Right: Beaujolais 15 March 2025…

A new report with 64 producers and, mainly, their 2023s…

Two more weeks of visits to taste 2023 Beaujolais – weeks 3 & 4 of 4 weeks planned – and the others are a nice dozen of Côte d’Or producers – as I slowly start to return my gaze to this part of Burgundy. My April report will see a return to Chablis – I’ve only done half of my normal list, so far. And a few more visits form the core of the regions the Côte d’Or down to Mâcon…

For my best addresses in Beaujolais, see in my slightly updated summary in my February 2025 report …

That’s 304 domaines already visited to taste 2023s, and 289 already online 😉

Beaujolais 07 February 2023…

I’m happy to let you know that my latest report went online yesterday – a report of visits to over 70 domaines.

The bulk of those visits are covering the first two weeks of my visits to taste 2023 Beaujolais – 2 of 4 weeks in Beaujolais – and the others a week in Chablis. My March report will have 2 more weeks of Beaujolais and at least a dozen great domaines from the Côte d’Or, while April and May will see more visits in Chablis as, so far, I’ve only really done half of my normal visits…

Back to Beaujolais – it will be a crowd-pleasing vintage – missing many of the highs of 2022 but also the lows – I describe 2023 as having less amplitude than 2022 but on average it’s more attractive young.

For my best addresses, see in my February 2025 report …

Chablis Grand Cru – July 2023

For a vintage finishing in ‘3’ – i.e. 2023 – the vigneron(ne)s are very happy; quantity together with quality has been their mantra.

Given what was to follow in 2024, they are particularly thankful for the production volume of 2023. This was one of the largest recorded volumes, in places exceeding the volume produced in 2018. The authorised volumes were at a maximum – more in the case of grand crus – plus an additional ‘reserve’ (the VCI) to be used if times of need were to arrive – as they surely did in 2024.

I can confirm that practically every 2023 wine I tasted in the region – 65 domaines in my first wave of visits between January and February 2025 – was delicious. But I was usually left asking myself ‘But is this really Chablis?’ I typically felt that these were wines from planet chardonnay – compared to 2014s, 2017s, 2021s and even the 2024s in waiting, which clearly came from planet Chablis.

In my first week of visits, I found just 3 domaines where my eyes lit up as I tasted the wines.

It’s a vintage that showcases the grape variety more than ‘place.’ So, if you really want Chablis, you will need my list of ‘best addresses’ – in my January 2025 report …

The December 2024 issue of Burgundy-Report

The 2023 Burgundy Vintage:
Part 3 of 3 in the Côte d’Or
Right: Beaune – Sept 2023 harvesting…

This report comprises 34 reports of visits from December 2024 plus a link to my summary of the Côte d’Or vintage from the October report. That’s 114 domaines from the Côte d’Or now online. The 2023 visits in Chablis will be online in just a couple of weeks – only my summary needs to penned 🙂

As usual, from each producer a few words on their vintage campaigns (2023 & 2024) and, as always, those extra-special wines that are worth a special search are highlighted for you.

December’s part 3 here: The Côte d’Or reports with 34 additional domaines…

The November 2024 issue of Burgundy-Report

The 2023 Burgundy Vintage:
Part 2 of 3 in the Côte d’Or
Right: Vosne-Romanée – 12-Sept 2023

This report comprises 42 reports of visits from November 2024 plus a link to my summary of the Côte d’Or vintage from the October report.

As usual, from each producer a few words on their vintage campaigns (2023 & 2024) and, as always, those extra-special wines that are worth a special search are highlighted for you. I’ve another 80 visits underway that will populate the November and December reports – online before I head to Chablis in 3 weeks time – I hope 🙂

Part 3 of the Côte d’Or reports will have about another 35 domaines…

The October 2024 issue of Burgundy-Report

The 2023 Burgundy Vintage:
Part 1 of 3 in the Côte d’Or
Right: Pommard – 08-Sept 2023

This report comprises 38 reports of visits from October 2024 plus my summary of the Côte d’Or vintage.

As usual, from each producer a few words on their vintage campaigns (2023 & 2024) and, as always, those extra-special wines that are worth a special search are highlighted for you. I’ve another 80 visits underway that will populate the November and December reports – online before I head to Chablis in 3 weeks time – I hope 🙂

All my best wishes to you all for 2025 – and now it’s time for a glass of Epénots 🙂

To whet your appetite for lots of imminent 2023 vintage domaine visit reports, here’s a small amuse bouche looking at how the 2024 vintage unfolded, plus a look back at the 2004 vintage – 20 years on – with many bottles opened in the cause.

I hope that you enjoy

My first 2023 report will be online in the next 10 days, with a mix of Côte d’Or domaines – red & white – already including my summary of the vintage in this geography.