2018 Francois Carillon Puligny Montrachet 1r Cru Champ Gains

(92 Points) Aromas of candied citrus peal, orange oil, warm pastry and green mango introduce the 2018 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Champ Gain, a medium to full-bodied, satiny and enveloping wine that's succulent and fleshy, concluding with a delicately exotic finish. As I observed earlier this year, Domaine François Carillon—as well as François's négociant activity under the same label—is only a new incarnation of a long-standing family tradition that stretches back many generations: François is named after his great-grandfather, François Virot, the pioneering regisseur of Domaine Leflaive who must rank among the 20th century's greatest white winemakers, and he began working with his father, Louis Carillon, with the 1988 vintage. François's style is richer and more gourmand than his brother Jacques's, and he harvests later; in 2018, that translates to ripe, fleshy, textural wines that Carillon contends will be refined by long élevage on the lees. Purists might prefer his elegant, expressive 2017s, but these generous, gourmand wines will no doubt find an avid clientele the world over. Robertparker.com