1 | Wine | Chardonnay, 91 or higher, 2009

"The 2009 Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard impresses for its focus and nuance. Layers of chiseled, beautifully delineated fruit emerge from this sculpted Chardonnay. The Hudson is about subtlety first and foremost. Ripe apricots, freshly cut flowers, pastry, lemon, crushed rocks and French oak inform the pure, creamy finish."

"Bright gold. Intensely perfumed aromas of orange pith, pear and anise, with slow-building spiciness and a touch of salty minerality. Vibrant, finely etched citrus and orchard fruit flavors expand and deepen with air, picking up a sexy florality. The brisk finish features a strong jolt of melon and a touch of iodine."

"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."

"The 2009 Chablis Grenouilles comes across as quite shy and inward, also because of its recent bottling. White fruit, flowers, mint and citrus are some of the notes that take shape in this beautifully delineated wine. The Grenouille exudes great balance of vineyard and vintage characteristics, much more so than the 2010 at this stage. The glycerin-rich finish shows the richness of the vintage."

"Rather shut down on the nose, hinting at orange peel, nutmeg and minerals. Denser and more savory than the "regular" Clos, but at the same time silkier (the vines here are older). A stronger oak element contributes to the impression of breadth and dryness. More bracing on the long finish than the thick palate suggests, with a piquant note of pineapple. I'd give this very rich and saline wine a few years to absorb some of its oak." Reviewed by Stephen Tanzer.

"The 2009 Chablis Valmur emerges from the glass with tiny bursts of energy and vibrancy. This is a minimalist, understated wine graced with tremendous classiness from start to finish. It is also quite cool and reserved for the vintage. All in all, this is another winner from Moreau."

This wine was named #26 of Wine Spectator's Top 100 Wines of 2012.

"At first, this teases, fresh and snappy, displaying lively acidity and zesty citrus, green apple and pear notes. Turns pithy midpalate, but the flavors pour though on the finish, adding mouthwatering touches of light oak and mineral. Should only get better."

"The 2009 Chardonnay Estate emerges from the glass with lemon, citrus, white flowers and spices. This mid-weight, gracious wine impresses for its balance, energy and understated personality. I loved it."

"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.

"The nose is beautifully defined with scents of melon, honeysuckle and white peach with just a hint of creme patissiere. The palate is fresh and crisp on the entry with subtle almond and hazelnut. It has wonderfully integrated vanilla-tinged oak and a tense, mineral-rich finish that is Corton-Charlemagne in all but name and price. This is one of South Africa’s benchmark Chardonnays."