2023 Burgundy tasting notes: Côte de Nuits—Gevrey-Chambertin

GEVREY-CHAMBERTIN

DOMAINE LES ASTRELLES

This 12ha (30-acre) estate in Gevrey has 7.5ha (18.5 acres) in the Hautes-Côtes de Nuits. With the négociant wines, Astrelles produces from a total of 18ha (44 acres). The domaine wines have been certified organic since 2019. There is a new winery in the industrial estate below the village.

Julien Millet, who also has a négociant business in Chambolle with his father François Millet, is cellar master at Astrelles. “I take a cautious approach, only with pump-overs; an infusion, with a long vatting, not to take any greenness from the vintage.”

Adapting in the winery, Julien says, “The vatting and infusion was longer than usual in 2023. I think there is more finesse this way. The extraction was softer and better than the 2022. It is a sensual vintage.”

White

Corton Grandes Lolières Grand Cru

From an east-facing parcel on the Ladoix side. It is channeled and stony with a long, citrus, mineral finish. I like the cold sapidity. “From the Comblanchien stone,” remarks Julien. He likes to settle quite clean, at 100–200 NTUs, after pressing, and is careful to control the temperature, “to be more focused on the aromatics and minerality. I don’t want a rich and fruity style.” 2027–35. 94

Red

Bourgogne Passetoutgrain En Riotte

This Gamay and Pinot Noir blend comes from Segrois in the Hautes-Côtes, on clay and marly soil. Vibrant, fresh, and lively. “Not that fancy, but I like what it gives,” says Julien. “It’s not too harsh, as you get the flesh of the Gamay.” It is certainly nice and fruity. 2025–28. 80

Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Nuits Petite Vigne

Floral wine, with a light and zesty palate, swift and bright, with crispness to the tannins. 2026–29. 82

Gevrey-Chambertin Creux Brouillard

From a parcel just below the R74. Super-juicy and generous upfront. It has a light underscore of minerality through the middle but is more on the sweet side to finish. 2026–30. 87

Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru Lavaux St-Jacques

Sweet raspberry fruit on the attract. Straight and bright. Quite nervy, this has twang of tension, fine-grained tannins, and a chalky bite at the end. 2026–32. 92

Mazis-Chambertin Grand Cru

From the Haut section, but note that some of Haut is lower than Bas in Mazis. Straight and tight for Mazis on the palate, while the core is enveloped in exotic, spicy aromatics. The final impression, however, is still edgy, lean, and austere, and there is a saline note to the finish. “This is always the first site that we pick,” remarks Julien. 2027–32. 94

DOMAINE DENIS BACHELET

“The quality is outstanding,” remarks Denis Bachelet. “High yields, but the good weather to ripen them. And because the yields were high, we could take off all the dry berries. I have not seen such yields since 1999 or, before that, 1982. After a big harvest like this, the vines are tired.” But he added that the vines were not stressed during the season, for there were regular small bouts of rain.

The biggest evolution in the winery is a reduction in the number of punch-downs. “Before 2013, it was three a day, now it’s two a day until the middle of fermentation, and then just one a day in the morning, and a pump-over in the evening. When the bunches have very high ripeness, we do not need much extraction. We want sucrosity. I like elegance and accessibility. I want to see bottles empty on the table. Not too much tannin, that’s my feeling.”

Denis and Pierre use coopers Chassin, Rousseau, and Remond. “In 2023, we used 50% new for everything, because we had to restock. The older oak was becoming too old, with some of the smaller vintages when we didn’t buy new oak. 50% of new oak in this sort of vintage, with so much density, is not a problem.”

Bachelet’s Côtes de Nuits Villages wine will be Fixin in 2024. “I was surprised it moved so quickly after the application,” Denis remarks.

“2023 is a little like 1999. It has the same level of concentration as 1999, but maybe ’99 has more sex appeal.”

Bourgogne

Ripe and inviting aroma. Juicy upfront. It has bite and firm tannins. Dark and deep, with some tannic grip. Punchy Bourgogne, with plenty of structure. Top-notch. 2026–32. 86

Côtes de Nuits-Villages

Ripe blueberry fruit. Exuberant and juicy. Slightly spicy and bright, with a tannic twang to the finish. 2027–32. 87

Gevrey-Chambertin Les Evocelles

From a parcel of only 0.16ha (0.4 acre)—there was not enough fruit to make this cuvée in 2024—with only 20cm (8 inches) of topsoil over Comblanchien limestone. Spicy and high-toned aroma. Silky and seductive fruit is woven with freshness. Vibrant energy and a light nip of tannins. Crunch to finish. Piquant and pure. 2027–35. 91

Gevrey-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes

Super-rich and generous, with lush, blackberry fruit and succulence. The texture is smooth and the wine richly rippling onto the finish. Not a shy Gevrey. 2027–35. 90

Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru Les Corbeaux

From a climat with deep clay, next to Mazis. A touch of anise, with a wealth of ripe blackcurrant fruit on the nose. Deep, dark, dense, and well-defined palate, with firmly contained lusciousness. A black satin touch to the texture, with a smooth and fresh graphite note to finish. 2027–35. 93

Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru

Ripe strawberry-field aromas. Sunny and alluring. Finely textured, silky, and airy—there is volume but not a whit of heaviness. A scented, floating persistence. A perfumed presence. Just a delight. 2027–35. 96

DOMAINE BERNARD DUGAT-PY

I last visited this domaine 20 years ago, when the wines were aged in 100% new oak and were pretty extracted. So, it was overdue for a re-appraisal… and goodness, the change in style is radical. Loïc fully took over from his father Bernard with the 2015 vintage, although he had been helping since he was 16 years old. “I make the wines with lots of freshness.” This is clearly reflected in his 2023s—such a warm vintage, yet there is plenty of freshness and energy in these wines.

He comments on the vintage: “I wanted to start on September 6, but I changed completely and picked from August 30 in the Côte de Beaune [he has Pommard and whites] and September 5 to 12 in Gevrey. We have 13 to 13.5% ABV—and I don’t want wines of 14%—so, I am happy.” Since the 2003 harvest, this domaine has had air-conditioned trucks, and the grapes are picked into shallow boxes carrying just one layer of grapes. When stacked, there is room for air circulation and the fruit is quick chilled.

Loïc has changed the approach in the winery. There is no longer any cold, pre-fermentation maceration and pigeage, as in his father’s day, but rather a swifter start and remontage. He uses a lot of whole-bunches—many cuvées have between 50 and 60%. He used more than in 2022, and up to 100% for some of the grands crus.

“When it is a hot vintage, I want the freshness, so early picking and lots of whole-bunch, remarks Loïc. “A shorter fermentation, too, as it is a rich vintage, when we need to be careful with the extraction. It was crazy in 2023—even after one day, the wine was dark. We have thick skins and millerandage in the old vines, so the berries were quite small.”

There is now much less new oak than his father’s day—often only 20–30%. Only the Chambertin—a tiny cuvée from 100-year-old vines, of only 210 liters (58 US gallons), so somewhat less than a traditional 228-liter barrique—is raised entirely in new oak. Not surprisingly, it was still pretty oak-dominated when I tasted it, but it focused to a persistent finish and seemed highly promising.

Loïc racked later in 2023 than in 2022, and he wasn’t keen to show me wines that had not been racked (he doesn’t like to show them while they still have more evident CO₂.) “I adapt the work each vintage,” he explained. He bottled 2022 very early in November, while in 2023, it will be much later. He pushes the wine from barrel using nitrogen—no pumping—stressing, “It’s very important to mix the cuvée in tank.”

I enjoyed the contrast between the Charmes and the Mazoyères. “In my Charmes, the soil is very finely textured, while in Mazoyères, 200m [650ft] away, there is more limestone and rock. In my father’s day, the wine was rich and heavy, but now it is very different, as I work on the perfume.”

Loïc makes whites, too, but only in small quantities—a couple of barrels or so each of Meursault, Morgeot Francemont, and a rather good Corton-Charlemagne from En Charlemagne. I tasted the 2022s but can’t comment on the 2023s, because with these, too, Loïc likes to rack them before showing them.

The organic management of the vineyard has been certified since 2015. Since 2018, he has used tressage management in various climats (those from Fonteny onward in the list below), with stakes 2m (6.5ft) high. All the work is manual, with the help of a horse and a small caterpillar “tractor,” which weighs only 1,000kg (1.1 US ton) and has a much larger surface contact than a conventional tractor. “It’s a lot of work, but the state of the vineyards is better,” remarks Loïc.

“I am very happy with the balance in 2023, because we harvested early. There is good acidity for this vintage—a lot of fruit but no fat—and the wines are very drinkable. None is at 14% ABV, and this is so important for me. It is not like 2020, which is punchier and has more acidity. It is richer than 2019—maybe more like 2018, in terms of richness, but different.”

I enjoyed tasting these vibrant wines, where excellent use of whole-bunch, following an early harvest, supercharges the freshness with herbal sappiness and lift.

Gevrey-Chambertin Coeur du Roi

From a mix of old vines from 50- to 120-years-old across 3ha (7.5 acres), including 1ha (2.47 acres) of Combes du Dessus, vinified together. Intense, dark-fruit aroma. Juicy and gliding. Abundant forest fruit. Succulent and very fresh. It has a cool cut under the palate and is very zesty onto the finish. 2026–36. 89–90

Gevrey-Chambertin Les Evocelles

The vines for this cuvée are around 70 years old, across six plots, some 1ha (2.47 acres) in total. “When you walk in the vineyard, you see it is the same terroir as Champeaux.” Very floral from the whole-bunch. Lively dive into the palate. Black pepper and dark chocolate. It is spicy and has a crunch from the whole-bunch. Lively finish. I like this dancing Gevrey. 2027–38. 91

Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru Les Corbeaux

From 60- and 80-year-old parcels. A rich, deep, and earthy aroma, with attractive, sooty, and graphite notes. Super-succulent slice into the palate, which grows in volume to become rounded on the mid-palate. Full and deep, with black-chocolate density, and here, too, a vibrant herbal note brings freshness and spice to the finish. 2028–40. 94

Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru Fonteny

The soil in this plot—the last before Ruchottes—is fine-textured and shallow, the rock a mere 30cm (12 inches). High-toned, fresh, and upright aroma, with violet notes. It pirouettes on the palate, silky and delicate in texture. Powdery tannins. A filigree Gevrey, threaded with shiny freshness that carries through the fine-spun finish. Delightful. 2027–40. 94–95

Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru Lavaux St-Jacques

Floral perfume—elderflower white petal and a touch of redcurrant—almost more like a white wine on the aroma. Slim and racy. Fine, chalky texture. This has nervosity and bright, fizzling salinity. I love this wine. 2027–40. 95

Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru Petite Chapelle

Blackcurrant fruit with a light anise note. Takes you off-guard with the satin slide on the front palate, for it follows up with tension and vigor. There is freshness and bite in the middle, where you feel the body from the clay soil. A touch of licorice and aniseed to finish. 2027–40. 93

Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru

This cuvée is from Charmes proper—from two parcels, 50 and 90 years old—and has a maximum of 70–80% whole-bunch (never 100%). An aroma of warm strawberry fields, and the palate in enveloped in perfume. The whole-bunch shouldn’t work here this year… but it does, giving a light sappiness that tightens and stretches to the finish, and adding complexity to the scented character of this wine. It’s more open and warming compared with the cuvée from the cooler Mazoyères parcel. 2028–40. 96–97

Mazis-Chambertin Grand Cru

From three parcels of venerable vines (60, 80, and 95 years old). “I didn’t like Mazis—it was too heavy in the past. I like the freshness of the style I make now.” Deep and spicy aroma, red peppercorn and bay leaf, and maybe a touch of marjoram I am enjoying the whole-bunch aromatics at Dugat-Py. Splashing palate. This is really exuberant. Such an energetic wine. Pouncing all over the place and springing into the finish, which is carried with a touch of minty freshness. Wow—it’s rare to see such an exuberant Mazis. 2028–40. 97

Mazoyères-Chambertin Grand Cru

The single 70-year-old parcel lies 200m (650ft) from the Charmes. 100% whole-bunch. Scented aroma, with notes of fresh mint and white pepper. On the palate, satin-smooth and gliding at the front, then it moves to cooler grip and tension. Much straighter on the palate than the rounded Charmes. Fresh, with attractive leafy notes from the whole-bunch, which are more pronounced than in the Charmes. The limestone in this parcel and the whole-bunch come together to give this grip, tension, and vibrancy. 2028–40. 96–97

DOMAINE HENRI MAGNIEN

Charles Magnien, who took over the family domaine in 2009, commented, “To have this purity and terroir identity, with such a large crop, is very rare.”

Charles harvested September 9–16. “We did very strict de-budding in May—the best flowering I have ever seen. We also did severe green-harvesting from early July, leaving eight bunches per vine. Two weeks before harvest we went through and took off anything that was not ripening. So, two green-harvests—and still an average of 50hl/ha!”

He has a bright and practical winery—easy to clean and well-equipped with shiny, temperature-controlled tanks—first used in 2018. “I can get down to –5^ºC (23^ºF) if I want! I just want to recreate the climate of the past at harvest. My grandfather would pick in late-September or early-October at between 8 and 9% potential alcohol and have a natural cold pre-fermentation. I want to refresh without oxidation. I do not want to pump the juice. When the wine is not fermenting, it is fragile, “like a baby,” and you can lose the fragrance. I like to leave the grapes at 8^ºC (46^ºF) for seven days, on average. Then I let it warm up naturally.”

There is very gentle extraction and little whole-bunch. “Sometimes I use some whole-bunch, as I did in 2017, but not in 2023. I like stems, but only when they are perfect. And I’m afraid to use them when I have low levels of tartaric acid.” Almost everything was de-stemmed in 2023, therefore—the exception was 4 Carac Terres, which has 100%.

Charles used much more remontage and rack and return than usual in 2023: “I think it is fruitier and more aromatic so I had gentler extraction and longer vatting, extracting with time. I never add tartaric. I am sure about the balance. I don’t need to add any sugar, either—12.8% ABV for a village wine is okay. I had pHs of around 3.5 after malic [Chapeaux is 3.5, Cazetiers 3.49, and Gevrey Vieilles Vignes 3.41]. All my wines are checked for brett—I do the analysis—as the market is very sensitive to this now.”

Charles uses 95% Cavin barrels and has developed a special toast with this cooper to have fewer caramelized and coffee notes. There is 15% new oak for the Côte de Nuits Villages, Aloxe Premier Cru, Gevrey village wines, and Ruchottes Grand Cru; 50% for Premier Cru Estournelles St-Jacques, Cazetiers, and Lavaux St-Jacques. He uses 228-liter and 300-liter barrels. The premier cru blend, 4 Carac Terres, is all aged in a single 300-liter new oak barrel. “Champeaux does not like new oak, so I use just a little. I am not so afraid to use new oak in 2023. The 2018s extracted too much from the oak, due to the high alcohol, but the 2023s don’t have high alcohol—the highest is 13.4%, for the Corton, where I am looking for maturity plus plus. The lowest alcohol level is 11.9%.”

For Charles, Estournelles embodies his notion of minerality. “It is a sensation that comes after the mid-palate. Estournelles is a difficult terroir, even if there is less disease here because of the wind. So, you must be patient and wait—if you don’t, you will have very strict wine. It is more cerebral than Champeaux.” But Cazetiers is clearly his favorite—and I have to agree with him. “I have a problem,” he says. “I am in love with Cazetiers.”

“We are sure that the wines are forward and accessible in 2023—and yet you can keep them if they are well-balanced.”

Bourgogne Pinot Noir Côte d’Or

Crunchy red fruit, nice and juicy. Fresh to finish. An inviting and pure Pinot Noir to start the range here. 2026–32. 85

Côte de Nuits-Villages Queue de Hareng Clos François Thurot (Monopole)q

Upgraded to Fixin for the 2024 harvest. Sweet forest fruit on the aroma and attack. Vibrant. A crispy edge to the tannin. Springs energetically across the palate. Neat edges. Bright to finish. “There are rocks 15m [50ft] high, west and north of the plot, and I think the freshness comes with the rocks. It was difficult in the past, but now we have reasonable freshness.” So inviting. 2025–28. 87

Gevrey-Chambertin

A blend of seven plots more at the bottom of the village. Fragrant with cherry blossom. Silky and pure, a ribbon of fruit across the palate. A light, crisp bite—a lightly frosty feeling to the finish. It zips along in lively fashion with the inviting fruit. This has such charm. “I search for a drinkable Gevrey in this wine. It is always difficult to get very good ripeness of the pips. I say to the plant: You have bunches, take care of them and concentrate on ripening the fruit. After that, I must not extract too much.” 2026–30. 87–88

Gevrey-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes

From eight parcels, the oldest planted in 1915. Some 11,000 bottles in 2023—the largest cuvée. Dark fruit; lightly spicy, with a touch of bay leaf on the nose. Rather dense and earthy. This has grunt and some grip. Burly within the range. A more muscular expression of Gevrey, with a hint of licorice to finish. But it’s not my favorite, as the Champerrier is more stylish, and the Gevrey is more engaging. 2027–32. 89

Gevrey-Chambertin Champerrier

Ripe red-currant aroma. This glides onto the palate on a ripe, red-fruit palate; succulent, lightly rounded. Follows through with more crunchy, cranberry fruit. It is quite crisp and there is a leafy touch to finish. There is a more refined profile to this Gevrey, with an easy harmony. 2026–32. 89

Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru 4 Carac Terres

Made from 120kg (265lb) of the finest grapes from the four premiers crus. 100% whole-bunch. “Never any punching-down or pumping-over for this—we don’t touch it—but we do add CO₂ three times a day during vinification.” Dense and compact. Licorice richness. Seductive ripeness of fruit. It has punchy concentration, as well as a minty note from the whole-bunch. A lot of oak, which is quite smoky now. 2028–35. 93–94

Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru Les Cazetiers

Rose petal aromas and on the palate super sweet fruit with gorgeous intensity. Unfurls like a bolt of rich silk to a fine and chalky finish Just a delight. 2027–35. 95–96

Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru Les Champeaux

Planted in 1986. On 15cm [6 inches] of clay above the rock. So, no new oak here. Splashing and energetic red fruit. Sweet on the mid-palate. Plenty of tension and a chalky frisson. A crunchy texture. Sapid and savory on the finish. Really attractive Champeaux. Good terroir definition. Joyful wine. 2027–35. 93–94

Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru Estournelles St-Jacques

Sweet, intense, dark-forest fruits. Concentrated and velvety smooth. Supple, with a smooth sweep and a bitter-chocolate edge. There is a leafy, green sappy note which carries this wine. And a contrast in the wine between the rich, dark fruit and the freshness. It is streamlined. “The wind also concentrates the fruit.” 2026–35. 94

Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru Lavaux St-Jacques

Brisk and breezy. Salty intensity and a frosty feel. Sour cherry. Chalky finish. Swift and austere. “A reserve of freshness. Always the most acidic of my wines.” 2027–35. 94

Corton Grand Cru Les Grandes Lolières

Ripe, summery red fruit, lightly succulent and super-juicy, with an open texture. Quite a light-bodied Corton. Not a lot of substance but engaging. The oak works in stretching the finish here. “Now I am focused on getting the oak right.” He will use foudres on the two Côte de Beaune wines, as he feels the oak approach he uses for the Côte de Nuits works so well. 2027–32. 92

Ruchottes-Chambertin Grand Cru

Intense, sweet fruit on the nose. Channeled and tight, focused and streamlined. The ripe raspberry fruit contrasts with the cold grip. I like the tension. Fine, elegant, and austere. Salty and strong. Very stylish. 2027–35. 96–97

DOMAINE THIERRY MORTET

The history of Domaine Thierry Mortet began following the dissolution of Domaine Mortet Charles & Fils. When Charles Mortet retired, he split the domaine between his sons Thierry and Denis, and Domaine Thierry Mortet was established in 1992 on an area of 4ha (10 acres), taking over part of the vines of the former estate and expanding to about 9ha (22 acres), mainly in Gevrey but also in Daix north of Dijon. Roughly 1.5ha (3.7 acres) is devoted to white grape varieties. Most of the vineyards are 40–50 years old. The domaine is certified organic, and in 2024 Thierry held his nerve.

Lise—who is 34 and joined her parents for the 2020 vintage after retraining in viticulture and winemaking in Dijon—remarks that in 2023, the vineyards were stressed by the three heat waves in August and in September, which made the wines “denser than usual.”

“Normally, we are quite consistent in our winemaking—we don’t change much, the more clearly to express the vintage.” The grapes are fully destemmed. “We always do a cool maceration. For extraction, we always do pigeage once or twice a day. No remontage. In 2023, the pressing was a little lighter than in 2022.”

The coopers used here are Montgillard, Meyrieux, and Rousseau, low and light toast. “I don’t see the point of clay or glass. We like it traditional. If I were not happy, I would look for something else, but I am. For the village and premier cru wines, 30% new oak, and the older oak is just one to three years old. “In 2024, we will not use any new oak, as the volumes are very small.”

“We filter the reds before bottling because the wines are in barrel until just before bottling. We prefer to keep them in tank at the beginning, rather than at the end, of the élevage, because we feel they keep more fruit this way.”

“Like most recent vintages, it will be ready quickly—in two years—as the tannins will already be round enough by then, but the aging potential is ten years. I like the wines quite young, and there is not much acidity, so no more than ten years. They are mouthcoating, but we can find some subtlety and finesse, too, and we cultivate these qualities rather than a more robust style.” She finds 2023 “a dense and concentrated vintage, with quite smooth and black fruit.”

The Daix vineyards are from her grandparents. Originally planted to cherries and plums, the land was gradually converted over to vines by Lisa’s grandfather and father. There is an application currently under review at INAO to grant the Bourgogne Dijon appellation to vineyards in Daix. “Daix has limestone and clay-limestone soil, which is a bit more rocky than in Gevrey.”

White

Bourgogne Cuvée Les Terroirs de Daix

100% Chardonnay, fermented in tank, with no bâtonnage: “We want fruit rather than weight.” Aged in older oak, with 25% kept in tank. August bottling. Lightly almond aroma. Quite reserved. Light-bodied and quite fresh. A hint of apricot fruit on the palate. 2025–27. 82

Marsannay

Notes of anise and elderberry on the nose. A juicy palate with a phenolic character, which is not the oak (all older oak). I get the elderberry again, with a savory, mineral freshness to finish. Really attractive. 2025–28. 85

Red

Bourgogne Passetoutgrains

This is two thirds Gamay and from Daix, make in old barrels. Pretty and fruity. Soft tannins. Simple but nice. 2025–26. 80

Bourgogne Cuvée Les Charmes de Daix

No new oak. Slightly floral aroma. Soft and juicy palate but spiced up with nice freshness and slight sapidity. Herbal notes on the finish are appetizing. 2025–27. 83–84

Bourgogne Rouge Côte d’Or

Gevrey area. Slightly darker fruit aroma and juicy palate with lightly robust tannins. Quite punchy palate. A little grip to finish and some freshness. Good energy. It’s a gutsy Bourgogne. 2025–28. 82

Chambolle-Musigny

From one parcel, 0.22ha (0.5 acre), in Mal Carrées (“Bad Square”), a lieu-dit at the bottom of the village, but there are some good parcels there. 30% new oak. Super-ripe aroma. Florid. Lush and open-knit texture. Soft upfront and quite jammy on the mid-palate, but it comes through with fresh tannic bite and freshness on the finish. 2027–32. 87–88

Gevrey-Chambertin

From 3.5ha (8.5 acres) of Gevrey, from parcels on both sides and below the village, but not up by the church. “Quite diverse, so a good representation of the village.” Red-plum fruit aroma, then smooth and generous on the palate, with plentiful, ripe tannins. Fullish and nicely rounded, quite spicy on the finish. 2026–30. 86–87

Gevrey-Chambertin Vignes Belles

From about 0.4ha (1 acre) in this lieu-dit under premier cru Petite Chapelle. Thierry Mortet has made this separately for 20 years now. “On a very slight slope and the soil is rocky in some places.” Ripe-blackcurrant fruit aroma. The texture of brushed suede. There is richness and a juicy freshness to the finish. Notable energy here. Quite a step up in intensity and vigor. 2026–32. 88

Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru Clos Prieur

Ripe and vivid blackcurrant aroma, reflected on the palate, which has a blackcurrant cordial sweetness threaded with lightly piquant acidity. Medium-bodied and neatly contained. The tannins are smooth. A touch of new oak adds freshness to the finish. 2027–32. 91

DOMAINE TORTOCHOT

I met with Marie Carminati, who trained as a winemaker but is not the winemaker here, so didn’t have all the answers. Maybe the winemaker is shy? Sylvian Pataille consults. Marie told me the winemaking approach never changes to adapt to the vintage, only the proportion of new oak. Also, that in 2023 the grapes were very clean and needed no sorting. Everything was destemmed, because space in the tanks was limited in this generously yielding harvest, which was apparently the largest since this domaine began in 1996. The grapes are chilled in the tank for a cold-maceration of five days at 25–26^ºC (77–79^ºF), using dry ice to speed the process. A touch of chaptalization here. The pHs ar not high—I am told 3.6, after malolactic. The Charmes-Chambertin was overwhelmed by the 50% new oak, but the other grands crus coped well with 70%. Generally, the wines are very forward, expressive, and accessible young. Not rich. Light tannins in general. Slight herbal notes (despite the destemming), which are quite pleasant, and the wines are fresh enough.

Bourgogne Pinot Noir Cuvée Fine Sélection

Red-berry fruit, slightly floral aroma. It is pretty and has light and soft tannins. 2025–27. 83

Chambolle-Musigny Premier Cru Sentiers

One and a half barrels. Some herbal aromas. Pretty red fruit on the palate, with light, crisp tannin and a crunch. It has a crackly feeling to the finish. 2026–32. 91

Morey-St-Denis

A blend of Chezeaux, Clos Solon, and Crais, this is bright and crisp, with red fruit and light tannin. Very expressive and delicately spicy. Charming MSD. 2025–30. 87

Morey-St-Denis Premier Cru Aux Charmes

From a climat on the Gevrey border under Chezeaux. Soft and generous. Smooth tannins, easy summer fruits, and quite an aromatic finish. Forward and accessible. 2026–30. 90

Morey-St-Denis Premier Cru Cuvée Renaissance

A blend of Clos des Ormes (0.17ha [0.4 acre]) and Baulet (about 0.3ha [0.74 acre]). A touch of five spice on the nose. Certainly spicy. Super, supple slide into the palate. A nice line of freshness under the ripe fruit and it flows through to a fresh finish. A gentle sweep. Exotic breath on the end. 2027–32. 91–92

Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru Les Champeaux

Juicy, energetic fruit and plentifully ripe tannins. It has a light bite and grip, and a slightly chalky note under the palate, which attacks the finish. Exuberant. 2027–35. 92–93

Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru Lavaux St-Jacques

A touch of tarragon on the nose, with white pepper. Sweet fruit strike. Straight and streamlined. Fine-textured tannins, with a little nip to them, while the finish is lightly salty and piquant, with red-currant fruit. Exactly what you want from this climat. 2027–35. 93

Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru Petite Chapelle

This is the first vintage of Petite Chapelle, which comes from a tiny parcel, so the fruit disappeared into different cuvées previously. Just a couple of barrels. Sweet, red-berry aroma, and on the palate, a gorgeous succulence of fruit and soft tannins. Rounded and inviting. It was a good move to make this separately. Smooth as ice cream, with juicy freshness on the end. 2027–35. 93

Chambertin Grand Cru

From Chambertin (not Bèze) at the top by the forest. A straight, light, pure, lively, red-berry, silky Chambertin, with a fine line. Refined and somewhat racy, but not especially long. 2027–25. 93

Mazis-Chambertin Grand Cru

Succulent forest fruit, dark and spicy. Suede-smooth tannin and sumptuous fruit, with grand cru breadth and depth. On the finish, freshness and persistence. 2029–35. 94–95

Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru

Punchy, full-bodied, and burly; plentiful matter and slightly astringent tannin. It’s hefty and grunty. 2028–35. 93

2023 Burgundy: Abundant variability

2023 Burgundy: A guide to the villages and vineyards

2023 Burgundy: Chablis with a sunny disposition

2023 Burgundy: Chablis tasting notes

2023 Burgundy tasting notes: Côte de Nuits—Marsannay and Fixin