France

98 Points! Incredibly concentrated and refined, this has a mind-blowing aroma of sour cherries, but on the palate it is still slowly opening up, with great chalky minerality that builds and builds to an extraordinary climax at the almost endless finish. From organically grown grapes. Bottled unfiltered and unfined. Drink or hold. - JamesSuckling.com

96 Points! Rich and concentrated, but also refined and elegant, this stunning chardonnay has a fabulous silky texture on the medium-bodied palate. The hazelnut, almond and candied-lemon aromas cascade over your palate at the very long finish. Drink or hold. - JamesSuckling.com

92 Points! The sour cherry aromas leap out of the glass at you. Sleek, juicy and joyful on the barely medium-bodied palate. But there's also a hint of darkness in its personality that adds depth to the elegant finish. Made from Marsannay village vineyards (50+ year-old vines) with gentle maceration and no new oak. Drink or hold. - JamesSuckling.com

95+ Points! Still in tank at the time of tasting, Charvin’s 2023 Chateauneuf du Pape shows a less flamboyant profile than last year, opening with aromas of menthol, spices, cassis and mulberries. Medium- to full-bodied, dense and layered, it reveals a lively, tensile core of fruit framed by velvety tannins, concluding with a finish marked by real freshness. Matured for 21 months, this blend of 82% Grenache Noir, 5% Syrah, 5% Mourvèdre, 4% Vaccarèse and the balance Counoise is another impressive success from Laurent Charvin, emphasizing precision and vibrancy over sheer opulence. - Yohan Castaing, robertparker.com

94 Points! Fermented with lots of stems and aged entirely in concrete tanks, the 2023 Châteauneuf Du Pape brings textbook aromatics of ripe red and black fruits, sappy garrigue, leather, and damp flowers, as well as black pepper. It has a deep ruby/plum hue and offers medium body, a pure, focused, elegant mouthfeel, ripe yet certainly building tannins, and a great finish. This is a textbook Châteauneuf with complexity, nuances, richness, and elegance. - Jeb Dunnuck

96 Points! A minerally and citrusy wine with vibrant aromas of cedar, pastry, lemon curd, chalk, linden tree, dried oranges and yogurt. Medium-bodied with medium-sized bubbles, a creamy texture and zesty acidity. Sharp and chewy palate with super-polished extraction and strawberry flavors. Smooth and engaging length. Very classic and tense. Drink or hold. - JamesSuckling.com

94+ Points! Scheduled to be released in April 2026, the NV Champagne Cuvee 749 Extra Brut is based on the 2021 vintage and is composed of 60% Chardonnay and 40% Pinot Noir, with a little Meunier. The oldest reserve wine is from the 743 cuvée. In the glass, it displays a paler straw color compared to the 748, and this release has more verticality, with refreshing citrus notes shining through. It has a lot of personality, but it’s fresh, compact, and salty, with strawberries and a light hint of spice in the mousse. The acidity lends a chalky texture to its notes of orange and lemon zest, and for me, the Chardonnay takes the lead in this release, showcasing a focused structure and refreshing acidity. I think this has a lot of potential. Disgorged in August 2025, with 2 grams per liter dosage. - Audrey Frick, jebdunnuck.com

90 Points! Based on 50% Syrah, 40% Grenache, and the rest Mourvèdre brought up in tank and foudre, the 2022 Côtes Du Rhône offers red and black fruits, peppery herbs, licorice, and some stone minerality on the nose. It's medium-bodied, has a pretty, pure, juicy, absolutely delicious style, and delivers the goods as this cuvée always does. - Jeb Dunnuck

90+ Points! Notes of lilac, dark cherries and flowers preface Guigal’s 2022 Côtes du Rhône, a juicy, round and elegant wine that is also remarkably dense for the vintage and represents excellent value. - Yohan Castaing, robertparker.com

93 Points! Deep and highly aromatic on the nose - freshly picked red berries with dried herbs and a touch of liquorice. Supple and forward, this has nice energy and bounce. Creamy, super juicy and with a cooling mineral bite that comes across as slightly spiced with graphite and pencil lead accents and a slight chalky powderiness on the tongue. Really lovely frame and focus. Great to drink now, has plenty of punch but with lovely finesse too. Easy to enjoy this. - Decanter Magazine

93 Points! Very perfumed, bright and crunchy. Rose petals, lemons and other citrus fruits. Medium body with citrus and raspberry flavors. Linear and long with lovely energy and vivacity. Drinkable now, but better in a couple of years. - JamesSuckling.com

96 Points! Spice-laden red and black fruits, leafy tobacco, savory flowers, and new leather notes all shine in the 2022 Château Tour Saint Christophe, another brilliant wine from this team. I love its complexity, and it's medium to full-bodied on the palate, with fine tannins, a layered, elegant mouthfeel, beautifully integrated oak, and a great finish. Based on 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc brought up in 25% new French oak, give bottles 3-5 years if you can and enjoy over the following 15+. - Jeb Dunnuck

96 Points! A very good year for Tour Saint Christophe, showing great depth and flavor despite high alcohol. Abundant dark minerals, fresh blackberries, black olives and a hint of cocoa powder. Pretty full-bodied and firm with crunchy, reactive tannins and a long and flavorful finish. Lots of density here. - JamesSuckling.com

92 Points! A blend of Mourvèdre, Cinsault and Grenache, the 2025 Bandol Rosé reveals an elegant, perfumed bouquet of red berries, spring flowers, pear and spices mingled with a delicate note of pepper. Medium- to full-bodied, enveloping and round, it has a juicy, elegant core of fruit with good depth, concluding with a long, saline finish. It should age gracefully over the next three to five years. - Yohan Castaing, robertparker.com

To us, this wine epitomizes what great Provençal Rosé should taste like, easy, juicy, quaffable, sunny. This wine with a healthy chill immediately brings to mind palm trees, beaches, moule frites, all things French summer. Love it!

97 Points! Robust, floral and intense. 100% old-vine grenache, expressing aromas of wild berries, sweet cherries, orange peel, dried flowers, grilled herbs and loads of spices. It’s full-bodied with fine, firm tannins. Juicy at the center with so much energy. It’s vibrant and focused with good drive in the finish. Bright and agile. From organically grown grapes with Ecocert certification. - JamesSuckling.com

96 Points! There's a lot to love in this ethereal red, with stunning purity and allure. The perfumed nose is marked by black fruit, pepper, smoked bacon and tobacco, with smoky oolong tea in the backdrop. Concentrated yet doesn't feel weighed down, with fine, chalky tannins landing the finish, which stretches out in effortless harmony and reveals earthy tugs of tar and juniper. Its beautiful suppleness makes this approachable now, but this will also go the distance in the cellar. Drink now through 2040. - Wine Spectator