tasting / laying down / 2023 Burgundy
My tasting notes were made in Burgundy in June and October 2024 from wines in barrel or tank. I look for quality and typicité, but it is important to emphasize that the notes capture just a moment in time, since the wines were still evolving. Many of the reds, which were tasted in October, will have been bottled early, but some whites will have benefited from a second winter and a final polish. My scoring is within the context of the vintage
and starts at 82—a decent score for a simple but well-made regional wine—while 88 for a premier cru from a “lesser” village would denote quality and typicité. I would regard it as unhelpful and unrealistic to rate Burgundy wines, from regional to grand cru, with a range of less than 18 points. If you scan past what might appear to be low scores—here and in the more extensive set of notes on
worldoffinewine.com— you will miss out on many lovely wines.
CHABLIS
DOMAINE JULIEN BROCARD A range of seven biodynamic wines, all aged in 50hl foudres. Good energy and quality across the range.
Chablis Premier Cru Montée de Tonnerre
From a southwest-facing parcel at the top of Montée de Tonnerre. This was the last parcel to be converted to biodymanics. Shy on the front palate, but I like the assertive, keen, and vibrant finish. Fizzles brightly at the end. A lighter representation of this climat than the Jean-Marc Brocard version, but very energetic. 2026–34+. | 89–90
Chablis Grand Cru Les Preuses
A purring, silky Preuses from the plateau. Smooth intensity gliding into a shimmering, bright, elegant, and vital finish. I like the energy. 2027–38. | 92–93
DOMAINE SAMUEL BILLAUD Chablis Les Grands Terroirs
From three parcels: Les Pargues, Le Bas de Chapelot, and a bit below Vaillons. It’s peachy and rich yet pure, for the freshness is there, but finally spicy. Overall, very rich and fruity. 2025–30. | 85
Chablis Premier Cru Séchet Vieilles Vignes
From a 0.6ha (1.5-acre) parcel planted by Samuel’s great-grandmother with a massal selection in the 1920s. Very concentrated and rich on the attack, then squeezed into a tube mid-palate, and at the end, austere, strict, and salty. It’s direct. I like the strength to this wine. Very focused. Doesn’t really taste like Vaillons. 2027–38. | 89
Chablis Premier Cru Vaillons Vieilles Vignes
“We have clay and small stones here, more clay than in Séchet.” From 60-year-old vines in the eponymous lieu-dit. Stainless-steel aging, bottled after 15 months. Rounded, with plenty of yellow peach up-front. Certainly ripe and juicy, but goodness, it’s nicely fresh and energetic to finish. 2026–32+. | 86–87
178 | THE WORLD OF FINE WINE | ISSUE 87 | 2025
DANIEL DAMPT Chablis Premier Cru Les Lys
From an old, north-facing block planted in 1958/59. Upright aroma. Fine and pure, lime-like fruit. Vivacious, racy, and bright. A touch of anise and savory-salty minerality. Delicate and intense. Love it. 2026–35. | 88
SÉBASTIEN DAMPT Chablis Premier Cru Les Beugnons
Made in 16hl concrete eggs. There is certainly some vitality to this sapid wine from Vaillons, which has a welcome underscoring of chalky and silex notes and is attractively terse to finish. 2026–34. | 87–88
VINCENT DAMPT Chablis
Largely from Voye on the opposite slope from Côte de Léchet, below Les Lys. Very juicy, with a stony quality, attractive grip, and a cool, sappy, lightly austere finish. This is the style of Chablis you hope to find in a warm vintage, but it can prove elusive. 2025–28. | 85
DOMAINE VINCENT DAUVISSAT Vincent Dauvissat harvested from September 11 for ten days, and his yields averaged 70hl/ha. In the winery he doesn’t adapt to the vintage, nor does he like to speak about the winemaking, because “wine is cerebral.” He remarked on the lower acidity of the 2023 vintage but said it was still adequate because it’s Chablis, adding that 2023 is a vintage with good balance so can be kept a long time.
Chablis Premier Cru La Forêt
From some ten parcels, the vines averaging between 60 and 70 years old. The 2023 is elegant and lifted, with hints of thyme and lime-flower. Skates on the palate. Delicate and pure for Montmains. A lively wire of minerality on the finish. The standout premier cru at this domaine this vintage. 2026–35. | 88–89
Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos Chablis Grand Cru Valmur
From three parcels, 1ha (2.47 acres) in total. A restrained Les Clos, unlike many examples from this grand cru climat that are instantly showier. This has layering but with tension and precision. 2028–35+. | 92
Chablis Grand Cru Les Preuses
Smooth and generous, with a satin-rich texture, underscored by salinity. This slope is warm, and the concentration of fruit is there, but the mineral core is clearly evident, too. 2027–35. | 92
DOMAINE WILLIAM FÈVRE 2023 is the first vintage here to have organic certification. The wines are aged in barrels from Bouchard Père & Fils (just 25–30%), which will continue despite the change in ownership (the domaine was acquired by Saskia Rothchild for
Super-intense and compact. Sappy and austere. This really is like sucking on stone. Power and reserve. There is the richness of 2023 vintage, a hint of a little sweetness, but contrasting with this there is a puckering, cold aspect to the finish. Practically shivering. Longer than Vaudésir. My favorite from this domaine in this vintage. 2028–40. | 93–94
DOMAINE LAROCHE Chablis Premier Cru Côte de Léchet
A small production for Laroche, at 1,500 bottles. Aged in 600-liter or 400-liter barrels and some pièces. Bitter-lemon fruit, with plenty of freshness on the straight and pithy palate. Piquant Léchet. 2025–30. | 86
Domaines Barons de Rothschild Lafite in 2024). On average, the barrels are four or five years old. Didier compares 2023 with 2015 and 2006: “2006 was the richest vintage after 2023, but the freshness is greater in 2023.”
Chablis
From 38ha (94 acres) of vines averaging between 40 and 50 years old, with yields of 50–52hl/ha in 2023. Some 15% is vinified in barrel. Expressively perfumed. Attacks the palate with cumin spiciness, along with fennel and anise notes. Savory, bitter orange. I like the phenolic bite and freshness. What a good Chablis. Not too rich. 2025–29. | 85
Chablis Premier Cru Les Lys
Didier vinifies the fruit from 1ha (2.47 acres) of 50-year-old vines in Les Lys—part of Vaillons— separately, due to their cooler aspect. Upright, fresh, white rose petal—I love this bright, dewy aroma. There is tension, grip, and salinity. Piquant to finish. Top-notch. 2026–35. | 88
Chablis Premier Cru Montée de Tonnerre
Reserved. Low-key. Savory and strong. Salty and sapid to finish. It’s subdued but intense. And long. Not quite the dimension of a grand cru but maybe edging toward it in length. 2028–25+. | 90
Chablis Premier Cru Vaulorent
More reductive than the Fourchaume bottling. The barrel selection is made in May, at which point Didier composes the two different cuvées and returns them to barrel and tank. The Vaulorent is more refined, more intense, and possibly a bit longer on the finish. It’s really not typical Fourchaumes, in that it’s savory, mineral, and direct. 2028–35. | 90
Chablis Grand Cru Preuses
“For me, one of the most elegant grands crus,” says Didier. It’s succulent, yet there is the tension and bite of cold minerality. Quite reserved in its youth. Delicate and straight and refined, with a touch of gold, but finely silky and salty to finish. 2028–40. | 93
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