The 2019 Clos de l'Olive, crafted from vines planted on clay and limestone soils, shows a darker, somber bouquet of dark wild berries, spices and dark chocolate mingled with gently green bell pepper notes, followed by a...

The 2019 Chinon Clos de l'Echo, showing less oak influence than its 2018 counterpart, offers a bouquet of flowers, dark wild berries, baked plums and spices. Medium to full-bodied, enveloping and round, it’s concentrated...

The 2022 Belle Dame is a tightly coiled Pinot Noir with a chili pepper-like firmness. This has a ripe, red cherry perfume with excellent concentration and an abundance of well-integrated oak. It has an incredible sense of...

The 2021 Saumur Blanc Clos Romans possesses an expressive, floral bouquet of citrus oil, pomegranate, spring flowers and spices, followed by a medium to full-bodied, enrobing and charming, profound and satiny palate that...

More mineral and tense than the 2020, the 2019 Saumur Blanc Clos Romans reveals aromas of flowers, acacia, crushed stones, lemon, ripe orchard fruits and spices. Medium to full-bodied, round and precise, it’s dense and...

A well-rounded, textured and attractive Muscadet showing aromas of dried lemons, wild herbs and some stones. Medium-bodied with fresh acidity. Mellow yet vivid, with a subtle texture on the palate and a flavorful...

Don't mess with the 2021 Saumur Blanc L’Échelier: it's got attitude—flirty, floral and transparent, with the purity of a glacier. The Germains didn't do any malolactic despite the natural acidity of this vintage. This is...

A fresh, smoky and reduced bouquet prefaces the 2020 Savennières Clos de la Hutte, a dense, full-bodied, concentrated and fine-grained wine. It concludes with a saline, mineral finish. This wine is a terrific success for...

Aged in wood for 10 months, this wine has weight and richness that are underlined by the density and juicy acidity. It provides a fine example of Pinot Noir from Sancerre, with intensity and a promising future. Drink from...

The grand vin at this domaine, the clos in question is positioned next to the cellars, on the left bank of the Vienne. The vines, aged between 70 and 80 years, are rooted into the calcareous soils of the slope. This...

A glorious iteration of the superb Clos de l’Echelier cuvée, coming from a 2.5ha vineyard of 40-year-old Cabernet Franc surrounded by a 300-year-old wall. Having implemented organic farming in the 1990s, and biodynamic...

The 2021 Savennières Clos de Frémine opens with aromas of pear, rose, green mango, ripe orchard fruits and spring flowers. It is a full-bodied, intense and bright wine with a chiseled, crystalline, elegantly tense palate...

The 2018 Chinon Clos du Chene Vert, Monopole is one of the top wines from Joguet, offering pure black fruit and even some mint chocolate aromas, in addition to the telltale signs of classy oak use evident in its rich...

The perfumes of this wine have developed well and the taste gives richness, solid black fruits and acidity. Tannins are still there, promising further aging. Drink from 2021. — Roger Voss

Crafted from 50% purchased and 50% estate-grown grapes, Thibaud Boudignon’s 2021 Anjou Blanc is a real success, with aromas of lemon oil, pear, spices and herbs, followed by a medium to full-bodied, satiny and incisive...

The 2015 L'Amiral is an impressive, savory, refined Cabernet Franc that is almost Bordeaux-like in its classicism. This cuvée is only made in what the producer deems to be an exceptional year, and then aged in barrel for...

The 2019 Clos de la Dioterie is a sophisticated, seductively perfumed style—brooding yet aromatic. Its concentrated flavors are pure; it remains light and elegant, with a delectable, chalky, veil-like texture residing on...

The 2021 Franc de Pied is mellow and supple yet precise, with its line of 2021 vintage acidity piercing its core and pulling it tight. Savory and herbal, it shows aromas reminiscent of fennel, wormwood, black olives and...

The XXI is the total sum of the 2021 vintage due to frost but mainly rot caused by too much rain at the end of the season. According to its maker, the domain lost around 60% of the crop. This is definitely a Sauvignon...

Bright and engaging, with light savory and thyme accents out front, followed by light-bodied but persistent and mouthwatering chalk, damson plum and olive notes. Offers a long, sleek finish.

Still marketed as "Touraine AC" because the Chinon appellation has been extended only since the 2016 vintage, the 2015 Touraine Clos de la Plante Martin offers an intense yet pure and chalky bouquet with a pretty...

A single vineyard in the city of Chinon is the source for this wine. Wholly owned by this producer, the vineyard has produced an intensely perfumed wine, showing the potential of the vineyard and of ripe Cabernet Franc...

There's something of northern Rhône Syrah on the nose of the 2019 Le Bourg with its smoked meats and ripe red fruit plus a hint of menthol. There's always a succulence to this cuvée, showing completeness–everything is in...

The 2019 Les Varennes du Grand Clos is starting to mellow with an extra year in bottle since I last tasted. It continues to have its soft, welcoming opening, with attractive, pure aromatics: plenty of sweet black fruit...