Côte de Beaune 2021: New Releases

This is the defining wine of this famous grand cru, the one to which everyone looks as the quintessential Corton-Charlemagne. The west-facing aspect of the hill means the vines enjoy the long rays of the afternoon sun, making for rich textures and a sumptuous depth of fruit.

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 was a stand-out among a strong line up of premiers crus in David’s cellar. It comes from a parcel which has some very hard limestone bedrock, though the wine is marked by its surprising suppleness. Elegant and alluring with spiciness and minerality entwined with small flowers and lovely weight, this has beautiful depth and an enchanting, beguiling, mineral, pure, long finish. This is delicious now but has the depth and concentration to improve even further in years to come.

Due to the miniscule yields in 2021, Alain has blended all four of the estate’s Premiers Crus (Folatières, Clavoillon, Pucelles and Champ Gain) together to make one cuvee. Elegant and packed full of juicy stone fruit and citrus aromas. The palate has a fantastic line of acidity running through, which gives this great energy. Well-balanced, with impressive concentration and a deliciously long, fine, saline finish.

The plot of Charmes in Puligny is a continuation of 1er Cru Charmes in Meursault, and shares many of its characteristics, like the light, fine, stony soils. There is a nervous tension on the palate at first, but this is backed up with delicate stone fruit and citrus peel flavours underneath, which will undoubtedly come to the fore as the wine evolves. Plenty of bright, fresh citrus energy and a charming floral note. Great value.

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.

The Ballot-Millot vines sit at the top of the parcel, giving this Charmes atypical minerality, setting it apart from the richer examples produced further down the slope.

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.

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.

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 tiny parcel is a family treasure, handed down to Bruno from his father - Michel Colin-Deléger. Only one 105 litre wine globe will be produced in 2021. It is so elegant and soulful with power, focus and finesse. Truly grand cru.

This premier cru shares borders with two grands crus: Le Montrachet and Criots-Bâtard-Montrachet. It takes its name from the white, chalky soils found here, and it delivers everything in the glass you might expect from such a superb position and soil-type. It has astonishing concentration, and is the most mineral and complex of the premiers crus in Bruno’s cellar. It’s a tiny parcel and low yields means it is made in very small volumes. Enthralling and supremely balanced.

Planted in 1979, this tiny plot near the border with St-Aubin has produced a fragrant, powerful wine in 2021. It is inviting and pretty on the nose with notes of exotic fruit. It has a fantastic, direct energy and ripeness of fruit balanced by wonderful freshness. The finish is impressively persistent, saline and fine.

This is the most linear and acid-driven of Bruno’s premiers crus, with a zingy core of nectarine-packed acidity running through the palate. It is tightly concentrated, with great depth of fruit and a delicious, refreshing, saline finish that goes on and on. Excellent.

This is a fantastic example of village Chassagne, with extremely expressive nectarine fruit character and a bright, energetic palate. It gets its intensity from the old vines (up to 66 years old in parts) from some nine parcels scattered across the village. A little touch of new oak gives it structure and support. Perfect.

En Remilly sits at the meeting point of three villages: Chassagne-Montrachet, Puligny-Montrachet, and St-Aubin. The larger part of it falls within St-Aubin, with the tiny part on the Chassagne side enjoying a superb position - next to Chevalier-Montrachet and just above Le Montrachet. At 300m altitude, with very little topsoil, Bruno’s two parcels (one of which touches Chevalier-Montrachet) make a superb and complex wine: intensely concentrated and energetic, with a precision you only find in Chardonnay grown on limestone.

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.

The Grand Cru vineyard of Bâtard-Montrachet lies between the picturesque villages of Puligny-Montrachet and Chassagne-Montrachet, home to the world's greatest white wines. Everything about this wine screams Grand Cru, from the elegant, enthralling nose of orchard fruit to the concentrated,weighty, energy-driven palate. It’s an astonishingly striking wine.

We did not taste Le Montrachet as just 300 bottles will be produced.

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.

Fresh and delicious, with silky, almondy fruit, and perfectly pitched new oak (20%). This is abundant with fresh and ripe lemon, and has Chassagne’s signature chiselled texture. As ever, a benchmark Chassagne from one of our favourite producers, and excellent value.

This is indisputably one of the greatest premiers crus of Chassagne, and 2020 will be one of the final vintages for some time. From 2022 the old, low yielding vines will be grubbed up for replanting. Fontaine-Gagnard has two parcels, both east-facing and steep, with well draining soil. The vineyard is right next to a small forest, and apparently you can often see animals venturing into the vines. Only 300 bottles were produced in 2021.

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.

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.

The Bachelets have four parcels in this premier cru, the oldest of which were planted in 1927 and 1960. It carries the superb concentration of old-vine fruit, with citrus oil purity and juicy nectarine freshness. On the nose there is a seductive, struck match note. The wine is both harmonious and balanced and serious and tighly coiled. Real depth and precision here.

There are many who consider Bachelet’s Blanchot-Dessus on a par with its grand cru neighbours, Criots-Bâtard-Montrachet and Le Montrachet. The vines were planted in 1927, and the old-vine wine is nothing short of magical in 2021. You will struggle to find a better premier cru than this.

Les Aubues is a parcel within Puligny’s excellent Enseignères, just below Bâtard-Montrachet. Les Enseignères has long been on the radar of collectors as one of the sweetest spots for any village wine on the whole Côte. The wine is, quite simply, exhilarating. Slightly reductive, stony, textured, and vibrant, but with a silkiness and saltiness on the palate that makes it stand out. Fantastic.

The domaine used to - technically - rent these vines from Jean-Marc’s mother, Lydie’s grandmother. She passed away three years ago and since then the domaine has inherited the two parcels, from which they make this explosively good wine. It has a power and depth that sets it apart from the premiers crus, with precision and length promising a superb evolution in bottle.

With seven parcels scattered across three hectares, of which five are located in Enseignères (a highly-regarded vineyard that touches the grands crus), this Puligny is one of the most complete and quintessential we know. This year it also includes the three buckets that were salvaged from La Garenne. 2021 is another benchmark vintage here, delivering both richness and freshness. It is packed with peach, white flowers and a gunflint character, and a wonderful saline thread of acidity. Great value.

This is one of the finest sites in Puligny. It has some of the poorest soil in the village, and the wines it produces often soar to another level. The vines here are 60 years old and produced just one barrel in 2021. It has candied lemon and peach on the nose with a touch of anise. The palate is so classy and well-balanced, with the 100% new oak not at all evident. Delicate and finessed, with amazing fruit concentration interwoven with fantastic, fresh acidity. So delicious, long and fine.

This comes from the Meursault side of the village, and the cru touches Meursault’s Charmes. It has concentrated peach, orange blossom and toasty notes on the nose, with fantastic structure, texture and acidity on the palate. As usual, this promises a complex development.

Their tiny parcel of the highly-regarded Combettes is situated between Les Referts and Champ Canet, right at the top of the Puligny slope. 2021 is another fantastic iteration, with its peachy, yet tender fruit laced with an attractive smoky, stony note and explosive acidity that culminates in a fantastically long finish. There is grand cru-esque complexity here.

The Boillot family have two parcels here, which together amount to just over one hectare and have an average age of 70 years old. This is scented with peachy stone fruit and pithy citrus notes, and the palate is tightly coiled with an elegant mineral intensity running though. This is Puligny at its best.

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.

This vineyard bordering Pommard did once produce wines with some robust, muscular tannins. But now that they have reached 70 years old, the father and son team note how much the tannins have begun to soften, and become distinctly finer in recent years. In 2021, this is a little more serious and brooding in character. It’s all about energy and minerality, and at the moment the name feels almost onomatopoeic. Give this time to unfurl.

Les Pruliers, on the south side of Nuits-Saint-Georges, was seriously impacted by the frost, with just one and a half barrels produced in 2021. That’s given an incredible density and concentration, while it remains incredibly balanced. The fruit has a great pinosity, with a fine structure and vivid energy. A highlight.

Les Angles is a classic Volnay that is all about purity and precision. In 2021, it’s an incredibly focussed, pretty wine. It has a lovely perfume and elegant fruit on the nose. Extremely pinotte on the palate, it is a caucophony of the purest wild strawberry and red cherry fruit. It’s a wonderful wine.

This is a blend of three parcels: one in Chassagne, one in St-Aubin and one in Puligny, a brilliant example of the Côte de Beaune. In 2021 it is packed with pure and concentrated citrus and peach fruit, creating a vibrant energy to this wine. The palate has a delicious freshness and a supple, elegant balance.

This vineyard straddles the village boundary between Puligny and Chassagne and is well regarded as a top flight village parcel, with the likes of Coche-Dury also producing a single vineyard cuvée from this site. Its position just beneath Bâtard-Montrachet goes a long way in explaining its superior quality. It is detailed, lacey and precise. The 70-year-old vines in this parcel deliver wonderfully sophisticated and complex fruit; its ageing potential for its village status is pretty astonishing. Don’t hesitate to hold for ten years if you can resist.

This outstanding premier cru in St-Aubin sits on top of the hill that peaks between Chassagne and St-Aubin, just behind Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru. The wine is a blend of five parcels within En Remilly, with different soils and elevation. It expresses the vineyard’s natural tendency to floral, aromatic fruit, with mineral tension underneath. The 2021 is a fuller-bodied expression of the site, with tender, lemony fruit tempered by some crystalline acidity and a fine, persistent finish.

The cuvée is named after Damien and Caroline’s grandmother, Lucie, whose nickname was ‘Luce’. Its personalised moniker hints at how fond the family are of this wine, which is a blend of three parcels in the village. Delicate and refined on the nose with aromas of white blossom, red apple and pear. The palate displays great freshness and balance, and is a fantastic portrait of St-Aubin.

The fruit for this blend in 2021 comes from 75% Puligny and 25% Meursault. In spite of their Bourgogne classification, these sites are high quality, knocking on the door of village level, with shallow topsoil and lots of small stones, aiding drainage. It is a Bourgogne full of lemony freshness, delicious energy and enough salinity and grippiness in the finish that makes you want to continue drinking it! It remains a benchmark of the style.

Vignes Franches lies right in the middle of the Beaune Premiers Crus, bordering Clos des Mouches among several others. The third vintage for this cuvée, it has attractive cherry fruit aromas with an interesting herbal note. There is an elegance and depth to the crunchy, cherry fruit on the palate and a very fine and long saline finish.

The origin of the word "Cras" comes from "rocky hillsides", a term often used to describe a vineyard whose soil is made of rubble and pebbly stones. This parcel's soil is gravelly with a high quality red clay that is very typical of Pommard. Pretty cherry and wild raspberry fruit combine with rose petal on the nose. The fruit continues to sing on the palate and is juicy, sappy and generous with a long, mineral finish. This is lovely.

This is one of Meursault’s finest vineyards, shared amongst some of its greatest growers. Jean-Baptiste owns a 1.5 hectare parcel. Reaching this wine in the tasting marked a gear change - this has so much elegance, texture, precision and length. Outstanding.

This is one of the gems on our list: it may be village on paper, but this exceptionally well-placed parcel - an east-facing limestone vineyard that extends just beyond the band of premiers crus - delivers well beyond its status in the glass. In 2021, it has both spicy and floral notes on the nose, a thrilling peachy definition and that great Meursault structure - plenty of ripeness combined with great energy and salinity on the finish.