Burgundy 2016 – L

Organic. Cask sample.
Lightish cherry red. Pretty, floral, gently herbal and very inviting. Spicy on the tongue, lightish but really well modulated. (JH)

Organic. Cask sample.
Lightish cherry red. Smells sweeter and riper than the Bourgogne Rouge Vieilles Vignes but also a notable stemmy character. That stemmy character on the palate too, giving dry (not drying) texture. A more austere style but in balance in that style. (JH)

Organic. Cask sample.
Mid cherry red. Smells much riper than the Clos du Dessus des Marconnets. Lovely red-cherry sweetness. Delicate and scented on the palate. As with the other Labet wines, the tannins are fine and dry but here the fruit seems more generous and thus the whole is more persistent and complete at this stage.(JH

Organic. Cask sample.
Mid cherry red. Sweetly oaky on the nose. Darker fruited than the Beaune wines, not surprisingly. Sturdy, compact tannins. Less charm, more muscle and ready for the long term. (JH)

Barrel sample. Mid cherry red. Juicy Gamay fruit. Lively and spiced on the palate, supple tannins, very drinkable but should age better than many Bourgogne Pinots with quite definite but fine tannins. (JH)

Barrel sample. Mid crimson. Peppery and dark-fruited with a light rocky/mineral note. Dry and savoury on the palate, a lovely refined darkness but not lacking fruit. Classic Moulin-à-Vent with tannic finesse and firmness, well balanced for ageing. Dry, chalky finish. Elegant. (JH)

Barrel sample. Deep crimson. Not very expressive now, just dark and rocky and invitingly so. Tantalising. Savoury and rocky dark fruit, has fruit to balance but not to shout at you. This is really elegant and the opposite of showy. Super-refined. (JH)

Monopole. Barrel sample.
Deep cherry red. Smells very different from Le Carquelin, more meaty but still that dark, rocky minerality. Bone dry, chalky. Refined texture, almost chalky but more like layers of paper. A long, dark, savoury finish. Needs time. (JH)

Quite chewy and energetic. Still quite youthful – difficult to taste straight after Volnay Clos du Château des Ducs!

Bottled. Light to mid crimson. Pretty dark-red fruit. Peppery. Tight, juicy and even more peppery on the palate. Bone dry but somehow juicy too. Delicate but persistent. (JH)

Lieu-dit with steep slope.
Very polished and complex and appetising.

Bottled. More dusty, even a little stemmy (whole bunch?). Tight, almost eye-watering freshness, perhaps just a little severe? Long, leafy finish. (JH)

On granite and quartz.
Peppery nose. Real drive and energy. Lots of juice and minerality. Not yet ready.

Rented 50-year-old vines on granite with blue in the soil.
Polished. Fruit and grace. Fairly approachable.

Bottled. Bright cherry red. Fairly quiet on the nose. Subtle dark-red fruit. Peppery, dusty, pure and dry but those dry tannins are matched by elegant dark fruit. Long and very young. (JH)

One gravelly ha on the border of Meursault. Very suitable for co-planted Gamay and Pinot.
Very youthful and unformed. Lots of acidity and graininess. Very energetic and spicy. Firm finish. GV

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Located between the RN74 and Volnay vineyards – an especially good strip for Bourgogne.
The perfume is very intense. Fred thinks this wine expressed the joyful nature of the vintage particularly well. Very strong, fruity raspberry juice. Very playful and pleasing. Long with lovely balance.

Just one cuvée of Volnay, as in 2012.
Mossy notes on the nose and then very polished fruit on the palate. Chewy and with real energy. Lots of fine tannin and earthy terroir-informed fruit. Tension and sculpted texture. Lip-smacking.

Lively and fairly light-bodied but with masses of charm. Purple fruit and very fine. A ballet dancer of a wine. This wine soars! Peacock’s tail – this wine goes on and on.

95-year-old vines – their oldest. A quarter has been pulled out because of the effects of the 2012 hail and planted with mass selection from the domaine. They will blend the two eventually.
Lots of grunt and depth. Really very special and deeply flavoured. Very smart. A major part of the renaissance of Beaune!

Started in 2015; before it was an ingredient in Volnay premier cru. Just one pièce (three in 2017). Pebbly clay.
Lots of crunchy fruit with masses of acidity. Real intensity and depth. Very long indeed.

Meaty nose and round, charming texture with violet perfume. Very engaging and typically Volnay with its relatively light body and perfume. Firm finish promises well for the future. Long.

Red soils over calcaire for minerality.
Lighter nose than the Mitans. Very ethereal on the nose and almost easy to overlook on the palate. Bit of a dark horse. Very ‘mineral’ on the finish.

Deep gravel on top of calcaire. Protected from frost. Harvested with grandfather Michel and daughter Clothilde, to remind grandpa Michel of the old ways. They destemmed by hand on a round wicker grid (claie d’égrappage).
Rich and heady. Beautiful.

In the middle of the vineyard – just 0.15 ha on dolomite calcaire. Just one 300-litre cask made.
Pale purplish crimson. Sweet and fresh and smells much more delicate than a stereotypical Pommard. Very sweet and gorgeous with beautifully managed tannins. Most unusual and very vibrant.

Almost 1 ha (16 ha in total). Red and much shallower soils above the calcaire.
Broad and juicy on the nose. Still evolving but with wonderfully smooth texture and a real line. Still quite raw fruit.