Vinous (98)

The 2004 Dom Pérignon is a totally different beast. It is the product of a very long and cool growing season marked by heavy summer rains in some sectors of the region and then ideal conditions through to harvest. After a brutally torrid 2003, the vines responded by setting a huge crop. In fact, 2004 remains the most abundant vintage in the history of Champagne. The best wines, though, well, they have always impressed with their laser-like cut and focus. That’s exactly what comes through in the 2004 Dom Pérignon. Tasted from magnum, the 2004 shows all the linear energy and crystalline precision of the year, but with that extra magic that comes from fermentation and longer aging in the big bottle. The 2004 has long been one of my favorite Dom Pérignons. From magnum, it is especially captivating.

Vinous (98)

The 2008 Dom Pérignon is once again stunning. More than anything else, I am surprised by how well the 2008 drinks given all the tension and energy it holds. Then again, that is precisely what makes 2008 such a unique vintage namely that the best wines are so chiseled and yet not at all austere. Lemon peel, almond, mint, smoke and crushed rocks are all finely sculpted, but it is the wine’s textural feel, drive and persistence that elevate it into the realm of the sublime. The 2008 will be even better with time in the cellar, but it is absolutely phenomenal even today, in the early going. Three recent bottles have all been nothing short of magnificent.

James Suckling (98)

A firm and vivid Champagne with a precise, focused palate. Full-bodied and dry. It’s very layered and bright with light pineapple, peach, praline, cooked-apple and stone aromas and flavors. It’s very subtle and focused at the end. Integrated with richness and high acidity. Good depth. Reminds me of the 1995. Very clean. Solid. Lovely to drink already, but will age nicely.

Decanter (98)

What a magnificent bouquet for this Dom Pérignon 2012! Pastry, a hint of smoke and autolytic notes provide a compelling counterpart to eager yet elegant aromas of citrus (lime, tangerine and kumquat) joined by those of fresh fruit, herbs, liquorice, and menthol. There is even a refreshing note of ivy. The palate is tense, vibrant, and very fresh despite its impressive density, which meets its match with an unending finish. This 2012 incarnates the very essence of Dom Pérignon with such a concentrated degree of intensity, along with a capacity for ageing, that it is surely destined for a second life in a P2 edition.

James Suckling (98)

A driven and serious DP with aromas of chalk, biscuits, apricot stones and lemons. Some spice and dried flowers, too. So sleek and sophisticated. Elegant. Yet, it’s long and powerful, with a sharp minerality. Tight and precise. Reminds me of bottles from the 1980s, such as 1988. It really takes off. Disgorged October 2021. Drinkable on release in January 2023, but better in a couple of years. A DP for the cellar.

Vinous (98)

The 2008 Dom Pérignon is a huge, powerful Champagne and also clearly one of the wines of the vintage. This is one of the most reticent bottles I have tasted. So much so that I am thinking about holding off opening any more bottles! The 2008 has always offered a striking interplay of fruit and structure. Today, the richness of the fruit is especially evident. Readers who own the 2008 should be thrilled, but patience is a must.

James Suckling (100)

This shows amazing freshness and depth of fruit while remaining agile and very clean. Full body, dense and layered on the palate. Goes on for minutes with each sip. Lots of mineral and chalk character too. A fabulous Champagne. A blend of half Pinot Noir and half Chardonnay.

James Suckling (98)

A firm and vivid Champagne with a precise, focused palate. Full-bodied and dry. It’s very layered and bright with light pineapple, peach, praline, cooked-apple and stone aromas and flavors. It’s very subtle and focused at the end. Integrated with richness and high acidity. Good depth. Reminds me of the 1995. Very clean. Solid. Lovely to drink already, but will age nicely.

James Suckling (98)

This is really powerful and structured with superb muscle and phenolic tension. Yet, it’s formed and polished, layered and dense. Full-bodied, but energetic and focused. Vibrant acidity. Goes on for minutes. Citrus, stone, straw, salt and chalk. Incredible. Try after 2023.

Revel in the luxury of the Domaine de Marzilly Champagne Ullens L.P.M NV, a prestigious creation from the renowned Côte des Bar region in France. This exquisite blanc de noirs embodies tradition and mastery, exclusively crafted from carefully selected Pinot Noir grapes. Brought to life by the meticulous savoir-faire of Domaine de Marzilly, a devoted producer recognised for their artful exploration of terroir-driven expression, this non-vintage champagne showcases an intense personality and superb structure.

The Champagne Ullens L.P.M NV undergoes intricate traditional method secondary fermentation and extended lees ageing, conferring complexity, texture and a distinguished brioche note to its vibrant fruit character. Notes of ripe apple, citrus zest, and subtle minerality marry harmoniously, crowned with a creamy mousse and a splendid finish.

Indulge in the opulence of Domaine de Marzilly Champagne Ullens L.P.M NV, a timeless reflection of the enchanting charisma of the exceptional Côte des Bar terroir.

Vinous (95)

(two barrels produced, vs. a normal eight): Bright, pale yellow. Vibrant aromas of lemon gelato and wild herbs. Very complex, pure and refined, boasting an utterly silky, seamless texture to its intense citrus peel, fresh herb and mineral flavors. Really outstanding inner-mouth energy here, followed by a slowly mounting finish that saturates the taste buds. A great wine in the making, but not for drinking anytime soon. (I found the 2017 version a bit juicier and fruitier, and there will be ten barrels of the younger vintage as the crop level was generous.) According to winemaker Frédéric Barnier, 2017 has more sweetness as a vintage, but while the '17 Chevalier-Montrachet is round, opulent and tasty, the '16 is extremely pure, fresh and linear, and will expand with time in the cellar. But even today it's silky, tactile, edge-free and extremely long.

James Suckling (96)

Very attractive and fresh aromas of wet stones and fine limes with youthful peaches and green mango. The scintillatingly long and powerful palate is pinned in place with bracing acidity and has unwavering length of peaches and citrus fruit. Breathtaking finish. Drink or hold.

Explore a genuine revelation created in the Alpine expanse of Savoie. A part of the innovative Belluard family legacy since 1947, Domaine Dominique Belluard Monsieur Gringet 2020 is a rare find, sculpted from organic Gringet grapes, an ancient Savoie variety, that flourish within the clayey chalk soils of Ayse. The meticulous nurturing of Domaine Dominique Belluard, both in biodynamic viticulture and manual grape harvesting, imparts it the distinct effervescence and character.

Matured in Burgundian casks, lees ageing elevates Monsieur Gringet 2020 depth and complexity. On the nose, chromatic spectrum of floral, mineral and spice accents unfurl. On the palate, the vintage thrills with vibrant notes of citrus, pear and honeysuckle. Structure, elegance, and high acidity make it ageworthy too. Domaine Dominique Belluard Monsieur Gringet 2020 most befits seafood, particularly shellfish, stimulating refined culinary moments. A quintessential representation of the Ayse terroir, this wine exhibits the Belluard's commitment to preserving the region's viticulture.

Jeb Dunnuck (97)

I was able to taste two 2019s. Looking first at the 2019 Saint-Péray Roussanne, it has a tight, reductive, mineral-laced bouquet of quince, grilled peach, white flowers, and crushed stone. Gorgeous on the palate as well, it's full-bodied, has a round, layered textured, perfect balance, and one heck of a great finish. It reminds me of a great vintage of Château Beaucastel's Vieille Vignes Blanc.

Vinous (94)

Translucent, green-hued yellow. Assertive orchard and pit fruit and orange peel scents are complemented by building honey and fennel flourishes. Concentrated and energetic on the palate, offering intense white peach, pear and tangerine flavors that become spicier as the wine opens up. A floral quality appears on the seamless finish, which shows a hint of smokiness and excellent persistence. This wine was raised in a 75/25 combination of unlined 500-liter amphoras and neutral demi-muids.

Wine Advocate (97)

The white from Dominio del Águila is one of the first whites from the Ribera del Duero appellation, which just approved the category in September 2019. It's also one of the finest whites from the region (and from Spain), used by the appellation to present the new category of wines as an example of the aging potential of the style, which at this address was produced in 2012, 2014 and 2015 and until now sold as generic Vino de España. The fourth vintage bottled is this 2016 Blanco, which is insultingly young and backward, with incredible tension, 13% alcohol and a pH of 3.08, which is only achieved in cool vintages, and crafted as the best white Burgundies, as it's produced with the idea of a true vin de garde. This 2016 took almost two years to complete fermentation, because it ferments in oak barrels in a very cold cellar. This is the finest vintage, with citrus notes, hints of smoke and incredible tension and freshness in the palate. This has the tenderness of a baby and should have a slower development than any of the previous vintages. It was hand bottled—unfined and unfiltered after 32 months in barrel—into 4,855 bottles and 80 magnums in June 2019. These are wines that deserve being revisited a few years after their bottling...

James Suckling (99)

Such a wide spectrum of super fine yellow-fruit aromas and a floral note that you struggle to take it in all at once. So sensual and silky that descriptors like “full” and “light” become redundant. Then the finish literally takes your breath and leaves you breathless for a long time. From organically grown grapes with Fair'n Green certification. Drink or hold.

James Suckling (95)

Dense, grapefruit and sage aromas, then a wonderful combination of great power and stunning vibrancy on the palate. Very long, smoky-mineral finish with great clarity. From organically grown grapes with Fair'n Green certification. Drink or hold.

Wine Advocate (96)

Dönnhoff's 2021 Felsenberg GG is pure, bright and flinty on the deep, intense and iodine nose that also reveals phenolic complexity. Full-bodied but refined and elegant on the plate, this is a balanced and light-footed, rich and dense Felsenberg with juicy fruit and crystalline acidity, whereas the tannins step back compared to the Höllenpfad im Mühlenberg. The finish is rich yet refined and saline, with delicate lemon bitters and lush fruit. Although the 2021 is already charming, the wine needs some years on the bottle to show all its complexity and finesse without its youthful charm. This is not an austere wine that needs to soften its edges; it's already dangerously good or even too good to cause patience. But the wine will reward those who can wait. 13% stated alcohol. Natural cork. Tasted at the domaine in July 2022.

Vinous (95-97)

The 2022 Riesling Schlossböckelheimer Felsenberg Felsentürmchen Grosses Gewächs is from a steep site of volcanic origin with porphyry and melaphyr. A touch of yeastiness still plays on the shy, tentative nose. The palate comes in with stony saltiness, a tingling sense of juicy lemon intensifying the salty impression even more. Great concentration aligns with lightness and energetic linearity. The bright acidity has a serene luminosity and ripe yet crystal clear smoothness that seems to stretch away into eternity, lighting the way, gliding along, dynamic, optimistic, promising and full of light. (Bone-dry)

James Suckling (97)

For anyone who has never taste one, this wine smells like the red-fleshed vineyard peach. Then, on the incredibly focused palate, you plunge into the mineral depths of a riesling Grand Canyon. You need to like acidity to appreciate this astonishing experience at this youthful stage, but the wine is still extremely young. For the moment you need to chase a laser beam! From organically grown grapes with Fair'n Green certification. Drink or hold.

James Suckling (97)

What a dramatic wine this is, at once ripe and austere, super-stony and super-herbal with a touch of peppermint. Compact core in spite of the sleek and very focused body. Electric freshness at the vibrant finish although the acidity is anything but dominant. From organically grown grapes with Fair'n Green certification. Drink or hold.

Wine Advocate (93)

The 2021 Kreuznacher Kahlenberg Riesling trocken is clear, bright and delicate on the nose that shows spicy fruit with red cherry and floral as well as flinty and some underwood or herbal aromas. Intense and fleshy on the palate, this is an elegant, piquant and mouth-filling, juicy Riesling with lemon bitters on the crispy finish. 12.5% stated alcohol. Natural cork. Tasted at the domaine in July 2022.

James Suckling (94)

For a bone-dry riesling this has a stunning juiciness that is hard to resist. The spot-on balance of fruit, moderate alcohol and lively acidity makes you want to dance for joy! Wide spectrum of stone and citrus fruits. Then comes the very long and elegant finish that pulls you back for more. From organically grown grapes with Fair'n Green certification. Drink or hold.