Vinous (91-93)

(25% new oak): Bright yellow. A touch of reduction but still a captivating fruitiness to the aromas and flavors of lemon, lime and crushed stone. Rich, savory, concentrated wine with a restrained sweetness and enlivening underlying minerality. More tactile, pliant and deep than the Poruzots. This silky, edge-free wine finishes classically dry and long, with lovely lemony lift and grip.

The Domaine Boris Champy Beaune 1er Cru Les Vignes Franches 2020, a distinguished gem from the heart of Burgundy, is the epitome of exceptional winemaking. Born within the illustrious vineyards of Beaune, this complex Pinot Noir displays the tender balance between power and elegance that defines this prestigious terroir.

Boris Champy, the meticulous winemaker, observes an organic approach, practicing sustainable viticulture to foster the authenticity of this varietal's expression. Aged for 18 months in French oak barrels, it maturely unfolds its aromatic finesse and generous velvety texture.

The nose is dominated by ripe cherries and earthy spices, followed by a hint of toasted almonds. On the palate, it delivers a precise, fresh, and persistently savoury finish. With ageing potential until 2040, the Domaine Boris Champy Beaune 1er Cru Les Vignes Franches 2020 is a remarkable investment for dedicated wine enthusiasts.

Vinous (91)

The 2017 Beaune Epenottes 1er Cru is quite closed on the nose with raspberry and wild strawberry fruit, well defined but a little stubborn at present. The palate is medium-bodied with crisp, crunchy, red berry fruit, fine acidity and good concentration. Not amazingly complex, yet it coheres nicely on the smooth-textured finish. This wine is closed under Diam 30. Tasted blind at the Burgfest 2017 tasting.

Decanter (93)

This wine features a lovely bright raspberry fruit aroma with a bit of menthol and a suggestion of peony. The tannins are substantial, and there is plenty of acidity to draw the wine to a lovely conclusion. The grapes come from 60 – 65 year old vines in the lower part of Grèves where the soils are a bit deeper. The wine shows a true Grèves character in its restraint, elegance, and balance.

Wine Advocate (92)

The 2015 Beaune 1er Cru Clos de l'Ecu from Domaine Faiveley needs some aeration to shake off some light reduction, opening in the glass with pretty notes of black raspberry, rich soil and currant leaf. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, sappy and succulent, with an ample chassis of fine tannins and a deep core of fruit, incipiently lavish but with good focus too. This will need some time in bottle to open up, but it is a promising Beaune 1er cru.

Experience the sublime elegance of the Heitz-Lochardet Meursault 1er Cru Perrieres 2020, a distinct representation of French winemaking prowess. Crafted in the renowned vineyards of Meursault, in the heart of Burgundy, this brilliant white wine tells the intimate story of its terroir. Conceived by Armand Heitz, a luminary in bio-dynamic viticulture, this transcendent Burgundy wine brings his philosophy of respecting the landscape and traditional winemaking methods to life.

The Heitz-Lochardet Meursault 1er Cru Perrieres 2020 is a superb Chardonnay that exudes nuanced brightness and profound minerality. The wine was aged in French oak barrels, allowing it to develop complex aromatic notes of citrus, white flowers and a subtle hint of oak. On the palate, it offers an exquisite balance of ripe fruit flavours, vibrant acidity, and a sophisticated mineral undertone that lingers long after the last sip. A celebrated wine, not to be missed by true connoisseurs.

Burghound (91)

Sweet spot Outstanding Top value Notes of smoked hazelnut, poached pear and pretty acacia blossom scents introduce sleek, intense and beautifully delineated medium-bodied flavors that coat the palate on the clean, focused, balanced and beautifully long finale. This could use a bit more depth but overall, this is a first-rate Meursault villages.

Savour the exquisite quality of Hospices de Beaune Meursault 1er Cru Genevrieres Cuvee Baudot 2014, a fine vintage underpinned by a rich tradition in Burgundian wine-making. Produced from the revered vineyards of the Burgundy region, it hails from the Meursault 1er Cru Genevrieres domain, bearing testament to the esteemed reputability of Hospices de Beaune, world-renowned for their exceptional commitment to viticulture mastery.

This critically acclaimed, full-bodied Chardonnay is expertly hand-harvested, preserving the purity and intensity of the fruit. The microclimate and rich soils have endowed it with exceptional terroir complexity, offering sophisticated layers of ripe apples, roasted nuts and hints of honeysuckle on the palate.

With age, Hospices de Beaune Meursault 1er Cru Genevrieres Cuvee Baudot 2014 develops bracing mineral undertones, becoming more nuanced and vibrant. This wine is a true representation of elegant French viniculture, an exquisite choice for the discerning collector.

Vinous (88-90)

The 2020 Meursault Les Gruyaches just feels a little simple compared to some of the top Village Crus that I encountered from this appellation. The palate is well balanced with good weight, a fine bead of acidity here with orange zest and light mango notes lending a tropical touch. Enjoy this over the next decade.

Vinous (90+)

(Jobard lost 40% of the crop here as both his lowest and highest vines were affected by frost; he described this as the worst frost year in this cru since 1981): Ripe yellow fruits and spices on the nose; a bit less floral than the Blagny. Sappier than the Blagny, showing good citrussy energy and a savory quality. Nicely concentrated but less refined and elegant than the Blagny. Finishes a tad spiky and phenolic, in need of time to find its ultimate harmony.

Vinous (92-94)

The 2018 Meursault Poruzots 1er Cru comes courtesy of 0.79 hectares of vine planted between 1972 and 1994. It is well defined on the nose, offering scents of hazelnut and grilled walnut, hints of orange blossom and a very faint menthol notes. The palate is well balanced with a fine bead of acidity, a judicious tang of ginger that lends tension, and impressive depth toward the finish, which lingers in the mouth. Superb.

Jancis Robinson (17.5)

Despite being in its infancy, there is a lot to love about this already: perhaps the nose is reticent, but the palate has beautiful crunchy cherry and cranberry fruit with just a touch of black olive on the finish. There's dark chocolate and lovely hedgerow notes too, giving plenty of interest beyond fruit. Certainly not at its best just yet, but full of promise.

Vinous (94)

The 2020 Beaune Clos des Mouches 1er Cru, which comes from deeper soils than the Beaune Grèves, has a mixture of red and black fruit and is a touch more expressive with a discrete marine influence. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy red fruit, very layered with a gentle but insistent grip on the finish. This is one of the finest Clos des Mouches that I have tasted.

Vinous (92-94)

The 2021 Beaune Clos des Mouches Rouge 1er Cru is one of my picks from Drouhin this year. Wonderful, vivacious red fruit leap from the glass, hints of sous-bois and dried rose petal. The palate is beautifully balanced with fine mineralité, demonstrating more complexity than the preceding Beaune Cras with more grip on the finish. Superb.

Vinous (92-94)

The 2018 Beaune Clos des Mouches Blanc 1er Cru, which has been produced by Drouhin since 1928, comes from six separately aged parcels. Drouhin mentioned that quite a few barrels were deselected from this vineyard and blended into the Côte de Beaune Blanc. This possesses an intense bouquet with subtle scents of almond, praline and pressed white flower aromas. The palate is taut and linear on the entry, featuring lovely orange pith and apricot notes and hints of tangerine and white chocolate toward the gorgeous, pure finish. Wonderful.

Vinous (91-93)

The 2019 Beaune Clos des Mouches Blanc 1er Cru, which is a selection from six different tries through the vineyard, has an intense nose, slightly Alsace-like in style thanks to a hint of linseed oil intermingling with yellow plum and orange blossom. The palate is well balanced with a tensile opening. Lovely orange pith and nectarine notes here. Not a voluminous wine, but very focused on the finish. Excellent. 

Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy (94-97)

Pale lemon colour. The power is immediately apparent on the nose, but in a good way. A wine for longer elevage before bottling and then worth the wait in bottle thereafter. This has all the expected volume of white fruit while retaining impeccable balance. Adds depth with time in the glass, before reaching quite a saline finish. A very youthful but impressive Clos des Mouches. I recently enjoyed a stunning bottle of the 2017, and this could very well match it in due course. Tasted: November 2021

Vinous (91-93)

The 2021 Beaune Clos des Mouches Blanc 1er Cru is a worthy sideman to the Chassagne-Montrachet Morgeot. Lovely citrus peel and crushed limestone scents, this has vigour and focus. The palate is well balanced with a taut line of acidity, tensile yet with ample concentration on the finish. This is certainly worth hunting down.

Jancis Robinson (17)

Cask sample. Mid purplish cherry red. Lovely floral and open nose. So pure and scented with cherry and violets. On the palate, some oak in evidence in sweet spice. Incredibly smooth and rounded texture. Packed with fruit, generous and remarkably approachable. Just fresh enough. Very persistent with that fruit.

Vinous (92-94)

The 2019 Beaune Grèves 1er Cru has a well-defined bouquet of dark berry fruit, light seaweed and oyster shell scents, and the 30% whole cluster lends a subtle tertiary aspect. The palate is medium-bodied with crisp, slightly chalky tannins. This is very well structured, delivering palpable energy. A saline finish gets the saliva flowing. Just a delicious Beaune Grèves.

Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy (91-94)

Full pale lemon. The bouquet is attractive with an intriguing note of liquorice. Quite full on the nose, with a little warmth as well as body, then brought back in to a beautiful finish. Good acidity. A little tension behind, needs time. A wine currently showing in two halves, but which may very well develop positively from here. A conservative score for now. Tasted: November 2021

Jancis Robinson (16)

Fermented in oak, 18–20% new, as for most village whites. Cask sample. Intense fruit aroma with notes of clementine and ripe lemons and a light touch of spice. Ripe and spicy. Super-creamy, with some almond and quite obvious oak on the palate – obvious at the moment but there’s freshness underneath. Not very subtle but lots of pleasure. Plenty of volume in the mouth, quite a powerful wine.

James Suckling (93)

A classically structured wine for this appellation with the weight and round generosity that we expect from it, but with plenty of bright citrus and pear fruit, something these wines can lack a bit of. Good depth with an excellent integration of chalky minerality and healthy acidity at the long and delicate finish. With aeration a touch of vanilla bean develops on the nose. Drink or hold.