The Philippe Pacalet Chablis 1er Cru Beauroy 2021 hails from the revered vineyards of Burgundy, France. Renowned sommelier-turned-winemaker, Philippe Pacalet, brilliantly showcases terroir-expressive winemaking in this captivating vintage. Carefully balancing tradition with innovation, Pacalet utilises biodynamic techniques, eschewing added yeasts and enzymes to allow for the pure expression of the Chardonnay grape.

This Chablis premier cru is emblematic of the former sommelier's respect for nature and precision in winemaking. Its remarkable minerality, attributed to the Kimmeridgian soil of Beauroy, complements the wine's core of lemony freshness and floral appeal. The result is a harmonious blend of roundness and directness, presenting a structured yet elegant profile.

Philippe Pacalet Chablis 1er Cru Beauroy 2021 offers a refined interpretation of Chablis with a compelling display of fruit purity and layered complexity, serving as an unforgettable ode to its terroir.

Wine Advocate (92)

From an enclave within the premier cru climat that lost the appellation when the former proprietor brought in topsoil from elsewhere, Girardin's 2017 Puligny-Montrachet Les Folatières is showing beautifully, wafting from the glass with notes of citrus oil, mandarin, pastry cream and toasted hazelnuts. Medium to full-bodied, satiny and enveloping, this is a concentrated, racy and penetrating Pulginy that is well worth seeking out. I suspect that this cuvée will emerge as one of the star attractions of this new estate's portfolio.

Vinous (89-92)

Pale, bright yellow-green. More about fruit than the foregoing samples from Chassagne-Montrachet, offering aromas of lime zest, tangerine and orchard fruits, with a mineral element giving lift. Penetrating, linear and backward but not spiky on the palate, showing modest thickness but lovely inner-mouth lift to its dense, dusty citrus zest flavors. Doesn't show the texture of the examples from Chassagne but finishes with lovely rising white-peppery length.

Jancis Robinson (17)

Owned by the Thienpont family, the wine made by Nicolas Thienpont. Includes 15% Sauvignon Gris. Only a third of the vines survived the frost. Sauvignon Blanc (85%) clones from the Loire. Fresh herby citrus and some nice notes of orange peel. Almost peachy on the palate but excellent freshness and intensity, clean cut. Bright and lively and deliciously mouth-watering. Persistent, too. Orange-peel aftertaste. Lovely.

Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy (91)

(5-Star Wine) One plot is in Valvent opposite 1er cru Epinottes, the other opposite Forêts. There is more yellow in the colour here than the Petit Chablis, with an exceptional intensity that makes it almost hard to taste. Immaculate youthful bitterness and great length.

Wine Advocate (93-95)

From 70-year-old vines, the 2016 Condrieu Chéry is a bit more concentrated than Niero's Les Ravines bottling, but otherwise, it's similar in its aromas of crushed stone and pineapple. Like the other wines at this estate, it's aged 12 months in a mix of stainless steel (60%) and oak barrels (40%), giving it a rich, slightly oily texture. It's harmonious and long, with pineapple and melon flavors giving way to gingery spice on the finish.

Relish in the sophistication of the Robert Sirugue Bourgogne Aligote 2015, a definitive masterpiece hailing from the esteemed vineyards of Burgundy, France. Produced by the distinguished Maison Robert Sirugue who have been crafting gastronomic wines in Vosne-Romanée since the 1920s, this wine reflects their inimitable commitment to quality and the quintessence of their terroir. This Aligote, a grape varietal indigenous to Bourgogne, is adeptly cultivated on one hectare plot enriched by calcareous clay soil, which provides rich mineral nuances to the wine.

The Robert Sirugue Bourgogne Aligote 2015 is expertly matured for 10 months in stainless steel vats, featuring a bright and clear golden colour. Its nose is a delightful blend of floral and citrus aromas, followed by a zesty, vivacious palate with a beautifully balanced acidity. A timeless classic, it stands as a perfect companion to seafood, goat cheese, or as an aperitif. Delight in the artistry of Robert Sirugue with this sensational Bourgogne Aligote.

Vinous (92+)

(bottled in August; from 85-year-old vines on marne and calcaire): Pure saline minerality on the nose. Musky, highly concentrated and densely packed, with its stone fruit and citrus flavors kept under wraps today by stony minerality and strong acidity. A very taut, sappy wine with outstanding mineral grip. The rising, palate-staining finish boasts penetrating salty minerality. Very impressive--and built to age.

The Wine Cellar Insider (97)

Intense, attention seeking notes of lemon, lime, flowers and stone open to a wine with depth, richness and concentration. The wine is long, fresh, plush and polished with plush textures and a mélange of citrus and mineral sensations. There is a purity to the sweet fruits that remain on your palate for close to 40 seconds.

Wine Spectator (98)

Gorgeous aromas of honey, passion fruit, mango and candied lemon rind. Full-bodied and ultraconcentrated, yet balanced and refined. It lasts for minutes on the palate. This has just about everything in the right place. Stunning. Best after 2009. 6,665 cases made. -JS

Scoring 98 points from the Wine Advocate's Lisa Perrotti-Brown, 97 points from Decanter's Jane Anson and 18.5/20 from Jancis Robinson MW, this 2009 "remains the benchmark Suduiraut of recent years".

 

Still taking a while to open up fully, indicting a very long life ahead, it has a "divine bouquet... building layer upon layer" (NM) that "seductively unfurls" (WA) with gorgeous notes of honey, dried pineapple, chamomile tea, yellow flowers and nectarine. The rich, viscous and satiny texture of the palate is "effortlessly" countered by a "beautiful razor-sharp line of acidity" (NM) that gives this Sauternes bags of freshness. With "epic length and depth" (WA) on the finish, this is a wine that will span generations with Neal Martin giving it a drinking window up to 2070.

James Suckling (97-98)

What a crazy Sauternes. The density and sweetness are amazing, yet at the same time it’s fresh and bright with an inspirational energy and dryness at the end. Phenolic and textured.

Burghound (90-93)

An appealingly fresh nose is composed of essence of pear, floral and white peach aromas that are trimmed in a touch of citrus. The vibrant and impressively detailed flavors deliver ample power and punch on the intense and impressively persistent finish.

Wine Advocate (92+)

There are 13,053 bottles of Domaine de la Vougeraie's superb 2017 Vougeot 1er Cru Le Clos Blanc de Vougeot, representing a modest yield for this emblematic monopole. Opening in the glass with a pretty bouquet of fresh green pear, peach, mandarin oil and petrol, framed by a discreet touch of nutty new oak, the wine is medium to full-bodied, racy and precise, with a delicate and elegantly tight-knit core of fruit and a long, precise finish. As readers may know, small percentages of Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc complement Chardonnay in this cuvée.

Burghound (96)

This is arguably the most elegant wine in the range with its ultra-pure aromas of quinine, oyster shell, mineral reduction and floral elements that are also trimmed in just enough wood to warrant commenting on it. There is a caressing, even seductive mouth feel to the beautifully well-delineated and concentrated medium-bodied flavors that possess an almost delicate quality before culminating in a nearly startlingly explosive finish that just goes on and on. This bone dry effort is an exercise in harmony and grace, or otherwise expressed, a classic Preuses. In a word, brilliant.

Wine Advocate (91-93)

A dry white wine made from two-thirds Semillon and one-third Sauvignon from the vineyards of Yquem, Ygrec was first introduced in 1959, and around 1,000 cases are produced each year. An exquisite white Bordeaux, while it does possess a high level of residual sugar (8%-9%), 90% of the people who taste it would say it is completely dry because of its high acids and low pH. A brilliant effort, the 2012 was harvested between September 25 and October 25. It should drink well for 8-12 years.