2020 Burgundy: Côte de Beaune tasting notes

More in this series

2020 Burgundy: Classic wines from an extreme season

2020 Burgundy: A guide to the sub-regions and villages

2020 Burgundy: Chablis tasting notes

2020 Burgundy: Côte de Nuits tasting notes

2020 Burgundy: Côte Chalonnaise, Mâconnais, and Beaujolais tasting notes

These tasting notes represent a selection from many hundreds of wines tasted. I look for quality, typicité, and wines that I enjoy, but this is not a definitive wish list. You can be sure there are good wines from the following producers that are not included. My tasting notes are snapshots taken from late October to late November 2021, toward the end of élevage when the wines are still evolving, and this is a vintage that needs time. Most whites will benefit from a little fining to sharpen the profile, and the reds from natural refining in tank after racking. Don’t underestimate the significance of the finishing processes to the final polished presentation of the wines.

Beaune

Domaine Bouchard Père et Fils

Bouchard is increasingly focused on its domaine vineyards, so it is largely from these that I’ve made my selection. Chef de cave Frédéric Weber finds 2020 a concentrated and strong vintage. “It reminds me of 2016 for its vibrancy and energy and terroir, while in 2018 the wines are denser and more homogenous. It is a bit like 2015 with more maturity. More concentrated, but also fresher than 2019. A great vintage for the future, like the 2018s.”

White

Beaune Premier Cru Clos Saint-Landry

There have been white grapes planted on the white marl in this clos since the 13^th century. Rich and buttery aroma, with an exotic and generous palate, rich with pineapple, candied fruit, and plenty of spice. Soft and ripe, it seems overt now, but give it time to focus and show its true potential. 2025–28. 91

Meursault Les Clous

Bouchard owns more than 20 acres (8ha) of this excellent village lieu-dit in upslope Meursault, on white soil but quite deep. A delightful lime and elderflower aroma, light but intense, with a fresh and pacy palate that truly sizzles on the finish. Has a real nip to it. Clean and tight style. 2023–30. 90

Meursault Premier Cru Genevrières

Floral aroma, which is intense and extravagant as it opens. Exotic palate attack. Rich but delightfully light, tight and contained, with mineral focus on the persistent and direct finish. 2025–30+. 94–95

Meursault Premier Cru Le Porusot

Smoky and punchy aroma, with notes of rich, crystalized lemon. The palate is honeyed and shows ripe greengage. But it’s also compact and has kick and tension. It is tight and focused to finish. An excellent representation of the terroir. 2025–30+. 94

Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru

This is made from the white, thin soil of the terraces. Pure and tense aroma. Breezy. It is fine and taut on the attack; pure and focused. Great energy. Straight palate and a firm, intense, and direct finish. 2025–30+. 96–97

Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru La Cabotte

From a small (0.5 acre [0.2ha]) strip above Le Montrachet and below the Chevalier terraces. Vibrant mineral aroma. Richer and more viscous, but also more restrained, than the previous wine. There is power, edge, and reserve, with savory but rich austerity to the finish. 2026–35. 97–98

Montrachet Grand Cru

Superb intensity on the nose, with the warmth of the vintage showing in crystalized fruit. Great depth and dimension on the palate and a splendidly sustained finish. Knockout. 2026–35+. 99

Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru

The parcel is in east-facing Le Corton. Reserved aroma, with hints of almond and biscuit. Rich attack to a savory and dense palate. Punchy and gravelly grunt. It’s full but super-fresh, with power and sapidity and very good persistence. 2025–30. 96

Red

Beaune Premier Cru Grèves Vigne de l’Enfant Jésus

Sumptuous black-cherry aroma, with notes of licorice and cinnamon, this ripples beautifully; so seductive. It has precision to the edges and freshness and spice on the finish. A debonair wine. 2025–32+. 95

Beaune Premier Cru Teurons

From a steep slope rich in limestone, so it gets very warm here, and this shows in the black-fruit aroma and dark suede entry to the palate. It slides on a supple texture of black satin. Richness with a fine texture in this unpretentious wine, which is taut and slices to a bright and floral finish. Just delish. 2024–30. 92

Savigny-lès-Beaune Premier Cru Les Lavières

Intense dark-fruit aroma, with blueberries and white pepper. Silky texture to start, while it ends on a lively crunch and a slight twang. Very appetizing. 2023–26. 87

Volnay Premier Cru Caillerets Ancienne Cuvée Carnot

Red fruit, peonies, and a hint of licorice. So silky, entwined around a fine core. It has tension and vibrancy and a touch of strictness. Salty, tangy, tight, and persistent on the finish. I like the nervosity. 2026–35. 95

Volnay Premier Cru Taillepieds

Tarry aroma. Powerful and lithe muscularity. Dense, black, and punchy. It has some tannic grip. Smoke and oregano, with cutting freshness to finish. Great typicité. 2027–35. 95

Nuits-St-Georges Premier Cru Les Cailles

Tense and straight. Certainly contained, it has a whiplash of tannin and clack to the core. This has edge and intention. 2026–32. 94

Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru Les Cazetiers

Elderflower and tarragon on the nose, so floral (Bouchard’s parcel is at the top). Pure, racy, and delicate, with a fine and powdery texture, woven with freshness. It has a light and luminous feel, with a saline finish. Beautiful wine. 2027–35+. 95–96

Chambertin Grand Cru

Straight, powerful, strict, and restrained, with a firm, intense, and vibrant core and a superb chalky finish. 2028–40. 98

Bonnes Mares Grand Cru

Exotic flowers on the nose give way to a super-glossy, dark, sumptuous, and slightly brooding palate, which is underlined by freshness. A lingering, velvet finish. 2027–38. 98

Maison Champy

Champy has a fresh, contemporary face to present to the public—a boutique store in Beaune opposite the Hospices, where you can try and buy the wines in an elegant and contemporary setting. Champy is a négociant with an historic lineage in Beaune, but much of the fruit comes from its own organically run estate and the biodynamically managed landholding in Pernand-Vergelesses (formerly Laleure-Piot), which forms the core of this brand. Dimitri Bazas is the winemaker.

White

Bourgogne Aligoté

Oatmeal and nutty, with a creamy lemon mid-palate and an appetizing savory note. It has savory, salty finish. 2022–24. 83

Pernand-Vergelesses Premier Cru En Caradeux

Rich, opulent, and generous, quite burly, with a cold, savory bite. It is generous and expressive, but underpinned by sappy freshness. A robust white. 2024–28. 88–89

Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru

From En Charlemagne (on the cool northwest face of the great hill), this has cucumber freshness, with cool restraint to both nose and palate. It is intense, elegant, and straight, with a firm, mineral finish. It slices lightly across the palate; quite delicate and with tingling salinity. 2026–35. 95–96

Red

Bourgogne Pinot Noir Cuvée Edmé

Expressive, luscious summer-fruit aroma. Wonderfully juicy and generous, splashing with red fruits. Soft tannins and freshness to balance. Yummy. 2022–25. 84

Beaune Vieilles Vignes

Lush, velvet texture and lots of concentration from these 70-year-old vines. It is deep and inky in fruit and thickly textured. The finish is matt black, with notes of charcoal and white pepper. Top-notch village Beaune. 2023–30. 87

Savigny-lès-Beaune

Deliciously ripe loganberry fruit. Such concentration for a Savigny. Super-succulent, dense, and juicy palate. Lots of depth to this little wine. Firm, ripe tannins with plenty of structure. Not at all shy. Slight spice and orange zest to finish. Over-delivers. 2022–27. 86–87

Pernand-Vergelesses Clos de Bully

On marly limestone, this vineyard takes a long time to ripen, with its cold exposition and high elevation, but I just love it. Dark forest fruits with a fresh chew. Licorice and spices and sappy, saltiness. Earthy and appetizing. 2023–30. 87

Pernand-Vergelesses Premier Cru Ile des Vergelesses

Rather lovely floral aromatics and spicy elegance. Slim-textured and lively. Pounces straight and pure with a tight line. Mineral tension on the precise and cool, salty finish. 2024–32+. 92–93

Corton Rognet Grand Cru

Full and rich, this is an opulent wine, which flexes svelte muscle. It is compact, layered, and dense. Powerful finish. 2027–2040. 94–95

Domaine Chanson

Justine Savoye (viticulturist) and Lucy Auger (winemaker) have recently replaced Jean-Pierre Confuron. They started harvest on August 24 and were finished by the end of the month. Chanson’s cooling tunnel, which takes the bunches down to 43–46ºF (6–8ºC) and has been in operation for some years now, was rather useful in 2020 to achieve the cool pre-ferment Chanson likes for reds. Justine notes that Chardonnay was more robust in the heatwave. She is experimenting in their nine rows of Beaune Teurons with a 4.5ft (1.4m) canopy, mulching between the rows against evaporation, and spraying a talc solution on the leaves. “We scratch our heads,” says MD Vincent Avenel “to find solutions to the extreme weather.” There are also changes afoot in the winery, including less pigeage and more remontage in 2020, and in their systematic use of whole-bunch, something for which they are well-known. “We love it, but it’s a question of proportion,” says Vincent. Quite high alcohol levels here, with most reds at 14.5%, but good acidity, too, with pHs under 3.6.

White

Beaune Premier Cru Clos des Mouches

Rich, citrusy, and intense aroma. Fruity, juicy, up-front attack. So succulent. Splashing and juicy and zesty. Very appetizing. It finishes on more tension and sweet minerality. Sweet and salty. 2024–32. 93

Savigny-lès-Beaune Premier Cru Les Hauts Marconnets

Open, seductive, melon and peachy aromas. A warm and inviting palate; ripe and full, but with a light, salty, drier touch to the finish. 2024–28. 87

Corton Vergennes Grand Cru

Sapid, powerful, and direct. The intensity is focused and contained. A marked savory character to the persistent, salty finish. Love it. 2026–35. 96–97

Red

Beaune Premier Cru Clos des Fèves

From a monopole of 10 acres (4ha). Rich, dark, and concentrated aroma, and the attack is swathed in satin-silky tannins. It’s intense, dense, and yet refined. From the richer mid-palate it is cooler, delicate, and sings straight with sapidity. Lovely, long finish. 2026–35. 95

Beaune Premier Cru Grèves

Straight and rich, underscored by freshness and tension. Fine tannins and plenty of energy on the finish. 2026–35. 94

Pernand-Vergelesses Premier Cru Les Vergelesses

Uber-ripe, cherry-pie aromatics and flavors. Ripe, full, dark, and sturdy, with notable muscularity, but it also has a marked bite and a snap on the finish. Needs time. 2025–30. 89–90

Santenay Premier Cru Beauregard

This site can struggle with maturity for reds in a lesser vintage, but in 2020 it is elegant and pure, with a light and fine texture. 2024–26. 88

Domaine des Croix

David Croix considers the 2020s to have a “sense of darkness and richness, but it is lifted.” His village Beaune is juicy, vibrant, and fresh, while Cent-Vignes is exotic and open-textured.

Beaune Premier Cru Le Bas des Teurons

A deeper soil than Teurons proper shows in the deep forest fruits, richer and spicier than you might expect from Teurons. It’s certainly rather punchy and compact, but has a lovely lift and freshness to the finish. 2026–30+. 91–92

Beaune Premier Cru Bressandes

Tightly concentrated, nicely edged, and fresh. Tension and elegance, with satin texture and some finesse. 2026–30+. 93–94

Beaune Premier Cru Les Grèves

Exotic florals with hints of bergamot. Smooth and super-seductive, it’s surprisingly extravagant, while Grèves is typically focused. Needs time to calm down over a second winter. 2025–30+. 93

Beaune Premier Cru Tuvilains

From vines just under Bouchard’s Clos Saint-Landry. An earthy, savory, umami aroma. The palate is ripe and juicy and more open in texture than the Teurons. 2025–30. 91

Corton La Vigne au Saint Grand Cru

High toned aroma. It is straight, not a full-bodied Corton, rather more tendon and light sinew and plentiful energy. 2025–30+. 94

Joseph Drouhin

White

Beaune Premier Cru Clos des Mouches Blanc

With plentiful juicy stone fruit, this is very lively and there is good depth and freshness. The finish is well-sustained and rather more savory. Nicely balanced and engaging. 2025–30+. 93

Montrachet Marquis de Laguiche Grand Cru

Tightly honed, this shows excellent intensity, purity and focus. The superbly long and ringing finish has fine vibration. 2028–40+. 98–99

Red

Beaune Premier Cru Clos des Mouches Rouge

Like its white counterpart, this shows an abundance of super-juicy fruit and fresh acidity. It has no lack of exuberance, while the white has a little more finesse. 2025–30+. 92

Le Grappin

Larger than life Australian Andrew Neilsen loves to experiment in his tiny winery tucked into the medieval walls of Beaune. Watch out for his skin-contact whites.

White

Bourgogne Aligoté

Aligoté Doré from Mâcon with some skin contact. Attacks with intension. Tackiness to the texture. It has a savory note and a good combination of nuttiness and freshness on the finish. The citrus fruit is offset by the phenolic bite. Top-notch Aligoté. 2022–26. 84

Monthélie Les Toisières

Delicate passion-fruit aroma, then a light, slim, and straight palate; nicely crisp, with a tropical hint of pineapple, which comes together with pithy notes to make an attractive bitter-fruity finish. 2022–25. 83

Savigny-lès-Beaune

Andrew chills the organic grapes overnight, then crushes them by foot in their boxes and again in the basket press. This has loads of sapidity and bite, together with inviting, warm, light brioche characters. From cool parcels that often struggle to ripen but that really deliver in these warm vintages. 2022–26. 86

Red

Beaujolais Côte de Brouilly

Andrew describes his approach as “thoughtful nothingness.” A blueberry aroma with a touch of spice. An energetic and vibrant palate, with light crunch. Floral on the finish. Bright, fresh, and zesty. 2023–26. 85

Savigny-Les-Beaune Aux Fourneaux

Plenty of personality, with an appetizingly herbal aroma and punchy attack. Burly at first, but with a light touch on the fruity mid-palate and a fresh bite to finish. 2023–28. 85

Louis Jadot

Louis Jadot owns four domaines, in addition to its négociant activity.

White

Domaine Ferret Pouilly-Fuissé Clos des Prouges

Lots of impact on the nose and attack. Plentiful succulent fruit and decent concentration mid-palate, with the fruit offset by mineral grip. Tangy and fresh. Showy and appealing. 2023–25. 86

Domaine Gagey Beaune Premier Cru Bressandes Blanc

Rather elegant with good line and tension. It has a creamy elderflower character with hints of fennel. Really quite enticing. Charming fruit, with a shimmer of minerality and freshness. 2024–30. 93

Meursault-Blagny Premier Cru

A lightly citrus aroma, then the palate is more savory-sesame-nutty, with a bit of richness in the middle, but overall it is straight and fresh and finishes on a saline note. Very pretty. 2024–30. 92–93

Domaine des Héritiers Louis Jadot Puligny-Montrachet Premier Cru Les Folatières

Spot-on typicité in this Folatières. Rich and for the moment a bit oaky on the nose, but no lack of intensity. The fruit is succulent, peachy, and a hint tropical on the attack. A firm, dense, and compact palate; flexing some muscular weight, cut with firm acidity and a hint of appetizing bitterness. It has proper follow through and good presence. 2025–30+. 94–95

Seguin-Manuel

Although Thibaut Marion has a fine range of négociant wines, I have focused largely on those from the domaine. He harvested everything, from the Côte d’Or, to the Mâconnais, in ten days. “The reds are unique, because of the balance and the ripeness. Maybe it is most like 1959.”

White

Pouilly-Vinzelles Vieilles Vignes

Smoothly rounded and lightly opulent, this focuses to a tight, straight, fresh finish. 2023–28. 86

Puligny-Montrachet Les Reuchaux

Pure, straight, tight, and lively. Juicy and digestive. It is energetic and fresh. A silky-sweet quality, with wet-stone minerality to finish. 2024–28. 90

Savigny-lés-Beaune Goudelettes

From a high, east-facing site. The style is both warm and cold; fruity and savory. It has a cool reserve and is very sappy. 2023–26. 86–87

Beaune Premier Cru Clos des Mouches

So juicily generous and smoothly opulent. Seductive, but has lively freshness at the end. The depth and substance for aging. Among the best white Beaunes I tasted. 2025–32. 94

Red

Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Beaune

Summer fruits and white flowers; lifted and charming, lightly rounded, with light tannins and a slight crunch to finish. So inviting. 2022–24. 86

Beaune Premier Cru Bressandes

Ripe morello-cherry aroma with a hint of star anise. Silky and pure, light and elegant. Very precise and light, with a slightly saline finish. A delicate but intense wine. 2025–32+. 93

Savigny-lés-Beaune Godeaux

Cranberry freshness and delicacy with zingy minerality. A croquant expression from the limestone soil. Delightful. 2023–28. 85–86

Savigny-lès-Beaune Premier Cru Lavières

A fine floral, rose-petal aroma. It glides across the palate with a delicate harmony, sweetness, and freshness. 2024–28. 87

Vosne-Romanée Aux Communes

Rich red-fruit aroma, with good concentration and depth for a village wine. 2025–30+. 89–90

Bligny-lès-Beaune

Dominique Lafon

“Now, this is the good stuff,” said Dominique Lafon after I had finished tasting at the Comtes Lafon domaine in Meursault and we moved to Bligny. He is stepping back from the domaine, but plans to continue his négociant activity at Château de Bligny. It is the first vintage in which he used no pigeage, and there were shorter vatting times, too. Dominique described the reds as “ripe and fleshy but fresh.”

White

Meursault Narvaux

Straight, high-toned, neat, and compact, with tension and lightly muscular minerality. 2023–30. 90–91

Puligny-Montrachet Premier Cru Champs Gain

There is a light gloss to the straight and pure palate, which has focus, energy, and a lively edge. Finishes with a mineral sheen. 2024–30. 93

Red

Beaune Premier Cru Les Epenottes

Dominique bought this vineyard in 2010 from a branch of the Drouhin family and manages it organically. Dark fruit concentration. Smooth, rich-chocolate texture; generous and energetic, with a light bitter cocoa and spicy finish. 2024–32. 93

Volnay Premier Cru Les Lurets

Red-fruited, lifted, and intense, light and pure, with a vibrancy and silky delicacy and precision. Ripeness but with bright energy. 2024–30. 92–93

Meurgey-Croses

Pierre Meurgey remarked, “It is an exceptional vintage due to the potential alcohol combined with such well-preserved acidity. If we have to deal with climate change, this I like.” Pierre is working largely with organic fruit.

Mâcon Uchizy

Aged in stainless steel, this is both rich and lively, with rather spicy and floral aromatics. It has a light and refreshing, cool sappiness to finish. 2022–24. 82

Viré-Clessé Vieilles Vignes

From Le Mont, on the Clessé side, a cooler place at the top of the hill with thinner soil. Just nicely rounded, with silky-ripe apricot fruit, a pink floral note, and a touch of spice. A cool and calm feel, some restraint, and a just a bite of chalky minerality to carry the palate. Among my favorite examples of Viré-Clessé in this vintage, selected for its fresher balance and mineral touch. 2022–25. 85

Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru

From the Pernand-Vergelesses side of the great hill. Opens with an almost cucumber freshness, then into a straight but ripe mid-palate and a savory, pithy finish. It is a well-balanced, lighter style, neatly defined; fresh and swift Corton-Charlemagne, with an appetizing bitterness. 2025–30. 93–94

Red

Côte-de-Nuits-Villages Aux Montagnes

Rich, juicy, and generous, with its splashing dark-forest fruits. Slightly burly in a wholesome way, it has tarragon freshness from the whole-bunch to finish. Appetizing. 2024–27. 84–85

Pommard Premier Cru Les Grands Epenots

For this vintage, this is a lighter-bodied, less dense and concentrated Epenots, which finds an easy harmony at 14% ABV. Ripe, broad, and lightly muscular, but svelte and flowing. It has an earthy iron character and sweeps into a fresh finish. 2026–35. 93–94

Savigny-lès-Beaune Les Bas Liards

Charming Savigny. Light-bodied and gently rounded, it is fragrant with ripe summer fruits, has freshness, perfume, and a light touch of tannin. Spot-on. 2024–28. 85

Bernard Zito

Bernard Zito is a viticulturist, a courtier specializing in organic grapes, and a small négociant in his own right.

Gamay Noir

Pure and singing Gamay, with delightful violet-flower aromas and fine, powdery tannins. The deep cherry fruit is threaded with fine acidity to a fresh and floral finish. I like it. 2022–24. 83

Bourgogne Pinot Noir Croteau

From a plot at 1,150ft (350m) in a combe near Mercurey on iron-rich, red-clay soil. Super-juicy, smoothly rounded, and generous, with blueberry fruits. Attractive freshness and soft, supple tannins. 2023–26. 83

Beaune Premier Cru Les Tuvilains

The vines are 80-years-old, organically cultivated and certified as such. This plot was harvested first, as it ripens very quickly, and had the least intervention in the winery. Exotically perfumed, with heady purple aromas which envelop the palate. It is soft, full, airy, and gentle, with a light, lacy texture and a fine line of freshness lifting the finish. 2025–30+. 92

Pommard

Château de Pommard

Clos Marey-Mange is worked biodynamically and has been certified since 2018. Apparently, they stable five horses for plowing. Seven parcels within the clos are vinified separately, parts of which are bottled separately while certain barrels are selected to make the most balanced representation of the clos as a whole. Plenty of whole-cluster is used, which brings some attractive aromatics.

Pommard Clos Marey-Monge Nicolas-Joseph

An appealing Pommard. Aromatic, with supple-smooth tannins and a light, lively, vibrant note entwined with the rich red fruit. Pure in the middle, maybe a touch jammy on the finish. Easily accessible and attractive. 2023–28. 85

Pommard Clos Marey-Monge (Monopole)

This is the blend of different parcels and soil types from across the clos. Expressive, dark, blackcurrant-rich aroma. Quite punchy on the attack. Juicy, with good power and density and freshness and tension on the finish. A much more complex village wine. 2025–30+. 89

Domaine du Comte Armand

Paul Zinetti found it a more extreme vintage than 2019. “It all happened very quickly. The leaves were falling and grapes burning, and we had to find a team to harvest. The skins were thick, but the tannin was very ripe. There was pulp but little juice—less than 25hl/ha.” He didn’t do less extraction than usual but punched down only at the beginning.

White

Aligoté

Crystalized lemon, combining richness with a light, savory, and pithy bite. It’s nice and zesty. 2022–26. 84

Red

Auxey-Duresses Largillas

A dark aroma with hints of violets. Super-vibrant on the palate, with ripe blueberry fruit and snappy tannins. 2023–28. 85–86

Auxey-Duresses Premier Cru

This is rich and powerful, with grunt to the tannin. Somewhat heady. Burly, going on robust. 2024–30. 86

Pommard Premier Cru Clos des Epeneaux

Spicy and exotic aromatics. Rich and dark, with plentiful matter and a licorice chew to the tannin. Thickly textured, robust, but becomes more svelte and fresh on the finish, which has hints of star anise. Decent layering and depth, but rather rugged for now. Not yet the more sophisticated Clos des Epeneaux with which we have become familiar from Paul Zinetti. He will, however, age it for longer than usual. So, still early days. 2025–35. 93–94

Volnay Premier Cru Fremiets

Ripe, with plentiful tannin, more than other Fremiets I tasted, but I like the energy and the tension on the finish. 2024–28. 91

Domaine de Courcel

Yves Confuron harvested September 5–9. “I waited for rain. If you harvested in August, it was not ripe.” Yields here were only 10–15 hl/ha. “It is very aromatic, but not fat. The tannins support and wake up the wine. We may not have the best tannin in 2020, but it is all about the balance.” Yves always makes wines that take time to come round, so you must be patient for the tannin to refine. The delicious 2018 Rugiens is already showing a sophisticated texture, but be aware that these wines have high alcohol levels.

Pommard Vaumuriens

Lots of white clay in this cooler exposition. Rich, with black, raisiny fruit and plentiful, licorice tannins combined with light, herbal freshness. 2024–30. 88–89

Pommard Premier Cru Grand Clos des Epenots

Ripe, blackcurrant, and minty aroma. The palate is full, concentrated, and burly. Rich, robust tannin, which gives a tangy, fresh lift. 2026–35. 93–94

Pommard Premier Cru Rugiens

Rich, spicy aroma. The tannins are much finer here and the palate more streamlined. It has lively energy and a light minty note to finish. 2025–35. 95

Domaine du Pavillon

Another domaine in the Albert Bichot stable.

White

Meursault

Sturdy, rich, and vigorous. Surprisingly, as the vines are located lower down on the north side, the wine has a smooth stone element and earthy minerality to finish. Bold and punchy vigor and plenty of freshness to boot. It’s a jolly good Meursault. 2024–27. 90

Beaune Premier Cru Clos des Mouches

From the top of the climat. Gently rounded and creamy, with smooth minerality and a coolish undercut of freshness. I like the savory quality contrasting with sweet notes, and the bitter-lemon, slightly phenolic, salty finish. 2024–30. 93–94

Red

Pommard Premier Cru Les Rugiens

Spicy, cocoa power and mint aromas. A high-toned and arresting scent. This is from the lower, bas part. Showing super-tight and reserved. Compact energy. Fine-grained tannins and a well-sustained, cold, sappy finish. The tannins catch a little on the finish, but this shows good potential. 2027–35+. 94

Nantoux

Domaine Boris Champy

Boris Champy is putting the wines of Nantoux, with its pretty village in the hills behind Monthélie, on the map, having purchased the domaine of Didier Montchovet who pioneered organic and biodynamic viticulture from the 1980s. From old vines, on distinctive terroir at different altitudes, he makes his distinctive cuvées. These are wines that outperform their regional status. Boris uses plenty of whole-bunch on the reds, and some bâtonnage for the whites, pointing out that “We are in the Hautes-Côtes and it’s colder here.”

White

Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Beaune Aligoté Doré

Bright and ringing energy. It has ripe grapefruit notes and contrasts sweet fruit with crisp acidity. Straight palate. Zesty, with an appealing pithy note to end. Delicious Aligoté. 2022–24. 84

Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Beaune Blanc Montagne 382

Richer in aroma, with white pear and slight spice. Impressive concentration of fruit, sliced with fresh citrus acidity. It’s a powerful and rich Hautes-Côtes, with a firm core and steely snap to finish. Top-notch. 2023–28. 85

Red

Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Beaune Altitude

A blend of the youngest vines. This leaps enthusiastically onto the palate with fresh and fruity exuberance. Ripe red-currant fruit with appetizing, crunchy tannins. Refreshing and inviting. Yummy. 2022–25. 85–86

Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Beaune Bignon 421

A parcel on clay at the top and on a plateau. The aroma combines dark fruit with alluring aromatics of the spice market. A broader palate, with furled energy. A delicate note of exotic spice entwines the freshness at the core. Punchy and darker, with slight grip to the tannin. 2024–30. 87

Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Beaune Clou 377

On a limestone slope. The most elegant and refined of these wines. Upright and pure. A lucid aroma. Silky-smooth texture with fine-grained tannins. There is a hint of austerity, a cool restraint. It continues on a lithe and focused line to a pure and sapid finish. Notable finesse to the texture. My favorite. 2024–30. 87–88

Pommard En Boeuf

A engaging dark-fruit aroma lifted with a twist of culinary herbs. Lots of energy. It attacks the palate. The concentration of rich plum fruit in the middle, which reflects its exposition on the south-facing flank beside Vignots, is balanced with lively acidity. There is quite an assertive tannic bite, a ripe but crunchy freshness, and a cool grip to the finish. A very good village Pommard. 2024–30. 89

Volnay

Domaine du Marquis d’Angerville

Guillaume d’Angerville feels that while they had comparative sunshine hours in 2015, 2018, 2019, and 2020, the latter year has produced a more classic style, even though it was a little drier. “It has freshness, tension, and vibration, a momentum, and is not highly concentrated like the 2015 and 2018.” They had no stressed vines or burned fruit, and he believes the biodynamic practices over the past 15 years have helped the vines adjust to the more extreme conditions. Fruit is always destemmed and treated to a gentle remontage. “It is the most elegant of vintages, close to 2010, but a bit fuller; so, maybe between 2009 and 2010, not dissimilar to 2019, the same group but more classic, maybe.”

Bourgogne

Lively and juicy, with red fruit, crunchy tannins, and redcurrant notes to finish. Delightful. 2024–28. 85

Volnay Premier Cru Caillerets

Warm rose-garden aromatics, with a touch of ripe raspberry. It sweeps, supple and seductive, onto the palate with gossamer texture and a floaty feel into the savory, saline finish… Lovely, long fluidity. Spot-on typicité. 2025–30+. 95

Volnay Premier Cru Fremiets

High-toned floral and anise scent. Sweet-fruit attack. Bright and pure and zesty. A lively, straight wine. Light but with nice intensity and a tension and sapidity to finish. 2024–32. 94

Volnay Premier Cru Taillepieds

Upright, tense, and dense aroma, with notes of wild thyme and mint. It is straight and clipped and precise. No lack of vigor. I love the precision, vibrancy with a cold bite, and the tension to the tannin. More wild herbs and some smoke at the end. 2025–35. 95–96

Domaine Y Clerget

The domaine has 15 acres (6ha), including the monopole Clos du Verseuil. Thibaut is the 28th generation making wine in Volnay, where the family settled in 1268. He has a light touch with tannin. A rising star, he aspires to make an elegant Pommard Rugiens—and he does.

White

Meursault Les Chevalières

Citrus and buttery aroma. Vibrant attack moves into creamy richness and depth. It is certainly powerful and concentrated, and has a keen line in freshness. 2024–28. 90

Red

Pommard Premier Cru Rugiens

Floral aroma with cocoa powder and a touch of coffee. It is lifted and piquant. Bright and juicy up-front, with plentiful blueberry fruit; this is taut and tense with floral top notes. Persistent finish showing bitter chocolate at the end. This more delicate Rugiens from the “Haut” part, which is just a delight. 2025–35. 95

Volnay

This is juicy and bright, with plentiful loganberry fruit and good sapidity. Very spirited. 2024–30. 89–90

Volnay Premier Cru Caillerets

Perfumed rose petal, a silky aroma, and on the palate it shimmers. A river of fresh fruit sparkling with cold minerals. Just gorgeous texture and fluidity. 2025–35. 95

Volnay Premier Cru Clos du Verseuil

This 1.2-acre (0.5ha) walled parcel is a monopole just under Taillepieds where the mother rock is close to the surface and the topsoil is littered with small stones. The rows are planted north-south. Good news in a hot vintage. Rich peony perfume. Soft up-front and juicy, more contained on the mid-palate, and it stretches out on the finish into a cool, sapid note. It is fresh and quite sophisticated. 2026–35. 94–95

Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru

From the Grand Maupertui sector. Punches from the front palate. It’s very compact and layered. Good freshness and vibrancy. Shows sleek muscle and a vigorous and persistent finish. 2027–38. 96–97

Domaine Clos de la Chapelle

American Mark O’Connell, owner and winemaker, remarks, “Great as 2019 is, the 2020s are equally great, as they have the energy and the brightness that makes them very exciting.”

White

Beaune Premier Cru Les Reversée

There are currently only two producers of Chardonnay in Reversée, maybe better suited to Chardonnay than to Pinot Noir, so some people are replanting. Greengage aroma. Full, rich, and succulent, it is underscored by a fresh, austere cut and finishes with sapidity. Rich and cold. 2024–28. 92

Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru

Ripe, cool, and fresh, with a light, savory grip. A lighter style, with a fine sliver of minerals. It is long and bright, and vibrant with salinity to finish. 2025–30+. 94–95

Red

Beaune Premier Cru Champs Pimont

This has a high proportion of limestone in the soil, and it shows in the bright, lightly austere note. Ripe, full, and rounded, the juicy red-fruit palate is energetic with its crisp tannic crunch and light bite of sapidity. 2024–30+. 92–93

Pommard Premier Cru Chanlins Vieilles Vignes

From a steep-sloping limestone vineyard with 80-year-old vines. Pure, intense blueberry fruit aroma, with a slim, straight, and fine-textured palate. Fine, crisp, black-chocolate note. Precisely edged. Very trim, delicate, and saline. Racy wine. So stylish. 2025–35. 95

Pommard Premier Cru Grands Epenots

Bold and broad Epenots. This is certainly concentrated; richness, density of matter, and high acidity. Showing the full rigor of this vineyard. With burly muscularity and power, it carries to a vigorous finish. For now, quite a robust wine, but potential for the future. 2030–40+. 94

Volnay Premier Cru Clos de La Chapelle

Rich dark-fruit aroma. Plump and deeply generous, with smooth, velvet tannins and a luscious texture, this has an appealingly fresh earthy note to finish. 2025–35. 95

Domaine Michel Lafarge

Frédéric Lafarge finds 2020 “like 1990 for the intensity, but 2020 is more respectful of the terroir. We have perfection and precision of each terroir in 2020.” He says no vines suffered, having adapted since the first very hot vintage in 2003. “You can drink the 2019 before the 2020, but 2020 before 2018, as the 2018 is closing now and the 2020 will not close in bottle; so in 5 to 6 years, and of course for a very long time.”

White

Bourgogne Aligoté Raisins Dorés

A rich, dense, and powerful Aligoté, with sweet lime and savory pithiness. 2023–30. 86

Meursault Vendange Sélection

Rich, full-bodied, muscular, and dense. Crystalized citrus and ginger on the palate, with viscosity and a sweet-saline finish. 2023–28. 91

Beaune Premier Cru Les Aigrots

Upright but spicy, with greengage and white pepper on the aroma. The palate is vivid, streamlined, and elegant, with a lively mineral finish. 2023–30+. 93

Red

Bourgogne Passetoutgrains L’Exceptional

Lovely red-cherry aroma and a juicy, crunchy palate. Spicy and appetizing. 2023–28. 84

Beaune Premier Cru Clos Les Aigrots

A pretty, perfumed palate; delicate, bright, with a straight body and a sapid, cool minerality. Clean-cut and stylish. 2025–30+. 92–93

Beaune Premier Cru Grèves

From 99-year-old vines, now the oldest parcel of the domaine and “on good form,” Frédéric says, the Pommard Pézerolles having been pulled out after giving up the ghost. Deep violet aromas with toasted-almond notes. Deeply juicy and concentrated, yet fresh on the attack. This sings with a joyous voice. Full up-front, then suave, straight, and sweeping, with a silky minerality on the finish. Top-notch Beaune and just a lovely Grèves. 2025–35. 95

Volnay Vendanges Sélectionnées

From four parcels just below the premiers crus. 10% new oak on this cuvée. Lively, blossomy, with a red-cherry aroma, this dances onto the palate, so elegant with its supple tannins. It has more depth and a longer finish than the main cuvée. 2024–30. 91–92

Volnay Premier Cru Clos des Chênes

Uber-expressive and seductive fruit aroma, which melts into a velvet palate with a generous texture and richness of fruit, but under this comes a firm, strict tension and bite. Some power, sleek muscle, and precision to finish. 2024–35+. 96

Volnay Premier Cru Pitures

Arresting, bright, red-fruited aroma. Cinnamon and cranberry. Snappy and crunchy, with a lively underscoring of minerality. It is vital, with a cold and strict core and a sapid finish. Spot-on. 2025–35. 94–95

Domaine de Montille

The domaine now extends over 89 acres (36ha). Californian winemaker Brian Sieve commented of the whites: “Acidity is queen. The pH is 3.1–3.2 finished [ie after MLF]. You can feel the sunlight hours in the glass, but it doesn’t translate into alcohol; tops at 12.7–13%.” Brian prefers to use less lees for Puligny than for Meursault, which he feels “has the density and structure to absorb the lees.” He likes to use Damy cooperage and at least one third of the barrels are larger format—up to 600 liters, which is more reductive and ferments warmer. There is more new oak for Meursault.

White

Monthélie Premier Cru Les Duresses

Rich yet compact and savory. Sweet, salty, and at the end, savory. An earthy kick. 2024–28. 86

Meursault Premier Cru Porusots

Burnished, full, generous, and rich up-front, while more compact and dense to finish. 2025–35+. 93

Puligny-Montrachet

Silky, straight, and super-lively; keen and pure, to a saline and persistent finish. Brightly intense. Lovely typicité. 2024–30+. 90

Puligny-Montrachet Premier Cru Cailleret

A lively, rich, and shaley quality. It has vibrancy, purity, and tension, with taut edges and a lucid, persistent, and salty finish. So elegant and refined. 2025–35+. 95–96

Red

Beaune Premier Cru Grèves

Elegant blueberry aroma, to a pure, streamlined, intense, and delicate palate. Silky and urbane, with bright tension to finish. Spot-on. 2025–40. 95

Pommard Premier Cru Rugiens

This is upright and taut. Sappy austerity, snap, punch, and vigor. Ripe fruit, of course, but super-contained and restrained, and it’s focused and cold on the finish. Love it. 2026–25+. 96

Volnay Premier Cru Champans

So much juicy fruit and plentiful rich tannins, with a real freshness and vibrancy. I like the almost crunchy fruit with the opulence, which gives a sunny-fresh balance. A good example of Champans, for it combines cranberry freshness with a full body. 2025–35. 94

Volnay Premier Cru Taillepieds

An elegant and delicate and savory Taillepieds. It has sweet and airy earthiness, and there is finesse to the tannin. Taut and delicate, it almost floats to the end. 2025–35+. 95–96

Vosne-Romanée Premier Cru Aux Malconsorts

A deliciously rich, floral aroma. More contemplative wine. Refined and finely textured. So precise and focused. Enveloping. Pure, persistent, and aromatic finish, with a light spice of bergamot … just a delight. Complex and layered. 2028–35+. 96–97

Meursault

Maison de Montille

Saint-Romain

From Sous Roche and Le Jarron. There is plentiful richness up-front, underscored by freshness and lively minerality. Well-balanced. 2023–25. 84–85

Pouilly-Fuissé En Vergisson

Freshness and rich juiciness, with sapidity and brightness on the finish. 2023–26. 86

Domaine Ballot-Millot

Charles Boillot has made a cracking flight of white wine in 2020, with precision and balance. It was difficult to make a selection, and I wanted to include some of the reds. In 2015 he changed his approach to red winemaking, switching to remontage with some whole-bunch, thereby achieving more refinement in his Pommard.

White

Bourgogne

Both firm and fresh, with a high level of contraction and a slicing cut of citrus acidity to finish. A very intense Bourgogne. 2024–28. 86

Chassagne-Montrachet Premier Cru Morgeot Tête du Clos

Crumbly white soil. White-flower aromas. What an elegant Morgeot. Fruity, with sapidity and lively intensity. Well-defined palate, with cool freshness and crisp edges. 2024–30. 94

Meursault Les Narvaux

Rich aroma. This is full on the front-palate, with excellent density for a village wine. Compact. Good tension, with savory minerality and a straight, assertive finish. Top-notch. 2024–30. 90–91

Meursault Premier Cru Les Genevrières

Elegant, spicy aroma. Airy volume, delicate and refined. The floral perfume envelopes the taut and straight core. Finishes on a fine line, with a mineral vibration on the finish. Delightful 2025–35. 95–96

Red

Pommard Premier Cru Les Charmots

This is 30% whole-cluster, from brown clay and some limestone. Ripe strawberry aromas combine with white pepper and mint. This certainly has soft tannins, charm, and a seductive quality, with purple floral notes to finish. 2024–28. 91–92

Pommard Premier Cru Pézerolles

Light iron and gamey aromas. Plentiful tannins, which are fine and taut. Slightly austere, with hints of coffee and bitter cocoa. It has a light grip, a salty tension, and energy on the finish. A good Pézerolles. 2026–35. 94–95

Domaine Michel Bouzereau

“Some characters of 2017, but fresher,” says Jean-Baptiste. “A very fine and elegant vintage, large in the middle and very fine and mineral on the finish. It is a blend of many things we wait for with Chardonnay in Burgundy. It is a vintage that really expresses the terroir. We should not hurry the élevage, bottling in April or later.”

Bourgogne Côte d’Or Chardonnay

Puligny and Meursault origin. I like this bright and juicy, white-grapefruit Bourgogne with its lively finish. 2022–25. 85

Meursault Les Tessons

Silky textured, with alluring ripe citrus notes. Firm intensity, keenly focused, with a cool pithiness. 2023–28. 90–91

Meursault-Blagny Premier Cru

The climat is Les Ravelles. Orange-flower and white-pepper aroma. High-toned spices on the high-wired, precise palate. It has an engaging austerity and cool, salty finish. 2024–30. 92

Meursault Premier Cru Genevrières

Pink floral notes. The palate is swathed in a light, gauzy perfume, but the core is intense and high-wired. Delicate, pure, and refined. It has a fine vibration on the finish, where perfume and salt combine. 2025–30+. 95

Meursault Premier Cru Les Perrières

Powerful, straight, and vigorous. A compact palate with excellent tension. Clean-cut edges. Precise and persistent. 2025–35. 95–96

Puligny-Montrachet Premier Cru Le Cailleret

Compact and dense, with a layering of richness and cold minerality. It is broad, powerful, and contained. Excellent length and stony grip to the finish. Good typicité. 2026–35. 96

Puligny-Montrachet Premier Cru Les Champs Gains

From the lower part on the north side, sheltered by trees. It has a seductive aroma, then quite a glossy and rich attack into a straight palate, with tension and vibrancy to finish. 2024–30. 92–93

Domaine Yves Boyer-Martenot

Vincent Boyer works with his sister Sylvie, who manages the vineyards organically. After gaining organic certification in 2021, she has moved to biodynamics. They harvested everything by the end of August, with final alcohol levels of 13%–13.5% for the whites. It is the fourth vintage during which Vincent has conducted the second part of the élevage in concrete eggs. He made a comparison in 2017 with the same wine in barrel, and the difference was marked. “It makes the wines tighter, without losing the energy, and the finish is more pronounced.” As it’s a more reductive vessel, he has reduced the additions of sulfur dioxide. He comments, “The style of 2020 is rich, but ultimately has a freshness because of the early harvest—a little like the 2017 but with more richness.”

Bourgogne Aligoté

A delicious Aligoté with lively energy and appetizing sapidity. 2022–24. 84

Bourgogne

Juicy, generous, and slightly glossy, with silky smoothness, fragrance, and a hint of minerality. Spot-on. 2023–25. 85

Meursault Narvaux

Compact, concentrated, and vigorous for a village wine. It is both strict and rich. Appetizing fennel notes, austere sapidity, and a battened-down feel, which bodes well for the future. 2024–30+. 90–91

Meursault Tillets

Light, pure, swift, and nervy. It pirouettes on the palate; lithe and floral, with an almond-kernel top-note and bite. Delicate and delightful wine. 2023–28. 89

Meursault Premier Cru Charmes

Opulent and juicy, with a full and fleshy richness underscored by a cold shaley quality. It has gloss and density, with freshness to balance. 2025–30+. 94

Meursault Premier Cru Genevrières

Floral, white flowers and a hint of coriander, then this elegant wine sweeps precise and delicate to a fine and talcy finish. 2025–30+. 95

Meursault Premier Cru Perrières

This is razor-sharp, the richness of the vintage being channeled with nervy tension and vibration. Concentrated. Super-straight, saline, and racy. 2026–30+. 95

Domaine Buisson-Charles

Patrick Essa started harvest, as ever later than most, on September 1 for reds and September 4 for whites. Volnay Santenots was harvested on August 25, then a second time on September 25, to make a “sélection” cuvée aged in 100% new oak with a surprisingly elegant finish. He says the analysis for the two wines was the same. The pH of the whites after MLF was around 3.2. Patrick’s son Louis is fully involved now: “He is the boss,” says Patrick… but I rather doubt it. The whites are full-bodied, rich, and around 14% ABV, while the reds have higher alcohol levels.

White

Meursault Vieilles Vignes

Eight lieux-dits go into a round village cuvée. Buttery, full-bodied, and richly concentrated, but fires straight from the mid-palate, where it picks up the tension to a snappy, savory, salty finish. 2024–30. 89

Meursault Les Gouttes d’Or

Spicy, powerful, and unctuous aroma. There is excellent acidity, tension, and power to this full-bodied wine, with energy to balance the richness. Top-notch for an opulent-style Gouttes d’Or. 2026–35. 93–94

Meursault Les Tessons

So supple and seductive, concentrated and juicy, with an undercurrent of glossy minerals. Golden rich, it shimmies to the finish. 2024–32. 90

Red

Bourgogne

Super-powerful and gutsy, rich and uber-concentrated (a heady 15.5% ABV), but also vibrant and fresh. Lip-smacking tannins make the balance. It’s a full frontal, packed Bourgogne. 2024–30. 85

Château de Meursault

“A great vintage,” says Stéphane Follin-Arbelet, “the whites are like 2014 and 2017 for their balance… so fresh.”

White

Meursault Premier Cru Les Charmes-Dessus

Rich and sumptuous attack, a generous and opulent mid-palate, and a glossy finish. It’s sure, focused, persistent, and rather deliciously juicy. 2025–35. 95

Corton-Vergennes Grand Cru

From young vines, with surprising focus and intensity. It is savory and punchy. Combines power with stony richness. A straight, lithe, cold, and energetic finish. 2026–35. 96

Red

Beaune Premier Cru Grèves Les Trois Journaux

Rich, morello-cherry intensity, and so alluring, with its heady rose-petal aromas. It has an enveloping satin-soft texture, depth to the mid-palate, and the finish is scented with lingering perfume. Great typicité. 2026–35. 95

Pommard Premier Cru Epeneaux

Smooth, urbane, and seductive. It’s polished, generous, and rich. Super-smooth, glossy texture, with an intense mocha richness, some bite and bitterness. Quite surprising to have such a polished Epeneaux in 2020. 2027–35+. 95

Volnay Premier Cru Clos des Chênes

Upright and a tad haughty on the nose. It sweeps away on the palate, supple at first, but quickly the tension, bite, and stony grip come to the fore. Gunflint and a cold clack. Really rather strict. Elegance and power combine. 2027–35+. 95–96

Corton-Vergennes Grand Cru

Sweeps with elegance and precision across the palate. Fine and silky, with a talc-like texture. There are notes of coffee and bitter chocolate. It is pure and fresh and has crisply cut edges. Shimmers on the long, lingering finish. A beautifully executed Corton. 2028–40. 97

Domaine Jean-Philippe Fichet

Jean-Philippe’s whites always have tension and crisp edges. He has the quintessential Tesson and just deliciously fruity Auxey-Duresses. So much energy in these wines.

White

Bourgogne Aligoté

Rather a delicate white-citrus aroma, but this shows intension and energy on the palate. Straight, bright, clipped, and saline to finish. 2022–25. 84

Auxey-Duresses

Deliciously ripe citrus with a hint of orange blossom, sliced with zesty acidity. It springs energetically to a sweet-salty finish. Yummy. 2023–28. 86

Meursault

An assemblage of many lieux-dits. Lightly rich and rounded, barely showing the vintage warmth, other than in its mid-palate concentration. Nicely full but vibrantly fresh. Very well-balanced. I love the bright and slicing energy on the finish. Top-notch round-village blend. 2023–30. 89–90

Meursault Les Chevalières

More honeyed aroma. Rich concentration and compact up-front, underpinned by sweet, slicing acidity. It has focus and a mineral finish. 2024–30+. 90–91

Meursault Gruyaches

Jean-Philippe is unusual in bottling this lieu-dit. Rather perfumed, it combines citrus ripeness in a pure and streamlined style. Nicely intense and well-defined, with a lightly glossy but racy and pithy finish. 2024–30. 90–91

Meursault Le Tesson

Ripe yet cool aroma, with citrus and chamomile. Sleekly glossy, but super-straight and focused, with a crystal-pure, ringing, persistent finish. Outperforms its village status. 2024–30+. 92

Red

Auxey-Duresses

A vibrant summer-fruit aroma and luscious juicy palate, with light, crunchy tannins and vibrant acidity. Spot-on. 85

Monthélie Premier Cru

Ripe blackcurrant and slightly menthol, with a lively juiciness; lightly plump, with a slightly licorice bite to the tannins. Really yummy. 2023–28. 86

Domaine Patrick Javillier

“Not a good year for covid and lockdown, but for vineyards and wine, a lovely vintage,” said Marion, Patrick’s daughter, who has been in charge for some years now. “All very early; not extreme, because it was not too hot, but more exceptional to finish the harvest in August. We have a fresh and traditional Burgundy style.” Marion works softly with the reds and the light extraction results in a silky, creamy texture.

White

Bourgogne Côte d’Or Cuvée Oligocène

There are two excellent white Bourgogne wines at this domaine: Cuvée des Forgets is richer and more viscous, while Oligocène is citrus, with a ginger piquancy to the lifted finish. Very concentrated Bourgogne, but also straight and lively. 2023–26. 85

Meursault Tête de Murger

This blend of climats is straight and composed. A very even, consistent palate, to an elegant and cool, sapid finish. 2023–28. 90–91

Meursault Tillets

Sherbet, white-grapefruit, up-toned, nervy aroma. Straight and pure and zesty. It really shows the terroir on the palate. Flighty and salty. I love this stylish, edgy, and light wine. 2023–28. 90

Savigny-lès-Beaune Les Montchenevoy

From vines surrounded by forest on three sides, this is vibrantly ripe and citrus, while being pure and light and precise, with a chalky, salty, and minty note to finish. 2023–28. 86

Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru

A surprisingly elegant and straight Corton-Charlemagne from sunny Pougets. It focuses tight and pure. 2027–32+. 94

Red

Savigny-lès-Beaune Les Grands Liards

Soft and juicy. Supple, rich tannins, with a creamy milk-chocolate texture and some spicy freshness to finish. A seductive Grands Liards. 2022–26. 86

Savigny-lès-Beaune Premier Cru Serpentières

A smooth texture, with a seductive, flowing quality. Morello-cherry fruit, ripe but nicely balanced. Delicious aromatics to finish. 2024–28. 88

Aloxe-Corton

Dark, rather rustic aroma, but the palate is rich and soft. Deep-pile thickness to the tannins. A very soft vinification and it works. 2023–26. 85–86

Domaine des Comtes Lafon

Dominique Lafon is handing over to his daughter Léa and nephew Pierre. They started harvesting on August 20, with Bouchères and Perrières, moved on swiftly to the reds, then back to whites, finishing in red with Monthélie Duresses. “It is very powerful and concentrated for reds, thick skins with not much juice and only 24 hl/ha because of the dryness,” says Pierre. “So, we used a very light extraction with only pigeage. For whites, we see the concentration of sugar but also of acidity.” There are a few changes as the younger generation take over, including a drawing back from 100% new oak for Montrachet.

Meursault Clos de la Barre

A baroque aroma rolls into a full and viscous palate. Lush concentration, with a cold cut coming up under the palate and carrying the powerful and vigorous finish. A boldly structured Meursault. 2024–32. 91–92

Meursault Premier Cru Genevrières

Finely wafting perfume on the aroma and palate. Concentration with delicacy. Volume with purity and airiness. It is streamed with glimmering minerals to a superbly intense and focused, saline finish. So stylish. 2026–35+. 96

Meursault Premier Cru Goutte d’Or

Concentrated, full, and seductive; rich and creamy, but plenty of energy and succulent juiciness to finish. A sunny, sumptuous feel. 2025–32. 94–95

Meursault Premier Cru Perrières

Smoky, flinty, and edgy. Uber-concentrated, potent, keenly straight. Both rich and rapier. It has a taut, persistent finish. 2027–35+. 97

Meursault Premier Cru Porusots

Reserved, dense, compact, with an appetizingly austere splice through the richness. There is a certain severity here. Assertive to finish. 2026–35+. 95

Le Montrachet Grand Cru

Focus and channeled power. Battened down. Really, it’s all on the epic finish at the moment. 2030–40. 99–100

Red

Volnay Premier Cru Clos des Chênes

Ripe but delightfully pure and lacy up-front. Rose-petal and peony floral notes float across the taut and fine-boned structure. There is sappy tension and a whip of saltiness on the fine and well-sustained finish. 2026–35+. 96

Volnay Premier Cru Santenots

Purple extravagance on the aroma. Seductive, opulent and so juicy on the attack. Sumptuous mid-palate. Delves into velvet depths. But the tannins have an appetizing, fresh, and spicy clack on the finish, which is long and vigorous. 2026–35+. 95–96

Domaine Latour-Giraud

Jean-Pierre Latour remarked, “For whites, it is a vintage with a lot of purity and definition. It is the most subtle vintage I have produced since 2014 for the precision of terroir.”

Bourgogne Chardonnay

Pleasingly floral, with its white-peach characters; airy, just lightly rounded, with a delightful, fresh finish. So digestible. Top-notch for this approachable but elegant style. 2022–24. 84

Meursault Les Narvaux

A flinty dark aroma with a rich but cold cut to the attack. I like the sappy austerity; mouthwateringly severe and straight, wrapped in candied-citrus fruit. Top-notch. 2024–32+. 91

Meursault Premier Cru Les Bouchères

Soft pink florals to an open and airy palate with a delicate, languid feel and a lightly minty, salty finish. An excellent example of this climat. It should be shy and lightly lacy. 2024–32. 93–94

Meursault Premier Cru Les Genevrières

Gorgeous floral aromas; red-scented rose petal. Silky and pure and lightly curvaceous, it floats to a delicate, precise, and persistent finish. 2025–35. 95

Meursault Premier Cru Les Perrières

This is straight, vigorous, sharply clipped at the edges and racy. The power is channeled, so it is contained as well as long and powerful. 2026–35. 95

Domaine Roulot

Harvesting in the sunny, warm, and light August, Jean-Marc Roulot completed in nine days with a larger team. He always uses foulage and is experimenting with amphora and fudres on Bouchères and Bourgogne.

Bourgogne Blanc

Nicely citrus, pithy and fresh. Snappy finish. Loads of energy. 86

Meursault Les Luchets

Draped in golden silk, this has some of the seductive quality of the Meix-Chavaux, but shows a cool and savory cut beneath. An entrancing balance. It is both quite austere and lively. A vital village wine. 2025–35. 91–92

Meursault Les Meix-Chavaux

Orange-blossom and honeysuckle allure is underscored by firm acidity and sapidity. 2025–30. 90–91

Meursault Les Vireuils

White-grapefruit, high-toned aroma. Lucid, tight, and pure, with a sizzling, sherbet sapidity. I love the nervosity. 2024–28. 90

Meursault Premier Cru Les Bouchères

Supple, talcy character, maybe from the amphora. It is enticing and quite extravagant, with an open and spicy mid-palate, but focuses on the finish with salty-sweet length. 2026–20. 94

Auxey-Duresses

Domaine Thomas Battault

Thomas Battault is a young vigneron to watch.

Auxey-Duresses Blanc

Firm, savory, and glossy. Lovely concentration and richness, with crystalized ginger notes. Rich citrus on the finish. The most unctuous and seductive of the Auxey whites I tasted this year. Savory-salty to finish. What’s not to like? 2023–27. 85

Domaine Creusefond

Alain Creusefond is joined by his son Vincent, but he and his wife Chantal still seem to be working as hard as ever. Reliable wines.

Red

Auxey-Duresses Premier Cru

Juicy red-cherry aroma with a touch of white pepper. This is from two premier cru sites, Les Duresses and Reugne, and shows the core strength of Duresses, enveloped in delicious ripe fruit. It has substance and a touch of muscle, and the texture is thick velvet. Nicely done. 2024–30+. 86–87

Domaine Diconne

I am impressed with the whites from this domaine, which I did not include in my article on Auxey-Duresses on the website, as they did not show well in the hurly burly of the open village tasting of 2017s. I’m quite happy to revise my opinion three vintages on.

Auxey-Duresses Terres Folles

Light and pure, with a straight and saline, neatly edged palate. Breezy. 2022–25. 84–85

Auxey-Duresses Vieilles Vignes

Concentrated and focused. A rich but vibrant core, with quite a lot of viscosity. Good tension and power for a village-level wine, showing persistence and salinity. Excellent village wine. 2024–28. 85

Domaine P & L Project

This is the venture of Pierre and Louis Trapet, sons of Jean-Louis and Andrée Trapet. They are young and experimental and are making changes at the family domaines in Gevrey-Chambertin and Alsace, while expanding their own in the Côte de Beaune since Pierre married into a branch of the Prunier family in Auxey-Duresses. In the vineyard, their experiments include single-stake vines, and in the winery, glass fermentation vessels.

Red

Auxey-Duresses

Silky and ripe, with a soft and seductive profile and a light tannic bite to finish. 2022–26. 83

Auxey-Duresses Premier Cru

Rich and smooth and inviting on the front palate, this has a firm structure with plentiful tannins and an appealing, fresh and fine crunch to the finish. 2023–27. 85

Domaine Michel Prunier et Fille

Estelle Prunier brings a refined touch to Auxey reds.

Red

Auxey-Duresses Premier Cru

Seductive, exotic, and alluring aroma. Plump and juicy, with chunky, thick tannins, which have a soft, smooth texture. Lovely concentration of fruit. Most inviting. 2023–27. 85–86

Auxey-Duresses Premier Cru Clos du Val

Spicy with oregano and thyme. A fragrant and intriguing aroma. This is a sophisticated Auxey-Duresses with suede-supple tannins, a smoothly gliding pace and a rather refined finish. 2024–30. 87

Domaine Laurent et Romain Prunier

Auxey-Duresses Premier Cru Les Duresses

Expressive black-fruit aroma, with hints of cumin. Super-fruity up-front, then clamps in and packs a punch, with typically grippy Duresses tannins. Lots of dark matter and licorice bite. Concentrated and earthy. 2024–30. 85–86

Domaine Henri Latour et Fils

A very good Auxey domaine. The two very different reds below show excellent tannin management.

Auxey-Duresses Premier Cru La Chapelle

Spicy aromatics. Plentiful ripe mulberry fruit. Silky texture, fine but firm tannins woven with aromatics to a straight, elegant and rather piquant finish. 2024–18. 87–88

Auxey-Duresses Premier Cru Grands Champs

Rich, dark, and concentrated fruit. Plenty of matter, full and succulent, with a quantity of smooth, rich tannin which gives texture and freshness. A rounded, rich, fruity, and lightly muscular Auxey. 2024–28. 86

Blagny

Domaine Chapelle de Blagny

Etienne de Bréchard exchanged an audio-visual career in Paris to make wine at his wife’s family domaine in the 2014 vintage. Previously, most of the crop was sold off, largely as must to Louis Latour. Etienne is passionate about showcasing each individual climat in Blagny, being on a mission to focus attention on this small appellation. There are only 125 acres (50ha) of Blagny, of which 114 acres (46ha) are white, but it is also a lovely place to make Pinot Noir. Lovely wines here.

White

Meursault Premier Cru Les Ravelles

From 50-year-old vines in this small climat just under the wood. Cucumber freshness. Narrow and high-wired; pure and saline. Sings with energy. Delightful. 2023–28. 92

Meursault-Blagny Premier Cru La Pièce sous le Bois

From a small, rocky part of this vineyard. Rich citrus, but straight and contained. Crisp edges and good tension. Direct wine with a light gloss and smoothly mineral finish, showing a touch of bitter almond. 2024–28. 92–93

Puligny-Montrachet Premier Cru Hameau de Blagny

From some 2.5 acres (1ha) on a slight slope below the winery with a sunny exposition, but sheltered from the wind. A pink, spicy aroma with touch of cinnamon, which carries to the perfumed palate. A warmer, sunnier feel is underpinned by sappy and stony freshness. Warm and cold. 2024–30. 93–94

Red

Blagny Premier Cru Sous le Dos d’Ane

Scrumptious blend of rich forest fruit and ripe cranberry; deliciously ripe attack, but super-fresh and juicy. Crackly tannin and a light, appetizing, earthy note, with a touch of iodine on the bright and lifted finish. Delish. 2023–30. 92–93

Puligny-Montrachet

Domaine Jacques Carillon

Jacques Carillon produces textbook Puligny year on year—Puligny with a fine and strong mineral core regardless of the vintage richness. He started harvesting on August 23. The wines have an average alcohol level of 13% and a pH of 3.3. He finds the style of 2020 to be between that of 2018 and 2017: “The roundness of 2018 and the finesse of 2017.” We tasted a few 2019s and he commented on their heavier and more enveloping character—certainly, the 2020s are much more classic. He did no bâtonnage in either vintage as the wines were already rich enough.

Puligny-Montrachet

Produced from a blend of seven parcels, this is an excellent cross-village representation. There is gloss and sumptuousness to this village wine; so deliciously rich and yet vibrantly steely, it races to the finish. Absolutely top-notch. 2023–30. 91

Puligny-Montrachet Premier Cru Champ-Canet

Flowery, open, and blossomy aroma and a rounded, airy palate. Delicacy and refinement, with a pure, salty focus to the finish. 2024­32. 93–94

Puligny-Montrachet Premier Cru Perrières

This is a ft (200m) long strip with a deep clay topsoil. Compact and dense. Broad but straight; there’s a hint of spice and orange zest with the ripe fruit. Punchy on the finish, with a more savory mineral character. 2025–30+. 94–95

Bienvenues Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru

Gorgeous floral aromatics. Volume and generosity and yet such elegance. It is both expansive and fragrant, with a very fine, taut persistence. Long, lingering finish. An excellent example. 2027–35+. 98

Domaine Jean Chartron

Jean-Michel Chartron remarked, “Despite the heterogeneity of the climate, we have a very fine and elegant vintage. One of the best for a decade. Very promising. Like 2014, but a bit more solar.”

Bourgogne Côte d’Or Chardonnay

This wine is also labeled as Bourgogne Vieilles Vignes Chardonnay. Fresh citrusy aromas then an inviting creamy texture on the lightly rounded palate, showing plenty of lively freshness to finish. 2022–24. 85

Hautes-Côtes de Beaune Vieilles Vignes

From vineyards on both sides of the valley in Nantoux. With a floral aroma, this is light, bright, and straight, with a hint of almond kernel. 2022–24. 85

Pernand-Vergelesses

Stony aroma. A lively balance of concentration and tension, with a savory character and pithy bite. Sappy wine. 2022–25. 86–87

Chassagne-Montrachet

Rich floral aroma. A fresh attack to the impressively deep palate, underscored by striking sapidity. A firm and well-sustained finish for a village wine. 2024–28. 90

Puligny-Montrachet Les Enseignères

Rich and vigorous, with density and intensity. Woven with glossy minerality. An excellent village Puligny. 2024–28. 90–91

Puligny-Montrachet Premier Cru Clos du Cailleret (Monopole)

Both rich and austere. A millefeuille of cold stone and warm fruit. Precisely edged and finely executed, with a striking, persistent, and cool finish. 2025–35. 96

Puligny-Montrachet Premier Cru Clos de la Pucelle

Richly floral aromas float into the silky and seductive palate. Full, rounded, and smooth. It would be opulent, were it not for the delightful airy and pure quality and the shimmering finish. 2025–32. 95–96

Puligny-Montrachet Premier Cru Les Folatières

Quite spicy. This attacks the palate with purpose. It has both richness and direction. Very well-defined and balanced. Slightly muscular, with a firm, straight, and long finish. 2025–32. 95

St-Aubin Premier Cru Les Murgers des Dents du Chien

Vibrant and tightly compact. Firm and savory, with an austere, salty finish. Possibly the best example of this premier cru I tried in 2020. 2024–28. 89–90

Red

Bourgogne Côte d’Or Pinot Noir

Super-fruity and juicy aroma; splashing and fresh, with a crunch of tannins. Very attractive. 2022–24. 85

Puligny-Montrachet Premier Cru Clos du Cailleret

Dark and spicy aroma. Sweetness on the attack leads to cool austerity on the mid-palate, where the tannins have some grip and snap. Ripe blackcurrant fruit contrasts with the salty minerals and a light herbal lift. Lively freshness and sapidity on the finish. 2024–30+. 93

Domaine Jean-Louis Chavy

Jean-Louis began using some larger barrels of 350 liters in the 2020 vintage. He is convinced that the vintage has “good potential for aging, as it has good acidity and matter.”

Bourgogne

Older wood is used here, and 30% was kept in stainless steel to retain freshness. An elegant, light, and slightly mineral Bourgogne with a Puligny feel and lively tension. 2022–25. 84–85

Puligny-Montrachet Premier Cru Les Perrières

Ripe aroma to a rich palate, with crystalized fruit and a touch of apricot. Good breadth, underscored by sweet acidity and smooth, savory minerals. 2024–28. 92–93

Paul Chavy

Jean-Louis Chavy has established a small négociant firm with this son Paul, who is 21.

Meursault Les Grands Charrons

A rounded palate, ripe, full, and well-balanced with freshness. It is succulent and has a hint of fresh ginger on the finish. 2023–27. 88

Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru

A combination of Le Charlemagne and En Charlemagne. Straight and pure on the attack, clean-cut and edgy, with vibrant energy to a fine and somewhat salty finish. 2028–40. 94–95

Maison and Domaine Olivier Leflaive

Franck Grux, who must have made 20 vintages now, commented, “At the same moment we have good phenolic maturity on the whites in 2020 and firm acidity. The whites are a little tight and intense now. The pH for the whites is on average 3.1, so it’s a firm style. The malic was low, but we have the tartaric. It’s not as alcoholic as 2019.”

Bourgogne Blanc Oncle Vincent

Largely from five domaine vineyards near Puligny, all aged in barrel. Deliciously rich and juicy on the attack. A straight citrus palate underpinned with mineral tension. Spot-on for a Puligny-style Bourgogne. Top-notch. 2022–24. 85

Auxey-Duresses

A light gloss and a touch of hazelnut, with savory sapidity. An inviting Auxey. Pure and rather reserved, with good energy. 2022–25. 85

Meursault-Blagny Premier Cru Sous le dos d’Ane

This was replanted in 1995 with Chardonnay. Floral aroma to a reserved, tight, and mineral palate, which shimmers. Fine, quite steely core and a salty finish. 2024–30. 92

Montagny Premier Cru Perrières

Straight and racy Montagny, with bite, intention, and a colder note. Flat terroir. Only part of Perrières is premier cru, but it is picked early and with its keen energy really performs. 2022–26. 86

Pernand-Vergelesses

Savory bite and grip. It has cut and sapidity. It feels nice and cold in this hot vintage. 2023–26. 85–86

Puligny-Montrachet

Tight and tense, with a salty note. I would also recommend the lieu-dit, Les Meix, which is made separately, some of which goes into this blend, making a richer, broader, and more powerful Puligny village wine. 2023–28. 90

Puligny-Montrachet Premier Cru Champ-Gain

Aromatic white-floral aroma, with a silky, supple, and juicy palate. It’s airy and balletic. Top-notch Champ Gain. 2024–30. 94–95

Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru

Rich and powerful, with viscosity and density. This showed well among the illustrious line up of grands crus that I tasted blind with Franck. Great value for the quality. 2028–40. 97–98

Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru

Rich and full-bodied, but very nicely contained. It has great volume and generosity and is exotic on the vigorous and persistent finish. It is balanced with good freshness. There is both tension and power. 2028–40. 98

Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru

High-toned, floral, and intense, with a persistent and elegant finish. It’s restrained and pure and clean-cut. 2027–33+. 97–98

Montrachet Grand Cru

This is rather battened down but shows a proper step up in quality and intensity. Exceptionally fine, pure, and persistent finish. 2030–40. 99

St-Aubin

Domaine Jean-Claude Bachelet et Fils

Jean-Baptiste Bachelet feels the changing climate has less impact thanks to the organic management of their vineyards. “With plowing, the vine roots go deeper, making the vines more resistant to excesses of temperature.” The tension of the 2020 vintage reminds him of 2014 with the roundness of 2015.

Bourgogne Blanc

Parcels from the Chassagne area which are vinified and aged in barrels, 10% new, over two winters. This a top-notch Bourgogne. Rounded, ripe, fresh, and glassy, with a pure and focused, savory finish. It’s not a fruity, obvious wine, but more focused. 2022–25. 85–86

Chassagne-Montrachet Les Encégnières

Rather a baroque aroma and the palate is full and rich and generous. A lot of matter. Powerful and broad for a village wine, yet with good tension. 2024–28. 91

Puligny-Montrachet Les Aubues

Just so floral, this dances across the palate. A delightful wine with a silky quality and a light and spirited touch. 2024–30. 91

Puligny-Montrachet Premier Cru Sous le Puits

This comes from just under the wood and always has good acidity. High-toned aroma, very tight and mineral. Whips across the palate with tension and energy and a bite of salinity to finish. Spot-on. 2024–30. 93

St-Aubin Premier Cru Clos de la Chatenière

From a small parcel at the bottom of this climat, so it’s not as hot as some. Rich, crystalized lemon, very concentrated but balanced with sherbet-lemon freshness. It has a firm core of vibrancy and a pronounced finish. Very compact. Excellent. 2024–28. 89

St-Aubin Premier Cru En Remilly

So very contained, straight, and clipped, with intension and precision. It has keen energy and is lime-fresh to finish. So mineral and salty. 2023–28. 88–89

Domaine Marc Colin et Fils

Damien Colin has changed some aspects of his winemaking over the past two vintages. The aging is now six months longer, with 12 months in barrel and six months in vat, permitting him to do no fining or filtration. He has also reduced the proportion of new oak—there is none on the grand cru—and there is no bâtonnage. Damien considers 2020 to be between 2017 and 2014. “It was not as hot as 2018 or 2019. A very classic vintage.” There is a lovely range of whites here, but also three reds which show vibrant red fruit and a light touch with tannin.

St-Aubin Premier Cru En Morceau

The west-facing slope curves a little toward the north in this small climat of 3 acres (1.2ha), of which the domaine has 2.5 acres (1ha) of 70-year-old vines. This attacks the palate with savory ripeness but has a taut core and is quite reserved. A somewhat austere wine, with firm tension and good length. 2025–30+. 88–89

St-Aubin Premier Cru En Remilly

Litchee and slightly spicy aromas, while the palate is racy and straight, with a sweet and salty balance. It is pure, direct, and sings with energy. Great typicité. 2024–30+. 88

St-Aubin Premier Cru Sous Roche Dumay

This is floral and crisp. A pretty wine with a delicate, light-footed energy. 2023–26. 86–87

Puligny-Montrachet Enseignères

A delightful balance of sunny, white-peach ripeness and lively freshness. Good depth for a village wine. Pure and neatly edged. Racy and mineral. 2023–28. 90

Puligny-Montrachet Le Trézin

Upright white-flower aroma; straight, light, and racy, with high-wired energy. It dances on the palate. So stylish. Love it. 2024–28. 90–91

Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru

A Bâtard with elegance and lightness; rich and deep, of course, but not a whit heavy. There is a refined quality and a lively, long finish. 2028–35+. 97

Montrachet Grand Cru

Gingerbread and citrus aromas. An intense and chiseled palate, with a crystalline quality and a pure, lingering finish. 2030–40+. 97–98

Gamay

Domaine Sylvain Langoureau

“Fresher than 2019 and the terroir is more expressive. It is the sort of vintage we love to work with in Burgundy,” says Nathalie Langoureau, who is a teacher but also works with her husband at the domaine. “It is between 2017 and 2018. We have the freshness of the 2018s and the silkiness of the 2017s.” This is a good domaine that deserves more recognition.

Bourgogne Aligoté

Savory, stony, light wine with a white-grapefruit character. Fresh acidity to finish, with a sapid note. 2022–24. 82

Puligny-Montrachet Premier Cru La Garenne

There are only 4–6 inches (10–15cm) of topsoil over the rock here. Streamlined, pure, and racy, with a high-toned, piano-wire tension and precision to the long finish. I love this. 2024–30. 92–93

Puligny-Montrachet Premier Cru Les Chalumaux

Elegant, juicy, and generous, with dense fruit and a thick, citrus viscosity. Quite powerful and yet elegant on the finish. 2024–30. 93

St-Aubin Premier Cru Bas de Vermarain à l’Est

From a west-facing premier cru (the other side of the valley, facing east, is village level). An expressively fruity peachy aroma. Immediately rounded and generous, a little nutty, with a creamy note and a touch of hay on the finish. So inviting. 2023–28. 87

St-Aubin Premier Cru En Remilly

Straight, neatly edged, crisp, and pure. Delightfully piercing and channeled, with a fine and saline finish. Excellent energy. So stylish. 2023–28. 87

Chassagne-Montrachet

Domaine Jean-Marc Blain-Gagnard

White

Chassagne-Montrachet

An all-round village blend and a very good example. Rich almond aroma. Good, firm, dense texture. Rich marzipan and a savory finish. It’s nicely balanced with fresh acidity. 2023–30. 90

Chassagne-Montrachet Premier Cru La Boudriotte

This is compact and yet really fresh. Powerful, straight, contained, and well-edged. A vital and punchy wine. I like Jean-Marc’s Morgeot, too, which is more open and juicy, but this has the edge for tension. 2024–30+. 94

Chassagne-Montrachet Premier Cru Cailleret

An excellent cross-section of the vineyard, with limestone at the bottom and more marne at the top (yes, that way round) giving richness. Density and intensity, with fine floral notes; white flowers on the nose and palate. It has delicacy and a high-wired top-note to balance the base note. Delicacy and presence. Refined wine. 2024–30+. 95–96

Puligny-Montrachet

Ripe and glossy, but fresh with pink flowery aromatics and lively energy. Tight mid-palate to a swift and salty finish. 2023–30. 90

Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru

A notably refined Bâtard from the Chassagne side; delicate and silky, yet full and deep and rounded. A wine of volume, but airy. It has a fine, long, tight, and chalky finish. 2026–35. 98

Le Montrachet Grand Cru

Wonderful presence; a layered mid-palate, with fabulous length, intensity, and precision. So forthcoming, but please do to this too soon. 2027–35. 99

Red

Chassagne-Montrachet

Fresh and juicy with a tannic bite and chew. Splashing. Gorgeously yummy. 2023–28. 88

Volnay Premier Cru Pitures

Fresh, pure, and lifted, this pounces on the palate. I love the balance of austerity and fruit. It is strict and floral. 2024–30. 92

Domaine Marc-Antonin Blain

Marc-Antonin remarks that the red 2019 and 2020 both had good density and texture, but the 2020s are fresher.

Red

Chassagne-Montrachet

Generously juicy and full-bodied, with soft and supple tannins. Luscious and engaging, with fresh sapidity to finish. 2024–28. 88–89

Chassagne-Montrachet Premier Cru Morgeot

Blueberry richness and peppery spice provide the rich underbelly, which is lively with freshness and energy on the mid-palate, plentifully rounded tannins, and slight licorice chew to finish. 2024–32. 91–92

Domaine Bruno Colin

Bruno remarked, “It’s a warm vintage, but very fresh. Pleasing for whites, with lots of freshness and minerality. Easy to drink and digeste. A vintage that makes you want to have another glass.” He was very happy to be picking at potential alcohol levels of 12.8%–13.5%. During covid Bruno has built a sleek, smart modern winery incorporating the old cellar of his grandfather.

Chassagne-Montrachet Premier Cru Morgeot

A straight, punchy aroma. This has grip on the attack. Substance and power balanced with freshness and a generous sweet-sapid note to finish. 2024–30+. 94

Chassagne-Montrachet Premier Cru En Remilly

Bruno has 1.2 acres (0.5ha), amounting to one third of this upslope premier cru. Lovely, long, and streamlined shape. It is clipped and vital and super-intense, with a cool, vibrant finish. Stylish. 2024–30+. 94–95

Chassagne-Montrachet Premier Cru Les Vergers

Glassy smooth and ripe, with rose-petal elegance underpinned by tension. Finished with a chalky puff. Rather classy. 2023–29. 92

Puligny-Montrachet Premier Cru La Truffière

Floral, high-toned aroma. Rather more exotic flowery aromas on the palate, which waft around the straight, tightly edged palate to a piano-wire finish. 2024–32. 95

Chevalier-Montrachet

Quiet refinement, great tension and intensity. It is reserved and focused, with strong and steely persistence. 2027–35+. 98–99

Red

Maranges Premier Cru Fussières

It glides on a super-silky texture with lively freshness, while retaining its appealing characteristic touch of austerity at the end. 2024–28. 89

Domaine Richard Fontaine-Gagnard

Céline Fontaine remarked, “2020 has a similar balance to 2017 but is more serious. The dry weather helped to keep the high level of tartaric acidity.” She harvested Pinot first, because the skins were ready before Chardonnay. Although known for whites, the domaine also has six reds. Céline is very gentle with the extraction and has made rather an elegant village Chassagne and Morgeot, and I particularly like the Volnay Clos des Chênes. The whites are bottled early, even the Grand Cru being bottled within the year.

Chassagne-Montrachet Premier Cru La Boudriotte

This combines elegance with richness and has more finesse on the finish than the Morgeot. 2024–32. 94

Chassagne-Montrachet Premier Cru Cailleret

Layered and cool, reserved and compact. It is powerful and austere. Lovely depth and dimension. 2026–35. 95

Chassagne-Montrachet Premier Cru Grande Montagne

From a very stony, high, and dry terroir, which didn’t stress, unlike 2018. Upright, citrus aroma, to a clean, slicing, and swift palate. A lively and salty, fizzling finish. Spot-on. 2024–32. 94–95

Chassagne-Montrachet Premier Cru La Romanée

Lifted, exotic aroma. A lime-fruit attack, then this pounces and skates on a tight and long sweep across the palate. A hint of more extravagant litchee and ginger, but it focuses to be savory on the finish. Stand-out wine. 2024–30+. 95–96

Le Montrachet

Fabulously concentrated and deep. A serous wine, with a superbly long and vigorous finish. 2030–40. 98–99

Domaine Jean-Noël Gagnard

Caroline Lestimé remarked, “2020 is a vintage of good yields, so we have nice, concentrated wine, but not too concentrated, and we have good freshness. A vintage with tension. It is a little like 2017, because of its more extravagant side, and a little like 2005.” Caroline has introduced more tank aging now, as it works well with the richer vintages.

Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Beaune Sous Eguisons

This is from vines in a vineyard above St-Aubin. A lively citrus aroma. Lightly creamy and rather pithy. It has ripe grapefruit, combining piquancy and sweetness. 2022–28. 84

Chassagne-Montrachet Premier Cru La Boudriotte

Lightly brioche and honeysuckle aroma. Succulent and juicy, lots of fresh citrus fruits and some orange-flower notes. Rounded but airy and with an inviting light snap of freshness and pithiness to finish. 2025–32+. 94

Chassagne-Montrachet Premier Cru Les Chenevottes

A rich and glossy aroma, soft and chunky and generous. A nice floral, orange note and creamy richness on the finish. 2024–30. 92

Chassagne-Montrachet Premier Cru Clos de Maltroie

Spicy aroma and a broad and juicy palate. Lots of succulent fruit and a bite of savory bitterness to finish. I like the slight chew to the texture. It’s a very good Maltroie. 2024–30. 93–94

Chassagne-Montrachet, Premier Cru En Cailleret

Silky and yet restrained up-front. This has excellent tension and depth. Crisp edges. It slices across the palate, more savory than fruity, with keen, dry, chalky sapidity on the finish. Spot-on. 2025–35. 95–96

Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru

It is powerful, burnished, but restrained. Lithe muscle. Great intensity. There is richness but abundant freshness, too, and it’s so well-honed. 2026–35+. 97–98

Domaine Marc Morey

I do like Sabine Mollard’s wines. She feels her vines are adapting to the heat, because they barely stressed. She didn’t do much debourbage, as the lees were good and she wanted to keep them. “It was a very hot vintage and early harvest, but I think the acidity is good.”

White

Chassagne-Montrachet Premier Cru Les Cailleret

An elegant aroma with white flowers and lemon zest. It dances onto the palate; firmly balletic, with power and grace, to a long and shaley finish. What a lovely wine. 2024–30+. 95–96

Chassagne-Montrachet Premier Cru Les Chenevottes

Sunny, warm, and ripe, glossy aroma. Ripely rounded and generous, and under the rich fruit, plenty of savory intent. A good firm structure and line to this Chenevottes. 2023–30. 93

Chassagne-Montrachet Premier Cru Morgeot

Firm and punchy, with depth and drive. I like the forthright power. It has an assertive finish with savory freshness and bite. 2024–30+. 93–94

Chassagne-Montrachet Premier Cru En Virondot

The domaine has a massive 5 acres (2ha) of this excellent climat. Tension and line. Straight, direct, and pure. Sizzles with energy, to a vivacious and persistent, chalky finish. Flashes with minerals. 2025–30. 95–96+

St-Aubin Premier Cru Le Charmois

Very accessible, with white peach; charming, nicely rounded, with a floral finish. 2022–25. 86

Red

Chassagne-Montrachet Premier Cru Morgeot

Ripe and seductive, with juicy forest fruit on the nose. Uber-juicy attack, with lashings of fruit and a grippy, fresh, tannic bite. These tannins bring a clack and tacky freshness to the fruit, and it ends on white pepper and cranberry bitterness. 2024–32. 92

Fernand and Laurent Pillot

This domaine has 50 parcels across eight villages, making for a hefty tasting of 24 wines. Laurent recalls that only three or four vineyards were stressed in 2020, including some Morgeot, where the clay baked. He feels that plowing has helped push the roots down. Vergers, with its thin topsoil, has become more resilient. Laurent is handing over to his son Adrian, who is now working the vineyards organically and has reduced the use of new oak.

White

Bourgogne Aligoté

A gloriously opulent Aligoté, aged partially in older barrique, with a richly citrus and rounded palate and a vibrant cut of acidity. Harvested at the end of August. 2022–25. 83–84

Chassagne-Montrachet Les Chênes

From a village parcel in deeper clay, just below Maltroie. Spicy, golden aromas, then peachy and brioche notes on the palate, with a smooth ice-cream sensation, both rich and cold, to finish. 2024–28. 90

Chassagne-Montrachet Premier Cru Fairendes

Laurent’s Morgeot is mainly in the lieu-dit of Petits Clos and is broad, rich, and vigorous, while this Morgeot is straighter, tighter, and focused, with marked sapidity. 2024–30+. 94

Chassagne-Montrachet Premier Cru Grandes Ruchottes

White floral and minty aromas. It zips with finely tuned tension. It is beautifully concentrated yet high-wired, and there’s a straight core to the fine and saline finish. So stylish. 2024–32. 95

Chassagne-Montrachet Premier Cru Vergers

Smooth and silky, with a ribbon of pure fruit, a delicious floral, floating aroma, and supple, fluid minerality on the finish. Pure and elegant. 2023–30. 92–93

St-Aubin Premier Cru Sentier du Clos

From a gentle slope, this becomes very steep and dangerous to work—many years ago, Laurent’s tractor tipped over here. After a super-juicy and fresh attack, it is straight and elegant, with a vibrant, zesty, sherbet finish. 2023–28. 88–89

Red

Pommard Premier Cru Charmots

The aromatics are very ripe, with exotic floral notes, while the palate is fresh and direct and the texture is fine and silky. A charming Pommard. 2024–30. 91–92

Santenay

Domaine Jessiaume

This producer is a new one for me. It has changed hands three times recently, but the young William Waterkeyn has been looking after the domaine vines, changing the management to organic and making the wine since 2014. Under the current owner, a Parisian doctor, the focus is domaine. The purchase of grand cru grapes by the négociant side has been dropped in favor of acquiring regional vines around Santenay. Only remontage and rack and return was used, “to make elegant and accessible Pinot Noir; not light, but to have aging potential.” I was impressed with Les Ecussaux, a flat clay climat in Auxey-Duresses, from which William has coaxed blackberry-rich village wine and softly textured premiers crus.

Auxey-Duresses Premier Cru Les Ecussaux

Violet aromatics. Rounded and rich yet juicy and ripe, with bold, chunky, and soft tannins and chewy licorice on the finish giving freshness. 2024–28. 86–87

Santenay Clos du Clos Genet

Pretty wine. Silky tannins, with a charming ribbon of red fruit and a lively zesty bite to the finish. 2023–26. 85

Santenay Premier Cru La Comme

A touch of methyl combines with ripe strawberries and black pepper on the aroma. The palate shows distilled sweetness woven with freshness. So inviting, with cherry and almond notes, rounded off with some rose-petal aromatics. 2023–30. 87

Santenay Premier Cru Les Gravières

The domaine owns 14 of the 70 acres (5.5 of the 28ha), just under the windmill, with 10 acres (4ha) in red and the balance in white. Neatly compact and dense, with a light grip and power. It has a cold, smoky note. (There is also a separate cuvée, a selection, which is more concentrated, with thicker, more velvety tannins and a pronounced finish). 2024–32. 88–89

Cheilly-lès-Maranges

Domaine Chevrot

Pablo Chevrot used some whole-bunch to great effect, as it adds a lively floral character and elegance to the reds. “It reminds me a bit of the rich 2012s,” he says. “Good aging potential, with such beautiful and balanced fruit. Massive tartaric for the whites. The dryness didn’t affect the harvest. We were lucky. The reds are finer than the 2019s. High potential of color and tannins, but the fruit and acidity are there. It has much better pH than 2018.”

White

Bourgogne Aligoté Cuvée Speciale Tilleul

Rich, lemony palate, nicely plump, rather creamy and rounded in the middle, with a pithy, zesty finish. Attractive white-currant notes. 2022–26. 84–85

Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Beaune

Delicious elderflower and white-peach character. Expressive and engaging, just lightly plump in body, light-textured, with a rather delicate, salty finish. So pretty. 2022–26. 85

Maranges Blanc Premier Cru La Fussière

Upright and haughty aroma. Pounces on the palate. Direct and energetic. Clipped and strict. Snaps with cool acidity. Lovely intensity. A whiplash of chalky minerals to finish. Love it. 2023–30. 88

Santenay Blanc Comme Dessus

Lightly creamy to start, gently rounded, with a light and airy touch of buttery brioche and a floral finish. Really quite refined. This village wine overdelivers. 2023–28. 86–87

Red

Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Beaune

Straight and floral, with a light crunch to the tannins. High-toned, perfumed freshness. 2022–23. 85

Maranges Premier Cru Le Croix Moines

70% whole-bunch, but Pablo removes the frame of the stem. Almond and red-cherry aromas. Elegant and succulent, it slips into a straight and perfumed palate. Fine, smooth tannins. Neat edges. It is cool, restrained, and fresh. Slippery, talcy minerals define the persistent finish. 2025–35. 91