Burgundy 2021 – S–Z

Utterly distinctive in those lovely ripe aromas of citrus and clementine. Deep, generous in fruit, balanced by the high acid. Full-flavoured, rarely disappoints. Intense rather than elegant at this stage. GV (JH)

Full bottle 1,265 g. From a 0.7-ha, south-facing parcel at 350 m on Trias clay below the Roche de Vergisson – so, well positioned!
Deep glistening gold. Rich nose with an underlying tension of green-fruit flavours. Impeccably made. Obviously not a Côte d’Or white, but is that so awful nowadays? Certainly not fat. Real excitement and tension here. And persistence. GV (JR)

Spicier and more leesy than the St-Véran, so the ripeness of fruit is less immediately obvious, but still there. A little more stony/mineral too. There's more tension here, more refinement, wonderful freshness and very good length with a light spice note at the end. (JH)

Mid ruby. Like the Beaune Bressandes, it seems to lack some freshness. Tannins are quite grippy too. Is the sample fresh? (JH)

Lightish crimson. Scented yet delicate aroma of wild red fruits. Pretty light on the palate but the tannins are handled gently, not to overwhelm the fruit. Subtle with a sour-fresh finish. Not really premier-cru intensity. (JH)

Light ruby – looking a little older than 2021, but smells fresh and sweet. Tastes quite sweet too, and a little leathery. A bit lean overall but fruit and structure are balanced, as the tannins are restrained. (JH)

Lightish ruby. Sweet and slightly stewed on the nose – cooked not fresh strawberries. Is the sample fresh? In the context of this vintage, this really lacks some freshness. The tannins are smooth and appropriate, but it seems a bit tired? Hard to tell how it will age. (JH)

Screwcap. A light stone-dust layer, then delicate citrus underneath. Mealy/lees texture helps to balance the high acidity and adds a note of fresh pears. A little austere unless you are an acid lover. (JH)

Screwcap. More herbal than citrus but also a strong stony/mineral character. Not very fruity at first. A marked lees flavour and texture on the palate – perhaps showing more because the fruit character is not very intense. But it is balanced in a rather lean style. Long, leesy finish. (JH)

Smells so much richer than the straight Chablis. Still a very marked lees aroma (creamy/mealy) but the balance with the fruit is better here. Green fruits, slightly chewy texture. Intense, dry and long. (JH)

Cask sample. Mid crimson. Nose is not the purest. A bit taut and demanding for a wine from this appellation. (JR)

Cask sample. Notably pale garnet. Easy and plush but not quite fresh enough. Oak in the picture. Not appetising. (JR)

Cask sample. Crimson. Sweet and chewy at present. Maybe too much extraction? Dry finish. (JR)