2010 - Present Wine

Expert Review - Vinage 2021

The Wine Spectator 93 Points | This 2021 Blanc de Noirs opens with enticing aromas of bright citrus, pineapple, raspberry, and cherry, which harmonize with hints of toasted nuts and puff pastry. A tart and tangy entry, showcasing Cara Cara orange, nectarine, and peach, intertwines with a touch of almond cookie. A vibrant acidity in this bottling supports a long quenching finish. 

Winemaker Description 

This 2021 Blanc de Noirs opens with enticing aromas of bright citrus, pineapple, raspberry, and cherry, which harmonize with hints of toasted nuts and puff pastry. A tart and tangy entry, showcasing Cara Cara orange, nectarine, and peach, intertwines with a touch of almond cookie. A vibrant acidity in this bottling supports a long quenching finish. 

Expert Review - Vintage 2016

The Wine Enthusiast by Roger Voss 89 Points | This 113-acre estate has been owned for three generations by the Pagès family. Rich tannins contrast with the spicy, toasty flavor that will soften into the ripe black-currant fruits. Drink this wine from 2022. 

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2019

Jane Anson 96 Points | Inky, glass-staining in colour, this is richly textured and intense, easily rivaling the best ever vintages at the property. Filled with creamy damson and cassis fruit, with a sense of precision and restraint to the frame, held in by fine but plentiful tannins. 30% 1st wine, highest ever Cabernet Sauvignon, 50% new oak for ageing. An exceptional wine, marking 125 years since the founding of Suntory in Japan.

The Wine Advocate 95 Points | The 2019 Lagrange has turned out beautifully in bottle, wafting from the glass with aromas of cherries, blackberries and cassis mingled with hints of loamy soil, pencil shavings and bay leaf. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and enveloping, with an ample core of lively fruit, powdery tannins and succulent acids, it's suave and seamless, concluding with a long, expansive finish. The result of an extremely rigorous selection, and incorporating fully 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, this is the finest wine this château has produced in the modern era. Remarkably, it was released at the same price en primeur as the 2005! 

Jeb Dunnuck 95 Points |  While I don't think the 2019 Château Lagrange matches the 2018, it's not far off, with a more elegant yet still concentrated style. Beautiful crème de cassis, spicy oak, tobacco, chocolate, and new saddle leather notes all emerge on the nose, and it stays tight, compact, and focused on the palate, with plenty of firm tannins. It opens up beautifully with time in the glass but merits 4-6 years of bottle age, and it should evolve for 20-25 years or more.

Expert Review

96 Points Decanter, Clive Pursehouse: This is quite the Chardonnay from Brianne Day and the renowned Eola Springs Vineyard in the best Chardonnay appellation in America. Winemaker Brianne Day chose three different blocks and three different cones: Hyde Wente, Mount Eden and Chardonnay 96 (a Dijon clone). She picked the Hyde Wente and Mount Eden early for structure and acid, and the Dijon 96 was picked later to flesh out the palate with riper fruits. Captivating lemon curd aromas and rich, honeyed apricots are followed by almond pastry cream - dollops of rich lemon cream, ripe peach fuzz, and rich apricot flesh.

Winemaker Notes

I have been wanting to work with another stellar Chardonnay site and was delighted to have the opportunity to purchase fruit from this gorgeous vineyard in the Eola Amity Hills. In an effort to get to know the vineyard well, I chose three different blocks and three different clones; Hyde Wente (California heritage clone), Mount Eden (another Cali heritage clone) and Chardonnay 96 (a Dijon clone). The Hyde Wente and Mount Eden were picked a little earlier for the structure and acid and the Dijon 96 a little later for some stone fruit and riper fruit. The wine is lively, lithe, and has a fairly solid mineral structure with a supple and glossy mid palate. Lemon curd, peaches, river stones, lime zest, sweet orange, honeysuckle and a hint of pastry all come to mind. - Winery

#1 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2025

#8 James Suckling Top 100 Wines of the World 2025

Château Giscours, a Grand Cru Classé in 1855, is a wine with a big personality that expresses the expertise of our teams and the full wealth of our terroir in the Margaux appellation. Château Giscours is an elegant, well-structured wine with magnificently bright aromas. It is a wine that develops wonderfully over time, the enjoyment of which is passed down from generation to generation.

98 James Suckling: Stunning aromas of blackcurrants, dark mushrooms and black cherries with forest-floor notes. Full body that fills your mouth with fine, caressing tannins and dark, flavorful fruit. The tannins are very intense and structural, spreading across the palate in layers and giving intensity and energy. Plenty of energy and verve here. This has gravity, too. 64% cabernet sauvignon, 30% merlot, 3% petit verdot and 3% cabernet franc. Best after 2029.

97 Jeb Dunnuck: The deeply colored and glass-staining 2022 Château Giscours is packed with cassis, black cherries, violets, and graphite-like aromatics. Medium to full-bodied, it’s concentrated and intense, with beautifully ripe tannins, a pure, graceful mouthfeel, and a long, structured finish. There’s serious depth here, and while it already shows remarkable balance. Rating: 97+

96 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: The 2022 Giscours has realized all the potential it showed en primeur, wafting from the glass with a deep bouquet of sweet berries, mint, rose petals and pencil shavings. Medium to full-bodied, deep and layered, it's textural and enveloping, built around lively acids and sweet powdery tannins, concluding with a long, resonant finish. As I pondered two years ago, why is the 2022 so good? There are many reasons, but one is the high proportion of old vines—almost 60% of the blend derives from vines that are over 50 years old—in a vintage that favored vines with deep, well-established root systems.

96  Decanter: A seriously impressive and beguiling Giscous in 2022 and one of the most elegant. A remarkable wine with gorgeous clarity and purity and just the most gentle seduction, even more so because it really doesn't feel as if it's trying too hard yet still delivering depth and complexity. Fresh and lifted, fragrant and so juicy but with textured tannins that give both the weight, structure and density to the quite bright, tangy, vibrant fruit. Nicely composed, feels quite powerful yet restrained and finessed offering lots of immediate drinking appeal but with a serious backbone that suggests long ageing too. Elegant, fineseed, subtle confidence with such cool minerality that gives freshness all the way through. It's not the most dense, or fleshy, but so refined. A compelling wine. Possible upscore in bottle. 3% Cabernet Franc completes the blend. 3.70pH. A yield of 27hl/ha, the lowest ever. No Sirene de Giscours this year. 100% grand vin. Ageing 17 months, 50% new oak. 10-15% press wine. Tasted twice.
Barrel Sample: 96

95 Wine Spectator: Warmed cassis and plum notes form the core, while lilting lilac, violet and iris accents stream throughout. Offers a flash of black tea on the finish, along with a beguiling, cashmerelike mouthfeel. Judicious toast lets it all play out beautifully. A pitch-perfect example of the vintage profile. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc.

Winemaker Description 

This Malbec shows an intense, deep ruby red color. In the nose are aromas of berries, cherries, followed with notes of black pepper and light touches of vanilla and chocolate. On the palate, notes of plums and spices stand out with an impeccable structure and juiciness.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2019

The Wine Advocate 92 Points | Owned by the Cuvelier family, proprietors of Léoville-Poyferré, this picturesque Saint-Estèphe estate has produced a fine 2019 Le Crock. Wafting from the glass with aromas of blackberries, currants, loamy soil and cigar wrapper, it's medium to full-bodied, broad and fleshy, with an ample core of succulent fruit underpinned by ripe, powdery tannins.

The Wine Spectator 92 Points | Leads off with sweet bay leaf, tobacco and warm earth hints, which are quickly met by a core of steeped plum and black currant fruit. Shows subtle charcoal dusting and a note of cast iron that add fuel to the finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2023 through 2035.

Vinous 92 Points | The 2019 Le Crock is a powerful, burly Saint-Estèphe. A rush of black cherry, scorched earth, licorice, tobacco and menthol makes a strong opening statement. Rich, virile and packed, the 2019 is big, hearty wine that shows the savory personality of Saint-Estèphe. The tannins are a bit coarse, but then again, that is to be expected. There is certainly a lot of wine here.

James Suckling 92 Points | Lots of blackcurrants and spices with some dried flowers follow through to a medium body with firm, silky tannins and a bitter-citrus and dark-walnut aftertaste to the fruit. Needs time to soften. Try after 2024.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2023

The Wine Advocate 91 Points | Celebrating its 30th anniversary (1991-2021), the Castello di Montepò 2021 Sassoalloro is a selection of the special BBS-11 clone of Sangiovese from across the estate vineyards. The property measures 600 hectares and has 60 hectares of vines that have been carefully mapped and subdivided with help from the universities of Florence and Pisa. This wine offers a 360-degree view of the estate's winemaking philosophy with a fresh and accessible dinking style. There is plenty of cherry, wild berry, earthy mineral and dried spice over a medium texture.

James Suckling 91 Points | Expressive nose of balsamic, sour cherries, orange peel, dried roses and spice box. Hints of cardamom and hazelnut. Firm, chalky tannins that spread across the palate, with a medium to full body and creamy, delicious finish. 30th anniversary bottling. Drink from 2024.

Winemaker Description 

The Toscana Rosso 'Sassoalloro' by Tenuta Castello di Montepò, owned by Jacopo Biondi Santi, is a red wine of great charm that tells the entire vision of the winery since its first harvest. A Sangiovese that has been selected from the historic family estate where the famous Brunello di Montalcino is produced, and which has been planted in this wonderful corner of Tuscany, not far from Scansano.

Vinified in steel, it matures for just over a year in barrique before an additional aging in the bottle. Deep fruity and spicy aromas, with notes of cherry and raspberry, followed by balsamic and herbal notes. Soft and elegant, fresh with well-integrated tannins in a solid structure. An elegant red wine with a definite territorial adherence, suitable for any occasion.

It is a rare phenomenon that a wine can trace its origins to a single man. Brunello di Montalcino, however, owes its existence to the creative genius of Clemente Santi and his nephew Ferruccio Biondi Santi who in the eighteen hundreds started producing barrel-aged single-varietal wines in Montalcino, betting on the extraordinary quality potential of Sangiovese grosso. Since 1888, the first vintage of Brunello in history, Biondi-Santi has continued to produce wines renowned for their elegance and extraordinary longevity.

No compromise. Only a painstaking, yet simple attention to detail and an artisanal sense of excellence accompanies the production of the Brunello Biondi-Santi, that is produced exclusively with estate grown grapes, hand selected from our high-altitude vineyards. 

Expert Review - Vintage 2024

James Suckling 92 Points | White-pepper and apricot aromas dominate, slightly herbal in a positive way. Vibrant on the palate with medium body, weight and silkiness. Crisp, juicy finish.

Winemaker Description 

Pale yellow with green reflexes. Aroma : Fruity bouquet (apples and pears). Taste : Soft and full with a long A nish, elegant body, balanced acidity.

#85 James Suckling Top 100 Wines of the World 2025

Blend: 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot

Expert Reviews

100 Points  Jeb Dunnuck: A sensational Pauillac as well as the finest wine from this château since the 2009 (although the 2010 might have something to say about that), the 2022 Château Pontet-Canet sports a deep purple hue as well as a heavenly perfume of crème de cassis, smoke, incense, leafy tobacco, and chocolate. This beauty has sensational purity, a deep, layered, multi-dimensional mouthfeel, flawless balance, and incredible precision and detail in its aromas and flavors. Despite its opulence and power, it has a solid underlying structure, and its tannins are sweet and polished; it has remarkable depth and concentration, and it just does everything right. It should have 40, 50, if not 60 years of overall longevity. The 2022 is based on 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, brought up in 50% new barrels, 35% in amphora, and the rest in once-used oak.

99 Points by James Suckling: The concentration of dried herbs such as thyme, sage and mint with blackcurrants and Spanish cedar is mesmerizing. Full-bodied with a dense and intense palate, this has creamy, crunchy tannins and a long and flavorful finish that goes on for minutes. Punchy and rich with lots of power. The real identity of Pontet-Canet comes through despite the hot and dry growing year. 57% cabernet sauvignon, 35% merlot, 4% cabernet franc and 4% petit verdot. From biodynamically grown grapes.

95 Points by Decanter Magazine: Vibrant, vivid purple colour in the glass, rich and deep. Smells bright, super fresh and expressive on the nose with freshly-picked blackcurrants and perfumed purple flowers - the Petit Verdot, really standing out. Clean and clear, creamy, powdery and softly chewy on the palate. The texture is lovely, you can tell they haven't over extracted but there’s still clear concentration with a gentle succulence provided by the acidity, cool freshness and appealing mineral touches alongside liquorice, clove, dried herbs and bitter chocolate. Enjoyable and well defined if still a little compact. 3.85pH. 4% Cabernet Franc completes the blend. 15% press wine used. Harvest 8 - 28 September, the earliest and longest ever. 20% lower yields than in 2021. The technical team used a clay sunscreen on the grapes to avoid burning. Tasted twice. Barrel Sample: 95

Winery Information

For over three centuries, Château Pontet-Canet has been owned by just three families, showcasing exceptional stability and uniqueness as a premier Bordeaux estate. Today, the winery is run by the Tesseron family, with Alfred Tesseron as owner and his daughter Justine Tesseron as CEO.

Château Pontet-Canet is the first major Bordeaux estate certified organic and a pioneer in biodynamic farming, cultivating grapes without chemical treatments. To further protect the vineyard soils, the estate uses Percheron workhorses instead of heavy tractors on half of its vineyard — a true blend of tradition and innovation.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2024

Jeb Dunnuck 95 Points | Based on 70% Clairette and 30% Roussanne and barrel fermented in demi-muid and foudre, the 2024 Châteauneuf Du Pape Blanc is gorgeous, pure, and layered. It offers honeyed white peach, white flowers, subtle croissant, and spice aromatics. Medium to full-bodied and incredibly layered, it has remarkable acidity and a great finish that shows sensational purity and length.

The Wine Advocate 94 Points | Ethereal, fresh and perfumed, the 2024 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc opens with aromas of white fruits, herbs, spices and confit citrus. Medium- to full-bodied, pure and seamless, it is layered and textured, leading to a long, penetrating finish of great finesse. All precision and delicacy, this blend of 70% Clairette and 30% Roussanne is a stunning wine. It matured for six months in a combination of barrels, foudres and amphorae.

Memo Summary Notes 

Isabel Ferrando’s reputation for outstanding wines has grown every vintage since her first release in 2003. As a woman owned business and winemaker, Isabel has built a tremendous reputation producing highly acclaimed wines. 

"Proprietress Isabel Ferrando has taken her Saint Prefert estate to France’s highest level, and she’s unquestionably making some of the most profound wines on earth today, including both reds and whites.”   —Wine Critic - Jeb Dunnuck

"Hard work. Subtle tweaks. Responsible farming. An uncompromising dedication to quality. Isabel Ferrando keeps doing things the right way, and her wines are dramatic proof.” —James Molesworth, Wine Spectator.

"one thing that remains constant is the incredible quality that continues to emerge from this talented winemaker.” Jeb Dunuck. 

Expert Review - Vintage 2024

Vinous 93 Points | The first of the two white wines, the 2024 Versante Nord is a blend of varieties sourced from six different vineyards at varying altitudes from the north side of the valley, which receives more sunlight during the day. This wine offers a wealth of power, with notes of salted pineapples, fresh sage, smoky earth, and saline. It’s bright with acidity, salinity, and a light wild side, though very well-managed. It had been bottled just three weeks earlier, so this tasting was a preview prior to its release. Drink over the coming 8-10 years.

Winemaker Description 

This wine offers a strikingly pure expression of Mt. Etna’s eastern slopes. Grown on volcanic soils at high elevation, this white blend is taut, mineral, and refreshingly saline, with notes of citrus zest, herbs, and crushed rock. A brilliant new bottling from one of Etna’s most exciting voices—available now on pre-sale in limited quantities.

Eric Guido also last year assigned 91 Points to this plot- and said as follows of the 2023 vintage - Crushed rocks, dried flowers, raw almonds and freshly sliced nectarines form a savory bouquet as the 2023 Carricante Versante Est opens in the glass. Nearly salty in character, it washes across the palate with ease, showing tart orchard fruits and hints of lemony custard. The 2023 finishes with medium length, leaving a pleasant chamomile air to linger.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2022

Jeb Dunnuck 92 Points | Sourced from six different vineyards at varying altitudes, the 2022 Versante Nord is aged in concrete tank and exhibits perfumed and lifted aromas in the glass, featuring wild raspberries, brambly Mediterranean herbs, dried roses, and dusty earth. It’s pure on the palate, with great energy and peppery spice, as well as lots of focus. It’s a total pleasure to drink now and will drink well over the coming 10 years.

Vinous 92 Points | The 2022 Nerello Mascalese Versante Nord entices with a dusty blend of rose petals, wild strawberries and sweet spice. This is soothingly round with a pretty inner sweetness and depths of ripe red and blue fruits that swirl across a stream of juicy acidity. It tapers off long and staining, just gently tannic, ending with a wild blueberry and blood orange saturation. The 2022 aims to please.

Producer Description

100% Pinot Noir

• From Cumières 1er Cru, three plots all on the midslope
• A pure expression of Pinot Noir from Cumières
• No malo
• Fermented and aged in demi-muids and barrels
• Aged 66 months on the lees
• Dosage: 3g/L
• On the nose, a complex bouquet of aromas of red fruit, baked apple and hints of dried fruit. Airy, lively and nervous on the palate. With its balance of richness and freshness, this Champagne stands out. It has the depth and complexity to accompany a gourmet meal. A fine match for roast poultry or mature cheeses.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2020

The Wine Spectator 95 Points | This is supple and complex, delivering cherry, strawberry, summer meadow, earth, leather and iron aromas and flavors. Firmly structured, this picks up a hint of licorice as it winds down on the lingering finish, with tannins that are solid yet civilized. Shows fine potential. Best from 2028 through 2046. 1,670 cases made, 540 cases imported.

Jeb Dunnuck 92 Points | The medium red 2020 Barolo Cascina Nuova is spiced and fruity with notes of ripe grenadine, pink peppercorn, dried apricots, and polished leather. Open and approachable, it offers ripe, supple tannins, even acidity, and a clean finish with good length. It’s a very charming wine with a wide drinking window for enjoyment over the next 10 years.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2021

The Wine Enthusiast 94 Points | This is the flagship Chardonnay produced by Domaine Anderson. It is a glimpse into the winemaking style of the house, highlighting the cool climate, sunshine and proximity to the Pacific Ocean. The nose conveys pithy apple, youthful nectarine and butterscotch candy. The palate intensifies these notes, along with high acidity, minerals, cinnamon and a mouthwatering finish.

Jeb Dunnuck 92 Points | Made from estate-grown, certified organic vineyards, including three single-vineyard designates (Navarro-Fairhills, Walraven, and Dach), the 2021 Chardonnay Estate is a light-bodied white that is tangy in acidity and fresh citrus notes, expertly showcasing both the cool-climate region and coolness of the vintage, one of the earliest harvests on record in the Anderson Valley. Meyer lemon and a twist of lime highlight the aromatic profile, with more lemon developing on the palate as a nice complement to the green and Golden Delicious apple flavors.

The Wine Spectator 91 Points | With sleek notes of lemon, pear and yuzu alongside racy acidity, this pops out of the glass, finding wonderful harmony with the grace notes of white pepper and vanilla custard, plus a hint of salted butter shortbread on the finish. Drink now. 1,000 cases made.

Winemaker Description 

Expert Review - Vintage 2023 

Vinous 92 Points | The 2023 Etna Rosso Pietradolce is a dark and brooding effort with a whiff of flowery underbrush and ashen stone giving way to crushed black cherry. Silky smooth, it sweeps across the palate with ripe wild berry fruit and a collage of sweet spice, all guided by juicy acidity. The 2023 leaves a saturation of primary concentration and a tinge of tart blackberry while finishing with tension. This is far from an easy-drinking, simple Rosso. It should excel through medium-term cellaring.

This amber-colored wine is a bit cloudy. Guava, quince and jasmine aromas prepare the palate for Valencia orange, lime juice and yellow-currant flavors that remain energetic on the tongue from first sip to lingering finish.

Perfect to accompany grilled seabass or smoked fish.

Winemaker Description 

This wine’s tart, spiky glints of passion fruit tease the nose amidst all its lemony freshness. With a little air, the passion fruit note grows smoother and fuller. The palate glows in this fruitiness and complements it with creamy richness. It’s lovely and seductive now but sure to get even better.

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On the nose, this wine is fruit forward with a touch of apple, peach and apricot with a slight spice. Fresh and tangy, fine spices, white pepper and round body.

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Citrine yellow color. Intense and exuberant aroma, dominated by citrus fruits, where floral aromas are also noted. The acidity well present and involved in the volume of the wine that together with the retronasais aromas, give it a fresh and persistent finish.

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Salt River Sauvignon Blanc is a blend of five different vineyard sites located around Stellenbosch. The anchor of the wine is the now a 35year-old bush vine vineyard grown on the slopes of Bottelary. The other components are trellised and bush vine vineyards, with various different aspects, planted in granitic soil. These vineyards have combined exceptionally well in creating the saline mineral style of Sauvignonn.

Expert Reviews- Vintage 2020 

The Wine Enthusiast by Mike DeSimone 94 Points | This deep garnet-colored wine has a nose of black currant, sage leaf and cherry pipe tobacco. It is smooth at first sip and then bold tannins settle in and coat the tongue and gums. Blackberry, raspberry, cocoa powder, crème brûlée and orange zest flavors are accompanied by a note of butterscotch that endures on the palate.

James Suckling 92 Points | Spicy oak to the fresh blackberries with some vanilla, smoke, walnut and dried orange peel. Chewy and pretty tannic with juicy fruit on the tight, medium- to full-bodied palate. Long and grippy finish. Needs at least two years to come around. Better from 2025.

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The Riesling offers an elegant and classical scent with notes of tropical fruits such as pineapple and melon, complemented by green apples and citrus. It boasts an excellent balance of sweetness and acidity, making it versatile for any occasion—from an aperitif to after-dinner, and well-suited for spicy food, daily meals, or simply enjoying.

The vineyards, spread out along the Nahe valley, offer a wide variety of characteristic wines, reflecting the influence of the different soil structures and the varying microclimates. In fact, two of these single sites are solely owned by the Anheusers, namely Pfingstweide in Niederhausen and in den Felsen in Schlossboeckelheim.

VARIETAL: 100% Pinot Noir
LOCATION: Nahe
ALCOHOL: 12.7%

An unusual white dry-style Pinot Noir from free-run juice, the wine presents a good firm structure.

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Golden yellow color. Intense aroma dominated by the fruit, highlighting the peach and grapefruit. It has an easily noticeable acidity, involved in the volume and body of the wine. These taste sensations, together with the retro nasal aroma, give it personality and a long final persistence.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2023

James Suckling 96 Points | I really like the crunchy character to this, with ripe, al dente pinot noir character highlighting the strawberry and lemon notes. Medium-bodied, lively and energetic with citrus and crushed stone undertones. This is so satisfying and fresh.

The Wine Spectator 95 Points | The 2023 Moonlight Race Pinot Noir is stalky, spicy and bright, with note of Campari/blood orange that mingle alongside dark chocolate, coffee, blood plum and star anise. If anything, this feels slightly lean rather than plush, but it works well within the scope of the wine. In the mouth, the tannins and acidity work together as one, making this wine feel integrated, serious, and fun, all at once. Recommended. It is very fine. 13.5% alcohol, sealed under screw cap.

The Wine Advocat 94 Points | The 2022 Moonlight Race Pinot Noir is supple and spicy, with pink peppercorn, cherry blossom, red apple skins, a hint of blond tobacco and white pepper. The wine is light in the glass (but vibrant) and the tannins suit it—they are totally fresh and fine—finely milled and like poudre. Superb, silky, totally satisfying and enlivening. 13.5% alcohol, sealed under screw cap. Here are some technical numbers for you. Vineyard percentage is 56% Burn Cottage Vineyard, 22% from the Sauvage Vineyard and 22% from Luna Vineyard. Seven percent whole bunch was in the ferment with 17 days on skins and oak included 22% new French oak. The wine's pH is 3.73, with a total acidity of five grams per liter.

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The Wine Enthusiast 90 Points | While this wine is currently quiet, it shows a lot of promise. Mouthwatering and long on the palate, it offers attractive citrus pith, delicate white flowers and fresh almonds.

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The colour is a beautiful pale gold with green highlights. The nose is floral and elegant, with hints of ibiscus and pleasant apricot. The palate is rich and smooth, with aromas of creamy caramel and a magnificent mineral and saline finish.

Winemaker Description 

A wine full of charm: bright ruby color and a nose rich with aromas of red fruit (raspberry, red currants, wild strawberry). On the palate, the wine is pleasant, fruity and refreshing, with light tannins and great elegance.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2021

The Wine Enthusiast 94 Points | This wine has a deep, dark and tempting core of black fruits and oak spices that is surrounded by the velvety, welcoming texture expected from a Merlot. Blackberries, blueberries, toasted wood and cedar bring out complexity on the palate and linger on the finish. Best through 2030.

The Wine Spectator 88 Points | Tightly structured and focused, displaying red and black currant flavors laced with notes of cedar and herbes de Provence as this builds toward firm tannins. Best after 2024. 2,427 cases made.

Winemaker Description 

The 2021 Alexander Valley Merlot offers notes of violets, marionberries and fresh plums with hints of black cardamon pods, cedar, green tobacco and white sage. Medium-to-full bodied with silky smooth texture and supple tannins.

Winemaker Description 

Daniel-Etienne Defaix's commitment to extraordinarily long aging, organic farming, and natural fermentations puts him well outside the region's mainstream, but his deeply expressive late-released wines are Chablis to their core. In generations past, long aging in Chablis was more the rule than the exception, but today Danny is virtually alone in that practice.

The Defaix family—one of the oldest winegrowing families in the region—owns thirty hectares of vines, the vast majority of which are in premier and grand cru vineyards, but Danny designates only his best lots each vintage as cru-level, declassifying the remainder as villages.

Astonishingly, he bottles these cru-level wines only after eight to ten years of aging in tanks, therein undergoing a slow natural settling which prevents the need for filtration. Long aging, however, is not the only way in which Defaix distinguishes himself. He relies exclusively on naturally occurring yeasts—a rare practice in Chablis—and his fermentations routinely last between three and six weeks (inoculating gets it done in four-to-six days), with malolactic fermentation sometimes requiring two years to finish in his frigid cellar.

Les Lys is a tiny five-hectare cru of which Defaix owns three and a half hectares, all in a southeast-facing section called Clos du Roi—effectively a monopole of the domaine. Its poor soils of pure Kimmeridgian limestone produce perhaps the most complete and distinctive wine in Defaix’s cellar. Combining some of the power of the “Vaillon” with the chalky intensity of the “Côte de Lechet,” “Les Lys” ratchets up the aromatic complexity of the previous two, yet comes across as pure and harmonious.

The palate offers ample richness, yet a sense of tension keeps it from feeling opulent, and the chiseled finish offers a strong sensation of dry extract.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2022

James Suckling 93 Points | Sweet and silky, this is a very charming Chambolle-Musigny village wine with a lot of floral finesse, the warm, powdery tannins deftly supporting the long, polished finish. From vineyards below the Bonnes Mares grand cru with red soil. Matured in small oak barrels, but none of them were new.

Winemaker Description 

Georges Lignier owns a prime 0.71ha parcel of 70-year vines that cuts across the “Les Drazey” and “Les Bussieres” vineyards in Chambolle-Musigny, just below the 1er Cru “Les Sentiers”.  The finesse of this wine speaks of the Chambolle pedigree, though its ideal location and ancient vines produce a depth that elevates it to a level beyond what one would expect from a Villages.

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Harvest hand made. Fermented in stainless steel with hyper-oxygenation of the musts. Maturation on fine lees. Malo-lactic done. Bottled under vacuum. Straw yellow, elegant and refined on the nose with complex fruit aromas. Mature wines have a bouquet of toasted almonds and straw.

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James Suckling 93 Points | An enticing but well-balanced wine that combines a super-creamy texture with vivid tropical fruit, poached pears and baking spices. It's all barrel-fermented in about 30% oak and shows the characteristic toast, dough and light butter notes of an excellent chardonnay. Affordable for the quality. Drink now or hold.

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Ryder Estate Chardonnay is bright, focused and elegant. Tropical and citrus aromas lead into flavors of pear, stone fruit and apple with a hint of vanilla. Pairs perfectly with baked mac & cheese, grilled romaine Caesar salad and celebrating after a satisfying day of kayaking on the river.