Burgundy

Domaine Albert Joly, Puligny Montrachet Vieilles Vignes. This wine is made annually from a blend of older parcels located on the left side of the Rue de Poiseul on the way up towards Saint Aubin. The grapes are hand-picked and gently pressed, the wines are spontaneously fermented on small Burgundy pieces followed by 12 months of maturation, of the house's bottlings this is the most classic, steely Chardonnay with dense stone fruit, mineral notes and a streak of cask spices.

92-94 Points! The 2021 Chablis Le Bas de Chapelot comes across quite closed on the nose, though Edouard Vocoret mentioned how this cuvée has closed down at the time of my visit. The palate is complex with touches of apricot and white peach, plenty of minerals and flint, focused with a long tail on the finish. This is apparently mercurial during its barrel maturation but this bodes well. - Neal Martin, Vinous Media

From three parcels, one in Puligny, one in the Hautes Cotes de Beaune and one in Dracy Les Couches (near Givry). Vinified 80% in stainless steel, 20% in older barrels.

‘Clos de la Roche’ is found near the forest line in Dracy-le-
Fort, touching premier cru ‘Champs Lalot,’ at the northern edge of the Givry appellation. Soils here are richer, with limestone and clay, 30+ year-old vines. Aromas of sweet spice, light pepper, red and black fruit. Tangy, concentrated flavors of red cherries and raspberries.

From the importer: Prime mid-slope site with 40 year old vines planted from selection massale. The soils are clay limestone, falling just below where the marl starts on the hill. East facing. A blend of tank, cask and new barrel adds to the complexity of this gorgeous wine.

This comes from two adjacent villages parcels immediately NNW of the village: Petites Nosroyes and Nosroyes. In size, Gaëlle's parcels are 14 and 9 ares respectively. One hundred ares equals a hectare; in acreage, the total of these two parcels is 0.56 acre. So, essentially a half acre of Chardonnay vines that are around 60 years of age. These parcels border the premier cru band and lie just under the Puligny 1er Cru Les Perrières.

Blend of six different parcels from a selection of old vines. Some vineyards are in the hills – Vireuils and Meix Chavaux – and contribute freshness and tension, others at bottom of hills just under the 1er crus – Marcausses, Vignes Blanches and Pellans – contribute body, and the parcel of Millerands rests on gravel and gives finesse. Vines are trained 1/3 Cordon de Royat and 2/3 Guyot. Pneumatic pressing and static settling. Aged in barrels with 20% new wood.

A selection from three older-vine plots in Vosne: ‘Aux Raviolles,’ ‘Au Dessus de la Rivere’ and ‘Aux Ormes,’ with a mix of clay and limestone soils, mostly east-facing. Aromas of blackberry, red cherry, minerals. Juicy and spicy; lots of fresh, red/black fruit. 

Eric Forest is one of the top names in Vergisson today. Heir to eight generations of family talent and trained early by local legend Jean-Marie Guffens, Eric’s wines are shining examples of the potential and serious pleasure of white Burgundy from the Mâconnais.

A unique, south-facing vineyard in which a majority of vines are 100 years old or older, ‘Le Clos des Charmes’ is more than charming; it’s a piece of both Vergisson history and Forest family lore. As a monopole (a vineyard owned by just one tenant), ‘Le Clos’ holds a special place in Forest’s portfolio. A rich, vibrant and textured white Burgundy wine.

Impressive wine from the tiny Yannick Cadiou domaine. Yannick organically farms only 5 hectares after 27 years working as the vineyard manager at Domaine Laroche.

Yannick Cadiou Petit Chablis 2022 is characterized by a bright, golden yellow color and a fresh, fruity nose with aromas of white fruits, citrus, and floral notes like hawthorn and acacia. The palate is typically described as supple and lively, with a balance of fruitiness and minerality, underscored by refreshing acidity. Some may also detect hints of peach, honey, and a subtle flinty minerality. 

From the importer: The Vieilles Vignes fruit comes from (a combined half hectare total) Les Malpoiriers and Les Pellans lieu-dits. The Meursault planted vines range in age of 80-85 years of age and the wine is aged 1 year in barrel, 25% of which is new oak. Fantastic wine with a long traditionally Meursault finish, with richness and vibrancy you would expect from such old vines.

From the importer: Always one of the finest values in our entire portfolio of red Burgundy, Cornu’s Ladoix “Vieille Vigne” hails from two parcels, one planted in 1926 and the other in 1960 at the foot of the hillside of Corton. In typical Ladoix fashion, its fruit is blacker and more Côte-de-Nuits-like, with darker-toned spices that display a touch more severity than those of his Chorey-lès-Beaune and Savigny-lès-Beaune. It is also unfailingly more tannic, though the broad-shouldered fruit fleshes out the underlying structure.

94-96 Points! Broader and more flamboyant than the Chapelle-Chambertin, the 2020 Echézeaux du Dessus Grand Cru bursts with aromas of plums, wild berries, exotic spices, orange rind, peonies and smoked meats. Full-bodied, ample and perfumed, it's layered and concentrated, with a fleshy, multidimensional core of fruit, lively acids and a long, expansive finish. - William Kelley, robertparker.com