2020 Côte de Beaune

This tiny parcel is a family treasure, handed down to Bruno from his father - Michel Colin-Deléger. Only one barrel will be produced in 2020. It is so graceful, with power and finesse. Truly grand cru.

Sweetly scented with crushed raspberries and toasty lift. It has Vosne's suave, silky tannins, and velvet-like structure.

This is the defining wine of this famous grand cru, the one to which everyone looks as the quintessential Corton-Charlemagne. The west-facing aspect of the hill means the vines enjoy the long rays of the afternoon sun, making for rich textures and a sumptuous depth of fruit.

Amongst a strong line up of premiers crus in David’s cellar, this was the stand-out. It comes from a parcel which has some very hard limestone bedrock, though the wine is marked by its surprising suppleness. It seems to be the most fluent expression of the village in 2020, without the straighter edge of some of the other premier crus, but rather a tenderness all of its own.

Les Hâtes sits in the middle of the village, surrounded by premiers crus on well-draining soil. It is so red-fruited and floral - bursting with grenadine and red currant aromas - that you’d be forgiven for thinking it probably has a high proportion of whole bunch fruit. But, in fact, David says only 3-5% whole bunches went into the tank. The floral character is a natural expression of the site, and makes it a delicious introduction to the village for first-timers.

This is a blend of two parcels. Just over half (55%) comes from a village parcel, but the other 45% comes from the 1er Cru Clos Rousseau vineyard, which is an extension of the vineyard of the same name in Santenay. It is so bright and energetic, with a crunchy texture and well-handled tannins, giving it bite, but no hard edges. This is vibrant, red-fruited, light-bodied, crisp Pinot Noir. 15% whole bunch fruit gives it a sweet and lifted air.

Clavoillon is shared between just three owners: Alain, his brother, and Domaine Leflaive. Alain’s vines are now 50 years old, and produce a concentrated, elegant example of Puligny. This 2020 has blisteringly tight acidity, twinned with mouthwatering lemon and lime fruit on the palate, and a chalky finish.

The plot of Charmes in Puligny is a continuation of 1er Cru Charmes in Meursault, and shares many of its characteristics, like the light, fine, stony soils. The 2020 is limey and tensile at first, but there’s also some peachy fruit beneath, that will no doubt come to the fore as the wine evolves. This is straight-forward Puligny with a direct freshness.

Since 2012, Alain has been exchanging juice with a neighbour, for just one barrel of this grand cru that he vinifies and ages in his cellar along with his premiers crus. This has a distinctly saline bite to it, and will require some time in bottle for the fruit to fill out, so it’s worth waiting a little for this grand cru.

This is arguably the most famous and celebrated of Puligny’s premiers crus, whose chalky soils have produced some of the finest bottles of white Burgundy ever. It stands out in the line-up for its floral nose. The palate shows some fruity depth. Distinctly Puligny.

Charles Ballot is making some of the greatest Chardonnays in Burgundy these days, and his Bourgogne Blanc 2020 is an excellent place to get a taste of the style on offer at this address. 80% of the fruit is sourced from his home village of Meursault, with the balance coming from Puligny-Montrachet. It has a cut-glass freshness and the vintage's characteristic energy.

This is the largest premier cru at Ballot-Millot, and can be relied upon to produce a sensational wine year in, year out. Much like the Genevrières, this is perfect Meursault. It is so pure, so pithy, and so utterly delicious, with a voluptuous body and scintillating energy.

Smooth, silky, bright and incisive. There is a lot to like here. The Ballot-Millot vines sit at the top of the parcel, giving this Charmes atypical minerality, setting it apart from the richer example produced further down the slope. A triumph in 2020.

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. Not surprisingly, Narvaux is acknowledged as one of Meursault’s finest lieux-dits. Charles is not the only one to bottle it separately, but in our opinion, his is the best. It is racy and delightful in 2020. Don’t miss.

You can’t separate Genevrières and Perrières this year - they are both outstanding. The vines here are over 80 years old, and have weathered the hot summers well. It has weight and persistence without being at all heavy. So poised. Perfect Meursault.

This is a brilliant rendition in 2020. It has peachy stone fruit on the nose, and such a long length for a mere Bourgogne. The fruit comes from various parcels all within the Chassagne commune. As with all his wines, Alex looks for energy rather than too much ripeness in his Bourgogne. You will never regret having a few bottles of this in the cellar.

This is the wine Alex is most proud of in his cellar, which is telling praise. This is because it offers the complexity and depth on par with some other producers’ premiers crus. Its production accounts for 40% of the domaine’s output, being drawn from many sites across the village, half of which are tucked up in the pocket of village vines that hug the premiers crus. The other half comes from the village’s border with Puligny-Montrachet. It is so open and pure, with a wonderful pink grapefruit light bitterness adding mineral freshness and persistence.

La Maltroie is one of the larger premiers crus in Chassagne, and is often one of the most restrained, backward wines in the Moreau cellar. The vines sit right in the middle of the village, opposite the cellar. The 2020 has a creamy density, and a tight, refined power. It feels young, like it will enjoy a long life ahead.

This magnificent wine is only made in tiny quantities. It has an incredible lemon verbena note on the nose, with just a twist of dried honey. There is superb precision on the palate, vibrant and mouthwatering. This complexity is no surprise, given that Les Caillerets is one of the finest sites in the village, with particularly stony soils, producing tense, vibrant, acid-driven wines.

This grand cru is a glittering example of this superb terroir. It is lip-smackingly good in 2020, and a fitting finale to a truly brilliant set of wines from the Moreau brothers, with power, precision, and poise.

Morgeot borders Santenay at the south end of the village, and is not only the largest premier cru in Chassagne, but the largest cru in the Côte d’Or. This wine is a blend of two lieux-dits within: Les Fairendes and La Cadeuse, found at either end of the large cru. It is like a citrus explosion in the glass, with a smoky lift. There is a textured intensity on the palate and a zippy freshness.

Consistently one of the finest sites in St-Aubin, towards the crest of the hill approaching Chassagne and its grands crus. Vibrant, pure, pretty and balanced.

Like Bignon 421, this is a single vineyard in Nantoux named Le Clou, sitting at a precise 377 metres elevation. Here the soil is more like Volnay, with chalky, rocky soils over a limestone marl bedrock. This structure provides excellent water retention, so the vines were able to sit out the drought stress of the vintage. The wine has piquant aromatics, with freshly cracked black and szechuan pepper. Boris has upped the whole bunch to 70% here, which adds layers of silky tannins.

In 2020 this can finally bear the name of its lieu-dit, Bignon. The site’s red clay, which Boris comments is not unlike that found in nearby Pommard, has made a grenadine rich, layered, and richly spiced wine. 60% whole bunch and ageing in one-year-old barrels have made an impression on the fruit, but will be fully integrated by the time the wine is bottled. The elevation of the site is precisely 421 metres, and the cooling influence of the elevation means the fruit is of a vibrantly red hue, with intense redcurrants and cranberries.

This comes from the young vines of the domaine, which are scattered across various parcels around the village of Nantoux. It has a zesty acidity giving it a fresh profile, which is twinned with the ripe berry fruit character. Whole bunch has been upped to 50% in 2020. It has a nice pepperiness, with a sapid length.

These are the oldest vines of the domaine, and were planted in 1902. They handled the drought extremely well. It’s an east-facing vineyard that catches the sun all day in its amphitheatre-like form. This precious site was Bruno’s father’s favourite, and is now his son’s, Arthur’s, favourite too. And to top that, Arthur says the 2020 is his favourite of all vintages they have made here. So, it’s safe to say the Clairs are happy with this cuvée in 2020. It is wonderfully aromatic, with blueberries, cinnamon spice, and floral lift on the nose, and some deep, sumptuous fruit on the palate. Outstanding.

This Bourgogne Blanc is a winner: it comes from parcels across Santenay and St-Aubin, and has lovely plump fruit on the mid-palate precedes an impressively long finish. It is peachy and refreshing. Great value.

This premier cru shares borders with two grands crus: Le Montrachet and Criots-Bâtard-Montrachet. It takes its name from the white, chalky soils found here, and it delivers everything in the glass you might expect from such a superb position and soil-type. It has amazing concentration, and is the most complex of the premiers crus in Bruno’s cellar. It’s a tiny parcel and low yields means it is made in very small volumes. Captivating and impeccably balanced.

This tiny plot near the border with St-Aubin produces a luxurious, smoky, powerful wine. It really stood out in this strong line-up, with its inviting nose of hazelnuts and lemon curd. It has great energy and ripeness balanced by thrilling freshness.

This is the most linear and acid-driven of Bruno’s premiers crus, with a zingy line running through the palate. Where some 2020s have a fleshiness to them, this is straight as a die. It is tightly mineral, and in fact, feels quite a lot like a Puligny, yet there is a depth to the fruit that draws you back to Chassagne. Excellent.

This is a great example of village Chassagne, with brilliantly expressive nectarine fruit character and a plush, silky palate. It gets its intensity from the old vines (up to 66 years old in parts) from some nine parcels scattered across the village. A little touch of new oak gives it structure and support. Spot on.

En Remilly sits at the meeting point of three villages: Chassagne-Montrachet, Puligny-Montrachet, and St-Aubin. The larger part of it falls within St-Aubin, with the tiny part on the Chassagne side enjoying a superb position - next to Chevalier-Montrachet and just above Le Montrachet. At 300m altitude, with very little topsoil, Bruno’s two parcels (one of which touches Chevalier-Montrachet) make a superb wine: concentrated and energetic, with a precision you only find in Chardonnay grown on limestone.

This is not a small vineyard. Indeed, at 5.23 hectares it is one of the largest monopole vineyards in Burgundy, and certainly one of the most celebrated in the region. The high proportion of old vines - some past their centenary year - means low yields are the norm. And demand is such that even in spite of its size, this wine regularly sells out early on. In a vintage like 2020 where volumes are below average, moving early would be a wise move. And you won’t regret it: this is a great example of the Clos, and yet another instance for Paul Zinetti to rewrite the old trope that Pommard is muscular and rustic only: this is powerful, but svelte, profound, and intense, with detail and nuance. This is truly one of the greatest vineyards of the Côte de Beaune.

Les Frémiets sits on the border with Pommard, and the wine often shows the character of both villages. Perhaps there is a little spicy grip of Pommard in the background, but in 2020, this feels squarely in its Volnay designation. It is deliciously floral, gourmand, and delicately plush. Its high proportion of old vines make it concentrated and deep. This could be one of the vintages that Fremiets vies with Clos des Epeneaux for top spot. Which will win out, only time will tell. But you wouldn’t be mad to place a bet on this.

The domaine's tiny holdings of Chardonnay are situated on the flat plain opposite Pommard and Volnay. Only made in very small quantities, there was just one large barrel in 2020. It is zesty and bright, with a long and savoury finish.

This is a secret gem of a wine to know about: outstanding value, and over-delivers in a big way in vintages like 2020. It's a blend of young vine fruit (now 10 years old) with some 90-year old Aligoté Dorée, whose tiny, golden berries are packed with vibrant flavours. This 2020 has the verve and energy to match the excellent 2017.

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

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, most characterful, and fun reds on our list, and thus a veritable hidden gem. So juicy and bright but with plenty of body.

This Volnay is so crunchy, vibrant and aromatically spiced through with wild strawberry fruit. It can suffer in very hot years, but in fact, has come out fighting in 2020. It is a blend of two parcels, Les Famines and Les Grands Champs, in the centre of the commune. There is such a pillowy texture to the fruit. This is a delicate Burgundy with just enough of that sweet, scented fruit extracted to make it both tender and mineral.

This vineyard has been a family monopole since 1874. It is the domaine's flagship wine and one of just two Burgundian Grands Crus to bear the name of its owner (Romanée-Conti being the other). This is so suave and intense in 2020, with sweet, smoky spice around concentrated dark fruits, with a long, mineral length.

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 2020 is saline and compact, with serious and persistent length. Its charm centres on its tension and energy, and the fruit, though present, is discreet in its youth. This is an extremely grown-up Chassagne.

This is indisputably one of the greatest premiers crus of Chassagne, and 2020 will be one of the final vintages for some time. From 2022 the old, low yielding vines will be grubbed up for replanting. Fontaine-Gagnard has two parcels, both east-facing and steep, with well draining soil. The vineyard is right next to a small forest, and apparently you can often see animals venturing into the vines.This is a supreme example of the Fontaine-Gagnard style: savoury, salty, and long.

Criots is a tiny grand cru, just one and a half hectares, making Fontaine-Gagnard one of the largest owners, with one third of a hectare. The south-facing slope, with poor limestone soils, yields a wine with superb power and tension. Yet in spite of the emphatic power, the wine is so balanced, and understated.

The greatest of all white grands crus, in 2020 it has the power and structure you want at this level, with the beguiling freshness and energy of a great vintage. As ever, a true privilege to taste.

La Maltroie is located just up the road from the winery, near the heart of the village. The domaine owns two parcels, one of 0.56 hectares and the other 0.17 hectares. Céline says it is always approachable, and in 2020 it has a superb concentration of nectarine fruit and hazelnuts. It is more weighty than the village wine, with an extra level of depth. This was a wonderful outing for Maltroie. It’s a great value sweet-spot in Chassagne, offering up the village’s chiselled nuttiness and 2020’s vibrant length. It’s a great buy, from a domaine at the top of its game.

Deliciously fresh, with sleek, nutty fruit, and perfectly pitched new oak (20%). This abounds with ripe lemon, and has Chassagne’s signature chiselled texture. As ever, a benchmark Chassagne from one of our favourite producers, and excellent value.

Bâtard seems to be on a roll in 2020. This was just one of many excellent wines from the grand cru. It is smoky, weighty, and concentrated. It’s an incredibly handsome wine.

This village wine has an inviting floral and gently spicy nose. It’s a blend of two parcels: the evocatively named Les Famines, whose paucity of soil makes the roots dig deep; and a small dash of a tiny premier cru, La Gigotte, which is nestled just beneath the larger and more renowned Mitans cru, and lifts this village wine up a notch. Grapes from both parcels were entirely destemmed, and the wine has a chewy, sapid, fruity, and accessible profile, with nicely grippy tannins. It’s a Volnay full of up front joy.

This cuvée is made in tiny volumes - only two and a half barrels in 2020. Its one third whole bunch adds a plush, pillowy texture that couches the structured backbone of this wine. This is a truly great expression of the village.

This has the detailed nose of sweet red berry fruit and floral lift we love in Volnay. The site’s generous top soil 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. Cellar for a few years, then don’t hold back.

For many, this is 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 a precise and exquisite expression, whose delicate power should not be underestimated.

Like the Volnay Taillepieds, this is one of the smaller cuvées in the Buffet stable. It comes from the upper part of the vineyard, and is a stylish wine with a powerful, deep, and muscular drive. Its one-hundred-year-old vines are responsible for its dense layers of complexity. Unlike some of the Volnay premiers crus from this domaine, this wine will need some time, so tuck it away for a few years.

Les Frionnes is one of Olivier’s most important and favourite vineyards, which he says does particularly well in dry years, thanks to its decomposed Kimmeridgian limestone soil. He has five parcels within it, with vines varying in age from 10 to 80 years old. The soils’ similarity to those found in Chablis and Sancerre is not just an academic point - you can really feel it in the wine. It has an oyster shell nose, and a Chablis-esque chiselled frame on the palate.

En Remilly is considered the finest vineyard in St-Aubin. Olivier Lamy’s wine is always one of its greatest, and his 2020 is truly magnificent, with soaring flavour and energy. It is so many things at once: smoky, chalky, mineral, vibrant.

It is well worth following Olivier’s reds, particularly in recent vintages. 2020 is another superb example of Clos des Hâtes following the outstanding 2019. The 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.

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.

Santenay is one of the southern-most villages of the Côte d’Or. This sunny spot on a steep limestone slope, always picked early, and now vinified in a glass wine globe, captured the vibrant essence of the 2020 vintage. It has delicious notes of pear and blossom on the nose, with wonderful tension and crystalline purity on the palate.

Le Charmois is on a hill just next to Chassagne-Montrachet’s 1er Cru Les Chaumées. Its cool, poor limestone soil makes for a tightly powerful wine with straight, chalky freshness. It has a glinting green colour in the glass, and so much tension on the palate. This will need a little time to unwind, but when it does, will reveal the superb savoury freshness of St-Aubin’s top sites. There is so much in store here.

The Bachelets have four parcels in this premier cru, the oldest of which were planted in 1927 and 1960. It carries the superb concentration of old-vine fruit, with juicy nectarine freshness. On the nose there is the scent of freshly cut spring flowers. The wine is harmonious and balanced, with depth and precision.

There are many who consider Bachelet’s Blanchot-Dessus on a par with its grand cru neighbours, Criots-Bâtard-Montrachet and Le Montrachet. The vines were planted in 1927, and the old-vine wine is nothing short of epic in 2020.

Les Aubues is a parcel within Puligny’s excellent Enseignères, just below Bâtard-Montrachet. Les Enseignères has long been on the radar of collectors as one of the sweetest spots for any village wine on the whole Côte. The wine is, quite simply, scintillating. So fragrant, stony, zingy, and vibrant, but with a silkiness on the palate that marks it out. Truly wonderful.

The Boillot family have two parcels here, which together amount to just over one hectare. It is scented with lemon verbena and citrus notes, and the palate has an electric salty drive. This is tightly coiled Puligny with cut-glass definition.

This comes from the Meursault side of the village, and the cru touches Meursault’s Charmes. It has concentrated nectarine and orange blossom notes on the nose, with superb structure and acidity on the palate. As usual, this promises a complex development.

With seven parcels scattered across three hectares, of which five are located in Enseignères (a highly-regarded vineyard that touches the grands crus), this Puligny is one of the most complete and quintessential we know. 2020 is a brilliant vintage here, giving both richness and freshness. It is packed with a juicy lime character, and a saline thread of acidity. Great tension.

The domaine used to - technically - rent these vines from Jean-Marc’s mother, Lydie’s grandmother. She passed away three years ago and since then the domaine has inherited the two parcels, from which they make this explosively good wine. It has a power and depth that sets it apart from the premiers crus, with precision and length promising a superb evolution in bottle.

This is one of the finest sites in Puligny. It has some of the poorest soil in the village, and the wines it produces often soar to another level. It has a cool steely style, and a delicious bitterness, like that of freshly sliced pink grapefruit.

Their tiny parcel of the highly-regarded Combettes is situated between Les Referts and Champ Canet, right at the top of the Puligny slope. It’s hard to beat in 2020, with its peachy, deceptively tender fruit, and taut acidity that culminates in an exceptionally long finish. There is grand cru-esque complexity here.

Jean-Marc makes some of the best Chassagne Rouge around. With many old vines planted on the clay soil pockets around the village, he has produced some great examples in 2020. This old vine cuvée is dark-fruited and spicy, with sour cherry freshness on the palate.

Clos St Marc is a single plot within the larger Vergers vineyard where Jean-Marc’s 100+ year old vines make this a powerful, impressive Chassagne. There is a distinct step up in the density of fruit here. The old vines are very low yielding and the resulting wine is concentrated, precise, and graceful.

This comes from two parcels with an average vine age of 40 years. One is located on the Pernand side of the hill, adding freshness, and the other in the centre of the hill, just beneath the Bonneau du Martray parcel. Made in tiny volumes.

Les Vergers sits at the northern border with St-Aubin, on the slope just above Les Chenevottes. The wine is floral, detailed, and already so open and charming. It will tighten up, no doubt, when it is bottled, but it should nevertheless drink well from early on.

This is a steep stony limestone site, and the wine is richly intense, with a long, fine finish. It has all the structure and complexity to evolve over the years, taking on weight in bottle and further nuance with age.

This excellent vineyard is on the lower slopes of Puligny, just above Les Enseignères, and directly below the grands crus. It is a highlight in 2020, where fruit purity and savoury tension mirror one another’s concentration and precision.

The pinnacle of Jean-Marc’s cellar. These vines are situated just above Le Montrachet. The higher altitude and poorer soil gives additional bite and minerality to the wine. Made in tiny volumes.

This is from three of the village’s best communal sites: Les Pierres (94-year-old vines), Mazures (40+), and Houillères (30+). The younger vines give lift, elegance and a vibrant drive, while the older vines give depth and power. It is lightly lemony and nutty on the nose, with a dry, grippy palate.

Les Chenevottes has slightly deeper soils than some neighbouring vineyards, and the 70-year-old vines, with their deep roots, have endured the extreme summer heat of the past few years in relative comfort. It is so tight and chiselled, with a lemon oil twist on the nose, and a powerful, textured finish.

This is a brilliant example of what Pinot Noir can do in Chassagne. The poor soils of Clos St Jean have long been one of the hotspots for Pinot in the village, and Jean-Marc counts himself lucky to have inherited this parcel of 100+ year old vines. He likes to make a gourmand style you can approach from youth, but don’t let that make you think this is lacking in concentration or sophistication. This 2020 is sitting emphatically in the elegant red fruit spectrum, and the wine shows a level of freshness and detail that lifts it up to great heights.

This vineyard bordering Pommard did once produce wines with some robust, muscular tannins. But now that they have reached 70 years old, the father and son team note how much the tannins have begun to soften, and become distinctly finer in recent years. It still has a vibrant grippiness in 2020, but the floral aromatics, and the fine-grained nature of the tannins give it elegance.

As usual, this was the first parcel to be picked. It had already reached 13.5% by 18th August, and so they seized the moment. Louis mentioned it has much in common with Ghislaine’s Beaux Bruns, and if left to hang on the vine, the fruit can take on a black fruit meatiness. Their quick action in 2020 has kept it firmly in the vibrant red fruit camp. It has a nice spicy lift, reminiscent of ginger and cinnamon. The acidity sings here; it’s a wonderful wine.

This vineyard straddles the village boundary between Puligny and Chassagne and is well regarded as a top flight village parcel, with the likes of Coche-Dury also producing a single vineyard cuvée from this site. Its position just beneath Bâtard-Montrachet goes a long way in explaining its superior quality. It is detailed, lacey and precise. The 70-year-old vines in this parcel deliver wonderfully sophisticated and complex fruit; its ageing potential for its village status is pretty astonishing. Don’t hesitate to hold for ten years if you can resist.

This outstanding premier cru in St-Aubin sits on top of the hill that peaks between Chassagne and St-Aubin, just behind Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru. The wine is a blend of five parcels within En Remilly, with different soils and elevation. It expresses the vineyard’s natural tendency to floral, peachy fruit, with mineral tension underneath. The 2020 is a fluent expression of the site, with tender fruit tempered by some fine-boned acidity.

The cuvée is named after Damien and Caroline’s grandmother, Lucie, whose nickname was ‘Luce’. Its personalised moniker hints at how fond the family are of this wine, which is a blend of three parcels in the village. Damien says he puts this above the exceptional 2017, which shows his confidence here. It is well placed: this has excellent drive and savoury balance, and is a brilliant portrait of St-Aubin.

This is a blend of two parcels: one in Chassagne and one in Puligny. In 2020 it is transparent and complete, with a classical frame and a vibrant drive. The palate has a delicious silkiness and a crisp balance. A highlight in a year rich in stellar Bourgognes Blancs.

This is one of Meursault’s finest vineyards, shared amongst some of its greatest growers. Reaching this wine in the tasting marked a gear change - this has so much texture, precision and length. Outstanding.

Blagny sits high up, above the heart of the Meursault commune. This altitude brings a focused freshness to the wines. It has notes of honeydew melon, with a richly mineral seashell note - not unlike Chablis - on the nose. The soil is very white limestone up here, and this makes for a scintillating palate. It feels straighter than the Grands Charrons, in many ways, more like a Puligny in profile than a Meursault.

This is one of the gems on our list: it may be village on paper, but this exceptionally well-placed parcel - an east-facing limestone vineyard that extends just beyond the band of premiers crus - delivers well beyond its status in the glass. It has a peachy definition and that great Meursault structure - plenty of ripeness combined with the thrilling acidity of the year. It has more ample fruit than the Bourgogne with a voluminous length.

You can really feel the character of the poor stony soil found in Puligny here with its floral delicacy and racy edge. It has a piercing intensity accompanied by a tenderness of fruit on the finish, so enticing, with a lacy structure and wonderful definition.

The fruit for this blend comes from three sites in Meursault (making up 60%), with the remainder from a single plot in Puligny. In spite of their Bourgogne classification, these sites are high quality, knocking on the door of village level, with shallow topsoil and lots of small stones, aiding drainage. It is a Bourgogne full of lemony freshness and delicious energy.

This comes from the family’s best parcels in the village - in Les Grands Champs, Les Pluchots, La Gigotte, and Ez Echards, all of which border the premiers crus just above. It has a dialled up complexity and depth of fruit, with slightly more emphatic tannins, making it a great candidate for ageing.

This is a blend of their lower-lying parcels of village Volnay plus some 1er Cru Brouillards. Lafarge’s Volnay is always so elegant and charming, with a perfumed nose, and an expressive silky frame. The fruit spectrum is distinctly red here, and the wine feels poised and sweetly ripe, whilst remaining taut and fresh.

Although their home village of Volnay is what many people think of when they hear Lafarge, their noble Beaunes are equally highly regarded. Fine-boned and with fabulous tension, this will make fine old bones.

Only in years of relative abundance and quality do the domaine make this cuvée which is a selection of fruit from only the oldest vines (70-75 years old). They sit just below Santenots-du-Milieu, and the wine shows an even greater level of intensity and length than the already impressive village Meursault.

Produced in every vintage since the foundation of the domaine, this 50/50 blend of Pinot Noir and Gamay, produced from co-planted vines, is one of Burgundy’s bargains. The vines are now aged between 99 and 102 years. Fortunately they ripen at the same time, and were picked together on 5th and 6th September. The wine has a wonderful sour cherry character, with a light body, and fine tannins.

The Lafarge parcels lie on the Volnay side of the village, naturally. As with many whites in 2020, this is a roaring success. It has brilliant bright freshness, and a long, sophisticated length.

Unlike the rest of the Lafarge vineyards which were picked earlier than ever in August, their Aligoté was picked on 16th September. The warm late summer weather meant the 85-year-old vines’ development was blocked, and it wasn’t until mid-September that the grapes had reached the 12.8% alcohol. Waiting for this was a masterstroke, as the fruit developed a superb phenolic complexity, and this Aligoté is bright, dry, incisive and textural. The small golden-skinned berries of the ‘raisins dorés’ clone have produced a richness and incredible energy.

This is a one off cuvée made in 2020 and bottled exclusively in magnums remains unnamed for the time being, simply referred to as Cuvée 2. It comes from 92-year-old vines which performed so well in 2020 they merited their own cuvée.

This parcel, right in the centre of the village, has been owned by the Lafarge family since 2005. It has an ideal mid-slope position, and produces a floral wine with great tension: quintessential Volnay. The 2020 is so pure and long, with a velvety structure.

These vines were planted in 1921, and as they approach their centenary they are still going strong, producing wines of haunting beauty and finesse.

This vineyard has been owned by the Lafarge family since the domaine was founded, and is arguably their most famous wine. It is often serious and intense in its youth, but actually, the 2020 has a wonderful sweetness of fruit and pretty minerality, it’s hard to imagine it shutting down. Nevertheless, experience dictates that this wine will benefit from some time in the cellar, and given time, its true potential will be realised.

This tiny monopole vineyard is just 0.57 hectares, and along with the Clos des Chênes is the jewel in the Lafarge crown. They have bottled it separately since 1985, and it has since become their most sought-after release. The grapes are destemmed by hand, such is the reverence in which the family hold this site: in their eyes, a grand cru. It has a texture that can only be described as lacy: so fine, so complex, intricate, and detailed, and ultimately just beautiful.

This parcel sits in the mid-slope of the hill of Corton, and is one of its finest vineyards, noted for its elegance and finesse. This has intense floral and spicy notes as the new oak wraps around the wonderful fruit. Wonderfully complex and balanced.

This is the Pillots’ largest premier cru, and it lies just up the road from their cellar. It is the emblematic cuvée of the domaine, and a brilliant buy every vintage. The 2020 has tension and saline length, driving through the taut nectarine fruit. It will look great after a few years in the cellar.

This well-positioned village parcel, just below Les Champs-Gains, certainly merits being singled out. The soil has lots of little limestone pebbles, and this wine is zippy and lively. There’s a smoky lift from a touch of new oak, which is married to the citrus drive on the palate. A suitably impressive Chassagne from one of the most exciting growers here.

Les Pitangerets straddles Chassagne-Montrachet and St-Aubin, and sits just above Les Chenevottes. The 2020 has a salty lemon edge, and great energy on the palate. It is a perfect introduction to the Paul Pillot cellar. Racy and long.

This, along with La Grande Montagne, is one of the most sought-after cuvées from this cellar, and produced in tiny quantities. The vineyard is found in the southern part of the village, right next to La Grande Montagne and La Romanée, though producing a wine totally distinct in character. It is open and opulent, with amazing density and powerful drive.

This vineyard needs little introduction: it is widely held up as one of the finest in the village. The white pebbly limestone soils make for racy wines, with a lot in common with the best Puligny-Montrachets, but with the nutty, savoury twist of Chassagne. This 2020 is electrifyingly good, with laser-like focus.

This is one of the handful of Côte de Beaune parcels the domaine inherited from their Rossignol roots in Volnay. Their vines sit at the very top of the cru, in the vineyard’s sweet spot between Aux Cras and Les Grèves. The red stony soil and sunny exposition here make a silky, sweet-scented style of wine. It’s a wine that is vibrant and inviting in its youth, with crunchy tannins, freshness, and a detailed, smooth length.

This is a grippy and dramatic Savigny, with a long finish. It has 40% whole bunch, helping draw out the tannins in a more gentle expression, which works well here. Perfumed with dark berries and toasted spice, with cherry stone freshness.

Tuvilains is a lovely vineyard on the Pommard side of the town. Scented with rhubarb and raspberries, with a lot of structure on the palate. There is 30% whole bunch here, and some support from 20% new oak. More peppery and full bodied than the previous vintage. You can feel the heat of the summer a little in the fruit profile, although the fresh acidity keeps the structure cool.

This is a tangy, peppery expression of Frémiets, which can often be quite an opulent wine. The 2020 feels tighter, tenser, more structured than usual. It’s quite a warm site, and needs to be picked early to capture freshness, which fortunately, they have, and its excellent acidity serves it well, meaning this should have a long drinking window.

Quite possibly the best-value grand cru out there. It comes from the Rognet and Vergennes sectors of the Corton hill, and offers up soft, elegant, inviting red fruits. All the fruit was destemmed for this cuvée, and the clarity of terroir it reveals is apparent in its charming scent of rose hips, redcurrants and nutmeg spice. Beautiful length, not overly intense, but sustained and understated.

This is a wonderful site in Beaune, high up on the hill to the south of the town. The 100% whole bunch works extremely well here, making for a salty, charming wine with depth and length, and a hint of sucrosity at the end - not from any residual sugar in the wine, but from the beautiful sweetness of fruit.

This south facing parcel is tucked up the valley slope, so on the Beaune (i.e. north) side of the village, facing directly towards Volnay. It’s a cool site, thanks to the fresh breeze that is drawn down through the vines, but the white soil and south-facing exposure means it can heat up pretty quickly when the sun shines. Joannes has used 100% whole bunch fruit in the vinification here, and from it he has conjured a remarkably sweet length, and a fabulous elegance, without any heavy-handedness whatsoever. This was a diamond.

This village wine is 100% destemmed and has a sapid, redcurrant, spiced pomegranate character, with long, lightly structured tannins holding it together. This is a great entry point for one of Pommard’s most promising new voices.

This magnificent vineyard in Pommard is a hot contender for promotion to grand cru. The wine shows a nicely spicy hint of reduction, and the tannins build in layers. Unlike some Rugiens, which can need the best part of a decade to even approach their drinking window, this should, thanks to the graceful structure of its tannins (again from 100% whole bunch fruit) be relatively accessible from five years onwards.

The vines here have an average age of 70 years and enjoy one of the finest positions in the village, along with Rugiens. The soil on this side of the village, nearer to Beaune, is extremely complex, with a high mineral and limestone content towards the top of the slope. This makes for a more ethereal, delicate, and elegant expression of Pommard than perhaps we are used to, and Joannes has managed to extract the most perfumed, supple tannins in this 2020 from 100% whole bunch fruit. Really excellent.

2019 was the final vintage of Nicolas’ much loved Bourgogne Vieilles Vignes. 2020 sees the introduction of this new cuvée, a marked step up in complexity and length, and still an absolute bargain. It’s a brilliant debut, with juicy, bright, smooth fruit, a touch of sweetness to the tannins, and a long, fresh finish.

Nicolas has the oldest vines in this highly-rated premier cru. They were planted in 1904, and we learned this year that their days are numbered. Nicolas plans to uproot them within two years because the old vines have become so low-yielding (just 16 hl/ha in 2020). The wine has highly concentrated tannins and a particularly perfumed aromatic fruit.

Caillerets is an excellent Volnay cru, sitting just beneath the lauded Clos des Chênes. In 2020 it has made a vibrant and nervous Pinot Noir, with limestone minerality in its grippy but fine-grained tannins.

These vines are now well over 60 years old, and Nicolas has used 100% whole bunch on this wine, giving it a kirsch/blueberry fruit character. The tannins are really quite grippy and graining in their youth, but will stand it in good stead for ageing.