Domaine Leflaive is arguably Burgundy’s most famous white wine producer, setting the benchmark for top-quality Chardonnay in the Côte de Beaune and the world. The property is the largest land-owner in Puligny-Montrachet, with extensive holdings in the village and five hectares of Grand Cru vineyards

Leflaive - producer

Domaine Leflaive is arguably Burgundy’s most famous white wine producer, setting the benchmark for top-quality Chardonnay in the Côte de Beaune and the world

Domaine Leflaive, Côte de Beaune Burgundy wines

Domaine Leflaive

Our team spent several weeks exploring the 2023 vintage in Burgundy – visiting, tasting and talking to a range of producers up and down the Côte d’Or. Here, we offer a run-down of the year by producer, from north to south, reporting on how each fared and our pick of their range this year

A run-down of the Burgundy 2023 vintage wines en primeur by producer: from Fourrier to Lafon via Bernstein, Lamarche, Lambrays, Duroche and Hudelot-Noellat 

Burgundy 2023 vintage by producer 

Burgundy 2023: by producer

Burgundy expert Jasper Morris MW has had his finger on the region’s wine pulse for several decades. Especially for FONDATA, he profiles eight domaines to watch, producers that are bringing vital energy and fresh winemaking talent to the celebrated wine region 

Jasper Morris MW on eight of Burgundy’s most exciting domaines – including Eleni & Edouard Vocoret, Chantereves, Alvina Pernot and more 

The new Burgundians – Jasper Morris MW 

The new Burgundians

I vividly remember the first time I tasted the Alvina Pernot wines. Burgundy was bitingly cold, and we ducked beneath Alvina Pernot and her husband Philippe Abadie’s home into their make-shift cellar, then delightfully cosy (at the time warmed just enough to encourage malolactic fermentation), and a welcome retreat from the Côte d’Or’s bracing winter weather. We squeezed into the tiny cellar, edging between the barrels crammed into the space. The wines were thrilling. Taut and pure styles of modern, pinpoint, mineral Chardonnay that were – and are – hard to resist. We were tasting the 2019s, just the second vintage from the modest operation; but they’ve rapidly established themselves as one of the Côte de Beaune’s most exciting new names. Alvina – always chic, dressed immaculately, with her gleaming green eyes and delicate features – doesn’t look like the stereotypical Burgundian vigneron. You're unlikely to spy dirt under her fingernails, and I struggle to imagine her sporting a pair of overalls. But wine is in her blood. The Pernot name is one that will be familiar to Burgundy-lovers – the family is one of the largest vineyard owners in Puligny-Montrachet (just after Leflaive), and makes some of the village’s best wines. Indeed, Alvina worked for the family estate Domaine Paul Pernot for years, but the urge to break out on her own grew over time. The Paul Pernot wines are the epitome of traditional white Burgundy, round, rich and sometimes sumptuous – and Alvina and Philippe wanted to make something of their own, a leaner style that suited their palates better. In 2017, a vineyard came up for sale – and it seemed like a sign. The plot, La Rue aux Vaches, is classified as village Puligny-Montrachet, but sits just below Premier Cru Clos des Meix and Les Pucelles. The family domaine had been farming and making wine from the site for years, and the couple knew how good the fruit was. They leapt at the chance to buy it, and the Alvina Pernot project was born. They were able to buy additional fruit from Alvina’s family, and started working on sourcing grapes from other Crus. Their first release, from the 2018 vintage, totalled 8,000 bottles. It's easy to see how challenging it might have been – going from working for the family business to setting up a separate project, and bearing the weight of their legacy. Alvina and her father have very different approaches in both the vineyard and winery, which certainly comes with its challenges, as they find the fine line between family and business, negotiating a new aspect to their relationship. “I think Alvina’s father was proud that she was starting something of her own,” Philippe says, looking affectionately at his wife. Indeed, it’s taken time for Alvina to fully step away from the family business, only officially resigning in March of this year to focus on their own label. Juggling the two estates (not to mention their son Pâris, who was born at the start of 2022) hasn’t been easy, and Philippe has – until now – had to do much of the work in the winery. Yet it’s also their family ties that have given them access to such incredible vineyards – appellations that are almost impossible to secure for most newcomers.  Five vintages in, it’s amazing to see how the project has evolved. They now produce 35,000 bottles, with the range having grown from seven to 24 cuvées. The duo are so embedded in the region and well-connected that they are able to source from some of the region’s best names, securing top sites that would be the envy of most estates. In addition to La Rue aux Vaches, they now own two further plots (both of which previously belonged to Alvina’s family): Les Noyers Brets (which is next to the couple’s home, added from 2020) and La Rue de Bois (the latter the vines that surround their winery, added in 2021). The focus is increasingly on specific sites within Puligny-Montrachet, with an ever-increasing number of Premiers and Grands Crus. In 2022, for example, they bottled three different wines from Folatières – Ez Folatières, Peux Bois and Clos des Folatières; and their Bourgogne Blanc has been divided into two different bottlings from different sites. Until 2021 the wines were made at Domaine Paul Pernot (and aged under Alvina and Philippe’s house) but the couple have now finished their own winery – giving them greater capacity, but also even greater control over the wines they’re making. From better temperature control and a broader range of maturation vessels (including both glass and amphorae, alongside oak) to reducing sulphur levels and more control over bottling, it’s allowed for even more precision. Each year, they tell me, they are pushing and doing “des petits tests”, looking to tweak and see how they can improve.  Alvina and Philippe firmly believe that almost all the work has to be done in the vineyard, with farming the three plots they own a huge part of what they do. Philippe has been doing it almost entirely himself – and is relieved that they’ve just been able to hire someone to help them. But the significance of the vineyards work is also why it is so important for them to source fruit carefully from growers with similar standards, and whom they trust. As with any small producer, the challenge when it comes to farming is not just quality, but quantity. Alvina and Philippe do almost everything by hand (indeed, they don’t even own a tractor yet – and still borrow Alvina’s father’s one when they can), and sustainability is a key focus. After pruning, it’s common in Burgundy to see the horizon dotted with smoking fires, as the cuttings are burnt; Philippe and Alvina avoid this and the resulting pollution, instead using the cuttings for a mulch to further increase the organic matter in their soils. They aren’t looking to be certified organic, but avoid chemical sprays wherever possible and are doing trials with biodynamics; the risks, and costs, are the threat, however. They can’t afford to lose an entire crop, as would have happened in a vintage like 2021, should they have refused to use anything but copper and sulphur; nor do they want to have to sell their wine for five times as much as they currently do, to allow such a philosophy. Ideals can only take you so far. While 75% of the job might be done by the time the fruit is harvested, it’s all too easy – even with the very best fruit – to ruin it all in the winery. “There’s nothing minor during vinification – everything matters,” Alvina explains. “Each tiny detail makes the difference between an average wine, a good wine and an excellent one.” Although between them the duo had plenty of experience, nothing is set in stone, and each year they feel they are learning more – as they continue to question what they do and why. “It’s also important not to be too wrapped up in our little cocoon, just the two of us, but to talk honestly each year with our expert oenologist [Pierre Fonteneau] about the wines,” Philippe explains, when it comes to the winemaking. “There are three voices in the business – Alvina, me and the oenologist – and not one counts less than the others.” It’s easy to imagine that any Burgundy producer’s goal is to be a domaine – to own a prime selection of the region’s most prized sites; but for this young couple, that’s not really the aim. Alvina is set to inherit some enviable plots, but they can’t imagine giving up the opportunity to continue working with many different parcels. “The diversity of terroirs is absolutely the most interesting part for us,” they say. It’s likely their range will continue to shift – as they get access to new, exciting parcels and discover those they really love. Ultimately, however, Alvina explains, “The aim is to make wines we love, the wines we want to drink. When people are happy to be there, to share the wines with us, and to find them, we’ve done what we set out to do.” Explore all current listings from Alvina Pernot or read more about Burgundy

We’ve been following Alvina Pernot – granddaughter of Paul Pernot – since she first struck out on her own. Sophie Thorpe sat down with Alvina and her husband Philippe Abadie to talk about the wines, their philosophy and the future

As Philippe Abadie and Alvina Pernot release their fifth vintage, we look at how this fledgling wine estate in Burgundy’s Puligny-Montrachet is evolving

Five years of Puligny-Montrachet’s Alvina Pernot

The other Pernot: Puligny-Montrachet’s Alvina Pernot 

Burgundy is a mecca for lovers of fine Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, but, with its litany of producers and vineyards, it can be a tricky region to get to grips with. Here we offer an essential guide to the region – breaking down everything from how vineyards are classified to producers to look out for

Discover everything you need to know about Burgundy: from vineyards and producers to the difference between négociant and domaine or what a Grand Cru is

Your essential guide to Burgundy wine

Your essential guide to Burgundy

Domaine Paul Pernot is synonymous with the appellation of Puligny-Montrachet. For the last 30 years the estate – alongside Domaine Leflaive and Domaine de Montille (previously Château de Puligny-Montrachet) – has been one of the largest shareholders in the appellation, playing a significant role in maintaining its reputation for complex, expansive, mineral-tinged Chardonnay.  Paul Pernot created his estate in the early 1950s, initially with 11 hectares, although at the time not all of it was planted to vines. It was only in the 1950s, with the invention of modern tractors, that the hard limestone rock could be penetrated for the first time, enabling more of the appellation to be planted with vines and Pernot’s acreage increased. By the early 1990s, the estate had increased its holdings to 20 hectares, including plots in the Grands Crus of Bâtard-Montrachet and Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet.  Puligny – with its 230 hectares of vineyards – is considerably smaller than its neighbouring appellations, Meursault and Chassagne-Montrachet, with notably fewer vignerons fortunate to own vines in this prestigious appellation. Domaine Paul Pernot, thanks to its relative size, is therefore in an enviable position, with its production in high demand from the main négociants of Burgundy and beyond.  The estate has historically sold significant volumes, most notably to Joseph Drouhin, while keeping the cream of their crop for themselves, typically just 40% of their production. It was this that prompted Alvina Pernot to establish her own label. “My husband Philippe and I have been wanting to make our own wine for several years. As the family estate sells part of the harvest to the negociants, it seemed logical for us to start recovering part of it.”  Alvina Pernot, (granddaughter of Paul Pernot), a young vigneron born and raised in Puligny Montrachet, grew up close to the family estate, as her father and uncle managed the domaine throughout her childhood. Despite branching out on her own, Alvina Pernot still works at the family estate, managing the commercial and administrative part of the business (allocations, customer tastings, logistics, management, etc). Until last year she was also involved in the winemaking, but this year she was not able to be there as much. “Now we have reached a point where my husband and I must be completely focused on our own wines at vinification.” The quick-ripening season of 2019 made that ever clearer, as there was a rush to get the grapes picked to retain the taut traits typical of her wines.  Growing up under the guidance of such a prestigious Puligny estate was no doubt insightful for Alvina. The most important thing she learned from her father and grandfather she explains “is that exemplary work in the vineyard allows for high quality raw material. From then on, we have all the cards in our hands to make the best wine possible.” Despite the similarities in their viticultural practices, there are notable differences in the winery. “When we started, we didn't want to make a copy and paste of the domaine, but rather try to produce a wine in our image: reflecting our own vision of wine. We love the domaine wines and share the same passion of the profession, but we also love the idea of creating something for ourselves and trying new things.”  “With the smaller production levels, an extra attention to detail becomes possible,” says Alvina. She opts to hand harvest in small crates as opposed to the traditional large containers, better protecting the grapes against oxidation. During the all-important pressing stage, Alvina opts for the more traditional vertical press, rather than the more widely used modern horizontal pneumatic presses. According to Alvina, the traditional vertical presses have a distinct qualitative advantage despite losing 15 - 20% more juice than modern presses. “It reduces oxidation, provides a greater purity of juice with naturally higher acidity and therefore freshness.”  The Alvina Pernot wines have longer ageing on the lees too, right up until bottling – 11 months. In the future Alvina hopes to extend her control of élevage further, with a soon-to-be-built new winery in Puligny, allowing her, when necessary, to age the wine on the lees even longer. She and Philippe hope to have the winery up and running by the 2021 harvest.  How each of these bespoke adjustments affect the final result in bottle is an interesting experiment to explore. No doubt the wines from Domaine Paul Pernot and Alvina Pernot are distinctly different. Paul Pernot grapes are typically picked a few days later than Alvina’s on the same site, with a style very much focused on concentration and richness. Alvina’s methodology is more focused on purity and tension. To taste the wines side by side is a fascinating contrast of Puligny’s potential.  The must-try wines from each Pernot  Domaine Paul Pernot: Puligny-Montrachet, Premier Cru, Les Folatières  The historic sites Domaine Paul Pernot retains for itself is arguably some of the most prized in Puligny. The estate is lucky enough to own vines in both the Grands Crus of Bienvenues-Bâtard Montrachet and Bâtard-Montrachet, yet it is the Premier Cru Les Folatières that Alvina believes shows the Paul Pernot domaine at its best, the most representative rendition of the Folatières terroirs. “We are the largest owner of this appellation (three hectares) and the positioning of our plots (Clos des Folatières, Peux-Bois and Folatières) within the vineyard allows us to have a wine that is a true representation of the cru.”  Alvina Pernot: Meursault, Premier Cru, La Pièce sous le Bois  Alvina Pernot’s wines come from a selection of her favoured sites, belonging to the Paul Pernot estate as well as an additional site in the Puligny-Montrachet lieu-dit of Noyers Bret. Three of the Alvina Pernot Premier Cru cuvées – La Pièce sous le Bois, Les Chalumaux and Champ Gain – are at some of the highest altitudes in the Puligny and Meursault appellations. While Alvina admits it is difficult to generalise, these higher-altitude vineyards produce wines that are less opulent and more tense. There is however a noticeable difference in the Premier Cru La Pièce sous le Bois in Meursault. While the altitude brings distinct freshness, the soil is not the same limestone rock of Puligny. It is a thicker clay more typical of Meursault. Despite the altitude, the wine therefore has weight and power, but with an added freshness unusual for lower sites in Meursault and showcases the brilliant contrast of power and vibrancy Alvina brings to the appellation.  Discover more about Alvina Pernot or read more Editorial 

The Pernot family has been making wine in Puligny-Montrachet since the 1950s – but today Alvina Pernot is striking out to forge a reputation of her own. We talked to her about the decision to break away from the family domaine, and how her wines differ from those of her father  

Alvina Pernot's family has been making wine in Puligny-Montrachet since the 1950s – but today she is striking out on her own. She tells us how and why

The Pernots of Puligny

The Pernots of Puligny: a family divided by tradition and modernity

Domaine des Comtes Lafon’s Montrachet is remarkable. The estate’s rare, famous flagship wine comes from a tiny plot – just 31.82 ares, less than a third of a hectare–at the southernmost point of the world’s most famous white wine vineyard, with Blanchot Dessus across the road, and right next door to plots belonging to Domaine de la Romanée-Conti. In fact, the plot is so tiny that in the low-yielding 2016 vintage, the property joined forces with DRC, Leflaive, Domaine Guy Amiot & Fils, Domaine Lamy-Pillot and Domaine Fleurot, pooling together their grapes to produce two barrels of Montrachet from their combined 1.25 hectares.   The Lafon family has owned their plot since 1918, however the vines were farmed by the Morey family for a long time. Indeed it was only in 1991 that Dominique Lafon officially reclaimed it. The vines here are very old, with the vast majority planted in 1953, and a small section planted in 1972.  These old vines bask in the sunshine, facing south, their roots on deep limestone soils that preserve minerality and freshness. The wine produced is remarkable. Tasting through a vertical back to 2001 at our recent dinner, the style really shone through: it is one of the richest and most powerful Montrachets, possessing both great concentration, yet also an amazing freshness that carries it through a long drinking window.  Being fortunate enough to drink through 15 vintages really highlighted the wines’ capacity to age. The top 2017, 2014 and 2010 vintages were a masterclass in Chardonnay perfected, but it was the supposedly “lesser” years such as 2006 or 2011 that showed the sheer class of both the site and the winemaking.  While Dominique Lafon has long been the face of the estate, we were joined by his daughter Léa Lafon who – alongside her cousin Pierre – is leading the estate into a new era. The new generation is looking to the future and continuing her father Dominique’s relentless drive for continual improvement and innovation, while protecting her father’s legacy. Her mission remains the same: to produce the greatest possible expression of a year, adapting as needed to that single window in time.  It was exciting to taste with Léa, who was incredibly open about the challenges the estate faced in the past. She explained how the domaine, over the last 20 years, has made important adaptations both in the vineyard and winery that has led, she believes, to big improvements in the wines today. One significant shift has been the reduced use of bâtonnage, producing a more precise, brighter, fresher style of wine. Her desire to continually improve shone through during our dinner and conversation, and it’s clear that the future of this estate is incredibly exciting.  Vertical of Lafon's Montrachet 2017: The first vintage of the evening did not disappoint. In fact it silenced the table, truly setting the tone for the evening ahead. A remarkably powerful rich nose unfurled with ripe lemon, honey, blossom and buttery roasted nuts. It was delicate and refined, yet with deep concentration and levels of dry extract that coat the mouth. Multi-dimensional, multi-layered with extraordinary potential, this is a remarkable effort and was one of the great wines of the night. 2015: This has a ripe nose, but took a little coaxing to showcase the bright, well-defined, rich, ripe fruit. It was dense, bright and full (indicative of the vintage?), but with huge depth and potential. The salinity wasn’t quite as evident as on other vintages from the same era, with this showing a more waxy, honeyed ripeness. Very satisfying and long, with a buttery finish.  2014: As expected, the 2014 leaps from the glass, almost making itself known before any swirling has begun. It was very ripe with pungent limes, lemons and a slight hint of herbs. Smokey and mineral, there’s a touch of struck-match and slate. Once again, the harmony of all the components – weight, concentration, dry extract, acidity – is remarkable. The classic Montrachet power and weightlessness is very evident, clearly a wine for the long-term but how special to try it in an early phase of its evolution. Saline and complex. Classy and rich, simply outstanding.  2013: Considerable reduction evident here, slightly outweighing the fruit and perfume. Lots of slate and struck-match dominated at first, but with air it was rich and bright, with well-defined flavours of honey, ripe lemon, hints of smoke, minerals and an almost chalky finish.  2012: This had a bright, energetic nose of ripe lemon and lime, with a hint of apricot. Everything is aligned and seems to be in perfect proportion – deeply concentrated, but light and fresh – very harmonious and complete.  2011: This was another vintage from this remarkable line-up of triumphs that outperforms the vintage, showing an unbelievable balance of bright, dense, concentrated fruit balanced by high acidity. On the palate, it feels like this could last forever. Lime and minerality hides in the background, with a slightly waxy and tropical finish. Long and memorable.  2010: Standing up to the reputation of the vintage, the ’10 delivers in abundance. It is ripe, but with underlying slatey, chalky, smokiness; tense, but with huge concentration and a core of rich stone-fruit character. Layered and textured, it’s captivating. The wine is complex with hints of honey and nuts emerging with gentle coaxing. The oak is perfectly resolved and integrated. Hugely impressive, standout.  2009: Corked sadly! Though evidence was there behind the TCA of a brilliant wine. 2008: Wow – this was sensational, with a captivating nose of ripe lemon, lime, honeysuckle and even a hint of guava and limey, oyster water. Intense, focused and concentrated, there’s layer after layer of viscous, dry extract balanced perfectly by massive acidity, with citric bite. Very mineral and multi-dimensional, it’s complete and faultless. Hard to say how this outstanding 2008 could be improved in any way at all. Stunning.  2007: More reserved than the very pronounced 2008, this offered fleshy pears, stone-fruit, lemon rind, with slightly less concentration than some of its counterparts, but remained perfumed and charming.  2006: The consensus was the 2006 was one of the stars of the evening – show-stoppingly good, emphasised by what is a fairly ordinary vintage in the Côte de Beaune. It was ripe, almost tropical, but with the characteristic saline, mineral, high-acid backbone found in the top vintages of this extraordinary wine. It was floral, ginger and orange-zest scented, while the palate is sumptuous, multi-layered and penetrates the whole way through. Weightless and powerful, it build to a nutty, saline finish. Extraordinary, it’s surely a contender for wine of the vintage.  2005: This was apparently a tricky vantage at Lafon, with some bottle variation Léa noted, but it was another outstanding ex-domaine bottle on the night. It offered a quieter nose than the sublime 2006, with hints of honeysuckle, candied apple, hazelnuts and ginger. It has a rich core of concentrated, dense, buttery, ripe nuttiness, which follows through to an elevated, slightly floral finish. 2004: Another challenging vintage for Lafon, with some bottle variation possible, the bottle on the night, however, was outstanding. With notes of limey, fresh apples, it has the characteristic marine, saline character, if not as pronounced as other vintages. It has a soft, slightly reticent texture, but an undeniable power, reminding us of the quality on show. Perhaps slightly shorter than previous vintages, but still superb. 2003: Completely not the expected profile for such a warm vintage, this was quite lean and high acid. It’s very pure and seductive, yet still with a saline note, pears, slightly candied apple, cream and a limey finish. Exceptionally long and satisfying. 2002: A very strong showing, this was bright and alive, with a mineral nose showing fresh citrus, with a more rounded and almost silky mouth-feel. With hints of pine nuts, minerals, slate, it was dense and rich but with balancing high acidity that makes for a wonderfully fresh palate and saline finish. Outstanding. 2001: This was perhaps slightly more mature than expected (not a perfect bottle), but was the right side of oxidised, with excellent depth and freshness. Notes of baked apple, nuts, clove, butter and honey blossom mingle. It was quite viscous and full-bodied, with a long, rich finish. Browse all listings from Domaine des Comtes Lafon

Earlier this year we held a dinner at The Connaught exploring Domaine des Comtes Lafon’s Montrachet Grand Cru. We tasted through 15 vintages back to 2001 – exploring just what it is that makes this wine, and estate, so legendary 

Discovering one of the world’s finest white wines – Domaine des Comtes Lafon’s legendary Montrachet Grand Cru – via a vertical back to 2001

Exploring Domaine des Comtes Lafon’s Montrachet

2019 BOURGOGNE BLANC, DOMAINE DE MONTILLE The specific clones of Chardonnay used in De Montille’s Bourgogne Blanc make it particularly special. Most Bourgogne Blanc is made with higher-yielding clones which have a tendency towards dilution; but De Montille’s Bourgogne Blanc comes from a single site that borders Puligny-Montrachet, planted exclusively with low-yielding clones. This shines through with impressive density on the palate. The wine retains that mineral-edged De Montille style, fleshed out with pear and juicy white melon fruit. 2019 CORTON-CHARLEMAGNE, GRAND CRU, HENRI BOILLOT While not exactly cheap, the Boillot wines still offer great value – competing happily with the likes of Leflaive, Coche-Dury and Ramonet. In 2019, their wines really shine – balancing the concentration of fruit with thrilling acidity. Their Corton-Charlemagne is extraordinary – the power of this site instantly in evidence. The wine is a coil of minerality and citrus, poised and wound tightly. There’s a smokiness to the nose, with a struck-match intensity countered by what feels like a tsunami of fruit – lime, green apple and white peach. Mouth-filling and rich, expansive yet zesty, the acidity drives an astonishingly long finish. Muscular, poised, razor-sharp and full of potential. 2019 CHABLIS, GRAND CRU, LES CLOS, REMOISSENET PÈRE & FILS Remoissenet has friends in high places – and although we can’t say who, one of the region’s most respected and collected producers sources their Chablis. Their wines are – unusually for Chablis – 100% barrel-fermented, producing texturally rich, powerful wine that cleverly never loses its sense of place. In 2019, this opulent style has never suited the vintage better. The nose of Les Clos is very pure with fine, subtle florals. Notes of comice pear, crystallised lemon rind and dried citrus fruit oscillate with the rounded, rich and creamy texture of the wine. The oak is layered over a very pure core of fruit, with a classic sunny Les Clos typicity. On the finish, the wine tightens up nicely and ends with real mineral focus and salinity. Superb. 2019 SANTENAY, BIEVAUX, ALVINA PERNOT The Bievaux vineyard belongs to Alvina’s grandfather Paul Pernot and has long been the family’s favoured site for Pinot Noir. High up on the hill and directly south-facing, the vineyard benefits from ideal sun exposure and cooling diurnal influences, producing a wine with lovely texture and balance. The tannins are fully resolved but the wine has energy and spark too. These 40-year-old vines produced a fantastically juicy, moreish wine in 2019 (at a great price).  2019 CHAMBOLLE-MUSIGNY, DOMAINE HUDELOT-NOËLLAT Charles van Canneyt only made 25 barrels of his village Chambolle this year, versus the normal 40 – which is a particular shame given the quality. It’s a blend of 11 parcels from all around the appellation, to give a true “village” wine. He opted for no punch-downs in 2019, as the skins gave up their colour and tannins so quickly. The resulting wine is surprisingly dark and intense in style, such is the concentration of the year. Nevertheless the wine has a real crunch of red fruit, with amazing acidity and elegant tannins.  2019 GIVRY, PREMIER CRU, CLOS DE LA SERVOISINE, DOMAINE JOBLOT We could have put any of Joblot’s wines in this list – such is the value offered by this superb Givry producer. This south-facing plot is next door to Cellier aux Moines – which Joblot also works with, and tasting the two alongside each other is a treat, with such contrasting styles. This is the brighter of the two, with more lift and perfume on the nose, but the palate reveals darker and more savoury depths. Concentrated bramble fruit is framed by chalky tannins and vibrant acidity. Delicious. 2019 MERCUREY, PREMIER CRU, LE CLOS DU ROY, DOMAINE FAIVELEY The Faiveley family (now in its seventh generation) is today France’s 35th richest family – but it was railway technology, rather than wine, that made their fortune. It means that winemaking for the domaine these days is a purely qualitative affair, with a no-expense-spared approach taken with all their wines. This really is a winwin for the drinker. Being the largest producer in the Cote Chalonnaise, their Mercurey Premier Cru Le Clos du Roy is not only exceptionally made, it is also extremely well-priced. In 2019, this wine has captured the dynamism in the best examples of the vintage, full of energy with lovely crunchy red berry fruit and a sapid salinity on a long finish. Incredible quality for the appellation.  2019 SAVIGNY-LÈS-BEAUNE, PREMIER CRU, LA DOMINODE, DOMAINE JEAN-MARC & HUGUES PAVELOT Hugues Pavelot has crafted a wonderful range in 2019 – toning down extraction given the ripeness, and turning up the whole-bunch to add freshness (with between 15 to 30% on the Premiers Crus). La Dominode was a star of the tasting, however. It manages to effortlessly combine a subtle, chalky grip with a silk-like mouth-feel. The fruit is ripe, smooth and lush but also crunchy and bright – a mouthful of crushed raspberries and blueberries with a burst of redcurrant acidity rushing through the palate. There’s a mineral freshness to this full yet fine wine. Lovely. 2019 VOUGEOT, PREMIER CRU, LES PETITS VOUGEOTS,  DOMAINE HUDELOT-NOËLLAT Charles van Canneyt has 0.5 hectares of this Premier Cru, sandwiched between Clos de la Perrière and Le Clos Blanc. It’s one to watch – and a site that Charles thinks is benefiting from global warming, thanks to its limestone soils. In 2019 the wine is dark, rich and intense but with bright, sweet berry fruit that also has a vibrant crunch to it. Refreshing acidity balances the plush, dark cherry fruit on the palate, while delicate notes of violet florals and black tea fill the finish.  2019 CHEMIN DES MOINES DE VERGY, DOMAINE GROS FRÈRE & SOEUR, VIN DE FRANCE This is only the third vintage of this delicious curiosity from Gros Frère & Soeur. Planted in 2014 and 2015, this plot sits at the top of the Côte, beyond the borders of the Burgundy appellation (hence its Vin de France status) and at high altitude. Overlooking the Grands Crus of Vosne-Romanée, the vines are trained high – with a full 2.5 metres’ worth of canopy to capture as much sunshine as possible at these cool and dizzy heights. The resulting wine is supple, soft and bright, with crunchy sour cherry and redcurrant fruit. Light and fresh, with a long finish of vibrant acidity, it’s a fun addition to the range – and one that will be interesting to follow in the coming years as temperatures continue to rise. 2019 VOLNAY, PREMIER CRU, DOMAINE GEORGES LIGNIER The Lignier family line runs through Benoît Stelhy’s mother’s side, but his father’s side also as vines, with 46 acres in Volnay and 12 in Pommard. They’re old vines and he buys the grapes in, although works closely to manage the vineyards in the same way as his own, with grass cover all year. He picks the fruit himself though with family and friends helping – “It’s a little bit like we go on holiday,” he tells us, travelling down to the Côte de Beaune to harvest, normally on a Sunday morning. His Premier Cru Volnay was a treat to taste – pretty and perfumed, it’s laden with bright, crunchy red berries, but there’s a mineral line that lends finesse. Dainty, fine and truly delicious. 2019 MOREY-SAINT-DENIS, PREMIER CRU, CLOS SORBÉ, DOMAINE HENRI & PHILLIPE JOUAN Philippe Jouan’s wines certainly fly under the radar – and with the current quantities produced, this is unlikely to change anytime soon (with just three hectares in total). However, the little wine produced here is an honest rendition of some exceptional terroir in the Côte de Nuits – and, with the 2019 vintage, the wines have never tasted better. Our pick of the range was his MoreySaint-Denis Premier Cru Clos Sorbé, one of the top Premier Cru sites in Morey. The wine is wonderfully intense with an expressive, complex nose of lavender, rosebush and incense, while the palate is ripe and juicy with sun-kissed wild blackberry and blueberry fruit. 2019 CHAMBOLLE-MUSIGNY, PREMIER CRU, LES CHABIOTS, ALBERT BICHOT Les Chabiots sits above Les Amoureuses – pedigree that seems to escape most people. It’s singing again in 2019, a delicate and fine-boned wine with a nose full of violets. But don’t let its prettiness deceive you, there’s plenty of power to back it up – with a core of raspberry and bright red cherry fruit, supported by a backbone of minerality. The tannins are seamless, the acidity fine and long. Tight and taut, this is outstanding. Browse all Burgundy or explore more Editorial

The wines that really overperformed in the 2019 Burgundy vintage. We think offer the best bang-for-buck this year – from Bourgogne Rouge to Grand Cru Chablis

Exploring 2019 Burgundy that overperformed, including Hugues Pavelot Savigny, De Montille’s Bourgogne Blanc, Corton-Charlemagne Boillot and more

Burgundy 2019 top-value wine buys

Burgundy 2019: top-value buys

Over two trips to the region, our team delved into the 2022 vintage – visiting, tasting with and talking to a range of producers up and down the Côte d’Or. Here we break down the year by producer, from north to south, with a summary of how each fared and our favourite wines from the tasting table

A run-down of the Burgundy 2022 vintage wines en primeur by producer: from Fourrier to Lamy via Bernstein, Lamarche, Lambrays, Duroche and Hudelot-Noellat

Burgundy 2022 – the vintage by producer

Burgundy 2022: by producer

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