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Is 2022 a Very Good or a Great Vintage in Bordeaux?

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Based on this week’s annual UGCB tasting in New York, the vintage 2022 most reminds me of recently is 2016. Palates show smooth black fruits, tannins are there in background but rarely assertive, and the wines are at least approachable enough to assess. In terms of short to mid-term consumption, 2022 may offer as much pleasure as 2016. I am not so sure 2022 has quite the same intensity, and in the long term (say after 2040) I suspect it will show a lighter, less impressive style. While I wait to see if aging follows the expected pattern, my verdict is very good indeed, but perhaps not great if the criterion for great is extended longevity. Most of the wines will be ready to start within the next few years; it is a rare wine that will need waiting into the 2030s. The single descriptor that appears most often in my tasting notes is ‘smooth.’

This is certainly a vintage in which the individual appellations show their individual characters. There is greater homogeneity within each appellation than usual. It’s really a textbook year for seeing the differences between appellations on the left bank, with elegance in Margaux, precision in St. Julien, plushness in Pauillac, and hardness in St. Estèphe. It is not so obvious on the right bank, where a greater sense of restraint than usual has brought St. Emilion and Pomerol closer together. One general change is that those chateaux that had  adopted an overtly ‘modernistic’ style during the Parker years have now reverted to a more restrained approach.

Pessac-Léognan divides between the top wines showing the intensity of a great year, and those wines in a slightly lighter style that may be ready to start within a couple of years. In the first powerful category are Haut Bailly (a standout this year, it really feels like a first growth), Domaine de Chevalier (with its usual great sense of precision, already turning silky

Smooth, inclined towards elegance), Pape Clément (more elegant than powerful this vintage, just a little short of the intensity of a top vintage), and maybe Smith Haut Lafitte (not as overtly modernistic as past years, but still the most ‘modern’ wine in Pessac-Léognan). In the second class are Carbonnieux, Carmes Haut Brion, de Fieuzal, Larrivet Haut Brion, Latour-Martillac, and Malartic Lagravière, all showing significant elegance. Pessac-Léognan is where I have the most concern whether the wines have enough stuffing for the long term.

In the Médoc there is an unusually clear demonstration of increasing structure as you move from south to north. The Haut-Médoc, Listrac and Moulis aren’t as fruity as, say, the wines of Margaux or St. Julien; Poujeaux and Chasse-Spleene show the most fruits in a relatively structured style. Cantemerle and Camensac are somewhat oarallel to them.

Margaux starts with more obvious structure than Pessac-Léognan. The wines tend to elegance, many are unmistakably Margaux with that impression of refined elegance, but these sense of tannins, shown by some dryness on the finish, is a bit more evident than usual. The standouts are Lascombes, where Axel Heinz is well on the way to placing the chateau in its proper place among the second growths, and has achieved a great combination of fullness and elegance, already giving a complete impression, and Rauzan-Ségla, where the extremely fine palate gives a great impression of the silkiness of Margaux. More structured than usual, Prieuré-Lichine achieves great elegance, Kirwan shows its typically lighter elegance with a great sense of fruit purity. Desmirail’s elegance is typical of Margaux. Brane-Cantenac, Cantenac-Brown, Dauzac, Giscours, and Malescot St-Exupéry all show that sense of structure against the palate of smooth black fruits.

In St. Julien, the fullness of the vintage plays off against the classic precision of the commune. Wines vary from those where precision is the dominant influence to those which show a broader, fuller palate. Fruits tend to be a little fuller here than in Margaux, so the tannins are sometimes a bit better hidden, but the wines are definitely well structured. As always, Léoville Barton typifies the precision of St. Julien, and Langoa Barton is in the same style but less intense. Léoville Poyferré has a more overt sense of black fruits, but has backed off from the full modernistic style of recent years.  Saint Pierre is fuller and sweeter than its stable mate Gloria. Beychevelle shows its classic tightness, a coiled spring waiting to unwind, and Talbot is a bit rounder than usual for the chateau.

Pauillac shows a yet more structured impression than St. Julien, not quite a throwback to classicism, but certainly a counterpoint to the fruits, with the sense of structure pushing the usual plushness of Pauillac more into the background. The standouts in Pauillac are the two Pichons. When I came to Pichon Baron, I thought it showed the most obvious typicity of the appellation; and then I came to Pichon Lalande, which is even plusher and fuller. Both are outstanding, with black fruits coming well through the structure. Lynch Bages goes for elegance rather than power in this vintage. Grand Puy Lacoste shows a great combination of plushness and elegance. Grand Puy Ducasse shows a new level of precision. D’Armailhac is fuller and more concentrated than its stable mate Clerc Milon, Duhart Milon is very fine. Haut Batailley shows a distinct advance in finesse under its new management (from Lynch Bages); Batailley is not quite so refined. There scarcely seems to be any chateau in Pauillac that hasn’t produced a wine this year immediately identifiable as coming from the commune.

St. Estèphe is always difficult to assess at the UGCB because the tasting never includes the top wines, but that typical hardness of St. Estèphe is evident across the board.

I often find the wines of the right bank too overtly fruity, Pomerol more so than St. Emilion, but whether because of conditions of the vintage, or because producers have backed off from the Parkerized style, this year there is a greater sense of restraint. You would not mistake the wines for the left bank as they are evidently more open, but the fruits are nicely matched by structure in the background.

St Emilion shows wines with elegance (this is not a phrase I use so often on the right bank). The standouts are Canon-La-Gaffelière, which has simply became more refined every year, and in 2022 shows a great sense of precision, and Valandraud, which shows a  level of refinement that’s unusual for St. Emilion and is all but the antithesis of the in-your-face character of the garage wines. Pavie Macquin has a slightly fuller style, with a great foreboding of savory development to come. La Dominique really typifies the vintage with round black fruits making a smooth palate backed by supple tannins. Beau-Séjour Bécot, Dassault, Clos Fourtet, Grand Mayne, La Tour Figeac, Trottevielle all follow suit.

Pomerol is not as forward and obviously fruity as I associate with its usual state. Tannins are quite firm in the background, although never obtrusive, brining a greater sense of structure than usual, but without showing that sense of dryness on the finish displayed by  the wines of the Médoc. Some Pomerols feel more like St. Emilion. With that sense of structure, they probably will not be ready much before the wines of the left bank. Le Gay comes closest to my image of Pomerol for its rich, forward black fruits. Petit Village is fuller and more typically Pomerol than its (new) stable mate, Beauregard, which offers more restraint and structure and seems backward. Clinet and Gazin are mid weight and firm, more restrained than the style I usually associate with the chateaux.

There are years when the whites of Bordeaux are so rich and oaky that they seem reminiscent of Burgundy, but 2022 tends towards crispness and even sometimes a touch of herbaceousness from Sauvignon Blanc. One of the more intense whites of the vintage, Pape Clément is the standout for richness, with no trace of herbaceousness. Domaine de Chevalier shows its usual great sense of precision. Moving more towards herbaceousness, Smith Haut Lafitte is just a little less refined. De Fieuzal, Larrivet Haut-Brion, Latour Martillac, and Malartic-Lagravière show palates of stewed citrus with that typical hint of herbaceousness in the background.

Sauternes did well this year, with wines showing nicely botrytized noses and palate following into marmalade, caramel, honey, and nuts. Suduiraut is the standout for its intensity, followed by Doisy-Védrines. Guiraud and La Tour Blanche are full on the palate but don’t show those savory overtones.

2022 is a more even vintage than usual, making it hard to go wrong.

Tasting Notes

Pessac-Léognan Blanc

Château Carbonnieux            Nose mingles nuttiness with herbaceousness. Palate veers towards refreshing herbaceousness, quite noticeable retronasally.            89/100

Château Les Carmes Haut Brion    Slightly lighter style, elegant but does it have enough stuffing for the long term?    90/100

Domaine de Chevalier Blanc            Whiff of herbaceousness on nose is offset by sweet ripeness of fruits on palate. Very fine representation of the precision of the chateau and the style of Pessac-Léognan.            93/100

Château de Fieuzal  Smooth and black, inclined to elegance. Questions is whether it has enough stuffing. It will be ready to drink quite soon.    90/100

Château Haut-Bailly            Intensity of palate reminiscent of old vines cuvées. Tannins are supple, fruits are black, the intensity feels like a first growth. Tannins are not at all obtrusive, the fruits are much in front. Could almost start now.     94/100

Château Larrivet-Haut-Brion            Smooth, inclined towards elegance, but the question is whether it has stuffing for longevity. Generally a modernistic impression.            90/100

Château Latour-Martillac            Slightly attenuated impression. Smooth black fruits but not a lot of stuffing behind. Needs more presence on the palate.            90/100

Château Malartic Lagravière            Smooth, elegant, black, not quite a lighter style, but not full force. Black fruits are supported by relatively light tannins. 90/100

Château Pape Clément            Mid weight palate is well balanced between black fruits and supple tannins but possibly not the intensity of the very top vintages. Perhaps it’s just going for elegance. Not so overtly modern as in the past.            92/100

Château Smith Haut Lafitte            Smooth and modern with faintly nutty notes and traces of vanillin. Supple tannins in the background. Somehow the modern style is not persuasive. This may be the most modernistic wine of the year. Very nice for short time, but what about longevity?            92/100

Pessac-Léognan

Château Carbonnieux            Smooth palate with just a rasp from structure at the end. Very much Graves, cigar box showing on top of black fruits, Reminiscent of 2016, very promising.            91/100

Domaine de Chevalier          Smooth and elegant, very typical. Black fruit palate supported by tannins that are already turning silky. Long finish shows black fruit s tending to blackcurrants.            93/100

Château de Fieuzal  Sense of citrus fruits and herbaceousness on palate, but not as intense as I expected from the year. Nice balance with refreshing style of citrus fruits.    90/100

Château Larrivet-Haut-Brion            Restrained, faint herbaceousness offsets citrus palate. Nice sense of balance and completeness.            91/100

Château Latour-Martillac            Slightly herbaceous stewed citrus impressions but not as much concentration on palate as I would like.            90/100

Château Malartic Lagravière            Stewed citrus fruits with sweet ripe impressions. Faint hints of nuttiness at end.            90/100

Château Pape Clément            One of the more intense whites of the vintage. Sweet ripe stewed citrus, no trace of herbaceousness. Smooth and silky.    92/100

Château Smith Haut Lafitte Banc            Smooth, fine, stewed citrus fruits on palate with no trace of herbaceousness. This is just a little less refined than Pape Clement. Smooth and silky on the finish.    92/100

Moulis

Château Chasse-Spleen            Softer than Poujeaux but perhaps fruits are not quite as concentrated, although there is greater tannic structure with more dryness on the finish. There is just a touch of hardness on the finish.    90/100

Château Poujeaux            Very typical result for chateau. Opens with black fruits that then become more restrained as firm tannins kick in. Touch of dryness at end indicates structure. Origin outside the great communes betrayed by just a touch of hardness.            90/100

Haut-Médoc

Château Cantemerle            Nice sense of restraint against black fruit palate. Tannins are smooth in background. This is all but ready to drink.            90/100

Château de Camensac            Faint hints of herbal character on nose. Nice balance on palate but not as concentrated as I expected for year.            90/100

Château Citran            Black fruits subsumed by flatness of finish. Not much pizzazz.            89/100

Margaux

Château Brane Cantenac            Faint sense of asperity to nose. Not quite barnyard but some herbal impressions faintly in background. Slightly attenuated quality. Tannins quite tight.            90/100

Château Cantenac Brown  Mid weight palate, some dryness from tannins at end. The elegance of Margaux is pushed into the background. Structure needs to resolve a bit.            90/100

Château Dauzac Slightly herbal sense of austerity to nose. Sweet ripe fruits on palate, fruitiness quite overt. Wine a little fuller than usual for Margaux.            90/100

Château Desmirail            Classic nose of black fruits, spices, and herbs. Restrained black fruits on palate. Very typical of Margaux with lovely herbal impressions on finish. Should be ready soon.            91/100

Château Giscours            A little fuller as always, but nicely restrained on palate. Structure indicated by dryness on finish. Palate shows fruits in background but tannins not too overt either. Hard to judge.            90/100

Château Kirwan Here is the typical elegance of Margaux and the light touch of Kirwan. Great sense of fruit purity. Structure indicated by dryness on finish.    91/100

Château Lascombes            Full force elegance if that’s not an oxymoron. Palate is relatively full for Margaux, with smooth black fruits and supple tannins. Already there is an impression of completeness.            94/100

Château Malescot St. Exupéry            Smooth and very Margaux-ish. Structure shows non finish. Indeed this gives impression of well-structured wine. Black fruits show liquorish impressions with faint aromatics. Feels relatively modernistic.            92/100

Château Prieuré Lichine            Smooth, elegant, very Margaux-ish, structure indicated by dryness at end. Elegant black fruits with tannins really drying finish. More structured than usual.    91/100

Château Rauzan-Ségla            Very fine, very elegant, really epitomizes Margaux. Smooth and silkier than most Margaux chateaux this year. Classic representation of chateau and appellation.            93/100

Château du Tertre            Smooth, elegant, tannins well in background, some hints of smoke. Very nice, but not as intense as some chateaux this year.     90/100

St. Julien

Château Beychevelle            This shows the classic tightness of young Beychevelle, with elegant fruits feeling very Cabernet Sauvignon-ish and a sense of taut structure on the finish. Dryness on the finish shows significant structural support. This is a very fine result in the traditional style of the chateau.            92/100

Château Branaire Ducru            Smooth palate shows good sense of precision of St. Julien. Lovely black fruits fill the palate with just a touch of overt fruitiness at the end.            91/100

Château Gloria            Nice sense of the precision of St. Julien. Fruits are a little tight, quite elegant, but I wonder if there is quite enough stuffing for longevity.            90/100

Château Gruaud Larose            A little flat on the nose. Fine granular impression on palate, black fruits just a little muted at present. Should become a classic representation of the chateau showing the drier side of St. Julien.   92/100

Château Lagrange            Smooth, elegant, good sense of St. Julien. The overly modernistic impression of recent years has all but gone. Just a faint touch of vanillin to remind of recent history. Tannins quite firm but not obtrusive.            91/100

Château Langoa Barton            The usual fine impression of the Barton wines, but less presence on the palate than I expected in this vintage. Black fruits are supported by fine tannins, I would have liked just a little more intensity.            90/100

Château Léoville Barton            As usual more intensity than Langoa. Smooth, elegant, greater sense of structure. Very fine tannins scarcely obtrude on the palate. Very much the Barton style.            92/100

Château Léoville Poyferré            Overt sense of black fruits to nose and palate. Firm tannins with touch of dryness on finish. The modernistic style is not so evident as previously, but the palate is relatively full, you fill the vintage has filled it out more than usual.    92/100

Château Saint Pierre   Fuller and sweeter than Gloria and also more sense of structure showing with the dryness of the finish. Less precise but broader than Gloria.  91/100

Château Talbot            Relatively round impression for Talbot. Just a hint of tannic dryness at end. Firm impression on palate. Developing in a savory direction.            92/100

Pauillac

Château Batailley            The fullness of Pauillac shows, not quite plush on the palate. The texture is not quite as fine as I would like. Structure needs to soften.            90/100

Château Clerc Milon   Just a touch tight and restrained. Tannic structure shows as dryness on finish. A bit of a throwback considering the vintage. 91/100

Château d’Armailhac            Fuller than Clerc Milon, greater fruit concentration, smooth tannic structure showing more as restraining influence than dryness on finish.    92/100

Château Duhart Milon   A very fine impression, showing finesse over plushness, tannic structure just detectable by dryness on finish. Will mature to elegance rather than power.            92/100

Château Grand-Puy Ducasse            Here is something of the plushness of Pauillac offset by a well structured character. This is very Pauillac and represents a distinct advance over previous years for the chateau.            92/100

Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste            Smooth and elegant, very much the elegant style of the chateau, fine black fruits, supple tannins in background. Perhaps not as forceful as 2016.   92/100

Château Haut Batailley            A distinct advance in finesse over the old style.. Fine black fruits supported by tannins that dry the finish. Quite structured in the classic tradition but the fruits behind the structure are evident. The closest to a vin de garde this vintage comes.            92/100

Château Lynch Bages   Very fine, very elegant, smooth rather than plush. Finely textured palate will move in savory direction as it ages.            94/100

Château Lynch Moussas            Fine structure feels more like St Julien. Quite an elegant impression. Structure imposes restraint rather than dryness on finish. Very good for the chateau.            90/100

Château Pichon Baron            Perhaps the most classic representation of Pauillac in the vintage. Round black fruits are almost plush with very smooth supple tannins. A top result for the chateau and the vintage. May become chocolaty as it ages.    94/100

Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande            Plusher and fuller even than Baron. Tannins show firmness on finish. Lovely black fruits just coming through the structure. Very typical Pauillac.            95/100

St. Estèphe

Château Cos Labory Here is the hardness of St Estèphe, not really dryness on the finish, just a little hard, flattening the impression of the underlying black fruits. Just needs time.            90/100

Château Phélan Ségur   Quite smooth for the chateau and for St Estèphe. Structure shows at the end but I expect this to soften in 4-6 years.   90/100

St. Emilion

Château Beau-Séjour Bécot            Smooth, round, and fruity. Tannins  well in the background are supple. Touch of overt fruitiness reveals Merlot. Close to approachable.            90/100

Château Canon La Gaffelière            Really shows breed because it not only has the round black fruits of the vintage with supple tannins but also an impression of precision and elegance. This is very fine.            94/100

Château Dassault            Smooth, round, soft black fruits, supple tannins, quite an elegant impression for St. Emilion. Maybe I would like a touch more presence on the palate. Very approachable.            92/100

Château La Dominique            This wine really typifies the style of Grand Cru Classés this vintage. Soft, round, black fruits are relatively forward, but there is a touch more tannic presence, although supple, than some. Very good result,            91/100

Clos Fourtet            A little more restrained than most this year. Good balance between black fruits and unobtrusive structure. Hints of coffee.            91/100

Château Grand Mayne  Typical for year, black fruits at front, supple structure behind, but not quite enough pizzazz on palate.  90/100

Château Pavie Macquin            Right on form. Palate shows firm black fruits, slightly nutty in the background. Nice sense of savory development to come. Very well balanced. A proper wine.            92/100

Château La Tour Figeac            Typical if not at the top rank. Not exactly attenuated, but not as much presence as I would like on palate. Just a touch of firmness from structure at end.      90/100

Château Trottevieille            Slightly flat on the palate compared with the more obviously fruity chateaux of this vintage. Tannic structure is not obtrusive but seems to be responsible for flattening the palate a bit.            90/100

Château Valandraud            Very fine result showing a level of refinement that’s unusual for St. Emilion. Palate has finely textured black fruits, tannins in background. I don’t often say this in St. Emilion, but the overall impression is elegance. It is a complete contrast with the reputation of garage wines.   93/100

Pomerol

Château Beauregard            Seems restrained for Pomerol. Black fruits segue into firm finish with some elegance. Feels more like St Emilion or even left bank compared to usual lushness of Pomerol. Structured enough to need time.     91/100

Château La Cabanne            Soft, a bit forward, quite Pomerol-ish, but firm tannins in background.            90/100

Château Clinet            Mid weight black fruits. More restrained than I usually associate with the chateau. Firm tannins in background.            90/100

Château Le Gay      This is one of the few wines of the vintage that taste like my image of Pomerol. Forward, fruity, and black on palate, although tannins are firm in background.            90/100

Château Gazin            Quite a firm impression on the palate. Black fruits more in the background than most, tannins quite firm. Feels surprisingly like St. Emilion.            90/100

Château Petit Village  Fuller and more typically Pomerol than Beauregard, but even so there is more sense of structure than I usually associate with Pomerol. Black fruit palate has firm tannins in background.            92/100

Sauternes

Château Doisy-Védrines            Botrytis on nose, sweet on palate, but not too sweet, you can see the flavor variety coming through with citrus, marmalade, and nuts. Lingers on the finish.            93/100

Château Guiraud            Full on the palate, botrytis showing on nose and palate, with honey, nuts, and marmalade. Sweetness is just a touch overt.   93/100

Château Suduiraut            Nose is redolent with botrytis, honey, marmalade, stewed citrus. Viscous palate has great concentration, long finish with hints of bitterness. This is a top result.            95/100

Château La Tour Blanche            Sweet palate with notes of botrytis but some bitterness on top of honey, nuts, and marmalade, but no savory contrast.            91/100

Can the Bouygues Revive Domaine Henri Rebourseau? Preview of the 2022 Vintage

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The Bouygues brothers did not buy Henri Rebourseau for its wines; they bought the domain for its vineyards. “This is both an old and a new domain,” says manager Bastien Giraud, who took over in 2023. The vines are old; but the approach is entirely new. (It’s a bit surprising given Rebourseau’s reputation as a perennial under-performer that the Bouygues haven’t changed the name.)

The domain was located in a gracious eighteenth century building set in 3 ha of gardens in the center of Gevrey Chambertin. Henri Rebourseau bought the property in 1919 to be the center of the family’s holdings.  His descendants (the de Surrel family) continued to own the domain until they sold a majority share to the Bouygues brothers in 2018 (reputedly for €45 million). The family retained the house, and the Bouygues built a splendid new winery just at the entrance to the property.

The new winery was completed for the harvest in 2023. “The old winery was a ruin,” Bastien says. Stones are glued on to an aluminum frame so the structure can breathe. The interior fitments are all wood. It seems very large for a 13 ha domain: perhaps there are plans to expand the vineyard holdings? An anti-flood drainage system is being installed around the winery.

The ground floor is filled with new open-topped wooden vats for fermentation (they were actually covered when I visited, because the roof was leaking, and Bastien did not want rainwater in the new vats). Underneath are two levels of  barrel cellars, one for even years, one for odd years. Upstairs there is gracious tasting room.

The domain has impressive holdings, with half in grand crus. There are 11 ha in Gevrey Chambertin, including 0.5 ha in Chambertin, more than 1 ha in Charmes Chambertin, 1 ha in Mazis Chambertin, and 0.3 ha in Clos de Bèze. The 7 ha of village Gevrey is unusually mostly in a large block, with a 5 ha plot extending directly from the house and running across to the D974. Outside Gevrey, there are 2 ha in Clos Vougeot. Altogether there are 10 cuvées from premier or grand crus; 40% of production is from premier or grand crus, and 60% is from village Gevrey.

Almost everything has changed here, from viticulture to vinification. Strangely for a domain with top holdings, harvesting was mechanical; now it is manual. Different plots were merged for a single vinification for each appellation: the new winery allows each plot to be vinified separately. The plot in Clos Vougeot, for example, is right in the middle of the clos, with quite varied soils; the different terroirs can now be vinified separately, and the wine may be improved by selling off the weaker lots instead of including them in the cuvée. Use of new oak was extensive, typically 70-100%, even for village wines, and the wines were highly extracted. Now extraction is much gentler and new oak has been cut back; the aim is around 30% for village wine, 40% for grand crus, and perhaps 50% for Chambertin or Clos de Bèze.

There’s significant investment in the best equipment: “the equipment when I got here was not the best,” Bastien says. A new destemmer has been purchased as well as a vibrating sorting table. (Bastien tried optical sorting in 2023, but says it does not wok very well with Pinot Noir because of the fragility of the grapes: “you send up selecting everything or nothing.”)

There are 3 cuvées of Gevrey Chambertin. The generic cuvée comes from 3-4 plots that are two small to make individual wines. The 5 ha plot at the winery  is divided into two parts. The northern half, Brunelle, has gravelly terroir with lots of small stones. The southern half, Corbeaux, has a lot of clay.

The style of the 2022s (made before Bastien took over) is quite primary, starting with the communal Gevrey. Brunelle is calmer and more structured, but the first real sense of sophistication comes with Fonteney, the largest of Rebourseau’s premier crus. Going to the grand crus, there is greater aromatic lift in Charmes Chambertin, which definitely plays to elegance rather than power. Mazis Chambertin, where Rebourseau’s holding is about 10% of the cru, is not as charming, but is denser and more structured. More forward than the cuvées from the Gevrey area, the Clos Vougeot shows more flavor variety and complexity, with fruits pushing the tannins back, giving that impression of opulence of Vougeot; this feels the readiest to drink.

The Bouygues brothers own Château Montrose in Bordeaux and Clos Rougeard in the Loire. There is an interesting contrast with Henri Rebourseau. “At Clos Rougeard the objective was to keep the myth without the people (the Foucault brothers) who made it. Here (at Henri Rebourseau) we have to change the style,” Bastien says. This is now a domain to watch.

Tasting notes for 2022

Gevrey Chambertin
Quite a purple color, youthful aromatics on the nose, with a touch of asperity. Sweet ripe fruits feel very primary, as though this were a barrel sample not long out of fermentation. Tannins are not obtrusive (especially considering this is Gevrey). The brightness of the wine makes it seem like a barrel sample.    89 Drink 2027-2035

Gevrey Chambertin, Brunelle 2022
 This has something of the same primary character as the general Gevrey Chambertin, but is just a little bit calmer. It is not so bright, a little more structured and seems a  fraction more advanced in its development.    89 Drink 2027-2035

Clos du Fonteney
Same purple color as the general Gevrey Chambertins, but more reserved on the nose. This makes an altogether more sophisticated impression. Tannins in the background are firm but silky. This shows a youthful palate, all black fruits, inclined to cherries. It still has that rather primary character that marks the house style on release.    90 Drink 2028-2040

Charmes Chambertin
Round and ripe and a little primary. There is more aromatic lift than in the premier crus. Good acid balance to the palate. Tannins are extremely fine and silky. This has an elegance that is reminiscent of Chambolle or Morey: it is grand cru in its extreme elegance rather than in its power.    93 Drink 2028-2040

Mazis Chambertin
This is riper and denser than Charmes Chambertin with longer persistence. There are still some primary impressions. Tannins are firm but in the background with good grip on the palate. The impression is more structured than Charmes. Mazis is not as sleek as Charmes with t

A Preview of the 2023 Vintage at Denis Bachelet

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“My great grandfather started the domain; he was a cooper and bought vineyards. After a few successions, I’m just a winemaker (since 1982). I started with 1.8 ha, now I have 4.5 ha. Today it is so difficult to find vineyards,” Denis Bachelet says.

Bachelet is something of a cult, enhanced by the small size of the domain; the wines are available only on allocation. When Denis took over the domain, it was just vines with no cellar or equipment, as his grandparents had retired in 1973. The vineyards consisted of Charmes Chambertin, village and premier cru Gevrey Chambertin, and a parcel of Bourgogne. Denis has bought further vineyards when he has had the chance, but the domain remains very small.

Denis Bachelet in his cellar

Identified only by a very discrete nameplate on the door, the domain occupies a building just off the D974, but the inside is larger than you might expect. Relatively expansive for a small domain, the cellars run all along under the building.

“When the weather is with us, we make 7 red and 1 white cuvées,” Denis says. The white is Bourgogne and there is also a red Burgogne. Côtes de Nuits Village comes from Brochon. From Gevrey Chambertin, there is village wine,  two premier crus, Evocelles and Corbeaux, and Charmes Chambertin.

We tasted 2023s from barrel, although Denis feels this is the wrong time of the year: October or November would be appropriate. He is committed to biodynamics to the point of bottling only by the phase of the moon. The wines spend 16 months in barrique. All the wines were racked in April and they will be racked again only for bottling.

The Bourgogne Rouge comes from two plots totaling just over a half hectare, planted in 1977 and 1986; it ages in used barriques. Côte de Nuits Villages comes from 6 parcels of 50-70-year old vines from the top of the slope at Brochon. 2023 is the last year under this label: from 2024 the parcels will be  classified as Fixin. The Bourgogne is positively juicy, and that sense of juiciness shows also in the Côte de Nuits Villages against a more structured background; then there is more overt structural support in Gevrey Chambertin.

Gevrey Chambertin is the largest cuvée, from 6 separate plots of 70-90-year old vines., aged with 20% new oak. Premier Cru Les Evocelles is only 0.17 ha, planted in 1960 at the top of the slope, and sees 60% new oak. Here the fruits are forward, rather than as overtly juicy in the Gevrey village, and show a lovely balance with the supporting structure. Although relatively approachable on release, the structure should support longevity. Dennis describes the general flavor spectrum of his wines as juicy black cherries, and says that his aim is “sucrosité [impressions of sweetness] without sugar.”

Les Corbeaux is just under a half hectare, comprising three parcels adjacent to Mazis Chambertin, planted in 1920 and 1961, and ages with 50% new oak. From a couple of parcels with about the same total area, Charmes Chambertin comes from the oldest vines of the domain, planted between 1907-1917; it uses 30-60% new oak depending on vintage.  Corbeaux makes a more filigree impression than Evocelles, perhaps you might say more feminine. Charmes Chambertin is all black cherry fruits, incredibly smooth even in a barrel sample, supported by supple tannins.

The trend is for the wines to show increasing smoothness and sense of sophistication going from Bourgogne through Côte de Nuits Villages through Gevrey Chambertin to the premier crus. The cuvées show an underlying sense of fruitiness in the black spectrum and richness, with fruits most obvious at the start of the hierarchy, and the sense of structure increasing as you move to premier and grand crus. These are sophisticated wines, and that sense of sophistication increases going up the hierarchy.

Tasting Notes for 2023 Barrel Samples

Bourgogne
Transparent impression, fresh red fruits make juicy impression. An unusually elegant style for Bourgogne AOP.    89 Drink 2028-2036

Côte de Nuits Villages
This really shows Denis’s objective of achieving sucrositeé without sugar. Fresh nose shows black fruits. Round and juicy, it shows black fruits on the palate, with a much fuller impression than the Bourgogne. Tannins are rounder and more supple. It makes an altogether richer impression.    89 Drink 2027-2036

Gevrey Chambertin
The juiciness and sense of viscosity or richness resembles the Côte de Nuits Villages but shows an increased sense of sophistication with a greater sense of structural support brought by lovely firm tannins.    92 Drink 2028-2040

Gevrey Chambertin, Les Evocelles
The palate is marked by forward black fruits in a lovely balance with the supporting structure, where the tannins are firm but not at all obtrusive. This is a very fine example of Gevrey Chambertin premier cru in the modern style, meaning that it is relatively approachable on release but still has the structure behind the fruits to support longevity.    93 Drink 2028-2040

Gevrey Chambertin, Les Corbeaux
Here the sense of black fruits is accompanied by a sense of spiciness on the nose. The palate makes a velvety impression, smoother than Evocelles, moving more towards a chocolate coating, with a sense of lightness of being where fruits are supported by lacy acidity.   93 Drink 2028-2040

Charmes Chambertin
Hints of spice as well as black fruits. For a barrel sample, this is incredibly smooth. Tannins seem almost soft and are extremely supple. The palate is all smooth black cherry fruits. The balance is so smooth that it may even be ready to start before the premier crus.    95 Drink 2027-2042

A Visit with Franck Follin-Arbelet

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“I came back to Burgundy in 2016 to help my father,” says Franck Follin-Arbelet. “I had a different life before. I lived in Japan for two years and then spent three years in France working for a Japanese culinary school. I started making the wine in 2017. My father is still involved.”

The domain is at the end of a cul-de-sac, very discrete, with a house and old cellars dating from 1754. “This is a small domain, which my father created in 1993. My mother is part of the Latour family and some of the vineyards were previously part of Louis Latour. I’m basically the second generation. This is a very classic domain, we do everything by ourselves.”

 Franck is thoughtful about the changes in Burgundy. “Burgundy is changing fast and the change since 2000 has been tremendous. The wines we are making today are different from the wines we made in the 1980s and 1990s. You have to forget what you expected from Burgundy.”

“For my grandfather, the more alcohol you had, the better. For him it was fantastic if alcohol reached 13%. In 2020 and 2023, some wines reached 14.5% and struggled to finish fermentation. I like the 2018s, but of course they are not like Burgundy style, more like the Côtes du Rhône.”

“We have made some changes, all to fight against the heat. We pick earlier in the day, starting around 6:30, so the grapes come in cool. And we have more cooling equipment for the vats. We tend to do less extraction, with fewer punch-downs, because the wines are darker and more extracted anyway.”

The domain has plots in Pernand-Vergelesses, Aloxe-Corton, and Corton. The largest plots are premier crus in Aloxe-Corton, Les Vercots and Clos du Chapitre, each around 1 ha. “The plot in Corton is a sandwich.” South-facing, it is in en Charlemagne, with vines were planted in 1978. There are 17 rows of Pinot Noir, then 25 rows of Chardonnay, flanked by another 4 rows of Pinot Noir. It is one of the last plots with Pinot Noir in en Charlemagne.

Wines age for 18 months. Use of new oak increases with the level of the appellation. There is none for Pernand-Vergelesses, about 15% for Aloxe Corton premier crus, half for the Corton. When new oak is used, it is only for the first half of the élevage: after 11 months the wine is racked into used barriques.

We tasted the range from 2022, except for Les Vercots, which had all been sold, so we tasted the 2019. “We are facing a problem we [the Burgundians] created ourselves. Prices are crazy and people don’t want to buy Burgundy any more. We expected sales to be less, so we increased the allocations, but it all sold.”

Starting with premier cru Les Ficots from Pernand-Vergelesses, the wine shows classic freshness with a sense of tartness to cut the red fruits. The Aloxe Corton village is a step above the Pernand Vergelesses premier cru, and has greater depth and roundness, moving to the palate, with a nice edge of red fruits.  The fruits really take over in Aloxe-Corton premier cru Clos du Chapitre, which has a more feminine impression compared to the stronger, more powerful, Les Vercots. “Clos du Chapitre is a 2 ha clos and we have half of it. It is warmer spot because it is surrounded by houses in the village. The soil is distinctive, not very deep, with a lot of limestone. It always harvests early. Les Vercots has deeper soils.”

The red Corton comes from the same plot as the Corton Charlemagne in en Charlemagne. (“We cannot put Charlemagne on the label for a red wine, so it is labeled Corton without a climat.”) It ages in 4 barriques with 2 barriques new. Here the impressions of red and black fruits are right in the forefront, with a round, ripe impression, tending to elegance rather than power. “It’s not a massive wine, it’s delicate,” Franck says. It should become velvety, soft, and earthy, as it ages.  

The domain is focused on red wines but has whites from Pernand Vergelesses and Corton Charlemagne. The Pernand-Vergelesses village white has a fresh, clean style, something of a preview for the Corton Charlemagne, which is round on the palate but shows that typical sense of the linearity and minerality of Corton Charlemagne. The palate is smooth and silky, showing citric overtones with hints of new oak, which is very judicious. The wine makes up to 7 barriques, depending on the vintage, with a little new oak. “We can’t complain about our neighbors who are Coche Dury and DRC,” Franck says.

Tasting Notes, 2022 vintage

Les Fichots, Pernand-Vergelesses

Nice nose with some tart impressions and classical sense of freshness. Same sense of tartness carries over to palate with sour cherries/strawberries, light tannic support in background, texture moving towards chewy impression. 13.5%    88 Drink 2026-2032

Aloxe Corton
Nose shows similar style to the Pernand Vergelesses, with tart fresh impressions, but has greater depth and roundness moving to the palate, with a nice edge of red fruits. 89 Drink 2026-2034

Clos du Chapitre, Aloxe-Corton
Fresh nose has suggestions of tart but the red fruits are more evident than in the village Aloxe Corton. This gives a classic impression of the appellation with red and black fruits against a fresh background.    90 Drink 2026-2036

Les Vercots, Aloxe-Corton (2019)
Quite a fresh nose (especially considering the vintage): this shows the depth of the vintage but the palate retains freshness. The palate moves more towards black fruits. It is a success for the vintage.   91 Drink –2036

Corton
Impressions of red and black fruits are at the forefront, more obvious than with the premier cru Clos du Chapitre. The sense of freshness that marks the vintage in the Aloxe Corton and Pernand Vergelesses is less evident. “It’s not a massive wine, it’s delicate,” Franck says. Nice texture is not quite chewy, and should become velvety, soft, and earthy, as the wine ages. 91 Drink 2025-2037

Pernand Vergelesses, White
Fresh nose with some almost spirity notes. Fresh on the palate in a clean, linear style, citric overtones on the palate, which has nice weight, staying definitely in a citric spectrum.    89 Drink –2030

Corton Charlemagne
Round on the palate, the linearity and minerality of Corton Charlemagne showing here, citric overtones with some faint hints of new oak, which is very judicious. The palate makes a smooth, silky impression. It is a very good representation of Corton Charlemagne in the linear style.   92 Drink -2034

What is Modern Wine?

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I was going to call my latest book The Wines of Modern France, to emphasize that it’s a new approach to looking at what French wines are like today, but in the end I settled for simply the Wines of France, because so many wine producers in France questioned the inclusion of  “Modern.” Perhaps this is not so surprising in a country where tradition is so valued, but it gives me pause for thought as to what we mean by “modern wine.”

Everywhere in the world of wine, there is a continuing debate between tradition and modernity. But it is a bit different in France: I don’t think I have met a single vigneron who would admit to being modern. When I told producers my book was about the wines of modern France, many were quizzical, and asked if you could truly put “France” and “Modern” in the same sentence. This is a common view among artisan producers: modernity means mass production using industrial methods, and rejecting them defines you as a traditionalist. Perhaps this is why no one wants to admit they are a modernist in France: the important thing is to redefine tradition so that your wine fits in.

I had an interesting disagreement about modernity with Christophe Perrot-Minot, who makes clean, bright, flavorful wines that, for me, express the quintessence of modern Burgundy. When I asked whether he regards himself as a modernist, he was almost insulted. “For me this is traditional, not modern. It’s not that I’m looking for drinking young, I’m looking for balance, and they will age well. For me, a modern wine is made by thermoregulation and long cold maceration. Wines that are too tannic, I call them rustic, not modern or traditional.”

The very concept of modernism is viewed with suspicion. Jean-Luc Colombo all but created a scandal when he introduced new oak into Cornas thirty years ago. When I asked his daughter Laure whether she regards her father as a modernist, she responded with a question: “What is tradition—is it twenty years or fifty years or a hundred years?”–a fair point as Jean-Luc’s approach now has been widely followed.

Mounir Saouma, at micro-negociant Lucien Le Moine in Beaune, sees the “young tradition” as the last thirty or forty years, and the “old tradition” as the preceding period. He views the essential difference as the level of intervention. “So I saw the need for a place where we would make wine in the old tradition. There was a window for a policy of ‘I don’t do.’ Many people were saying ‘I do so and so.’ The objective was to be as classic as possible. I don’t like the word old-fashioned, it’s pretentious. Hundreds of years ago there was a simple way of making wine: if it’s red, put it in a tank, push down the cap, press, wait, bottle. I tried experiments in making wine very simply, putting it in tank and leaving it.” Today Mounir makes his wines pretty much that way, and they have a wonderful bright elegance, very pure and precise. I would call them modern by comparison with the muddier flavor profiles of the past.

My book is certainly about modern wines in the sense that it tries to relate the wines being produced today to the objectives of the people who are making them. I would describe many of the producers as artisanal: small scale rather than bulk production, manual work rather than automated equipment, individuality rather than homogeneity. But why shouldn’t a producer who believes in minimal intervention be considered to be modern? It would be difficult without modern methods and hygiene to make natural wines, for example. Is it necessary to equate modernity with industrial methods? And aren’t you entitled to feel some skepticism if a producer says that he makes wine exactly like his father and grandfather?

The best wines today for me are those that do represent the traditions of the region, but which avoid the problems and flaws of the past. Nostalgia is all very well, but whether you call them modern or not, today’s wines are more a reflection of the producers’ objectives than when they were limited by technical problems.

This is an extract from the conclusions of Wines of France: A Guide to 500 Leading Producers.