Special, as always. Large, complex, deep, oaky, spicy. Stalwart, broad, full of a complicated assortment of barrel extras. Wide ranging. Wow! One super-sized Lalande. 94+/100.

Proprietress Isabelle Valbom-Nadal at Arveyres in Entre Deux Mers south of Libourne. 80% merlot, 20% cab franc. Sweet, elegant, attractive, well poised example of 2022 claret. Plenty of fruit at just the right claret weight. Sweet fruit on the palate too. And that 2022 evenness. Lays just right. Good acid. Dusting of tannin. Harmonious and delicious now. Likely to age gracefully. 91/100.

At Villegouge; merlot and cab sauv. Full colored. 2020 claret darkness and fortitude. Merlot sweetness to the fore. Even more merlot richness on the palate, with the darker fruited and firmer cabernet in the mix. This is really ample for its appellation. Full bodied and giving. Light tannin to resolve. 91+/100. Wood case.

75% semillon, 20% sauvignon blanc, 5% muscadelle; vine age 45-48 years; unfiltered. Dubourdieu's the master of semillon. Lemon curd and lemon custard. Plus old vines semillon body. Ho hum, just another winner in this series. Fresh airs of sauvignon hover over the base aroma. Tangy, juicy acidity of cool 2024. Gives relief to a normally denser wine. I'd call it a success. 92+/100. Commentators found less SO2 than usual, revealing 'Lots of Graves flavor' and 'Smells of Graves origins'. 'Nice balance; long and good.' 'Nicely structured, crisp, fresh, refreshing.' 'Best Graville I can remember.'

Seems plenty of waxy, lemon curd semillon to the fore. A good presentation. Semillon padding, sauvignon briskness and cut. Well proportioned and generous. 91/100.

Proprietor Herve Dubourdieu; 60% semillon, 35% sauvignon blanc, 5% muscadelle; vines averaging 35 years; unfiltered; Kermit Lynch selection. Always the Dubourdieu semillon emphasis, always masterfully done. And this smells like one of the best in the series. The fullness, the lemon curd aroma. Sauvignon adds green fruit counter. Very racy, limey palate in cool 2024. Just a picture of sensual entertainment as well as a versatile choice with both seafood and poultry. 92/100.

That's really zippy for Bordeaux sauvignon. Lots of tangelo and passion fruit. Flavors confirm and are just as vivid. Dourthe's always made a good sauvignon. 91/100.

Est. 1895; 80% malbec, 20% merlot; 25 year old vines. Cahors black. Inky concentration, more so than several vintages of late. Impressive Cahors black core. Lots of licorice. The palate too is well condensed. There's a degree of fruit sweetness and flow too thanks to the merlot. Solid Cahors citizen and credit to the series. 91+/100. After aeration, it became 'Brighter, richer, more fruit friendly than expected. Black cherry, black tea.' However, a few attendees picked up a fishy smell. So one of them took the bottle home to check it out the next day. 'The fish swam away. Big, juicy plum and boysenberry atop of anise, Asian spice, pine forest, and sweet tannins, backed by moderate acidity. Big mouthfeel without being clumsy or overpowering.'

Gabbro soil. Gabbro is old, blueish-green, igneous rock, rarely found in vineyard land; vines 4-65 years old; yields of 2 tons per acre. Stamina, size, and underlying terroir all clear. Oh, boy, this just builds and fills. Yes, full of minerality as well as lees complexity. One loaded Muscadet, usually is. I have no fear of older vintages of Muscadet. Their age-worthiness is widely underestimated. 92+/100.

11.5%; granite parcel at La Butte; 20-60 year old vines. Not as buxom and forthcoming. More minerally. Nice tete a tete. A little bigger boost of acidity, and that minerality adding to the texture and dryness. More of a keeper. 92+/100.

Cool, crisp, and full of green undergrowth and botanicals. Green herbs, moss, hyssop. Very full in the mouth. Ample, gripping texture. Expands, swells up in the mouth. Surely full for 12%. Good acid. Big time generosity. 92/100.

Nice ripe red raspberry Loire cabernet franc aroma. Spicy savor and lift. Yes, this is ripe and fruity Bourgueil. Sweet fruit always marks this cuvee. 91/100.

Est. 1984; 35 year old vines on clay and limestone; indigenous yeasts; aged 11 months on lees. Quince, lime, calcaire classic. While each vintage has been running on the dry side of late, this one has less 'gras' than the last three. Very racy indeed. Not much tendre to this sec. The acid cuts right through it. Refreshment and relief. Handsome image of Vouvray. 93/100.

Dry, calcareous nose. Seriously good mealtime Vouvray. With aeration, sweet melon, quince and lime come forth to give it some padding. Very juicy. Hint of botrytis. Delicious fruit salad melange, especially citrus fruits. Honey dipped citrus. Sturdy for food. 92/100.

Pleasant, fresh, cool, tart fruited northern pinot noir that speaks of varietal and terroir. Engaging, soft sweetness of 2023. Great acidity demands food. The nose hid that pretty well. In the back, the long, flavorful aftertaste returns to softer, sweeter impressions. Spot on. 91/100

Est. 1898; from 24 year old vines; 85% sauvignon blanc, 15% chardonnay. At 85% it can be labeled 'Sauvignon Blanc'. Dazzles. Incisive Loire sauvignon in 2024. All kinds of citrus things. The chardonnay adds textural breadth and depth. Pointed sauvignon aromatic citricity to the fore, the chardonnay playing a strong role in the textural aspects. Boy, this guy knows what he's doing! 92/100. Attendees noted that chardonnay added more richness and length.

From 24 year old vines along the Cher tributary of the Loire 70 miles west of Sancerre. Surprising diversity of corks over this trio. Well, that is a really good, shrill, cutting sort of sauvignon nose. Unique indeed. I like it. Boy, just as expressive and incisive on the palate. No chardonnay divergence from pure sauvignon vigor. Well textured and long and juicy. I applaud this effort! 92/100.

2022: Hints of gunflint, silex, grapefruit. Pleasing enough, and 2022 round and fruity. More flavor coming forth as it warms in the mouth. Yes, perfectly pleasant, well balanced, and ready to drink. Some plumpness but a solid acidity too. Well enough priced these days. 91/100.

2021: Est. 1890 at Corgoloin; aged 15 months in barrels. Oh, that's a big burst of Nuits pinot black plum, augmented by savory barrel extras. Complex indeed. This is upscale. And uplifting thanks to 2021 coolness. A throwback Burgundy vintage. Just as fresh and cool a 2021 on the palate. Sweet, ripe fruit counters its racy acidity. Very nice take on the AOC, at a very palatable price. 93+/100. The Wednesday group tasting attendee who took the bottle remains home notes: 'Later that night and at 48 hours a baking spice quality developed in th enose, along with mild florals, black pepper, orange peel. And some classic undergrowth, too. It's really a throwback in style to vintages long past. It is fully ripe by the fruit flavors and by the qualoity of the acids, but it's no fruit bomb. 94+/100.'

Made from parcels in Santenay, Pommard, Volnay, Chambolle-Musigny and Vosne-Romanee (80%) as well as declassified village appellations of Auxey-Duresses and Maranges (20%). Well, that does talk Cote d'Or. Quite a complex of village pinot suggestions well knit together by a master negociant. May be the best vintage yet. Smooth and accommodating. Flavor spectrum equals the aromatic spread. Well textured and without any surly tannins. No objection to current drinking but much more to come. 92+/100. Enjoyed by attendees. ''Light and good; very fruity.' 'Real burgundy from the get go, from the nose to the palate. Quality and structure indicate that some cellaring might be indicated.'

Nice and full, ripe, and soft this vintage, while preserving the tart cherry core of northern Burgundy. Flavorful. No tannin to speak of. Glides across the palate. Well, there's a light tannin grip at the end, which promises more bouquet to come. 92+/100.

Est. 1877; Famille Geoffroy; from an east facing slope of friable pink granite. The aroma is not particularly forthcoming at opening. Has plenty of nostril PRESENCE though. More flavor than aroma. Classic Brouilly fullness and frankness. Not much tannin, but aromatic development ahead. Palate earns the price. 92+/100. Blossomed with aeration; very popular with attendees. 'Very lovely, true Beaujolais nose and flavor; long and rich.' 'Rich '23 fruit; granitic; GC quality; low tannins; crisp acidity; very young.'

Oh, this sings! The purity, the elevation, the class of Cote de Brouilly. Clear cherry and berry, translucent, rich, and penetrating. The palate is tighter and has a narrower aromatic spectrum than the nose at present. This is broad and deep textured though. And shows extra class of a Grand Cru. Defines Cote de Brouilly. 93+/100.

2021: 65 year old vines on granite; unfined. The medium dark color belies a voluminous noseful of Morgon from the get go. Oh, so lush, deep, broad. Brun spells what Morgon is all about. The palate is loaded with dry tannins though. So inviting to smell, so nasty to taste. Gotta cellar it. 93+/100. Wine of the Night for one attendee, and a 94/100 rating. All agreed the nose was special but the palate still bearish.

70 year old vineyard on granite next to Moulin a Vent; unfined, unfiltered. Long, real cork. The elegance of Fleurie meets the dark mass of Moulin a Vent. Wine of place, on the cusp. Mineral scent of a granite based rouge also. This is fairly loaded and yielding nothing to its pinot predecessors. Again, a wonderful combo of size and elegance. Quite like no other Fleurie. We loved the 2021; this is its worthy successor. 93+/100. Commanded full respect and much commentary. Wine of the Night candidate.

Est. 1935; 50-85 year old vines across the road from the windmill; aged in seasoned cooperage 6 months; unfined, unfiltered. Good, dark red violet MaV color. Large, commanding even. The power is clear and welcome. 'King of the Grands Crus' reputation exemplified. Deepens and sweetens up as it airs. Wow. Full, powerful, sweet fruited, well textured. Just big in all respects. Complex too. Gives and gives. Promises more to come. 94+/100.

On Portlandian limestone; vines average 28 years. Well, that's a step up in push and personality..and price. One of the 'grandest' Petits I've nosed. Yeah, it's not as chalky as one from Kimmeridgian limestone (Chablis proper). I think the greater proportion of clay is played well by the winemaker to make for mass. Full and flavorful, well textured and lengthy. Got to be a hallmark of Petit Chablis.93/100. Well respected by attendees. 'Exactly what it should be; nice minerality and decent acid.'

Wow, that's old vines full and Lavantureux classy. The old vines' limited production give extra concentration in a high production vintage. Nose reads 'complete'. Ample body, flavor, mouthfilling quality, and lasting aftertaste. Everything Chablis VV ought to be. 95/100.

Full and rich 2023 now coming to full fruition. Excellent example. Great acid, calcaire, mineral, cut, savor. Shows the way. 93+/100.

At Maligny; vines planted 1982-2020. Fuller aroma and feel; more personality already. This is all about Savary and Chablis. More body, more calcaire, more flavor, more acidity showing. The harmony that is 2023. Lasting terroir aftertaste. 92+/100. Liked better. True Chablis AOC Kimmeridgian limestone expression widely noted by attendees.

35 year old vines. Full and pungent. Real old vines size and aromatic breadth and depth. Good vintage acidity. Old vines filler. Lasting finish. A winning source. 93/100.

Vines planted 1975. More old vines oomph here. This really has mass. Almost chewy extract concentration. Flavor wise, more backward. The sheer size in the mouth presages a bountiful future. 93+/100. Liked better still. More potential noted too.

Those nice, clean lints that mark a Simonnet Chablis. Minerally, almost steeling in its cold and calculated approach. Chablis is about winemaking choices as well as terroir. Greater soft ness and roundness on the palate than the nose suggested. Still, it retains the house style. Very clean finish. 91/100.

That's Charnay full, especially for the vintage. With vintage freshness too. Bright and flavorful, with Charnay body. Good year for this. Lasting finish. 91/100.

Full, full, full. Deep, dense, intense. A Mr. Big village-specific Maconnais chardonnay. Yes, full flavor, body, texture, extract. So concentrated it even hints of walnut husk. 92/100.

Pungent of appley unwooded Macon chardonnay. Crisp in 2024. Yes, very keen and racy. Medium bodied. Flavorful and well balanced. Put it right to use. 91/100.

Vines planted between 1995 and 2007 on the granite plateau above Saint Joseph AOC; aged six months in seasoned demi muids. In the lean, cool, close 2024 style. Quite a contrast from the 2023. Yes, this is trim and taut, with a lovely sense of purity to it. Well extracted but not tannic, it would serve now. Still, I suspect it will round and fill out after a few months' aging. Or few hours breathing! 91+/100. Attendee comments paralleled my assessment. Overall well liked; orders taken.

Wood overtone. Fresh apple chardonnay. Good and clean. Wood and calcaire. Body and texture. Good stuff; one of the best in the series. 91/100.

Dark red violet. Full and black fruited for St. Joe, but not without lift and coolness. Young. Full, fine grained tannin. The material is there; a waste to drink now. 92+/100.

25 year old vines; 80% grenache, 20% syrah; aged 10 months in foudres. Well, this delivers. The most powerful, pungent, and complex Ventoux I've nosed. Bravo, Bruniers!/ Rich and expansive on the palate too. With age potential even. Ventoux on steroids, and a price to match. This really speaks for Brunier excellence at all the family's endeavors. 92+/100.

90% mourvedre, 10% carignan; aged 18 months in foudres. Great cork. Boy, that's one mourvedre dominated Bandol. Cool, black-purple, innately reductive mourvedre classic. Time in cooperage has earned some suavity. It's not as bearish in youth as some of its peers. Yes, the tannins are fairly melted. Again, the cooperage time mellowing. Good size, grip, and structural support for bouquet development with bottle age. Singular and impressive. 94+/100.

60% grenache gris, 40% roussanne, the latter aged 5 months in barrels. Following a Chablis, a different region and varietal set heard from. More robust, peachy, grainy. The varieties are giving their all in this setting. And the coolness of 2021 keeps them from becoming too cumbersome. Wow, round and rich and flavorful. But not fruity-floral. Old vines intense. Very versatile at the table. Ample enough to take on ratatouille. Shipped in error; I ordered the red. My gain. 92/100. This surprised attendees, generating a lot of enthusiasm.

Est. 1670 at Ammerschwihr. Classic, old time nutty, earthy Alsace sylvaner. Woody herb complications too. For me, this is a blast from the past sort that I haven't experienced for decades. Yes, with the old time waxy texture too. Old vines extract. All fits together for great balance, including 2021 acidity, which is not normally a sylvaner forte. Singular, and worth every penny. 93/100. Met with widespread attendee enthusiasm. 'Old vines for sure.' Pear, baking spices, florals.' '2021 acidity.' 'One of the best Alsace sylvaners I've tasted.'

At Epfig; vines over 55 years old; aged a year on lees. Full color. Sylvaner does have grey in its peels. While the aromatics are subtle (it's sylvaner after all), this screams old vines fullness. As it warms in the glass, classic sylvaner nuttiness gathers. Relatively moderate acidity of grape variety and vintage. That sense of old vines substance is confirmed on the palate. Its body and lack of pushy aromatics render it versatile at the table. Let's think of some matches! 92+/100. A tasting panel attendee added: 'Baked apple along with appropriate spices. Smoky finish. Complexity here!! Old vines intensity and length.'

Est. 1795; dry; vines 25-45 years old. Full dry nose. Cold temperature service limits its varietal aromatics upon opening. Though dry, there's a certain 2023 softness to it. Flavors, like aromas, yet to develop. 91+/100. Seems to have improved throughout the evening. Early tasters agreed with my assessment. Later tasters commented 'Great riesling nose' and 'Lovely, fresh nose with floral hints, distinctly peach flavor, and tonic finish.' Never underestimate aeration.

The 'Rose from Hell'. Very pale. Pure and delicately scented. Fresh and fulfilled. Actually smells 'heavenly'. Great acid. Quite full textured and also flavor. Broadly useful. I sense a bargain. One of the better SW France roses I've tasted. 91/100.

Pale peach. Delicate and attractive pink fruit and flower nose. In tune with the series. 2022 soft and forgiving. Not wanting for acid balance though. Nicely conceived and crafted. 91/100.

Syrah, grenache, merlot, cinsault. Medium peach. Pleasing, soft strawberry aroma. Flavorful and accomplished already. Well priced, well balanced. 91/100.

Yields of 2 tons per acre; adjusted with 7-10% neutral spirits; 110 g/l residual sugar. Classic petit grains muscat nose discreetly rendered and lightly dosed. Sweet fruit. Clear, strong spirit. Overall, lightly imposed to present a wide range of dessert opportunities. 93/100.

Est. 1868. At Ludes, in the Montagne de Reims Parc National. 45% pinot noir, 35% meunier, 20% chardonnay. 3 years en tirage. .9 RS. A right proper toasty bottle bouquet. Nice. And fine mousse. Creamy mousse. High brut with good acid. A winner at a good price. 92/100.

Est. 1868; at Ludes, in the Montagne de Reims Parc National; 45% pinot noir, 30% chardonnay, 25% meunier. That's a well pinked up rose champagne. I mean, the pinot is abundantly clear, and the meunier adds a soft fruitiness. Rose champagne is not meant to be contemplated, right? So this is the proper approach in my opinion. Yeah, alluringly fruity and flavorful, yet not without that biscuity bottle bouquet. All sits well together, to my taste. Come hither: one glass invites another. 94/100.

By Billecart-Salmon. 37% chardonnay, 33% pinot noir, 30% pinot meunier. Dosage .9 RS. Tech sheet claims 70% reserve wines, an extraordinarily high ratio. The red fruits are prominent. The brioche stuff of a high component of reserve wines. Alluring, toasty bottle bouquet. Fine mousse. Emulates Billecart Salmon encepagement and styling. Just from less exalted villages and not as long en tirage. High brut. Encouraging level of en tirage bottle bouquet. Plenty of reserve and yeast autolysis nuttiness. The red fruits make a statement and the white gives lift. Moderate acidity thanks to the ample meunier content. Toasty aftertaste. Harmonious and attractive. For hors d'oeuvres or main courses Definite value. 92/100.

60% Pinot Meunier, 20% Pinot Noir and 20% Chardonnay; 8 g/l dosage. Pale copper color. Quite full of red fruit. Good degree of bottle bouquet. Again, the red fruit emphasis. Positive degree of yeast autolysis aspect. 93/100.

The classic LP dry, lemony, stony style. I revel in its consistency. Superb aperitif; even better with fish. 93/100.

Family NM est. 1985 at Reims; half the grapes sourced from estate vineyards in Grands and Premiers Crus; 35% each chardonnay, pinot noir, 30% meunier; 65% 2019, 35% reserve vintages; aged four years en tirage. Meunier gives its appley perspective to the cuvee. For the level of reserve wines and time en tirage, this is not as doughy as I expected. Good though. Well proportioned overall. It's high brut up front, but then the reserves and age en tirage chime in with agreeable dryness and yeast autolysis character. Pulls through on the finish. 93/100. Well liked by attendees. 'Fresh, rich, and good; decent price.' 'Appealing nose; apple tart.' 'Nice balance of reserve and base vintage components.' 'Quite pleasant autolysis notes.'

RM est. 1856 at Vertus, which, though on the Cote des Blancs, bears some terroir suitable to pinot noir; 80% chardonnay, 20% pinot noir; disgorged 3/23. The pinot noir comes across full force compared to Fourny's BdBs tasted months back. Plenty of CdB chardonnnay finesse all the same. Oh, yes, lots of finesse as well as pinot's red fruit savor. Very fine mousse and solid autolysis input. 94/100.

RM. Vine age: 40 years. 2 years en tirage. Dusty, biscuity bottle bouquet with blanc de blancs levity and style. Bouquet intensifies and broadens on the palate. This shows considerable time on the lattes and is relatively full bodied for a blanc de blancs. It's own thing, really, which is always a joy to encounter. 94/100.

RM est. 1856 at Vertus, Cote des Blancs; average vine age 40 years; 30% of the vins clair aged 6 months on lees in Burgundian barrels; from 3 consecutive vintages plus 20% reserve wines; cuvee made up of both malo and no malo components; zero dosage; disgorged 1/24. Blanc de Blancs finesse all the way. Oh, such finesse and fine mousse. The palate carries on the theme and adds a more pronounced statement of yeast autolysis doughiness. Light as a feather above, with that bottle bouquet undertow working its depths. Yow, first class. 97/100. Well liked by all attendees, including WOTN votes. 'Apple driven nose; balanced lees component; fine BdB weight with enough substance too.' 'Lots of flavor; very dry.'

All chardonnay. And a good, straight forward, wholesome chardonnay it is. I smell a deal. Bright, with good acidity and varietal character that doesn't read Mediterranean chardonnay. Spot on. 91/100.

12 g/l RS. Pretty in pink fruit nose. Surprisingly full textured too. Peels extracts talk about mouthfeel as well as flavor. Good stuff. 90/100.