Burgundy wine region – Decanter

Volnay's new generation takes the reins

Charles Curtis MW — Fri, 14 Jun 2024 07:00:01 +0000

Thibaud Clerget, Domaine Y Clerget

Without Volnay, there is simply no joy,’ declared historian Claude Courtépée in his 18th-century work on the Duchy of Burgundy. The delights of the wine from this village have been known since before the dukes constructed their château there in the 11th century, while today’s wine lovers are discovering them again thanks to the able work of a new generation of winemakers.

While generational change is always occurring, it seems there are currently an unusually high number of fresh faces in Volnay, including the young winemakers Clément Boillot, Pierrick Bouley, Thomas Bouley, Marc-Olivier Buffet, Thibaud Clerget and Maxime Dubuet-Boillot.

To this, one should add Clothilde Lafarge, although her parents Frédéric and Chantal are still very much involved in the family domaine.

Scroll down to see notes and scores for wines from Volnay’s new generation

Wine selections and tasting notes by Charles Curtis MW:

Alcohol levels given where available

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Regional profile: Moulin-à-Vent celebrates its centenary

Andy Howard MW — Sun, 09 Jun 2024 05:16:46 +0000

Vineyards in Romanèche-Thorins, Moulin-à-Vent.

On 17 April 1924, the area which later became the Appellation d’Origine (AO) Moulin-à-Vent, was delimited – one of the very first in France. Precisely 100 years later, the stars have aligned for this historic Beaujolais cru with the submission of an application to elevate 14 of the appellation’s best sites to premier cru status.

Scroll down to see notes and scores for 30 Moulin-à-Vent wines

See notes and scores for 30 Moulin-à-Vent wines

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Chablis wineries counting cost of fierce hailstorm

Chris Mercer — Fri, 10 May 2024 03:00:27 +0000

Vineyards around the village of Chablis (archive image).

A fierce hailstorm hit the Chablis region in northern Burgundy at the beginning of May, prompting concern about damage to vineyards.

Some producers told French media outlets that they had been severely impacted by deluges of icy hailstones on the night of 1 May.

Weather service Météo France said violent ‘supercell’ storms affected different parts of France and began in northern Burgundy, bringing heavy hail to certain areas, and particularly Chablis.

It said some hailstones were between 4cm and 5cm in diameter, which would make them similar in size to a table tennis ball.

While the full extent of vineyard damage was still unclear, there were reports of hail slicing through leaves and damaging vine plants, which are still in the relatively early stages of the 2024 growing season.

Catherine Poitout, of L&C Poitout, told France 3 that the area around Beine was completely white after being carpeted with hailstones. ‘It could have been the middle of winter, in the mountains,’ she said.

Burgundy’s regional wine council, the Bureau Interprofessionnel des Vins de Bourgogne (BIVB), said on X – formerly Twitter – that it stood in solidarity with wine growers affected.

A BIVB spokesperson said that some areas were hit harder than others. Early reports suggested Chablis grand cru climats Vaumur, Vaudésir, Moutonne and Preuses were among the worst-hit sites, according to the BIVB.

Elsewhere, communes most affected were:

Fontenay-près-Chablis
La Chapelle-Vaupelteigne
Villy
Maligny
Beine
Lignorelles

The BIVB spokesperson said that around one sixth of Chablis vineyards were thought to have been ‘severely hit but not completely destroyed’, adding damage may not be as bad as first feared in certain places.

Damage was still being assessed and the BIVB said it was working on a more complete report of the situation.

Christian Moreau, of Domaine Christian Moreau Père et Fils, told Decanter that the Chablis appellation covers 5,866 hectares (ha) and that around 500ha may have lost between 20% and 30% of the potential 2024 crop, while other areas saw no damage at all.

On top of that, other vineyards may have sustained damage up to 100%, he said, again commenting on the picture across the appellation as a whole. But, he added the situation should become clearer in the next couple of weeks.

‘Now we just need some warm weather,’ he said.

French agriculture minister Marc Fesneau offered his support to Chablis winemakers, adding that the government would look into ways of supporting growers.

Hailstorms have affected winemakers in Burgundy several times in the past, and in other regions around the world, too. Their ferocious nature means that significant damage can be caused in a matter of minutes.

Around 12 months ago, hail caused concern in Provence as storms swept through the southern French region.

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Domaine de Courcel: Producer profile and 10 wines tasted

Charles Curtis MW — Sun, 21 Apr 2024 07:00:52 +0000

Domaine de Courcel's Grand Clos des Epenots vineyard in Pommard.

Fashion is funny. It ebbs and flows, sometimes in both directions at the same time. Domaine de Courcel seems like an enigma, popular and well-respected in France, while often ignored or damned with faint praise in the anglophone press.

Recent visits with estate manager Yves Confuron have convinced me of the need to put this to rights. Confuron is a breath of fresh air, with his wry sense of humour and readiness to follow his vision in pursuit of monumental wines that will stand the test of time.

Scroll down to see notes and scores for 10 Domaine de Courcel wines

See notes and scores from Charles Curtis MW for 10 Domaine de Courcel wines

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The post Domaine de Courcel: Producer profile and 10 wines tasted appeared first on Decanter.

Domaine Bruno Clair: Producer profile and 11 wines tasted

Charles Curtis MW — Sat, 13 Apr 2024 07:00:34 +0000

Bruno Clair.

That the full story of the domaine is not widely known must be down to the modest nature of Bruno Clair and his native village of Marsannay, but wine lovers with a sense of Burgundian history will see the domaine for what it is: one of the region’s truly top-rank estates.

Just as it is likely only a matter of time before the INAO (Institut National des Appellations d’Origine) approves the first premier crus for Marsannay, it is equally likely that thirsty Burgundy lovers will soon discover the delightful wines of this exceptional domaine.

Scroll down to see Charles Curtis MW’s tasting notes and scores for 11 wines from Domaine Bruno Clair

See Charles Curtis MW’s notes and scores for 11 wines from Domaine Bruno Clair

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Burgundy wine stocks rise after 'generous' 2023 vintage

Chris Mercer — Thu, 04 Apr 2024 10:34:58 +0000

Burgundy winemakers have been able to replenish their cellars following the relatively generous 2022 and 2023 vintages.

Winery stocks were around 12% above the five-year average at the start of the 2023-24 campaign, said the regional Bourgogne Wine Board (BIVB) recently.

‘Bourgogne has not seen a situation like this for over 20 years,’ it said.

‘This allows the industry to better anticipate potential future hazards and preserve its market share.’

Higher stocks may also mean Burgundy wine lovers could see lower prices on some bottles, BIVB co-president François Labet told a press conference ahead of the Grands Jour de Bourgogne event.

A spokesperson clarified that release pricing was a decision for individual producers and négociants, however. Other factors, such as tax, inflation and import costs, can also impact final consumer prices.

Total production from Burgundy’s 2023 vintage has been estimated at almost 1.9m hectolitres, equivalent to around 253m bottles – including 149.6m bottles of white wine, said the BIVB.

That is up 9% on the 2022 crop and is also 29% above Burgundy’s five-year average. By contrast, frost and mildew ensured Burgundy’s 2021 vintage was 33% below the five-year average.

This highlights how climate can cause big fluctuations in yields in the region, although not all producers and areas were affected to the same extent in 2021.

‘These sudden variations seem to have become more pronounced in recent years,’ said the BIVB in its recent market report.

‘As a result, the average of the harvests has hardly changed at all, but the standard deviations have risen sharply.’

Burgundy wine exports fell by 6% in volume last year, versus 2022, to around 87m bottles – partly impacted by the uncertain geopolitical situation but also a trend for consumers to drink wine less often.

Exports also dropped 0.3% by value, although still reached €1.5bn (£1.3bn) and sales to several top destinations increased slightly, as BIVB data below shows. It’s the fourth consecutive year exports have have been above €1bn.

Chablis, Petit Chablis, white wines from the Mâconnais appellations and Grand Cru white wines from the Côte d’Or all saw export revenues rise to varying degrees last year, but this wasn’t enough to offset lower sales of red wines, the BIVB added.

The top 10 export markets for Burgundy wines by value in 2023 were:

US €292.9m | +0.6%
UK €236.8m | +0.7%
Japan €139.2m | +1.4%
Hong Kong €96.6m | +3.4%
Switzerland €76.6m | +0.4%
Canada €68.7m | –14.1%
[Mainland] China €65.6m | -15.2%
Belgium €58.2m | +5.8%
Denmark €40.3m | -4.4%
Sweden €37.8m | -8.5%

Sources: Customs DEB&EMEBI+DAU / BIVB

Several UK merchants reported relatively strong buyer interest in the recent Burgundy 2022 en primeur campaign, which began in earnest in January 2024.

Will Hargrove, head of fine wine at UK merchant Corney & Barrow, said of the Burgundy market in general, ‘I think after a real pinch point of “a tiny 2021 crop combined with a red-hot market” there is a return to more normality. Many people kept their 2022s at the same price as 2021s and a few went up a little.’

Burgundy 2022 en primeur: Full report plus top-scoring wines

Mercurey: A regional profile of this hidden corner of Burgundy

Thieves hit Chablis winery, stealing more than 1,000 bottles

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Mercurey: A regional profile of this hidden corner of Burgundy

Charles Curtis MW — Wed, 03 Apr 2024 07:00:53 +0000

The vineyards of Mercurey.

According to local legend, Napoleon stopped in the village of Mercurey as he returned from exile on the island of Elba. Quenching his thirst with the local wine, he is said to have exclaimed: ‘This Mercurey is excellent, its colour reminds me of the ribbon of the Légion d’honneur, and the bouquet of heady aroma of victory.’

However, just as Napoleon’s return from Elba was short-lived, the fame of Mercurey was also soon eclipsed, and today the wines are less well-known, to the detriment of all who love firm, ageable Burgundy that won’t break the bank.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for 20 Mercurey recommendations from Charles Curtis MW

See notes and scores for 20 Mercurey recommendations from Charles Curtis MW

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Wine investment: Strong demand for Burgundy 2022

Chris Mercer — Sun, 31 Mar 2024 07:00:37 +0000

Fine wine buyers have shaken off their caution to pounce on highly rated Burgundy 2022 en primeur releases, according to UK merchants.

David Roberts MW, Burgundy and Bordeaux buying director at Goedhuis & Co, said: ‘After such a small crop in 2021, clients are very keen to buy what is an extremely attractive Burgundy vintage in 2022.’

Vintage quality appeared to override concerns about the economy, observed Jason Haynes, Burgundy buyer and director at Flint Wines. ‘Many domaines have been heavily oversubscribed,’ said Haynes, commenting on demand at Flint’s private client arm Stannary Wine.

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Thieves hit Chablis winery, stealing more than 1,000 bottles

Chris Mercer — Wed, 20 Mar 2024 08:01:46 +0000

An example of one of the wines targeted by the thieves...

Burglars targeted Domaine du Château de Viviers earlier this month and escaped with more than 150 six-bottle cases of its Chablis wines from the 2022 vintage.

Using the cover of darkness, they also took 225 magnums (150cl bottles) from the 2020 and 2021 vintages.

Total ‘damage’ was estimated at more than €50,000 (£42,700), said Arnould Lefébure, manager and owner of Domaine du Château de Viviers, which works biodynamically and organically.

‘This is a big shock for my wife and me, because it represents a lot of wine,’ Lefébure said. The winery made around 21,000 bottles in 2022, but only produced 1,500 bottles in 2021, including 100 magnums, due to frost damage during the growing season.

An example photo of one of the magnums, Côta Grand Claude 2020, including the distinctive blue wax capsule used across the winery’s wines. Photo credit: Arnould Lefébure / Domaine du Château de Viviers.

Police were investigating the burglary, which took place between around 1am and 4am on the night from the 4 to 5 March.

It is the latest example of wine being targeted by thieves, and the burglars appeared to demonstrate a high level of organisation.

Lefébure said, ‘They did the robbery with a lot of professionalism. They knew what they were doing, because I calculate that it’s more than three tonnes of wine. You cannot just put it in a small car, you have to use a real truck. And they had to put it in by hand because there was no other way.’

The magnums, in particular, would not have been easy to move, he said. ‘All of them are in wooden cases and you cannot carry more than two cases by hand because they are quite heavy, they are almost four kilos.

‘To move 225 magnums like this, which were in separate wooden cases, probably they had to be at least four, five or six [people] to do that. So they were very well organised. We are discreet, we don’t have advertising outside.’

Wines stolen in the burglary had been awaiting shipment to China.

They included three main cuvées from the 2022 vintage – Côta Grand Claude, Sous les Plantes and Cuvée B&B – plus magnums of Côta Grand Claude 2020 and Poseidon 2021.

Lefébure said he currently has little hope of finding the stolen wines, but he added that the bottles have certain stand-out features, such as hand-made blue wax capsules and distinctive labels.

‘So I may have some chance at one time to find people selling my wine somewhere.’

He appealed to anyone with any information to get in touch with him at Domaine du Château de Viviers by phone or email. He added that he was confident of being able to identify the bottles from a photo.

Lefébure, an oceanographer and cofounder of non-profit organisation GoodPlanet Belgium, took over his family estate in 2019 and assumed direct control of the Domaine’s wine operations, which had previously been managed by Maison Albert Bichot.

Alongside a switch to organics and biodynamics, he also launched a vine sponsorship scheme, which he said has around 400 sponsors.

There has been a vineyard on the estate’s grounds since the 13th century, with vines thought to have been first planted by Cistercian monks of Pontigny Abbey.

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DRC 2021 in bottle: Seven wines and two library vintages tasted

Charles Curtis MW — Wed, 13 Mar 2024 08:00:42 +0000

Although 2021 is distinctly different from other recent vintages, they have a delicious elegance, and if they lack the robust power of 2018, 2019 or 2020, their finesse shows a charm of its own. To understand the vintage, one must judge the wines on their own terms.

The recent launch of the bottled wines from Domaine de la Romanée-Conti began with a recap of the vintage by Bertrand de Villaine; ‘incredible’ in his words.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for seven DRC 2021 wines and two library vintages

Seven DRC 2021 wines and two library vintages

The wines are listed in vintage order youngest to oldest by score

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Domaine Parent: A benchmark Pommard domaine

Michael Apstein — Sun, 03 Mar 2024 08:00:43 +0000

Credit: Domaine Parent

The wines of Pommard have long suffered from a less-exalted reputation compared to the more delicate wines of neighbouring Volnay, just to the south.

They are often considered burly and chunky compared to the lacey wines of Volnay. The different character, which indeed is a powerful and persuasive argument for terroir, comes, in large measure, from Pommard’s position lower on the slope where more iron-tinged clay, which imparts power to the wine, has accumulated over the millennia compared to the more limestone rich soil higher up on the slope of Volnay.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for the 2022 Domaine Parent wines

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The post Domaine Parent: A benchmark Pommard domaine appeared first on Decanter.

French police arrest man for stealing 7,000 Burgundy wines - report

Chris Mercer — Wed, 28 Feb 2024 06:00:17 +0000

Côte de Beaune vineyards, near the village of Meursault.

French police arrested the 56-year-old man on suspicion of stealing Burgundy wines earlier this month, after CCTV footage reportedly connected him to theft of bottles at his most recent workplace.

A search on the suspect’s home uncovered many more wines that were believed to have been stolen, however.

It’s now thought the man may have stolen more than 7,000 Burgundy wines from different employers in the Beaune area during a period spanning at least 15 years, according to Dijon-based media outlet Le Bien Public.

It said the total haul was estimated to have a potential value of €500,000 (£428,000). Individual bottles were believed to range in value from under €100 to up to €1,000.

A non-police source told the publication that there may be as many as 10,000 bottles connected to the case.

No wines or companies were identified, and the suspect was not named.

State prosecutor Olivier Caracotch, based in the nearby city of Dijon, told Agence France Presse that the man was not believed to have sold any bottles that he allegedly stole, according to a report by France Bleu. It said the case was set to go to trial in the summer.

Beaune lies in the heart of Burgundy’s famous Côte d’Or. In 2015, vineyard parcels constituting 1,247 individual ‘climats’ across the area’s Côte de Beaune and Côte de Nuits sectors were added to the UNESCO world heritage list.

Beyond Burgundy’s borders, the region’s best wines have become a target for fine wine thieves, with observers connecting this to bottles’ scarcity – and high prices on the secondary market.

Recent high-profile wine heists have included break-ins at fine dining restaurants in different countries.

Last year, a couple were sentenced to prison for stealing fine wines, including top Burgundies, from Atrio hotel and restaurant in Spain.

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Burgundy wine fans queue for a month to get prized bottles

Chris Mercer — Wed, 21 Feb 2024 08:53:35 +0000

Tents set up outside Vinmonopolet's store in Aker Brygge, Oslo.

Tents have become a familiar winter fixture outside a main store of Norway’s Vinmonopolet retailer in Oslo, and a small group of Burgundy wine fans again braved sub-zero temperatures in January to lead the queue for new releases.

In 2024, the first three campers turned up on New Year’s Day – ahead of the state-owned retailer’s annual Burgundy release on 1 February.

‘The first campers spent one month outside and it was a very cold period, with temperatures down to minus 20 [degrees Celsius],’ said Arnt Egil Nordlien, product manager for fine wine and auctions at Vinmonopolet.

A first come first served-style release system means those at the head of the queue have a chance of securing particularly rare Burgundy wines for their cellars.

These include fabled grand cru bottlings from Domaine de la Romanée-Conti (DRC) and Domaine Armand Rousseau.

Tents outside the Aker Brygge store. Credit: Vinmonopolet / Sunniva Agnete Trøen.

Board games, snacks and camping chairs had been set up inside the main tent outside Vinmonopolet’s store in Oslo’s Aker Brygge neighbourhood, according to Norway’s E24 business newspaper.

It visited the campers in January and reported that seven people were already in this year’s Burgundy wine queue.

On the day before the release, 56 people spent the night in-front of the retailer’s largest shop, Nordlien told Decanter.

By opening time at 10am on 1 February, there were up to 200 people waiting in-line at the store.

‘There were people sleeping outside all of our 12 shops, except the one in Bodø, where the weather was so cold and windy the police refused to let anyone stay outside,’ added Nordlien.

All of the top Burgundy releases have now sold out for this year.

Several of Burgundy’s best-known producers featured on the list of releases. Among them, three bottles of DRC’s Romanée-Conti Grand Cru 2020 were offered at a retail price of 80,000 Krone per bottle (£6,100).

For some of those waiting patiently outside, the winter camping experience has been developing as an annual ritual.

Wine lover Henrik Malme was spending his second January outside the store in Aker Brygge, having arrived straight from a New Year’s Eve party, E24 reported.

On Instagram, Malme recently offered thanks for the good company and visitors.

As previously reported by Decanter, there is understood to be an honesty policy regarding queue numbers, to allow for bathroom and restaurant breaks.

Founded in 1922, Vinmonopolet has exclusive rights in Norway on selling wines, spirits, beers and other drinks with an alcohol content above 4.75% abv.

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Chambolle's Bonnes Mares & Musigny: Two grands crus compared

Charles Curtis MW — Mon, 19 Feb 2024 12:27:36 +0000

Chambolle-Musigny. Credit: Jon Wyand / Alamy Stock Photo

The village of Chambolle starts with a grand cru in the north and finishes with another in the south. They are both highly regarded, yet very different.

The wines of Bonnes Mares are often seen as more massive, more structured, and more muscular, while those from Musigny are more elegant, more expressive, and more nuanced.

Scroll down to see notes and scores for old and new vintages of Bonnes Mares & Musigny

However, a closer look will likely prove these generalisations too broad, and a closer look at each will help us understand them more clearly.

Bonnes Mares & Musigny: Charles Curtis MW’s scores

Wines are listed in score order

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The post Chambolle's Bonnes Mares & Musigny: Two grands crus compared appeared first on Decanter.

Oregon's 00 Wines: Producer profile and 18 wines to try

Charles Curtis MW — Mon, 12 Feb 2024 08:00:18 +0000

Chris and Kathryn Hermann of 00 Wines

Before creation, the void. Naught as a concept is a somewhat recent creation, thought to date to fifth-century India. However, it was not introduced to Europe until the twelfth century when the Italian mathematician Fibonacci explained his ‘Modus Indorum’.

To Chris and Kathryn Hermann, the founders of 00 Wines, the number symbolizes ‘potential’. The Hermanns are great believers in the potential of the Willamette Valley. Still, their vision extends far beyond local boundaries. The quest that truly motivates 00 Wines is to produce Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from the world’s greatest cool-climate sites.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for 18 wines from 00 Wines

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Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 2021: A vintage against the odds

Rupert Millar — Fri, 09 Feb 2024 09:29:12 +0000

Romanée-Conti in April 2021. Credit: Corney&Barrow/DRC

Domaine de la Romanée-Conti (DRC) unveiled its stable of 2021 wines in London on 7 February 2024.

Detailed tasting notes and scores will be published on Decanter Premium in March, when Decanter’s Burgundy correspondent Charles Curtis MW attends the domaine’s US tasting.

Ahead of this, Decanter spoke with DRC’s co-directors Bertrand de Villaine and Perrine Fernal as well as Adam Brett-Smith, managing director of the domaine’s UK agent Corney & Barrow about challenging vintage conditions in 2021 and what that means for collectors of these exclusive wines.

Charles Curtis MW’s in-barrel tasting notes for DRC 2021

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Burgundy 2021: full report

Burgundy grand cru prices are falling, says Liv-ex

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Demand for Burgundy 2022 wines better than expected – Liv-ex

Chris Mercer — Tue, 06 Feb 2024 12:17:50 +0000

It’s too soon to judge the whole Burgundy 2022 en primeur campaign, ‘but what is clear is that it has so far gone better than many [merchants] dared imagine late last year’, said Liv-ex, a global marketplace for the trade, in a new report on the region.

Burgundy’s 2022 vintage marked a return to more normal yields, following the small 2021 crop. It has also received strong reviews from leading critics, including Decanter’s Charles Curtis MW, in his in-depth Burgundy 2022 en primeur report.

There was still some nervousness ahead of the campaign, said Liv-ex in a new report entitled ‘Burgundy 2022 – Hair of the dog‘.

A relatively high-yielding vintage has gone on sale amid a climate of risk-aversion and evidence of falling prices on the secondary market.

Despite some reports of long-standing buyers turning down allocations, Liv-ex added, ‘These high-quality wines would seem to be the “hair of the dog”, the hangover cure many buyers needed to keep buying (and drinking) Burgundy, supported in no small way by the views of major critics.’

Jason Haynes, Burgundy buyer and director at Flint Wines, said in early January that the group’s private client arm, Stannary Wine, had ‘noticed heavily oversubscribed pre-releases ahead of the official campaign’.

He told Decanter today (6 February), ‘The quality of the vintage seems to have overridden concerns over the state of the economy.’ He added, ‘Several growers made the best wines they have ever made, and both established and new collectors did not want to miss out.’

Burgundy 2022 price rises ‘kept to a minimum’

Price rises have been a significant debate in recent years. Some Burgundy producers were forced to increase prices for the small 2021 vintage to cover costs, but several merchants said in December 2023 that they expected prices to remain broadly stable for the 2022-vintage campaign.

Liv-ex’s report said, ‘It seems that producers have broadly listened to the market and kept price hikes to a minimum.’

It added, ‘A small proportion (roughly 10%) lowered their prices year-on-year, while about 40% of producers raised their prices, even if only modestly, which has made selling tricky in some quarters.’

Yet, it said merchants remained optimistic about 2022-vintage sales, even if the pace is slower than in recent years.

Looking ahead, Liv-ex questioned the sustainability of some current pricing levels, given that the Burgundy 2023 vintage – due for release in early 2025 – is also relatively large and fine wine buyers are in cautious mood.

Prices fall on the secondary market

There is evidence of price declines to varying degrees for top Burgundy on the secondary market, following a stellar period of price growth for blue-chip producers, in particular.

Liv-ex’s Burgundy 150 index, which offers one barometer of prices and tracks several grand cru wines, has fallen 17.4% since hitting a peak in October 2022. The index was still up 22% in the past five years, though.

This rollercoaster trajectory was less pronounced for dollar buyers (US$ and HK$), who would have seen a lower peak and a smaller subsequent dip, Liv-ex’s report added.

Updated 17:30 UK time on 06/06/2024 to include additional comments from Jason Haynes at Flint Wines / Stannary Wine.

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The post Demand for Burgundy 2022 wines better than expected – Liv-ex appeared first on Decanter.

Burgundy 2022 en primeur: Full report plus top-scoring wines

Charles Curtis MW — Wed, 17 Jan 2024 11:48:20 +0000

A view southeast across the village of Volnay and its vineyards.

The 2022 growing season from April to September saw near-record heat and sunshine for the Burgundy region, but well-timed rains helped to deliver grapes that exhibited few characteristics of a hot summer. The fruit was healthy and ripe, with often lower alcohol levels than in 2020 – also a year of significant heat along with drought across Burgundy – and just slightly lower acidity. In the context of what Jeremy Seysses of Domaine Dujac calls ‘the new normal’, such a result in 2022 must be called an encouraging success.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for Charles Curtis MW’s Burgundy 2022 selection

Style & quality

The red wines from 2022 are deeply coloured, with a lush fruit expression, full body, well- developed but velvety tannins and abundant extract. The whites have a lush fruit character spanning ripe apple, peach and apricot and relatively soft acidity, suggesting these wines are primarily for early drinking. To achieve proper balance, some winemakers had to acidify.

In both reds and whites, it is the acid balance that holds 2022 Burgundy back from the very highest level, but the wines will be accessible and early- drinking, and the reds should age well.

Côte Chalonnaise

The climate dynamic in the Côte Chalonnaise differs from that of the Côte d’Or in that there are no cooling winds from the Hautes-Côtes streaming into the valleys that break up the slope, since the limestone outcroppings here are more irregular. The region is generally hotter and drier than the Côte d’Or further north, and this proved to be the case in 2022. Overall, the whites (Aligoté from Bouzeron and Chardonnay from Montagny) are lush and rich, with soft acidity, making them an early-drinking vintage; reds from Mercurey were concentrated and tannic, while those of Givry were often silkier and more approachable.

Mâconnais

The 2022 vintage in the Mâconnais was, if anything, even hotter and drier than the Côte d’Or. Winemaker Florent Rouve of Vins Rijckaert notes that excessively hot and dry conditions caused vines to shut down in August, which helped keep alcohol levels in check. Data from the BIVB regional wine board corroborates this, showing slightly lower sugar levels than in the Côte d’Or and marginally higher levels of malic and total acidity. Julien Desplans of Maison Verget and Domaine Guffens-Heynen ventures that ‘2022 risks being a very charming year’.

Clos des Lambrays is one of the five grand cru vineyards within the Morey-St-Denis appellation. Credit: Ian Shaw / Alamy Stock Photo

COMING SOON

The score table listing Charles’ top Burgundy 2022 wines all scoring 94 points or above

Quick links:

See further analysis and top-scoring wines of the following areas:

A taste of the top Burgundy 2022 wines

Wines were tasted non-blind. Wines are listed in order of white then red, then by scores, and then alphabetically by producer. The 2022s are bottled from January 2024, hence prices, stockists and alcohols are not yet finalised. Contact specialist merchant for allocations or to enquire about en primeur tastings. The following 40 wines were Charles Curtis MW’s selection for particularly notable quality and value among the 650 wines he scored from the 2022 Burgundy vintage.

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The post Burgundy 2022 en primeur: Full report plus top-scoring wines appeared first on Decanter.

Lafite Rothschild owner seals William Fèvre deal in Chablis

Chris Mercer — Fri, 12 Jan 2024 09:24:29 +0000

Domaines Barons de Rothschild (DBR Lafite), the owner of Bordeaux first growth Château Lafite Rothschild, announced this week that it has ‘formalised the integration’ of Chablis maker Domaine William Fèvre into its business.

It marks confirmation that William Fèvre has joined DBR Lafite, following a brief period under the umbrella of Artémis Domaines, owner of Château Latour and several other high-profile estates.

DBR and Artémis entered exclusive talks over the Chablis producer’s future last year. Artémis had acquired William Fèvre as part of its winery merger deal with the Henriot family, announced in 2022.

‘The arrival of Domaine William Fèvre in Chablis into our family of [estates] is an exciting new adventure,’ said Saskia de Rothschild, MD of DBR Lafite.

Domaine William Fèvre has been making wines since 1959 and is a significant landowner in Chablis, as well as a highly respected producer.

The 70-hectare (ha) estate includes almost 90 vineyard plots, encompassing grand cru, premier cru and Chablis village classifications, according to the announcement.

William Fèvre’s Les Preuses Grand Cru 2022 was recently given 96 points by Decanter’s Andy Howard MW in his latest Chablis vintage report.

Saskia de Rothschild said, ‘The spirit of the place and its team, deeply rooted in the land they cultivate, the on-the-ground approach to organic and environmental viticulture, and the precise yet low-interventionist approach to winemaking in the cellar, are values which fit in perfectly with our long-term values.

‘We look forward to progressing together, with Didier Séguier and his team, on the road to great white wines.’

Séguier, director of Domaine William Fèvre, said, ‘We are delighted with the arrival of DBR Lafite.

‘It’s a strength to be able to draw on the knowledge of such a family of vineyards to exchange ideas and move our projects forward. There’s a strong fit between who we are and the projects they’ve been developing for 150 years in their vineyards.’

DBR Lafite’s portfolio also includes Châteaux Duhart-Milon, L’Evangile and Rieussec in Bordeaux appellations Pauillac, Pomerol and Sauternes respectively, plus Bodega Caro in Argentina, Domaine de Long Dai in China, Viña Los Vascos in Chile and Domaine d’Aussières in France’s Languedoc area.

Financial details of the deal have not been disclosed.

Top Grand Cru Chablis 2022 wines

Burgundy 2022 en primeur: Larger crop may benefit buyers

Château Lafite Rothschild 2022 released en primeur

The post Lafite Rothschild owner seals William Fèvre deal in Chablis appeared first on Decanter.

Burgundy 2022 en primeur: Larger crop may benefit buyers

Chris Mercer — Tue, 02 Jan 2024 10:48:53 +0000

Côte de Beaune vineyards.

There has been early praise for Burgundy 2022 wines ahead of the traditional January en primeur season.

‘Overall quality is very high for red wines and good to very good for white wines,’ said Decanter’s Burgundy correspondent, Charles Curtis MW, in a full vintage report coming soon to Decanter Premium and also featured in Decanter magazine’s January 2024 issue.

Alongside high quality, Burgundy 2022 represents a return to ‘modern-day average size’, Will Hargrove, head of fine wine at UK merchant Corney & Barrow, told Decanter in late 2023.

He said the merchant will host its first proper Burgundy en primeur tasting since the pre-Covid era, on 16 January.

The tasting did not run last year due to scarcity of a weather-hit 2021 vintage, especially for white wines.

‘Yields were almost universally higher (for 2022 than 2021) so there should be more availability this year,’ said Julian Campbell, senior buyer – and Burgundy buyer – at Justerini & Brooks, which will host a tasting on 17 January in London.

Campbell said economic conditions will likely impact some consumers, but he still expected strong demand for 2022-vintage wines, noting high quality and also historical levels of interest.

‘For the past decade we’ve had a waiting list for the majority of the Burgundy we offer en primeur,’ he said.

Tight allocations remain a common theme in Burgundy, particularly for the most sought-after wines.

Still, for prospective buyers, Campbell said a combination of higher yields and the economic climate means ‘the vintage should offer customers their best chance of accessing cuvées that have been limited over the past decade’.

He added, ‘It’s definitely a year for customers to chance their arm in asking for wines they might not previously have had access to.’

Burgundy 2022 en primeur release prices to stay stable?

Price rises have been a major debate in recent Burgundy en primeur campaigns, although the picture naturally varies between wineries.

Several producers implemented increases last year to cover costs in the small 2021 vintage.

Justerini & Brooks, Corney & Barrow, Goedhuis & Co and Berry Bros & Rudd all indicated prior to Christmas that they anticipated release prices for the 2022 vintage to remain broadly flat, compared to last year’s campaign.

While release prices may not fall, many producers already know they have a relatively large 2023 vintage sitting in their cellars, which may ease pressure for further increases, said Hargrove.

Campbell said in December: ‘We haven’t seen many prices yet, but what we have seen has been mainly flat versus last year – and we expect most producers will follow suit.

‘This feels like a sensible move in the current climate.’

Berry Bros & Rudd said in a Burgundy 2022 preview report in early December: ‘It is impossible to generalise, and we have not yet received all our allocations, but prices on the whole remain stable thanks to the security of two back-to-back vintages of good production levels. With the growers facing inflationary pressures on energy, dry goods and wages, this is very positive news.’

Burgundy wine region – Decanter

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Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for Charles Curtis MW’s Burgundy 2022 selection

Style & quality

Côte Chalonnaise

Mâconnais

COMING SOON

The score table listing Charles’ top Burgundy 2022 wines all scoring 94 points or above

Quick links:

A taste of the top Burgundy 2022 wines

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Lafite Rothschild owner seals William Fèvre deal in Chablis

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Coming soon

Look out for Charles Curtis MW’s full Burgundy 2022 vintage preview on Decanter Premium and in Decanter magazine’s January 2024 issue.

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