Wine Spectator – September 30, 2019

(avery) #1
New Releases: France

Try our award-winning
Pinot Noirs from the best

vineyards in Sonoma


2015
Fox Den
Pinot Noir

90 PTS


2016
Patriarch
Pinot Noir

2016
Russian River Valley
Pinot Noir

91 PTS


Unlock Yours.


Sonoma is Calling


91 PTS


90 Albert Bichot St.-Véran 2017 $24 See Smart
Buys, page 83.
90 Bret Brothers Mâcon-Vinzelles La
Soufrandière Le Clos de Grand-Père 2017 $45
Offers aromas and flavors of apricot, tangerine, fennel and
spice. Comes together on the finish, with citrusy acidity.
Drink now. 541 cases made, 31 cases imported.—B.S.
90 Bret Brothers Pouilly-Fuissé Le Clos Reyssié
2017 $58 Lanolin, licorice and pear flavors mark this
rich, smooth white. Baking spice and hazelnut notes add
depth. Drink now. 170 cases made, 25 cases imported.—B.S.
90 Domaine Faiveley Mercurey White Clos
Rochette 2017 $36 A lean version, displaying apple,
lemon cake and baking spice flavors. Compact, yet bal-
anced and vibrant, presenting a mix of fruit and spicy oak
on the long finish. Drink now through 2023. 400 cases
imported.—B.S.
90 Les Héritiers du Comte Lafon Mâcon-
Bussières Le Monsard 2017 $35 Rich and fruity,
boasting peach, melon and apple flavors, showing accents
of anise, lemon and stone. Balanced, with a lingering fin-
ish. Drink now. 150 cases made.—B.S.
90 Meurgey-Croses Mâcon-Uchizy 2016 $25
This white has a broad attack, leading with peach, yellow
plum and wild licorice aromas and flavors. Balanced, ex-
tending on the finish, with plum skin and savory accents.
Drink now through 2023. 1,200 cases made, 400 cases
imported.—B.S.
90 Meurgey-Croses Pouilly-Fuissé Vieilles
Vignes 2016 $45 Ripe and expressive, this exhibits
apricot, grapefruit, orange and baking spice aromas and fla-
vors. Open and accessible, with a tangy, mouthwatering
finish. Drink now. 300 cases made, 40 cases imported.—B.S.

90 Xavier Monnot Bourgogne White Les
Grandes Coutures 2017 $30 The peach, hazelnut,
mineral and baking spice flavors are appealing, meshing
well with the supple texture in this white. Harmonious,
ending with a pleasant grapefruit peel bitterness. Drink now
through 2023. 1,036 cases made, 100 cases imported.—B.S.
89 Albert Bichot Mâcon-Lugny Les Charmes
2017 $19 A ripe style, sporting apricot, peach and or-
ange peel flavors. Fine cut defines the finish as a saline
element emerges. Drink now. 2,300 cases imported.—B.S.
89 Les Héritiers du Comte Lafon Mâcon-Prissé
2017 $28 A ripe style, backed by tangy acidity, dis-
playing peach, melon, cinnamon and saffron flavors. The
finish tightens up, with a hint of orange peel. Drink now.
500 cases made.—B.S.
88 Simonnet-Febvre Chardonnay Côteaux de
l’Auxois 2017 $18 Laced with peach, apple and lemon
flavors, showing good structure. Lush, balanced and refresh-
ing. Drink now. 640 cases made, 150 cases imported.—B.S.
87 Simonnet-Febvre Auxerrois Côteaux de
l’Auxois 2017 $18 Round and fruity, offering melon,
apple and grapefruit peel flavors on a juicy frame. Drink
now. 480 cases made, 100 cases imported.—B.S.

FRANCE
Languedoc-Roussillon

93 Château Haut-Blanville Languedoc Grés de
Montpellier 1955 2014 $75 Offers black cherry and
glazed raspberry flavors that are flanked by tea, licorice
and espresso undertones. Savory details of tobacco leaf
and cured meat sneak in on the plush finish. Drink now
through 2023. 500 cases made, 200 cases imported.—G.S.

91 Bret Brothers Pouilly-Fuissé Terres de
Vergisson 2017 $50 Juicy, with peach, plum, lemon
and mineral aromas and flavors. A floral hint adds ele-
gance as this finishes long, with fine harmony. Drink now
through 2023. 257 cases made, 20 cases imported.—B.S.


91 Bret Brothers St.-Véran La Soufrandière La
Bonnode 2017 $54 Offers honeysuckle, lemon, clove,
vanilla and stone flavors, matched to a steely frame. Drink
now through 2023. 782 cases made, 74 cases imported.—B.S.


91 Château Fuissé Pouilly-Fuissé Tête de Cuvée
2017 $42 This white offers an enticing expression of
ripe peach, apricot, honeysuckle and honey aromas and
flavors. Ripe and creamy, with a lingering aftertaste. Drink
now through 2024. 1,050 cases imported.—B.S.


91 Domaines Leflaive Mâcon-Verzé 2016 $50
Expressive, featuring peach, apple and lemon custard fla-
vors, shaded by orange and pastry notes. Silky and har-
monious, this lingers with an aftertaste of citrus and stone.
Drink now. 9,000 cases made, 1,350 cases imported.—B.S.


91 Meurgey-Croses St.-Véran 2017 $33 Offers
spring blossom, ripe plum and peach flavors. Lean, with
a plum skin bitterness on the aftertaste. Drink now
through 2023. 450 cases made, 100 cases imported.—B.S.


91 Ramonet Chassagne-Montrachet Morgeot
2016 $140 Peach, apricot and citronella aromas and
flavors grace this racy white, wrapped in toasty oak. Lithe
and agile, with an aftertaste of orchard fruit and spice.
Best from 2020 through 2029. 45 cases imported.—B.S.


90 Albert Bichot Bourgogne White Secret de
Famille 2017 $25 A lovely texture sets the pace for
the peach, apple and lemon cake flavors in this charming
white. Fresh and harmonious, with a touch of citrus peel
on the finish. Drink now. 1,500 cases imported.—B.S.


SEPT. 30, 2019 • WINE SPECTATOR 85
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