Chateau Yquem is the highest and finest winemaker in the Sauternes appellation. The 2005 is pleasingly rich and luxuriously textured. It has a impressively defined bouquet and a well balanced palate of honeyed apricot, pepper and nectarine ending on spicy kick.

The Wine Independent (98)

A blend of 70% Semillon and 30% Sauvignon Blanc, with 138 grams per liter of residual sugar, the 2010 Yquem has a pale to medium straw-gold color. After considerable aeration, it erupts from the glass with a powerhouse of flamboyant notes of crystalized ginger, honeydew melon, mango pudding, and lime leaves, followed by nuances of honeysuckle, white pepper, fennel seed, and crushed rocks. The palate is fantastically fruity, youthful and oh-so-rich, delivering citrus and tropical fruit layers with compelling tension, finishing very long and with wonderful purity.

James Suckling (98-99)

The tannins and phenolic tension are very impressive to this. Dried-lemon undertones and burning botrytis. Full-to medium-bodied, linear and racy. Beautiful fruit and intensity. Such clarity. Extreme but wonderful style.

The Wine Independent (97+)

The 2020 Château d'Yquem a blend of 75% Sémillon and 25% Sauvignon Blanc. It has 135 grams per liter of residual sugar and a pH of 3.79. Pale lemon-gold colored, citrus and baking spice notes emerge slowly from the glass, rising to offer well-defined scents of candied ginger, orange blossoms, allspice, and almond tart, leading to a flamboyant core of peach cobbler, ripe, juicy pineapple, jasmine tea, and apple butter with a waft of saffron. The palate is full-bodied and characteristically rich, yet possesses impressive tension and therefore stunning harmony. Layers of exotic spices and fragrant white flower accents fill the palate, leading to a long finish with lingering chalk and mineral nuances. It’s a showy Yquem that is gregarious in youth but is reserving that extra something for those with the patience to wait twenty years or more.

The Wine Cellar Insider (98)

The complex aromatic profile explodes from the glass with pineapple, papaya, apricot, Meyer lemon, tangerine peels, caramel, honey, vanilla, saffron, cashews, and candied grapefruit in the aromatic profile. The palate resides perfectly in the middle of hedonism, and vibrancy. Clearly, there is ample sweetness, but the racy acidity provides incredible lift, energy, and length. The fruit expresses purity in its tangerines, oranges, mango, papaya, banana, and pineapples all slathered in honey. This is one of those Yquem's that can be enjoyed either as a sweet wine, or due to its vibrancy, with a diverse array of savory, and spicy dishes. Produced from a blend of 65% Semillon and 35% Sauvignon Blanc, 148 Grams per liter, 14% ABV, 3.79 pH. Yields were only 8 hectoliters per hectare. The harvest took place over an extended time, September 12 - October 27, with 4 passes in total. As you can see, the harvest was quite long, but picking the heart of vintage took place mid-to late October. Drink from 2027-2075.

Vinous (92)

Just 400 bottles of Pouilly Fumé Asteroide were made in 2019 from the same vineyard as Pur Sang, but the winemaking is different: half of the wine goes in a glass wine globe (a bit like a bonbonne), the other half in a barrel. This is a more varietal expression of the grape and the vineyard with nettle tea, dill and boxwood. Winemaker Jean-Philippe Agisson suggests this varietal character might be down to the influence of the wine globe. There's a firm, tangy finish and a touch of savory, nuttiness on the length. The Pur Sang is a more complete wine than the Asteroide despite the latter having the rarity X factor due to being ungrafted. Certainly doesn't represent good value!

Vinous (99)

The 2008 Montrachet from Domaine de la Romanée-Conti ranks amongst not only the best vintages that I have tasted from the domaine, but possibly the greatest white Burgundy I have ever tasted. The nose is breathtaking in terms of its precision and mineralité. There are not overt, easily definable aromas in situ, more an articulation of the vineyard that translates every single atom where it came from. The palate is bewitching in terms of its perfect bead of acidity, laser-like focus and the vein of salinité that leaves you begging for more. This is close to perfection. Tasted at the mature white Burgundy dinner in Hong Kong.

Vinous (99)

I can’t think of a better or more appropriate wine to bring the evening to a close than the 2010 Montrachet, a vintage that marries power and elegance like few before it. Dense and powerful in the glass, with tremendous textural richness, the 2010 shows remarkable transparency, with layers of citrus peel, crushed rock, slate, mint and dried flowers that build into the huge, explosive finish. Simply put, the 2010 is stratospheric. Tasted at the DRC Montrachet charity event in New York.

Wine Advocate (97)

The Montrachet was picked on 6 September at a respectable 37.1hl/ha. Lucid in colour, perhaps a little deeper than expected, it has a multi-faceted nose that you have to monitor over one hour. Hints of almond and butterscotch emerge at first, then salted caramel, pralines and peach skin. It is mercurial and utterly alluring. The palate is intense on the entry and immediately expresses a sense of vitality and tension. This Montrachet is suffused with great weight in the mouth with subtle touches of orange peel, almond and hazelnut that ebb with time. It mellows in the glass but never dispensing with one iota of tension, yet seeming if anything to gain in volume. This epitomizes great Montrachet. 265 cases produced. Drink 2016-2030+.

Burghound (96)

A whiff of post-bottling reduction does little to detract from the strikingly well-layered and ever-so-mildly exotic fruit, white flower and softly wooded nose. The super-rich and full-bodied yet beautifully delineated flavors possess a borderline painful intensity along with a taut muscularity before culminating a focused, tightly wound and powerful finale that really fans out as it sits on the palate. Moreover this markedly dry but not really austere effort is what I describe as sneaky long because just as the finish appears to be dying away it suddenly come back and plays hide and seek with your palate. Like most vintages of the Domaine's Montrachet this is undeniably built-to-age but unlike some of them the 2013 rendition is not likely to drink particularly well before the age of at least 10 and should reward somewhere between 15 and 20.

Vinous (98+)

Bright yellow-straw. Knockout soil-driven aromas and flavors of crushed rock, menthol, mint, ginger, white flowers, hazelnut and iodiney minerality, with a hint of fresh pear emerging with time in the glass: it would be easier to list what I didn't find in this wine! As tactile as a solid but with extraordinary mineral energy--and a bit of unabsorbed CO2--giving the middle palate astounding lift and a light touch. In a very pure, airy style but with great richness and some very ripe suggestions of marzipan and candied stone fruits. Finishes with outstanding gingery thrust and rising length, and the tannic structure of a red wine. A legend in the making.

Wine Advocate (96+)

The 2015 Montrachet Grand Cru is still predictably youthful, unfurling in the glass with aromas of crisp Anjou pear, buttered citrus, tangerine oil and a prominent framing of very classy new oak. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, multidimensional and concentrated, both satiny and textural without being remotely unctuous, and underpinned by succulent, even tangy acids. At this stage, where the wine really shows its pedigree is in its extraordinarily long, oak-inflected finish. Given the vintage, one might have expected more ripeness and drama, but the domaine is picking its Montrachet a bit earlier these days, and that has done it no harm at all in 2015. It would be interesting to taste this wine alongside Ramonet's example, which is both more textural and less overtly oaky, but my sense is that the two are on the same qualitative level in their very different styles.

Showcasing exemplary winemaking from Jura, France is the Domaine des Miroirs Sonorite du Vent 2016. Created by avant-garde winemaker Kenjiro Kagami, an ardent follower of the Biodynamic principle, the wine is crafted exclusively from the magnificent Savagnin grape. The hand-picked fruits are cultivated in vineyards located in L'Étoile and undergo wild yeast fermentation, cementing its authenticity. The ageing process in old Burgundy barrels over 30 months instils a defining complexity into the wine.

This transcendent wine mirrors its land of origin, revealing flavours of ripe fruits, crisp almonds, and rich spices. With a delicate buttery finish, the Domaine des Miroirs Sonorite du Vent 2016 bears testament to Kagami’s artisanal finesse and reverence for nature. A captivating, profound, and mineral-laden wine, it adds a dash of sophistication to any fine dining experience and is a bonafide delight for any discerning connoisseur.

Imbued with the distinct iodine and saltiness emblematic of the Jura region, the Domaine Des Murmures Savagnin VdF 2016 offers a compellingly elegant profile. Famed wine producer Domaine Des Murmures has meticulously crafted this varietal from Savagnin grapes, harvested from a unique montane terroir where the mild climate and limestone-rich soils foster their distinctive taste. Beautifully pale gold in hue, this vin de France presents a bouquet marked by notes of spice, green apple, and an undercurrent of nuttiness indicative of its oxidative aging process.

Fermented using indigenous yeasts, the Domaine des Murmures Savagnin VdF 2016 has been matured carefully in the traditional 'sous voile' method, with three to four years in old oak barrels ensuring an extraordinary depth of flavour. Savour the long, complex finish of dried fruit and exotic spice, a testimony to the winemaker's careful blending and experienced hand.

Vinous (90-92)

The 2019 Morey-Saint-Denis Monts Luisants Blanc 1er Cru has such a pretty aromas with lemon thyme and lemon verbena aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with a tangy, quince-tinged opening matched with a fine bead of acidity. Whereas the Morey Village Blanc remains quite linear, this gently fans out on its pure orange pith and apricot-tinged finish. Maybe not a long-term Monts Luisants, yet it will certainly given much drinking fulfilment over the following decade.

Wine Advocate (95)

The Vatan 2010 Sancerre Clos la Neore is fascinatingly – indeed, almost mind-bendingly – complex, already in the nose. Musk, white truffle, citrus oils, bittersweet floral perfume, lime and tangerine, as well as fusil, chalky and maritime mineral notes associated with Kimmeridgian origins waft in a kaleidoscopically interactive array. Fresh citrus and a stony-chalky undertone take the lead on a silken-textured palate but with almost electrically charged vivacity of interaction emerging in the long, saliva-liberating finish, mirroring the wine’s remarkable aromatic show. This will be at least a twenty year keeper worthy of comparison with such memorable past vintages as 1988, 1990, or 1996, each of which has shown gloriously when tasted within the past couple of years.

Vinous (98)

The 2016 Sancerre Clos La Néore is almost Riesling-like in its firm yet fine personality, its unswerving purity and its clear translation of place. Don't expect a seductive Sancerre, this is dry and steely with an appealing bitterness making for a very grown up white wine. It's starting to show early signs of development in its light almond/lanolin character alongside lemon tea. It offers exceptional concentration while being light bodied and provides a steely core of acidity, keeping the wine together and powering on. If you have any in your cellar, I can make myself available for dinner.

Crafted by esteemed winemaker Edmond Vatan, the Sancerre Clos La Neore 2017 is a fine example of terroir-driven vinification. Produced in the heart of France's Loire valley, it's one of the last remaining single plots of Sancerre, offering unrivalled purity and typicity of the region.

The Edmond Vatan Sancerre Clos La Neore 2017 demonstrates an exquisite balance of ripe fruit, minerality, and palate-gripping acidity. Hand-harvested from vines averaging 50-years-old on Kimmeridgian marl soils, this prestigious Sauvignon Blanc ferments naturally in old wooden foudres to enhance its inherent complexity.

With a limited production, the wine reveals a striking, crystal-clear golden hue alongside an aromatic profile of citrus zest, ripe apple, and flinty undertones. It's exceptionally layered, showing vibrant fruit, precise acid, and a lingering finish. Best consumed after carefully decanting, Edmond Vatan Sancerre Clos La Neore 2017 is a sought-after vintage deserving of a place in the cellars of discerning neophytes and seasoned collectors alike.

Wine Advocate (94-96)

The 2018 Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru hails from a small parcel just below the Marquis de Laguiche's Montrachet holdings, and it's also performing beautifully. Offering up a lovely bouquet of pear, orange oil, white flowers and clear honey that's framed by a deft touch of oak, the wine is full-bodied, multidimensional and complete, with a deep and layered core, lively acids and a long, expansive finish.

Vinous (92-94)

The 2020 Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru has a focused, delineated bouquet that is perhaps a little sharper than the Bienvenue. Certainly the palate has more tension and minerality, a fine bead of acidity, quite precocious towards the finish with a hint of liquorice. Maybe a little more persistency would not have gone amiss, although it should gain some during its barrel maturation.

Burghound (93-96)

Don't Miss! An overtly floral-suffused nose features notes of lilac, carnation and acacia blossom that are trimmed in spice, citrus rind and soft wood wisps. The strikingly pure and beautifully defined larger-bodied flavors are not super-dense but I very much like the texture, all wrapped in a clean, bone-dry and compact finish that flashes plenty of focused power. This could also use a bit more depth but that shouldn't be an issue. As an aside, for those readers who were Sauzet fans 25-ish years ago, the '21 Bâtard reminds me quite a bit of the 1993, which is one of Sauzet's all-time great vintages.

Burghound (93-96)

Here too the restrained nose is beautifully layered with a broad-ranging nose of wet stone, freshly sliced apple, citrus, white flowers and ample spice nuances. There is terrific density to the impressively big-bodied and powerful flavors that display plenty of the hallmark minerality on the palate coating, stony and super-saline finish that once again just goes on and on. This beautifully well-balanced effort should also age effortlessly for the better part of two decades.

Vinous (94-96)

The 2018 Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru comes from bought-in grapes sourced from the upper sector. It has a fragrant, floral bouquet with dandelion scents filtering through the citrus fruit, although I actually prefer the gung-ho aromatics of the Bâtard by comparison. The palate is very well balanced with a slightly honeyed texture on the entry. There is a lovely spicy undertow here, and an intense lemongrass-infused finish that lingers 45-plus seconds in the mouth. Very fine. Four barrels produced.