Vinous (94)

The 2019 Chablis Les Clos Grand Cru has a clean, precise, more floral bouquet than the Valmur; white flower petal scents infuse the citrus fruit, along with a hint of egg whites. The palate is well balanced, taut and linear, with great poise and nervosité, leading to an intense and very persistent finish. This will vie with the Valmur as best Grand Cru.

The Wine Front (95)

Curious, as my mind went to Jura pretty quickly, then came back to more citrusy things, but saline for sure, sea spray, heaps, nuttiness, yep. What a treat! A serious, serious white wine of depth, insane freshness, mouth puckering tang and freshness. It’s a wine that sets you back in your seat a bit; big impact, not a big wine. So much detail here in texture, layers of fruit and savouriness, minerality and vibrancy. Wildly delicious too. Length for days as well.It’s a wine that sets you back in your seat a bit; big impact, not a big wine.

Immerse yourself in the exquisite experience offered by the Clandestin Les Semblables Austral Brut Nature 2019. Expertly crafted in southern Chile, this effervescent joy has a natural purity that reverberates with the pristine terroir. Its unique blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir bewitches with an entire symphony of vibrant citrus and subtle stone fruit flavours, heightened by the distinct toast and yeast accents.

This boutique winery employs state-of-the-art traditional techniques synergised with biodynamic practices for a meticulous, sustainable winescape. The grapes are handpicked under the experienced eye of winemaker Louis Antoine Luyt, who ensures only the finest fruit go into each bottle. The Clandestin Les Semblables Austral Brut Nature 2019 benefits from bottle fermentation, bestowing upon it its finely tuned balance of acidity and richness.

Rated highly by several global wine critics, this vintage promises an illuminating exploration of Chile's vinous prowess. Elevate your wine collection today with the Clandestin Les Semblables Austral Brut Nature 2019. A celebration of craft, depth, and finesse exquisitely encapsulated in a bottle.

James Suckling (99)

Essence of Mosel wine here, which immediately conjures up an image of tiny riesling grapes that have turned a perfect golden color in the autumn sun. Then, on the extremely rich and refined palate, comes a gigantic wave of minerality that sweeps you away. Enormously long finish of almost overwhelming beauty. Just doesn't want to stop. From biodynamically grown grapes with Respekt certification. Drink or hold.

Jancis Robinson (19)

Aromas of green and yellow fruit mix it with flinty minerality. The palate shows a little more fruit than the straight Marienburg, grapefruit with peel and pith, but without any tropical aspirations. Nuances of salt and quinine give an almost medicinal tang, but a generous texture makes the medicine go down without any resistance. Very cool, the essence of mineral Riesling.

Wine Advocate (94+)

The medium to full-bodied 2019 Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc boasts impressive concentration and richness, allied to terrific freshness and length. As I was tasting it, I kept shaking my head marveling at how this blend of Bourboulenc, Clairette, Grenache Blanc, Picpoul and Roussanne achieved such a wonderful sense of balance. Hints of anise no doubt play a prominent role in achieving this, enlivening the melon and pear that form the wine's core, to be elegantly replaced on the finish by lingering notes of ripe citrus. Certainly this is one of the most impressive whites I can recall tasting from this benchmark estate.

Wine Advocate (94+)

The medium to full-bodied 2019 Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc boasts impressive concentration and richness, allied to terrific freshness and length. As I was tasting it, I kept shaking my head marveling at how this blend of Bourboulenc, Clairette, Grenache Blanc, Picpoul and Roussanne achieved such a wonderful sense of balance. Hints of anise no doubt play a prominent role in achieving this, enlivening the melon and pear that form the wine's core, to be elegantly replaced on the finish by lingering notes of ripe citrus. Certainly this is one of the most impressive whites I can recall tasting from this benchmark estate.

Decanter (98)

Established in 1985, Cloudy Bay has become one of the world’s most recognised New Zealand wine brands. Te Koko is made from fruit from four prime vineyard parcels. It’s barrel-fermented with ‘wild’ indigenous yeasts for four to five months before spending 15 months on fine lees. Roger Jones: Thai rice pudding with kaffir lime. Clean, focused and lingers for an age. The luxurious feeling at the end is immense; this is a stunning wine. Melanie Brown: Opulent and alluring. Shows how oak can heighten flavours and texture. Soft white peach and florals on a citrus base. Creamy centre with caramel popcorn and a pristine acid line. Beautiful. Rebecca Palmer: Attractive key lime characters, oak melding to create the silky, sleek palate.

Decanter (96)

Elegant perfume of lavender, wet stones and jasmine haunt the nose of this expressive and vibrant wine. With the chalky minerality and tangy finish that are trademarks of Limarí, this shows great regional typicity and is a mouthwatering wine with subtle oak integration. A complex yet elegant style.

James Suckling (98)

Sliced-apple and lime with some aniseed and licorice. Iodine, too. Full-bodied with linear acidity and a fine tannin structure that goes on for minutes. 65% sauvignon blanc and 35% semillon. This is fantastic and so delicious now, but can age for a very long time. Drink or hold.

Jeb Dunnuck (95)

The 2019 Saint Joseph Silice Blanc is a gorgeous white based on 100% Marsanne. Loads of stony mineral notes as well as white flowers and white currants define this full-bodied, rich, concentrated beauty. Remarkably pure, it offers subtle background oak, flawless balance, and a great, great finish. This is another head-turning wine from this incredible estate. Enjoy bottles over the coming decade.

Decanter (97)

A particularly floral expression, with lavender and violets on the nose among the apricot fruit. Full-bodied, but still fluid on the palate, this has a real intensity and freshness, a sense of tension and minerality. Long finish that's not overburdened by oak. This has a sense of straightness and direction despite the breadth on the palate and open aromatic display. Very well balanced, finishing floral. Selection of parcels grown on biotite granite, vinified then aged nine months in barriques and foudres. Drinking Window 2021 - 2030

Vinous - Neal Martin (98)

Owners LVMH took the decision to delay the release of the 2019 Yquem until spring 2022. It was tasted with winemaker Sandrine Garbay in London. After the summer drought when Sauternes received just 2.5mm of rain until 26 July, that day saw a 112mm deluge that replenished underground reserves and gave ripening the push it needed. Dry and warm conditions prevailed throughout September when there was no sign of botrytis infection. That was finally provoked by 38mm of rain between 21 and 25 of September, followed by warm clement weather. After minor picking of Sauvignon Blanc on 7 of October, the main harvest began in earnest on 10 October. Pickers worked over the following five days, including Sunday. Time was of the essence because, as forecasts predicted, the weather suddenly changed on 14 of October with 40mm or rain. After that, the picking teams skirted between showers between 17 and 22 of October, though by now the fruit had begun to deteriorate. Therefore, the key aspect of this Yquem is the extremely tight picking window. The final blend contains 138g/L residual sugar, which is slightly less than the previous vintage, with 5.5g/L total acidity and 14.4% alcohol. Tasting the 2019, I noticed that it has a slightly paler hue compared to recent vintages (though I never read too much into the colour of young Sauternes.) For certain, it has a highly-aromatic bouquet that is beguiling in purity, enticing aromas of honeysuckle and saffron, soon joined by camomile, white flowers and orange blossom. It has wonderful delineation and gains intensity with aeration. The palate is supremely well-balanced with fine bead of acidity. Very harmonious and armed with just the right amount of viscosity, this Yquem is surprisingly understated at first but gains presence, offering irresistible flavours of layers of honey, lemongrass, lemon thyme and orange pith. Yquem is so tempting in its youth, but I feel that this vintage will repay those with the nous to cellar for at least a decade.

Halliday Wine Companion (97)

The price of this wine reflects the piercing brilliance of the bouquet and, in particular, the palate. There is some residual sugar, but the acidity totally obscures it. If you buy it, keep some bottles for a minimum of 10 years, allowing the treasure trove of secondary flavours to be liberated.

Wine Advocate (97)

The 2019 Kröver Steffensberg Riesling Auslese (Gold Capsule) is clear, piquant and spicy on the coolish, earthy and darker-toned nose compared to both Goldgrube Auslesen. Cumquat and orange notes emerge after a while in the glass, indicating a certain percentage of perfect botrytis. The palate is round and intense yet weightless and very elegant, with a crystalline, beautifully seamless texture and salty-piquant and nervy mineral acidity. In fact, this is a great synthesis between the two sweet Goldgrube selections since it paints the finesse of the regular Wolfgrube with the intensity and richness of the gold-capsuled Auslese. 8.5% alcohol. Tasted from AP 06/20 in June 2020.

Tim Atkin MW (94)

I did a double take when I realised this was the tenth vintage of Aristargos - 2010 seems like yesterday - but what a great and reliable wine it has become. Chenin-based with 50% Clairette, Semillon, Roussanne, Viognier, Marsanne, Grenache Blanc and Verdelho, it's wonderfully complex and layered, with pear, citrus and herbal notes, a hint of peach and a long, stony finish. 2021-27

Tim Atkin MW (96)

One of a trio of world-class single site Chenin Blancs from David and Nadie Sadie (no relation to Eben, by the way), this hails from a two-hectare vineyard that was planted in 1968 and is often picked late. Completing full malolactic - such is the acidity in the grapes - this is leesy, focused and taut, with some ferrous grip and a textured palate. 2021-29

Tim Atkin MW (98)

David & Nadia Sadie are now part of an elite group of South African Chenin Blanc producers, making world-class wines on a consistent basis. This is my favourite of their trio of single vineyard wines in 2019, sourced from a 3.9-hectare site on granite soils on the Paardeberg. Tight, taut and floral, with comparatively low alcohol, mouth-watering freshness, precision and acidity, notes of fennel, apple and gunflint and a lingering finish. A Cape Grand Cru. 2021-32

Tim Atkin MW (96)

Skaliekop is a shallow shale site on the Paardebosch farm that benefited from the addition of moisture-retaining mulch in 2019. Yeasty, leesy and broader than the other two single vineyard Sadie Chenins, this has notes of citrus peel and beeswax, plenty of weight and a stony finish. 2021-29

Tim Atkin MW (94)

This is "just" the basic Chenin Blanc from David and Nadia Sadie, but it's better than most wineries' single vineyard releases. Made with fruit from seven sites, all of them old vines, it's a focused, linear, Paardeberg-dominated style with mealy, citrus flavours, some lanolin and piercing freshness. 2021-27

Vinous (93)

The 2019 Pouilly Fumé Silex shows an initial tenderness, sitting quietly and not shouting that it's made it into your glass. This is a wine that has its act together, feeling integrated and balanced with plentiful concentration and a savory long finish. A delicate dill note, which is a characteristic of oaked Sauvignon peeks out amid the hush.

Vinous (96-98)

The 2019 Chevalier-Montrachet Demoiselles Grand Cru is beautifully defined on the nose, featuring wonderful crushed limestone and gunflint scents that permeate the green apple aromas. Very focused and intense. The palate is extremely well balanced with a powerful opening, very saline and so full of energy. Enormous weight and presence toward the finish. This is an outstanding Chevalier-Montrachet from Jadot.

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.

Tim Atkin MW (98)

One of Spain's greatest white wines, produced outside the Ribera del Duero Denominación de Origen for the time being, this is a field blend of Albillo Mayor with 5% of other varieties. Salty, stony and appealingly reductive, with some lovely struck match top notes, it has the concentration of its 100-year-old vines, bread, almond and citrus peel flavours and a chiselled finish. World class.

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.

James Suckling (94)

Wonderful yellow-fruit aromas, ranging from very ripe lemons to mangoes. Fullish body in this context, but this is a properly dry wine with a distinct, chalky texture that stands out at the bold finish. From organically grown grapes with Fair'n Green certification. Drink or hold.

Wine Advocate (97)

The 2019 Riesling Auslese Niederhäuser Hermannshöhle is crystalline and flinty on the precise, ethereal and bright nose that represents the terroir of the Hermannshöhle beautifully and irresistibly. On the palate, this is a highly finessed, filigreed, playful and delicate Auslese with stimulating piquancy and salinity on the weightless and frisky but elegant finish. This is a fascinating Auslese with great detail and precision. Personally, I even prefer this clear and bright version (AP 17 20) to the richer, sweeter and more concentrated one that will be auctioned (AP 19 20) and possibly has the greater aging potential. However, both will live longer than I will anyway. Tasted in May 2020.

James Suckling (98)

So pure, cool and refined on the nose and a spectacular interplay of ripeness and crystalline brilliance on the palate. Super crisp, super long finish that's so delicate. From organically grown grapes with Fair'n Green certification. Wait, if you can, for this to really open up in 2023 or 2024. Drink or hold.