Reviews

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.

From eight different parcels including 20% whole bunch with some Premier Cru fruit, the 2020 Chambolle-Musigny Village has an attractive, well-defined bouquet with brambly red fruit, white pepper and a touch of tobacco. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins, cohesive, fine build in the mouth towards a lightly spiced finish with a slight gamey aftertaste. This should age well in bottle.

The 2020 Gevrey-Chambertin Les Evocelles 1er Cru contains 50% whole bunch. It has a rather broody bouquet, a little introverted at the moment, with dark berry fruit, forest floor and light tobacco scents. The palate is medium-bodied, the whole bunch defining the entry, a little stemmy but with decent depth and plenty of freshness on the spicy finish. One of the best Gevrey’s from the Domaine this year.

Bright millennial pink in the glass, this wine has a nose offering calamansi, Valencia orange and watermelon rind. Juicy, crisp flavors combine watermelon, strawberry and Meyer lemon acidity, with a line of crushed chalk on the finish. FIONA ADAMS

Cherry, pomegranate, cranberry and bramble aromas leap from the glass. This wine offers tart acid and juicy cranberry and pomegranate up front, joined with gentle pepper and spice tones on the midpalate. Tannic grip holds until a final wash of acidity. FIONA ADAMS