Climat: Beauroy (Troësmes sector)
• Vintage: 2024
• Format: 750ml
• Vines: ~60 years old, 1.1 hectares

Food Pairing

Oysters, scallops, lobster, grilled fish, roast poultry, veal, and aged goat cheese. Serve lightly chilled.

Professional Ratings - Vintage 2024

93 pts — Vinous: "Rich, dense and powerful… excellent concentration before concluding in a sappy, bright and firm finale. Unusually good example of the climat."

92 pts — Jasper Morris: "Fuller than many from this part of Chablis, without losing elegance. A citrus touch refreshes the finish which is persistent. Drink from 2027–2031."

90–93 pts — Burghound: "Outstanding! White peach and citrus, excellent concentration and a bright, firm finish."

Not Available for Immediate Delivery. Please allow 3-5 business days for fulfillment.

Elegant · Mineral · Floral · Saline · Refined

A beautifully refined Grand Cru Chablis, combining crystalline minerality, citrus purity and remarkable depth with a long, saline finish.

Domaine William Fèvre’s Chablis Grand Cru Les Preuses 2023 is one of the estate’s most elegant and sophisticated expressions of Grand Cru Chablis. Les Preuses is celebrated for producing wines of exceptional finesse—combining the concentration expected from a Grand Cru with remarkable freshness, floral complexity and an unmistakable mineral character.

William Fèvre owns approximately 2.5 hectares in Les Preuses, divided between two distinct parcels. One lies on the flatter, south-facing portion of the vineyard, while the second is planted on deeper soils. Together they create a wine that beautifully balances richness and texture with the tension, precision and minerality for which the climat is renowned.

The vineyard’s clay-rich soils over limestone help retain moisture while maintaining excellent drainage, contributing both concentration and freshness. William Fèvre’s restrained approach in the cellar, including careful use of older French oak, keeps the vineyard firmly at the center of the wine.

The 2023 Les Preuses opens with a beautifully expressive bouquet of lemon zest, citrus oil and ripe orchard fruit, joined by white flowers, subtle orange peel and delicate smoky notes. With air, distinctly Chablisienne nuances of oyster shell, flint, chalk and sea spray emerge.

On the palate, the wine is both round and beautifully precise. There is impressive depth and concentration, yet the texture remains graceful and finely etched. Bright citrus and white fruit are carried by vibrant acidity, while layers of crushed stone, chalk and marine minerality provide remarkable tension.

The finish is exceptionally persistent, stony and saline, leaving an impression of purity and effortless elegance. Compared with the broader power of Bougros, Les Preuses tends toward finesse, refinement and mineral transparency, making it one of the most graceful Grand Cru expressions in the William Fèvre portfolio.

This is a Grand Cru that can be enjoyed for its youthful energy and purity, but its structure, acidity and concentration also promise excellent aging potential.

Food Pairing

An exceptional companion to oysters, lobster, scallops, langoustines and crab, as well as grilled or roasted fish such as turbot, halibut and Dover sole.

Its combination of texture, acidity and minerality also makes it superb with roast poultry, veal, creamy seafood dishes, delicate mushroom preparations and refined butter-based sauces.

Serve lightly chilled rather than extremely cold to allow its floral aromas, texture and complex mineral character to fully develop.

Professional Ratings

96 Jasper Morris: A stunning nose, a little wrapping of seaweed around the stones. Perfectly balanced, then just when you are enjoying the subtlety, you sense the huge block of central white fruit as well. Only a little bit spicy, in fact even quite juicy at the finish. A long-term keeper, potentially a magnificent Preuses. The texture of a silk cravat suggests Didier Seguier. Barrel Sample: 94-96

95 James Suckling: Incisive minerality and flintiness in depth, with seashells and lemon zest. Elegant yet round and punchy, with a very stony, zesty finish. Long and saline.

95 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: Sourced from an east-facing slope that yields one of the racier and more ethereal wines in the range, the 2023 Chablis Grand Cru Les Preuses opens with aromas of oyster liquor, orange peel, white flowers and lemon oil. Medium- to full-bodied, taut and tensile, it is nakedly chalky, incisive and searingly saline. The site is so steep that special cable equipment is employed for its cultivation.

93 Wine Spectator: This is rich and interwoven with peach, yellow plum, earth, stone and oyster shell aromas and flavors. Tangy and mouthwatering, with terrific harmony and a long, citrus- and mineral-tinged aftertaste.

94 Points — Burghound
An expressive and layered Grand Cru showing citrus, floral and marine nuances with impressive density, intensity and a long, serious finish.

The Style

Elegant, crystalline and intensely mineral — a sophisticated Grand Cru Chablis where depth and richness meet extraordinary finesse, freshness and saline precision.

William Fèvre Chablis Grand Cru Les Preuses 2023

Not Available for Immediate Delivery. Please allow 3-5 business days for fulfillment.

Powerful · Mineral · Chalky · Saline · Elegant

Grand Cru Chablis of remarkable depth, combining ripe fruit, crushed-stone minerality and a long, saline finish.

Domaine William Fèvre’s Chablis Grand Cru Bougros 2023 is a superb expression of one of Chablis’ seven celebrated Grand Cru climats. Located at the western end of the Grand Cru slope, Bougros is traditionally known for producing wines of greater breadth, richness and power while retaining the vibrant acidity and mineral character that distinguish the finest Chablis.

Produced entirely from Chardonnay, the 2023 Bougros combines impressive concentration with remarkable freshness. The wine opens with aromas of ripe pear, peach and apple alongside citrus peel, white flowers and subtle notes of beeswax. As it develops, layers of chalk, crushed stone and marine-inflected minerality emerge.

The palate is broad and beautifully textured, with generous fruit balanced by bright, energetic acidity. There is richness here, but also precision: citrus, orchard fruit and mineral flavors build through the palate toward a persistent, dry and distinctly saline finish. Despite its concentration, the wine remains elegant and beautifully composed.

William Fèvre’s Bougros is produced from mature vines, many approximately 60 to 70 years old, growing in the deep soils of this historic Grand Cru. The maturity of the vines contributes depth and concentration while the domaine’s restrained approach in the cellar allows the character of the vineyard to remain at the forefront.

The 2023 vintage is particularly compelling, offering the generous texture associated with Bougros alongside excellent tension and freshness. It is already expressive with appropriate aeration, but its structure and mineral backbone make it an excellent candidate for extended cellaring.

Food Pairing

An exceptional partner for oysters, lobster, langoustines, scallops and other shellfish, as well as grilled or roasted fish. Its combination of richness and acidity also works beautifully with poultry, veal and white meats, particularly dishes finished with butter or delicate cream sauces.

Professional Ratings

95 James Suckling: Imagine your tongue licking wet stones with crushed seashells. Dense and chalky at the same time, with broad, medium- to full-bodied character and a long, salty finish. Elegant and pithy. Drink or hold.

93 Jasper Morris: Mid lemon yellow. The bouquet is surprisingly reticent, but suggests body to follow. The 2023 Bougros has retained a fresh white fruit on the palate, plenty of energy behind, nicely balanced because Bougros can be clumsy, with fine length. Barrel sample: 91-93

93 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: Sourced from 60- to 70-year-old vines rooted in deep soils and invariably among the richer, more muscular wines in the range, the 2023 Chablis Grand Cru Bougros delivers aromas of peach, orange oil, beeswax, honeysuckle and pear. Medium- to full-bodied, ample and fleshy, it possesses a rich core of fruit underpinned by ripe yet lively acidity. It is the fleshier and most demonstrative wine in the lineup.

93 Vinous: The 2023 Chablis Bougros Grand Cru comes from 4 hectares of vines. It has a complex bouquet with lemon thyme, crushed rocks and lime aromas, well-defined and focused. The palate is very composed and steely, a subtle reductive element here, fine weight with an elegant finish. Not the most powerful of the domaine's Grand Cru, but it has panache.  Barrel Sample: 91-93

The Style

Rich yet precise, powerful yet mineral — a Grand Cru Chablis with impressive depth, brilliant freshness and a lingering saline finish.

Pure, mineral and beautifully precise Premier Cru Chardonnay from Puligny-Montrachet.

Lucien Le Moine's 2023 Puligny-Montrachet Premier Cru La Garenne is a refined and highly expressive white Burgundy, combining the crystalline minerality and tension associated with Puligny-Montrachet with the house's signature depth and texture.

La Garenne is one of Puligny-Montrachet's classified Premier Cru climats in the Côte de Beaune. The vineyard produces Chardonnay of notable freshness, precision and mineral definition, making it an especially compelling site for lovers of structured, age-worthy white Burgundy.

The 2023 vintage opens with cool, lifted aromas of Granny Smith apple, lemon rind, crushed fennel and delicate floral notes. The palate is rich and caressing without losing focus, showing generous Chardonnay fruit framed by vivid acidity and pronounced minerality. Citrus notes become increasingly prominent toward the finish, which is bone-dry, firm, beautifully balanced and impressively persistent.

This combination of richness and tension is particularly characteristic of fine Puligny-Montrachet: the wine has enough breadth and texture to feel luxurious, yet its mineral backbone keeps the palate focused, energetic and precise. The 2023 La Garenne is already compelling, but its structure suggests excellent potential for further development in bottle.

Lucien Le Moine is the tiny Beaune-based micro-négociant founded by Mounir Saouma and Rotem Brakin in 1999. The house specializes in Premier and Grand Cru Burgundy, generally producing only one to three barrels of each individual Cru.

The wines are selected very early, immediately after pressing, and raised entirely by Lucien Le Moine through bottling. Both whites and reds are aged on 100% of their lees, with gentle bâtonnage when appropriate and no racking during élevage. The wines are bottled by gravity and are neither fined nor filtered, preserving their texture, complexity and individual vineyard character.

In La Garenne, this long lees aging adds richness and depth while allowing the vineyard's naturally mineral, citrus-driven personality to remain clearly defined. The result is an elegant, concentrated and beautifully balanced Premier Cru white Burgundy.

Professional Review

BURGHOUND 93 POINTS :  Cool, airy and pure aromas include those of Granny Smith apple, lemon rind, crushed fennel and a floral top note. The rich, generously proportioned and caressing medium weight flavors also exude evident minerality on the overtly citrusy bone-dry finish that exhibits impressive persistence on the well-balanced and firm finale. Fine quality here and worth checking out. 91-93

Varietal: 100% Chardonnay
Region: Burgundy, France
Subregion: Côte de Beaune
Appellation: Puligny-Montrachet Premier Cru
Vineyard: La Garenne
Vintage: 2023
Size: 750ml

Food Pairing: Excellent with lobster, scallops, oysters, roasted or grilled fish, poultry in a light cream sauce, veal, mushroom dishes and risotto. It also pairs beautifully with Comté, Gruyère and other firm, nutty cheeses.

Serving: Serve lightly chilled rather than ice cold to allow the wine's aromatics, texture and minerality to emerge. Lucien Le Moine recommends decanting its wines, including the whites, so that naturally retained CO2 from the long élevage can dissipate and the wine can fully open.

Premier Cru Chablis with remarkable depth, energy and mineral precision.

Lucien Le Moine Chablis 1er Cru Mont de Milieu 2023 is a distinctive expression of Chardonnay from one of Chablis' most highly regarded Premier Cru vineyards. Situated southeast of the Grand Cru hill, Mont de Milieu enjoys excellent exposure and generous sunshine, producing wines that combine the unmistakable mineral character of Chablis with impressive richness and power.

The 2023 opens with an expressive and slightly exotic aromatic profile of white peach, citrus peel, jasmine tea and delicate floral notes. The palate is concentrated and beautifully textured, with excellent mid-palate density, vibrant freshness and a pronounced mineral backbone. Despite its richness, the wine remains precise and focused, leading into a long, balanced and distinctly bone-dry finish.

Powerful · Mineral · White Peach · Citrus · Floral · Bone-Dry

Lucien Le Moine is the small, highly regarded Burgundy house founded by Mounir and Rotem Saouma in Beaune. Working with carefully selected wines from exceptional vineyards throughout Burgundy, the domaine is known for long élevage, minimal intervention and an uncompromising approach designed to allow each vineyard and vintage to reveal its individual character.

Mont de Milieu's combination of warmth, limestone-rich Chablis terroir and Premier Cru pedigree gives this wine both immediate aromatic appeal and the structure to develop beautifully with time. An impressive Chablis for drinking alongside seafood, oysters, lobster, scallops, grilled fish, roast poultry and creamy cheeses.

Expert Rating

BURGHOUND 93 POINTS:  There is a cool exoticism to the nose of jasmine tea, orange peel, white peach and just enough Chablis character to be persuasive. There is excellent volume and mid-palate density to the solidly powerful and sappy medium-bodied flavors that conclude in a bone-dry, long and balanced finale. This also needs to develop better depth but given the potential aging curve, that should not be an issue. 91-93

Varietal: Chardonnay
Region: Burgundy, France
Appellation: Chablis Premier Cru
Vineyard: Mont de Milieu
Vintage: 2023
Bottle Size: 750ml

For those looking to experience the Vincent Paris style at a lower price point, Granit 30 is another exceptional find.

Named for the approximately 30-degree slopes on which its Syrah grows, Granit 30 offers a beautifully expressive introduction to Paris' Cornas: dark fruit, pepper, mineral character and the unmistakable granitic personality of the appellation.

It delivers the combination that makes Vincent Paris so compelling — Cornas intensity without heaviness, plenty of Northern Rhône character, and remarkable freshness and precision.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2024

96 Points James Suckling: A profound nose of cherries, crushed raspberries, roasted meat, cigar box, black pepper, warm spices and some bark and leather. Medium- to full-bodied with fine tannins. Expansive and spherical. Ample but refined in texture, with perfectly integrated structure at the edges and a vibrant, focused midpalate showing a bright, stony and peppery dimension. Quite spectacular for the vintage, with a very long, flinty finish. Drink or hold.

96 Points Jeb Dunnuck: Brilliant aromatics of blue fruits, fig, blood orange, pepper, and violet notes emerge from the medium-bodied 2024 Cornas La Geynale, which has a concentrated mouthfeel, building, ripe tannins, and a gorgeous finish. This reminds me of a great vintage of Clape Cornas! It sees a lot more stems and comes from the oldest vines of the estate, and it's going to need 4-5 years of bottle age. It's up there with the crème de la crème of the vintage. Barrel Sample: 94-96

95 Points Vinous:  The 2024 Cornas La Geynale hails from the glass with intense peppercorn, crushed rocks, fleshy tones and precisely ripe blackberry. Dried violets and earthy tones add more aromatic layers. Built like a skyscraper, the 2024 is a serious La Geynale in the making, lifting the finish with stupendous vitality. I can't wait to taste it once it's bottled. Barrel Sample: 93-95

Granit 30 is Vincent Paris’ vibrant, approachable expression of Cornas, produced from relatively young Syrah vines planted at both the lower and upper reaches of the appellation, from approximately 100 to 400 meters in elevation. The fruit comes in part from the Patou sector, where vines grow in decomposed granite soils at the base of the hillside, giving the wine freshness, finesse and an unmistakable mineral character.

Because the vines are younger than those used for Paris’ more powerful Cornas bottlings, the grapes are fully destemmed before fermentation. The wine undergoes approximately three weeks of maceration with gentle extraction, followed by 12 months of aging in used barrels. This restrained approach keeps the emphasis on pure Syrah fruit, spice and the granitic personality of Cornas rather than oak.

The 2024 Granit 30 shows a deep red color with aromas of blackberry and other dark fruits layered with black pepper, savory spice and subtle earthy notes. The palate is juicy and energetic, with ripe fruit, peppery complexity and supple, well-coated tannins.

Compared with Vincent Paris’ more structured Granit 60 and La Geynale bottlings, Granit 30 is especially inviting in its youth. It offers plenty of classic Cornas character—dark Syrah fruit, spice, freshness and mineral drive—while remaining polished, balanced and remarkably easy to enjoy.

The finish is long and savory, with lingering pepper, dark fruit and granite-derived freshness. It can be enjoyed relatively young for its exuberant fruit and supple texture, yet it has enough structure and balance to develop beautifully for more than a decade.

An excellent introduction to both Vincent Paris and the Cornas appellation, Granit 30 delivers genuine Northern Rhône character with impressive purity, freshness and value.

Producer: Domaine Vincent Paris
Vintage: 2024
Region: Northern Rhône, France
Appellation: Cornas AOC
Grape: 100% Syrah
Vineyards: Parcels at the lower and upper slopes of Cornas
Elevation: Approximately 100–400 meters
Soil: Granite and decomposed granite
Vinification: 100% destemmed; approximately three-week maceration with gentle extraction
Aging: 12 months in used oak barrels
Style: Dark-fruited, peppery, fresh and supple
Cellaring: Delicious young; capable of aging for 10+ years

La Geynale is Vincent Paris’ most prestigious Cornas, produced from an exceptional parcel of century-old Syrah vines planted on the steep, granite slopes of Cornas. The original vines here were replanted after phylloxera in 1910, and the site’s full southern exposure allows these old vines to achieve remarkable concentration while preserving the freshness and mineral character that define great Northern Rhône Syrah.

98 Pts James Suckling: A profound nose of cherries, crushed raspberries, roasted meat, cigar box, black pepper, warm spices and some bark and leather. Medium- to full-bodied with fine tannins. Expansive and spherical. Ample but refined in texture, with perfectly integrated structure at the edges and a vibrant, focused midpalate showing a bright, stony and peppery dimension. Quite spectacular for the vintage, with a very long, flinty finish. Drink or hold.

96 Pts Jeb Dunnuck: Brilliant aromatics of blue fruits, fig, blood orange, pepper, and violet notes emerge from the medium-bodied 2024 Cornas La Geynale, which has a concentrated mouthfeel, building, ripe tannins, and a gorgeous finish. This reminds me of a great vintage of Clape Cornas! It sees a lot more stems and comes from the oldest vines of the estate, and it's going to need 4-5 years of bottle age. It's up there with the crème de la crème of the vintage. Barrel Sample: 94-96

96 Points Vinous: The 2024 Cornas La Geynale hails from the glass with intense peppercorn, crushed rocks, fleshy tones and precisely ripe blackberry. Dried violets and earthy tones add more aromatic layers. Built like a skyscraper, the 2024 is a serious La Geynale in the making, lifting the finish with stupendous vitality. I can't wait to taste it once it's bottled. Barrel Sample: 93-95

Vincent Paris acquired the La Geynale parcel from his uncle, legendary Cornas grower Robert Michel, and today it stands at the pinnacle of his small production. The vineyard is farmed with a restrained, hands-on approach, with low yields and careful work in the vines designed to capture the character of this extraordinary terroir.

The 2024 La Geynale is vinified with whole clusters and aged for approximately 12 months in used oak barrels, allowing the old-vine fruit and granite-driven character to remain at the forefront. Deep and intense, it opens with blackberry and dark berry fruit layered with crushed stone, black pepper, dried violet, savory spice and earthy complexity.

On the palate, the wine is dense and powerful yet remarkably fresh, with concentrated black fruit, pronounced mineral energy and firm, finely structured tannins. Despite its depth, La Geynale retains impressive precision and vitality, finishing long, stony and persistent.

This is classic, age-worthy Cornas: serious and structured in its youth, but with the balance, concentration and freshness to evolve beautifully for decades. A compelling expression of one of Cornas’ great old-vine sites and one of the benchmark wines of Vincent Paris.

Producer: Domaine Vincent Paris
Vintage: 2024
Region: Northern Rhône, France
Appellation: Cornas AOC
Grape: 100% Syrah
Vineyard: La Geynale
Vine Age: Century-old vines, originally planted in 1910
Exposure: South-facing hillside
Soil: Granite
Vinification: Whole-cluster fermentation
Aging: Approximately 12 months in used oak barrels
Cellaring: Built for long-term aging; capable of developing for 20+ years

Deep Down is a boutique Marlborough producer founded by Clive Dougall and Peter Lorimer — two passionate advocates for organic viticulture, honest winemaking, and wines that genuinely reflect their place of origin. Their philosophy is simple and uncompromising: small batch, single vineyard, wild ferment wines crafted with minimal intervention and maximum transparency. Low or no additions, no shortcuts, and a deep respect for the land and the people who farm it. Deep Down is, as they put it, about trusting intuition, calling time, and taking flight.

The Sauvignon Blanc is sourced from a single certified organic vineyard in Marlborough — New Zealand's most celebrated wine region, situated at the northern tip of the South Island. Marlborough's long, sunny days, cool nights, and free-draining stony soils are the ideal conditions for Sauvignon Blanc of exceptional aromatic intensity and natural freshness. Farming organically here is both a commitment and a statement of intent: the vineyard is managed with care and respect, allowing the terroir to express itself without chemical interference.

Vinification follows Deep Down's signature approach: wild fermentation with indigenous yeasts, minimal additions (sulphites, yeast nutrient, clarification enzyme, and bentonite only), and small batch production that allows for close attention at every stage. The result is a Sauvignon Blanc that diverges from the category's typical tropical fruit template — more textured, more complex, and more distinctly its own.

The 2024 opens with an aromatic and distinctive nose of lemon-peel confit, orange blossom, rose petals, and flint, with a wild meadow of herbs and flowers. On the palate, the wine is medium-bodied with focused acidity, generous texture, and notes of passionfruit curd, puff pastry, and lavender. A slightly oxidative, yeasty quality adds complexity and depth — this is a Sauvignon Blanc for those who want something more than the obvious.

"Aromas of lemon-peel confit, orange blossoms, rose petals and flint. The medium-bodied palate has focused acidity, generous texture and notes of passion-fruit curd, puff pastry and lavender. Wonderfully constructed with a floral edge. From organically grown grapes."
— James Suckling, 93 Points (Vintage 2024). 

"A distinctive Savvy B from a small batch producer… A slightly oxidative apple cider character mingles with yeasty, nutty, hay-like aromas and a wild meadow of herbs and flowers. The palate is more muted, the focus primarily on the gently slippery texture, the gentle acidity and bruised orchard fruit and floral flavors."
— Wine Enthusiast, 90 Points. (Vintage 2024). 

Grape: Sauvignon Blanc
Region: Marlborough, New Zealand
Vintage: 2024
Farming: Certified Organic
Vinification: Wild ferment, single vineyard, small batch
Closure: Screwcap
Bottle Size: 750ml

Pairing: Fresh oysters, grilled fish, goat cheese, herb-forward salads, and light vegetable dishes. Serve well chilled.

Marqués de Vitoria is a distinguished Rioja producer with a long tradition of crafting wines that express the classic character of the D.O.Ca. Rioja appellation. The estate is committed to producing wines of elegance, balance, and longevity, drawing on the region's exceptional terroir and time-honored winemaking techniques to create Tempranillo-based wines of real depth and refinement.

The Rioja Reserva is sourced from select vineyards within the D.O.Ca. Rioja, where Tempranillo thrives in the region's continental climate — warm summers, cold winters, and the moderating influence of the Cantabrian Mountains and the Ebro River. The combination of clay-limestone soils and carefully managed yields produces grapes of concentration and aromatic complexity.

Following harvest, the wine is aged for a minimum of 24 months in a combination of French and American oak barrels, developing the spice, vanilla, and toasted notes that are hallmarks of classic Rioja Reserva. The wine then continues to evolve in bottle before release, ensuring harmony and integration at the time of purchase.

The 2018 Reserva shows a clean, bright cherry-red color developing to maroon. On the nose, complex and intense aromas of ripe plums, cherries, creamy vanilla, and hazelnut are interwoven with spice and well-integrated barrel notes. The palate is medium-bodied, round, and fluid — with dusty, refined tannins, bright acidity, and a long, elegant finish of sweet vanilla spice, succulent plums, and red berries. A beautifully balanced and approachable Reserva.

"A juicy Rioja showing some creamy vanilla and hazelnut characters to the savory plums and cherries. Medium body with round, dusty tannins and a long, bright finish showing plenty of sweet vanilla spices, succulent plums and red berries at the end. Fluid and elegant."
— Zekun Shuai, James Suckling, 92 Points. (Vintage 2018).

Grape: Tempranillo
Region: Rioja, Spain
Appellation: D.O.Ca. Rioja Reserva
Vintage: 2018
Élevage: Minimum 24 months in French and American oak barrels
Bottle Size: 750ml

Pairing: Roast and grilled meats, lamb, mushroom rice, tuna, cod, and medium-aged cheeses such as Emmental or Gruyère.

Terre de Vertus is one of Larmandier-Bernier's most celebrated single-terroir Champagnes — a vintage Blanc de Blancs drawn entirely from Chardonnay grown in the Premier Cru village of Vertus. The fruit comes from two plots within the Les Barillers lieu-dit, situated mid-slope with a southeast exposure, a site the estate has vinified separately since 1995. Farmed biodynamically and fermented spontaneously with indigenous yeasts in old oak casks and large wooden foudres, the wine rests on its lees through winter before undergoing secondary fermentation in bottle and more than five years of additional lees aging. The 2017 was disgorged in May 2023 with zero dosage — no sugar added — preserving the vineyard's exceptionally pure, dry and mineral expression.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2017

93 Wine Advocate: "The 2017 Brut Nature Blanc de Blancs Terre de Vertus imparts a very mineral, almost crystalline character. A vineyard that rarely produces powerful wines, even in the context of 2017, it has retained its personality, though it's a little more generous and slightly less focused than the 2016 rendition. Unfurling from the glass with aromas of lemon peel, honeysuckle and oyster shell, it is medium-bodied, racy and saline-tinged."

93 Vinous: "Creamy, open-knit and quite seductive. Readers will find a generous, sensual Champagne with plenty of early appeal. Dried pear, crushed flowers, mint and chamomile build beautifully over time. This is a fine effort in a very challenging year."

Tasting Notes

Precise, expressive and intensely mineral. The nose opens with lemon peel, dried pear and delicate floral notes, followed by honeysuckle, mint, chamomile and a distinctive oyster-shell salinity. The palate is creamy and generous yet beautifully energized — fine acidity and a taut mineral backbone carry through to a finish that is dry, racy, saline and exceptionally pure. Oak fermentation lends supple texture; zero dosage ensures nothing stands between you and the terroir of Vertus.

Food Pairing

An exceptional partner for oysters and shellfish, sashimi, sushi, scallops, grilled or roasted white fish, lobster, roast poultry and aged cheeses. Its saline character and zero dosage make it especially compelling alongside seafood and dishes built around fresh herbs or citrus.

Specifications

Grape Variety: Chardonnay (100%)
Country: France
Region: Champagne
Sub-Region: Côte des Blancs
Village: Vertus
Classification: Premier Cru
Style: Blanc de Blancs / Brut Nature / Non Dosé
Dosage: 0 g/L — Zero Dosage
Vintage: 2017
Vineyard: Les Barillers lieu-dit
Farming: Biodynamic
Fermentation: Indigenous yeasts in old oak casks and large wooden foudres
Aging: 5+ years on the lees in bottle
Disgorgement: May 2023
ABV: 12%
Bottle Size: 750ml
Producer: Larmandier-Bernier