2021 was a complicated year. While it lacked the raw existential terror of 2020, the year seemed to begin in a chasm of uncertainty. We had collectively made it across the finish line and into a new year, but the prospects for the year to come had never been more obscure.
In January, I had the distinct impression that I didn’t know where my next bottle of great Burgundy was coming from. I had made my way to Burgundy in October of 2020 but the country had locked down again, and the prospects for my return were uncertain.
At home in New York, restaurants were closed, and friends did not socialise, even those near at hand, for fear of infection. Work went on, but the situation was less than ideal.
Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for Charles Curtis MW’s top 10 Burgundy wines of 2021
As the weather began to warm in March, friends decided they could gather outdoors.
{"content":"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"}
See tasting notes and scores for Charles Curtis MW’s top 10 Burgundy wines of 2021
{}
{"wineId":"54527","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"54528","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"54529","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"54530","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"54531","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"54532","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"54533","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"54534","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"54535","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"54536","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{}
Related content