Côte de Beaune 2021: New Releases

The new Santenay from Champs Claudes, En Boichot and Prarons Dessous is named after its Jurassic geology. It also contains whatever Les Hâtes David was able to rescue this yearl. It is so red-fruited and floral - bursting with grenadine and red currant aromas. The palate is packed with concentrated red fruit laced with a touch of spice leading to a long, elegant finish. The floral character is a natural expression of these sites, and makes it a delicious introduction to the village for first-timers.

A blend of two parcels and now christened ‘Les Gryphées’ in honour of the fossilised oyster shells that abound. . 55% comes from a village parcel, while the other 45% comes from the 1er Cru Clos Rousseau vineyard, which is an extension of the vineyard of the same name in Santenay. This cuvée is so bright and energetic, with a crunchy texture and well-handled tannins, giving it bite, without any hard edges. This is vibrant, red-fruited, light-bodied, crisp Pinot Noir.

This is 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. Its production accounts for 40% of the domaine’s output, being drawn from many sites across the village, half of which are tucked up in the pocket of village vines that hug the premiers crus. The other half comes from the village’s border with Puligny-Montrachet.

Le Clou is planted at a precise elevation of 377 metres on chalky, rocky soil. Packed full of red cherry and peppery aromas, this is mineral, concentrated and has an impressive purity of fruit on the palate. This needs time to unfurl but the potential is considerable.

Le Charmois is on a hill just next to Chassagne-Montrachet’s 1er Cru Les Chaumées and this cuvée comes from six parcels in the same plot. Its cool, poor limestone soil makes for a energetic, vibrant wine with great density of red apple fruit and a superb savoury freshness. Textured and elegant, with a long, fresh finish. Delicious and approachable now, there is also so much potential here for the future.

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. In 2021, it is lightly floral and peachy on the nose, with a fresh yet textured palate. The finish is long, fine and saline.

Nicolas sees these vineyards, around Corgoloin just south of Nuits St Georges, as the future of his domaine. Land prices here aren’t impossibly high, yet the quality of terroir is terrific. It means he can make this enormously characterful and interesting wine for an outstanding price. The 2021 has a floral, peppery, cherry and damson character, both ripe and with a little crunchy tannic kick.Satisfyingly delicious.

These 3 parcels of vines are between 50-70 years old, and Nicolas has used 100% whole bunch on this wine, giving it a kirsch/cranberry fruit character. The tannins are really quite crunchy and energetic in their youth, but will stand it in good stead for ageing.

Clos de la Barre is a 2.1 vineyard just behind the domaine which is a monopole of Lafon.

This is a blend of multiple parcels of older vines (that are a minimum of 45 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, fresh, juicy and vibrant red wine packed with crunchy red fruit notes, layered with fine-boned, expressive tannins. Delicious.

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 freshness and acidity that make it hugely appealing in its youth. Where the Vieilles Vignes is all about black fruits, this is scented with red berries: cranberries and red currants. Its tannin structure is particularly fine-grained, and its finish is long and graceful.

This delicious white comes from a 6 hectare plot grown on limestone soils. This is a new cuvée for Lay & Wheeler this year and one we are delighted to introduce. Aromatic with notes of freshly cut green apple on the nose. The palate is beautifully balanced, packed with juicy apple and citrus fruit, a lovely line of fresh acidity and a long, saline finish. Fantastic!

This vineyard is tucked up at the top of the village on the border with Auxey-Duresses. The cooler hilltop position helps the wine retain a terrific mineral drive. Just one barrel was made in 2021. Its 50-year-old vines produce concentrated stone fruit flavours and aromas, that when ripened to perfection, as in 2021, make for a fleshy, full, savoury wine with lots of impact. Wonderful.

This village parcel is in the north of the commune, bordering Puligny-Montrachet. If you were to stand here and turn your gaze up the hill, you’d notice you are spitting distance from Bâtard-Montrachet, with only the thin sliver of Vide Bourse 1er Cru between. This wine has such a satisfyingly silky weight and a pleasing floral note on the nose . Its Chassagne roots show in the slightly nutty, savoury structure, and the influence of Puligny peaks through in the nervous, steely finish. It’s definitely more than an average village wine. Delicious.

You’d expect this wine to be one of the best in the stable: from home turf, made from a magnificent blend of grapes from all but two of the village’s lieux-dits in 2021. 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: tight, steely, nervous, and in 2021, fabulously concentrated in rich fruit with a long, chalky, mineral finish

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 cornerstone of the Javillier range. It is always the straightest and more driven of the range. In 2021, this expresses a wonderful honeysuckle, floral and fresh stone fruit bouquet and there is a full and vibrant expression on the impressive finish. As ever, elegant and refined. Leave for a year or two before diving in.

This is a blend of two parcels in Meursault - the hillside vineyard Les Clous, with a touch of Les Crotots. Les Clous provides the body and drive, with Les Crotots, which sits just next to premier cru Poruzots, definition and zip. It is so concentrated with rich, luscious stone fruit in 2021, but it is also fresh, with a fine line of acidity running right through the palate. No new oak is used here; this wine is all about pure fruit expression, with a wonderful texture.