Côte de Beaune 2022

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.