tasting / laying down / 2021 Burgundy
Beaune Premier Cru Clos des Mouches Redcurrant aroma, with notes of fresh coriander, while the palate has an inviting svelte texture, with chamois-leather tannins. It is perfumed and seductive, with plenty of soft summer fruit. 2026–30+. | 92–93
Chambolle-Musigny Premier Cru Amoureses
100% whole-cluster. This was made in a 500-liter barrel. Gorgeous perfume, which enfolds the palate in a sumptuous aromatic richness. Satin- soft tannin, rich yet airy. Quite an exotic note. 2026–35+. | 95–96
Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru Clos Prieur
The grapes ae bought under contract from a grower. Both juicy and flowery up-front, the generous fruit entwined with freshness and aromatic richness. The texture is quite suave. 2026–30. | 91–92
Nuits-St-Georges
There is a little premier cru Damodes and Richemone in this village wine, which is rather perfumed. A hint of red peppercorn on the front palate. A pretty, light, and lifted Nuits-St-Georges, which has fine-textured tannins. 2025–28. | 89–90
Vosne-Romanée
Some Petits Monts and Malconsorts in this cuvée made with purchased grapes. Ripely seductive with a silky density and a dark chocolate character. Svelte and complex and rather long for a village wine.2026–30. | 90–91
MAISON LOUIS LATOUR 2022 saw the very sad passing of Louis-Fabrice Latour. I tasted with winemaker Jean-Charles Thomas. The company manages 125 acres (50ha) as domaine and, including the Mâconnais, takes fruit from an area of between 1,730 acres and 1,980 acres (700–800ha). So, Louis Latour is still a traditional négociant, buying in fruit and must, but with some long-term contracts with growers, which gives them a say in the vineyard management.
White Meursault Premier Cru Château de Blagny
Straight, well-balanced, and energetic, with sweet, candied fruit to finish. 2024–30. | 91
Meursault Premier Cru Goutte d’Or Ripe and rich, with greengage fruits and almost chunky concentration. It is rich and bling. Crowd- pleasing. 2024–28. | 90
Pernand-Vergelesses Premier Cru En Caradeux
Picked at the end of the harvest, this domaine parcel has produced a wine with richness and generosity, but it is well-balanced with a nice savory quality. 2023–26. | 86–87
192 | THE WORLD OF FINE WINE | ISSUE 79 | 2023
From a 500-liter barrel. Elegant and just lightly succulent, with airy volume mid-palate. Delicacy and precision on the refined and persistent finish. Excellent. 2026–35. | 95
Red Blagny Premier Cru La Pièce Sous Le Bois
From 5 acres (2.2ha) in Blagny. Crunchy and bright. Zesty, spicy, with herbal notes of dill and fresh coriander. Straight line and a sappy finish. 2025–30+. | 92
Nuits-St-Georges Premier Cru Les Cailles
Aromatic and satin-textured. Ripples rather elegantly, with good tension and refinement. Finely textured tannins. Streamlined, long finish. Very polished. 2026–35. | 95
Pommard Premier Cru Rugiens Haut
Power and finesse. High-toned and fine-boned, gathering more depth across the palate. It has tension and intensity. Focus onto the finish. 2026–35. | 94
Volnay Premier Cru Clos de la Cave des Ducs
Rose petal. Silky, fresh, and lightly crisp. Delicate and fluid. Perfumed to finish. Lacy. Exemplary expression of Volnay in this vintage. 2025–35. | 95
Vosne-Romanée Premier Cru Malconsorts
Deliciously rich aroma, sumptuous and generous, with velvet-rich tannin. Rather glorious and so fresh to finish. Hoovers up the whole-bunch. 2027–40. | 96
Chambertin Grand Cru
Pure, so intense and yet so discreet. What a fabulous finish. 2028–40. | 99
A big step up in density and intensity. Muscular minerality. Great typicité. 2026–33. | 91
Meursault La Petite Montagne Springs on the attack. Lively palate, with grapefruit zestiness. It fizzles brightly on the finish. 2024–28. | 88
Pernand-Vergelesses
A new wine for Lafon. Savory, nutty aroma. Some reserve. Notes of fennel on the straight, well-edged palate. Lots of sapidity to finish. Very appetizing. 2024–28. | 87
Red
Volnay Enticing, fresh-strawberry aroma, light-bodied, and so fragrant, with a crisp-fine texture. Delicate. 2025–30. | 88
Volnay Premier Cru Les Lurets
The premier cru from the top half of the climat beneath Caillerets. Lively, morello-cherry aroma. Silky and juicy, with succulent fruit filling the mid-palate. A very precise and lucid wine. 2025–32. | 91
Puligny-Montrachet Premier Cru Sous Le Puits
Succulent up-font. Nicely racy energy. Very juicy, and it has freshness to boot. 2024–30. | 91
Red
Volnay Premier Cru Chevret With an expressive cherry-pie aroma, this combines ripe fruit with purity and intensity. Soft in the middle, but has some salinity, vibrancy, and minerality to finish. 2025–30. | 92
BENJAMIN LEROUX “Much less wine, but twice the work,” said Ben ruefully. But he did a great job, for frankly it was difficult to decide which to include here. Limpid, pure wines, very consistent in quality and style. The reds are delicate and refined.
White Meursault Premier Cru Charmes
Griotte-Chambertin Grand Cru
Rich and generous on the attack, yet so airy and perfumed, with a super-silky, gauzy texture. Stretched on a fine and persistent finish; a fresh and almost-chalky line. A delicate expression of Griotte. 2028–40. | 97
Corton Grand Cru
Usually a blend, but this year just Renardes. This is strong and burly. Good vitality. Powerful, but Ben Leroux brings it some finesse, with the finer texture of the tannins. 2028–35. | 95
BLIGNY-LÈS-BEAUNE
DOMINIQUE LAFON Dominique Lafon remarked, "It is an elegant vintage. I love the tannins. So elegant and silky.” He destems but keeps the berries whole. In 2022, there will be some changes in his approach.
White Bourgogne Blanc
This come mostly from Grand Couture on the Meursault side, with some on the Puligny side made separately and blended in July. Two thirds in puncheon, 500-liter barrels, the remainder in foudres. Lafon bought the puncheons for the 2018 vintage and prefers to use them for this Bourgogne. Light citrus and floral aromas drift from the nose over the palate. It has gentle, silky roundness and a sliver of mineral to stretch the finish. It combines a touch of Meursault body with Puligny elegance. 2024–26. | 86
Meursault Narvaux
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