![The Clos des Ores vineyard in Morey-St-Denis in the Côte de Nuits.](webp/closdesormesmoreystdenis-1038x778.webp)
Sarah Marsh MW’s coverage of this delightful vintage continues with her extensive notes on the wines of the Côte de Nuits.
These tasting notes are a selection of those for many hundreds of wines tasted throughout June and October 2023 in Burgundy. I look for quality, typicity, and wines that I enjoy, but this is not a definitive list. The notes capture a moment in time during the aging process. Many of the 2022 whites, which were tasted in June, will benefit from a second winter and final polish.
My en primeur scoring is within the context of the vintage and ranges from 82 for a simple, attractive, well-made wine, while 88–90 for a premier cru from a “lesser” village would denote high quality and typicity. Please don’t ignore wines with scores in the 80s. I would find it unhelpful and unrealistic to rate Burgundy’s full spectrum—from regional wines, to grands crus—in a range that, even for the good wines at each level, didn’t span 18–20 points.
2022 Burgundy: Harmony born of an easy season
2022 Burgundy: A guide to the villages and vineyards
2022 Burgundy: A delightful Chablis vintage
2022 Burgundy: Chablis tasting notes
Côte de Nuits: Marsannay
Edouard Clair tells me, “We did a lot of sampling before harvest. We had to wait, not always harvesting with the ‘ideal’ pH—it could be a week later. We pick on flavor. We start early with Chardonnay, in the dry area in Marsannay, as it has small yields and there can be very little juice. We saw more stress on limestone soils. The 2022 reds will be very accessible, like the 2018s and 2019s, but should keep 10 to 15 years and maybe longer.” I should point out that most of the samples for this tasting were from one barrel of each wine, rather than a comprehensive blend.
White
Marsannay
Savory umami notes and stone fruit combine on a lightly glossy and succulent palate. Just yummy. 2024–28. 85
Marsannay Les Grasses Têtes
A rocky vineyard. Nutty, rich aroma. Full and generous. Punchy, with a sappy tension; flexing muscle and power. Very attractive, savory, stony finish. It follows through well. 2025–28. 88
Morey-St-Denis En la Rue de Vergy
Very little topsoil. This is taut. Nutty and miso notes. Light, edgy but definitely richer than the 2021, with more depth to the mid-palate and a salted caramel finish. It’s super-savory to finish. I like it a lot. 2025–28. 90
Red
Savigny-lès-Beaune Premier Cru Les Dominode
From a northeast-facing parcel, quite steep, with clay and some sand. 100-year-old vines. Only 20% whole-bunch, as the pH was high. Violets on the nose. Smoothly supple, with a rich, glossy glide across the palate; suede-soft tannins. Rich and thickly textured. 2027–35. 89–90
Fixin
Champs Perdrix made in a small oak foudres. 600 bottles. Forest-fruit aroma. Gutsy wine, with robust tannins balanced by sweet blackberry fruit. 2026–28. 86
Marsannay
From ten parcels, including some drier soils such as Champ Forey. Light and pretty, with raspberry fruit; a delicate texture and a nice bitter/sweet touch to finish. 2025–28. 86
Marsannay La Charme aux Prêtres
Limestone, with more complex clays. Rose-petal aroma, with a ripe and smooth glide into the palate. Silky texture, with cool, glinting minerality. Just nicely balanced acidity and a salted-almond finish. 2025–28. 86
Marsannay Les Grasses Têtes
The smallest berries with the thickest skins. Three harvests here (and for the village Morey). Each picking is made separately and blended after racking before barreling down. Fewest pigeages in the winery, not to extract too much. Darker fruit and earthy aromas. This was the first wine for which they used 50% whole-bunch, back in 2019. Wild, gamey, and bloody notes. Sturdy and firm tannins, all wrapped up in plentiful ripe fruit, with loads of freshness to finish. Oomphy. 2026–34. 90
Marsannay Les Longeroies
Prémeaux limestone subsoil. Straight and glossy. Smooth texture. A lively, energetic current carries to a lightly sweet and bitter note on the finish. 2025–30. 86–87
Marsannay Les Vaudenelles
White soil on the hillside at about 325m. “Not much clay and not a complex clay, but it was beneficial in 2022.” Fresh red-cherry aroma. Juicy attack. Sweet fruit and nicely rounded. Fresh and crunchy, with a touch of oregano to finish. 2025–30. 86–87
Morey-St-Denis En la Rue de Vergy
Very poor soil, only 8 inches (20cm) deep at the top; nearer the forest, there’s more clay, but above Bonnes Mares there’s very little. Up-toned, lightly bitter morello cherry. Floral wine, with a delightful, lucid feel. It is delicate, crisp, and pure. A light and translucent feel. I love this wine. 2026–32. 90
Chambolle-Musigny Les Véroilles
Quite a “lifted” aroma, but I do like the palate—chiffon-textured, light-bodied, and delicate, with a super-crisp line through the middle. A delicate sprinkle of salt and a rose-petal perfume to finish. Tasted from a few other barrels, whichhad even sweeter fruit. 2026–32. 90
Chambolle-Musigny Premier Cru Les Charmes
From a parcel purchased in 2019, so Edouard feels he is still getting to know it. I find this so much better than the 2021. Ripe floral aromas. Softly rounded, with plenty of airy volume. Very expressive and aromatic—even slightly extravagant. Spot on for typicité. 2027–35. 94
Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru
Two harvests; one on the terrace, where the soil is poor, picked a week earlier than the Morey-St-Denis red soils. Fermented separately then blended before barreling down. Rich, earthy, deep-forest character. It is punchy and dense and powerful. This has intension and drive. Graphite, mineral bite. Powers home on a vigorous and impressively persistent finish. 2028–40. 99
Vosne-Romanée Champs Perdrix
Super-juicy and energetic. So zesty and bright. Cutting acidity. The lowest pH in the cellar this vintage. Fairly fizzles on the finish. A slim, straight, bright, and engaging Vosne. 2026–32. 91
Gevrey-Chambertin
Sweet fruit up-front. Juicy and finely textured. Rather talcy. I like the freshness of the tannic bite. A very lively and well-sustained finish for a village wine. 2026–32. 89–90
Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru Les Cazetiers
Just three barrels from 1.2 acres (0.5ha), as the vines are on the degenerative 161-49 rootstock and are being replanted. Exotically floral aroma. Intense, ripe yet vertical palate, with a hint of gunflint minerality. It is pure, so floral and expressive, even extravagant, with a gorgeous, long and lingering finish. Haunting memory on the palate. 2028–35. 96
Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru Clos de Fonteny
“More of the Ruchottes character, with an east-facing orientation, just under Clos des Issarts,” explains Edouard. Sweet, inviting, and intense. It has a deep concentration of red fruit. Compact. A straight, channeled palate. Cool, reserved, and layered. Deliciously sweet and salty on the finish. 2028–35. 95
Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru Clos St-Jacques
More lusciously fruity than the Cazetiers. Fabulous, intense aroma. Succulent and concentrated attack. There is depth and layering to the mid-palate and a very persistent finish. It is generous but beautifully contained. 2028–35. 98
Chambertin Clos de Bèze Grand Cru
My goodness, this has an extravagant and deeply concentrated aroma. Richly layered, but vibrantly fresh. A dive into glorious fruit and velvety texture. Just sumptuously delicious on the finish, and so persistent. Spot on. 2028–40. 99
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CHÂTEAU DE MARSANNAY
Stéphane Follin-Arbelet is Directeur Général of this 70-acre (28ha) domaine. “The tannins are supple and very elegant in 2022,” he says. “We really notice the impact of the organic viticulture.” Follin-Arbelet uses a vertical press and stopped filtration six vintages ago, which, together with the organic approach, has been a key point, he says, in the improvement at the domaine.
Marsannay Les Longeroies
Attractive red fruit. Light and pure; fluid and elegant, with a bright and slicing note. Cool, stony minerality to finish. 2025–28. 87
Vosne-Romanée Premier Cru En Orveaux
Plowed by horse, because it is difficult with the tractor. Elegant, crisp, and intense. Straight and vibrant. A lively, whiplash finish. 2028–32. 94–95
Echézeaux Grand Cru
This is from En Orveaux, which in the warm 2022 vintage has produced a sleek, glimmering, and vital wine, with plenty of energy and a persistent, fresh finish. 2028–35. 96–97
Chambertin Grand Cru
From 0.25 acre (0.1ha) in the upper part of Chambertin, matured in one large barrel: a mere 400 bottles. A fluid, sophisticated, and honed wine, which carries on a vivid and intense line into a serious, sustained finish. The power is streamlined. 2028–38. 98–99
Ruchottes-Chambertin Grand Cru
Expressive red fruit on the nose, while the palate is much more sparing. Translucent to the terroir, this is savory, nervy, and salty. It has an electric quality. Refined, straight, and lucid finish. 2028–38. 98
Côte de Nuits: Gevrey-Chambertin
Nicolas Bachelet remarks, “For a few years now, we like to pick early, and are often one of the first, so our grapes are not as ripe as some neighbors’, but I do not want to get 14% ABV. Freshness is more important.” Nicolas has made some other tweaks to the process. He cools the grapes to 55ºF (13ºC) now. In 2019, he bought a heat exchanger, which was well used in 2022. In 2023, he dropped the temperature further, pointing out that the skins retain the heat, so lower is better. Two pigeages a day, reducing to one a day from the middle of the fermentation. Three coopers—Chassin, Rousseau, and Remond—20% on Côte de Nuits-Villages, 30% on Gevrey, and usually 50% on premiers and grands crus, but a bit more than usual this because of the small recent harvest.There is now a higher proportion from Chassin than in the past—which is good news. I like this cooper, as the oak doesn’t dominate. “2022 is good balance between the very different ’20 and ’21 vintages,” says Nicolas. “There’s concentration from the warm conditions, but you stay in Burgundy, with Pinot that’s still fresh.”
Bourgogne
Rich aroma. Smooth and juicy, with plenty of concentration and lively piquancy on the finish. So much intensity for a regional wine. Very good. 2025–28. 86–87
Côte de Nuits-Villages
Queue de Hareng parcels at the top of hill where the topsoil is thin. There are five more parcels down below in this section of Côte de Nuits-Villages, which is a strip from the top to the bottom of the slope on the other side of Brochon. Very fresh and lively. Slim and racy. A slightly graphite finish. 2026–30. 86–87
Gevrey-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes
Some of this is from old vines in Burie, where the water table is very high and it floods in winter, yet farther along, below the R74, the Justice parcel is very dry, so it often stresses; as they were harvesting here, the leaves were already falling Justice often stresses. Another third of the wine is from Champerrier. Rich and smooth across the palate, with good density and a refreshing, bitter-cherry, almond-kernel finish. The finish is a light wire. 2025–30. 89–90
Gevrey-Chambertin Les Evocelles
The last vintage in which they produced this wine was 2018. 50% new oak. A couple of barrels made. Exuberantly fruity. Glossy attack to a juicy, energetic palate. Sweet, red-cherry fruit and crisp acidity. 2026–32. 90–91
Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru Les Corbeaux
Five of the nine barrels were new. Nicolas would have preferred fewer, and to use some on the Bourgogne, but he was out of action at the time after a back operation. I tasted from different barrels, which confirmed by impression that Chassin is more transparent to the terroir. An elegant wine, with super-smooth tannins, nicely woven with freshness and slight sapidity. Silky finish. 2027–35+. 94
Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru
Notable intensity of red fruit on the nose. Full-bodied, with such a succulent depth to the mid-palate. Unctuous and yet fresh. Velvety tannins. Some oak showing on the finish, but a lovely wine. A blend of two parcels; the larger one is at the top of the small mound, where the soil is thin and the berries always very small and concentrated. The smaller parcel is farther down with a more northerly exposition. 2028–40. 97
For the whites, Bernard Bouvier uses no sulfites until one year after harvest. There are two no-sulfite whites. He took most of the lees in 2022. For the reds, he likes a blond toast from Emitage, Seguin Moreau, and Rousseau. 50% whole-bunch for all the reds. “We really see the differences in all the terroirs. The harvest was early, but the character is not very hot and sunny, for we had a little rain in August. We have a lot of old vines with deep roots, and we saw no stress in the vineyards.”
Bourgogne Aligoté Vieilles Vignes
From around Morey-St-Denis and Marsannay. Half in 600-liter barrels, half in tank. No added sulfites. Savory, nutty palate, with firm acidity and an almond bitterness to the finish. Lots of concentration in this Aligoté. It’s not fruity, but it is certainly attractive. 2024–26. 83
Marsannay Les Clos
From 7.5 acres (3ha). 600-liter barrels, then blended in tank. Always has a very low pH—3.1, even in 2022. Two separate bottlings, with and without sulfites; this sample has. Lemony and lightly pithy aroma. Straight glide. Super-citrus. Fizzling, sherbet freshness and energy. Very attractive. 2024–26. 86
Marsannay Clos du Roy
Elegant and slightly strict. Good tension. Straight and edgy. A sweet/savory intensity which carries to the saline finish. My favorite white here. 2025–28. 87
Marsannay Longeroies
More clay here. Fuller, succulent, juicy palate, with super-fresh acidity. 2024–26. 85
Red
Fixin Crais de Chêne
Near Petit Crais, with a similar, stony terroir and cool air from the combe. Dark fruit, slightly gamey and savory. The tannins are grippy but well-managed. Smooth leather. An aroma of culinary herbs—tarragon and oregano—lift the finish. An excellent Fixin. 2026–28. 86
Marsannay Au Champ Salomon
From a parcel near the Château de Marsannay; clay, with some stone. Succulent and juicy attack. Richer thicker texture. Scoops down into dark fruit and up again with bold and crunchy freshness. 2025–28. 85
Marsannay Clos du Roy Vieilles Vignes
I like the fine-textured tannins. This is crisply edged; straight and slightly strict. The tension carries to the finish. It bites. My favorite. 2026–35. 88
Marsannay Longeroies Vieilles Vignes
Smooth texture. The clay in the soil gives this a fuller palate, the 70-year-old vines helping. It has seductive fruit and generosity, with a slightly minty freshness to finish. Yum. 2026–35. 87
Marsannay En Ouzeloy
A vineyard with very small stones from the cône de déjection. Softly fruity aroma. A gentle wine, with ripe aromatics, soft tannins, and a light line of freshness. Pretty. 2024–28. 85
Chambolle-Musigny Premier Cru Les Fuées
From the top of the vineyard. Bouvier works the vineyard under a fermage arrangement. Ripe and intense summer fruit,with white-pepper highlights. Finely textured tannin. It is ripe, but slightly nervous. Springs lightly across the palate and finishes on a peppery note. 2027–35. 93–94
Gevrey-Chambertin
“It is interesting to have a blend of clay and limestone from all the terroirs, so since 2021 I have blended everything.” An elegant aroma and sweep onto the palate. Super-suave. Firm structure in the middle, and freshness to the finish, which has good persistence. Really like this. A complete wine at ease with itself. 2026–32. 90
Gevrey-Chambertin Racine du Temps
A blend of old vines from four parcels, the largest under Jeunes Rois. Lots of millerandage. The average age of the vines is more than 90 years old. There is muscle and intensity here. Compact and layered. Punchy on the finish. It has grip and intension. Needs more time. 2027–35. 90
Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru Champeaux
Super-energetic attack on the palate, which is both ripe and cold: a striking juxtaposition. Lots of crunch to the texture and a vigorous finish, with a cold cut. Exuberant, fruity wine. 2027–35. 94
Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru Combes aux Moines
Dark forest fruits on this straight, elegant, and cool wine. Cool in the mineral cut and in personality. Slim, elegant, and pure. 2024–32. 94
Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru
Fresh tannic bite. Punchy and intense. Drives home on the finish. Not an aromatic Charmes. A vigorous and strident expression, with tarragon freshness on the finish. Compact. From an upper parcel of Mazoyères, under Latricières, with old vines. 2028–40. 95
Clos Vougeot Grand Cru
Full and yet tight. A vigorous, muscular wine. Lots of energy here. I like the sappy character, which keeps the full-bodied palate really energetic. Freshness comes along with the ripeness and volume. 2028–40. 95
Echézeaux Grand Cru
From En Orveaux, a mere three barrels. Cool and reserved on the front palate, yet also quite exotic in aroma. As it moves across the palate, it becomes notably aromatic. Streamlined, neatly cut, and focused on the finish. 2028–38. 95–96
![Côte de Nuits Gevrey Chambertin](jpg/gettyimages-176075250.jpg)
Sylvie Esmonin, who has a 21-acre (7.66ha) domaine, is one of the five owners of Clos St-Jacques. Her fellow owners in the 16.5-acre (6.7ha) Clos are Rousseau, Bruno Clair, Jadot, and Fourrier. Her winery and house lie in the bottom north corner of the vineyard, hence her rows do not extend as low as the other domaines. The yields were smaller here because of the stress caused by the June storm that swept through the vineyard. She harvested September 1–13, and remarks, “Because of the hot weather, I have lots of whole-bunch—a minimum of 50%. It’s easier to control the temperature.” At the beginning of the fermentation, she uses only remontage, with pigeage toward the end; a maximum of six. She puts the whole bunches at the bottom of the vat and presses off with sugar, finishing the fermentation in tank, where afterwards she settles to rack with fine lees. “I don’t use a lot of sulfur. I like to keep the wines with reduction during élevage. She switches the wine out of barrels (Rousseau Vidéo and Dominique Laurent) to tank for the second winter—“To be fresher”—which is something she has always done. She finds 2022 like “a combination of 2002 and 2012: the freshness and energy of the 2002 and the richness of 2012.”
Bourgogne
Pressonnier. The top part is classed as village, but this wine is from the regional section. Deep soil, 2 acres (0.8ha) of vines. “Always good a pH.” 50% whole-bunch, with a short two-week fermentation. Fresh, zesty, and energy, with red fruit and crisp, light tannins. Pleasant. 2024–28. 82
Côte de Nuits–Villages
From Brochon mid-slope, Croix Violette and En Vignois. 30% new oak. Super-juicy and fruity. Fresh, with crunchy tannins and a lively finish. Attractive. 2025–27. 83–84
Volnay Premier Cru Santenots
This comes through Ampeau. Harvested before the Côte de Nuits on August 29. A ripe and opulent profile, with 80% whole-bunch giving a herbal, aromatic freshness and some tannic backbone to balance the ripe fruit. 2027–32. 92
Gevrey-Chambertin
From 20 parcels of 50+-year-old vines, which are collated in three cuvées and blended after pressing. Super-juicy and sweet on the front palate, with ripe, blueberry fruits. Zesty. A twang from the whole-bunch. I like that fresh bite. 2026–29.86
Gevrey-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes
Parcels from the top of the slope. A 38-barrel cuvée. Darker and more intense fruit, with a fennel note. This is quite a level up in punchy energy and structure. 2026–32+. 88
Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru Clos Prieur
From 2022, this is made separately. 100% whole-bunch. Small cuveé. One and a half barrels. A new Laurent barrel. Soft and creamy from the get-go. Rather seductive fruit. Chamois-leather smoothness, which is balanced by the herbal freshness of the whole-bunch. 2027–35. 91
Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru Clos St-Jacques
A storm on June 22 from Combe de Lavaux dragged the soil downslope and the cellar was flooded. “Three months of rain in an hour. The vineyard was stressed and stopped its evolution, so the berries were very small.” There is plenty of freshness, a tense edge to the tannins. The whole-bunch (60%) is evident, which gives an aromatic lift. Combines sweetness with a herbal note and the terroir comes through in slightly austere, savory bite to the finish. 2027–35. 93
Fabien Géantet observes, “The most important factor is the date of the harvest. We like a low yields in the vineyard, so we are careful not to harvest too late. We need a good balance between tannin, fruit, and acidity.” He remarks on the high skin-to-juice ratio in 2022. Everything is destemmed here, with the exception of the Gevrey Edmond. One pigeage a day and some remontage. “I do not want a wine with big extraction, minerality, acidity, or tannins. It is all about the balance.” Rousseau and Cavin are the preferred coopers.
“2022 is a bit like 2018 (for the sunny climate) and 2009. 2022 is a style of its own, though. Very sunny with red fruits, but not too much sucrosity. The most difficult thing was to avoid too much concentration and to conserve good acidity. I think the wines will develop over 10 to 15 years for the premiers and grands crus, and later than that is not my preference.” They make 150,000 bottles here. There are 25 acres (10ha) in the Hautes-Côtes.
White
Marsannay Vaudenelles
100% new oak. Géantet likes a lot of new oak on his whites. Succulent and juicy. Ripe apricot fruit is underscored with sapidity and freshness. No lack of tension to cut through the toast and nutty notes from the oak. 2025–30. 84–85
Red
Hautes-Côtes de Nuits
From 25 acres (10ha) spread over several parcels in red and white around Chevannes and Messanges. New planting of 5 acres (2ha) in white and older vines of red. Bought the first parcel of old vines in 2012. Picked later on September 14–16. Perky redcurrant fruit. Very piquant. Spicy and zesty, with crunchy tannins. 2024–28. 82
Marsannay Champ Perdrix
Planted in 1981. Vivacious, red-fruit aroma. Firm and lightly austere tannins. Sappy and energetic. Lots of limestone here and it shows. Light whiplash to the finish. I like it. 2026–32. 85
Chambolle-Musigny
Three parcels. 75-year-old vines. Richly textured bounce onto the palate. Loads of ripe loganberry fruit. Generously fruity, underscored with fresh acidity. Quite a lot of oak evident (although just 30%). Super-juicy on the finish. Gregarious. 2026–32. 87
Gevrey-Chambertin Cuvée Edmond
A homage to Fabien’s grandfather, who died in 2021. A two-barrel cuvée, 100% whole-bunch. “I am not a big fan of whole-bunch, so I take only very beautiful grapes. In 2022, it was easier to do this than in 2021, but it’s not my style.” The whole-bunch brings garden herbs to the aroma. An expressive burst of fruit on the front-palate. Good depth mid-palate. Quite finely textured tannins and it stretches onto a rather delicate finish with an aroma of mint. Elegantly done. 2026–32. 87
Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru Le Poissenot
50% new oak (Cavin). It is supe- fresh, straight, and vivacious, with fizzling tension and a nervous, saline finish. Delicious, but I wondered why he uses 50% new oak. He thinks it is necessary to digest the fruit and minerality and for good balance. 2027–32. 93–94
Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru
Always 50% new oak (but not only Cavin). Exuberantly floral. A full-volume palate, which is lightly opulent and somewhat glossy in texture. A persistent and aromatic finish. 2028–40. 95
White
Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru
From bought-in grapes, not juice. It is a rich and oaky style, but with plentiful energy. Ripe and slightly exotic, aromatic greengage fruit and a spicy finish. 2027–35+. 94
Red
Corton Les Renardes Grand Cru
Glossy and full. Rich, seductive, and generous. Luscious tannins. Altogether rather sumptuous. Two barrels. The new oak of the Rousseau Vidéo is hoovered up by the rich fruit. 2028–35+. 94
Nicolas Rossignol says, “We picked September 8 to 15, so, as usual, we were not the first. Maturity was nice and homogenous. We used about two thirds of whole bunches.” Abundant and attractive aromas of culinary herbs here on the lesser wines. As you climb the hierarchy, they become less apparent. The wine stays in tank for several days to finish the sugar. “We want no sugar and no reduction when we barrel the wine, so we don’t have to rack for two winters. We take the just the light lees. Some 15% of new oak on the village wines and Beaune Premier Cru; 30% for the premier cru Gevrey. 80% of the oak here is from Rousseau. “It’s usually very toasty, but ours is less toasty, as we have well-seasoned wood. The 2022s are very drinkable—not as approachable as the 2019s because there is more structure. I think people should wait five or six years. 2021 is more approachable. Not far from 2020, but the 2020 has more acidity (2017 not, of course). Maybe like 2016, but warmer. 2009 was hot, but not the same, and 2007 hot but also different. Maybe 2016.” We tried a 2016 Chapelle-Chambertin, which has lively freshness and bright red fruit. It has higher acidity and is slimmer and tenser than the 2022, and after seven years it is not yet ready to start drinking. Elegant and finely textured wines from this domaine.
Bourgogne
Floral aroma. Quite delicate and light-bodied, with red-cherry fruit, crisp tannins, and a flowery finish. Pretty. 2025–28.84
Beaune Premier Cru Les Teurons
Finely textured, crisp tannins, with a bright and zesty palate. Straight. Light-bodied, with a red-peppercorn character; a taut profile with a salty finish. This illustrates the lightness and finesse that can be achieved in Beaune even in a hot and dry vintage. This is a warm climat. Excellent typicité from this terroir. 2026–30. 91–92
Gevrey-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes
A straight, well-edged, and taut palate, with finely textured tannins and nervy energy. 2026–30. 88–89
Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru Clos Prieur
Thyme leaf, white pepper, and strawberries. Nicely rounded, soft, gentle palate, with ripe summer fruits and more of the culinary herbs on the finish. Easy-going. 2027–35. 90
Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru Petite Chapelle
Energetic and juicy. Fuller and denser than Clos Prieur. 65% whole-bunch, but the typical aromatics are discreet. It has more structure and a twang of tannin. The finish shows a bit of toasty oak. Very fresh. “We have not done any pigeage on Petite Chapelle since 2003.” 2028–35. 93–94
Chambertin Grand Cru
In the northern part, there are very long rows planted in the ’70s, while the southern part has a blend of 25-year-old vines and some 100-year-old vines, which are all made separately and blended before barreling down. A total of 4 acres (1.6ha). Powerful yet concise. It has presence. 2028–40. 98
Chapelle-Chambertin Grand Cru
The Chapelle lieu-dit was planted in 1934. Very little to soil here, yet the vines didn’t suffer from dryness, probably because they are very old. “The rock is not solid […] with very thin layers of clay, so the roots can go to find the humidity and freshness. The Gémeaux lieu-dit was planted in 1928 and the soil is deeper here. This is an amazing part. It gives wonderful fruit.” Full, broad, with a firm structure. A cloud of herby aromatics envelopes the palate and seems to refine, freshen, and lengthen the finish. 2028–40. 96
Latricières-Chambertin Grand Cru
Vivid, raspberry aroma. A linear, lucid, and beautifully defined palate, with gossamer tannins and a salty, fine line. Stretches into a long, crystalline finish. Doesn’t show the whole-bunch at all. Vines planted in the 1950s after the frost of ’56. Love it. 2028–40. 98
I like the fine texture of the wine from this domaine. They have four grands crus but the village and premier cru wines impressed me most. The three wines from Morey-St-Denis are lovely; the premier cru Chambolle is masterful from a producer outside the village. The Gevrey village wines are silky textured and Lavaux St-Jacques is spot on for typicité.
Christophe Nawroski is the winemaker overseen by Sylvian Pataille for the past 15 years. Chantal Tortochot comes each morning to taste. Harvest was September 3–10. In 2022, they used 25% whole-bunch. Short pre-fermentation maceration,after which temperatures rise naturally. Two or three pigeages at the beginning, then remontage every morning. 20% new oak on village, 40–50% on premier cru, and in 2022 only new oak on grand cru. Rousseau, Remond, and François Fréres, Berthomieu Ermitage, but it varies each year for each cuvée.
Morey-St-Denis
Several parcels. Scented aroma, to a delicate, light-footed palate. Gauzy tannins, with lively freshness on the finish. So pretty. 2025–28. 87
Morey-St-Denis Premier Cru Aux Charmes
More density on the nose and palate. Deep, red-cherry, juicy fruit, delicately draped with light and silky tannins. Florally aromatic, with a lovely, crisp finish. 2026–32. 92–93
Morey-St-Denis Premier Cru Cuvée Renaissance
A blend of two small parcels. Deeper fruit and richer, silky/satin texture. More fruit- than perfume-driven, with a slightly longer finish. 2027–35. 93
Chambolle-Musigny Premier Cru Sentiers
Very pretty perfume. Blossom-fresh. Muslin-delicate texture. Quite full but airy. Light and chalky line. Woven with freshness to a salty finish. Spot on. 2026–32. 92
Gevrey-Chambertin Les Jeunes Rois
Fine-textured tannins, super-juicy and energetic. Lots of ripe forest fruits. Delicious. 2025–32. 87–88
Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru Lavaux St-Jacques
Fresh, slightly minty aroma, with cherries and pink peppercorn. Silky slide onto the palate. Pure and taut. Breezy and elegant. A streamlined, quite nervy palate. What a delight. 2026–35. 94
Chambertin Grand Cru
Higher toned than the Mazis. More blueberry fruit. Spicy attack. Channeled and focused. This has slight austerity. Streamlined and energetic with very good persistence. 2028–40. 97
Mazis-Chambertin Grand Cru
Gorgeous, sweet-fruit aroma. Seductive and satin-textured. Forest fruits and a lightly gamey note. A touch earthy and savory, which works well with the sweetness. The palate is full but light and the finish is refined. 2028–35. 96
Côte de Nuits: Morey-St-Denis
![Côte de Nuits](jpg/shutterstock_677627038.jpg)
Cyprien Arlaud has a 37-acre (15ha) domaine which was established by his grandmother, who was Burgundian, in the heart of Morey. Arlaud moved operations in 2003 to a field below the main road. Organic farming since 2013 and certified. He uses plenty of whole-bunch—he started with stems in 1998—and no new oak, although there are one- and two-year-old barrels. He explains how important it was to be very reactive during the harvest in 2022, moving the team of 80 pickers quickly to harvest particular sections of vineyards, chasing the sprinkling of rain as the grapes quickly swelled, but immediately afterwards the vine stressed once more. “I compare 2022 with 2002. There is a cycle. I made the 2002. I was young but was involved. The farming was different, but I got this feeling of softness, energy, ripeness, and complexity at the beginning—at the time, I used too much new oak and punched down too much, but after time in bottle the 2002 came back.”
Chambolle-Musigny
Lively red-fruit aroma. Fresh and bright palate. Zesty. It clips along nicely, with a light texture. This comes from five different parcels, all on the Morey side of Chambolle. 2026–32. 88
Chambolle-Musigny Premier Cru Les Chatelots
Sweet attack of fruit, with freshness and brightness. Arlaud uses a high trellis of 75 inches (190cm) with tressage. “But this cannot be adapted for every vineyard. Chatelots is like a small garden. If you have been organic for many years, we can ask more from the vines.” Everything is done by hand here. Horse-plowed since 2003. Almost no topsoil (6 inches[15cm]). “In a very dry vintage, the deep roots find the water.” It makes just one barrel. It is super-intense. A distillation of red fruit and flowers: vibrant. Silky texture and a singing finish. 2027–37. 93–94
Bonnes Mares Grand Cru
From vines running from the bottom to the top of the slope on the Chambolle side. Clean austerity and purity on the front palate, followed by vitality and depth mid-palate. Hunkers down and then stretches into the finish. Really rather good. 2028–40. 97–98
Morey-St-Denis Premier Cru Les Ruchots
There are three walls around this 5-acre (2ha) Clos, of which they have 1.7 acres (0.7ha). Iron in the clay, which is layered with limestone. Red-fruit exuberance. There is a tannic bite and super freshness, to boot. Plenty of energy on the finish. 2027–32. 93
Clos de la Roche Grand Cru
Brightness of red-cherry fruit. Very juicy, with plenty of energy on the attack, but quickly shows its austerity and grip. It bites. Straight and taut. I like the savory, stony severity. Attacks the finish. 2028–38. 97
Clos St-Denis Grand Cru
More whole-bunch herbal aromas are apparent here, accompanied by rich, luscious generosity of fruit. It’s succulent, fuller and more rounded than Clos de la Roche, and focuses to a nicely persistent finish. 2028–40. 95–96
Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru Combottes
Lightly grained texture. Just slightly crunchy. Purity of fruit. There is delicacy here, crisp edges and a delicious, minty aromatic to finish. A lucid wine. There is charm to this Gevrey. “There are some noble climats that give you a feeling,” Arlaud comments. “You are touching the sensuality of Pinot. You are secure. There is a certain sweetness, which makes me enjoy the moment.” One third is from 100-year-old vines. 2027–35. 94
Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru
Wild-strawberry intensity of fruit. Enticing and slightly peppery. An airy, light, and perfumed Charmes, with garden-herb fragrance, fine silky texture, and a slightly salty finish. I was surprised to discover it’s Mazoyères (from a parcel just under Latricières), as it feels more “Charmes-Charmes.” Arlaud explains that he specifically encourages the wine to give this impression. 2028–35. 94–95
CYPRIEN ARLAUD
Arlaud started a négociant line ten years ago, for which he farms a further 15 acres (6ha).
Vosne-Romanée Premier Cru Les Petits Monts
Arlaud doesn’t actually farm this parcel, but this is a lovely wine nonetheless. Delicate, pure, and fine, yet intense. There is a cool backbone to this wine. Shoots straight as a die on the finish. 2027–35. 93
Jérôme Castagnier has 10 acres (4ha), half of that grand cru. He was a trumpet player for a military band before he became a winemaker. “Making wine is like making music. Each parcel is like different score.” Inherited parcels. Five generations. His first vintage was 2005 and he created a négoce from 2007, starting with Bonnes-Mares but he now has 30climats, 80% red. He describes 2022 as follows: “Not so hot as 2020, but more power and structure than 2021. A lighter structure and more energy than 2021.” One third whole-bunch in 2022. None in 2023. “I use whole-bunch only when it brings something.”
Morey-St-Denis Premier Cru Aux Cheseaux
There are only three producers of this small premier cru. “Chalky, stony soil.” Silky tannins. Pure and mineral. Sweet red fruit. Finely textured, with a savory, saline note to the finish. 2026–32. 92–93
Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru
From 1.2 acres (0.5ha) in Grand Maupertui. Enters the palate with good intensity, but not at all weighty. Super-svelte andsucculent, with lively freshness. A trim and rather elegant Clos Vougeot. 2027–40. 95–96
There is a beautiful new winery, which is light and soaring like a church nave, and a new second cellar; a real one carved out of the rock. Now all the wine is transferred between tanks and barrels using an ingenious system of tanks. These go up and down in a three-level elevator system into which the wine flows by gravity. It’s efficient as well as gentle. There are 19 wood, cylindrical (not conical) tanks, designed by winemaker Jacques Devauges and made by François Frères. The rubber seal around the stainless-steel lid allows Jacques to make a 100% whole-bunch cuvée with no concerns aboutacetate. Technical, but simple. The whole project took two years to finalize. 2022 is the first certified organic vintage at the domaine, and in 2022 it acquired the premier cru vineyards just in front of the winery: Clos Sorbé, Clos Baulet, and Blachards.
“For the whites, I like a lot of lees. 12–24 hours débourbage. From 2021, we have 16 months in oak. I prefer them to sit another two months in barrel now. They will be racked in March, maybe.”
![Jacques Devauges of Domaine des Lambrays](webp/jacques-devauges-hr-1024x684.webp)
White
Puligny-Montrachet Premier Cru Clos des Caillerets
The 0.86-acre (0.36ha) parcel for this cuvée is only 500ft (150m) from the Folatières. More oaky. Compact, good tension. Straight and vigorous, with powerful grip and a sapid and salty finish. 2026–40. 95–96
Puligny-Montrachet Premier Cru Folatières
From a 0.75-acre (0.3ha) parcel, 900ft (280m) long, and 14 rows. “Thanks to this, we can have a good representation ofthe different soils,” says Devauges. Concentrated, ripe, and citrusy up-front, with firm and fresh acidity and a sweetly mineral and citrus finish. Sweet and soft-salt note to end. This is a sample from two of the seven barrels, one new. 2026–35. 94
Red
Nuits-St–Georges Premier Cru Richemone
From 2.25 acres (0.9ha) of the total 5 acres (2ha). Mainly planted in 1924. Mid-slope. Svelte texture, with juicy fruit. Vibrantly fresh. This has loads of energy and concentration and really rather smooth tannins. Pushes home. 2027–35+. 94
Vosne-Romanée Premier Cru Beaumonts
From 1.1 acres (0.45ha). Heady strawberry aromas. Expressive florals float above a tight, fine-boned, delicate palate. Light but intense. A filigree wine. 2026–35+. 95
Morey-St-Denis
From two plots at the top of the slope, above Lambrays and Clos de Tart (Rue de Vergy). “If we do 30hl/ha we are very lucky.” No whole-bunch. Exotic, exuberant aromas, with a tight, straight, zesty, and pure palate. It fizzles. Bright and salty, with lovely length for a village wine. 2026–35. 90
Morey-St-Denis Premier Cru Clos Baulet
Aromatic nose and palate. Finely textured; fresh, lightly minty and white-flower notes. Soft and delicate. 2026–32. 91–92
Morey-St-Denis Premier Cru Clos Sorbé
Clos Sorbet has a more exotic aroma and more fragrant palate. Broader, rounder, upfront, and fruitier on the mid-palate,zesty and precise on the finish. It has tension and power. Like this a lot. 2027–35+. 94
Clos des Lambrays Grand Cru
“I work with a parcel approach, with different farming, winemaking, and aging, but at the end, everything is included. It is a total expression. It is an undulating vineyard, with such diversity. We divide it into 11 different parcels now.” The wine I tried was a proper representation of all the parcels, which will come together next spring. Pure, red-fruit and floral aroma. Super-silky and elegant. A streamlined, fine-textured palate. Beautifully woven. It glimmers. Delicate and precise, with lovely, long persistence. Just a breath of mint at the end shows the whole-bunch. Delicately done. It is the best Lambrays I have tasted. 2028–40. 98–99
Richemone yields just 25hl/ha, ripening early, so Perrot-Minot started the harvest here on August 31, keen to catch the acidity, and finished nine days later for Gevrey grand cru. A smallish harvest across the domaine. “We are around 30hl/ha,mainly because the vineyards are old.” Even in 2022, Perrot-Minot used the optical sorting table. “The perfect vintage doesn’t exist.” There is manual sorting first, to select the whole-bunch—35–50% in 2022—and the extraction was very gentle, with more pumping over and very little pigeage.
“In 2022, I am happy that we have freshness, as this is the most important thing for me. I cannot compare 2022 with anything before 2000. I have a feeling that each year we invent a new Burgundy. Now, we harvest early, but with less hydric stress. Maybe in ten years it will be easier to compare, when this style of vintage will be more established.” We tried a Chambertin Clos de Bèze 2017, which was softer and lighter than 2022. They share an elegant, sensual, red fruit and perfume, but 2022 is a cut above and will age for longer.
Christophe Perrot-Minot’s style is precise, with remarkable finesse of texture. Admittedly prices have escalated, but these crystalline wines are really rather good, and by no means only those from the top appellations. The very high-performing village-level wines will also keep you happy.
Chambolle-Musigny Orveau des Boussières
Includes declassified premier cru Combe d’Orveau. Pure and delicate, with so much precision and intensity. Lively floral notes. Glimmers into a saline finish. Lacy. Stunning for a village wine. 2026–35. 92
Chambolle-Musigny Premier Cru La Combe d’Orveau Cuvée Ultra
Perfumed and racy. Gorgeously fruity, to boot. It has delicious intensity with finesse of texture. Concentrated, but sea-breeze fresh. A lively, long, and focused finish. Loving the salinity. 2027–35+. 95
Morey-St-Denis La Rue de Vergy
Fine and delicate. Vivid palate, with red fruit and flowers. Skims on a high and fine line. Tip-top. 2026–32. 90–91
Morey-St-Denis Premier Cru La Riotte
Floral, taut, and well-edged. It is lightly austere. A precise, flinty, oyster-shell finish. Racy. Love it. 2027–35+. 95
Nuits-St-Georges Premier Cru La Richemone Cuvée Ultra
From 1.5 acres (0.6ha) and 75-year-old vines. Ripe strike; a rich but contained mid-palate. Tension powers through the concentrated summer fruits. An undercut of freshness. Lovely intensity and length to finish. 2027–35+. 94–95
Vosne-Romanée Champs Perdrix
Slightly more blue fruit. This leaps onto the palate with lively intensity. Ripe, but shivers with mineral tension and has a light snap. “Just above the cross, from a steep and sunny part, with a lot of stones, so it ripens very quickly.” 2026–35.91–92
Vosne-Romanée Orme des Chalandins
Supple texture, with an elegant sweep across the palate. It is precise and lucid. A remarkably refined village Vosne from parcels lower in the village. 2026–35. 90
Gevrey-Chambertin Justice des Seuvrées
La Justice and Les Seuvrées. “We lost half of the Justice. It was too dry.” Darker fruit, with pencil lead. Straight palate,with a silky texture but also a touch of Gevrey grip and a tannic freshness and bite at the end. A refined and elegant Gevrey. 2026–32. 90
Chambertin Grand Cru
Straight and channeled. Power and sophistication. Focused. Excellent persistence. Good stuff. 2028–40+. 99
Chambertin Clos de Bèze Grand Cru
This is much more Perrot-Minot style than the Chambertin. It floats on the palate. Ethereal and yet so intense. Floral fineness and delicacy. Mineral, detailed, and refined, it lingers with a haunting finish. Sublime. 2028–35+. 99–100
Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru
Picked September 4. “Gets warmer here than in Chapelle.” Rather gloriously charming. There is richness and intensity at the front, balanced with just crisp enough acidity boosted by a slightly sappy lift and a touch of fragrant thyme flower. It has volume, but is airier and more aromatic than the Chapelle. 2028–40. 97
Alexandre Able uses very little sulfur for whites (15mg of free and total 40mg). The Côte de Beaune wines are négociant, purchased as grapes, while the Côte de Nuits wines are only domaine. Able sorts the fruit three times, even in a healthy vintage, and destems everything, which is covered in dry ice while it’s moved into the vat. He doesn’t like a pre- or post-ferment maceration, so it’s quite a short vatting. Vertical press. “I was surprised with the structure of the red wines. I thought it would just be a nice, fruity, and round vintage to begin with, but now the wines have gained much more structure and length. Fresher than the 2018, maybe more like the 2019.”
White
St-Romain
Maison. Nice citrusy aroma. Juicy strike. Energetic. Super-pithy on the finish. 2025–28. 85
Morey-St-Denis Premier Cru Les Monts Luisants Blanc
80% Aligoté vines planted in 1911, and younger vines in 2006. Straight, stony, and well-edged. Cool grip and excellent tension, with a long and salty finish. Whistles. pH is 3.15. Love it. 2026–35. 93
Red
Bourgogne Cuvée du Pinson
A blend made from the last part of tanks across the range, for they have no Bourgogne vineyards. Just one barrel. Soft and juicy attack. Bright, fresh, and lively; sappy and crunchy, with a lively finish. Good concentration for Bourgogne. Yummy. 2025–28. 84–85
Gevrey-Chambertin Cuvée de L’Abeille
Replanted in 2014, the vines are above the road as you come into Gevrey. Forest fruit combines with a graphite, savory character. Slides into a silky palate. Straight and fresh. Smooth and elegant pull into the finish. And this from young vines. The supple texture, body, and freshness from the deeper clay here. “The aging has done a lot. We didn’t have this graphite character at the beginning.” 2026–30. 88–89
Chapelle-Chambertin Grand Cru
From the Gémeaux lieu-dit. “Big, flat stones and clay. Not deep, as I discovered when we did some spot replanting.” Smooth sweep, with fine and elegant tannins. Exotic purple aromatics on the finish are streamed with wet-stone minerality. It is a wine of juxtaposition. Cold profile, with warm aromatics. Able has captured the spirit of Chapelle with a timely harvest and careful extraction. Lovely terroir expression. 2028–35. 96
Morey-St-Denis Cuvée des Grives
From the village part of Monts Luisants, just under the forest, at an altitude of 1,150ft (350m). Only 16 inches (40cm) of soil on comblanchien rock. Fizzles onto the palate. High-wired, dancing, blue fruit, with a salty, tangy feel. The finish is sweet and chalky. Pings. 2026–32. 90
Morey-St-Denis Premier Cru Cuvée des Alouettes
From the premier cru part of Monts Luisants, just on the limit with Clos de la Roche. Grip and cold austerity. Tension. Tightly edged. Stony sapidity to finish. It’s quite raw and angular for now, needing a little polish, but this should be rather good. 2027–35. 94
Clos de la Roche Grand Cru
Ripe and suave fruit up-front, glides into a complex mid-palate underpinned with a steely grip of minerality. Lots of layering. It is notably persistent, with ripe forest fruits and sapidity. It is just beautifully contained. Excellent. 2028–40.98–99
Côte de Nuits: Chambolle-Musigny
![](webp/moreystdenischambollemusigny-1024x640.webp)
François Millet established a small négociant with his son Julien in the 2017 vintage. The wines are literally made in the enlarged former garage of the family house in Chambolle. Small-scale, one- to three-barrel cuveés, made with an artisanal philosophy. “A very solar vintage,” says Millet. “Early picking from August 28 in Volnay, Les Angles. Slight maturity blockage. No handicap, but an advantage not to have crazy degrees, which are around 13%. Small lots helped us not to go too high in temperature during the fermentation. Careful extraction as the solid-to-liquid ratio was high.” He simply takes fermenting juice from the bottom of the tank and pours it over the top using a bucket. Just one punch down by foot for Beaune Champs Pimont and Gevrey Fourneau. In Chambolle, no punch down: “You might imagine that because it is ripe,you can go ahead and do what you want to do, but you have to be respectful. Chambolle is the white pearl of the Côte de Nuits, but it can be stained.” He uses a small wooden basket press. “The basket press is always an advantage because of the natural filtration. Most interesting in 2021, but even in 2022 it helped refine the finesse of this vintage.”
“This vintage has a low acidity, but is relatively fresh. The figures and the taste are different. It is not an aggressive vintage and not too extravagant. It is quiet and floral. A piece of poetry the 2022. What is important for the future of the vintage is the healthiness of the vintage. We have seen vintages in the past without strong pH and acidity such as 2007,which still last well.”
“A very red-fruit vintage, more red than dark. It is a vintage that lets you come to it. Finesse, elegance, freshness, and precision, and it will become more refined with time. There are no hard edges that could cause a problem with aging. It will be more and more elegant. 2022 is part of a group that show finesse and elegance, including 2009 and 2007, although they are not the same. It is a vintage that puts you at ease.”
Beaune Premier Cru Champs Pimont
The parcel is about one third of the way up. Earthy notes. The slightly robust tannins bring plenty of freshness. It has a pithy punchiness. A touch of licorice on the finish, which is well-sustained. I like the energetic feel. “It doesn’t have minerality, but we needed the freshness from the land, so we needed to punch down to get this.” 2027–32. 91
Volnay Les Grands Poisots
Deep soil but with limestone. Redcurrant fruit and white-pepper aroma. Silky soft and fresh. Crisp and bright palate, with raspberry and red cherries. Crunchy, limestone finish. Millet feels very comfortable making Volnay. “It is an echo of Chambolle.” 2026–30. 87–88
Volnay Premier Cru Les Angles
Cherry-rich, fruity aroma. Succulent attack. Juicy and fresh. Really rather lively. The tannins are finely textured, but have an attractive bite and plenty of spice. “No punch down. You could easily get uninteresting tannins. You feel you are on the ridge making this wine. Care to keep the balance.” 2027–32. 91
Chambolle-Musigny Fouchères
“A lot of stones and limestone. A compromise between the cold of this amphitheater, but with rich fruit. It is next to the premier cru.” Aromatic. Perfumed with peonies. Succulence and generosity of sweet red fruit, with fresh and assertive mineral freshness. Chalky fresh aromatics combine on the finish. 2026–32. 90
Gevrey-Chambertin Croix des Champs
“No punching down—we realize the wine has minerality, so we do not need to.” It’s not far away from Fourneau, just farther along the road into Gevrey. Not as expressive on the aroma, but juicy fruit at the beginning of the palate. Slides in on supple and flowing tannins, with a bright, fresh, mid-core and fluid line. It is floral and rather elegant. Ripe, but cool and mineral. I like both Gevreys, but the energetic Fourneau a smidgen more. 2026–32+. 88–89
Gevrey-Chambertin Le Fourneau
A parcel just before the speed camera coming into Gevrey below the road. Dark forest fruit, with a touch of kirsch on the nose. This has stronger, but more sophisticated tannins than the Beaune. It’s not a shy wine. It’s punchy and has a mineral grip to the finish. “We are in the forest here. Watch out!” says Millet. “Dark fruit, but blood orange, which brings the freshness.” I like this Gevrey. It has structure. Assertive and energetic. 2027–32+. 89–90
DOMAINE GEORGES & CHRISTOPHE ROUMIER
“One of the best vintages we have made for many years,” says Christophe Roumier. It is accessible, as the acidity is not high. Very soft acidity. The pH is 3.65, so not like 2020, which had high acidity and very low pH.”
Roumier began harvesting on September 3. He had two days with a little rain—0.28 inches and 0.43 inches (7mm and 9mm)—at the end of August, and this made a difference. “We were not the earliest or the latest to start.”
“It was normal for extraction, not less or more, and the proportion of whole-bunch was normal: 100% whole-bunch for Musigny and Echézeaux, 80% for Amoureuses, and about 75% for Les Cras and Bonnes Mares. Only the Bourgogne is totally destemmed.
“It is like 2017, but with more density, power, and poise. It can be drunk young. Like 2017, the wines are accessible. Maybe it needs two years more than 2017, as there’s more density.”
“The vintage has balance, so it can age. A low pH is more insurance, a good parameter for aging, but high pH vintages have also shown that they can age. The 1985 has a high pH and has aged well.”
White
Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru
En Charlemagne. Bottled early September. Pear and almonds on the nose. A light, silky gloss and plentiful freshness on this keen, light, straight, channeled palate. A touch of hazelnut and fennel on the savory, sapid finish. It’s very appetizing and energetic. 2027–35. 95
Red
Bourgogne
Fresh, red-fruit aroma. Super-juicy, splashing. Crispy crunch and fresh to finish. Yummy. Excellent Bourgogne, with so much intensity. 2026–30. 87
Morey-St-Denis Clos de la Bussière
A note of oregano blends with the ripe summer fruit. Suede-soft tannins, with a delicious depth to the texture. Sweeps deep onto the mid-palate and has a surprising power on the finish for a village wine. Top-notch. 2027–35. 91
Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru
Perfumed with cherry blossom and something more exotic. Full swoop into the palate. It has volume but is light on its feet. Airy. Very aromatic, with the warm breath of spice, fragrant garden herbs, and even a touch of violets and anise to finish. A full-bodied, but somehow subtle, wine. 2028–40. 97
Ruchottes-Chambertin Grand Cru
Upright, cold, and reserved, but then it skates brightly onto the palate. It’s straight, energetic, and tight at the edges. A wine of tension. It has a bitter, bright snap of fine, dark chocolate. Precise and salty finish. More delicate at the end. Sea-shell and ozone breezy to finish. Poised. 2028–40. 98
Chambolle-Musigny
Slight spice and white-pepper notes combine with red-cherry fruit on the aroma. A delicious, ripe, fruity mid-palate, with super-smooth texture and a richly aromatic finish. There is a ripe density of fruit and a glossiness to this village wine,with a fresh and lively, bitter-cherry finish. So engaging. 2027–35. 91
Chambolle-Musigny Premier Cru Les Amoureuses
Vibrant, ripe, red-cherry aroma, with a touch of thyme flower. Super-silky, rich texture. A deep satin, fluid ripple across the palate. All charm and sensuality. Just nicely threaded with cool freshness, with a breeze of mint to finish. 2028–40.97–98
Chambolle-Musigny Premier Cru Les Combottes
Deep loganberry fruit on the nose. Sweet richness is woven with a bright steam of freshness. An attractive bite to the tannins, with anise and notes of tarragon to finish. 2027–35. 92–93
Chambolle-Musigny Premier Cru Les Cras
Intense morello-cherry aroma, with a hint of mint. Satin flow into the palate. Super-fresh and energetic. Cold minerals, fairly dances on the mid-palate. A delicious, sappy character. Chalky grip blends with red-cherry fruit on the racy finish. Ripe, intense, and mineral. Love this. 2027–35. 95
Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru
Ice-cream smooth and seductive. Purrs onto the palate on deep red fruit, which is underscored with a vibrant, fresh, and talc-smooth chalkiness, which carries to the persistent finish. A wonderfully deep and urbane wine. 2028–40+. 97
Le Musigny Grand Cru
Two barrels this year, so 50% new oak, with the usual 100% whole-bunch. Super-focused. It has poise, presence, depth,and power, but in a very retrained and quiet manner. Distilled rose-petal fragrance, and such a lovely, long line. 2028–40.99
Echézeaux Grand Cru
From En Orveaux. Ground black pepper and red peppercorn. A delicate and refined palate. Silky tannins, soft acidity, runs on a light and lively line. A linear and streamlined Echézeaux. 2028–35. 96
DOMAINE COMTE GEORGES DE VOGÜÉ
Jean Lupatelli, the new chef de cave, has made the wines at De Vogüé more forthcoming. Not that they will not age, for the potential is great, but the fine structure, particularly the texture of the tannins, has made the wines more accessible. “We have great terroir, so you have to wait, but I would like them to be showing everything in 12 years, so between 10 and 15 years should be a good time.”
He considers the most important change is the way the harvest is made. Picking into 22lb (10kg) cases and carefully transporting the fruit to the winery—hardly revolutionary, but the traditional way, tipping baskets into trucks, was still used before he arrived. Grapes now go into an air-con room to bring the temperature down to 61º or 62ºF (16º or 17 ºC), so that when they are transferred to tank it’s easy to lower it to 55ºF (13ºC), which is where he likes to start for a short pre-fermentation maceration of a few days. Crucially it also meant the bunches arrived intact, which allows him to use the 50% whole cluster he likes, whereas everything was destemmed previously. There is very little extraction, with barely any pigeage, so there’s a lot of sugar after pressing and the wines continue fermenting in tank before barreling down, which also helps the wine to settle any unwanted sediment. There are a lot of small things that Lupatelli has changed which contribute to a more elegant and fruit-driven style. The wines were racked after an early malolactic, which finished in January, and when I visited in October, the bottling of Chambolle had started.
In 2022, Lupatelli divided Bonne-Mares into three areas, and Musigny into seven, making separate cuvées the better tounderstand the terroir. This is particularly intriguing in Musigny, as they own so much of this grand cru—indeed, all of the Petit Musigny section. We tasted all seven cuvées, which will of course be combined to make the final wine. Each had a distinctive character, from the strictest on the far south end of Petit Musigny, to the velvet of the southern section of Les Musigny. The stand-out cuvée came from the bottom section of Les Musigny.
White
Musigny Blanc Grand Cru
Richness, intensity, and power on the attack. Savory and taut. Super-keen. Bitter almond-kernel notes. Very persistent,with soft salt at the very end. 2028–35. 97
Red
Chambolle-Musigny
From lieu-dit Porlottes, high in the amphitheater, on a steep slope, which is the last place they pick. A smidgen of premier cru Baudes and Fuées also make it in. Deliciously smooth and generous, with a red-fruit mid-palate. A crisp crackle and crunch. It’s vibrant with cherries and flowers on the finish. 2026–35. 91
Chambolle-Musigny Premier Cru
From Musigny vines that are younger than 25 years old. Planted in 2007, just below the white sector in Les Musigny. Rose-petal aroma. So fragrant. Pure, straight, and channeled. Lots of tension and chiseled edges. It is just above Amoureuses, but with a much more assertive character. Racy, persistent, oyster-shell finish. 2028–40. 97
Chambolle-Musigny Premier Cru Les Amoureuses
The domaine owns 1.3 acres (0.56ha) here, but now half has been ripped out (it was yielding a minuscule 14hl/ha). In 2021, they changed the pruning on the remainder from cordon (which has been used to control the plants on SO4/115) to guyot—a risk with an old vineyard, but it repaid by doubling the yields in 2022. Gorgeous floral aroma. Satin texture,with sparkling freshness, vibrancy, and sapidity. Salty almond kernels and a wet-stone finish. Fine and lingering. 2028–40. 97
Bonnes Mares Grand Cru
The nose is surprisingly floral; violets and blueberries, then luscious on the attack. Super-deep and dark and plush. Rounded, full, and generous, but with freshness and elegance. Fine, velvet-textured tannins cloak the palate. 2028–40. 96
Musigny Grand Cru
Powerful yet sophisticated. A wine of great dimension and presence and superb persistence. 2030–40. 99–100
Côte de Nuits: Gilly-lès-Citeaux
DOMAINE MARK HAISMA
“In 2022 everyone has got into the habit picking early with bigger teams and finishing early afternoon. We’ve always had a cool container. Whites I pick early, so I can get them into the press without trying to chill. In 2022, we had very thick skins (2023 very thin), so we didn’t want to exact too much, as the tannins could be hard, and I am looking for a light, elegant, and fine style. This is a vintage that speaks to me about whole-bunch: 10–15% in the Volnay, 25% in the Pernand,75% in Chaffots and Fontenay… but I do not want it to be noticeable. Whites in 2022 I am pretty happy with. I like to get a more textural feel, so I use the old, more extractive, Vaslin press. Keen to keep them for a second winter to focus them.”
The green on the label denotes domaine. “I want to be recognized as a Gevrey domaine making reference Gevrey in my style.”
White
Mâcon Chardonnay
Ripe fruit, satsuma with a hint of cinnamon. Nicely rounded. Very appealing, fruity wine. Juicy finish. He planted this in 2018 (3.2 acres [1.3ha]). He describes it as having “guzzleability.” 2023–26. 83
Pernand-Vergelesses Premier Cru En Caradeux
Stone-fruit and slightly savory aroma. Attacks the palate with some gusto. Creamy miso character pushes into the finish. Stony and savory and punchy. 2025–32. 88–89
St-Romain Le Jarron
Pretty aroma with white flowers. Slips silky onto the palate, lightly glossy and straight to finish. It’s concentrated, with a light apricot note. A lovely example from old vines. 2024–30. 86
Red
A Bogan in Bogandy
This is a Côteaux Bourguignons, including 30% Gamay co-planted. Expressive red-fruit and violet aroma. Splashing palate, with a light crunch. Very accessible. Spot on. 2024–25. 82–83
Bourgogne Pinot Noir
Haisma farms the two parcels in Brochon on a gravely soil. Made in 500-liter and 350-liter pièces. Very pretty, with silky tannins and pure redcurrant fruit. Light-bodied, light, elegant, fresh and floral to finish. A delightful Bourgogne. 2025–30.84–85
Pernand-Vergelesses Le Pin
A cool red-fruit aroma. This is strict and straight. Neat edges and good energy. This snaps and crackles. Plenty of energy. Nips at the heel. 2025–30. 86
Volnay La Cave
Vivid red (raspberry) fruit; quite upright. Crisp and crunchy tannins. Energetic and salty. Very floral. Straight, pure, and singing. Delightful. Just the sort of village Volnay I love. 2025–30. 87
Gevrey-Chambertin
A blend of all their vineyards. It is domaine and organic, but not labeled as such, since it could include négoce fruit. Fruity, smooth, gliding, and sweeping, with a lively freshness. Such charm. Spot on. 2026–32. 87–88
Gevrey-Chambertin En Pallud
Haisma farms this parcel below Corbeaux. “Sandy feel to the soil.” This is domaine. Richness and generosity of darker fruit, with a crisp bite of freshness. Firm but finely textured, and smooth tannins cloak the deeper structure. 2026–32. 89–90
Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru Fonteny
From 0.75 acres (0.3ha) at the top. Very old vines on the mother rock. “I have never made wine from a site like this before,” says Haisma. “When you finally get something as complex as this, you become insignificant yourself. The total domination of the vineyard.” Satin-textured elegance, a pure and sweeping palate, with cool freshness, which comes under the palate and carries into a smooth, chalky, talc-smooth minerality to finish. It has suavity. 2027–35+. 95
Morey-St-Denis Premier Cru Les Chaffots
Red-peppercorn aroma, with a touch of anise. Notable sweetness on the attack. Ripe strawberry aromatics on the palate. Very fragrant, almost heady aromas, while it is light and straight, pure and airy. On the finish, a light sprinkling of soft salt. 2027–35+. 94
Clos Vougeot Grand Cru
Expressively perfumed. Full-bodied wine with volume and intensity, but an airy feel. Vougeot in a more elegant style. 2028–40. 96