Côte de Beaune 2018

Puligny’s largest vineyard, and the pick of Alain’s premiers crus. Folatières in 2018 is a great success for Alain. Notes of pink grapefruit and orange blossom, there’s real intensity and length here. Very pure and long, with wonderful energy.

The only other owners of Clavoillon are Alain’s brother, and Domaine Leflaive. Alain’s part was planted in 1950. Plenty of gun flint and salty minerality here. It’s floral, with silky acidity and excellent persistence on the finish. This is the sweet spot for Puligny.

The plot of Charmes in Puligny borders Charmes in Meursault, so it’s a village vineyard next to a premier cru. There’s a beautiful fragrance to Alain’s 2018 Charmes. Very mineral on the palate, but with depth of yellow fruit, there’s excellent complexity for a village wine here.

This was the final wine tasted one day in Burgundy, and it blew us away: what a way to finish the day. Lime and grapefruit, and such salinity: you really feel the soil here. Open and energetic, it’s an explosion on the palate. Brilliant.