tasting / laying down / 2023 Burgundy
core and fine-textured tannins. It has the richness of the vintage and yet refinement, too. A nice touch of austerity to finish. “It is important to keep Corton elegant,” remarks Claude. 2027–35. | 93
Corton Clos du Roi Grand Cru
From the top of the climat by Corton-Charlemagne. It is definitely more exotic than the Bressandes, and the tannins are finely textured. It lingers on the floral finish. 2027–35. | 94
ALOXE-CORTON CLAIRE & STÉPHANE FOLLIN-ARBELET From a tiny domaine that Stéphane Follin-Arbelet manages with his family. It takes him just two hours to harvest the 1,000 vines of Clos Blanche with his sons. All the work is done by hand, and the whole family pitches in. Strictly debudded. The trellis is kept high, with no trimming. Conventional treatments have mostly been replaced with alternatives such as milk for oidium, or vitamin C to boost immunity. In 2022, they acquired four small parcels in Le Charlemagne to have a second cuvée, which produces 900 bottles.
Corton Grand Cru Clos Blanche
Dense, rich, and concentrated on the mid-palate, then this pushes into an elegant and streamlined finish. 500 bottles. 2028–40. | 95
Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru
Less richness but even more tension than the Clos Blanche. Strict, deep, and super-savory, with a firm cut of freshness. Powerful, smooth-stone finish. 2028–40. | 95–96
BEAUNE
DOMAINE BOUCHARD PÈRE & FILS “A warm vintage with a sensation of freshness,” was how technical director Frédéric Weber summed up 2023. “I love this vintage, which may not be ‘great,’ but which is classic for both colors, with beautiful but not excessive ripeness and fresh acidity. But it will be very heterogenous and will depend on the work in the vineyard.” Frédéric has done a lovely job with the whole-bunch, which has been skillfully used to provide freshness and herbal lift. The reds have a nice level of concentration, but I find the whites even better and richer.
White Meursault Premier Cru Genevrières
Around one third of the crop was lost to hail. Pink- flower aromatics on the palate, which is full and airy. Floats into a fresh and mineral finish, focusing to become precise and salty. Lovely typicité from this blend of fruit from the upper and lower sections of Genevrières. Late 2026–40. | 93–94
Meursault Premier Cru Perrières
From three parcels. Dense and stony aroma. Compact and layered. A touch exotic, but the apricot fruit is balanced by a firm cut of freshness. Plenty of energy. Definitely some texture here, and I like the sapidity. The finish has attractive phenolic bitterness. 2027–35. | 94
188 | THE WORLD OF FINE WINE | ISSUE 87 | 2025
Beaune Premier Cru Grèves Vigne de l’Enfant Jésus
A light whiff of garden herbs, with white-pepper and floral notes. Slides elegantly onto the palate. Ripples. Fine tannins, with a light, taffeta crunch. A delicate, persistent, and nicely fresh finish. The best 2023 Grèves I tasted. 2027–35. | 94
Volnay Premier Cru Caillerets Ancienne Cuvée Carnot
Gorgeous, rose-petal aroma, with a light herby note. Velvet-ripe tannins; rich depth of fruit and texture. Luscious concentration, while the finish is fresh, chalky, and pure. Also one of the best examples of Caillerets I tasted in 2023. 2027–28. | 94–95
Le Corton Grand Cru
Spicy, red-peppercorn aroma. An elegant Corton, with plenty of freshness and clarity of fruit. Rather than big and concentrated, this is singing, bright, and juicy. I like the fine-grained tannins and the slight herbal twist to the finish. 2028–36. | 94
DOMAINE CHANSON Justine Savoye, Chanson’s vineyard manager, opted against a green-harvest. “This prudence proved justified,” because there were several hailstorms. For the reds, the cold pre-fermentation macerations were kept very short and total vatting to a shorter- than-usual 15–25 days, “thanks to the wines’ beautiful aromatic expression and remarkable color intensity,” remarked Chanson chef de cave, Lucy Auger. I like the use of whole-bunch here—40– 50% in 2023—as the wines are rarely too stemmy while gaining herbal freshness. Moreover, with very few exceptions, Chanson seems to have retained decent acidity and energy—even in Beaune, despite the harvest heat. Targeted picking dates no doubt helped. Like many producers, Chanson rearranged the picking order this year—and of course it has its cooling tunnel, which has been in place for many years now. Not much new oak (15–25%), and it sits
Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru
Concentration with reserve and austerity on both nose and palate. Super-intense, focused, and powerful on the finish. I like the cool grip of minerals and the pithy intensity. The intensity of the palate is squeezed into a chilled, sapid, persistent finish. 2028–38. | 97
Montrachet Grand Cru
A fuller, richer aroma than the Chevalier, with a lightly honeyed note, and there is breadth and density on the palate. Power and richness and excellent length. It’s slightly more aromatic and exotic on the finish than the colder Chevalier. 2028–40. | 97+
Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru
From a parcel in Languettes. Cool and tense; reserved and strong. Straight and channeled. This is very pithy. Slightly severe, but good. It really pushes through on the finish. 2027–35+. | 95–96
Red
nicely into the fruit. The two young ladies who have been charge of the vineyard and winery for a few vintages now have lifted Chanson’s game, turning out sharper, more precise whites, and suppler reds. I tasted a good selection and was impressed by the wines in both colors.
White Beaune Premier Cru Les Bressandes
White-flower and citrus aroma. Straight line, with good tension, a white-citrus cut and freshness. Metal shavings on the light but quite well-sustained finish. This bright, slimline, precise palate belies the 14% ABV. Appetizing. 2026–35. | 93
Beaune Premier Cru Le Clos des Mouches
A hint of orange zest and dried ginger on the nose. Fuller bodied, with more shoulder and denser in structure than Les Bressandes. Chanson is not well known for its Clos des Mouches but has a 2.2ha (5.4-acre) parcel. It has yellow fruit, is quite punchy, and there is some power on the finish. You feel the 14% ABV here, in the character and the earthiness, but it’s by no means fat or heavy. 2026–35. | 93
Savigny-lès-Beaune Premier Cru Hauts Marconnets
I do like this sappy, savory white Savigny. It has some grip and a touch of tannin. Attractive almond bitterness, and it’s fresh. Very digestive. A wine that is not rich. You could drink it and not get tired. Really rather good. 2025–31. | 89
Red Beaune Premier Cru Champs Pimont
Blueberries and raspberries to this fruity aroma. It glides smoothly into a succulent palate, which also has splashing fruit and a twang of sappy tannins. Fresh herbal notes nip on the finish and offset the ripe fruit. An appetizingly fresh Beaune for the 2023 vintage. Quite elegantly done. A good job with the whole-bunch. 2026–34. | 93
Beaune Premier Cru Le Clos des Mouches
Much more contained on the nose than the Bressandes, with a darker but fresher fruit aroma. A burly Beaune. It has the matter to support 50% whole-bunch. Like its white counterpart, it has punch and vigor. 2026–30. | 93–94
Beaune Premier Cru Grèves
A supple glide into the fluid and rippling palate. The herbaceous character of garden herbs, from the whole-bunch, dominates the aromatics on the palate a little for now, but in its silken elegance and streamlined shape, this is so very Grèves. 2026–32. | 94
LOUIS JADOT Echézeaux Grand Cru Deep and dark, cherry-rich aroma. This shimmies
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