Côte de Nuits 2018

From the Les Champs Traversins part of this vineyard, high on the hill and noted for a fine expression of Echézeaux. Silky and spicy, with loads of energy behind a powerful core of dark fruit.

This prized Nuits vineyard borders the sought-after Vosne Malconsorts. Intense and charming, with volume and nervy depth that fills the palate. Very mineral with lots of ripe fruit, too. This shows Vosne spice and Nuits minerality.

This, from where his winery is based, is one of his benchmarks. Very pretty fruit, with nicely silky tannins and a tense yet concentrated palate. Plenty of power here, but with Hautes-Côtes freshness.

One of the revelations of this year. This vineyard backs onto one of Nuits’ greatest premier crus, and is a village wine undoubtedly of premier cru quality. Glossy fruit with real power, and amazing length for a village wine. There’s lovely minerality on the finish, showing the wines origins clearly.

This, from where his winery is based, is one of his benchmarks. Very pretty fruit, with nicely silky tannins and a tense yet concentrated palate. Plenty of power here, but with Hautes-Côtes freshness.

This comes from the very highest point of the Mazoyères section of Charmes, and has remained crunchy and finessed, with stunning energy on the finish. Brilliant from Cyprien.

A 1.3 hectare parcel in the heart of the village creates Amélie’s most approachable wine. This is very stony on the nose, with beautiful energy and nervous energy. There’s delicate fruit here, and stunning length for a wine of this price.

This tiny-yielding vineyard might produce, in our eyes, the best Fixin there is. A really beautiful nose of delicate flowers, with crunchy and cool fruit, and excellent volume and amplitude. This is beautiful.

Beautiful cherry fruit. Delicate, fresh, lovely purity and also plenty of juicy berries on the finish. Very saline and defined.

This monopole in the heart of Vosne is now undoubtedly back where it should be: among the appellation’s very finest wines. The vines average 50 years old thinks Nicole. Spicy and elegant, finesse yet power on the nose. It grows, with citrus fruit, cinnamon spice, pomegranate, grapefruit and fresh almonds. Such salinity on the palate, very fine and juicy, with unfurling notes of cherry, darker fruit, and spice. Complexity, volume, and length.

Nicole always shows this after the Vosne premiers crus at the estate, such is its power and intensity. This is textured and grippy, with lovely savoury top notes, and just a hint of iron oxide on the finish.

Almost a marzipan cherry character on the nose: like a refined cherry bakewell! Lovely fruit, so pure and almost blood orange on the finish. Focus and finesse, intensity in the core, delicacy and purity on the palate. Brilliant.

From high up the Nuits slope, on the Vosne side of the village, this is cool, mineral and dark, with a really suave finish.

This comes from four different plots. It’s spicy and silky, with beautifully juicy and finessed tannins. Such a beautiful Vosne.

Made from old vines, planted in 1955, with low yields, this is spectacular - one of the best Bourgognes we know. Energetic, focussed, and with such amplitude. Delicious.

65% of this comes from Rouges du Bas, the rest from the Quartier de Nuits section of the vineyard. Voluptuous, intense, and soaring, this is stunningly beautiful and open in 2018.

From the Bons Batons vineyard just across the road from Chambolle itself. Notes of rose petal and fresh berries, with citrus and a hint of pomegranate. This is a beautifully pure, finessed Chambolle.

Incredibly open and refined on the day we tasted, this is Chambolle personified. Peppery and pure, with silky tannins and notes of violets and red berry fruit. This is really finessed and saline, with an impressively long finish.

Taken from plots in Comblanchien, this has fast become one of our favourite bargain reds. Fresh and silky, and surprisingly long for a wine of this price.

“Bousselots” means “little bumps”, but this premier cru’s clay-rich soils make for a rounded and approachable Nuits-Saint-Georges. Complex and generous, with plenty of cool fruit coming from that clay in the soil.

From the Vosne side of Nuits, bordering the town.This is silky but with plenty of grip and structure. Long: a very good village wine.

Aloxe-Corton may not be typically highly prized, but in the hands of winemakers like Etienne the results can be impressive - and good value. In 2018 it’s a huge success. Juicy and finessed, with plenty of volume on the finish.

A crunchy, refreshing Bourgogne from a talented winemaker, this has lovely fragrance and precision on the finish.

Les Murgers is one of the finest positioned vineyards in Nuits, in the heart of the hillside on the Vosne-Romanée side of the town. This is intense and dark in 2018, with lovely, mineral tannins. Shows the best of both villages.

A Lay & Wheeler favourite for years, from up to 90 year old vines, half of which are next to Lavaux in the combe, and another fifteen parcels. Fragrant, long, and very complex.

At the bottom of the slope of grand cru Chapelle-Chambertin.Notes of kirsch, fresh dark cherries, and baked earth. Very rich and intense, there’s just enough freshness to keep it lifted and mouthwatering.

The Grivots’ Pruliers is a wonderful example of how Nuits from the south side of the village can clearly show its origins, without being rustic. Notes of baked earth and dark fruit, with definition and silkiness on the finish. A very serious Nuits.

From the Vosne side of Nuits, always an impressive cuvée. You really feel the rock in this outstanding village cuvée. Savoury and mineral, there’s a juicy, fruity finish.

The wine for which the domaine is perhaps best known (this, or their Richebourg!). Deep and dark and herbal, with almost a linseed oil character. Such purity here, but certainly feel the tannins and intensity. Lovely berry fruit, very long, energetic and dense. Amplitude but comes back together on the finish.

Made from very old vine Gamay from the communes of Flagey and Vosne, this cuvée was first made in 2012. Plenty of supple fruit, with real energy on the finish. Delicious.

From seven different terroirs, this has beautiful spice and dark, ripe, textured fruit on the palate. There’s just a hint of cassis on the long, energetic finish.

From the Vignes Blanches section of the vineyard, noted for its chalky soils, as well as Cruots, bordering Vosne. Suave and intense. Opulent fruit with such resonance, this is intense and silky, with very good tannic development. Mineral and long and saline. Profound.

A mix of three plots: 0.7 hectare in Echézeaux Du Dessus, 0.15 hectare in Poulaillères and 0.15 hectare Clos Saint Denis. Incredibly silky and saline, with finesse and purity. There’s grip here, and also opulence to the fruit. A touch of wild flowers on the finish keeps it lifted and pure.

The plot in Suchots is next door to Sébastien Cathiard. In 2018 Alix’s Suchots is one of the picks from this vineyard. It remains fresh and lifted, as well as real power and weight of fruit. Wonderful balance.

Four hectares, owned entirely by Michel since 2014. East facing, steep slopes with soils that resemble those of Grand Cru Corton. Wild and saline, this punches well above its weight.

A premier cru neighbouring Richebourg. You feel the limestone here. Spicy and smoky, with wonderful concentration and energy. There’s a really long, saline finish. This is hauntingly beautiful: a wonderful wine.

From a vineyard above Vosne, at 437 metres in altitude. Very fresh, saline, with lots of pithy fruit and grip on the palate. This has a real texture, and an impressive finish.

Fixin, immediately north of Gevrey-Chambertin, is certainly a village which doesn’t receive the attention it deserves. Indeed, this vineyard is next door to the Clos de la Perrière, which was touted in the 19th century as equal to Chambertin. This is floral and delicate, with plenty of energy.

From ten different parcels in the village. Average 65 year old vines craft a lovely wine, that’s one to buy every year. A lovely balance of opulent fruit and grippy, savoury, salty tannins. This is so delicious now.

Nicolas and David’s vines are at the top of Les Teurons, in the vineyard’s sweet spot between Aux Cras and Les Grèves. Really nice strawberry fruit here, with a grippy whole bunch character. Lovely density here, and it remains fresh and ethereal. A beautiful Beaune.

One of the best terroirs among Morey’s premiers crus, this comes from 40-50 year old vines. Wild and stony, there are notes of almond kernels and fresh berries. There is such focus here, and a long and savoury finish. Brilliant, and so well priced.

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

40% Gamay with the rest Pinot Noir, from a 38 year old vineyard. This has excellent density in 2018, with crunchy berries, enjoyable grip, and an enjoyably long and fine finish. Very well made.

It comes from a plot a mere 20m from echezeaux.This is silky and spicy, with such precision and freshness alongside the richness you’d expect from Suchots. The best Suchots this year?

Complex, powerful, yet with unfurling complexity and a grippy texture, Les Malconsorts is a simply beautiful wine. Everything you’d hope from.

This plot of just over half a hectare is planted with 60+ year old vines. Complex with notes of baked earth and violets, and tons of lifted dark fruit. This is beautifully balanced, and very long indeed.

Les Poireaux, Les Crais, and En Sevrey are the three plots in this. This is savoury and pure, with wild berries and loads of texture. Very savoury and restrained, a nice vintage for Morey.

A cuvée that comes from two vineyards, Les Duresses and Grands Champs. From vines planted just after the war. This is juicy and fresh, but with a bit more intensity and concentration than usual: a really charming premier cru.

From a plot close to the celebrated Clos de Cortons Faiveley. Corton is a huge success in 2018, with notes of wild berries, a herbal edge, and loads of finesse and length on the finish. Brilliant.

Romain is one of only two producers to separate holdings in Mazoyères and Charmes Chambertin. This is silky and intense, with a lovely juicy element on the finish. This has a long and focussed finish.

Lovely creamy nose, notes of baked earth and a touch of pepper. Nice liquorice character, with plenty of spice on the finish. Very good energy, with zip and mineral tang on the finish.

Mark loves this vineyard. Remote and high up the hill, it’s one of the Côte de Nuits’ most peaceful spots - you can’t hear the road, and some parts can’t even be reached by tractor. Mineral with beautiful purity. Savoury, and fine, plenty of herbal notes, crunchy fruit, texture and energy.

Rognet and Hautes Mourottes. Beautiful nose, elegant, and fine, and beautiful creamy palate. Fresh and elegant, saline and nervous, wonderful energy here. This is really, really good. A bargain.

Tawse’s Mazis has become their signature, and this clearly shows why. Really mineral on the nose, with notes of wild berries and such nervous energy. This is transparent and detailed. Beautiful.

Treux & Rouges du Bas. 100% new oak. This is very pure and mineral, opulent and lovely texture. Really good length, lovely texture and finesse. Very pure fruit: this is a gorgeous Echézeaux again.

Only two barrels made, one of them new, from 65 year old vines, right in the heart of the vineyard. Really wild and energetic, lovely silky tannins. There’s a glossy palate, with tons of vibrancy and length. Saline and fresh, and a beautifully focussed finish.

This comes from a parcel just below Clos St Denis, bordering the road. Creamy nose, deep and dark and brooding. Plenty of wild blackberries, and hint of burnt brambles, too. There’s plenty of power here, with a fine thread of acidity holding it together.

This vineyard spans the entirety of the hillside, from bottom to top. Quite dark and balsamic, with plenty of small berry fruit: mulberries and dark cherries, and then a very fine and pure palate. Really good acidity on the finish, with violets and just a hint of cured meat. Very complex: this is an outstanding Clos des Forêts.