Goedhuis 2019 En Primeur Burgundy Tasting

www.goedhuis.com tel. 020 7793 7900 & wine@goedhuis.com

I was fortunate to taste a wide range of 2019 Burgundies with the Goedhuis team in November. Here are my comprehensive tasting notes and scores. I understand that the prices will be released early in the New Year. There are some remarkable wines in 2019 as you will see from my notes and scores below. Unfortunately, yields were much lower in 2019 than in the generous 2018 harvest and while prices should remain stable there will inevitably be a mad-dash for the finest wines when they are released so my advice is to contact Goedhuis with a list of wines that you would like to buy as soon as you are able. If you would like to know more about the vintage conditions, look out for David Robert MW’s notes which are always enlightening.

Author’s note – all 7000 of these words were written while I was tasting, on an iPad, in six hours flat, so please do forgive typos and incomplete sentences.

Patrick Javillier

white

Bourgogne Côte d’Or Blanc, Cuvée des Forgets, Patrick Javillier

Gentle, fine and immediate with lovely, smooth, lemon and wildflower notes and a neat prim finish. 17/20

Bourgogne Côte d’Or Blanc, Cuvée Oligocène, Patrick Javillier

Deeper and more succulent and layered than Forgets with honey and faint coconut notes which bring exoticism and depth. Superb balance, genuinely racy and pretty, this is a genuine mini-Meursault and it is rather forward, too. 17.5/20

Meursault, Clos du Cromin, Patrick Javillier

As always, this is a more angular and less fleshy wine with more edge and grunt. There is some power here and also some rocky grip and less overt fruit and it will open up over time, but TdM has the edge now and certainly for the next year or two. 18/20

Meursault, Cuvée Tête de Murger, Patrick Javillier

There is more mineral interest here with much longer lemon balm flavours and superb control and freshness – this is delicious and very sexy. Forward, thrillingly lush and cool, this is a stunning wine. 18.5/20

Jean-Philippe Fichet

white

Bourgogne, Vieilles Vignes, Jean-Philippe Fichet

Cool, slightly green and grassy on the nose and nowhere near the silkiness of Javillier’s Forgets, this is a bright, willowy, lean wine with cleansing acidity and light touch throughout. Summer 2021’s house glugger. 16.5/20

Meursault, Jean-Philippe Fichet

A little bit closed and firm, with a hint of muscle on the palate, this is an abrupt wine with little perfume and it needs a chance to settle. It slightly falls between two stools. 17/20

Meursault, Le Meix sous le Château, Jean-Philippe Fichet

Pliable, layered, spring-like freshness and a delightful lightness of touch make this is a beautiful and elegant wine with clean lines, bright minerality and masses of verve. Forward-drinking but respectfully prim on the finish, this is a delicious wine with an indelible Fichet signature. 18/20

Meursault, Les Chevalières, Jean-Philippe Fichet

Turning the volume knob up a little, we have more fruit here than is found in Le Tesson, but it is slightly closed and there is more minerality here than found in Gruyaches and with this it holds more acidity, too, all of the way along the flavour trail. Tougher to enjoy right now, but packed with potential, this is a wine for the future, but it will unfurl beautifully in time and be a rock star. 18.5+/20

Meursault, Les Gruyaches, Jean-Philippe Fichet

Darker tones in fruit and veg terms and more tied to the soil in terms of minerality and depth, this is a profound Gruyaches which manages to nail this vineyard’s character while retaining brightness and lift on the nose. Clever and fascinating but not showy. 18+/20

Meursault, Le Tesson, Jean-Philippe Fichet

Plush and more toothsome on the mid-palate, this is a more upholstered and ever so slightly more decadent wine with a pliant mid-palate and a touch of wild honey and stone fruit which adds gloss and élan. More of an expressive style and drop-dead gorgeous already, this is a seriously attractive wine and it maintains Fichet restraint, too. 18.5/20

Puligny Montrachet, 1er Cru Les Referts, Jean-Philippe Fichet

As always this is not a Meursault-shaped Puligny, but a genuine PM-shaped creation, with Fichet’s magical touch on board. Lovely and thrillingly appointed, this is my favourite Fichet Puligny ever and it accurately embraces both this elite vineyard, the sensational vintage and also the precision-build which Fichet is rightly so renowned. This is an amazing wine. 19+/20

Antoine Jobard

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Meursault, En la Barre, Antoine Jobard

Slightly gruff and a touch bitter, this is a classic Jobard warrior wine with a scratchy, grainy palate and an active, chewy finish. Not bad, true to type, but perhaps not the polish I seek out. Jobard fans will rejoice, but this is a little too agricultural for me. 17+/20

Meursault, 1er Cru Les Charmes, Antoine Jobard

With more spice and oak on the nose, and also sweeter, peachy fruit on the palate, this is a rather ostentatious wine and it shows a flamboyant side to the Jobard palette. Relatively forward and quite rich, this is a power-packed wine which won’t truly blossom for another 24 months. 17.5+/20

Meursault, 1er Cru Genevrières, Antoine Jobard

Closed, blunt and too oily for my tastes, this is a blocky, solid wine which will require time to evolve and, hopefully, open up. The perfume gives me hope because there is some beauty and even some delicacy here, but there is a broad, slightly clumsy palate below this and this will certainly need to budge and evolve in order to indicate if this wine will indeed find equilibrium. 17.5+?/20

Christian Sérafin Père & Fils

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Bourgogne Rouge, Christian Sérafin Père & Fils

Robust, quite firm and rather sour and keen, this is a combative BR and it is true to Sérafin’s upright, stern style. It will need a few years to even consider opening a bottle – this is an uncompromising BR, made in the same style as the grander wines in this portfolio. 17+/20

Gevrey-Chambertin, Christian Sérafin Père & Fils

A little too sour, lean and tangy, this is a green and hard wine and I worry that it will not find a fruity enough foothold to secure its future. 16.5+?/20

Gevrey Chambertin, Vieilles Vignes, Christian Sérafin Père & Fils

Raw and tense, this is a powerfully oaky wine with huge acidic tension and it will require a decade or more to round out. I am too timid to recommend it because you might run out of patience long before the back end softens. 17++/20

Gevrey-Chambertin, 1er Cru Les Corbeaux, Christian Sérafin Père & Fils

There is more obvious fruit here and yet the tannins are a little too green and hairy for my tastes. The tension is admirable but the astringency is overpowering. 17++?/20

Morey-Saint-Denis, 1er Cru Les Millandes, Christian Sérafin Père & Fils

There are some nice red fruit notes here and a roasted coffee bean note, too, which is interesting, and yet I still struggle with the tannins and also the oak here. This is a very raw wine and one which will require extreme patience. 17++/20

Chambolle Musigny, 1er Cru Les Baudes, Christian Sérafin Père & Fils

Grippy and rather tense, this is a decent wine and one which brings Sérafin’s style, overlays it on a rather delicate Chambolle body and it actually works. Dry and firm, and in need of time, this is a classy number and one which will open slowly but surely. 17.5+/20

Gevrey Chambertin, 1er Cru Le Fonteny, Christian Sérafin Père & Fils

There is more fruit ripeness and less obvious coarse extraction here and the result is the most successful wine so far in this line-up. The balance is just about on cue and this will age slowly but surely, too, so I am happy with this wine. 17.5+/20

Gevrey Chambertin, 1er Cru Les Cazetiers, Christian Sérafin Père & Fils

Richer and more expressive the fruit is fighting back against the dominant oak regime here and it is winning the battle. Admittedly this is an older-style operation and yet this wine has great balance and style. 18+/20

Charmes-Chambertin, Grand Cru, Christian Sérafin Père & Fils

Yes, as I suspected, the higher you climb up the ladder, the more fruit expression is on display and so this is, accordingly the most successful of the bunch because the fruit is indeed sublime. 18.5+/20

Louis Boillot & Fils

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Gevrey-Chambertin, Louis Boillot & Fils

What a superb vintage for Louis Boillot. These are the most expressive wines I have ever seen from this Domaine and this Gevrey is accurate, buoyant, fresh and fine. 16.5/20

Gevrey-Chambertin, Les Evocelles, Louis Boillot & Fils

With a little more perfume and a juicier mid-palate, this is a step up on the village wine and while it is not the most complex Gevrey it still works well. 17/20

Gevrey-Chambertin, 1er Cru Champonnet, Louis Boillot & Fils

A little more backward and tense with a dry finish and a touch more violet perfume and mid-palate weight, this is a decent effort and it carries well on the finish. 17.5/20

Ghislaine Barthod

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Bourgogne Rouge, Ghislaine Barthod

Ghislaine’s BR is on top form in 2019 and it shows all of the Chambolle hints and nudges that you desire from this oft-impressive label. Deeply rewarding and plummy with fine earthy seriousness beneath the plump fruit, this is a jolly nice wine and one of the finest generic labels of the vintage. 17.5/20

Chambolle-Musigny, Ghislaine Barthod

This is a stunning wine with so much tension and corresponding plushness. With more poise and detail than hosts of other estates’ Premiers Crus this is a stupendous Pinot. It also does a neat trick of appearing flatteringly forward while retaining a devastatingly crunchy finish. Genius. 18.5/20

Chambolle-Musigny, 1er Cru Les Chatelots, Ghislaine Barthod

More closed and less juicy than the village this is an edgier Cru with firm fruit and tight lines and, as always, it will repay patience and loyalty if you allow this wine to reach its full potential. I do not have the self-control, but many do, so go for it, because this is a majestic, if introverted Les Chatelots. 18+/20

Chambolle-Musigny, 1er Cru Aux Beaux Bruns, Ghislaine Barthod

Always more fruit-forward on the nose, this perfumed 2019 is a lovely wine and while it doesn’t carry on the palate quite as long as the nose suggests, this persistence will come in time. Wild, fruits of the forest tones make this a heady creation and I like it enormously. 18.5+/20

Chambolle-Musigny, 1er Cru Les Gruenchers, Ghislaine Barthod

I am guilty of rather passing over Les Gruenchers each year as I find it the least easy in the portfolio to understand. Awkward, interrupted and esoteric, I am sure that this will appeal to Gruencher nerds, but I will go for the more obviously accessible (and grand) wines with pleasure. 18+/20

Chambolle-Musigny, 1er Cru Les Cras, Ghislaine Barthod

What a stunning wine and one with superb detail and amazing grace, too. Everything that makes Barthod such a compelling proposition is here in the glass and this is a wine which follows my preferred trail through Ghislaine’s 2019s, namely BR, Village, Beaux Bruns to Les Cras – all captivating wines. 19+/20

Domaine Fourrier

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Morey St-Denis, Clos Solon Vieille Vigne, Domaine Fourrier

This is a precocious Morey and one which channels wild cherries and the merest hints of spice and earth and this makes this cuvée more forward and approachable than normal given the ripeness of this vintage. 18/20

Chambolle-Musigny, Vieille Vigne, Domaine Fourrier

A crème de mure-soaked Chambolle which adds darker notes to the usual mood plus a dusting of cocoa powder, too. Nicely forward and brightly juicy this is a flashy fellow with a little bit of pizzazz on display. Forward and expressive this is a lovely wine. 18/20

Gevrey-Chambertin, Vieille Vigne, Domaine Fourrier

Exotic and floral, this is one of the most expressive and perfumed Gevreys of this vintage and the texture here is gossamer-smooth and ever so attractive already. Bright, juicy, clean and also refreshingly sauvage, this is a very sexy Gevrey with masses of appeal. 18.5/20

Vougeot, 1er Cru Les Petits Vougeots Vieille Vigne, Domaine Fourrier

100% violets and a handful of cherries on top make this as accurate a Vougeot as I have seen in a decade. The oak is perfectly matched to this hugely floral and demonstrative wine and it caresses the senses with its gorgeous fluidity. There are no hard edges here and the perky acid and discreetly tickly tannins only add to its precocity. 18.5/20

Gevrey-Chambertin, 1er Cru Cherbaudes Vieille Vigne, Domaine Fourrier

More linear and challenging on the palate this is a classic Fourrier in terms of fruit purity, but it is sharply tannic and tense on the finish which is precisely what you require from this terrific vineyard. I will warn you off drinking this wine for at least five years, because it is a stellar Cherbaudes and one with red fruit, spice and grip giving it tension and grandeur in equal measure. 18.5/20

Gevrey-Chambertin, 1er Cru Champeaux Vieille Vigne, Domaine Fourrier

Richer than Champeaux and darker in fruit tone, this is a luxurious wine with lovely savoury notes under the black cherry and plum dual-themes. More layered and fondanty than the preceding cuvées, this is a lush wine and one which really appeals to me for daring forward-drinking as much as it does for the long haul. 18.5/20

Gevrey Chambertin, 1er Cru Les Goulots Vieille Vigne, Domaine Fourrier

Les Goulots always shows powerful minerality under exotic wild cherry notes and spice and while it has the pretensions of being a midterm wine it is, in fact, a long-distance runner. It is essential to give this wine time to perform because there is so much potential here. This is a masterful Gevrey and one which might get lost in a crowd right now but which will be a serious contender given time. 19/20

Gevrey Chambertin, 1er Cru Combe Aux Moines Vieille Vignes, Domaine Fourrier

If Goulot majors on terroir, then Combe aux Moines majors on fruit expression and it is superb. The tonal complexity of red and black fruit is sensational and it is one of the most profound and detailed expressions of this vineyard I have ever tasted. Give this wine five to eight years before you have a look – it is epic 2019. 19.5+/20

Gevrey Chambertin, 1er Cru Clos Saint-Jacques Vieille Vigne, Domaine Fourrier

There is always a different approach on the palate with CSJ and it doesn’t follow Fourrier, Fourrier follows it. CSJ makes itself to its own rules and Fourrier merely adds curlicues and flourishes and, in 2019, this is a delectable wine. Every inch a superstar and with a huge run ahead of it, this is a lesson in allowing expression of terroir to underpin the honesty, integrity and accuracy of a great wine. 19.5++/20

Griotte-Chambertin, Grand Cru Vieille Vigne, Domaine Fourrier

Seemingly mono-tonal next to CSJ, this is a solo instrument played by a virtuoso artist and the timbre is sensational. Erring on the red fruit side of the tracks, this is a very expressive red and it is already silky smooth, with violet perfume and cherry stone purity. 18.5+/20

F. Gros

red

Beaune, 1er Cru Boucherottes, A. F. Gros

A sinewy and tart wine, with decent Beaune purity under a scratchy, tannic exoskeleton, this is a rather challenging wine to fall for, but it is certainly easy to see that is should develop well given time. 17+/20

Vosne Romanée, Aux Réas, A. F. Gros

Honest, bold and heart-warming, this is a full wine with a trencherman appeal and it seems forward and bold already. Conforming to its roots but not getting too bogged down in detail, this is a hearty wine for hearty wine lovers. 17.5/20

Echezeaux, Grand Cru, A. F. Gros

There is a peacock’s tail of fruit here but nowhere near as much tannin as I was expecting and so this will be one of the more precocious Echezeaux of the vintage. If you are in a rush to drink a Grand Cru wine then you will find succour here. 17.5/20

Richebourg, Grand Cru, Domaine A. F. Gros

Pagan and rather challenging there is a full array of earthy, gamey fruit here as well as smoky oak, too. I find this all a little over the top as there is little balance here and so much ostentation it is remarkable. One for unabashed extroverts if not for balance freaks. 17.5+?/20

Domaine de l’Arlot

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Côte de Nuits Village Blanc, Au Leurey, Domaine de l’Arlot

Herbal, slightly chemical and oniony on the nose, this is a rather challenging wine given that while the acidity is rather perky, it seems to lack fruit purity and brightness. Clearly, it will age well and might evolve in a cleaner direction, but for now, this looks a little too vegetal. 16?/20

Nuits Saint Georges Blanc, Cuvée La Gerbotte, Domaine de l’Arlot

With a crème patisserie note and that same hint of oniony strangeness on the palate, this is a hard wine for me to appreciate because I can’t see any ripe, smooth fruit. 16?/20

Nuits Saint Georges Blanc, 1er Cru Clos de l’Arlot, Domaine de l’Arlot

By far the most successful white of the trio with clear direction and none of the chemical/wild garlic tang of the others. This is a smart wine and while esoteric and a little oddly shaped, it is a decent white Nuits. 17.5/20

red

Côte de Nuits-Villages, Clos du Chapeau, Domaine de l’Arlot

Blunt and cool on the finish and a little bit sharp and angular, this is a difficult wine to enjoy with green tones troubling the red fruit. 16+?/20

Nuits Saint Georges, 1er Cru Cuvée Mont des Oiseaux, Domaine de l’Arlot

The forward part of the experience is bright and impressive, but the finish wanders off with herbal notes and a slender set of tannins and this is rather challenging wine and one which seems to be built on tight greener tones as opposed to genuinely raspy skin tannins. A little confusing, this is a hard wine to comprehend. 17+/20

Nuits Saint Georges, 1er Cru Clos de l’Arlot, Domaine de l’Arlot

Much more successful, this has green highlights balancing the sleek red fruit. Fresh, bright, energetic and keen, this is a very expressive Nuits and it has a long way to go. 18+/20

Nuits Saint Georges, 1er Cru Clos des Forets Saint Georges, Domaine de l’Arlot

Spicy, darker-hued and more structured, too, this is a fabulous wine with serious detail and definition and it shows that the Arlot recipe works so well in the upper echelons of its portfolio. Thrillingly energetic and refreshing while, at the same time, seriously complex, this is a stunning wine. 19+/20

Vosne Romanée, 1er Cru Les Suchots, Domaine de l’Arlot

Darker and more closed, this is a tricky wine given that I can’t help thinking that this fruit should have been allowed to blossom more and yet it is straight-jacketed by the greener tones. I fear that this is an opportunity missed, but I am happy to eat (or better drink) my words. 18++/20

Romanée Saint Vivant, Grand Cru, Domaine de l’Arlot

Yippee, the fruit is fondanty, profoundly exotic and truly expressive and while more slender than many, this is a spectacular wine and one which is already showing its class and immense appeal. 19+/20

Jean-Marc Boillot

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Montagny, 1er Cru Le Vieux Château, Jean-Marc Boillot

Super-precise and bursting with crunchy acidity and stony freshness, this is a marvellously energetic wine with a perfect nose and pretensions to a creamy palate. A great wine for short to medium term love and wonderfully blessed with Boillot’s stylish touch, this is a lip-smacking wine and it is stunning value, too. 17.5/20

Puligny-Montrachet, Jean-Marc Boillot

Relaxed, classy and layered, this is a beautiful and sensual Chardonnay with a forward feel, but it lacks nothing in terms of class and poise. Great freshness lurks beneath a silky-smooth chassis and the length, for a village wine, is sublime. 18/20

Puligny-Montrachet, 1er Cru La Garenne, Jean-Marc Boillot

Sharply acidic and almost painfully jagged and mineral on the finish, you could be forgiven for thinking that this was a Grand Cru Chablis such is the drama on the finish. Of course, this is just a heightened expression on La Garenne and so caveat emptor because if this is not your shape of white then move on. If, however, this piercing freshness and stony purity work for you, then ship it in. 18+/20

Puligny-Montrachet, 1er Cru Champ Canet, Jean-Marc Boillot

Power-packed and forceful, this is a muscular, well-built, no-nonsense wine with great depth and a square-jawed appeal. In need of a couple of years to unravel, this is a terrific wine with such a strong character it really impresses. 18.5+/20

Puligny-Montrachet, 1er Cru Les Combettes, Jean-Marc Boillot

By contrast to the commanding Champ Canet, Les Combettes is positively regal and amazingly sensual and this silky touch coupled with the wells of citrus and Comice pear fruit notes make this is an astoundingly beautiful wine. Simply stunning, this is my pick of the top flight Boillots. 19+/20

Bâtard-Montrachet, Grand Cru, Jean-Marc Boillot

We are back to the muscular stance of Champ Canet here, but with a finer feel throughout and a longer, more melodic finish. This is a brilliant Bâtard because it shows admirable restraint while packing in a milles feuilles of flavour. 18.5+/20

Domaine Rapet Père & Fils

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Corton, Grand Cru, Domaine Rapet Père & Fils

Nice and expressive with deep, purple fruit notes and a lovely glossy sheen, this is a very successful wine for Rapet and it’s nice to see that this ripe fruit retains complete control and balance with the oak and tannin elements here. 17.5+/20

Tortochot

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Morey-St-Denis, Tortochot

A little more rustic and tangy, this is an old-fashioned wine with a slightly dominate oak theme and wild, sour fruit. Not bad, but a little coarse and raw. 16.5+/20

Morey-St-Denis, 1er Cru Aux Charmes, Tortochot

A little grubby and a little foresty on the nose and palate, I would prefer a cleaner fruit message and a little less coarseness on the finish. 16.5+?/20

Gevrey Chambertin, 1er Cru Lavaux St-Jacques, Tortochot

Too blunt and too vegetal, this is a difficult wine to enjoy. 16.5+?/20

Gevrey-Chambertin, 1er Cru Les Champeaux, Tortochot

With more clarity of expression and fewer vegetal notes, this is a good stab, but it is still lacking in freshness and purity. 16.5+/20

Jean Grivot

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Bourgogne Pinot Noir, Jean Grivot

Lovely and plush, this is a triumphant BR for Grivot and it puts many village wines up and down the Côte to shame. Dark, smooth, detailed and very long, this is a sensational wine with real class and integrity. It treads the Vosne/Nuits border perfectly with its fruit/minerality balance. 17.5/20

Vosne-Romanée, Jean Grivot

Like the BR but turbo-charged and with a longer, slightly dryer finish, this is a splendid Vosne and it shows admirable glossiness and enviable élan. 18/20

Nuits-St-Georges, Aux Lavières, Jean Grivot

A top-class Lavières, this is as expressive as any vintage I have tasted, so if you are a fan you are in for a stunning experience here. Plush, juicy, bright and velvety, this is a beauty. 18/20

Nuits-St-Georges, 1er Cru Les Pruliers, Jean Grivot

Gosh, this is accurate, both from a Grivot point of view and, more importantly from a Pruliers accuracy standpoint. Epic balance and uncommon juiciness make these wines so easy to adore from the off. Amazing and even flirtatious (I have never written this about Grivot before) this is a superb wine. 18.5+/20

Vosne Romanée, 1er Cru Les Rouges, Jean Grivot

There is an edgier and leafier tang to this wine which is slightly at odds with the rest of the Grivot portfolio. While refreshing and uplifting, this stemmy detail also adds a raw feel on the finish which rather occludes my enjoyment. Having said this it will certainly have legs. 18+/20

Nuits-St-Georges, 1er Cru Aux Boudots, Jean Grivot

Darker and swarthier than Pruliers, this is a fuller-framed wine and one with an exotic air, and while a little ripe, it is still a desperately curvaceous wine and it will inevitably impress all who taste it. 18.5+/20

Clos de Vougeot, Grand Cru, Jean Grivot

Warning, this is the first wine in this line-up with noticeable tannins. Of course, they all have tannin in spades, but they are hidden by the exotic fruit and yet here CdV shows active youth and tension, as it should, and this will blossom over time. Suave, layered and superbly plush, this is a superstar in 2019. 19++/20

Vosne-Romanée, 1er Cru Les Beaux Monts, Jean Grivot

This is a densely appointed and hugely impressive wine with so much power and poise it is amazing. With an extra dimension of ripeness, this brings extraordinary exoticism to the fore and it suits the depth and stature of this regal vineyard. A cosmic Pinot experience, this is a brilliant expression of this wine and, ignoring the fact that it is overtly exotic, it is an immensely collectable wine. 19.5+/20

Echézeaux, Grand Cru, Jean Grivot

With more animal undertones and less exotic fruit, this cuvée is a reality check in 2019 for Grivot and it pulls all of the fruit and ripeness back into the earth giving it a primal appeal. Long-lived and forceful on the nose and palate, this is a rather challenging wine but one that purists will inevitably embrace. 18.5++/20

Bruno Colin

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Bourgogne Chardonnay, Bruno Colin

The oak is rather dominant here and it casts a rather heavy cloak on the fruit making it feeling wanting. I would pass on this wine unless you like carpentry. 16?/20

Saint-Aubin, 1er Cru Le Charmois, Bruno Colin

Quite dry and sour, the fruit here is certainly powerful and brusque and there is little finesse on display, but there is certainly a lot of flavour and it will appeal to palates who favour stronger and more densely packed wines. 17+/20

Chassagne-Montrachet Bruno Colin

Toasty and lime curdy, this is breakfast in a glass and there is even a hint of citrus rind, too, in this exotically proportioned wine. A little heavy-handed for my tastes, this is a flamboyant wine for extrovert palates. 17+/20

Chassagne-Montrachet, 1er Cru La Boudriotte, Bruno Colin

Quiet and rather lean, there is a distinct lack of juiciness and the austerity, intensity of acid and strength of oak makes this seem too hard and brittle to have confidence in its future. 17.5+?/20

Chassagne-Montrachet, 1er Cru Blanchot Dessus, Bruno Colin

The lemon and lime purity here is strong enough to keep the oak nuances at bay and this makes BD a rather cunning and dynamic wine on the nose and palate. Dry and firm, I have a feeling that this will be a sleeper worth owning because the fruit is so alluring and when it is ready to drink, in three or four years, this will be a diva. 18+/20

Chassagne-Montrachet, 1er Cru Les Chenevottes, Bruno Colin

The fruit is rather downplayed here as the oak is all-powerful and it sucks a lot of moisture from the palate. A little bit too hard and resinous, the fruit would love to be heard but it is fighting a losing battle. 17.5+?/20

Chassagne-Montrachet, 1er Cru Les Chaumées, Bruno Colin

Gentler and more fragrant than many in this portfolio, and without the obvious oak bashing, too, this seems like a simpler wine but it is just a finer-framed being. Nice and calm, this will be a delicious and atypical Bruno Colin in due course. 17.5/20

Chassagne-Montrachet, 1er Cru La Maltroie, Bruno Colin

A little lighter than Morgeot but every bit as extracted and sour on the finish, the oak, again, is very present and toasty and the fruit is somewhat desiccated and austere. Not easy to love, this is a coarse wine with a tart finish and a mildly aggressive air. 17+/20

Chassagne-Montrachet, 1er Cru Morgeot, Bruno Colin

Tough and sinewy with concentrated fruit and a very long finish, this is a grand wine with a powerful stance and it will age well, too. More red-shaped in terms of its skin-derived ‘tannic’ grip on the finish, this is a macho, structure Chassagne and it will fall into balance within four years. 18+/20

Chassagne-Montrachet, 1er Cru En Remilly, Bruno Colin

Sour, backward and raspy, coupled with raucous oak and hard acidity, this is a cheek-sucking wine with a long life ahead of it, but I doubt the fruit will keep up. 17.5+?/20

Chassagne-Montrachet, 1er Cru Les Vergers, Bruno Colin

The fruit here is too sharp and too oaky to express itself fully and it seems a shame that it lacks generosity of fruit to balance these other austere elements. 17.5+?/20

Chassagne Montrachet, 1er Cru En Cailleret, Bruno Colin

Better balanced and fleshier than many in this portfolio and rather impressive if you like big whites, this is a statuesque white with lashing of oak, ginger, lime pith and power. 18+/20

Puligny Montrachet, 1er Cru La Truffière, Bruno Colin

Tough and hard and rather showing the obvious ripeness, this is a massive wine and one which drives an oak stake through your palate. It will, of course, age well, but it is rather a blunderbuss and there is nothing beautiful here whatsoever, but if you like scale then here you go. 18+/20

Corton-Charlemagne, Grand Cru, Bruno Colin

Relatively fine given the rest of the portfolio, this is a structured wine and it certainly seems to respect the terroir and it will give Corton fans a different take on this hallowed turf. The BC recipe seems to have been tempered a touch, perhaps out of respect, and there is a lovely, firm core of minerality coupled with a delightful fruit expression here. This is Bruno’s top wine in 2019. 19+/20

Chevalier-Montrachet, Grand Cru, Bruno Colin

The 2019 ripeness, the oak regime and the intensity of Bruno’s ‘recipe’ seem to have worked to augment the power and majesty of this wine. Of course, the nose bleed price and scarcity of stock will mean that only committed GC fans will shell out for this wine, but if you like massive, theatrical whites then this will be right up your street. 18.5++/20

Chandon de Briailles

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Corton-Bressandes, Grand Cru, Chandon de Briailles

Too grubby and hard for my tastes, this is an outlier and I would rather reserve judgement here because this looks like the bottle might not be perfectly clean. No score.

Corton-Clos-du-Roi, Grand Cru, Chandon de Briailles

More muscular and firm than Maréchaudes, this is a more powerful wine with a little more grip and this smothers the fruit somewhat making it hard to find any finesse. 17+?/20

Corton-Maréchaudes, Grand Cru, Chandon de Briailles

Highly perfumed and rather pretty and lifted, this is a super-clean Corton and one which looks rather ravishing this year. The tannins are fit and cool and so this is a relatively forward wine and one with neat balance. 17.5/20

Pernand-Vergelesses, 1er Cru Île des Vergelesses, Chandon de Briailles

A little oak dry on the finish, but there is plenty of fruit here to keep up the action and the finish is long enough to keep the interest flowing, too. A little more backward than the others, this is an honest wine with nice attack and some flair. 17.5+/20

Savigny-lès-Beaune, 1er Cru Les Lavières, Chandon de Briailles

Not as bright or as plush as the Tollot-Beaut wines, but certainly a worthy expression of Les Lavières, this is a decent Pinot with a four-square frame and honest tannins. It will drink well in its youth but will hold nicely. 17+/20

Comte Armand

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Auxey-Duresses, Comte Armand

With sensational depth and lovely balance, this is a heavenly, polished and ultra-honed wine with a lovely texture and excellent length, this is a superbly successful wine in this vintage and, no surprise, it is another sun-worshipper, so it has performed perfectly. 18/20

Auxey-Duresses, 1er Cru, Comte Armand

More structured and firm and with drying tannins, this is a mega-impressive wine and it looks seriously good in this vintage. In need of time, because the finish is a little tough and abrupt, there is a whirlwind of fruit here which will propel it forwards perfectly. I am extremely keen on this cuvée. 18.5+/20

Volnay, 1er Cru Fremiets, Comte Armand

This is a deep, dark Fremiets and the fruit is tense and mineral-imbued and this adds a harshness to the finish which warns the drinker away. Not to worry because this is a wonderfully ripe wine with accordingly fit tannins and one mustn’t expect it to be remotely forward in a vintage such as this. 18+/20

Pommard, 1er Cru Clos des Epeneaux, Comte Armand

With awesome depth and also amazing tenderness beneath the bonnet, this is a wonderful wine and a magical interpretation of the 2019 harvest. This is a barometer wine for the entire vintage and it might just be the finest red south of the town of Beaune! 19+/20

Jacques Carillon

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Chassagne-Montrachet, Jacques Carillon

Lovely and smooth on the mid-palate, bookended with a piercingly fresh lemon zest nose and a lip-licking acidic tang on the finish. Classically Chassagne in shape and fully influenced by its chalky-fresh soils, this is a great way to cheat your way to a grand Chassagne flavour but with a village Chassagne price. 18/20

Puligny-Montrachet, Jacques Carillon

A little less energetic and floral than the village Chassagne, this is a safe wine and one which ticks the boxes but fails to cast any memorable magic on the palate. Nice and tidy, but not profound. 17/20

Puligny-Montrachet, 1er Cru Les Champs Canet, Jacques Carillon

Zesty and crackling with electricity, this is a spankingly fresh Puligny and it carries more bounce and drive than the lush, muscular Boillot version. Finer and nimbler this is a delicious and elegant wine. 18+/20

Puligny-Montrachet, 1er Cru Les Perrières, Jacques Carillon

A touch green and a little vegetal on the nose, there is a very faint wild garlic tone here which I am not a fan of and the overall feel is of a wine trying a little too hard to keep up with its peers. Perhaps my sample is a touch bashed up, but I feel this is a weaker member of the team, so I would avoid it given the strength of the rest of the portfolio. 17?/20

Puligny-Montrachet, 1er Cru Les Referts, Jacques Carillon

Not a heavy wine, but a super-concentrated one, this lusty Premier Cru stuffs every inch of its flavour with sour lemon and waxy honey notes and it is positively bursting with energy and raring to get going. But please exercise patience because the acidity on the finish is raspy, unfinished and raw. Long-lived and pretty, this is an attractive wine and one which will maintain a slender and alluring aura long into its life. 18+/20

Simon Bize & Fils

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Savigny-lès-Beaune, 1er Cru Les Fournaux, Simon Bize & Fils

Rather juicy and expressive, this is a ripe interpretation of this wine and it seems relatively forward, too. Perhaps lacking complexity, it makes up for it with ebullient fruit and fondant tannins. 16.5/20

Savigny-lès-Beaune, Aux Grands Liards, Simon Bize & Fils

A little more savoury and edgy than Fournaux, this is a pelty, animal-tinged wine with a little too much oak impact which has made the fruit rather ragged. 17?/20

Savigny lès Beaune, 1er Cru Aux Vergelesses, Simon Bize & Fils

By far the most sophisticated of the trio, and the most backward, too, this is a fine Savigny, but I would like to have seen a little more fruit juiciness to counter the oak and tannin. 17+/20

Justin Girardin

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Chassagne-Montrachet, 1er Cru Morgeot, Justin Girardin

Rather forced and floral with overtly ripe, oaky fruit and pumped up juiciness, this is just too big and sweet-fruited for my tastes. 16?/20

Tollot Beaut

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Bourgogne Blanc, Tollot-Beaut

A little bit bold and floral on the nose with not quite the control I am after – perhaps the vintage was just a little too challenging for this wine to achieve true balance. 15.5/20

Corton-Charlemagne, Grand Cru, Tollot-Beaut

This is a structured, full-framed Corton and the power is admirable. Not quite as fine as I was hoping for, but this is certainly an impressive wine and it just stops short of possessing genuine finesse and elegance. 18+/20

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Savigny lès Beaune, 1er Cru Les Lavières, Tollot-Beaut

This is a jaw-droppingly beautiful Savigny and the perfume alone is worth the ticket price. Sleek, smooth, violet and plum-themed and ever so silky, this is a thrilling wine. 17.5/20

Aloxe-Corton, 1er Cru Les Vercots, Tollot-Beaut

This is a perfect Les Vercots which is a vineyard often crying out for some sunshine and boy has the 2019 vintage delivered. Amazingly pure and stunningly appointed, this is a delicious wine at the very top of its game. 18/20

Beaune, 1er Cru Clos du Roi, Tollot-Beaut

With a little less tannin and a little more floral high notes than Les Grèves, this is a great counterpoint to its label-mate and yet it is not a case of which to buy as the answer is both. Clean, pure, mulberry and cherry-stone fruit make it, tonally, a brighter wine than Les Grèves but it is equally delicious. 18+/20

Beaune, 1er Cru Les Grèves, Tollot-Beaut

Yet another T-B which has knocked it out of the park in 2019, this is a fantastic Beaune, but a word of warning here, because there is a load of tannin lurking with intent on the finish and while it might be overlooked by many, I can assure you that this is a wine which ought not to be attacked early so you give it time to perform at the top of its game. 18+/20

Corton-Bressandes, Grand Cru, Tollot-Beaut

Silky-smooth, very pure and fine, this is a lovely wine with ethereal tones and a polished finish, this is a magical expression of Bressandes and it, like the other Tollots, adores the extra sunshine hours in 2019. 18+/20

Marc Colin et ses Fils

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Saint-Aubin, 1er Cru Les Castets, Marc Colin et ses Fils

Really energetic, rather grand and determined on the palate, there is serious depth here and lashings of freshness, too, making this a rather toothsome and challenging wine. Nicely appointed this is a clever creation for those wanting to dodge Chassagne prices. 17/20

Saint-Aubin, 1er Cru En Remilly, Marc Colin et ses Fils

Take all of the notes in Les Castets and add extra polish and style. 17.5/20

Chassagne-Montrachet, 1er Cru Les Chenevottes, Marc Colin et ses Fils

Rather lean and a little lacking in stuffing, this is a decent wine but it is shorter and a little lighter than I would wish from this vineyard. Early-drinking but with slightly heightened acidity by comparison to its fruit weight this is a nice but not profound wine. 17/20

Chassagne-Montrachet, 1er Cru Les Champs Gain, Marc Colin et ses Fils

A little slimmer and more toned than I was expecting, this is a fine-boned, citrus-themed wine with energy and searing acidity and while it is a slow mover it will be worth the wait. The nose is lovely and the palate is finely tuned. 17.5/20

Chassagne-Montrachet, Cuvée Margot, Marc Colin et ses Fils

Perhaps not as much fun as En Remilly, but certainly a little more powerful, this is a good wine and one which will have a longer life, too. It is just a little squat and solid to gain a higher score. 17/20

Chassagne-Montrachet, 1er Cru Vide Bourse, Marc Colin et ses Fils

This is more like it, with depth, attack and energy. The acid balances the plush fruit nicely and there is some decadence here, too. A lovely Chass/Pul hybrid flavour, this is an impressive wine. 18+/20

Puligny-Montrachet, Les Enseignères, Marc Colin et ses Fils

Firm and dry with tense fruit and a closed demeanour, this is a statesmanlike wine with a rather serious air about it and I feel that there is just about enough fruit to carry off its attitude and pretensions. Give it 3 years and it will take off, but do not wait too long in case the fruit fails to fully inflate. 18+/20

Yvon Clerget

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Volnay, Yvon Clerget

What a huge surprise, this is a beauty and it sums up the lovely 2019 vintage and the pretty village of Volnay perfectly. A little darker and a little more decadent than most village-level wines this is a star in 2019 and it will thrill all who buy it. 17.5/20

Volnay, 1er Cru Carelle sous la Chapelle, Yvon Clerget

More intense and more marked by oak than the village wine this is a longer-lived and more serious creation but I actually find it slightly less attractive and less enjoyable than its diminutive stablemate. 17.5+/20

Volnay, 1er Cru Les Santenots, Yvon Clerget

With a little more herbal tang and more fruit intensity, this is a feisty wine with bold fruit and brittle edges. In need to five years to lose it tough finish, the fruit is certainly good enough to warrant a punt on this wine. 17.5+/20

Volnay, 1er Cru Clos du Verseuil, Yvon Clerget

Showing quite a lot of oak and tension, this is a good wine because the fruit can handle the more structural elements of this wine. With a juicy character and a goodly degree of energy, this is a nice find and a wine which will be an esoteric, but worthy purchase. 17.5+/20

Pommard, 1er Cru Les Rugiens, Yvon Clerget

Rather hard and gruff, as one would hope, this is a powerful and densely packed wine with cool, purple, mineral-soaked fruit notes and a tightly-packed, firm but not overly tannic finish. This will blossom beautifully with time and reveal a thoroughly engaging and accurate wine. 18+/20

Clos de Vougeot, Grand Cru, Yvon Clerget

Strangely there is an imperceptible Volnay-like sheen here, which is welcome, and this polishes away some of the earthier notes and excess muscle often found in this wine. While not as grand as many, this is a nicely polished wine. 17.5+/20

Notes on my scores – I have attached my scores out of 20 for every wine. If a score has no ‘+’, this indicates a wine which is in balance and can be drunk relatively young thanks to its precocity and charm. One ‘+’ indicates a wine that will benefit from medium-term ageing (in accordance to the style of the wine), while two ‘++’ indicates a wine that should manage to make the long haul, softening and evolving as it goes. Very occasionally I use three ‘+++’ which signals a wine which needs an eternity to soften or will last forever such is its incredible power. A ‘?’ means that I am unsure about an element within the wine – this will be explained in my note.

Goedhuis 2019 En Primeur Burgundy Tasting – published 23rd December 2020