After tasting more than 1,300 Burgundy 2022 en primeur samples, Charles Curtis MW has given his full verdict on the new vintage.
Here we present a quick and easy way to see tasting notes and scores for all 489 red wines sampled for the report.
Wines are listed in score order.
Producer
Appellation
Score
Notes
Domaine Armand Rousseau
Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Grand Cru
2022
100
TOP PRODUCER Tasting the 2022 Chambertin Clos de Bèze, one cannot doubt its perfection. The super-ripe aromas of mulberry and pomegranate roll from the glass, accented with hints of smoke, spice and earth, pervaded by a saline mineral quality. Cyrielle Rousseau describes the wine as having 'more of everything, [while] the Chambertin is more focused'. There is exceptional density and immense length – this extraordinary wine is among the greatest I have tasted from this estate.
Domaine de la Romanée-Conti
Romanée-Conti Grand Cru Monopole
2022
100
RED WINE OF THE VINTAGE TOP PRODUCER Some vintages of Romanée-Conti when tasted from barrel give but a hint of future greatness. This is not the case with the 2022, which is immediately impressive. All its grandeur is revealed, from the ripe, plummy fruit with hints of liquorice, cedar, rose petals and earth, to the dense and firmly tannic texture that balances massive weight and supreme elegance. A powerful wine that I immediately qualified as ‘perfect’, and it would not surprise me if this were still compellingly beautiful a century from now.
Domaine Armand Rousseau
Chambertin Grand Cru
2022
99
The 2022 Chambertin is a monumental wine with supremely ripe black cherry, plum, and cassis fruit loaded with spice and floral notes. There is an immense depth of flavour and a superbly dense and compact texture. As the wine sits in the glass, it seems almost infinitely complex. This tightly wound wine is not as generous as the Clos de Bèze. The truth is that the Bèze is perhaps more immediately engaging, while the Chambertin has more substance and ultimate potential. However, both wines will probably outlive anyone tasting them today since they seem set to age for a century.
Domaine de la Romanée-Conti
La Tâche Grand Cru Monopole
2022
99
The first taste of this monumental vintage of La Tâche boasts a staggering amount of velvety blackberry and plum fruit (from a François Frères barrel). In contrast, a sample from another barrel had a distinctly brighter cherry fruit. The wine will be blended before bottling, although two small parts of the vineyard planted in the Seventies will be added more slowly. Both wines were dense and compact, with firm yet fine-grained tannins and interminable length. The wine is slightly less effusive than the Romanée-Conti out of barrel, but both undeniably have the substance to age nearly forever.
Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair
La Romanée Grand Cru
2022
99
An exhilarating wine at the highest level, on par with the riveting 2019. There are profuse aromas of red and black fruit, exotic Asian spices, a hint of smoke and a touch of sweet oak spice. Despite its effortlessly silky texture, one appreciates the density and substance with time. It's hard to ask for more wine than this offers. Given the lush texture, it should drink well young but will also age effortlessly for decades. Biodynamic.
Domaine Arlaud
Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru
2022
98
According to Cyprien Arlaud, he '…tries to make as a grand cru of Chambolle, but not necessarily,' meaning it is still substantial and dense. The aromas range from black plum to pomegranate, with hints of earth and savoury game notes. No new wood is used in the ageing, giving a wine of great purity of fruit. The parcel is just 0.20 hectares, but it stretches from the bottom to the top, just south of Drouhin-Laroze in the centre of the vineyard. Because of this, it has a mix of terres rouges and terres blanches to give complexity.
Domaine Bruno Clair
Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Grand Cru
2022
98
This wine is superb, with mulberry and cassis fruit and abundant complexity from smoke, earth, spice, and mint notes. The aromas are forward, and the texture is supple and approachable, but there is substance and depth here that will continue to develop and evolve for decades. The texture is immense but lively, with freshness and a superb savoury saline undertone. The domaine owns nearly a hectare in the Clos de Bèze, with the majority of the vines more than a century old. This wine is one of the truly profound wines of Burgundy.
Domaine Cécile Tremblay
Chapelle-Chambertin Grand Cru
2022
98
This superb offering has everything one can hope for from this appellation, yet it is a model of understated elegance. Initially with floral and spicy fruit intensity, the texture is silky and approachable, yet substantial extract and firm tannins make themselves felt on the long finish. Grapes are from the domaine’s 0.36ha plot in Les Gémeaux at the base of the Clos de Bèze slope. Despite its approachable nature, this has the substance to age for decades. Biodynamic.
Domaine Chandon de Briailles
Corton Clos du Roi Grand Cru
2022
98
Subtle and understated aromas of ripe black cherry and peony with hints of smoke, spice and a savoury touch at the end. Delicate texture but still structured and long. The grapes come from 0.35ha of old vines at the top of the slope. This wine should open more fully in five years and will drink well for at least another 50 after that. Biodynamic.
Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé, Cuvée Vieilles Vignes
Musigny Grand Cru
2022
98
A tasting of each of the seven 2022 Musigny VV sub-sections and an approximate blend hint at a wine of almost voluptuous sensuality, with expressive mulberry and pomegranate fruit and hints of earth, smoke and liquorice that waft from the glass. The texture is powerfully tannic and dense but almost infinitely silky, and there is a dynamic interplay between the perfumed fruit and robust structure. Ideally, wait a decade before opening.
Domaine d’Eugénie
Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru
2022
98
The Clos Vougeot from Eugenie is a bright spot in an impressive range, with ripe black cherry fruit aromas scented with violets and sweet spice. The texture is approachable yet firmly structured and long; the whole is enormously seductive. The grapes come from the mature vines in the domaine's superb 1.37-hectare parcel near the Château in Les Marets Hauts; 80% vinified as whole clusters, ageing in cask, 19 of 26 of which are new (73%). Wait three to five years and enjoy over the next three decades.
Domaine de la Romanée-Conti
Richebourg Grand Cru
2022
98
Picked between 4-6 September, the 2022 Richebourg from Domaine de la Romanée-Conti is muscular and deep in colour. Four years ago, 0.80 hectares were pulled out in Verroilles and replanted, removing it from the final assemblage to deliver more finesse and elegance. The fruit aromas are incredibly exotic as they open, and the texture of the tannins is fine-grained yet robust tannins, making this an energetic wine. Although the loss of so much fruit is a loss, the effect of the replanting has been to elevate the Richebourg to matchless heights.
Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair
Vosne-Romanée (1er Cru Reignots)
2022
98
The 2022 Reignots is superb, full of red and black berry fruit aromas with smoke, earth, leather, and cigar box notes. The texture is dense, almost chiselled, and powerful, with abundant tannic grip, yet nothing is astringent or challenging here. The grapes come from Liger-Belair's 0.7-hectare plot, along with a contract with the three areas from Romanée-Conti, all farmed biodynamically. The wine is singingly lovely and should be ready sooner than many vintages have been. This wine is an unqualified success, even with a vineyard of this pedigree.
Domaine Dugat-Py
Chambertin Grand Cru
2022
98
The forward, ripe plum and cassis fruit of this world-class Chambertin is immediately arresting for its expressive nature and spicy, minty complexity. The texture of the wine is lush and dense, but it is packed with firm tannins that carry the wine to an exceptionally long finish. The grapes come from the 0.05-hectare plot of old vines near the top of the slope, where the work is done by horse and the vines are not hedged but the shoot tips are woven together—painstaking effort, but eminently worthy wine. If you can find a bottle, by all means, drink it.
Domaine Duroché
Griotte-Chambertin Grand Cru
2022
98
A seductive wine, pointedly fresh and tannic with super-concentrated and focused black cherry and mulberry fruit, and abundant aromas of liquorice and ginger. The fruit is the tiny production of very old vines (the oldest back to 1922) at the base of the En Griotte climat. Fermented entirely as whole clusters and aged in a single, older barrel to ensure its purity of fruit. Marvellous density and richness – a masterpiece.
Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg
Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru
2022
98
Tasting the 2022s from this cellar, the Clos Vougeot was the most expressive wine of all, with spicy mulberry and black plum fruit aromas and silky texture, while the abundant extract and freshness help carry the wine to a gratifying finish. The fruit – from a 0.3ha plot replanted 70 years ago – is destemmed and fermented on native yeasts before ageing in 70% new cask. This should be approachable early, but refrain from drinking for at least five years for best results.
Domaine Hudelot-Noëllat
Richebourg Grand Cru
2022
98
Immediately impressive with a beguiling combination of fruit expression, silkiness and length. The nose boasts raspberry, bramble and kirsch with notes of violets, earth and smoke. The texture is deceptively silky, and with time the firm tannins and rich extract make themselves felt and lead into a lingering finish. The grapes come from 0.3ha in Les Richebourgs, next to DRC – they are mostly destemmed and gently fermented on native yeasts before ageing in cask. Enormous ageing potential.
Domaine Jean Grivot
Richebourg Grand Cru
2022
98
The Grivot Richebourg is a superb wine—it is always the top wine in the cellar and carries the concentration and depth to another level. The wine opens with copious red and black fruit aromas coloured with a saline minerality and notes of earth, leather, and savoury game. The texture is focused and rich, with a velvety, dense feel and a gratifyingly long finish. The domaine farms 0.31 hectares up the slope from Hudelot-Noëllat, located in the centre of Richebourg proper. Ideally, one would wait ten years to open, but this should last 50 or more.
Domaine Joseph Drouhin
Musigny Grand Cru
2022
98
This incomparable wine has great complexity and layers of flavours, with elegant cherry and blackberry fruit aromas, cedar, spice and spectacular depth. Despite the heat of the year, a marvellous freshness here brings energy to the wine and works well with the grippy tannins. The grapes come from two domaine-owned parcels that total 0.68 hectares. Both are located in Grand Musigny near the northern end of the appellation. The grapes are partially destemmed and gently fermented to produce this quintessential Musigny that will be accessible reasonably soon for a wine of this quality yet will age effortlessly for decades.
Domaine Robert Groffier
Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Grand Cru
2022
98
The 2022 Clos de Bèze from Groffier is a thrilling wine with a fig and blackberry fruit aroma and gunflint, wood smoke, leather, earth, and menthol nuances. The texture is dense and concentrated, with abundant but very velvety tannins that leave no impression of astringency. The grapes come from 0.45 hectares of old vines running the length of the vineyard just south of the vines of Drouhin-Laroze. They are entirely fermented as whole clusters and aged in new casks.
Domaine Trapet
Chambertin Grand Cru
2022
98
The 2022 Trapet Chambertin impresses with its luminous blackberry and fig fruit aromas shaded with hints of earth and spice. It is a wine of superb density and incredible length with a marvellous velvety texture; massive tannins can give a slightly rustic feel to the wine, but with time, these will resolve to create a wine that will last for decades to come. The grapes are from the domaine's 1.85 hectares of ideally-placed vineyards that are now trained on stakes and grown without hedging to yield this magnificent wine.
Hubert Lignier, Hommage
Clos de la Roche Grand Cru
2022
98
This wine is the star of the Lignier cellar and among the best in Morey, with its currant and mulberry fruit and hints of savoury, gamey depth. The wine is more muscular, structured, and dense than the 'classique' Clos de la Roche, yet there is enough elegance to ensure that this wine is in a class of its own. The grapes come from 27 ares planted in Monts Luisants by Lignier's grandparents in 1955. One-third of the grapes were gently fermented as whole clusters over 18 days, and the wine is ageing now in a cask (one-third new).
Maison Millemann
Chambertin Grand Cru
2022
98
The concentrated and complex aromas of mulberry fruit with a hint of reduction seem almost gamey, accented by smoke and leather hints. The texture is dense and tannic, yet not heavy. This wine has abundant depth but no heaviness and is surprisingly approachable for a wine of this concentration. The grapes are from a parcel of ancient vines, largely fermented as whole clusters that are gently pumped over at the beginning and foot trod at the end; the wine is now ageing in a new cask.
Clos de Tart
Clos de Tart Grand Cru Monopole
2022
97
The 2022 Clos de Tart is a surprisingly deep colour endowed with pronounced cassis and pomegranate aromas, rose petals, liquorice, and a savoury game note. The texture is silky and fresh but not lacking in body—it is an exquisite balance, made more delightful by the charming sweetness of the fruit on the palate. The best grapes of the Clos were carefully fermented, with just over half of them fermented as whole clusters. The wine is ageing now in cask (60% new), where it will stay for at least 20 months.
Domaine AF Gros
Richebourg Grand Cru
2022
97
This outstanding Richebourg should not be overlooked. There is impressive complexity to the ripe blackberry and plum fruit component, with savoury game notes and a noticeably saline minerality that underpins it. The texture is silky and very fine, yet there is also rewarding length here. The grapes are from the domaine holdings in the Gros family stronghold of Les Verroilles. The domaine lost 0.10 hectares in the recent reshuffle, but they still farm a half-hectare here. The grapes are partially destemmed and gently fermented on native yeasts before ageing in cask to produce this superb rendition of Richebourg.
Domaine Arlaud
Clos St-Denis Grand Cru
2022
97
The Clos-Saint-Denis from Domaine Arlaud hails from 0.17 hectares in the historic centre of Clos-Saint-Denis, the lieu-dit of the same name. The nose is a bit less open than the Clos de la Roche; Cyprien qualifies it as 'a bit more austere, almost more spiritual', but it opens up on the palate with rewardingly ripe plummy fruit character and hints of earth, smoke, and spice. The texture is tannic and beautifully deep, with a firm, substantial structure and length. Despite its slightly reserved nature, this has the stuffing to last for decades.
Domaine Armand Rousseau
Gevrey-Chambertin (1er Cru Clos-St-Jacques)
2022
97
The Clos-Saint-Jacques always marks the start of the three thrilling top wines. Out of barrel a year after vintage, the wine is still a bit characterised by the wood (70% new); however, lovely, rich, ripe blackberry and pomegranate fruits shine through with abundant mineral complexity. The texture is firm and tannic but not unapproachable. This wine is among the greatest produced in the village; ideally, one would wait ten years from the vintage before opening, and it will drink for at least fifty years after that.
Domaine Armand Rousseau
Mazis-Chambertin Grand Cru
2022
97
The Mazy trumpets its grand cru status with dark plum and fig fruit and a more obvious density, structure, and length than one sees in the wines up to this point. Cyrielle says it is 'a bit of a big bear; very impressive then soft. The grapes come from the domaine's half-hectare of vines in Mazis-Bas, which were destemmed and fermented on native yeasts prior to ageing in cask. Although this is an intermediate step before the epic Clos-Saint-Jacques, it is not a wine to overlook—delicious in its own right.
Domaine Cécile Tremblay, Échézeaux du Dessus
Échezéaux Grand Cru
2022
97
This seductive wine appeals along the same lines as the Beaumonts, yet there is more of everything – more lush, dark blackberry and plum fruit, more liquorice spice on the attack, and more density and tannic grip on the palate. The texture is velvety and dense, yet there is also great finesse and a concentrated, focused finish. The grapes come from two biodynamically farmed parcels in Echézeaux du Dessus. This wine should open relatively young and drink well for two decades or more. This is a magnificent wine in a great vintage.
Domaine Cécile Tremblay
Vosne-Romanée (1er Cru Les Beaumonts)
2022
97
This exemplary Vosne Beaux Monts is a paragon of freshness and energy with a lovely depth of rose-petal-scented black cherry flavours touched with notes of smoke and leather. There is an uncommon purity of fruit; this has more precision and intensity to the structure. Tremblay is now working two parcels of Beaux Monts; this wine comes from the one she has worked for a while, in Les Hauts Beaux Monts, which she may or may not assemble with the other one, recently recouped from metayage to Michel Noëllat (tasted separately).
Domaine Chandon de Briailles
Corton Les Bressandes Grand Cru
2022
97
This slightly rugged version of Corton charms the drinker with its dense, plummy fruit and notes of earth, smoke, and cigar leaf. The texture is admirably compact and long, yet there is no astringency here. It is a powerful, classic Corton that will age for decades. The domaine farms four parcels that total 1.5 hectares; two are closer to the village of Aloxe, and two are closer to Ladoix. The latter are on Comblanchien limestone and deliver a Côte de Nuits style wine. The grapes were primarily fermented as whole clusters and are ageing now in cask (20% new).
Domaine d’Eugénie
Grands-Échézeaux Grand Cru
2022
97
The 2022 Grands Echézeaux from the Domaine d'Eugenie is an exquisite wine with a beautifully sensual ripe black cherry fruit aroma, floral cast, and abundant nuance and depth. The texture is velvety and inviting, with an approachable sweetness to the fruit on the palate yet reserves of power that suggest that this will continue to improve for decades. The grapes are from the cool section of the vineyard between the Clos de Vougeot and Echézeaux; most are fermented as whole clusters, and the wine is ageing now in cask, five of seven of which are new.
Domaine de Courcel
Pommard (1er Cru Grand Clos des Épenots)
2022
97
The 2022 Epenots from Courcel is a powerful yet very expressive wine. The colour is deep, the abundant fruit aromas are open and aromatic, and the wine is endowed with massive extract and tannin. On the day, I wrote 'everything ++'. The enchanting plum and currant aromas have great complexity, with hints of earth, leather, spice, and blood. The feel of the wine today is massive. It might well close down, but with five to seven years in the bottle, this should be an extraordinary wine that will live for decades.
Domaine de la Romanée-Conti
Grands-Échézeaux Grand Cru
2022
97
The DRC Grands Echézeaux was picked much earlier than the Echézeaux (between 2-4 September); perhaps this is why it seems less forward. The colour, however, is intense, and although the wine is less expressive, it is more substantial, with a more tannic grip and better length. The texture on the palate is dense and concentrated, and the flavour of dark chocolate develops with time. This wine should open well in five to seven years and has the substance to last at least another 30 beyond that.
Domaine de la Romanée-Conti
Romanée-St-Vivant Grand Cru
2022
97
The wine is a St-Vivant,' according to Bertrand de Villaine, who finds the nose a touch herbal. To me, this manifests as notes of flowers and spice gracing the fruit aromas, which are more red fruit than black. It seems oddly a bit lighter than the Grands Echézeaux this year, at least at this stage of its evolution. The structure is silky and less dense than its stablemates, suggesting an earlier evolution. De Villaine notes that there have been some issues with the rootstock in this vineyard, but the selection they have made here is undoubtedly successful.
Domaine Denis Mortet
Chambertin Grand Cru
2022
97
With its focused, concentrated aromas of black cherry and plum fruit and savoury accents of game, leather, and mineral, this is an expressive, complex wine; there is still a hint of reduction that will resolve with time. The texture of the wine is concentrated and deep, with firm but supple tannins, crisp acidity, and the extract to ensure an interminable finish. This wine should begin opening in five years and will drink well for at least twenty years afterwards.
Domaine des Lambrays
Clos des Lambrays Grand Cru
2022
97
Collectors searching for the top wines of the Côte de Nuits will want to secure an allocation of this as soon as it is offered. The assemblage of all of the portions of the Clos is superb, with a seductive black cherry and mulberry fruit that is at once fresh and round, with complexity coming from mineral and earth notes and a bit of polished oak spice. The texture is dense and complete yet marvellously vibrant with impressive length. The selection is ever more severe, with even more grapes declassified into Les Loups, delivering a compelling wine that will live for decades.
Domaine des Lambrays
Clos des Lambrays Grand Cru
2022
97
The blend of the entire Clos is superb in 2022, with a seductive black cherry and mulberry fruit that is at once fresh and round, with complexity coming from mineral and earth notes and a bit of polished oak spice. The texture is dense and complete yet marvellously vibrant with impressive length. The selection is ever more severe, with a portion of the grapes declassified into Les Loups (Morey-St-Denis 1er Cru). A compelling wine that will live for decades. Organic.
Domaine du Cellier aux Moines, Clos Pascal
Givry (1er Cru Clos du Cellier Aux Moines)
2022
97
This superb wine must be tasted to be believed. It boasts a lush, ripe aroma of blackberry, mulberry and bramble, accented with notes of earth, spice, and smoke. The texture is notable for a formidable tannic charge, yet there is enough fruit and sweet extract to support the massive structure. The grapes are from a medieval clos that was a meadow when Pascal purchased the property and thus was not included in the AOC limits, hence its village status today. The vines are planted at more than 13,000 vines/ha on stakes (échalas) and organically farmed. Spectacular wine.
Domaine Dugat-Py
Mazoyères-Chambertin Grand Cru
2022
97
The Mazoyères from Dugat-Py is delightful, if somewhat puzzling. In many previous vintages, I have qualified it as 'massive' or 'imposing', and I found it more tannic and slightly more rustic than the Charmes, where he also has vines. In the 2022 vintage, I found rather the opposite: silky and ripe, with a fragrant blackberry and pomegranate fruit scented with liquorice and rose petals. The texture was impressively dense, but the wine was approachable even at this age and gave the impression it should open up reasonably young. There is still plenty of tannic grip, but this element doesn't dominate.
Domaine Dujac
Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru
2022
97
Deeply-coloured and richly fruity, this was tasted last in the lineup, and it is easy to see why. The wine boasts a spectacularly forward fruit, supple, silky texture, and enough density to age for decades. There is enough acidity to balance and enough tannin to sustain the wine over the long haul. Still, there is another dimension of complexity and depth here that is seductive indeed. The grapes come from just over a half-hectare in two blocks, the larger one in the centre of the climate and the smaller one in the south.
Domaine Duroché, Vieilles Vignes
Gevrey-Chambertin (1er Cru Lavaut Saint-Jacques)
2022
97
Darker than the 'classic' cuvée, with a pronounced blackberry fruit coloured with liquorice, violets and earth, this old vine cuvée (made with grapes from 100-year-old vines) is a magic wine with significantly more concentration, robust tannins, and a freshness that balances the extract and leads to an incredibly long finish. By any measure, it is a beautiful wine. Sensible collectors will give it three to five years before opening to maximise its aromatic potential.
Domaine Duroché, Cuvée Mariette
Latricières-Chambertin Grand Cru
2022
97
The Latricières from Duroché has more density and power than many of the Gevrey offerings; it is decidedly more tannic than the Griotte. The 'silky, lovely' side is still here, but this is powerful and long with abundant black plum and mulberry fruit aromas coloured with spice, peony and liquorice notes. It is impressive for its length and balance – it is plump with fruit yet balanced by structure and freshness. The grapes come from a quarter-hectare parcel that the domaine purchased in 1989; it was the favourite cuvée of the family matriarch, for whom it is named.
Domaine Faiveley
Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Grand Cru
2022
97
The 'classic' Clos de Bèze from Faiveley is blended from three parcels that total one hectare, all located in the centre of the climat. 'Serious but not severe' I wrote in my notes. The wine has admirable complexity and depth of flavour, with focused blackberry and mulberry fruit, notes of violets and peonies, ginger, star anise, and liquorice spice. There is all the lovely intensity and length of a top wine and enough freshness to keep it lively.
Domaine Fourrier
Gevrey-Chambertin (1er Cru Clos-St-Jacques)
2022
97
The somewhat modest colour of the Clos Saint-Jacques belies the aromatic intensity of this wine with its beguiling black cherry fruit aromas touched with smoke, leather, earth, and spice. The texture is firmly tannic and full-bodied, with intense concentration and length – 'this has everything' in my notes. The domaine's 0.89-hectare parcel sits next to Rousseau; it was originally planted in 1910. The grapes are destemmed, but the best and ripest stems are added back to the vats. Ideally, one would wait at least five years before enjoying this wine and then drink it over the next thirty years.
Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg
Échezéaux Grand Cru
2022
97
This medium-deep garnet wine boasts a bright, elegant pomegranate and red plum fruit aroma with an edge of earth and spice. The texture is approachably silky and very fine, but there is enough substance to ensure a long life in the cellar. The grapes are from the lieux-dits Rouges de Bas and Quartiers de Nuits. The total owned by the domaine is one hectare, but they have let half of the Quartiers de Nuits to their cousin Pascal Mugneret. The sisters have destemmed the grapes and fermented them gently, and the wine is now ageing in cask (60% new).
Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg
Ruchottes-Chambertin Grand Cru
2022
97
The Mugneret-Gibourg Ruchottes is an extraordinary wine with a laser-like focus to the bright blackberry fruit with notes of violets, earth and smoke. The texture is compact and chiselled but very dense, with firm tannins and an impressively persistent saline minerality on the palate. The grapes are from the domaine's 0.70-hectare parcel in Ruchottes du Bas; they are destemmed and gently fermented before ageing in cask (70% new). Give this five years before opening; the ultimate ageing potential is likely forty to fifty years.
Domaine Hudelot-Noëllat
Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru
2022
97
This wine is superbly silky and seamless, long but not heavy, and distinguished by a marvellously forward blackberry and pomegranate fruit aroma touched with earth and spice. This immense Clos de Vougeot shows power without astringency. The grapes are from the domaine's 0.70 hectares near the château in the spots known as Chioures and La Garenne. The carefully sorted grapes are mostly destemmed and fermented on native yeasts; the wines are currently ageing in cask (half new) and will be bottled after two winters without fining or filtration.
Domaine Hudelot-Noëllat
Romanée-St-Vivant Grand Cru
2022
97
Lavish aromas of blackberry and plum fruit with an edge of earthy complexity make the initial attack compelling. The texture is firm and elegant, with grippy tannins but no astringency and enough extract and freshness to ensure an interminable finish. The grapes are from a half-hectare of century-old vines that run the length of the vineyard just north of the Domaine de la Romanée-Conti vines. They are partially destemmed and gently fermented before ageing in cask (half new). Ideally, one would wait a decade before opening this wine, but there is enough substance here to age 50 years beyond that.
Domaine Hudelot-Noëllat
Vosne-Romanée (1er Cru Les Suchots)
2022
97
This exquisite wine has intense red and black fruit aromas with a floral edge and an almost salty savoury intensity. The texture is silky but tightly wound. It is commonly thought that the upper part of Suchots is superior, but this version gives that idea the lie. Here, the 100-year-old vines in the domaine's 0.45-hectare parcel make the wine special, along with Van Caneyt's very able winemaking. This wine should open well in three to five years and will undoubtedly last another 40 (at least) beyond that.
Domaine Jacques-Frédéric Mugnier
Chambolle-Musigny (1er Cru Les Amoureuses)
2022
97
Forward, supple, and dense, the 2022 vintage is the very archetype of Chambolle Amoureuses, featuring a supple, plummy fruit of great purity with marvellous hints of star anise and pepper spice and an undercurrent of dark chocolate. The texture is supple and lush, yet there is no lack of structure. We are squarely back in a 'sunny' vintage, but Frédéric Mugnier says there is 'an element of optimism' surrounding global warming. To judge from his work here, he must be correct, for this wine is thrillingly delicious.
Domaine Jean Grivot
Échezéaux Grand Cru
2022
97
With its ripe, deep, plummy fruit, floral notes and abundant spice accents, the 2022 Echézeaux from Grivot is among the top wines in this cellar. The texture is rich and velvety; the finish stretches on for minutes. The grapes are from a 0.84-hectare parcel in Cruots planted in 1954. Grivot destems the grapes and ferments gently, with more pumping exclusively after the beginning of fermentation. This vintage will begin to open in five to seven years and should drink well for at least another 30.
Domaine Méo-Camuzet
Richebourg Grand Cru
2022
97
The 2022 Richebourg from Méo is superb. The wine boasts a supple, open blackberry and currant fruit with hints of ginger, smoke, and pepper. There is perfume and great finesse, but the wine does not lack density or length. The grapes come from four plots – one in Richebourg proper and three different dates of plantation in Verroilles, the oldest one from the '50s, all planted against the slope. The vines yield tiny berries, which Méo destems completely before fermentation – pumping over at the beginning and punching down at the end to deliver a consistently delicious result.
Domaine Michel Lafarge
Volnay (1er Cru Clos du Château des Ducs)
2022
97
This 'super-cuvée' of the Lafarge cellar comes from vines behind the winery, with which they take extraordinary pains. The grapes are all destemmed by hand. The result is a wine of superb concentration and depth, with intensely perfumed black cherry fruit aromas and earth, star anise, violets and black tea notes. The texture on the palate is lively and vibrant, with abundant extract, supple but supportive tannins, and exceptional length. The 2022 vintage is on par with the best I have tasted from this site.
Domaine Michel Mallard
Corton Les Renardes Grand Cru
2022
97
In 2022, the Corton Renardes is the most complex and complete of the trio of Cortons in this cellar. The ripe plum and cassis fruit is accented with savoury game notes and a firm, saline minerality. The wine initially seems supple and elegant (it is), but impressive tannic grip and power become apparent with a bit of time in the glass. This wine has marvellous depth and range. Although it seems a bit reserved, Mallard believes it will open in five to seven years — and he opened a bottle of 2016 to demonstrate, proving his point. This is a 'don't miss' kind of wine.
Domaine Robert Groffier, La Délicatesse des Sables
Chambolle-Musigny (1er Cru Les Amoureuses)
2022
97
Nicolas Groffier has done a superb job with his Amoureuses; he will separate the upper and lower parts in 2022. Just under Musigny, he explains, there is a lot of sand, which helps the vines ripen to a greater degree. This cuvée has a black plum and cassis fruit character with notes of earth and smoke. The texture is fuller and more powerful, with great ripeness and depth. One should wait seven to ten years to open this monumental wine and drink over the next thirty.
Domaine Rossignol-Trapet
Chambertin Grand Cru
2022
97
The 2022 Rossignol-Trapet Chambertin is a magnificent wine. It is initially a bit closed, yet abundant red and black fruit flavours emerge on the palate. The character is fresh and lively, with complex notes of earth, leather, and savoury game developing slowly. The texture is firmly tannic and dense, but the acidity brings the wine into a marvellous dynamic balance between power and elegance. The wine is less exuberant than the 2020 but more tightly wound. The slightly tight nature of this wine will repay a wait of five years before opening, but it should drink well for several decades after that.
Domaine Rossignol-Trapet
Latricières-Chambertin Grand Cru
2022
97
This impressive wine is densely packed with substance but slightly closed initially, but flavours of cassis and mulberry with hints of earth and smoke open up on the palate. The silky texture bodes well for the hedonistic heft on the palate. The grapes come from three-quarters of a hectare in a parcel that runs the length of the climat between Trapet Père et Fils and Faiveley. The grapes are mainly fermented as whole clusters and gently extracted before ageing in casks with a moderate proportion of new wood.
Domaine Thibault Liger-Belair
Nuits-St-Georges (1er Cru Les St-Georges)
2022
97
This opulent wine displays concentrated mulberry and black fig fruit aromas with hints of earth, leather and exotic black tea. The texture is dense and firm, with substantial extract balanced by fresh acidity, leading this powerful wine to a lasting finish. The wine is not strictly closed—in five to seven years, one can begin to open it, yet one has the sense that there are reserves that will make this a perfect candidate for long ageing. The grapes are from Liger-Belair's holdings – almost two hectares – in this climat, considered the finest in Nuits.
Domaine Thibault Liger-Belair
Richebourg Grand Cru
2022
97
Top of the range – this is a wine of superb concentration, with penetrating aromas of blackberry and plum coloured with an almost pungent mineral note, smoke, leather, and spice. The wine is somewhat closed out of barrel. Still, one has the impression of immense density, firm and compact tannins without being astringent, and enough fresh acidity to carry this to an impressively complex, lingering finish. Don't rush to open this wine, it will last for 50 years.
Maison Millemann
Mazis-Chambertin Grand Cru
2022
97
This delicious wine bursts with blackberry and cassis fruit and abundant hints of smoke, earth, and Havana cigar. The texture is lushly approachable and intense, with a tannic grip that doesn't come to bear until the impressively long finish. The grapes are mainly fermented as whole clusters or individual whole berries gently extracted and trod by foot only at the end of the fermentation before ageing in new casks. The wine should be ready to drink fairly soon after release yet will have the substance for long ageing.
Albert Bichot, Domaine du Clos Frantin
Chambertin Grand Cru
2022
96
Bichot's 0.17-hectare holding at the top of the slope has produced an evocative, lovely wine with a forward pomegranate and red plum fruit with hints of spice, smoke, and earth. The texture is silky and more approachable than the 2020 vintage at a similar point. The vines are worked by horse and farmed organically, with everything done by hand—truly 'à l'ancien' in the best way. The results speak for themselves since this is a delicious wine. It will be drinkable reasonably early on but has the substance for long-term ageing.
Anne Gros
Richebourg Grand Cru
2022
96
This is a thrilling wine, deceptively light in colour but aromatically powerful, with a concentrated pomegranate and black cherry fruit character and an extraordinary sense of density, substance, and length on the palate. The grapes come from the Gros family holdings in Les Vérroilles; the youngest vines are 50 years old; the balance is 75. They are destemmed and gently fermented before ageing in cask (30% new). This wine is a model of both finesse and power. Ideally, wine lovers will wait a decade from the vintage to sample its beauties; this wine will live a half-century.
Arnaud Mortet
Mazoyères-Chambertin Grand Cru
2022
96
The Mazoyères-Chambertin from Arnaud Mortet is the finest of the negociant line from this producer, with lovely cassis and mulberry fruit touched with notes of earth and smoke. The texture is dense, and the tannic grip is firm. Mortet works the vines himself and vinifies on native yeasts with 30% whole clusters before ageing in cask (70% new) over two winters and bottling unfiltered. This wine should open more fully in five years and will age effortlessly for another twenty after that.
Benjamin Leroux
Chambertin Grand Cru
2022
96
The Chambertin from Benjamin Leroux is a tour de force with a black plum and cassis fruit character, and dark chocolate and earth notes. The texture has impressive density, firm tannins, and the depth of flavour to ensure that this wine carries through to a satisfyingly long finish. Leroux buys the fruit as grapes and ferments nearly all as whole clusters, gently extracting during fermentation to avoid over-concentration. This wine has been racked early into cask to preserve freshness. It should be approachable in five years and continue to improve for another thirty after that.
Bouchard Père & Fils, Vigne de l'Enfant Jésus
Beaune (1er Cru Grèves)
2022
96
The 2022 Baby Jesus is a wine of gorgeous intensity, with alluringly ripe aromas of blackberry and plum with notes of peony and spice. The forward fruits continue on the palate as intensely sweet and silky, with a density and grip that are only apparent with time. The grapes are from nearly four hectares of vines, although only the oldest vines and most concentrated fruit are used for this bottling, with some declassified into Beaune du Château. This wine will open in five to seven years and should easily drink for 30 more after the harvest.
Bouchard Père & Fils
Corton Le Corton Grand Cru
2022
96
The 2022 Bouchard Corton boasts concentrated mulberry and black plum fruit aromas, hints of violets and liquorice, and sweet oak spice. The texture is velvety and dense, with supple tannins and a pleasantly persistent finish underscored by a saline mineral note. Despite the location of the vines near the top of the slope, the grapes were picked early; 40% of the crop was fermented as whole clusters. This wine should open up in five to seven years and drink for another 25 beyond that.
Clos de Tart, La Forge de Tart
Morey-St-Denis (1er Cru)
2022
96
The 'second wine' of the Clos de Tart demonstrates exceptional quality in 2022, with notes of ripe cassis and blackberry fruit accented by notes of earth and smoke. The texture is concentrated and rich, with powerful tannins and a long finish. The wine is made with younger vines of the Clos from the blocks called Jeanniard and Plantation 2005, along with some older vines coming from clonal selections, although these are now being top-grafted over to massale selection. A quarter of the grapes were fermented as whole clusters, and the wine is ageing in cask (45% new).
Domaine AF Gros
Échezéaux Grand Cru
2022
96
This lovely wine has a complex array of red and black fruit aromas with a pleasant depth created by smoke, earth, and leather hints. The texture is firm and muscular, with rewarding density and impressive length. The grapes are now from the Gros family holdings; previously, Caroline Parent and her brother Mathias had vinified 0.26 hectares in a sharecropping agreement, but the owner took back the vines. Fortunately for the pair, following the reshuffling of the Gros holdings among the parties, they now farm 0.56 of their vines.
Domaine Amiot-Servelle
Chambolle-Musigny (1er Cru Les Amoureuses)
2022
96
Amiot-Servelle farms a significant parcel of Amoureuses on the northern side of the appellation that totals 0.45 hectares, stretching from the portion on Comblanchien limestone (like Musigny) down to the part underpinned by Prémeaux limestone, bringing the wine another level of complexity. The aromas begin with ripe currant and blackberry fruit touched with hints of violets, cedar, and black tea. The texture is textbook Amoureuses, lush, forward, and supple, yet dense and long on the palate. 65% of the grapes are fermented as whole clusters and gently extracted before ageing over two winters in cask (half new).
Domaine Amiot-Servelle
Clos St-Denis Grand Cru
2022
96
This wine is the biggest red in the cellar, and it is in top form after a lacklustre 2021, showing profuse aromas of blackberry and mint with a hint of liquorice and a slightly gamey edge. The texture is firm, tannic and long. The wine comes from a 0.17-hectare parcel inherited from Domaine Pierre Amiot planted to ancient vines, whose grapes are fermented on native yeasts with a moderate inclusion of whole clusters and a gentle hand with the extraction.
Domaine Arlaud
Chambolle-Musigny (1er Cru Les Sentiers)
2022
96
The complex blend of exotic Asian spice, forward pomegranate fruit, and savoury, earthy notes make the Chambolle Sentiers an intriguing wine. Some oak is still showing through, but this will integrate with time. There is more density and extract than one might think for a Chambolle at this level, which draws this out to a forceful and long conclusion—charming wine. The grapes come from a parcel of 0.23 hectares that are partially destemmed and aged in a combination of new and used casks.
Domaine Arlaud
Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru
2022
96
This surprisingly expressive wine opens with profuse aromas of violets and blackberry underscored with a firmly saline mineral note. I found the wine very generous; Cyprian Arlaud commented 'I try to make it as a Charmes-Chambertin. The parcel, however, is in Mazoyères, just under the road that separates it from Latricières. Its grippy tannic texture on the finish seems to start as a seductive Charmes but finish more faithful to the somewhat stricter Mazoyères mould.
Domaine Arlaud
Clos de la Roche Grand Cru
2022
96
The Clos de la Roche from Arlaud is from the lieu-dit Mochamps; the parcel runs from the road up to Domaine Ponsot. 20% of the grapes are fermented as whole clusters, and the wine is ageing now in cask, 20% new. The wine is charmingly aromatic, with a ripe, peony-scented cherry fruit and earthy notes. The texture is silky, round, and velvety; there is more aromatic expression but less depth than the Charmes-Chambertin. The wine should start to open in five years and will continue to improve for a further twenty.
Domaine Armand Rousseau
Clos de la Roche Grand Cru
2022
96
Although it is sometimes overlooked, the Clos de la Roche from Rousseau is a superb wine. Tasted with Cyrielle from barrel, it was initially a bit reduced and slightly closed, but it opens up with ripe plum and black cherry fruit on the palate underscored by a firm, earthy minerality. The texture is wonderfully dense and long. With nearly 1.5 hectares, Rousseau is the third-largest proprietor here, after Ponsot and Dujac. They have almost a hectare in Fremières and almost a half-hectare in the original Clos de la Roche. The grapes are destemmed and gently fermented before ageing in used casks.
Domaine Armand Rousseau
Gevrey-Chambertin (1er Cru Cazetiers)
2022
96
The 2022 Rousseau Cazetiers is more powerful and structured than the Lavaux-Saint-Jacques, with ripe blackberry and cassis fruit touched with exotic Asian spices. The firm tannic grip and texture rich with extract lead the wine to an impressively long finish. The grapes come from a 0.60-hectare parcel at mid-slope. With a few years of age, this should open well and will easily drink well over the next twenty years at least.
Domaine Armand Rousseau, Clos des Ruchottes
Ruchottes-Chambertin Grand Cru
2022
96
Powerful and aromatic, the Clos des Ruchottes is always a particular favourite of those who love tension and concentration. The 2022 shows a forward black fruit aroma with a floral edge and plenty of saline mineral concentration, but it is tightly wound and packed with potential. This is among the best Ruchottes of the vintage: silky and very fine but impressively dense, with immense length and great complexity. This wine will take at least five years to come around but should last for decades.
Domaine Berthaut-Gerbet
Échezéaux Grand Cru
2022
96
This peerless Echézeaux has pronounced blackberry and plum aromas with an edge of smoke and savoury game notes. The texture is dense and tannic, but there is no 'makeup' here – Berthaut is not using any new casks for ageing (there are three in total), giving this wine great purity of fruit. She blends grapes from Les Treux, Quartier de Nuits, and Champs Traversins and ferments them with 80% whole clusters to deliver this thrilling result. It should begin to open in five years and will drink for two or three decades after that – this is a step up from her already-worthy range.
Domaine Berthaut-Gerbet
Vosne-Romanée (1er Cru Les Petits Monts)
2022
96
The luminous vermillion hue of this wine announces it will be memorable; the initial attack boasts aromas of black cherry and pomegranate with hints of rose petals, star anise, and boxwood. The texture is bright and clean, with firm tannins and abundant crisp acidity, but enough warmth to make this feel approachable. The grapes are from the domaine's half-hectare spread over five parcels, all worked by horse and hand to deliver these perfectly ripe grapes; half are fermented as whole clusters before ageing in cask (one-quarter new).
Domaine Bruno Clair, La Murée, Les Longeroies
Marsannay
2022
96
Bruno's father, Bernard, made a Cuvée des Vieilles Murées at Domaine Clair-Daü; Bruno has revived the tradition. The vines for this were planted between 1920 and 1024 in lieux-dit Les Longeroies at the northern end of the village. Out of the barrel, the wine has an inky dark colour, ripe, plummy fruit, and abundant flesh and structure. Impressive for the vintage, a lively acidity carries it to a marvellously lingering finish. Again superb.
Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé
Chambolle-Musigny (1er Cru Les Amoureuses)
2022
96
Amoureuses as it should be. Previous vintages always struck me as pleasantly soft and rich, but this is more substantial, with dense, dark plum and mulberry fruit, abundant spice notes of ginger and star anise, and aromatic rose petals. The texture is powerful and dense without being astringent or unpleasantly firm. Ideally, wait 5 – 10 years before opening this wine and then enjoy it over the next three to four decades. Production is vastly diminished due to replanting nearly a third of the vineyard, but finding an allocation of this truly top Chambolle is worthwhile.
Domaine d’Eugénie
Échezéaux Grand Cru
2022
96
The rain 'changed the face of the vintage' according to winemaker Michel Mallard. It brought a fresh elegance and pronounced floral notes to this wine. The difference, according to Mallard, is that the wines from 2020 are denser; those from 2022 give pleasure right now. The domaine did two green harvests to concentrate the fruit. There is both concentration and elegance in this Echézeaux. The grapes come from a half-hectare of vines, all in the cool terroir of the Combe d'Orveau. 80% of them were fermented as whole clusters, and the wine is now ageing in cask, six out of nine of which are new.
Domaine d’Eugénie
Vosne-Romanée (1er Cru Aux Brûlées)
2022
96
This stunning wine boasts an evocative black cherry and pomegranate fruit aroma with notes of violets, wild herbs, and earth. The texture is silky and elegant, yet hauntingly long and grippy at the end, featuring a beguiling combination of lightness and tension. The grapes are from the old vines in the 1.2-hectare holding in Aux Brûlées (the young vines are declassified); 80% of the grapes are fermented as whole clusters, and the wine is now ageing in cask (5 of 9 of which are new).
Domaine de la Romanée-Conti
Échezéaux Grand Cru
2022
96
The 2022 Echézeaux from the Domaine de la Romanée-Conti is an exuberant, expressive wine with red and black fruit aromas much more open than the Corton. The initial fruit character is given nuance and depth by hints of violets and exotic spice that also echo on the palate. The texture is supple and round, and the fruit has a lovely sweetness that the French would call 'sucrosité'. The grapes were picked from the domaine's mammoth holding of more than 4.5 hectares in Poulaillères between 11-13 September, making them among the last grapes to come in.
Domaine de Montille, Cuvée Christiane
Vosne-Romanée (1er Cru Malconsorts)
2022
96
This superb wine boasts forward, accessible plum and blackberry fruit with smoke, leather, and spice accents. Given the abundant tannic grip and density here, the texture is silky and supple but lacks nothing in structure or power. There is enough acidity to balance everything and lead to an impressively long finish. The grapes come from the half-hectare plot bordering La Tâche, fermented on native yeasts primarily as whole clusters. This wine should open five to 10 years after release and drink well for at least 20 years afterwards.
Domaine des Croix
Corton Grèves Grand Cru
2022
96
David Croix's 2022 Corton Grèves was particularly successful — he reported picking some of the grapes at 14.7% potential alcohol. There is an intense mulberry and pomegranate fruit aroma with hints of earth and spice; the tannins are firm but not astringent, and the rich extract carries the wine to a lingering finish. The grapes come from just over a half-hectare of vines in the centre of the climat that run the length of the slope. They are partially destemmed and gently fermented on native yeasts before ageing in cask (one-third new).
Domaine du Clos de la Commaraine
Pommard (1er Cru Clos de la Commaraine)
2022
96
The team's work at Domaine de la Commaraine is truly exciting, and the potential can be seen in this sample blend of the new vintage. The wine boasts a forward, luxurious blackberry and pomegranate aroma with hints of violets, spice, and smoke. The texture is lush and dense but abundant with well-managed tannins, substantial extract, and an immensely long finish. The grapes are from the eponymous 3.63-hectare Clos, although some have been declassified by régisseur Paul Krug, who formerly worked with Pedro Para. This domaine is definitely one to watch.
Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair
Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru
2022
96
Liger-Belair now farms 60 ares in metayage from Nathalie Pacaud-Lamarche; he has explained that they are 'near the Château', thus from the two parcels in Montiottes Hautes owned by Domaine Lamarche. He previously had purchased the fruit from a different 30 ares on the other side of the vineyard. He is keeping only one-third of this. In 2022, he fermented the grapes primarily as whole clusters and is ageing the wine in new casks to produce this prodigious wine with a ripe cassis fruit aroma coloured with earth, smoke and spice. The texture is concentrated, long and powerful, yet it is not forbidding.
Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair
Échezéaux Grand Cru
2022
96
This approachable, forward Echézeaux bursts with lovely raspberry and mulberry fruit aromas touched with cigar leaf, earth, smoke and leather. The texture is supple yet firmly tannic and substantial, carried to an exceptional finish by fresh acidity that is surprisingly crisp for the vintage. The blend includes the 0.62 hectares that Liger-Belair already farmed in Cruots, Champs Traversins, and Clos Saint-Denis, as well as the 25 additional ares from Nathalie Pacareau-Lamarche; they are gently fermented on native yeasts principally as whole clusters before ageing in new casks and bottling without fining or filtration.
Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair
Grands-Échézeaux Grand Cru
2022
96
This engaging, lovely wine boasts abundant fresh fruit aromas of cassis, cherry, and pomegranate with nuance of mint, violets, and earth. The texture is tannic and firm, with enough structure to carry the wine to a lingering finish. The grapes come from 0.31 hectares that Liger-Belair works in metayage from Nathalie Pacareau-Lamarche; this will be the first vintage for his estate. The wine shows evidence of being ready to drink after three to five years in bottle; it should have the substance to age for a further 20 years afterwards.
Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair
Vosne-Romanée (1er Cru Aux Brûlées)
2022
96
This stylish premier cru is among Liger-Belair's smallest, with just under 12 ares. The results, however, are impressive. True to its name, a smoky quality suffuses the ripe currant and cranberry fruit. The texture is dense, structured, and complex; the fruit lingers invitingly on the palate. The vines are located in Aux Brûlées proper, north of Richebourg. The biodynamically grown grapes are partially destemmed and fermented on native yeasts before ageing in new casks, bottled unfined and unfiltered.
Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair
Vosne-Romanée (1er Cru Les Petits Monts)
2022
96
The 2022 Petits Monts from Liger-Belair shares the elegance and finesse of his Croix Rameau offering, but there is more power and structure here. The initial attack shows concentrated mulberry and plum aromas with hints of earth and a saline minerality; the fruit has lovely depth and flavour. The texture is tannic, fresh, and concentrated, with rich extract and a lingering finish. The grapes are from a tiny 0.13-hectare parcel that Liger-Belair farms at the top of the Richebourg slope near his holding in Aux Reignots – superb wine.
Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair
Vosne-Romanée (1er Cru Malconsorts)
2022
96
The inaugural vintage of Liger-Belair's Malconsorts is a brilliant success, with a bright cherry fruit with hints of rose petals and spice. The texture is ethereal and perfumed, yet there is still a firm structure to the fruit, underpinned by an intriguing, savoury, smoky edge. The grapes come from two parcels that total a half-hectare, lying along the southern extremity of the climat on the border with Nuits at either end of the vines belonging to Bichot. These vines are in biodynamic conversion and yield wine worthy of the domaine.
Domaine Dugat-Py
Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru
2022
96
This superb wine boasts a dense and lovely ripe plum and blackberry fruit aroma with plenty of depth and substance. The tannins are supple and not at all astringent. The grapes come from several small organically farmed parcels near the top of the appellation close to Chambertin, blended with a bit of Mazoyères. They are vinified 75% as whole clusters, with a very gentle extraction before ageing in cask (one-third new). For maximum pleasure, age this for at least five years from release to allow it to open up.
Domaine Dugat-Py
Gevrey-Chambertin (1er Cru Fonteny)
2022
96
The only defect to this wine is that there is so little of it—just two ouvrées (0.08 hectares), and the winemaking is done in clay amphorae, with 75% whole clusters before ageing in cask (half new). The vines are trained on two-metre stakes outfitted with wires. This is the last parcel before Ruchottes-Chambertin grand cru, and the grapes have produced a wine of incredible concentration and density with a dark mulberry fruit aroma accented with hints of smoke and leather, and a lovely texture that juggles firm tannins and fresh acidity—impressive wine.
Domaine Dugat-Py
Gevrey-Chambertin (1er Cru Petite Chapelle)
2022
96
Dugat-Py farms just under a third of a hectare in two parcels of Petite Chapelle, directly downslope from Chapelle-Chambertin grand cru. The average age of the vines is seventy years. Three-quarters of the grapes were fermented as whole clusters to produce this dark, lovely blackberry and mulberry-scented wine with floral notes, a fantastic depth of flavour, and impressive length. Loïc Dugat-Py describes it as 'energie'; it is certainly a vibrant, dynamic wine.
Domaine Dujac
Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru
2022
96
The deeply coloured Charmes boasts an impressively ripe plummy fruit with menthol, earth, and smoke accents. The tannic structure is silky and very fine – less grippy than many – and enough extract ensures that the finish lingers invitingly on the palate. The grapes are from four parcels split between Aux Charmes and Mazoyères; approximately 85% were fermented as whole clusters in 2022, with fewer punch-downs to avoid over-extraction. The result is elegant and very fine.
Domaine Dujac
Clos de la Roche Grand Cru
2022
96
The 2022 Clos de la Roche from Dujac is a wine of impressive concentration, even if it is not so loveable at this point. It seems (along with the Clos Saint-Denis) to be a bit austere, but a ripe, plummy fruit opens up on the palate with nuances of smoke, earth and spice. Despite the slight austerity at this stage, this is impressively long, powerful, and nuanced, and one imagines sweet fruit will develop with time. The grapes are from their six parcels scattered throughout the climat, accounting for almost two hectares; the wine is now doing its second winter ageing in cask.
Domaine Dujac
Clos St-Denis Grand Cru
2022
96
This delicious Clos Saint-Denis starts with a well-developed blackberry and pomegranate fruit aroma touched with star anise and pepper and a salty mineral tang to give it an impressive depth of flavour. The wine has much more density and substance than last year, with firm tannins and a beautifully lingering finish of haunting complexity. This wine should start to open within five to seven years and should drink well for decades afterwards. The grapes are from several parcels that total 1.47 hectares spread throughout the various lieux-dits of this emblematic climat.
Domaine Dujac
Échezéaux Grand Cru
2022
96
Deep ruby in colour, the 2022 Echézeaux from Dujac is slightly closed initially but opens on the palate to reveal a ripe black plum fruit touched with earth and an undercurrent of ground coffee and smoke. The texture is not as supple or velvety as the Malconsorts or Charmes-Chambertin, and the firmish tannins have a slightly astringent texture. With time, this tannic edge will resolve, and there is enough concentration and tension in this wine to indicate that if it is somewhat austere at present, it is a wine for the ages.
Domaine Dujac
Gevrey-Chambertin (1er Cru Aux Combottes)
2022
96
The Gevrey Combottes is once again a standout in the Dujac lineup. A discreet and subtle wine, the fruit ripeness is impressive, but it starts slightly closed and really opens on the palate with aromas of pomegranate, kirsch, and violets. The structure is impressive, with tannin that is at once firm but also very fine-grained and elegant. The density is rewarding, and the finish lingers on the palate. The grapes are from their 1.16-hectare site and are fermented as mostly whole clusters before ageing in cask.
Domaine Dujac
Vosne-Romanée (1er Cru Les Beaux Monts)
2022
96
There is a lovely tannic depth to the ripe, supple mulberry fruit of the 2022 Beaux Monts from Dujac that gives a solid impression of structure and length, but the wine is approachable as well, and the balance between the wine's tension and forward fruit is compelling. The grapes come from almost three-quarters of a hectare near the base of the slope. The grapes were partially destemmed and fermented on native yeasts before ageing in cask.
Domaine Dujac
Vosne-Romanée (1er Cru Malconsorts)
2022
96
The 2022 Malconsorts from Dujac is an impressive, monumental wine with concentrated red and black fruit aromas touched with herbal, floral and spice aromas from the use of whole clusters in the ferment (85%). The tannins are firm but not astringent, and there is a lovely depth to the wine that is a testament to the quality of this terroir. The grapes come from more than 1.5 hectares at the northern edge of Malconsorts, which overlaps into Gaudichots, although this is not indicated on the label. Ideally, wait seven to 10 years before drinking.
Domaine Duroché
Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru
2022
96
Lovely and expressive, the Charmes-Chambertin from Duroché features bright black cherry fruit with notes of violets, earth, and spice. Despite the heat of the year, the wine has a vibrant freshness; the grippy tannins drive the sensation to a lingering finish. The grapes come from several parcels, all located in Aux Charmes; they are mostly destemmed and carefully fermented with a delicate extraction. The result is precision and purity of fruit that is truly delicious.
Domaine Duroché
Gevrey-Chambertin (1er Cru Cazetiers)
2022
96
This tiny holding (0.09 hectares) provides enough fruit for a single barrel; until 2015, it was blended into the village wine, but Pierre Duroché felt it singular enough to warrant a separate bottling. The 2022 certainly justifies his decision: it is supremely fragrant, with a bright, curranty fruit touched with spice notes and earth. The texture is supple and softly silky; there is a pleasant concentration but no heaviness. It is very rare juice, but the quality suggests you should seek it out.
Domaine Duroché
Gevrey-Chambertin (1er Cru Estournelles St Jacques)
2022
96
Duroché's small (0.12 hectare) holding is the first plot south of the wall from the Clos St-Jacques, on the way into the Combe de Lavaux at the top of the slope. Despite being a reasonably cool terroir, Duroché has coaxed a wine of silky density from these grapes, with an expressive mulberry and pomegranate fruit with a strong suggestion of violets. The texture is disarmingly velvety and pleasantly persistent on the palate.
Domaine Faiveley
Latricières-Chambertin Grand Cru
2022
96
This superb example of one of Faiveley's top wines from Gevrey seduces with expressive mulberry and pomegranate fruit, hints of rose petals and suggestions of star anise, smoke and earth. This wine is more firmly tannic and substantial than the Charmes-Chambertin, with a saline minerality and penetrating length that should open up 3 – 5 years after release and drink for another twenty after that. As Erwan noted, the style is 'caught between Clos de la Roche and Chambertin'; the domaine owns nearly 1.3 hectares that are being replanted slowly.
Domaine Fourrier
Griotte-Chambertin Grand Cru
2022
96
The Griotte is the undisputed champion of the Fourrier cellar; the 2022 is no exception. It has yielded a super-concentrated wine with a pronounced blackberry and cassis fruit, hints of violets, earth, and exotic Asian spices. The texture is velvety, and the finish is exceptionally long. The quality of the tannins is firm but very smooth, so there is no astringency at all. The grapes come from a 0.28-hectare parcel planted in 1928; they were destemmed, but some of the ripest stems were added back in to facilitate the fermentation. This is among the best Griottes I have tasted.
Domaine François Buffet
Pommard (1er Cru Les Poutures)
2022
96
Poutures is up the slope from the Clos Micot. In contrast to this latter wine, Poutures is silky and fine. It does not lack substance, but there is an enchanting floral note and a ripe, plummy fruit on the initial attack. There is enough tannin and body to drive the wine to a lingering finish, but nothing is astringent here. The grapes are from a 0.27-hectare parcel; one-third are fermented as whole clusters, and the wine is ageing in a cask (20% new). This wine was among my favourites in the cellar.
Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg
Chambolle-Musigny (1er Cru Les Feusselottes)
2022
96
The Mugneret-Gibourg Feusselottes 2022 combines the elegance and finesse of the sister's style with the depth and concentration of the vineyard. It boasts ripe raspberry and cassis fruit, lovely, expressive floral notes, and a hint of spice. The texture is silky and delicate, yet enough density and grip drive this to a surprisingly long finish. The grapes come from almost a half-hectare of vines the domaine has farmed since 1985; they are destemmed before a gentle fermentation and ageing in cask (one-third new).
Domaine Hudelot-Noëllat
Vosne-Romanée (1er Cru Malconsorts)
2022
96
Charles Van Canneyt qualifies his Malconsorts as his favourite wine at the domaine. It makes a triumphant return after being declassified in the difficult 2021 vintage. This year, the wine shows a bright, forward black cherry fruit with hints of lavender and spice. There is a marvellous depth of flavour, and the wine is rich and round without being imposing – it is a wine of great elegance. The grapes come from his 0.14-hectare parcel in the slightly sandy soils of the upper part of the vineyard, just south of Cathiard. Only bottled in magnum.
Domaine Jean Grivot, La Combe d'Orveau
Chambolle-Musigny
2022
96
Grivot's village-level Chambolle Combe d'Orveau has a lovely dark colour and silky, perfumed cherry fruit coloured with notes of lavender and spice. The wine is approachable and supple in texture, yet it does not lack structure or depth. Etienne Grivot explained his philosophy with this late-ripening terroir: picking early to preserve acidity means punching down firmly to extract; he prefers picking later and treating the wine more gently. The grapes are destemmed and will age 15 months in barrel and a couple more in tank before bottling.
Domaine Jean Grivot
Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru
2022
96
Warm, lush, and tannic, this wine shows an intensely ripe, plummy fruit aroma with notes of smoke and spice and impressive depth and length. It is the best Clos Vougeot I can recall having from this domaine. The Grivot family has a large parcel (1.86 hectares) at the base of the slope, which is not a highly regarded position in the Clos. Mathilde, however, has made exemplary work of it here. The carefully sorted grapes were destemmed and gently punched down during the fermentation on native yeasts.
Domaine Jean Grivot
Vosne-Romanée (1er Cru Les Beaux Monts)
2022
96
The 2022 Beaux Monts from Grivot is back on form, with a piercing mulberry fruit accented with floral notes and a bit of spice on the attack. The texture is concentrated and pure, with impressive freshness for the vintage, a lovely depth of flavour, and a firm, mineral underpinning. The wine is produced from nearly a hectare of vines split between Beaux Monts Bas in Flagey and Beaux Monts Hauts in Vosne, and it is generally among the standouts from this domaine.
Domaine Jean Grivot
Vosne-Romanée (1er Cru Les Suchots)
2022
96
There is gratifying richness and depth to the ripe plummy fruit with a mineral edge and notes of fresh violets and spice. The texture is firmly tannic, but there is abundant density and the freshness to draw the wine to a lingering finish. The grapes are from a quarter-hectare in the lower section of Suchots where their neighbour is Comte Liger-Belair; Mathilde thinks of it as 'my little Richebourg'. The wine will open in three to five years and should continue to improve for a further 30.
Domaine Jean Grivot
Vosne-Romanée (1er Cru Reignots)
2022
96
2022 was a good year for Grivot's Reignots. The domaine owns a tiny 0.07-hectare slice, planted in 1954. The vines produced this year a wine with a pronounced black cherry fruit aroma with notes of rose petals and spice and a compact texture of purity and depth, with an almost saline minerality and a lovely, lengthy finish. This wine should come around within three to five years and should drink well for 20 or more following that.
Domaine Jérôme Galeyrand, En Croisette
Gevrey-Chambertin
2022
96
This impressive wine has considerable balance and poise to its expressive plummy fruit with hints of earth and smoke. It seems much more put together than most village-level wines. The texture is firmly tannic but not astringent, and the finish is surprisingly long. The grapes come from a 0.20-hectare parcel of old vines planted in the '30s in Brochon just south of Jeunes Rois. Half of the harvest is vinified as whole clusters, and the wine is ageing now in cask (half new).
Domaine Jessiaume, Numerus Clausus
Santenay (1er Cru Les Gravières)
2022
96
William Waterkeyn at Jessiaume has set aside five barrels of Gravières from his oldest vines (80-years-old) to produce this super-cuvée. The winemaking is the same, except there is slightly more new wood (two barrels out of five). The fruit is deep and dark, with notes of cassis and mulberry and hints of leather, bay leaf, wood smoke and spice from the oak. The full body is amply supported by the firm, slightly rugged tannins and surprising freshness to draw this to a persistent finish. Age this for five years before opening; it should last at least a further 20.
Domaine Lamy-Pillot
Chassagne-Montrachet (1er Cru Clos St-Jean)
2022
96
The red version of the Clos St-Jean in 2022 boasts a ripe mulberry and plum fruit with nuance of earth, spice, and floral notes. The texture is supple and dense with silky tannins, abundant concentration, and a profoundly lingering finish. Caillat chalks the success up to the excellent quality vine material planted by his wife's grandfather on just shy of 0.30 hectares of this prime site for Pinot between the quarries and the village – marvellous wine.
Domaine Marquis d'Angerville
Volnay (1er Cru En Champans)
2022
96
This monumental wine is, as always, a reference for the appellation. In 2022, there is a lovely density of plum and blackberry fruit with spice and earth notes. The texture is plump, velvety and long, with supple tannins supporting the wine without adding astringency. D'Angerville destems and gave the grapes a cold soak before fermentation on native yeasts and ageing in cask (mainly used) to preserve the limpid purity of the fruit. Give this wine five years before opening, and it should continue to improve for at least 30 years beyond that.
Domaine Marquis d'Angerville
Volnay (1er Cru Les Taillepieds)
2022
96
Even in a hot year such as 2022, it struck me as odd that the Taillepieds would be more open than many other wines in the d'Angerville cellar. Yet, there was a strikingly lush blackberry fruit character with generous earthy nuance and a hint of violets that was delightful. The sweet fruit character carried through on the palate, with a plump yet still tannic and substantial texture. Given this profile, it will be ready to drink three to five years after the vintage, yet it should age well.
Domaine Méo-Camuzet
Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru
2022
96
Meo's Clos de Vougeot has a forward black cherry and lavender aroma with hints of earth and spice. The texture retains great elegance and finesse, with supple but firm tannins, abundant fresh acidity, and a lovely depth of extract. This wine has an alcohol level among the highest in the cellar, but it is still under 14% - an admirable achievement in 2022. Méo tells us that he will blend his parcels to make one wine this year from his 2.75 hectares of vines in La Garenne (Près le Cellier) and Grand Maupertuis.
Domaine Michel Lafarge
Volnay (1er Cru Les Caillerets)
2022
96
The Caillerets is among my favourites in the Lafarge cellar this year. Its engagingly ripe plummy fruit has a deep, savoury edge with hints of saline minerality. The texture is richer, and the finish is longer than the usual high standard. Frédéric relates that they are now using horses only to work in this 0.28-hectare plot; the attention to detail undoubtedly pays dividends. This wine should be ready to drink in three to five years and will easily hold for 20 more.
Domaine Michel Mallard
Corton Le Rognet Grand Cru
2022
96
Silky and spicy, Mallard's Le Rognet features notes of star anise and liquorice accenting the charming mulberry fruit aromas with a hint of dark chocolate to add impressive depth of flavour. The grapes come from a 1.27-hectare holding up the slope from Méo's Clos Rognet, whose vines were planted as massale selection 70 years ago. Mallard ferments 80% of the grapes as whole clusters. This year, the old vines have produced nine barrels; seven are new. This wine should drink well in three to five years.
Domaine Nicole Lamarche
Échezéaux Grand Cru
2022
96
The 2022 Echézeaux from Lamarche is impressive, with more richness than most of the range (except La Grande Rue) and a fragrant cherry and pomegranate fruit with hints of peony and liquorice. The fruit aromas continue on the palate with great purity and finesse, but the wine is not lacking in structure. The balance overall is exemplary. The grapes come from 1.07 hectares in Vignes Blanches ou Cruouts and the Clos Saint-Denis lieu-dit in Echézeaux; she no longer has access to the quarter-hectare in Champs Traversins, but this is a delight even without that contribution.
Domaine Nicole Lamarche
La Grande Rue Grand Cru Monopole
2022
96
La Grande Rue has always been the pride of the cellar, justifiably so under Nicole Lamarche. Her 2022 has an appealingly dark ruby hue and noticeably riper plum and pomegranate fruit, accented with nuance of earth and smoke and a savoury, gamey edge that Lamarche describes as 'very mysterious'. The grapes are from the 1.65-hectare monopole next to La Tâche. She has fermented about 30% of the grapes as whole clusters, using both punching down and pumping over before ageing in cask (half new). This marvellous wine should open in five to seven years and provide decades of pleasure.
Domaine Paul Gros
Echézeaux Grand Cru
2022
96
Paul Gros, the son of Anne Gros and Jean-Paul Tollot, will bottle his inaugural vintage of Echézeaux under the lieu-dit name Les Beaux-Monts Bas, where his recent inheritance from his family is located, up-slope from Les Loächausses in Flagey. He has picked a bit later than his parents and, unlike them, is experimenting with a bit of whole clusters in the ferment. The wine is ripe and structured, with a powerful plum, blackberry fruit, and just a hint of bramble and earth. The texture is structured and rich, with a pleasantly lingering finish—he is a young producer to watch.
Domaine Pierrick Bouley
Volnay (1er Cru En Champans)
2022
96
The Champans from young Pierrick Bouley is an accomplished, delightful wine with expressive aromas of black cherry and bramble, a savoury edge, and a touch of spice. The complexity continues to develop on the palate, where the wine is approachable yet substantial enough to last twenty years or more in the cellar. The grapes are from vines averaging 50 years old, planted mid-slope, and exposed to the southeast. The grapes are destemmed but left whole and gently fermented, finishing their sugar in cask.
Domaine Ponsot
Clos de la Roche Grand Cru
2022
96
Although Ponsot's Clos de la Roche is a bit closed at this stage, it is a monumental wine with abundant plum and black cherry fruit aromas, pepper, earth, and olive. The texture is rich and dense, with firm but not forbidding tannins and a silky and elegant finish. This wine will still stay in the cask for another winter, at least. Wait at least five years before opening, ten if possible; this age-worthy beauty should last forty or fifty years.
Domaine René Bouvier
Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru
2022
96
This solidly built, substantial, deeply-coloured wine boasts prominent blackberry and currant fruit aromas with hints of earth and smoke. The texture is tannic and firm, with impressive concentration and length. The grapes come from a 0.40-hectare parcel of 60-year-old vines in Mazoyères down-slope from Latricières. Half the grapes are fermented as whole clusters, and the wine will age in cask (one-third new) for eighteen months. This wine should open in three to five years and drink well for another twenty beyond that.
Domaine René Bouvier, Clos du Roi
Marsannay
2022
96
This wine is among the greatest of the domaine. Bouvier farms nearly four hectares here, including the 1.5 hectares of vines aged 70 – 80 years that are used for this cuvée. In 2022, they have produced a wine of immense concentration and depth with blackberry and cassis fruit aromas with notes of mint and fresh flowers, earth, spice, and cedar. The texture is powerful and concentrated, but there is enough freshness to balance the rich fruit character. The terroir is the famous limestone pebbles called 'grèzes litées', and the well-exposed site ripens grapes to perfection.
Domaine Robert Groffier
Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru
2022
96
Nicolas Groffier produced a classic Bonnes Mares from his one-hectare holding, with dark damson plum and mulberry fruit aromas and hints of cedar, smoke, and pepper. The structure is firmly tannic, solid, and dense, but not heavy or ungainly – muscular elegance, one might say. The parcel is in one solid piece near the Morey end of the village; Nicolas describes it as being 75% terres rouges and 25% terres blanches; the grapes are entirely fermented as whole clusters with a gentle extraction, and the resulting wine is ageing in cask (50% new).
Domaine Robert Groffier, La Grâce des Argiles
Chambolle-Musigny (1er Cru Les Amoureuses)
2022
96
Nicolas Groffier knows his Amoureuses – his domaine is the largest owner. From 2022, he will separate the portion just below Musigny, with sandier soils, from the rest, which he calls 'normal Amoureuses' from the bottom of the steep slope to the flat part next to Musigny. The grapes are entirely fermented as whole clusters but with gentle extraction and almost no punching down. The result is a deep blackberry fruit with hints of bramble, earth, and mint; the texture is firm, dense, and tannic. The wine continues to age in cask, one-third new.
Domaine Rossignol-Trapet
Chapelle-Chambertin Grand Cru
2022
96
As with the other 2022 offerings from Rossignol-Trapet, the Chapelle-Chambertin is initially slightly reserved but opens up nicely on the palate, with an expressive plum and black cherry fruit with floral and salty mineral nuance. The texture is deliciously creamy, full-bodied but supple, and not imposing, yet it lingers impressively on the finish. The domaine owns a half-hectare, sheltered from the Combe Grisard to provide a slightly warmer microclimate, with plots split between Les Gémeaux and Grande Chapelle.
Domaine Rossignol-Trapet
Gevrey-Chambertin (1er Cru Clos Prieur)
2022
96
The premier cru portion of Clos Prieur is located just down-slope from Mazis-Bas, where Rossignol-Trapet has just over a quarter-hectare. In 2022, the vineyard produced a concentrated, lovely wine with a mulberry and black plum fruit aroma and hints of earth and spice. The texture is robust and firm, yet it is approachable and should be ready to drink fairly early. The grapes are primarily fermented as whole clusters, and the wine is now ageing in cask with a moderate proportion of new wood, delivering appealing wine that should age gracefully for fifteen to twenty years.
Domaine Sylvain Pataille, L’Ancestrale
Marsannay
2022
96
This thrilling wine is deeply complex without any heaviness at all. The initial attack begins with seductive aromas of ripe cassis and mulberry fruit and hints of smoke, earth, spice, and mint. The texture is approachable and supple, yet the finish is long and refined. The grapes come from a collection of Pataille's favourite parcels, including 90-year-old vines in the Clos de Roy and others in En Clémengeot and Les Ouzeloy, all of them left unhedged in a v-shaped goblet form (tressé) and worked by horse, farmed organically with biodynamic methods to make this spectacular wine.
Domaine Thibault Liger-Belair
Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru
2022
96
The 2022 Clos Vougeot from Thibault Liger-Belair is a muscular, powerful wine dense with extract. The tannins are firm but not astringent, and the aromas range from ripe black plums to earth, smoke and mineral notes. There is much more intensity here than the wine produced last year. The grapes are from 0.75 hectares in Baudes Basses at mid-slope along the southern edge of the clos. Liger-Belair explained how he tames the tannic nature of the old vine fruit with vigorous punching down and ageing in cask 60% new). The result announces the success of his strategy.
Domaine Trapet Père & Fils
Gevrey-Chambertin (1er Cru Aux Combottes)
2022
96
The forward, ripe aromas of black plum and cassis are coloured here with notes of Havana cigar, earth, and smoke. The texture is structured and firmly tannic, with an elegantly lingering finish. This well-situated premier cru is surrounded by grand crus on every side; Louis Trapet relates that the soils are closer to Clos de la Roche than to Latricières, almost sandy. The grapes, formerly blended with Corbeaux and En Ergot, are now wholly vinified as whole clusters, and it is easy to see their merits on their own.
Domaine Trapet Père & Fils
Latricières-Chambertin Grand Cru
2022
96
The Latricières from Trapet has long been a mainstay of the domaine – they have owned this -0.76-hectare parcel for nearly 120 years. It is located near the southern end of the appellation on the way to Aux Combottes, to the south of the cooling influence of the Combe Grisard. In 2022, the grapes were partially destemmed before a gentle fermentation on native yeasts to deliver this wine with black plum and cherry aromas and hints of flowers and earth. There is a slightly rustic edge, but the texture is lively enough to ensure a dynamic balance and a lovely, lingering finish.
Hubert Lignier, Vieilles Vignes
Morey-St-Denis (1er Cru)
2022
96
This blended premier cru has always been the chouchou (special favourite) of Laurent Lignier. It is two-thirds of a hectare, blended from Faconnières and Les Cheneverey. The vines were planted beginning in 1936, the youngest—in 1962. It usually gives a wine that is a model of elegance and finesse, and 2022 is no exception, with pronounced aromas of mulberry and cassis touched with violets, liquorice, and cedar. The texture is ethereal and perfumed, yet the finish is astonishingly long. This wine should be accessible relatively early and should drink for twenty years at least.
Louis Jadot
Chambolle-Musigny (1er Cru Les Amoureuses)
2022
96
Jadot's Chambolle Amoureuses is produced from the plot of 0.12 hectares acquired from the Clair-Daü estate in 1985. It is located on the Comblanchien limestone terrace before the climat drops more steeply toward the stream of the Vouge. This cuvée is one of the few where technical director Frédéric Barnier experiments with whole cluster fermentation, leaving one-third of the bunches intact, producing a silky, dense wine with a spicy blackberry fruit aroma and impressive length. This superb wine is built for the long haul, but it should be accessible young as well.
Louis Jadot, Domaine Gagey
Clos St-Denis Grand Cru
2022
96
All the Pinot Noir at Jadot is usually completely destemmed, but here (as in Amoureuses and Bonnes Mares), technical director Frédéric Barnier is experimenting with one-third whole clusters in the tank, which brings the wine interesting depth and length. There are bright blackcurrant and pomegranate aromas with hints of lead pencil and tea. There is no lack of tannin or depth on the palate, yet there is a lovely finesse. The grapes are from a 0.17-hectare parcel in lieu-dit Clos Saint-Denis owned by the Gagey family. It is among the hidden gems of the house.
Louis Jadot
Gevrey-Chambertin (1er Cru Clos St-Jacques)
2022
96
The 2022 vintage is a marvellous return to form for Jadot's Clos Saint-Jacques, typically among the touchstones of this house. The wine is dense and rich with ripe, concentrated, plummy fruit and an edge of dark chocolate. The sensation is ripe but not overly so; the wine is tannic but supple; there is neither astringency nor overconcentration here. The grapes from Jadot's hectare of vines at the centre of the Clos are destemmed and gently extracted before ageing in cask (one-third new). The result is a delicious example of this regal premier cru.
Maison Millemann
Gevrey-Chambertin (1er Cru Champeaux)
2022
96
This lovely wine extends the Millemann range to the premier crus, but it is made with the same attention as the grand crus. The fruit is black plum and mulberry with hints of cigar box, earth, dark chocolate and smoke. There is substantial weight and density here, but the wine always remains light. Millemann has sourced enough fruit for two barrels (both new but with very light toast); this should begin to open in three to five years and will drink well for another 10 to 20 after this.
Maison Millemann
Corton Les Renardes Grand Cru
2022
96
There is charming ripeness to this wine, yet it remains very accessible. Complex aromas of mulberry fruit are coloured with hints of earth, smoke, and leather, and this evocative aroma continues on the palate with a sweetness to the somewhat un-Corton-like fruit. The texture is silky, yet there is an impressive core of density and power. The grapes are from a parcel of mature vines at mid-slope above Aloxe; they are partly destemmed and gently fermented before ageing in new wood.
Millemann
Clos de la Roche Grand Cru
2022
96
The Millemann Clos de la Roche is a robust wine, yet there are some very open raspberry and mulberry aromas with delicate floral notes on the initial attack. The texture is supple yet tannic, and the finish is pleasantly persistent. This wine has none of the rusticity of the 2021 vintage—it is a marvellous wine. The grapes were fermented either as whole clusters or as whole berries, with a gentle extraction of pumping over early and foot-treading at the end before ageing in a new Tronçais cask for 14 months.
Philippe Pacalet
Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru
2022
96
I was delighted to taste Pacalet's lovely Clos de Vougeot in the 2022 vintage (I did not taste it in 2021), with its expressively ripe plummy fruit character and earth, smoke, and leather notes lending a pleasant complexity. The texture is dense and tannic but not heavy or astringent. He rents a quarter-hectare of vines from the southern side of the climat that stretch from the wall along the road to mid-slope. The grapes are carefully sorted and fermented as whole clusters, punching down twice daily. Pacalet avoids using sulfur before bottling, yet this wine retains a delicious purity of fruit.
Benjamin Leroux
Clos de la Roche Grand Cru
2022
95
Although it is difficult to find because of its tiny production, it is worthwhile to seek out the Clos de la Roche from Ben Leroux, with its distinctly 'Côte de Nuits' style, featuring a focused black cherry fruit and floral aroma and a structure that is firm and tannic, with a lovely concentration and a muscular feel. The grapes are partially destemmed and fermented by both punching down and pumping over before ageing in cask. The wine should open in five to seven years and will drink well for two decades beyond that.
Bouchard Père & Fils
Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru
2022
95
This superb wine opens with juicy mulberry fruit aromas with accents of rose petal, star anise, and smoke, underpinned by a firm, earthy minerality. The texture is robust, almost plump, with a silky texture and impressive density and length. The grapes come from a quarter-hectare parcel purchased by Joseph Henriot, right next to Drouhin-Laroze in the centre of the vineyard, with a few vines of Pinot Beurrot (Pinot Gris) sprinkled in with the Pinot Fin. The grapes are entirely fermented as whole clusters and gently extracted before ageing in cask (30% new).
Bouchard Père & Fils
Volnay (1er Cru Les Caillerets)
2022
95
The parcel of Volnay Caillerets was the first Pinot picked in 2022 due to the thin soils and superficial nature of the limestone. The wine has an alluring aroma of blackberry and mulberry fruit with hints of boxwood, bay leaf, and peonies. The texture is supple and velvety, with rewarding concentration and density. The team at Bouchard sorts rigorously for 'figuée', grapes shrivelled by sunburn; technical director Frédéric Weber says success depends on 'keeping it crunchy'. This wine should open soon after release and is suited to mid-term cellaring, although a 1962 from this vineyard tasted this year was still fresh.
Château de la Tour, Vieilles Vignes
Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru
2022
95
The 2022 Clos de Vougeot Vieilles Vignes cuvée is delicious, with intensely ripe plummy fruit aromas and peony, lavender, and spice notes. The texture is tannic and dense, with enough extract to carry the wine to an impressively long finish. The Château de la Tour team has been gradually reducing the proportion of whole clusters in the ferment; this year, they decided on 50% for the Vieilles Vignes, which brings structure and depth to the wine without excessively marking the taste. One should ideally wait a minimum of five years to open this.
Clos de Tart
Morey-St-Denis
2022
95
The village Morey produced at the Clos de Tart is a triumph of purity and elegance at this level. The wine has ripe black plum fruit aromas with a hint of violets and spice. The texture is silky and surprisingly dense, with firmish tannins and good length. The wine is a blend of several components, including a selection of young vines throughout the vineyard and all the grapes from a section called Cabotte that features young vines from a fantastic massale selection. The grapes are picked early, destemmed completely, and fermented with minimal extraction before ageing (no new casks).
Domaine Amiot-Servelle
Chambolle-Musigny (1er Cru Derrière la Grange)
2022
95
This delicious wine boasts deep colour and aromatic plummy fruit with a suggestion of violets and spice. The texture is silky, fresh, and very approachable – elegant yet surprisingly persistent on the palate. The grapes come from a third of a hectare of vines across the street from Les Fuées, to which it bears resemblance—much more so than Bonnes Mares, just north of this site. The wine is a quintessential Chambolle; it should be drinkable in three to five years, and will probably last at least another twenty beyond that.
Domaine Amiot-Servelle
Chambolle-Musigny (1er Cru Les Borniques)
2022
95
The new generation at Amiot Servelle has produced a superb wine with their tiny slice of Les Borniques, located near Amoureuses. With barely enough fruit to fill a barrel, the grapes are fermented directly in cask as whole clusters. Still, there is excellent purity to the blackberry fruit with lovely floral notes and just a hint of spice from the ferment. The wine is noticeably more tannic and denser than most of their premier crus (except Amoureuses), and the finish is exquisitely long.
Domaine Amiot-Servelle
Chambolle-Musigny (1er Cru Les Feusselottes)
2022
95
With its black plum and fig aromas underscored by dark chocolate and ginger spice notes, the Feusselottes is an exotic wine – as it might well be. The parcel is small (0.17 hectares) but is planted with eighty-year-old vines that give a super-concentrated wine. The grapes are entirely fermented as whole clusters, but the purity of fruit here is engaging. It is being aged, like the Amoureuses, in 50% new oak barrels. This wine will open in five to seven years and should easily last another thirty beyond that.
Domaine Amiot-Servelle
Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru
2022
95
The Charmes from Amiot-Servelle is labelled 'En Mazoyères', and the wine is true to its origins, with cassis and bramble aromas and more tannic grip than is typical in Aux Charmes. This is not to say that the bottling lacks elegance or silky charm, which it has in abundance. The grapes come from 0.19 hectares planted with vines between 70 – 80 years of age. 40% of the grapes in 2022 were fermented as whole clusters using a very gentle extraction to produce this lovely wine that shows precision, finesse and depth of flavour.
Domaine Arlaud
Échezéaux Grand Cru
2022
95
This attractive Echézeaux is elegant and delicate, with a perfumed pomegranate and cranberry fruit aroma touched with hints of peony and pepper. The texture is silky and soft; it lacks the heft of many Echézeaux. The grapes come from the highest part of the lieu-dit Les Treux, right under Les Loachausses. Arlaud and his team do all the (organic) work in the vines for this plot. The wine is aged in a used cask and will be bottled without fining or filtering in the spring.
Domaine Arlaud
Gevrey-Chambertin (1er Cru Aux Combottes)
2022
95
There is a lovely floral nuance to the bright blackberry and blueberry fruit aromas here, underscored by notes of earth and smoke. The texture is supple and ripe - somewhat surprising since the 0.43-hectare parcel is on the northern side of the appellation, near Latricières. However, it doesn't have the strict tannic grip of some Latricières and seems closer to the supple Clos de la Roche style found on the other end of the appellation.
Domaine Arlaud
Morey-St-Denis (1er Cru Les Millandes)
2022
95
There is a forward, expressive black cherry fruit with abundant floral notes and a hint of exotic Asian spice. The palate has a deft balance between density, moderately firm tannins, and a lively freshness that leads to a pleasantly lingering finish—lovely wine. The grapes come from the domaine holding of just under a half-hectare located under Clos de la Roche; they are partially destemmed and carefully fermented before ageing in mainly used casks. Age five years before opening.
Domaine Arlaud
Morey-St-Denis (1er Cru Les Ruchots)
2022
95
Dense and structured, this Morey-Saint-Denis premier cru boasts a lovely concentrated blackberry fruit aroma with hints of earth, smoke, and savoury game notes. The texture is robust, and the length is impressive. It seems very 'Morey' in its slightly rustic nature, yet it is right on the border with Chambolle, below the Clos de Tart (and Bonnes Mares, which borders it) on iron-bearing oolitic limestone. The domaine farms nearly three-quarters of a hectare here; the grapes are partially destemmed, gently fermented, and aged before being bottled unfined and unfiltered.
Domaine Arlaud
Vosne-Romanée (1er Cru Les Petits Monts)
2022
95
Arlaud has been responsible for this parcel's certified organic viticulture for the past decade. The vineyard certainly delivers: 'With a view this nice, you make great wine,' according to Arlaud. However, arriving at this level of success requires more than that. The initial attack reveals lovely red and blackberry fruit aromas with a floral edge and notes of spice. The texture is silky, very fine and fresh, with a lively acidity and charming length. It is ageing in used casks and will be bottled next spring without fining or filtration.
Domaine Armand Rousseau
Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru
2022
95
The 2022 Rousseau Charmes is silky and forward, with profuse aromas that are more cherry and pomegranate than black fruit, underscored by floral notes and a hint of spice. The texture is surprisingly fresh for the vintage, very silky, and fine. This wine is a blend of younger vines in Aux Charmes and older vines in Mazoyères, for 1.37 hectares in total. The wine is accessible even now and should be among the earliest-drinking wines in this cellar, yet it should also age well.
Domaine Armand Rousseau
Gevrey-Chambertin
2022
95
Rousseau's 2022 'classic' village-level Gevrey (as opposed to the Clos du Château) is a spectacular introduction to the range – as good as most of the premier cru wines from this village. There is immense depth of flavour, with notes of black cherry and pomegranate with a floral edge and shadings of earth and leather. The texture is surprisingly dense for a village-level wine, and the finish is impressively long. This wine is a blend of eight parcels, including several premier cru plots, and the result is a noble reflection of the village of Gevrey.
Domaine Armand Rousseau
Gevrey-Chambertin (1er Cru Lavaux St-Jacques)
2022
95
When it came time to taste the Lavaux-Saint-Jacques, Cyrielle remarked, 'It's not really a hot year,' contrary to the record-setting heat. This wine, however, was lovely and fresh; she noted that there were not a lot of grapes shrivelled from the heat and that the crisp, floral fruit of this wine was an eloquent testimony to the ability of both vines and winemaker to adapt to changing conditions. The forward black cherry and pomegranate fruit aromas are complemented by floral notes, and lead into a vibrant texture with balance and length of this delicious wine.
Domaine Cécile Tremblay, Vieilles Vignes
Vosne-Romanée
2022
95
Tasted from barrel, the old vine Vosne shows a slightly restrained fruit character that is slightly more marked by the wood from the élevage. The texture is firm, almost strict, and structured. Although this is the opposite of the Chambolle village, it is evident that there is substance here and that the wine will open in time. The grapes come from Aux Communes and Les Jacquines, with a total area of just over a half-hectare.
Domaine Chandon de Briailles
Pernand-Vergelesses (1er Cru île de Vergelesses)
2022
95
According to Claude de Nicolay, the east-facing slopes of the Ile des Vergelesses provide a marvellous terroir for Pinot Noir. She has 2.80 hectares in Pinot and 1.20ha in Chardonnay. Her favourite block is the hectare of vines planted in the 1960s. This old-vine massale selection vine material is the jewel and has given a forward supple wine with aromas of black cherry and plum. The texture is lithe and easy, yet there is enough tannin on the finish to convince us to age it — a delight.
Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé
Chambolle-Musigny (1er Cru)
2022
95
Unfortunately for wine lovers, the 'baby Musigny' production from de Vogüé is shrinking. The Chambolle premier cru has traditionally been anything in Musigny from vines of less than 25 years of age. This material is disappearing as vines get older. The remaining vines gave a riveting wine worthy of the tradition, with the salty, ethereal character of hard limestone; there is a pure pomegranate and cherry fruit with clean floral aromas and a hint of earth and spice. This wine will be accessible relatively young yet should easily last twenty-five years.
Domaine Comte Senard
Aloxe-Corton (1er Cru Les Valozières)
2022
95
This is the vineyard of happiness,' according to Lorraine Senard, 'we never have problems with this parcel.' The grapes produced a lovely wine in 2022, with a ripe, sweet mulberry fruit aroma with hints of earth and chocolate, a supple and dense yet relatively tannic texture and impressive persistence on the finish. The domaine owns 0.70 hectares here, just down-slope from Bressandes. The grapes are entirely fermented as whole clusters before ageing over two winters in cask (70% new).
Domaine Comte Senard
Corton Les Paulands Grand Cru
2022
95
This small corner of Corton is down the slope from Bressandes and south of Maréchaudes; it deserves to be better known. Senard compares it to Renardes, which has a reputation as solid and rustic; this Paulands has some of that wild character, yet it remains discreet. There is an element of game but also the elegance of Bressandes in the expressive red and black fruit aromas and the firmly structured and tannic texture.
Domaine Confuron-Cotetidot
Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru
2022
95
The '22 Charmes from Yves Confuron and his brother is more tannic and firmer than most Charmes. Still, it has a lovely depth of fruit and complexity and freshness that comes from the traditional fermentation using whole bunches. The fruit is undeniably ripe, and this is a powerful, robust version of Charmes, coming from a parcel located in Aux Charmes that is cooled by the influence of the combe. This wine is a lovely traditional-style red Burgundy in the best sense.
Domaine Confuron-Cotetidot
Échezéaux Grand Cru
2022
95
The 2022 Echézeaux is perhaps the most approachable wine in this cellar, although it is still firmly structured. Seductive raspberry and blackberry fruit with violets and liquorice accents mingle here with earth and smoke aromas. There is no lack of density or tannin, but this should open sooner than most wines here. The grapes come from almost a half-hectare of vines at the base of the slope in Les Treux near the intersection with Grands Echézeaux and the Clos de Vougeot. They are fermented as whole clusters and are currently ageing in predominantly old casks.
Domaine Confuron-Cotetidot
Vosne-Romanée (1er Cru Les Suchots)
2022
95
The Confuron brothers are the kings of Suchots, with more vineyards here than anyone else. They farm four parcels in different parts of the vineyard, both 'Grand Suchots' on the Echézeaux side and the portion downslope on the Romanée-Saint-Vivant side of the vineyard. The average age of the vines is 65 years. The grapes are picked late and fermented as whole clusters to deliver this robust wine with ripe cassis and fig fruit and smoke, earth, and menthol notes. The structure is powerful, tannic, and long. This is a Suchots almost at the level of a grand cru.
Domaine de Courcel
Pommard (1er Cru Rugiens)
2022
95
The new vintage of Rugiens (Haut) is a generous, almost fleshy wine with an ample, ripe plum fruit with earth, smoke, and clove accents. The texture is firm yet supple, with abundant extract, silky but supportive tannins, and impressive length. The grapes come from just over a hectare of vines at mid-slope where the soil changes from white marl to red clay. The wine should begin to open in five to seven years and will drink for 30 beyond that at a minimum.
Domaine de l’Arlot
Romanée-St-Vivant Grand Cru
2022
95
The 2022 RSV from Domaine de l'Arlot has enough generous plummy fruit to open reasonably young. There is a good depth of flavour, with notes of earth, smoke, and game adding complexity. The texture is surprisingly substantial and profound, with an enjoyable lingering finish. This wine seems richer and more impactful than many bottlings from this site. The grapes come from a quarter of a hectare up the slope from the Dujac holding. The grapes are mostly destemmed before fermentation and ageing in cask (half new).
Domaine de l’Arlot
Vosne-Romanée (1er Cru Les Suchots)
2022
95
The lovely 2022 Suchots from Domaine de l'Arlot is complex and nuanced, with a sweet, silky curranty fruit and plenty of depth from mint, black tea, and earth notes. The texture is fresh and lively, with good acidity and firm tannins. The grapes come from a 0.85-hectare parcel in the upper portion of the vineyard; they are destemmed and gently fermented on native yeasts before ageing in cask (40% new). This wine will benefit from a couple of years in the bottle before opening.
Domaine de la Romanée-Conti
Corton Grand Cru
2022
95
The Corton from the Domaine de la Romanée-Conti improves with every vintage. In 2022, the picking started here, on 30 August. Everything went into the blend except some young vines in Bressandes. The health of the grapes was exemplary, and the wines were made almost exclusively with whole clusters. The result has a bright, fresh raspberry and pomegranate fruit aroma with a floral edge and a hint of spice. The texture is marvellously velvety, more profound, rounder and more complete than previous vintages have been. Of all the domaine's wines, this will be the earliest to be ready to drink.
Domaine de la Vougeraie
Musigny Grand Cru
2022
95
This wine is consistently among the best from this domaine, and 2022 is no exception. Boisset owns 0.21 hectares in three small parcels: one at the top of the slope at the northern extremity, near Chambolle Les Argillières; another down-slope from the Roumier parcel, and a third running the length of the vineyard between de Vogüé and Mugnier. This year, the wine was fermented entirely as whole clusters, punched down sparingly by foot to deliver a wine of concentration and grace, with complexity from the ripe black cherry fruit, mineral notes, and a savoury edge. This superb wine will age for decades to come.
Domaine de Montille
Vosne-Romanée (1er Cru Malconsorts)
2022
95
The 2022 'regular' Malconsorts is a delicious wine, objectively not that far behind the Cuvée Christiane. The team has been upgrading this bottling, principally by culling out some of the young vine section and ploughing their entire holding in Malconsorts by horse. The grapes in 2022 were fermented nearly 90% as whole clusters – Brian Sieve relates that he destemmed some of it to get it in the tanks. The wine is superb, super-dense and remarkably aromatic. This wine may open earlier than the Cuvée Christiane; you might try it after five years.
Domaine de Montille
Corton Clos du Roi Grand Cru
2022
95
This dense, powerful wine has robust tannins and an impressively substantial texture, yet it is not lacking fruit. The forward, accessible blackberry aromas are scented with smoke, black tea, and floral notes. The grapes come from 0.83 hectares in the centre of this climat – arguably among the finest locations in Corton. The grapes are entirely fermented as whole clusters in 2022 but with a gentle extraction and are now ageing in cask with a modest amount of new wood.
Domaine de Montille
Pommard (1er Cru Rugiens-Bas)
2022
95
The Rugiens-Bas was always a favourite of Hubert de Montille, who crafted the wine in a tannic, concentrated style. Under his son Etienne and technical director Brian Sieve, he delivers a more modern-style, approachable, yet substantial wine. This wine makes a strong impression with its aromas of black plum, mulberry, and hints of smoke and earth. The texture is full-bodied and tannic, but the robust structure is managed well. The grapes from their hectare of vines in the best part of Rugiens-Bas are fermented as whole clusters and aged in cask (40% new).
Domaine Denis Mortet
Gevrey-Chambertin (1er Cru Lavaut Saint-Jacques)
2022
95
This wine's enchanting blackberry and violet aromas invite the discovery of the rewarding substance and depth of this fine example of Lavaux Saint-Jacques from Domaine Denis Mortet. The texture is dense and lively, and the finish lingers invitingly. The domaine farms a parcel of 1.2 hectares of sixty-year-old vines, whose grapes are partially destemmed and carefully fermented on native yeast before ageing over two winters in a cask. It would be best to wait at least three years before drinking, and this wine should continue to improve for ten to fifteen more years after this.
Domaine des Croix
Beaune (1er Cru Les Tuvilains)
2022
95
Tuvilains may not be the first Beaune premier cru to spring to mind, but it is consistently among my favourites in this cellar. Croix farms a third of a hectare of 80-year-old vines here in the deeper clay soils at the base of the slope. It has given a massive wine in 2022, with a savoury, meaty character and a deep mulberry fruit. The texture has impressive grip and length. Croix avoided whole cluster here to help tame the wine and did the extraction very carefully, and the result is delightful.
Domaine des Lambrays
Morey-St-Denis (1er Cru Clos Sorbé)
2022
95
2022 is the first year for the Morey premier cru Clos Sorbè, made famous by the Morey legend Jacky Truchot. The wine seems more elegant and fine than that somewhat rustic style, with an expressive cherry and pomegranate fruit, hints of rose petals and liquorice, and an approachable but still substantial and tannic texture. Devauges notes that the terres rouges (iron-bearing clay) soils are a bit warmer than the adjoining Clos Baulet. The total holding for the domaine is a relatively substantial 1.15 hectares.
Domaine des Lambrays, Les Loups
Morey-St-Denis (1er Cru)
2022
95
The composition of this blended Morey premier cru changes with the 2022 vintage: there is no more young vine fruit from the Clos des Lambrays (since they are no longer young). The blend now comprises Clos Sorbè, Les Blanchards, and small amounts of La Riotte and Le Village to make up 0.8 hectares. The blend delivers a superb, elegant wine with a luminous blackberry fruit with hints of violets and spice. The texture has more density, tannin, and less lively freshness than the Clos Baulet. The grapes are partially destemmed and gently fermented before ageing in cask (40% new).
Domaine des Lambrays
Vosne-Romanée (1er Cru Beaux Monts)
2022
95
The Beaux Monts from Lambrays 0.45 hectares in Beaux Monts Haut has produced a complex, enchanting wine in 2022. Tasted from barrel, the deeply-coloured wine shows a bit of reduction and impressively complex aromas of blackberry and rose petals, all with a saline, savoury, almost animal edge. The texture is dense and firmly tannic but not unapproachable. However, wine lovers able to wait a decade after release should be richly rewarded by this wine's complex beauty.
Domaine Drouhin-Laroze
Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Grand Cru
2022
95
The 2022 Clos de Bèze from Drouhin-Laroze opens with ripe, expressive aromas of currants and kirsch, smoke, and peppery spice. The texture is silky, yet the tannins are firm, and there is no lack of substance here. The grapes come from a 1.5-hectare parcel in the centre of the vineyard; they are vinified using 40% whole clusters before ageing in cask (80% new) to deliver this substantial wine, which should begin to open after 2025 and will continue to improve for decades after that.
Domaine Drouhin-Laroze
Musigny Grand Cru
2022
95
Drouhin-Laroze owns 0.12 hectares of Musigny that they acquired in 1986, located in Grand Musigny, running the entire length of the vineyard, sandwiched between vines of de Vogüé. They own enough for two barrels in a good year. 20% of the grapes are fermented as whole clusters, and the wine is aged initially in new casks, but one is racked into a used barrel. It is a very showy wine with ample aromas of ripe blackberry and plum, gingerbread, flowers, and black tea notes. Give this a few years to absorb the oak; it will be a lovely, approachable wine.
Domaine du Clos Frantin
Vosne-Romanée (1er Cru Malconsorts)
2022
95
Bichot's Domaine du Clos Frantin is the largest proprietor in Malconsorts. The wine in 2022 is initially a bit closed but opens with time on the palate to show a ripe, plummy fruit with notes of earth and spice and a serious wine's dense, concentrated texture. The grapes are from a large parcel of more than 1.75 hectares on the southern edge of the climat. The parcel is divided by a wall, with a sandier terroir above the wall and more clay below the wall; combining the two gives a lovely, complete, complex wine.
Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair
Vosne-Romanée
2022
95
This superb village-level wine is the equivalent of most people's premier crus. It is a true 'cuvée ronde' that has recently been expanded from 11 parcels to 13, located from the top of the slope to the bottom. In 2022, it has given an extraordinary wine with a marvellous depth of blackberry and plum fruit, hints of violets and leather. The texture is dense and creamy, with supple but supportive tannins and impressive length – undoubtedly among the very best in the village at this level.
Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair
Vosne-Romanée (1er Cru La Croix Rameau)
2022
95
The bright, lovely cherry fruit aromas touched with notes of violets and spice of this wine are immediately appealing. The wine is still structured, with firm tannins and abundant freshness, but there is a perfumed, ethereal note the French would call 'aerien' that is genuinely appealing. The grapes are from the 0.21-hectare holding in metayage from Lamarche; the vines are at the lower slopes of Romanée-Saint-Vivant, and the appellation has just missed promotion to grand cru several times.
Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair
Vosne-Romanée (1er Cru Les Suchots)
2022
95
This glorious wine has a lovely black plum and mulberry fruit with accents of smoke, liquorice, and menthol. The texture is dense and firm, yet there is also a silky, approachable side. Liger-Belair has long farmed a 0.22-hectare parcel of Suchots located next to Romanée-Saint-Vivant in metayage from the Lamadon family. He has added 0.36 hectares from the Lamarche domaine, located in the section called 'Grand Suchots' near Echézeaux at the top of the Suchots slope. Combining the two has produced an exceptional wine that should open soon and will continue to improve for decades.
Domaine Dugat-Py, Les Evocelles
Gevrey-Chambertin
2022
95
Domaine Dugat-Py owns almost a hectare here, 20 ouvrées, spread over six parcels. The vines average seventy years of age—the oldest were planted in 1900. Three-quarters of the grapes were fermented as whole clusters, gently extracted before ageing in cask (38% new) to produce this deeply coloured, super-concentrated wine with blackberry fruit scented with peony, smoke, and leather. The texture is dense, and the tannins reasonably firm, but there is nothing rustic about this wine.
Domaine Dugat-Py
Gevrey-Chambertin (1er Cru Lavaux St-Jacques)
2022
95
The Lavaux Saint-Jacques from Dugat-Py has a silky, bright cherry fruit aroma with hints of spice and mineral on the initial attack. The wine is supple and more open than is usually the case. It is fully ripe but fresh and lively, with a lingering finish and surprising depth. The grapes come from a 0.14-hectare parcel; three-quarters of them are fermented as whole clusters and gently extracted before ageing in cask (66% new)
Domaine Dugat-Py
Mazis-Chambertin Grand Cru
2022
95
The Mazis from Dugat-Py is profound, if not as expressively open as other wines in the cellar, yet there is abundant substance here. The aromas are spicy and complex, with an impressive depth of flavour to the black plum fruit and a round, supple structure. The grapes are from 75-year-old vines in Mazis-Bas; with the next vintage, Loïc will add a cuvée of Mazis-Haut from a sharecropping agreement. The fruit is fermented as 90% whole clusters; ageing is in 50% new casks.
Domaine Dujac
Chambolle-Musigny
2022
95
This lovely village-level Chambolle is true to the house style and to the terroir, with its deep colour, fragrant black cherry fruit aromas and hints of black tea and flowers. The texture is fresh and elegant, but there is also grip and length here. The grapes come from three lieux-dits distributed throughout the village: Les Veroilles at the top, Les Argillières in the centre, and Les Drazey at the base. This last is planted with about 50 different clones and ripens more, and more quickly to deliver this rousing success.
Domaine Dujac
Chambolle-Musigny (1er Cru Les Gruenchers)
2022
95
This deeply-coloured wine has impressively concentrated aromatics, with a ripe blackberry fruit touched with hints of violets, earth and stony minerality. The texture is firm and tannic, carrying the wine to a pleasantly persistent finish. The wine seems more substantial and less forward than in recent years. The domaine farms a third of a hectare here; the grapes were primarily fermented as whole clusters and a very gentle extraction with minimal punching down.
Domaine Dujac
Morey-St-Denis
2022
95
The deeply-coloured Morey village is perfumed and ripe, with black plum fruit aromas and an edge of violets and earth. There is a slight hint of reduction, but this will pass. The texture is firm but not forbidding, with plenty of sweet fruit coming through on the gratifyingly long finish. The grapes come from an assortment of lieux-dits at the base of the premier cru slope, including Les Herbuottes, Les Porroux, Clos Solon, and Le Village. Most grapes were fermented as whole clusters, and the ageing continues in mainly used casks—lovely.
Domaine Dujac
Morey-St-Denis (1er Cru)
2022
95
According to Jeremey Seysses, 'If you wanted to make something impenetrable, you could in 2022'. This wine is hardly impenetrable, but it is firm and tannic. There is a pleasantly ripe blackberry fruit aroma with notes of earth and mint, and the grippy texture brings lovely length to the wine. According to Seysses, they were trying to slow down extraction here. In 2022, the team did one pigeage every two days and a total maceration of 11 – 12 days instead of 15 – 18 days. The results are convincing indeed.
Domaine Duroché
Gevrey-Chambertin (1er Cru Lavaut Saint-Jacques)
2022
95
Duroché has two cuvées of Lavaut; Pierre takes enough of the oldest vines (planted in 1923) to cull out a single barrel for a 'Vieilles Vignes' cuvée. If you can't find that, this wine will do nicely with its dark blackberry fruit and floral notes, silky texture, refreshingly crisp freshness, and tannic grip. This delicious wine should show well shortly after release but can undoubtedly be cellared for a decade or more if you can avoid drinking it now.
Domaine Faiveley, En Orveaux
Échezéaux Grand Cru
2022
95
Tasted twice with consistent notes, the Echézeaux En Orveau from Faiveley shows almost like a Chambolle – in fact, the grapes come from vines near the border, next to the Combe d'Orveau that is part of Musigny. This relatively cool terroir and the white marl soils found here bring the wine great finesse and a very expressive bright pomegranate and raspberry fruit with a floral edge. A bit later in the maturation, the firm tannic grip of the structure revealed itself, yet there is an elegance and delicacy that stays with the wine until the very end – marvellous.
Domaine Faiveley
Mazis-Chambertin Grand Cru
2022
95
Faiveley has 1.56 hectares spread over several parcels in Mazis – mostly in Mazis-Haut but a small parcel in Mazis-Bas. This Mazis is a substantial wine but without quite the structure and depth of the Latricières. The forward cherry fruit with an earthy component is charming; technical director Jérôme Flous describes the earthiness as 'iron-rich, almost bloody'; the wine echos memorably on the finish. This wine will drink well after three to five years of cellaring and should continue improving for at least another twenty years after that.
Domaine Faiveley
Clos des Cortons Faiveley Grand Cru Monopole
2022
95
The 2022 Faiveley Corton is surprisingly fresh and lively for a warm year, with a forward red and black fruit character and a pronounced floral edge with hints of violets and roses. The texture is supple but reasonably dense, and the fresh acidity supports the wine through a long finish. The grapes from Faiveley's 2.77-hectare monopole were partially destemmed and gently fermented before ageing in cask (half new). This wine should open in five to seven years and drink well over the next three decades.
Domaine Fourrier
Gevrey-Chambertin (1er Cru Cherbaudes)
2022
95
Cherbaudes has impressive depth and concentration of flavour, with black plum fruit and notes of smoke, leather, and earth. The texture is firmly tannin and dense, with notable power and concentration. The vineyard sit is prime real estate, bordered to the east by Mazis-Chambertin and to the south by Chapelle-Chambertin. Fourrier farms nearly two-thirds of a hectare; the vines were originally planted in 1940 – this is among the top premier crus of this cellar, along with the Clos Saint-Jacques, aged in 20% new casks.
Domaine Francois Buffet
Volnay (1er Cru Les Taillepieds)
2022
95
The Taillepieds from Domaine François Buffet strikes a likeable balance between structure and fruit, with forward plum and mulberry aromas adorned with a suggestion of earth, leather, and spice. The wine has firm tannins for the village and impressive density. The grapes come from a domaine parcel of 0.33 hectares, with one-third fermented as whole clusters. The wine is ageing now in cask (20% new). It should age for three to five years from the vintage before opening.
Domaine Francois Buffet
Volnay (Clos des Chênes 1er Cru)
2022
95
Buffet owns three parcels in the Clos des Chênes that total nearly a hectare. Two are on the relatively flat part, and one is on the slope. Marc-Olivier Buffet ferments one-third of the grapes as whole clusters to produce this balanced, elegant wine with a winning aroma of wild strawberries, violets, and spice. The texture is fresh and lively with acidity; there is enough tannin to drive this to a lingering finish. With the Taillepieds, this is among the best of the Volnays from this address.
Domaine François Buffet
Pommard (1er Cru Clos Micault)
2022
95
This substantial wine has grippy tannin and a long-lived structure. The fruit aromas are a bit shy initially but open up on the palate to show red and black fruits with hints of leather, cigar leaf, and earth. The grapes are from a quarter-hectare in this premier cru just east of Grande Rue and north of Les Combes Dessus on the border with Volnay. To de-emphasise the structure, the grapes are completely destemmed for fermentation; the result is muscular but not astringent.
Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg, La Colombière
Vosne-Romanée
2022
95
The 70-year-old vines in this relatively flat site with clay soils just east of the village have delivered a wine with an explosive black cherry fruit aroma with floral notes and spice. The wine is exponentially more forward than the 'classic' village wine, despite the same production techniques: destemmed grapes, gentle extraction, and ageing in cask (25% new) from the same coopers (Rousseau, François Frères, Cavin, and Tremeaux). The texture is silky, but there is noticeably more density and length. This wine should open relatively early and will drink well for 20 years after the vintage.
Domaine Hudelot-Noëllat
Vosne-Romanée (1er Cru Les Beaumonts)
2022
95
The Beaux Monts from Hudelot-Noëllat is another level of richness and depth in 2022, with a pronounced mulberry and fig fruit aroma touched with earth, smoke and spice. The wine is dense and tannic, impressively muscular for this appellation. One can only imagine the secret is the old vines and judicious punching down; Van Canneyt farms 0.3 hectares at the top of the slope; otherwise, it is a cool terroir. The grapes were partially destemmed and firmly punched down before ageing in cask (25% new).
Domaine Jacques-Frédéric Mugnier
Chambolle-Musigny (1er Cru Les Fuées)
2022
95
This riveting wine combines everything one might want in a top-flight Chambolle premier cru. There is much ripe mulberry and plum fruit; there is a bit of reduction at this stage, giving the wine a slightly sauvage, gamey note, but there is an impressive minerality and depth to the aroma. The texture is lush but does not lack tannic grip or density. The overall feel is driven strictly by the fruit – there is only one new cask for a total of seven. This wine should open after five to ten years and drink brilliantly well for decades.
Domaine Jean Grivot
Nuits-St-Georges (1er Cru Boudots)
2022
95
A stone's throw from Malconsorts, which borders to the south, Grivot's Nuits Boudots is always a definite step up in this cellar, with more depth and density on the palate and concentrated plummy fruit with notes of spice and smoke that linger through the impressively long finish. The grapes from Grivot's 0.85-hectare holding are carefully destemmed and fermented at a reasonably cool temperature with minimal extraction to maintain the silkiness of the fruit: 'I have always worked the wines in verticality,' according to Etienne Grivot.
Domaine Jean Grivot
Nuits-St-Georges (1er Cru Lavières)
2022
95
The village-level Lavières comes from the 0.62-hectare parcel next to Liger-Belair, just under premier cru Aux Murgers. The wine has a luminous deep ruby colour and a compact, concentrated blackberry aroma of great purity, with a suggestion of lavender and smoke. The grapes are all destemmed but preserved as whole berries as much as possible. The ferment is punched down no more than two or three times in total, and the temperature does not rise above 28°C – if it seems to be climbing, they rack the wine out of tank and return it to cool the process.
Domaine Jean Grivot
Nuits-St-Georges (1er Cru Pruliers)
2022
95
An intriguing savoury note to the ripe raspberry and black plum fruit aromas recalls game or roast meat – a bit 'sauvage'. The texture is very lively, with bright acidity driving the wine to a persistent, balanced finish. The 0.76-hectare parcel is near the southern edge of the climat near the border with Roncière; Grivot relates that the fruit ripens well; the grapes are destemmed and carefully fermented to prevent over-extraction. This is a marvellous rendition of Pruliers. It should open up in three to five years and will undoubtedly last thirty beyond that.
Domaine Jean Grivot, Bossières
Vosne-Romanée
2022
95
Although it is classed as village-level, Les Bossières, right behind the Grivot winery, is bordered by premier cru La Croix Rameau and not far from Romanée-Saint-Vivant. Grivot has nearly three-quarters of a hectare that they bottle separately from the Vosne village. The vines delivered a fine result in 2022, giving a wine of lovely depth and unaccustomed richness with black plum fruit aromas, firm tannins, and impressive length at the village level.
Domaine Jean Grivot
Vosne-Romanée (1er Cru Aux Brûlées)
2022
95
With its deep colour and pronounced raspberry and rose petal perfume, the 2022 Brûlées is charming on the initial attack. There is a bit of reduction at this stage, but that will disappear after racking in the New Year. The texture is pleasantly silky but not lacking in freshness or grip. The wine is produced from a quarter-hectare of old vines next to the vines of the former René Engel estate. The destemmed fruit is gently fermented on native yeasts and aged in cask with a moderate proportion of new wood.
Domaine Jean Grivot
Vosne-Romanée (1er Cru Les Rouges du Dessus)
2022
95
This lovely wine boasts a bright pomegranate and raspberry fruit with complexity from the slightly bitter notes French tasters call 'beaux amers'. There is an underpinning of savoury, almost saline depth and a hint of game. The texture is light and fine but filled with tension and grip. The vines, a third of a hectare, are at the top of the slope in Flagey above Echézeaux. This wine will begin to open in three to five years and should drink for a further 20 beyond that.
Domaine Joannès Violot-Guillemard
Pommard (1er Cru Fremiers)
2022
95
Featuring a lush blackberry fruit and notes of violet and liquorice on the initial attack, this Pommard Fremiers is immediately appealing. The impression continues with a supple, round feel on the palate — the style is closer to Volnay than a classic Pommard, but it is right on the border with Volnay. The grapes are from a small 0.17-hectare parcel; they are fermented entirely as whole clusters to deliver this wine that is impressively long on the palate. It should open in three to five years and drink well for 20 years.
Domaine Joannès Violot-Guillemard
Pommard (1er Cru Rugiens)
2022
95
Joannès Violot-Guillemard describes his 0.45 hectares of Rugiens as 'Rugiens-Haut, but next to Rugiens-Bas'. It is the only parcel planted against the slope; one-third of the grapes are now trained on stakes (echalas) and grown without trimming. The rest is classically trained. The vines have given a superb result in 2022, with expressive ripe cherry and pomegranate wine and a texture that is silky and supple but very persistent. There is not a lot of colour, but there is huge potential here. This wine should be ready to drink fairly soon after release and will undoubtedly last for decades — impressive wine.
Domaine Joseph Drouhin
Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru
2022
95
Philippe Drouhin has 0.23 hectares of vines in Bonnes Mares in a well-situated plot in the centre of the vineyard that delivered a delicious wine in 2022 with more shoulders and more weight than most of the wines in the cellar. The fruit aromas are darker – blackberry and plum – and there are hints of earth and smoke. The grapes are fermented as 30% whole clusters before ageing in large casks, primarily used. Although the wine is somewhat closed, it will open for five to seven years and drink over the next twenty or more.
Domaine Lamy-Pillot
Blagny (1er Cru La Pièce Sous Le Bois)
2022
95
This red from Blagny has an enchantingly forward pomegranate and wild strawberry aroma with hints of lavender and earth. The texture on the palate has surprising concentration, tannic line, and length. The grapes were planted in 1972, and the vines were trained as Cordon de Royat. Sebastien Caillat has adapted the winemaking to a warmer climate, with a delicate extraction, less punching down, and avoiding a warm maceration at the end of the fermentation. The result is utterly charming.
Domaine Lamy-Pillot
Chassagne-Montrachet (1er Cru Boudriotte)
2022
95
The red Boudriottes is a tremendous wine and interesting compared to the Clos St-Jean and Morgeots bottlings. There is an alluring black cherry fruit with hints of violets, black tea, and earth. The structure is more supple than the Clos St-Jean, but the wine is still tannic. Caillat has been working on the red winemaking to make the extraction more delicate. The grapes are still destemmed, but there is less punching down, and they don't finish the fermentation as warm as they used to maintain freshness. The results are superb.
Domaine Lamy-Pillot
Chassagne-Montrachet (1er Cru Morgeot)
2022
95
TOP VALUE A delicious wine with abundant aromas of ripe mulberry fruit touched with notes of violets, smoke and earth. The texture is firm and elegant, with admirable finesse and a lingering finish. The grapes are from a 0.8ha parcel in one of the top terroirs for Pinot in Chassagne, spread over two lieux-dits, Ez Crottes and Guerchère, which fall under the Morgeot umbrella
Domaine Marquis d'Angerville
Volnay (1er Cru Clos des Angles)
2022
95
Clos des Angles is seldom an imposing wine from d'Angerville, but it is always charming. In 2022, there is a ripe, plummy fruit with a richness that has almost an undertone of dark chocolate on the palate and a hint of earth and Havana cigar. The texture is supple and approachable even now, and there is an irresistible sweetness to the fruit on the palate that continues straight through the lingering finish. The grapes are from just over a hectare downslope from Fremiets, near the border with Pommard, yet this is very 'Volnay' in its accessible style.
Domaine Marquis d'Angerville
Volnay (1er Cru Clos des Ducs)
2022
95
This wine is inevitably among the great wines from d'Angerville's cellar, but it takes a while to get there. Out of barrel, it lacks the generosity of the Champans; Guillaume d'Angerville opines that it is more 'Cistercian'; by this, he perhaps means more strict, linear, and disciplined. It is substantial and has an admirable depth of flavour, with aromas of currant and plum developing on the palate with hints of cigar leaf, cedar, and earth. Ideally wait seven to 10 years from the vintage to open and drink over the next 20.
Domaine Marquis d'Angerville
Volnay (1er Cru Les Fremiets)
2022
95
Although the vines for this Fremiets are very close to those for the Clos des Angles bottling, the style is very different – it is much more mineral, almost salty, with bright black fruit, notes of violets and spice, and a texture with abundant tannic grip and an almost chewy feel. The domaine farms nearly 1.6 hectares on the steeper slopes with shallow soils. Although it is not as reserved as the Clos des Ducs, this would benefit from five years of age before opening.
Domaine Méo-Camuzet
Nuits-St-Georges (1er Cru Boudots)
2022
95
Méo's Boudots is striking in its purity of fruit, with pure mulberry aromas and peony, smoke, and earth notes. The texture is silky, yet there is also impressive density and length. The grapes come from a parcel of just over a hectare at the base of the slope. This delicious wine is a model of elegance and finesse that demonstrates the virtues of the Vosne side of the village. Méo relates that he has revolutionized his barrel regime and that almost everything is aged in light toast casks.
Domaine Méo-Camuzet
Vosne-Romanée (1er Cru Cros Parantoux)
2022
95
The colour on the Cros Parantoux was dark – almost purple, augering well. However, as with several other wines in this cellar, the nose was slightly closed on the initial attack. With a bit of time, the wine began to open up on the palate. The texture is silky and elegantly fresh, and the crisp acidity helps drive the wine to an impressive finish. This wine is usually one of the stars of Méo's cellar; I would suggest waiting at least five years before opening, and it should perform up to standard.
Domaine Méo-Camuzet
Vosne-Romanée (1er Cru Les Chaumes)
2022
95
The Chaumes from Méo is very consistent; the 2022, however, is particularly good. The black plum and cherry fruit is more forward and pronounced than it has seemed in recent years, and the palate has impressive depth and density of extract. The tannins are firm but not astringent, and the finish lingers on the palate. Méo's holdings here are extensive – two parcels total over two hectares, lying just below Malconsorts. The grapes are destemmed and fermented with fairly firm extraction before ageing in cask (half new).
Domaine Michel Lafarge
Beaune (1er Cru Grèves)
2022
95
The Lafarge Beaune Grèves is a spectacular wine. It is produced from century-old vines that deliver a wine of great concentration, depth and length. There is a focused mulberry and black plum fruit with hints of earth, leather, and cigar leaf on the initial attack and a firm texture that remains vibrant due to the crisp acidity from the small, concentrated berries. 2022 will be the last vintage to taste just the old vines – next year some younger vines will come online and be added to the blend.
Domaine Michel Lafarge
Volnay (Clos des Chênes 1er Cru)
2022
95
Lafarge has a large parcel of nearly a hectare in the Clos des Chênes; it always makes an exceptional wine. Frédéric notes, ' In 2022, the terroirs are really apparent, which is not always the case in hot years.' He coaxes a wine of great richness from this special plot. The dark mulberry and cassis fruit is scented with exotic spices and a savoury, gamey note. The structure is firmly tannic but not astringent, and the finish goes on interminably. Age this ideally for at least five years before opening, and it will repay you with decades of pleasure.
Domaine Michel Lafarge, Anthologie
Bourgogne (Passetoutgrains)
2022
95
TOP VALUE This incredible wine defies all expectations, with its pronounced cherry aromas, hints of earth, smoke and fresh saddle leather. Dense, and long, it is produced from 95-year-old vines and is a classic blend of half Pinot Noir, half Gamay planted, picked and vinified together. Quantity is limited: two 500-litre puncheons (one new) and a regular barrel; bottled only in magnum, this is eminently worth seeking out. Organic.
Domaine Michel Mallard
Aloxe-Corton (1er Cru Les Maréchaudes)
2022
95
Mallard has 0.30 hectares in Maréchaudes; about a quarter of this is premier cru (the rest is Corton grand cru) – just enough for a single barrel. Mallard treats it as a grand cru, with 70% of the fruit fermented as whole clusters and aged in 50% new wood. The results are not as powerful as the Corton but show more complexity and depth of flavour than many Aloxe premier crus, with a pleasant balance between silk and structure.
Domaine Michel Mallard
Aloxe-Corton (1er Cru Les Valozières)
2022
95
This superb Aloxe premier cru opens with floral notes that lead into aromas of mulberry and plum with an earthy edge. The texture is dense and structured, more substantial than the elegant Toppe au Vert. The 0.39 hectares of vines lie on the southeast-facing, nearly flat terrace of Bressandes, where significant iron is mixed in with the clay. 80% of the grapes are fermented as whole clusters, and the wine is ageing in 50% new casks.
Domaine Michel Mallard
Corton Maréchaudes Grand Cru
2022
95
Mallard's Maréchaudes is perhaps the most approachable of his trio of Corton grand crus, with a superbly expressive blackberry and plum aroma with hints of leather smoke and spice. The wine has superb complexity and is undoubtedly substantial, but it is not as dense or powerful as his Les Renardes or Le Rognet. Most of the grapes are fermented as whole clusters, using very gentle extraction; Mallard had enough for four barrels this year, and three are new. This elegant Corton should open in three to five years and will drink well for three decades.
Domaine Michel Mallard
Ladoix (1er Cru La Corvée)
2022
95
This interesting terroir faces due south, near the quarries on the edge of Corgoloin, which protect it from the influence of the woods. It has produced a gorgeous wine in 2022, with immensely pleasurable dark, plummy fruit with notes of earth, smoke and spice. It is a tannic wine with abundant density and length. The domaine owns 0.78 hectares here; 60% of the grapes are vinified as whole clusters, and the wine is ageing now in cask (half new). Open in five years for best results.
Domaine Nicole Lamarche
Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru
2022
95
Domaine Nicole Lamarche owns just over three-quarters of a hectare of the Clos de Vougeot. Although the vines in Petit Maupertuis have been rented out in a sharecropping agreement, she demonstrates here that the mature vines (40 – 50 years) are still capable of making a delicious Clos de Vougeot, with its pleasantly forward cherry and pomegranate fruit aroma touched with an almost salty mineral note, spice and a touch of lavender. The texture is silky and elegant, with supple tannins and a good balance between the fresh acidity and the extract.
Domaine Paul Pillot
Chassagne-Montrachet (1er Cru Clos St-Jean)
2022
95
Thierry Pillot's red Clos St-Jean is up to its customary high standard, with a forward, ripe aroma of wild strawberry and mulberry fruit with suggestions of rose petals and exotic black tea. The fruit carries through on the palate with a beguiling sweetness that is perfectly balanced by crisp acidity and firm tannins. The domaine farms one hectare of the clos planted to Pinot; this year, it was entirely fermented as whole clusters with a gentle extraction before ageing in a cask.
Domaine Pierrick Bouley
Volnay (Clos des Chênes 1er Cru)
2022
95
This bottling is one of the treasures of this cellar. The wine is less forward than some here but is among the most substantial. The plummy fruit with notes of smoke and leather takes time to develop, but on the palate, there is a dense, chalky, almost mineral note, full body, and firm tannins. The grapes come from 0.37 hectares planted in white marl soils at the top of the slope. The grapes are destemmed and given a cold soak before a gentle fermentation and ageing in cask with only a modest proportion of new wood.
Domaine Ponsot
Chapelle-Chambertin Grand Cru
2022
95
The Chapelle-Chambertin from Ponsot is hitting its stride. This delicious wine has abundant ripe, plummy fruit with suitable complexity from notes of earth, leather, and game. The texture is focused, powerful, and dense – it seemed to me a very 'Côte de Nuits' style wine in its structure and length. It is produced from grapes from the domaine's half-hectare of vines in En Gémeaux, picked late, destemmed, and aged after fermentation in used casks to create this substantial wine that will age for decades.
Domaine Rapet
Pernand-Vergelesses (1er Cru île de Vergelesses)
2022
95
Rapet's blended Corton combines the south-facing Les Chaumes et La Voierosse with some grapes from Les Combes at the base of the slope near Les Meix. Most of the vineyard is planted with 70-year-old vines, but a replanted section brings the average down to 50 years. These two locations ripe grapes well; the vines are picked right after those in Beaune. The grapes are destemmed and firmly punched down during fermentation to deliver this wine with an appealing black cherry fruit with hints of earth and roast meat and a firmly tannic structure that carries the wine to a lingering finish.
Domaine René Bouvier
Échezéaux Grand Cru
2022
95
Bouvier farms a 0.3-hectare plot in En Orveaux near the parcel of Claire Naudin to produce this lovely wine with abundant black fruit aromas touched with notes of violets and an edge of herbal 'beaux amers'. The texture is chiselled and compact, but the overall effect is impressive. There is plenty of lush, blackberry-scented fruit, and the length is superb. The grapes are fermented as 50% whole clusters before ageing in cask (20% new).
Domaine Robert Groffier
Chambolle-Musigny (1er Cru Les Hauts Doix)
2022
95
Nicolas Groffier describes his hectare of Haut Doix as 'very luminous but not very warm'; he notes that they picked early here in 2022 (27 August) and brought the grapes in at 13% potential alcohol; they were fermented as 50% whole clusters and are ageing in cask (one-third new). His precautions resulted in a perfumed and elegant wine with ripe mulberry and pomegranate fruit, floral notes, and a lush sweetness on the palate that is very attractive.
Domaine Robert Groffier
Chambolle-Musigny (1er Cru Les Sentiers)
2022
95
Sentiers is on the border with Morey and shares some of its character. According to Nicolas Groffier, just 40cm of iron-rich clay covers the limestone here. He ferments the wine completely as whole clusters and ages it in cask (one-third new). The finished wine has a deep fig and plum fruit with hints of earth, iron, and tar. The texture is firmly tannic but leavened by the finesse of Chambolle. The overall result is impressive, if a bit fearsome at present – let this settle for five to seven years before opening for best results.
Domaine Simon Bize
Savigny-lès-Beaune (1er Cru Vergelesses)
2022
95
Bize owns 2.1 hectares here, including a half-hectare of Chardonnay. The red has an explosive blackberry and wild strawberry fruit aroma with hints of fresh and dried flowers, earth, and cigar leaf. The texture is tannic and firm but less tightly-wound than the 2020s. Fermentation is done as whole clusters; the wine is aged in cask, with just 5 – 10% new. When finished, this delicious wine should be approachable earlier than some vintages have been.
Domaine Sylvain Pataille, Clos du Roy
Marsannay
2022
95
The Marsannay Clos du Roy from Pataille is consistently among the top wines of the Northern Côte de Nuits. The 2022 features soulful, super-ripe cassis and bramble fruit aromas with a savoury, smoky edge. The texture is dense and concentrated, with abundant tannin and enough freshness to drive this to an impressively long finish. The grapes are from Pataille's parcel of more than two hectares of mature vines planted in this south-east facing site's limestone pebbles and clay soil. It is slightly closed at present, but it should open in three to five years and drink well for at least another twenty years after that.
Domaine Sylvain Pataille, Le Chapitre
Marsannay
2022
95
The 2022 vintage of Pataille's Marsannay Le Chapitre reveals much riper fruit than the 2021, with an intense concentration of black plum and cherry fruit touched with hints of mint, earth, smoke, and fresh saddle leather. The texture is dense and very tannic, with impressive length. There is a bit of reduction at this point, but it is likely to resolve before release. This wine is one to wait for – open in three to five years and age it over the next twenty.
Domaine Trapet Père & Fils
Gevrey-Chambertin (1er Cru Clos Prieur)
2022
95
The Clos Prieur 2022 opens with a bright, forward blackberry fruit aroma with a suggestion of violets and liquorice. The texture is silky but very firm, and the structure leads to a generous, lingering finish. The grapes are from two parcels that total 0.40-hectares, located just downslope from Mazis-Bas, that are now trained on stakes and farmed biodynamically to produce an excellent wine that marries supple generosity with the structure to assure longevity.
Domaine Trapet Père & Fils
Gevrey-Chambertin (1er Cru En Ergot)
2022
95
Although it is close to their holding in Petite Chapelle, the soils are very different, and En Ergot lacks the thick limestone slabs that are only 30-40 cm below the surface in the former vineyard. Here, Trapet vinifies 50-60% of the crop as whole clusters and extract very gently (no punching down after the start of the vinification) to produce this expressive, accessible wine with bright red and black fruit and plenty of nuance. This wine will likely be ready to drink earlier than some of the other premier crus in this cellar.
Domaine Trapet Père & Fils
Gevrey-Chambertin (1er Cru Petite Chapelle)
2022
95
Pierre and Louis Trapet remarked that this was their grandmother's favourite wine; the family has long vinified the grapes from this 0.35-hectare parcel separately; it is now trained on stakes and grown without hedging to 'respect the place' according to the brothers. The result is supple, ripe and silky, with expressive pomegranate and cherry fruit aromas touched with rose petals. Still, there is more tannin and grip than the nearby En Ergot. Ideally, one would wait five years before opening this wine.
Domaine Violot-Guillemard
Beaune (1er Cru Clos des Mouches)
2022
95
This compellingly lovely wine is among the top wines from Beaune this year, with a deceptively light colour but a bewitching aroma of wild strawberries and roses with hints of cinnamon and clove. As the wine opens on the palate, there is an intense sweetness to the fruit, and yet there is no lack of tannins or structure, suggesting the wine will age effortlessly for twenty years. The grapes are fermented as whole clusters, and the extraction is gentle and done entirely by foot; the result is delicious.
Dujac Fils & Père
Nuits-St-Georges (1er Cru Cras)
2022
95
This wine is the finest of the negociant offerings from Dujac—easily tops even the Chambolle. There is a marvellous forward blackberry and mulberry fruit aroma with a hint of exotic earth and game aromas. The texture is pure velvet, plump with extract and deliciously sweet fruit through the lingering finish. The grapes, sourced from a mid-slope plot near Vosne, are fermented mostly as whole clusters prior to ageing in cask to produce this excellent wine.
Hospices de Beaune, Cuvée Dames Hospitalières
Beaune (1er Cru)
2022
95
This alluring wine boasts a deep ruby colour and a forward, plummy fruit touched with spice and smoke. The texture is impressively dense and velvety, and the tannins are firm but not astringent. The grapes come from a blend of three lieux-dits: Les Bressandes, Les Teurons, and the less well-known La Mignotte. If you give this wine a few years to absorb the oak aromas and soften the tannins, you will have a lovely drink indeed. (Elevage Faiveley)
Hospices de Beaune
Corton Les Renardes Grand Cru
2022
95
2022 is the inaugural year for the new terroir-driven approach for the Hospices Corton; the Cuvée Les Renardes is 100% from this lieu-dit. This latest wine is delicious, redolent of blackberry and plum, with hints of earth and spice. The ripe character comes through on the palate with a clear sweetness to the fruit and less emphasis on tannin and structure, although there is enough of both to keep this lingering on the finish. This wine will be ready to drink in three to five years and will last a further thirty beyond that. (Elevage Domaine Henri Boillot)
Hubert Lignier
Chambolle-Musigny (1er Cru Baudes)
2022
95
In 2022, the Chambolle Baudes was my favourite of Lignier's several holdings in the village. The wine displays an expressive red and black fruit aroma, with notes of Asian spice and peonies, yet there is also a savoury, earthy side to the aroma. The texture is supple and not at all heavy. Ideally, one would wait five years to open this and then drink it over the next twenty or more that follow since it has the substance to age well.
Hubert Lignier
Clos de la Roche Grand Cru
2022
95
Beautiful, sweet black cherry fruit aromas with lovely floral notes and earthy, mineral complexity float from the glass of Lignier's Clos de la Roche. The texture is silky, fresh and lively, yet there is enough density to ensure that this will make old bones if desired. It is a blend of Monts Luisiants and Fremières; all the vines are 60 – 70 years of age. The grapes are partially destemmed and gently fermented before ageing in cask (30% new). Ideally, one would wait 5 – 7 years before opening, but it is so attractive it may be difficult to hold off that long.
Hubert Lignier
Gevrey-Chambertin (1er Cru Aux Combottes)
2022
95
Laurent Lignier's 2022 Gevrey Combottes is a resounding success, with its expressive black and red fruit aromas and abundant earthy complexity and depth. The texture is broad and dense, and the structure carries the wine to an impressively lingering finish. The wine is produced from Lignier's tiny 0.15-hectare plot at the foot of Mont Luisant, surrounded on three sides by grand crus. The grapes are from vines originally planted in 1957; they are partially destemmed before gentle fermentation on native yeasts and ageing in cask.
Hubert Lignier
Morey-St-Denis (1er Cru Les Chaffots)
2022
95
The top of the slope above the Clos Saint-Denis is classed as premier cru Les Chaffots (the bottom of the climat is grand cru Clos Saint-Denis). Laurent Lignier uses his half-hectare (all above 300 m elevation) here to craft a sublime wine—it is a superlative spot in hot years such as 2022. This wine boasts fresh cherry and pomegranate fruit aromas with an edge of floral notes and a hint of earth and smoke. The texture is tannic and firm, with impressive concentration and length. It should open well in five to seven years and drink for another twenty beyond that.
Louis Jadot
Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru
2022
95
Jadot's Bonnes Mares has a marvellously silky texture – not hard or heavy. It is the antithesis of some versions of this climat, and excels in elegance and length. Technical director Frédéric Barnier placed it last in the tasting, a sure sign of his esteem. He ferments with one-third whole clusters (rare at Jadot) since he feels comfortable with this quantity since it brings complexity without overly marking the wine. The grapes come from a parcel of just over a quarter-hectare that runs the entire length of the Bonnes Mares slope.
Louis Jadot
Corton Les Pougets Grand Cru
2022
95
The 2022 version of Jadot's Corton Pougets boasts a charismatic ripe plum and fig aroma with notes of earth and fresh flowers. The texture is silky and refined; the fruit ripens well in this south-facing site next to Le Charlemagne. The Jadot plot is planted to white wine at the top in the thin, rocky soils and Pinot in the siltier soils below. The grapes are destemmed and gently fermented before ageing in cask (one-third new); the delicious result demonstrates that both reds and whites are equally at home in this terroir.
Louis Jadot
Pommard (1er Cru Rugiens)
2022
95
Silky and supple, especially for Rugiens, the just-ripe pomegranate fruit scented with black tea, bergamot, and bay leaf is intriguing. The texture seems light and fresh on the initial attack, but with some time, the wine's firm tannic is apparent. The grapes are from a parcel of just over 0.36 hectares; a portion of Rugiens-Bas has been replanted, so it is not clear if this will be bottled on its own. The grapes were destemmed and punched down twice daily before ageing in cask (one-third new).
Maison Millemann
Gevrey-Chambertin (1er Cru Les Cazetiers)
2022
95
The Cazetiers is the second premier cru introduced by Millemann with the 2022 vintage. There are firmer tannins than the Champeaux, but the fruit is more expressive. Luckily, Millemann has sourced enough for four barrels of this delicious wine. The grapes are fermented mostly as whole clusters, which are fermented on native yeasts and trod briefly just at the end of the fermentation. The finished wine is barreled down into new wood and aged over two winters before being racked into wine globes and bottled without filtration.
Maison Millemann
Latricières-Chambertin Grand Cru
2022
95
Millemann's 2022 Latricières is delicious and surprisingly approachable. The terroir is fairly cool, since the grapes are sourced from a plot influenced by the Combe Grisard, yet there is a lovely, fleshy character here with bright red and black fruits and notes of flowers and earth. The tannins are firm, but this comes only on the impressively long finish, prolonged by the delightful fresh, crisp acidity. This wine should open relatively soon, but given the density here, it will also reward five to 10 years of cellaring before enjoying.
Maison Millemann
Pernand-Vergelesses (1er Cru île de Vergelesses)
2022
95
This new premier cru from Millemann wines has a sumptuous fruit expression. The texture is muscular and firm, yet there is no shortage of plummy, accessible fruit. The grapes are sourced from this prime east-facing slope overlooking the Corton hill, where the Millemann team is actively involved in the grape growing. The fruit is mainly fermented as whole clusters, trod by foot and gently extracted before ageing 14 months in new casks; it will be racked next into neutral glass globes for final preparation.
Philippe Pacalet
Échezéaux Grand Cru
2022
95
Philippe Pacalet has fortunately increased the amount of grapes for his delicious Echézeaux, adding a parcel in Rouges du Dessus to his existing contract for grapes from Clos St-Denis; he now harvests grapes from three-quarters of a hectare. The early-ripening grapes provide a monumental wine that requires a bit of ageing before it shows its best; the ripe, plummy fruit is a bit reticent at first but shows well on the palate. There is power and concentration, but they come in at the end. Patience is necessary, but this is a wine worth waiting for.
Philippe Pacalet
Vosne-Romanée (1er Cru Les Petits Monts)
2022
95
Philippe Pacalet has enough Vosne Petits Monts to make a single 500-litre cask with a compellingly lovely black cherry fruit expression with hints of exotic spice and a firmly savoury mineral underpinning. This wine has complexity and depth, with firm tannins and a long finish. The grapes are fermented as whole clusters and gently extracted before ageing in cask, primarily used. This wine will begin to open fully in five to seven years and should drink well for twenty beyond that. There is only a tiny quantity of this; it is eminently worth seeking out.
Philippe Pacalet
Corton Les Bressandes Grand Cru
2022
95
The delicious Corton Bressandes has long been a favourite in this cellar. It is produced from a large (0.80 hectare) parcel that Pacalet rents, planted with 80-year-old massale selection vines at very high density. The vines give a small yield but very concentrated fruit that Pacalet ferments gently as whole clusters to deliver this intense, powerful wine that retains surprising elegance and finesse for such a substantial wine. The ripe mulberry and plum fruit aromas are hedged with earth and savoury game notes; the texture is tannic and compact. This Bressandes should open in five to seven years and drink well for decades.
Philippe Pacalet
Beaune (1er Cru Les Epenots)
2022
95
There is more depth and structure in the Epenots than in the village wine, but this latter is still approachable and forward, with ripe black plum and mulberry fruit and hints of lavender, menthol, and star anise. The texture is dense, and the tannins are supple but supportive, leading the whole to a pleasantly persistent finish. The grapes are 90% from Grands Epenots and 10% from Petits Epenots; they are fermented as whole clusters and aged in used casks to produce this memorable wine.
Philippe Pacalet
Volnay (1er Cru Robardelle)
2022
95
2022 is the second vintage for Pacalet of this fruit, sourced from a site just north of Santenots Dessous. He has fermented the wine entirely as whole clusters with a reasonably firm extraction, without sulphur (until bottling). The result has an irresistibly silky blackberry fruit with a suggestion of violets and gingery spice. The texture is dense, velvety, and long. This wine will be drinkable reasonably early and is suited for at least mid-term ageing.
Thibault Liger-Belair Successeurs, Aux Charmes
Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru
2022
95
This Charmes-Chambertin delivers an impressive volume of ripe mulberry and plum fruit with a brambly edge and hints of spice and smoke. There is significant density, but the wine isn't heavy or astringent; the texture is supple, and the finish is very long. It will require at least five years after release to open but should drink well for at least another 20 beyond that. The grapes come from 0.30 hectares in Charmes proper, on the border with Latricières.
Albert Bichot, Les Sorbets
Morey-St-Denis (1er Cru)
2022
94
Very 'Côte de Nuits' in style, this lovely wine features a rich blackberry fruit aroma with hints of earth and spice. The texture is rich and dense, with a pleasant persistence to the finish. The grapes are purchased from a large plot down-slope from the Clos des Lambrays and Clos de Tart on the other side of town in the premier cru. Some producers spell this climat Les Sorbès. The grapes are partially destemmed and gently fermented before ageing in cask (one-third new).
Albert Bichot, Domaine du Pavillon, Clos des Ursulines Monopole
Pommard
2022
94
Picked early but not excessively so (3 – 6 September), this monopole of Bichot's Domaine de Pavillon has produced a wine with bright plum and cherry aromas and a hint of fresh violets. The texture is silky and approachable, yet it does not lack the tannin one looks for in Pommard. The vineyard team made several passes through the vineyard to ensure that the wine retained a charming freshness, and the result was lovely.
Albert Bichot, Domaine du Pavillon
Pommard (1er Cru Rugiens)
2022
94
The Rugiens from Domaine du Pavillon enchants with its subtle depth of plummy fruit aromas and hints of earth and smoke. The texture is tannic but not overly so, and there is an interestingly supple quality to the texture that makes this wine intriguing. The grapes come from a third of a hectare located next to the Hospices parcel, just above Chaponnières. The wine is mainly destemmed and carefully fermented before ageing in cask (half new). Wait three to five years before opening for optimal results.
Anne Gros, La Combe d'Orveau
Chambolle-Musigny
2022
94
Chambolle Combe d'Orveau is a brilliant site in warmer years such as 2022. It lies at the bottom of the valley and is nearly always the last parcel to be picked. In 2022, it has delivered a wine of great freshness and perfume, with bright pomegranate and cranberry fruit, a hint of tea and fresh flowers, and a bracing minerality. The texture is light and fine. Half of the fruit is 40-year-old vines; half was planted in 2016. Despite their youth, these vines are superior plant material and are already giving the best wines.
Benjamin Leroux
Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru
2022
94
Charmes is a new bottling for Leroux; he formerly purchased Mazoyères, which was sometimes labelled as Charmes, but now he has a parcel of Aux Charmes and the fruit from Mazoyères. The new parcel this year has produced a wine with sweet black cherry fruit and notes of rose petals and liquorice. It is silkier and more supple than the Mazoyères, which is more structured. It was racked fairly early but is going back into barrel for a second winter before bottling. The wine will be approachable fairly soon after bottling and should age well for several decades.
Benjamin Leroux
Vosne-Romanée
2022
94
The delicious, deeply-coloured village-level Vosne-Romanée from Benjamin Leroux is fragrant with perfumed sweet blackberry fruit and hints of violets and spice. The texture is lush and plump, with supple tannins and good length. The grapes are from lieux-dits across the appellation, including Violettes and Mazières Blanches in Flagey and Communes, Jacquines and Croix Blanche in Vosne proper. About 10% of the grapes are fermented directly in 450-litre barrels that are rolled instead of punched down.
Bouchard Père & Fils
Échezéaux Grand Cru
2022
94
Hints of smoke, gunflint, leather, and earth underscore a lovely concentration of ripe blackberry and plum aromas on the initial attack. The texture is concentrated and dense, with firm tannins and perfect length. The grapes are from the domaine-owned 0.39-hectare parcel in the Combe d'Orveau with ancient vines planted in poor marly soils that give grapes with marvellous concentration. The fruit is fermented as 75% whole clusters, giving the wine a pleasant menthol edge. This wine is slightly closed but should open well in three to five years.
Domaine Albert Morot
Beaune (1er Cru Bressandes)
2022
94
The Beaune Bressandes has a forward, accessible raspberry fruit with hints of mint and peonies and a suggestion of savoury, gamey notes that lend an exotic air. The texture is fresh and firm, but abundant ripeness balances the structure and carries the wine to a satisfying finish. The grapes come from 1.27 hectares of vines of varying ages high on the slope north of Les Grèves; they are partly destemmed and fermented with a combination of pumping over and punching down before ageing in cask (one-third new).
Domaine Albert Morot, Monopole
Savigny-lès-Beaune (1er Cru La Bataillère)
2022
94
The Savigny premier cru La Bataillère (called Clos de la Bataillère from 2022) is a step up in ripeness and concentration, with forward aromas of blackberry and ripe plums, and hints of violets, earth and smoke. The texture also shows impressive concentration, with firm tannins, dense extract, and a lingering finish. The grapes are from the 1.87-hectare monopole on the east-facing slopes of Les Vergelesses, overlooking the hill of Corton. The grapes are entirely destemmed and fermented on native yeasts with gentle extraction before ageing in cask (30% new).
Domaine Alvina Pernot, Bieveaux
Santenay
2022
94
Alvina Pernot's parcel of Bieveaux is just above premier cru La Maladière. The grapes in 2022 delivered a wine that was 100% Santenay, if a bit rustic, with aromas of currant fruit touched with earth and leather. The old vines are pruned in Cordon de Royat, but there's not a lot of them – the Pernot has sold off much of their holdings here, although Alvina and her husband kept a bit. The Pernot team completely destems the fruit, cools it before fermentation, and extracts gently primarily by pumping over.
Domaine Amiot-Servelle, Les Bas Doix
Chambolle-Musigny
2022
94
This wine stands out at the village level, with ripe black cherry fruit and floral notes, a bit marked by the wood out of barrel, but there is plenty of substance, with impressive density, grip and length. The cuvée is made with the best barrels from this well-located site down-slope from Les Amoureuses, behind the village of Vougeot. They are fermented with 45% whole clusters and gently extracted to deliver one of the finest village Chambolles at a bargain price. Only a few barrels are made, but this is worth seeking out.
Domaine Amiot-Servelle
Chambolle-Musigny (1er Cru Les Charmes)
2022
94
With its lovely dark mulberry and pomegranate fruit aromas shaded with earth, smoke, and wild herbs, the wine is approachable yet still reasonably substantial, dense with extract, yet creamy and lively enough that it doesn't feel heavy. The grapes are from the domaine's significant 1.3-hectare holding (their biggest premier cru). Picking began 3 September; 40% of the grapes were fermented as whole clusters, and the wine is ageing now in cask (30% new).
Domaine Amiot-Servelle
Chambolle-Musigny (1er Cru Les Fuées)
2022
94
Of all the admirable premier crus in this cellar, the Fuées is perhaps the most straightforward and approachable, with a ripe black cherry fruit aroma and hints of rose petals and liquorice. The charming fruit continues to star on the palate, with a sweetness almost disarming. The grapes from this 0.18 (planted in 2005) deliver a wine that recalls the first blush of youth; in some ways, it is the essence of Chambolle. Despite fermentation with 30% whole clusters, the wine has impressive purity of fruit .
Domaine Arlaud
Chambolle-Musigny
2022
94
Silky and ethereal, the village Chambolle from Domaine Arlaud is a charming wine, presenting aromas of red and black fruit, earth, spice, and smoke. It is assembled from a hectare of vines from several lieux-dits below the band of premier crus, including Les Herbues, Les Chardannes, Les Gamaires and Les Bussières, all in the same sector near the Morey border. The grapes are partially destemmed and gently fermented with minimal extraction before ageing in primarily used oak casks.
Domaine Arlaud
Morey-St-Denis
2022
94
Cyprian Arlaud farms a hectare of vines in the Morey-Saint-Denis heartland of En Seurvrées (near the Gevrey border) and the Clos Solon on the plain below the village in the heart of the village appellation. The old vines here give a wine of concentration and depth, but there is a pleasantly approachable ripe, plummy fruit with a floral edge that is immediately appealing. This wine should drink well shortly after release and will continue to improve for a decade if not two.
Domaine Arlaud
Morey-St-Denis (1er Cru Aux Cheseaux)
2022
94
The initial impression of the Aux Cheseaux is a bit more reserved than the Millandes. However, with time on the palate, lovely ripe plum and blackberry aromas open up, adorned by hints of smoke and a firm, salty mineral underpinning. The texture is denser, fresher, and more tannic than the latter wine. Like Millandes, it is just below the band of grand crus, but it is a very different terroir on poor Prémeaux limestone soils—a fascinating contrast. The wine is less approachable now, but it will undoubtedly be longer-lived.
Domaine Armand Rousseau, Clos du Château
Gevrey-Chambertin
2022
94
The Clos du Château is the village-level parcel worked in metayage by Rousseau of 1.17 hectares of vines from Louis Ng of Macao. The aromas are forward and fruity, with less intensity and complexity than the classic village-level Gevrey from this domaine. Cyrielle's work, however, is in evidence of the deft balance between fruit, freshness, and robust structure, and this must be counted as a lovely success. It will be ready to drink soon after release and is suited for mid-term cellaring.
Domaine Berthaut-Gerbet
Fixin (1er Cru Les Arvelets)
2022
94
Amélie Berthaut calls the Arvelets' the cuvée of my grandfather', who purchased the 0.70-hectare site. She has taken extraordinary pains here since hail damage in the final week of June necessitated complicated sorting. However, the wine is a triumph, with concentrated blackberry and mulberry fruit and hints of earth, smoke, and spice. She has fermented half the grapes as whole clusters (where there was no damage), and has been very careful with the extraction to achieve this model of depth and concentration.
Domaine Berthaut-Gerbet
Gevrey-Chambertin (1er Cru Lavaut Saint-Jacques)
2022
94
The 2022 Lavaux-St-Jacques from Amélie Berthaut is bursting with ripe plummy fruit with hints of peonies, liquorice, and earth. The texture is fresh and lively, but there is more density than last year, and the combination of bright acidity and forward fruit carries the wine to a charmingly persistent finish. This parcel was damaged by hail in late June, and thus, only 50% of the grapes could be fermented as whole clusters. Although this plot was once worked on a sharecropping basis, the owner has sold it to the domaine, guaranteeing our pleasure for years to come.
Domaine Berthaut-Gerbet, En Combe Roy
Fixin
2022
94
TOP VALUE Aromas of plum and mulberry, leather, smoke and an edge of wild herbs. The texture is firm and tannic, with impressive substance and length: classic Côte de Nuits. The grapes are from a plot of 0.37ha located just under the premiers crus Arvelets and Hervelets, planted with 60-year-old vines that deliver solid power each year.
Domaine Bruno Clair, Les Grasses Têtes
Marsannay
2022
94
Redolent of fig and black plum fruit aromas with a firmly mineral depth and a savoury edge, the 2022 Grasses Tetes from Bruno Clair boasts a texture that is dense and concentrated and among the most powerful single-climat wines in this cellar. The grapes come from several parcels of old vines that total 2.27 hectares scattered throughout the vineyard. More than 30% of the grapes were fermented as whole clusters, yet the wine retains a marvellous purity of fruit—superb.
Domaine Bruno Clair, Les Longeroies
Marsannay
2022
94
The firm and fragrant raspberry and mulberry fruit aromas of the 2022 Longeroies from Bruno Clair enchant even as the texture on the palate reveals that more age is needed. There is a tannic grip and densely packed structure to spare. The grapes come from Clair's 1.37 hectares in Longeroies; they have delivered a wine that should wait a minimum of five years but will drink well for the next twenty after that. Despite culling out the oldest fruit for the La Murée bottling, this is still a monumental wine worthy of long ageing in the cellar.
Domaine Camille et Guillaume Boillot
Corton Les Renardes Grand Cru
2022
94
Lush and ripe, with aromas of currant and black plum, touched with earth and smoke, this top-of-the-range red is an accomplished debut. The wine is structured and firm, yet not lacking generosity. It is not made the same way as the reds for Domaine Henri Boillot – the grapes are fermented with about 20% whole clusters, and they do ferment in classic vats as opposed to the small cask 'fermentation intégrale' method used at Boillot. The result is balanced and elegant, more restrained and less exuberant than the Boillot wines, yet it should age well.
Domaine Cécile Tremblay, Les Cabottes
Chambolle-Musigny
2022
94
This delightful village-level wine is assembled from small holdings in Les Fremiers, Aux Echanges (both right under the premier cru band), and Les Maladières along the Route Nationale. The wines are gently fermented without pigeage, just very gentle pumping over. The result is marvellous, with dense, sweet fruit on the palate buttressed by firm tannins and abundant extract. The approachable, supple style is exquisite, and the refreshing acidity of the vintage leads the wine to a lingering finish.
Domaine Cécile Tremblay
Morey-St-Denis
2022
94
Cécile Tremblay was recently able to recoup some vines that had been rented out in metayage to Domaine Michel Noëllat, including a hectare of Morey-Saint-Denis village vines beside the existing parcels in Très Girard; between this former vineyard and in Sionnières just to the south. This wine is a lovely, supple flagship for the village, with its fragrant, plummy fruit and hints of Ceylon tea and spice. The texture is silky and very fine, and the wine is approachable now, yet has the substance to improve over the next decade—well done indeed.
Domaine Chandon de Briailles
Pernand-Vergelesses (1er Cru Vergelesses)
2022
94
Claude de Nicolay explains that her 1.33-hectare parcel lies at the frontier of Aloxe, Perrnand, and Savigny and seems to share a bit of each. The vines are low on the slope, below the Ile des Vergelesses. Although the soils are deep, the fruit ripens well, and the wine is not as rustic as the Savigny Aux Fournaux. It displays a sweet cherry fruit with a lovely concentration and a floral edge. The wine is approachable and should be drinkable reasonably young, but it does not lack tannin or structure and has the stuffing to age.
Domaine Chandon de Briailles
Savigny-lès-Beaune (1er Cru Lavières)
2022
94
Although the Savigny Les Lavières is slightly reserved initially, it opens nicely with time. An attractive plum and wild strawberry fruit aroma with notes of earth, wild herbs, and smoke brings complexity. The grapes are from a parcel of 2.60 hectares planted in 1956; they are treated to a cold soak and then fermented entirely as whole clusters. The result is powerful and tannic, but without astringency; there is a grace and elegance that is very appealing.
Domaine Chanson
Beaune (1er Cru Grèves)
2022
94
This concentrated, powerful wine has superb substance and style with its ripe plum, mulberry fruit aromas, and hints of leather, bay leaf, and black tea. The texture is tannic and full-bodied, with enough potential to age for 30 years if one is so inclined. The domaine's two hectares here are spread over three parcels – each grown, picked, fermented, and aged separately. They will be reunited and bottled in March or April of next year. Open in five to seven years and drink for 30 more.
Domaine Chanson
Beaune (1er Cru Clos des Fèves)
2022
94
The 2022 Chanson Clos de Fèves from Chanson is a classic, with ripe plum and cassis fruit and notes of mint, black tea, earth and smoke. The texture is firm and tannic, but not overly so, with moderate density and a finish that winds down slowly on the palate. The grapes are from the domaine's monopole of more than four hectares near Cent Vignes; they are fermented as whole clusters with a relatively firm regime of punching down to deliver this elegant, classic wine that will open with three to five years in bottle and age for a further 20.
Domaine Comte Senard
Corton Les Bressandes Grand Cru
2022
94
The Corton Bressandes from Comte Senard is a wine of impressive body and density. Lorraine Senard notes, 'This wine is a bit wild; it will need some time to integrate – the elegance will come in a couple of years'. The wine conforms to the classic conception of a Corton: slightly rustic, tannic, and powerful. The domaine owns 0.62 hectares in three different parcels. To tame it, the percentage of whole clusters was reduced to 50%, and the wine is ageing in cask (60% new). This wine should be ready to drink in five to seven years.
Domaine Confuron-Cotetidot
Chambolle-Musigny (1er Cru Derrière la Grange)
2022
94
This tiny vineyard (0.47ha in total) was formerly a monopole of Domaine Louis Remy. It lies sandwiched between Les Fuées and Les Gruenchers. Today, it is split between Confuron-Cotetidot and Amiot-Servelle. The versions are very different. The former domaine is known for picking relatively late; the wine is robust and full-bodied, with currant and plum fruit accented with black tea and spice notes. The texture is firm and tannic, yet there is also a lively freshness. Give this five years in bottle at least, and then drink it over the next twenty.
Domaine Confuron-Cotetidot
Gevrey-Chambertin (1er Cru Craipillot)
2022
94
This firmly structured wine opens with aromas of currant and plum tinged with smoke and earth; the texture is tannic and dense, but the wine is not unapproachable. There is a pleasant freshness that brings everything into balance nicely. As Confuron notes, it is at the bottom of the Combe Lavaux and very rich in pebbles and slope wash that absorb the sunshine and help the grapes to ripen—a heady mix when coupled with the domaine's late picking date.
Domaine Confuron-Cotetidot
Vosne-Romanée
2022
94
This classic introduction to the Confuron-Cotetidot style should prove convincing: ripe fruit, whole clusters, and little influence from new oak. The ripe plum and fig fruit comes to the fore, touched with earth, smoke, and leather notes. The wine is very tannic, but there is enough fruit to sustain this level of structure. 'I make broad wines' according to Yves Confuron—that he does. The grapes for this come from four parcels totaling just over a hectare, made in the trademark style. Keep this for three to five years before opening for ideal results.
Domaine d’Eugénie
Vosne-Romanée
2022
94
The impressive village-level Vosne from Domaine d'Eugenie has forward, accessible red and blackberry fruit with leather, earth, and spice notes. The texture is surprisingly deep at this level, with impressive tannic grip and length. As before, the grapes blend Les Vigneux with the young vines from the Clos d'Eugenie and Aux Brûlées, with 25% fermented as whole clusters. The wine was aged in 30% new barrels (three out of 10 total) and is now racked and blended to preserve freshness.
Domaine de Courcel
Pommard (1er Cru Croix Noires)
2022
94
The 2022 Croix Noires was quite different from the 2021, with a dark colour and a super-ripe blackberry and plum fruit aroma with hints of earth, cigar leaf, and leather. The texture is dense yet supple; the tannins only kick in at the end. This wine does not lack structure, but it is more approachable than many in this cellar. The grapes are from just over a half-hectare down the slope from Chaponnières and not far from Rugiens-Bas. The grapes were fermented as whole clusters and are ageing in older casks.
Domaine de Courcel
Pommard (1er Cru Fremiers)
2022
94
This year, the Fremiers from Courcel is an explosion of fruit, with bright blackberry and cassis aromas edged with pepper and bay leaf. The texture is velvety and dense, with ripe, supple tannins and impressive length. The 0.79-hectare parcel lies in fairly deep clay soils just south of Croix Noires. This wine is a classic of the domaine, made with a whole cluster ferment and very little new oak. The wine should open in three to five years and will drink for the next 20.
Domaine de la Vougeraie
Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru
2022
94
In 2022, the Bonnes Mares from Boisset's Domaine de la Vougeraie is delicious, boasting high-toned raspberry fruit aromas with a distinct note of violets and liquorice; there is a great purity of fruit, and the earthy/savoury side of this vineyard is not readily apparent. The texture is bright and fresh, but there is substance as well. The grapes come from three parcels that total 0.70 hectares; two are on the Chambolle side on terres blanches; the largest is closer to Bruno Clair on the Morey side.
Domaine de Montille
Beaune (1er Cru Grèves)
2022
94
De Montille owns a magnificent 1.26-hectare parcel in Beaune Grèves just south of Bouchard's Baby Jesus, planted in iron and clay soils over sandy limestone. The vines delivered a complex, compelling wine in 2022: a ripe, plummy fruit with a savoury, gamey edge and a firm, saline undercurrent. Half of the grapes were fermented as whole clusters with a combination of punching down and pumping over. The structure is now supple and silky, yet enough tannin suggests that this will age well.
Domaine de Montille
Pommard (1er Cru Pézerolles)
2022
94
Pézerolles is up-slope from Petits Epenots. The topsoil here is relatively deep and somewhat sandy, but a firm limestone underpins the terroir. The combination gives a texture that is velvety and supple. The bright plum and blackberry aromas with a hint of tea, bergamot, and spice are lovely, and the finish is balanced and elegant. The grapes are from two parcels that total 0.89 hectares; half were fermented as whole clusters, and the wine is ageing now in cask (30% new). It will be ready to drink before the Rugiens-Bas, but this, too, will last.
Domaine de Montille
Volnay (1er Cru En Champans)
2022
94
The Volnay Champans from de Montille boasts forward, ripe aromas of plum and blackberry with hints of liquorice and star anise; the texture is creamy and dense, yet on the finish, it is evident there are some firm tannins. The grapes come from a parcel of 0.75 hectares that runs the length of the vineyard. At the top, the soil is sandier; near the bottom, it is heavier clay. The grapes from the top half are fermented as whole clusters; those from the bottom are destemmed; the wines are ageing now in cask (30% new), where they will stay until the spring.
Domaine de Montille
Volnay (1er Cru Les Taillepieds)
2022
94
This iconic wine of the de Montille portfolio has an exquisitely complex aroma of silky mulberry fruit with suggestions of earth, smoke, and a savoury, gamey edge. The feel is tannic and dense, with impressive length and the energy to balance the rich flavours and textures. The grapes come from the family's two parcels that total more than 1.5 hectares. In 2022, all the grapes were fermented as whole clusters with a firm extraction and ageing in a cask (30% new).
Domaine des Comtes Lafon
Volnay (1er Cru En Champans)
2022
94
The 2022 Champans from Lafon is structured and tannic, with a texture dense with extract, yet a bright cherry aroma with floral notes and a bit of spice shine through this exemplary red. The grapes are from the old vines in the domaine's half-hectare in this well-situated premier cru. They are mostly destemmed before a gentle fermentation on native yeasts. Too many people overlook the reds from Lafon, but this is particularly good. Give this wine three to five years to open and then drink over the next 10 to 15 years.
Domaine des Croix
Beaune (1er Cru Cent Vignes)
2022
94
The exuberant 2022 Cent Vignes from David Croix has a deep ruby colour and an intensely ripe mulberry and blueberry fruit with hints of violets and earth. The texture is silky and supple, yet there is enough tannic grip to back up all the lush fruit. The wine is partly destemmed and fermented slowly with a careful extraction to deliver this approachable, moreish result. The wine should open nicely in three to five years and drink for a further 20.
Domaine des Croix
Beaune (1er Cru Pertuisots)
2022
94
This smallish premier cru is ideally located between Aigrots and Bouchard's Clos Saint-Landry at mid-slope. In 2022, the vines delivered a charming wine that shared a bit of the elegance and lightness of the Bressandes and the rich structure and depth of the Tuvilains. The wine boasts ripe black cherry fruit and hints of rose petals and liquorice; the texture is supple and velvety. It was among the ripest of the vintage in this cellar, picked at 14.4% potential alcohol – leave this for five to seven years before opening for best results.
Domaine des Croix
Corton La Vigne au Saint Grand Cru
2022
94
David Croix calls his supple and silky Vigne au Saint his 'entry-level Corton'. It lacks the power of the Grèves, but it has its own charm. There is a perfumed character to the plum and pomegranate fruit; the texture has a charming elegance in the place of firm tannins and extract. The grapes are partially destemmed and fermented in open-top wood fermenters on native yeasts before ageing in cask (one-third new). This wine should be ready to drink in three to five years and perfect for mid-term cellaring.
Domaine des Lambrays
Morey-St-Denis (1er Cru Clos Baulet)
2022
94
The Clos Baulet stayed with the Cossons when they sold the Domaine des Lambrays; their owned one-third of the total surface of 0.9 hectares. The wine is very distinct from the 'Les Loups' bottling. It has a ripe red currant fruit aroma strongly coloured by hints of black tea, menthol, and peony that Jacques Devauges calls 'végétal noble'. The tannins are less grippy, and the texture is enlivened by a bit more fresh acidity. This wine will not be approachable as early as Les Loups, but it should show great complexity in five to seven years.
Domaine Drouhin-Laroze
Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru
2022
94
This vintage of the Drouhin-Laroze Bonnes Mares has an elegant, supple energy without lacking density or body. There is an expressive raspberry/blackberry fruit with notes of peony and spice and a dynamic, silky texture that lasts through the lingering finish. The hefty 1.5-hectare domaine parcel is mostly on terres blanches in the centre of the appellation in front of Chambolle Les Baudes. The result is not as massive as some Bonnes Mares can be, yet it does not lack typicity. This wine will open relatively early and should last for 25 years at a minimum.
Domaine du Cellier aux Moines
Volnay (1er Cru Chevrets)
2022
94
This elegant wine boasts delicious plum and blackberry fruit aromas and notes of spice and violets. The texture is classic Volnay, all silk and finesse, and the finish lingers moreishly on the palate. The vines are located just north of Les Santenots du Milieu, and the grapes are partially destemmed before a gentle fermentation with very little punching down. This wine will be ready to drink on release and over the next five years.
Domaine du Clos Frantin
Échezéaux Grand Cru
2022
94
The 2022 Echézeaux from Clos Frantin boasts profuse aromas of blackberry fruit, liquorice, and peony. The texture is silky and refined, with a ripe, sweet character to the fruit on the palate. The influence of the location of the vineyard is evident: the cooling influence of the Combe d'Orveau brings perfumed freshness to the wine, while the sandy soils of the Champs Traversins, where it is located, mean great ripeness. The wine is ageing at present in cask (70% new).
Domaine du Clos Frantin
Vosne-Romanée
2022
94
This marvellously good Vosne village-level wine drinks like a premier cru, with a lovely ripe blackberry fruit aroma, floral edge, and silky, velvety texture. The grapes are from two lieux-dits at opposite ends of the village: les Damaudes, at the top of the slope above Malconsorts, and Basses Mazières, on the plain below Suchots. After a long, slow fermentation, the wine is ageing in a cask (20-30% new). Age three to five years before opening.
Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair, La Colombière
Vosne-Romanée
2022
94
Liger-Belair's large parcel (0.78-hectare) of old vines behind the Château de Vosne produced a wine of substance and concentration in 2022. There was a hint of reduction tasted out of barrel that will resolve with racking. Behind this was an attractive black cherry fruit aroma with an edge of peony and earth. The texture, weight, and structure are impressive, and the length announces that this is serious wine. Ideally, age this wine five years before opening.
Domaine Dugat-Py, Cœur du Roy
Gevrey-Chambertin
2022
94
This charming wine features a bright, forward strawberry and pomegranate fruit character perfumed with hints of fresh flowers and spice. The wine does not lack structure or depth, but it is more ethereal than the Evocelles. The grapes are a blend from approximately three hectares in total; two-thirds of the grapes are fermented as whole clusters before ageing in cask (40% new). This wine should drink well upon release and is suitable for mid-term ageing.
Domaine Dugat-Py
Vosne-Romanée
2022
94
The village-level Vosne from Dugat-Py has the elegance typical of the wines of the village but the power and density typical of the domaine. The forward aromas of black plum and mulberry fruit are accented with earth, smoke, and spice, and the dense texture is still very silky and delicate. The grapes are from a single parcel of a third of a hectare in Les Violettes, which is located in Flagey, just south of the Clos de Vougeot. Two-thirds of the grapes were fermented as whole cluster, and the wine is ageing at present in cask (one-third new)
Domaine Duroché
Gevrey-Chambertin
2022
94
The village Gevrey from Duroché is a compelling calling card, with its deep colour, fragrant red and blackberry fruit and floral notes. The texture is silky and compact yet vibrant and lively. The grapes are blended from nearly three hectares of vines scattered throughout the village, although half is on the Brochon side (En Champs and Craipillot). The grapes for this cuvée are entirely destemmed and bottled without fining or filtration and with very little sulfur. The result is eloquent, accessible, and a perfect exemplar of the modern style of Gevrey.
Domaine Duroché, Les Jeunes Rois
Gevrey-Chambertin
2022
94
The Jeunes Rois is endowed with a supremely expressive blackberry and plum fruit aroma with floral notes and a bit of peppery spice. On the palate, the fruit has a rewarding sweetness and a balanced acidity that draws the wine out to a pleasant finish. This wine is not a heavyweight , but it impresses at the village level. The vines were planted in 1953 in this lieu-dit just below the route des grands crus in Brochon and give tiny, concentrated grapes.
Domaine Duroché
Gevrey-Chambertin (1er Cru Combe aux Moines)
2022
94
The spicy, silky fruit makes this a compellingly moreish wine with fragrant ripe cherry and pomegranate aromas. There is abundant finesse if there is a bit less precision than some of the wines in this cellar. The domaine owns 0.40 hectares in this cool terroir; in 2022, the fruit was completely destemmed and fermented on native yeasts before ageing. It will likely be too good to resist for long, although mid-term cellaring is appropriate.
Domaine Fourrier
Gevrey-Chambertin
2022
94
With its lovely ripe cherry fruit aroma and floral notes with a bit of spice, the village-level Gevrey from Fourrier is charming indeed. The texture is relatively substantial, with ample body, a supple tannic line, and impressive length for this level. The grapes come from a selection of parcels throughout the village. The grapes are destemmed and given a cold soak prior to fermentation on native yeasts and ageing in cask with a modest proportion of new wood.
Domaine Francois Buffet
Volnay (1er Cru Carelle Sous la Chapelle)
2022
94
This interesting terroir is down the slope from Bousse d'Or and just north of Champans, where the domaine owns 0.44 hectares. The grapes are destemmed and gently fermented before ageing in cask to produce this wine with lush, ripe aromas of cherry and pomegranate with violet and liquorice notes. The texture has more depth and firmer body than many in this cellar. Open this wine three to five years after the harvest for best results.
Domaine Francois Buffet, Le Village
Volnay (1er Cru)
2022
94
Buffet farms a small 0.14-hectare slice of this well-located premier cru, just north of Bousse d'Or and down-slope from Lafarge's monopole Clos du Château des Ducs. The vines were first planted in 1998 – before this, the land was dedicated to fruit trees. The wine is light in colour but very aromatic, with a high-toned cherry fruit and hints of spice and black tea. The texture is fine and silky, but there is enough substance to carry the wine to a lingering finish.
Domaine François Buffet
Pommard
2022
94
A rewarding purity of fruit to the village-level Pommard from Domaine François Buffet was a new discovery for me with the 2022 vintage. The wine features an enticingly ripe aroma of black plums, earth, spice, and a silky texture with refined tannins and surprising length at the village level. The domaine blends a small amount of Les Combes Dessus premier cru with 0.3 hectares of Les Combes Dessus; the grapes are destemmed and gently fermented before ageing in cask (20% new).
Domaine François Buffet
Pommard (1er Cru Rugiens)
2022
94
Unlike some of the other wines in this cellar, the Rugiens is slightly reticent and slow to open. With time, there are currant fruit aromas with a savoury edge and hints of earth. The texture is firm, and the grippy tannins need some time to resolve. The grapes are from a tiny 0.17-hectare slice of century-old vines in Rugiens-Haut; one-third are fermented as whole clusters, and the wine is ageing in cask (one-quarter new).
Domaine Génot-Boulanger
Pommard (1er Cru Clos Blanc)
2022
94
This delightful wine boasts pronounced aromas of ripe mulberry and plum accented with a hint of earth and pencil lead – the tone is much deeper and richer than the same wine last year, and the texture is more substantial. This wine should open in three to five years and should age well. The grapes are from a third of a hectare located against the wall of Grands Epenots, just west of the Route des Grands Crus. The grapes are destemmed and gently fermented; four of the seven casks this year are new, although there is plenty of substance to absorb the wood.
Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg
Vosne-Romanée
2022
94
The 'classic' village Vosne from Mugneret-Gibourg is a lovely dark colour, presaging its expressive, ripe blackberry fruit aroma with a floral edge. This wine is a blend of all the village-level Vosne vines except La Colombière, which is bottled separately. The young vines from Pré de la Folie behind the winery bring a silky, floral exuberance from the blend that suggests that the wine will be ready to drink relatively early, while the older vines, at 50 years, give depth and concentration.
Domaine Hudelot-Noëllat
Chambolle-Musigny
2022
94
The 2022 village Chambolle from Hudelot-Noëllat is delicious with its deep colour and prominent black plum and cassis fruit aromas touched with lavender. The texture has rewarding freshness and a subtle but sustaining tannic grip that draws it to a lingering finish. The wine is made from the domaine's 0.85 hectares of village-level vines scattered throughout the village; it is approachable enough to drink early but is also ideally suited to mid-term ageing.
Domaine Hudelot-Noëllat
Chambolle-Musigny (1er Cru Les Charmes)
2022
94
All the grapes for this cuvée are still destemmed: 'I'm a classic guy,' according to winemaker Charles van Canneyt. His Charmes is produced from two parcels that total 0.21 hectares. He extracts carefully, using a mixture of punching down and pumping over before ageing in cask (primarily used). The result is lighter than some from this vineyard, with a supple, elegant texture and perfumed cherry fruit aromas that are very pleasant. This wine excels in both quality and Chambolle typicity.
Domaine Hudelot-Noëllat
Vosne-Romanée
2022
94
The village-level Vosne from Hudelot-Noëllat is perhaps more attractive than ever, with a forward, prominent blackberry aroma and notes of violets, ginger, and earth. The wine has a silky texture and great finesse on the palate, along with an immensely appealing sweet character to the fruit. The grapes come from Basses Maizières, not far from his Suchots. The grapes are fermented as approximately 20% whole clusters, and after a gentle extraction, the wine is ageing in cask (one-quarter new).
Domaine Jacques-Frédéric Mugnier
Chambolle-Musigny
2022
94
The 2022 village Chambolle from J.F. Mugnier is more generous than the 2021, and there is more depth of flavour and concentration than most producers manage at this level. Part of the reason is that the grapes come from the very cool Combe d'Orveaux above Flagey blended with grapes from the premier cru Les Plantes. The result boasts a lovely, forward blackberry fruit with floral notes and a hint of spice. The extraction is done with a very light hand, and the result is superb at this level.
Domaine Jean Grivot
Vosne-Romanée
2022
94
The attractive medium-deep ruby colour announces a pleasantly ripe plummy fruit with nuance of smoke and earth. The texture is supple, and yet there is sufficient tension and grip to draw this out to a lingering finish. It is still ageing in cask (20% new) and will be bottled in March according to the moon's phase. It is a true 'cuvée ronde', a blend of 10 climats from around the village from the top, such as Aux Champs Perdrix, to the base of the slope at Pré de la Folie.
Domaine Jessiaume
Beaune (1er Cru Cent Vignes)
2022
94
This deeply-coloured wine has alluring blackberry and blueberry fruit aromas with hints of violets, leather, and spice. The texture is firm and structured, with impressive tannic grip and length. The grapes come from just over a hectare of vines that are the furthest from the winery; they are destemmed and gently fermented before ageing in cask (30% new) to produce this delicious result. This wine should begin to open three to five years after the vintage.
Domaine Jessiaume, Clos du Clos Gênet
Santenay
2022
94
This village-level Santenay is pleasantly aromatic, displaying an aroma of ripe plums touched with earth and spice. The fruit continues on the palate with an appealing sweetness bolstered by supple tannins and rich extract. The grapes come from a half-hectare walled clos within the lieu-dit Clos Génet; they are destemmed and gently fermented before ageing in cask (35% new). This wine should drink well shortly after release and will hold for up to five years.
Domaine Jessiaume
Santenay (1er Cru Les Gravières)
2022
94
The red premier cru Gravières is the flagship of this estate. It is widely seen as the finest vineyard in Santenay, and Jessiaume owns more than five hectares; the bulk of this is included here. This substantial wine is slightly reticent on the initial attack, but it opens with time to show deep mulberry and plum fruit aromas, hints of exotic black tea and spice. The texture is dense and firm, with silky but supportive tannins and impressive persistence on the palate. The grapes are destemmed and gently fermented before ageing for 12 months in cask (25% new).
Domaine Jessiaume, La Cassière
Santenay
2022
94
TOP VALUE Jessiaume is using the 2ha of domaine vines it recently recovered from a sharecropping contract to produce this lovely wine with aromatic raspberry fruit and a floral edge. Supple and approachable, with a pleasant sweetness to the fruit, structure and freshness. A noticeable step up from the other village-level bottlings. Organic.
Domaine Joseph Drouhin
Chambolle-Musigny (1er Cru Les Amoureuses)
2022
94
Drouhin's 2022 Amoureuses is a magical wine, all perfume and silk. There are lovely aromas of ripe black cherries with a floral note and hints of violets and cardamon. The texture is dense and lush without being heavy, and the fresh acid balance carries the wine to a lingering finish. The grapes come from four domaine-owned parcels of old vines and are fermented as 40% whole clusters before ageing in primarily used casks. The result will open in three to five years and drink for twenty or more afterwards.
Domaine Joseph Drouhin
Beaune (1er Cru Clos des Mouches)
2022
94
This iconic wine from Drouhin is a delight in the 2022 vintage. It boasts an expressive black cherry fruit with hints of roses and lavender; the texture is firm and solid yet eminently approachable. There is enough extract here to age the wine for 20 years, although it should be drinkable reasonably early in life. The grapes come from the immense Drouhin holdings here (6.75 hectares in red); the grapes are partly destemmed and gently fermented to deliver a wine of marvellous complexity and elegance.
Domaine Méo-Camuzet
Vosne-Romanée
2022
94
The supple, pretty fruit shows ripe blackberries and fresh violets with a hint of earth and smoke. Although the wine is approachable now, one senses something is in reserve. The texture is firm and tannic, with a pronounced freshness that drives the wine to a pleasant finish. The majority of the fruit is from the lieu-dit Les Barreaux at the top of the slope, blended with grapes from the heavier clay soils of Les Communes.
Domaine Méo-Camuzet, Clos Rognet
Corton Grand Cru
2022
94
The Clos Rognet is not the largest of Méo's parcels on the hill of Corton, but it is perhaps the most distinctive. It is a Clos of 0.45 hectares at the bottom of the climat Rognet et Corton in Ladoix, down the slope from the Clos des Cortons Faiveley. In 2022, Méo worked hard to control yields here, and the result is concentrated and powerful, with a mulberry fruit touched with dark chocolate and a firmly tannic and dense texture. This wine should open in five to seven years and will age for decades.
Domaine Michel Lafarge
Beaune (1er Cru Clos des Aigrots)
2022
94
The deeply-coloured wine from the old vines in the Lafarge parcel boasts a ripe plummy fruit in 2022, yet there is a saline mineral side and a hint of savoury, gamey complexity. This delicious wine has a nervy tension and the density and length to age nicely in the cellar. The grapes come from the three-quarters of a hectare planted relatively high on the slope – some are 70 years of age; they are destemmed and gently fermented to produce this exquisite wine.
Domaine Michel Lafarge, Vendange Selectionée
Volnay
2022
94
With its deeper colour and riper aromas of mulberry and pomegranate, the Vendanges Selectionées bottling is a marked step up from the regular village Volnay. The grapes come from four lieux-dits clustered in the centre of the village, touching the premiers crus; they are destemmed and gently fermented on native yeasts before ageing in cask with a tiny proportion of new wood (8%). The result has more tannin and chewiness. There is still a thread of nervous acidity that helps carry the wine to a winningly long finish. The Vendanges Selectionées is no ordinary village-level wine and merits a couple of years in bottle before opening.
Domaine Michel Mallard
Aloxe-Corton (1er Cru La Toppe au Vert)
2022
94
This wine has a charmingly expressive cherry fruit aroma that is edged with rose petals and spice. The texture is balanced and elegant, very different from the Aloxe premier cru Valozières in the same cellar. This climat faces east, just down the slope from Corton Vergennes — in fact, 10 ares of Toppe au Vert are classed as Corton grand cru. Mallard's 0.43 hectares of vines lie just down the slope from Méo-Camuzet's Clos Rognet; 80% of the grapes are fermented as whole clusters, and the wine is ageing in 50% new casks.
Domaine Michel Mallard
Ladoix (1er Cru Joyeuses)
2022
94
Mallard has just over a third of a hectare in this east-facing, mid-slope climat, essentially a premier cru continuation of the Corton slope. The vines deliver a less full-bodied and exuberant wine than La Corvée, yet there is impressive elegance here, with a currant fruit aroma and hints of earth, a silky texture, softer tannins, and a pleasantly lingering finish. The grapes are carefully sorted, and half are fermented as whole clusters before ageing in cask (40% new).
Domaine Nicole Lamarche
Vosne-Romanée
2022
94
The village Vosne-Romanée from Nicole Lamarche is a marvellous success in 2022, with forward black cherry and pomegranate fruit aromas touched with hints of violets and spice. The texture is silky and very pure, and the village level is impressively long. The grapes are from two lieux-dits, Pré de la Folie et Chalanadins, a total of 0.29 hectares. The grapes were picked on 2 September; they were partially destemmed and fermented with both punching down and pumping over. The final result is charming, elegant, and well-proportioned.
Domaine Paul Gros
Vosne-Romanée
2022
94
This inaugural wine from Paul Gros is different in style from the Vosne village from his mother, Anne Gros (or his father, Jean-Paul Tollot at Tollot-Beaut); he incorporated 15% whole clusters and picked five days later than his parents to find more richness. He has succeeded in producing a wine of depth and concentration with impressive length; there is not as much finesse as Domaine Anne Gros but more power.
Domaine Paul Pillot
Chassagne-Montrachet
2022
94
Thierry Pillot's red village Chassagne is a delight, with bright pomegranate and blackberry aromas touched with hints of violet and underscored with ground coffee and dark chocolate. The texture is silky and refined, light-bodied but well-balanced. The grapes come from parcels down the slope from Morgeots, next to those of Vincent Dancer and in Le Concis des Champs. Half are fermented as whole clusters and gently extracted before ageing in a cask (10% new). This wine should drink well shortly after opening and is perfect for mid-term cellaring.
Domaine Ponsot, Cuvée des Alouettes
Morey-St-Denis (1er Cru)
2022
94
This lovely wine boasts an impressive combination of fresh blueberry and blackberry fruit aromas with a floral, peppery edge that is what the French would call 'croquant' ('crunchy'). There is noticeably more tannic grip than in the village-level version, but also more sweetness to the fruit on the palate. The grapes are from twenty-year-old vines planted north-south at the base of the Monts Luisants slope. This wine should begin to open three years after release and should drink well for twenty years at least.
Domaine Rapet
Pernand-Vergelesses (1er Cru Vergelesses)
2022
94
The domaine farms a hectare of Les Vergelesses, which lies just below their vines in Ile des Vergelesses. The grapes are destemmed and given a slow fermentation, with daily punching down before ageing over two winters in cask (20% new). The Vergelesses has more density than the northeast-facing Belles Filles, yet there is still an alluring bright red fruit character with a floral edge and a texture that combines a supple feel with a solid tannic grip.
Domaine René Bouvier, Les Crais de Chêne
Fixin
2022
94
Pretty aromas of black plum and mulberry are given depth with hints of cedar, smoke, and spice. The texture here has impressive depth and richness, and the structure carries this to a pleasantly lingering finish. The grapes are from a 1.7-hectare parcel below the village with 55-year-old vines planted in slope wash and clay soil. Half of the fruit is fermented as whole clusters, and the finished wine is ageing now in cask (20% new). This wine should be ready to drink in two or three years and will easily last a decade beyond that.
Domaine René Bouvier, Vieilles Vignes, Les Longeroies
Marsannay
2022
94
The old vine parcel of Longeroies delivered a wine of richness and depth in 2022, with ripe aromas of black plums and cherries and a firmly earthy underpinning. A rich texture and supple, velvety tannins lead to an impressively long finish. Bouvier farms three hectares of seventy-year-old vines here; half of the fruit is fermented as whole clusters before ageing in cask (20% new) for twelve months and an additional six in tank.
Domaine René Bouvier
Vosne-Romanée
2022
94
The village-level Vosne-Romanée from René Bouvier is a delight, with profuse aromas of ripe blackberry and hints of earth, smoke, and spice. The texture is fresh but rich enough to suggest that this should open relatively soon in its development, with a supple structure and impressive length. The grapes are from a half-hectare of vines in Champs Perdrix at the top of the slope, half of which are fermented as whole clusters before ageing over two winters in cask, 20% new.
Domaine Rossignol-Trapet, Aux Etelois
Gevrey-Chambertin
2022
94
This wine is compellingly lovely, particularly for a village-level bottling. The climat of Les Etalois is just below the band of grand crus, and the 0.40 hectares of Rossignol-Trapet are between Domaine Duroché and the Charmes-Chambertin holding of Domaine Roty. In 2022, it yielded a wine with a deep ruby colour and a lovely, rich cassis fruit aroma scented with spice and smoke. The texture is supple, dense, and pleasantly persistent. The wine is currently ageing in cask (20% new), and should be ready to drink fairly soon and will easily continue to improve in bottle for a decade or more.
Domaine Simon Bize
Savigny-lès-Beaune (1er Cru Fourneaux)
2022
94
A total of one hectare is planted in Fournaux. The vines from the top of the slope in stony soils are blended with those from the deeper clay at the base. All the grapes are fermented as whole clusters and are ageing in mainly used casks to create this wine with a bright mulberry and pomegranate fruit aroma underpinned by saline minerality and a hint of savoury game. The texture is firm with grippy tannins and good length.
Domaine Simon Colin
Chassagne-Montrachet (1er Cru Morgeot Les Brussonnes)
2022
94
The Brussonnes from Simon Colin shows a surprising purity of blackberry and cherry fruit with notes of lavender, earth and smoke. The texture seems very silky initially, but the impression of tannic strength builds with time in the glass, leading the wine to a winning finish. The grapes are from 0.23 hectares of old vines located next to Bernard Moreau on the border with La Cardeuse near the southern end of the village. They are entirely fermented as whole clusters in small barrels, then pressed off and run back into barrel for ageing.
Domaine Simon Colin
Maranges (1er Cru La Fussière)
2022
94
Simon Colin's Maranges La Fussière should be a convincing introduction to the village for those unfamiliar. There is exciting bright pomegranate and mulberry fruit with hints of lavender, bay leaf, and leather, and a firmly tannic structure with much-appreciated freshness and a chiselled feel that continues into the long finish. Colin farms a half-hectare here, in Marange's finest vineyard; 45% of the grapes are fermented as whole clusters and gently extracted. Ageing is being done in one-third new casks. Ideally, one would give this three to five years in the bottle before opening.
Domaine Trapet Père & Fils, Ostrea
Gevrey-Chambertin
2022
94
This intriguing wine has a lovely currant fruit aroma with notes of cedar and peppery spice, along with a savoury element that Louis Trapet qualifies as 'blood', which he attributes to the soil's iron content. There is a surprising freshness and harmony to this wine, produced from the parcel they call Clos du Combe in the lieu-dit Combe du Bas just outside the village. The other parcels that had been blended with this (En Dérée and Champerrier) are now used to make the cuvée 1859.
Domaine Trapet Père & Fils
Gevrey-Chambertin (1er Cru Les Corbeaux)
2022
94
This intriguing wine is from the premier cru immediately north of Mazis-bas. Louis Trapet remarked that their vines could be called 'Clos des Corbeaux' since a wall once surrounded this vineyard. The grapes from this small holding were entirely fermented as whole clusters, bringing a hint of rustic charm to the curranty fruit. The texture is firm and tannic, but there is more depth and complexity here than in the riper Petite Chapelle. This wine should open nicely in three to five years and will drink well for another 15 to 20 after that.
Edouard Delaunay
Nuits-St-Georges (1er Cru Les Crots)
2022
94
This splendid wine features fresh curranty fruit with notes of earth leather and cigar leaf, a bit marked by the wood at this point, but this will integrate well with time. The texture is firm and tannic, drawing itself out to a satisfying, balanced finish. The certified organic grapes are sourced from a grower who works this parcel at the top of the slope, although the Delaunay team picks and ferments them after destemming to produce this ageable wine.
Henri Boillot
Échezéaux Grand Cru
2022
94
Boillot's work with the 'fermentation integrale' technique of fermenting the reds in small barrels is increasingly convincing. The 2022 Echézeaux is a case in point, with a depth of cherry fruit aromas and hints of liquorice, pepper, earth, and smoke. The texture is firm and dense and lingers engagingly on the finish. The grapes are purchased from the same source in the En Orveaux lieu-dit. It will take some time for the oak influence to fade; ideally, open this from 2030 at the earliest. With time, however, it should be delicious.
Hubert Lignier, Trilogie
Morey-St-Denis
2022
94
After a somewhat disappointing 2021, Lignier's Trilogie is back in fine form in 2022, with dense blackberry fruit aromas and tar, earth and spice notes underscored by a dark chocolate note. The texture is substantial and tannic – an imposing village-level wine. The grape blend is based on the Chenevery lieu-dit (60%) with the addition of fruit from old cordon-trained vines in the clay-rich soils of Clos Solon and a bit of Les Porroux on the border of Chambolle. Marvellous.
Hubert Lignier
Morey-St-Denis (1er Cru La Riotte)
2022
94
This wine is the opposite of Chaffots – located below the band of grand crus in the centre of the appellation before Les Millandes. The soils are deeper, giving a soft and lush wine (although not lacking structure) with pronounced aromas of black plum and blackberry with hints of earth and smoke. There is an appealing sweetness to the fruit on the palate. Lignier farms 0.20 hectares he purchased in 1994; one-third of the grapes were fermented as whole clusters.
Louis Jadot
Volnay (Clos de la Barre 1er Cru)
2022
94
Once again, this precocious site was the first to be picked, and the lush, ripe fruit has delivered a silky forward blackberry aroma with an edge of rose petals and spice. The texture is velvety and soft, with a very approachable feel and a mouth-filling density that augurs well for ageing. The grapes were destemmed and gently fermented, and the wine is now ageing in cask (one-third new), where it will stay until next spring. This wine should be approachable relatively early and age for a decade or more.
Philippe Pacalet, Haut Mazières
Vosne-Romanée
2022
94
Pacalet bottles a supply of Haut Mazières as a stand-alone cuvée. This well-placed village-level plot is located just underneath Echézeaux, near Clos Vougeot. The wine has an alluring black plum and cherry fruit aroma with hints of fresh flowers and liquorice spice. The texture has an appealing silkiness and impressive tannic grip and length. This wine will be accessible in its youth but should continue to open with time and will be best three to five years after the harvest and should drink for at least a decade after that.
Philippe Pacalet
Vosne-Romanée (1er Cru Les Chaumes)
2022
94
The Vosne Chaumes from Pacalet is not as four-square and tannic as some; it boasts a lovely purity of bright cherry and pomegranate fruit with a perfumed floral edge and a bright, fresh liveliness that is truly refreshing. The texture is appealingly forward, but there is no lack of structure here. The grapes come from an old-vine patch of fruit from the base of Malconsorts, fermented almost exclusively as whole clusters before ageing over two winters in cask, mainly used.
Philippe Pacalet
Pommard
2022
94
Pacalet sources the grapes for this bottling from the portion of Rugiens classified as village-level 'but it's political' according to him. He goes on to note that the parcel was planted in 1905. The grapes from these ancient vines are fermented as whole clusters and punched down twice daily to produce this wine with expressive red and black fruit aromas and hints of earth and wild herbs; there is a touch of tannin from the stems, but this will integrate with time. With a bit of time in the bottle, this should be an interestingly complex wine.
Pierre Morey
Volnay (1er Cru Santenots)
2022
94
The Volnay Santenots from Domaine Pierre Morey is a delightful wine with a deep ruby colour, bright, ripe cherry fruit with floral notes and a savoury, gamey edge. The texture is fresh, with firm tannins and a rewardingly long finish. The grapes are from 0.34 hectares in Plures, next to the vines of the Hospices. However, a third of this is now replanted, leaving only 18 ares. The soil is very stony here; although this version lacks the density and power of some wines from Santenots du Milieu, it has its own charm and should age well.
Albert Bichot, Domaine du Pavillon, Les Grands Picotins
Savigny-lès-Beaune
2022
93
This lively, expressive wine has bright notes of blue and purple fruit — plums, blueberries, fresh violets — and an attractively lively texture with light body and medium pressure. Alain Serveau relates that he has always had a 'defensive strategy' on extraction, preferring a delicate expression of Pinot, ideally suited to this elegant terroir. The domaine organically farms 0.57 hectares in this climat on the alluvial soils of the Rhoin; the grapes are mostly destemmed and gently fermented before ageing in cask over two winters (20% new).
Anne Gros, Les Barreaux
Vosne-Romanée
2022
93
Although this is slightly closed on the initial attack, there is a crisply refreshing high-toned fruit character (cranberry, raspberry, pomegranate), with notes of peony and spice. The texture is fresh, tannic and grippy, and the compact, expressive fruit has an admirably chiselled character. The wine is from 75-year-old vines planted at the top of the slope above Richebourg and Cros Parantoux—The 'baby Richebourg' according to Anne Gros. This wine will drink well from three to five years after the vintage.
Benjamin Leroux, En Champs
Gevrey-Chambertin
2022
93
This deeply-coloured wine has an enchanting perfume of blackberries and violets with an edge of spice. The texture is firm and tannic – classic Gevrey – with a freshness that carries it to a long finish. The grapes come from the north of the Combe de Lavaux, down-slope from premier cru Champeaux. Leroux loves the 'Côte Saint-Jacques' for the excitement it brings to the wine. The grapes are fermented with 40 – 50% whole clusters to deliver this substantial, satisfying result.
Benjamin Leroux
Blagny (1er Cru La Pièce Sous Le Bois)
2022
93
Benjamin Leroux is a something of a specialist in red Blagny – one of the few still producing this appellation; his results make us want to taste more. The wine has a silky floral note to the bright black cherry fruit aromas, with a saline minerality underpinning the flavours. On the initial attack, the wine is approachable and inviting; with a bit of time in the glass, one sees that there is no lack of tannic grip. In all, this is an exquisite result.
Benjamin Leroux
Volnay (1er Cru Santenots)
2022
93
According to Benjamin Leroux, his Volnay Santenots is 'full-on,' referring to the notes of iron that the clay from this vineyard gives to the fruit. However, there is also elegance and finesse to this wine that are genuinely charming. The wine opens with ripe plum and currant notes and hints of earth and leather. The texture is more tannic and full-bodied than previous vintages, but this should be drinking well in a few years.
Bouchard Père & Fils, Beaune du Château
Beaune (1er Cru)
2022
93
The 2022 edition of Bouchard's Beaune du Château is deeply coloured and redolent of ripe blackberry and plum fruit with hints of earth, smoke, and spice. The great purity of the fruit aromas is allied with a seductive sweetness on the palate that leads to a firm, tannic structure and a lingering finish. The grapes are blended from 17 different premier cru climats in Beaune; roughly one-third are fermented as whole clusters, and the wine is ageing now in cask (one-third new) — altogether delightful.
Bouchard Père & Fils
Beaune (1er Cru Clos de la Mousse)
2022
93
In the words of technical director Fédéric Weber, the 2022 Clos de la Mousse is 'the archetype of Beaune,' with its beautifully expressive mulberry and black cherry fruit and hints of bay leaf, pepper, and smoke. The texture is firmly tannic and structured but not heavy or astringent. There was a single night of cold soak before fermentation, and then the fermentation slowly began, with 40% of the grapes as whole clusters. Extraction was very soft, with almost no punching down. The result is tremendously good, with a lingering finish, notable balance, and impressive depth of flavour.
Bouchard Père & Fils
Beaune (1er Cru Les Teurons)
2022
93
There are enchanting aromas of ripe rose petals and wild strawberries on the initial attack of the 2022 Teurons from Bouchard. The texture is firm and grippy but fully ripe and not astringent. The grapes are from 2.30 hectares of east-facing vines in thin soils over the limestone bedrock. Although this is normally among the most early-ripening parcels of the house, the vines shut down this year due to heat stress and ripened late.
Domaine AF Gros, Mazières
Vosne-Romanée
2022
93
Vosne Mazières is split between Hautes and Basses and between Vosne and Flagey. A.F. Gros has 0.26 hectares of this village-level appellation, and it made a lovely wine in 2022, with sweet cherry fruit aromas and an elegant, ethereal structure with more perfume than power. The grapes were partially destemmed, with 40% whole clusters used in the relatively short (10-day) fermentation, which featured a modest extraction and modest use of new wood. This wine is a step up in concentration and elegance from the Chalandins, just down the slope.
Domaine Albert Morot
Beaune (1er Cru Aigrots)
2022
93
The 2022 red Beaune Aigrots from Morot is slow to open, but with time in the glass, it shows a generous black cherry fruit aroma scented with lavender, earth, and spice. There is a sweet character to the fruit on the palate that is immediately satisfying and a tannic grip and density behind the fruit that augurs well for ageing. The grapes come from the 0.75 hectares planted to Pinot here in the deep clay soils near the border with Pommard. The grapes are completely destemmed before a gentle fermentation on native yeasts and ageing in cask (one-third new).
Domaine Albert Morot
Beaune (1er Cru Les Marconnets)
2022
93
This 0.67-hectare parcel that lies up-slope from the Chanson vines has delivered a delicious wine in 2022, with pleasantly ripe blackberry and plum fruit underpinned with a firmly saline minerality and some earthy notes. The tannin is relatively substantial, but there is enough flesh to round the wine out, suggesting it is suited for at least mid-term ageing. The vines are planted in thin soils over the limestone bedrock, yet in years with enough water, they do not suffer from drought stress, giving a marvellous balance.
Domaine Albert Morot
Beaune (1er Cru Les Teurons)
2022
93
Morot farms a hectare in Teurons on the upper slopes of the vineyard in thin soils with abundant limestone pebbles over the bedrock. The parcel ripens well, and in 2022, it has given a wine with a dense mulberry fruit and a firm saline minerality. The texture is dense and long, and the concentration is admirable. The vineyard was back to a relatively average yield (18 barrels total) after the disastrous 2021 campaign. This wine will open in three to five years and drink for at least a decade following this.
Domaine Amiot-Servelle
Morey-St-Denis
2022
93
The village Morey from Amiot-Servelle is delicious, with a black plum fruit character accented with earth, game, and cedar notes. The texture is rich and compact, and the ripeness of the fruit continues to develop on the palate. The grapes are from the lieux-dits Clos Solon and Les Baraques; together, they total a generous 2.41 hectares; 45% are fermented as whole clusters. Because of the ripeness of the fruit, this should open relatively early (three to five years), and it will doubtless age for decades to come.
Domaine Amiot-Servelle
Bourgogne (Côte d'Or)
2022
93
TOP VALUE Perfumed, aromatic black cherry character with floral notes and a bit of spice. Supple and approachable now but not lacking in structure. The grapes all come from Chambolle but outside the village appellation, destemmed and fermented in used casks before ageing. Among the region's best value for everyday Pinot Noir, and perfect for drinking on release or over the next five years. Organic.
Domaine Arlaud
Gevrey-Chambertin
2022
93
The village-level Gevrey from Domaine Arlaud seems more supple than many village Gevreys, with a deepish colour and a forward cherry fruit marked by floral overtones. The tannins are relatively supple, and the texture is silky and fine overall. The grapes come from two parcels totalling a hectare: Justice, in sandy alluvial soils, which gives a ripe, plummy fruit and supple structure, and Seuvrées, which has more clay and offers a sturdier wine. The blend of the two is pleasant indeed.
Domaine Arlaud, Roncevie
Bourgogne
2022
93
There is surprisingly deep colour to this delicious Bourgogne produced in Gevrey east of the Route Nationale, next to the village-level vines with the same name. The vines, some very old, were purchased by Cyprien Arlaud's grandfather in the '60s. The fruit has pleasantly high-toned pomegranate and cherry aromas with a floral note; the texture is light but not insubstantial. Extraction was very gentle – Arlaud punched down twice for the entire cycle. The family owns five hectares and produced 100 barrels this year, 10 being new casks.
Domaine Berthaut-Gerbet
Fixin
2022
93
The village-level Fixin from Berthaut-Gerbet is an alluring wine with a pronounced blackberry fruit aroma and hints of earth and fresh flowers. A vibrant acidity enlivens the texture, yet there is no lack of density or silky tannin here, and the balance between these elements carries the wine to an impressive finish for this level. The grapes are assembled from five climats: Clos de Fixey, Clos du Village, Aux prés, La Sorgentière, and La Vionne; the total surface area is 2.50 hectares.
Domaine Berthaut-Gerbet
Vosne-Romanée
2022
93
This delicious village-level Vosne is not yet racked and, at present, is a bit restrained; still, there is a lot of substance here, with an elegant currant fruit aroma and hints of smoke, spice and earth. The grapes come from three parcels: two in Aux Réas at the village's southern end on the border with Nuits and one in Au-dessus de la Rivière (with a total surface of 1.2 hectares). The grapes are entirely destemmed and gently fermented on native yeasts before ageing in cask (30% new). Ideally, age for a year or two before opening.
Domaine Camus
Chambertin Grand Cru
2022
93
The 2022 Chambertin has a thoroughly correct black cherry fruit with liberal shadings of cedar, earth, and smoke, and the texture is suitably dense and firm, with a lovely concentration. The grapes come from the domaine's ample 1.69-hectare holding that includes some portions in the south of the appellation that were planted in the 60s. The domaine practises a traditional fermentation and ageing in 80% new casks for the Chambertin.
Domaine Chandon de Briailles
Corton Maréchaudes Grand Cru
2022
93
The elegant, sweet cherry character of the aromas here is immediately charming; this wine is not big, but it is accessible, almost voluptuous. The texture is elegant and balanced and does not share the more structured style of the Bressandes or the concentration of the Clos du Roi. The 0.40 hectares of vines are planted in the deeper soils at the base of the slope beneath Bressandes, on the border with Ladoix.
Domaine Chandon de Briailles
Savigny-lès-Beaune (1er Cru Fourneaux)
2022
93
There is an alluring blackberry fruit with an edge of violets and a hint of liquorice. The grapes were picked very ripe and then allowed a five-day maceration before fermenting entirely as whole bunches, mainly pumping over and punching down lightly at the end. The grapes come from two parcels, one at the base of the slope replanted 10 years ago, the other at mid-slope. The soils here are compact clay and yellow marl that give a very lush result.
Domaine Chanson, Clos des Marconnets
Beaune (1er Cru Les Marconnets)
2022
93
The aroma of ripe black plum and currants to the 2022 Chanson Clos des Marconnets is rich but not over-ripe. The texture is substantial — perhaps the densest of all the Beaune wines in the cellar — but not overly tannic. The grapes are from three hectares on the northern edge of Beaune, above Clos du Roi; this parcel is often the most powerful and earliest to ripen. In 2022, the results are surprisingly elegant and balanced.
Domaine Chanson
Beaune (1er Cru Clos des Mouches)
2022
93
The 2022 Clos des Mouches red from Chanson surprises with its lush black cherry fruit and aromas of rose petal, earth and spice. The texture is fleshy and dense, with an elegance and finesse that set the standard for this house. There is much more sweetness to the fruit than there was last year. The grapes are from two hectares of the Clos des Mouches planted in the 1960s and 1970s. The grapes are fermented with less whole cluster than is typical at Chanson (50 – 60%).
Domaine Chicotot, Aux St-Juliens
Nuits-St-Georges
2022
93
TOP VALUE This wine surprises with its profoundly dark colour and lovely forward blackberry fruit with hints of violets, earth and spice. It's supple and approachable, with a pronounced sweet black fruit character. The fruit is fermented as whole clusters, with extraction achieved by moistening the cap with a bucket. The result has an arresting fruit concentration for a village-level wine. Drinkable on release. Organic.
Domaine Comte Senard, Clos de Meix
Corton Grand Cru
2022
93
The 1.64-hectare Clos de Meix is the pride of the domaine, yet they realise that it is not ideally placed. It is relatively flat and located at the base of the slope, with a vein of the same limestone as Charlemagne. The result is more elegance than power. Lorraine Senard works with whole clusters (80%) to give depth but finds that 100% is too much. This year's balance is elegant, if more about finesse than depth or concentration.
Domaine Confuron-Cotetidot
Chambolle-Musigny
2022
93
This lovely dark-coloured wine has abundant aromas of ripe black plum, earth, and spice; the texture is tannic and firm, consistent with the house style, but it is softer than many in this cellar and more approachable at a younger age. This wine has an elegant balance that leads to a pleasantly lingering finish. The grapes come from six different parcels that total one hectare from lieux-dits as diverse as Fremières in the north, Les Mal Carrées in the east, and Les Guérippes, not far from Musigny, all fermented as whole clusters and aged in cask without new oak.
Domaine Confuron-Cotetidot
Gevrey-Chambertin (1er Cru Lavaux St-Jacques)
2022
93
Slightly more austere than the domaine's Craipillot, the Lavaux-Saint-Jacques is a cooler terroir that doesn't get the same ripeness. The fruit is a bit reserved, but with time, currant and cranberry notes open on the palate with a distinct savoury, saline edge. The tannins are firm, but there is a substantial amount of extract here, and the tannins are silky and well-managed. This wine will be best with five years before opening and should drink well for twenty years afterwards.
Domaine d’Eugénie, Clos d'Eugenie
Vosne-Romanée
2022
93
This wine is unparalleled at the village level in my experience of this vintage. There are profuse aromas of blackberry and plum with hints of violets, mint, earth and leather. The texture is dense and tannic, but there is more than enough fruit; one-third new casks (nine in total), yet the wood doesn't overwhelm it. The grapes are from the clos down-slope from La Tâche – technically it is lieu-dit 'Le Village'; it seems equivalent to many premier crus in quality. It should be accessible reasonably early but will continue to improve for at least a decade.
Domaine de la Commaraine, Les Condemennes
Chambolle-Musigny
2022
93
This deeply-coloured wine is fragrant with ripe black cherry fruit aromas and hints of violets, earth, and spice. The texture is supple and silky, but a firm tannic grip lurks in the background, driving the wine to a lovely finish. The grapes come from 0.15 hectares in two small parcels; they were completely destemmed, and the long, slow fermentation finished above 30°C. There was very little punching down and even less sulfur. The result is a marvellous success, and the wine is still ageing in cask (half new).
Domaine de la Vougeraie, Les Evocelles
Gevrey-Chambertin
2022
93
This lovely wine's bright, forward cherry fruit aromas are shaded with hints of peony and liquorice. The texture is ethereal and lively, retaining a fresh acidity that draws the finish out pleasantly. The grapes come from the domaine's first vineyard, acquired in 1966. It includes 1.24 hectares of young vines planted at high density and another 1.9 hectares of older vines, all on the border with Brochon. After a cold soak, the grapes are fermented on native yeasts with about 50% whole clusters and gentle extraction over a slow fermentation.
Domaine de Montille, Les Cras
Pommard
2022
93
This village-level climat is on the far side of Grande Rue in Pommard, at the base of the premier cru band in fairly deep clay soils. The old vines here deliver a classic Pommard style, with aromas of black plum, tobacco, and leather, underpinned with a saline mineral note. The texture is firm, almost hard, but with time, this wine should open to give lovers of Pommard the flavours they love.
Domaine des Croix
Savigny-lès-Beaune (1er Cru Les Peuillets)
2022
93
There is a round and supple density of black plum and cherry fruit with accents of earth and leather in this premier cru Savigny. The texture is approachable and easy, but there is enough structure to ensure a pleasantly long finish. The grapes are from 0.60 hectares of mature vines; after careful sorting, roughly half are fermented as whole clusters using both punching down and pumping over. The wine is ageing mainly in used casks and should open fairly soon after release.
Domaine des Lambrays
Morey-St-Denis
2022
93
This distinctive wine has a fresh and bright cherry fruit aroma with a distinct hint of peony and anise. The texture is lively and silky, with an ethereal, dynamic tension that stays in balance with the forward fruit character. The grapes come from two parcels at the top of the slope, Les Larrets above the Clos and En la Rue de Vergy above the Clos de Tart. This wine is a perennial favourite of mine for top quality at a reasonable price.
Domaine Drouhin-Laroze
Chapelle-Chambertin Grand Cru
2022
93
This approachable, supple wine has an appealing black cherry and rose petal aroma with hints of ginger and spice. The texture is silky and refined, less massive than the Clos de Bèze but rounder and more immediate. The grapes come from 0.52 hectares in the lieu-dit En la Chapelle; they are given a cold soak and then fermented with 40% whole clusters, with punching down gently by foot only as needed before ageing in cask (80% new).
Domaine Drouhin-Laroze
Gevrey-Chambertin (1er Cru Lavaut Saint-Jacques)
2022
93
This dynamic wine boasts forward, perfumed aromas of mulberry and mint with a hint of smoke and spice. The texture is tannic and noticeably fresh, and the acidity and the firm tannins drive the wine to a rewarding finish. This wine should open within 3 – 5 years of release and will age at least 5 – 10 years after that. It is produced from the domaine's 0.30-hectare block at the mouth of the combe. The carefully sorted fruit is completely destemmed before fermentation.
Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair, Clos du Château
Vosne-Romanée
2022
93
The 2022 Clos du Château seemed to lack both the effusive charm of the regular Vosne village wine and the complexity of the La Colombière. I don't know why this should be true, but as in many vintages, I found it a bit lean, firm, and tannic and not showing a lot of generosity. Admittedly, the wine has a lovely complexity, with gunflint, smoke, cedar and leather notes. It is a classic style with great elegance, but it does not have the approachable nature of many of the wines in this cellar.
Domaine Duroché, Aux Etelois
Gevrey-Chambertin
2022
93
This superb value is an extraordinary find – it is essentially a continuation of the domaine's Griotte-Chambertin since there is no separation between the two, and the rows go straight through. The oldest vines were planted in 1923; they are pruned to six bunches per vine, yielding just 15 – 18 hl/ha. Pierre Duroché makes just one barrel of Aux Etelois, and the remaining grapes here (a half hectare in total) are blended in the village Gevrey.
Domaine Faiveley
Gevrey-Chambertin (1er Cru Cazetiers)
2022
93
Since their 2013 purchase of Domaine Dupont-Tisserandot, Faiveley is by far the largest landowner in this top-quality premier cru, with its steep incline and thin soils shielded from the cool of the Combe de Lavaux. In 2022, it delivered a marvellous wine, impressively substantial with the abundant tannic grip and depth to compliment the lovely cherry fruit and fresh floral notes with a hint of citrus on the nose. This wine will open nicely after three to five years and should drink well for twenty years.
Domaine Faiveley
Mercurey (1er Cru Clos du Roy)
2022
93
TOP VALUE This wine has a ripe, plummy fruit aroma and earthy complexity that develop on the palate. Straight and a little strict, it will still drink on release but will be better in three to five years. The grapes come from a 2.54ha holding planted in 1971 and 1982, on limestone soils exposed to the south, making this an exceptional site.
Domaine Fourrier
Gevrey-Chambertin (1er Cru Combe aux Moines)
2022
93
This wine expresses finesse and elegance more than substance or power. It is lighter in weight and body than most other wines in the cellar, but there is a pleasantly ripe strawberry and pomegranate fruit character with a note of mint and peony. The texture is silky and very fine, and the finish has a pleasant freshness. The grapes come from 0.87 hectares of old vines north of Cazetiers on the way to Brochon; they are destemmed and fermented on native yeasts before ageing in cask (20% new).
Domaine Fourrier
Gevrey-Chambertin (1er Cru Les Goulots)
2022
93
Goulots sits up-slope from premier cru Champeaux and north of the Combe aux Moines. It borders Evocelles, which extends into Brochon. In 2022, it delivered a wine with a bright and forward cherry fruit and a suggestion of violets. Jean-Marie describes it as 'the summit of Gevrey'; the texture is fresh and crisp, with a silky feel and a lingering finish. It will be ready to drink sooner than the other premier crus in this cellar; enjoy it while you wait for your Clos Saint-Jacques.
Domaine Francois Buffet
Pernand-Vergelesses (1er Cru Vergelesses)
2022
93
This forward, approachable wine boasts bright blackberry fruit with hints of peony and spice. The texture is supple and silky, but the wine has a core of substance that hints that it should age gracefully. The grapes are from vines planted in 1967 at the base of the east-facing slope below Ile des Vergelesses; they are 100% destemmed before a gentle fermentation on native yeasts before aging in cask (20% new).
Domaine Génot-Boulanger
Corton Les Combes Grand Cru
2022
93
There is a pronounced ripe black plum fruit aroma and hints of earth and spice. The texture is supple and elegant, with a marvellous balance and charm. The grapes are from a parcel of nearly a half hectare in this south-facing climat in the Combe de Pernand, between Les Meix and La Vigne au Saint. The grapes are destemmed and gently fermented on ambient yeasts before ageing in cask (10% new). This wine will begin to open in three to five years.
Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg, Les Lutenières
Bourgogne
2022
93
This alluring wine is an almost absurdly good introduction to the range here, with concentrated dark blackberry fruit with hints of lavender and spice, wonderful concentration and impressive tannic grip and length at this level. The grapes are from old vines in the Lutenières lieu-dit east of the Route Nationale within the limits of Vosne; they are destemmed and gently fermented before ageing in mainly used casks to deliver this lovely wine.
Domaine Hubert Lignier, Grand Chaliot
Bourgogne
2022
93
This Bourgogne's expressive cherry and raspberry fruit aromas with hints of liquorice and fresh flowers are compellingly good, particularly at this level. There is surprising density and breadth on the palate. The grapes are from Lignier's 1.2 hectares east of the Route Nationale in Nuits, just opposite premier cru Les Cailles in the dejection cone from the Combe de Vallerots. The grapes are destemmed and very gently fermented before ageing in used casks. This wine is perfect for drinking on release or over the next few years.
Domaine Jean Grivot
Bourgogne
2022
93
There is an enchantingly perfumed light cherry and raspberry fruit to the Bourgogne from Jean Grivot that starts every tasting. The texture is silky and delicate, with light body, fresh acidity, and moderate length. It is produced from vines that cover 1.8 hectares in total, all in Vosne-Romanée, including Les Lutenières, Le Bas des Communes, and Sous la Velle. They are destemmed and gently fermented before ageing in cask. This wine will drink on release and over the next five years.
Domaine Joliet
Fixin (1er Cru Clos de la Perrière)
2022
93
This wine is easy to love, with its forward, plum and black cherry fruit complemented by hints of rose petals and an undercurrent of dark chocolate. The texture is dense and rich—according to Joliet, the challenge in 2022 is the freshness. He used 60% whole bunches but completely destemmed the part of the vineyard under the forest at the top of the slope. The result is not as massive as some years have been, yet it is a lovely wine that should drink well at a relatively early stage and age well over the mid-term.
Domaine Joseph Drouhin
Beaune (1er Cru Clos des Mouches)
2022
93
The highly esteemed white Clos des Mouches from Drouhin boasts marvellous aromas of ripe pear, hazelnut, acacia and beeswax along with the lovely, slightly bitter notes French tasters call 'beaux amers'. There is an elegant structure and enough freshness to ensure long ageing. The wine is assembled from 35 parcels covering roughly seven hectares; the domaine spends ten days picking the grapes – four different days for the white alone. The fruit is fermented in cask (25% new) and aged over two winters before bottling.
Domaine Méo-Camuzet
Vosne-Romanée (1er Cru Aux Brûlées)
2022
93
Tasted out of barrel, Méo's Aux Brûlées was a bit reserved on the nose. The texture on the palate was firmly tannic, with a substantial, even massive, amount of extract, but the fruit seemed relatively faint at this point, with a suggestion of black plums and a bit of smoke. There was surprising weight and persistence on the palate but little generosity. With time this should open nicely, but age it for at least five years before opening.
Domaine Nicole Lamarche
Vosne-Romanée (1er Cru Les Suchots)
2022
93
The '22 Vosne Suchots from Lamarche has a bright, forward pomegranate and cranberry fruit aroma with fresh floral, smoke, and spice notes. The texture is light and fine, perfumed and lovely, but it has neither the grand crus's ripeness nor the village wine's hedonistic appeal. The grapes are from a parcel of 0.22 hectares on the lower portion of Suchots – the domaine no longer has access to the parcel in the upper part ('Grand Suchots'), which is in metayage to Liger-Belair. The wine was partially destemmed and gently fermented before ageing in cask (20% new).
Domaine Paul Pillot, Vieilles Vignes
Santenay
2022
93
An attractive cherry fruit aroma with notes of liquorice and violets adorn the Santenay from Domaine Paul Pillot. There is more density and length than the Bourgognes but less structure than the Clos Saint-Jean. The grapes are from mature vines at the base of the slope on the northern edge of the appellation in the lieux-dits Prarons and Les Champs Claude (in the village of Remigny). They are partly destemmed (30% whole cluster) and gently fermented before ageing in cask (10% new). This wine will be ready to drink on release.
Domaine Pierre Labet
Gevrey-Chambertin
2022
93
A lovely success in 2022, the village-level Gevrey from Domaine Pierre Labet showed an expressive cherry fruit with floral, spice and smoke accents. The texture was complete and round, with firm tannins but no astringency and impressive length at this level. The grapes come from small plots in the lieux-dits La Justice, Les Crais, and Jouisse, fermented with 60 – 70% whole clusters this year. This wine should be drunk well young because of its approachable fruit, but it will also reward mid-term cellaring.
Domaine Pierrick Bouley
Volnay
2022
93
This solid, dependable wine is a consistent value from Bouley, assembled from over two hectares of vines and thirteen different parcels (the Pluchots is bottled apart). The ripe blackberry and plum fruit is forward and expressive, with a nuanced expression of earth and smoke. The texture is concentrated and surprisingly dense for a village-level wine. There is abundant fruit and few hard edges here – the wine will be ready to drink relatively quickly after release, yet it also has the substance to age.
Domaine Ponsot, Cuvée des Grives
Morey-St-Denis
2022
93
This exciting wine is produced from Pinot planted at the very top of the Monts Luisants slope, above the Aligoté. There is a quarter hectare in production; another section was an experiment by Jean-Marie Ponsot it widely-spaced vines; this fruit has been replanted. The vines are planted above 350 metres, giving this wine light body, fresh 'crunchy' acidity and a pure red fruit/pomegranate aroma. The texture is ethereal and mineral – Alexandre Abel relates there are a few centimetres of gravel, and then you are right on the Comblanchien limestone.
Domaine Rapet, Les Belles Filles
Pernand-Vergelesses
2022
93
The fresh, bright raspberry and cranberry fruit aromas are inscribed with hints of flowers and mint. The texture is approachable, yet firm tannins and fresh acidity draw the wine to a lingering finish. The grapes are destemmed and punched down regularly during the fermentation; no sulfur is used until bottling, and this bottling is aged in 20% new casks. It should open in three to five years and is perfect for mid-term ageing.
Domaine Rossignol-Trapet
Beaune (1er Cru Les Teurons)
2022
93
The Beaune Teurons from Rossignol-Trapet is a distinct step up from their villages wine, with better density and winning aromas of ripe black plum and cherry adorned with hints of earth and smoke. The seamless texture is rich and velvety, and the wine has the balance and energy to supply a lingering finish. The biodynamically-grown grapes are from the domaine's 1.4-hectare parcel at the top of the slope; they are partly destemmed and fermented with a meticulous extraction to yield this delicious wine.
Domaine Simon Bize, Aux Grands Liards
Savigny-lès-Beaune
2022
93
From 1.6 hectares on a shallow slope below Les Lavières with more clay in the soil. The grapes are fermented as mostly whole clusters and aged using little new wood to produce this wine with a lovely, singing fruit and floral notes up front. The texture is silky and fine - among the most approachable in the cellar during its youth. It should open three to five years after harvest and is perfect for mid-term ageing.
Domaine Simon Colin
Santenay
2022
93
Colin farms three parcels that total 0.70 hectares at the base of the Gravières slope in the lieux-dits Praron Dessous and En Boichot. After careful sorting, the grapes are gently fermented ('it's more of an infusion'), using 25% whole clusters. The result is ageing in cask (one-third new), but it is the pure cherry fruit aroma with hints of earth, leather, and spice that shine through, not the oak. The wine is approachable out of barrel, and should drink well on release – lovely wine.
Domaine Thibault Liger-Belair, Clos de Prieuré
Bourgogne (Hautes Côtes de Nuits)
2022
93
The Hautes-Côtes Clos du Prieuré has a fragrant, forward raspberry fruit with notes of earth, and savoury saline edge to it. The texture is firmly tannic (more so than the Corvée de Villy), and the wine has a charmingly rustic edge to it. The grapes are from 1.1 hectares in Arcenant planted on steep slopes at 400 metres elevation; they are fermented as 50% whole clusters before ageing in cask (30% new). The result is delicious but would benefit from a year or two in a bottle before opening.
Domaine Trapet Père & Fils, Le Meix Fringuet
Côte de Nuits-Villages
2022
93
This pleasant, approachable wine is a superb introduction to the Trapet style, with its perfumed raspberry and pomegranate fruit aromas and a hint of spice. The texture is a bit light, but the palate has rewarding complexity and a supple balance that lingers on the palate. The vines were originally planted in the garden of the family house in the 1950s. The house now belongs a cousin of the Trapets, and they purchase the fruit. This will drink well on release and over the next several years.
Henri Boillot
Volnay (1er Cru Les Caillerets)
2022
93
Boillot's Volnay Caillerets is a substantial wine. Guillaume explains that the domaine has two parcels, one producing tiny berries due to millerandage (troubled flowering). This gives the wine concentration, freshness and density to complement the ripe plum and fig fruit aromas. The wine is fermented in small oak casks, but the wood is well integrated despite some slightly astringent tannins. The firm tannins will resolve with some time in the bottle and the wine will drink well for 10 to 15 years.
Hubert Lignier
Volnay
2022
93
Laurent Lignier has farmed a quarter-hectare of village Volnay since the 2020 vintage, split evenly between the rocky Ez Blanches at the top of the slope above the Clos des Chênes and Ez Echarts with deeper clay soils below Roncerets. The combination is delightful, with violet-scented blackberry fruit, firm tannic grip and rewarding density. The grapes are partly destemmed and given a cold soak before fermentation with a combination of punching down and pumping over. They will be bottled in the spring without fining or filtration.
Hubert Lignier
Monthélie (1er Cru Sur la Velle)
2022
93
The ripe mulberry and black cherry fruit aromas here have hints of leather, earth and spice that carry through to the palate. The structure has admirable grip and focus, leading the wine to a pleasantly persistent finish. The grapes are from a half-hectare recently purchased; he extracts very carefully, with a pre-soak but no more punching down. The result is elegant and should be ready to drink shortly after release.
Louis Jadot, Le Chapitre
Marsannay
2022
93
This forward, approachable wine has winning aromas of ripe cherry with a bright floral accent and a bit of spice. The texture is supple and round with a pleasantly velvety balance and moderate length. The grapes are from the venerable Le Chapitre site in the village of Chenôve, which was only promoted to the village level with the 2019 vintage. They are destemmed and gently fermented before ageing in cask (one-third new). As elsewhere, Jadot is in the last year of organic conversion.
Paul Gros
Bourgogne
2022
93
The attractive Bourgogne Rouge from Anne Gros's son Paul features bright aromas of raspberry and plum with hints of earth, cigar leaf, and smoke. There is admirable density to this wine, with a pleasant tannic grip. The grapes come from 0.3 ha of Croix Blanche in Vosne. They are mostly destemmed and gently fermented before ageing in cask. This inaugural vintage may be difficult to find: Gros plans to commercialise them only in mixed cases of six, with two bottles each of Bourgogne, Vosne-Romanée, and Echézeaux.
Philippe Pacalet
Chambolle-Musigny (1er Cru Les Sentiers)
2022
93
With its lovely, fresh perfumed cherry fruit and hints of rose petals, Philippe Pacalet's '22 Sentiers is a classic Chambolle. He has long sourced from this site 0.40 hectares of sixty-year-old vines that this year delivered an elegant, supple wine that should drink on the young side yet does not lack the structure for cellaring. The grapes are fermented as whole clusters with minimal sulfur use, yet this is a wine of great purity and elegance.
Philippe Pacalet
Vosne-Romanée
2022
93
Pacalet's village Vosne is a delight, with a lovely, forward blackberry fruit expression with hints of violets and earth. The texture is firmly tannic but supple enough to suggest that it will drink well reasonably young and a finish that lingers luminously. The grape sources have evolved a bit – he now cites Au-dessus de la Rivière at the base of the slope and le Barreaux and La Combe Brûlée at the top. The grapes are mainly fermented as whole clusters without sulfur until bottling, and the wine ages two winters in cask, primarily used.
Philippe Pacalet
Aloxe-Corton (1er Cru)
2022
93
Pacalet sources enough fruit for four barrels from two lieux-dits: the premier cru portion of Maréchaudes, and La Coutière, which is in Ladoix but can be labelled as Aloxe. The grapes were fermented as whole clusters on native yeasts to give this wine with luminous black plum fruit and hints of earth and leather; the wine is ageing in used casks. The texture is firm and tannic, among the most substantial premier crus in the portfolio. This wine should open nicely in three to five years and provide years of drinking pleasure.
Thibault Liger-Belair Successeurs, Les Belle Croix
Nuits-St-Georges
2022
93
Despite its alluring curranty fruit aromas and hints of earth and game, this wine may seem slightly rustic. Still, there is an encouraging richness on the palate and enough depth of flavour to suggest that with a bit of time, this should evolve into a classic Nuits-Saint-Georges. The fruit is sourced from a parcel of 0.70 hectares and fairly deep clay soils. Half of the grapes are fermented as whole clusters with a combination of punching down and pumping over before ageing in cask (half new).
Domaine AF Gros
Chambolle-Musigny
2022
92
Caroline Parent and her brother Mathias have coaxed a lovely village-level Chambolle from their array of holdings here. The wine has a ripe, substantial plum and blackberry fruit aroma scented with spice and smoke, and a silky texture highlighted by supple tannins that carry it to a rewarding finish, particularly at the village level. The grapes are from five parcels around the village, fermented as nearly 50% whole clusters, and the wine is now ageing in cask (30% new). This wine should drink relatively young but is also perfect for mid-term ageing.
Domaine AF Gros, Aux Réas
Vosne-Romanée
2022
92
There is a lovely, ripe, plummy fruit on the initial attack of this elegant village-level Vosne, the largest holding of the domaine, totalling 1.6 ha. However, Caroline Parent notes they have replanted a half hectare. The wine is lighter in style and body because there was less concentration of the berries than in 2020, yet the balance is delightful. This wine should open relatively early and be pleasant for current drinking or mid-term cellaring.
Domaine AF Gros, Les Chalandins
Vosne-Romanée
2022
92
Chalandins is at the base of the slope, just above the Route Nationale, and straddling the border between Vosne-Romanée and Flagey-Echézeaux; the domaine owns 0.28 hectares here. They were cautious to control the extraction in 2022. Most of the grapes were lightly crushed prior to the fermentation (30% whole cluster), but there was no pre-fermentation maceration or punching down. The result is a beautiful wine, with ripe blackberry fruit with hints of violets and earth and a supple, velvety texture with enough density to satisfy but no heaviness.
Domaine Alain Gras, Les Très Vieilles Vignes
Auxey-Duresses
2022
92
Tasted blind at the BIVB, this Auxey-Duresses was surprisingly good, with a medium ruby colour and attractive aromas of pomegranate and red cherry with smoke, earth, and spice notes. The texture is firm and grippy, but there is enough fruit to bring it into balance. The grapes are from 0.70 hectares of village-level vines that average an astounding 112-years-old; they are destemmed and fermented with traditional punching down and pumping over before ageing in cask (20% new) for 10 months.
Domaine Albert Morot
Savigny-lès-Beaune (1er Cru Marconnets)
2022
92
Dessus des Marconnets is at the top of the slope near the northern limit of the town. The domaine farms a tiny slice of 0.10 hectares here to give them their only village-level climat. The result has a pure, high-toned cherry and pomegranate fruit with a saline mineral underpinning. The texture is lively and fresh; the grapes from this plot are 100% destemmed before fermentation on native yeasts with a combination of punching down and pumping over. This wine should open in three to five years and continue to improve for a decade or more.
Domaine Albert Morot
Beaune (1er Cru Les Toussaints)
2022
92
There is a very appealing ripe pomegranate and cranberry fruit to the Albert Morot Toussaits. The vibrant fruit is set off by a light, pleasantly fresh texture with silky tannins and moderate length. The grapes are from just over three-quarters of a hectare at mid-slope between Cent Vignes and Grèves. The parcel was originally planted in 1969; the old vines are destemmed and gently fermented on native yeasts. There is a hint of reduction, but this will fade at bottling.
Domaine Belleville, Les Hâtes
Santenay
2022
92
Santenay Les Hâtes is in a hollow that turns just slightly to the west, but it is between two broad swaths of premier crus – a very good address. Belleville owns just over three-quarters of a hectare here. The grapes are destemmed and fermented with a very gentle extraction before ageing in cask (35% new), for 16 months. The result is a wine with a lighter, plummy fruit aroma but also with less alcohol; the effect is more ethereal on the palate, the texture is more supple, and yet the length is impressive.
Domaine Berthaut-Gerbet, Les Crais
Fixin
2022
92
Les Crais is consistently among my favourite wines in this cellar, and the '22 is no exception, with its deep colour, ripe, plummy fruit, and mineral depth. The texture is silky yet firmly tannic, with a lingering finish that showcases the cask ageing (20% new) at this point. Berthaut has recently pulled up 30 acres, leaving her a hectare in this vineyard in alluvial soils at the base of the slope below the village. She has fermented this with 30% whole clusters to give added complexity; the wine should drink well on release and age well over the mid-term.
Domaine Camus
Mazis-Chambertin Grand Cru
2022
92
The Mazy from Camus was perhaps second in their cellar only to the Chambertin, with aromas of ripe black plum fruit here and shadings of spice and earth. The texture was firm and featured a surprising depth of flavour and length. Camus farms just over a third of a hectare here in a parcel that was originally planted in 1934. The wine is currently ageing in cask (70% new). It should be ready to drink in five years.
Domaine Chofflet
Givry (1er Cru En Choué)
2022
92
This impressive wine is endowed with a pleasantly ripe, plummy fruit with an edge of violets and spice. The palate's supple texture and plump feel are balanced by fresh acidity and silky tannins that carry the wine to a lovely, persistent finish. The grapes are from a parcel of over four hectares in the east/west valley that descends from the village of Russilly. The grapes are punched down by foot treading to gently extract the colour and tannin before ageing – 80% in cask (20% of it new), and 20% in concrete.
Domaine de Courcel
Bourgogne
2022
92
The grapes for this deeply-coloured Bourgogne were picked on 10 September. 'If you're going to extract, you need a bit of tannin,' according to régisseur Yves Confuron. His vision is convincing, even in this Bourgogne, with its aromas of currants and hints of leather, earth, and tobacco. The texture is firmly tannic and structured. One would do well to leave this a year or two before opening and drink it over the five (or more) years following.
Domaine des Croix
Beaune (1er Cru Bressandes)
2022
92
This high-elevation parcel delivered a beautiful wine in 2022, with forward blackberry fruit, hints of lavender, spice, and a firm saline minerality, giving it a balance that almost recalls the Côte de Nuits. The texture is elegant and very fine, but there is enough substance and grip to suggest that the wine will age well. The grapes are from a 0.88-hectare parcel; they are partly destemmed and gently fermented on native yeasts before ageing, mainly in used casks.
Domaine du Cellier aux Moines, Le Petit Cellier
Givry
2022
92
TOP PRODUCER TOP VALUE This raspberry-scented wine has surprising complexity for a village-level wine, with hints of wild herbs, earth, smoke and leather. The texture is also striking, with rewarding freshness and grippy tannins. The estate is replacing old vines with superior massal selection, but until that's finished this wine is being made from the old vine fruit, all declassified from premier cru. Organic.
Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair, Aux Réas
Vosne-Romanée
2022
92
The Aux Réas (0.43 hectares) is a new parcel for Liger-Belair. It is entirely delicious, but it may need some time to integrate with the rest of the wine in the cellar. Tasting out of barrel, it seemed slightly severe, with a firm and tannic texture, marked by the cask ageing. It doesn't yet have the exuberant, approachable character of many wines here, and may require a bit of time to reveal itself fully, so age for five years before opening.
Domaine Germain Père & Fils
St-Romain
2022
92
Although the initial attack was somewhat closed, with a bit of time in the glass, this St-Romain Sous le Château opened up with ripe plum and cherry aromas and hints of violets and liquorice. The texture was surprisingly full-bodied, with good freshness and a tannic grip that led to a lingering finish. The grapes are from just over a hectare of south-facing vines in this well-known climat; they are destemmed and given a long, slow fermentation before ageing in cask (30% new) for 18 months.
Domaine Pierre Labet
Bourgogne
2022
92
This perennial value from Château de la Tour's owner, François Labet, boasts an evocative pomegranate fruit aroma with pretty floral notes and a hint of mint. The texture is fresh and light but not lacking tannin. Once again, the grapes are entirely from Chorey-lès-Beaune; this year, he has opted to ferment them all as whole clusters to improve the perception of freshness and tannin. He has succeeded again with this charming wine that will drink on release or over the next five years.
Domaine Pierrick Bouley, Aux Fournereaux
Monthélie
2022
92
This village Monthélie boasts alluring aromas of black cherry and plum with a note of violets and spice. The texture is firm and tannic, with fresh acidity, medium body and a structured, saline underpinning. The grapes are from a single parcel of a half hectare, although a portion is being replanted; the vines look southeast towards Auxey-Duresses. The fruit is given a cold maceration and then a gentle extraction, punching down a few times and then pumping over; no sulphur is used until bottling.
Domaine Roger Belland
Maranges (1er Cru Clos Roussots)
2022
92
TOP VALUE Tasted blind, this wine impressed with its pronounced aromas of ripe mulberry and fig with an edge of smoky spice. It's firm and tannic, with a pleasant mineral underpinning. The grapes come from 55-year-old vines in clay soils with grass between the rows. Fruit is destemmed and fermented with a gentle infusion before ageing for a year in cask. Suitable for mid-term ageing.
Domaine Rossignol-Trapet
Bourgogne
2022
92
The bright, forward cherry and pomegranate fruit aromas and hints of violets from this Rossignol-Trapet Bourgogne are instantly appealing. The texture is silky and delicate, with almost weightless tannins and a very approachable texture. The grapes are from a single parcel 0.8 hectare parcel in Gevrey in the lieu-dit Grand Champs; half are fermented as whole clusters without punching down at all – extraction is assured by pumping over and some rack and return with aeration. Ageing is done strictly in used casks to protect the purity of the fruit.
Domaine Simon Bize, Les Perrières
Bourgogne
2022
92
Bright lemon peel aromas and a blast of salty minerality echo on the initial attack of this bracingly refreshing Bourgogne Blanc. The texture is crisp and lively, with impressive finesse and no lack of structure. The grapes are from over four hectares of vines at the top of the slope above 375 metres elevation overlooking the combe that leads to Bouilland. The wine is fermented in large and small casks, including 600-litre demi-muids and 12 hl foudres to accentuate the crystalline texture.
Domaine Thibault Liger-Belair, La Charmotte
Nuits-St-Georges
2022
92
This bright and fresh wine has a forward black cherry fruit and hints of violets and spice. The texture is light and elegant, but the wine is not lacking in structure and the finish is elegant and reasonably long. The grapes come from a 0.40-hectare domaine-owned parcel on the flat land at the base of the slope down from premier cru Bousselots; 40% are fermented as whole clusters, with just two punch downs and a very gentle extraction to produce this charming wine.
Edouard Delaunay, En Combereau
Marsannay
2022
92
This charming Marsannay boasts a lovely blackberry fruit aroma with hints of rose petals and spice; the colour is relatively light, and the wine has perfume, finesse, and freshness more than depth or power. The grapes are sourced from a parcel of 28 ares at the top of the slope in this well-regarded site in Couchey; they are destemmed and gently fermented with a combination of punching down and pumping over. The wine will be drinkable on release and well-suited to mid-term ageing.
Jean-Claude Boisset
Marsannay
2022
92
Tasted blind at the BIVB, this wine impressed with its medium ruby colour and dark plummy fruit aromas with an edge of earth and smoke. There is more structure and stuffing than expected from a Marsannay - this is a serious wine with good concentration and length. It comes from 0.59 hectares in the lieu-dit La Bretignière near the border with Fixin. The grapes are destemmed but left whole and given a brief cold soak before fermentation on ambient yeasts. The wine will age approximately 15 months in cask with a generous proportion of new barrels.
Louis Jadot
Beaune (1er Cru Clos des Ursules)
2022
92
Jadot's Clos des Ursules was a bit of a disappointment in 2022 – it seems to lack a bit of the ripeness that it enjoyed in 2020; there is an appropriate raspberry fruit and complexity from hints of violets, eucalyptus, and earth, but there Is none of the heady complexity and fruit of the 2020 vintage. The wine has abundant extract on the palate, giving the wine complexity and depth. I suggest waiting at least five years to see if this opens up.
Louis Jadot, Clos de Malte
Santenay
2022
92
Jadot's large holding at the upper reaches of Santenay dates to the 19th century – the land was purchased by the Gagey family, who later sold it but re-purchased most of it in the '90s. Today, Jadot farms seven hectares in the lieu-dit Sous la Fée, which they label Clos de Malte. This village-level Santenay, most of it planted to Pinot Noir, corresponds to the archetype of Santenay – slightly rugged, almost rustic, with a plum and currant fruit, firm tannins and a slight austerity. Give this a year or two to open and drink over the next 10.
Maison Chanzy
Mercurey (1er Cru Clos du Roy)
2022
92
The forward, plummy fruit aromas of this delightful Mercurey premier cru are so ripe that they almost seem honeyed. The texture is plump with voluptuous fruit, supple tannins, balanced acidity and impressive length. The grapes are from a parcel of 1.54 hectares that formerly belonged to the Dukes of Burgundy, located on the slopes just outside town; they are partly destemmed and gently fermented before ageing in cask (15% new) for 18 months. This is so lush it will drink on release, but it has the substance to last a decade at least.
Vincent Lumpp
2022
92
This alluring wine with a fairly deep ruby colour displays more black fruit than red, with aromas of blackberry and plum, hints of smoke and earth, and a salty mineral underpinning. The tannins are firm, balancing the fresh acidity to drive this delightful wine to a long finish. The grapes are from a 0.90-hectare parcel of clay and limestone soils at mid-slope exposed to the southeast; they are destemmed and fermented in concrete and wooden vats with a minimum of extraction before ageing for one year in cask (30% new).
Château de Marsannay, En Clémongeot
Marsannay
2022
91
This appealing, approachable wine is restrained on the initial attack but opens up nicely on the palate with attractive, plummy fruit and notes of violets and wild herbs. The texture is supple, with velvety tannins and enough acidity to balance the fruit on the lingering finish. The grapes are from a 0.16-hectare parcel in En Clémongeot, a climat located just over the border in Couchey; they are fermented as whole clusters before ageing a year in cask (one-third new).
Domaine Bertrand Bachelet
Maranges (1er Cru Clos Roussots)
2022
91
This attractive Maranges premier cru boasts pronounced blackberry and mulberry aromas with hints of earth and spice. The texture is firmly tannic, with abundant freshness, structure, and length. The grapes are from a parcel of 0.62 hectares of 65-year-old vines that are mostly destemmed after sorting and slowly fermented before ageing in cask (20% new) for one year. Drink this wine on the fruit over the first five years for best results.
Domaine François Buffet
Bourgogne (Côte d'Or)
2022
91
This charming Bourgogne boasts pleasant plum and cherry fruit aromas with a suggestion of violets and spice. The texture is fresh, light and altogether elegant. The grapes are from 1.2 hectares in lieu-dit Lombois, in the plain east of Santenots on either side of the road; they are destemmed and gently fermented before ageing in used casks. This wine will drink well on release and over the next few years.
Domaine Françoise André, Tue-Boeuf
Chorey-lès-Beaune
2022
91
This attractive wine boasts a moderately deep ruby colour and pronounced aromas of blackberry and mulberry fruit with notes of earth and spice. The medium-bodied texture is supported by firm tannins and enough freshness to carry the wine to a lingering finish. Balanced and pleasant, this should open soon after release and be suitable for short to mid-term ageing. The grapes are from a 1.28-hectare parcel in the lieu-dit Tue Boeuf, on the other side of the Route Nationale from Aloxe and Savigny; they are destemmed and gently fermented before ageing in cask for a year (one-quarter new).
Domaine Gouffier, La Charmée
Mercurey
2022
91
Tasted blind at the BIVB, Gouffier's Charmée surprised with a medium-deep ruby colour and forward aromas of ripe blackberry fruit and earth on the nose. The texture feels rich and firm but with no astringency, and there is enough freshness to carry the wine to a satisfying finish for this level of wine. The grapes come from a 0.80-hectare plot in the village-level lieu-dit of the same name on the eastern edge of the appellation; they are fermented with 30% whole clusters, and are ageing in cask.
Domaine Joblot
Givry (1er Cru Servoisine)
2022
91
The 2022 Givry Premier Cru La Servoisine offers a medium deep ruby colour and ripe mulberry and blackberry fruit aromas with an edge of spice and violets. The texture is firm and dense, with impressive freshness and length. The grapes come from Joblot's 2.5-hectare plot in the highly-regarded cru, just to the east of the Clos du Cellier aux Moines with an almost due-south exposition. The grapes are destemmed and fermented on native yeasts before ageing in cask (40% new).
Domaine Michel Juillot
Mercurey (1er Cru Clos des Barraults)
2022
91
This venerable Mercurey estate has a formidable success with their Clos des Barraults premier cru. The dark, plummy fruit and firm tannic grip are balanced by abundant freshness and extract to carry the wine to a very pleasant, if somewhat rustic, finish. The grapes are from a 1.5-hectare parcel at mid-slope facing south/southwest in stony clay and limestone soils; they are destemmed and fermented on native yeasts before aging over two winters in cask, 30% new.
Domaine Vincent & Jean-Pierre Charton
Mercurey (1er Cru Clos du Roy)
2022
91
This charming Mercurey premier cru has a compelling concentration of blackberry and fig fruit with hints of earth and minerals. The texture is firm but not forbidding, and the finish lingers moreishly. The grapes come from a one-hectare parcel exposed to the south, situated in the middle of premier cru Clos du Roy, planted with 75-year-old vines; they are given a cold soak and then fermented on native yeasts slowly, without punching down, in wooden vats before ageing in cask (20% new).
Maison Chanzy
Mercurey (1er Cru Clos du Roy)
2022
91
There is a pronounced ripe blackberry fruit on the initial attack of this attractive Givry premier cru, with shadings of rose petals and spice. The fruit continues with marked sweetness on the palate, and the texture is silky and dense, with enough tannin and freshness to bring everything into balance. The grapes come from a 0.74-hectare parcel in the village of Dracy-le-Fort at the north end of the appellation; they are partly destemmed before a gentle fermentation and ageing in large and small casks (20% new) for 18 months.
Méo-Camuzet Frères & Soeurs
Fixin
2022
91
This village-level Fixin is supple and silky, with an elegant bright cherry and pomegranate fruit with an edge of violets. The texture is balanced if not hugely deep, but the wine has an eminently charming finesse. It is produced from the purchased fruit, but always the same parcels in the village of Fixey, including the lieux-dits Le Clos and Les Herbues. It has been racked into tank and should be bottled soon. It will drink on release and has the balance to hold for several years.
Michel Sarrazin & Fils
Givry (1er Cru Le Champ Nalot)
2022
91
Champ Nalot is in Givry proper, while Champ Lalot is over the border in Dracy. This bottling of Champ Nalot is among Sarrazin's most robust wines, with a deep ruby colour and ripe, elegant aromas of black cherry, rose petals and liquorice. A seductive veneer of oak aromas complements the full body and lush texture and contributes to its charm. The grapes are from a parcel of 0.80 hectares; they are completely destemmed and fermented with minimal extraction before ageing in casks from François Frères.
Domaine François Raquillet
Mercurey (1er Cru Les Veleys)
2022
90
The Mercurey premier cru from Raquillet is somewhat closed initially but opens up nicely with time to reveal ripe plum and fig notes and a suggestion of chocolate and spice. The texture is rich and dense, with supple tannins, balanced acidity and good length. The grapes are from 0.75 hectares of east-facing, 75-year-old vines; after sorting, they are destemmed and given a cold soak before fermentation on native yeasts in concrete with very gentle extraction followed by ageing for a year in cask (30% new) and a further six months in tank — a wine to seek out.
Domaine Jean Féry & Fils
Maranges
2022
90
Tasted blind at the BIVB, this wine was eminently pleasant, with its medium ruby colour and ripe blackberry fruit with hints of spice and earth. This village-level Maranges from organic producer Jean Féry provides an attractive entry-level introduction to this appellation. The grapes were destemmed and lightly extracted by punching down and pumping over before ageing 14 months in cask (20% new) to yield this wine that balances fresh acidity and supple tannins to achieve a harmonious equilibrium.
Domaine Maurice Charleux & Fils
Maranges (1er Cru La Fussière)
2022
90
Although it is somewhat closed initially, with time, the Fussière from Maurice Charleux opens with mulberry and plum aromas and notes of earth and leather. The palate has a good fruit concentration and abundant structure and depth. The grapes come from 1.35 hectares of 50-year-old vines exposed to the south; they are destemmed and given a cold soak before fermentation on native yeasts in concrete before ageing in cask (20% new).
Domaine Maurice Charleux & Fils
Maranges (1er Le Clos des Rois)
2022
90
The limestone soils at the base of the slope have given a wine with a winning concentration of plum and blackberry fruit and hints of violets, earth and exotic spices. The palate has a depth of flavour and a lively, dynamic freshness that combine with grippy tannins carry the wine to a lingering finish. The domaine farms 0.30 hectares, and the grapes are destemmed before fermentation in tank and in foudre on native yeasts; ageing is done in cask (25% new)
Domaine Meix Foulot
Mercurey (1er Cru Clos de Montaigu)
2022
90
This 1.9-hectare monopole of the domaine was first planted in the 1950s. The 2022 vintage has an alluring aroma of pleasantly ripe black cherry fruit with hints of lavender and exotic black tea that continue with particular sucrosity on the palate. The texture is silky, supple, and bright with acidity due to the northeast exposition of the site next to Les Velley. The grapes are given a reasonably warm fermentation and aged for a year in cask (20% new).
Domaine Raphael Bertrand, Les Marcœurs
Mercurey
2022
90
This attractive village-level Mercurey boasts a ripe, plummy fruit aroma with an edge of chocolate and earth. The palate has impressive density, balanced acidity, and silky but substantial tannins that carry the wine to a lingering finish. The grapes are from 0.42 hectares near Faiveley's premier cru Clos des Myglands; they are destemmed and gently fermented on native yeasts, pumping over or foot treading to extract gently after a cold maceration. This wine will be ready to drink soon after release and over the next five or six years.
Domaine Regnaudot Bernard & Florian
Maranges (1er Cru La Fussière)
2022
90
This medium-deep ruby wine is initially slightly closed but opens on the palate with seductive red and black fruit, rose petals, and spice. The medium body, firm tannins and impressive length at this level make this a standout. The grapes are destemmed and given a cold soak before a slow fermentation on native yeasts and a year in cask (25% new). This wine should drink well on release and is perfect for mid-term ageing.
Domaine René Bouvier, Les Longeroies
Marsannay
2022
90
This lovely wine with a medium ruby colour boasts a rich, plummy fruit aroma with a savoury, earthy edge. The texture is lively and fresh, with supple tannins and a crisp acidity that carries it to a lingering finish. The domaine owns three hectares in Longeroies with seventy-year-old vines. After careful sorting, the grapes are gently fermented on native yeasts using 50% whole clusters and very little punching down. The domaine will generally age a year in cask (20% new) and a further six months in tank before bottling.
Maison Chanzy, En Rosey
Rully
2022
90
This village-level Rully red was the best of the bunch at a recent blind tasting of the category. The ripe black cherry fruit aromas dotted with spice and leather lead into a texture with firmish tannins, fresh acidity, and moderate length. The grapes are from a parcel of 4.67 hectares facing southeast above 335 metres elevation, under the Bois de Montot, not far from Bouzeron; they are partly destemmed and gently fermented before ageing in cask.
Rodolphe Demougeot, Les Clous
Auxey-Duresses
2022
90
With an attractive medium ruby colour, this village-level Auxey shows surprisingly robust mulberry and blackberry aromas. There is density and grip on the palate balanced by an appealing freshness and good length. The grapes are from a parcel of 0.38 hectares in this south-facing climat just outside the village in the combe. The fruit is picked by hand, destemmed, and gently fermented before ageing 14-16 months in cask (15% new) and a further three in tank.
Domaine Ponsard-Chevalier
Maranges (1er Cru La Fussière)
2022
89
This premier cru from Ponsard-Chevalier boasts a pleasant black plum fruit aroma with a suggestion of lavender. The texture is balanced and elegant, with medium body and firm tannins. The finish is moderately long if lacking a bit of depth. The grapes come from 0.36 hectares exposed to the south in marl and limestone soils; they are given a cold maceration before a gentle fermentation with soft punching down before ageing for a year in cask (20% new).