Côte de Beaune

Amongst a strong line up of premiers crus in David’s cellar, this is always our favourite. It comes from a parcel with a hard limestone bedrock, producing a wine that is marked by its surprising suppleness. This is the work of a winemaker at the peak of his abilities, coaxing an ephemeral beauty from his Pinot: floral, fresh, and mineral. A definite buy.

Les Hâtes sits in the middle of the village, surrounded by premiers crus on well-draining soil. It makes for a floral, ethereal style of Pinot with lovely proportions. This floral character is a natural expression of the site which David sees emerge every year. 10-15% whole-bunch is brilliantly controlled here. A contender for the best price:quality ratio on the list this year.

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. This wine is outstanding. The 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.

Charles Ballot’s Narvaux sits in a sweet-spot for Burgundy buyers. It has the character, definition, energy and complexity placing it 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: both ample and energetic. Exactly how we like our Meursault.

The village Meursault from this address delivers a hell of a lot in the glass. It is drawn from parcels scattered around the village, and offers up a concentrated and precise structure, with buoyant energy.

The village Meursault from this address delivers a hell of a lot in the glass. It is drawn from parcels scattered around the village, and offers up a concentrated and precise structure, with buoyant energy.

This Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru offers up a different angle on the Ballot-Millot style: a firmer, chalkier line runs through it, with an orchard fruit crunch in the background.

This Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru offers up a different angle on the Ballot-Millot style: a firmer, chalkier line runs through it, with an orchard fruit crunch in the background.

Along with Genevrières, you can rely on Perrières to be a sensational wine from Charles Ballot. It shows sophisticated reduction, with limestone bite on the palate and a mineral flourish on the finish. Scintillating.

The vines in Genevrières are over 80 years old, and the wine has a gravitas and presence. It shows 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 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.

La Maltroie is one of the larger premiers crus in Chassagne, and is often one of the most restrained, backward wines in Alex’s cellar. The vines sit right in the middle of the village, opposite the cellar. It has a savoury, smooth length, and a tight, refined power. It feels young, and 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.

This is always 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. 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. This gives the wine its body and structure. The other half comes from the village’s border with Puligny-Montrachet, and from here comes the wine’s linear energy. Effortlessly pure and persistent.

This is always 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. 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. This gives the wine its body and structure. The other half comes from the village’s border with Puligny-Montrachet, and from here comes the wine’s linear energy. 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 racy, and fresh, with a burst of citrus fanning out across the palate. It is the epitome of refreshing, balanced, and delicious Burgundy. 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. It’s beautifully expressive, with a vibrant, pure and balanced length.

This is gorgeously vibrant and fresh, but with excellent depth and persistence. The energy comes from the elevation of the vines around Nantoux, but that depth and complexity is down to a careful technique Boris uses in the cellar. He keeps the fine lees from the previous year to add to the current year’s wine. It’s a practice used by Coche Dury and gives autolytic complexity and noble reduction. It also keeps the acidity in the wine. It’s a labour of love, but worth it. This is a terrific Aligoté with bite and precision.

This Coteaux Bourguinons is made from 100% old vine Gamay grown in Nantoux. Boris said, amazingly, the Gamay was barely bothered by the mildew that destroyed the Pinot Noir next door. This is an exceptional Gamay, with fluidity and grace in its easy, juicy core, and fresh, balanced finish. Some of the vines are getting on for ninety-years-old, and the concentration and kick this gives to the wine is notable. This is a top pick in 2024.

Just like the Aligoté, this undergoes the Coche treatment, with fine lees from the previous year integrated into the new, adding savoury, autolytic depth. It is amazingly vibrant and energetic. It comes from a single parcel up near the domaine.

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 a limestone marl bedrock. Boris has reduced the whole-bunch from 100% down to 60% this year, and the result is a Clou which is more open in its youth, with a juicy, easy flow. It has a fine, elegant aroma of red berries and cinnamon spice, with silky tannins and impressive concentration on the poised finish.

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 2024 has some serious structure in there. It might need a little more time than the Clou, but it will reward the patient.

This comes from a blend for the domaine’s young vines with a small dash of extremely old vines, from multiple parcels scattered around the village of Nantoux. It has a crunchy acidity giving it a fresh profile, which is twinned with the ripe blueberry/raspberry fruit character. It shows a spiced, grippy and fine length.

An energetic and vibrant Bourgogne Blanc: it comes from parcels across Santenay and St-Aubin, wonderful fleshy fruit on the mid-palate paves the way for an impressively long finish. It is deliciously zesty 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.

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.

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

This 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 bright, vivid nectarine fruit character and a sumptuous, silky 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 satisfyingly saline finish.

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.

This is a secret gem to know about. It’s made from a blend of young vine fruit and some incredible old Aligoté Doré grown in Meursault (c.100 years), whose tiny, golden berries are packed with vibrant flavours. This is a particular highlight in the cellar, and clearly outpaces their Bourgogne Chardonnay.

This gourmand, full-bodied and elegant wine is one of the sweet spots of the Comte Armand stable, with surprising ageing potential. It often does well in lighter years, so in 2024 we could be in for something special. It is a blend of two vineyards in Auxey: Les Bréterins and Les Duresses. Bréterins is steep and well-draining, with limestone soils contributing savoury elegance; Duresses is clay-based and builds power and body in the wine. Its particularly fine tanning structure is what sets it apart from the village wine.

Auxey-Duresses is a largely overlooked village of the Côte de Beaune, tucked up above Meursault, next to Monthélie, on the way to St Romain. This anonymity persists 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. The 2024 has a wonderful tannin structure, giving the wine backbone and length, but not overpowering the lovely red fruit.

The primary reason this cuvée is not more celebrated and well-known is that it is simply produced in tiny quantities, particularly so in 2024. It is the most fine-boned and restrained wine in the cellar, its charm derived from its elegant restraint. Its high proportion of old vines make a concentrated and deep wine.

This Volnay shows delicious freshness, length and tension. Pillowy, gently spiced red fruit leads to a silky, aromatically complex palate, spiced through with wild strawberry fruit. It is a blend of two parcels, Les Famines and Les Grands Champs, in the centre of the commune.

This is an important vineyard both in terms of its size (a substantial 5.23 ha) and its historical stock of old vines (some now over 100 years old) which are used as a source of top quality massale selection by nurseries: its plant material is simply supreme. High-density planting and old vines means low yields are the norm, and sadly in 2024 only 10hl/ha were achieved here. This Clos feels on point: 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, 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 a pleasing freshness and amplitude in 2024. It is more weighty than the village wine, with an extra level of depth.

This maintains its place as one of the most complete and brilliant value village wines from this famous village of the Côte de Beaune. It is quintessentially Chassagne with its deliciously sleek, nutty fruit, and chiselled texture on the palate. It’s a benchmark Chassagne from one of our favourite producers, and always a smart buy.

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 2024 is chalky, chiselled, and distinctly of its limestone terroir. There’s spiced pear fruit on the mid-palate, too. A triumph.

Le Montrachet is the greatest of all white grands crus, but volumes being what they are in 2024, Céline was only able to make one barrel. There is power and majesty here. Sensational.

Bâtard-Montrachet is never short of showy power, even in youth. 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. As with all his 24s, the fruit is completely de-stemmed, and the wine has a sumptuous, succulent texture on the palate. It is sweetly- scented, with intense purity of fruit. Sensational.

This is arguably the greatest site in Volnay. Marc-Olivier is lucky to have two parcels here. The ‘young vines’ are a mere 50 years old, and the old vines very much older. This is the stuff of dreams: red fruit tenderness, a Volnay austerity and grip on the back palate, and a seductively long finish.

Marc-Olivier’s usual 20 barrels are reduced to just one and a half in 2024. But what remains has excellent purity. It is floral and gently spiced, with layers of delicate aromatics. It comes from a blend of two parcels: the evocatively named Les Famines, whose paucity of soil makes the roots dig deep; and a small dash of the tiny lieu-dit, La Gigotte, which lifts this village wine up a notch. Sapid, fruity, and accessible, with nicely grippy tannins.

This superb cuvée is always made in tiny volumes, so there is very little to go around. Restrained and graceful, with a savoury backbone.

Like the Volnay Taillepieds, this is one of the smaller cuvées in the Buffet stable. It comes from the upper part of the vineyard, planted with vines that are now well over their hundred year mark. All work here is done by horse, and the attention to detail continues in the cellar. Toothsome power and muscular drive combine with sweet fruit length.

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. There’s a spicy, fresh ginger twist to the fruit, perhaps thanks to the playful reduction going on here. It’s salty, taut and extremely good.

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 pineapple intensity. Harmonious, deep and precise.

There are many who consider Bachelet’s Blanchot-Dessus to be on a 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. 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. It shows unbelievable persistence for a village wine, and surely any blind taster would jump to a premier cru conclusion, thanks to the layered complexity, length and texture of the wine.

The domaine used to - technically - rent these vines from Jean-Marc’s mother, Lydie’s grandmother. She passed away five years ago and since then the domaine has inherited the two parcels, from which they make this fabulous 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. Just two barrels produced in 2024.

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. It has lively freshness, and a cool, elegant length, packed with a pure, juicy texture, and a saline thread of acidity driving right through to the finish.

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, mineral style, and a delicious bitterness, like that of freshly sliced pink grapefruit. It’s concentrated, showing impressive linear attack to the acidity, continuing right through the long, saline finish.

This comes from the Meursault side of the village, and has an attractive yet delicate white blossom, floral nose, followed by impressive weight, creamy stone fruit concentration, and a toasty flicker at the end from the well-judged oak. This promises a complex development.

The Boillots’ tiny but highly-regarded Combettes is situated between Les Referts and Champ Canet above and below, and Meursault Charmes to the side. It shows some of the Charmes character in its silken texture, and excellent density. There is grand cru-esque complexity here.

The Boillot family have two parcels here, which together amount to just over one hectare. It is scented with pithy citrus and just a hint of lime blossom. As ever, this is tightly coiled, concentrated, textural Puligny with laser-sharp definition.

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. It produces a powerful and fragrant wine, with a straight, linear drive.

The Pillot’s steep, stony limestone parcel produces a magnificent wine. It is intense on the nose with fresh pear and white flowers, followed by an opulent palate. It is layered and detailed with an exceptional texture. It is 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, open and charming. The palate is concentrated and textured: there’s real weight to the fruit. It finishes with impressive power.

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 shows 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 fleshy, vibrant length. It comes from various parcels all around the village of Chassagne.

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 light lemon scent on the nose, with a fresh, linear 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 chiselled yet there’s a suppleness to the fruit, and a citrus, salty twist on the nose. It shows excellent control and delicious texture.

The small but choice climat of Les Baudines in the larger Bois de Chassagne cru is perched high up on the hill benefitting from the cooling breeze. It is chiseled and driven.

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. The wine shows a level of freshness, detail and precision that lifts it up to great heights.

Jean-Marc makes some of the best Chassagne Rouge around. With many old vines planted on the clay soil pockets around the village, this old vine cuvée has a fabulous spiced plum aroma on the nose, with textural red fruit detail on the palate. You’ll find lacy, fine-grained tannins of the highest order here.

This vineyard, bordering Pommard, did once produce wines with some robust, muscular tannins. But now that the vines have reached 70+ years, and Clément’s winemaking is less extractive, the tannins are softened, and particularly fine in 2024. It shows a touch of blueberry fruit, with plush and refreshing structure.

This very fine Volnay shows elegant red fruit, with nicely ripe, supple, fine tannins. There’s a little cinnamon and pink peppercorn spice in the background, too.

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 to explain its superior quality. It is detailed, 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 is a smart buy. Light and refreshing.

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. It shows a marked tension, with tightly-wound aromatics and controlled power.

The cuvée is named after Damien and Caroline’s grandmother. Its personalised moniker hints at how fond the family are of this wine, which is usually a blend of three parcels in the village. However in 2024 one parcel was so badly frosted it lost 100%, so we are left with two-thirds of the blend. It is nevertheless a brilliant portrait of St-Aubin, with chalky 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 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 length.

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

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.

This is a Bourgogne full of fresh, lemony zing 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.

The Lafarge family’s parcels of Chardonnay lie on the Volnay side of Meursault, naturally. The vines are over 50 years old, and the wine shows lovely freshness and density of fruit.

These vines are approaching 90 years of age, and yield only tiny volumes of beautiful, characterful fruit, producing a wine with superb phenolic complexity. The small golden-skinned berries of the ‘raisins dorés’ clone produce a richness and incredible energy.

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. So pure and long, with a velvety structure, bursting with strawberry aromatics.

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. It shows a fine fruit expression with an appetising astringency and a moreish sour cherry character.

Although their home village of Volnay is what many people think of when they hear the Lafarge name, their noble Beaune holdings are equally highly regarded. This is fine-boned, with grip, focus and fabulous tension, and will make fine old bones.

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. The fruit spectrum is distinctly red here, and the wine feels poised and sweetly ripe, whilst remaining taut and fresh.

These are the oldest vines of the domaine, now over 100 years old. The Lafarges’ noble Beaune vineyards are held in equally high regard as their Volnays, particularly thanks to Grèves. There is an ethereal sweetness to the tannins here.

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 can also show wonderful sweetness of fruit and pretty minerality in youth, 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 de-stemmed 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.

This is a wonderful site in Beaune, high up on the hill to the south of the town. The wine is aromatically spiced with strawberries and ginger notes. The silky tannins contribute to a sensational length. This is really worth seeking out.

This village Pommard is disarmingly pretty; not at all what you might expect from your garden variety Pommard. It is so lithe and refreshing, with transparent fruit. Fragrant and inviting. It really did bowl me over with its delicacy.

When Joannès Violot-Guillemard turns his hand to Volnay, magical things happen. We have a little hint of the sinewy muscle of the Volnay/Pommard border, where this vineyard lies, and the lifted intensity of the domaine’s style. Here you’ll find a distinctly floral tone to the fruit.

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.

Of all the Lafon premiers crus, this is the straightest, brightest, and most direct. It's with good reason that this is widely considered the finest of Meursault's premiers crus.

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 of age).

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. 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 de-classify 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.

Monthélie 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 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 aromatic, vibrant, fresh, and distinctive red wine packed with black cherry and damson notes. 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, and particularly useful in the wet 2024 vintage. The limestone soil gives the wine a freshness and acidity. It’s got an excellent density of juicy red fruit.

This is a bit of a unicorn. Catharina thought she had landed on a long-term contract when she purchased these grapes in 2024, only to find her hopes dashed the following vintage. She dislikes doing one-offs, but she had no choice in the matter here. So, my advice is, snap it up: this is your only chance. It is staggeringly elegant, with the energy and length you would expect from this excellent premier cru.

This cuvée joined the roster in 2022. It comes from 1.7ha parcel on the Montagne de Beaune planted in 2015. She is slowly replanting a third of the plot to Pinot and Gamay, but will continue to nurture the remaining Chardonnay vines here, where there is the tiniest bit of Pinot Blanc co-planted. It is zesty and fresh, easy-going and approachable.

Catharina’s Aligoté earned an early and huge following, which is strange as she very much considers herself a red winemaker. The fruit comes from two side-by-side plots in Volnay, and unlike in previous years, she did no skin contact in 2024. The wine is an absolute joy. What a shame there are just 2 barrels rather than the usual twelve.

Brand new to the portfolio in 2024, this wine means business. The vineyard lies next to Beaune’s celebrated Clos des Mouches. The vineyard is biodynamically farmed and Catharina was thrilled to start buying grapes from here. She was brave in vinifying this with 100% whole-bunch. In hindsight she says she might not have done that again, but it is testament to her dextrous ability in the cellar that she has made a genuinely impressive inaugural wine here: it has firm tannins, but a pure and sustained fruit length. Watch this space.

In 2023 Catharina began farming the three tiny plots, and it is now a new reference point in her portfolio. It shows a great juicy acidity and a smooth, berry energy.

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 amazing to see it alive and kicking in 2024, as it didn’t make it in 2021 due to volumes. Nevertheless, 2 barrels won’t go anywhere near meeting demand for this most cherished of ,i>cuvées.

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 2024s, and while most of Catharina’s wine drink so well from youth, I’d urge patience for this one. It has a superb, floral acidity, combining weightless flow with real intensity. Only two barrels made in 2024.

There will be no Vieux Sage in 2024 as volumes were so small. Instead it was used as the pied du cuve for Des Six Ifs, which was also topped up with the fruit from one of her first parcels in Pommard that usually goes into Mon Poulain. But these additions are tiny: the heart of the wine is still fruit from Savigny, which she has been farming herself since 2024. Like the two vintages before, it is a boisterous bourgogne rouge, with concentration and density. Loads of fun.

As usual this is a 50/50 blend of Pinot Noir and Gamay. But unusually, it does not include any Pinot from her plot in Pommard (this went into her Bourgogne Rouge this year). Instead it comes from the Mâcon, balanced with Gamay from Morgon and a dash of her own Gamay vines in Pommard. This is perhaps the cuvée that best shows her skill as a savvy négociant. It is one of the emblematic wines of her portfolio, and has a crunchy, moreish freshness in 2024.

Another newcomer in 2024, this is set to be a mainstay of her list going forward. Unfashionable as it may be, Catharina cannot hide her love for Beaune. It is refreshing to see such a trend setter taking up the mantle of this often overlooked appellation. The wine shows a wonderful smoky note. She says “it’s a cheerful wine, with quite some shoulders".

Catharina used to make a Savigny Les Vermots, but from 2022 going forward, she is blending Les Vermots with a tiny plot of premier cru, Les Peuillets, and now a teeny addition from Les Villages. The label didn’t change, but the name did, and its new one is a nod to the first book of Marcel Proust. This is ethereal and fine-boned, with a peppery length.

It’s not surprising that this Puligny premier cru is a winning wine from Olivier Leflaive. They are absolute masters of the style here. It has zippy energy, with well-composed fruit structure.

This Chassagne stands out in the line-up for its floral and delicate perfume. There is the village’s deliciously nutty, savoury structure, and delineated precision on the finish.The parcel sits in the northern half of the commune, towards Puligny-Montrachet, and the wine shares some of its neighbour’s filigree precision.

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.

Next to the Olivier Leflaive wines of Puligny, this Meursault village is weighted and structured, with satisfying depth and tension. It’s ample, without being cloying or heavy. The vineyard of Vireuils sits tucked up at the top of the hill, on the border with neighbouring Auxey-Duresses. Its cool hilltop position helps the wine retain a terrific mineral drive, and 50-year-old vines produce concentration and savoury length.

You’d expect this wine to be one of the best in the stable: from home turf, made from a magnificent blend of 25 parcels from across the commune (seven of them the domaine’s own). It is one of the most complete and compelling portraits of the village you’ll find, and it’s a wine to remind you that these Olivier Leflaive wines are not only the most benchmark example of their appellations, but also some of the most exciting in their category. This is everything Puligny should be, and more: filigree, tight, nervous, and fabulously long

Saint Romain is a village increasingly worth serious attention. The freshness afforded by the elevation here is welcome in Chardonnay, and the chalky soils produce wines with a delicious mouthfeel and good bite. The Saint-Romain from Olivier Leflaive comes from various plots, including Sous le Château and En Poillange. It's a refreshing and crunchy white, with limestone minerality and a racy edge.

Folatières’ place in the firmament of truly great Burgundian terroirs has been assured for many years. This 2024 is so balanced, with a dramatic dry extract matched by fresh acidity and a wonderful energy on the length. Only made in tiny quantities. Keep this in the cellar for a few years.

Floral, precise, and energetic. This Montagny premier cru is a classic example of why the appellation is recognised as one of the top communes in the Côte Chalonnaise. This wine itself is a blend of various sites, and is vinified almost exclusively in oak, with just a fraction of it new. It has this wonderful tight fruit-based minerality and a textural structure, with plump lemon pulp at its core.

Floral, precise, and energetic. This Montagny premier cru is a classic example of why the appellation is recognised as one of the top communes in the Côte Chalonnaise. This wine itself is a blend of various sites, and is vinified almost exclusively in oak, with just a fraction of it new. It has this wonderful tight fruit-based minerality and a textural structure, with plump lemon pulp at its core.

Les Sétilles is an outstanding Bourgogne Blanc, and one of the most popular wines on our list. Much of the fruit comes from around Puligny-Montrachet, blended with some from further afield, like the Hautes-Côtes, which brings welcome freshness and tension. Two-thirds of the wine is raised in oak, with just a touch (10%) new. It is precise, full of character, with a mineral bite and a lovely seam of acidity. It is great value for money and consistently brilliant.

Les Sétilles is an outstanding Bourgogne Blanc, and one of the most popular wines on our list. Much of the fruit comes from around Puligny-Montrachet, blended with some from further afield, like the Hautes-Côtes, which brings welcome freshness and tension. Two-thirds of the wine is raised in oak, with just a touch (10%) new. It is precise, full of character, with a mineral bite and a lovely seam of acidity. It is great value for money and consistently brilliant.

Les Sétilles is an outstanding Bourgogne Blanc, and one of the most popular wines on our list. Much of the fruit comes from around Puligny-Montrachet, blended with some from further afield, like the Hautes-Côtes, which brings welcome freshness and tension. Two-thirds of the wine is raised in oak, with just a touch (10%) new. It is precise, full of character, with a mineral bite and a lovely seam of acidity. It is great value for money and consistently brilliant.

This unique wine chez Javillier is a blend of the hillside vineyard Les Clous and Les Crotots, hence the blended name. Les Clous provides the body and drive, with Les Crotots, which sits just next to premier cru Poruzots, giving definition and zip. It has a lively pineapple hint coming through in 2024, and powerful grip on the palate. It shows beautiful weight and texture with impressive concentration of fruit and a mineral length.

50% of the crop was lost in 2024, but what remains is excellent. This is, understandably, the jewel in the crown of this estate. The vines are on the Aloxe-Corton side of the hill, south-facing, with clay/limestone soil. It sees no new oak (instead, the small volume is vinified in one-year-old barrels), so it has a fresh fruit style. It always has that classic Corton-Charlemagne smoky bacon nose, and a palate of profound and concentrated fruit.

Like Les Clousots, this is a blend of two sites in Meursault rather than a single lieu-dit. It is a combination of Les Casses Têtes and Les Murgers de Monthélie. This cuvée has been bottled since 1996, and is a foundation of the Javillier range. It is always the most direct and driven of the range. In 2024 it shows structure and grip that are more akin to a premier cru than a village wine.

This lovely wine has a long, lively finish where fruit and freshness walk hand in hand. It comes from the top of a limestone slope, which has very little topsoil, so the vines need to dig deep for sustenance. It has a pretty nose, with subtle white blossom notes. The palate is straight and saline.

This brilliant Bourgogne Blanc comes from limestone parcels scattered around the Puligny side of Meursault. In 2024 it is full and generous, with amplitude and drive. As usual it has seen 25% new oak, which is relatively high for a Bourgogne, adding savoury definition - you get a lot of bang for your buck here. It is a great introduction to the Côte d’Or.