Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

The color of the 14 looks rich & starting to age Sauternes.

It is very viscous with notes of paraffin. Lots of dried fruits; apricots, juicy, overripe yellow peaches, blood orange with peel, marmalade fruits/jam, citrus blend, bruised Bosc pear, macerated, golden & red apple & dried pineapple, strong presence of gritty chalk & grey volcanic minerals, white spice, sea fossils, limestone marl, dry twig, sun tea with fruit, nuts with skin, some butterscotch & toffee, burnt raw sugar, honeycomb, warm caramel, vanillin, herbal notes, withering yellow lilies, orange Gerber daisies, grand, round acidity, great balance, still nice tension/structure, rich, smartly-elegant-polished finish without end and long sets on volcanics & spice. — a month ago

Zach D

9.3

Wow. Such a nice wine coming from humble origins. Needs some air to express itself. On the nose yellow lilies, apple blossom, almost a hint of jasmine, just ripe yellow apple, just ripe pear, a touch of fresh vanilla. On the palate, this really shines. Ripe orchard fruits, rich without being cloying. Blind I would place this as a village Meursault. Yellow apple, pear, touch almond, buttery and rich texture with minimal oak, crème brûlée; I’m assuming from skillful lees management . Good acidity, decent length. 13 abv. 24 usd at the grocery store. I haven’t seen ratings anywhere near where I’ve placed this, but maybe this is a product of a good vintage? Either way, huge fan — 7 months ago

romo

9.2

Argybargy. Impressive coating texture and punchy acid make this a bargain. — 2 years ago

Dominique Elena

10

Wow !! Wat een neus!!!!! Late oogst, iets van botrytis? Iig bij de hogere cuvees — a month ago

romo

9.0

Drink early. Hope 24 has more stuffing. — 5 months ago

Paul T, Missing My Beautiful Wife 24/7

9.6

This exceeded expectations-Notes from retailer We’ve long been fans of Domaine de la Bongran, a curious little estate in Viré-Clessé producing delicious and distinct white Burgundies. Their Cuvée Levroutée is only made in exceptional years, using some botrytised fruit and made in an off-dry style; as with their other wines, it is aged exclusively in stainless steel to allow the terroir to shine. The 2017 is the first release of the cuvée in over a decade, with the previous vintage produced 2006. The fruit comes from specific parcels with marl-rich soils that retain humidity and therefore encourage the development of noble rot, while also producing Chardonnay with a beautiful backbone of acidity.

The 2017, made with around 25% botrytised fruit, is still incredibly young, with the bite of Seville orange pith, honey and richer peach on the nose, leading on to a lush palate that offers a rush of stone fruit, reined in by a line of mineral citrus. The 17g/l residual sugar is beautifully integrated, and zesty notes linger on the long finish, keeping the wine impressively fresh and balanced. Winemaker Gautier Thévenet tells us that within three to five years the wine tends to seem dry, the sugar integrating with the body of the wine and becoming even more complex. Just 4,200 bottles were produced.

Wine Advocate 95 review

The 2017 Viré-Clessé Cuvée Levroutée is now on the market, and it is the first time the Thevent family has been able to produce this cuvée since 2006. Unwinding in the glass with aromas of citrus oil, caramelized pineapple, mandarin, white flowers, pine resin and spices, it's medium to full-bodied, deep and textural, with a layered core, racy acids and appreciable residual sweetness and structural tension, but it's already more integrated and expressive than it was last year, so it appears to be coming into its stride. — 7 months ago

Wil Chow

8.9

Girl I looooove me a porch crusher bubbly. Bright, Bartlett pear, some apple, bit of metal. Finish is short but whatevs — 3 months ago

Chip Habegger

9.1

Very good but heavier and denser than anticipated—but definitely not in a cab way. Mild tannins for such a deep fruited wine. Veers into earthy territory. Moderate plus acidity. — 5 months ago

Peter Sultan

9.0

Kicking off a meal w friends, I want to say this has no business as an under 20$ blanc de blanc from Burgundy— but boy it does. Rich yeasty chard, not the last word on detail or the finest mousse… but 18.97$!!!!! — a year ago

Stefan Dolhain

8.9

Régnié 2022 by Jean-Paul & Charly Thévenet. — 3 years ago