2001 BURGUNDY
RATING FOR THE VINTAGE
RED WINES: 14.5 (COTE DE BEAUNE)
WHITE WINES 16.0
17.0 (Côte de Nuits)
THE SIZE OF THE CROP
Red Wines White Wines Total
Grands Crus 13955 3935 17890
Village and Premiers Crus 174216 60185 234401
Total 188171 64120 252291
There are four types of vintages: those which are obviously better than most, right from the outset, and fulfil their early promise; those which are indifferent at the beginning and always will be; those, sadly, which appear to be rather good but fail to live up to original indications (1997 red burgundy for example); and lastly, those which seem to lack what it takes, but which go on just getting better and better.
A prime example of this latter category is the 1991 red Burgundy vintage. It was decried at the outset., but in fact has turned out very well indeed. The best wines are still delicious now, holding up surprisingly well. Another, I feel, is 2001.
Faces were long in September 2001, at the time of the Burgundy harvest. The weather pattern had by no means been perfect. The fruit, while ripe, was not really concentrated. The health of the grapes was not up to 1999 standards. And the musts registered a very high degree of malic acidity. Not a good vintage, we were told. The parallels were 1997 and 1994, not 1996 and 1998; far from 1999.
Somewhat surprisingly, while the whites are only fair, the 2001 red Burgundy harvest has shown itself to be really very good, especially in the Côte de Nuits. There is more substance, definition and character than in the 2000s, though the 2002s are more regular and even better. In the 2001s there is a most appealing fresh, pure fruit, well balanced by a good acidity. The tannins are ripe; and the wines speak of their origins. They have evolved in the medium to long term, but the very best are still vigorous, ten years after the harvest.
THE WEATHER CONDITIONS
Generally speaking 2001 was a wet, cool and cloudy year in Burgundy. February and March were both rainy but mild, April and May – all except the last few days of the latter month – rainy and cool. The flowering was late and drawn out, and though the weather was for the first time in the year reasonably warm, the humidity left by all this wet weather produced outbreaks of mildew, as well as causing millerandage, reducing the size of the crop.
July was miserably cold and wet, only heating up in the last 10 days of the month. This resulted in a hail storm on August 2nd which severely reduced the crop in Volnay, Monthélie and the vineyards on the Auxey-Meursault border. The effect in parts of the Côte Chalonnaise was even worse, especially in Bouzeron. The last half of August was again warm, but most of the first three weeks of September were once again grey and cool, though reasonably dry.
The Ban des Vendanges fixed the first date of the harvest as Monday September 17th in the Côte de Beaune, Thursday 20th in the Côte de Nuits. This was before the fruit was fully ripe, especially in those vineyards not green-harvested, but no one forced you to start on that date. While some of the less thoughtful rushed to pick, the better growers waited. There was a little rain on the 19th, rather more on the 26th and 27th, but mainly at night. But in between it was windy, drying up the fruit, and after the 28th it became much warmer and sunnier.
While the weather conditions were not ideal, the vines leaves remained green, right up until the middle of the harvest. Photosynthesis was continuing to take place, making up for a blockage in this progress towards maturity occasioned by the cool weather earlier. Moreover the wind helped concentrate the fruit, even if it was not initially very sunny.
While some of the Pinot Noir vineyards in the Côte de Beaune were picked earlier, while waiting for the white wine grapes to mature fully, much of the Côte de Nuits was not cleared until after the 28th, in the best of the vintage conditions. This was a year to favour the late pickers. This is the main explanation why not only is it a better year in red than in white, but why the Côte de Nuits is more successful than the Côte de Beaune. The other is a crucial difference in precipitation between the northern and the southern sectors of the Côte d’Or during the harvest and in the weeks which run up to it. However, once one did begin, it was essential to clear the vines quickly before the grapes turned. Some doubled the number of pickers in order to get all the fruit into the winery at its best.
The 2001 red wine harvest is 3.5% less in volume than the 2000, 8.4 percent lower than the 1999. This is less of a difference than the white wine yields (2001 9.7% less than 2000) but it certainly plays a part in ensuring that the fruit approached a decent level of concentration rather than being merely ripe.
Triage, of course, was vital. Unlike the 1999, which was marvelously healthy, but like 2000, there was, in 2001, an ever-present danger of rot. Sorting tables are now becoming more and more efficient. They vibrate, shaking off excess water. They have wind tunnels, which dry fruit that is moist. They can be lit from underneath, assisting the elimination of fruit which may have changed colour but not be fully ripe. The fruit is then de-stemmed (except in some top domaines such as the Domaine de la Romanée-Conti) but hardly crushed at all, and then poured onto a second sorting table. Here it can be examined again, berry by berry. This ensures that only the perfect fruit is vinified.
The next step, in many cases in 2001, as in 2000, was a saignée: the bleeding off of excess juice, not only to improve the solid/liquid ratio, but also, as in years like 2000, to eliminate the oxidize enzymes.
As with the 2000s, 2001 was not a year for over-extraction, over-oaking or over-chaptalisation. Despite the good acidities, the wines were essentially quite fragile. By this I do not mean that they were weak, but that the balance – and therefore the inherent elegance – risked, with over-manipulation, being easily compromised. Equally, this was a vintage for early bottling, to preserve the freshness of the fruit.
WHERE ARE THE BEST WINES?
The vintage is better in the Côte de Nuits than the Côte de Beaune, and better in the Côte de Beaune than in the Côte Chalonnaise. Hail damage halved the harvest in some climats in Volnay, almost wiped out Bouzeron and had severe effects in Rully and parts of Mercurey. The vines which survived were nevertheless unsettled as a result. Even putting these villages aside, the Savignys are proportionally better than the Santenays. There are some fine Cortons. Nuits-Saint-Georges is a village which has produced lovely 2001s, and these are better, proportionately speaking, than those in Vosne-Romanée and Chambolle-Musigny where one or two wines are just a little tendre. The vintage is at its best in Gevrey-Chambertin.
At the outset the red wines did not show very comfortably. There was a lot of malic acid, and the malo-lactic fermentations were slow to complete. As so often these days, one had to wait until the following autumn before one could confidently predict the eventual quality of the wines. This applied to the whites as well as the reds. If for the former the previous vintage, the 2000, is to be preferred, it is certainly the case that the red wines are better in this vintage. There a more than a few very attractive bottles, and these, just about ready ten years on, can safely be held.
What is interesting to see is how the style of the vintage has affected the usual characters of the communes. This is particularly apparent in Pommard, where the wines, without having lost their usual size, seem to have more generosity and more sophisticated tannins. It also explains the success of the Nuits-Saint-Georges.
The following wines were sampled at my usual ten-year-on tasting for the growers in Bouilland in June 2011. Once again my thanks to Becky Wasserman and Russell Hone for permitting us to use the premises, and to Russell for his lentil cassoulet.
WHITE WINES
Saint-Aubin, Clos de la Chatennière, Domaine Hubert Lamy Drink soonMagnum. Just a little fade on the nose. Better on the palate. Fresh, ripe, fruit-salady fruit. Balanced and stylish. Medium to medium-full body. Very good.
Saiont-Aubin, En Remilly, Domaine Hubert LamyNow-2015Magnum. A little more colour, but a little more vigour than the Chatennière. Fuller, richer and with more grip. Today better. I usually prefer the above. Good depth. Lovely concentrated fruit. Holding up well. Very good plus.
Meursault, Maison Morey BlancPast its best.
Meursault, Clos de la Barre, Domaine des Comtes LafonDrink soonRipe, round, rich and quite fresh, if without any real personality. Good.
Meursault, Limouzin, Domaine Francois Mikulski Drink upSome fruit but a little tired. A little past its best. Somewhat four square now.
Meursault, Meix Chavaux, Domaine RoulotNow-2016Ripe, clean, crisp and classy. Holding up well. Lovely fruit. Can still be kept. Very good.
Meursault, Tête de Murger, Domaine Patrick JavillierDrink soonMagnum. Rich, full, vigorous nose. Good substance, class and depth. Good fruit. On the palate the wine is somewhat four-square and the finish is a bit coarse. Good at best.
Meursault, Les Charmes, Domaine des Comtes LafonNow-2017Youthful colour. Fresh, succulent and balanced, with attractive fruit if no great concentration. But there is depth and vigour here. Very good indeed.
Meursault, Les Charmes, Domaine RoulotNow-2018Magnum. Lovely, gentle, fresh nose. Soft and plump and elegant. Sumptuous, very harmonious fruit. Holding up well. Fine.
Meursault, Les Genevrières, Domaine Francois Jobard Now-2016Slightly more four-suare on the nose than his Poruzots but better on the palate. More minerally. Good grip. Fresh. Quite vigorous. Can still be kept. Very good.
Meursault, Les Genevrières, Domaine des Comtes LafonNow-2015Well-matured but still fresh. Ample, ripe, fullish. Not as fresh as the last example which came my way (or the 2000) but ripe and stylish.
Meursault, Les Perrières, Domaine Thierry Matrot Now-2017Labelled as Pierre Matrot. Ample, plump and rich. Fresh and meaty. Good fruit. No great elegance but succulent. Medium-full body. Can still be kept. Very good.
Meursault, Les Perrières, Domaine Pierre MoreyRather too reduced on both nose and palate for comfort.
Meursault, Les Poruzots, Domaine Francois JobardDrink soonQuite a firm, youthful nose. But a little age on the palate now. Fullish. Good grip. But rather rigid at the end.
Puligny-Montrachet, Le Champ-Canet, Domaine Jean-Marc BoillotDrink upSomewhat concocted nose. A bit rigid. Better on the palate, except that it is a bit sweet. Lacks class.
Puligny-Montrachet, Les Champs-Gain, Domaine des Comtes LafonDrink soonFullish, stylish nose. Ample, balanced, ripe and still quite vigorous. Tails off a bit at the end. But very good indeed.
Puligny-Montrachet, Les Demoiselles, Domaine Guy Amiot et FilsNow-2016Quite a developed colour, but the wine is fresh and stylish on both nose and palate. Medium-full body. A touch of new oak. Plump and fruity and balanced. Good depth. Very good plus.
Puligny-Montrachet, Les Pucelles, Domaine LeflaiveNow-2017Fresh nose. Nicely crisp attack. Plump, balanced and vigorous. Holding up well. Medium-full body. Some concentration. Good grip. Not enough flair for 'fine' but very good indeed.
Puligny-Montrachet, La Truffière, Domaine Jean-Marc BoillotDrink soonBetter than his Champs-Canet. More relaxed. Fresher. Better grip. Medium-full body. But the fruit lacks class, especially at the end.
Chassagne-Montrachet, Les Caillerets, Domaine Richard Fontaine-GagnardNow-2017Youthful colour. Fresh nose. Ripe and balanced and elegant. Medium-full body. Good acidity. Crisp and stylish. No lack of depth. Finishes well. Very good indeed.
Morey-Saint-Denis, Les Monts-Luisants, Domaine DujacNow-2018Fresh colour. Fresh nose. Full of interest, depth and vogour. Youthful and stylish. Still plenty of life.
Corton-Charlemagne, Maison ChampyPrematurely oxidised.
Corton-Charlemagne, Domaine Bonneau du Martray Now-2015Ripe, rich, fresh, fullish, concentrated nose. Medium-full weight. This starts off well but then it tails off.
RED WINES
CÔTE DE BEAUNE
Givry, Clos Salomon, Domaine du Clos SalomonNow-2016Medium colour. Mature. Gamey nose. Fully mature on the palate. Slight sweet-sour notes. Medium body. Good fruit. Ripe and no weakness. Positive finish. Very good for what it is.
Savigny-lès-Beaune, Les Guettes, Domaine Jean-Marc et Hugues PavelotNow-2020Magnum. Very good colour. Lovely fruit on the nose. Fresh, pluumy, enegetic and complex. Really quite classy too. Medium-full body. Long. Very good plus.
Savigny-lès-Beaune, Les Marconnets, Domaine Simon BizeNow-2018Good colour. Somewhat subdued on the nose at first. But stylish. Medium body. Balanced. Good vigour. Quite rich. Positive at the end. Long. Very good.
Savigny-lès-Beaune, Les Peuillets, Maison ChampyNow-2016Good colour. Round, ripe nose. Slight touch of bonfires. Medium-full body. Quite rich. Not much refinement but still vigorous. Quite good.
Savigny-lès-Beaune, Les Vergelesses, Domaine Lucien JacobDrink soonMedium colour. Quite an evolved nose. A touch of astringency on the palate. Medium body. Good grip. But not quite enough fruit and class.
Beaune, Les Cent Vignes, Domaine Lucien Jacob Now-2018Medium colour. Soft nose. Ripe. Positive. Stylish and plump. An ample, medium bodied wine with good vigour. Shows well.
Beaune, Aux Cras, Maison ChampyDrink soonMagnum. Decent colour. But getting a bit old on both the nose and the palate. Somewhat loose-knit. Quite fruity. But some astringency. Lacks a bit of grip and class and probably always did.
Beaune, Les Grèves, Domaine Michel LafargeNow-2017Good colour. Quite rich, spicy nose. A touch of astringency on the palate. But good depth and vigour and grip. Nice aromatic, ripe fruit. Finishes well. Cleaner than the attack. Very good.
Beaune, Les Pertuisots, Domaine Devevey Drink soonMagnum. Medium colour. Quite an earthy, developed nose. Medium body. Ripe. Reasonably positive and stylish. But it doesn't really sing. Quite good plus.
Volnay, Clos des Chênes, Domaine Michel Lafarge Drink soonMedium colour. Quite brown. Nothing much on nose and palate. Not as good as their Grèves. Somewhat dilute. Disappointing.
Volnay, Santenots du Milieu, Domaine des Comtes LafonDrink soonMagnum. Medium-full colour. Soft nose. Ripe and stylish, but less depth and substance than usual. Medium body. Decent fruit on the attack, but no great dimension or interest. Good at best.
Volnay, Santenots du Milieu, Domaine Francois Mikulski Now-2019Magnum. Medium colour. Quite developed. A slight hail-taint on the nose, but not enough on the palate to render the wine undrinkable. Indeed otherwise the wine is quite rich, full and meaty. Fat at the end and with good grip. Very good.
Pommard, Clos des Epeneaux, Domaine des EpeneauxNow-2020Magnum. Medium-full colour. Lovely fruit on the nose. Plump and ripe. Quite concentrated. Even sweet. Fullish. Fresh. Lovely finish.Very good indeed
Pommard, Grand Clos des Epenots, Domaine de CourcelNow-2018Magnum. Fully developed colour. Good energy on the nose. Ripe, rich, positive and succulent. Medium-full body. Not as fresh or as classy as the Epeneaux, but very good.
Pommard, Clos du Verger, Domaine Billard-Gonnet Drink soonMedium colour. Developed nose. Ripe, spicy. Fully ready if not approaching its end. Medium body. Succulent and attractive. Positive at the end.
Pommard, Les Pezerolles, Domaine A. F. Gros Drink soonMedium body. Fully developed. Lacks energy. Soft and fruity. More too it on the palate. Medium body. Balanced and spicy. But not a lot of style.
Pommard, Rugiens, Domaine Jean-Marc BoillotNow-2017Medium-full colour. Plump, succulent nose. Quite rich and meaty. Medium-full body. A slight touch of reduction on the palate. But good character and a positive finish. Good plus.
RED WINES
CÔTE DE NUITS
Marsannay, Les Longerois, Domaine Bruno ClairNow-2016Medium colour. Clean, precise nose. Attractive fresh fruit. Ripe, plump, balanced and stylsh. A delicious picnic wine. Serve a little chilled. Very good for what it is.
Marsannay, Cuvée l'Ancestrale Now-2019Medium to medium-full colour. Ripe. Plenty of vigour. Medium-full body. A meaty wine, especially for a Marsannay, but not over-extracted. Very good for what it is.
Nuits-Saint-Georges, Clos des Forêts-Saint-Georges, Domaine ArlotNow-2020Medium colour. Fully developed. Soft, ripe, almost sweet, stemmy nose. Medium body. Ripe. Fresh. Balanced. Good plus, but for me it lacks a bit of depth and concentration. Others liked it better than I.
Nuits-Saint-Georges, Les Pruliers, Domaine Lucien Boillot et Fils.Drink soonMedium-full colour. Some development. Not much on the nose. This has lost some of its fruit. Plump and quite rich, but a bit coarse.
Nuits-Saint-Georges, Les Saint-Georges, Domaine Henri Gouges Now-2025Fullish colour. Splendidly concentrated nose. Great style and class. Rich, full bodied, meaty and profound. Only just ready. Will still improve. Lovely finish. Fine plus.
Nuits-Saint-Georges, Les Vaucrains, Domaine Chevillon Now-2020 plusMedium-full colour. Fully mature. Rich, full bodied and vigorous. Doesn't quite have the flair of the Gouges but a fine wine here. Plenty of life ahead of it.
Vosne-Romanée, Les Brulées, Domaine Michel GrosNow-2025Magnum. Medium-full colour. A bigger, meatier and less advanced wine than their Clos de Réas. And at present a little more clumsy. Still needs a couple more years. Fullish. Good tannins. Very good grip. Lots of energy and a lovely rich finish. Fine plus.
Vosne-Romanée, Clos des Réas, Domaine Michel GrosNow-2025Magnum. Medium-full colour. Soft, ripe, stylish nose. Lovely fruit. Medium-full body. Fresh, rich, harmonious and energetic. Great harmony and great class. Fine plus.
Vosne-Romanée, Les Malconsorts, Domaine Sylvain CathiardNow-2025 plusMagnum. Very good colour. Very lovely pure, classy nose. Concentrated and vigorous. Fullish body. Now just about ready. Very fine fruit and a lovely harmonious character. Splendid.
Vosne-Romanée, Les Malconsorts, Maison Camille GiroudNow-2025Medium-full colour. Classy fresh fruit on the nose. Pure. Concentrated. Poised. Harmonious. Medium-full body. Very elegant. Fine quality.
Vosne-Romanée, Aux Reignots, Domaine Robert ArnouxNow-2025Good colour. Just about mature. Fragrant nose. Still a little unforthcoming. Medium to medium-full body. Balanced and understated. Ripe and classy. Lovely fruit. Very good grip. Complex and subtle. Very good intensity at the end. Very good indeed.
Vosne-Romanée, Aux Reignots, Maison Bouchard Père et FilsNow-2025Good colour. Fullish nose, nicely substantial. Ripe and rich. On the palate only just about mature. Fullish body. Just a little tannin. Lots of vigour and depth. Quite a meaty wine for a 2001. Good energetic finish. Fine.
Vosne-Romanée, Les Suchots, Domaine Robert Arnoux Now- 2025Fullish colour. Still youthful. A fullish, concentrated, still a little backward wine on the nose. Lovely rich, profound fruit. Lots of depth and dimension. Fullish body. Still a bit of unresolved tannin. High quality underneath. Very good intensity at the end. Fine plus.
Vosne-Romanée, Les Suchots, Domaine Grivot Now-2025 plusMagnum. Very good colour. Rich, concentrated nose. Still a bit to go. Very lovely cool, plummy fruit. Fullish body. Complex and very classy. Lovely long vigorous finish. Delicious.
Vosne-Romanée, Les Suchots, Maison Louis JadotNow-2025Good colour. Ripe, fragrant, round but intense nose. Lovely elegant fruit. Medium to medium-full body. Soft tannins. Good grip. Lots of style and no lack of depth. Long and positive. Fine.
Chambolle-Musigny, Domaine J. F. Mugnier Now-2018Light-medium colour. Soft, classy, mature nose. Gentle, plump and fruity. Ripe. Sweet. Medium body. Balanced. No great weight but lots and lots of charm. Lovely long finish.
Chambolle-Musigny, Les Amoureuses, Domaine Joseph DrouhinNow-2019Medium to medium-full colour. Delicate but very classy on the nose. Quite developed. Good fruit. On the plate a little undernourished. It lacks real intensity.
Chambolle-Mugigny, Les Charmes, Domaine Ghislaine Barthod Now-2019Magnum. Medium-full colour. Lovely plump, succulent nose. Very stylish and very well-balanced. Long and very charming. Very good indeed.
Chambolle-Musigny, Les Cras, Domaine Georges RoumierFullish colour. First bottle round and ripe but both clumsy and a bit oxidized. The second bottle was cleaner but not really very exciting either.
Chambolle-Musigny, Les Fuées, Domaine Ghislaine BartodNow-2020 plusMagnum. Fullish colour. Firm on the nose. Rich, full-bodied and profound. Lovely fruit on the palate. Medium-full body. Lots of energy. Ripe, balanced and very good grip and depth. Classy and intense. Fine plus.
Chambolle-Musigny, Les Groseilles, Domaine Digioia-Royer Now-2020 plusMedium colour. Lovely, fresh, plump fruit on the nose. Very elegant. Lovely style. Medium to medium-full body; Fresh and succulent. Long and lovely.
Morey-Saint-Denis, Premier Cru, Domaine Dujac Now-2019Quite Dujac-y, despite the changes going on at the time. Soft, sweet, fresh nose. Medium body. No great depth or complexity – yet alone power – but very good indeed.
Gevrey-Chambertin, Mes Favorites (Vieilles Vignes), Domaine Alan BurguetNow-2020Medium to medium-full colour. Plump, fresh nose. Good meaty fruit. Medium-full body. Quite succulent. Fresh. Good grip. Plenty of wine here. Good vigorous finish. Very good.
Gevrey-Chambertin, Les Cazetiers, Domaine Christian SerafinNow-2025Fullish colour. Aromatic nose. Ripe, plump, not too oaky, as Serafin's wines can be. Ripe. Full bodied. Balanced and very succulent. Not quite as brilliant than usual, but a fine 2011.
Gevrey-Chambertin, Les Cherbaudes, Domaine Lucien Boillot Père et FilsNow-2020Good fresh colour. Ripe, rich nose. Quite stylish. Well-balanced. A meaty wine with more depth and quality than usual at this period. Good fruit and good energy.
Gevrey-Chambertin, Clos du Fonteny, Domaine Bruno ClairNow-2025Magnum. Good colour. Very lovely nose. Pure and poised and cool and very elegant. Lovely fruit. Very harmonious and persistent. It lacks just a little strength in the middle but the finish is long and positive.
Gevrey-Chambertin, Clos Saint-Jacques, Domaine Bruno Clair Now-2025Magnum. Medium-full colour. Aromatic nose. Some new oak here. Medium-full body. Slightly spicy. A much more ample and substantial wine than the Clos du Fonteny. Lots of depth. Lots of energy. Lots of quality. Needs another two years.
Gevrey-Chambertin, Clos Saint-Jacques, Domaine Armand RousseauNow-2025 plusMedium-full colour. Rich, concentrated, high quality nose with a touch of new oak. Fullish body. Profound. Youthful. Excellent grip. Very impressive finish. Splendid quality as usual. Will still improve.
Gevrey-Chambertin, Les Corbeaux, Domaine Denis BacheletNow-2025Full colour. Ample, rich, meaty nose. Lots of depth here. Fullish body. Lots of class. Very lovely fruit. Great harmony and intensity. Will still improve. Fine plus.
Gevrey-Chambertin, La Petite Chapelle, Domaine Dupont-Tisserandot Now-2018Good colour. Ripe, rich, and with a slight ginger-bread spice on the nose. Medium to medium-full body. Lacks a little energy on the follow through, but still reasinably vigorous.
Gevrey-Chambertin, Le Poissenot, Domaine Humbert FrèresNow-2020Medium to medium-full colour. Soft, succulent, plump nose. Juicy-fruity. Full of charm if not too much substance and energy. Balanced and fruity and elegant.
GRANDS CRUS
Corton, Bressandes, Domaine Chandon de BriaillesNow-2020Magnum. Medium colour. Fresh nose. Ripe and plump and stylish. Good fruit. Medium to medium-full body. Plenty of complexity as well as originality. Long. Fine.
Grands-Echézeaux, Domaine de la Romanée-ContiNow-2020Good fullish colour. Aromatic, spicy, slightly burnt nose. But most enticing red fruit behind it. Full body. Now mellow but with plenty of vigour. Very good acidity. Cool and classy. Lots of depth. Medium-full body. No enormous grip, but it evolved well in the glass. Fine plus for the vintage.
Clos de Vougeot, Domaine Dr. Georges Mugneret-Gibourg Now-2019Medium-full colour. Full, rich, fat, ample nose. Fresh on the palate. Lots of depth at first. But not the greatest of intensity on the follow through. Indeed it tails off. A pity. Decent finish. But it could have been a lot better.
Richebourg, Domaine A. F. GrosNow-2019Fullish colour. Ripe and seductive on the nose, but a bit too soft for a Richebourg. Medium-full body. Balanced and stylish. But the attack lacks a little intensity. The follow through is better. But fine rather than great.
La Tache, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Now-2020Fullish colour. Delicate but intense on the nose. Lovely fruit but a lack of real power. Balanced. Very classy nevertheless. Very fine.
Bonnes Mares, Domaine Georges RoumierNow-2025Full colour. I much prefer this to the Vogüé. It is fresher, riper, cooler and classier. Fullish body. Lots of energy. Lots of depth. Very fine plus.
Bonnes Mares, Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé Now-2020Full colour. Rich, fullish, plump fruit. Plenty of substance and depth. A slight lack of real cass but no lack of wine here. Fine plus.
Musigny, Domaine J. F. MugnierNow-2020Medium-full colour. Fragrant, very lovely fruit. Delicate but intense. By no means a blockbuster. But ripe, succulent, harmonious and very, very long and classy. Lovely. The wine of the vintage?
Musigny, Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé Now-2025Full colour. Quite a full, indeed aggressively oaky nose. Quite structured, but the fruit underneath is a little rigid. Good grip. Still needs time. Fine plus. But not great.
Clos de Tart, Domaine Mommessin Now-2020 plusFullish colour. Full, rich, meaty nose. Some stems evident. A sturdy wine. Full body. Rather more sophisticated on the palate than on the nose. Lots of vigour and energy here. Only just ready. Long on the palate. Ample, rich and spicy. Fine.
Clos des Lambrays, Domaine des Lambrays Now-2018Medium-full colour. Now fully mature. Lovely ripe, fragrant nose. Very lovely, complex, delicate fruit. Medium-full body. Lots of depth and dimension. Vigorous but now velvety. Very long. Not as concentrated as the wines produced today but fine plus.
Clos Saint-Denis, Domaine Dujac Now-2020Medium to medium-full colour. Higher-toned on the nose than their Clos de la Roche. Medium-full body. Complete, balanced, fragrant and composed. Ripe and almost sweet. Very long on the palate. Lovely.
Clos de la Roche, Domaine DujacNow-2020 plusMedium-full colour. A little fuller-bodied than their Clos Saint-Denis. Meatier. Slightly less sweet but more vigour and a better grip. Will last longer. Lovely.
Charmes-Chambertin, Domaine Denis Bachelet Now-2025Fullish colour. Plenty of energy and substance on the nose, but at present a little ungainly. This still needs time. Better on the palate. Fullish, rich, fat and succulent. Very good grip. Very fine.
Charmes-Chambertin, Domaine Humbert Frères Now-2020Fullish colour. Full and rich, ample and succuent. Plenty of depth and class. This is very well made. Lots of energy. Medium-full body. Very good fruit. Lovely vigorous finish.
Chapelle-Chambertin, Domaine Rossignol-Trapet. Now-2019Medium to medium-full colour. Soft and a little loose-knit on the nose. Medium body. Fruity and reasonably fresh. But a lack of personality.
Griotte-Chambertin, Domaine Joseph Drouhin.Now-2020Medium-full colour. Some maturity. Very lovely nose. Fragrant, intense and very elegant and persistent. Round and ripe and complex and energetic. Medium-full body. Only just about ready. Real grand cru class. Very fine.
Chambertin, Clos de Bèze, Domaine Bouchard Père et Fils Now-2025Medium-full colour. Very fine nose. Lots of class and depth. Profound, concentrated, fresh and impressive. Medium-full body. Very good tannins. Very good grip. Long, complex and high class. Excellent.
Chambertin, Clos de Bèze, Domaine Pierre Damoy Now-2020Full, vigorous colour. Distinguished, very youthful, crammed-with-fruit nose. Fullish body. Very good tannins. The oak is just right, as is the extraction. Very fresh. Lovely.
Chambertin, Clos de Bèze, Domaine Armand Rousseau Now-2025Magnum. Medium-full colour. Splendidly rich, ample nose. Succulent and profound. Fullish body. Lots of energy and particularly lovely fruit. Very fresh. Lovely balance. Very classy indeed. Will still improve.
Chambertin, Domaine Armand RousseauNow-2025Full, youthful colour. Lovely rich, ample, classy energetic nose. Fullish body. Round and fat and succulent. Lots of vigour here. Splendid fruit. Quite delicious. Even better than the Clos de Bèze. Will still imrove. Very fine indeed for a 2001.
Chambertin, Domaine Rossignol-Trapet Now-2020 plusFullish colour. Rich, fresh, plump, fullish nose. Plenty of depth. This à point. Fresh, juicy and balanced. Lots of plummy fruit. Long and positive and classy.
Chambertin, Domaine Jean et Jean-Louis Trapet Now-2019Medium-full colour. Still youthful. One bottle a bit evolved and ungainly. The second better but nevertheless not quite as pure and classy as one hoped for. Fullish. Youthful. Good grip. Plump and energetic, but a bit chunky. Very good indeed rather than great.