Stones | France, $50 to $100

"Aromas of apple, lime and ginger. A step up in intensity and minerality from the premier crus; quite ripe and pliant but rather unforthcoming. Best today on the subtle, rising whiplash of a finish, which coats the palate with powdered stone. Very long and gripping wine: am I underestimating it today?"-Stephen Tanzer

"Perfumed aromas of cherry, redcurrant, licorice and crushed stone. Sweet, pliant and concentrated; at once very ripe and elegant, with lovely lift for the vintage. Wonderfully expressive, penetrating wine, finishing with tangy red fruits and minerals and a light touch." 91-94 pts, reviewed by Stephen Tanzer.

"Bright, pale green. Subtle, delicate aromas of white peach, mint, crushed stone and chlorophyll. Less complex today than the Preuses but this is still an infant. All about white peach lifted by white pepper. Fine-grained, silky and utterly vibrant wine, delivering outstanding density and fullness without weight. Great slowly mounting finish promises much more to come."
Stephen Tanzer, International Wine Cellar - 95 pts

"The 2010 Chablis Les Clos is all about understatement and balance. White floral notes meld into white stone fruit in this utterly gracious Chablis. Clos can at times be fleeting and elusive, and there is certainly some of that in the 2010. Still, it is impossible to miss the wine’s textural finesse and sheer overall balance. I will not be surprised if the 2010 continues to get better in bottle."

"Peach, flowers and hazelnut on classic Puligny nose. Then sweet and fruity in the mouth, with very ripe stone fruit flavors complicated by hints of honey and menthol. The dusty, slightly aggressive finish displays excellent density and an intriguing flinty character. Boasts impressive volume for village wine." Reviewed by Stephen Tanzer.

"High-pitched aromas of lemon, vineyard peach and flowers. Tactile and wild, with a very dense, extract-rich palate impression cut by penetrating lemony acidity. This boasts terrific flavor intensity and verve for 2009. The very long, saline finish saturates the palate with lemon and crushed stone. White Burgundy from red wine soil."

"Captivating nose combines red raspberry, minerals, crushed stone, coffee and cocoa powder. Juicy and slightly high-toned on the palate; bit lean for this cuvee Fruitier than the Beaux Monts but the tannins seem tougher today. But finishes with sneaky length. I suspect this is better than it's showing today." 90-92 pts, reviewed by Stephen Tanzer.

"Highly expressive and pure aromas of lime zest, nutmeg, ginger and quinine. Fat on entry, then stuffed with ginger, citrus and stone fruit flavors. Displays a distinct sucrosite without any heaviness. Finishes impressively long and spicy. This reminded me of a cross between an Alsace riesling and pinot gris grand cru. Am I underrating this?" 91-93 points, reviewed by Stephen Tanzer.

"Bright, pale yellow-straw. Reticent stony nose. More filled in than the Blanchots, with good precision to its stone fruit and mineral flavors. Fruity and densely packed, with a bright, tactile, rising finish that owes more to this grand cru than to the very ripe year. I underrated this wine a year ago." -Stephan Tanzer

"Very ripe yet high-pitched aromas of wet stone, hawthorn and botanical herbs. Broad, silky and sweet, with a three-dimensional quality to the superrich yet sharply delineated flavors of crushed stone, violet and lavender. Perhaps best today on the superb rising finish, where the wine's compelling vibrancy carries through. Another wine of great dimension. Lardiere used 60% new oak here, but the wood element is fully integrated and virtually invisible. Showing spectacularly well today, perhaps due in part to the fact that this wine finished its fermentation early." Reviewed by Stephen Tanzer.

"The 2009 Beaune Clos des Mouches is quite round and seamless for a young Beaune. Yellow stone fruits and minerals are some of the notes that wrap around the palate in this striking white from Drouhin. I especially like to focus and energy of the finish. Though fabulous today, I am very curious to see where the 2009 might be headed over the coming years. In 2009 the estate picked the fruit from this site in nine separate passes."