Incredibly opulent and rich, Château d'Yquem is widely considered the greatest sweet wine in the world. Currently owned by LVMH, this prestigious Sauternes estate is at the very top of the appellations classification, designated 1er Cru Classé Supérieur. Château dYquems 110 ha of vineyards are planted to 80% Sémillon and 20% Sauvignon Blanc. The Grand Vin is produced from only fully botrytised fruit, carefully hand-harvested over successive passes by a team of highly skilled pickers. Yields are tiny, with each vine producing just one glass of wine. Fermentation takes place in 100% new oak barriques followed by up to 36 months maturation in oak. A wine of exceptional intensity and complexity, the best vintages of Château d'Yquem are capable of aging gracefully for well over 50 years.

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Monts-Damnés (pronounced mon-dannay) is perhaps the best-known vineyard in Chavignol. Drinking great juice from this site leaves you in little doubt that Chavignol is home to some of the most textural, mineral, uplifting and sublime Sancerres. Boulay’s bottling comes from 45-year-old vines on one of the steepest inclines of this majestic vineyard, a 40° south-facing plot on terres blanches (white, chalky clay and limestone) directly adjacent to Vatan’s Clos la Néore vineyard. It’s a parcel of vines that gives a wine of great hedonism and complexity. Boulay vinifies this cuvée in three- to four-year-old Rousseau Tronçais oak casks before finishing its aging in large cask prior to bottling.

Le Clos de Beaujeu is one of Boulay’s ‘blue-blood’ historic sites. Boulay farms two parcels in this terroir, including one within the original clos of this vineyard, established by the monks of Beaujeu in the Middle Ages. This parcel is historically known as Le Grand Clos. For this reason, Boulay names this wine Clos de Beaujeu rather than the more ubiquitous Cul de Beaujeu. In his book Le Vignoble de Chavignol, Thibaut Boulay notes that this vineyard first appears in documents dating to 1328 as the Clausus de Bellojoco, indicating this terroir’s age-old origins. Vines on this slope of Kimmeridgian limestone and clay (terre blanches) sit between 30 and (a remarkable) 110 years old. The soils here are particularly rocky—limestone-rich and strewn with fossils—making this parcel difficult to farm. A second, even steeper parcel at a 60% gradient lies closer to the village. These southeast-facing plots make the Clos de Beaujeu the source of some of the domaine’s most structured and nervy wines. This cuvée ferments spontaneously and rests in large, upright cask (60%) and three- and four-year-old 300-litre barrels (40%) for 10 months.

This rare bottling comes from just 0.40 hectares of 70-year-old vines in the Comtesse lieu-dit at the chalky epicentre of Les Monts-Damnés. For hundreds of years or more, this vineyard has been considered by locals to be the finest single terroir of Chavignol. In his Le Vignoble de Chavignol, Thibaut Boulay reminds us that at the Universal Exhibition in Paris in 1878, Comtesse was already considered a true star of the Sancerrois, its wines served on the most renowned tables of northern France. As another marker of its historical reverence, the Comtesse parcel was only grafted after 1945; before that, it remained the last ungrafted white vineyard in France, as La Romanée-Conti was for red grapes. The soil composition is pure Kimmeridgian limestone and consists of a miserly 30- to 40-centimetre layer of topsoil over solid limestone bedrock. This brings intense minerality and warmth as the rocky soil absorbs the sun’s heat and re-radiates it at night, yet it is also a cooler, less exposed place. It’s therefore a site that always produces fully ripe fruit and intense freshness while also something finer and more restrained than a typical Monts-Damnés—hence, the historical fame. This has the diamond-cut clarity allied to perfectly ripe fruit intensity that is a hallmark of this release—and there’s also something more elemental. Again, the sunny season has done nothing to blunt the razor-edge precision of this grower’s Sancerre. Marked by the soil rather than the sun, this wine often incorporates the best elements of all the vineyards above. It has a seductive texture and nectarine-like fruit, yet also thoroughbred restraint, great line, mineral clarity, and box-office chalky length. A Grand Cru in all but name, 20 years will not weary this astonishing young Sancerre.

The Chateau Malartic Lagraviere White 2022 is an exquisite representation of the renowned Bordeaux region in France. Produced in the exceptional vintage of 2022, this wine is a true gem from the esteemed Château Malartic-Lagravière. Upon pouring, the wine reveals a pale golden hue, betraying its vibrant and lively character. On the nose, aromas of freshly cut grass, white flowers, and subtle hints of honeydew melon tantalize the senses. The palate is equally alluring, with a perfect balance of zesty citrus notes and a creamy texture. The finish is long and satisfying, leaving a lingering impression of tropical fruits and a touch of minerality. This white Bordeaux is an excellent choice for any occasion and will continue to evolve beautifully with age. Overall, the Chateau Malartic Lagraviere White 2022 is a true testament to the exceptional winemaking skills of this renowned château.

Le Petit Cheval Blanc 2020, hailing from the illustrious Château Cheval Blanc in Bordeaux, France, exudes elegance and finesse in every sip. The wine boasts a pale golden colour, reminiscent of sun-kissed wheat fields. On the nose, delicate aromas of white flowers and citrus fruits intertwine, with a subtle hint of honey and vanilla. On the palate, the wine reveals a refreshing acidity, balanced by a creamy texture and flavours of ripe peaches and a touch of toasted almond. The finish is long and harmonious, leaving a lingering impression of crisp minerality. This vintage showcases the perfect balance between the influence of the terroir and the skilled winemaking techniques applied at Château Cheval Blanc. A true representation of the renowned Bordeaux style, Le Petit Cheval Blanc 2020 is a must-try for any wine connoisseur.