Côte de Beaune 2022

Maranges is the final limit of the Côte d’Or, and a source of crunchy, great value reds, if you follow the right grower. This is actually a blend of village and premier cru fruit (from 1er Cru Clos Rousseau), which David declassifies to give his village Marange more volume and quality. It’s a smart move, and a smart buy. It’s light-bodied, lithe, crunchy, juicy and vibrant.

Les Hâtes sits in the middle of the village, surrounded by premiers crus on well-draining soil. It makes for a floral, ethereal style of Pinot with lovely proportions. This floral character is a natural expression of the site which David sees emerge every year. It makes for a compelling introduction to Santenay for first-timers.

Amongst a strong line up of premiers crus in David’s cellar, this is always our favourite. It comes from a parcel with a hard limestone bedrock, producing a wine that is marked by its surprising suppleness. In 2022 it is so fine, so Pinot. This is the work of a winemaker at the peak of his abilities, coaxing an ephemeral beauty from his Pinot.

Charles Ballot’s Narvaux sits in a sweet-spot for Burgundy buyers. It has the character, definition, energy and complexity far above a village wine, yet a price that falls well below that of a premier cru. This makes it a very smart purchase. Furthermore, Narvaux is acknowledged as one of Meursault’s finest lieux-dits. It has a racy, luscious vitality in 2022: both ample and energetic. Exactly how we like our Meursault.

This comes from a blend for the domaine’s young vines with a small dash of extremely old vines, from multiple parcels scattered around the village of Nantoux. It has a crunchy acidity giving it a fresh profile, which is twinned with the ripe blueberry/raspberry fruit character. Whole-bunch has been upped to 60% in 2022 giving it a spiced, graceful length.

This is a new addition to the list in 2022: we just couldn’t resist. It’s made from old vine Gamay grown on the steep slopes of Nantoux (true to its name, unlike many other Coteaux Bourguignons which are grown on the flat plains on the other side of the route nationale). It was vinified with 50% whole-bunch fruit, gently handled in the cellar with low extraction. Some of the vines are getting on for ninety-years-old, and the concentration and kick this gives to the wine is notable. It’s gorgeous: juicy, fruit-forward, and joyful. Don’t miss this little rocket.

The Bignon parcel has red clay soil, not dissimilar to that found in pockets of Pommard. It usually produces an easy-going, fruit-forward wine, but I’m struck by the excellent structure found in this 2022. It still has the signature smooth fruit, but with fine, lightly grippy tannins from well-handled 60% whole-bunch fruit.

Boris Champy burst onto the scene in 2019, and is now a leading light of the Hautes-Côtes and of biodynamic viticulture in Burgundy. Le Clou is a single vineyard in Nantoux sitting at a precise 377 metres elevation. Its soil is similar to Volnay, with chalky, rocky topsoil over limestone marl bedrock. 100% whole-bunch has been used to great effect here: it has a fine, elegant aroma of red berries and cinnamon spice, with silky tannins and impressive concentration on the poised finish.

This tiny 0.09 hectare plot near the border with St-Aubin provides a sumptuous, smoky, powerful wine. It made its mark in this strong line-up, with its enticing nose of exotic fruit. The palate sings with zesty pink grapefruit length. It shows amazing energy and drive through the finish, with the ripeness of fruit perfectly offset by compelling freshness.

This Volnay is so balanced and complete. Pillowy, gently spiced red fruit leads to a silky, aromatically complex palate, spiced through with wild strawberry fruit. It is a blend of two parcels, Les Famines and Les Grands Champs, in the centre of the commune. There is a touch of sweetly-scented dry extract, making it both tender and mineral.

This gourmand, full-bodied and elegant wine is one of the sweet spots of the Comte Armand stable, with surprising ageing potential. It is a blend of two vineyards in Auxey: Les Bréterins and Les Duresses. Bréterins is steep and well-draining, with limestone soils contributing savoury elegance; Duresses is clay-based and builds power and body in the wine. It has the structure for good ageing potential, though it is still fragrant and inviting in its youth.

Les Frémiets sits on the border with Pommard, and the wine often shows the character of both villages. It is the most fine-boned, and restrained wine in the cellar this year, its charm derived from its elegant restraint. Its high proportion of old vines make a concentrated and deep wine. This is a polished, refined, and soulful Volnay.

Auxey-Duresses is a relatively unknown village of the Côte de Beaune, tucked up above Meursault, next to Monthelie, on the way to St Romain. This anonymity is in spite of its association with Lalou Bize-Leroy. Comte Armand's vines - in lieu-dit Largillas - sit just above her Les Clous vines. Largillas gives the most spectacular views of the pretty village, and have an enviable mid-slope position for a village parcel. It is always one of the best value and most characterful reds on our list. In 2022 it has a nervous, energetic character, with a fresh and juicy body.

This is indisputably one of the greatest premiers crus of Chassagne. 2022 is the final vintage from Domaine Fontain-Gagnard for a while as they have decided to replant the old vines in 2023, so anyone who gets the chance to buy this will no doubt treasure it. Céline mentions that their parcel is so steep that neighbours refer to it as “the ski slope”. This is a supreme example of the Fontaine-Gagnard style: savoury, salty, and long.

Caillerets takes its name from the tiny stones that litter the vineyard’s soil, and it’s one of the village’s most highly-prized sites. This wine in 2022 is chalky, chiselled, and distinctly of its limestone terroir. There’s spiced pear fruit on the mid-palate, too. A triumph.

Le Montrachet is the greatest of all white grands crus, and in 2022 Céline has knocked it out of the park. She chose to use exclusively second fill barrels (ie, there is no new oak here), because she wanted to let the power and majesty of the site speak for itself. She has achieved that and more, with a sensational result in 2022.

This is one of many Volnay premiers crus that Marc-Olivier has at his fingertips. The site’s generous topsoil makes for a wine of appealing charm, marking it out as one of the earliest drinking of the Buffet Volnay premiers crus. The fruit is completely destemmed, and the wine has a sumptuous, succulent texture on the palate. It is sweetly scented, with intense purity of fruit. That aromatic fruit is enrobed in plush tannins, and the finish is graceful and long. Cellar for a few years, then don’t hold back.

This Volnay is floral and gently spiced, with layers of delicate aromatics. It comes from a blend of two parcels: the evocatively named Les Famines, whose paucity of soil makes the roots dig deep; and a small dash of the tiny lieu-dit, La Gigotte, which lifts this village wine up a notch. It’s entirely destemmed and the wine has a sapid, fruity, and accessible profile, with nicely grippy tannins.

This is arguably the greatest site in Volnay. Marc-Olivier is lucky to have two parcels here. The ‘young vines’ are a mere 50 years old, and the old vines very much older. Their concentration and natural complexity are honed through one third whole-bunch used in this cuvée. It is pretty racy in 2022 with an edgy freshness and a little more structure to the tannins than in Carelle sous la Chapelle.

This superb cuvée is made in tiny volumes, so there is very little to go around. Its one third whole-bunch adds a plush, pillowy texture that cushions the savoury backbone of this wine. This was absolutely brilliant in 2022.

Like the Volnay Taillepieds, this is one of the smaller cuvées in the Buffet stable. It comes from the upper part of the vineyard, planted with vines that are now well over their hundred year mark. All work here is done by horse, and the attention to detail continues in the cellar. It is swish and stylish, with plenty of toothsome power and muscular drive. Unlike some of the Volnay premiers crus from this domaine, this wine will need some time, so tuck it away for a few years.

It is well worth following Olivier’s reds, particularly in recent vintages. This vineyard had previously been owned by M. Duvault-Blochet, former owner of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti. Today, high density planting and organic farming mean low yields, which does a great service to the fruit - red berries with a smoky graphite scent lingering over them. Mineral and defined.

Les Frionnes is one of Olivier’s most important and favourite vineyards. He has an impressive clutch of five parcels within Frionnes, with vines ranging in age from 10 to 80 years old. The soil here is decomposed Kimmeridgian limestone, similar to that found in Chablis and Sancerre. This is not just an academic point - you can really feel it in the wine, which brims with oyster shells on the nose, and a Chablis-esque chiselled frame on the palate.

Clos de la Chatenière is a steep south-facing parcel enclosed by a wall, with 65-year-old vines. There are warmer red soils here, on the Puligny side of the village, and the wine is rich and exuberant. A high level of millerandages amongst the old vines produces an added concentration, and the wine displays a salty, complex character, with a serious and persuasive length.