2019 Côte de Nuits

This large 7 hectare vineyard in the hills above Nuits-St-Georges has wonderful limestone soils, quite similar to those found on the hill of Corton, though with a much fresher climate, of course. It is wild and fresh, with a hedgerow fruit aroma and a long, and ripe finish. This has done particularly well in 2019.

One of the lesser known Nuits premiers crus, this vineyard is shared with Domaine Robert Chevillon, just below Aux Thorey, on the Vosne side of the appellation. Its clay-rich soils have yielded a big-shouldered, powerful Nuits, with a complex and surprisingly silky palate with an ample, pleasing finish.

Aloxe-Corton, which hugs the hill of Corton, may not be the most famous village in the Côte d’Or, overshadowed both metaphorically and literally by the grands crus, but in the hands of winemakers like Etienne the results can be impressive - and good value. This is spicy and dark-fruited on the nose, with a juicy palate that abounds with summer fruits and a voluminous, structured finish.

This remarkable village lieu dit sits directly above Bonnes Mares, Clos de Tart, and Clos des Lambrays. The Clair parcel is situated just above their Bonnes Mares parcel. Up here there is virtually no top soil at all, and the vines plunge straight into the limestone bedrock. The wine has a dark-fruited depth, with a tannin structure that feels so sumptuous and silky. It’s hard to believe this isn’t a premier cru.

Delicate and perfumed on the nose. When the quality of fruit is this good, it becomes irrelevant its classification is merely Bourgogne.

Another new addition to the Cathiard cellar in 2019. It feels slightly more structured than the Aux Chaumes at this early stage, with a saline drive.

This might just be the best village wine out there. It comes from four parcels which host a variety of vine ages. The relatively high proportion of younger vines gives this cuvée an explosive, juicy power. There are such voluptuous tannins and depth of fruit. It is powerful and silky, and utterly delicious.

This is one of the most complete Gevrey village wines you will find: multiple parcels scattered around the village, they vinify them in three parts. One part comes from the light stony soil at the bottom of the valley, giving a cool elegance; the second is a cluster of parcels in the middle of the village on clay soil, giving body and structure; the third is a group of parcels below the grands crus, giving a complexity and finesse. The vines are all aged between 45 and 85 years, and the concentration and complexity this wine delivers for the price is hard to beat. It has a beautifully grippy tension in 2019.

This wine is not only where his cellars are based, it is also the calling card of the domaine. It shows a burst of juicy red berries on the nose, with a lifted, minty freshness. The tannins are so strawberry-soft and supple that the overall impression is of an incredibly silky texture, that might feel like it were missing some structure if it weren’t for the elegant freshness of the Hautes-Côtes acidity. Nice peppery nuance to the cranberry fruit palate.

This single vineyard Côtes de Nuits village wine is a firm Lay & Wheeler favourite. It has a superbly lifted cherry fruit nose, with some excellent minty freshness on the peppery palate. Exactly what you’d look for in this appellation, with the intensity and dimensions to out-perform some grander communal wines with a few years in bottle.

This single vineyard is located on the north side of Nuits, near Vosne-Romanée. It has a hint of that silkiness, but in its youth, the Nuits structure and stature dominate. This is a great example of the bold and muscular Nuits: fully bodied and full flavoured, with 2019’s brilliant freshness.

This comes from a single parcel just across the road from Chambolle-Musigny, Les Bons Batons. It has the perfect combination of tannins, fruit and acidity. With notes of rose petal and fresh berries, and a fine, lacy line of acidity with supply tannins, this feels more like a Chambolle than a Bourgogne. Considerable ageing potential.

Clos de Vougeot might be a grand cru, but in the wrong hands it can be ungainly and heavy. In the hands of the Grivots, however, it is a finely woven, detailed and poised wine with beautiful power and length. The structure here is a little austere in its youth, but this is just the innate structure of the site taking centre stage so early on. This bodes well for some complex ageing, and the fruit will unfurl around the tannin architecture in time.

This vineyard is in the hills above Vosne, and enjoys a cooler microclimate thanks to its 437m elevation. There is a tiny bit of Pinot Blanc grown amongst Chardonnay here, and this wine has a lovely apricot perfume, and fresh citrus zip on the palate. Beautifully textured.

40% Gamay with the rest Pinot Noir, from a 38 year old vineyard. Great density, with crunchy berries, grip, and long, fine finish.

As the name suggests, this is situated in the heart of Chambolle-Musigny, and is a monopole of the domaine that we’d argue is premier cru quality. There’s lots of limestone in the soil here, and the 2019 is agile and bright, with juicy flow.

From five parcels in four different sites, this Vosne is spicy, fragrant, and incredibly long. Beautiful energy on the finish.

This is a brilliant ruby red, with an exuberantly crunchy red fruit-scented nose. The structure is cool and poised with bright acidity and good density of saline fruit. Lovely purity and drive.

This is a mix of three plots across the grand cru. It has a increible intensity on the nose, laden with crushed raspberries and bright cranberry notes. There is something satisfyingly astringent on the palate - the tannins adding structure and definition, and promising excellent potential with some age.

Amongst some stiff competition, this is regarded as one of the finest premiers crus in Vosne. It’s up-hill position gives it lots of light, and exposure to cooling breezes. Nicolas has been buying the fruit from this particular parcel since 1997: it is his oldest contract, and represents a special place in his offering. Nicely spiced, and with a good body of dark, ripe fruits, and a floral note on the finish. Glossy tannins remind you this couldn’t really be anything other than top drawer Vosne.

This remote east-facing vineyard sits at an elevation of 400m. Mark explains that on a crisp summer morning you can see all the way to Mont Blanc from here. Its position means, although bathed in morning sun, it does not have much hot afternoon sun. The fruit ripens slowly here, and it is often the last parcel of the domaine to be picked. It is suave, refined, and effortlessly elegant.

This is a very special village lieu dit. It is sandwiched between two grands crus: Charmes-Chambertin and Griotte-Chambertin. You can really appreciate the calibre of this vineyard in the delicious profile of this 2019, introduced by the sumptuous but cool red fruit fragrance, and followed by a crystalline palate with perfectly expressed velvet tannins. All the fruit was destemmed for this cuvée, and the gentle supporting note of new oak in the background is on song.

This wine has been bottled as a single vineyard cuvée by Amélie’s father for many years, and remains the flagship wine of the estate. It is just over a hectare and sits right in the heart of the appellation, just below the village itself. The alluvial soils, particularly at the bottom of the parcel, are well-draining. The vines age between 15 and 70 years, and the wine has a brilliantly grippy fresh fruit drive with ample tannins and a spicy backbone.

This cuvée first appeared in 2015. It is made from the young(er) vines of the Clos de l’Arlot that had once been labelled ‘Petit Arlot’. It consistently proves its worth as a separate bottling with every new vintage: this is sweet and precise on the nose, with bursting redcurrants, violets, and graphite. The palate shows a wonderfully classical freshness, and some attractive, firm tannins that are expertly married to the red berry volume, making it ready for drinking in just a few years, I expect.