Vintage - France - 2018, Franc...

Matthieu Cosse and Catherine Maisonneuve created Domaine Cosse Maisonneuve in 1999 after taking over the  5-hectare estate in the small region of Prayssac, near Cahors in the south west of France. The property was planted with 40-year-old Malbec (locally known as 'Cot') and they have now moved towards Certified organic and work with some biodynamic principles. Everything is by hand here and the wines are uncommonly elegant and round compared to the more rustic versions we are used to seeing.

No oak in this cuvee and it is so much better for it. That typical mulberry and boysenberry fruit leap out of the glass with a touch of licorice interspersed between wild bracken aroma. Approachable and fruity, with a soft, supple texture and dressed with a fine layer of smooth rich tannin. Vibrant and full of energy but still solidly built without feeling cumbersome or heavy. They really pull this off beautifully.

From one of the Rhône Valley’s most respected names, Domaine de la Mordorée brings precision, polish, and a touch of wild southern soul to every bottle. Crafted from organic and biodynamically farmed vineyards, Mordorée’s Côtes du Rhône Rouge typically blends Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre, offering vibrant dark fruit, garrigue, and a thread of spice. It's medium-bodied but layered, with the finesse and polish that set this estate apart.

This is everyday Rhône done exceptionally well—a wine with real personality, balance, and enough depth to elevate it.

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More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!

The 2018 Lilian Ladouys is such a gorgeous wine. Black cherry, gravel, scorched earth, leather and dark spice give the 2018 a brooding aromatic profile that suggests a potent wine. On the palate, though, the Lilian Ladouys is quite a bit more restrained than the bouquet indicates, in a good way. The 2018 is wonderfully deep and fleshy, but not at all heavy, with a natural sense of radiance that complements the more rustic leanings of Saint-Estèphe. There is plenty of pleasure to be found here. In a word: terrific. ANTONIO GALLONI, vinous.com

…From the lieu-dit Blanquet and with a deep purple-black color, the 2018 Lilian Ladouys gives up wonderfully spicy black fruit preserves notions: plum preserves, crème de cassis and blueberry with hints of exotic spices, menthol and violets. Medium to full-bodied, firm and fine-grained in the mouth, it has layer upon layer of rich, spicy black fruits with a lift to the finish. LISA PEROTTI BROWN, wineadvocate.com

Definitely the best vintage of Lilian Ladouys to date. The wine is loaded with licorice, black fruits, smoke and wet earth. Medium/full-bodied with a round, juicy, lush-mouth feel, there is a nice spicy character in the finish due to the increase of Cabernet Sauvignon in the vineyard and the blend…JEFF LEVE, winecellarinsider

A year-in, year-out value, the 2018 Château Lilian Ladouys checks in as 59% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot that was brought up in 35% new oak. Jammy blueberries, ripe cherries, damp earth, tobacco, and spicy wood notes define the bouquet, and it's medium to full-bodied, with a plump, rounded texture, opulent aromas and flavors, and a great finish. JEB DUNNUCK

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More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!

More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!

The 2020 Saint Joseph L'Olivaie comes from a parcel of 60-year-old vines. It's a winner, offering a rocking array of black and blue fruits, crushed stone, pepper, and flowers as well as medium to full-bodied richness on the palate. With plenty of mid-palate depth, ripe yet present tannins, and a great finish, it will give a top Hermitage a run for its money. JEB DUNNUCK

The medium to full-bodied 2020 Saint Joseph l'Olivaie, tasted out of barrel-the final blend will be roughly 50% from pièces de Bourgogne and 50% from demi-muids-showed an enthralling blend of raspberries and olives, a sexy, silky mouthfeel and great length and freshness on the finish. WINE ADVOCATE

The 2018 Brut Vintage is absolutely delicious, just as it was last year. Floral and citrus notes give the 2018 lovely aromatic lift to play off its mid-weight personality. This is a classy, polished Vintage Champagne marked by notable brightness. Airy, elegant and silky in feel, the 2018 is an absolute delight. ANTONIO GALLONI

Pol Roger's 2018 vintage is showing many of the fine facets of the year upon release already, open and giving in style with roasted pear, ripe apricot and grapefruit skin, lightly creamy and developing richness in pecan and brown pastry. The Pinot Noir leads, relatively structured for the year while showing hints of the smoke and spice to come with further age. A wine that flows with some of the ease and charm of 2018, but that promises a fairly early – if rewarding – unfolding in bottle. DECANTER 

Made from 60% Pinot Noir and the rest Chardonnay and pouring a vibrant silver/yellow color, the 2018 Champagne Brut Vintage (like all these wines) was aged in stainless steel without any oak. In the glass, it opens to springy and dewy floral aromas of honeydew melon, fresh flowers, citrus blossoms, and pastry dough. Medium-bodied and inviting, it’s approachable now and takes on a more mineral character on the palate without ever feeling austere. All its components move seamlessly through the palate, with a refined mousse and a kiss of sunny feel on the finish, but it’s clean and refined all the way through. This is going to improve with age, but it’s quite enjoyable now. Drink over the coming 15 or so years. It was made exclusively from Premier Cru and Grand Cru villages, was aged for 6 years on the lees JEB DUNNUCK

The 2018 Brut Vintage, with a dosage of seven grams per liter, exhibits a delicate bouquet of ripe orchard fruits, pineapple, peach, sweet spices and pastry, followed by a full-bodied, rich and elegantly creamy mid-palate that segues into a fleshy core of fruit with a penetrating, long and saline finish. Admirers of Pol Roger’s style will love it. WINE ADVOCATE 

Pale lemon with a lively and persistent mousse and an attractive nose of Spring flowers, hawthorn and apple turnover, a hint of iodine too. Subtle, the wine is composed yet incisive, fresh and yet profound, with orchard fruit and a citric cut shaping the palate, and notes of verbena and sourdough in support. Expertly crafted and forthright, without indulging to excess, the 2018 is poised and confident but far from brash and with a clear potential to evolve gracefully. The wine broadens beautifully with a little time in the glass, with hints of honey and biscuit evidenced, and will do so equally impressively in bottle over the next five years and beyond. SIMON FIELD MW

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More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!

More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!

More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!

I suspect the 2018 Côte Rôtie Brune Et Blonde will be up there with the top vintages of this cuvée, and it shows how strong 2018 was for Côte Rôtie. Beautiful cassis, vanilla bean, spring flowers, and subtle oak nuances give way to a full-bodied beauty that has both power and finesse. I love the tannin quality here, and while it's going to be accessible in its youth, it's also going to age gracefully on its purity and balance. JEB DUNNUCK

More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!

A fresh, pure and layered nose consists of liqueur-like dark berry fruit, plum, violet, earth and touches of spice. There is excellent richness to the slightly more refined medium weight flavors that coat the palate with dry extract where the supporting structure arrives all at once on the grippy and mildly drying finish. I suspect that this will round into form once the sulfur addition is more completely integrated. BURGHOUND

I haven't always been the biggest fan of Nicolas' version of Chaignots - although I love the vineyard with its the nod to the "silk" of Vosne a nice counterpoint to the rusticity of Nuits. This year this is a beautiful example and the best I've seen from him. MICHAEL McNAMARA

12 bottles available at time of offer

A special parcel of old Merlot that is conveniently stuck between Petrus, Lafleur and Vieux Chateaux Certan. First produced in 1982 and with just 7,000 bottles produced it has unicorn status. -Tom Portet

James Suckling                             94-95
The gorgeous balance on the center palate makes this one of the best wines from here in years. Medium to full body, firm and silky tannins and a flavorful yet subtle finish. Fine.

Lisa Perrotti-Brown            89-91
Deep purple-black colored, the 2018 La Fleur de Gay delivers bold notions of baked plums, mulberries and blackberry preserves with touches of tar, bay leaves and truffles. Full-bodied and rich, with a plush texture, it has soft acid and a spicy finish.

Antonio Galloni            86-88
The 2018 La Fleur de Gay is a fruity, supple Pomerol that will drink well with minimal cellaring. Dark cherry, mocha, cedar, tobacco, licorice and menthol add lovely aromatic nuance as this pretty, silky Pomerol develops in the glass.

With south easterly neighbours of Lafleur and Petrus, Le Gay remains at an exceptional price considering the quality of its terroir. Galloni particularly taken by its quality this year (read below). The blend is 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, with just 1,500 cases produced.  -Tom Portet

James Suckling                             97-98
A tight and dense red with depth of fruit and polished tannins that really impress at this stage. It's naturally refined and complex with so much dark-berry, chocolate, cedar and hazelnut character. Great wine.

Antonio Galloni                 94-97
One of the highlights of the vintage, the 2018 Le Gay is fabulous. Crème de cassis, new leather, tobacco, minty and dried flowers all race out of the glass, but what impresses most is the wine's combination of fruit richness and vertical explosiveness. Black cherry, coffee, dried flowers, mint and lavender all soar. Le Gay is rich and concentrated in feel, and yet all the elements are wonderfully fused together. Tasted two times.

Jeff Leve                 96-98
Chris Kissack                 97-99

Twelve bottles available at time of offer

Just two minutes' walk from the place d'eglise of Saint Emilion, Clos Fourtet sits atop the cotes overlooking Canon and Beau-Séjour Bécot. The focus here is on richness and sweet dark black fruits, an inspiring level from owner Philippe Cuvelier and oenologist Stéphane Derenoncourt. -Tom Portet


Antonio Galloni                                98
The 2018 Clos Fourtet is one of the most elegant, refined wines of the vintage. Silky and aromatically expressive, Clos Fourtet is all grace. Blue/purplish fruit, lavender, spice, menthol and sage all lift from the glass. Even with all of the natural richness of the year, Clos Fourtet sizzles with tension and delineation. Then again, that is the magic of the Saint-Émilion plateau. Clos Fourtet is easy to look past in 2018. It is neither exuberant nor exotically ripe. Instead, everything is in reserve. The 2018 is a magical wine, that's all there is to it. Don't miss it.

Andrew Caillard, MW                       98
Deep crimson. Impressively focussed wine with fresh blackberry cassis plum aromas lovely graphite herb nuances and vanilla notes. Dense compact palate with deep sweet blackcurrant pastille fruits, blackberry notes and fine brambly textures, underlying vanilla roasted chestnut oak. Finishes firm and long. A very high calibre wine.

James Suckling                             96-97
This is one of the best wines I have had from here. Full-bodied yet focused and super dynamic. Tight and linear with fantastic length and energy at the end. Exciting.

Antonio Galloni            94-97
A wine of energy, persistence and total harmony. Sublime. One of the wines of the vintage, the 2018 Clos Fourtet is positively stunning. In the glass, the 2018 sizzles with tension and energy. A whole range of floral, mineral and red berry notes develop, but it is the wine's exceptional sense of harmony that leaves the deepest impression. Consulting winemakers Stéphane Derenoncourt and Jean-Claude Berrouet turned out a glorious Clos Fourtet in 2018. Don't miss it.

Jeff Leve            96-98
Decanter                  97
Lisa Perrotti-Brown            95-97

10 bottles available at time of offer

An absolute highlight that is the current rising star thanks to both a fine position and the vast investment from the Mouiex family. Nestled high next to Canon and above Angelus, the predominance of Merlot (90%) underpins are rich plum and chocolate layered structure that has delivers a points per dollar value that's hard to beat. -Tom Portet

Antonio Galloni                               96
The 2018 Bélair-Monange races across the palate, showing its exuberant, flamboyant personality. Ripe plum, mocha, blood orange, star anise and cinnamon fill out the layers effortlessly. Sumptuous and generous, with striking balance, Bélair-Monange hits all the right notes. It can be enjoyed with minimal cellaring, but also has the pedigree to age effortlessly for decades.

James Suckling                                98-99
This is very linear and structured in a classical way for Bordeaux with a very focused and tight core of beautiful fruit that gives an agile and vivid palate of pretty fruit and bright acidity, not to mention the ultra fine tannins, which deliver a seamless and limitless finish.

Lisa Perrotti-Brown                  97-99
2018 Belair Monange comes bounding out of the glass with all the energy and vigor of a pedigree puppy. Full-bodied, rich and decadently layered in the mouth, the densely packed layers are charged with energy, supported by firm, velvety tannins and a racy line of freshness, finishing very long and very spicy.

Jeff Leve                98-100
Decanter                        97

More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!

The highlight of the Bernard Magrez stable is also the most prestigious, and tellingly it has achieved consistent high scores. It's up 7% on the 2017 release, which is no surprise as it is perhaps the best releases to since 2010.  -Tom Portet
 
Lisa Perotti Brown 96-98
Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2018 Pape Clement is a little closed, slowly unfurling to reveal fragrant earth, crushed rocks, iron ore and tobacco notions over a core of crushed red and black currants plus kirsch, red roses and Ceylon tea. Full-bodied and wonderfully vivacious, it offers a solid line of firm and fine-grained tannins and amazing freshness, finishing very long and mineral laced.

James Suckling 97-98
This is a very driven Pape Clément with fantastic density and finesse at the same time. Linear and driven, the finish goes on for minutes with incredible tension and focus. More cabernet. Refinement with power.

12 bottles available at time of offer

Jean-Luc Thunevin was one of the original Garagiste winemakers of the right bank, and his home estate presents the success of Merlot in the vintage, at 90% of the blend (vineyard plantings at 75%). Produced in miniscule quantities, it's one of the most sought-after wines in Saint Emilion (and you don't need to sell your house). - Tom Portet

James Suckling               97-98
This is a fantastic young Bordeaux with superb depth of fruit and complex tannin structure. Hints of smoke, spice and toasted oak. Full body and firm, dusty tannins. Very long finish.
 
Antonio Galloni                     97+
The 2018 Valandraud is every bit as compelling as it was from barrel, maybe more. Power and vertical, with tons of explosive energy, the 2018 dazzles right out of the gate. Inky dark cherry, plum, chocolate, spice, new leather, licorice and chocolate all race across the palate. The 2018 is a wine of tremendous stature that distinguishes itself in a vintage peppered with stunning wines. I would allow for a few years in bottle to help the tannins soften. I loved it.

Andrew Caillard, MW 95
Deep crimson. Intense dark plum cedar spicy aromas with wood varnish notes. Immensely concentrated and oaky with attractive inky complexity and plentiful graphite textures. Elemental but impressive despite the oak right now. Should settle down into completeness.  

A minuscule production and allocation but a delightful second wine from the great Ausone stable of Vauther family. Its volume is just a third of the volume to Ausone itself, and almost always close to a 50:50 blend of Merlot and Cabernets. It has great poise, purity and no excess of weight that will reward to whoever asks for it first. -Tom Portet

Andrew Caillard, MW                       95
Deep colour. Intense dark plum mocha praline aromas with violet notes. Generous and deep set with ripe dark cherry, blackcurrant fruits, fine chocolaty tannins. Long fresh sweet fruit finish. Classic proportioned wine with energy and density.

James Suckling                 94-95
This is a very tight and structured second wine with blueberry, spice and light hazelnut character. It's full of volume, but shows underlying firmness and brightness. Lovely length.

Antonio Galloni                 91-94
The 2018 Chapelle d'Ausone is a drop-dead gorgeous second wine. Wonderfully finessed in every way, the 2018 conveys intensity allied to a sense of weightless elegance.

12 Bottles available at time of offer

A real star amongst the second wines this vintage, and always in very tight supply. It contains an unusually higher blend of Merlot this year (40%) with lower yields consistent with the vintage story. A little sheep in volume, but always rewards buyers for its Pauillac credentials of black fruit and graphite, and perfect for drinking in around 5 -10 years. -Tom Portet

Antonio Galloni     93
Just as it was from barrel, the 2018 Le Petit-Mouton is fleshy, radiant and very easy to enjoy. Soft contours and silky tannins add to its considerable allure. Because of low yields, the Petit-Mouton was aged entirely in new oak. Rich, sumptuous and bold to the core, the 2018 is a rock star wine.

James Suckling                 97-98
This is phenomenal with such dense and layered tannins that go on for minutes. It's full-bodied with blackberries, blueberries and chocolate. Sexy and so beautiful. Not sure what to say here. Maybe it should have gone into the first wine?

Lisa Perrotti-Brown                 92-94
Deep garnet-purple, it comes bounding out of the glass with sit-up-and-beg notes of crème de cassis, plum preserves and mulberries plus nuances of chocolate box, Chinese five spice, licorice and candied violets. Full-bodied, rich and oh-so-hedonic, the palate is packed with juicy black fruit layers wrapped in a firm, velvety structure, with loads of fragrant spice layers on the very long finish.

Andrew Caillard, MW                       93
Medium deep colour. Lovely blackcurrant herb aromas. Sweet blackcurrant black cherry fruits, fine slinky textures and toasty oak notes. Still elemental with firm tannins. Pretty wine.

3 BOTTLES AVAIALABLE

Antonio Galloni                                  97
The 2018 Haut-Bailly soars out of the glass, showing magnificent poise that only grows with time. Sweet, perfumed aromatics, silky tannins and mid-weight structure add to its considerable allure. Ripe red berry fruit, spice, blood orange, licorice, cedar, tobacco and menthol are all woven together in an effortless, classy Haut-Bailly that delivers the goods. I suppose the 2018 doesn't quite have the explosive energy of the very best years, but it more than makes up for that with its sensual, seductive personality.

James Suckling                                   97-98
Incredible depth of fruit to this with a center palate that shows superb character and texture. I love the hazelnut and coffee-bean undertones to the beautiful fruit, which shows great finesse. Full-bodied yet compact and tight, giving a sense of agility and flight to the wine. Extremely tight and polished tannins.

Lisa Perrotti-Brown            96-98
Deep purple-black in color, it opens slowly with profound notions of Black Forest cake, crème de cassis, roasted nuts and black olives, unfurling to reveal notions of menthol, crushed rocks, molten licorice and chargrilled meat plus a hint of lilacs. Full-bodied, rich and densely laden with layer upon layer of vibrant black fruits and mineral nuances, it has a solid backbone of firm, velvety tannins and seamless freshness, finishing very long with compelling restraint and exciting energy.

Andrew Caillard, MW                                     97
Deep colour. Perfect claret style with intense blackcurrant plum graphite aromas with some savoury notes, fine graphite grainy tannins and underlying vanilla oak. Tannins are plentiful but perfectly ripe with some al dente notes and plenty of thrust. Elemental but voluminous needing time to meld. Sine inky mineral notes at the finish.

Eight bottles available at the time of offer

An easy argument for the Médoc's fifth 1st growth, year after year it presents as an exceptionally poised wine that evokes total class. I love it. It comes from the oldest vines of the property that average around 50-years old, this year the blend is structured with 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Cabernet Franc and 9% Merlot. -Tom Portet

James Suckling                           99-100
OMG. This shows amazing depth of fruit and density. Full-bodied and so layered with incredible fruit and power. Blackberries. Blueberries. Violets. Hints of dried flowers. Fantastic fruit and tannins, yet agile and energetic. The château says 2016 plus, plus.

Lisa Perrotti-Brown                                             98-100
The finished blend for the 2018 Léoville Las Cases is yet another triumph for this great estate. Very deep purple-black in color, it is a little closed to begin, slowly emerging from the glass to reveal subtle woodsmoke, violets, tilled soil and underbrush scents over a core of warm cassis, wild blueberries and redcurrant jelly plus hints of rare beef and iron ore. Full-bodied, rich, super concentrated and bursting with latent energy, this is an atomic bomb waiting to go off in your mouth. It has a rock-solid foundation of firm, very ripe, very finely grained tannins and bold freshness supporting the muscular fruit through the epically long, amazingly nuanced finish. Simply breathtaking.

Antonio Galloni                 95-98
Sumptuous and spectacularly rich, the 2018 Las Cases is atypical but gorgeous in its singularity. The 2018 Léoville Las Cases is a rich, sumptuous, exotic wine in 2018. Plush fruit and suave, silky tannins give the 2018 a level of textural richness that is unusual for a young Léoville Las Cases. Crème de cassis, lavender, mint and sweet spice all build in this extraordinarily beautiful wine. I can't recall tasting a young Las Cases with this much immediacy and sheer allure. The 2018 Las Cases has a very bright future. It is also one of the unquestioned stars of the vintage. In 2018, the blend is 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Cabernet Franc and 9% Merlot.

Jeff Leve               98-100
Chris Kissack               98-100
Decanter                       98

This 6 pack consists of the following Premier Crus:

1 x William Fevre Chablis Vaillons 2018 1er
1 x William Fevre Chablis Fourchaume 2018 1er
1 x William Fevre Chablis Montee de Tonnerre 2018 1er
1 x William Fevre Chablis Vaulorent 2018 1er
1 x William Fevre Chablis Mont de Milieu 2018 1er
1 x William Fevre Chablis Montmains 2018 1er

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William Fevre Chablis Vaillons 2018 1er
A cool, pure and citrus-tinged nose speaks of oyster shell, iodine and discreet green apple nuances. There is a fine sense of energy to the crisp, minerally and racy flavors that deliver solid length on the bone dry finish that already displays very good complexity. Lovely stuff and worth checking out. BURGHOUND

The 2018 Chablis Vaillons 1er Cru is laced with strong mineral and earthy tones that are such a signature. Savory herbs, menthol, licorice, citrus peel and a touch of reduction are all woven together in a Chablis of real class and nuance. This is another wine in the range that is both dense and understated, with a real sense of aromatic lift. ANTONIO GALLONI

William Fevre Chablis Fourchaume 2018 1er
SWEET SPOT, OUTSTANDING. In much the same fashion as the Les Lys the nose is overtly floral in character with background nuances of oyster shell, iodine and wet stone. The impressively rich, concentrated and powerful medium weight plus flavors possess excellent intensity that carries over to the complex, long, dry and focused finale. This is, in a word, terrific. BURGHOUND

The 2018 Chablis Fourchaume 1er Cru is superb. Rich and ample with tremendous structure, the 2018 possesses terrific depth and textural resonance throughout the finish. Orchard fruit, lemon confit, almond and menthol infuse the 2018 with notable complexity and intensity. Textured, oily and deep with a bit of a savory edge, the 2018 has so much to offer. ANTONIO GALLONI

William Fevre Chablis Montee de Tonnerre 2018 1er
SWEET SPOT, OUTSTANDING. An elegant, pure and relatively airy nose combines plenty of Chablis typicity with notes of white orchard fruit, citrus, algae and iodine wisps. There is very good minerality and delineation to the lacy and refined yet punchy flavors that deliver sneaky good length where the intensity really builds from the mid-palate to the driving finish. BURGHOUND

The 2018 Chablis Montée de Tonnerre 1er Cru is very tight, but it was also racked just prior to this tasting, and Montée de Tonnerre is naturally a site that yields intensely mineral wines. Bright citrus, mint, chalk and white pepper open up gradually in a brisk, focused wine that needs time to show at its best. ANTONIO GALLONI

William Fevre Chablis Vaulorent 2018 1er
SWEET SPOT, OUTSTANDING. Not surprisingly this is aromatically similar to the Fourchaume though here there is a whiff of wood in evidence. The slightly sleeker and finer medium-bodied flavors possess good power and punch while remaining refined and composed on the impressively long and well-balanced finale. BURGHOUND

The 2018 Chablis Vaulorent 1er Cru takes all the signatures of this small site and amps them up to the next level. Lemon confit, almond, dried fruit and floral notes lift from an intense, vertical wine endowed with real palate presence and depth. Seamless, ample and creamy, the Vaulorent is simply superb. Tasted next to the Fourchaume, the Vaulorent is a bigger and more dramatic wine. ANTONIO GALLONI

William Fevre Chablis Mont de Milieu 2018 1er
SWEET SPOT, OUTSTANDING. A beautifully fresh and ripe nose; indeed this is ripe to the point that there is a hint of exoticism to the pretty nose of tidal pool, pear, apple and tangerine nuances. There is good verve and volume to the textured medium weight flavors that culminate in a balanced and lingering finish that coats the palate with dry extract. This is excellent and while there is a touch of warmth, it's not enough to materially detract from the overall sense of balance. BURGHOUND

William Fevre Chablis Montmains 2018 1er
An elegant and quite floral suffused nose evidences a lovely array of classic Chablis elements on the mostly white orchard fruit aromas. I very much like the intensity and detail of the medium weight and decidedly rich flavors that display a mild touch of bitter lemon rind character on the sappy finale… BURGHOUND

This 6 pack contains one each of the following Premier Crus:

1 x William Fevre Chablis Vaillons 2020 1er
1 x William Fevre Chablis Fourchaume 2020 1er
1 x William Fevre Chablis Montee de Tonnerre 2020 1er
1 x William Fevre Chablis Les Lys 2020 1er
1 x William Fevre Chablis Mont de Milieu 2020 1er
1 x William Fevre Chablis Vaulorent 2020 1er

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William Fevre Chablis Vaillons 2020 1er
Derived from old vines in Les Minots (that are a source for the Fèvre massale selection), as well as holdings in Roncières and Chatains, the 2020 Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons unwinds in the glass with notes of white flowers, crisp stone fruit and clear honey. Medium to full-bodied, satiny and enveloping, it's a beautifully vibrant, racy wine that concludes with a long, penetrating finish. It's the best young Vaillons I've ever tasted chez Fèvre. WILLIAM KELLEY, Wine Advocate

William Fevre Chablis Fourchaume 2020 1er
OUTSTANDING. An abundance of Chablis typicity is present on the aromas of mineral reduction, white orchard fruit, citrus zest and tidal pool. There is again very good volume and density to the medium-bodied flavors that are unusually powerful for Fourchaume, all wrapped in a lemony and almost salty finish. BURGHOUND

William Fevre Chablis Montee de Tonnerre 2020 1er
SWEET SPOT, OUTSTANDING. A cool, pure and airy nose also reflects notes of mineral reduction and citrus zest along with more prominent floral and iodine nuances. The sleek, refined and beautifully delineated middle weight flavors possess a bracing salinity on the sneaky long and well-balanced finale. Like several wines in the range, this needs to develop better depth but it is very stylish and should age effortlessly so more complexity should eventually manifest itself. BURGHOUND

William Fevre Chablis Les Lys 2020 1er
OUTSTANDING. Agreeably fresh and pretty aromas are comprised by those of cool and restrained spiced apple, sea breeze and white floral nuances. The intense and utterly delicious middleweight flavors possess a chalky texture while displaying fine detail on the lingering bitter lemon-inflected finish. This delicate effort isn't especially dense but offers the hallmark finesse of a quality Les Lys. Lovely. BURGHOUND

William Fevre Chablis Mont de Milieu 2020 1er
SWEET SPOT, OUTSTANDING…In contrast to the Les Lys, here the much bigger-bodied flavors possess very fine density and obvious power on the sappy lemon rind suffused finish. This firm and serious effort will need to develop more depth but if it does this could well be excellent. BURGHOUND

William Fevre Chablis Vaulorent 2020 1er
Most of it is hard by Les Preuses. Séguier calls this their "baby grand cru" as specific barrels are selected for vine age, concentration and power
SWEET SPOT, OUTSTANDING. The restrained and layered nose makes clear that this could be from nowhere else but Chablis with its aromas of algae, iodine, oyster shell and spiced pear. The texture of the medium weight flavors is also sleek and intense with slightly better density to the youthfully austere bitter lemon suffused finish. Lovely. BURGHOUND

FIVE STARS - Attractive pale lemon, similar beautiful pale lemon colour with a light lime tint. The nose is startlingly fine, with a haunting elegance. Why in these hotter years are the Vaulorent wines seemingly even finer? The terroir dominates the vintage. A citrus zest weaving in and out of white fruit. Harmony and balance. Hardly able to assimilate all the intensity. What a wealth of dry extract! (96) JASPER MORRIS MW

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EP Order minimum 3 bottles

One of the most talked about estates, due to tiny yields of just 11 hl/ ha, and considering no 2nd wine (Alter ego) was made this year. Despite the difficulties working biodynamically, the ultimate wine is hugely successful and the price is a record. It's a mantel piece wine for the unicorn hunters….so what does that make a Magnum?  -Tom Portet
 
Andrew Caillard, MW 100
Deep colour intense dark cherry, black currant fruits with mocha espresso notes. Amazingly powerful and expressive wine with deep set blackcurrant pastille fruits, richly concentrated graphite tannins. Incredible balance and mineral length. Superb density and complexity. The wine of the vintage?

Antonio Galloni 95-98
A freakish, super-concentrated Palmer that recalls some of the most legendary vintages made here. The 2018 Palmer is a freak of nature from yields of just 11 hectoliters per hectare harvested over an entire month by CEO Thomas Duroux and his team. Rich, unctuous and flamboyant in its ripeness, the 2018 possesses off the charts intensity from start to finish. Blackberry jam, espresso, crème de cassis, licorice, menthol, lavender and cloves develop in a palate-staining, hedonistic Palmer that oozes with personality. This extravagantly ripe Margaux won't be for everyone, but it is a stunning, head-spinning wine that may, in time, very well join the ranks of the truly epic Palmers. A wine of pure and total pleasure, the 2018 is nearly impossible to resist. The blend is 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot and 7% Petit Verdot. In 2018, Palmer bottled just their Grand Vin and no Alter Ego.

James Suckling 94-95
It is the essence of cabernet fruit with density that is so thick that it has the texture of grape puree. Full body and melted tannins that give the wine a sense of velvet. Very soft and juicy. With air, it goes to bright, crushed black currants. Tar. Fresh tannins give it energy. I have never tasted anything like this in all my 38 years as a wine critic in Bordeaux. From tiny berries of cabernet sauvignon (53 per cent), 40 per cent merlot and seven per cent petit verdot.