95 point

Marc-Antonin Blain has made a brilliant Bâtard in 2024, with lush aromas of ripe apple and pear, floral notes and a hint of nutmeg. The texture is rich and dense but not overly so – this is an elegant wine, and nothing is out of proportion. The grapes are from the old vines inherited from his grandfather, Jacques Gagnard-Delagrange; they are lightly crushed and gently pressed before fermentation in barrel. No sulphur is used before bottling to produce this top-notch wine. Cellar this ideally for 10 years before opening.

95 point

This possesses the most floral-suffused nose in the range, especially acacia blossom, with its notes of citrus peel, crushed fennel and spice. There is better volume still with excellent size and weight to the broad-shouldered flavors that exude evident power on the balanced, youthfully austere and hugely long finale. Like the Criots, this too could use better depth though again, more complexity will almost certainly develop.