MEURSAULT
CHÂTEAU DE MEURSAULT
Stéphane Follin-Arbelet, the managing director here, recalled the last days before harvest: “There was a lot of evaporation, so some cuvées reached 13.5–14% ABV. 2023 was much more concentrated than we expected.” For the whites, “We used lots of bâtonnage to enrich the wines.” For reds, he comments, “A very good surprise, with the very ripe tannin, concentration, and balance—the structure to age a long time.”
Meursault Premier Cru Charmes-Dessus
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A touch of greengage on the nose and litchee on the palate, which is rounded, creamy, and rich, with plenty of concentration. But there is a cut of freshness through the fruit, and this focuses to show mineral tension on the finish, where it fizzles brightly. 2027–35. 94–95
Meursault Premier Cru Perrières
The harvest began here on September 6, just 100m (330ft) from the Charmes parcel. Tight, straight, whiplash energy combines with acidity in this more savory wine. Intense, severe and cold in feel. Edge and tension. I like this Perrières. 2028–35. 95
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Corton-Vergennes Grand Cru
Alluring ripe fruit on the attack, to a savory and rich, well-defined mid-palate. Here there is density and cool grip. A powerful and sapid finish. 2028–35. 96–97
Red
Beaune Premier Cru Grèves Les Trois Journaux
A ripe cherry fruit and floral perfume on this deep and super-silky-soft Grèves. It is lightly spicy on the finish, which lingers with a haunting fragrance. 2027–36. 93–94
Pommard Premier Cru Clos des Epenots
Dark and spicy fruit, with a rather exotic aromatic note on both nose and palate. Plentiful but supple tannins; smooth dark chocolate with a bitter bite, which offsets the ripeness. Suave. 2028–35+. 94
Volnay Premier Cru Clos des Chênes
Slices into the palate, zesty and cold. Red-cherry fruit with brightness and intensity. Finely grained tannins. A pretty strict, chalky character. I like the cut, drive, and stony feel to this wine. Sappy, energetic, and persistent. 2028–35+. 95
Corton-Vergennes Grand Cru
Possibly the most refined red Corton I tried this vintage. This sweeps across the palate with zesty freshness. It is cool and stretches into a persistent, chalky finish. 2028–35+. 95
DOMAINE BALLOT-MILLOT
Charles Ballot said that the 2023 whites have more sugar and less acidity than the 2022s. As a vintage, 2023 “will be more drinkable now, while ’22 is more for keeping.”
Some of his parcels were hit by the hail. “Genevrières was worst-affected. Perrières and Narvaux were also hit, while Charmes was okay. We didn’t see much impact on the grapes that survived—the hailstones were so large that when they hit the grapes, they cut them completely. The hail didn’t stress the vines too much, as it didn’t really hit the wood. In 2014, it stopped the vine working for between 10 and 14 days.”
Charles started harvesting on September 6. “The big question was when to start, as it was too hot and we were waiting for some rain, which we got at the end of August. It was 26–27ºC (80ºF) when we started, then it got hotter and hotter. The whites are 13.7–14.3% ABV, the pHs 3.25–3.35 after malolactic. I never acidify. We didn’t take a lot of lees, as we press softly. And it was such a dry vintage, we had to clean the lees. We didn’t have much malic—less than 1g/l—so the pH did not change post-malo. It was quite a long fermentation—it was the first time I had to rack to tank to finish the fermentation, with 40–60g/l sugar remaining at that stage. It started well, but after one or two weeks, we had a bad moon, and the fermentation probably stopped then. It was big problem this year. We finished the fermentation at the end of November. With natural yeast, it can be a very long time between pressing and the end of the fermentation, so from 2024 onward, I will start the fermentation in tank. I think we will keep more freshness and fruit and tension in the wine that way. The MLF was finished in most wines by March or April.
“We always get some reduction in Genevrières and Perrières. In 2023 and 2022, it is less marked than before, as we bought some new barrels after the 2021 vintage. But you still need to wait another year for these wines in bottle.
“I always use bentonite [for fining], as we have always have a lot of protein, especially in the Meursault premiers crus—I have no idea why. I don’t always use casein, though this year we used some for the Genevrières.” Charles added that he is always very cautious at this stage: “If you do too much, you can remove some the complexity and keep only the ‘warmest things.’”
For the reds, there was a green-harvest and strict selection to eliminate any mold. All the fruit was destemmed in 2023. “At the beginning, we did a big rack-and-return, leaving the juice for a night to settle, then returned it to the tank. The cold-maceration lasted only three days—not so long as usual—because we saw the freshness of the fruit. We also saw much less VA than we expected—0.35 [low for this vintage]—because we had sorted out all the bad stuff. The Pommard pHs were 3.5 to 3.6. I like the reds, but we have to control them carefully. The last time I used pigeage was in 2018—now I use only remontage, twice a day. And again at the end, very softly, just to wet the cap.
“The reds may be comparable with 2005, for they are expressive and massive and have a strong side, but they are much more drinkable than 2005. A chocolate character. Between 2005 and 2009. Not too warm, like 2003—we have more quantity in 2023 than in 2003, and this made a difference.”
Charles is very open about the challenges of this vintage. But he has produced a lovely flight of wines, with top-notch whites and charming Pommards.
Bourgogne
Some 70% of the parcels for this are in Meursault, the rest in Puligny. Pure and ripe citrus, with lemon cut. Ripe but nicely fresh. 2025–28. 85
Meursault
A blend of four village lieux-dits—mostly Les Corbins but also Les Pelles, Chaumes de Narvaux, and Peutes Vignes. Ripe, slightly tropical fruit. Full and juicy and rich. A more classic, rounded style of Meursault, but fresh enough to finish. 2026–31. 87–88
Meursault Les Criots
For a village wine, this is nicely compact, dense, and sapid, and a lot more interesting than the cuvée ronde. “Les Peutes Vignes has deeper soil and more clay, while Criots has shallow soil—from the wine, it feels as if it were high on the hill, but it isn’t. And that’s why we keep it separate—it’s so different.” I like this savory wine. 2026–35. 90
Meursault Les Narvaux
Richer and full than the Criots, powerful, with sturdy dark minerality. A very good example. Muscular minerality. Top-notch. Very good finish. 2026–34. 92
Meursault Premier Cru Les Charmes
From the top corner at the southern end of this climat, where there is 40cm (16 inches) of clay as well as limestone. A rich, slinky, and sumptuous palate; rounded, ripe, and seductive, just short of tropical; there is a hint of litchee, but it’s neatly underscored with smooth, fresh minerals on the finish. Among the best I tried. 2027–35. 95–96
Meursault Premier Cru Les Genevrières
Ripe, full, and airy, with exotic florals. Quite open and rich, but closes in to finish fine, tight, and lightly piercing. 2027–35+. 95
Meursault Premier Cru Les Perrières
Ripe, yellow fruit on the nose, rather than the floral note of the Genevrières. It is rich and concentrated but skates on a polished blade on the finish, where it is direct and persistent. Among the three best Perrières of the vintage. 2028–35+. 96
Chassagne-Montrachet Premier Cru Morgeot Tête du Clos
This is broad, rich, and dense; full and punchy. A compact wine with a stony finish. 2028–35+. 95
Red
Pommard Premier Cru Les Charmots
From 0.17ha (0.4 acre) of very old vines, yielding only 30hl/ha even this generous year, for two barrels of wine. “The pH is always very high, explained Charles, “which is why we have to destem. It is always like this, so we take care with everything. The VA is always higher, too, but it’s okay. My only anxiety is the risk of brett. But it is very elegant and easy to drink.” Exotic, dark, and rich, but with a cold touch. More austere on the palate then the Refène. The tannins are crisp, with dark-chocolate snap. A lively wine with a lightly chalky finish and a more floral note right at the end. I like it. It has an elegance and freshness that belies the low acidity. 2027–34. 93
Pommard Premier Cru Pézerolles
At 55-years-old, this 161.14 rootstock is not ancient, but yields here are still low—only around 30hl/ha even in 2023. A ripe, lightly exotic, purple aroma. Suave and supple glide on the palate, with good concentration of dark fruit. The texture is satin-smooth and the finish glossy. Better than many Epenots I tried this vintage. 2026–35+. 94–95
Pommard Premier Cru La Refène
From red soil. Charles is clearly very careful with the extraction here, for this is quite a gentle Pommard. Rounded, plump, and generous, with ripe, summer, red and blue fruits and soft tannin. A little crunchiness at the end, but overall this is a Pommard with easy charm. 2026–32. 91
DOMAINE MICHEL BOUZEREAU
Jean-Baptiste remarked on how difficult it was to manage the 2023 harvest: “Some colleagues tried picking during the night. We began at 6.45 and stopped at 12 noon, then returned for three hours later in the afternoon. But we had to stop and drink a lot of water, as it was hard for the pickers, and they are near to the ground. We have a small swimming pool, and the pickers used that, too. We have the same people each year, and it’s always a good time. I am in the vineyard with the team.”
Whites are 12.7–13.3% ABV, TA around 4g/l, pHs 3.27–3.33. Reds are 12.7–13.5%, TA around 3.3g/l, pHs 3.26–3.39.
“The grapes were very clean, so it was a good year for foulage, in order to have some extra extraction from the skin, not to have only the juice. We don’t really crush, just 40-50% of the grapes are crushed. Now that we have a pneumatic press, if we don’t do this, we don’t have enough juice. We took all the lees—we let the juice settle every year, but in ’22 and again in ’23, the lees were very clean.
“In 2023 there is very good freshness and energy in the whites. The vineyards have adapted to the excesses of the climate. Fifteen years ago, the vintages were colder—and yet the wines have more energy now… which may also reflect the work we do. We can have total acidity under 4g/l—and yet the wine is citrus and salty and energetic. The 2023 wines are generous but with good balance and terroir expression.”
Bourgogne Côte d’Or
Four parcels, including a large one in Puligny (40%), give this a straight, more Puligny feel. Fresh and savory, with good tension and purity. I like the sapid note. 2025–28. 84–85
Bourgogne Côte d’Or Clos du Moulin
The first vintage of this cuvée was 2018, and the vines are now 50, 45, and 11 years old. Ripe greengage aroma, with generosity and succulence. It’s fleshier and a little softer than the blend. 2025–28. 83–84
Meursault Les Grands Charrons
From four parcels, three in the top section just under Tesson, where it is more calcareous, and one at the bottom, where the soil is deeper, which gives the depth and richness in this wine. Quite unctuous on the front-palate and spicy through the middle. But there is tension and saltiness to the finish. Generous at first but it finishes more saline. 2026–32. 88–89
Meursault Le Limouzin
From a parcel replanted in 2018. Straight, pure, and delicate. There is a citrus sweetness to the finish, which is lovely and quite long for a wine from young vines. More Puligny in character, even though it’s Meursault. Each year it shows a little more length. 2026–30. 88–89
Meursault Le Tesson
From 50-year-old vines. Super-intense and yet elegant. Pure and singing. Not so rich. I like the white-grapefruit acidity and the delicacy to the finish, which has a sprinkle of salt. 2026–32. 90
Meursault Premier Cru Les Genevrières
Perfumed and refined. Exotic floral notes combine with delicacy and tension. Light-footed and swift. It shimmers on the finish. 2027–35+. 94
Meursault Premier Cru Les Perrières
Streamlined and strict, but lush on the mid-palate where there is lithe musicality. Soft salt to finish. 2027–35. 94
Puligny-Montrachet Premier Cru Les Caillerets
Much colder and restrained; tension and layering. Powerful and chalky to finish. 2027–35+. 95
Puligny-Montrachet Premier Cru Champ Canet
A new cuvée from vines planted in 1955 and inherited through Jean-Baptiste’s mother’s family. Only 0.13ha (acre), so just three barrels of wine. It is slightly spicy and exotic on the attack and has an aromatic close, but the palate is pure, refined, and stretches out on the finish. Exotic and airy. 2027–33. 93
Puligny-Montrachet Premier Cru Champ Gain
This is from the lower part of this climat on the Meursault side, where the earth is red. A rich and succulent Champ Gain on the attack, with savory minerals and sapidity cutting through on the finish, which is sharp and intense. 2027–33. 93
Red
Pommard Les Cras
Red fruit, with light and fine-textured tannin. Crunchy and crisp. 2025–28. 86
DOMAINE YVES BOYER-MARTENOT
Vincent Boyer likes to press long and quite hard to extract from the skin, and he doesn’t add any SO2 at this stage: “It’s like hot chocolate under the press.” He prefers to add SO2 when the pH is low, in the hope that it combines less readily. Everything is moved, with plenty of lees, to concrete eggs in August following the harvest, where it stays until the following spring to sharpen and focus the wine. Again, very little SO2 is added during élevage, to achieve a total of 60–80ppm, but Vincent takes no risks at bottling (under cork) where he sensibly adds 30ppm.
Meursault Narvaux
Muscular, dense, and punchy. This has mineral grip and is slightly chewy to finish. 2026–32. 90
Meursault En L’Ormeau
From 100-year-old vines at the bottom of the village behind the house, where the soil is deeper (80cm [32 inches]) and has no rock. There is depth, lovely freshness, and phenolic bite to the finish. 2025–30. 87
Meursault Tillets
Delicate and pure; straight and bright. Tingles. The pH is low and it has a lively, long finish. 2026–32. 87
Meursault Premier Cru Perrières
From the highest parcel in the vineyard. Straight, edgy, and salty. Swift, tight, and bright to finish. Very good typicité. 2027–35. 94
Puligny-Montrachet Les Reuchaux
A lively line, direct, light and nervy. Good tension and a slightly salty finish. Maybe not as long as the Narvaux. 2026–32. 89
Puligny-Montrachet Premier Cru Caillerets
Super-juicy and vibrant, with oodles of fruit interwoven with freshness and sappiness. A cold and warm wine, which is powerful on the finish. 2027–35. 95
DOMAINE CHAVY-CHOUET
Both sides of the family here have been growers for six generations, although it as Romaric Chavy’s grandparents who really developed the domaine. His grandmother was a Ropiteau, who sold the juice to Bouchard, but his father and mother, who were butchers, started bottling from the late-1970s, with 10,000 bottles. Romaric joined in 2006. They own 10ha (25 acres) across six villages. Romaric has been president of the Meursault growers syndicat for the past six years.
Harvest here was September 1–12. The Aligoté yield was 70hl/ha, while Chardonnay yields ranged from 35hl/ha for the vineyards higher on the hill, to 55hl/ha. Alcohol levels for the whites ranged from 11.5% (Aligoté) to 13.2% and pH levels from 3.2 to 3.35 after MLF. Romaric acidified some of the wines from clay-heavy soils, such as the Bourgogne Saussots. All of the harvesting was by hand. “I like a foulage for ‘better pressing.’ We have old vines, and I want to bring something from the skins.” He presses for two and a half hours, in five stages, up to 1.6 bar, before settling the juice overnight. The next day it goes into barrel and the fermentation starts a few days later with indigenous yeast.
He had no difficulty finishing the fermentations, MLF being over by the end of February. No bâtonnage but a little SO2 was added every month. “The wines combined the SO2 a lot in 2023. The total SO2 is 50–90ppm now that they are bottled; free SO2 is around 15ppm for the regional wines, up to a maximum of 32ppm. “I like to preserve as much natural CO2 as possible, so bottle with 850–900mg/l. The entry-level whites were bottled in August, the top wines in October.” The latter had just been bottled when I tasted them, so were probably not showing at their best, while the reds were on point. Romaric has turned out light and pure reds. Not bad at all.
There was no green-harvest for the reds, despite which, he says, yields were as low as 35hl/ha for the Bourgogne rouge, 40hl/ha on average. They made a selection in the vineyards, then on the sorting table, and also did a saignée. “My biggest fear was to overextract the reds. 2023 reds are quite light, in a good way—not as light as 2017, maybe more like 2018, which was bright and easy-going, or 2019, which was darker. Or 2016, for the purity of the fruit. 2020 has more tannin.”
White
Maranges Les Murées
From a parcel purchased in 2022, on a 40% slope. Ripeness is balanced with sapidity. Light tension to the finish. A nippy and salty wine. I like it. 2025–29. 85
Meursault Casse-Têtes
This parcel has 50–100cm (20–40 inches) of clay over the limestone. “The parcel is old, and it struggles, usually having millerandage. So, we don’t get much juice, but we do get texture from the pulp and skin.” Creamy and rounded, with a light freshness up-front, but it grows on the palate, where some minerality cracks in, and it finishes with good intensity. 2025–32. 87–88
Meursault Clos des Corvées de Citeau (Monopole)
From a parcel of 0.8ha (2 acres) behind Vincent Boyer’s house— a gift in 1863 from a widow, Bourgogne-Chouet (no relation), who left it to the family when she died, leaving her house and garden to village. “It was pretty worthless at the time,” says Romaric. The vineyard, which is predominantly clay and sand, is enclosed, so it’s a very early-ripening parcel, from flowering to harvest. Rich and full and generous. It is soft and full and easy-going. Sadly, it’s not desperately concentrated or exciting, despite the story. 2025–30. 86
Meursault Narvaux
From 75-year-old vines at the top of the hill, next to Blagny. A more delicate expression of Narvaux—tastes more like Tillets. Pure and bright. Floral and slightly mineral to finish. It has charm. 2025–32. 87
Meursault Vireuils
From two parcels, one close to the limit with Auxey, the other by Les Clous, purchased in 2010 and 2013 respectively. A straight and tense line, with a slight shiver on the palate. It is ripe but still in the white-citrus spectrum. Light pith to finish. Probably my favorite among the Village Meursaults here, and there are several. 2026–30. 87–88
Meursault Premier Cru Charmes
Planted vines planted in 1943, in the middle of the climat on the Puligny side, so the upper part of Dessous. 100% Chassin oak, 20% new. Quite rich and concentrated, but also fresher and with more tension than the Genevrières. 2026–34. 92–93
Puligny-Montrachet Premier Cru Les Champs Gain
From the last parcel before St-Aubin, about 25m (80ft) from Les Murgers des Dents de Chien, and east-facing. But the aroma is richer, and the palate riper and more concentrated, than the St-Aubin wine—even a touch tropical. When I tasted, it had just ben bottled, which may explain why it seemed to lack a little freshness and definition. I preferred the St-Aubin (which is €20 a bottle cheaper). 2026–33. 89–90
St-Aubin Premier Cru Murgers Dents des Chiens
From up on the plateau, where the vines are the last to ripen. Romaric says his grandfather removed the bushes and planted this parcel, as well as the one in Puligny Champs Gain, the same year, when he realized they were classified as premiers crus. Trying the two wines side by side, this is more floral, and on the palate, more silky and saline, nicely focused, with a bright intensity to the finish. A good example. 2025–33. 88
Red
Maranges Les Plantes
From a parcel with a little more clay than the neighboring parcel where the Chardonnay is planted. “A 40% slope, like Côte Rôtie,” remarked Romaric. “It is grassed now, and we have been converting it since we took it on. It is not a place that is sensitive to rot.” Pure and fresh. Light-bodied. Red-fruited. Snappy, zesty, and crisp, but with fine-textured tannin. Tip-top. 2025–30. 85–86
Pommard Premier Cru Chanlins
From the Bas section, close to Volnay, on a steep slope with limestone soil. Ripe, raspberry aroma. The palate is fresh and tense. Very snappy and bright and lightly terse to finish. I like this crisp Pommard. Fine textured: 50% whole-bunch and 50% new oak, but you hardly notice it. Only remontage for extraction, and I imagine this has helped to keep the wine straight. Very good typicité. 2026–32. 93–94
Volnay Premier Cru Sous La Chapelle
Two barrels. 50% whole-bunch, placed at the bottom. Romaric tips the fermenting juice over the cap with a bucket. 50% Chassin oak, which works. A light, perfumed, and pure Volnay, with a fine texture and a crisp finish. It has delicacy and finesse. 2026–32. 93–94
CHÂTEAU GÉNOT-BOULANGER
The Génot-Boulanger domaine was established in 1974 with the land in Mercurey. There was no cellar at that time, but in 1975 the family bought vineyards and a place to make the wines in Meursault. Winemaker Guillaume Lavollée, who married into the family, found 2023 “rainy and humid but warm at the same time. As we are spread over 70km [44 miles], in 2023 and again in 2024 it was difficult to manage the treatments and the other vineyard work. But the disease pressure was not too high in 2023, as we had rain only every week, not every day! We always had a window to spray in good conditions and lost nothing to disease, so the production was high. We were also helped by having vineyards that are 90% on the hillside, not on the plain, where there is more clay—only three of our 40 parcels are there.” He told me that it is much easier to make treatments with a tractor in drier parcels.
“We never do a green-harvest. We prune and debud strictly. And because we have so many parcels, we do this every year. So, I always start the campaign with lower potential yields. We saw a significant difference in ripeness between the Chardonnay and the Pinot Noir, which was late by comparison. We harvested the whites September 4–14, the reds September 7–16. I hate overripe Pinot Noir, and never want black fruit or prunes, so I base my harvest dates on the freshness of the fruit.”
Although there was no green-harvest for reds, he did do a lot of sorting, especially of fruit from old vines where the Pinot Noir was not very ripe, although those are co-planted with younger vines, so he was not sure which were producing the unripe fruit. “It was more a positive selection of the best fruit. Any botrytis in the Côte de Nuits was sorted out in the vineyards.” He ended up with around 60hl/ha for the whites and 50hl/ha for reds.
Génot-Boulanger stopped using whole-bunch in 2017. “We are more comfortable with the crispy fruit we get if we destem the grapes.” The extraction was similar to 2022—very low: mainly remontage and only two punch-downs in total. “We needed a lot of oxygen at the end of the fermentation, so we did a rack-and-return, leaving the wine in a pan to oxygenate for an hour before returning it to the tank.” The wine was decanted for one week, as there was still sugar, before barreling down, and “yet even doing that, we still had a lot of lees—I have no idea why. Usually, we don’t have that quantity of lees. But there was no reduction during the aging.” (Actually, there was a bit, but not much.) “We had a late malolactic for both reds and whites. Historically, I thought I preferred a late MLF, but in 2022 it was early and the wines were amazing, so now I don’t know! But I don’t want to block the malo with low temperatures. If it is late, as with the 2023s, we don’t intervene. It’s not that our cellars are very cold. Maybe the bacteria just didn’t get going.”
The pH levels averaged 3.4 for reds, 3.3 for whites. Guillaume didn’t acidify but would have done so if he felt he had to. Two reds had a saignée. No chaptalization. Alcohol levels about 13%—a few are 13.5% but none higher.
Most of the 2023 whites were racked and then returned to barrel, rather than into tank as usual, for the second stage of aging. As MLF was later for whites, as well as for reds, Guillaume wanted to finish the MLF in barrels. He had never given all the premiers and grands crus a second winter in barrel, so this year was an opportunity to experiment. He will not bottle the whites until May or June, so there’s plenty of time to tighten up the wines in tank afterwards if necessary.
He found my question about comparable red vintages “difficult to answer, as I never produced this volume. There may be a link with 2018, but 2023 is much more delicate than 2018. In the Côte de Nuits, it is more like 2017. The whites are not like those from a hot vintage like 2010 or 2019, largely because of the higher volume. It is quite like 2022, but we had more rain in 2023, so I cannot imagine it will evolve in the same way. Maybe most like 2018.”
Some may find Génot-Boulanger reds too light, but I find them delicate and pure, with fine-texture tannins.
Beaune en Lulunne
From a 1ha (2.46-acre) parcel with limestone soil, on the border with Pommard, south-facing but in the combe, so shaded. Picked on September 11. Racked and in stainless steel when I tasted it, this was not going back to barrel. Fresh and citrusy, with a pithy, zesty, piquant finish. I like it a lot. 2025–28. 86
Meursault Clos du Cromin
This climat beside Santenots has produced a richly creamy and generous style. A very Meursault Meursault. It was picked on the first day of the harvest (September 4), but you sense the rich clay soil. The wine is rich, too, but should shape up with another winter. 2026–32. 88
Meursault Premier Cru Les Bouchères
Picked on the first day of the white harvest (September 4). Fine and floral. Full, but light and airy. There is minerality on the finish. Guillaume has captured the perfume and delicacy of Bouchères. This is precise and pure,s which is difficult to achieve in hot vintages. 2026–33. 94
Puligny-Montrachet Nosroyes
I tried the two village Pulignys, from Levrons and Nosroyes, and the difference is not that marked in 2023; Levrons is more citrus, fruitier and sweeter on the finish, while Nosroyes is more savory and a bit longer. 2026–32. 88
Puligny-Montrachet Premier Cru La Garenne
From the south part next to En Remilly. Very sweet and concentrated, tight and salty. There is vibrancy and energy. I like the sweet/salt finish. Straight and slightly sappy. Good terroir expression. 2026–35. 93
Savigny-lès-Beaune
From three different parcels across 0.3ha (0.75 acre): Goudelettes and Goullards, both planted in the 1960s, and Saucours, where the vines are about 30 years old. All these parcels are dedicated to Chardonnay. A small cuvée, but another entry-level wine from old vines. It is a riper expression of Chardonnay, softer and more approachable. Maybe more concentration but less energy. “Another winter and it will shape up,” said Guillaume. Late-2025–28. 86
Savigny-lès-Beaune Premier Cru Aux Vergelesses
13% ABV, pH around 3.3. A citrus wine, which has a fresh and slicing feel. It is energetic and yes, very nicely ripe. A mix of citrus and savory, medium-bodied and with plenty of personality. 2026–32. 88
Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru
From vines in Le Charlemagne, at the top near the wood. Rich on the strike; certainly lots of punchy, ripe fruit mid-palate, but lively and zesty under the richness, and the finish is persistent and austere. Much colder on the finish. It shows well. 2027–36. 96
Red
Chambolle-Musigny
One third of the fruit comes from Nazoires, behind Charles Noëllat’s house, and two thirds from Les Mombies. A delicate, aromatic Chambolle, with crispy, red-cherry fruit and crunchy tannins. 2026–33. 88–89
Pommard Vieilles Vignes
Cras is half the blend and the balance comes from Vignots and Chanière. The Cras was very thin-skinned, so harvested early, but had 13.5% ABV. The final cuvee is 13%. Ripe, slightly baked, red-plum fruit. It is juicy and generous, but also slightly tart, which isn’t a bad thing. It is both sweet and sharp, suggesting some overripe, and some underripe, fruit. 2026–30. 85
Volnay
This wine is a blend from village parcels Echards and Jouères, replanted in 2019. Strawberry and white pepper on the nose. A summer-fruit palate; gentle and rounded, with a light, piquant crunch. It is just a touch spicy to finish, which brings added freshness. Pretty Volnay. 2026–32. 87
Beaune Premier Cru Montrevenots
This climat lies below Lulunne, which is classified as village, while this is premier cru. “Under the radar but full of limestone,” says Guillaume. “Quite dry. Historically, maybe difficult to get ripe, but not now.” Planted in 1998 and in 2019 with Pinot Fin. Not well-known, as half is owned by the Hospices de Beaune in red and white. Harvested on September 9, 12.5% ABV. An aroma of summer strawberry fields, then on the palate, it is gentle and airy. Lightly textured. It has a fine salinity and a delicate, salty finish. Rather refined. I would much rather have a delicate Beaune like this than something too ripe and rich. 2026–32. 90–91
Beaune Premier Cru Grèves
From the steep, top part of the hill, with whiter soil—a warm area, but the limestone shows. Fragrant and lightly rounded, but a little stricter than the other Beaunes. Well-defined edge to the palate, and a lightly graphite note to the finish. Undoubtedly a “light” Grèves, but among the more attractive I tasted in 2023. 2026–34. 93
Pommard Premier Cru Clos Blanc
An appealing, aromatic wine of strawberries and white pepper You feel the coolness of the combe coming with the ripe summer fruit. A fine grain to the tannin and a lively, sapid note. Cherry-kernel savory on the finish. 2026–34. 91–92
Corton Les Combes Grand Cru
Spicy, rounded, and full, but there is acidity to balance. Silky-smooth tannins and freshness on the finish, which stretches with good length and red fruit. A lighter, fresh version Corton. Lots of charm. 2026–34. 94
Mercurey Premier Cru Les Saumonts
From a parcel of 1.7ha (4.2 acres), planted in 2016 with Pinot Fin. It’s a warm terroir, facing south because of the orientation, but the elevation is 320–350m (1,050–1,150ft), so quite high and a bit cooler. Mostly clay soil, but a lighter clay than in Sazenay, and at the top there is some limestone. A light raspberry aroma. The palate is also light, with fine, soft tannins. Pretty. Late-2025–28. 85
Mercurey Premier Cru En Sazenay
From an east-facing parcel of 1.81ha (acres), with some older vines, planted in 1998, and some younger vines, planted in 2015. Limestone soil here, which is why there is also Chardonnay in Sazenay. This is crunchy and bright. Engaging with its juicy, ripe, red-cherry fruit and lightly bitter cherry-stone note at the end. Energetic. Late-2025–29. 87
DOMAINE PATRICK JAVILLIER
Marion Javillier commented on the whites that the lees were good, as there was good phenolic maturity, so she took lots of them. “We have good structure. There is more matter and intensity in the 2023 whites than in the 2022s. She describes her extraction for the reds as “kind,” but adds, “In 2023, I could extract more from Grands Liards, with more pigeage and remontage, but it all depends on the wine.” All the fruit is destemmed, though. “2023 reds have matter and fruit—maybe a little like 2018 and 2019… 2018 with more freshness.”
White
Meursault Clos du Cromin
70-year-old vines for this plump and generous wine, which has succulent fruit nicely balanced with acidity. Harmonious. 2026–30. 87
Meursault Les Tillets
An aromatically opulent Tillets—no white flowers this year—yet it retains the characteristic trim profile of this lieu-dit. Straight and tight, with lime-fresh acidity and a touch of salinity to finish. 2026–30. 87–88
Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru
From south-facing Pougets, and Marion uses some bâtonnage for this, which ages in one-year-old barriques. So, it is full, rich, and opulent, but there is sapidity and grip behind and it pushes into a sumptuous, long finish. 2027–35+. 95
Red
Aloxe-Corton
One parcel for this is in Boutières, the wine from which has a muscular feel. “I want the muscles, as my vineyards are lower down. I want to show the strong character.” Here Marion uses more pigeage, which emphasizes Aloxe’s more robust character. It’s certainly quite gusty and chewy, but with lots of fruit. 2026–30. 86
Savigny-lès-Beaune Grands Liards
Juicy and ripe, with soft and supple tannins. Very appealing. 2025–30. 86
Savigny-lès-Beaune Premier Cru Les Serpentières
Only remontage for this. It is also generously fruity, but notably spicy, too. Mulberry fruit on the palate, with smooth tannins, gliding into a fresh and energetic finish. 2026–31. 87–88.
DOMAINE DES COMTES LAFON
“There was a heatwave at harvest, so we moved very fast,” said Pierre Lafon, who started harvest in Meursault on August 29. Lafon had a team of 70—a record number of people in 2023. And another 40 in Mâcon. “There are always compromises and we chose to save acidity.” Pierre is now using more 500-liter barrels. The Puligny and Meursault Désirée and Bouchères were moved to stainless-steel tanks for the second half of their aging rather than being returned to barrel. For the reds, there was no whole-bunch in 2023. “We consider it as a cold year and the alcohol was not high, so it didn’t make sense to do whole-bunch. We are looking to keep on the fresh-fruit side in 2023 for the reds.” I think they have achieved this very successfully. The reds are light and bright.
Meursault
A blend from the usual three vineyards—En la Barre, En Luraule, and Crotots—plus the fruit from some young vines in Charmes and Perrières. A much higher proportion of 500-liter barrels now. Ripe and unctuous strike; the rich citrus mid-palate is underscored with plenty of sweet citrus acidity, which carries to the finish. A lot of wine here. 2026–32. 90
Meursault Désirée
From vines that are almost 30 years old now, in premier cru Les Plures. “In general, we keep a lot of lees,” explained Pierre, and they are certainly helping here. Spicy and rich, with a slight bite ,which adds freshness and tension and a good bitterness. 2026–32. 92
Meursault Premier Cru Bouchères
This was picked on the second day of the harvest. In barrel until the following harvest then racked into tank. It is airy and lightly creamy, with a fine texture; light, fresh, and lacy, with refreshing acidity to finish. Great terroir expression. Spot-on. 2027–35. 94–95
Meursault Premier Cru Charmes
Pure and super-silky, this ripples in a straight and very elegant line. Refined and stretched on the finish. 2027–35+. 95
Meursault Premier Cru Genevrières
Fermented in 228-liter barrels and finished in 500-liter barrels. A spicy aroma, with purple notes. A fragrant and finely textured palate, with a shimmering, sparkly finish. What a delight. 2027–35. 95
Meursault Premier Cru Perrières
Much denser and richer than the Charmes, with stony intensity. Powerful and persistent. It’s cold where the Charmes is warm. Austere. Excellent finish. 2028–35+. 96
Puligny-Montrachet
From the Champ Croyon lieu-dit. It finished its aging in tank, which Pierre said, “focuses it and brings back the tension.” I preferred it to the Puligny Charmes, which seemed a bit oaky. Straight but silky-smooth and supple across the palate, with a refined finish. 2026–32. 89
Le Montrachet Grand Cru
A bumper crop: seven barrels. Rich, ripe, and savory. Dense, powerful, and persistent. Battened-down. Really very long. It is the length we are judging… and it goes on and on. 2028–40. 98
Reds
Monthélie Premier Cru Les Duresses
Harvested on September 11, so the last to be picked. Red fruit. Piquant and sprightly. A touch of crunchy tannins and bright zap to finish. 2026–30. 87
Pommard Vaumuriens
This is the first vintage for this wine, from a rented vineyard. Just a couple of barrels. Picked the same day as the Monthélie, September 11. “We are new in Pommard,” said Pierre, “so we wanted to do the lightest extraction.” The wine is certainly appetizing. A bright and upright, cranberry aroma. Juicy and snappy on the palate. Slightly stalky in a good way. 2026–30. 87
Volnay
From young vines in premier cru Santentots, planted in 2002 and 2015. Fresh and juicy, with a light crunch of tannin. Light and bright to finish. 2026–30. 88
Volnay Premier Cru Clos des Chênes
This was racked from barrel to barrel in July 2024. Raspberry fruit aroma, with a fresh and juicy palate. Light-bodied, with a crisp, chalky edge which carries into the finish. 2027–38. 95
Volnay Premier Cru Les Santenots-du-Milieu
Lovey concentration of red-cherry fruit. Richness and freshness, for there is a crunchy note here as well. Fine-grained tannin. Shows some tension on the finish. For the vintage, this seems quite a light Santenots, but it is elegant and pleasing. 2027–35. 94
DOMAINE JACQUES PRIEUR
Winemaker Nadine Gublin has been here since 1990. She commented on the 2023 vintage: “The most important thing for high-quality wine is the work in the vineyard—the fruit quality. My job in the winery is only 10% of it—a small part. But it still requires very precise work, and all the small details are very important. Especially with the reds, I must be in contact with the grapes every day, and this gives me some reassurance.
“The problem in 2023 was the yields, especially of Pinot Noir—big berries and bunches. So, a green-harvest was obligatory for the success of Pinot Noir. It is a very long time since we last did this. The weather changed completely at the end of August—it become hotter and hotter through the first three weeks of September. But at least we had good conditions during harvest. Chardonnay was picked very quickly from August 31, and Pinot Noir from September 9. We began at 7am, had a short lunch, and finished by 3.30 pm. In the new winery, we can put the Pinot Noir in a cold room and do the sorting the day afterwards.”
Some figures: “We have normal ripeness for the whites: 13–13.5% ABV, and pHs after MLF of 3.40–3.50. Reds are 13.5–14.5% ABV, but generally lower in the Côte de Nuits than in the Côte de Beaune. At harvest, the average pH for Pinot Noir was 3.50. Malic acid levels were very low after fermentation—just 2g/l—so after MFL we had pH levels of 3.7–3.8 for the Côte de Beaune, 3.6 for the Côte de Nuits. I never acidify.”
Nadine uses open wooden vats with temperature control for a cuvaison of about three weeks, which starts with a cold maceration, using dry ice, with a light pigeage. The temperature is never more than 26–28ºC (79–82ºF) during the high fermentation of four or five days, when there is pigeage twice a day. “The post-fermentation maceration is the most important time for the quality of the tannins. I like to keep the temperature at 25ºC (77ºF), not below.” After pressing, when the wine is racked into tank, the press and free-run are kept separately and decanted for a couple of days. “But when there is some whole-bunch, I blend them both immediately.
“I used fewer whole bunches in 2023 than in most other vintages—I didn’t like the stems.” Usually, she would use some for the Clos Vougeot, Bressandes, Champ Pimonts, and Meursault rouge, “because these terroirs, which are rich in clay, can give quite strict red wines, even with high levels of ripeness, and the semi-carbonic maceration from the whole bunches will give more flavors.” In 2023, she used 30–40% whole bunches, at the bottom of the vat.
Domaine Jacques Prieur has 25 cuvées and Labruyere has a further ten. I tasted in summer 2024, when Nadine wanted to show only the reds.
“In 2023, if you did a green-harvest for the reds, you could have ripeness, balance, and quality of tannin—but only on this condition can it be a great vintage in the Côte de Nuits. It will be heterogeneous. In the Côte de Nuits, I can compare it with 2017, but 2023 has more concentration and more ripeness. I am very confident about the quality of the tannins and the finish. It is 2017 plus, plus, plus. For the Côte de Beaune, it is close to 2018 for the reds, given the volume and the alcohol.”
Chambertin Grand Cru
“From four small parcels [a total of 0.84ha (2 acres)], well-distributed within the Chambertin section, with 50-year-old vines.” All destemmed. 13.5%. Elegant and straight. Lovely tannins. It’s refined and very long. Quiet and precise. Late-2027–35+. 96–97
Clos Vougeot Grand Cru
From the 0.92ha (2.3 acres) in production, some vines having been uprooted in 2023. “Deep and rich in clay, and I usually like to keep some whole bunches, about 30–40%, but in this vintage I did not keep them. I tell my team be very soft with Clos Vougeot. But I like the finish. It pushes through.” 13.5% ABV, but it is a little Porty. Very rich aromatically. Full, but relatively airy on the mid-palate, then more evident tannin on the finish. Those tannins are bold and a little rustic for now, but Nadine will keep it for longer aging and it will probably not be bottled until June 2025. “It is the clay and the deepness. 2027–35. 93
Echézeaux Grand Cru
From 0.35ha (0.9 acre) of 70-year-old vines in Champs Traversins, bought in 1996. “The Combe d’Orveau brings the fresh breeze here, and for the ripeness it is really perfect—we never have a problem with overripeness. Henri Jayer said to me, ‘Nadine, in this part, never use bunches—you have to wait for the ripeness… But then again, he hated whole bunches!” Even in 2023, this had small berries. Destemmed. 13.5% ABV. It is a fresh and almost herbal Echézeaux. Bright, zesty, and energetic. It’s piquant and defies the vintage, being super-lively and long to finish. Plenty of energy. Late-2027–35+. 96
Musigny Grand Cru
From a 0.75ha (1.85-acre) parcel of 60-year-old vines. All destemmed. 13.8% ABV. Intense red fruit, underscored by a pure and chalky freshness. Lively, bright, and zesty. Very fine, taffeta tannins. The finish is precise, saline, and very persistent. Intense but very delicate. Late-2027–35+. 97
Beaune Premier Cru Champs Pimots
From a 2.06ha (5-acre) parcel. 14.5% ABV. 20% whole-bunch. 30% aged in 600-liter barrels. Spicy, ripe aroma. Succulent and full-bodied. Luscious, very rich and heady, with a baked-cherry aromatic. 2026–32. 88
Beaune Premier Cru Clos de la Féguine (Monopole)
A monopole vineyard, with 1.59ha (4 acres) of Pinot Noir, above which there is a tiny Chardonnay section of 0.27ha (0.66 acres); south-facing and steep, with fine, thin soil and small stones: “At the top, the soil is very calcareous and chalky.” Always destemmed. A lively, upright, red-fruit nose. Juicy and splashing. Light and fine tannins. Ripe fruit but with a good line of freshness on the finish. 2026–32. 89–90
Volnay Premier Cru Clos des Santenots (Monopole)
A monopole vineyard of 1.19ha (2.9 acres) in the middle of the du Milieu section, surrounded by four walls, with vines averaging 40 years of age. Always picked at the beginning of the harvest. “Not a very deep soil, with a good balance of clay and limestone,” says Nadine. All destemmed.” 14.5% ABV. A sturdy aroma. It flows into a smooth, rich, and generous palate. Full-boded. There is suavity and ribbon of freshness to finish. 2027–34. 93–94
Corton Bressandes Grand Cru
From a 0.73ha (1.8-acre) parcel with vines about 40–45 years old. Nadine normally likes to use whole bunches, but not this year (nor in 2020). 13.9% ABV. Fresh aroma. A rather elegant, smooth, satin richness and much charm. Generously rounded, but not heavy in any way, as there is good freshness and an attractive, light hint of tannin to finish. 2027–32. 93
VINCENT GIRARDIN
The domaine vineyards are now certified organic, and in autumn it uses its own compost, although not everything is domaine, as head winemaker Eric Germain also buys grapes, juice, and wine.
No green-harvest was necessary for the whites, as they are sorted in the field. “One guy controls ten pickers,” Eric explained. “The first day is very slow as the harvesters are taught what we want. There was no problem: healthy fruit. No oidium for the whites.”
The harvest started on September 1, with five days of whites, then both whites and reds, finishing on September 16. Picking started at first light and finished at 2pm. There is difficulty cooling fruit in the winery on the industrial estate below Meursault, which is very well-equipped.
Quite high alcohol levels for the whites, averaging 13.7% or so, with higher than usual pHs pre-malolactic of up to 3.3, but Eric didn’t acidify. He likes to use a crusher-destemmer, which is not a question of space, as he uses it every year. He presses quite hard, up to 2 bar, and takes plenty of lees: “I want a high level of turbidity—600–700 NTUs.” Spontaneous fermentation and malolactic. No racking for 15 months, then two months in tank. 15% of new oak on the whites. “I am not a fan of new oak,” says Eric. He likes to fine the whites, which also are lightly filtered.
Eric finds that the acidity in the whites tastes fresher now than the figures suggest. “The vintage has yellow fruits but the tension is good.”
There was a green-harvest for the reds, with yields around 48–50hl/ha. “We have a lot of old parcels in Volnay,” Eric explained. “No rot, just shriveling and some sunburn—we did some leaf-plucking over the summer, as we didn’t know it would so hot.”
Alcohol levels for the reds were 13.5–14.3% (13.5% and 13.6% for the Aigrots and Pitures, 13.8% for the Santenots, pHs 3.4, 3.7, and 4 respectively). No issues with VA (0.52).
In 2023, Eric used more whole-bunch, and an optical sorting machine for destemmed berries. “Small, thick-skinned berries.” Gentle extraction. A maximum of three pigeages and five remontages for the whole vatting, and some have wines had fewer. The wines were decanted for a week then barreled down with some enzymes so that they were clear at the racking after the harvest, at a turbidity of 8–12 NTUs, so they could be quickly filtered. Reds were to be bottled before the end of January 2025.
Eric has done a good job. The whites are rich but fresh and energetic. The reds have fine-textured tannins. I particularly liked the Volnay Pitures and Clos des Chênes.
“Maybe it’s not a bad thing for Burgundy to have less acidity,” Eric remarked. “It is not a warm vintage, like 2003, 2019, or 2020, it is more a yellow-fruit vintage for whites. The reds have really good accessibility and are enjoyable.”
Meursault Premier Cru Les Charmes-Dessus
Straight and pure, this is streamed with silky minerality. Good intensity and vibrancy. Citrus, pure, and tight to finish. Elegant. 2026–36. 94
Meursault Premier Cru Les Perrières
Quite powerful and concentrated. Rich, a touch of ripe greengage, but it punches into a well-sustained finish with glossy minerality, sweet and salty. 2027–35. 94–95
Chassagne-Montrachet Premier Cru Morgeot
From the north side of Fairendes, and vines managed by the domaine. Rich aroma, with apricot fruit. Generous and ripe, full and opulent, but nicely undercut with fresh acidity, and it is quite sapid on the finish. 2026–35. 94
Puligny-Montrachet Premier Cru Les Combettes
Picked on September 1. Combettes can be quite rich in 2023, but this one is tightly contained and has good tension. It is tight, layered, citrus, and stony, with good sapidity and energy to finish. An excellent example. Spot-on typicité. 2026–34. 94–95
Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru
Compact and rich, dense and punchy. It is broad and powers into a straight, assertive, and persistent finish. 2028–36. 96
Red
Beaune Premier Cru Clos des Aigrot
13.6% ABV. 20% whole-bunch. 30% new oak in 228-liter barriques. Pure and clear fruit aroma. Fine-textured, crisp, and crunchy. Ripe red fruit. Lively, light, and on the finish, you feel the richness and sweetness of the vintage, but this is so pretty. 2026–32. 92
Volnay Premier Cru Champans
“From the North part of the climat and long rows from the top to the bottom of this [light] slope. I destem, as it is an old parcel, with good energy, because there is iron and clay in the soil. Whole-bunch could make it too strong, and I prefer the energy like this.” Soft red fruits, generous, charming, and rounded. Supple tannins and slightly sweet on the finish. 2026–34. 92–93
Volnay Premier Cru Clos des Chênes
Only two barrels. 50% whole-bunch. “Here I need the freshness from the whole-bunch.” Ripe red fruit, but elegant and pure. Fine tannins, lightly chalky and pure, with a thread of salinity and a fresh, salty finish. Chênes can be austere, but this one is sweetly fruity, fine, and salty. Delightful. 2026–35. 94
Volnay Premier Cru Les Pitures
Eric told me that this vineyard has been run on organic lines since 1975, which would make it extraordinary for that era. There is a spring in the upper part of the parcel, so there is always water in the depth of soil, which is white clay. Ripe red fruit, but with an attractive, piquant, and crunchy feel. I like this tight and lively wine, which belies the 13.5% ABV. It feels lighter, which is a good thing. 2026–34. 93
Volnay Premier Cru Les Santenots
From lieu-dit Les Plures. 30% whole-bunch. Punchy aroma. Spicy, rich, and opulent. The whole-bunch helps boost the full, soft tannins, providing structure and freshness and some energy to this rich wine. The high alcohol needs the sappy freshness and menthol notes. 2026–34. 93
DOMAINE SÉBASTIEN MAGNIEN
Sébastien Magnien is the fourth generation of vignerons from Meloisey on the Hautes-Côtes de Beaune. Most of the vineyards came through his mother. After the estate was divided, he settled in Meursault in 2004. “Maybe 2023 is a little like 2017 for the whites, but with more alcohol.” Sébastien adds little SO2, and the whites had just been racked when I tasted, which is why I have selected more reds.
Sébastien makes light-bodied and pretty reds, varying his approach to whole-bunch each year. “I like Pinot Noir flavor and want pure and precise wines, so while stems are interesting in hot vintages [he used up to 50% in 2018, 2020, and 2022], we do not need them every year. He didn’t use any stems in 2023, nor in 2021 or 2024. “We didn’t need stems. With stems, I feel the fruit is less pure in the first year, with less fruitiness and crunchiness.”
He uses rack-and-return and a warm ferment, which peaks at 32ºC (90ºF). There is also a long vatting, of three weeks. “I prefer to have power from elegance and length rather than from tannin.” He then decants for four days and takes only fine lees.
“A winegrower’s vintage,” said Sébastien, “you had to work in the vineyard. It was necessary to have an open canopy. When you did the job well, the vintage is interesting—you can still have good concentration.” Sébastien makes charming reds, with fine and gentle tannin.
White
Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Beaune Bois Prévot
From a new vineyard on limestone, previously unplanted, as the soil is thin, and yields are low. Almond aroma, then a savory palate with a hint of lemon pith and attractive bitterness on the finish. 2025–28. 83
St-Romain
From old vines planted in the 1950s (rented since 2007) in Sous le Château, a steep slope with friable limestone. Notable concentration and ripeness for St-Romain. Packs a punch. Slightly exotic, with rambutan fruits. Generous. 2025–29. 86
Red
Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Beaune Clos de la Perrière
“The best terroir in the Hautes-Côtes de Beaune,” says Sébastien. Planted in 1964. Super-concentrated, juicy, and ripe, with supple-smooth tannin. Delicious. 2025–30. 86
Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Beaune Vieilles Vignes
Fresh red berry. Lively and crunchy, it springs across the palate. Nippy. 2025–28. 85
Beaune Premier Cru Les Aigrots
Soft and juicy, with fragrant, red, summer fruits on the front-palate. Light tannins and piquant peppercorn to finish. It’s charming. 2025–30. 89
Pommard Les Petits Noizons
Planted in 1934. Lovely depth and richness. The tannins are firm, smooth, and slightly glossy. Good length on this village wine. The quality of this terroir comes through, with the old vines giving the concentration. Top-notch. 2026–32. 90
Volnay Les Echards
Dark fruit aroma and more muscle here. Chunky, generous, and ripely chewy. It’s quite like a little Ronceret, under which this village parcel lies. A touch of whole-bunch, 20%, used just to have more volume in the vat. 2026–32. 87–88
DOMAINE GUY ROULOT
I tasted with Jean-Marc Roulot’s 28-year-old son, Félicien, who is an engineer and joined the domaine for the 2023 vintage after working at Domaine d’Angerville. The Roulot domaine, which is certified organic, has expanded to 17.5ha (43 acres), with 10% of the production in red, among which there is a 1ha (2.47-acre) parcel of Beaune Teurons and some Auxey-Duresses Les Duresses (unfortunately, neither was in the tasting). There are new cuvèes from Meursault Les Clous and Casse-Têtes. The Roulots are holding back Meursault Perrières for ten years—a late release to encourage longer aging, a strategy that began with the 2018 vintage. Some serious building is going on behind the family home as a new winery and storage facility is constructed.
Harvest started on August 24, with another new parcel—Genevrières. They have bought this parcel, although in 2023 the grapes were purchased. Harvest started properly on August 29 and finished on September 8. Jean-Marc is well-known for his preference for foulage, so that he can then press more softly, to just 0.6 bar, to take 80% of juice. He sulfurs this section. He then presses to 1.2 bar and settles the harder press overnight before assembling the two. Jean-Marc commented, “The lees were good, unlike in 2024, when we had to be much more severe.”
The highest pH in the cellar was 3.44 for the Teurons; the lowest 3.21 for the Meursault tout court. Alcohol levels ranged from 11.8% in one of the Meursault parcels, to 12.9% in Genevrières. They had no problems finishing the alcoholic fermentation, and the malo was completed by February.
The élevage was the same for all the wines. Eleven months in a mix of 228-liter and 500-liter barrels, 1,200-liter Stockinger foudres, and 700-liter porcelain and sandstone vessels. All the wines were racked the August before the following harvest into stainless-steel tanks between six and eight months. Systematic fining, I am told. Bottling in April, May, and June 2025.
Félicien considers 2023 “a mix of 2017 and 2018, because 2018 was very hot. There is some similarity with 2022, but 2023 is fresher.” We tried the 2022 Tesson, which I found more concentrated and more vibrant than the 2023.
Bourgogne Blanc
All the parcels, 4.5ha (11 acres) in total, are very well-located, just below vineyards with the village appellation. Each is vinified separately, in barrels and Stockinger foudres. Ripe, pear-fruit aroma and palate. Rather sumptuous; rounded and appealing. Very nicely balanced. 2026–29. 85–86
Meursault
From three village lieux-dits—Clos La Baronne (1.3ha [3.2acres]), Crotot, and Gruyaches—2.4ha (5.9 acres) in total. Lightly glossy and rounded. Rich, rather spicy, and juicy to finish. A classic, ripe, well-rounded blend; well-balanced, too, for it is certainly fresh enough and quite charming. 2026–30. 88
Meursault Luchets
The parcel is 1ha (2.47 acres), divided in two parcels and planted over two generations. This springs quite energetically onto the palate, and in the middle, it is denser than the Meix Chavaux and Vireuils. Rich, stone fruit and an attractive bitterness to finish. But I think the finish on the Vireuils may be longer. 2026–34. 90
Meursault Meix Chavaux
This includes the oldest parcel of the domaine, planted in 1929 (1ha [2.47 acres]) in total. The soil is deeper and siltier than in Luchets. Meix Chavaux, Luchets, and Vireuils tend to be picked at the end of harvest. Succulent aroma. Full and rounded, with apricot notes and a pleasing generosity; soft and inviting, but not as well-defined or as long as the other lieux-dits. 2026–32. 87
Meursault Tesson Cuvée de Mon Plaisir
From 0.8ha (2 acres) in this more southerly, and so warmer, terroir—and it shows on the fruity aroma and the glossy palate. It has golden peach, and is quite sumptuous. The texture is richer and the wine is more powerful than the other village lieux-dits. A notch up in intensity and length. 2026–34. 91–92
Meursault Vireuils
From pits that were dug in this parcel, they found that the south section is deeper and the other is shallower, with more limestone. It’s a tiny block, only 0.7ha (1.7 acres), but the south section goes into the village blend. Picked on September 3. White-flower and citrus aromas, then the palate is fine, tight, and straight. High-wired, it shimmies into a stony finish. I love this wine. 2026–34. 91–92
Meursault Premier Cru Charmes
From the Dessous section, almost flat, where the soil is a little heavier. The aroma is ripe apricot and slightly spicy, with a touch of tasted cumin. 20% new oak. Ripely rounded and it strokes the palate with a glossy touch, yet it is woven with fresh-enough acidity and the little oak helps to stretch the finish. All very nicely in balance. 2027–35. 94
Meursault Premier Cru Clos des Bouchères
There is an enclosing wall around the 1.3ha (3.2-acre) parcel, but this was still affected by the hail in 2023. It has quite a steep slope, although not so steep that they cannot use a tractor. Quite spicy, with greengage notes. Juicy mid-palate. And then citrus to finish. A predominantly fruit-driven Bouchères. 2026–34. 92
Meursault Premier Cru Perrières
From the Dessous section. A rich and straight, glossy line. The firm core is enveloped in ripe fruit, and on the finish it is persistent, with a cut of cool minerality that emerges beyond the fruit if you wait… And at the end, some salinity. 2027–36. 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
2023 Burgundy tasting notes: Côte de Beaune—Beaune
2023 Burgundy tasting notes: Côte de Beaune—Pommard
2023 Burgundy tasting notes: Côte de Beaune—Volnay
