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Producer name: Domaine d'Auvenay

Wines:

2015 Bourgogne Aligoté Sous Chatelet
Color: White

Score: 96.0

Drinking window: 2024 - 2040

Tasting notes: The 2015 Bourgogne Aligoté Sous Chatelet from Domaine d’Auvenay is off the bloomin’ charts. On the first sip, half-laughing with incredulity, I commented: “How does Lalou do it?” There is just no Aligoté that comes close. This sports the same reduction that I found on the 2011 a few months earlier, stuck match notes, crushed limestone at first, then an hour later, that heavenly freshly-baked popcorn scent with otherworldly definition. The palate has gobsmacking intensity, razor-sharp acidity, a laser-like focus and subtle notes of brioche and white peach. For sure, the secondary market price is completely insane, but you cannot deny that this is sui generis. From notionally the “lowest” rung on the Burgundy ladder (please note speech commas before sending off any complaints), we leapt notionally the highest (ditto).

Producer Commentary:
It had taken five years since opening for me to dine at Zoldering, and it lived up to expectations. Zoldering is really everything you could want in a restaurant unless you crave a luxurious setting or boundary-busting cooking. It’s not that kind of place. This is where you come to meet friends, chill out, drink great wines and eat delicious, well-executed food that you will want to eat again.
2011 Bourgogne Aligoté Sous Chatelet
Color: White

Score: 94.0

Drinking window: 2023 - 2045

Tasting notes: The 2011 Bourgogne Aligoté Sous Chatelet retains a youthful silvery gleam. The aromatics leap from the glass, taut and delineated, quite malic and steely for an Aligoté, with a faint scent of what I discern as a garden pond. Perhaps a little algae? The palate has a razor-sharp line of acidity that imparts incredible tension and a sense of energy. With lip-smacking salinity from start to finish, this has laser-beam focus and incredible length. Would I pay the market price for this wine? I wouldn’t, even if I could. Do I think it is an astonishing expression of Aligoté? Without question. 

Producer Commentary:
1999 Puligny Montrachet Les Folatières 1er Cru
Color: White

Score: 91.0

Drinking window: 2022 - 2023

Tasting notes: Our first white of the evening, the 1999 Puligny-Montrachet Les Folatières 1er Cru from Domaine d'Auvenay is quite rich and heavy. Scents of crème brulée, apricot, chamomile and spice, along with slightly oxidative notes, are all signs of a wine that is fully mature. At twenty-three years of age, for any other grower, I would conclude that the 1999 is simply mature, but not necessarily premoxed. But for Lalou Bize-Leroy, whose whites typically age gracefully for decades, this is not a great showing. Whether that is attributable to the wine itself or to other conditions such as shipping and or storage is of course impossible to know.

Producer Commentary:
As great as the wines are, I am once again reminded that wines are made special by context, in other words the circumstances, places and people that surround them. This was a truly unforgettable night of food, wine, friendship and camaraderie.
2005 Meursault Les Goutte D'or
Color: White

Score: 91.0

Drinking window: 0 - 0

Tasting notes: Sexy aromas of citrus fruits, oatmeal and smoke. Sweetly spicy in the mouth, with a ripe peach flavor and a seductively supple texture. Very good acidity frames the fruit and extends the finish. (Two other Meursaults were considerably more difficult to taste: A village wine, simply labeled Meursault, was plagued by mercaptan, and despite offering sexy hazelnut and oatmeal flavors and harmonious acidity was impossible to judge. And a Meursault Les Narvaux showed a resiny aroma of Calvados. Madame Bize said the wine was simply too young, and I suppose it's possible that it was going through an oxidative stage.)

Producer Commentary:
Lalou Bize-Leroy was proud to present her 2006 and 2005 white wines in late spring, but emphasized that it's essentially the 2003s and 2002s that are in the market now. As a rule, she tends to release numerous bottlings from multiple vintages at any one time, "when they're ready." All of these wines are done entirely in new barrels, with no cold-settling of the must and very little stirring of the lees. According to Bize, yields in 2005 were in the 20 to 25 hectoliters-per-hectare range, which she described as "not bad for us." But she prefers 2006 to 2005 for white wine. The '06s will be bottled early, as Bize told me she doesn't have enough wine to top the barrels! (The '05s were bottled in August of '06.) As you might imagine, my tasting included some spectacular young white Burgundies.
2006 Chevalier Montrachet Grand Cru
Color: White

Score: 98.0

Drinking window: 2021 - 2045

Tasting notes: The 2006 Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru is a vintage that I have not tasted before (and am unlikely to taste again). Burnished straw in hue, it has a reluctant nose at first, gradually opening to reveal crushed flint, lemon thyme and light Chinese white tea scents that eventually develop stunning delineation. The palate is exquisitely balanced with a killer line of acidity. This Chevalier-Montrachet exudes tension and delivers a saline tang that you want to relive again and again. Magnificent. 590 bottles produced. Tasted blind at Maison de Colombier in Beaune.

Producer Commentary:
1995 Chevalier Montrachet Grand Cru
Color: White

Score: 89.0

Drinking window: 0 - 0

Tasting notes: Though I was privileged to sample half a dozen mature vintages at a memorable vertical in Hong Kong, that tasting did not include the 1995 Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru. Though it’s now eye-wateringly expensive, if you can find a bottle, that does not place it above criticism. The nose is very ripe with what feels like a touch of botrytis skimming away the detail that you find with the 1996. It develops a slight smoky tincture with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with a creamy texture, to the extent that I would mistake it for a Corton-Charlemagne in a blind tasting. The final three words jotted down in my tasting booklet are a pithy "I've," "had" and "better." 

Producer Commentary:
2009 Puligny Montrachet Les Folatières 1er Cru
Color: White

Score: 94.0

Drinking window: 2021 - 2038

Tasting notes: The 2009 Puligny-Montrachet Les Folatières 1er Cru is burnished gold in color. The intense nose offers scents of dried honey and dandelion, and struck flint scents blossom with aeration. The palate is clean and precise, like the aromatics, and disarming in terms of intensity, although initially it seems a little static on the finish. Yet after 20 minutes in the glass, it manifests more energy and you end up completely enamored. Nine hundred bottles produced. Tasted blind at Maison de Colombier in Beaune.

Producer Commentary:
2011 Meursault 1er Cru Gouttes D'or
Color: White

Score: 94.0

Drinking window: 2015 - 2015

Tasting notes: It is fascinating to taste the 2011 Meursault Gouttes d'Or next to the Narvaux. While the Narvaux is intense and resonant, the Gouttes d'Or seems to hover on the palate, with an ethereal, airy personality that is a marvel to behold. Here the flavors are clean, long and mineral-inflected. Bright citrus and floral notes abound in a Meursault that stands out for its persistence and focus.

Producer Commentary:
Lalou Bize-Leroy appears ageless. Her boundless enthusiasm for her vineyards and wines is palpable during the morning I spent at Domaine Leroy and Domaine d'Auvenay. Everything is amped up at these two domaines; the Bize-Leroy style, site signatures and vintage are all remarkably vivid. I tasted all of the d'Auvenay whites in November 2012 prior to their bottling, which was scheduled for January 2013. I will report on the reds in a forthcoming article. The d'Auvenay whites, especially with a little bottle age, remain some of the most utterly captivating and thrilling wines I have ever tasted.
2010 Meursault 1er Cru Gouttes D'or
Color: White

Score: 95.0

Drinking window: 2016 - 2016

Tasting notes: A much bigger Meursault than the Narvaux, the 2010 Meursault Gouttes d'Or is another of the more immediate wines in this lineup. Here the fruit is rich, creamy and generous, while the texture is expansive. There is more than enough intensity to fill out the wine's broad-shouldered frame nicely. The Gouttes d'Or is going to be a fascinating wine to follow, although I don't see it ever being as finessed as the Narvaux. Ultimately, though, time will tell. 

Producer Commentary:
Do you want the good news or the bad news? Lalou Bize-Leroy's 2010s at Domaine D'Auvenay – both white and red – are off the charts. That is the good news. The bad news is that the wines won't be released for at least a few more years. Aging white Burgundy these days requires a strong stomach but D'Auvenay is one of the few domaines where the wines actually need a few years in bottle to show well. With time, the D'Auvenay whites often blossom into extraordinary wines with few peers anywhere in the world. I also include notes on the 2010 reds, which are equally, if not more, impressive than the whites. I find the D'Auvenay 2010 reds just a bit more refined than Bize-Leroy's 2010 reds at Domaine Leroy. In any event, these remain some of the most riveting wines on the planet. The only problem is finding them.
1998 Meursault Pré De Manche
Color: White

Score: 92.0

Drinking window: 2019 - 2030

Tasting notes: The 1998 Meursault Pré de Manche is a very rare wine from Domaine d’Auvenay that was limited to a single barrel, or the equivalent of 260 bottles according to the back label. It sports a disarming, Coche-like reduction on the nose that might seem a bit obvious, yet you cannot deny the tension and energy behind it. The palate is very well balanced with notes of white peach and orange rind, all very harmonious with the reduction less conspicuous towards the saline finish. At two decades old this is continuing to give so much pleasure. Good luck finding a bottle! Tasted at the mature white Burgundy dinner in Hong Kong. 

Producer Commentary:
2006 Bonnes Mares Grand Cru
Color: Red

Score: 90.0

Drinking window: 2019 - 2029

Tasting notes: The 2006 Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru sports a well defined, quite crisp bouquet with notes of cranberry leaf, damp earth, slightly Musigny-like in style rather than Bonnes-Mares. There is something a little "distant" about the aromatics, as if indifferent to getting to know you. The palate is medium-bodied with quite firm tannin, a little stiffness that even constant aeration does not dislodge. It does not really flow like other vintages such as the 1996 or 2001, causing me to wonder whether this has closed down for a period? We will see. I could not fall in love with this Bonnes-Mares, truth be told. Tasted at the d'Auvenay dinner in Hong Kong. 

Producer Commentary:
2003 Bonnes Mares Grand Cru
Color: Red

Score: 92.0

Drinking window: 2019 - 2030

Tasting notes: The 2003 Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru has a ripe, intense, quite powerful bouquet of blueberries, violet and kirsch, just a slight warmth of alcohol palpable with aeration although it does seem to calm down with time in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied, sweet 'n sexy with supple and lithe tannins. I am parsimonious with my score because compared to other vintages I feel it reflects more the vintage characteristics rather than the terroir, though it is still a thoroughly enjoyable Grand Cru. Just 622 bottles produced. Tasted at the d'Auvenay dinner in Hong Kong. 

Producer Commentary:
1996 Mazis Chambertin Grand Cru
Color: Red

Score: 95.0

Drinking window: 2019 - 2035

Tasting notes: The 1996 Mazis-Chambertin Grand Cru is a mighty wine, probably at the peak of its powers after 20 years. It is blessed with a truly fabulous nose: dark cherries, Indian ink, violet and loganberry. There is opulence here but also enthralling delineation and focus. The palate is medium-bodied with a twist of bitter cherry on the entry. There is the backbone one expects from this Grand Cru, a sense of "seriousness" towards the aloof finish. Linear yet very persistent, this is a Mazis-Chambertin that wants its presence to be felt but cannot bring itself to fully let go and engage. Yet it is still a fantastic wine that bizarrely after 20 years might benefit from further bottle age. 870 bottles produced. Tasted at the d'Auvenay dinner in Hong Kong.

Producer Commentary:
1998 Mazis Chambertin Grand Cru
Color: Red

Score: 96.0

Drinking window: 2019 - 2030

Tasting notes: The 1998 Mazis-Chambertin Grand Cru is a very convincing wine for the vintage. It has a fresh and well-defined bouquet – wonderful transparency here with pure raspberry preserve, redcurrant and cold stone aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with pit cherry and mulberry notes, red plum, all bound together with pitch-perfect acidity that sutures a refined and quite sensual finish. This is a beautiful Mazis-Chambertin at the peak of its powers. 582 bottles produced. Tasted at the d'Auvenay dinner in Hong Kong.

Producer Commentary:
2010 Mazis Chambertin Grand Cru
Color: Red

Score: 100.0

Drinking window: 2020 - 2060

Tasting notes: The 2010 Mazis Chambertin from Domaine d'Auvenay is positively thrilling. I remember being utterly captivated by this wine when it was just bottled. Today, my emotions are the same. Lalou Bize-Leroy has crafted an exquisite, regal Mazis Chambertin that is mesmerizing. The aromatics alone have the soaring intensity of a skyscraper. There is plenty of underlying structure, but the fruit is so pure it is easy not to notice the tannin that lurks beneath. The 2010 Mazis is simply a wine of pure and total breed. 

Producer Commentary:
1995 Mazis Chambertin Grand Cru
Color: Red

Score: 92.0

Drinking window: 2019 - 2025

Tasting notes: The 1995 Mazis-Chambertin Grand Cru has a winsome bouquet of crushed strawberry, cranberry and incense, a touch of reduction soon blowing off. The palate is sweet and ripe on the entry, though juxtaposed against the 1996 Mazis-Chambertin, it is clear the 1995 does not possess the same level of precision and delineation. In addition, I found that this just tapers in towards the finish and leaves you wanting more. Whilst the 1996 has prospered over the last two decades, the 1995 feels a little compromised by its age and seems in gentle decline. 580 bottles produced. Tasted at the d'Auvenay dinner in Hong Kong.

Producer Commentary:
1996 Chevalier Montrachet Grand Cru
Color: White

Score: 97.0

Drinking window: 2019 - 2026

Tasting notes: The 1996 Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru has a lucid golden color, just slightly burnished. The bouquet is fragrant and mineral-driven, yellow flowers, honeysuckle and a hint of melted wax. I noticed just a touch of oxidation after an hour in the glass. The palate is beautifully balanced with an entrancing silver bead of acidity and wonderful tension. This has stunning precision after more than 20 years, yet my main impression is the sheer weight and density of this Chevalier-Montrachet and its linear, saline stony finish that might be compared to a super-charged Muscadet. It feels undiminished after all this time. It was a stunning wine just after bottling and it is just as stunning now. Tasted at a private dinner.

Producer Commentary:
1999 Chevalier Montrachet Grand Cru
Color: White

Score: 98.0

Drinking window: 2018 - 2049

Tasting notes: The 1999 Chevalier-Montrachet is simply dazzling. A wine of mind-blowing intensity and total class, the 1999 is magnificent from the moment it is first poured. In fact, the 1999 may be one of my favorite vintages of the d'Auvenay Chevalier period. The interplay of tension, purity and lushness of fruit is utterly breathtaking. I am shocked by how fresh the 1999 is today. It is another absolutely stunning wine from Lalou Bize-Leroy. 

Producer Commentary:
2011 Puligny Montrachet 1er Cru Les Folatières
Color: White

Score: 95.0

Drinking window: 2019 - 2019

Tasting notes: The 2011 Puligny-Montrachet Les Folatières , on the other hand, conveys an impression of pure silk. Here the flavors are more sculpted and finessed than in the Richarde, while the minerality is also more apparent. With time in the glass the beauty and purity of the fruit emerges, but the Folatières convinces for its regal texture and personality alone. Readers who can find the 2011 are going to be thrilled.

Producer Commentary:
Lalou Bize-Leroy appears ageless. Her boundless enthusiasm for her vineyards and wines is palpable during the morning I spent at Domaine Leroy and Domaine d'Auvenay. Everything is amped up at these two domaines; the Bize-Leroy style, site signatures and vintage are all remarkably vivid. I tasted all of the d'Auvenay whites in November 2012 prior to their bottling, which was scheduled for January 2013. I will report on the reds in a forthcoming article. The d'Auvenay whites, especially with a little bottle age, remain some of the most utterly captivating and thrilling wines I have ever tasted.
2010 Puligny Montrachet 1er Cru Les Folatieres
Color: White

Score: 95.0

Drinking window: 2016 - 2016

Tasting notes: Quite a contrast, the 2010 Puligny-Montrachet Les Folatières is pure finesse. It comes across as more understated and vibrant than the En La Richarde. Citrus, white flowers and slate are some of the many nuances that are found in this silky, totally polished Burgundy. 

Producer Commentary:
Do you want the good news or the bad news? Lalou Bize-Leroy's 2010s at Domaine D'Auvenay – both white and red – are off the charts. That is the good news. The bad news is that the wines won't be released for at least a few more years. Aging white Burgundy these days requires a strong stomach but D'Auvenay is one of the few domaines where the wines actually need a few years in bottle to show well. With time, the D'Auvenay whites often blossom into extraordinary wines with few peers anywhere in the world. I also include notes on the 2010 reds, which are equally, if not more, impressive than the whites. I find the D'Auvenay 2010 reds just a bit more refined than Bize-Leroy's 2010 reds at Domaine Leroy. In any event, these remain some of the most riveting wines on the planet. The only problem is finding them.
1992 Puligny Montrachet Les Folatières 1er Cru
Color: White

Score: 96.0

Drinking window: 2019 - 2035

Tasting notes: The 1992 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Folatières is a multi-faceted wine, mercurial in the glass straight from the beginning. It offers an array of scents from white peach to orange pith, quince jelly to honeysuckle, all constantly shape-shifting in the glass. And what intensity - this just bursts forward and entertains you right from the start. The palate has a slight nutty note on the entry although this appears to dissipate. There is a honeyed texture to this Puligny-Montrachet, which you do not often find in 1992 suggesting that Lalou picked a little later, but she managed to retain extraordinary tension and race on the almost Meursault-like finish. Brilliant. Tasted at the mature white Burgundy dinner in Hong Kong.

Producer Commentary:
2005 Puligny Montrachet Les Folatières 1er Cru
Color: White

Score: 96.0

Drinking window: 2018 - 2038

Tasting notes: The 2005 Puligny-Montrachet Les Folatières 1er Cru has a multidimensional bouquet that delivers intense honeycomb and brioche intertwined through the mineral-rich citrus fruit. The palate displays a perfect line of acidity, a brilliantly poised and tensile Folatières from Lalou Bize-Leroy that unlike the 1999 just builds and builds towards a focused and electrifying finish that shimmers with energy. Frankly, I cannot think of many Puligny Premier Crus that have surpassed this astonishing wine. 897 bottles produced. Tasted at Carré des Feuillants restaurant in Paris. 

Producer Commentary:
1999 Puligny Montrachet Les Folatières 1er Cru
Color: White

Score: 93.0

Drinking window: 2018 - 2030

Tasting notes: The 1999 Puligny-Montrachet Les Folatières 1er Cru boasts a bouquet that stops you in your tracks. It is blessed with stunning delineation despite just a subtle reduction – traces of white chocolate and white truffles underlying the electrifying flint-like aromas. The palate is crisp and fresh, the warmth of that growing season imparting weight and presence to this Puligny-Montrachet, long and persistent with a hint of ginger towards the finish, completing a truly awesome Folatières. 1,455 bottles produced. Tasted at Carré des Feuillants restaurant in Paris. 

Producer Commentary:
2012 Puligny Montrachet Les Folatieres 1er Cru
Color: White

Score: 96.5

Drinking window: 2018 - 2032

Tasting notes: The 2012 Puligny-Montrachet Les Folatieres boasts extraordinary precision. Vivid, crystalline and translucent, the 2012 dazzles from the first taste. Lemon oil, nutmeg, slate, crushed rocks and lightly honeyed notes form a fabric of exceptional beauty. The 2012 is a fabulous Folatieres from Lalou Bize-Leroy.

Producer Commentary:
I am not sure how much more I can add to Domaine d'Auvenay's 2012s than what is in the tasting notes. Remarkably dense and concentrated, even by Lalou Bize-Leroy's standards, the 2012s are invigorating, deeply reflective of their origins and utterly captivating. Specifically, the overall harmony of these wines and the near-perfect balance of the whole clusters gives them tremendous appeal, even at this very early stage. Bize-Leroy opted to give her 2012s very short elevage in barrel of just about seven months, which is pretty much unheard of in Burgundy. Production levels are tiny and prices are sky-high, but these remain some of the most singular wines being made anywhere in the world. It's as simple as that.
2011 Puligny Montrachet 1er Cru en La Richarde
Color: White

Score: 93.0

Drinking window: 2019 - 2019

Tasting notes: A huge, voluptuous wine, the 2011 Puligny-Montrachet En La Richarde wraps around the palate with layers of rich, resonant fruit and never lets up. Honey, almond, butter, sweet spices and apricots all flesh out in an intense, full-bodied white loaded with depth and volume. This is a decidedly broad-shouldered wine. There is a lot to like, but the substance is all about overtness rather than subtlety.

Producer Commentary:
Lalou Bize-Leroy appears ageless. Her boundless enthusiasm for her vineyards and wines is palpable during the morning I spent at Domaine Leroy and Domaine d'Auvenay. Everything is amped up at these two domaines; the Bize-Leroy style, site signatures and vintage are all remarkably vivid. I tasted all of the d'Auvenay whites in November 2012 prior to their bottling, which was scheduled for January 2013. I will report on the reds in a forthcoming article. The d'Auvenay whites, especially with a little bottle age, remain some of the most utterly captivating and thrilling wines I have ever tasted.
2010 Puligny Montrachet 1er Cru en La Richarde
Color: White

Score: 97.0

Drinking window: 2016 - 2016

Tasting notes: The 2010 Puligny-Montrachet En la Richarde captivates the intellectual and hedonistic senses in the way only a few wines can. The powerful side of Puligny emerges in this large-scaled, dramatic white. Seemingly endless layers of fruid built to the huge, extroverted finish. This is a big, big wine with more than enough stuffing to provide years of thrilling drinking. 

Producer Commentary:
Do you want the good news or the bad news? Lalou Bize-Leroy's 2010s at Domaine D'Auvenay – both white and red – are off the charts. That is the good news. The bad news is that the wines won't be released for at least a few more years. Aging white Burgundy these days requires a strong stomach but D'Auvenay is one of the few domaines where the wines actually need a few years in bottle to show well. With time, the D'Auvenay whites often blossom into extraordinary wines with few peers anywhere in the world. I also include notes on the 2010 reds, which are equally, if not more, impressive than the whites. I find the D'Auvenay 2010 reds just a bit more refined than Bize-Leroy's 2010 reds at Domaine Leroy. In any event, these remain some of the most riveting wines on the planet. The only problem is finding them.
2007 Puligny Montrachet 1er Cru Les Folatieres
Color: White

Score: 97.0

Drinking window: 2015 - 2015

Tasting notes: The 2007 Puligny-Montrachet Les Folatières is flat-out great. This bristles with energy and cool, mineral-infused tension. From time to time the wine's fruit makes an appearance, but this is really quite reticent today. Still, there are more than enough flashes of brilliance to make me hope to have another opportunity with this wine in the future. It is simply dazzling. 

Producer Commentary:
My tasting with Lalou Bize and Estate Manager Frederic Roemer encompassed a wide range of wines, culminating with a breathtaking 2008 Chevalier-Montrachet. The D'Auvenay wines are singular expressions of site and vintage as interpreted by one of the world's greatest vigneronnes and winemakers. At times words seem superfluous when confronted with these magical elixirs. The 2008s seem quite marked by a vintage that produced very low yields, even by this house's standards. The wines are intensely colored and truly massive. The 2007s, on the other hand, seem to show much more in the way of aromatics and site specific character. In 2007 the vintage plays a supporting rather than leading role. I also tasted a number of 2009s, but Lalou Bize was right in her hesitation to show me the complete lineup, as the 2009s I tasted were still recovering from their bottling. I will report on those wines as soon as I have an opportunity to taste them in better conditions.
2002 Puligny Montrachet en La Richarde
Color: White

Score: 94.0

Drinking window: 0 - 0

Tasting notes: (from a portion of the Folatieres slope that's not classified as premier cru) Full yellow color. Candied citrus peel and white flowers on the nose. Concentrated, vibrant and round; extremely elegant and floral in the mouth. This, too, shows superb verve and persistence on the back end, finishing with an explosion of flowers, minerals and lemon peel.

Producer Commentary:
I tasted the extraordinary 2002 whites wines from this domain last November, when I made a quick stop at Domaine d'Auvenay to taste Lalou Bize-Leroy's Bonnes-Mares and Mazi-Chambertin before we raced north to Vosne-Romanee to taste the series of Domaine Leroy reds. The whites were as mindbending as the reds; all had been bottled in July of 2003. Lalou Bize racks her white wines after the malolactic fermentations, then leaves them on their fine lees, without batonnage Only when there are more than two barrels of a given cuvee are the wines assembled for the bottling.
2005 Puligny Montrachet en La Richarde
Color: White

Score: 89.0

Drinking window: 0 - 0

Tasting notes: Exotic aromas of singed stone fruits, butter and truffle, with a whiff of carnal reduction. Then sweet and smoky in the middle palate, with the wild, truffley quality carrying through. Finishes with smoke and oatmeal, and a welcome touch of Puligny austerity.

Producer Commentary:
Lalou Bize-Leroy was proud to present her 2006 and 2005 white wines in late spring, but emphasized that it's essentially the 2003s and 2002s that are in the market now. As a rule, she tends to release numerous bottlings from multiple vintages at any one time, "when they're ready." All of these wines are done entirely in new barrels, with no cold-settling of the must and very little stirring of the lees. According to Bize, yields in 2005 were in the 20 to 25 hectoliters-per-hectare range, which she described as "not bad for us." But she prefers 2006 to 2005 for white wine. The '06s will be bottled early, as Bize told me she doesn't have enough wine to top the barrels! (The '05s were bottled in August of '06.) As you might imagine, my tasting included some spectacular young white Burgundies.
2006 Puligny Montrachet en La Richarde
Color: White

Score: 93.0

Drinking window: 0 - 0

Tasting notes: (this village parcel is an extension of Folatieres) Pale yellow color. Rather austere but complex nose offers stone fruits, fenugreek and a peppery nuance. Intensely flavored and fine-grained, with wonderfully high-pitched flavors of citrus fruits, crystallized pineapple, white pepper, flowers and minerals. Classy, weightless wine with a very long, brisk, mineral-tinged finish. Much more austere than the Meursaults that preceded it.

Producer Commentary:
Lalou Bize-Leroy was proud to present her 2006 and 2005 white wines in late spring, but emphasized that it's essentially the 2003s and 2002s that are in the market now. As a rule, she tends to release numerous bottlings from multiple vintages at any one time, "when they're ready." All of these wines are done entirely in new barrels, with no cold-settling of the must and very little stirring of the lees. According to Bize, yields in 2005 were in the 20 to 25 hectoliters-per-hectare range, which she described as "not bad for us." But she prefers 2006 to 2005 for white wine. The '06s will be bottled early, as Bize told me she doesn't have enough wine to top the barrels! (The '05s were bottled in August of '06.) As you might imagine, my tasting included some spectacular young white Burgundies.
2013 Puligny Montrachet Les Enseignères
Color: White

Score: 88.0

Drinking window: 2019 - 2029

Tasting notes: The 2013 Puligny-Montrachet Les Enseignères was served blind against Les Enseignères from Coche-Dury and Ramonet. I noticed a big reduction on the nose that threw me straight in the direction of Coche-Dury, and to be honest, in my opinion it rather occluded terroir expression. The palate displays fine weight in the mouth, perhaps with just a touch of botrytis (common in white Burgundy 2013s) and the dried honey notes just shaves off a little precision on the finish. It is a pleasurable Les Enseignères and yet I found myself seeking more nervosité. 895 bottles produced.

Producer Commentary:
2002 Puligny Montrachet Les Folatieres
Color: White

Score: 93.5

Drinking window: 0 - 0

Tasting notes: (these vines are the same age as those used to make La Richarde) Bright, pale yellow. Dee ply pitched aromas of smoke and roasted oak. Fatter and rounder in the mouth than the Richarde, but more rectilinear and closed today. Comes across as less floral but considerably more minerally. Not expressive today, and perhaps not as long as the Richarde at present, but ultimately a fuller and larger-scaled wine.

Producer Commentary:
I tasted the extraordinary 2002 whites wines from this domain last November, when I made a quick stop at Domaine d'Auvenay to taste Lalou Bize-Leroy's Bonnes-Mares and Mazi-Chambertin before we raced north to Vosne-Romanee to taste the series of Domaine Leroy reds. The whites were as mindbending as the reds; all had been bottled in July of 2003. Lalou Bize racks her white wines after the malolactic fermentations, then leaves them on their fine lees, without batonnage Only when there are more than two barrels of a given cuvee are the wines assembled for the bottling.
2006 Puligny Montrachet Les Folatieres
Color: White

Score: 94.0

Drinking window: 0 - 0

Tasting notes: Discreet, nuanced nose melds ripe peach, nut oil, minerals, mint, herbs and spices. Classy, intense and youthfully reticent, with a compellingly tactile quality to the flavors of peach, nut oil, minerals and spices. Finishes with an impressive whiplash of palate-dusting fruit and explosive perfume. Wonderfully mineral wine.

Producer Commentary:
Lalou Bize-Leroy was proud to present her 2006 and 2005 white wines in late spring, but emphasized that it's essentially the 2003s and 2002s that are in the market now. As a rule, she tends to release numerous bottlings from multiple vintages at any one time, "when they're ready." All of these wines are done entirely in new barrels, with no cold-settling of the must and very little stirring of the lees. According to Bize, yields in 2005 were in the 20 to 25 hectoliters-per-hectare range, which she described as "not bad for us." But she prefers 2006 to 2005 for white wine. The '06s will be bottled early, as Bize told me she doesn't have enough wine to top the barrels! (The '05s were bottled in August of '06.) As you might imagine, my tasting included some spectacular young white Burgundies.
2005 Puligny Montrachet Les Folatieres
Color: White

Score: 91.5

Drinking window: 0 - 0

Tasting notes: Slightly hazy yellow. Musky aromas of peach, flowers, minerals and smoke. Sweet, fat and very ripe but with enticing minerality and excellent mid-palate lift. Perhaps best today on the long, firm back end, which features slowly mounting flavors of peach and smoke.

Producer Commentary:
Lalou Bize-Leroy was proud to present her 2006 and 2005 white wines in late spring, but emphasized that it's essentially the 2003s and 2002s that are in the market now. As a rule, she tends to release numerous bottlings from multiple vintages at any one time, "when they're ready." All of these wines are done entirely in new barrels, with no cold-settling of the must and very little stirring of the lees. According to Bize, yields in 2005 were in the 20 to 25 hectoliters-per-hectare range, which she described as "not bad for us." But she prefers 2006 to 2005 for white wine. The '06s will be bottled early, as Bize told me she doesn't have enough wine to top the barrels! (The '05s were bottled in August of '06.) As you might imagine, my tasting included some spectacular young white Burgundies.
2002 Meursault Les Goutte D'or
Color: White

Score: 93.0

Drinking window: 0 - 0

Tasting notes: Aromatically pure, expressive nose offers pineapple, honey, crushed stone and roasted, nutty oak. Vibrant and suave in the mouth, with bright acidity and a strong stony character giving the pure fruit flavors uncanny definition and lift. Finishes extremely long and aromatic, with great verve.

Producer Commentary:
I tasted the extraordinary 2002 whites wines from this domain last November, when I made a quick stop at Domaine d'Auvenay to taste Lalou Bize-Leroy's Bonnes-Mares and Mazi-Chambertin before we raced north to Vosne-Romanee to taste the series of Domaine Leroy reds. The whites were as mindbending as the reds; all had been bottled in July of 2003. Lalou Bize racks her white wines after the malolactic fermentations, then leaves them on their fine lees, without batonnage Only when there are more than two barrels of a given cuvee are the wines assembled for the bottling.
2006 Meursault Les Goutte D'or
Color: White

Score: 92.0

Drinking window: 0 - 0

Tasting notes: Ripe but vibrant aromas of citrus peel and toasty oak. Wonderfully dense and silky, with terrific citric lift to the flavors of lemon drop and spices. At once tactile and smooth, finishing with superb building length. An elegantly styled but very fat and rich Goutte d'Or.

Producer Commentary:
Lalou Bize-Leroy was proud to present her 2006 and 2005 white wines in late spring, but emphasized that it's essentially the 2003s and 2002s that are in the market now. As a rule, she tends to release numerous bottlings from multiple vintages at any one time, "when they're ready." All of these wines are done entirely in new barrels, with no cold-settling of the must and very little stirring of the lees. According to Bize, yields in 2005 were in the 20 to 25 hectoliters-per-hectare range, which she described as "not bad for us." But she prefers 2006 to 2005 for white wine. The '06s will be bottled early, as Bize told me she doesn't have enough wine to top the barrels! (The '05s were bottled in August of '06.) As you might imagine, my tasting included some spectacular young white Burgundies.
2008 Puligny Montrachet 1er Cru Les Folatieres
Color: White

Score: 96.0

Drinking window: 2013 - 2013

Tasting notes: The 2008 Puligny-Montrachet Les Folatières beautifully encapsulates the best qualities of the house style and vintage. It is a round, seamless wine endowed with impeccable class and personality. This is the most understated and polished of the 2008s I tasted at D'Auvenay. 

Producer Commentary:
My tasting with Lalou Bize and Estate Manager Frederic Roemer encompassed a wide range of wines, culminating with a breathtaking 2008 Chevalier-Montrachet. The D'Auvenay wines are singular expressions of site and vintage as interpreted by one of the world's greatest vigneronnes and winemakers. At times words seem superfluous when confronted with these magical elixirs. The 2008s seem quite marked by a vintage that produced very low yields, even by this house's standards. The wines are intensely colored and truly massive. The 2007s, on the other hand, seem to show much more in the way of aromatics and site specific character. In 2007 the vintage plays a supporting rather than leading role. I also tasted a number of 2009s, but Lalou Bize was right in her hesitation to show me the complete lineup, as the 2009s I tasted were still recovering from their bottling. I will report on those wines as soon as I have an opportunity to taste them in better conditions.
2008 Puligny Montrachet 1er Cru en La Richarde
Color: White

Score: 97.0

Drinking window: 2013 - 2013

Tasting notes: The 2008 Puligny-Montrachet En la Richarde is round, sweet and totally seamless. This, too, is a bit reserved after the Narvaux yet it is the wine's balance and sheer personality I am most struck by. 

Producer Commentary:
My tasting with Lalou Bize and Estate Manager Frederic Roemer encompassed a wide range of wines, culminating with a breathtaking 2008 Chevalier-Montrachet. The D'Auvenay wines are singular expressions of site and vintage as interpreted by one of the world's greatest vigneronnes and winemakers. At times words seem superfluous when confronted with these magical elixirs. The 2008s seem quite marked by a vintage that produced very low yields, even by this house's standards. The wines are intensely colored and truly massive. The 2007s, on the other hand, seem to show much more in the way of aromatics and site specific character. In 2007 the vintage plays a supporting rather than leading role. I also tasted a number of 2009s, but Lalou Bize was right in her hesitation to show me the complete lineup, as the 2009s I tasted were still recovering from their bottling. I will report on those wines as soon as I have an opportunity to taste them in better conditions.
2008 Meursault Narvaux
Color: White

Score: 96.0

Drinking window: 2013 - 2013

Tasting notes: The 2008 Meursault Narvaux emerges from the glass with tons of fruit and a radiant, expansive personality. This is a decidedly extroverted, flashy wine even within the context of the year. All of the elements flow together gracefully, culminating in an intense finish that is totally breathtaking. 

Producer Commentary:
My tasting with Lalou Bize and Estate Manager Frederic Roemer encompassed a wide range of wines, culminating with a breathtaking 2008 Chevalier-Montrachet. The D'Auvenay wines are singular expressions of site and vintage as interpreted by one of the world's greatest vigneronnes and winemakers. At times words seem superfluous when confronted with these magical elixirs. The 2008s seem quite marked by a vintage that produced very low yields, even by this house's standards. The wines are intensely colored and truly massive. The 2007s, on the other hand, seem to show much more in the way of aromatics and site specific character. In 2007 the vintage plays a supporting rather than leading role. I also tasted a number of 2009s, but Lalou Bize was right in her hesitation to show me the complete lineup, as the 2009s I tasted were still recovering from their bottling. I will report on those wines as soon as I have an opportunity to taste them in better conditions.
2002 Meursault Les Narvaux
Color: White

Score: 92.5

Drinking window: 0 - 0

Tasting notes: Pale yellow. Perfumed nose combines minerals, flint, smoke and a roasted nuance. Superconcentrated yet downright elegant, with strongly mineral flavors of lemon and liquid stone. Finishes with superb length and lemony cut.

Producer Commentary:
I tasted the extraordinary 2002 whites wines from this domain last November, when I made a quick stop at Domaine d'Auvenay to taste Lalou Bize-Leroy's Bonnes-Mares and Mazi-Chambertin before we raced north to Vosne-Romanee to taste the series of Domaine Leroy reds. The whites were as mindbending as the reds; all had been bottled in July of 2003. Lalou Bize racks her white wines after the malolactic fermentations, then leaves them on their fine lees, without batonnage Only when there are more than two barrels of a given cuvee are the wines assembled for the bottling.
1991 Meursault Les Narvaux
Color: White

Score: 88.0

Drinking window: 2019 - 2023

Tasting notes: The 1991 Meursault Les Narvaux glistens in the glass, lucid gold in color. The bouquet is complex with lanolin and candle wax scents, displays a little more richness than the 1989. The palate is fresh on the entry and sports a waxy texture. This feels fully mature after 25 years but the freshness is maintained by that bead of acidity and there is a welcome twist of bitter lemon on the abrupt finish. I would drink bottles sooner rather than later. 1152 bottles produced. Tasted at the d'Auvenay dinner in Hong Kong.

Producer Commentary:
1993 Meursault Les Narvaux
Color: White

Score: 90.0

Drinking window: 2019 - 2028

Tasting notes: The 1993 Meursault Les Narvaux is deeper in color than the 1991 or 1989. Dried honey and melted candle wax intermingle with dandelion and peony aromas, although perhaps over the last couple of decades it has lost some of its delineation. The palate shows good weight, but the immediate impression is of a Meursault that is two or three years past its best. The richness is pleasant but you end up missing the nervosité shown by the 1989 Narvaux in comparison. Drink soon. 2866 bottles produced. Tasted September 2016. 

Producer Commentary:
1989 Meursault Les Narvaux
Color: White

Score: 89.0

Drinking window: 2019 - 2025

Tasting notes: The 1989 Meursault Les Narvaux sports a paler color than either the 1991 or 1993 Narvaux. It is well-defined and fresh on the nose, which is commendable considering its maturity, developing a slight algae-like scent with continued aeration. The palate remains vigorous and tensile with notes of honeydew melon and citrus peel, saline towards the second half with that acidity keeping everything tight and racy, so much so that you almost forget its age. It is not a complex Meursault, and yet there is breeding and class sewn into this wine. 2367 bottles produced. Tasted at the d'Auvenay dinner in Hong Kong.

Producer Commentary:
2010 Meursault Les Narvaux
Color: White

Score: 96.0

Drinking window: 2016 - 2016

Tasting notes: The 2010 Meursault Narvaux is flat-out beautiful. Where do I start? The aromas and flavors are beautifully defined, but that doesn't begin to capture the essence of what is in the glass. Above all else, the Narvaux captures the essence of this site, and then elevates it. Hints of smoke, slate, flowers and white peach are all woven in a fabric of nearly indescribable finesse. Even with its considerable pedigree and personality, the Narvaux remains essentially a wine of extraordinary subtlety. 

Producer Commentary:
Do you want the good news or the bad news? Lalou Bize-Leroy's 2010s at Domaine D'Auvenay – both white and red – are off the charts. That is the good news. The bad news is that the wines won't be released for at least a few more years. Aging white Burgundy these days requires a strong stomach but D'Auvenay is one of the few domaines where the wines actually need a few years in bottle to show well. With time, the D'Auvenay whites often blossom into extraordinary wines with few peers anywhere in the world. I also include notes on the 2010 reds, which are equally, if not more, impressive than the whites. I find the D'Auvenay 2010 reds just a bit more refined than Bize-Leroy's 2010 reds at Domaine Leroy. In any event, these remain some of the most riveting wines on the planet. The only problem is finding them.
1999 Meursault Les Narvaux
Color: White

Score: 92.0

Drinking window: 2018 - 2038

Tasting notes: At nearly twenty years of age the 1999 Meursault Les Narvaux is just starting to enter its early plateau of maturity now! Exuberant and powerful, the 1999 possesses off the charts intensity and a level of pure class that is far beyond the realm of most village crus. Time in bottle has started to bring out slightly tropical overtones that add complexity to the yellow orchard fruit character. Readers lucky enough to own it can look forward to another 20 years of exceptional drinking. 

Producer Commentary:
2011 Auxey Duresses La Macabrée
Color: White

Score: 92.0

Drinking window: 2015 - 2015

Tasting notes: A richer, lusher expression of Auxey-Duresses comes across in the 2011 La Macabre. Here the fruit tends towards apricot and peach, while the layers of flavor are deeper and more resonant, reflecting the age of these vines, which were planted in the 1970s. I can't say the Macabre is better than the Clous, it isn't. Both wines simply show different facets of Auxey, and in the end, that is what makes wine so fascinating. 

Producer Commentary:
Lalou Bize-Leroy appears ageless. Her boundless enthusiasm for her vineyards and wines is palpable during the morning I spent at Domaine Leroy and Domaine d'Auvenay. Everything is amped up at these two domaines; the Bize-Leroy style, site signatures and vintage are all remarkably vivid. I tasted all of the d'Auvenay whites in November 2012 prior to their bottling, which was scheduled for January 2013. I will report on the reds in a forthcoming article. The d'Auvenay whites, especially with a little bottle age, remain some of the most utterly captivating and thrilling wines I have ever tasted.
2007 Meursault Gouttes D'or
Color: White

Score: 95.0

Drinking window: 2014 - 2014

Tasting notes: The 2007 Meursault Gouttes d'Or is strikingly beautiful. Sweet layers of perfumed fruit flow gracefully across the palate in this fragrant, silky white. The wine blossoms beautifully through the mid-palate and finish, showing fabulous persistence. All of the elements are in the right place in this finely sculpted, articulate Meursault. I loved it. 

Producer Commentary:
My tasting with Lalou Bize and Estate Manager Frederic Roemer encompassed a wide range of wines, culminating with a breathtaking 2008 Chevalier-Montrachet. The D'Auvenay wines are singular expressions of site and vintage as interpreted by one of the world's greatest vigneronnes and winemakers. At times words seem superfluous when confronted with these magical elixirs. The 2008s seem quite marked by a vintage that produced very low yields, even by this house's standards. The wines are intensely colored and truly massive. The 2007s, on the other hand, seem to show much more in the way of aromatics and site specific character. In 2007 the vintage plays a supporting rather than leading role. I also tasted a number of 2009s, but Lalou Bize was right in her hesitation to show me the complete lineup, as the 2009s I tasted were still recovering from their bottling. I will report on those wines as soon as I have an opportunity to taste them in better conditions.
2008 Meursault Gouttes D'or
Color: White

Score: 96.0

Drinking window: 2014 - 2014

Tasting notes: The 2008 Meursault Les Gouttes d'Or is quite a bit more restrained and understated than the Narvaux, but not one bit less compelling. Here a persistent vein of salinity serves to balance the sheer opulence of the fruit. This is another totally striking wine from Lalou Bize. 

Producer Commentary:
My tasting with Lalou Bize and Estate Manager Frederic Roemer encompassed a wide range of wines, culminating with a breathtaking 2008 Chevalier-Montrachet. The D'Auvenay wines are singular expressions of site and vintage as interpreted by one of the world's greatest vigneronnes and winemakers. At times words seem superfluous when confronted with these magical elixirs. The 2008s seem quite marked by a vintage that produced very low yields, even by this house's standards. The wines are intensely colored and truly massive. The 2007s, on the other hand, seem to show much more in the way of aromatics and site specific character. In 2007 the vintage plays a supporting rather than leading role. I also tasted a number of 2009s, but Lalou Bize was right in her hesitation to show me the complete lineup, as the 2009s I tasted were still recovering from their bottling. I will report on those wines as soon as I have an opportunity to taste them in better conditions.
2010 Bourgogne Aligote
Color: White

Score: 93.0

Drinking window: 2015 - 2015

Tasting notes: The 2010 Bourgogne Aligoté is in a class by itself. Lemon, white flowers and crushed rocks are some of the many notes that emerge from this tightly wound, focused wine. The 2010 stands out for its fabulous length and equally remarkable balance. 

Producer Commentary:
Do you want the good news or the bad news? Lalou Bize-Leroy's 2010s at Domaine D'Auvenay – both white and red – are off the charts. That is the good news. The bad news is that the wines won't be released for at least a few more years. Aging white Burgundy these days requires a strong stomach but D'Auvenay is one of the few domaines where the wines actually need a few years in bottle to show well. With time, the D'Auvenay whites often blossom into extraordinary wines with few peers anywhere in the world. I also include notes on the 2010 reds, which are equally, if not more, impressive than the whites. I find the D'Auvenay 2010 reds just a bit more refined than Bize-Leroy's 2010 reds at Domaine Leroy. In any event, these remain some of the most riveting wines on the planet. The only problem is finding them.
2008 Bourgogne Aligote
Color: White

Score: 92.0

Drinking window: 2013 - 2013

Tasting notes: The 2008 Bourgogne Aligote is layered with ripe fruit, smoke and sweet spices. It shows gorgeous clarity and tension from start to finish. This is frankly an eye-opening wine at this level. 

Producer Commentary:
My tasting with Lalou Bize and Estate Manager Frederic Roemer encompassed a wide range of wines, culminating with a breathtaking 2008 Chevalier-Montrachet. The D'Auvenay wines are singular expressions of site and vintage as interpreted by one of the world's greatest vigneronnes and winemakers. At times words seem superfluous when confronted with these magical elixirs. The 2008s seem quite marked by a vintage that produced very low yields, even by this house's standards. The wines are intensely colored and truly massive. The 2007s, on the other hand, seem to show much more in the way of aromatics and site specific character. In 2007 the vintage plays a supporting rather than leading role. I also tasted a number of 2009s, but Lalou Bize was right in her hesitation to show me the complete lineup, as the 2009s I tasted were still recovering from their bottling. I will report on those wines as soon as I have an opportunity to taste them in better conditions.
2006 Meursault
Color: White

Score: 89.0

Drinking window: 0 - 0

Tasting notes: Pale yellow. Pure aromas of apricot, peach, hazelnut and butter; like an essence of Meursault. Supple, fat and easygoing, with sweet stone fruit and hazelnut flavors carrying through to a long, satisfying finish. Perhaps less refined and nuanced than the Boutonniers but this may be as long.

Producer Commentary:
Lalou Bize-Leroy was proud to present her 2006 and 2005 white wines in late spring, but emphasized that it's essentially the 2003s and 2002s that are in the market now. As a rule, she tends to release numerous bottlings from multiple vintages at any one time, "when they're ready." All of these wines are done entirely in new barrels, with no cold-settling of the must and very little stirring of the lees. According to Bize, yields in 2005 were in the 20 to 25 hectoliters-per-hectare range, which she described as "not bad for us." But she prefers 2006 to 2005 for white wine. The '06s will be bottled early, as Bize told me she doesn't have enough wine to top the barrels! (The '05s were bottled in August of '06.) As you might imagine, my tasting included some spectacular young white Burgundies.
2010 Meursault
Color: White

Score: 92.0

Drinking window: 2014 - 2014

Tasting notes: D'Auvenay's 2010 Meursault is soft, supple and inviting. White peaches, flowers and flint take shape in the glass, but the overriding sensation is one of delicacy. The Meursault is pure class. Best of all, it should be one of the more approachable of the 2010s, although I am confident it will also age well. 

Producer Commentary:
Do you want the good news or the bad news? Lalou Bize-Leroy's 2010s at Domaine D'Auvenay – both white and red – are off the charts. That is the good news. The bad news is that the wines won't be released for at least a few more years. Aging white Burgundy these days requires a strong stomach but D'Auvenay is one of the few domaines where the wines actually need a few years in bottle to show well. With time, the D'Auvenay whites often blossom into extraordinary wines with few peers anywhere in the world. I also include notes on the 2010 reds, which are equally, if not more, impressive than the whites. I find the D'Auvenay 2010 reds just a bit more refined than Bize-Leroy's 2010 reds at Domaine Leroy. In any event, these remain some of the most riveting wines on the planet. The only problem is finding them.
2012 Meursault Goutte D'or 1er Cru
Color: White

Score: 96.0

Drinking window: 2017 - 2032

Tasting notes: The 2012 Meursault Goutte d'Or is weightless and lifted in personality, with lovely nuance wedded to finely-cut precision. Green pears, mint, flowers and white stone fruits are all beautifully delineated in an exquisitely perfumed Meursault that bristles with saline-infused energy.

Producer Commentary:
I am not sure how much more I can add to Domaine d'Auvenay's 2012s than what is in the tasting notes. Remarkably dense and concentrated, even by Lalou Bize-Leroy's standards, the 2012s are invigorating, deeply reflective of their origins and utterly captivating. Specifically, the overall harmony of these wines and the near-perfect balance of the whole clusters gives them tremendous appeal, even at this very early stage. Bize-Leroy opted to give her 2012s very short elevage in barrel of just about seven months, which is pretty much unheard of in Burgundy. Production levels are tiny and prices are sky-high, but these remain some of the most singular wines being made anywhere in the world. It's as simple as that.
2011 Criots Bâtard Montrachet Grand Cru
Color: White

Score: 96.0

Drinking window: 2019 - 2019

Tasting notes: The 2011 Criots-Bâtard-Montrachet is arguably the most beguiling wine in this range. Now you see it, now you don't. Subtle, weightless and gracious, the Criots captures the essence of what makes Burgundy so compelling; namely the ability to deliver serious intensity of flavor with no heaviness. Exotic white flowers, citrus and pear notes abound in a celestial Criots that is pure magic in the glass.

Producer Commentary:
Lalou Bize-Leroy appears ageless. Her boundless enthusiasm for her vineyards and wines is palpable during the morning I spent at Domaine Leroy and Domaine d'Auvenay. Everything is amped up at these two domaines; the Bize-Leroy style, site signatures and vintage are all remarkably vivid. I tasted all of the d'Auvenay whites in November 2012 prior to their bottling, which was scheduled for January 2013. I will report on the reds in a forthcoming article. The d'Auvenay whites, especially with a little bottle age, remain some of the most utterly captivating and thrilling wines I have ever tasted.
2005 Criots Bâtard Montrachet Grand Cru
Color: White

Score: 95.0

Drinking window: 2019 - 2035

Tasting notes: There cannot be many people to have tasted the 2005 Criots-Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru from Domaine d'Auvenay twice in the same year at completely different tastings on either side of the world. Here, served blind, the bottle replicates the awesome showing back in London. Silvery in hue, it has that fabulous nose of popcorn and almond-tinged citrus fruit, again, quite Chablis-like in style. The palate sported a touch of brioche on the entry, tensile and precise with hints of walnut towards the long and tender finish. Lalou Bize-Leroy only bottles 182 bottles of this Criots so good luck finding any. Tasted at the d'Auvenay dinner in Hong Kong.

Producer Commentary:
2002 Criots Bâtard Montrachet Grand Cru
Color: White

Score: 95.5

Drinking window: 0 - 0

Tasting notes: Full yellow. Highly nuanced aromas of honey, stone, minerals, caramel and spices. Drier and less expressive today than the Chevalier-Montrachet; less spherical and silky. Very intense, precise, linear flavors of lemon and dusty stone are perfectly framed by vibrant acids. Finishes with truly palpable minerality. This is Chevalier-Montrachet dirt speaking through chardonnay.

Producer Commentary:
I tasted the extraordinary 2002 whites wines from this domain last November, when I made a quick stop at Domaine d'Auvenay to taste Lalou Bize-Leroy's Bonnes-Mares and Mazi-Chambertin before we raced north to Vosne-Romanee to taste the series of Domaine Leroy reds. The whites were as mindbending as the reds; all had been bottled in July of 2003. Lalou Bize racks her white wines after the malolactic fermentations, then leaves them on their fine lees, without batonnage Only when there are more than two barrels of a given cuvee are the wines assembled for the bottling.
2006 Criots Bâtard Montrachet Grand Cru
Color: White

Score: 95.5

Drinking window: 0 - 0

Tasting notes: Much more about fruit on the nose than the Chevalier, with borderline-exotic notes of apricot, peach and honey. Fat, rich and sweet, conveying a powerful impression of extract. Completely different in texture from the Chevalier. And yet this explosively rich, huge wine benefits from strong wet stone minerality on the back end, which leavens its sweetness and gives the finish great solidity.

Producer Commentary:
Lalou Bize-Leroy was proud to present her 2006 and 2005 white wines in late spring, but emphasized that it's essentially the 2003s and 2002s that are in the market now. As a rule, she tends to release numerous bottlings from multiple vintages at any one time, "when they're ready." All of these wines are done entirely in new barrels, with no cold-settling of the must and very little stirring of the lees. According to Bize, yields in 2005 were in the 20 to 25 hectoliters-per-hectare range, which she described as "not bad for us." But she prefers 2006 to 2005 for white wine. The '06s will be bottled early, as Bize told me she doesn't have enough wine to top the barrels! (The '05s were bottled in August of '06.) As you might imagine, my tasting included some spectacular young white Burgundies.
2007 Criots Bâtard Montrachet Grand Cru
Color: White

Score: 98.0

Drinking window: 2015 - 2015

Tasting notes: The 2007 Criots-Bâtard-Montrachet flows across the palate with endless layers of fruit. Sweet pears, ripe peaches and white flowers are some of the nuances that come to life in this expansive, caressing Burgundy. The finish is all silk and cashmere. I am running out of superlatives, so let me make it simple. This is profound juice. 

Producer Commentary:
My tasting with Lalou Bize and Estate Manager Frederic Roemer encompassed a wide range of wines, culminating with a breathtaking 2008 Chevalier-Montrachet. The D'Auvenay wines are singular expressions of site and vintage as interpreted by one of the world's greatest vigneronnes and winemakers. At times words seem superfluous when confronted with these magical elixirs. The 2008s seem quite marked by a vintage that produced very low yields, even by this house's standards. The wines are intensely colored and truly massive. The 2007s, on the other hand, seem to show much more in the way of aromatics and site specific character. In 2007 the vintage plays a supporting rather than leading role. I also tasted a number of 2009s, but Lalou Bize was right in her hesitation to show me the complete lineup, as the 2009s I tasted were still recovering from their bottling. I will report on those wines as soon as I have an opportunity to taste them in better conditions.
2005 Criots Bâtard Montrachet Grand Cru
Color: White

Score: 93.5

Drinking window: 0 - 0

Tasting notes: Knockout nose of musky peach, nectarine and nut oil. Unctuous and deep if not yet particularly complex, with a pronounced minerality perking up the pineapple and stone flavors. This has the freshness and structural underpinning for a long and graceful evolution in bottle. The classically dry, stony finishing flavors really stain the palate.

Producer Commentary:
Lalou Bize-Leroy was proud to present her 2006 and 2005 white wines in late spring, but emphasized that it's essentially the 2003s and 2002s that are in the market now. As a rule, she tends to release numerous bottlings from multiple vintages at any one time, "when they're ready." All of these wines are done entirely in new barrels, with no cold-settling of the must and very little stirring of the lees. According to Bize, yields in 2005 were in the 20 to 25 hectoliters-per-hectare range, which she described as "not bad for us." But she prefers 2006 to 2005 for white wine. The '06s will be bottled early, as Bize told me she doesn't have enough wine to top the barrels! (The '05s were bottled in August of '06.) As you might imagine, my tasting included some spectacular young white Burgundies.
2012 Criots Bâtard Montrachet Grand Cru
Color: White

Score: 94.0

Drinking window: 2017 - 2027

Tasting notes: Voluptuous and silky on the palate, the 2012 Criots-Batard-Montrachet presents a distinctly high-toned personality. White pepper, white flowers, pear and lemon peel are very nicely delineated. The Criots is soft and supple on the palate, with lovely brightness and plenty of near-term appeal. Because of the tiny volume, the Criots is aged in a small steel drum and sees no oak, which also means it doesn't have the structure of the other whites in the range. That doesn't seem to get in the way of it being compelling, but it does mean that stylistically the Criots lives in a world of its own.

Producer Commentary:
I am not sure how much more I can add to Domaine d'Auvenay's 2012s than what is in the tasting notes. Remarkably dense and concentrated, even by Lalou Bize-Leroy's standards, the 2012s are invigorating, deeply reflective of their origins and utterly captivating. Specifically, the overall harmony of these wines and the near-perfect balance of the whole clusters gives them tremendous appeal, even at this very early stage. Bize-Leroy opted to give her 2012s very short elevage in barrel of just about seven months, which is pretty much unheard of in Burgundy. Production levels are tiny and prices are sky-high, but these remain some of the most singular wines being made anywhere in the world. It's as simple as that.
2010 Criots Bâtard Montrachet Grand Cru
Color: White

Score: 92.0

Drinking window: 2016 - 2016

Tasting notes: D'Auvenay's 2010 Criots-Bâtard-Montrachet is quite unusual in this vintage. Because yields were so low, the wine was aged in a stainless steel drum rather than oak. The personality of Criots comes through, but as good as the wine is, the support of the oak is missing. The 2010 is fresh, floral and vibrant throughout. It is a wine of great delicacy, but frankly I am not sure how it will develop. 

Producer Commentary:
Do you want the good news or the bad news? Lalou Bize-Leroy's 2010s at Domaine D'Auvenay – both white and red – are off the charts. That is the good news. The bad news is that the wines won't be released for at least a few more years. Aging white Burgundy these days requires a strong stomach but D'Auvenay is one of the few domaines where the wines actually need a few years in bottle to show well. With time, the D'Auvenay whites often blossom into extraordinary wines with few peers anywhere in the world. I also include notes on the 2010 reds, which are equally, if not more, impressive than the whites. I find the D'Auvenay 2010 reds just a bit more refined than Bize-Leroy's 2010 reds at Domaine Leroy. In any event, these remain some of the most riveting wines on the planet. The only problem is finding them.
2010 Mazis Chambertin Grand Cru
Color: Red

Score: 100.0

Drinking window: 2020 - 2040

Tasting notes: One of the most breathtaking young Burgundies I have ever had the pleasure of tasting, the 2010 Mazis-Chambertin is simply stunning. After going through all the Leroy and D'Auvenay 2010s, one wine stands out, and it is the Mazis. When I taste a wine like this, my only wish is that every reader could experience the sheer beauty of what is in the glass. Endless layers of the sweetest, most intensely perfumed red berries caress the palate from start to finish. With time, hints of savory herbs and spices appear, adding further complexity. At the end of the day, though, the Mazis is all about pure silkiness and fabulous overall balance. The Mazis is a monumental Burgundy in every way. I only hope to be able to taste it again some day in the future. 

Producer Commentary:
Do you want the good news or the bad news? Lalou Bize-Leroy's 2010s at Domaine D'Auvenay – both white and red – are off the charts. That is the good news. The bad news is that the wines won't be released for at least a few more years. Aging white Burgundy these days requires a strong stomach but D'Auvenay is one of the few domaines where the wines actually need a few years in bottle to show well. With time, the D'Auvenay whites often blossom into extraordinary wines with few peers anywhere in the world. I also include notes on the 2010 reds, which are equally, if not more, impressive than the whites. I find the D'Auvenay 2010 reds just a bit more refined than Bize-Leroy's 2010 reds at Domaine Leroy. In any event, these remain some of the most riveting wines on the planet. The only problem is finding them.
2012 Mazis Chambertin Grand Cru
Color: Red

Score: 97.0

Drinking window: 2022 - 2042

Tasting notes: The 2012 Mazis-Chambertin is lifted, precise and silky, which is to say classic Mazis. Hints of rose petal, mint, cinnamon, hard candy, pomegranate and sweet red cherry grace the palate, but, as always, with the Mazis is the wine's striking sweetness, perfume and silkiness that stand out above all else. I can't wait to see how the 2012 ages. Today, it is a model of precision and total class. 

Producer Commentary:
I am not sure how much more I can add to Domaine d'Auvenay's 2012s than what is in the tasting notes. Remarkably dense and concentrated, even by Lalou Bize-Leroy's standards, the 2012s are invigorating, deeply reflective of their origins and utterly captivating. Specifically, the overall harmony of these wines and the near-perfect balance of the whole clusters gives them tremendous appeal, even at this very early stage. Bize-Leroy opted to give her 2012s very short elevage in barrel of just about seven months, which is pretty much unheard of in Burgundy. Production levels are tiny and prices are sky-high, but these remain some of the most singular wines being made anywhere in the world. It's as simple as that.
2002 Auxey Duresses Les Clous
Color: White

Score: 91.5

Drinking window: 0 - 0

Tasting notes: Pale yellow. Bright but youthfully closed nose hints at fresh lemon and candied lemon peel. Juicy but quite tight, with more stony precision than the regular Auxey-Duresses bottling. Less flatteur today, but there are no rough edges here. Very long and fresh on the aftertaste.

Producer Commentary:
I tasted the extraordinary 2002 whites wines from this domain last November, when I made a quick stop at Domaine d'Auvenay to taste Lalou Bize-Leroy's Bonnes-Mares and Mazi-Chambertin before we raced north to Vosne-Romanee to taste the series of Domaine Leroy reds. The whites were as mindbending as the reds; all had been bottled in July of 2003. Lalou Bize racks her white wines after the malolactic fermentations, then leaves them on their fine lees, without batonnage Only when there are more than two barrels of a given cuvee are the wines assembled for the bottling.
2006 Auxey Duresses Les Clous
Color: White

Score: 90.0

Drinking window: 0 - 0

Tasting notes: (from Lalou Bize's coolest site in Auxey-Duresses) Aromas of apple, lemon and spice. Fat, ripe and sweet, with a chewy quality to the exotic fruit flavors, but surprising acidity and minerality give shape and grip to the finish. This boasts terrific flavor intensity and impressive depth for the appellation.

Producer Commentary:
Lalou Bize-Leroy was proud to present her 2006 and 2005 white wines in late spring, but emphasized that it's essentially the 2003s and 2002s that are in the market now. As a rule, she tends to release numerous bottlings from multiple vintages at any one time, "when they're ready." All of these wines are done entirely in new barrels, with no cold-settling of the must and very little stirring of the lees. According to Bize, yields in 2005 were in the 20 to 25 hectoliters-per-hectare range, which she described as "not bad for us." But she prefers 2006 to 2005 for white wine. The '06s will be bottled early, as Bize told me she doesn't have enough wine to top the barrels! (The '05s were bottled in August of '06.) As you might imagine, my tasting included some spectacular young white Burgundies.
2002 Chevalier Montrachet Grand Cru
Color: White

Score: 98.0

Drinking window: 0 - 0

Tasting notes: Light yellow. Pineapple, citrus peel, wet stone, white flowers and smoky oak on the nose; a real essence of Chevalier-Montrachet. Remarkably fine and racy, but at the same time wonderfully silky, even plump, for this grand cru. Explosive, mouthfilling flavors of citrus fruits and wet stone show great distinction. Finishes with extraordinary length and mineral lift.

Producer Commentary:
I tasted the extraordinary 2002 whites wines from this domain last November, when I made a quick stop at Domaine d'Auvenay to taste Lalou Bize-Leroy's Bonnes-Mares and Mazi-Chambertin before we raced north to Vosne-Romanee to taste the series of Domaine Leroy reds. The whites were as mindbending as the reds; all had been bottled in July of 2003. Lalou Bize racks her white wines after the malolactic fermentations, then leaves them on their fine lees, without batonnage Only when there are more than two barrels of a given cuvee are the wines assembled for the bottling.
2006 Chevalier Montrachet Grand Cru
Color: White

Score: 93.0

Drinking window: 2019 - 2035

Tasting notes: The 2006 Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru felt quite reserved and backward following the 2002, though fortunately I could not detect any botrytis that compromises many white Burgundy wines in this vintage. There is just a small reduction that shaves away a little precision, scents of lime and peach skin emerging with time. The palate is ripe on the entry and here, yes, there is just a hint of botrytis. However, it is still very elegant with exquisite purity of fruit on the finish. This is probably at its peak now although it will offer another decade of drinking pleasure. 590 bottles produced. Tasted at the d'Auvenay dinner in Hong Kong.

Producer Commentary:
2011 Chevalier Montrachet Grand Cru
Color: White

Score: 97.0

Drinking window: 2021 - 2021

Tasting notes: Honey, mint, licorice and apricot notes meld together in the 2011 Chevalier-Montrachet. Sensual, layered and utterly impeccable, the 2011 blossoms in the glass with marvelous volume and textural breadth. Today, the 2011 is of course very young, but the Chevalier has a way of developing and transforming in bottle that is equaled by few whites in Burgundy. Still, it is impossible to miss the wine's exhilarating complexity, pedigree and pure class, even at this early stage. 

Producer Commentary:
Lalou Bize-Leroy appears ageless. Her boundless enthusiasm for her vineyards and wines is palpable during the morning I spent at Domaine Leroy and Domaine d'Auvenay. Everything is amped up at these two domaines; the Bize-Leroy style, site signatures and vintage are all remarkably vivid. I tasted all of the d'Auvenay whites in November 2012 prior to their bottling, which was scheduled for January 2013. I will report on the reds in a forthcoming article. The d'Auvenay whites, especially with a little bottle age, remain some of the most utterly captivating and thrilling wines I have ever tasted.
1999 Chevalier Montrachet Grand Cru
Color: White

Score: 97.0

Drinking window: 2019 - 2030

Tasting notes: The 1999 Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru has a gold-standard "killer" nose with astonishing delineation and intensity: citrus peel, cold wet limestone and a faint touch of freshly baked pop-corn. There is just a trace of reduction here. The palate is beautifully poised, refined and saline, exuding immense energy right from the start. It is quite linear in style with hints of fresh pear, yellow plum and a very persistent, captivating finish that just lingers forever. Outstanding. 814 bottles produced. Tasted at the d'Auvenay dinner in Hong Kong.

Producer Commentary:
2006 Chevalier Montrachet Grand Cru
Color: White

Score: 96.5

Drinking window: 0 - 0

Tasting notes: Steely nose conveys a powerful impression of metallic minerality. Powerful on entry, then as chewy as a solid in the middle palate, with superb energy and focus to the flavors of apple, lemon and crushed stone. Combines superb palate-coating volume with terrific lift. Perhaps most impressive today on the tactile, slow-building, inexorable finish. These vines were harvested on September 18, with 14+% potential alcohol.

Producer Commentary:
Lalou Bize-Leroy was proud to present her 2006 and 2005 white wines in late spring, but emphasized that it's essentially the 2003s and 2002s that are in the market now. As a rule, she tends to release numerous bottlings from multiple vintages at any one time, "when they're ready." All of these wines are done entirely in new barrels, with no cold-settling of the must and very little stirring of the lees. According to Bize, yields in 2005 were in the 20 to 25 hectoliters-per-hectare range, which she described as "not bad for us." But she prefers 2006 to 2005 for white wine. The '06s will be bottled early, as Bize told me she doesn't have enough wine to top the barrels! (The '05s were bottled in August of '06.) As you might imagine, my tasting included some spectacular young white Burgundies.
2008 Chevalier Montrachet Grand Cru
Color: White

Score: 98.0

Drinking window: 2013 - 2013

Tasting notes: The 2008 Chevalier-Montrachet is not wine. It is something else?.a rich, almost intoxicating beverage imbued with the most regal of fruit. It possesses staggering depth and richness, yet never comes across as heavy despite its 16% alcohol. I imagine this will still be a spectacular bottle in another decade. It is the nectar of the gods. 

Producer Commentary:
My tasting with Lalou Bize and Estate Manager Frederic Roemer encompassed a wide range of wines, culminating with a breathtaking 2008 Chevalier-Montrachet. The D'Auvenay wines are singular expressions of site and vintage as interpreted by one of the world's greatest vigneronnes and winemakers. At times words seem superfluous when confronted with these magical elixirs. The 2008s seem quite marked by a vintage that produced very low yields, even by this house's standards. The wines are intensely colored and truly massive. The 2007s, on the other hand, seem to show much more in the way of aromatics and site specific character. In 2007 the vintage plays a supporting rather than leading role. I also tasted a number of 2009s, but Lalou Bize was right in her hesitation to show me the complete lineup, as the 2009s I tasted were still recovering from their bottling. I will report on those wines as soon as I have an opportunity to taste them in better conditions.
2012 Chevalier Montrachet Grand Cru
Color: White

Score: 98.0

Drinking window: 2020 - 2032

Tasting notes: The 2012 Chevalier-Montrachet is a deeply moving wine. Seamless and voluptuous, the Chevalier graces the palate with an utterly exquisite, compelling fabric of apricot pit, tangerine and white flowers. The 2012 is pliant and expressive, but it is also an infant. Some of my most memorable d'Auvenay moments have been in front of a bottle of Chevalier with bottle age. I imagine the 2012 will deliver the same kind of thrilling drinking experience, although that is likely to be at least a few years off into the future. Unfortunately production in 2012 is less than two barrels.

Producer Commentary:
I am not sure how much more I can add to Domaine d'Auvenay's 2012s than what is in the tasting notes. Remarkably dense and concentrated, even by Lalou Bize-Leroy's standards, the 2012s are invigorating, deeply reflective of their origins and utterly captivating. Specifically, the overall harmony of these wines and the near-perfect balance of the whole clusters gives them tremendous appeal, even at this very early stage. Bize-Leroy opted to give her 2012s very short elevage in barrel of just about seven months, which is pretty much unheard of in Burgundy. Production levels are tiny and prices are sky-high, but these remain some of the most singular wines being made anywhere in the world. It's as simple as that.
1993 Chevalier Montrachet Grand Cru
Color: White

Score: 92.0

Drinking window: 2019 - 2025

Tasting notes: The 1993 Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru has a slightly paler color than I was expecting given its age. The aromatics are slightly muted compared to other vintages with scents of Mirabelle, dandelion, broom and a hint of honeysuckle. The palate is well balanced and a little honeyed on the entry, though this is counterbalanced by a subtle bitter edge. If I am to quibble then it is just missing that killer delineation on the finish, but otherwise this is a fine Chevalier-Montrachet that is probably just a few years past its peak. 714 bottles produced. Tasted at the d'Auvenay dinner in Hong Kong.

Producer Commentary:
2002 Chevalier Montrachet Grand Cru
Color: White

Score: 99.0

Drinking window: 2019 - 2030

Tasting notes: The 2002 Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru appears to be at the peak of its almighty powers. The aromatics are thrilling. It is pure liquid minerals with astonishing delineation and focus. You almost feel humbled in its presence. The palate has formidable weight and penetration, a perfect silver bead of acidity and it fans out gloriously towards the finish with lemon peel, spice and grilled hazelnuts. There is incredible persistence in the mouth, completing a white Burgundy that comes damn close to perfection. I cannot see it improving further with bottle age so those lucky enough to possess a bottle should not hesitate enjoying this awe-inspiring wine. Tasted at the d'Auvenay dinner in Hong Kong.

Producer Commentary:
2005 Auxey Duresses Les Clous
Color: White

Score: 88.0

Drinking window: 0 - 0

Tasting notes: (from a 1989 planting) Pale yellow. Nose dominated by smoke and gunflint. Fat and ripe, with rich flavors of yellow fruits and smoke. In an easygoing style, finishing smooth and persistent.

Producer Commentary:
Lalou Bize-Leroy was proud to present her 2006 and 2005 white wines in late spring, but emphasized that it's essentially the 2003s and 2002s that are in the market now. As a rule, she tends to release numerous bottlings from multiple vintages at any one time, "when they're ready." All of these wines are done entirely in new barrels, with no cold-settling of the must and very little stirring of the lees. According to Bize, yields in 2005 were in the 20 to 25 hectoliters-per-hectare range, which she described as "not bad for us." But she prefers 2006 to 2005 for white wine. The '06s will be bottled early, as Bize told me she doesn't have enough wine to top the barrels! (The '05s were bottled in August of '06.) As you might imagine, my tasting included some spectacular young white Burgundies.
2010 Chevalier Montrachet Grand Cru
Color: White

Score: 98.0

Drinking window: 2020 - 2020

Tasting notes: The 2010 Chevalier-Montrachet is likely to thrill readers who can find it for many, many years. Today, the aromas and flavors are naturally quite bright, but with time in bottle those notes will darken and the wine will take on considerable volume. Honey, hard candy and flowers wrap around the palate in this utterly sublime, textured wine. The endless finish alone is beyond magnificent. This is a totally mesmerizing white that virtually overwhelms the senses with sheer pleasure. 

Producer Commentary:
Do you want the good news or the bad news? Lalou Bize-Leroy's 2010s at Domaine D'Auvenay – both white and red – are off the charts. That is the good news. The bad news is that the wines won't be released for at least a few more years. Aging white Burgundy these days requires a strong stomach but D'Auvenay is one of the few domaines where the wines actually need a few years in bottle to show well. With time, the D'Auvenay whites often blossom into extraordinary wines with few peers anywhere in the world. I also include notes on the 2010 reds, which are equally, if not more, impressive than the whites. I find the D'Auvenay 2010 reds just a bit more refined than Bize-Leroy's 2010 reds at Domaine Leroy. In any event, these remain some of the most riveting wines on the planet. The only problem is finding them.
2005 Chevalier Montrachet Grand Cru
Color: White

Score:

Drinking window: 0 - 0

Tasting notes: Good pale yellow. Aromas of crushed stone, nuts and resin. Very rich but dry and backward, with a hint of pineapple and powerful soil-driven minerality. Not at all a fruity style; in fact, I found the seemingly oxidative nutty quality running through the wine to be a bit worrying. Judgment withheld.

Producer Commentary:
Lalou Bize-Leroy was proud to present her 2006 and 2005 white wines in late spring, but emphasized that it's essentially the 2003s and 2002s that are in the market now. As a rule, she tends to release numerous bottlings from multiple vintages at any one time, "when they're ready." All of these wines are done entirely in new barrels, with no cold-settling of the must and very little stirring of the lees. According to Bize, yields in 2005 were in the 20 to 25 hectoliters-per-hectare range, which she described as "not bad for us." But she prefers 2006 to 2005 for white wine. The '06s will be bottled early, as Bize told me she doesn't have enough wine to top the barrels! (The '05s were bottled in August of '06.) As you might imagine, my tasting included some spectacular young white Burgundies.
2010 Bonnes Mares Grand Cru
Color: Red

Score: 96.5

Drinking window: 2022 - 2060

Tasting notes: The 2010 Bonnes Mares is a powerful, carnal Burgundy, just as it was years ago. Of the six wines in this first flight, the Bonnes Mares is especially reticent, which is not at all surprising for young wines from this cru. Sadly, the 2010 does not appear to be in the mood to show much today.

Producer Commentary:
2010 Auxey Duresses Les Clous
Color: White

Score: 92.0

Drinking window: 2014 - 2014

Tasting notes: Layers of round, supple fruit make the 2010 Auxey-Duresses Les Clous relatively accessible in this vintage by the domaine's standards. Smoke, slate and citrus are some of the many notes that flesh out in the glass. This is a relatively immediate style for the year. 

Producer Commentary:
Do you want the good news or the bad news? Lalou Bize-Leroy's 2010s at Domaine D'Auvenay – both white and red – are off the charts. That is the good news. The bad news is that the wines won't be released for at least a few more years. Aging white Burgundy these days requires a strong stomach but D'Auvenay is one of the few domaines where the wines actually need a few years in bottle to show well. With time, the D'Auvenay whites often blossom into extraordinary wines with few peers anywhere in the world. I also include notes on the 2010 reds, which are equally, if not more, impressive than the whites. I find the D'Auvenay 2010 reds just a bit more refined than Bize-Leroy's 2010 reds at Domaine Leroy. In any event, these remain some of the most riveting wines on the planet. The only problem is finding them.
2007 Auxey Duresses Les Clous
Color: White

Score: 93.0

Drinking window: 2013 - 2013

Tasting notes: The 2007 Auxey-Duresses Les Clous comes across as cool, finessed and introspective. It shows fabulous balance, but the wine is all about detail and nuance, quite a stark contrast to the 2008. This is all finesse and class. 

Producer Commentary:
My tasting with Lalou Bize and Estate Manager Frederic Roemer encompassed a wide range of wines, culminating with a breathtaking 2008 Chevalier-Montrachet. The D'Auvenay wines are singular expressions of site and vintage as interpreted by one of the world's greatest vigneronnes and winemakers. At times words seem superfluous when confronted with these magical elixirs. The 2008s seem quite marked by a vintage that produced very low yields, even by this house's standards. The wines are intensely colored and truly massive. The 2007s, on the other hand, seem to show much more in the way of aromatics and site specific character. In 2007 the vintage plays a supporting rather than leading role. I also tasted a number of 2009s, but Lalou Bize was right in her hesitation to show me the complete lineup, as the 2009s I tasted were still recovering from their bottling. I will report on those wines as soon as I have an opportunity to taste them in better conditions.
2008 Auxey Duresses Les Clous
Color: White

Score: 92.0

Drinking window: 2013 - 2013

Tasting notes: The 2008 Auxey-Duresses Les Clous impresses for its sheer energy and breadth. An open, seductive bouquet leads to layers of deep fruit in this gorgeous, expressive white. This is an extraordinary wine for the appellation. 

Producer Commentary:
My tasting with Lalou Bize and Estate Manager Frederic Roemer encompassed a wide range of wines, culminating with a breathtaking 2008 Chevalier-Montrachet. The D'Auvenay wines are singular expressions of site and vintage as interpreted by one of the world's greatest vigneronnes and winemakers. At times words seem superfluous when confronted with these magical elixirs. The 2008s seem quite marked by a vintage that produced very low yields, even by this house's standards. The wines are intensely colored and truly massive. The 2007s, on the other hand, seem to show much more in the way of aromatics and site specific character. In 2007 the vintage plays a supporting rather than leading role. I also tasted a number of 2009s, but Lalou Bize was right in her hesitation to show me the complete lineup, as the 2009s I tasted were still recovering from their bottling. I will report on those wines as soon as I have an opportunity to taste them in better conditions.
2000 Bonnes Mares Grand Cru
Color: Red

Score: 94.0

Drinking window: 2020 - 2032

Tasting notes: The 2000 Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru is a very pleasant surprise given that this was a challenging vintage for the reds. It offers very pure fruit on the nose: raspberry, cranberry and pomegranate, later blueberry with plenty of roundness and sensuality (more so than the broody 2006.) The palate is very well balanced, underpinned by super-fine tannin. I love the harmony of this Bonnes-Mares, that tang of sour cherry that keeps you alert. Then it tightens up towards the finish as if to say, it has more to give if you just afford it more time in bottle. This is superb. 1158 bottles produced. Tasted at the d'Auvenay dinner in Hong Kong. 

Producer Commentary:
2010 Bonnes Mares Grand Cru
Color: Red

Score: 97.0

Drinking window: 2020 - 2040

Tasting notes: The D'Auvenay 2010 Bonnes-Mares is wild, carnal and beautiful. Initially unrestrained and intensely powerful, the wine finds considerable finesse and sophistication in the glass, while never abandoning the essentiality of Bonnes-Mares. Firm tannins frame a powerful, authoritative finish laced with expressive, perfumed dark fruit. 

Producer Commentary:
Do you want the good news or the bad news? Lalou Bize-Leroy's 2010s at Domaine D'Auvenay – both white and red – are off the charts. That is the good news. The bad news is that the wines won't be released for at least a few more years. Aging white Burgundy these days requires a strong stomach but D'Auvenay is one of the few domaines where the wines actually need a few years in bottle to show well. With time, the D'Auvenay whites often blossom into extraordinary wines with few peers anywhere in the world. I also include notes on the 2010 reds, which are equally, if not more, impressive than the whites. I find the D'Auvenay 2010 reds just a bit more refined than Bize-Leroy's 2010 reds at Domaine Leroy. In any event, these remain some of the most riveting wines on the planet. The only problem is finding them.
2010 Bonnes Mares Grand Cru
Color: Red

Score: 96.0

Drinking window: 2025 - 2045

Tasting notes: The 2010 Bonnes-Mares is wonderfully alive and vibrant in the glass. Subtle red berries, crushed flowers, licorice and tar are some of the many notes that wrap around the palate, but the Bonnes-Mares is first and foremost about structure. I especially like the energy and focus here. The D'Auvenay Bonnes-Mares has a way of fleshing out in bottle, and I imagine that will be the case here as well. 

Producer Commentary:
Lalou Bize-Leroy has two fabulous Grand Cru reds sitting in her tiny cellar at Domaine D'Auvenay, on the hills outside Meursault. Bize-Leroy recently added to her holdings at D'Auvenay with purchases of small parcels in Bâtard-Montrachet and the Puligny villages vineyard Les Enseignères. Both parcels are currently farmed conventionally and will be converted to biodynamic farming, which is of course standard practice at the domaine.
2012 Bonnes Mares Grand Cru
Color: Red

Score: 98.5

Drinking window: 2022 - 2052

Tasting notes: One of the truly great wines of the year Domaine d'Auvenay's 2012 Bonnes-Mares is magnificent. Beams of tannin, acidity and minerality are the foundation for a towering Burgundy endowed with striking vertical lift. Lavender, rose petal, menthol, crushed rocks, spices and purplish fruit are laced together in a crystalline, precise Burgundy of the highest level. I wish every Vinous reader could experience the moving beauty and visceral thrill of the 2012. This is just about as good as it gets. 

Producer Commentary:
I am not sure how much more I can add to Domaine d'Auvenay's 2012s than what is in the tasting notes. Remarkably dense and concentrated, even by Lalou Bize-Leroy's standards, the 2012s are invigorating, deeply reflective of their origins and utterly captivating. Specifically, the overall harmony of these wines and the near-perfect balance of the whole clusters gives them tremendous appeal, even at this very early stage. Bize-Leroy opted to give her 2012s very short elevage in barrel of just about seven months, which is pretty much unheard of in Burgundy. Production levels are tiny and prices are sky-high, but these remain some of the most singular wines being made anywhere in the world. It's as simple as that.
2010 Auxey Duresses Les Boutonniers
Color: White

Score: 94.0

Drinking window: 2014 - 2014

Tasting notes: The 2010 Auxey-Duresses Les Boutonniers literally hovers on the palate with unmistakable grace and finesse. The Boutonniers is all about feminine grace and understatement. Yellow stone fruits, flowers and a subtle hint of spice meld together in the glass. This is a hugely delicious wine from the very first taste. 

Producer Commentary:
Do you want the good news or the bad news? Lalou Bize-Leroy's 2010s at Domaine D'Auvenay – both white and red – are off the charts. That is the good news. The bad news is that the wines won't be released for at least a few more years. Aging white Burgundy these days requires a strong stomach but D'Auvenay is one of the few domaines where the wines actually need a few years in bottle to show well. With time, the D'Auvenay whites often blossom into extraordinary wines with few peers anywhere in the world. I also include notes on the 2010 reds, which are equally, if not more, impressive than the whites. I find the D'Auvenay 2010 reds just a bit more refined than Bize-Leroy's 2010 reds at Domaine Leroy. In any event, these remain some of the most riveting wines on the planet. The only problem is finding them.
2008 Auxey Duresses Les Boutonniers
Color: White

Score: 94.0

Drinking window: 2013 - 2013

Tasting notes: The 2008 Auxey-Duresses Les Boutonniers is fat, rich and explosive. It literally bursts with fabulous intensity and compelling overall balance all the way through to the long, textured finish. The old vines in this parcel and the personality of the vintage itself add up to a huge and hugely compelling white. 

Producer Commentary:
My tasting with Lalou Bize and Estate Manager Frederic Roemer encompassed a wide range of wines, culminating with a breathtaking 2008 Chevalier-Montrachet. The D'Auvenay wines are singular expressions of site and vintage as interpreted by one of the world's greatest vigneronnes and winemakers. At times words seem superfluous when confronted with these magical elixirs. The 2008s seem quite marked by a vintage that produced very low yields, even by this house's standards. The wines are intensely colored and truly massive. The 2007s, on the other hand, seem to show much more in the way of aromatics and site specific character. In 2007 the vintage plays a supporting rather than leading role. I also tasted a number of 2009s, but Lalou Bize was right in her hesitation to show me the complete lineup, as the 2009s I tasted were still recovering from their bottling. I will report on those wines as soon as I have an opportunity to taste them in better conditions.
2002 Auxey Duresses Les Boutonniers
Color: White

Score: 92.0

Drinking window: 0 - 0

Tasting notes: Bright yellow. Knockout nose combines melon, passion fruit, lemon, smoke and spices. Thick, sweet and rich, with terrific depth of flavor. Fruit flavors are perfectly framed by the oak spice. This boasts an enveloping texture and mount s impressively on the back, showing superb persistence. These wines really transcend their appellation.

Producer Commentary:
I tasted the extraordinary 2002 whites wines from this domain last November, when I made a quick stop at Domaine d'Auvenay to taste Lalou Bize-Leroy's Bonnes-Mares and Mazi-Chambertin before we raced north to Vosne-Romanee to taste the series of Domaine Leroy reds. The whites were as mindbending as the reds; all had been bottled in July of 2003. Lalou Bize racks her white wines after the malolactic fermentations, then leaves them on their fine lees, without batonnage Only when there are more than two barrels of a given cuvee are the wines assembled for the bottling.
2005 Auxey Duresses Les Boutonniers
Color: White

Score: 89.0

Drinking window: 0 - 0

Tasting notes: Meursault-like aromas of stone fruits and spices. Broad, fat and flavorful, with a ripeness of fruit verging on exotic. In texture too, this is more Meursault than Auxey-Duresses. Ultimately a bit less gripping and fine than the wine from Macabree, but fat, sweet and persistent.

Producer Commentary:
Lalou Bize-Leroy was proud to present her 2006 and 2005 white wines in late spring, but emphasized that it's essentially the 2003s and 2002s that are in the market now. As a rule, she tends to release numerous bottlings from multiple vintages at any one time, "when they're ready." All of these wines are done entirely in new barrels, with no cold-settling of the must and very little stirring of the lees. According to Bize, yields in 2005 were in the 20 to 25 hectoliters-per-hectare range, which she described as "not bad for us." But she prefers 2006 to 2005 for white wine. The '06s will be bottled early, as Bize told me she doesn't have enough wine to top the barrels! (The '05s were bottled in August of '06.) As you might imagine, my tasting included some spectacular young white Burgundies.
2011 Auxey Duresses Les Boutonniers
Color: White

Score: 93.0

Drinking window: 2015 - 2015

Tasting notes: The 2011 Auxey-Duresses Les Boutonniers, from a parcel planted in 1921, brings together the best elements of the Clouts and the Macabre. A wine of contrasts, the Boutonniers is both intensely mineral and crystalline, yet also beautifully layered, generous and expressive. Hints of citrus, white flowers and crushed rocks linger on the impeccable finish.

Producer Commentary:
Lalou Bize-Leroy appears ageless. Her boundless enthusiasm for her vineyards and wines is palpable during the morning I spent at Domaine Leroy and Domaine d'Auvenay. Everything is amped up at these two domaines; the Bize-Leroy style, site signatures and vintage are all remarkably vivid. I tasted all of the d'Auvenay whites in November 2012 prior to their bottling, which was scheduled for January 2013. I will report on the reds in a forthcoming article. The d'Auvenay whites, especially with a little bottle age, remain some of the most utterly captivating and thrilling wines I have ever tasted.
2010 Auxey Duresses La Macabree
Color: White

Score: 94.0

Drinking window: 2014 - 2014

Tasting notes: A new label for D'Auvenay, the 2010 Auxey-Duresses La Macabrée is at first quite subtle, but then opens up beautifully with time in the glass. This powerful, broad-shouldered wine is endowed with considerable energy. The aromas and flavors are ample and expansive throughout. Sweet floral, honeyed notes give the wine much of its breadth and flashiness, especially on the deep, resonant finish. This is the first vintage Lalou Bize-Leroy has listed the Macabrée lieu-dit on what was previously her straight Auxey-Duresses bottling. In 2010, the Macabrée is magnificent. 

Producer Commentary:
Do you want the good news or the bad news? Lalou Bize-Leroy's 2010s at Domaine D'Auvenay – both white and red – are off the charts. That is the good news. The bad news is that the wines won't be released for at least a few more years. Aging white Burgundy these days requires a strong stomach but D'Auvenay is one of the few domaines where the wines actually need a few years in bottle to show well. With time, the D'Auvenay whites often blossom into extraordinary wines with few peers anywhere in the world. I also include notes on the 2010 reds, which are equally, if not more, impressive than the whites. I find the D'Auvenay 2010 reds just a bit more refined than Bize-Leroy's 2010 reds at Domaine Leroy. In any event, these remain some of the most riveting wines on the planet. The only problem is finding them.
2006 Auxey Duresses Blanc Les Boutonniers
Color: White

Score: 91.0

Drinking window: 0 - 0

Tasting notes: Subtle aromas of lemon drop and flowers. Densely packed and tactile, with an oily thickness to the flavor of peach nectar; one can really taste the grapes here. A big, rich wine that manages to maintain finesse. Finishes with palate-staining persistence. These are awfully impressive for Auxey-Duresses.

Producer Commentary:
Lalou Bize-Leroy was proud to present her 2006 and 2005 white wines in late spring, but emphasized that it's essentially the 2003s and 2002s that are in the market now. As a rule, she tends to release numerous bottlings from multiple vintages at any one time, "when they're ready." All of these wines are done entirely in new barrels, with no cold-settling of the must and very little stirring of the lees. According to Bize, yields in 2005 were in the 20 to 25 hectoliters-per-hectare range, which she described as "not bad for us." But she prefers 2006 to 2005 for white wine. The '06s will be bottled early, as Bize told me she doesn't have enough wine to top the barrels! (The '05s were bottled in August of '06.) As you might imagine, my tasting included some spectacular young white Burgundies.
2005 Auxey Duresses
Color: White

Score: 90.0

Drinking window: 0 - 0

Tasting notes: (from La Macabree) More refined, higher-pitched aroma of candied lemon peel and tangy orange. Juicy, spicy and shapely, with more energy and precision to the soft citrus flavors than the Clous. Finishes fine-grained and smooth. I like this style.

Producer Commentary:
Lalou Bize-Leroy was proud to present her 2006 and 2005 white wines in late spring, but emphasized that it's essentially the 2003s and 2002s that are in the market now. As a rule, she tends to release numerous bottlings from multiple vintages at any one time, "when they're ready." All of these wines are done entirely in new barrels, with no cold-settling of the must and very little stirring of the lees. According to Bize, yields in 2005 were in the 20 to 25 hectoliters-per-hectare range, which she described as "not bad for us." But she prefers 2006 to 2005 for white wine. The '06s will be bottled early, as Bize told me she doesn't have enough wine to top the barrels! (The '05s were bottled in August of '06.) As you might imagine, my tasting included some spectacular young white Burgundies.
2006 Auxey Duresses
Color: White

Score: 90.5

Drinking window: 0 - 0

Tasting notes: (from 60-year-old vines in the lieu-dit La Macabree) Good full pale yellow. Very ripe but fresh aroma of pineapple. Reticent and firm, with intense flavors of peach, spices and minerals. Chewy and distinctly dry on the very long finish, showing notes of pineapple, coconut and vanilla and excellent grip.

Producer Commentary:
Lalou Bize-Leroy was proud to present her 2006 and 2005 white wines in late spring, but emphasized that it's essentially the 2003s and 2002s that are in the market now. As a rule, she tends to release numerous bottlings from multiple vintages at any one time, "when they're ready." All of these wines are done entirely in new barrels, with no cold-settling of the must and very little stirring of the lees. According to Bize, yields in 2005 were in the 20 to 25 hectoliters-per-hectare range, which she described as "not bad for us." But she prefers 2006 to 2005 for white wine. The '06s will be bottled early, as Bize told me she doesn't have enough wine to top the barrels! (The '05s were bottled in August of '06.) As you might imagine, my tasting included some spectacular young white Burgundies.
2007 Auxey Duresses
Color: White

Score: 92.0

Drinking window: 2013 - 2013

Tasting notes: The 2007 Auxey-Duresses is impeccably balanced from start to finish. It possesses gorgeous inner sweetness and perfume, not to mention striking balance and tons of personality, especially for the appellation. 

Producer Commentary:
My tasting with Lalou Bize and Estate Manager Frederic Roemer encompassed a wide range of wines, culminating with a breathtaking 2008 Chevalier-Montrachet. The D'Auvenay wines are singular expressions of site and vintage as interpreted by one of the world's greatest vigneronnes and winemakers. At times words seem superfluous when confronted with these magical elixirs. The 2008s seem quite marked by a vintage that produced very low yields, even by this house's standards. The wines are intensely colored and truly massive. The 2007s, on the other hand, seem to show much more in the way of aromatics and site specific character. In 2007 the vintage plays a supporting rather than leading role. I also tasted a number of 2009s, but Lalou Bize was right in her hesitation to show me the complete lineup, as the 2009s I tasted were still recovering from their bottling. I will report on those wines as soon as I have an opportunity to taste them in better conditions.
2011 Meursault
Color: White

Score: 93.0

Drinking window: 2015 - 2015

Tasting notes: The 2011 Meursault is totally alive in the glass. Gunpowder, slate and green pear notes emerge from a wine that impresses for its pure energy and drive. Next to some of the other wines in the range, the 2011 is a bit rough around the edges, but there is no lack of conviction and personality. It will be interesting to see if bottle age softens some of the contours. Still, there is a lot to like here.

Producer Commentary:
Lalou Bize-Leroy appears ageless. Her boundless enthusiasm for her vineyards and wines is palpable during the morning I spent at Domaine Leroy and Domaine d'Auvenay. Everything is amped up at these two domaines; the Bize-Leroy style, site signatures and vintage are all remarkably vivid. I tasted all of the d'Auvenay whites in November 2012 prior to their bottling, which was scheduled for January 2013. I will report on the reds in a forthcoming article. The d'Auvenay whites, especially with a little bottle age, remain some of the most utterly captivating and thrilling wines I have ever tasted.
2002 Auxey Duresses
Color: White

Score: 90.0

Drinking window: 0 - 0

Tasting notes: Palish straw-gold color. Aromas of candied citrus peel, smoke and clove, with a whiff of grilled oak. Fat and sweet, with deep, complex flavors dominated by candied citrus peel. Lovely acids frame and extend the wine's superb fruit. Uncommonly strong for its appellation.

Producer Commentary:
I tasted the extraordinary 2002 whites wines from this domain last November, when I made a quick stop at Domaine d'Auvenay to taste Lalou Bize-Leroy's Bonnes-Mares and Mazi-Chambertin before we raced north to Vosne-Romanee to taste the series of Domaine Leroy reds. The whites were as mindbending as the reds; all had been bottled in July of 2003. Lalou Bize racks her white wines after the malolactic fermentations, then leaves them on their fine lees, without batonnage Only when there are more than two barrels of a given cuvee are the wines assembled for the bottling.
2011 Auxey Duresses Les Clous
Color: White

Score: 92.0

Drinking window: 2015 - 2015

Tasting notes: The 2011 Auxey-Duresses Les Clous stands out for its brightness and pure energy. All sorts of citrus and white flower notes emerge from the glass in an intensely saline, taut wine endowed with tons of class and personality. What a great way to start this tasting at d'Auvenay.

Producer Commentary:
Lalou Bize-Leroy appears ageless. Her boundless enthusiasm for her vineyards and wines is palpable during the morning I spent at Domaine Leroy and Domaine d'Auvenay. Everything is amped up at these two domaines; the Bize-Leroy style, site signatures and vintage are all remarkably vivid. I tasted all of the d'Auvenay whites in November 2012 prior to their bottling, which was scheduled for January 2013. I will report on the reds in a forthcoming article. The d'Auvenay whites, especially with a little bottle age, remain some of the most utterly captivating and thrilling wines I have ever tasted.
2012 Batard Montrachet Grand Cru
Color: White

Score: 97.0

Drinking window: 2020 - 2032

Tasting notes: The 2012 Batard-Montrachet is dense, rich and voluptuous, yet it retains superb finesse. It is precisely those contrasts that make the Batard so alluring. Exotic tropical and mineral notes develop as the wine sits in the glass, but readers will have to wait a number of years before the flavors and textures are fully developed. This is another superb white from d'Auvenay.

Producer Commentary:
I am not sure how much more I can add to Domaine d'Auvenay's 2012s than what is in the tasting notes. Remarkably dense and concentrated, even by Lalou Bize-Leroy's standards, the 2012s are invigorating, deeply reflective of their origins and utterly captivating. Specifically, the overall harmony of these wines and the near-perfect balance of the whole clusters gives them tremendous appeal, even at this very early stage. Bize-Leroy opted to give her 2012s very short elevage in barrel of just about seven months, which is pretty much unheard of in Burgundy. Production levels are tiny and prices are sky-high, but these remain some of the most singular wines being made anywhere in the world. It's as simple as that.
1999 Meursault Chaumes De Perrières
Color: White

Score: 92.0

Drinking window: 2018 - 2028

Tasting notes: The 1999 Meursault Chaumes de Perrières is a rare wine even by this domaine’s standard since just a barrel was ever made (287 bottles to be exact). It has a very distant and austere bouquet that cannot hope to keep up with two killer Folatières from d’Auvenay that preceded it. Eventually it reveals a subtle oyster leaf scent that is quite bewitching. The palate is very elegant with a smooth rebound texture. There is a palpable sense of energy here with hints of stem ginger lending spiciness towards the finish. It is a pleasant and satisfying Meursault rather than a showstopper. Tasted at Carré des Feuillants restaurant in Paris. 

Producer Commentary:
2004 Meursault La Goutte D'or 1er Cru
Color: White

Score: 88.0

Drinking window: 0 - 0

Tasting notes: The 2004 Meursault Goutte d’Or 1er Cru from d’Auvenay is frankly far too reduced on the nose to elicit much enjoyment. Despite rigorous aeration this would not budge. The palate is nicely weighted with just a hint of menthol, later a pinch of lemongrass, but that reduction on this bottle make it one of the least memorable wines from the domaine that I have recently encountered. 886 bottles produced. Tasted at Carré des Feuillants restaurant in Paris. 

Producer Commentary:
1999 Bonnes Mares Grand Cru
Color: Red

Score: 98.0

Drinking window: 2024 - 2059

Tasting notes: The 1999 Bonnes Mares is simply stunning. Soaring, vibrant and wonderfully alive, the 2010 conveys the purest essence of what makes wines from this site so compelling. A vertical spine of tannin gives the 1999 its distinctive feel. The purity of the flavors is simply dazzling. Readers lucky enough to own the 1999 should be as patient as possible, as it is a truly epic wine. 

Producer Commentary:
1999 Bonnes Mares Grand Cru
Color: Red

Score: 96.0

Drinking window: 0 - 0

Tasting notes: The 1999 Bonnes Mares from Domaine D’Auvenay was intoxicating for its sheer richness, concentration and purity. The wine’s balance and length were head-spinning.

Producer Commentary:
This wine was tasted during the La Paulee Gala Dinner in New York City, 2009.
2001 Bonnes Mares Grand Cru
Color: Red

Score: 94.0

Drinking window: 2019 - 2032

Tasting notes: The 2001 Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru felt a little light on the nose than the 2000 Bonnes-Mares at first, then once it gains confidence, offers entrancing scents of red cherries (Morello), pomegranate seeds and kelp. The palate is medium-bodied and very harmonious, lighter in tannin than the 2000 but certainly finer, with a Mugnier-like, understated finish that feels both minerals and extremely persistent. This is a supremely well-crafted Grand Cru from Lalou Bize-Leroy. 1134 bottles produced. Tasted at the d'Auvenay dinner in Hong Kong. 

Producer Commentary:
1999 Mazis Chambertin Grand Cru
Color: Red

Score: 98.0

Drinking window: 2024 - 2059

Tasting notes: In this flight, the 1999 Mazis Chambertin possesses off the charts textural richness and unctuosity. Dense, powerful and still very young, the 1999 is very reticent. And yet its greatness is obvious. This is an especially dark, potent Mazis, and yet all the elements are beautifully woven together. 

Producer Commentary:
2000 Mazis Chambertin Grand Cru
Color: Red

Score: 92.0

Drinking window: 2018 - 2030

Tasting notes: The 2000 Mazis-Chambertin Grand Cru is bridled with a beautiful bouquet. There is wonderful delineation, quite ethereal in style with black cherries, cold stone and just a touch of rusty copper piping and later, black truffles and Italian delicatessen. These aromatics are mercurial and captivating. The palate does not quite match up. It has an edgy, tensile opening, a “bony” Mazis-Chambertin with brine-infused black fruit, then attenuating towards the second half where you would have liked to see more fleshy and weight. It’s a lovely Mazis-Chambertin on the nose, just very good on the palate. Tasted at Carré des Feuillants restaurant in Paris. 

Producer Commentary:
2010 Mazis Chambertin Grand Cru
Color: Red

Score: 97.0

Drinking window: 2025 - 2045

Tasting notes: The 2010 Mazis-Chambertin is like pure silk on the palate. Endless layers of sweet perfumed fruit emerge gently from the glass. Today the Mazis is much more open and expressive than the Bonnes-Mares. It reveals gorgeous depth and textural finesse all the way to a pure, sensual finish that stays on the mind for hours, maybe days. This is a mesmerizing effort from Lalou Bize-Leroy. I only hope to have a chance to taste it from bottle. 

Producer Commentary:
Lalou Bize-Leroy has two fabulous Grand Cru reds sitting in her tiny cellar at Domaine D'Auvenay, on the hills outside Meursault. Bize-Leroy recently added to her holdings at D'Auvenay with purchases of small parcels in Bâtard-Montrachet and the Puligny villages vineyard Les Enseignères. Both parcels are currently farmed conventionally and will be converted to biodynamic farming, which is of course standard practice at the domaine.
2005 Chevalier Montrachet Grand Cru
Color: White

Score: 99.0

Drinking window: 2019 - 2035

Tasting notes: The 2005 Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru had a breath-taking bouquet that redefines intensity. There is a very subtle tropical note here, delicately interwoven between those liquid mineral scents, all brilliantly defined. The palate is medium-bodied and saline on the entry, hints of oyster shell and fruits de mer tincturing the citric notes, then a crescendo of flavors towards a vivid, slightly viscous finish that is kept in line by that razor-sharp acidity. Wow. This 2005 is one of the greatest white Burgundy wines that I have ever encountered and ranks alongside Coche-Dury's Corton-Charlemagne as the wine of the vintage. 600 bottles produced. Tasted at the d'Auvenay dinner in Hong Kong.

Producer Commentary:
2010 Chevalier Montrachet Grand Cru
Color: White

Score: 100.0

Drinking window: 2020 - 2040

Tasting notes: A wine of exceptional class and pedigree, the 2010 Chevalier-Montrachet soars from the glass with stunning perfume and layers of sweet, beautifully textured fruit. Rich in texture and yet also light on its feet, the Chevalier transmits intensity without weight. The 2010 is undoubtedly magnificent, but it is also very young. I like the d'Auvenay Chevalier best with a bit more bottle age. Even so, the 2010 delivers on all the promise I sensed when I first tasted it a few years ago.

Producer Commentary:
2011 Meursault Les Narvaux
Color: White

Score: 94.0

Drinking window: 2016 - 2016

Tasting notes: Lalou Bize's 2011 Meursault Narvaux takes hold of all the senses and never lets up. An utterly mesmerizing wine, the 2011 boasts extraordinary purity and depth. Today it tastes like a wine right out of tank, such is its intensity and power. With time in the glass, hints of apricot and slate emerge, but the Narvaux is first and foremost a wine of texture. The explosive, mineral-drenched finish is a perfect foil to the voluptuous fruit. What a fabulous wine this is.

Producer Commentary:
Lalou Bize-Leroy appears ageless. Her boundless enthusiasm for her vineyards and wines is palpable during the morning I spent at Domaine Leroy and Domaine d'Auvenay. Everything is amped up at these two domaines; the Bize-Leroy style, site signatures and vintage are all remarkably vivid. I tasted all of the d'Auvenay whites in November 2012 prior to their bottling, which was scheduled for January 2013. I will report on the reds in a forthcoming article. The d'Auvenay whites, especially with a little bottle age, remain some of the most utterly captivating and thrilling wines I have ever tasted.
2010 Meursault Les Narvaux
Color: White

Score: 96.0

Drinking window: 2020 - 2035

Tasting notes: Incredibly, the 2010 Meursault Les Narvaux doesn't appear to have moved much since I last tasted it a few years ago! There is tremendous freshness, purity and vivacity to the lemon confit and floral-infused flavors. The 2010 remains somewhat reduced and in need of more time in bottle to be at its very best. The level of explosive energy here is simply unreal. 

Producer Commentary:
1997 Meursault Narvaux
Color: White

Score: 93.0

Drinking window: 2018 - 2028

Tasting notes: Domaine d’Auvenay’s 1997 Meursault Narvaux has a precise bouquet with impressive mineralité: flint like scents complemented by hazelnut, and just a suggestion of brioche with aeration. The palate is well balanced and certainly displaying much more ripeness than I expected, almost rounded in texture yet this is counterpoised by that acidity. It becomes more taut towards the finish, long and sustained in the mouth with a detailed, precise and deliciously saline aftertaste. Superb. Tasted at the La Paulée in Beaune. 

Producer Commentary:
2006 Meursault Les Narvaux
Color: White

Score: 91.0

Drinking window: 0 - 0

Tasting notes: (racked ten days before my visit) Very ripe aromas of peach and nuts. Fat and sweet but with healthy ripe acidity enlivening the flavors of tangy lemon drop and crushed stone. A substantial, chewy wine with aging potential. Finishes with a piquant flavor of crystallized lemon peel.

Producer Commentary:
Lalou Bize-Leroy was proud to present her 2006 and 2005 white wines in late spring, but emphasized that it's essentially the 2003s and 2002s that are in the market now. As a rule, she tends to release numerous bottlings from multiple vintages at any one time, "when they're ready." All of these wines are done entirely in new barrels, with no cold-settling of the must and very little stirring of the lees. According to Bize, yields in 2005 were in the 20 to 25 hectoliters-per-hectare range, which she described as "not bad for us." But she prefers 2006 to 2005 for white wine. The '06s will be bottled early, as Bize told me she doesn't have enough wine to top the barrels! (The '05s were bottled in August of '06.) As you might imagine, my tasting included some spectacular young white Burgundies.

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