Reviews

The 2020 Charlemagne Grand Cru has a well-defined and quite focused bouquet with admirable mineralité and tension. The palate is taut and fresh, impressive in terms of depth, quite focused and poised with a touch of sea salt towards the finish. Lots of energy here - this is one of Vougeraie’s best whites.

The 2020 Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru has 100% whole bunch, though stems neatly enmeshed on the nose with hints of blueberry and cassis infusing the red fruit. A little timid at the moment, it will open with bottle age. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy red fruit, fine acidity, just a little chewiness on the entry. Structured on the finish, this is quite a "serious" Bonnes-Mares that just needs to muster more charm on the finish

The 2020 Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru comes from three parcels. This has quite a strict bouquet, just a touch of reduction to contend with at the moment, but nicely focused. The palate is well balanced with a fine bead of acidity, fresh and quite zesty although it does not quite deliver the precision of the Charlemagne on the finish at the moment

From vines planted in 2012, the 2020 Vougeot Les Cras 1er Cru is totally destemmed. Incense and potpourri notes blossom on the nose that offer a mélange of red and black fruit. The palate is well balanced with good grip, quite ripe and poised, taut and fresh with a saline finish that fans out nicely. Good length here, this should age well in bottle.

Three tries were made through the vineyard to make the 2020 Vougeot 1er Cru Le Clos Blanc de Vougeot this year due to differing ripening levels. Orchard fruit, touches of petrichor on the nose, this is quite Puligny-like in style. The palate is well balanced with a fine bead of acidity, though it just needs a touch of tension and mineralité on the finish. But this is fine overall.

The 2020 Nuits Saint-Georges Clos des Thorey 1er Cru comes from three-hectares of vines with thte 50% whole bunch courtesy of the old vines. The nose offers dark cherries, crushed strawberry and wild hedgerow scents, fine delineation and vigour. The palate is slightly creamy in texture on the entry, quite plush and fruitdriven, pure red cherries and strawberry fruit with a sleek and caressing finish. Predesigned to seduce, this should age well in bottle.

The 2020 Corton Clos du Roi Grand Cru contains 100% whole bunch this year. I appreciate the aromatics here - well-defined, fragrant and quite floral, there offers fine mineralité and tension. The palate is mediumbodied with supple tannins, very harmonious with a bead of acidity that lends finesse and elegant towads the finish. This is clever winemaking and a successful Corton. Excellent.

The 2020 Pommard Les Petits Noizons includes 80% whole bunch. This has a well-defined bouquet, a mixture of red and black fruit mixed with damp loamy aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with chalky tannins, quite linear and strict with bitter cherry towards the finish. Correct and très Pommard. Enjoy over the next decade.

The 2020 Charmes-Chambertin les Mazoyères Grand Cru escaped any frost and did not require sorting. Containing 100% whole bunch, it has a taut and fresh bouquet with raspberry, blackcberry and wild hedgerow aromas, a touch of pencil lead coming through with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy red fruit, good grip, a Charmes-Chambertin with firm grip on the saline finish. Maybe I am seeking a bit more "charm" although that may develop with  time

The 2020 Gevrey-Chambertin La Justice was completely-destemmed this year. It offers brambly red berry fruit laced with rose petals and peony on the nose. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, lithe in the mouth, no hard edges here with a lightly peppered, quite finessed finish. Worth seeking out.