Côte de Beaune 2021: New Releases

Champs Claude comes from 4 different parcels of vines in Santenay, with an average age of 60 years. This is classic Pinot Noir - full of subtle, red fruit on the nose and fresh, balanced with a great energy on the palate. Brilliant value.

Jean-Marc makes some of the best Chassagne Rouge around. With old vines (as old as 70 years old) planted on the clay soil pockets from 5 different parcels around the village, he has produced a great example again in 2021. This old vine cuvée is perfumed with rich, red-fruit and spice, and has a pleasing sour cherry freshness on the palate.

The 2021 Bourgogne Chardonnay Le Haut des Champs has a well-defined bouquet with nectarine and peach aromas. The palate is well balanced with a fine bead of acidity, quite saline in the mouth with a bitter lemon finish. Fine.

Les Vergers sits at the northern border with St-Aubin, on the slope just above Les Chenevottes. The wine has buttery, almondy hints on the nose , detailed with white peach. Open and charming, there is elegant fruit concentration and a fantastic saline finish on the palate.

Les Chenevottes has slightly deeper soils than some neighbouring vineyards, and the 70-year-old vines, with their deep roots, have more safely endured the extreme weather of the past few years than some others. It is so mineral and precise , with almond and nectarine aromas on the nose, and a compelling, textured finish.

This excellent vineyard is on the lower slopes of Puligny, just above Les Enseignères, and directly below the grands crus. It is again a highlight in 2021 - balanced, refined, amazing stone fruit purity, fresh acidity, great precision and texture. A joy.

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.

This is a fabulous example of what Pinot Noir can do in Chassagne. 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. This 2021 is sitting emphatically in the elegant red fruit spectrum, with pretty floral notes on the nose and a silky, fine-boned tannin structure. This Clos St Jean shows a level of freshness and detail that lifts it up to great heights.