Inside Burgundy – Jasper Morris MW  Côte de Beaune  Jasper Morris MW’s first assessment of Burgundy 2024 reveals a vintage of extreme adversity yet unexpected classical poise, particularly for whites. An “exceptionally wet year,” marked by poor flowering, mildew pressure, and limited sunshine, made 2024 one of the most challenging recent seasons. Conditions worsened moving north, with the Hill of Corton and northern Beaune hardest hit, while mid-slope vineyards benefited from better drainage and earlier flowering. Harvest was tightly compressed between 12–16 September.  Despite the difficulties, Morris calls 2024 “much more applicable” as a return to classic Burgundy than 2021, especially for whites, where quality is “relatively homogenous” and characterful. He found wines defined by citrus, fresh apple, and, at their best, “rapier-like acidity” and tension. These whites will be “accessible early,” though he warns buyers to avoid those lacking backbone and energy.  Reds are more mixed and occasionally fragile, yet the finest examples show charm and harmony. Morris highlights “aromatic pinots that could make you smile at first sniff,” with unusually refined tannins, aided by a return to a classical 100-day ripening cycle. Village wines and well-managed premiers crus represent the sweet spot of the vintage.  Chablis  Chablis faced the harshest conditions in 2024: floods, frost, hail, and relentless rain, with total rainfall reaching 634 mm and many organic producers harvesting below 10 hl/ha. Some, like Guillaume Vrignaud, “made hardly any wine and sold it off.” Morris expected “green… ugly and flawed” wines but found most were sound and “less fragile than their 2021 counterparts.” While few are truly great, many show classic Chablis character—crisp, defined, with “crushed oyster shell” notes. Best for short- to medium-term drinking, 2024 in Chablis demonstrates resilience and surprising drinkability after a punishing season.  Côte de Nuits  In the Côte de Nuits, Morris sees 2024 as a vintage of delicacy rather than power. Harvest ran 12–16 September, with Nuits-St-Georges hit hard by rain and further north affected by uneven conditions and hail. Losses came mostly from coulure rather than mildew, especially around Gevrey-Chambertin. Whole-bunch fermentation and reduced stem use were key, and while some wines need time to integrate, many show light, perfumed character. “If you like dark coloured powerful wines… there is nothing here for you,” notes Morris. Only 2% of wines achieve top accolades, making careful selection essential.  Explore Jasper Morris MW’s reports, notes and scores on his site (subscribers only)  Vinous – Neal Martin  Neal Martin portrays 2024 as a season of extremes, where relentless rain, frost, and mildew tested every winemaker. Flowering was uneven, yields sharply reduced (Pinot Noir suffered most) and frost damaged parcels from Marsannay to Clos de Vougeot. As one winemaker reflected, “Each day in the vineyard felt like a battle,” capturing the relentlessness of the season. Tiny harvests demanded meticulous vineyard work and careful vinification, with whole-bunch decisions critical: “2024 was not a vintage to play recklessly with stems.”  A sunny, warm August offered salvation, allowing grapes to reach phenolic ripeness. Martin notes it “enabled some to capture the brightness and freshness of vibrant red fruit where Pinot Noir reaches its apex” and lent Chardonnays “razor-sharp tension and delineation.” Whites show energy and mineral clarity, while reds are delicate, transparent, and expressive rather than powerful.  Despite the challenges, skill and perseverance triumphed. Careful vineyard management and thoughtful vinification produced wines of elegance, freshness, and charm. As Martin concludes, “The bottom line is that 2024 is an endlessly fascinating vintage that will enamour the small number who imbibe the fruits of much labour.”  Explore Neal Martin’s reports, notes and scores on the Vinous site (subscribers only)  Burghound – Allen Meadows  Allen Meadows’ Burghound report describes 2024 in the Côte de Nuits as a vintage of extreme difficulty and delicate character. Following “rain, rain, and yet more rain,” growers faced poor flowering, rampant mildew, and historically tiny yields, with clusters sometimes reduced to 15–20 berries. Meadows notes that “the variability in 2024 is that of 2023 squared,” making disease control, rigorous sorting, and careful vinification essential to preserving quality.  Despite the challenges, the best wines are “ultra-fresh, wonderfully energetic, impeccably well-balanced and the most transparent reds we’ve seen since 2010.” Alcohol levels are modest, around 12.5–13%, enhancing clarity and finesse rather than weight or power. Harvest ran from 16–21 September, slightly later than the traditional 100-day rule, allowing vines to achieve ripeness amid persistent rainfall.  Vinification emphasized restraint: light extraction, reduced stem use, and careful temperature control preserved purity and avoided harsh tannins. Minor faults, mostly reduction from copper or sulfur sprays or slight volatile acidity, rarely detract. Meadows notes some wines are “too skinny or too lean,” but the best display crystalline transparency that “puts the intrinsic terroir on parade.”  Most wines suit mid-term cellaring: villages and premiers crus are approachable in 4–8 years, while top grands crus can age 10–15. Stylistically, 2024 reds are elegant and energetic, rewarding careful selection in a year of extreme variability.  Explore Allen Meadows’ reports, notes and scores on the Burghound site (subscribers only) Jancis Robinson – Jancis Robinson Jancis Robinson MW sums up 2024 as “nightmare… misery… exhausting… unremittingly grim,” with “gruesome” final yields. Heavy rain and unusually low temperatures during flowering severely damaged Pinot Noir, particularly in the Côte d’Or, while Chardonnay fared slightly better. Many vignerons abandoned organic viticulture for systemic sprays to save their crops. Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey achieved “respectable, but most unusual for 2024” yields of 35–40 hl/ha only by switching early.  Losses were severe: reds down up to 80%, whites about 30%. Robinson notes that “the cool summer meant acidities were high, and successful reds could be described as pretty, but never concentrated,” with pale color and barely perceptible tannins. Late August brought some warmth, raising sugar levels, though many producers still had to chaptalise. She warns this is “a vintage to drink relatively early,” emphasizing elegance over opulence, fragility over power.  Cellar work was complicated by tiny harvests. Half-full tanks increased the risk of oxidation or stuck fermentations. Oak use was moderated, though some grands crus required up to 50% new barrels to fill them. Extraction and whole-bunch fermentation were carefully managed, with co-fermentation across parcels common.  Despite the challenges, Robinson highlights successful producers including Bertrand Bachelet, Yvon Clerget, Comte Armand, Philippe Colin, Sérafin, and Joseph Drouhin. Regions south of the Côte d’Or fared better, producing more generous, sophisticated wines. She frames 2024 as “a triumph of resilience over nature,” rewarding careful selection and precision in the cellar.  Explore Jancis Robinson's reports, notes and scores on her site (subscribers only) Jancis Robinson – Matthew Hayes  Matthew Hayes describes 2024 as a vintage “all over the shop,” marked by extreme scarcity, mildew pressure, and uneven quality across the Côte d’Or. Some estates, like the newly launched Domaine Henri Rebourseau, produced nothing, while others managed only tiny parcels. Yet Hayes notes, “producers actually had some wine; the second relief was that these had turned out better than feared.” Quality varies by village, vineyard, and even row, making careful selection essential.  The season was relentlessly difficult. Pinot Noir struggled with coulure, millerandage, and mildew, while Chardonnay fared slightly better thanks to earlier flowering. Organic producers faced doubled labor and costs, with some switching to synthetic sprays to save their harvests. Final yields were punishingly low, with red grape losses up to 85%. Harvest began in mid-September, balancing ripeness with botrytis and powdery mildew risks.  Winemaking focused on tiny lots, cautious extraction, and moderate oak. Reds are elegant, medium-bodied, and dominated by red fruit, while whites show precise acidity and finesse. Hayes notes, “This is not the Pinot Noir we have recently come to expect.”  Scarcity keeps prices high, yet the best wines are balanced and surprisingly drinkable. As Hayes concludes, “The bottom line is that 2024 is an endlessly fascinating vintage that will enamour the small number who imbibe the fruits of much labour.”  Explore Matthew Haye’s reports, notes and scores on the Jancis Robinson site (subscribers only) Decanter – Charles Curtis MW Pommard & Volnay 2024: Early-drinking Pinot Noir   Charles Curtis MW highlights Pommard and Volnay as the standouts in 2024, a vintage where Pinot Noir struggled across Burgundy. The northern Côte de Beaune largely avoided the worst rain and mildew, producing wines with the lush, supple fruit the region is known for. Pommard ranges from firm and tannic to approachable, while Volnay shows silky, expressive character.  Yields were exceptionally low: Paul Zinetti of Comte Armand recorded just 15 hl/ha, and Paul Négrerie of Château de Pommard 14 hl/ha. Careful extraction was key to avoid green tannins, producing wines of elegance over ripeness. Frédéric Lafarge notes that Volnay’s 2024 shows purity and terroir expression, comparing it favorably to 2021: “2024 showed more finesse and complexity due to the longer vegetative cycle.” Overall, the vintage is lighter than usual, suited to earlier drinking, though the best wines from top producers can age five to ten years.  Best Value Burgundy 2024 Wines   Finding value in 2024 requires a selective approach, as low prices rarely coincide with scarce wines. Curtis recommends starting with regional appellations, particularly the Hautes-Côtes of Nuits and Beaune, where top performers include Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Nuits Les Dames Huguette (Dufouleur) and Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Beaune blanc (Guiton).  Further south, the Côte Chalonnaise offers excellent options, with Maison Chanzy (Bouzeron), Domaine Belleville (Rully), Château de Chamirey (Mercurey), and Domaine du Cellier aux Moines and Domaine Stéphane Aladame (Givry/Montagny) standing out. Curtis also praises the Mâconnais for Chardonnay, noting “bright acidity, fresh fruit, and solid structure,” with Pouilly-Fuissé in particular shining.  In short, 2024 may be small in volume, but careful exploration of Pommard, Volnay, the Hautes-Côtes, southern Burgundy, and the Mâconnais reveals wines that combine quality, typicity, and attractive drinking windows.  Explore Charles Curtis MW’s reports, notes and scores on the Decanter site (subscribers only) Wine Advocate – Kristaps Karklins
 Kristaps Karklins portrays 2024 in Chablis as a season of extreme attrition, marked by frost, hail and what he calls “historic mildew pressure—among the highest ever recorded.” Yields dropped by “60% to 70% on average,” with some estates losing entire crus, including Dauvissat’s Séchet, Montée de Tonnerre and Les Clos. By late August, rainfall had reached “around 600 millimeters, compared with the average 380,” making healthy fruit scarce and rigorous sorting decisive. Growers who waited to harvest were rewarded with “greater texture and mid-palate amplitude,” while early picking risked under-ripeness and dilution.  Despite the hardships, barrel tastings reveal notable successes. The finest 2024s are “classical Chablis,” defined by tension, clarity and site transparency, and approachable earlier than most vintages. While they cannot rival the concentration of 2023 or 2022, Karklins suggests they may delight purists more than a random selection of riper years. “No one would call 2024 a historic vintage,” he concludes, yet among the best producers the wines are “unmistakably, even nostalgically Chablisien,” rewarding careful selection with freshness, character and authenticity.  Explore Kristaps Karklins reports on the Wine Advocate site (subscribers only) Wine Advocate – William Kelley In a shorter spotlight on Verget and Domaine Guffens-Heynen, William Kelley describes 2024 as wetter and more overcast season following the warmth of 2022 and 2023, though mercifully spared the frost damage that scarred 2021 and 2016. Volumes are reduced, but quality is “solid,” and some wines “transcend the vintage,” reaching levels of maturity that are unusual for such a challenging year. Jean-Marie Guffens likens the domaine’s 2024s to 1998, a vintage that performed better in the Mâconnais than in the Côte de Beaune.  The true stars for Domaine Guffens-Heynen, however, are the bottled 2023s. Kelley ranks 2023 alongside 2020 as one of the finest vintages for domaine in the last 10 to 15 years—and among the best of Guffens’s career. If the 2020s are “almost neoclassical” in style, the 2023s are more flamboyant, setting up a compelling contrast between two outstanding expressions of the domaine that will invite comparison for decades to come.  Explore William Kelley’s reports, notes and scores on the Wine Advocate site (subscribers only) Read the rest of our coverage of Burgundy 2024 here.

The critics are starting to declare their verdict on the 2024 vintage. Here’s your crib-sheet to what the leading names, including Jasper Morris MW, Neal Martin, Allen Meadows, Jancis Robinson, William Kelley and more are saying about the latest Burgundy vintage.

Discover expert insights on Burgundy’s 2024 vintage from the top industry critics. Your essential guide to the latest vintage verdicts.

Burgundy 2024 – what the critics are saying

Burgundy 2024: the critics’ verdict

Each November, the wine world looks to Burgundy for the Hospices de Beaune auction. We dive into the history of this philanthropic institution, the domaine and the wines it produces

Explore the history of Burgundy’s Hotel-Dieu and Hospices de Beaune, its wine estate and the famous annual auction, the Vente des Vins

Your guide to the wines of the Hospices de Beaune

Everything you need to know about the Hospices de Beaune

Our team spent several weeks exploring the 2023 vintage in Burgundy – visiting, tasting and talking to a range of producers up and down the Côte d’Or. Here, we offer a run-down of the year by producer, from north to south, reporting on how each fared and our pick of their range this year

A run-down of the Burgundy 2023 vintage wines en primeur by producer: from Fourrier to Lafon via Bernstein, Lamarche, Lambrays, Duroche and Hudelot-Noellat 

Burgundy 2023 vintage by producer 

Burgundy 2023: by producer

Ch. Ausone: the Vauthier Vision Our 2023 events line-up started with a bang at one of London’s most exciting and newest culinary establishments, Alex Dilling at Hotel Café Royal.  On a typically British February evening, our guests gathered at Hotel Café Royal for a Champagne reception and exceptional five-course meal celebrating one of Bordeaux’s most respected estates, Ch. Ausone. Each course was expertly designed to complement the nine remarkable Saint-Emilion vintages we tasted throughout the night.  The magical evening began with an exploration of the Vauthier family’s other wines in Saint-Emilion: Chx Haut-Simard, de Fonbel, Moulin Saint-Georges, La Clotte and Chapelle d’Ausone. These wines were the perfect introduction to the Vauthiers’ style of Bordeaux – wines of extraordinary precision and finesse. We then moved on to the main event – a vertical of Ch. Ausone stretching from 2003 to 2018, exploring the beauty of this property and how its style has developed under the Vauthiers. Edouard Vauthier – son of proprietor Alain Vauthier and brother to winemaker Pauline Vauthier – joined us to share the property’s fascinating history, guiding us through its distinct terroir and how they work in the vineyard and winery. This wonderful evening and comprehensive tasting provided the ultimate insight into this very special property – and was the perfect introduction to 12 months’ worth of wonderful gatherings with excellent food, wine and conversation. Full line-up: Champagne Henri Giraud, MV10  2016 Ch. Haut-Simard, Saint-Emilion 2015 Ch. Moulin Saint-Georges, Saint-Emilion  2015 Ch. la Clotte, Saint-Emilion  2016, 2011 Chapelle d’Ausone, Saint-Emilion  2018, 2017, 2016, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2003 Ch. Ausone, Saint-Emilion  Read more about the evening.  Le Pin from the beginning, with Jacques Thienpont The second event of the year, held at Claridge’s L’Epicerie, was a magnificent celebration of one of the most famous names in wine, Le Pin. With a mere 600 to 700 cases produced annually – a truly minuscule quantity that is dwarfed in comparison to fellow top estates of Pomerol and Saint-Emilion – few people ever get to taste these wines. Those fortunate enough to do so almost certainly wouldn’t have tasted the vintages on show back-to-back in February. Over the course of the evening, guests were treated to 15 incredible wines –  three from acclaimed vigneron Jacques Thienpont’s special Saint-Emilion operation L'If and 12 spellbinding wines from the iconic Pomerol es­tate, concluding with the 1990, 1983 and first-ever Le Pin vintage, 1979. Thienpont and Diana Berrouet Garcia (MD of Domaines Jacques Thienpont) joined us for the evening, sharing remarkable stories about one of the world’s most renowned and mythical producers. During this truly immersive experience, we were able to gain unprecedented insight into the style, philosophy and history of the incredible estate that produces one of the world’s rarest and most in-de­mand wines for collectors. Such was the quality of the wines on show that the world-class food served by the expert L’Epicerie team was almost reduced to a footnote. Seven exquisite dishes were prepared in Claridges’ iconic kitchens – each one designed to complement the remarkable wines that filled our guests’ glasses. Truly exceptional. Full line-up:  2015, 2013, 2012 L’If, Saint-Emilion  2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2001, 2000, 1991, 1990, 1983,1979 Le Pin, Pomerol Read more about the event.  Schrader Exploration with Jason Smith MS One of Napa’s cult names, Schrader Cellars, was the focus of our third event of the year. During an intimate dinner at Michelin-starred Muse by Tom Aikens in Belgravia, London, guests were treated to a vertical of the greatest-ever vintages (2005-2019) of Schrader’s top cuvée, Old Sparky, which all received perfect scores. These 100-point wines – all from magnum – were expertly paired by one of the UK’s most talented chefs.  Esteemed Master Sommelier Jason Smith expertly guided us through Schrader’s best vineyards and terroirs before enthralling us with tales of six vintages that have become some of the estate’s most coveted and rarest wines. While tasting these exceptional vintages at the gorgeous two-storey Belgravia townhouse, Aikens hand-served and enthralled guests with the seven courses he had prepared for the evening. This was an exploration of one of the world’s most decorated and mythical wines which showcased Napa Cabernet at its very best. Full line-up: Champagne Henri Giraud, Fût de Chêne MV10 (in magnum) 2019 Robert Mondavi, To Kalon Vineyard Fumé Blanc Reserve 2019, 2018, 2013, 2012, 2007, 2005 Schrader Cellars, Old Sparky, Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard, Cabernet Sauvignon The Pernots of Puligny  In April, two young Puligny-Montrachet visionaries, Alvina Pernot and Philippe Abadie, took centre stage at hallowed London culinary establishment, The Connaught. During a remarkable five-course meal, prepared by Hélène Darroze’s three-Michelin-star team to complement the 23 wines on show, guests enjoyed a mini vertical tasting of La Rue aux Vaches, followed by a selection of Premiers and Grands Crus from Alvina’s grandfather’s estate Domaine Paul Pernot and her own eponymous fledgling property. Following a tasting flight (2021-2018) of Alvina Pernot’s Rue aux Vaches vineyard – bottled exclusively in magnum – guests were then served five mini verticals of Domaine Paul Pernot’s Folatières, and Grand Crus Bienvenues-Bâtard and Bâtard-Montrachet from the family’s cool cellars in Puligny. The supremely talented husband-and-wife winemaking duo joined us on the night to offer insight into these special vineyards and wines, and the contrasting styles of the two properties. It was a true exploration of Pernot, a key and treasured partner for FINE+RARE, across many of their greatest wines.  Full line-up:  2021, 2020, 2019, 2018 Puligny-Montrachet, La Rue aux Vaches, Alvina Pernot (in magnum) 2020 Bâtard-Montrachet, Grand Cru, Alvina Pernot 2020 Puligny-Montrachet, Premier Cru, Clos des Folatières, Alvina Pernot 2018 Puligny-Montrachet, Premier Cru, Les Folatières, Alvina Pernot (in magnum) 2017, 2016, 2012, 2009 Puligny-Montrachet, Premier Cru, Clos des Folatières, Domaine Paul Pernot 2006, 2001, 1999, 1996 Puligny-Montrachet, Premier Cru, Folatières, Domaine Paul Pernot 2017, 2013, 2011, 1996 Bienvenue-Bâtard-Montrachet, Grand Cru, Domaine Paul Pernot 2017, 2010, 1999, 1988 Bâtard-Montrachet, Grand Cru, Domaine Paul Pernot Ch. Lafite Rothschild through the ages A landmark event of the year, Ch. Lafite Rothschild through the ages was the first experience we held in UK held outside London. Waddesdon Manor in Aylesbury was the natural choice for the occasion because of its iconic grandeur – and connection with the Rothschild family. Following a Champagne reception in Waddesdon Manor’s private gardens on a balmy summer evening, guests sat down to an enviable six-course dinner accompanied by an incredible flight of ex-château back vintages of Ch. Lafite Rothschild, from 1960 to 2010, and two beautifully mature magnums from Lafite’s sibling estate, Ch. Duhart-Milon. Domaines Barons de Rothschild International Director Jean-Sébastien Philippe joined us for this remarkable journey exploring one of Bordeaux’s most renowned First Growth châteaux before we retreated to the charming, characterful Five Arrows Hotel located a stone’s throw from Waddesdon Manor. Full line-up: 2019 Ch. Rieussec 2010, 2005, 1990, 1982, 1960 Ch. Lafite Rothschild 1990, 1976 Ch. Duhart-Milon (in magnum) Exploring Ch. d’Yquem and Ch. Cheval Blanc In June, we held our first event that included a magnificent overnight stay outside the UK in the historic wine-producing region of Bordeaux. Over the course of two wonderful days, guests walked among the vines and cellars of two iconic estates – Ch. d'Yquem and Cheval Blanc. Two of the region’s most respected winemakers, Pierre Lurton and Pierre-Olivier de Clouet, joined us as we explored these highly coveted estates through private vineyard and cellar tours, incredible culinary experiences at both properties and superlative flights of ex-château vintages.  Following a lunch and tasting at Ch. d’Yquem – including magical vintages dating back to 1939 – and a 14-flight Cheval Blanc dinner, guests settled into the breathtakingly beautiful five-star Château Hôtel Grand Barrail for the night, located a short distance from the neighbouring medieval town of Saint-Emilion and some of the world’s most coveted fine wine producers. The wines, company and setting were truly magnificent and we all walked away from the experience with a greater appreciation for the two wine estates. Full line-up: 2016 "Y" de Ch. d'Yquem 2020, 2009, 2005, 1990, 1961, 1959, 1939 Ch. d’Yquem 2020 Le Petit Cheval Blanc 2020 Le Petit Cheval  2015, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2000, 1998, 1990, 1982, 1966, 1964, 1961 and 1939 Ch. Cheval Blanc Ch. Belle-Brise: discovering the walled garden of Pomerol Our penultimate event of 2023 was a first for our experiences programme – a dinner in the United States hosted by our US arm, Vinfolio.  In November, an intimate group of guests gathered at three-Michelin-star SingleThread in Healdsburg (Sonoma County, California), to celebrate FINE+RARE favourite Ch. Belle-Brise.  Over the course of the evening, the small group were fortunate enough to taste a 23-vintage flight of Belle-Brise dating all the way back to the first commercial release in 1993. All those in attendance were gifted the rare opportunity to unravel the golden thread that connects each vintage from this special Pomerol estate. As Scott Turnbull MS – Vinfolio Director of Private Clients – explains in his Editorial piece about the night, elegance and finesse were the common themes at one of the largest Ch. Belle-Brise retrospective tastings ever held.  Host for the evening, Turnbull, shared stories from the estate’s short but mighty history, including the château’s ability to overcome adversity in its first few commercially released vintages to produce what is, for many, a desert-island wine. Special thanks to the supremely talented SingleThread team for preparing an exquisite kaiseki-influenced Japanese menu that gave the little-known, yet much-loved Pomerol property an incredible stage to demonstrate its silken and opulent wine’s almost weightless power.  Full line-up: Champagne Robert Moncuit, Les Grands Blancs, Blanc de Blancs 2002-2020, 2000, 1999, 1995, 1994 and 1993 Ch. Belle-Brise, Pomerol 1982 Bas Armagnac, La Fontaine de Coincy (45%) Read more about the event. Two decades of Roumier’s Bonnes-Mares with William Kelley Our 2023 events calendar drew to a close in spectacular fashion with a superlative showcase of 20 vintages of one of the most legendary bottlings on the fine wine landscape, Domaine Georges Roumier’s Bonnes-Mares. An international group of collectors and wine enthusiasts from the Czech Republic, Mallorca, Geneva, San Francisco, London and Burgundy (in the form of the evening’s compère, acclaimed Burgundy authority Wine Advocate’s William Kelley) gathered on an autumnal night at London’s prestigious Connaught Hotel for an exploration like no other.  Following a Champagne reception, five incredible courses prepared by Hélène Darroze’s expert culinary team were served. Each one was designed to complement the stunning wines from two remarkable decades (2000)-2020) in the estate’s history. Throughout the evening, Kelley provided fascinating insight on each flight and vintage, bringing the wines to life for all those present. It was a truly memorable occasion, gathering to taste a flight of wines we are unlikely to have the opportunity to encounter again any time soon. Full line-up:  Champagne Henri Giraud, MV10 2000-2020 Bonnes Mares, Domaine Georges Roumier Find out more about our events and experiences or register interest in future events

As we’re putting the finishing touches on this year’s events calendar, we look back at 2023’s dinners and tastings – with highlights including verticals of Roumier, Le Pin, Ausone and more

A round-up of some of the best events we hosted in 2023 – including verticals of Roumier, Le Pin, Ausone and more

Looking back at our 2023 events

In 1991, Jean-Luc Thunevin made the first vintage of Valandraud. In the workshop next to his house, he produced just 100 cases of wine from tiny yields, de-stemming and punching it down by hand and ageing it in 100% new French oak. Although it didn’t have a name yet, the garagiste movement had been born.  As the Super Tuscans had in Italy, these maverick bottlings, operating outside the official classification, rocked the world of wine – especially in the conservative heartland of Bordeaux. At the same time, the likes of Harlan and Colgin were starting to prove the power of Cabernet Sauvignon in Napa. Meanwhile on the East Coast, a lawyer called Robert Parker had already gathered a loyal following for his newsletter, offering independent advice and a novel scoring system. The internet was just getting started. Everything in the world of wine was changing.  “In the 1990s there was formidable energy and consumers who were ready to accept something new,” says Thunevin. But the Bordeaux wine trade was stuck in the Middle Ages, he says; it was aristocratic, closed – and one reason why the garagistes, a collection of outsiders, caused quite such a stir. Thunevin himself had been in banking, while Jonathan Maltus (Le Dôme) was a British businessman and Stephan von Neipperg (La Mondotte) a German interloper. With the challenging conditions of 1991, the first vintage of Valandraud had little impact. He made a tiny volume of red, and then a rosé de saignée that he gave away to friends. “L’histoire, c’est ’92,” Thunevin tells me, almost whimsically. The wine, a product of much more favourable growing conditions, put him on the map. “I created a revolution,” he says today. The 1991 Valandraud was released to négociants for 13€; the 2022 came out at 118€.  It was Michel Bettane who coined the term “vin de garage”, sneeringly suggesting that these new-fangled wines could be made in someone’s garage. But, as Jean-Luc Thunevin told me, “By talking about me, they made me exist.” Without such outrage from wine’s more traditional core, the garagistes likely wouldn’t have had the same success. Combine Bettane’s throwaway comment with the rise of garage music in the US and UK, and the movement gained an accidental cool-factor – but that’s all changed now.  “I don’t think anybody wants to admit they were a garagiste anymore,” Jonathan Maltus – the Englishman who created Le Dôme in 1996 – says. He looks back on the time with relative fondness, however. He’d arrived in Bordeaux in 1994, buying Ch. Teyssier, having sold his petrochemical business and decided after a stint in Cahors that he needed to be in the “Formula One” of wine, making for Bordeaux. It was an English wine merchant who told him how a single-vineyard Pomerol called Le Pin was causing a stir – one of a handful of “cuvée wines” that were becoming incredibly popular. As a canny businessman, he decided to give it a go himself.  “It was really exciting – and there was no budget,” Maltus says frankly, explaining how the movement rapidly became a game of one-upmanship. They would instantly snap up any new machinery or equipment, pushing their concepts further and further to out-do each other. Green-harvesting and picking only the ripest berries in multiple passes was de rigueur; the vines often stripped of their leaves to expose the fruit to the sunshine and maximise ripeness (something climate change has put paid to). Yields were consistently low, with over 30hl/ha considered too much to produce the requisite concentration. Maltus explains how the introduction of double-sorting and cold-soaking was radical – both expensive tools, with the latter requiring protective gas and the ability to chill tanks. He would put the wine into one set of new French oak barrels for malolactic fermentation, before transferring the wine to another batch of new oak for ageing. The resulting wines were bold, rich and lavish. “I like to think of it as a kind of Vivienne Westwood period,” Maltus says.  Ask any of the garagistes who inspired them and they’ll point to, among others, Le Pin. Although owner Jacques Thienpont firmly believes Le Pin is not – and never was – a garage wine; he feels that it is sometimes mistakenly seen as one because it was so successful at the time. Ironically, the wine was originally made in a garage, from just one hectare of vines. It was the sensuality of the wine that inspired Jean-Luc Thunevin, he tells me. He visited Le Pin several times and Thienpont told him that wine was all about the quality of the soil, rather than winemaking. “In the cellar, there are no secrets,” Thienpont says. Thienpont wasn’t Thunevin’s only advisor; Alain Vauthier of Ausone happened to be a school friend, and helped the amateur winemaker.  This tension between terroir and technique is at the heart of the garagiste movement. Jean-Luc Thunevin tells me how Valandraud was not a garage wine, but a “garden wine” – from 300 vines he planted on 0.6 hectares, a single site captured in 300 bottles. For Stephan von Neipperg, who made the first vintage of La Mondotte in 1996, from 4.5 hectares, “It’s a terroir… without an outstanding terroir, you cannot make an outstanding wine.” The garagistes, in his mind, by contrast were about “making the wine easier to understand – round, ripe, sometimes too ripe, extracted” – it’s a term he assigns to the likes of Ch. Gracia – first made in 1997, in a back-alley of Saint-Emilion.  Whether you are convinced these wines were true expressions of site or not, they were a direct contrast to the Médoc Classed Growths – where vast swathes of land were used to create a blend each year. Was it a reaction to the Left Bank’s dependence on blending, maybe even a complacency? Perhaps, but it was also a consequence of what each of them could afford; none of them, at first, had the cash to buy any more land. Thunevin’s methodology, for example, wasn’t idealistic; he had to do everything by hand because he didn’t have a tractor or any other equipment, splurging on new barrels alone, and turning a profit for the first time only in 1995.  It’s hard to untangle the movement from Parker’s influence – but few of the early renditions earned the big scores one expects and associates with these vins de garage. Le Dôme, for example, only earned 100 points in 2010 – long after Maltus had started reining in the style, La Mondotte in 2009. Although 1992 Valandraud kickstarted the movement, Parker only gave it 87-88 points when he first rated it in February 1994. Time blurs lines, inevitably – and, although it’s undeniable that Parker’s palate aligned with plush, polished styles, the truth around his influence is more complicated.   “We realised that the whole thing was just becoming a parody of itself,” Maltus says. He points to 2002 a real turning point, but it was only from 2008 that he stopped double oaking, reduced the proportion of new oak to 80%, and more recently started picking earlier. It’s the same across the spectrum, with many of these rebel estates now part of the formal classification system – absorbed into the establishment.  The instigator Jean-Luc Thunevin was branded Bordeaux’s “bad boy” for having challenged the status quo. It’s a reputation that he worked hard to keep – continually pushing forward (indeed, he even makes wine under the Bad Boy name today). Asking what prompted him to create Valandraud – and make it so differently, he says, “I have always been out of my mind. I always wanted to do things that were a bit shocking.”  Today, Bordeaux has more competitors than ever before, with a world of fine wine that is now truly global. Thunevin feels it’s a region in crisis – in need of another bad boy to take the baton. He was an outsider with nothing but a romantic dream of making wine. Whether you like what he did or not, he changed Bordeaux for good. “Les rêves sont nécessaires à notre équilibre,” he tells me – dreams are essential for our balance. The garage movement was just one chapter in Bordeaux’s lengthy history, but perhaps it’s time for another wave of disruptors – after all, they may just be the key to its long-term survival.  Browse all Bordeaux listings or read more about Bordeaux 

When it comes to wine, little has changed in Bordeaux for centuries – but in the 1990s a group of outsiders shook things up: the garagistes. Sophie Thorpe talks to three of the movement’s leading figures about its legacy – and what it means for Bordeaux today

Talking to Valandraud, Le Dome, La Mondotte and Le Pin about Bordeaux’s garagiste movement and what it means for Bordeaux today

The legacy of Bordeaux’s garagistes

Disrupt and disturb: the legacy of Bordeaux’s garagistes

2022 Vosne-Romanée, Premier Cru, Les Beaumonts, Domaine Hudelot-Noëllat This Premier Cru was an absolute standout of our tasting at Domaine Hudelot-Noëllat this year. The pretty nose combines star anise spice, floral lift and crushed rock. Powerfully mineral with such a suave, elegant palate, there is amazing delicacy to the almost smoky, savoury tannin structure, framing the pure, bright fruit. Pinpoint and precise, yet with a mouth-watering lushness, this is a very special wine in 2022. 2022 Vosne-Romanée, Premier Cru, Les Suchots, Nicole Lamarche Nicole Lamarche has 0.22 hectares at the southern end of this Premier Cru, close to Romanée Saint-Vivant, with vines that average 45 to 50 years in age. It is, as Nicole herself described it, “100% seduction”. The nose is sensuous, with sweet, plump berries, baking spice and iris florals, luring you in. On the palate, the delicacy and finesse is astounding. The bright acidity drives the wine, giving tension, yet there’s a luxurious nature the fruit that rolls around the mouth, a touch more generous than her other Vosne Premier Cru Les Chaumes. The tannins are rich, almost savoury, with a pure-rock character. Remarkable. 2022 Gevrey-Chambertin, Premier Cru, Lavaut Saint-Jacques, Domaine Duroché Duroché has 1.2 hectares of this cool, higher-altitude Premier Cru, with vines planted between 1923 and 1980, which is always the last to be picked. The 2022 is an absolute highlight of our tasting at this domaine, the cool site thriving in the warmth of the vintage. There’s instant gratification with an expressive nose layered with red and blue berry fruit and pepper spice. On the palate, it expands, bursting with juicy blueberries, smoky tones and black liquorice. It’s richly fruited, savoury and fresh, with a mineral line and chalky tannins that frame the mouth-watering fruit. Delicious. There’s around 15% whole-bunch this year. 2022 Chambertin, Grand Cru, Jean-Marie Fourrier As with Fourrier’s Latricières-Chambertin, this old-vine plot (a stately 70 years) is up against the Route des Grands Crus. The nose is instantly intoxicating with a violet perfume and depth of dark fruit that soars from the glass. The palate is concentrated, laden with sweet fruit, yet driven with remarkable finesse and freshness. Persistent and pure, with a weightless quality, this is another great wine from Jean-Marie.
 2022 Bâtard-Montrachet, Grand Cru, Domaine Faiveley Faiveley has a plot of 0.35 hectares here. The 2022 is an exceptional wine – with a nose that is waxy, chalky and creamy – but beneath these savoury and mineral aromas there is a wine of such density and fullness. There is layer upon layer of flavour here, working through from mineral tones, citrus and yellow-fleshed peach, grilled almonds, honeysuckle and creamy intensity. It flirts with fatness, the rich fruit rolling around the mouth luxuriously, yet there’s a pithy bite that brings it back from the edge – giving tension as the acidity drives on to a bright, sherbet-edged finish. 2022 Gevrey-Chambertin, Premier Cru, Les Goulots, Domaine Heresztyn-Mazzini This cool vineyard is at the top of the village, just north of Combe aux Moines and sitting above Champeaux. In 2022, it’s one of the most charming wines in Heresztyn-Mazzini’s line-up. They used 50% whole-bunch this year to bring more delicacy. It opens with sweet, ripe red fruit on the nose, but the palate is much more serious. The fruit is elegant and suave, with a brightness and transparency. The crushed raspberry and tart cherry is complemented by white-pepper spice and the fine-grained grip of chalky tannins. This site’s cooler position clearly thrived in 2022 – superb. 2022 Chambolle-Musigny, Premier Cru, Les Feusselottes, Maxime Cheurlin Noëllat This négoce bottling from Maxime Cheurlin (of Domaine Georges Noëllat) shone at our tasting – one of the finest Chambolles we tasted anywhere, in fact. The nose offers classic Chambolle perfume – a scented bouquet and bright, dainty, detailed berry fruit. On the palate, it manages to be both creamy and crunchy, with a sappy, mouth-watering freshness and intensely mineral backbone that drives on to the long, saline finish. Five barrels were produced. 2022 Marsannay, Au Champ Salomon, Domaine Charles Audoin Cyril Audoin and his father constantly debate which of Champ Salomon and Favières is the better plot in Marsannay. They’re both extremely impressive in 2022, although the Champ Salomon is offering more at this youthful stage. The nose is creamy, scented and sweet, enticing with plump strawberry and raspberry, then there’s a rush of juicy bright fruit that fills the palate – powerful, expansive, dark yet bright and crunchy berry fruit. There’s a pleasingly bitter, hickory-smoke edge, along with lifted peony and violet tones. Lush, juicy and hard to resist. 2022 Le Montrachet, Grand Cru, Remoissenet Père & Fils Remoissenet’s Montrachet is always a favourite of ours and it’s no different in 2022. The nose offers grilled almonds, acacia honey and gunflint – just hinting at what is to come. The palate is remarkably concentrated, layered with swathes of peachy fruit and lemon pith, with a zesty, flinty power. It’s immensely ripe and full, but still beautifully elegant, with freshness that balances the wine’s concentration. A wine that deserves time and will only get better in bottle. It’s all in one-year-old oak this year. 2022 Griotte Chambertin, Grand Cru, Charles van Canneyt From the smallest of the Chambertin Grands Crus, this is the pièce de resistance of Charles van Canneyt’s line-up in 2022. From a plot of vines that are over 80 years old, this is graceful, ethereal, sensual and persistent. It is absolutely complete, with notes of spice, bright red fruit, a touch of sweetness and something minty. There’s no doubt that this is a big wine – as a Grand Cru should be – but it’s medium-bodied, round and fresh with fine-grained tannins, and a long, suave finish full of raspberry and strawberry fruit. This is still young but what a wine – give it a decade before you crack a bottle, if you can resist. Four barrels were produced. 2022 Chablis, Grand Cru, Moutonne, Domaine Long-Depaquit, Albert Bichot In 2022, Domaine Long-Depaquit’s monopole Grand Cru captures the balance of the vintage. It is the most mineral-driven cuvée in the range, with an elegant nose than ranges from lemon zest to white blossom, over a layer of wet crushed rock. On the palate, the wine reveals superb concentration, and is much broader and richer structure than the nose suggests. A backbone of acidity drives towards a beautiful finish full of tension, with hints of salinity that makes you salivate. It will need a few years before it shows its potential. Unfortunately, a large part of the vineyard (the lowest part, neighbouring Fèvre) is being replanted and volumes this year are therefore smaller than we’d have liked. It is nonetheless a fantastic showing – and is undoubtedly our favourite Grand Cru from Long Depaquit in 2022. Drink 2028-2040. 2022 Puligny-Montrachet, La Rue aux Vaches, Alvina Pernot From a village parcel just below Les Pucelles and Clos des Meix, this is always so different to Clos des Noyers Brets – with fleshier fruit. It’s playful on the nose, with different facets and fruits emerging with air. It’s broader on the palate, revealing its proximity to Premier Cru territory. A fantastic showing, it’s the best edition of this wine to date. With only a barrel produced, it’s bottled exclusively in magnum.

The 2022 vintage in the Côte d’Or produced some wonderful wines – delicate, pretty and transparent Pinot Noir and concentrated, vibrant Chardonnay that will appeal to classic Burgundy-lovers. Of all the wines we’ve tasted so far, these are our favourites

Discover our top wines tasted from the Burgundy 2022 vintage so far – from up and down the Cote d’Or

Our favourite wines from Burgundy 2022

Burgundy 2022: our favourites

I vividly remember the first time I tasted the Alvina Pernot wines. Burgundy was bitingly cold, and we ducked beneath Alvina Pernot and her husband Philippe Abadie’s home into their make-shift cellar, then delightfully cosy (at the time warmed just enough to encourage malolactic fermentation), and a welcome retreat from the Côte d’Or’s bracing winter weather. We squeezed into the tiny cellar, edging between the barrels crammed into the space. The wines were thrilling. Taut and pure styles of modern, pinpoint, mineral Chardonnay that were – and are – hard to resist. We were tasting the 2019s, just the second vintage from the modest operation; but they’ve rapidly established themselves as one of the Côte de Beaune’s most exciting new names. Alvina – always chic, dressed immaculately, with her gleaming green eyes and delicate features – doesn’t look like the stereotypical Burgundian vigneron. You're unlikely to spy dirt under her fingernails, and I struggle to imagine her sporting a pair of overalls. But wine is in her blood. The Pernot name is one that will be familiar to Burgundy-lovers – the family is one of the largest vineyard owners in Puligny-Montrachet (just after Leflaive), and makes some of the village’s best wines. Indeed, Alvina worked for the family estate Domaine Paul Pernot for years, but the urge to break out on her own grew over time. The Paul Pernot wines are the epitome of traditional white Burgundy, round, rich and sometimes sumptuous – and Alvina and Philippe wanted to make something of their own, a leaner style that suited their palates better. In 2017, a vineyard came up for sale – and it seemed like a sign. The plot, La Rue aux Vaches, is classified as village Puligny-Montrachet, but sits just below Premier Cru Clos des Meix and Les Pucelles. The family domaine had been farming and making wine from the site for years, and the couple knew how good the fruit was. They leapt at the chance to buy it, and the Alvina Pernot project was born. They were able to buy additional fruit from Alvina’s family, and started working on sourcing grapes from other Crus. Their first release, from the 2018 vintage, totalled 8,000 bottles. It's easy to see how challenging it might have been – going from working for the family business to setting up a separate project, and bearing the weight of their legacy. Alvina and her father have very different approaches in both the vineyard and winery, which certainly comes with its challenges, as they find the fine line between family and business, negotiating a new aspect to their relationship. “I think Alvina’s father was proud that she was starting something of her own,” Philippe says, looking affectionately at his wife. Indeed, it’s taken time for Alvina to fully step away from the family business, only officially resigning in March of this year to focus on their own label. Juggling the two estates (not to mention their son Pâris, who was born at the start of 2022) hasn’t been easy, and Philippe has – until now – had to do much of the work in the winery. Yet it’s also their family ties that have given them access to such incredible vineyards – appellations that are almost impossible to secure for most newcomers.  Five vintages in, it’s amazing to see how the project has evolved. They now produce 35,000 bottles, with the range having grown from seven to 24 cuvées. The duo are so embedded in the region and well-connected that they are able to source from some of the region’s best names, securing top sites that would be the envy of most estates. In addition to La Rue aux Vaches, they now own two further plots (both of which previously belonged to Alvina’s family): Les Noyers Brets (which is next to the couple’s home, added from 2020) and La Rue de Bois (the latter the vines that surround their winery, added in 2021). The focus is increasingly on specific sites within Puligny-Montrachet, with an ever-increasing number of Premiers and Grands Crus. In 2022, for example, they bottled three different wines from Folatières – Ez Folatières, Peux Bois and Clos des Folatières; and their Bourgogne Blanc has been divided into two different bottlings from different sites. Until 2021 the wines were made at Domaine Paul Pernot (and aged under Alvina and Philippe’s house) but the couple have now finished their own winery – giving them greater capacity, but also even greater control over the wines they’re making. From better temperature control and a broader range of maturation vessels (including both glass and amphorae, alongside oak) to reducing sulphur levels and more control over bottling, it’s allowed for even more precision. Each year, they tell me, they are pushing and doing “des petits tests”, looking to tweak and see how they can improve.  Alvina and Philippe firmly believe that almost all the work has to be done in the vineyard, with farming the three plots they own a huge part of what they do. Philippe has been doing it almost entirely himself – and is relieved that they’ve just been able to hire someone to help them. But the significance of the vineyards work is also why it is so important for them to source fruit carefully from growers with similar standards, and whom they trust. As with any small producer, the challenge when it comes to farming is not just quality, but quantity. Alvina and Philippe do almost everything by hand (indeed, they don’t even own a tractor yet – and still borrow Alvina’s father’s one when they can), and sustainability is a key focus. After pruning, it’s common in Burgundy to see the horizon dotted with smoking fires, as the cuttings are burnt; Philippe and Alvina avoid this and the resulting pollution, instead using the cuttings for a mulch to further increase the organic matter in their soils. They aren’t looking to be certified organic, but avoid chemical sprays wherever possible and are doing trials with biodynamics; the risks, and costs, are the threat, however. They can’t afford to lose an entire crop, as would have happened in a vintage like 2021, should they have refused to use anything but copper and sulphur; nor do they want to have to sell their wine for five times as much as they currently do, to allow such a philosophy. Ideals can only take you so far. While 75% of the job might be done by the time the fruit is harvested, it’s all too easy – even with the very best fruit – to ruin it all in the winery. “There’s nothing minor during vinification – everything matters,” Alvina explains. “Each tiny detail makes the difference between an average wine, a good wine and an excellent one.” Although between them the duo had plenty of experience, nothing is set in stone, and each year they feel they are learning more – as they continue to question what they do and why. “It’s also important not to be too wrapped up in our little cocoon, just the two of us, but to talk honestly each year with our expert oenologist [Pierre Fonteneau] about the wines,” Philippe explains, when it comes to the winemaking. “There are three voices in the business – Alvina, me and the oenologist – and not one counts less than the others.” It’s easy to imagine that any Burgundy producer’s goal is to be a domaine – to own a prime selection of the region’s most prized sites; but for this young couple, that’s not really the aim. Alvina is set to inherit some enviable plots, but they can’t imagine giving up the opportunity to continue working with many different parcels. “The diversity of terroirs is absolutely the most interesting part for us,” they say. It’s likely their range will continue to shift – as they get access to new, exciting parcels and discover those they really love. Ultimately, however, Alvina explains, “The aim is to make wines we love, the wines we want to drink. When people are happy to be there, to share the wines with us, and to find them, we’ve done what we set out to do.” Explore all current listings from Alvina Pernot or read more about Burgundy

We’ve been following Alvina Pernot – granddaughter of Paul Pernot – since she first struck out on her own. Sophie Thorpe sat down with Alvina and her husband Philippe Abadie to talk about the wines, their philosophy and the future

As Philippe Abadie and Alvina Pernot release their fifth vintage, we look at how this fledgling wine estate in Burgundy’s Puligny-Montrachet is evolving

Five years of Puligny-Montrachet’s Alvina Pernot

The other Pernot: Puligny-Montrachet’s Alvina Pernot 

2021 Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Nuits, Louis Auguste, Domaine David Duband  
This wine, named in honour of David’s son, Louis Auguste, comes from higher-altitude sites and some of the domaine’s oldest vines (over 55 years in age). In 2021, it’s spicy and lifted – offering a mouthful of pure, crunchy red fruit. It’s fresh and mouth-watering, building to a savoury, smoky finish. Superb value.  


2021 Gevrey-Chambertin, Charles van Canneyt  
This village bottling is an excellent entry point to Charles van Canneyt’s range – especially if you can’t get your hands on any of his Domaine Hudelot-Noëllat wines. The 2021s may be the best vintage to date of his négociant label, with a line-up of elegant and vibrant wines that offer great value. The village Gevrey-Chambertin is a wine of such finesse – with a lifted, perfumed nose. But behind the aromatics, there’s a more serious palate, with persistent, focused fruit, and vivid acidity driving through the core of the wine. The long finish is scented with delicate florals. 


2021 Gevrey-Chambertin, Domaine Duroché  
Because yields were so low in 2021 (due to frost and hail in the north of Gevrey), Duroché’s 2021 village Gevrey includes fruit from Le Clos, Champ, En Vosne and what little survived the hail in Premier Cru Champeaux. All Duroché’s vines are old, and for this cuvée, they were all planted between 1930 and 1986. The nose is perfumed and floral, but it’s the palate that really sings – with a tight energy and ripe, round mouth-feel. A gentle toastiness (with 15% new oak) coats the sweet, red cherry fruit. This vibrates with potential – the finish long, saline and mouth-watering. A brilliant introduction to the Duroché style. 


2021 Savigny-lès-Beaune, Premier Cru, Aux Guettes, Domaine Jean-Marc & Hugues Pavelot  
This vineyard sits just below the forest, with only 30cm top-soil over the hard rock below. The Pavelot plot (a mere 0.35 hectares) shows a totally different side to Savigny – brighter and lighter, with vibrant red fruit and a creaminess (with 25% new oak). The nose is full of raspberry and cranberry, with a welcome, sublime freshness thanks to this more “traditional” vintage. The medium-bodied palate is mineral and elegant, with great tension. The oak is well-integrated, bringing extra weight to the mid-palate, building to a vibrant, long finish. This is a top wine – classic and airy, as Burgundy used to always be. 


2021 Givry, Premier Cru, Clos Marole, Domaine Joblot  
Clos Marole is one of the few survivors from a catastrophic growing season at Domaine Joblot, with yields slashed by 50%. But – even if there’s not very much of it – the wine is superb. You’re instantly struck with vibrant, fresh red fruit, blackberry and crushed strawberry – possibly thanks to the old vines (on average 40 years old). The oak (35% new) needs a little more time to integrate fully, but is well-judged. Relatively light-bodied, the palate is driven by great acidity and silky tannins. The finish is long and suave. Enjoy this delicious wine young, but it has everything to keep for a decade or more.  


2021 Morey-Saint-Denis, Premier Cru, Clos des Ormes, Domaine George Lignier  
Domaine Georges Lignier is the largest owner in Clos des Ormes, with almost two hectares of the Premier Cru, all on calcaire comblanchien. The nose is pretty and perfumed with sweet spice notes courtesy of the oak (around 25% new). The fruit is bright and crunchy, yet there’s a darker, more brooding aspect on show – with a powdery tannic structure adding texture to the pure, long palate. An impressive result in the vintage.  


2021 Coteaux Bourguignons, L’Eclos des Abeilles, Domaine de Bellene  
Nicolas Potel only made 6,000 bottles of this wine in 2021 (instead of 20,000 normally) – yet it’s once again excellent for what is “just” a Coteaux Bourguignons, rivalling some top village appellations. The fruit for this great-value cuvée comes from cooler vineyards on the limits of the Bourgogne appellation in Nantoux (where the vines are 80 years old), Saint-Romain and Nuits-Saint-Georges, classified as Coteaux Bourguignons (an appellation more often associated with reds). The wine is mainly Chardonnay, however there’s a sprinkling of Aligoté adding extra zip.  The nose is honeyed, fresh and mineral, with the palate crisp at first, with clean acidity and superb balance. It rounds out with toasted almond and citrus, building to a long finish that brings a generous dimension of complexity to the wine. It is almost ready to drink now. A superb effort from Potel.  
  
2021 Puligny-Montrachet, La Rue aux Vaches, Alvina Pernot  
This was a particular highlight of our tasting – offering a very different style to Clos des Noyers Brets. Versus the soft purity of Clos des Noyers Brets, this is both more mineral and with a riper core of fruit – juicy white peach and apple, but with a bright, zesty green edge to it, and the very slightest hint of toast. The texture is richer and creamier, offering a pleasingly round yet beautifully elegant mouthful. Long and nuanced finish. This was bottled exclusively in magnum – with just 146 produced.   


2021 Saint-Aubin, Premier Cru, En Remilly, Louis Jadot 
In 2021, there is just one barrel of this Premier Cru – and it’s exclusively available from FINE+RARE. Pithy with flinty, mineral tones that complement an almost orange-zest lift. Behind the citrus and minerals though, there’s a core of fresh, white-peach fruit and toasty, spicy oak that lingers on the finish. The concentrated core is balanced by vibrant acidity, with that creaminess rounding out the lithe palate. Delicious.  


2021 Chablis, Grand Cru, Les Blanchots, Domaine Long-Depaquit  
Domaine Long-Depaquit has 1.66 hectares of this cool Grand Cru. They managed to make just 20% of a normal crop in 2021, the region’s yields drastically reduced by cruel April frosts. This was a particular highlight of our tasting – with an intense, taut, lime-and-lemon profile. Although the fruit verges on lean, there’s a brightness to the wine too. Notes of chalk, oyster shell and Granny smith apple are complemented by a creamy, round character. The finish is long and zesty – classic, pinpoint Chablis. 
 Browse all available Burgundy or read more about the vintage 


The grandest names in the Côte d’Or might be the most desirable – but there’s much more to the region beyond the very top appellations. Here we highlight 10 of the wines that we think offer the best value in 2021 

Discover the 10 best-value wines from our tastings of the Burgundy 2021 vintage so far – from up and down the Cote d’Or

The best-value wines in Burgundy 2021

Burgundy 2021: top-value buys

Domaine Lux Fontis

Southern Rhône

Accounts

Your access is restricted because of your age.

Access forbidden

You must be over the legal age to view this page. Please verify your age to enter.

Are you over the legal age to purchase alcohol?

As a result of the quantity requested for delivery, we recommend using Third Party Shipping. If you proceed with our Shipping, there may be a delay to the selected ship date.

As a result of the quantity requested for delivery, we recommend using Third Party Shipping. If you proceed with our Shipping, you will not be able to define a ship date, and we will get in touch with you to arrange delivery.

Your order request will be cancelled. Are you sure you want to proceed?

Due to the quantity requested for collection, there may be a delay in meeting your requested collection date.

Due to the quantity requested for collection, it is not possible to define a collection date at this stage. Our team will liaise with the warehouse and contact you directly to confirm a suitable pick-up date.

For orders with a high value, we recommend shipping with a third party carrier. Items shipped with third parties will remain in banded OWCs.

Due to the quantity requested, you won’t be able to select a collection date. Please submit your request, and we will liaise with our warehouse and confirm the collection date with you directly.

Due to the quantity requested, you won’t be able to continue the purchase. Please select third party, or change the quantity (maximum 48 is allowed).

Due to the quantity requested, you won’t be able to select a shipping date at checkout. Please submit your request, and we will liaise with our warehouse and confirm the delivery date with you directly.

For up to 499 bottles in storage, the rate is 39¢/bottle per month or a $50 minimum monthly charge (this covers up to 142 bottles). For over 500 bottles, the storage rate is 35¢/bottle per month.

Standard storage rate

By selecting third-party shipping, you will take full responsibility for all aspects of legal compliance and authorize Vinfolio to transfer the items to the party specified in your instructions. Items shipped via third parties will remain in their original packaging.

Collection times are between 8:30am - 12pm & 1:30pm - 4:30pm, Monday to Friday. Wines at Will Call, that are not picked up within 10 business days, will be transferred to storage and subject to a $1.50 per bottle stocking fee.

Items to be sourced and shipped to our state-of-the-art fine wine storage facility for the best possible safe-keeping where you can arrange collection from our warehouse address in Napa.

Will Call (Napa)

You entered the incorrect password too many times. Your account has been temporarily locked. Please wait five minutes before trying again.

It seems you are visiting from {country}, we invite you to experience our {nationality} website.

Are you browsing from {country}?

Forgot Password

We're in the final stages of upgrading to our brand-new trading platform. As part of this transition, we're currently migrating all customer-owned inventory to ensure a smooth and seamless experience.

Our new and improved platform will be ready for you on Friday, April 4.

Thank you for your patience - we can't wait to show you what's next.

Oops, something went wrong

We couldn't find any results to show here.

Please note: tax will be calculated at the next step

Our website is currently down for maintenance.

Maintenance Mode

Pre-authorizing a Payment Method enables your Account Manager to make payments on your behalf, without payment verification.

Pre-authorize

This transaction has been blocked by authentication failure.

Authentication failure

Your payment card has expired. Please check your details and try again.

Expired card

Insufficient funds to pay your balance. Please check your details and try again.

Insufficient funds

This transaction has been blocked by the payment provider due to possible fraudulent behaviour.

Transaction blocked

Please choose a different payment method and try again.

Unknown error

About description for demonstration purposes

shows all the items you currently store with us. These items can be sold, delivered or transferred.

At {shortName}

Your allocation will be cancelled. Are you sure you want to continue?

Your pre-order item will be deleted. Are you sure you want to continue?

Your delivery request will be cancelled. Are you sure you want to proceed?

represents all the wines that are in your possession and have been consumed.

This is the price you paid for this item.

Cost price

After adding your new address, you'll be redirected back to this page.

Create a new address

Your notification will be deleted. Are you sure you want to continue?

The lowest price you're willing to sell at.

shows all the items that you have pre-ordered, including en primeur wines, and all the items on your watchlist.

Futures

You can set a sell price on items you're selling based on a % of current unit net value.

shows all the actions that you have taken on items in your Portfolio.

History

shows all the items that are currently in transit to or from {shortName}.

In transit

Local delivery is free for orders over HK$1,800 (to a single location). For orders below this value, delivery is HK$150 for up to four cases and HK$50 per case thereafter.

Shipping starts from €25 within Italy and €45 to Switzerland and the rest of Europe for up to 48 bottles (75cl). Costs vary by destination. Larger shipments can be quoted on request.

The date shown below is when your order will ship from our local warehouse. Your final delivery date, along with full tracking details, will be provided once our team has processed your request.

You can arrange collection from our Retail store on 22nd Floor, 8 Wyndham Street, Central Hong Kong.
Collection times are between 9:30am-13:00 and 14:00-18:00pm, Monday to Friday. We are closed on public holidays.

You can arranged collection from our warehouse STI INTERNAZIONALE SPA, on Viale del Lavoro, 57, 37051 Bovolone, Verona.
Pick-up hours are between 8:30 AM to 12:30 PM and 1:30 PM to 5:30 PM, Monday to Friday. We are closed on public holidays.

represents all the wines you currently have in your Portfolio that aren't stored with us. Press the

My cellar

Name

Net price

New portfolio available

New portfolio

You do not have any invoices at this time.

shows all the items from your Portfolio that are currently on the market.

On sale

shows all the items you currently have in your Portfolio. You can perform individual actions on them from this page.

Overview

shows any items that are currently awaiting user action.

Pending

This is the dynamic estimated value of the item with trading margin removed.

Pre-authorised payments enable automatic transactions on your behalf, ensuring seamless and hassle-free payments. This allows recurring charges, subscriptions, or scheduled payments to be processed without manual approval each time.

The number of cases you wish to place on sale

Your catalogue item will be archived. Are you sure you want to continue?

Before you request delivery, you can adjust the quantity for each item in your selection below.

* At time of sale a 15% trading fee will be deducted from the final sale price.

Total estimated value*'

Split into {caseSize} individual {bottleSize}cl bottles.

Title

Profile

This item is at Vinfolio, available for storage or shipping. For more information on shipping and handling visit vinfolio.com/shipping

This item is at FINE+RARE HOME Hong Kong, available for delivery or local pickup. Most Hong Kong deliveries can be made within 3 working days, an exact date will be available when arranging delivery. International deliveries have longer lead-times, please contact us for details.

Wines sold en primeur will be released from the producer after bottling, typically 18 months after the so-called campaign ends. Upon arrival your wine will be stored at Vinfolio in our temperature-controlled warehouse until you decide to take delivery.

We will source this item at the guaranteed price from our network of suppliers and arrange expedited shipment to FINE+RARE.
 The lead-time depends on many variables, but 2-4 weeks is typical for expedited sourcing.
 Once your order is confirmed, we'll keep you updated on its ETA.
 Every item is checked on arrival by our expert team, with photographs available on request (please note that charges may apply).

When a wine is on "pre-arrival", it means that we have a confirmed order on the bottles from our supplier and we are simply waiting for the winery or distributor to ship the wine to us. The delivery timeframe for pre-arrival wines varies significantly, depending on where the wine is coming from. We will notify you once they arrive at our warehouse and, at that point, you can decide to arrange shipping or list them for sale.

Domaine Lux Fontis

Filter

Please wait

Related articles