Very sad news …

By billn on March 21, 2025 #sad losses...

Last weekend, we lost Marko de Morey – a long-time contributor to Burgundy Report.

His acerbic observations on the harvests – at multiple domaines over multiple years – made him a great favourite here.

Mark was a friend, so I am shocked to learn he has left us.

I fondly remember his combative personality – which I’m sure was apparent to all in his writings – but also his love of Burgundy – not just the wines but the place and the people too.

For many well-known names in the UK (Burgundy) wine trade, he was also their Bank Manager – retired 3-4 years now – his ire about some of those traders that he helped out, who would in later years no-longer allocate him a bottle of Roumier could light up a room and warm your hands with its incandescence – and that was also the fun of Mark – as, to cool off, we sipped something from Lafon instead 🙂

I will miss him dearly…

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2023 Beaujolais – and more 2023 Chablis

By billn on March 21, 2025 #reports

Beaujolais 07 February 2023...
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 …

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2023 Chablis, Report Online:

By billn on March 02, 2025 #reports

Chablis Grand Cru - July 2023
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 …

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The December 2024 Burgundy-Report – the Côte d’Or part 3

By billn on February 17, 2025 #reports

The 2023 harvestThe 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…

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The November 2024 Burgundy-Report – the Côte d’Or part 2

By billn on January 16, 2025 #reports

Trie - 12-Sept-2023The November 2024 issue of Burgundy-Report

The 2023 Burgundy Vintage:
Part 2 of 3 in the Côte d’Or
Right: Vosne-Roman̩e Р12-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…

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The October 2024 Burgundy-Report – the Côte d’Or

By billn on December 30, 2024 #reports

Pommard - 08-Sept 2023The 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 🙂

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Week 51 2024 – this week’s wines – so far !!

By billn on December 19, 2024 #degustation

2018 Pierre Cotton, Brouilly
Deeply coloured with a dark sweet fruit – still quite detailed but now showing a little age-related spice. Large scale in the mouth – like the nose with good detail but also layers of dark, sweet, fruit – maybe too sweet for more than 2 or 3 glasses 🙂 The last glass cloudy from sediment but still completely drinkable. It’s a lovely wine but to be honest, if I had more, I’d be drinking them…
Rebuy – Maybe

2022 Alvina Pernot, Meursault 1er Poruzot
Wax-topped with a strong, long cork however, despite the label being Poruzot with a Z, the cork is Porusot with an S – just saying!!
Depth of toasty aromas – there’s some impact but still plenty of freshness. Large scale in the mouth – oh yes – bright, intense, juicy wine – though with an overt sweetness of toasty oak in these finishing flavours. But it’s still delicious.
Rebuy – Yes

2022 Julien Duport, Côte de Brouilly La Boucheratte
As deep a colour as the Cotton from 2018. The aromas more incisive, more graphite but with equally dark fruit. Far from a wine of shyness – these dark, extrovert flavours have, like the nose, just a hint more incisive and architectural style to them. Also quite a sweet wine – from the dark, ripe fruit – not sugar – this one a mere 13.5% – but less overtly than the Cotton. A wine that drank beautifully over 3 nights – 2 good glasses a night and the bottle was empty! Drink or hold for another 20 years – a simply superb wine.
Rebuy – Yes

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Vintages ending in a 4… a new report

By billn on December 18, 2024 #reports

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.

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2019 Raphael Chopin, Beaujolais-Lantignie La Savoye

By billn on December 10, 2024 #degustation

Raphael Chopin - 2019 Lantignie La Savoye2019 Raphael Chopin, Beaujolais-Lantignie La Savoye
Dark colour. Dark fruit too but with very nice detail and nothing overdone. Mouth-filling with just enough softness – maybe just a mm or two of padding but here is silky, delicious, wine. Finishing wide over the palate then very slowly fading with a small uptick in intensity and a touch of graphite. Holding well too. Just a super, and still young, wine…
Rebuy – Yes

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