2019 Côte de Nuits

One of the lesser known Nuits premiers crus, this vineyard is shared with Domaine Robert Chevillon, just below Aux Thorey, on the Vosne side of the appellation. Its clay-rich soils have yielded a big-shouldered, powerful Nuits, with a complex and surprisingly silky palate with an ample, pleasing finish.

Aloxe-Corton, which hugs the hill of Corton, may not be the most famous village in the Côte d’Or, overshadowed both metaphorically and literally by the grands crus, but in the hands of winemakers like Etienne the results can be impressive - and good value. This is spicy and dark-fruited on the nose, with a juicy palate that abounds with summer fruits and a voluminous, structured finish.

This large 7 hectare vineyard in the hills above Nuits-St-Georges has wonderful limestone soils, quite similar to those found on the hill of Corton, though with a much fresher climate, of course. It is wild and fresh, with a hedgerow fruit aroma and a long, and ripe finish. This has done particularly well in 2019.

This comes from a single parcel just across the road from Chambolle-Musigny, Les Bons Batons. It has the perfect combination of tannins, fruit and acidity. With notes of rose petal and fresh berries, and a fine, lacy line of acidity with supply tannins, this feels more like a Chambolle than a Bourgogne. Considerable ageing potential.

This remarkable village lieu dit sits directly above Bonnes Mares, Clos de Tart, and Clos des Lambrays. The Clair parcel is situated just above their Bonnes Mares parcel. Up here there is virtually no top soil at all, and the vines plunge straight into the limestone bedrock. The wine has a dark-fruited depth, with a tannin structure that feels so sumptuous and silky. It’s hard to believe this isn’t a premier cru.

Delicate and perfumed on the nose. When the quality of fruit is this good, it becomes irrelevant its classification is merely Bourgogne.

This wine is not only where his cellars are based, it is also the calling card of the domaine. It shows a burst of juicy red berries on the nose, with a lifted, minty freshness. The tannins are so strawberry-soft and supple that the overall impression is of an incredibly silky texture, that might feel like it were missing some structure if it weren’t for the elegant freshness of the Hautes-Côtes acidity. Nice peppery nuance to the cranberry fruit palate.

This remote east-facing vineyard sits at an elevation of 400m. Mark explains that on a crisp summer morning you can see all the way to Mont Blanc from here. Its position means, although bathed in morning sun, it does not have much hot afternoon sun. The fruit ripens slowly here, and it is often the last parcel of the domaine to be picked. It is suave, refined, and effortlessly elegant.

This plot was once considered in the same breath as Chambertin and other great sites, so it now constitutes a real bargain. It is fruit, flamboyant, and fragrant in 2019, bursting with the scent of crushed raspberries. There is some stony minerality on the palate and delicious, crunchy little tannins. Bright and enticing.

This is a very special village lieu dit. It is sandwiched between two grands crus: Charmes-Chambertin and Griotte-Chambertin. You can really appreciate the calibre of this vineyard in the delicious profile of this 2019, introduced by the sumptuous but cool red fruit fragrance, and followed by a crystalline palate with perfectly expressed velvet tannins. All the fruit was destemmed for this cuvée, and the gentle supporting note of new oak in the background is on song.

A new addition to the Cathiard cellar in 2019. The vineyards Sébastien has taken on he says are in excellent condition, and now farmed along organic lines. This is a blend of several parcels with wines aged between 10 and 70 years. It shows spicy fresh fruit, with some lovely crunch and drive.

This might just be the best village wine out there. It comes from four parcels which host a variety of vine ages. The relatively high proportion of younger vines gives this cuvée an explosive, juicy power. There are such voluptuous tannins and depth of fruit. It is powerful and silky, and utterly delicious.

This cuvée first appeared in 2015. It is made from the young(er) vines of the Clos de l’Arlot that had once been labelled ‘Petit Arlot’. It consistently proves its worth as a separate bottling with every new vintage: this is sweet and precise on the nose, with bursting redcurrants, violets, and graphite. The palate shows a wonderfully classical freshness, and some attractive, firm tannins that are expertly married to the red berry volume, making it ready for drinking in just a few years, I expect.

This single vineyard Côtes de Nuits village wine is a firm Lay & Wheeler favourite. It has a superbly lifted cherry fruit nose, with some excellent minty freshness on the peppery palate. Exactly what you’d look for in this appellation, with the intensity and dimensions to out-perform some grander communal wines with a few years in bottle.

Nicole has three parcels within this grand cru, one in the northwest corner (where everyone wants to be) tucked up next to Musigny. In 2019 she vinified all three separately, which helps add complexity and layers to the finished wine. This is spicy and deep, with some sinewy muscle flexing underneath the berry fruit and savoury tannins. An outstanding Clos de Vougeot, so long and refined, but with some power beneath.

Another new addition to the Cathiard cellar in 2019. It feels slightly more structured than the Aux Chaumes at this early stage, with a saline drive.

Clos de Vougeot might be a grand cru, but in the wrong hands it can be ungainly and heavy. In the hands of the Grivots, however, it is a finely woven, detailed and poised wine with beautiful power and length. The structure here is a little austere in its youth, but this is just the innate structure of the site taking centre stage so early on. This bodes well for some complex ageing, and the fruit will unfurl around the tannin architecture in time.

This vineyard spans over 7 hectares of limestone hillside, accounting for almost half the domaine’s production. It has a slightly darker, more deeply structured and brooding presence than the Mont des Oiseaux, with firmer, more savoury fruit. The palate swirls with mulberries and spiced blackberries, with a long, tense finish, and superbly sustained freshness.

This comes from an astonishing 18 different parcels, many in the vineyards facing Chambolle-Musigny. Poor weather at flowering has, sadly, cut the normal yield in half. But what remains is just lovely - juicy and energetic, with soft berry fruit and a salty acidity. Good precision on the finish. If you’re quick enough to get it, it’s one of the bargains of the list.

This is one of the standouts in the Grivot cellar in 2019: plush, concentrated, and bursting with energy. The slippery smooth tannins wrapped around glossy dark fruit give the wine a lift and luminosity that sets it apart. The clay soils in the southern part of Nuits, sometimes accused of producing rustic wines, have helped the vines glide through the dry growing season of 2019, and have resulted in this glorious wine.

This single vineyard is located on the north side of Nuits, near Vosne-Romanée. It has a hint of that silkiness, but in its youth, the Nuits structure and stature dominate. This is a great example of the bold and muscular Nuits: fully bodied and full flavoured, with 2019’s brilliant freshness.

This clos is a monopole of the domaine found right at the centre point of Gevrey, between the grand cru slope and the Combe de Lavaux. There is a spicy depth of fruit on the nose, and a surprisingly fine, elegant frame on the palate. It always has a sweet salinity to it, which complements the nicely ripe fruit in 2019. A charming Gevrey premier cru that should drink well from early on. One of Bruno’s personal favourites.

From five parcels in four different sites, this Vosne is spicy, fragrant, and incredibly long. Beautiful energy on the finish.

40% Gamay with the rest Pinot Noir, from a 38 year old vineyard. Great density, with crunchy berries, grip, and long, fine finish.