The Wine Cellar Insider (96)

Powerful, lush, rich, opulent wine packed from start to finish with waves of back cherries, black raspberries, peppery spice, garrigue, and floral accents. One of the stars of the vintage, give it just a year or two in the bottle, and this is going to reward you with at least 15 or more years of sensuous pleasure. The wine is made from 100% old vine, Grenache planted in sandy soils not too far from Chateau Rayas. Drink from 2027-2040.

Jeb Dunnuck (95)

All Grenache Blanc brought up in older barrels, the 2020 Châteauneuf Du Pape Clos Du Belvédère Blanc is light gold-hued and boasts a vibrant, clean, straight-up juicy bouquet of tart peach, minty herbs, and crushed stone. Medium bodied on the palate, it builds nicely with time in the glass and has wonderful freshness and purity as well as a classy, dry finish.

Decanter (98)

Bright and zesty in aroma, with no overt oaking to detract from the purity of the fruit. Only medium-bodied, with lovely crisp acidity cutting through. The discrete oak comes through on the finish, adding some cashew nuttiness and salinity to the long finish. Well balanced, pure and precise, this is the pinnacle of pure Grenache Blanc. Grown on galets roulés, matured in used barriques. Just 2,600 bottles produced.

Jeb Dunnuck (97)

All Grenache, the 2022 Châteauneuf Du Pape L'Avenue is a slightly bigger wine, with more black cherry, cassis, sappy garrigue, pepper, and exotic floral notes in its beautifully balanced, layered, elegant profile. Its overall balance is spot on, and it's medium to full-bodied, has a focused, elegant mouthfeel, ripe tannins, and a great finish. I love it today, yet it deserves 2-4 years of bottle age. You can put this up with the crème de la crème of the vintage.

Wine Advocate (95)

A knockout bottle of wine, the 2012 Châteauneuf du Pape Val de Dieu is made from 78% Grenache, 13% Syrah and 9% Mourvedre, is completely destemmed, and aged 18 months in new demi-muid, of which every trace is soaked up. Showing fabulous sweetness and purity on the nose, with black raspberry, black cherry liqueur, crushed flowers, white pepper and hints of licorice, it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, solid mid-palate depth and ultra-fine tannin. I think it will age beautifully, but given its polish and seamlessness, it’s a superb drink even now.

Vinous (90-92)

(raised in new demi-muids and barriques for 18 months): Deep ruby. Fresh dark berries, cherry liqueur, licorice, woodsmoke and a strong note of vanilla on the deeply perfumed nose. Concentrated and powerful but energetic as well; juicy acidity gives lift to oak-accented blackberry and cherry-vanilla flavors. The long, smoky finish features supple tannins, a touch of mocha and lingering oak spice. There's plenty of fruit here but the lumber presence is pretty pronounced and I hope it learns to play nice by the time the wine is bottled.

The Wine Cellar Insider (97)

Rich, dense and intense, the ripe, spicy red berries, olives and garrigue get your attention quickly. Long, fresh, clean, refined and concentrated, the wine gets going quickly and stays with you. Purity, elegance, length and complexity are what you'll find here. Give it a few years for the tannins to soften and allow things to come together and this should be an even better wine. The wine was made blending 64% Grenache and 28% Syrah with 8% Mourvedre.

The Wine Cellar Insider (97)

Rich, dense and intense, the ripe, spicy red berries, olives and garrigue get your attention quickly. Long, fresh, clean, refined and concentrated, the wine gets going quickly and stays with you. Purity, elegance, length and complexity are what you'll find here. Give it a few years for the tannins to soften and allow things to come together and this should be an even better wine. The wine was made blending 64% Grenache and 28% Syrah with 8% Mourvedre.

Jeb Dunnuck (95-97)

The smaller production 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape Val De Dieu is close to 60% Grenache blended with 30% Syrah and 12% Mourvèdre. This is always the most modern styled cuvée from this great estate, and it’s aged in 70% demi-muids and 30% new barrels. Its deep purple color is followed by a gorgeous bouquet of cassis and black raspberry fruits intermixed with notes of new leather, graphite, spice, and peppery garrigue. Its oak is beautifully integrated, it’s full-bodied, has a terrific mid-palate, and a great, great finish. It’s probably not for the staunch traditionalist out there but is just a brilliant Châteauneuf du Pape in the making. It’s going to evolve for 15+ years.

Jeb Dunnuck (96)

The 2020 Châteauneuf Du Pape Les Vieilles Roussannes is also terrific, with a deep, rich, concentrated style that carries classic Roussanne apple and stone fruits as well as honeyed toast, spice, and subtle floral nuances. Medium to full-bodied, concentrated, and fabulously well-balanced, it's going to drink well for 4-5 years, then probably shut down, only to re-emerge in another decade with a more mineral, honeyed, nutty, complex profile.

Jeb Dunnuck (96)

More medium gold-hued, the 2022 Châteauneuf Du Pape Les Vieilles Roussanne packs some muscle with its orange blossom, toasted bread, honeyed melon, and spicy aromas and flavors. It's rich, medium to full-bodied, has a killer texture, and fabulous length. It should have 4-5 years of prime drinking, if not longer. This is all Roussanne that spent 9 months in 50% new French oak.

Hailing from the celebrated Oger terroir of Champagne, France, the Vauversin Rossignol Grand Cru 2016 is one to savour. Crafted from 100% Chardonnay grapes, this wonderfully balanced Chardonnay Grand Cru is delight for true connoisseurs. Its maker, the distinguished Vauversin family, employ meticulous traditional methods for an exquisite production. For three generations, the Vauversins have maintained an unwavering commitment to quality, manipulating lees with utmost care to infuse the wine with a remarkable maturity.

The Vauversin Rossignol Grand Cru 2016 embodies excellence with an enticing golden hue and sparkles of brilliant green. A nose replete with floral and citrus nuances gives way to an elegant palate, presenting crisp apple and lemon zest with a delicately creamy finish. This is a testament to the finer intricacies of winemaking, a vintage that decants the Vauversin pedigree into every glass. For an indelible journey into the world of fine wine, the Vauversin Rossignol Grand Cru 2016 marks the route.

Indulge your senses with 'Verget Macon Charnay-les-Macon Le Clos Saint-Pierre 2021', a quintessential French Chardonnay with an exceptional pedigree. This fine vintage originates from the prestigious terroirs of Macon, Southern Burgundy, famed for its high-quality wines. Carved by the celebrated expertise of Maison Verget, the wine manifests their unique 'terroir to bottle' philosophy, highlighting pure, concentrated fruit flavours.

Harvested from Le Clos Saint-Pierre vineyard, this unique single-vineyard wine undergoes meticulous vinification under controlled temperature conditions to enhance the natural aromas. It nestles citrus blossom, green apple nuances coupled with an invigorating minerality on the palate. Cellar-aged gracefully, each sip delivers a perfect balance of acidity and fruitiness, draped in a smooth, buttery finish.

Make no mistake, 'Verget Macon Charnay-les-Macon Le Clos Saint-Pierre 2021' is not just a wine, but a testament to the artistic allure of French winemaking. Savour it solo, or pair it with your favourite seafood for an unforgettable gustatory experience.

Wine Advocate (94)

It's always hard to choose between this bottling and La Roche, and as usual, the 2023 Pouilly-Fuissé Les Combes Vieilles Vignes is a touch richer and broader out of the gates. Picked in three separate harvests (collecting only the ripest grapes on each passage), the Verget team pulled out all the stops to craft a medium to full-bodied, layered and satiny wine that's seamless and complete, evoking aromas of pear, honeycomb, white flowers and toasted nuts.

Wine Advocate (94)

It's always hard to choose between this bottling and La Roche, and as usual, the 2023 Pouilly-Fuissé Les Combes Vieilles Vignes is a touch richer and broader out of the gates. Picked in three separate harvests (collecting only the ripest grapes on each passage), the Verget team pulled out all the stops to craft a medium to full-bodied, layered and satiny wine that's seamless and complete, evoking aromas of pear, honeycomb, white flowers and toasted nuts.