Burgundy

Our 2017 Chablis comes from two separate vineyards in the village of Chichée, renowned for its classically steely character. The small but excellent 2017 vintage has given a wine with a harmonious balance between ripe orchard fruits and crisp, refreshing mineral notes. Fermented and raised completely in tank, this is a benchmark expression of Chablis, one which is equally at home as an aperitif or with seafood or a goats cheese salad.

{***}{region}Chablis{region}
{color} White{color}                                                               {maturity}ready-keep{maturity} {maturity-text}Ready, but will keep{maturity-text}
{vintage}2017{vintage}{***}

A blend from a number of excellent vineyard sites in the villages of Chaintré and Vergisson, we have worked again with the renowned “wizard of the Mâconnais” Olivier Merlin to create this benchmark Pouilly-Fuissé. Generous stone-fruit ¬flavours combine with a saline minerality and toasty oak notes to give a poised and restrained white Burgundy, one which will pair beautifully with seafood risotto.

{***}{region}Burgundy{region}
{color} White{color}                                                               {maturity}ready-keep{maturity} {maturity-text}Ready, but will keep{maturity-text}
{vintage}2017{vintage}
{ratings}
   [] International Wine Challenge® 2019 Silver Winner {ratings}        {***}

Our 2017 Meursault comes from a selection of vineyards from across the village, including the well-regarded Murgers de Monthélie and Les Clous. Raised completely in oak barrels to give smoky aromas and the hallmark buttered toast notes of classic Meursault, this wine has broad shoulders and rich stone-fruit flavours which are complemented by a racy, saline finish.

{***}{region}Burgundy{region}
{color} White{color}                                                               {maturity}ready-improve{maturity} {maturity-text}Ready, but will improve{maturity-text}
{vintage}2017{vintage}{***}

The small but perfectly-formed 2016 vintage in Burgundy delivered wines of crystalline transparency and remarkable freshness. Displaying beguiling notes of wood smoke and white peach on the nose, a hint of ripe apricot on the palate gives a nod to the opulence of Meursault, while the juicy citrus acidity and spicy oak provide a cleansing finish. This is a wine which is more than worthy of its famous name.

{***}
{region}Burgundy{region}
{color}White{color}
{maturity}drink-now{maturity}
{maturity-text}Drink now{maturity-text}
{vintage}2016{vintage}
{ratings}
[]International Wine Challenge® 2018-Silver
[]2018 decanter world wine awards Bronze
{ratings}
{***}

This Gevrey-Chambertin is made for us by the organic Rossignol-Trapet family, who select the fruit from parcels scattered across the village. Beautiful pale ruby in colour and with a charming bouquet of red berry fruits, it is a seductive prospect. But don't be fooled by the delicate nose, the palate has genuine power and an unerring poise and purity. The finely-honed structure makes this an excellent match for game, as well as lighter red meat dishes like roast lamb.

{***}
{region}Burgundy{region}
{color}Red{color}
{maturity}ready-keep{maturity}
{maturity-text}Ready, but will keep{maturity-text}
{vintage}2014{vintage}
{ratings}
[]International Wine Challenge® 2019-Bronze 
{ratings}{***}

Our Bourgogne Côte d’Or Pinot Noir is a new addition to our own-label range, made from 100 percent Côte d’Or fruit to obtain this prestigious new appellation (which only came into existence from the 2017 vintage). The fruit is in fact declassified Chorey-lès-Beaune, from very old vines and sourced with the help of star négociant Benjamin Leroux exclusively for Berry Bros. & Rudd. Unsurprisingly, the wine offers remarkable complexity, with pretty, floral top-notes accompanying the charming red-berry fruit. Elegant and delicate, this is Burgundian Pinot Noir in its most elemental expression.

{***}
{region}Burgundy{region}
{color}Red{color}
{maturity}ready-improve{maturity}
{maturity-text}Ready, but will improve{maturity-text}
{vintage}2017{vintage}{***}

Mont-de-Milieu is the Pinson family’s largest holding of the Premiers Crus and consequently something of a flagship wine. The nose shows a little of its oak élevage at present, along with subtle wafts of noble reduction. There is a wonderful concentration of fruit, beautifully intertwined with cool, marine notes. A harmonious wine with great finesse and elegance. Drink 2020-2026.

{***}
{region}Burgundy{region}
{color}White{color}
{maturity}ready-improve{maturity}
{maturity-text}Ready, but will improve{maturity-text}
{vintage}2016{vintage}
{***}

The yield here was just 28hl/ha on average and the resultant concentration is noticeable. The fruit profile is more citrus-driven than one often expects from this wine, with a hint of grapefruit and lime. Saline and a touch austere at present, this will fill out in time. Drink 2019-2023.

{***}{region}Burgundy{region}
{color}White{color}                                                               {maturity}ready-improve{maturity} {maturity-text}Ready, but will improve{maturity-text}
{vintage}2016{vintage}{***}

Two-thirds comes from below Puligny and the rest from below Meursault. This is a refreshing 12.5 percent alcohol wine with very pretty floral notes yet still some flesh on the bones. It’s light on its feet yet very persistent. Drink 2017-2019.

{***}{region}Burgundy{region}
{color}White{color}                                                               {maturity}ready-improve{maturity} {maturity-text}Ready, but will improve{maturity-text}
{vintage}2015{vintage}{***}

Notes of citrus oil, peaches and green apples introduce the 2017 Saint-Aubin 1er Cru Le Sentier du Clou, a fleshy but precise wine with a textural attack and a chalky, medium to full-bodied mid-palate. Colin notes that this is a precocious site that's fully ripe only at around 13% alcohol.

{***}{region}Burgundy{region}
{color}White{color}                                                                                                {maturity}laying-down{maturity} {maturity-text}For laying down{maturity-text}
{vintage}2017{vintage}{***}

The 2017 Saint-Aubin 1er Cru En Remilly unfurls in the glass with aromas of crisp green apple, lemon oil, freshly baked bread and white flowers. On the palate, it's medium to full-bodied, ample and layered with a pure, precise profile. Colin notes that this is a warm terroir that seldom suffers from botrytis and is favored by cooler vintages but which has suffered in the warmer climate. - The Wine Advocate

{***}{region}Burgundy{region}
{color}White{color}                                                               {maturity}laying-down{maturity} {maturity-text}For laying down{maturity-text}
{vintage}2017{vintage}
{ratings}
 [] The Wine Advocate::90/100{ratings}        {***}

Six parcels of vines blended together. A lovely balance of fruit and the light framing of oak. An edge of green pith, leading to a citrussy point; vibrant and delicious. Almost tannic feel with the phenolics on the finish, suggesting much more development to come as it rounds out.

{***}{region}Burgundy{region}
{color}White{color}                                                               {maturity}laying-down{maturity} {maturity-text}For laying down{maturity-text}
{vintage}2017{vintage}
{ratings}
    [] Neal Martin:: 91/100{ratings}        {***}

From vines aged over 80 years in the mid-slope sweet spot, the grapes were harvested at a concentrated 35hl/ha. Sparkling pale lemon in colour, this is very energetic with wonderful layered complexity and a lingering, mineral finish. Drink 2020-2026.

{***}{region}Burgundy{region}
{color}White{color}                                                                                                {maturity}ready-improve{maturity} {maturity-text}Ready, but will improve{maturity-text}
{vintage}2016{vintage}
{ratings}         
[]The Wine Advocate:: 92/100
{ratings}  {***}

The 2015 Meursault 1er Cru Les Poruzots has a refined, mineral-driven bouquet that opens nicely in the glass, offering wet limestone, orange zest and hints of white peach with time. The palate is fresh and crisp with a fine line of acidity, hints of white peach and fresh pear, quite saline in the mouth leading to an austere, but nicely focused finish. This is excellent.

{***}
{region}Burgundy{region}
{color}White{color}
{maturity}laying-down{maturity}
{maturity-text}For laying down{maturity-text}
{vintage}2015{vintage}
{***}

Lovely, lively, fresh, juicy wine; this is superb in 2015. It has its characteristic notes of lime blossom, a lovely layer of flesh on the bones, but it is the lively follow-through that impresses most. The bouquet needs time to develop further. Drink 2018-2024.

After three miserable harvests (in size) and with the 2016 catastrophe to come, Patrick Javillier is very happy with 2015 which at last constituted a “normal” crop. He began picking on 28th August, deliberately very early, as the degrees were already there (around 13) but still with an excellent acid balance. His wines are suave, juicy and yet appealingly fresh in 2015.

{***}
{region}Burgundy{region}
{color}White{color}
{maturity}laying-down{maturity}
{maturity-text}For laying down{maturity-text}
{vintage}2015{vintage}
{***}

Pale lemon in colour with some green hints, the nose is floral with touches of citrus fruit poking through. In the mouth, it is incredibly fine and crystalline, with huge energy and freshness. The toasty oak is well-integrated and adds an extra dimension of complexity and a touch of weight to the mid-palate, but the overall impression is of a wine with laser-like focus. Drink 2019-2024.

{***}
{region}Burgundy{region}
{color}White{color}
{maturity}laying-down{maturity}
{maturity-text}For laying down{maturity-text}
{vintage}2016{vintage}
{***}

This has exceptional provenance for a village wine. Two-thirds comes from the Chalumeaux vineyard, which was entirely Premier Cru until 1975, when the top section was declassified after the previous owner applied topsoil to increase productivity. Since then, Étienne’s regime has repaired much of the damage and the quality is almost restored to its earlier level. Two more parcels, Levron and Baudrières-Nosroy complete the blend. A village wine of considerable finesse. Drink 2019-2025.

{***}{region}Burgundy{region}
{color}White{color}                                                               {maturity}laying-down{maturity} {maturity-text}For laying down{maturity-text}
{vintage}2016{vintage}{***}

Aromas of smoky plums and raspberries introduce the 2017 Chassagne-Montrachet Rouge, a medium-bodied, ample wine with juicy acids and melting tannins. It's an easygoing, uncomplicated effort that will drink well young. - The Wine Advocate

{***}{region}Burgundy{region}
{color}Red{color}                                                                                                {maturity}laying-down{maturity} {maturity-text}For laying down{maturity-text}
{vintage}2017{vintage}      {***}

Coming from 4 parcels, of which Meix Goudard is the biggest, which is on the level of the premier Crus (under les Macherelles), Blanchots - on the rock next to Criots, and Journoblots, which is under Criots. All are well-placed and make up 1.35 ha in total, so this is Joseph's biggest cuvée. He says he tries to pick it at 12.5% maximum, to retain freshness, and he succeeds - it is ripe, but the energetic freshness is retained. Pale gold with green/yellow reflections. Ripe sunny fruit nose is supported by comfortable oak and excellent acidity.

{***}{region}Burgundy{region}
{color}White{color}                                                               {maturity}ready-keep{maturity} {maturity-text}For laying down{maturity-text}
{vintage}2017{vintage}{***}

Jean-Pierre compares this to a high-quality Chassagne-Montrachet because the vineyard is on the type of limestone known as "calcaire de Chassagne". It certainly opens with a powerful, flinty character. There is real dramatic tension to this, saline yet succulent, with very good depth, and we agree that there is an affinity to Chassagne. It has fine persistence too. Drink 2019-2023.

{***}{region}Burgundy{region}
{color}White{color}                                                                                                {maturity}ready-improve{maturity} {maturity-text}Ready, but will improve{maturity-text}
{vintage}2015{vintage}{***}

This superb domaine continues to grow in reputation. Winemaker Pierre Vincent’s style is for lighter colours and very sensual wines and he has done a cracking job again in 2012; a vintage which supported the plentiful use of whole bunch fermentation. The domaine is certified organic and fully biodynamic.

Fine, bright and clear in colour, and although the bouquet begins discreetly, it is not long before the fruit bursts out. There are some fresh pear notes on the palate and an exceptionally pure, long finish. This brilliant wine is an absolute bundle of energy. Drink now to 2024.

{***}
{region}Burgundy{region}
{color}White{color}
{maturity}ready-keep{maturity}
{maturity-text}Ready, but will keep{maturity-text}
{vintage}2012{vintage}
{ratings}
[]The Wine Advocate::89-91/100
{ratings}
{***}

A vibrant and pure Bourgogne, this is all about vital, racy red berry and cherry fruit. Pure, honest and full to bursting with energy and fruit.

{***}
{region}Burgundy{region}
{color}Red{color}
{maturity}ready-keep{maturity}
{maturity-text}Ready, but will keep{maturity-text}
{vintage}2013{vintage}
{***}

There is 20 percent village wine mixed in with Bourgogne grapes. The cuvée receives 25 percent new wood and 20 percent whole bunch because the grapes are so healthy. Dense purple, this is really satisfying with a glorious, full mouthful. The wine is ripe and graceful with good length. Very successful this year.

{***}{region}Burgundy{region}
{color}Red{color}                                                                                                {maturity}ready-keep{maturity} {maturity-text}Ready, but will keep{maturity-text}
{vintage}2014{vintage}{***}

The 2014 Bourgogne Rouge has a simple, light-hearted red cherry and bergamot-scented nose that if full of joie-de-vivre. The palate is fleshy on the entry, nicely defined with crisp tannin, surprisingly fleshy and generous on the finish. Recommended. - Neal Martin, The Wine Advocate

{***}{region}Burgundy{region}
{color} Red{color}                                                               {maturity}ready-improve{maturity} {maturity-text}Ready, but will improve{maturity-text}
{vintage}2014{vintage}
{ratings}
 [] The Wine Advocate:: 87/100{ratings}{***}

The 2015 Bourgogne Pinot Noir has an attractive, slightly rustic bouquet with cranberry and pomegranate aromas that gain cohesion as it aerated in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, soft in texture but with admirable fruit intensity, finishing with tart cherries and a pinch of sea salt on the aftertaste. Recommended for a generic red Burgundy.

{***}{region}Burgundy{region}
{color} Red{color}                                                               {maturity}ready-keep{maturity} {maturity-text}Ready, but will keep{maturity-text}
{vintage}2015{vintage}
{ratings}
 [] The Wine Advocate:: 88/100{ratings}{***}

The village of Monthélie, nestled between Volnay and Meursault, is one of the prettiest vinicultural landscapes. It can be spotted at a distance with its beautiful slope covered with vines. The 2015 vintage shows aromas of dark raspberry, earth and a hint of violet precedes the rich, round and supple middle weight flavors that possess a fleshy, even juicy mouth feel before tightening up on the mildly rustic finish. Can be enjoyed upon release but should be capable of reward a few years of bottle age too.

{***}{region}Burgundy{region}
{color}Red{color}                                                                                                {maturity}ready-improve{maturity} {maturity-text}Ready, but will improve{maturity-text}
{vintage}2015{vintage}       {***}

Etienne de Montille thinks he has made brilliant 2011s and we are inclined to agree with him. They have freshness, balance, low alcohol, good acidity, excellent fruit and wonderful tannin integration. Picking began on 27th August and continued through to the 9th September as individual vineyards ripened. The fruit has attractively ripe flavours while rarely getting beyond 12.5% alcohol and Etienne chose to include slightly fewer stems than in recent vintages, except for the top cuvées.

Gleaming a rich and dense red with thick glycerol rim, no stems were used for this wine. It shows a brilliant density of fruit and is a great Beaune, with power and length. The tannins and acidity are in perfect balance.

{***}
{region}Burgundy{region}
{color}Red{color}
{maturity}ready-improve{maturity}
{maturity-text}Ready, but will improve{maturity-text}
{vintage}2011{vintage}
{***}

One third whole-bunch vinified, for the old vines, this is dense purple, with deep raspberry fruit. The wine displays a crunchy, fresh, mineral finish, reflecting the limestone content of the soil here, with some tannins neatly framed by the fruit. Étienne de Montille began picking whites on 10th and reds on 13th September, relatively early. Despite the hail (worst in Pommard than Beaune, Volnay less) yields were slightly improved compared to 2013. The fruit was clean with small berries, and beautiful clusters, so they were able to continue with their usual programme of whole-bunch vinification in most instances. The details are given for each wine. They will be long lived wines.

{***}{region}Burgundy{region}
{color} Red{color}                                                               {maturity}ready-improve{maturity} {maturity-text}Ready, but will improve{maturity-text}
{vintage}2014{vintage}
{ratings}
 [] The Wine Advocate:: 88/100{ratings}        {***}

With a rich, fine, dense nose, this wine is relatively backward at this stage. There is a wealth of delicious, deep red fruit on the palate, with good acid balance and length of flavour. This vineyard provides excellent value.

{***}{region}Burgundy{region}
{color}Red{color}                                                                                                {maturity}ready-improve{maturity} {maturity-text}Ready, but will improve{maturity-text}
{vintage}2012{vintage}
{ratings}           
[]Allen Meadows:: 88-91/100   
[]The Wine Advocate:: 88/100             
{ratings}{***}

Almost purple in color, this is subtle and silky, with elegant redcurrant and red cherry fruit with a hint of spices. There is surprising intensity behind but it's the elegance that wins through. Quivy owns 1 hectare in Les Journeaux which has old vines planted in 1933 and 1947.

{***}
{region}Burgundy{region}
{color}Red{color}
{maturity}ready-improve{maturity}
{maturity-text}Ready, but will improve{maturity-text}
{vintage}2014{vintage}
{***}

The 2014 Gevrey Chambertin Etelois includes around 50% whole bunch fruit from the 70-year-old vines. The nose is well defined with plenty of woodland scents infusing the red fruit, also fine mineralit, cold granite notes under the surface. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, lithe in the mouth with soft tannin framing the appealing raspberry and wild strawberry finish, and a pinch of bell pepper on the finish - The Wine Advocate

{***}{region}Burgundy{region}
{color} Red{color}                                                               {maturity}ready-improve{maturity} {maturity-text}Ready, but will improve{maturity-text}
{vintage}2014{vintage}
{ratings}
 [] The Wine Advocate:: 91/100{ratings}        {***}

This Village En Champs is a chewy wine with tasty flavors of dark red cherry and plum fruit with notes of forest floor and smoke. Sourced from 55 year old vines, it is flavorful and chewy on the palate with good complexity, perfect balance and acidity on the finish.

{***}{region}Burgundy{region}
{color} Red{color}                                                               {maturity}ready-improve{maturity} {maturity-text}Ready, but will improve{maturity-text}
{vintage}2014{vintage}{***}

Vinification is performed with a low-temperature fermentation in a combination of wood and stainless steel tanks. The wine is then matured for 21 months in oak barrels of which 80% is new. Notes of sous-bois with cherry, cassis and five spice. Chizzled frame with a rich texture.

{***}{region}Burgundy{region}
{color} Red{color}                                                               {maturity}laying-down{maturity} {maturity-text}For laying down{maturity-text}
{vintage}2014{vintage}{***}

The cool air from Combe de Lavaux always produces an elegant wine with good acidity. Very stylish, with a lifted perfume and notes of griottine cherries, it is perfectly balanced on the finish. Bruno Clavelier has been farming his vines biodynamically for several years. He began picking on 1st September, reporting good ripeness of the fruit and noble tannins. The wines have a gourmand quality to them yet remain very precise, reflecting their terroirs. It is another small crop this year which is similar to 2010 but with variations between vineyards.

{***}{region}Burgundy{region}
{color}Red{color}                                                                                                {maturity}ready-keep{maturity} {maturity-text}Ready, but will keep{maturity-text}
{vintage}2015{vintage}
{ratings}         
[]Allen Meadows:: 90-92/100   
{ratings}{***}

A blend of three vineyards – Maizières, Violettes and Ravioles – this has become a significant cuvée for Ben, and it’s clear his style complements the silky, red- fruited profile of Vosne. A good proportion of whole- bunch has been used here, providing a lovely floral lift to the silky strawberry and redcurrant fruit. Simply very Vosne. Drink 2020-2026.

{***}{region}Burgundy{region}
{color}Red{color}                                                                                                {maturity}laying-down{maturity} {maturity-text}For laying down{maturity-text}
{vintage}2016{vintage}
{ratings}           
[]The Wine Advocate:: 89-91/100          
{ratings}{***}

No stems were included in Les Pézerolles which shows a fine, bright purple colour. Really clear, pure, red fruit, with plenty of volume, this is a gentler style of Pommard, with no discernible tannins, good fruit and harmonious all the way through. Étienne de Montille began picking whites on 10th and reds on 13th September, relatively early. Despite the hail (worst in Pommard than Beaune, Volnay less) yields were slightly improved compared to 2013. The fruit was clean with small berries, and beautiful clusters, so they were able to continue with their usual programme of whole-bunch vinification in most instances. The details are given for each wine. They will be long lived wines.

{***}{region}Burgundy{region}
{color} Red{color}                                                               {maturity}ready-improve{maturity} {maturity-text}Ready, but will improve{maturity-text}
{vintage}2014{vintage}
{ratings}
 [] The Wine Advocate:: 92/100{ratings}        {***}

From the village part of the vineyard, with southerly exposure, this is quite a pale pink-purple colour, with a beautifully stylish nose; some minerality as well as Chambolle suavity. There is pretty red fruit, with lots of detail. The wine has good acidity, while the fruit comes bouncing back at the finish. Patrice Rion compares 2014 to a mix of 1979 and 1989 for the aromatics and delighted to have been able to pick a more or less normal-sized crop. He began on 12th September with healthy grapes, reinforced by his system of two sorting tables, one before and one after de-stemming. The amount of new oak has been reduced here, now just 30 percent on most cuvées.

{***}{region}Burgundy{region}
{color} Red{color}                                                               {maturity}laying-down{maturity} {maturity-text}For laying down{maturity-text}
{vintage}2014{vintage}
{ratings}
 [] Burghound:: 91/100        
 [] Jancis Robinson:: 16.5/20{ratings}        {***}

Bright color, still with some purple, while developing a more serene tint. The nose is backward at first and a bit muddled, but it really feels as though it will come through. This vintage, they did get right! Some aspects of evolution around the edges, but the core remains energetic and vibrant. Fresh red fruits to finish. A very good result.

{***}{region}Burgundy{region}
{color}Red{color}                                                                                                {maturity}ready-keep{maturity} {maturity-text}Ready, but will keep{maturity-text}
{vintage}1998{vintage}   {***}