(2025) This is a Bourgogne Chardonnay, fruit sourced from across the Côte d’Or and Mâconnais, one-third barrel-fermented while that and a portion of the stainless steel ferment is also barrel-aged. That gives the wine creaminess and nuttiness, rather than overt 'oakiness', with a succulent peachy fruit cut by a bit of green apple strictness. It's really rather stylish this, the palate treading a similar line between juicy and ripe stone fruits and a rather more linear acid tension. The barrels give just a little rounding nut husk sense of savoury dryness in a rather nice overall package. Note that Noble Rot Fine Wines has this at £16.95 currently. Most other retailers are around £20, including Morrisons supermarket. Watch the video for more information.
(2024) A Chardonnay dominated blend along with Gamay and tiny amounts of Aligoté and Pinot Noir, this drinks well in a slightly more crowd-pleasing, soft and approachable style where the sweetness of the dosage is slightly too high for my palate, which tends towards drier sparkling wines. It's a simple but well-made wine with good fruit and freshness in the finish.
(2024) From three parcels of vines that are between 50 and 70 years old, this was made with 100% whole bunches in the ferment. Dry, cranberry and briar notes on the nose are classic, a little truffle and forest floor development and a touch vanilla perhaps. In the mouth plenty of freshness but sweet fruit concentration too. Again cranberry, redcurrant, certainly in the tart but juicy red fruit spectrum. Spices and a bolstering touch of deeper oak add to the crunch of the fruit on the finish in a rather stylish way.
(2024) From the village where Nicolas grew up, fermented with native yeasts and age in barrels, 20% of which were new. This ramps up the floral and perfumed ripeness of fruit on the nose, a glimpse of an almost minty intensity before more truffle and sous-bois characters. In the mouth it has richness compared to the Savigny, weight and creaminess. The fruit falls more into the black fruit spectrum, but still with juiciness and a roughening edge of spicy tannin that adds some grip. Balanced and long, this is very good.
(2024) Moving into the Côte de Nuits, this comes from vineyards fully converted to organic farming. The vines were planted in 1952. The rich garnet colour precedes aromas that are firm, spicy and earthy, a touch of vegetal character is perfectly tuned, not dominating the savoury fruit quality. In the mouth it offers plenty of structure with a backbone of tannin and keen acid grip suggesting it will cellar for several years more. Through the mid-palate fruit and texture builds, ripeness and suppleness. A very harmonious finish here, balance is impeccable.
(2024) Another very nicely judged Chardonnay, matured in barrels for about 11 months, on the lees. Quite a golden colour, but again the oak adds just a shimmer of buttery toast and almond. There's some delicate spice and quite nutty peach and apple. Fine juiciness, mouthwatering citrus and a fine, delicate line of spice and toast, savoury yet sweet and refined, a very nice balance into a long finish.
(2024) What a lovely wine this is, with its crushed raspberry fragrance and delicate floral notes, and a background of graphite and sweet, cool earth. From clay and limestone soils with a southeast exposure, vines are 42 years old and after destemming, the wine was fermented in steel and matured in barrel for 12 months, 10% of the barrels were new. It's a plush wine on the palate, aided by its 14% alcohol, but the depth of sweet, ripe, fleshy fruit melting into chocolate is just gorgeous. Quite long too, the silkiiness of the tannins and ripeness of the acidity do not ruffle the picture into quite a long finish. No UK stockists listed at time of review.
(2024) Sheen of oatmeal and almond, slightly toasty background and very clean citrus and yellow plum. Dry, pithy, but zippy palate, the barrel adding a little tobacco/toasted edge, but lovely clarity and lightly saline acid balance. A clean, delightful white Burgundy.
(2024) Ageing in 500-litre oak barrels for this Chardonnay from d'Etroyes' clay and limestone soils gives plenty of vanilla and honey on the nose, but the fruit beneath is cool and lemony. In the mouth really nice punch of lime and tart Seville orange fruit and acid, smoothed by the oatmeal touch of barrel, but really nice balance, and length, with the finish showing a light spiciness and plenty of acidic verve. No UK retail stockist listed at time of review.
(2024) From a plot with very deep clay soils, this is a big-scaled and plush Pinot, slicked with vanilla and deep mulberry fruit. In the mouth that sense of plushness continues, a ripe and relatively solid style, creamy tannins and a bit of spice, but balanced and juicy, perhaps a touch of alcohol heat in the finish. No UK retail stockists listed at time of review.
