Côte de Beaune 2021: New Releases

Charles Ballot is making some of the greatest Chardonnays in Burgundy these days, and his Bourgogne Blanc is an excellent place to get a taste of the style on offer at this address. 80% of the fruit is sourced from his home village of Meursault, with the balance coming from Puligny-Montrachet.

This is the largest premier cru at Ballot-Millot, and can be relied upon to produce a sensational wine year in, year out. The unofficial Grand Cru of Meursault.

The vines here are over 80 years old, and it''s no surprise that this is a stunning example of one of our favourite Chardonnay vineyards.

La Maltroie is one of the larger premiers crus in Chassagne, and is often one of the most restrained, backward wines in the Moreau cellar. The vines sit right in the middle of the village, opposite the cellar.

Morgeot borders Santenay at the south end of the village, and is not only the largest premier cru in Chassagne, but the largest cru in the Côte d’Or. This wine is a blend of two lieux-dits within: Les Fairendes and La Cadeuse, found at either end of the large cru.

En Remilly is one of the finest vineyards in St-Aubin, and touches the Chassagne vineyard of the same name, just above Chevalier Montrachet. Sunny in character, from a vineyard with very little soil, it excels in mineral driven vintages.

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.

As the name suggests, En Bignon is planted at 421 metres on red clay soils and comes from older vines in one of the domaine’s three large vineyards above Nantoux. It has an almost Nebbiolo-like purity, with refined tannins and loads of freshness and charm. It has plenty of vibrant red cherry, red currant and plum on the nose with a splash of blood orange too.The fruit here is lively and juicy with an impressive energy, making it a joy today but this will age beautifully, too.

From young vines with an average age of 7 years, planted at altitude and partly aged in an old barrel from 1998 belonging to his predecessor Didier Montchovet (the year that France won the World Cup!) this wine has a joyful freshness and purity of fruit. Delicate, yet ripe aromas of red plum and damson continue on the palate. The fine-boned tannins interplay perfectly with a long, mineral finish. Simply delicious Pinot Noir.

This Bourgogne Blanc is a winner: it comes from parcels across Santenay and St-Aubin, and lovely pure fruit on the mid-palate precedes a long, saline finish. It is full of nectarine, citrus and is so refreshing. Great value.

This gourmand, full-bodied and elegant wine is one of the sweet spots of the Comte Armand stable. As ever, it is a blend of two vineyards in Auxey: Les Bréterins and Les Duresses. Bréterins is steep, well-drained, with very limestone soils contributing savoury elegance; Duresses is clay-based and builds power and body in the wine. It has the savoury structure for good ageing potential, though it is still fragrant, silky and inviting in its youth.

This Volnay is so vibrant and aromatically spiced through with wild strawberry and cherry fruit. It is a blend of two parcels, Les Famines and Les Grands Champs, in the centre of the commune. There is a softer texture to the fruit. This is a finessed and balanced Burgundy with just enough of that sweet, scented fruit extracted to make it both tender and mineral.

This has an immediate and inviting energy. Pretty green orchard fruit and pithy lemon aromas greet you on the nose.. Fresh lemon sherbet flavours are complemented by touches of hazelnut and vanilla. This is fresh with a long, textured, saline finish. Brilliant value.

Auxey-Duresses is a relatively unknown village of the Côte de Beaune, tucked up above Meursault, next to Monthelie, on the way to St Romain. This anonymity is in spite of its association with Lalou Bize-Leroy. Comte Armand's vines - in lieu-dit Largillas - sit just above her Les Clous vines. Largillas gives the most spectacular views of the pretty village, and have an enviable mid-slope position for a village parcel. It is always one of the best value, most characterful, and fun reds on our list, and thus a veritable hidden gem. So juicy, energetic and bright but with plenty of body. This is a pleasure to drink.

Les Frémiets sits on the border with Pommard, and the wine often shows the character of both villages. In 2021, this shows more of its Volnay designation. It is deliciously floral, gourmand, and delicately plush. Its high proportion of old vines make it concentrated and deep. It displays effortless drive and energy and will only be more spectacular with age.

This is not a small vineyard. Indeed, at 5.23 hectares it is one of the largest monopole vineyards in Burgundy, and certainly one of the most celebrated in the region. The high proportion of old vines - some past their centenary year - means low yields are the norm. And demand is such that even in spite of its size, this wine regularly sells out early on. In a vintage like 2021 where volumes are considerably down, moving early would be a wise move. And you won’t regret it: this is a dazzling example of the Clos, and yet another instance for Paul Zinetti to rewrite the cliché that Pommard is muscular and rustic only: this is pure, elegant, thrillingly fresh, complex and intense, with detail and nuance. This is truly one of the greatest vineyards of the Côte de Beaune.

Criots is a tiny grand cru, just one and a half hectares, making Fontaine-Gagnard one of the largest owners, with one third of a hectare. The south-facing slope, with poor limestone soils, yields a wine with superb power and tension. Yet in spite of the emphatic power, the wine is so balanced, textured and graceful.

La Maltroie is located just up the road from the winery, near the heart of the village. The domaine owns two parcels, one of 0.56 hectares and the other 0.17 hectares. Céline says it is always approachable, and in 2021 it has a superb concentration of nectarine fruit and a fantastic line of acidity. It is slightly more weighty than the village wine, with an added level of depth. It’s a great buy, from a domaine at the top of its game.

Caillerets takes its name from the tiny stones that litter the vineyard’s soil, and it’s one of the village’s most highly prized sites. This 2021 is generous with a seductive side, Céline commenting that it is much more open after 1 year than the 2020. A wonderfully rounded mid-palate is packed full of concentrated nectarine fruit, kept in check with a racy, fresh acidity. The finish is saline, with serious and persistent length.

For many, this is the greatest site in Volnay. Marc-Olivier is lucky to have two parcels here. The ‘young vines’ are a mere 50 years old, and the old vines around 80. Their concentration and natural complexity are honed through the use of some whole bunch in this cuvée. It is a precise and exquisite expression, whose delicate power should not be underestimated. Ethereal.

This has the seductive nose of sweet red berry and cherry fruit and floral lift we love in Volnay. The site’s generous top soil makes for a wine of appealing charm, marking it out as one of the earliest drinking of the Buffet Volnay premiers crus. The fruit is completely destemmed, and the wine has a gorgeous, luscious, sappy texture on the palate. Cellar for a few years, then don’t hold back.

Like the Volnay Taillepieds, this is one of the smaller cuvées in the Buffet stable. It comes from the upper part of the vineyard, and is a stylish, seductive wine with a powerful, deep, and muscular drive. Its one-hundred-year-old vines are responsible for its dense layers of complexity. Unlike some of the Volnay premiers crus from this domaine, this wine will need some time, so tuck it away for a few years.

This Volnay is pale, fragrant, strawberry-scented, and a true success story of the 2021 vintage. It’s a blend of two parcels: the evocatively named Les Famine, whose paucity of soil makes the roots dig deep; and a small dash of a tiny lieu-dit, La Gigotte, which is nestled just beneath Mitans premier cru, and lifts this village wine up a notch. Grapes from both parcels were entirely destemmed, and the wine has a silky, agile, old-school charm that opens up as soon as you pull the cork.

This cuvée is made in tiny volumes. It has the seductive nose of sweet, ripe berry and cherry fruit and the floral lift we love in Volnay. Its one third whole bunch adds a plush, pillowy texture that caresses the structured backbone of this wine. Elegant, fine and stunningly complex. This is a truly great expression of the village.