tasting / laying down / 2023 Burgundy
a savory cut combining with a rich density of fruit and slightly exotic aromatics. A hot and cool feel. Punches into a persistent finish. 2028–40. | 96
Clos St-Denis Grand Cru
More elegant, subtle, and softer than the Clos de la Roche. Diaphanous yet intense mid-palate. Silky stretch into the finish. Sophisticated. 2028–40. | 96
Vosne-Romanée Premier Cru Les Beaumonts
A refined and aromatic Beaumonts, with a delicate, silky sweep into the mid-palate. Elegant and precise. Ripe, for sure, but the whole-bunch brings a fresh and airy breath to the fine finish. 2028–38. | 94–95
Vosne-Romanée Premier Cru Malconsorts
An opulent profile. Rather gorgeous depth of fruit. Velvety texture. There is volume and density. The whole-bunch works a treat here, contributing energy and freshness to the lovely, long finish. 2028–40. | 94–95
Echézeaux Grand Cru Morey-St-Denis Premier Cru Les Loups
A finely textured, fluid, and pure example. Warm aromatics. Captures the more perfumed and delicate face of this terroir. 2027–38. | 94
DOMAINE DES LAMBRAYS “A large harvest—35% more than average,” says Jacques Devauges. But as he points out, “All the grands crus of Morey-St-Denis and Gevrey—except Lambrays—asked for higher permitted yields.” So, there was a serious green- harvest here—still a good-sized crop, but lower than the normal legal limit, which is 42hl/ha. “This kind of vintage is largely made by green- harvest. I hate to do it—in a good, well-tended vineyard, you shouldn’t need to—this is the goal. But in some vintages, Mother Nature is way too generous, and this was one of the two key points of the harvest.” The other was the picking date. As a result of an early and rapid harvest, Clos des Lambrays is 13.8% ABV. Only one wine here is over 14% ABV. Jacques finds the reds to be quite like 2018 “but with better balance; more grace and perfume; less overripe and with more acidity.”
White
Puligny-Montrachet Premier Cru Clos des Caillerets
Richer still than the Folatières, but dense and stoney and it pushes into a longer finish. It has much more sapidity to bring it into touch. 2026–35. | 94–95
Red
Nuits-St-Georges Premier Cru La Richemone
From 0.9ha (2.2 acres) of the total 2ha (5 acres), mid-slope. One quarter of the vines were planted in 1924, the rest between the ’30s and the ’60s. “There is something that gives this personality.
182 | THE WORLD OF FINE WINE | ISSUE 87 | 2025
A blend of lieux-dits La Riotte, Les Blanchards, and Le village. “It is quite representative of a Morey- St-Denis premier cru, I think,” remarks Jacques. “All are just below the grands crus. There is more clay here and the microclimate is warmer, so there is higher ripeness.” About 50% whole-bunch, 30% new oak. It’s ripe, with mulberry fruit and plenty of generosity. Finishes clear and sweet, with an aromatic spicy note. 2027–35. | 91
Morey-St-Denis Premier Cru Clos Sorbé
Clos Sorbé has redder soil than Clos Baulet (more iron), is closer to the limestone bedrock, and turns a little to the south, so is a touch warmer. A richer aroma, with dark fruit. It’s both sappy and cold, with darker and riper fruit and a touch more muscle and energy. It is lithe and energetic. Hot and cold wine. Even more potential here. 2027–35+. | 94
Clos des Lambrays Grand Cru
Jacques divides the clos into 11 different parcels, which are vinified and aged separately, before being assembled. But it’s not a blend as such, since the wine is a proper representation of all the parcels: Jacques does not select. Here there is the richness of mulberry fruit and spice on the aroma. But the palate is more refined than the nose suggested. So very aromatic. A perfumed, lightly purple palate, which carries to a lingering, floral, and slightly exotic finish. It is intense, very finely textured and delicate, yet the palate is expansive. Wafts on a long—so very long—and aromatic finish. As Jacques remarks, “Something happens when you put the wine together.” He is making a very different Clos des Lambrays from that of his immediate predecessors. Now Clos des Lambrays is intense yet delicate, precise, and finely textured. A wine with great aromatic persistence. 2028–40+. | 97–98
It is a wine that is different from what you might expect—not Nuits-style, but not Vosne-style either.” Perfumed and seductive—more Vosne on the nose, perhaps. On the palate, rich and succulent, but with good intensity and vigor. Light grip on the finish. A touch of muscle here yet richly aromatic at the end. 2027–35+. | 94
Vosne-Romanée Premier Cru Beaumonts
From 0.45ha (1 acre) in the Dessus section of the vineyard. A ripe-cherry and cherry-flower aroma to a gorgeously ripe and juicy palate. Lovely concentration. Very sweetly fruity, with fine-textured, taffeta tannins and a light freshness and salinity to finish. 2027–38. | 95+
Morey-St-Denis Premier Cru Clos Baulet
Clos Baulet and Clos Sorbé are neighbors, but the terroir and expression differ. Clos Baulet is just in front of the domaine—only 0.8ha (2 acres), the smallest premier cru in Morey-St-Denis. The topsoil is 32in (80cm) deep, over a subsoil based not on mother rock but a stony, light-brown mix. The wine is suede-soft, lightly growling, quite full, richly fruity and spicy, with an earthy freshness to finish. An accessible and softish wine. 2027–34. | 92
DOMAINE PERROT-MINOT “The most important thing in 2023 was to reduce the quantity, as nature was so generous,” remarked Christophe Perrot-Minot. “We did a strict green- harvest, in order to have body, concentration, and capacity to age.” He had an average of 42hl/ha. Yes, he did adjust the acidity a little, adding some tartaric for the right balance, but it doesn’t show, while the precision and care in the vineyard and winery certainly do. Masterful use of whole-bunch, which is around 40% but barely in evidence. Christophe captures nuances of terroir with a delicate, pure expression. The textures of the wines are sublime. Lovely lucidity of fruit and very little new oak, of which I totally approve. They shimmer. So, some very high scores here.
Chambolle-Musigny Premier Cru La Combe d’Orveau Cuvée Ultra
Glorious, perfumed aroma to a silken palate, intense and seductive in its fruit but lissome in texture. Moves into a fresh and sappy finish. I like the cold, sapid note, which is beautifully sustained. 2027–38. | 95–96
Morey-St-Denis Premier Cru La Riotte
Wild-strawberry fruit aroma, then this pirouettes on the palate: delicate, balletic, and so pure, with a fine texture and powdered chalk finish. I love the long finish on this stylish wine. 2027–35. | 94–95
Nuits-St-Georges Vignes Centenaires Premier Cru La Richemone Cuvée Ultra
An intense blueberry aroma, then on the palate, warm, forest fruit. Super-svelte and seductive. Satin texture, with a polished glide into the finish, which is cool and fresh. 2027–38. | 95–96
Chambertin Grand Cru
Impressive, furled energy. So much power channeled into an intensely focused palate and superbly sustained finish. 2029–40+. | 99
Chambertin Clos de Bèze Grand Cru
Wonderfully fragrant and intense aroma. It floats on a sublimely scented, generous but diaphanous palate; gently airy, where the Chambertin powers on. Haunting finish. Glorious, but just now the Chambertin seems a touch more sustained. 2028–40. | 98–99
Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru
Intensely perfumed aroma. Just glorious. But there is a firm core to this wine, around which the wealth of aromas and ripe fruit wraps. It’s from a parcel at the top of the vineyard, just under Chambertin. Maybe a touch longer than the Mazoyères. 2028–40. | 97–98
Mazoyères-Chambertin Grand Cru
An earthy aroma at first, then the juicy berry comes through. Glossy and dark, with suede-soft, deeper and richer tannins. There is density and muscle here, albeit highly toned. Dark and earthy to finish. 2029–40. | 96–97
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