Gevrey-Chambertin A taste of the top 2020 Burgundies
Château de la Tour, Hommage à Jean Morin, Clos Vougeot Grand Cru 98 7 TOP QUALITY RED Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, La Tâche Grand Cru 100 RADAR Maison Pierre Millemann, Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru 97
Wines are listed by commune, from north to south, then by score, then alphabetically by producer. The 2020s are bottled from January 2022, hence prices, stockists and alcohols are not yet finalised. Contact specialist merchants for allocations, or to enquire about en primeur tastings
1 Domaine Dujac, Chambertin Grand Cru 99 O
This is a genuinely epic wine, concentrated, tannic, and impressively persistent on the palate. The domaine crafts its Chambertin from a little more than 0.29ha, although most of the vines are located in the Clos de Bèze near the top of the slope, and there is a smaller parcel at mid-slope at the southern end of Chambertin itself. The combination of the two in 2020 has delivered a wine of delightful complexity, with lush, approachable red and black fruit, superb minerality and a luxurious floral edge. Packed with substance, this will age for decades. Drink 2025-2070
2 TOP QUALITY RED Domaine Trapet, Chambertin Grand Cru 99 B
The 2020 Chambertin from Trapet is sublime. From 1.85ha over three parcels stretching from the bottom nearly to the top, there is some variation in the terroir: one parcel has more marl, one more pebbles, and one has deeper soil; 15% of the vines are trained high on stakes (‘en echalas’). This complexity gives an incredible fruit expression that ranges from plum and black cherry to pomegranate and redcurrant, shot through with floral notes, spice and mineral. However, it is also a wine of power and depth, with the tannin and extract to live 80 years or more. One certainty: Trapet has mastered the art of Chambertin. Drink 2025-2060
TOP QUALITY RED Denis Bachelet, Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru 98
There are two parcels in Aux Charmes that total 0.43ha. Bachelet notes that after three drought years, the vines are suffering, particularly given the difficulties now seen in some old rootstocks. However, these old vines (planted 1907-1917) continue to make epic wine despite these challenges. There is an intense black plum aroma with hints of ginger, liquorice, violets, and earth. The concentration the old vines give allied with the freshness brought by the Combe Grisard [location] is a sublime combination. Not heavy or over-extracted, yet the finish lingers liltingly, seemingly forever – a superb experience. Drink 2025-2060
Domaine Dugat-Py, Chambertin Grand Cru 98
Dugat-Py produces one of the rarest bottlings of Chambertin, but it is certainly worth seeking out. The wine is produced from a tiny 0.05ha plot of vines planted in 1910 near the top of the slope. Dugat-Py used almost 90% whole clusters in the fermentation in 2020, but the wine has no rustic edges, and the focus remains on the finesse and depth of the ripe plummy fruit accented with mineral notes and a hint of violets. The wine is concentrated, complex and long, yet it retains a consummate elegance despite the power.
Drink 2025-2070
3 TOP QUALITY RED Domaine Faiveley, Les Ouvrées Rodin, Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Grand Cru 98
Domaine Faiveley owns several parcels in the Clos de Bèze that total 1.3ha, and Les Ouvrées Rodin accounts for one-third of a hectare, a broad swath in the centre of the vineyard. The vines were planted in 1966 and today they deliver a wine of incredible power and concentration. The structure of the wine is massive, yet it still shows accessible aromas of raspberry, mulberry and blackberry liqueur with a mineral undercurrent and a profusion of floral notes, giving it a depth and nuance that are outstanding. Drink 2025-2060
UNDER THE RADAR Domaine Duroché, Griotte-Chambertin Grand Cru 97
Tiny production from a 0.02ha parcel – in many years it produces only 100 bottles. The vines were planted in 1923 and yielded a miserly 12-15hl/ha in 2020. Entirely fermented as whole clusters, then aged 14 months in used casks. The results must be tasted to be believed. Copious, forward red and black fruit aromas of great purity are given nuance by a mineral depth from the stony soil. The texture is dense, fleshy and substantial, with a tremendous, compact depth that expands on the palate. Sublime.
Drink 2025-2060
TOP VALUE RED Rossignol-Trapet, Aux Etalois Gevrey-Chambertin 93 B
This superb location is north of Mazoyeres
Chambertin and south of GriotteChambertin. The ancient vines are planted in the rocky soil that greatly resembles Griotte. The grapes are given a cold soak and fermented with a good proportion of whole bunch inclusion. Ageing at this level is 10% new casks; the result is a beautiful wine with an approachable black plum and cherry fruit scented with smoke, leather and spice. The texture is fleshy and soft, but enough finely grained tannins and extract suggest that this will also age superbly well. Drink 2022-2035
Morey-St-Denis Domaine Ponsot, Clos de la Roche Grand Cru 98 O
This wine is one of the touchstones of Morey-St-Denis. Ponsot is the largest landowner in this grand cru, with 3.4ha, two-thirds of it in the historic clos that forms the core of the appellation. The average age of the vines is 65 years. These carefully tended vines planted using massal selection have delivered a stunning wine this year: one sees the richness of 2020 in the ripe, dense, plummy fruit, yet it avoids overconcentration and has a lovely freshness and impressive depth of flavour. Superb.
Drink 2025-2060
4 TOP QUALITY RED Hubert Lignier, MCMLV Clos de la Roche Grand Cru 98
In 1955, the grandparents of Laurent Lignier planted a small parcel in the lieu-dit Les Monts Luisants. Laurent uses the best fruit here to produce this ‘Hommage’ to his grandparents, which is among the top wines being made in the Clos de la Roche today. Has an inky dark colour with ripe, brambly blackberry fruit, sweet spice and a marked mineral note. Dense and concentrated on the palate, more muscular than some renditions, yet a refreshing acidity brings the wine into a lovely balance. Drink 2025-2060
5 Domaine Bruno Clair, BonnesMares Grand Cru 97
Bruno Clair has a large plot of 1.63ha in Bonnes-Mares, largely lying on the Morey-St-Denis side of the vineyard (the rest extending into Chambolle-Musigny). Most of it is on the terres blanches white marl soils that give a very expressive wine: lovely high-toned raspberry and rose petal nose shot through with notes of mineral and smoke. The wine is made with 30% whole clusters and is aged over two winters in cask, 30% new, to deliver a wine of purity and elegance. Drink 2025-2060
Domaine des Lambrays, Clos des Lambrays Grand Cru 96
It is inspiring to watch as winemaker Jacques Devauges works to bring the historic vineyard of the Clos des Lambrays to the peak of its potential. He has enough small tanks now to vinify each part of the 8.66ha holding separately, which he has divided into 11 different sections. Each is picked separately and sees varying amounts of whole cluster inclusion (from 40%-100%). The result is a wine of truly grand cru stature that boasts immense depth of flavour and a lovely dense texture, good freshness and a restrained touch of oak. Drink 2025-2060
RED WINE OF THE VINTAGE Domaine Georges Roumier, Musigny Grand Cru 100
In 2020, Roumier had enough Musigny to produce one cask (new) and a quarter-cask (used) of this magical nectar. Despite being marked by the cask at this early point, the wine is absolute perfection. Less forward than the Amoureuses bottling (see below), the wine reveals itself more complex as it opens up, darting from fruit aromas ranging from mulberry to pomegranate accented with smoke, mineral and spice along with an almost pungent floral essence. The texture is also perhaps a bit reserved. It is concentrated and firm, with tannic reserves and the extract to carry it through decades of ageing: a tour de force of winemaking.
Drink 2025-2080
6 TOP QUALITY RED Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé, Musigny Grand Cru 99
The 2020 vintage was the last vinified by François Millet, who decidedly took his retirement at a high point in his career. Here, the mature vines in the domaine’s immense holding (5.56ha of old vines) have given us a wine that shows the youthful plummy exuberance of Chambolle, but with added precision and depth, opening to reveal saline mineral notes and hints of flowers and spice. On the palate, the silky texture initially beguiles, and with time the firm structure and long finish become evident. Ageing in 35% new casks helps the wine retain an admirable purity of fruit.
Drink 2025-2060
Domaine Georges Roumier, Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Amoureuses 99
The clay and limestone soils down-slope from Musigny produce a wine sometimes seen as the archetype of Chambolle premier cru. The wine produced by Christophe Roumier is consistently among the very best. One expects a rich wine with a profusion of floral and red fruit aromas, and Roumier delivers in 2020. ‘The surprise of the vintage,’ according to Roumier, ‘is the freshness.’ This brightness of character is brilliantly on view here to perfectly balance the silky density and create a wine of seamless elegance. Drink 2025-2060
UNDER THE RADAR Amiot-Servelle, Les Bas Doix Chambolle-Musigny 94 O
This domaine owns almost a hectare in Les Bas Doix, a very well-located village lieu-dit not far from Les Amoureuses. Much of it is blended with the village Chambolle, but five barrels are selected to be bottled separately in the best years. Expressive black cherry fruit and a suggestion of violets, a firm but not astringent texture, and ethereal perfume that is surprisingly persistent. Superb. Drink 2023-2035
Vougeot
This is a wine of immense potential, yet one that is far from ready to drink. It is made as always using the bunches nearest the trunk of the vines that are more than 80 years of age, which gives a super-concentrated wine with tons of substance and depth. It is a little closed at present, but there is a lovely density of cassis fruit and floral notes that develops on the palate. It’s a wine with great intensity, length and tannic grip, but there is still plenty of freshness and elegance. Drink 2025-2060
Domaine d’Eugenie, Clos Vougeot Grand Cru 97 O
Domaine d’Eugenie is the current proprietor of the parcel once owned by Domaine René Engel: 1.34ha that average 60-70 years of age even with some interplanting; the youngest vines are all declassified. The parcel is not far from the Mugneret-Gibourg vines, but the style is very different, 70% whole cluster giving a wine with a powerful dark plum and cassis fruit and impressive structure and power. Despite the stuffing, this wine never loses sight of its elegance. Drink 2025-2060
Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg, Clos Vougeot Grand Cru 97
Replanted in 1954, the Mugneret-Gibourg parcel in the Clos de Vougeot yields one of the best wines in the clos. It begins at the road leading to the château and descends the slope about halfway, ending before the deep soils at the bottom. The fruit is wholly destemmed and gently fermented before ageing in cask (70% new). Despite the élevage, the silky dark fruit comes through quite clearly, decorated with aromas of spice and flowers, and there is nothing astringent about this wine. Marvellous.
Drink 2025-2060
Vosne-Romanée
La Tâche was the most open and accessible of the 2020 vintage wines tasted recently at DRC, showing extra layers of depth and complexity that lifted this wine to an even higher plane than usual. Bertrand de Villaine notes the ‘difference’ of 2020, yet the departure is in a wonderful direction. There is a beautiful fruit, a silky texture that is dense but not heavy. It is tannic but not hard, strict and straight, yet producing ‘fireworks’ (to use de Villaine’s phrase) on the palate. Simply superb, this is one of the best young wines I tasted all year in 2021.
Drink 2025-2080
8 Domaine Anne Gros, Richebourg Grand Cru 99
A great Richebourg, without a doubt, it is also a wine that needs time. Produced from the 0.60ha that Anne Gros owns (mainly in the lieu-dit Les Véroilles), this is firmly extracted and reveals itself only on the palate with a substantial density and structure. The fruit is not lacking, but it takes time to develop and is strongly coloured by mineral, earth and spice notes. Despite the tannic structure, it still shows a subtle, silky texture on the immensely long finish. Drink 2025-2060
TOP QUALITY RED Hudelot-Noëllat , Richebourg Grand Cru 99
Charles van Canneyt farms 0.28ha of Richebourg in the heart of the appellation, sandwiched between two large plots belonging to the Domaine de la RomanéeConti. Van Canneyt’s is a Richebourg of elegance rather than power, that shows extraordinary purity of bright cherry fruit aromas, hints of rose petal, exotic spice and mineral depth on the nose. The texture is dense but not heavy; silky and very fine. With the 2020 vintage, he has achieved a new level of deliciousness with this wine – the intensity and depth of flavour make this one of my top red wines of the vintage.
Drink 2025-2060
9 TOP QUALITY RED Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair, La Romanée Grand Cru Monopole 98 B
As with all truly great wines, La Romanée from Liger-Belair is always unique. The ripe, plummy fruit bears the mark of the robustly warm and dry vintage, but there is immense
complexity here with notes of spice, smoke and mineral. There is also a savoury, almost sauvage animal note and a hint of wild herbs. The wine is concentrated and tannic, yet it is still approachable. The potential is enormous: among the best I have had from this site. Drink 2025-2080
TOP QUALITY RED Domaine Dujac, Romanée-St-Vivant Grand Cru 98 O
The 0.17ha of Romanée-St-Vivant has been a part of Domaine Dujac since its acquisition in 2005 from Thomas Moillard. The wine produced goes from strength to strength each year. In 2020, harvest started the week of 21 August; the grapes were primarily vinified as whole bunches with the gentlest possible extraction and ageing in about half new barrels. Nuanced and spicy, with a slight reduction that gives the lush blackberry fruit an exotic, slightly animal edge to it and hints of menthol, earth and leather that in time will make this a wine of tremendous complexity and depth. Simply superb. Drink 2025-2060
Nuits-St-Georges Domaine Thibault Liger-Belair, Nuits-St-Georges 1er Cru Les St-Georges 97 O
Thibault Liger-Belair owns just over 2ha of Les St-Georges, nearly a quarter of the lieu-dit, at the centre of the appellation, running from top to bottom of the slope. The soil is deep clay, and there is a fault in the limestone in the middle, giving the soil a crystalline nature. The grapes are vinified with 40% whole clusters and will be given nearly two full years in cask, half new. The result is spectacular, with dark fruit and a firm, pronounced mineral/earthy note. There is impressive intensity here, lots of tannic grip and extract, and a finish that goes on seemingly forever. Drink 2025-2060
Domaine Jean Grivot, Nuits-StGeorges 1er Cru Aux Boudots 94
Aux Boudots, where Grivot has 0.85ha, is at the northern edge of Nuits, just over the border from Vosne-Romanée Malconsorts. They began to pick on 3 September – Etienne Grivot says they are very particular that the tannins are ripe and do what they can to prolong the vegetative cycle. The wine has substance and structure to support the generous lashings of new oak used for maturation. Elegant and classic in style. Drink 2025-2050
Maison Philippe Pacalet, Nuits-St-Georges 1er Cru 94
A blend of Aux Chaignots and Aux Argillas, premiers crus to the north of the village on the Vosne side. Here the soil is deeper and gives a fatter and richer wine, more black fruit than red, with plenty of spice and smoke nuance. Chaignots from the foot of the slope and Argillas from higher, a winning combination. Drink 2025-2050
Other Côtes de Nuits TOP VALUE RED Domaine Trapet, Marsannay 93 B
This wine is blended from grapes sourced from three parcels: Grasses Têtes at the top of the slope in Marsannay, Le Grand Poirier south of the village of Couchey, and Varangée on the border with Fixin. The vines are trained high on stakes and yield a fresh, bright wine that has aromas of cherry and pomegranate, plenty of freshness and a firm tannic line. Wonderful value from one of the region’s most talented winemakers. Drink 2022-2035
TOP VALUE RED Gérard Mugneret, Pourpre, Vin de France 92
Pascal Mugneret’s Pourpre (‘purple’) is similar to a Gamay-heavy Passetoutgrain. The old vines (40% Pinot Noir, 60% Gamay) are spread over 0.70ha in Vosne-Romanée and Flagey-Echezeaux, planted 1971-2001. The wine is fermented entirely as whole clusters and without sulphur until bottling. Lively, exuberant, with forward, plummy fruit and a suggestion of wild herbs and earth. Supple and approachable, to enjoy (with gusto) in its youth. Drink 2022-2035
Corton TOP QUALITY WHITE & UNDER THE
This spectacular, showy wine comes from young vines planted at 380m in stony soils. Millemann believes in a vigorous crushing and maceration on skins before a firm pressing. No sulphur is used until just before bottling. The must is barrelled down in 500-litre casks with most of the lees to extract an almost tannic texture from the Chardonnay, assuring a marked reduction in the wine that disappears only with time. The 2020 vintage has a lovely lemony fruit shot through with notes of smoke and flint. The texture is dense, almost chewy, but it should age gracefully for decades. Drink 2025-2060
Comte Senard, Corton Grand Cru Clos du Roi 97
This Corton is produced from 0.64ha in the center of the slope between DRC and de Montille. Half the grapes are vinified as whole clusters and the wine ages 18 months in cask, 40% new. For me, this is the most complete of the Cortons from the domaine. The plum and cherry fruit is forward but discreet, with subtle, earthy nuance and well-integrated oak spice. The texture is silky and elegant yet not lacking at all in structure – an outstanding effort.
Drink 2025-2060
10 UNDER THE RADAR Joannès Violot-Guillemard, Corton Grand Cru Clos du Roi 96
The 2019 was the first vintage for this wine from rented vines. The fermentation is
entirely done with whole clusters and aged with a modest amount of new wood. The 2020 has lush, dense cassis and mineral undercurrents, earth, smoke and spice. Plenty of aromatic depth and no lack of substance on the palate, yet the tannins are very finely grained, and the wine is velvety soft yet quite substantial. Drink 2025-2060
Bonneau du Martray, Corton Grand Cru 95 B
Bonneau’s Corton is made from the 1ha of Pinot Noir owned by the estate in the Aloxe lieu-dit of Le Charlemagne, facing mainly southwest. Thibault Jacquet related that the recipe has been changed a bit: picking later, a portion is destemmed by hand and vinified in amphora while another 5% is vinified as whole clusters. The result is enchantingly aromatic, with notes of strawberry, currant, and pomegranate. The texture is fresh; although lighter than some, it does not lack richness. Drink 2025-2050
Pommard Joannès Violot-Guillemard, Pommard 1er Cru Clos de Derrière St-Jean 96
This 0.09ha clos is planted to vines trained high on stakes (en echalas) and woven (tressage) instead of hedged. It produces 400-500 bottles of incredibly seductive wine each year. Exquisitely silky, with a lush, spicy black fruit character, immediately approachable – quite the opposite of the standard conception of Pommard. Marvellous. Drink 2025-2050
Maison Philippe Pacalet, Pommard 1er Cru 94
Pacalet sources the fruit from Epenots and Charmots. He remarked that these vines suffered in 2020 from the heat: typically, Pacalet makes three barrels from each, but this year there are three in total, vinified exclusively as whole bunches. The aromas are gorgeous, with spicy, supremely expressive sandalwood-scented red fruit. The texture is velvety, dense and very sensuous, with a gorgeous, lingering finish.
Drink 2025-2050
Volnay 11 Domaine des Comtes Lafon, Volnay 1er Cru Santenots du Milieu 97 O
Anyone who thinks Lafon is only about white wine is missing this epic experience. Volnay Santenots is arguably among the top red wines of the Côte de Beaune, and Santenots du Milieu is the best portion of it. Lafon owns nearly half of this appellation. He destems the fruit and punches down regularly before the wine ages in one-third new casks. The result is monumental, with super-ripe black cherry and currant fruit accented with rose petals, liquorice, smoke and mineral. The texture is full-bodied and dense yet vibrantly fresh and superbly long. A marvel. Drink 2025-2060
Domaine Michel Lafarge, Volnay 1er Cru Clos du Château des Ducs 97 B
This half-hectare clos is a monopole of the domaine, located right in the village of Volnay. Certified biodynamic, it is consistently a wine that unites elegance and power. Frédéric Lafarge destems the fruit and ferments on native yeasts before
ageing in older casks (only 15% new). There is a surpassingly elegant mulberry and black cherry fruit with notes of spice, smoke and a saline mineral firmness. Lovely concentration and tannic grip, yet very subtle at the end. Drink 2025-2060 UNDER THE RADAR Domaine Y Clerget, Volnay 1er Cru Caillerets 95
This wine is produced from 0.42ha of 90-year-old vines that yield no more than 10-15hl/ha. The fruit is completely destemmed and gently fermented before ageing in cask, 25% new. The result is a wine of impressive concentration with a lush black plum fruit and abundant mineral and rose petal notes. A voluptuous, complete wine that lacks neither aromatic depth nor structure on the palate. Drink 2022-2035
Meursault 12 TOP QUALITY WHITE Domaine Roulot, Meursault 1er Cru Perrières 97
This is assuredly the grand cru of Meursault in all but name. The wine is spicy and rich with a complex nose that combines lemon peel, green apple, notes of mint or herb or mown grass, along with beeswax and a suggestion of honey. The palate is equally complex, with a waxy texture and great richness but also an astonishingly lively fresh acidity that carries this to a tremendous finish. Drink 2025-2060
Henri Boillot, Meursault 94
This textbook Meursault is produced from domaine-owned parcels such as the Clos du Cromin, En la Barre and Casse Têtes as well as purchased fruit. The must is fermented in cask (20% new) to give a wine with an incredible purity of citrus fruit, just a hint of reduction and a buttery note and creamy texture that come out on the palate. Marvellous. Drink 2023-2035
Puligny-Montrachet
A towering achievement. Lafon remarked that the Montrachet took its time to ripen, yet there was enough water to sustain the vines. Indeed, the wine fermented out to just 13% alcohol, in 45% new casks. The result is a wine with abundant aromas of