Les Barioles, Les Suquets 2023

Place: Auvergne, France

Grape: Chardonnay

Vibe: Textural

I have vivid memories of tasting this at a Salon earlier in the year. After copious amounts of Burgundian Chardonnay, this felt like a real change of pace. There was something so exhilarating about it that it stood out among some seriously impressive peers. “Energy” is a word that gets thrown around a lot, and I’m very guilty of that, but this really encapsulates what I mean.

The flavour profile here is fairly traditional for Chardonnay: orchard fruit, creamy texture, and subtle warming spice. However, there’s a tension and drive that make it at once comfortingly familiar yet unlike anything else I’ve tasted. ABV: 12.5%