BEAUNE
ALBERT BICHOT
In addition to the six estates, Albéric Bichot has a négociant business, with grapes from about 50ha (125 acres), which they harvest themselves. The pH levels were high, although a maximum of 3.7 is certainly not as high as some I tasted this vintage. They adjusted the acidity where they deemed it necessary. The pH for the Chambolle Chabiot was one of their highest, at 3.7, but enologist and technical director Cyrille Jacquelin says the wine tastes fresh on the finish. I find it quite soft, certainly a plush wine. Matthieu Mangenot comments that they are just very relieved and happy to have the smooth and ripe tannins, recalling the difficulties with Pinot Noir coming into harvest.
White
Related
Bourgogne Côte d’Or Chardonnay Secret de Famille
A blend from parcels around the Côte de Beaune villages. 60% stainless steel. 10% of the barriques are new. There is also a Bourgogne Côte d’Or Pinot Noir from parcels in the Côte de Nuits, but I much preferred the white, which is rather bright. Springs quite energetically on the palate. Vibrant, lemony fruit. A touch of sherbet and tangy at the end. Not bad. 2025–27. 84
Red
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Fixin
A hearty Fixin, with deep, black-berry fruit aroma. The palate is sturdy, and the texture is quite thick and a little chewy, but pleasantly so. It’s not rustic and all is enveloped in a rich, dark, sweetness of fruit. 2025–28. 85
Chambolle-Musigny Premier Cru Les Chabiots
Pink aroma, scented with rose petal, then this is super-soft, super-ripe, and exotic on the palate. Slightly heady, with its come-hither richness. Lush wine. 2026–30. 88
Savigny-lès-Beaune
A pretty Savigny, with a red-cherry aroma and splashing, red-fruit palate. Light-bodied, with a slight crunch of tannins, fair acidity, and a refreshing nip to round it off nicely. 2025–27. 85
“A warm vintage with a sensation of freshness,” was how technical director Frédéric Weber summed up 2023. “I love this vintage, which may not be ‘great,’ but which is classic for both colors, with beautiful but not excessive ripeness and fresh acidity. But it will be very heterogeneous and will depend on the work in the vineyard.”
Bouchard is creating a new winery at Château de Puligny. The deal brings with it 7ha (17 acres), together with a generous amount of space. “There are not many opportunities to have a new winery close to the vineyard,” remarks Frédéric Weber, who is clearly relishing the opportunities brought by the new Artemis ownership. “Now I can focus on the wine from the domaine.” From 2024, there will be only domaine wines; in 2023 there were still some grapes under old contracts from Gevrey-Chambertin, Vosne-Romanée, and Nuits-St-Georges. “Another big change under Artemis is the number of people I can employ,” remarks Frédéric. “Forty more people in the vineyard for the green-harvest, and then again on the sorting table. I know some people are afraid about Artemis, but for us we can work more precisely. Five years ago, we produced 2.5 million bottles, including 500,000 bottles from the domaine. We managed 106ha [262 acres], and now I have the same team in the winery just to focus on the domaine wines.
“2023 is not an easy vintage to understand. It was challenging. In April we had nice rain and the grass grew quickly. It was a challenge for the team to get into the vineyard to cultivate the soil. A short and homogeneous flowering, with no difference between the two Côtes: Puligny flowered at the same time as Echézeaux, which I have never seen before. Everything flowered together, so since June I knew that the harvest would be very compact, and we harvested the whole estate September 1–10.” He employed 40 people to leaf-pluck. There was not a lot of green-harvest for the whites, as “the bunches and berries were small—not a big crop for Chardonnay at all, at an average of 40hl/ha. And finally, after a severe green-harvest for the Pinot Noir, we had an average of approximately 42hl/ha.”
They have been renting two shipping containers to refrigerate the bunches. “After 10am, everything is stored in the fridges for a night. This permits us to have grapes at 12ºC [54ºF]—a good temperature for a cool maceration of the Pinot Noir and for pressing the Chardonnay.”
Whites
“We started with the very young vines—faster and faster—to pick everything at the best moment. After the storm, there were no rules. I took 400 samples for analysis, to monitor the maturity as fully as possible, and for the first time, we didn’t start the harvest in Volnay Caillerets, but rather in Beaune Teurons.”
“Chardonnay was different after the storm—there was no dilution, and the grapes didn’t suffer from the humidity. The risk for whites was the evolution of the pH while the sugar was increasing slowly. So, we started picking Chardonnay from August 30 for the young vines and village parcels, to keep the acidity and balance. We had an average of 13% ABV, pH levels of 3.2–3.3, and TA of 4.55g/l—all quite normal. We adapted the vinification. The main risk was to have high pH levels because of the potassium pick up.
“For Chardonnay, we did some foulage, but not for all. For each parcel, we might have done one press with foulage and another without. The wines with foulage will be more precise and powerful, with more structure. We have done this before—it all depends on the feeling I have for the vintage.
“The Chardonnay had thicker skins than usual, so we destemmed to help extract more matter, but we were very careful at the end of the press, which was all declassified. Débourbage was very short, as I wanted lots of matter for the fermentation, which was also short.” Frédéric found he had a good level of malic, averaging around 2.5g/l. “In 2022, 2020, and 2019 it was burned by the sun, but in 2023 we had good levels of malic and lactic acid, so the wines evolved well during the MLF and continue to develop. In 2023, we did no rolling of the barrels for the whites, which wasn’t necessary.” After the summer of 2024, Frédéric racked the whites into foudres with their fine lees. “You have the richness already, but in foudres the wines will become more focused.”
Reds
“We adapted for Pinot Noir in the winery. There was a lot of selection in September which was hot and sunny. The gray rot dried, but we had to eliminate all the rot and the burned berries—as in 2019. We lost another 10–15% of the grapes because of this selection. We wanted only the best berries, so I could do 30–40% whole-bunch. The grapes had thin skins, with good phenolic maturity, but the seeds were still green and hard—we didn’t want to extract from those, so we increased the proportion of whole-bunch. We had a 12- to 15-day maceration, with not much punching-down of the cap and at a cooler than usual temperature—just 25–26ºC (77–79ºF), so as not to extract too much. We then waited before putting the wine into barrels, keeping the red after pressing in stainless steel to decant for longer than usual, as I wanted a cleaner wine. Alcohol levels for the reds were 13–13.5%, with pH levels around 3.6–3.7. We had high lactic acidity in the Pinot Noir, too.”
Frédéric has done a lovely job with the whole-bunch, which has been skillfully used to provide freshness and herbal lift. The reds have a nice level of concentration, but I find the whites even better and richer.
“The challenge in 2023 reds was to have good definition of each terroir.” At Bouchard Père & Fils there are three Beaune premiers crus—all very different expressions. “You have red and black fruit, without a warm finish.”
Frédéric thought he would bottle a bit earlier than usual, especially the reds. “I will bottle the reds early, to keep the red fruit and purity.” A little more CO2 than usual, too; reds normally have around 600mg/l, and whites 800–900mg/l, but in 2023 the reds will also have closer to 900. “I am not sure I will give the whites a long élevage, which the 2022s certainly had” (he didn’t finish bottling those until June 2024).
“Perfumed and elegant reds. For the reds, it is difficult to compare them with the last warm vintage, for they have freshness but without high concentration.”
“I am confident in the 2023 whites, which have sapidity, even if I think the 2022 whites are even better, with more density and freshness.”
White
Beaune du Château Premier Cru
The five parcels for this are made and aged separately, the freshness comes mostly from a large parcel in Grèves. “We want a true Beaune, with generosity.” Ripe and slightly exotic, rich, lemony aroma. A glossy texture for this generous Beaune, which has an attractive underscoring of mineral acidity and freshness. Late 2026–35. 91
Beaune Premier Cru Clos St-Landry
From a 2ha (5-acre) parcel just above Tuvilains, with Bouchard’s oldest Beaune vines. An exotic pineapple and mango aroma. Full and plump immediately. The luscious palate has a welcome phenolic note, which lifts this wine and gives it some bite to balance the fruit—“This is the foulage,” Frédéric explains—though it is not particularly persistent. Late-2026–35. 87–88
Meursault Les Clous
From a parcel with a slight slope, facing east and northeast, and 1m (3ft) deep white soil. In 2023 it was hit by hail and lost 30% of the crop. Floral and upright aroma. Zesty attack. Piquant and fresh, with a shiver of chalky minerals. Citrus pith and savory, stony notes, just lightly sweet and salty at the end. I do like the finish. Very stylish. Top-notch village wine. 2026–33. 90
Meursault Premier Cru Genevrières
Around one third of the crop was lost to hail. Pink-flower aromatics on the palate, which is full and airy. Floats into a fresh and mineral finish, focusing to become precise and salty. Lovely typicité from this blend of fruit from the upper and lower sections of Genevrières. Late-2026–40. 93–94
Meursault Premier Cru Perrières
From three parcels across 1.2ha (3 acres). Dense and stony aroma. Compact and layered. A touch exotic, but the apricot fruit is balanced by a firm cut of freshness. Plenty of energy. Definitely some texture here, and I like the sapidity. The finish has attractive phenolic bitterness. 2027–35. 94
Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru
Concentration with reserve and austerity on both nose and palate. Super-intense, focused, and powerful on the finish. I like the cool grip of minerals and the pithy intensity. The intensity of the palate is squeezed into a chilled, sapid, persistent finish. 2028–38. 97
Montrachet Grand Cru
A fuller, richer aroma than the Chevalier, with a lightly honeyed note, and there is breadth and density on the palate. Power and richness and excellent length. It’s slightly more aromatic and exotic on the finish than the colder Chevalier. 2028–40. 97+
Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru
From a parcel in Languettes. Cool and tense; reserved and strong. Straight and channeled. This is very pithy. Slightly severe, but good. It really pushes through on the finish. 2027–35+. 95–96
Red
Nuits-St-Georges Premier Cru Les Cailles
A silky, pure, straight, and channeled Cailles for Bouchard’s final vintage of this wine. Elegant and gliding. Smooth, graphite minerality. Neatly woven, just a touch of lead-pencil freshness blending with the minty note. A good example of this sophisticated climat. 2028–40. 94
Beaune Premier Cru Clos des Mouches
The licorice aroma is echoed on the palate. Smoothly generous initially, and a touch exotic and spicy through the middle, before the freshness of the whole-bunch gives a minty lift to the finish. Very approachable, even only halfway through its barrel aging. 2027–33. 92
Beaune Premier Cru Grèves Vigne de l’Enfant Jésus
A light whiff of garden herbs, with white-pepper and floral notes. Slides elegantly onto the palate. Ripples. Fine tannins, with a light, taffeta crunch. A delicate, persistent, and nicely fresh finish. The best 2023 Grèves I tasted. 2027–35. 94
Beaune Premier Cru Teurons
From a warm terroir—sunny, with limestone soil. Sumptuous depth of mulberry fruit, along with a touch of white pepper and white rose petal. Glides softly onto the palate, but there is plenty of freshness and energy. Supple, chalky finish. So silky. 2027–32. 91–92
Volnay Premier Cru Caillerets Ancienne Cuvée Carnot
Caillerets, a warm place with a white soil, is almost always harvested first by Bouchard, but in 2023 it needed more time to reach full ripeness. Gorgeous, rose-petal aroma, with a light herby note. Velvet-ripe tannins; rich depth of fruit and texture. Luscious concentration, while the finish is fresh, chalky, and pure. Also one of the best examples of Caillerets I tasted in 2023. 2027–28. 94–95
Le Corton Grand Cru
Spicy, red-peppercorn aroma. An elegant Corton, with plenty of freshness and clarity of fruit. Rather than big and concentrated, this is singing, bright, and juicy. I like the fine-grained tannins and the slight herbal twist to the finish. 2028–36. 94
DOMAINE CHANSON
Justine Savoye, Chanson’s vineyard manager, commented on the season. “The 2023 vintage in Burgundy reflects a certain normality in terms of the vegetative cycle. The weather alternated between warm and cool, dry and wet periods, providing relatively balanced conditions.” She opted against a green-harvest. “This prudence proved justified,” as there were several hailstorms. Most did “limited damage, but the vineyards in Rully and some in Mercurey were severely affected on July 11.” Harvesting began September 4. “The heatwave in early September raised potential alcohol levels by more than one degree in just a few days. This hastened the ripening of all parcels by the second week.”
For the reds, the cold prefermentation-macerations were kept very short and total vatting to a shorter than usual 15 to 25 days, “thanks to the wines’ beautiful aromatic expression and remarkable color intensity,” remarked Chanson chef de cave, Lucy Auger. For the whites, which are fermented in barriques, the temperature was kept at 16–18°C (61–64°F). The whites were generally 13–14% ABV, pH 3.3; the reds, 12.5% ABV, pH 3.4–3.5. “We made a few adjustments to the wines at the end of vinification,” says Lucy. “For the whites, certain malolactic fermentations were halted to maintain a good balance. No saignée was performed.”
I like the use of whole-bunch here—40–50% in 2023—as the wines are rarely too stemmy while gaining herbal freshness. Moreover, with very few exceptions, Chanson seems to have retained decent acidity and energy—even in Beaune, despite the harvest heat. Targeted picking dates no doubt helped. Like many producers, Chanson rearranged the picking order this year—and of course it has its cooling tunnel, which has been in place for many years now. Chanson was ahead of the game in this respect. The red bunches, which came into the winery at 30°C (86°F), were cooled to 10–14°C (50–57°F) for a 6- to 10-day prefermentation maceration. Lucy Auger explained, “The cooling tunnel played a crucial role in the 2023 vintage by efficiently lowering the temperature of the red grapes, preserving their freshness and quality.”
Not much new oak—15–25%—and it sits nicely into the fruit.
Lucy remarks on the style: “The white wines are juicy, with a roundness and delicate notes of honey, offering a nice balance and pleasant energy. The red wines are characterized by their fruity expression, remarkable freshness, and silky, smooth tannins. The 2023 vintage can be enjoyed young, thanks to its fruitiness and smooth tannins. Given the balance of the wines, however, it will certainly be possible to wait five years for the reds and two or three years for the whites, sot hey can reach their full potential.” She finds 2023 similar to 2018 but with better balance.
The two young ladies who have been charge of the vineyard and winery for a few vintages now have lifted Chanson’s game, turning out sharper, more precise whites, and suppler reds. I tasted a good selection and was impressed by the wines in both colors.
White
Beaune Premier Cru Les Bressandes
White-flower and citrus aroma. Straight line, with good tension, a white-citrus cut and freshness. Metal shavings on the light but quite well-sustained finish. This bright, slimline, precise palate belies the 14% ABV. Appetizing. 2026–35. 93
Beaune Premier Cru Le Clos des Mouches
A hint of orange zest and dried ginger on the nose. Fuller bodied, with more shoulder and denser in structure than Les Bressandes. Chanson is not well-known for its Clos des Mouches but has a 2.2ha (5.4-acre) parcel. It has yellow fruit, is quite punchy, and there is some power on the finish. You feel the 14% ABV here, in the character and the earthiness, but it’s by no means fat or heavy. 2026–35. 93
Pernand-Vergelesses Premier Cru En Caradeux
Rich, pear aroma, very expressive for Caradeux, and on the palate, too, which is ripe and spicy, with almost-tropical flavors. Atypical for this climat, which is usually more savory. But it does keep enough of its characteristic, sapid character. This comes through on the finish and balances the sweet fruit, contributing an attractive, dry, tangy bitterness on the finish. Although you could drink this almost immediately, I would be inclined to wait, so the fruitiness dissipates. Late-2025–31. 88
Savigny-lès-Beaune Premier Cru Hauts Marconnets
I do like this sappy, savory white Savigny. It has some grip and a touch of tannin. Attractive almond bitterness, and it’s fresh. Very digestive. A wine that is not rich. You could drink it and not get tired. Really rather good. 2025–31. 89
Red
At Chanson there is the fascinating and rare opportunity to taste Bressandes and Le Clos des Mouches in red and white from the same domaine, made in the same way. Bressandes is the slimmer and lighter of the two. In red, the ripe fruit rather overtook the elegant structure of Bressandes, while the Clos des Mouches soaked up the hot conditions, and although the alcohol is a little higher at 14%, it has the structure to support it. But I preferred the brightness and citrus character of Bressandes in white, while the Clos des Mouches is richer and heavier. I found both whites better than the reds.
Beaune Premier Cru Les Bressandes
Exotic aroma. Baked cherry-pie fruit. It feels a bit overripe, and the tannins are a touch rustic, without the refinement of the Grèves. 2026–30. 91
Beaune Premier Cru Champs Pimont
Blueberries and raspberries to this fruity aroma. It glides smoothly into a succulent palate, which also has splashing fruit and a twang of sappy tannins. Fresh herbal notes nip on the finish and offset the ripe fruit. An appetizingly fresh Beaune for the 2023 vintage. Quite elegantly done. A good job with the whole-bunch. Late-2026–34. 93
Beaune Premier Cru Clos des Marconnets
Expressive, ripe, red-cherry fruit aroma. Rich, slightly exotic palate, smooth on the attack and loose in the middle. The whole-bunch is overtly stemmy and a touch bitter/green on the finish. I included this to show that while Chanson has got it spot-on most of the time, there are occasional misses! Late-2026–32. 86–87
Beaune Premier Cru Le Clos des Mouches
Much more contained on the nose than the Bressandes, with a darker but fresher fruit aroma. A burly Beaune. It has the matter to support 50% whole-bunch. Like its white counterpart, it has punch and vigor. 2026–30. 93–94
Beaune Premier Cru Grèves
A supple, smooth glide into the fluid and rippling palate. The herbaceous character of garden herbs, from the whole-bunch, dominates the aromatics on the palate for now, but in its silken elegance and streamlined shape, this is so very Grèves. 2026–32. 94
Monthelie Premier Cru Le Clos Gauthey
After the garden-herb aroma, this hops onto the palate. It’s rather piquant, with ripe red-currant fruit. Light-bodied, sprightly, and energetic, with gentle tannin and a fresh, herbal note to finish. Zingy. Late-2025–29. 87
Santenay Premier Cru Beauregard
Appealing, ripe, loganberry aroma, with a lift of white pepper. Saturated fruit attack. Really yummy, juicy fruit mid palate. A soft brush of tannin. It’s smooth, easy, and quite fresh to boot. What’s not to like about this wine? Fruity pleasure. 2025–29. 88
Savigny-lès-Beaune Premier Cru La Dominode
A pleasant waft of ripe raspberry on the nose. The palate is a blend of sweet fruit and herbal crunchiness, which feels lively, fresh, and attractive. Quite springy. Follows through with a hint of mint on the finish. Appetizing. 2026–30. 88
White
Beaune Premier Cru Les Bressandes Famille Gagey
Creamy, vanilla aroma, with just sufficient freshness on the palate to balance the ripe, yellow-peach fruit. There is an appealing succulence, but it does seem quite heavy on the rather oaky finish. 2026–32. 90
Chassagne-Montrachet Premier Cru Morgeot
A rich, overly oaky style, with ripe apricot fruit and a creamy texture. This is plump and softly succulent. I would like to see more length for Morgeot. 2025–29. 88
Red
Echézeaux Grand Cru
Deep and dark, cherry-rich aroma. This shimmies onto the palate; satin-smooth and streamlined. Notes of black cherry and bitter chocolate. 14% ABV, but it feels lighter. The warmth of the vintage is evident on the slightly exotic finish, which is not especially persistent, but this does show Echézeaux elegance. 2026–33. 92–93
Famille Gagey Beaune Premier Cru Theurons
Ripe, spicy, dark-fruit aroma, into a sweet and slightly stewy palate, reflecting the warm harvest. The tannins are a touch robust and the finish is chewy, but there is plentiful fruit as well. 2026–30. 86
BENJAMIN LEROUX
Ben Leroux considers it a “fairly normal vintage.” He did a green-harvest of Chardonnay as well as Pinot Noir, except where hail struck Meursault Narvaux and Genevrières: “There was no way Pinot or Chardonnay could mature properly,” he said. He started harvest on August 29 and continued in the Côte de Nuits from September 5, explaining to me, “The heatwave was needed to achieve ripeness in some vineyards in the Côte de Nuits.” He added, “The date of picking was pure guesswork. No one predicted such a heatwave. It was luck in the choice we made.” He remarks that, “There are some great wines from yields higher than 50hl/ha which, for Pinot Noir, is exceptional.”
“I used as much whole-bunch as possible, given the space, but I do have tank space here. I have not changed my approach. Most was destemmed, but where I might usually have 10–20%, I might have between one third and a half. The fruit was very clean.”
Ben has made a similar quantity of wine in 2022 and 2023. “I had the same crop in whites. Total production in 2022 was 162,000 bottles, and in 2023 it is 167,000.”
“Whites look like the 2022s, in the way they build themselves in the balance. They need some aging. The 2022s were a bit flabby and lacking energy at first but had much more purity the second winter. But 2022 is more homogeneous as a vintage, while in 2023 it depends on the crop level and date of picking, so whites can be anything from green, to overripe.” I tasted more than 35 wines, and I preferred the whites to the reds.
For a red vintage with which to compare, Ben looks back to 1999: “Too much crop and more diluted, and the style of ripeness we have now is different, but the best 1999s have aged well.”
Bourgogne Aligoté Grand Champs
From the Chassagne area on the edge of Puligny, on clay soil. The 90-year-old vines were quite low-yielding, at 40/hl/ha. 13% ABV. One foudre of 12hl. Crystalized lemon and ginger on the nose. Rich Aligoté, intense and ripe. So much delicious, ripe fruit, with well-balanced acidity and good intensity on the finish. Ben makes two Aligotés, and this is a big step up from the main cuvée. Top-notch. 2025–28. 84
Auxey-Duresses
From vines on the slope going up from the road to Macabrée and to the top on the Meursault border at Les Hautes. All in foudres. It is light, slightly mineral, and savory on the finish. Pleasant. 2026–29. 84–85
Monthelie Les Duresses
From vines planted in the 1970s. Aged in 600-liter barrels. Already bottled when I tasted. Ripe-citrus strike and a shiver of cold minerals on the finish. I like this village wine. 2025–28. 85
St-Romain Sous Château
Half of the wine was aged in foudres, the rest in 600-liter barrels and amphorae. 12.8% ABV. Rich, ripe, and generous for St-Romain this year. A touch of litchee, silky and smooth, with a mineral finish. 2026–30. 85–86
Meursault
From vines at the foot of the slope and some in Blagny. This is nicely rounded and has freshness on the finish, which is just slightly saline. It retains an attractive levity. 2026–30. 88
Meursault Les Narvaux
The grower here—an elderly man who once gave me cherries, snapping off a branch from the laden tree—has since passed away. There is a dedication on the back label of this vintage, though sadly there is just one barrel, as hail hit this vineyard in 2023. It is a high parcel, like a garden, and walled, so is a lighter version of Narvaux, but it still has tension, lithe muscle, and a smoky minerality. A lovely example. 2026–35. 91
Meursault Vireuils
Floral and citrus. It is delicate and intense. Straight and pure and nicely edged, with a lively piquancy and shiny minerality to the finish. 2026–32. 90
Meursault Premier Cru Charmes-Dessus
Picked on August 30. Aged in 228-liter and 300-liter barrels. Silky, slightly slinky, salty and ripe, even a touch exotic. Really a bit of everything… and on the finish, too, both sweet and salty. 2027–35. 94–95
Meursault Premier Cru Genevrières
Because of the hail, this is a blend from the upper and lower sections, as well as from a part of the vineyard that has since been pulled out. All of the parcels were picked together, on August 30, and co-fermented, before being aged in a mix of 300-liter and 228-liter barrels. Only 1,050 bottles (no magnums this year). It is quite exotic, perfumed, and purple, but equally it has a lovely, long, mineral, and focused finish. 2027–35. 94
Meursault Blagny Premier Cru La Pièce Sous le Bois
The section Ben owns was planted in 1930—a total of 1.7ha (4.2 acres), making him a significant producer of Blagny. Picked early, this has lemon slice and freshness. It pirouettes across the palate and finishes with a shiver of salt. Light and precise. Delightful. 2026–32. 92–93
Chassagne-Montrachet Premier Cru Tête du Clos
This parcel lies just below La Romanée. Aged in two 228-liter barrels, neither new. This is punchy and dense and carries the 14% ABV well. There is richness, breadth, and grip, and it pushes on the savory finish. Compact, too. 2027–36. 94–95
Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru
From Languettes. Only one barrel. It is streamlined, intense, and focused, with a persistent, cool, savory finish. 2027–37. 96
Red
Côte de Nuits-Villages
From 40- and 15-year-old vines in Comblanchien. The fruit was fully destemmed. The wine began in barrels but finished in foudres, before being bottled in August 2024. Very ripe aromas, but I like the light-bodied palate, which has bright, red fruit and is quite piquant. 2025–27. 85–86
Vougeot Clos du Village
From brown soil, quite a rich clay, but none red. Super-juicy and generous, with a vibrant and zesty note. No whole-bunch. Just three barrels. A singing wine, with red fruit, nice depth, and some minerality. 2026–30. 88
Volnay Premier Cru Clos de la Cave des Ducs
Richly ripe aroma and strike, and I thought it might be too rich and sweet, but actually there is delicacy of texture and good tension on the palate. It holds its nerve and carries to an elegant finish. 2026–24. 94
SEGUIN-MANUEL
Thibaut Marion told me it was the first time in 20 years that he has needed to green-harvest: “Not everywhere, but in the Côte de Nuits and Pommard. Even with strict pruning. But we had very little botrytis. There was not much to be sorted from my own vineyard, more from purchased fruit, where there was some under-ripeness.” Alcohol levels were about 13% for both reds and whites, and he acidified a few of the reds at the beginning of the fermentation. He used sone whole-bunch, the highest proportion in Pézerolles and in the various Beaune premiers crus—“no more or less than usual, but for terroirs with clay and iron-rich soil, it brings something to the wines.” All the vats here are temperature-controlled. “Very soft and gentle extraction—lots of remontage, and if we do a pigeage, we do a ‘wet pigeage’ at the same time as the remontage, so we don’t break the skin and extract too much, and we wanted quite a short, 15-day vatting. We are focused on aromas and terroir. We don’t want to hide this with too much structure, which can happen with too much extraction. We only ever do a rack and return when we are fermenting, to give oxygen to the yeast.”
He bottled a few reds with rising VAs before harvest, unwilling to take any risks. “We have high yields of 40hl/ha for Pinot Noir. I would never think Pinot Noir would give us wine like this, and it was a good surprise.”
He picked Beaune reds from early September, acidified lightly, and extracted very gently, so has produced charming, lighter to medium-bodied Beaunes at 13% ABV, which are balanced and have some freshness. A style I prefer to very sweet and concentrated Beaune.
“Whites are like 2018 in a way, because of the generosity, although the 2018s are more alcoholic, full-bodied, and rich. Reds are like 2009, as it was also rich and expressive and open. In youth, the 2009s were like this, always showing nicely—an appealing vintage, and no one would have expected the 2009s to age as well as they have.”
Pouilly-Vinzelles Vieilles Vignes
Since 2020, the fruit for this cuvée has come from the same organic parcel. Ripe and rich, with a creamy mid-palate. Partial fermentation in concrete eggs enhances the rounded, richly textured feel, but on the finish, it has a lovely minerality. Very attractive example. 2025–30. 85–86
Meursault Les Clous
My favorite of the village wines I tried. Ripe citrus and lightly creamy, then pithy on the finish. It is well-structured, with good density mid-palate. This is from a high parcel—in the Dessus section—but it shows good intensity on the finish. 2025–33. 88
Beaune Premier Cru Clos des Mouches
“Ripeness comes very early here, so we harvest on the first day,” said Thibault. “Even in hot vintages, our Mouches never has tropical flavors and keeps its minerality.” 20% new oak. Light apricot fruit and juicy depth mid-palate, which is undercut with stoney notes and freshness. There is a savory, salty finish. A lovely example of white Beaune. 2026–34. 93–94
Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru
From En Charlemagne, with very good typicité. Only one barrel. It is straight, showing power and tension. I like the persistent, pithy, white, and salty finish. 2027–35+. 96
Red
Vosne-Romanée
From 1.8ha (4.4 acres), their largest vineyard. Fully destemmed. Rounded, full, mid-palate, with ripe red fruit, which is soft and summery. The smooth tannins give structure. Charming and inviting Vosne. 2026–32. 88
Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Beaune
Made with bought grapes from a steep, southeast-facing parcel with brown clay and stones in Nolay. Summer-berry fruits. Fresh, sprightly red fruit, light, crisp tannins, and a crunchy finish. 2025–28. 83
Savigny-lès-Beaune Montchenevoy
From 40-year-old vines on a steep, southwest-facing parcel with stony soil. Attractively ripe and sweet, strawberry fruit, with crisp tannins and a lively, fresh, crunchy feel. Good length. 2026–29. 86
Savigny-lès-Beaune Vieilles Vignes
From lieu-dit Vermots, which is south-facing but cool, as it catches the cool breeze coming down the combe. Perfumed, red-fruit aroma. 25% whole-bunch. Springs on the palate. Fresh and bright, with red-currant fruit and pepper. Just what you want to see in a village Savigny. 2026–29. 85
Beaune Premier Cru Cents Vignes
From a flat climat with sandy soil. 100% destemmed. 13% ABV. This is soft and juicy, with an open, light structure. Super-ripe, strawberry aroma and flavor, but enough acidity to pep up the finish, so it is not too sweet. Late-2026–30. 87
Beaune Premier Cru Champimonts
From a mid-slope parcel with lots of rock. Harvested on September 7. It is juicy on the strike, with ripe redcurrant fruit and slight sapidity. Fresh on the finish. Thibault has not taken too much from this Beaune and has made a well-balanced and charming wine, with a light but sufficiently firm structure. Late-2026–30. 90
Pommard Petits Noizons
Juicy, ripe, red-cherry fruit. The herbal, crunchy notes of 40% whole-bunch give it lift. I like the toasted cumin note. Thibault has been growing this vineyard since 2012, but it was partly replanted. “I think that now the young vines give character and make a good balance with the old vines. It has a kind of roasted note, but not from the cask, as it has always had this note.” 2026–30. 87–88
Pommard Premier Cru Pézerolles
Two thirds whole-bunch. Floral and bright. Easy fluidity. Red and black fruit. It has an asphalt note on the finish. More twang of tannin here on the finish, which gives it freshness. 2026–32. 91
Corton-Rognet Grand Cru
13.5% ABV. An opulent and oaky aroma. Sumptuous and full-bodied. Succulent but not heavy. Soft, smooth tannin, with some new oak providing structure by boosting the sense of freshness and the length. 2027–35. 94
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
2023 Burgundy tasting notes: Côte de Nuits—Gevrey-Chambertin
2023 Burgundy tasting notes: Côte de Nuits—Morey-St-Denis
2023 Burgundy tasting notes: Côte de Nuits—Nuits-St-Georges
