MARSANNAY
CHÂTEAU DE MARSANNAY
Stéphane Follin-Arbelet, directeur général, manages this 40ha (100-acre) domaine, which has 28ha (69 acres) in Marsannay and is run organically, with an emphasis on cover crops.
Clos Vougeot Grand Cru
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The 2024 yield was only 9hl/ha. Spicy, black-peppercorn aroma. Full-bodied and rounded, with smooth tannins. Quite exotic, purple aromas on the palate, to a persistent, aromatic finish. Broad but not rich and not heavy. There is an airy feel. One of the better Clos Vougeots of the vintage. 2029–38. 94
DOMAINE BRUNO CLAIR
Edouard Clair tells me that the worst mildew was in Gevrey and toward Marsannay, while the north side, Chambolle-Musigny, and Morey-St-Denis, had some of the best yields of the Côte de Nuits—12hl/ha—although the whites brought up this average. Bonnes Mares has one of the highest yields at 18hl/ha. In Morey, the yields were on average 25hl/ha.
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The proportion of whole-bunch decreased from 50% to 30–40%, but Edouard did the same extraction as usual. “The fruit was ripe and the skins were thin, so we did a lot of pigeage,” but he started the pigeage earlier to submerge the cap. “We chaptalized a little [by 0.5% ABV], in three or four batches, which won us an extra day or two.”
“The 2024 vintage is a little like 2021 but with a less matter than ’21, at least for us—which is hard to explain, when the yields were so low. Less tannin than in 2021 and yet riper than 2013 or 2014. The quantity of tannins was the same as 2013, but riper. Less malic and less tartaric than 2008, but perhaps quite similar in style. I wasn’t making the wine then—just drinking it! The aging potential is between eight and ten years for some wines, but not 20. An early-drinking vintage.”
White
Marsannay La Charme aux Prêtres
From the top of the lieu-dit on marl (Marnes à Ostrea). Light citrus and white-flower aroma to a light, straight, and neat palate; slim and sappy, with a cool-stone and gun-flint note. Rather zesty. 2026–28. 86
Morey-St-Denis En la Rue La Vergy
Sappy, salty with enticing bitter pithiness balanced with a good intensity of citrus fruit. Straight as a die. Just the sort of wine I like to drink. Late 2026-30/2 90
Red
Marsannay Les Longeroies
Sweet fruit underscored by fresh herbal bite. It is straight and bright, with a light herbal crunch of tannin and perfumed to finish. 2027–31. 88–89
Marsannay Vaudenelles
From poor white soil on the hillside at an altitude of about 325m (1,070ft). Silky texture and ripe, pomegranate fruit. This is light but actually quite intense for a village wine. Delicate waft of tannins. Pure, with a light, minty and saline puff at the end. So pretty. 2027–29. 86–87
*Morey-St-Denis En La Rue de Vergy
Light and delicate, this skips on a high and fine line. Taut, pure, and salty, bright and pithy. Tip-top. 2027–30. 90
*Chambolle-Musigny Les Véroilles
Delicate and pure, this carries swiftly on a straight line, with an intense sweetness and purity of red fruit. Singing and bright. Silky flow of light tannin. What a delight. 2027–32. 90
*Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru Clos St-Jacques
This floats on silky tannins. Precise and light. It has a purity and energy and carries delicately on to a sweet and persistent finish. Really quite refined. Slightly salty as it wafts at the very end. 2028–33. 94–95
Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru Petite Chapelle
Seductive on the front-palate. Satin-textured, with ripe, dark forest fruit on a lightly rounded palate with a glossy finish. Rather swanky. 2028–32. 94
*Chambertin Clos de Bèze Grand Cru
Full-bodied, with depth and concentration. Layering and structure. A big step up from the premiers crus. The stems show a bit at the moment, adding sappy greenness that cuts through the sweetness of red fruit. It extends well. There is substance. 2028–35. 96–97
Savigny-lès-Beaune Premier Cru Les Dominode
From 100-year-old vines on this northeast-facing slope, which is quite steep, with clay and some sand in the soil. The yields in 2024 were very low at 8hl/ha. Not all wines with low yields have concentration, but this does. It is ripe, with juicy, rich raspberry fruits. Generous, with suede-soft tannins, and there is freshness and sweetness on the finish. 2027–32. 92
FIXIN
DOMAINE BERTHAUT-GERBET
Amélie Berthaut took over the 16ha (40-acre) family estate in 2013. She averaged 20hl/ha in 2024. “The Hautes-Côtes saved us. We had a lot of rain but at less sensitive times, so we got 35hl/ha there.” She likes whole-bunch, and some cuvées have 100%. Mainly remontage with some punchdown at the end, when there is more alcohol. There is up to 20% new oak, but some wines have none.
“A little bit like 2021. Quite classic Pinot from Burgundy. I like it, especially after 2018, 2019, and 2020. This is lighter and finer. For now, I prefer 2021 to 2020. But it is not the best vintage to age for ever. There is not the same potential to age as the warmer years.”
Amélie’s wines will make your rethink Fixin. There are no rustic wines here—rather, they are light, pure, and finely textured. She has used whole-bunch to good effect in 2024, often generously, so the wines have a herbal lift and crunch, it is all very delicately done.
White
Fixin Champs des Charmes
Only 2% of the appellation is planted in white. This is from light, well-drained soil, whiter than nearby Les Crais, and young vines planted mainly in 2015. Slightly topical, juicy, bright, fruity, and just a touch saline. So attractive. 2025–27. 85
Red
Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Nuits
From the plateau above Vosne, a 10ha (25-acre) vineyard planted by Amalie’s grandfather, of which she uses 4ha, renting out the rest to other producers including Cyprien Arlaud and Domaine Jean Tardy. All destemmed fruit. Appealing, red-fruit aroma. Juicy and bright. Fresh and fruity, with some salinity on the finish. Such an attractive example. 2026–28. 84–85
Fixin En Combe Roy
From mid-slope, just below the premiers crus, the fruit from this lieu-dit used to go into the Fixin blend but is now made separately. “Very small berries,” says Amalie, who explains that while the terroir map indicates clay soils, no pits were dug here. “When we work this soil, it is very different from the heavy clay soils below in Les Enter Deux-Velles.” 40% stems. A small, three-barrel cuvée, with no new oak. Red-cherry fruit aroma, with some floral notes. Lightly rounded, with plentiful but smoothly textured tannins and fruity richness. Appealing. 2026–29. 86–87
Fixin Les Crais
From a large 1ha (2.5-acre) parcel on well-drained, light-stone soils below the Route des Grands Crus and vines more than 80 years old, which are in the process of being replanted. 30% whole-bunch. Redcurrant fruit with herbal crunch. Rather sappy. Light-bodied, with a touch of sapidity. 2026–28. 86–87
*Fixin Premier Cru les Arvelets
Arvelets can be labeled Hervelets, and because most producers have parcels in both premiers crus, they normally use Hervelets. Amalie says there is very little difference in the soil (it’s a municipal divide), but the top of both is sandier. Amalie’s parcel is mid-slope. 60% stems. Floral, wafting, and delicate. Orange zest and oregano. Light-bodied, with light, crispy tannins. A refined Fixin. 2026–29. 88
*Gevrey-Chambertin
This is mostly from very old vines in Combe de Dessus, but also from vines in Burie, below the RN74. Co-fermented in 2024, because of the very small production. 40% stems. Glides smoothly into the palate on a satin texture and ripples to the finish. There is both depth and freshness. Austere, salty cut to the finish, which has herbal freshness, too. An excellent example of village Gevrey. 2027–30. 90
*Vosne-Romanée Premier Cru Petits-Monts
From five small parcels. 50% whole bunch. Delicate and pure. A fine, crystalline wine with taffeta tannins; light and airy, with an aromatic finish. 2027–33. 94
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