France
Grosbois 2020 Clos Du Noyer Chinon
Serge Mathieu Brut Prestige N/V
Clos Cibonne 2022 Cuvee Tradition Rouge
Clement Lavallee 2022 Chablis
The 2022 Chablis Villages comes from a 2.5Ha plot of 35-year-old vines picked at 35 hl/ha and sees 12 months ageing on the lees. This estate cuvée displays a tension worthy of the greatest village level Chablis. The 2022 Chablis is distinguished by its purity and freshness, with aromas of citrus, white flowers and hints of flint, typical of the terroir. The palate is lively, carried by a beautiful acidic tension and a clean finish, supported by a marked minerality. This wine embodies finesse, with remarkable precision and balance. Elegance and purity in spades.
Clos De La Roilette 2021 Griffe Du Marquis
A more serious, barrel-aged expression of Gamay with lifted aromas of dark cherry, plum, and raspberry layered with violet, spice, and a subtle earthy, iron-tinged note. The palate is structured and energetic, combining bright acidity with fine tannins and a savoury core of red and dark fruit, dried herbs, and a touch of oak-derived warmth. Youthful and slightly tight on release, finishing long and mineral-driven with the depth and grip to reward short-term cellaring.
Billaud-Simon 2020/21 Tete D’Or
A refined, deeply expressive Chablis cuvée showing layered aromas of lemon oil, ripe green apple, and white peach interwoven with crushed oyster shell, flint, and subtle floral lift. The palate is concentrated yet precise, with driving acidity and a creamy, chalk-etched texture that balances its richer core of citrus and orchard fruit. Long and linear on the finish, delivering persistent saline minerality and smoky stone depth that reflect both the intensity and finesse of top-tier Billaud-Simon fruit selection.
La Commanderie 2019 Saint Emilion
Château La Commanderie produces a supple, polished St-Émilion that is pleasurable even when young. The wine often opens with aromas of ripe black cherry and red currant along with pretty floral tones (rose petal) and a touch of savory herb, tobacco, and earth.
On the palate it is medium-bodied, fresh, and silky. The Merlot-rich fruit profile is sweet and creamy in texture – you’ll taste lush red cherries and plums that are impressively pure and vibrant. Tannins are very soft and polished, giving a velvety mouthfeel with no hard edges. Hints of cocoa and espresso emerge towards the finish, adding a gentle savory accent to the sweet fruit. Despite the easy-drinking nature, the wine isn’t simple; there is brightness and a bit of length, with the finish showing lingering black cherry, a dash of cocoa, and a savory, minty touch. In warmer years it can approach a “creamy, supple” richness, while maintaining lift.
Overall, La Commanderie is soft, refined, and fruit-forward, offering sweet, ripe berries on a polished frame. It can be enjoyed on release for its silky, vibrant charm, yet a few years of cellaring can further integrate its flavors and add even more smoothness to the already suave finish.
Pauillac 2019 Pichon Tour Pibran
Château Pibran (often just “Pibran”) offers a generous, Merlot-rich take on Pauillac. Uniquely for Pauillac, nearly half the blend is Merlot, which yields a juicy, supple texture alongside the Cabernet structure. Aromatically, Pibran shows ripe cassis and blackcurrant layered with hints of ripe red fruits (plum, cherry) and subtle savory touches of tobacco and pencil shavings.
On the palate it is both juicy and structured – succulent black fruits flood the attack, supported by rich tannins that give classic Pauillac firmness. Notes of smoky cedar, graphite, and a touch of leather often emerge as it breathes. Despite its solid backbone, the high Merlot content makes the wine approachable and rounded in mouthfeel, especially in warmer vintages. The finish is long and generous with dark fruit, showing Pauillac’s depth with an extra plushness.
Overall, Château Pibran marries Pauillac’s cassis/tobacco character with an inviting, juicy warmth, making it both charming and age-worthy.
