Domaine Jacques Prieur’s Puligny-Montrachet Premier Cru “Les Combettes” 2023 is a single-vineyard Chardonnay from one of the Côte de Beaune’s most recognized white-wine communes. The domaine describes a demanding 2023 season that ultimately delivered strong raw material, noting that a green harvest in late July was used to reduce yields and sharpen quality potential. The wine is typically raised in French oak for an extended élevage—retailer notes cite roughly 16–18 months in new barrels—and the 2023 is listed at about 13.5% alcohol.

In the glass, the early critical picture is of a concentrated, high-definition Puligny that leans into both perfume and structure. James Suckling gives an excellent 97-point score, highlighting “complex aromas of sliced apples and dried flowers… lemon grass,” alongside “honeysuckle and white peaches.” On the palate, he calls it “full-bodied and dense, with lively acidity that adds energy,” and he emphasizes the wine’s balance of power and finesse: “Dense and structured, yet weightless in so many ways.” Suckling’s guidance is clearly cellar-oriented: “Give it time to come together. Best after 2027.”

Burghound’s Allen Meadows (barrel range 90–93 points; later published here at 93) also points to aromatic lift and controlled élevage, describing “an exuberantly floral-suffused nose” with “pear, lychee, citrus confit and an admirably subtle application of oak.” He finds the palate “rich and generous yet solidly punchy and beautifully refined,” with flavors that “tighten up noticeably on the firm, youthfully austere and impeccably well-balanced finale.”

Taken together, the reviews suggest a 2023 Les Combettes built on density and polish, with oak kept in proportion and acidity providing drive. Both reviewers indicate it will benefit from patience, with its best drinking likely to come after it has had time to knit and deepen in bottle.