Savigny-Les-Beaune

This is deliciously moreish, with sweet strawberry fruit and cranberry bite for lift. The final blend will also include some wine aged in large foudre, which adds a heartier, richer texture and rounds out the wine. Simple but not one-dimensional. Drink 2019-2023.

It is fair to say that Ben is very happy with 2017, describing it as the kind of vintage he would sign up for every year. The whites, he says, are beautiful, and not far from 2014 in style, with purity, finesse, great definition and balance. He describes the reds as pretty, appealing and with body to support ageing, while highlighting the importance of lower-yielding old vines for serious ageing. He eloquently explains that there is no “black sheep” in 2017, that no village has underperformed. For reason of space, the limited volumes of Grands Crus have not been included in this brochure. Since the 2014 vintage, all white wines are bottled under screwcap

If possible, this is even fruitier than the village example and aromatically almost New World in style, but the gravelly tannins soon ground the wine back in Burgundy. Make sure you wave to the vineyard on the right-hand side as you head out of Beaune towards Paris on the A6. Drink 2020-2024.

It is fair to say that Ben is very happy with 2017, describing it as the kind of vintage he would sign up for every year. The whites, he says, are beautiful, and not far from 2014 in style, with purity, finesse, great definition and balance. He describes the reds as pretty, appealing and with body to support ageing, while highlighting the importance of lower-yielding old vines for serious ageing. He eloquently explains that there is no “black sheep” in 2017, that no village has underperformed. For reason of space, the limited volumes of Grands Crus have not been included in this brochure. Since the 2014 vintage, all white wines are bottled under screwcap.

Eighty percent of the vines that make up this cuvée are 100 years old. The concentrated fruit they provide lends this wine a darker fruit profile, with notes of black cherry and dark chocolate, along with succulent, juicy tannins. Great pleasure now but will charm for several years. Drink 2019-2025. Adam Bruntlett, Wine Buyer

This excellent domaine in Vosne-Romanée has flown under the radar – perhaps because Jean-Pierre Guyon spends so much of his time out in the vineyards, which have been farmed organically since 2006, certified from 2012. With his high-pedigree viticulture as a great starting point, Jean-Pierre can employ whole-bunch fermentation as the stalks are ripe, eschewing the use of sulphur at this stage, though some is added during élevage and at bottling to assure stability. Despite obvious frustration at the small volumes, Jean-Pierre Guyon is delighted with the quality of his 2016s. He describes it as a vintage of great Pinot Noir typicity, which will be greater than 2015, explaining that the wines' saline character will have you reaching for the next glass. As ever, the grapes here were picked a touch later than many estates to ensure the stems were fully ripe. He only bought six new barrels for the entire 2016 crop, so the proportion of new oak is reduced.

This is a powerful, concentrated cuvée expressive of the vineyard’s deep, red clay soils. The palate centres on ripe red fruit – its whole-bunch character less pronounced than, say, Savigny-Les Planchots. There was no new oak in 2016 and only three barrels were made.

Fine, fresh and red-purple in the glass, this has attractive, accessible fruit on the nose. On the palate, this has lovely bright raspberry notes and a very good acid balance. Enough structure behind for mediumterm longevity.

These are concentrated wines at Domaine de Bellene this year, and the vintage reminds Nicolas Potel of 1991. The wines came in with correct sugar levels, around 12.5 percent, and perfect acidities; they were vinified for a full month with minimal intervention, using whole bunches for the senior wines. The wines were due for bottling in early December.

Lovely, rich and full of red cherry fruit, this is more about charm than power and a fine minerality come through on the very persistent, pretty aftertaste.

A fine, bright wine with vibrant dark red fruit to the nose and an impressive density of fruit on the palate. A really excellent Savigny; their best yet. Very mouthfilling with good acidity, all nicely in place.
Jasper Morris MW, Burgundy Wine Director

Nicolas Potel is still hard at work developing his domaine, where the wines are made under his general direction by the talented Sylvain Debord, a curly-haired wild child. More vineyards are being planted in St Romain and for a Crémant de Bourgogne project and there may be further vineyards coming aboard, depending on some farming contracts being discussed.

Grown on the edge of Aloxe-Corton, from mostly 100-plus-year-old vines, this has magnificent floral notes, succulent, opulent fruit and huge length. A wine to dream about. Drink 2019-2023.
Jasper Morris MW, Wine Buyer


This excellent domaine in Vosne-Romanée has been below most people’s radar – perhaps because Jean-Pierre Guyon spends as much of his time as possible out in the vineyards which have been farmed organically since 2006, certified from 2012. With his highpedigree viticulture as a great starting point, Jean-Pierre can employ wholebunch fermentation as the stalks are ripe, eschewing the use of sulphur at this stage, though some is added later during élevage and at bottling to assure stability.

It is not easy to get a tasting with Jean- Pierre Guyon as he likes to be out in the vineyards all day long (“I am the shepherd of my grapes”). His meticulous work in the vineyards enables him to work thereafter with ripe and healthy grapes which can be vinified without sulphur and entirely as whole bunches. The wines have been matured in less new wood than previously, although it’s still two thirds for the top cuvées. Jean-Pierre has also worked his whites to minimise their weight in this sunny year, fermenting in older barrels with no lees’ stirring.

The Peuillets vineyard is sandy and can suffer in the heat. This is not about complexity, aiming instead for an openness of style and a creamy palate, at which it succeeds very well, but without compromising vitality. Drink 2020-2024.

Jean-Pierre Guyon tasted his berries on 8th September and was not impressed. He waited for the rain that weekend and was among the last to harvest on 15th September. He got lucky, but his assiduous vineyard work must also have helped the astonishing transformation. It’s an hugely impressive range, better than 2016 in  Jean-Pierre’s view, and certainly one of  the best addresses this year. He has smart new labels as well, with vin biologique proudly to the fore. There is more terroir definition this year, and Jean-Pierre will bottle a little earlier.

This extraordinary vineyard with its centenarian vines always outperforms its appellation. There is more depth and tannin than in the Bourgogne and Jean-Pierre has not used any new oak on this wine this year. Lush but also composed. Drink 2020-2024.

Jean-Pierre Guyon tasted his berries on 8th September and was not impressed. He waited for the rain that weekend and was among the last to harvest on 15th September. He got lucky, but his assiduous vineyard work must also have helped the astonishing transformation. It’s an hugely impressive range, better than 2016 in  Jean-Pierre’s view, and certainly one of  the best addresses this year. He has smart new labels as well, with vin biologique proudly to the fore. There is more terroir definition this year, and Jean-Pierre will bottle a little earlier.