Pinot Noir

94 Points — Vinous

The prestige bottling. The finest vintage. The most celebrated designation in grower Champagne. Henri Goutorbe's 2015 Cuvée Special Club is the house at its most refined and expressive — a Pinot Noir-driven vintage Champagne from Aÿ Grand Cru, produced under the Special Club designation reserved for top members of the Club Trésors de Champagne. Disgorged October 2024 after nearly a decade in the cellar, it captures both the personality of the generous 2015 vintage and the pedigree of one of Champagne's most celebrated villages.

The Special Club Designation

The Club Trésors de Champagne is an association of elite grower-producers committed to expressing individual terroir and village character. Members may only release a Special Club bottling in years they deem exceptional, and each wine must pass a blind tasting panel before it can carry the designation. The distinctive embossed bottle is a guarantee of quality, provenance and the producer's highest ambitions for that vintage.

The Place: Aÿ Grand Cru

Henri Goutorbe is based in Aÿ, one of Champagne's 17 Grand Cru villages and the historic heartland of Pinot Noir in the Vallée de la Marne. Aÿ's south-facing slopes, deep chalk soils and warm mesoclimate allow Pinot Noir to achieve exceptional ripeness and concentration, producing wines with body, ripe red and dark fruit, and a distinctly vinous character. The village's chalk-rich geology preserves freshness and mineral tension, preventing the wines from becoming heavy or overripe.

The Blend

The 2015 Special Club is composed of 70% Pinot Noir and 30% Chardonnay, sourced from the estate's finest Grand Cru parcels in Aÿ. Pinot Noir provides the wine's structure, depth and ripe red-fruit character; Chardonnay contributes freshness, lift and the mineral precision that gives the wine its elegant, long-lived profile.

The 2015 Vintage

The warm, generous 2015 growing season produced concentrated, expressive fruit throughout Champagne. In Aÿ, Pinot Noir achieved excellent ripeness while retaining the acidity and structure necessary for extended aging. The vintage delivered the depth and personality required for a Special Club bottling — a wine designed to reward patience and develop complexity over many years in the cellar.

Winemaking and Aging

The grapes are harvested by hand and carefully sorted. Vinification follows traditional methods, with fermentation in temperature-controlled tanks and extended aging on the lees in bottle. The wine was disgorged in October 2024 — nearly a decade after the harvest — allowing it to develop the layered complexity, refined mousse and subtle oxidative depth that define a mature prestige Champagne.

Tasting Notes

The 2015 Special Club opens with layered aromas of kirsch, cinnamon, dried flowers, ginger, citrus confit and marzipan. With air, notes of ripe orchard fruit, baked apple, toasted brioche, roasted nuts and subtle pastry cream emerge, underscored by delicate mineral tension.

The palate is broad and vinous yet precise, with fine mousse, impressive concentration and a long, elegant finish marked by pear, lemon curd, spice and chalky tension. Vinous describes the finish as deceptively long and understated — a thing of beauty — and notes that the wine has been gently shaped by the passage of time in a way that reveals the essence of Aÿ in a ten-year-old Champagne.

Professional Ratings

94 Points — Vinous (December 2025): The 2015 Special Club is a very pretty, expressive wine that captures the essence of Aÿ in a ten-year-old Champagne. Kirsch, cinnamon, dried flowers, ginger, citrus confit and marzipan all caress the palate. Readers looking for a Champagne that has been gently shaped by the passage of time will find that here. The deceptively long, understated finish is a thing of beauty. This is one of the finest Champagnes I have tasted from Goutorbe in some time. Disgorged October 2024.

The Producer

Henri Goutorbe is a historic family grower-producer based in Aÿ Grand Cru. The estate has farmed its own vineyards for generations and produces a range of Champagnes that reflect the depth, richness and mineral character of Aÿ terroir. The Goutorbe style is built around ripe Pinot Noir, careful vineyard work and traditional winemaking — producing Champagnes that are expressive, structured and age-worthy.

Food Pairing

Rich enough to enjoy on its own, the Special Club pairs beautifully with lobster, scallops, roast chicken, truffle dishes, foie gras, creamy cheeses and elegant seafood preparations. Its depth and Pinot Noir structure also make it an excellent partner for duck, veal and mushroom-based dishes.

Serving and Cellaring

Serve at approximately 50–54°F in a generous tulip-shaped Champagne glass or white-wine glass. Already showing beautifully, the 2015 has the structure and concentration to develop additional complexity through the early 2030s.

Producer: Henri Goutorbe
Cuvée: Cuvée Special Club
Vintage: 2015
Country: France
Region: Champagne
Subregion: Vallée de la Marne
Village: Aÿ Grand Cru
Classification: Grand Cru
Style: Vintage Brut Champagne
Blend: 70% Pinot Noir, 30% Chardonnay
Disgorgement: October 2024
Harvest: Hand harvested
Wine Type: Dry sparkling wine
Bottle Size: 750ml

95 Points — Jeb Dunnuck
93 Points — James Suckling
93 Points — Wine Advocate

Ten years on the lees. One of Champagne's most patient cuvees. Geoffroy's 2015 Terre Millésime is produced only in selected years from the finest barrel and cask selections in Cumières Premier Cru — and held back a full decade before disgorgement. The result is a vintage Champagne of remarkable depth and harmony: ripe stone fruit, dried citrus peel, chalk and iodine, framed by a pillowy mousse and a long, crystalline saline finish. Disgorged July 2024 with zero dosage.

The Place

Cumières is a historic Premier Cru village in Champagne's Vallée de la Marne, situated west of Hautvillers and overlooking the Marne River. Its favorably exposed hillside vineyards are known for producing Champagnes with ripe fruit, vinous texture and expressive personality. Clay and limestone contribute richness and structure; underlying chalk preserves freshness and mineral definition.

The Geoffroy family has cultivated vines here since the 17th century, and Cumières remains the heart of the estate's identity and production.

The Terre Millésime Cuvee

Terre Millésime is Geoffroy's most ambitious and age-worthy cuvee — produced only in exceptional years and never released young. The assemblage is drawn from a selection of barrels and casks chosen through comprehensive tastings, and the composition varies by vintage. In 2015, the blend is 75% Pinot Noir and 25% Chardonnay.

Following secondary fermentation, the wine spends approximately ten years aging sur lattes before disgorgement. This extended lees contact develops a refined, complex mousse and layers of brioche, toasted nut, spice and savory mineral character that could not be achieved through shorter aging.

The wine is disgorged without dosage — 0 g/L — making it a true Brut Nature despite the Extra Brut designation on the label.

The 2015 Vintage

The 2015 growing season in Champagne was warm and generous, producing concentrated, expressive fruit with excellent natural ripeness. For Terre Millésime, the vintage delivered the depth, structure and aging potential required for a decade of lees maturation. The result is a wine with ripe stone fruit, mature citrus and a muscular yet fresh profile that Jeb Dunnuck describes as having "volume without weight."

Winemaking

The grapes are harvested by hand and carefully sorted. Gentle pressing selects only the finest juice. Fermentation and maturation take place in a combination of oak barrels and larger casks, contributing texture, complexity and a subtle oak influence that frames rather than dominates the wine.

After assemblage, the wine undergoes secondary fermentation in bottle and spends approximately ten years aging on its lees before disgorgement in July 2024. It is released without fining, filtration or dosage.

Tasting Notes

The 2015 Terre Millésime opens with an expressive bouquet of dried orange peel, apricot, crisp pear, ripe apple and spice, with a faint hint of sage and iodine. Notes of sea spray, toast and gentle oak emerge with air.

The palate is medium- to full-bodied and pillowy, with a rounded, fleshy mousse that fills the palate and enhances the wine's broader structure. Bright acidity and a taut, chalky core provide focus and tension, while the generous mid-palate delivers stone fruit, lemon and savory complexity. The finish is long, dry and mineral, with persistent crystalline salinity and lingering citrus, toast and chalk.

Professional Ratings

95 Points — Jeb Dunnuck: Ripe notes of apricot, black fruits, savory cologne, iodine, sea spray and toast. Medium to full-bodied with volume without weight and a long palate. A rounded mid-palate with a mousse that fleshes out and fills the palate. A touch more oak influence frames the wine while retaining freshness, with persistent crystalline salinity through the finish. They do not produce this cuvée every year, but when they do, they hold it back ten years before disgorgement. 70% Pinot Noir and 30% Chardonnay. Disgorged July 2024. Drink 2025–2040.

93 Points — James Suckling: Spicy and expressive, with aromas of grapefruit, cedar, cloves and gingerbread. Firm, dry and vinous, with toasty layers and rounded bubbles. 75% Pinot Noir and 25% Chardonnay. Disgorged July 2024. Zero dosage. Drink now or hold.

93 Points — Wine Advocate: The most harmonious wine in Geoffroy's portfolio this year. As always, the product of barrel and cask selection based on comprehensive tastings, followed by extended maturation sur lattes. The assemblage is never identical year to year. In 2015: 75% Pinot Noir and 25% Chardonnay. Expressive bouquet of dried orange peel, apricot, crisp pear and spice with a faint hint of sage. Medium- to full-bodied and pillowy, with bright acidity and a taut, chalky core leading to a long, saline finish.

The Producer

The Geoffroy family has cultivated vineyards in Cumières since the 17th century. Today, Jean-Baptiste Geoffroy produces distinctive grower Champagnes emphasizing ripe fruit, individual vineyard expression, long cellar aging and restrained dosage. The estate farms approximately 14 hectares, with most vineyards in Cumières and additional parcels in neighboring Vallée de la Marne villages.

Food Pairing

An exceptional gastronomic Champagne for roast chicken, lobster, scallops, mushroom risotto, veal, pork tenderloin, duck and aged cheeses such as Comté, Gruyère or Parmesan. Its depth and saline finish also make it a natural partner for truffles, foie gras and richly sauced poultry dishes.

Serving and Cellaring

Serve at approximately 50–54°F in a tulip-shaped Champagne glass or generous white-wine glass. The 2015 is drinking beautifully now and should continue developing richer brioche, toasted-nut and savory complexity through 2040.

Producer: Champagne Geoffroy
Cuvée: Terre Millésime
Vintage: 2015
Country: France
Region: Champagne
Subregion: Vallée de la Marne
Village: Cumières Premier Cru
Classification: Premier Cru
Style: Vintage Extra Brut Champagne
Blend: 75% Pinot Noir, 25% Chardonnay
Farming: Practicing organic and sustainability-focused
Harvest: Hand harvested and sorted
Lees Aging: Approximately 10 years
Disgorgement: July 2024
Dosage: 0 g/L (Brut Nature)
Wine Type: Dry sparkling wine
Bottle Size: 750ml

Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi Pinot Noir 1.5L Magnum | Lodi, California

Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi Pinot Noir is California's benchmark for approachable, fruit-forward red wine. Sourced from Lodi's warm, sun-drenched vineyards — moderated by cool Delta breezes that preserve freshness and aromatic lift — this Pinot Noir is aged in a combination of French and American oak to add gentle spice and roundness. The 1.5L Magnum format is ideal for the table: generous, crowd-pleasing, and built for sharing.

Robert Mondavi founded Woodbridge Winery in Acampo, California with the belief that great winemaking should be accessible to everyone. Drawing on Lodi's long growing season and the region's deep viticultural heritage, Woodbridge has become one of California's most recognized and trusted wine brands, earning multiple Wine Enthusiast Best Buy awards since 2011.

The wine is made from Pinot Noir grapes sourced from select Lodi vineyards, where warm days and cool Delta nights allow the fruit to ripen fully while retaining natural acidity. Fermentation is followed by aging in French and American oak, which contributes notes of spice and toast without overwhelming the wine's bright, fruit-driven character.

Bright strawberry and cherry aromas open the nose, accented by a hint of spice and toast. The palate is ripe and approachable, with flavors of cherry and rich cocoa that carry through to a smooth, velvety finish. The wine is medium-bodied with soft tannins and a clean, lingering close.

The 1.5L Magnum delivers the same expressive, easy-drinking character as the standard bottle, with the added benefit of slower, more even aging in a larger format. Versatile, reliable, and endlessly crowd-pleasing

Food Pairing

A versatile everyday red for salmon, roasted chicken, pork tenderloin, pasta with red sauce, and charcuterie. Its soft tannins and bright fruit also make it an easy match for pizza, grilled vegetables, and mild cheeses. Serve slightly chilled at 55–60°F for best results.

Wine Details

• Producer: Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi
• Country: United States
• Region: California
• Appellation: Lodi
• Varietal: Pinot Noir
• Vessel: French and American oak
• Style: Medium-bodied, fruit-forward
• Bottle Size: 1.5L Magnum
• Serve: 55–60°F

Pierre Paillard Champagne Extra-Brut Grand Cru Bouzy Les Terres Roses XIX | 750ml | Bouzy Grand Cru, Montagne de Reims, Champagne, France

Pierre Paillard's Les Terres Roses XIX is a refined and vinous rosé Champagne produced entirely from the Grand Cru vineyards of Bouzy, one of the Montagne de Reims' most celebrated villages. Bouzy is particularly renowned for its powerful, deeply flavored Pinot Noir, while its chalk-rich soils bring freshness, structure and mineral definition to the finished wine.

The XIX release is based primarily on the 2019 harvest and is composed of approximately 70% Chardonnay and 30% Pinot Noir. Five percent of the blend is Bouzy Rouge — a still red wine made from old-vine Pinot Noir — which contributes the cuvée's delicate color, red-fruit character and subtle tannic structure.

Fermentation takes place in oak, followed by approximately three years of aging on the lees before disgorgement. A low dosage of 2 grams per liter preserves the wine's dry, precise Extra-Brut character while allowing the richness of the Bouzy fruit to remain beautifully expressive.

Pale pink in color, Les Terres Roses XIX opens with pure aromas of raspberry, red currant, wild strawberry and cherry, joined by notes of grapefruit, mandarin, iris blossom and crushed chalk. The palate is generous yet finely structured, balancing ripe red fruit with vibrant citrus acidity, a creamy mousse and a subtle touch of toast from its oak fermentation and extended lees aging.

The finish is long, dry and mineral-driven, with lingering notes of red berries, citrus peel, almond and saline chalk. It is both elegant enough to serve as an aperitif and sufficiently structured for the table.

Food Pairing

An excellent pairing with smoked salmon, tuna tartare, lobster, grilled shrimp, roast poultry, duck, charcuterie, mushroom dishes and soft-ripened cheeses. Serve well chilled in a white-wine or tulip-shaped Champagne glass.

Wine Details

• Producer: Champagne Pierre Paillard
• Country: France
• Region: Champagne
• Appellation: Champagne Grand Cru
• Village: Bouzy
• Area: Montagne de Reims
• Cuvée: Les Terres Roses XIX
• Base Harvest: Primarily 2019
• Wine Type: Rosé Champagne, Extra Brut
• Blend: Approximately 70% Chardonnay and 30% Pinot Noir, including 5% Bouzy Rouge
• Farming: Certified organic
• Fermentation: Oak
• Lees Aging: Approximately 3 years
• Dosage: 2 grams per liter
• Classification: Grand Cru, Extra Brut
• Bottle Size: 750ml

Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi Pinot Noir — California 2024

Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi is California's most trusted everyday wine brand, and this Pinot Noir is a textbook expression of the approachable, fruit-forward style that has made it a household name. Sourced from vineyards across California and crafted to highlight the soft, silky character that defines the varietal, it delivers genuine Pinot Noir pleasure at under $8 — a benchmark for what everyday California red can be. Light-bodied, smooth, and endlessly versatile at the table, it is the kind of wine that earns a permanent spot in the rack.

The nose opens with inviting aromas of ripe strawberries, red cherries, and raspberries, with subtle notes of vanilla and light oak. On the palate, flavors of red berries, plum, and a hint of mocha unfold with soft, silky tannins and a smooth, clean finish. Fermented to preserve the delicate fruit character and fresh acidity that define this approachable California Pinot Noir style.

"Aromas of ripe strawberries, red cherries, and raspberries with subtle vanilla and oak. Soft, silky tannins with a smooth, fruit-forward finish." — Winemaker Notes 

• Producer: Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi, California
• Vintage: 2024
• Appellation: California
• Varietal: Pinot Noir
• Style: Light-bodied, soft, fruit-forward California Pinot Noir
• Vinification: Fermented to preserve delicate red fruit character and fresh acidity
• Size: 750ml
• Tasting Notes: Strawberries, red cherries, raspberries, plum, vanilla, mocha, silky finish
• Cellar Potential: Drink now
• Best Paired With: Grilled salmon, roast chicken, mushroom risotto, charcuterie, brie

An everyday California Pinot Noir that punches well above its price — Woodbridge is the reliable, crowd-pleasing red that belongs on every table.

BOM DIA BRAZILIAN BUBBLES SPARKLING BRUT NV | 750ML

🇧🇷 Brazil — Chardonnay, Pinot Noir

From vineyards hidden deep in the jungle, this sparkling Brut marries Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes grown in Brazil's beautiful southern wine region, where altitude, cool nights, and volcanic soils conspire to produce wines of genuine finesse.

Fresh, delicate, and classically structured. Pale straw in color with fine, persistent bubbles. The nose opens with green apple, white peach, and a whisper of brioche. On the palate it is crisp and dry, with bright citrus acidity and a clean, refreshing finish that makes it as at home at the table as it is at a celebration.

A testament to Brazil's emerging wine culture — and proof that the southern hemisphere has plenty left to say.

Grapes: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir
Region: Southern Brazil
Format: 750ml
Style: Brut, NV

R. Pouillon & Fils | Soléra | Extra-Brut | Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, Vallée de la Marne, Champagne | 1997–2018 Base | Biodynamic

R. Pouillon & Fils is one of Champagne's most exciting and principled grower-producers, based in the Premier Cru village of Mareuil-sur-Aÿ in the Vallée de la Marne. Fabrice Pouillon farms his vineyards according to organic and biodynamic principles, with a deep commitment to expressing the individual character of each parcel and the terroir of Mareuil-sur-Aÿ.

Soléra Extra-Brut is one of Fabrice Pouillon's most distinctive and intellectually compelling Champagnes — a multi-vintage cuvée created from a perpetual reserve established in 1997, designed to diminish the influence of any single harvest and place the character of Mareuil-sur-Aÿ firmly at the center of the wine. Each year, approximately 30% of the soléra is drawn off for secondary fermentation and replaced with 30% wine from the new harvest. This continuous process allows numerous vintages to become seamlessly integrated, adding layers of maturity and complexity while preserving the freshness and vitality of the most recent wine.

The blend is an equal partnership of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from Mareuil-sur-Aÿ — Pinot Noir contributing structure, depth, and vinous power; Chardonnay bringing freshness, lift, and finely defined acidity. From the creation of the soléra through the addition of the 2010 vintage, the reserve was aged entirely in stainless steel. It is now maintained in upright oak vessels with full malolactic fermentation — an evolution in élevage that contributes additional texture and dimension without obscuring the purity of the fruit or the mineral character of the terroir.

Electric and terroir-driven, with high-toned aromatics, fresh acidity, and exceptional length. The bouquet opens with orange zest, ripe pear, apple blossom, fennel seed, and warm brioche, with notes of steeped raspberry, whole-grain toast, honeycomb, spice, and a subtle hint of Timut pepper. On the palate, medium- to full-bodied, bright, and seamless — generous fruit and layered texture balanced by tangy acidity and ample chalky extract. A fine, persistent mousse carries the flavors across the palate, while the Extra-Brut dosage keeps the finish dry, precise, and energetic. Light on its feet yet possessing remarkable depth and intensity, continuing to unfold with each sip.

Pair with oysters, lobster, roasted poultry, mushroom dishes, smoked fish, aged Comté, and other firm or nutty cheeses.

• Producer: R. Pouillon & Fils
• Cuvée: Soléra Extra-Brut
• Style: Multi-vintage Extra-Brut
• Appellation: Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, Vallée de la Marne, Champagne, France
• Blend: 50% Chardonnay, 50% Pinot Noir
• Soléra Established: 1997; most recent addition 2018
• Method: ~30% drawn off and replaced annually with new harvest wine
• Farming: Organic & biodynamic principles
• Élevage: Initially stainless steel (through 2010); now upright oak vessels; full malolactic fermentation
• Dosage: Extra-Brut
• Bottle Size: 750ml

Critical Acclaim

• Wine Advocate — 94 pts: Orange zest, pear, fennel seeds, warm brioche, and a hint of Timut pepper. Medium- to full-bodied, bright, and seamless with striking complexity. Ample chalky extract and tangy acidity define its structure, with a persistent mousse through the long finish.
• Wine Spectator — 92 pts: Rapier-like acidity with expressive flavors of steeped raspberry, whole-grain toast, apple blossom, and a touch of honeycomb.

R. Pouillon & Fils | Méthode Fabrice Pouillon — Chemin du Bois | Extra-Brut | Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, Vallée de la Marne, Champagne | 2018 | Organic & Biodynamic

R. Pouillon & Fils is one of Champagne's most exciting and principled grower-producers, based in the Premier Cru village of Mareuil-sur-Aÿ in the Vallée de la Marne. Fabrice Pouillon farms his vineyards according to organic and biodynamic principles, with close attention paid to soil health, vine balance, and full physiological ripeness at harvest.

Chemin du Bois is one of Fabrice Pouillon's most innovative and daring Champagnes — created to demonstrate how thoughtful farming, natural ripeness, and minimal intervention can reshape the traditional Champagne method. Produced entirely from Pinot Noir grown in the single Chemin du Bois vineyard in Mareuil-sur-Aÿ on clay-limestone soils, this cuvée is defined by Pouillon's proprietary Méthode Fabrice Pouillon — a radical departure from conventional Champagne production.

Conventional Champagne permits the addition of externally sourced sugar at three stages: chaptalization, the prise de mousse that creates the bubbles, and dosage after disgorgement. Chemin du Bois uses none of it. Instead, approximately 15% of the juice is reserved in stainless steel until spring. The remaining juice ferments spontaneously with ambient yeasts in neutral barrels. After approximately 12 months, the finished base wine is blended with the reserved grape juice, initiating a second natural fermentation entirely from the estate's own fruit. When dosage is used, it too is prepared from grape juice rather than refined sugar. The result is a Champagne of remarkable purity, individuality, and direct terroir connection.

Full-bodied and muscular, the 2018 combines the generosity and warmth of the vintage with Pouillon's characteristic precision. Ripe orchard fruit, citrus peel, red apple, and subtle red-fruit tones joined by warm brioche, spice, toasted grain, and chalky minerality. On the palate, broad and textural with a powerful, gastronomic attack, a layered mid-palate supported by vibrant acidity, a persistent mousse, and a long, enveloping finish. Despite its breadth and concentration, the wine remains energetic and beautifully controlled.

A profound, vinous Champagne intended as much for the table as for celebration. Pair with roast poultry, veal, pork, lobster, seared scallops, mushroom dishes, aged Comté, and other richly flavored cheeses.

• Producer: R. Pouillon & Fils
• Cuvée: Méthode Fabrice Pouillon — Chemin du Bois
• Style: Extra-Brut
• Appellation: Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, Vallée de la Marne, Champagne, France
• Grape: Pinot Noir (100%)
• Vintage: 2018
• Farming: Organic & biodynamic principles
• Soils: Clay-limestone; single vineyard Chemin du Bois
• Fermentation: Ambient yeasts in neutral barrels; no externally sourced sugar at any stage
• Secondary Fermentation: Initiated by reserved estate grape juice (15% of harvest)
• Élevage: ~12 months in oak casks; full malolactic fermentation
• Dosage: Extra-Brut (estate grape juice only)
• Bottle Size: 750ml

Critical Acclaim — Vintage 2018

• Wine Advocate — 92 pts: Full-bodied and muscular — broad-shouldered and textural opening developing into a layered and flavorful mid-palate. Vibrant acidity provides energy and definition, while the long, enveloping finish captures the warmth and generosity of the 2018 vintage.

R. Pouillon & Fils | Les Blanchiens | Premier Cru Brut Nature | Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, Vallée de la Marne, Champagne | 2017 | Biodynamic | Zero Dosage

R. Pouillon & Fils is one of Champagne's most exciting and principled grower-producers, based in the Premier Cru village of Mareuil-sur-Aÿ in the Vallée de la Marne. Fabrice Pouillon farms his vineyards according to biodynamic principles — a commitment to the land that goes beyond organic certification, working in harmony with natural cycles to produce wines of exceptional purity, vitality, and terroir expression.

Les Blanchiens is considered one of the defining wines of the Pouillon estate — a mono-cru vintage Champagne from a single south-facing parcel in Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, farmed biodynamically on clay-limestone soils. An equal blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, the two varieties are fermented separately in used neutral barriques and raised for approximately 18 months in neutral oak before bottling — the restrained use of older oak adding texture and complexity without masking the purity of the fruit or the distinctive character of the terroir.

As a Brut Nature Champagne, Les Blanchiens is finished without dosage — zero grams per liter — placing the focus entirely on the quality of the fruit, the structure of the vintage, and the mineral tension of the vineyard. This is a wine that demands and rewards attention.

The bouquet is distinctive and complex — opening with unique aromas of black tea and bitter orange, joined by ripe citrus, orchard fruit, dried flowers, gentle spice, toasted grain, and subtle chalky minerality. On the palate, powerful yet remarkably light on its feet: Pinot Noir provides drive and structure, while Chardonnay contributes brightness, precision, and energy. Finely delineated texture with vibrant acidity and a persistent mousse carrying the wine into an exceptionally long, focused finish. A vinous, gastronomic Champagne that continues to reveal new layers as it opens in the glass.

Pair with oysters, caviar, lobster, grilled fish, scallops, roast poultry, mushroom dishes, aged Comté, and other firm or nutty cheeses.

• Producer: R. Pouillon & Fils
• Cuvée: Les Blanchiens
• Classification: Premier Cru Brut Nature (Zero Dosage)
• Appellation: Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, Vallée de la Marne, Champagne, France
• Blend: 50% Pinot Noir, 50% Chardonnay
• Vintage: 2017
• Farming: Biodynamic
• Soils: Clay-limestone; south-facing
• Vinification: Varieties fermented separately in neutral barriques
• Élevage: ~18 months in neutral oak
• Malolactic Fermentation: Yes
• Dosage: Zero (Brut Nature)
• Bottle Size: 750ml

R. Pouillon & Fils | Grande Vallée | Extra-Brut | Vallée de la Marne & Montagne de Reims, Champagne | 2021 Base | Biodynamic

R. Pouillon & Fils is one of Champagne's most exciting and principled grower-producers, based in the Premier Cru village of Mareuil-sur-Aÿ in the Vallée de la Marne. Fabrice Pouillon farms his vineyards according to biodynamic principles — a commitment to the land that goes beyond organic certification, working in harmony with natural cycles to produce wines of exceptional purity, vitality, and terroir expression.

Grande Vallée — formerly known as Réserve Brut — is a compelling expression of the Vallée de la Marne through the distinctive lens of Fabrice Pouillon. The cuvée brings together fruit from across the domaine's holdings in the Vallée de la Marne and Montagne de Reims, creating a broad and detailed portrait of the estate's varied terroirs. The blend is approximately 65% Pinot Noir, 20% Pinot Meunier, and 15% Chardonnay, grown on clay-limestone soils — the Pinot Noir providing structure and depth, Pinot Meunier contributing generous fruit and suppleness, and Chardonnay bringing lift, freshness, and precision.

Fermentation takes place with native yeasts in a combination of neutral barrels, small vats, and traditional enameled tanks. The wine undergoes full malolactic fermentation and is raised for approximately eight months before bottling. Since the 2019 vintage, Pouillon has employed his innovative Méthode Fabrice Pouillon across the range — using naturally sweet grape must from the estate rather than externally sourced sugar for the secondary fermentation and dosage, preserving a purer connection between the finished Champagne, its fruit, and its place of origin.

Luminous golden in the glass with an expressive, earthy bouquet. Aromas of juicy plum, ripe orchard fruit, subtle savory notes, gentle wood influence, and a faint oxidative complexity. On the palate, lighter and more energetic than the nose initially suggests — generous fruit with fine tension, firm Pinot structure, and bright, refreshing acidity. The texture is expansive yet remarkably agile, with a persistent mousse and a long, mineral-driven finish. Depth without heaviness, intensity without excess.

Excellent as an aperitif and particularly well suited to oysters, shellfish, roast poultry, mushroom dishes, aged cheeses, and savory pastries.

• Producer: R. Pouillon & Fils
• Cuvée: Grande Vallée
• Style: Extra-Brut
• Appellation: Vallée de la Marne & Montagne de Reims, Champagne, France
• Blend: ~65% Pinot Noir, 20% Pinot Meunier, 15% Chardonnay
• Base Vintage: 2021
• Farming: Biodynamic
• Soils: Clay-limestone
• Fermentation: Native yeasts; neutral oak, small vats & enameled tanks
• Élevage: ~8 months before bottling; full malolactic fermentation
• Dosage: Estate grape must (Méthode Fabrice Pouillon)
• Bottle Size: 750ml

Critical Acclaim

• Vinous Media — 91 pts: Earthy and expansive — ripe red pepper, juicy plum and a subtle oxidative edge. Lighter and fresher than the nose suggests, with inherent juiciness, firm Pinot structure and bright acidity. Individual, expressive and surprisingly light on its feet.

Yann Alexandre Grande Réserve 1er Cru Brut — Champagne 2015 Base

Yann Alexandre's Grande Réserve is a benchmark Premier Cru grower Champagne assembled from four carefully selected vineyard parcels in the villages of Coulommes-la-Montagne, Villedommange, and Vrigny. Compared with his Brut Noir, the vineyard imprint here is more distinctly calcareous — giving the wine pronounced chalky minerality, structure, and freshness. The blend of 45% Pinot Noir, 45% Chardonnay, and 10% Pinot Meunier is fermented 80% in stainless steel and 20% in neutral oak, then aged seven years en tirage in the Alexandre family's cool cellar. The result is a deeply gastronomic Champagne of rare precision and sense of place.

Wet clay and stone on the nose combine with buttery shortcrust pastry and a delicate edge of honey. The concentrated palate shows beautiful evolution — honeycomb, chewy beeswax, and a rich, structured body lifted by brisk, fine bubbles. The finish is long and saline, emphasizing the wine's chalky mineral drive and impeccable balance between maturity and freshness.

"Deeply gastronomic and impressively sustained — a Premier Cru Champagne of rare precision and sense of place."

• Producer: Yann & Séverine Alexandre, Montagne de Reims, Champagne, France
• Base Vintage: 2015
• Appellation: Champagne Premier Cru
• Vineyard Sources: Four parcels in Coulommes-la-Montagne, Villedommange & Vrigny
• Blend: 45% Pinot Noir, 45% Chardonnay, 10% Pinot Meunier
• Reserve Wine: 40%
• Vinification: 80% stainless steel, 20% neutral oak; malolactic fermentation
• Lees Aging: Seven years en tirage
• Acidity: 4.67 g/L | pH: 3.02 | Alcohol: 12%
• Farming: Certified Sustainable by OCACIA
• Size: 750ml
• Tasting Notes: Wet clay, stone, shortcrust pastry, honey, honeycomb, beeswax, chalky minerality, saline finish
• Best Paired With: Roast chicken, turkey, veal, lobster, scallops, grilled fish, creamy mushroom dishes, aged cheeses

Seven years on the lees, four Premier Cru parcels, and a 2015 base of exceptional depth — Yann Alexandre's Grande Réserve is grower Champagne at its most compelling.

Domaine Louis Jadot Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Fuées — Burgundy 2022

Les Fuées is one of Chambolle-Musigny's 24 Premier Cru vineyards, distinguished by chalky soil over hard bedrock and an eastern exposure that imparts a signature mineral precision. Jadot's 2022 is a textbook expression of the site — feminine, elegant, and layered, with fine tannins and a core of red and dark fruit framed by spice, violet, and exotic tea. Fermented in vats for up to four weeks and aged 18–20 months in oak, this is a wine built for the cellar: 15–20 years of development potential. James Suckling awarded it 96 points, calling it “outstanding.”

The nose is fragrant and cool: flowers, ripe plums, blood orange, cinnamon, exotic tea, and peonies. On the palate, medium to full body with velvety, saturated tannins and a succulent core of red and dark currant. The concentration is effortlessly offset by spicy acidity, fanning out on a long, mineral-driven finish of remarkable purity and tension. In a word, classy.

James Suckling 96 • Vinous 94 • Wine Advocate 94 • Burghound 92

Critical Acclaim - Vintage 2022

James Suckling — 96 Points
"This big and at first subtle wine opens with fragrant flowers, ripe plums and cinnamon, fills the palate with richness on a full body, but then tightens up on the finish to show it has the structure to age well. Outstanding wine to drink now."

Vinous Media — 94 Points
"The 2022 Chambolle-Musigny Les Fuées 1er Cru, which Frédéric Barnier said suffered less during the growing season, is a conspicuous step up in complexity from the Les Baudes: much more mineralé and precision, far more terroir expression. The palate is medium-bodied with saturated tannins, the concentration effortlessly offset by the spice of acidity. It's quite spicy as it fans out on the finish. Excellent."

The Wine Advocate — 94 Points
"The 2022 Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Fuées (Domaine Louis Jadot) is excellent, mingling aromas of sweet red berries with notions of blood orange, spices and peonies. Medium to full-bodied, velvety and seamless, it's deep and layered, with a succulent core of fruit and attractive purity and tension."

Burghound (Allen Meadows) — 92 Points
"This is aromatically quite cool and fresh as well as appealingly elegant on the mix of red and dark currant, exotic tea and violet-scented nose. The sleek, intense and succulent medium weight flavors aren't particularly concentrated yet the sap still manages to coat the palate on the lingering and balanced bitter pit fruit-inflected finale that is almost aggressively mineral-driven. This is a lovely and well-balanced Fuées with fine development potential, which is just as well as it does need to develop better depth. In a word, classy."

• Producer: Domaine Louis Jadot, Beaune, Burgundy, France
• Vintage: 2022
• Appellation: Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru, Côte de Nuits, Burgundy
• Vineyard: Les Fuées — chalky soil over hard bedrock, eastern exposure
• Varietal: 100% Pinot Noir
• Vinification: Vat fermentation up to 4 weeks, 18–20 months oak aging
• Size: 750ml
• Tasting Notes: Flowers, plum, blood orange, cinnamon, tea, peonies, red currant, mineral finish
• Cellar Potential: Drink now or cellar 15–20 years
• Best Paired With: Duck breast, lamb chops, mushroom risotto, aged Comté, venison

A 96-point Premier Cru Burgundy from one of the Côte de Nuits’ most trusted addresses — Les Fuées at its most expressive.

Domaine Harmand-Geoffroy Gevrey-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes — Burgundy 2022

Domaine Harmand-Geoffroy is one of Gevrey-Chambertin’s most respected family estates, farming some of the village’s finest parcels with meticulous care and an unwavering commitment to terroir expression. The Vieilles Vignes cuvée is sourced from the Champ Perrier lieu-dit on the Brochon side of the appellation, where vines averaging 50 to 60+ years of age dig deep into the limestone-rich soils to produce fruit of extraordinary concentration, complexity, and character. Rated Outstanding by Burghound — the highest accolade from the world’s foremost Burgundy authority — the 2022 is a serious, age-worthy Gevrey-Chambertin villages that demands attention and rewards patience.

The nose is brooding and sauvage: black cherry, forest floor, subtle oak, and an overtly wild, mineral-inflected aromatic profile of real depth. On the palate, it is solidly concentrated and quite powerful for a village-level wine — medium-bodied with evident minerality, abundant sap buffering a firm tannic spine, and a serious, lingering finish of impressive length. A Gevrey villages that drinks like a premier cru and will reward cellaring for a decade or more.

Burghound — Outstanding — 90 Points - “Subtle though still easily discerned wood on the brooding and overtly sauvage-inflected black cherry and forest floor aromas. Solidly concentrated and quite powerful, with evident minerality on the serious and lingering finish where abundant sap buffers the firm tannic spine. An excellent, age-worthy Gevrey villages worth checking out.” (Vintage 2022). 

• Producer: Domaine Harmand-Geoffroy, Gevrey-Chambertin, Côte de Nuits, Burgundy, France
• Vintage: 2022
• Appellation: Gevrey-Chambertin AOC
• Lieu-Dit: Champ Perrier, Brochon
• Varietal: 100% Pinot Noir
• Vine Age: 50–60+ years
• Size: 750ml
• Tasting Notes: Black cherry, forest floor, subtle oak, sauvage minerality, concentrated, firm tannins, long powerful finish
• Cellar Potential: Drink 2026–2040+
• Best Paired With: Roast duck, venison, beef bourguignon, lamb rack, aged Comté or Époisses

Fifty-plus-year-old vines, Burghound Outstanding, and a tannic spine built for the cellar — Harmand-Geoffroy’s Vieilles Vignes is Gevrey-Chambertin at its most compelling.

Bérêche et Fils’ Ambonnay Grand Cru is one of the most coveted single-village expressions in their portfolio — and among the most compelling Blanc de Noirs in all of Champagne. Sourced from a single lieu-dit, “Les Tourets,” in the western part of Ambonnay village, this is Pinot Noir of extraordinary purity and presence. Ambonnay’s signature cashmere-like texture is immediately apparent: open, enveloping, and generous, with a volume and power that never tips into heaviness. Brioche and honey on the attack give way to floral lift and a finish that is invigorating, slightly iodized, and saline — the unmistakable signature of chalk and grand cru terroir. A wine of genuine rarity, with just 2,325 bottles produced.

Critical Review
“A beautiful, enveloping wine; brioche-like on the attack, floral, with notes of honey and ripeness. The finish is invigorating, slightly iodized, and saline.” — Le Rouge et le Blanc

Varietal: Pinot Noir (Blanc de Noirs)
Vintage: 2020
Appellation: Ambonnay Grand Cru, Champagne, France
Lieu-dit: Les Tourets
Style: Extra Brut
Farming: Biodynamic
Production: 2,325 bottles
Bottle Size: 750ml

Gen del Alma Malbec Pinot Noir JiJiJi Tupungato Mendoza 2024 750ml

Experience the essence of Soul Gene in every sip of Gen del Alma Malbec Pinot Noir JiJiJi from Tupungato, Mendoza. This exquisite blend showcases the harmonious balance of Malbec and Pinot Noir, earning 91 points from Wine Advocate. The 2024 JI JI JI combines equal amounts of Malbec and Pinot Noir fermented with carbonic maceration in amphora, creating a lifted, high-toned wine that is remarkably harmonious. It's not just a wine; it's a journey through the stunning landscapes of Mendoza, telling a story of passion and tradition with every drop.

Wine Advocate - 91 Points (2024 Vintage)

"The 2024 JI JI JI combines equal amounts of Malbec and Pinot Noir fermented with carbonic maceration in amphora. Opening with a juicy, herbal and slightly smoky bouquet, the palate is lifted and high-toned, seamlessly transitioning to an energetic, stony and remarkably harmonious finish. The unity between the two disparate varieties on display here is impressive, as is the integrated nature of its carbonic-derived aromas."

50% Malbec, 50% Pinot Noir

This unique blend combines equal amounts of Malbec and Pinot Noir, creating a wine that showcases the best characteristics of both varieties. The unity between the two disparate varieties on display here is impressive.

Gualtallary, Tupungato, Uco Valley

Sourced from a single vineyard in Gualtallary, Tupungato, Uco Valley planted on stony/calcareous soils. This high-altitude vineyard site in the Uco Valley produces grapes of exceptional quality and distinctive character.

Stony/Calcareous Soils

Planted on stony/calcareous soils that contribute to the wine's energetic, stony character and remarkable minerality. These soils are ideal for producing elegant, terroir-driven wines.

Carbonic Maceration in Amphora

Fermented with carbonic maceration in amphora, creating distinctive aromas and a lifted, high-toned palate. The integrated nature of its carbonic-derived aromas is impressive, adding complexity without overwhelming the fruit.

50% Whole-Cluster Inclusion

50% whole-cluster inclusion adds structure, freshness, and aromatic complexity to the wine. This technique preserves the natural character of the grapes while adding textural interest.

Native Fermentation in Stainless Steel

Native fermentation in stainless steel allows the wine to express its terroir authentically. Wild yeasts contribute to the wine's complexity and unique character.

Aged 6 Months in Concrete

Aged 6 months in concrete, which allows the wine to develop while maintaining freshness and purity of fruit. Concrete aging provides gentle micro-oxygenation without adding oak flavors.

Tasting Profile

Appearance: Deep ruby color
Aroma: Juicy, herbal and slightly smoky bouquet. Hints of dark fruit such as blackberry and plum with subtle notes of earthiness and spice
Palate: Lifted and high-toned, seamlessly transitioning to an energetic, stony character. Layers of complexity with smooth finish and well-integrated tannins
Finish: Remarkably harmonious finish with energetic, stony character

Juicy, Herbal & Slightly Smoky

Opening with a juicy, herbal and slightly smoky bouquet that invites exploration. These aromatic characteristics are derived from the carbonic maceration and amphora fermentation.

Lifted & High-Toned

The palate is lifted and high-toned, creating a wine that feels energetic and vibrant. This elevated character makes the wine refreshing and food-friendly.

Energetic & Stony

Seamlessly transitioning to an energetic, stony and remarkably harmonious finish. The stony minerality reflects the calcareous soils of Gualtallary.

Remarkably Harmonious

The unity between the two disparate varieties on display here is impressive, creating a remarkably harmonious wine. Malbec and Pinot Noir blend seamlessly despite their different characteristics.

Integrated Carbonic Aromas

The integrated nature of its carbonic-derived aromas adds complexity without dominating the wine. The carbonic maceration technique contributes to the wine's unique aromatic profile.

2024 Vintage Quality

The 2024 vintage showcases exceptional quality and balance, earning 91 points from Wine Advocate. This vintage represents the pinnacle of Gen del Alma's winemaking.

Uco Valley Terroir

This wine reflects the region's distinct terroir, telling a story of the stunning landscapes of Mendoza. The Uco Valley is renowned for producing some of Argentina's finest wines.

Soul Gene Philosophy

Soul Gene embodies the essence of quality winemaking, representing passion and tradition with every drop. Gen del Alma stands out as a testament to excellence in viticulture.

Food Pairing Suggestions

This versatile wine pairs exceptionally well with:

• Grilled steak or lamb
• Red meats
• Rich pastas
• Aged cheeses
• Charcuterie
• Roasted vegetables

Perfect for Various Occasions

With its smooth finish and well-integrated tannins, Gen del Alma becomes the perfect companion for various occasions, whether it's a casual gathering or a sophisticated dinner. The balance of boldness and elegance ensures a memorable tasting experience.

Layers of Complexity

Each sip unfolds layers of complexity, making every encounter with this wine unforgettable. Hints of dark fruit such as blackberry and plum meld seamlessly with subtle notes of earthiness and spice.

Deep Ruby Color

With an alluring deep ruby color, the wine captivates the eyes and entices the nose, promising a delightful experience. The visual appeal signals the wine's quality and concentration.

Elevates the Overall Experience

The food and wine pairing transcend the ordinary, elevating the overall experience and creating lasting memories. Sharing this exquisite wine with loved ones will undoubtedly ignite conversations and create memorable moments.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2023

James Suckling 98 Points | The iodine, blackberry and rose-stem character comes through clearly. Plenty of fruit and depth. Medium-bodied with fine tannins that caress the palate and provide endless flavors of Indian spices, flint, nutmeg and light crust. Such refinement and integrity. Drinkable now, but better in three or four years.

The Wine Advocate 93 Points | The 2023 Beaune 1er Cru Clos des Mouches (Domaine) is showing nicely, bursting with aromas of sweet berries, spices, orange zest and new oak. Medium to full-bodied, succulent and lively, with chalky grip on the finish, it will offer a broad drinking window.

Decanter 93 Points | Lovely cherry fruit with hints of lavender and rosemary. The texture is silky and dense, almost fat. There is more clay here, and less limestone than in Les Cras, and the tannic structure is not as firm. The grapes are from Drouhin's massive 6.75ha here, not far from Pommard; they are partially destemmed and fermented on native yeasts before ageing in cask (25% new) for 14–18 months.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2022

Vinous 100 Points | The 2022 Romanée St. Vivant Grand Cru is a real head-turner. What a wine! As is so often the case, Romanée St. Vivant is not an obvious wine, rather it is a Burgundy of detail, of understatement, of total class. The aromatics alone are mesmerizing. Silky tannins wrap around a core of red-toned fruit, mint, white pepper, blood orange and exotic spice.

Decanter 97 Points | The Romanée-St-Vivant has developed more complexity since bottling, with a savoury, almost gamey edge to the lush berry fruit aromas and a hint of spice. The grip and freshness of the wine are impressive and seem to carry this wine to a new level of intensity. Although this wine had originally seemed ethereal and silky, the substantial nature of the structure is now evident, aided perhaps by the stricter selection. Bertrand de Villaine confirms that two parcels in this vineyard were pulled up due to issues with the rootstock, leaving them 23,699 bottles in 2022.

The Wine Spectator 97 Points | Shy, suggesting cherry, strawberry and spice flavors. Nonetheless, there is plenty of structure and length.

Expert Review - Vintage 2023 

Jasper Morris 93 Points | An attractive mid crimson colour. A fine fresh bouquet, elegant fruit, not too demonstrative, but with a graceful detailed red fruit, alpine strawberry and little raspberry notes. Very nicely put together, all about the fruit more than the structure. Drink from 2030-2037.

Winemaker Description 

Supreme elegance! Beautiful color, with intense and bright reflections. The diversity of the aromas is striking: wild cherry, nutmeg, camphor wood, fine leather... Later on, the wine takes on a subtle aroma of truffle, producing the most varied palette. With its perfect balance between tannin and acidity, the wine has a fleshy, sturdy body. Powerful and long aftertaste. A wealth of harmonious sensations characterizes this great Burgundy.

This wine is a testament to elegance and complexity, with an intense bouquet of violets and spices, leading to a palate of profound silkiness. It exhibits an ethereal balance of fruit, earth, and minerality, where each sip reveals layers of flavor from dark cherries to subtle truffles. The finesse and depth of this wine make it a benchmark for Pinot Noir, showcasing the ultimate expression of its terroir. "As if, in this square of earth, the gods had bequeathed us a memory of the fascinating vestige of a timeless perfection.” — Richard Olney. Surface area: 1.81 hectares.

Winemaker Description 

The Gran Moraine Vineyard is the source for some of Oregon's finest Pinot Noirs, with this being no exception. Tucked into the foothills of the Coastal Range, the vineyard is cooler than most, and delivers Pinots with fresh pure red fruit, fine tannins and chalky acidity. Winemaker Shane Moore ages this Pinot Noir in large, mostly used oak barrels to lend subtle spice without overpowering the delicate fruit.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2021 

The Wine Spectator 93 Points | Precise and elegantly generous, this red shows detailed flavors of cherry and raspberry laced with rose petal, black tea and stony mineral notes as it builds richness and tension toward refined tannins.

James Suckling Points | This is a delicious wine with a lot of character. Dark and red fruit with hints of crushed stone and toffee on the nose. Fresh and crisp fruit with a tangy character. Smooth tannins with a crisp finish. Vines are on sandy soils at 400 to 500 feet altitude.

The Wine Advocate 92 Points | The 2021 Pinot Noir Yamhill-Carlton is bursting with pomegranate and cranberry fruit, plus accents of potpourri, licorice and autumn leaves. The medium-bodied palate is silky and bright with concentrated, layered flavors and a long, spicy finish.

Winemaker Description 

Welcoming aromas of violet, rose, fresh cherry, leaf and cocoa spice. This dynamic wine engages the palate with riveting and luscious black cherry, black raspberry and plum flavors accented with light forest wood notes and a charming dose of red earth spice. 

A sophisticated and concentrated Willamette Valley Pinot noir that is truly seductive, with a lush balance, seamless texture, and a long, complex finish that lingers. Still stunning when tasted two days later from a previously opened bottle.

Estate Grown

LIVE Certified

There are no superlatives sufficient for the Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Romanée-Conti Grand Cru Monopole 2015. The sole property of the DRC estate, the Romanée-Conti vineyard — a mere 1.8 hectares in the heart of Vosne-Romanée, Côte de Nuits — produces what many consider the greatest wine on earth. The 2015 vintage, harvested from vines averaging 56 years of age, has earned perfect 100-point scores from both Decanter and Wine Advocate, cementing its place among the most extraordinary bottles ever produced. Only 403 cases were made.

Domaine de la Romanée-Conti

Founded in the 18th century and owned jointly by the Leroy and de Villaine families, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti is the most celebrated wine estate in the world. Farming entirely by biodynamic principles, with yields among the lowest in Burgundy, DRC produces wines of transcendent complexity from the greatest Grand Cru vineyards of the Côte de Nuits — Romanée-Conti, La Tâche, Richebourg, Romanée-Saint-Vivant, Grands-Échézeaux, and Échézeaux. The Romanée-Conti vineyard itself is a monopole — owned exclusively by DRC — and its wine is produced in quantities so small that it remains one of the most sought-after and collected bottles in existence.

Critical Acclaim — 2015 Vintage

100 Points — Decanter: "Aromatic fireworks of ripe red and black fruits, toast, spice and a note of decadent perfume lead into a complex palate showing pristine flavours of ripe raspberry, dark cherry, spice, cream and minerals. Lavishly upholstered by sweet, dense filigree tannins and buoyed by fine acidity — the opulent texture and presence of this wine is beyond remarkable. Arguably the ultimate terroir wine, this 2015 is also the epitome of truly great Pinot Noir. Drinking Window 2025–2060."

100 Points — Wine Advocate: "Opening to reveal a bouquet of kaleidoscopic complexity, notes of raspberry and red plum mingling with rose petal, peony, blood orange and spice. Silky, medium to full-bodied and stunningly complete, its supremely elegant tannins entirely cloaked in pristinely delicate red fruit. Despite its incredible concentration and persistence, this Romanée-Conti is utterly weightless, and its effortless harmony and unremitting finish preclude any argument about its benchmark quality."

99 Points — Burghound (Allen Meadows): "Sometimes, try as I might, words fail to communicate adequately those few transcendent experiences where a wine is just so amazing that it's impossible to capture it. The breathtakingly beautiful nose reveals an exotically broad range of highly perfumed floral, spice, tea and incense-like nuances. The opulently textured, concentrated and equally mineral-driven flavors accentuate the perfumed character of the nose — the finish lasted for seemingly several days."

98 Points — Vinous: "Enters the mouth like liquid velvet, expanding to show an incredible 3-D texture and great depth to its soil-inflected flavors of flowers, spices, mocha, underbrush and savory minerality. This utterly seamless, spherical wine saturates the entire palate like a thunderstorm breaking out across a wide front. Should easily evolve positively for three decades or more."

Tasting Profile

Profound and ethereal. The nose is a kaleidoscope of ripe raspberry, dark cherry, rose petal, peony, blood orange, spice, toast, and incense. On the palate it is simultaneously opulent and weightless — liquid velvet with a 3-D texture, pristine red fruit, savory minerality, and filigree tannins of extraordinary finesse. The finish is seemingly endless. A wine that defies description.

Details

2015 | Pinot Noir | Romanée-Conti Grand Cru Monopole, Vosne-Romanée, Côte de Nuits, Burgundy, France | AOC Romanée-Conti | 750ml | 403 cases produced

Provenance & Cellaring

Harvested 10 September 2015. Bottled 22 March 2017. Drinking window 2025–2060. Store at 55°F in a dark, vibration-free environment. Decant 2–3 hours minimum if opening now. A wine for the ages — patience will be extraordinarily rewarded.

Expert Review - Vintage 2021

Allen Meadows of Burghound writes 91 Points | There is a touch of post-bottling reduction, but the underlying fruit seems to be ripe. On the palate there is excellent freshness and verve to the utterly delicious medium-bodied flavors that also exude a more prominent minerality on the beautifully textured, long and well-balanced finish that is shaped by notably fine-grained tannins. This is also lovely and a wine that should be approachable in its youth yet repay up to a decade of keeping, perhaps even slightly more.

Expert Review -  Vintage 2021

Jasper Morris, MW of Inside Burgundy writes 96-98 Points | Fractionally denser in colour than Clos St-Denis with a meatier bouquet, some blood orange as well as the traditional blueberry of this vineyard. A little white pepper comes up. This is brilliantly complete, no feeling of a lighter vintage, with superb grace at the finish. Ripe alpine strawberries. 76% whole bunches. Drink from 2030-2038. 

Christy Canterbury, MW of TimAtkin.com writes 97 Points |  Spicy and smoky on the nose, tangy red currants and raspberries soak into the palate. The tingly acidity makes you sit up straight! The mulberry and açai flavors on the palate are complemented by lively minty lift. Dense and structured, this has mercifully eternal length. This beautifully expresses its structuring terroir and the vivid freshness of the vintage.

Neal Martin of Vinous writes 96 Points | The 2021 Clos-de-la-Roche Grand Cru comes from five lieux-dits. This was slightly more reduced than the Clos Saint-Denis, dark berry fruit, briary; a faint touch of seaweed emerges with time. The palate is medium-bodied with finely-sculpted tannins, harmonious and tensile, again, discretely building with a transparent, lightly peppered finish that lingers in the mouth. Excellent. Drink: 2026-2050. 

Charles Curtis, MW of Decanter writes 96 Points | This wine is a contender for best in class and one of the very best of the vintage across all appellations. The colour is a fairly deep ruby hue, and the wine displays a lovely ripe plummy fruit with accents of mineral, cigar wrapper and earth on the nose. The texture is initially silky and approachable, but with time one sees that this is a powerful wine with lots of tannin behind that; it is a wine built for ageing. This wine has it all. Drinking Window: 2027-2050. 

John Gilman 95 Points | The 2021 Clos de la Roche from Domaine Dujac is also an outstanding young wine. The beautifully complex nose offers up scents of red and black cherries, plums, chocolate, mustard seed, venison, sweet stem tones, a marvelous base of soil and cedary oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and complex, with fine depth at the core, good soil undertow, ripe, buried tannins and a long, impeccably balanced and vibrant finish. Outstanding juice in the making. 2037-2100. 

William Kelley of The Wine Advocate  writes 93-95 Points | More brooding than the Clos Saint-Denis, Dujac's 2021 Clos de la Roche Grand Cru opens in the glass with aromas of dark berries, cherries, sweet forest floor and baking spices. Full-bodied, layered and muscular, with impressive concentration and a long, rose-inflected finish, it's another of the range's high-points. 

Allen Meadows of Burghound writes 92-95 Points | from a 1.95 ha holding in 5 different climats). This is also aromatically quite pretty with markedly floral-suffused aromas of poached plum, black cherry and a touch of green tea. There is both fine volume and energy to the powerful yet highly seductive medium weight plus flavors that culminate in a dusty, firm and youthfully austere finale. This is quite compact yet balanced and it stands a very good chance of being excellent in time. Drink: 2036+. 

Expert Review - Vintage 2019

Decanter 96 Points | This wine is among the best village-level Monthelies that I can remember. Coche produces it from his 0.3ha of south-facing vines in the village and some purchased fruit (which accounts for 15% of the total). The super-ripe cherry fruit is adorned with rose petal and licorice notes, and firm tannins and crisp acidity back up the pretty aromas. Perfect for drinking now for the fruit, or for mid-term ageing. Drinking Window 2025 - 2040.

John Gilman 92+ Points | The 2019 Monthélie “Côte de Beaune” from Domaine Coche-Dury is another beautifully sappy bottle in the making, with a more black fruity personality than the Auxey-Duresses. The nose jumps from the glass in an expressive blend of plums, black cherries, espresso, pigeon, bonfire, a lovely base of dark soil tones and a deft touch of new oak. On the e palate the wine is pure, full-bodied and already nicely plush on the attack, with a sappy core of fruit, fine soil signature, ripe, fine-grained tannins and a long, complex and beautifully balanced finish. Fine, fine juice.

Vinous 91 Points | The 2019 Monthélie Village is a little more backward on the nose compared to the Auxey-Duresses, well defined but just a bit timid at the moment. The palate is medium-bodied with firm tannin, nicely structured with dark berry fruit towards the finish. (NM)

Domaine Faiveley · Mercurey La Framboisière · 2024

La Framboisière has been a Domaine Faiveley monopole since 1933. Adjacent to Clos Rochette, the parcel takes its name from the raspberry bushes found there, a fitting introduction to the red-fruit character described in the estate’s vineyard notes.

Producer & Terroir

The south-east-facing vineyard covers 10.61 hectares, with plantings dating to 1962, 1978, and 1981. Shallow, pebbly clay-limestone soils provide drainage, while clay and silt at the bottom of the slope create a more compact, cooler terroir. The existing vineyard information describes the site as undergoing organic conversion, rather than certified organic.

Estate Description

Domaine Faiveley · Vineyard Description
La Framboisière, adjacent to our Clos Rochette parcel and one of the estate’s monopoles since 1933, owes its name to the presence of raspberry bushes. A quality that also shines through on the palate! Brimming with intense aromas of red fruit, it also boasts a fine minerality. The shallow, pebbly clay-limestone soils of La Framboisière provide the perfect conditions for excellent drainage. At the bottom of the slope, the soil profile becomes a mixture of clay and silt, creating a more compact and cooler terroir.

Style & Tasting

The existing cuvée notes describe airy redcurrant and raspberry aromas, a smooth, fruity attack, ripe red berries, orange rind, and allspice. Silky tannins and a fresh finish complete the picture. These notes are retained as a description of the cuvée; their applicability specifically to the 2024 vintage has not been confirmed.

Serving & Pairing

Suggested pairings include roast chicken, duck, or mushroom dishes. Serve slightly cool in a generous Burgundy glass to explore the wine’s fruit and aromatic detail.

Details

• Producer: Domaine Faiveley
• Vineyard: La Framboisière, monopole since 1933
• Appellation: Mercurey
• Region: Burgundy, France
• Vintage: 2024
• Grape: Pinot Noir
• Exposure: South-east
• Soils: Clay-limestone, with clay and silt at the bottom of the slope
• Bottle size: 750ml

Previously Listed Technical Notes

The previous listing supplied partial whole-cluster fermentation, twice-daily pumpovers, 15–19 days of vatting, 12 months in French oak with 10% new oak, no fining, light lenticular filtration, and 13% alcohol. These details are preserved for reference but have not been confirmed for the 2024 bottling.

Previously Listed Rating

Vinous, 89 Points · Vintage Unconfirmed
The existing listing supplies this score without review text or a vintage attribution. It is not presented as a verified 2024 rating.

Winemaker Description 

The 2021 Cuvée brings together a variety of Pinot Noir blocks from the 42-acre Domaine Lumineux vineyard, showcasing the full spectrum of the estate. Heavy rains in the early summer of 2021 impacted pollination in the vineyard and resulted in a very light fruit crop. This was followed by record setting heat and extreme dry conditions throughout the summer, which proved to be beneficial for optimal grape ripening. The combination of low yield and ample warmth produced wines of exceptional balance, intensity, and grace in the Willamette Valley. This ideal harvest yielded outstanding Pinot Noir fruit that came together harmoniously in this blend.

A select blend of our distinct pinot noir clones, the 2021 Cuvée is a multidimensional, harmonious, expression of the Domaine Lumineux Dundee Hills vineyard. This wine exhibits opulent aromas of spice, featuring hints of anise, nutmeg, and earthy forest floor. The savory palate is accompanied by concentrated red fruit notes, intermingled with dried fig. The 2021 Cuvée boasts a complex structure, with intriguing notes of black pepper lending an alluring mouthfeel and a prolonged finish.

Winemaker Description 

Breathtaking steep are the slate terraces of the Ahr, on which only a few vines can be found at all times. In this respect, the yields are also dwindling and the number of bottles is limited accordingly.

Juicy on the palate with delicate, round tannins and wonderfully balanced with beautiful fruit extract. Burgundy fans can really rejoice.

The name Meyer-Näkel stands for the finest Pinot Noir from the spectacular steep slate slopes of the Ahr - this has been no secret for decades. Today, sisters Maike and Dörte Näkel are the third generation to successfully continue what their father and grandfather - both legends and pioneers of dry German Pinot Noir - had already established.

Expert Review - Vintage 2022

Allen Meadows of Burghound | Ripe and very pretty aromas of both red and dark currant, violet, newly turned earth and a hint of crushed anise lead to rich, generous and round medium weight flavors that possess both fine volume and mid-palate density, all wrapped in a dusty, long and balanced finale where only a trace of rusticity is present. This always seem to outperform relative to its level chez Tollot and 2022 only adds to that reputation.

Winemaker Description 

The Tollot family represents a long lineage of winegrowers dating back to the late 1880s when François Tollot began planting vineyards in Chorey-lès-Beaune. Today, cousins Nathalie, Jean-Paul, and Olivier Tollot are in charge. The wines of Tollot-Beaut are well-known for their serious but pleasing style across a range of appellations from Bourgogne to Grand Cru.

The village of Aloxe-Corton sits at the foot of the Corton hill and is known for giving good-value red Burgundy that performs above its village-level status. A good Aloxe-Corton (pronounced Ahh-losse) will show some of the same structure, weight, and complexity found on the Grand Cru above.

Gallo Family Pinot Noir — California NV — 1.5L Magnum

The Gallo family has been making wine in California since 1933, and their Family Vineyards Pinot Noir is the everyday red that has earned a place on millions of American tables. Approachable, food-friendly, and built for sharing, it delivers exactly what the grape promises at a price that makes no apologies. Now in a generous 1.5L Magnum format — two bottles in one — it is the perfect pour for a dinner party, a backyard gathering, or any occasion that calls for a crowd-pleasing California red.

The nose shows ripe berry fruit with subtle earthy undertones. On the palate, the wine is smooth and medium-bodied, with soft red fruit — cherry, raspberry, and plum — mingling with gentle earthy flavors and a light, easy finish. Approachable from the first sip, versatile at the table, and always a good play.

From meats to meaty fish — think salmon, roasted chicken, or a backyard burger — Gallo Family Pinot Noir is California's most reliable everyday red.

• Producer: Gallo Family Vineyards, California
• Vintage: Non-Vintage
• Appellation: California
• Varietal: Pinot Noir
• Style: Red Wine — Medium-Bodied, Smooth & Approachable
• Format: 1.5L Magnum (equivalent to 2 standard bottles)
• Tasting Notes: Ripe cherry, raspberry, plum, subtle earth, soft tannins, light finish
• Best Paired With: Salmon, roasted chicken, burgers, pasta with red sauce, mild cheeses, casual entertaining

Two bottles, one great price — Gallo Family Pinot Noir Magnum is the benchmark for effortless California red wine built for sharing.

Miguel Torres · Cordillera Parcela Las Lomas · Maule Valley, Chile · 2021 · 750ml

Rooted in Pencedès winemaking since the sixteenth century, Familia Torres founded its winery in Vilafranca del Penedès in 1870 and is now in its fifth generation. A founding member of Primum Familiae Vini and co-founder of International Wineries for Climate Action, the family pairs tradition with innovation, regenerative viticulture and a firm commitment to fighting climate change.

In 1979 Torres became the first foreign winery to arrive in Chile, pioneering the Maule region and kickstarting a new era of Chilean wine quality. Today, under Miguel Torres Maczassek, Miguel Torres Chile is built on organic farming, sustainability and innovation, reviving ancestral varieties like País and crafting identity-driven wines such as this Cordillera Parcela Las Lomas Pinot Noir.

Tasting Notes

Delicate ruby red in the glass, with an intense, elegant nose of cherry and spice that recalls the undergrowth of the Maule Valley. The palate is fresh, delicate and elegant, with an excellent mouthfeel and a lovely end note.

Producer Description

Delicate ruby red color. Intense and elegant aroma, with touches of cherry and spice that recall the undergrowth of the Maule Valley. The palate is fresh, delicate, and elegant, providing an excellent mouthfeel and perfect end note.

Miguel Torres Chile

Pairings & Serving

Serve at 14°C (about 57°F). Ideal with fish, game and sauces with mushrooms. Stored well, it will keep its potential for the next 5–6 years.

Specs

• Producer: Miguel Torres Chile (Familia Torres)
• Wine: Cordillera Parcela Las Lomas
• Vintage: 2021
• Appellation: Maule Valley, Chile
• Varietal: Pinot Noir
• Winemaking: 14-day maceration; 8-day fermentation at 22°C with native yeasts and 20% whole bunches; 100% malolactic in neutral French oak
• Aging: 12 months in neutral French oak barrels (5+ uses)
• Technical: pH 3.4, acidity 5.3 g/L, residual sugar 1.9 g/L
• Allergens: Contains sulfites
• Size: 750ml

Elegant, cool-climate Chilean Pinot from a family that helped put Maule on the map.

Critical Acclaim — Vintage 2022

Decanter — 96 Points (Charles Curtis MW)
"The complex blend of exotic Asian spice, forward pomegranate fruit, and savoury, earthy notes make the Chambolle Sentiers an intriguing wine. Some oak is still showing through, but this will integrate with time. There is more density and extract than one might think for a Chambolle at this level, which draws this out to a forceful and long conclusion — charming wine. The grapes come from a parcel of 0.23 hectares that are partially destemmed and aged in a combination of new and used casks. Drinking 2025 to 2050."

Burghound — 92–94 Points (Allen Meadows)
"A slightly more elegant nose combines notes of red cherry and raspberry with discreet touches of earth and discreet wood. The slightly finer and succulent middleweight flavors possess very good verve while exhibiting very fine depth and persistence on the finish, dusty, youthfully austere and built to age. Patience strongly suggested — this should make for a beautiful bottle in time."

Vinous — 91–93 Points (Neal Martin)
"The 2022 Chambolle-Musigny Les Sentiers 1er Cru has a complex bouquet with black cherries, blood orange, sous-bois and an overall pastille-like purity. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy red fruit. With a good backbone, this leans towards Morey in style with a grippy, quite deep, almost obdurate finish. It has the substance to age with style. Drinking 2026 to 2046."

About Les Sentiers

Les Sentiers is a Premier Cru vineyard in Chambolle-Musigny situated on the southern border of the appellation, adjacent to Morey-Saint-Denis — which explains the slightly more structured, grippy character that distinguishes it from the more ethereal, perfumed wines of the village’s northern Premier Crus. At Domaine Arlaud, Les Sentiers is farmed as a micro-parcel of just 0.23 hectares — producing a wine of extraordinary concentration and site specificity. Partially destemmed and aged in a combination of new and used casks, it is built for the long haul: a wine to cellar and revisit over decades.

About Domaine Arlaud

Domaine Arlaud is one of the Côte de Nuits’ most exciting and critically acclaimed estates, based in Morey-Saint-Denis and farming vineyards across some of Burgundy’s most prestigious appellations — from Bourgogne Rouge through Chambolle-Musigny, Gevrey-Chambertin, and multiple Grand Crus. Under the direction of Cyprien Arlaud, the domaine has converted entirely to certified organic and biodynamic viticulture, with a winemaking philosophy centered on minimal intervention, whole-cluster fermentation, and the purest possible expression of each terroir. The results have drawn consistent praise from the world’s leading critics, with scores regularly reaching the mid-to-high 90s for their Premier and Grand Cru bottlings.

Food Pairings

Roasted squab, duck breast with cherry reduction, venison, wild mushroom dishes, aged Epoisses, and classic Burgundian preparations. A Premier Cru built for the finest occasions — drink 2025 through 2050.

Product Details

• Producer: Domaine Arlaud
• Vineyard: Les Sentiers (Premier Cru) — 0.23 hectares
• Appellation: Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru, Côte de Nuits, Burgundy, France
• Grape: Pinot Noir
• Farming: Certified organic and biodynamic
• Vinification: Partially destemmed, aged in new and used casks
• Vintage: 2022
• Drink: 2025–2050
• Style: Structured, age-worthy Premier Cru Chambolle-Musigny
• Format: 750ml

Expert Reviews

Allen Meadows of Burghoud writes 94-96 Points | As with several wines in the range, there is a subtle touch of wood evident on the ripe and ultra-pure floral-inflected nose of violet, lavender, rose petal, exotic tea and red cherry scents. There is impressive concentration to the middleweight plus flavors that brim with dry extract that imparts a seductive mouthfeel as well as buffers the borderline robust tannins shaping the hugely persistent and strikingly powerful finish. This is brilliant but it's also very much built-to-age so buy it and forget it.

Critic Notes

Charles Curtis MW of Decanter writes 96 Points | The Clos de la Roche from Arlaud is from the lieu-dit Mochamps; the parcel runs from the road up to Domaine Ponsot. 20% of the grapes are fermented as whole clusters, and the wine is ageing now in cask, 20% new. The wine is charmingly aromatic, with a ripe, peony-scented cherry fruit and earthy notes. The texture is silky, round, and velvety; there is more aromatic expression but less depth than the Charmes-Chambertin. The wine should start to open in five years and will continue to improve for a further twenty.

Vinous 95-97 Points | The 2022 Clos-de-la-Roche Grand Cru has all the tropes you expect from this vineyard, with exuberant wild strawberry, raspberry confit and blood orange scents bursting from the glass. The oak is very well-integrated. The palate is medium-bodied with firm tannins and darker fruit than the Charmes-Chambertin, with impressive precision on the finish. This is extremely promising.

Allen Meadows of Burghound writes 93-96 Points | Note: from a .43 ha parcel in Mochamps; 75% from 25+ year old vines and the remainder are from 40+ year old vines. A discreet application of wood sets off the herbal tea and markedly floral-inflected red currant-scanted nose where a background touch of freshly turned earth lurks. I like the sense of energy and volume to the bigger-bodied and more powerful flavors that manage to be both denser and super-sleek, all wrapped in a moderately austere and very tightly wound finale that delivers simply superb length. This is flat out terrific and a wine that should amply reward extended cellaring, indeed I would suggest not even thinking of opening a bottle before 10 years have passed."
*Burghound Don't Miss!*

Vinous 93 Points | The 2023 Morey-Saint-Denis Les Ruchots 1er Cry offers the most transparency on the nose among Arlaud's Morey Premier Crus, with intense, well-defined blackberry and raspberry fruit and fine mineralite. The medium-bodied palate features pliant tannins and commendable depth, though it may not reach the complexity of the Aux Chesaux or Blanchards on the finish. Give this two or three years in the bottle.

"A fine even purple. The bouquet is beautifully, florally, perfumed. This seems to be one of the riper wines but still has the quintessential cool balance of an Arlaud wine. Heady roses, with a ripe raspberry underlay. The acidity is sufficiently present and the tannins refined A long, supple finish. Drink from 2031-2038. Tasted Dec 2024."

Jasper Morris 92-95 Points