Beaufort (Amaury) 2015 Bourgogne Tonnerre Vaumorillon

Brooks, Anne Bavard 2016 Bourgogne La Combe Blanc (Organic)

Domaine Anne Bavard-Brooks is located in Puligny-Montrachet and has been organic and biodynamic since 2005. The "La Combe" vineyard is in the village of Puligny with 35 year-old vines on silt and clay soils over limestone, 200 cases made. The palate is round and dense with flavors of pear, fines-herbes, almond, citrus, honeysuckle and brown spice. The finish is long and ripe with citrus and stone flavors that linger. This is a quite complex and well-balanced Burgundy that will accompany a wide variety of seafood and poultry dishes and mild cheeses. Drinking beautifully now, this will cellar nicely over the next 5 years or more.

Champs de l'Abbaye 2016 Rully Les Cailloux

Champs de l'Abbaye 2017 Bourgogne Blanc Chardonnay

From Chardonnay grown on an excellent limestone/clay parcel in Aluze, next to Mercurey. Certified organic, hand-harvested, low yields, very long (10 month) wild-yeast fermentation in barrel. The 2017 shows lovely aromas of dried pear, melon, fines herbes, wet stone and lemon peel - showing Chardonnay's relation to the Melon de Bourgogne of Muscadet!  The palate sows very firm acidity underneath lime flower, citrus rind and  ripe white fruits with a touch of oak, almond and mineral flavors. The finish is long and bracing, with white fruits and citrus, very much in the stye of De Moor in Chablis. This is an elegant racy, stylish white Burgundy that is a great value as well. David Lillie

De Moor (Vendangeur Masqué) 2016 VDF Compagnie Meridionale

The De Moors suffered terrible loses due to frost and hail in 2016 and 2017 - They have been aided by friends in the south and have made delicious "Vendangeurs Maqué" wines, this one with Grenache Blanc from Julie Brosselin and Eric Pfifferling, Viogniers from Gérald Oustric and Gramenon, Roussanne from Eric Texier and Clairete from Pierre Pradel.

De Moor (Vendangeur Masqué) 2016 Vin de France Bourboulenc de Marie & Eric

de Villaine, A et P 2016 Bourgogne Blanc Les Clous Aimé

de Villaine, A et P 2016 Rully Blanc Les St. Jacques

De Villaine, A.et P. 2016 Bouzeron Aligoté

Domaine d'Edouard 2015 Côtes d'Auxerre Chardonnay

Duplessis, Gérard 2013 Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons 1.5L

Duplessis, Gérard 2015 Chablis 1er Cru Montée de Tonnerre

Located on the right bank of the Serein, Montée de Tonnerre is one of the more structured premier crus, distinctly mineral and long-lived. The 2015 Duplessis Montée de Tonnerre is a classic expression from the site. Crushed herbs, lime zest, flint, and sea spray on the effusive nose. The palate shows incisive minerality with pungently saline character offset by cool-toned apple and citus notes. this is deeply stony with driving energy on an impressively long and palate-staining finish. Excellent now with a quick decant, better still in 3-5 years. John McIlwain

Duplessis, Gérard 2015 Chablis 1er Cru Fourchaume

Duplessis, Gérard 2015 Chablis 1er Cru Mont de Milieu

Duplessis, Gérard 2015 Chablis Vaugiraut

Located on the left bank of the Serein, the name Vaugiraut derives from “Vaul Girault,” which means Girault's valley, likely the name of a local owner. Aged entirely in cuve (stainless steel tank), Duplessis' 2015 Vaugiraut offers pretty aromas of white flowers, honeysuckle, white peach, and crushed herbs. The palate displays flavors of white peach, citrus, and salt with hints of green tea and quinine on the stony, precise finish. John McIlwain

Ente, Benoit 2016 Puligny-Montrachet Nexe Flore

A blend of 57% Puligny villages with 43% Puligny 1er Truffière. Nexe Flore is a play on words, per Allen Meadows, of next floor, implying a step up from the Puligny villages tout court. John McIlwain

Fichet 2016 Meursault

Bright, cool-toned, and floral, with a faint hint of reduction. The nose offers pretty aromas of white flowers (lemon blossom, honeysuckle), Meyer lemon peel, and rainwater. Frankly mineral on the palate, with a sense of pungent stoniness, giving way to ripe stone fruit flavors and a firm core of soil notes. This is ripe and pure with great precision on a vibrant, succulent, lingering finish. Great complexity throughout and a gorgeous village level Meursault! John McIlwain

Fichet 2016 Meursault Les Chevalières

Shallow limestone clay soils with limestone substrate. The 2016 Chevalières is positively incandescent. Lemon blossom, Meyer lemon peel, orange oil, sea spray on the nose. Great driving surf saline minerality and impeccable ripeness offering an array of citrus and stone fruit flavors on the palate. Pungently earthy and surgically precise. Incisively stony on the attack, with mouthwatering acidity and minerality, evolving into an expansive and galloping finish. Clearly young, and a bit coltish, but this has the nascent sophistication, complexity and pent-up energy to age for years. Absolutely delicious and a stellar Chevalières! Bravo, Jean-Philippe Fichet! John McIlwain

Fichet 2016 Meursault Gruyaches

Guillot, Julien (Vignes du Maynes) 2016 Macon Chardonnay Clos Fourneau

A new wine from Julien Guillot at the Clos des Vignes du Maynes, the 2016 Macon "Clos Fourneau" is 85% Chardonnay and 15% Pinot Gris. The wine shows floral, honeyed aromas of pear, white peach and candied citrus. Ripe stone fruits on the palate are wrapped in bright citrusy acids with chalky mineral flavors that continue in the finish with  lemon and stone. Try this with melon and prosciutto or a full flavored fish such as halibut or monkfish. This will improve with a long decant or three to five years in the cellar.

Lignier, Hubert 2015 St. Romain Blanc

Moreau-Naudet 2015 Chablis 1er Cru Montmains

Moreau-Naudet 2015 Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons

While the 2014 vintage resulted in a number of stellar white Burgundies graced with energy and complexity, some of the most striking have come from Chablis. Moreau-Naudet was especially successful and the wines show class from the basic villages thru the premier and grand crus. The 2014 Vaillons is a radiant example of the terroir, with airy aromas of stone fruit, citrus peel, honeysuckle, and wet stone. The palate is vibrant with minerality and punchy acidity, with smoky flint vying with cool-toned citrus, and spice flavors on a concentrated, tactile finish, which is just a shade broader than that of the Forêts. Lovely now, but there's plenty of dimension which bodes well for aging (if you can resist drinking your bottles in the near term). John McIlwain

Moreau-Naudet 2016 Chablis

Moreau-Naudet 2016 Chablis 375ml

Moreau-Naudet 2016 Petit Chablis

From 2.5 hectares of younger vines, farmed organically and fermented with native yeasts in steel tank. The 2016 Moreau-Naudet Petit Chablis is bright and floral, with aromas of jonquil, honeysuckle, apple blossom, Meyer lemon, rainwater. White orchard fruits, lemon oil, Golden Delicious apple, and salt on the palate. Ripe, but racy. Long, succulent, and snappy on an incisively mineral finish. Lovely! Always an over-performer of a Petit Chablis. Moreau-Naudet is a wonderful domaine whose great farming results in terrific wines. A splendidly fresh aperitif and just fabulous with a salad of white beans, red onions, spring lettuces, and Spanish tuna packed in oil. John McIlwain

Pernot 2016 Bourgogne Aligoté

Pernot 2016 Bourgogne Chardonnay

The wines from the Pernot family in Puligny-Montrachet are well-known throughout the world for classic Puligny and Bâtard style. They have rich concentration and fruit, but more importantly, good acidity that allow them to age gracefully and harmoniously. The Bourgogne Chardonnay is from vines in the village of Puligny and is an outstanding value in white Burgundy. The color is very pale steely gold, the wine shows lovely aromas of almond, pear, green apple, citrus skin and stone with a bit of lime-flower. The palate is dense but lean with elegant flavors of stone, almond and citrus with a bit of herbal honeysuckle in the end. The finish is very firm with bright mineral acids. This is a lovely junior Puligny that will accompany sole almondine, other fish in sauce, even oysters, and mild goat cheeses.

Pernot 2016 Puligny-Montrachet

Pernot 2016 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Clos de la Garenne

Pernot 2016 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Pucelles

Rateau 2017 Beaune Clos des Mariages Blanc

Located toward the bottom of the slope beneath Beaune Grèves and adjacent to Les Cents Vignes, Clos des Mariages is a mix of young and very old vines planted in clay and limestone soils. The lovely 2017 Blanc shows high-toned aromas of lime-flower, melon, pear, wet stone and honeysuckle. The palate is light and silky with pear, apple and citrus flavors with chalky minerals and herbal flavors in the refreshing finish. Serve with fish in sauce, scallop crudo, Asian foods and mild cheeses.

Rateau 2017 Hautes Cotes de Beaune Blanc

Jean-Claude Rateau makes lovely Biodynamic wines in the Hautes Côtes de Beaune in his east-facing vineyard of clay/limestone and marne soils.  Quite racy and bright even in 2017, the wine shows subtle aromas of lemon, almond, stone, spiced pear and apple. Intense, very mineral palate with pear, citrus and stone flavors and terrific length. The antithesis of fat, oaky Chardonnays, this food friendly wine will accompany everything from oysters and grilled seafoods to roast chicken and mild cheeses. Delicious now or cellar for 5 to 8 years. This is a real Chardonnay of terroir and a great value!  David Lillie

Rollin 2015 Corton Charlemagne Grand Cru

Rollin 2015 Corton Charlemagne Grand Cru 1.5L

Rollin 2015 Pernand-Vergelesses 1er Cru Sous Frétille

Domaine Rollin's Pernand-Vergelesses Sous-Frétille 1er cru is a perennial favorite, especially in warm vintages, where the morning shadow of the hill of Corton is mitigated by heat later in the day. The 2015 offers aromas of white flowers, ripe stone fruit (nectarine, white peach), golden apple, and Meyer lemon peel. The mid-weight, verging on rich, palate displays ripe orchard fruit flavors overlaying a deep-seated minerality, with a tactile stoniness lending drive, energy and mid-palate depth on a pungent, concentrated, nearly muscular finish. Sous Frétille always has a degree of gravitas that reminds me of Corton-Charlemagne, especially in solar vintages, where the ripeness aligns with the mineral concentration. This is a fabulous example and should be singing in 5-8 years and beyond. Gorgeous baby Corton! Fabulous with schnitzel and would be glorious with pan-roasted cod or grilled sole. Lovely Burgundy that is still accessibly priced (relatively speaking). John McIlwain

Tripoz NV Crémant de Bourgogne Nature

Vignes du Maynes 2015 Mâcon-Cruzille Les Chassagnes 1.5L

This is a superb, subtle and very mineral Chardonnay from a replanted parcel at the very top of the Clos, abandoned since 1896, with thin clay soils rich in iron over limestone. A great terroir, never chemically treated and worked in biodynamic farming by Alain and Julien Guillot.  The 2015 "les Chassagnes" is a beautiful wine, a bit fuller than the 2014 but still quite racy and stony with hints of white fruits, spice and honey. The palate is silky and crystalline - all minerals with subtle citrus and white fruits, very long and elegant. Highly recommended! David Lillie

Vignes du Maynes 2016 Macon-Cruzille Aragonite

From 40 to 80 year-old massale-selection Chardonnay vines high on the slope in Cruzille on limestone with a great deal of calcium carbonate crystal (aragonite) with thin topsoils of clay and silica, never treated with chemicals, certified biodynamic. Fermentation is in 600 liter barrels with wild yeasts, aged 10 months sur-lie without racking, no SO2 until a small dosage (10 - 20 mg/l) before bottling. The 2016 "Aragonite" is a superb, well structured white Burgundy that will age beautifully. The wine shows elegant aromas of pear, lemon confit, lime-flower, toasted almond and stone, really lovely. The palate is intensely mineral and framed in firm acidity, with white fruits, citrus, spice and stone flavors. The living soils of the Clos give this wine an extra dimension of acidity and saline minerals that will contribute to a long life for this lovely wine, perhaps best 2025-2035, but it's delicious as a young wine as well. Highly recommended.  David Lillie