2020 Red Burgundy Part 1: 82 Côte d’Or domaines – December 2021
2020 Red Burgundy Part 2: 68 Beaujolais domaines – February 2022 (14 more in March 2022)

The view from Poncié to Moulin à Vent, February 2022

As a generality, 2020 was the second most precocious Beaujolais vintage in living memory. Not everyone started harvesting in August – or indeed finished in the same month – though, for the former, most did.

For the record, 2003 remains the earliest vintage for the majority of the domaines and with a miserly yield too. 2020, whilst not ‘folkloric,’ had reasonable yields for such a dry vintage, producing plenty more juice than in 2019 though still as much as 50% less than average in the more drought-prone areas.

Just like in 2019, the winemaking journey for 2020 began with clean, ripe, fruit – though there was some hail in the south. This fruit, again, giving many winemakers the courage to continue with low-intervention winemaking – i.e. lower or no-sulfur vinifications. Matthieu Lapierre was unsure to start with, thinking that, without some sulfur, the level of bacteria in the juice would render the wines less stable – but he changed his mind when he saw how resiliently stable they were through elevage.

But, for many domaines, these were not to be easy vinifications because the sugars were higher than average – many fermentations were slow or even chose to stop. Some domaines had no problems as their wines never exceeded 13° – 14-14.5° was much more common in the crus – whilst some other domaines produced wines of 16°. How can you drink wines of 16°(?) I hear you ask, but acidity is a wonderful thing; it can balance lots of sugar and, seemingly, it can hide a lot of alcohol too – and somehow in heat of the 2020 vintage, the acidity was preserved – plenty of acidity.

To the point: All about 2020 Beaujolais!

You will find many great, covetable, wines in Beaujolais in 2020 – and across the range from the crus in the north to, far from simple, but beautiful, Beaujolais in the south.

That said, I have personally bought much less than in 2019.

Many producers agree with me. Equally, many others feign shock when I have suggested that ‘Much as I like 2020, I prefer 2019 to drink!‘ Despite the aforementioned acid-balance to these 2020s – I most covet the freshness and fluidity of the best wines in 2019 and it’s only a small percentage of the 2020s that can match this.

• 2020 did not offer the baking temperatures of 2018 nor the extra peaks of heat of 2019 but it started early with a warm early spring and the weather never really cooled. Growth was not exceptionally fast, just exceptionally early starting – it was no surprise that harvesting teams were being assembled in mid-August.
• The single yield-limiting event of 2020? The dryness:
  The year had started easily enough but once we arrived in July, rain was very patchy indeed – neighbouring vineyards were lucky with rain – or not. Southern Brouilly saw virtually zero rain for weeks before the harvest, but Northern Brouilly had a number of decent downpours. Both areas started with the same number of grapes, but the north largely avoided blocked maturities and the south lost as much as 50% of the juice in the grapes in the three weeks leading up to the harvest.
• The 2020 vintage is supple and often voluptuous. At the same stage, less overtly (pure) perfumed as in 2019. The wines are rounder and layered yet never heavy.
• We can’t ignore the alcohol levels – 15, 16, I even tasted 17%! For many wines you would be shocked to be told the bald, alcoholic, truth – the true analytical levels – because you so rarely sense that alcohol. Of course, after 2-3 glasses there will be no escaping its effect!
• Most disappointing? There were a few wines in 2019 showing elevated pyrazines – I have previously written that a little can be nice – but in 2020 it is more common than in 2019. if you’re sensitive, like me, then you will be looking to avoid them. For this info, you will have to follow the notes in the individual domaine reports.
• The Whites: Probably my highlight of the vintage. I am known as not being a fan of white Beaujolais – hard, obtuse wines of too much rigour but – hey presto – in 2020 the wines are easy and delicious – how did that happen?
• Summarising: Clean, pure, ample, concentrated, round, layered – these are common adjectives – but still wines of energy too. Very many are delicious – from Beaujolais to the crus. Fewer bottles than in 2019 but I have personally made a number of purchases though I have chosen not to buy wines over 14.5°! Your choice may be different – but your choice should be informed!

The creme de la creme:

In my first week of tasting, there were 3 simply stand-out ranges of wines. Another couple came in my second week and another in my final week of this tour

In many tasting seasons there is a domaine that sticks in the mind; for the 2018 vintage it was clearly Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, for the 2019 vintage it was Willaim Fevre – I even wrote that this was a tasting that I would have paid to experience!

At the top of my 290 domaine visits (by the end of February, and counting…) came Château des Bachelards; wines that I usually admire but this year everything fell into place. Alexandra de Vazeilles complicates matters slightly as she’s later to commercialise – so this year it’s the 2019 vintage again which gets the trophy as this was the vintage she presented – but what great wines, each improving on the previous one: DRC, Fevre and Bachelards my producers of the year for the last 3 years.

But how to follow Bachelards? Let me be honest, the offerings of Domaine Louis-Claude Desvignes were not very far behind and that’s despite having a number of new cuvées where they are still ‘learning on the job’ – also any wine from them would do for me too! Again, nearly as great were the wines of Eric Janin – again the epitome of class – and, of course, these latter two domaines we are talking about their 2020s, not the 2019s as at Bachelards. But for the best of my February tour, look no further than:

Château de Bachelards
Château Thivin
Louis-Claude Desvignes
Grand’Cour
David Large
Eric Janin

Beaujolais in your cellar:

• 2020: Broad, powerful, layered wines. Seemingly not hot despite some high alcohols.
• 2019: I keep using, amongst others, the word ‘fluidity.’ Wines of purity, grace, energy and no lack of concentration – it remains the best vintage I’ve tasted on release.
• 2018: Delicious right now – energetic, better concentration than 2016, less than 2017 and with fabulous fruit, complexity and balance. They will also make for old bones…
• 2017: Many are still drinking great, but this a strong cellar candidate, it is a vintage of concentrated wines.
• 2016: Energetic, open, wines of clarity and purity of fruit – where not ravaged by hail or frost – for instance it’s not a strong vintage in Moulin à Vent or Fleurie.
• 2015: More open now than for many years – even magnums! Often spiced and masculine but they are building a fine complexity. The slightly rustic, spiced fruit depth and concentration emphasises that these are wines for the longer term – like 2009 and 2011.
• 2014: A vintage that is drinking very well – open, often floral – not ultra-concentrated but wines that are delicious and fulfilling.
• 2013: I’m still waiting for this vintage. The aromas are usually lovely, though the overall package is often still lacking, for now.