Bourgogne whites: Panel tasting results

Formerly chief oenologist for Jean-Marc Brocard in Chablis, Clotilde Davenne started her own domaine in 2005. Now with 30ha of estate vines, she makes wines from Chablis, Petit Chablis and other regional Bourgogne appellations. From her home vineyard in Préhy, planted on limestone in the 1970s, this unoaked white spends up to 18 months on fine lees in tank to accentuate the fruit. Andy Howard MW: Appealing, good density, powerful and lingering finish. Great clarity and focus. I would certainly place this as a good AP (or even premier cru) Chablis. Beatrice Bessi: Vibrant nose, layers of orange, grapefruit, basil, lemongrass. Lovely palate, refreshing, with good concentration of fruit. Good complexity. Class. Georgina Crawley: An inviting nose of fresh almond and hazelnut, greengage and fleshy stone fruits. Rounded depth, silky texture, a mineral finish with freshness and salinity.

From the family domaine of Aubert de Villaine who, in 2022, stepped down as co-manager of Domaine de la Romanée Conti after 48 years. In this 2021 vintage wine, instead of being sourced solely from Bouzeron, seven parcels of certified organic, old-vine Chardonnay grown on mainly limestone soils in De Villaine’s home appellation were blended with grapes from the Les SaintJacques vineyard in Rully. Andy Howard MW: Floral, waxy aromas, and a touch of honey. Great balance with concentration and fruit weight, crisp acidity and subtle oak character. Beatrice Bessi: Ripe fruit profile with a layer of smoky, oaky flavours, yet refreshing and vibrant, savoury, leaning on the citrus fruit to lift the texture. Good quality. Georgina Crawley: Creamy nose, very engaging, with hints of lemon verbena adding to pastry and butter. Golden fruit, acacia honey and some lemon and grapefruit bite, with energy and tension.

From a 0.41ha plot of 20-year old certified organic vineyards planted on white marl soils under the Eguisons cliff in the St-Aubin commune of La Rochepot. Made by Caroline Lestimé, who took over the family domaine from her father in 1989, the wine ferments on wild yeasts and ages for up to 15 months in barrel, a third new. Andy Howard MW: Some reductive, edgier notes on nose and palate, but there is very good concentration and purity, allied to fresh, subtle oak. A fine example. Beatrice Bessi: Vibrant, ripe, crunchy and enjoyable. Lovely creaminess to support the palate, and good use of oak, too. Georgina Crawley: Nose of herbs and fresh hazelnuts, freshly buttered toast. Nice depth to the complex fruit, showing some ripeness and concentration. Lovely weight and balance.

Fresh pear and almond aromas with layers of golden apple, orange, grapefruit and chalky flint. On the palate, lime and stone fruit, an interesting texture, complex with oak and a savoury, mineral edge on the finish. Long and concentrated. Classy, refined wine.

Floral with fresh acacia, blossom and honey. A crunchy fruit profile with layers of red apple, tangerine, smoke, cedar wood and cloves. Warm stone fruit with brisk acidity and subtle wood. Well-balanced with fresh acidity.

Fresh golden apples and honeysuckle. Crunchy fruit, lemon, tangerine and grapefruit. Fresh and bright, fleshy with great tension and structure. Refreshing finish. Should drink well for many years.

A pretty nose of brioche, honeysuckle and cream with hints of fresh tropical fruit. Apricot yoghurt and orange blossoms on the palate, showing good complexity, with a shy layer of spices, chalk minerals and bright acidity. A fine wine with good potential to age.

Touches of honey and buttered toast on the nose. Ripe apple, pear and orange, layers of nutmeg and cinnamon. Vibrant, young, with a grapefruit zesty finish.

Very cool, subtle and precise wine. The palate is still very young, showing the potential to settle a bit longer. Nice tension to the palate with evocative golden fruits. All the components are in great balance.

A lifted nose of lemon peel, orange and grapefruit. Good evolution on the palate with plenty of creamy, less-aged character balanced by bright, fresh, lively acidity. Golden orchard fruit with savoury spice and very fresh button mushroom. Refreshing with enough complexity and acidity to carry through the flavours. Well-balanced and ripe finish.

New oak on the nose with fresh citrus aromas. Vibrant profile with crunchy fruit, lemon zest, orange and tangerine. Savoury spice and toasty oak lift the palate. Balanced and vibrant. Refreshing, with good complexity and enough brightness to live for a few years.

Very ripe and honeyed on the nose. Refreshing, lovely acidity carries through the fruit flavours, lime zest, grapefruit, with a hint of creme fraiche and oak. Excellent combination with lots of purity and drive. Smoky, savoury finish.

Smoky, reductive aromas with ripe red apple, pineapple and orange zest hints. The palate is vibrant, uplifting and refreshing. Honeyed and very frisky with zip and tension. Plenty of purity with crisp acidity and a long-lingering acidity to finish.

Floral and waxy with a touch of honey and hints of white melon flesh. Golden apple, orange peel and tangerine fruit with vibrant and refreshing acidity. Great balance with good concentration and weight. Subtle oak character and warming alcohol on the finish.

Creamy, buttery notes on the nose. Ripe tropical profile, banana, mango and pineapple. The palate shows good layers of fruit, oak, smoke, cinnamon, cedar, lemon curd, and custard. Ripe, showing evolved fruits with hints of warm toast. Mineral notes on the finish.

Lifting nose, full of layers of citrus, tart lime, orange, grapefruit. Lovely freshness with hints of fresh honeysuckle and acacia, bright and pretty. On the palate, hints of quince and yellow fruit, limestone minerals and cream. Lively, zesty, mineral edge to finish.

Vibrant ripe nose, showing ripe fruit and smoky layers, with time in amphora adding complexity. Pear, apple, peach, nutmeg and clove layer the palate with vibrant honeyed fruit underneath. Refreshing, with a long and spicy finish. The wine shows an interesting personality.

Flowery freshness on the nose with lemon, peach and mineral aromas. The palate is fresh with tart grapefruit and limestone bite. Bright with a hint of salinity. Very clean and appealing.

Very clean and bright with red apple, tangerine and lime zest on the nose. Nice ripeness of plump fruit, crisp acidity, subtle oak. The palate is pleasant and vibrant in its simplicity. Nice balance with mineral notes on the finish.

Concentrated, fleshy peach and notes of green apple. Full of rich fruit and blossom, peach yoghurt, mango and tangerine. The palate feels creamy, with ripe pineapple. Nice length with a rounded, smooth and mineral finish.

Appealing, fresh peach fruit on the nose. Delicately floral with layers of smoke and spice, red apple, pineapple, cedar and cloves. Savoury with crisp acidity, the palate is round, creamy and silky. A nicely constructed wine.

Rounded, rich and oaky. Plush red apple, ginger and orange peel. The palate feels rich, with honeyed fruits and yellow plums. Oaky enough yet with good acidity and texture. Full of the warmth of the year, but with acidity to balance, concentrated and elegant. Still potential to be enjoyed further older.

Ripe citrus profile of grapefruit and orange peel. Mineral on the palate with a creamy texture, like creme fraiche and Greek yoghurt. A pleasing wine with good weight and concentration.

Precise, chiselled and focussed. Ripe, with orange, apple, pear and pineapple. The palate is vibrant, refreshing with layers of fruit, spices, sweet cloves and cinnamon. Lingering acidity, notes of peach interspersed with orange zest. Good quality, still some life ahead!

Mineral aromas laced with orange, lemon and lime. Creaminess on the textured palate, like goat cheese and butter. The wine is almost salty and savoury. The saline lemony tautness gives clarity to the palate. Full of fruit and chalky minerals. Silky and balanced with a grippy bite.

Roasted stone fruit on the nose with quince, apples, pears and white peaches. Fresh almonds, hints of delicate spice like cinnamon and cotton candy, fleshy fruit and marly mineral complexity. Zesty and balanced with a bright finish. Good clarity and focus.

Vibrant nose, showing fresh citrus and lovely floral character with layers of golden pear tangerine and acacia flowers. Fresh and clean fruit, very bright on the palate, racy acidity with subtle minerality. Simple yet refreshing with a warm and pleasant finish.

The nose shows a ripe profile of orchard and tropical fruit, like mango, guava and melon. Some honeysuckle and yellow fruits and nectarine with a hint of minerality, fleshy. Refreshing citrus with layers of orange and tangerine. Well-balanced with biscuity spice and a refreshing, saline finish.

Vibrant vertical nose, with lifting aromas of orange and tangerine essential oil. Passion fruit and hints of fresh pineapple on the palate.Very flamboyant in style, generous, clean and fresh. The wine is refreshing, vibrant and full of energy. Delicate perfume and spice on the finish. Precise. Still young with plenty of potential.

Toasty, oaky nose with hints of pear and almond cake. Fresh acacia honey notes with hints of nectarine echoed on the palate. Ripe with a layer of marmalade. Fresh and silky with lovely balance and acidity. The wine feels mature yet enjoyable.

Hints of fresh nuts and limestone minerals melded with ripe, honeyed fruit aromas. Layers of apple, pear, cucumber and creme fraiche with plum and apple yoghurt, cream cheese and butter. Very fresh and bright with taut, racy acidity.