Côte de Beaune

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. It is always exhilarating to taste, with rich layers of exuberant fruit and creamy, lightly spiced notes giving freshness and balance.

Amongst a strong lineup 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 2023 David used around 10-15% whole bunch – this is a wine marked by vibrancy and minerality. A tense core of red cherry fruit lifts to reveal a Pinot of real finesse with a saline finish.

Les Hâtes sits in the middle of the village, surrounded by Premiers Crus on well-draining red-tinged soil. It is an early-ripening terroir that makes for a floral, ethereal style of Pinot with lovely proportions. David uses around 10% whole bunches and aims to focus on the floral character as a natural expression of the site which David sees emerge every year. A compelling introduction to Santenay with bright, red berry fruits and a lick of blood orange on the juicy finsh.

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 Maranges more volume and quality. The name Gryphée is a type of fossilised mollusc found within the limestone soil. This year David used around 15% whole bunches which has given a little peppery lift to the charming dark cherry fruit tinged with crushed violets. Lithe and supple, this is a great buy.

Charles Ballot is making some of the greatest Chardonnays in Burgundy these days, and his Bourgogne Blanc is an excellent place to get a taste of the style on offer at this address. 70% of the fruit is sourced from his home village of Meursault, with the balance coming from Puligny-Montrachet. It was easily one of the best Bourgogne Blancs we tasted this vintage.

Smooth, silky, bright and incisive. There is a lot to like here. The Ballot-Millot vines sit at the top of the parcel right next to Lafon’s. This location gives a dialled-up minerality, setting it apart from the richer examples produced further down the slope. As classical as they come in Meursault.

Strictly limited to 6 bottles per customer

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 2023: both ample and energetic. Exactly how we like our Meursault.

Charles Ballot's village Meursault is as complete a white Burgundy as you'll find in this excellent vintage. It's a blend of parcels from around the village, and shows 2023's gorgeously silky fruit, with layers of citrus flavours and fresh, saline lift.

Charles Ballot's village Meursault is as complete a white Burgundy as you'll find in this excellent vintage. It's a blend of parcels from around the village, and shows 2023's gorgeously silky fruit, with layers of citrus flavours and fresh, saline lift.

The Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Morgeot Tête du Clos comes from white soils, which is apparent on the nose with mineral and floral notes peppering the orchard fruit. The palate is extremely balanced with great depth, hints of peach, nectarine and tangerine and a detailed, fresh finish. This will be difficult to resist in its youth.

Along with Genevrières, you can rely on Perrières to be a sensational wine from Charles Ballot. In 2023 it shows the most sophisticated reduction in the cellar, with limestone bite on the palate and an expressive, mineral flourish on the finish. Scintillating.

In the Ballot-Millot cellar, Genevrières and Perrières are usually only split by a hair, as is the case in 2023. They are both outstanding. The vines in Genevrières are over 80 years old, and have weathered the hot summers well. The wine has weight and persistence, gorgeous amplitude and fabulous length.

This magnificent wine is only made in tiny quantities. There is superb precision on the palate, which is vibrant, concentrated and mouth watering with a chalky structure. 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.

Bâtard-Montrachet is never short of showy power, even in youth. It seems to have loved the style of 2023, and thrived in the conditions. It’s expressive, racy and driven, with great weight and texture and a fresh, salty intensity to the fruit. The finish is long, mineral and refined. An incredibly striking wine.

La Maltroie is one of the larger Premiers Crus in Chassagne, and Alex’s vines sit right in the middle of the village, opposite the cellar. The 2023 has a mineral, peachy length, and a tight, refined power. There’s great volume and depth and this will enjoy a long life ahead.

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. Alex’s parcel has the benefit of old vines - 50 years old, and their concentration combined with Alex’s practice of long, slow fermentation has resulted in a smoky, textural, delicious expression.

Strictly limited to 3 magnums per customer

This is always the wine Alex is most proud of in his cellar, which is telling praise. It was also one of our standouts in 2023. This is because it offers the complexity and depth on par with some other producers’ Premiers Crus. It represents the lion’s share of his cellar, and is drawn from many sites across the village, half of which are tucked up in the pocket of vineyards that hug the Premiers Crus. The other half comes from the village’s border with Puligny-Montrachet. The texture of these wines is exceptional, nowhere better displayed than in this Chassagne-Montrachet. They have tension and drive, without the phenolic extraction of some more worked wines. Effortlessly pure and persistent.

Strictly limited to 6 bottles per customer

This is always the wine Alex is most proud of in his cellar, which is telling praise. It was also one of our standouts in 2023. This is because it offers the complexity and depth on par with some other producers’ Premiers Crus. It represents the lion’s share of his cellar, and is drawn from many sites across the village, half of which are tucked up in the pocket of vineyards that hug the Premiers Crus. The other half comes from the village’s border with Puligny-Montrachet. The texture of these wines is exceptional, nowhere better displayed than in this Chassagne-Montrachet. They have tension and drive, without the phenolic extraction of some more worked wines. Effortlessly pure and persistent.

This is one of our most in-demand Bourgogne Blancs, and with good reason. It’s a window onto the style of one of the Côte de Beaune’s hottest winemakers of the moment. It’s energetic, and fresh, with a burst of pure citrus fanning out across the palate - the epitome of refreshing, balanced, and delicious Burgundy. 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.

Sur Gamay is a little known premier cru, but it’s rather well positioned, finding itself between Les Murgers des Dents de Chien, Champlots, and Chatenière. The 2023 is a really pure and saline expression with a vibrant core of white citrus fruit and subtle white flowers and jasmine aromas.

There is a greater richness of fruit from this site, pears and a fleshier citrus touch. A pleasure to taste, with rich, elegant layers of exuberant fruit and lightly spiced notes giving freshness and balance.

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. A pleasure to taste, with rich, elegant layers of exuberant fruit and lightly spiced notes giving freshness and balance.

The name of this cuvée refers to the winemaking technique which differs by using the vertical press: a type of press used from the middle ages until the 1960’s, when it was replaced by the horizontal press (mechanical and pneumatic). The vertical press marks the style of this wine, with bags of concentration and complexity. It comes from the “Montagne de Cras” plot in Nantoux. “Cras”, or “Crag” in Celtic, means pebbles and the soil is very varied, stony but also full of clay. The 4-hectare plot is made up of 3 hectares of vines and 1 hectare of a natural biodiversity area: scree slopes, hedges, orchards, limestone grasslands with numerous orchids and rare trees. A precise, intense nose of orange rind, honey, and white blossom, is followed by a taut, poised and dynamic palate with well-integrated oak. It is showing a touch of spice amongst the fresh, tropical fruit and is very persistent on the finish. Excellent.

New to our range for 2023, this comes from 2 parcels at the top of the hill near En Bignon, lying at 421 metres above sea-level. It is fermented in 500 and 600-litre barrels, and has a pure and open nose showing hints of white peach and honeysuckle. The palate is expertly balanced, slickly textural and focussed all the way through the slightly, spicy, saline finish. Wow.

This is a new addition to the list in 2023: 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 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.

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. 90% whole-bunch has been used to great effect here: it has a fine, elegant aroma of maraschino cherries and cinnamon spice, with silky tannins and impressive concentration on the poised finish. 100% 1 year old oak - this is the wine that Boris is making to try and elevate / demonstrate what he is doing in the Hautes-Côtes.

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. 90% whole-bunch has been used to great effect here: it has a fine, elegant aroma of maraschino cherries and cinnamon spice, with silky tannins and impressive concentration on the poised finish. 100% 1 year old oak - this is the wine that Boris is making to try and elevate / demonstrate what he is doing in the Hautes-Côtes.

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 the excellent structure found in this 2023 is striking. It still has the signature smooth fruit, but with fine, lightly chalky tannins from well-handled 60% whole-bunch fruit. The 20% new oak rounds out the concentrated cherry character.

This comes from a blend of 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 rose petal and ripe raspberry character. Whole-bunch has been upped to 60% in 2023 giving it a spiced, graceful length on the finish.

A serious Bourgogne Blanc: it comes from parcels across Santenay and St-Aubin, ripe peach and lemony fruit on the mid-palate paves the way for a long finish. It is delicious and refreshing.

This tiny parcel is a family treasure, handed down to Bruno from his father - Michel Colin-Deléger. It is truly complex, graceful, with power and finesse in equal measure. Truly Grand Cru.

Strictly limited to 6 bottles per customer

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 displays white blossom and stone fruit aromatics on the nose, with outstanding concentration following on the palate. It is the most complex of the Premiers Crus in Bruno’s cellar, but only made in tiny volumes since the parcel is so small and the vines bear such low yields. It is a captivating wine with impeccable balance in 2023.

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 ripe, peachy fruit. The palate sings with juicy nectarine length. It shows amazing energy and drive through the finish, with the ripeness of fruit perfectly offset by compelling freshness.

This is the most linear and precise of Bruno’s Premiers Crus, with a zippy line running through the palate. It is tightly mineral and intricate, and in fact, feels quite a lot like a Puligny, yet there is a depth and texture to the fruit that draws you back to Chassagne. Saline and enduring in the finish. Outstanding.

This is a fantastic example of village Chassagne, with attractive nectarine fruit character and an expressive, bright palate. It gets its intensity from the old vines (some are approaching 70 years) from nine parcels scattered across the village. A smattering of new oak gives it structure and support. Long and satisfying finish.

Strictly limited to 6 bottles per customer

2023 is the second year back in production of this magnificent site since Bruno replanted the old vines he inherited from his father. Les Demoiselles is a tiny Premier Cru, sandwiched between Chevalier-Montrachet, Le Montrachet, and Bâtard-Montrachet. It is classically Puligny on the nose - mineral, nervous, with fruit concentration. The palate is immediately opulent, concentrated and subtly exotic. The vibrant freshness means the wine culminates in a long salty finish. This will go the distance in the cellar for those patient enough to keep it.

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 magnificent wine: concentrated, opulent, mineral and energetic, with a precision you only find in Chardonnay grown on limestone.

Matured in 600-litre demi-muids without batonnage, this new négoce cuvée is the epitome of balance. There’s plenty of pure, ripe yellow orchard fruit, a pretty texture and a mineral, fresh finish.

The grapes for this new négoce cuvée come from just south of the Montagne de Beaune, on the border with the forest. Energetic, and packed full of fresh yet ripe citrus fruit. This is joyous and offers excellent value.

This is a secret gem to know about. It’s made from a blend of young vine fruit and some incredible 95-year old Aligoté Doré grown in Meursault, whose tiny, golden berries are packed with vibrant flavours. The 2023 shows brilliant freshness, with verve and salinity. It’s one of our favourite whites from the region, and finds its way into our cellars every year.

100% de-stemmed fruit from Nolay, near Maranges goes into this tiny production new négoce cuvée. Light, bright, pretty with pure red fruit. This is delightful.

The grapes for this new négoce cuvée come from Saint-Sernin-du-Plain, next to Maranges. Vibrant, and packed full of pretty, floral red fruit with supple tannins. 40% whole bunch gives this a wonderful, spritely lift.

This gourmand, full-bodied and elegant wine is one of the sweet spots of the Comte Armand stable, with hints of cassis, sapid, black cherry and sweet spice. It is a blend of two vineyards in Auxey: 70% Les Bréterins and 30% 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. A standout in 2023.

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 2023 it has a nervous, vibrant energy, with brilliant concentration and a fresh and juicy body.

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. Another highlight in 2023.

This Volnay is so balanced and complete. Pillowy, gently spiced red fruit leads to a silky, aromatically complex palate, spiced through with fresh 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 is an important vineyard both in terms of its size (5.23 hectares) and its historical stock of 100+ year old vines. The concentration here, in 2023, is exquisite. It is another great example of the Clos and one of the finest we have tasted - another chance for Paul Zinetti, régisseur, to rewrite the old trope that Pommard is muscular and rustic only. Instead this is powerful, svelte, profound, and intense. It is truly one of the greatest vineyards of the Côte de Beaune.

This is an important vineyard both in terms of its size (5.23 hectares) and its historical stock of 100+ year old vines. The concentration here, in 2023, is exquisite. It is another great example of the Clos and one of the finest we have tasted - another chance for Paul Zinetti, régisseur, to rewrite the old trope that Pommard is muscular and rustic only. Instead this is powerful, svelte, profound, and intense. It is truly one of the greatest vineyards of the Côte de Beaune.

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-east-facing slope, with poor limestone soils, yields a wine with superb power and tension. But this is only achieved when the parcel is picked at just the right moment. Céline says she watches it like a hawk, catching it before the fruit ripens into the tropical spectrum.

La Maltroie is located just up the road from the winery, near the heart of the village. The domaine owns two parcels of old vines of up to 70 years old, one of 0.56 hectares and the other 0.17 hectares. Céline says it is always approachable from early on, and is hence one of the first Premiers Crus to be bottled. It has once again outstanding purity and freshness in 2023, the fruit of not only an excellent growing season but a master in control of her art. Packed full of fresh, peachy fruit, this is finely balanced and precise with a long, moreish saline finish. A top pick.

Chassagne-Montrachet is a favourite in 2023, and Fontaine-Gagnard is a domaine to follow. This is a gorgeous wine: quintessentially Chassagne with its deliciously sleek, nutty fruit, and perfectly pitched new oak (20%). It abounds with ripe, pithy lemon that leads to a chiselled texture on the palate, and a long, appetising, saline finish. It’s a benchmark Chassagne from one of our favourite producers, and once again a smart buy in 2023.

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 2023 is chalky, chiselled, detailed 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 2023 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 2023.

Bâtard-Montrachet is never short of showy power, even in youth. It seems to have loved the style of 2023, and thrived in the conditions. It’s smoky, weighty, and concentrated, and overall an incredibly handsome wine.

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 fleshy, succulent texture on the palate. There is a slight ferrous note with accents of wild herbs and liquorice root. The silky red and dark berry fruit wrap around the palate leading to a bright and graceful finish.

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 even more venerable. This year the grapes are totally destemmed and there is a natural concentration and complexity from the old vines offering small, tight bunches. The wine has a beautiful, sinewy structure with accents of cherry blossom and detailed hedgerow fruit on the finish. Refreshing and very fine.

This Village level Volnay comes from 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. As always, this is entirely destemmed, showing all the accessibility and charm of this vintage. The wine offers ripe dark cherry fruit, violets and a lift of allspice. The tannin is very fine-grained and fluid on the palate with a delicate salinity on the finish.

This superb cuvée is made in tiny volumes, so there is very little to go around. The soil here is shallow with minimal clay and Marc-Olivier has been ploughing this small plot by horse since 2019. This is an ethereal style of Volnay with notes of pink pepper, pink grapefruit, blood orange and black cherry. Intricate and detailed on the palate with grace and energy.

Like the Volnay Taillepieds, Les Rugiens 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. Rather tense and vibrant, there is a muscular power that hums beneath the surface of redcurrant and red cherry fruit. The 2023 shows real purity and salinity – a wine of terroir. 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.

Santenay is one of the southern-most villages of the Côte d’Or. This sunny spot on a steep limestone slope is always picked early, and is unusually part-vinified in a glass wine globe. It has a pretty and delicate nose of white blossom and citrus peel, followed by wonderful tension and crystalline purity on the palate.

Le Charmois is on a hill just next to Chassagne-Montrachet’s 1er Cru Les Chaumées. There is around 40 centimetres of topsoil then the vines hit cool, poor limestone soil making for a tightly powerful wine with straight, chalky freshness. The wine is aged in around 20% new oak which adds a little spicy accent of ginger and acacia. A beautifully energetic wine the palate offers ripe white peach and apricot notes with a verve of salinity on the finish.

The Bachelets have four parcels in this Premier Cru, the oldest of which were planted in 1927 and 1960. In total it represents around 0.5 hectares of vines easterly exposed on the mid-slope. In 2023 the Marcherelles is a stunning wine. Intense, dense and focused yet with an almost miraculous purity. Notes of grilled peach, white grapefruit and at its core, an unrelenting focus of mineral. One of the picks from the range this year.

There are many who consider Bachelet’s Blanchot-Dessus on par with its Grand Cru neighbours, Criots-Bâtard-Montrachet and Le Montrachet. The vines were planted in 1927, and this old-vine wine has the presence and stature of its Grand Cru neighbours. Its shyness in youth will be transformed into majesty with age. There is a profound texture to the wine with flavours of apricot, honeysuckle, and oystershell. Put it away for a few years to see what it can really do.

Les Aubues is an enclave within Puligny’s excellent Enseignères, just below Le 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. This village wine is much more than just a village wine. There are generous golden fruit flavours, with a hint of peach stone bitterness adding the feeling of power and structure here. A very fine, vibrant Puligny this year.

The most structured of the Bachelet brothers' red, this opens with dark cherry fruit, fresh earth, cocoa and crushed violet petals. There is a course of freshness running through the palate with a supple and powdery feel to the tannins, which suggests it will age gracefully.

Strictly limited to 6 bottles per customer

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 fabulous wine. This year they made three barrels and used one new barrel for ageing. It has a power and depth that sets it apart from the premiers crus. For the moment the wine is a little closed, just giving a glimpse of the power and intensity below the surface. With a little air there are flickers of mineral and ocean spray, floral notes of acacia and white flowers and harmonious stone fruit. A wine that will need time but supremely impressive.

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 you’ll find. In 2023 you’ll find both richness and freshness. It is aged in around 25% new oak and opens with a subtle flintiness followed by bright white peach and apricot blossom notes. A delicate salinity builds on the palate with a lift of white grapefruit on the finish. Already so accessible and delicious.

This is one of the finest sites in Puligny. It has some of the poorest soil in the village, and the wines it produces of real mineral intensity – are the essence of Puligny. The 2023 opens with a pure, well defined nose of wet rocks, jasmine, and a little flintiness. There is a hint of bitter white grapefruit which dances on the palate with the well-defined peach and stone fruit flavours. For the moment it is a wine built on minerality, but is sure to blossom into brilliant and complete wine.

This comes from two plots on the Meursault side of the village and has appealing spiced quince notes with fresh honeysuckle. The palate is rather dense showing impressive concentration of stone fruit, yet the finish is etched with an oyster shell minerality. Excellent potential here.

The Boillots’ tiny but highly-regarded Combettes is situated between Les Referts and Champ Canet, at the top of the Puligny slope coming from three small parcels. It’s a truly brilliant wine in 2023, finding the perfect interplay of freshness and richness. It is assertive on the palate with vibrant notes of orange peel, white peach, and spiced pear. The finish offers a tightly coiled wave of minerality. There is grand cru-esque complexity here.

The Boillot family have two parcels here, which together amount to just over one hectare. This Puligny comes across as quite aerial with a breath of ocean spray running through the wine. The palate is detailed and tightly coiled with notes of acacia, quince and fresh apricot leading to a fabulously vibrant finish.

The Pillot’s steep, stony limestone parcel is a triumph in 2023. An alluring intensity on the nose of fresh pear and white flowers is followed by a more opulent palate. Layered and detailed with an exceptional texture, this powers through to the finish with its tangy, slightly spicy energy and a beautiful chalky undertone. An excellent example of this regal site.

Les Vergers sits at the village’s northern border with St-Aubin, on the slope just above Les Chenevottes. The wine is floral, detailed, and open and charming in its youth. The palate is concentrated, vibrant and textured: there’s real weight to the fruit. It finishes with impressive power and delicious salinity.

This excellent vineyard is on the lower slopes of Puligny, just above Les Enseignères, and directly below the grands crus. It’s classically Puligny on the nose, mineral and restrained, while the palate is peachy and elegant. It is once more a highlight in 2023, showing an intricate balance between density of fruit and juicy acidity.

The Pillots don’t rush anything these days, even the bottling of their Bourgogne, which along with their Chassagnes, spends two winters in the cellar before being bottled. This time allows the wine to fill out, and take on a seriousness and depth which pitches the wine well above its lowly classification. It has a sweet nectarine intensity and a juicy, vibrant length. It comes from various parcels all around the village of Chassagne, which is 100% domaine fruit.

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 shows a pretty, slightly floral scent on the nose, with a fresh, energetic drive of acidity on the 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 recent years in relative comfort. The wine is taut and driven yet there’s a supple energy to the fruit, and a floral, citrus, and salty twist on the nose. It shows excellent control and delicious texture.

This is a brilliant example of what Pinot Noir can do in Chassagne when you combine old vines and serious winemaking. 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 2023 is sitting emphatically in the enticing, expressive red fruit spectrum, and the wine shows a level of freshness, complexity, concentration and precision that lifts it up to great heights.

Jean-Marc makes some of the best Chassagne Rouge around. With 50-60 year old vines planted on the clay soil pockets around the village, he has produced a great example in 2023. This old vine cuvée has a pretty spiced plum aroma on the nose, with textural red fruit detail on the palate. You’ll find slightly chalky, fine-grained tannins of the highest order here.

The vines here are now around 80-90 years old – with a total of four barrels made in 2023. The wine offers spiced cherry fruit, wild strawberry with a fine grained and seamless texture on the palate. Quite a beautiful and seductive style of Nuits but with plenty of stuffing.

This vineyard bordering Pommard did once produce wines with some robust, muscular tannins. However, with vines reaching 70+ years, the tannins have begun to soften, becoming distinctly finer in recent years. The fruit character is darker here with black cherry and violet notes with hints of incense and earthiness. The finish is fleshy with a bright line of acidity.

Always one of the first parcels to be picked due to the richer clay and limestone soils. This has a creamy and silky texture with detailed red berry fruits. There is a beautiful aerial character with a lift of rosehip and pink peppercorn on the finish.

Strictly limited to 6 bottles per customer

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, intricate, lacy and precise. The 70-year-old vines in this parcel deliver wonderfully sophisticated and complex fruit; its ageing potential for its village status is astounding. Treat this like a Premier Cru, and don’t hesitate to hold for ten years if you can resist.

This is a blend of three parcels, from Chassagne, Puligny and St-Aubin. The Chassagne fruit gives fleshiness, with Puligny and St-Aubin giving tension and persistence. It’s got a length and clarity that set it above your average Bourgogne Blanc, and a smart buy.

Strictly limited to 6 bottles per customer

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 an elegant, mineral tension underneath. The 2023 has an aromatic ripeness, with a controlled volume and rippling freshness.

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. It’s a brilliant portrait of St-Aubin, with mineral intensity and tender stone fruit length.

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 white peachy definition and that great Meursault structure - plenty of ripeness combined with the thrilling freshness of the year. It has more ample fruit than the Bourgogne with a voluminous, spicy, mineral length.

Strictly limited to 6 bottles per customer

You can feel the character of the poor stony soil found in Puligny here in this wine’s floral, light-on-its-feet delicacy. It has a piercing, slightly spicy intensity accompanied by a tenderness of fruit on the textured finish. Enticing, with intricate structure and superb definition.

Quite classic in style, this opens with a little almond pastry, white peach and hints of butterscotch. The palate is juicy delivering plenty of well-defined stone fruit with a elegant freshness and focus. A hint of spice and fresh floral notes mingle on the finish.

Strictly limited to 6 bottles per customer

This is one of Meursault’s finest vineyards, shared amongst some of its greatest growers. It’s a clear step up in the Bouzereau line-up: textural, precise and enduring. Complexity abounds.

Blagny sits high up, 400m above the heart of the Meursault commune. This altitude brings a focused freshness to the wines. It has notes of ripe citrus, with a richly mineral seashell note - not unlike Chablis - on the nose. The soil is 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. Saline, mineral, elegant and powerful.

This is a Bourgogne full of peachy freshness, great volume and delicious energy. 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. A favourite Bourgogne.

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 with aromas of jasmine, white grapefruit, with a breath of ocean spray on the finish.

The Lafarge family’s parcels of Chardonnay lie on the Volnay side of Meursault, naturally. The vines are over 50 years old, on a terroir that has around 30 centimetres of clay before the vines hit the limestone below. A charming wine with subtle creaminess, and aromas of white flowers and fresh peach. There is a quiet tension running through the wine.

The Lafarges always pick their Aligoté a couple of weeks after the main harvest, and rely on the small clutch of family members rather than the main harvest team, to bring the fruit in. The vines are approaching 90 years of age, and yield only tiny volumes of beautiful, characterful fruit, producing a wine with superb phenolic complexity. Aged half in cement, half in barrel the wine will be bottled at the end of March. The small golden-skinned berries of the ‘raisins dorés’ clone produce a wine with super energy with notes of fresh white grapefruit, lemon peel, and white flowers.

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 and an intense fruit core: quintessential Volnay. A more ethereal feel this year with fine texture and a lift of wild strawberry and cherry blossom.

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. There is charm and freshness to the wine that offers aromas of violets and fresh red cherry with just a tinge of liquorice root on the finish.

Although their home village of Volnay is what many people think of when they hear Lafarge, their noble Beaune holdings are equally highly regarded. This Beaune leads with darker cherry fruit, with fine-grained sinewy tannin with a certain boldness and earthiness too. Really expressive and accessible even at this early stage but with plenty of stuffing for the long-haul.

For many, Lafarge is Volnay. This is a blend of their lower-lying parcels of village Volnay, four of which lie on the Pommard side, and two on the Meursault side. This wine is always elegant and perfumed, with an expressive silky frame. In 2023 this is a seamless and beautiful wine offering notes of red and dark cherries, hints of fresh violets with a subtle spiced note on the finish.

In 2023 the vines celebrated their 102nd birthday (not that anyone’s counting), and lay claim to being the oldest vines of the domaine. Whilst their home village of Volnay is what many people think of when they hear the name Lafarge, their noble Beaune holdings are equally highly regarded, with Grèves the finest. This is quite simply a brilliant wine. Intense, profound and seamless with a focus that drives through the palate. Don’t miss this in 2023.

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 in its youth, but can also show wonderful sweetness of fruit and pretty minerality in youth, it’s hard to imagine it shutting down. There is intensity yet lightness and poise in this 2023. Aromas of wilted rose petal, pink peppercorn and red cherry fruit emerge from the glass. 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. Intense purity and length to this wine, there is a seriousness and gravitas that shows through on the dark cherry fruit laced with a mineral accent. Extremely fine.

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 outstanding purity. The wine gives flavours of violets, bitter herbs with a core of supple red cherry fruit. The finish is so detailed and expressive with a subtle tinge of iodine and oyster shell.

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, with a pleasing volume of fruit in 2023. It’s a suitably impressive Chassagne from one of the most exciting growers here.

This, along with La Grande Montagne, is one of the most sought-after cuvées from the Pillot cellar, and produced only in tiny quantities. The vineyard is found in the southern part of the village, right next to La Grande Montagne and La Romanée. The wine is open, opulent and fragrant, with amazing density and powerful drive.

A larger 1er Cru in the range, Pillot owns a 1.23-hectare plot here. The bouquet is well-defined with notes of crushed rocks, fern, white grapefruit and jasmine. The palate is linear with a vibrant bead of acidity and a long and refreshing finish. Very classy.

Les Pitangerets straddles Chassagne-Montrachet and St-Aubin, and sits just above Les Chenevottes. It’s a St-Aubin of considerable tension, with the signature Pillot energy running through the middle. Racy and so long.

Like Les Grandes Ruchottes, this is a highly-prized wine of the Pillot cellar, and made in similarly tiny volumes. The vineyard sits at the top of the hill, and this wine has a cool, restrained composure, with a statuesque presence.

This vineyard is widely regarded as one of the finest in the village. The white pebbly limestone soils make for racy wines, sharing much in common with the best Puligny-Montrachets, but with the nutty, savoury twist of Chassagne. Old vines give it a richness and density setting it apart.

Delivering everything you might hope for in a Bourgogne Chardonnay this has a fine backbone of salinity clothed in white citrus fruit, white peach and a lift honeysuckle and green pear. Pull the cork and enjoy!

A variety that is being increasingly popular with both growers and drinkers alike, there is a freshness and vibrancy in this wine which makes it quite irresistible. White grapefruit, verbena, and ocean spray deliver on the palate with real purity and focus.

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 2023 has tension and saline length, with a nervous energy that lingers long after tasting.

This is a wonderful site in Beaune, high up on the hill to the south of the town. Joannes cleverly uses the whole-bunch here, and the wine is aromatically spiced with strawberries and ginger. 60% of the wine is aged in ceramic tanks for the first time in 2023, adding an extra layer of freshness and precision to the fruit. The silky tannins contribute to a sensational length. This is really worth seeking out.

100% whole-bunch lifts this village Pommard up a notch or two. It’s such a fragrant and appetising style, mineral with lacy tannins and the best we’ve seen from Joannes since he took over in 2019. It is a great entry point for one of Pommard’s most promising new voices.

When Joannes Violot-Guillemard turns his hand to Pommard, it’s with the same finesse and silky tension that he brings to the precise and perfumed character of his Pommards. Les Brouillards borders Pommard, and shows a little of the muscle and brawn of its neighbour, with a distinctly floral tone to the fruit. Refined, detailed and utterly delicious.

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. It strikes a brilliant balance between ethereal juiciness and mineral bite.

This magnificent vineyard in Pommard is a hot contender for promotion to Grand Cru. It has iron-rich clay soils and is known for producing wines of robust and powerful structure. This iteration is undeniably luscious and full, with excellently controlled power. While a proportion aged in ceramic eggs, adds another complimentary layer of pure, lifted juice creating a mesmerising result.

This magnificent vineyard in Pommard is a hot contender for promotion to Grand Cru. It has iron-rich clay soils and is known for producing wines of robust and powerful structure. This iteration is undeniably luscious and full, with excellently controlled power. While a proportion aged in ceramic eggs, adds another complimentary layer of pure, lifted juice creating a mesmerising result.

The vines here have an average age of 70+ years and, along with Rugiens, enjoy one of the finest positions in the village. 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. 100% whole-bunch, with 50% of the wine being aged in ceramic tanks for the first time in 2023, adding an extra layer of freshness and precision to the fruit. This makes for a more ethereal, delicate, precise and elegant expression of Pommard than perhaps we are used to. It will need a little time, but this is a diamond in the making.

The domaine only bought this parcel in 2011, and it still feels like a newcomer on their list, even though it’s been a decade of releases already. The clay soils of the vineyard make a wonderfully rich wine that never shows any heaviness. It is crystalline with great presence.

A profound Perrières this year, it has a density and tension running from start to finish. Nashi pear, white peach, but the emphasis for the moment is on the mineral with crushed rocks and ocean spray salinity. This will take some time to show its full potential but clearly has all the component parts for greatness.

Lafon’s Charmes is one of the defining wines of the appellation. When buying this, you get quintessential Meursault, quintessential Lafon. The parcel is in the upper part of the Premier Cru, and makes for a racier wine than those you find further down the slope. It has incredible energy on the palate, and superb concentration, thanks to the old vines (some are approaching 100 years).

Clos de la Barre is the domaine’s monopole 2.1-hectare vineyard which lies just behind the cellar. The wine always has a bright acidity, married with ripe stone fruit and a salty tang on the finish. A hint of Danish pastry makes it typically Meursault.

Tasting Lafon’s Montrachet from barrel is truly one of the privileges of the job. It is a legendary wine, deserving of its high status.

The Lafons declassify the fruit of young vines grown in the 4-hectare plot into the village Volnay, meaning the 1er Cru Santenots-du-Milieu cuvée is the exclusive product of old vines. It is a complex red, with aromatic density, sour cherry freshness and a long, mineral finish, and for close followers of the domaine, one of the greatest wines in the cellar, whose reputation is more closely linked with its whites.

Monthelie is a small village just north of Meursault, producing deliciously crunchy red wines. The Lafon example is one of its leading lights. Indeed, the red wines at Lafon have come on a great deal in recent years, and this is one of the most affordable entry points to the domaine. Juicy, crunchy, and elegant Côte de Beaune Pinot at its finest.

This delicious white comes from a plot of limestone soil high up on the hill. It’s floral, mineral and zippy, with fantastic energy. This delivers the quality and complexity of a village wine for the price not far off others’ Bourgogne Blancs.

This is a blend of multiple parcels of older vines (the average age is 55 years), which all share in common their mid-slope position. There is quite a lot of flat land and heavy clay at the bottom of Santenay which is less good, so this is an important distinction. These vines are all in the upper part of the village on limestone, and make for an expressive, vibrant, fresh, and distinctive red wine packed with cherry and damson notes. It shows good clarity, elegance, and a long, saline, peppery finish. Cracking value.

Beauregard is one of Santenay’s finest Premiers Crus, lying at the eastern end of the village, near the border with Chassagne. It’s a particularly picturesque site, with a windmill in the vineyard - a good indication there is a steady breeze here, helping to keep the fruit cool as it matures. The limestone soil gives the wine a chalky freshness and acidity, particularly useful in warmer years. It’s got a deep colour and a dark, concentrated fruit profile. Really great value.

Strictly limited to 3 bottles per customer

This is the first year that Catharina is selling this cuvée (she made it first in 2022) and the Chardonnay comes from a 1.7-hectare vineyard on the Montagne de Beaune. The isolated plot was unpruned and unloved when she took it over, so a lot of care and attention has gone into bringing the vines back to life. Catharina loves working here. Open and elegant on the nose, packed with fresh, mineral, crystalline citrus flavours, with a long, saline finish. A brilliant début.

Strictly limited to 3 bottles per customer

This Chardonnay comes from biodynamically farmed vineyards in Meursault. It debuted in 2020, and previous vintages have shown themselves to be pretty serious in bottle. It goes through a long gentle fermentation, and is packed with citrus and stone fruit flavours, with a long, cool finish.

Strictly limited to 3 bottles per customer

Catharina’s Aligoté has earned a huge following.The fruit comes from two side-by-side plots in Volnay, and in 2023 she’s given one third of the fruit some time to macerate on its skins, later blending it with wine fermented from the grapes that were pressed straight away. This method gives the wine an edgy freshness, with just a hint of phenolic grip adding an extra dimension to the wine.

Strictly limited to 3 bottles per customer

This plot of 30 year old vines has now been replanted so this is a new addition to the range, and the last for the foreseeable future. Using 50% whole-bunch and then aged in a large wooden foudre, this cuvée has bags of elegant power waiting to unfurl in time and will reward the patient. Rich yet fresh on the nose, silky, velvety tannins delight on the palate. The depth of the fresh, spicy fruit is extremely enticing.

Strictly limited to 3 bottles per customer

A new addition to the range in 2023, two thirds of the fruit is sourced from En Reniard adding bright, luminous fruit, with the other third from Combe du Bas, adding spiciness. The nose is beautifully fruit forward. The 50% and 100% whole-bunch used respectively here works a treat, producing a perfumed, mineral, and supple wine. The tannins are present, but they add length rather than weight or too much intensity. P.S. the inspiration for the name of this new addition comes from the poem Liberté by Paul Eluard.

Strictly limited to 3 bottles per customer

This is another new cuvée in 2023. Catharina recently began to farm the tiny plot, so it is set to become a new reference point in her portfolio. The vineyard is planted on a little terrace and needs to be worked with a horse. She’s used 50% whole-bunch on this wine, as much out of necessity (such a small volume) as from desire, but it works very well. It shows a juicy acidity, sapid, lacy tannins and a silky, mineral length tinged with blood orange. Amazing energy and a great new addition.

Strictly limited to 3 bottles per customer

Les Prévolles is the emblematic cuvée of this young estate. It was the first vineyard Catharina bought, and she tends her 0.18 hectares like a garden. Her hard work has gradually seen the cuvée take on more weight and dark fruit concentration. She combines fruit from her own plot with some bought from the neighbouring plot. It’s a truly wonderful expression in 2023 - beautifully fresh, rich, elegant, and mineral. Delicious.

Strictly limited to 2 bottles per customer

This is a highpoint in the Horées cellar, which now has more backbone than in the early vintages. It should have the longest drinking window of the 2023s, and while most of Catharina’s wines drink so well from youth, I’d urge patience for this one. It has a superb, floral acidity, with real intensity and drive. Mineral and spicy, with a touch of blood orange on the finish. Utterly superb and only made in tiny quantities.

Strictly limited to 3 bottles per customer

This was a new cuvée in 2022, and its name is a play on words. ‘If’ is French for yew tree, and the name describes a group of six trees; but say it out loud (en français) and you’ll see what it really means. It comes from fruit sourced 100% from Savigny Les Boutières (she started farming this vineyard from 2024 onwards), and 50% whole-bunch. It is a boisterous bourgogne rouge, with concentration and density but also lifted and lacy tannins. Loads of fun.

Strictly limited to 6 bottles per customer

This is a blend of Pinot Noir from the Montagne de Beaune and Gamay from Catharina’s own vineyard in Pommard and some fruit from Fleurie in Beaujolais. The Gamay is vinified using 50% whole-bunch, and the resulting lifted, supple, juicy character gives this wine great appeal. Also a very attractive minerality throughout.

Strictly limited to 3 bottles per customer

Catharina’s original Bourgogne Rouge comes from her own vineyard in Pommard. It stands apart from Des Six Ifs as a Bourgogne of poise and precision; lighter in its frame, and consequently more intellectual in expression. The whole-bunch works a treat here, producing a perfumed, mineral, chalky, and supple wine.

Strictly limited to 3 bottles per customer

Catharina previously made a Savigny Les Vermots, but from 2023 moving forward, she is blending Les Vermots with a tiny plot of Premier Cru, Les Peuillets. The label hasn’t changed, but the name has, and its new one is a nod to the first book of Marcel Proust. This is ethereal and fine-boned, with a peppery length and serious depth.

This was a new addition to the Lay & Wheeler list in 2022. The parcel sits in the northern half of the commune, towards Puligny-Montrachet. It’s a fairly flat, stony vineyard. It stands out in the line-up for its floral and delicate perfume. There is Chassagne’s deliciously nutty, savoury structure, making it an excellent food wine.

This is 100% domaine-owned fruit from the tiny clos of just 1.7ha in the northern sector of Les Vergers on the Chassagne/St-Aubin border. There’s a sophisticated interplay between controlled and tantalising reduction and chiselled stone fruit weight. Crystalline and compelling.