Day 2 cont’d
After our visit to Domaine Dujac we still had one winery visit left: Benoît Moreau.
Before our visit I had tasted a couple of Moreau’s wines; I thought they were good, but nothing particularly mindblowing. Just balanced, correct white Burgundies. However, I had also read from several different sources that Moreau is hands down one of the greatest new names in the game, so I thought there must be something I just hadn’t witnessed yet.
And when I asked @William_Kelley which producers we should try to visit on our trip, not only did he recommend visiting Moreau, but he actually helped us to make the visit by contacting Moreau directly! So a great big thanks to WK for making this happen!
Anyways, from Morey-Saint-Denis we drove to Meursault and quickly checked in at our motel - located on the outskirts of the aforementioned village - and then continued on our way to Moreau’s winery, which is technically located in Chassagne-Montrachet, but is actually located in a rather un-sexy industrial area - along with neighbors like Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey, Caroline Morey and Domaine Bouard-Bonnefoy, plus a bunch of winemaking supply stores - sprawling just a stone’s throw away from the communes of Corpeau and Chagny and the vineyards of Chassagne-Montrachet.
After having just visited two estates where the cellars are located in old houses in the middle of historic villages, I must say that the contrast between them and the shiny, cold and rather industrial winery facilities of Moreau couldn’t be greater!
So, after we had parked our car in front of the winery, Benoît emerged from the winery and introduced himself to us. When we commented about the differences of the wineries we had seen that day, Benoît told us that his winery was finished quite recently, in 2021, and it was built according to his designs and specifications. The idea was not to make a winery that looks impressive (after all, it is located in an industrial area to begin with!), but a building that is constructed solely for the purpose of winemaking. Everything imaginable seemed to have been taken into account; the facilities are obviously designed to be optimal for handling the grapes, moving and operating all the winemaking equipment, transferring the wine into the underground cellar with the help of gravity and making sure that all the operations can be done as effectively and smoothly as possible.
The ground floor, where the stainless steel fermentation tanks and bottled wines are located.
Since Domaine Benoît Moreau is such a new name, a small introduction might be in place for those who don’t follow Burgundy as keenly as some.
- Domaine Bernard Moreau et Fils has been a household name for prime Chassagne-Montrachet for a very long time - the history of the estate goes back all the way to 1809. The estate as we know it today was operated by the 4th generation of Moreaus, Benoît and his older brother Alex Moreau, since 1999.
- However, instead of continuing to work at the family domaine, Benoît had been ruminating on the idea of running a winery of his own for some time. Finally, in November 2020 the Bernard Moreau domaine was split between the brothers and Benoît received approximately four hectares of the domaine’s vineyard holdings - most of which in prime locations in and around Chassagne-Montrachet.
- Although Benoît Moreau’s first vintage made with estate fruit from his own vineyards was the vintage following the split, 2021, his debut vintage was actually 2020; to help Moreau get things going from the very start, his friends sold him some 2020 wines that he could vinify and sell under his name.
- Today approximately 95% of the production is from estate fruit, but Moreau supplements his production by purchasing tiny amounts of fruit from quality-conscious growers. The estate size is 4,5 hectares (11,5 acres) and while the annual production can fluctuate greatly from one year to another, the average annual production is around 25,000 bottles. Most of the production is white, but Moreau produces also two red cuvées.
- The vines are farmed biodynamically and Moreau vinifies all his parcels separately. He also is a strong believer in terroir, choosing to produce and bottle tiny amounts of lieux-dits within certain Crus instead of blending them together and bottling them under their better-known 1er Cru vineyard name.
- All the wines are fermented spontaneously and they go through spontaneous MLF. The red are vinified with minimal extraction, employing delicate infusion techniques instead. Moreau believes his wines benefit from extended oak aging, but to minimize the oak impact, he renews his barrels only when necessary - typically 0-10% of the capacity annually. Most of the wines age for 18 to 24 months in oak barrels ranging from traditional 228-liter pièces to 500-liter demi-muids.
- Beginning with his very first vintage, Moreau’s wines have been very sought-after and many of them sell out quite quickly. Today approximately 50% of his production is exported and 50% sold in France.
- In addition to his Chassagne-Montrachet wines, Benoît Moreau has also a tiny project in Beaujolais, where he makes a few red wines from some very old vineyards in Morgon and Chiroubles.
The underground floor foyer…
…and the barrel storage rooms.
After showing us around a little bit, explaining the functions of his winery facilities and winemaking philosophy, Benoît took us to the underground barrel storage to show us around a little bit more and to taste a selection of his freshly bottled wines. And even though the two of the first wines we tasted - Bourgogne Blanc and Chassagne-Montrachet - didn’t wow me this time either, I must admit that the single-vineyard and lieux-dits really are something. They were more or less constantly among the best young whites we tasted on this trip and some of the most thrilling young white Burgs I’ve had in a long while! While they do speak of Chassagne-Montrachet with their fruit expression, they talk more in the dialect that a Chablis fan can understand: the wines are taut, mineral and electric with almost no oak impact to speak of, and often a tremendous amount of acidity that makes the wine feel remarkably spry and structured! These wines are not about fruit, they are about everything that is around the fruit. It seemed that these wines hit one of us like a freight train because he was more or less stunned by the wines after we left the winery, exclaiming that Benoît Moreau must be the greatest white wine maker in Burgundy today. I don’t know, having tasted these wines, he might be even right with his assessment.
The maestro himself, presenting his wines to us.
If you want to read all the juicy details, here are my notes on all the wines we tasted.
- 2023 Benoit Moreau Chardonnay Bourgogne Blanc - France, Burgundy, Bourgogne Blanc (22.4.2025)
100% biodynamically farmed Chardonnay from three parcels in Chassagne-Montrachet, where the average vine age is 20 years. Fermented spontaneously. Aged for approximately a year in used oak.
Yellow-green color. The nose feels very fresh and even surprisingly herby with aromas of chamomile and chopped green herbs, some lemony citrus tones, a little bit of ripe Golden Delicious apple, light leesy nuances and a herby-floral hint of noble hops. The wine feels somewhat ripe on the palate with a medium body and flavors of ripe red apple, some mineral notes of wet rocks, a little bit of zesty lemony, light herby tones, a hint of leesy creaminess and a touch of pomelo. The overall feel is quite rich and textural, but the high acidity keeps the overall feel fresh and balanced. The finish is ripe, juicy and rather long with flavors of spicy red apple, some leesy tones, light herby noble hop notes, a little bit of zesty citrus fruits, a floral hint of lavender and a touch of stony minerality.
A pleasant and balanced but also somewhat awkward Bourgogne Blanc (well, technically a demoted Chassagne-Montrachet) where there's some rather ripe tones and then some surprisingly green-toned herby notes that contrast each other greatly. The wine isn't vegetal or under-ripe by any means, but it feels as though some of the fruit that went into the wine was barely ripe whereas some fruit had attained a generous level of ripeness. This was enjoyable, but didn't really wow me and was nowhere near the level of all the other Moreau wines we tasted at the domaine. Usually the entry-level whites are the calling cards of the domaine, but in the case of Moreau, I'd say go one notch higher from here - that's where the real sweet spot is.
(89 points) - 2023 Benoit Moreau Chassagne-Montrachet - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chassagne-Montrachet (22.4.2025)
100% biodynamically farmed Chardonnay from eight different parcels around Chassagne-Montrachet. Fermented spontaneously, aged for 18 months in predominantly old oak barrels.
Pale lemon-yellow color. The nose feels clean, fruit-driven and a bit linear with aromas of ripe red apple, some cantaloupe, light leesy tones and a mineral hint of wet rocks. The wine feels broad, well-delineated and very slightly spritzy on the palate - there still seems to be a tiny bit of dissolved CO2 - with a medium-to-moderately full body and juicy flavors of ripe Golden Delicious apple, some leesy tones, light mineral notes of chalk dust and wet stones, a little bit of savory and slightly salty umami, a floral hint of apple blossom and a touch of grapefruit. The rather high acidity lends good sense of balance and firmness to the wine. The finish is broad, ripe and youthful with a long, fresh aftertaste of sweet Golden Delicious apple, some leesy tones, a little bit of stony minerality, light grapefruit tones, a floral hint of apple blossom and a touch of chalk dust.
Although still a very youthful and maybe a bit awkward Chassagne-Montrachet, this was still a noticeable step up from the 2023 Bourgogne Blanc (which is also 100% Chassagne fruit). There are no herby notes that made the Bourgogne Blanc feel a bit odd and the overall feel packs a bit more depth and substance. There's still some dissolved CO2 that helps to protect the wine from oxidation, but also makes the wine feel a bit tingly - however, this is a feature that is going to disappear with a few additional years of aging. At the moment the wine is still a little bit all over the place, but it shows good promise and it seems to be evolving in a direction I enjoy. I'd love to re-visit this wine once it is not a baby anymore!
(91 points) - 2023 Benoit Moreau Chassagne-Montrachet Les Charrieres - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chassagne-Montrachet (22.4.2025)
100% biodynamically farmed Chardonnay from the old-vine (40-50 yo) parcel in the upper part of lieu-dit Les Charrières in Chassagne-Montrachet. Fermented spontaneously, aged for 18 months in predominantly old oak barrels.
Pale lime-green color. The nose feels very fresh and even a bit herby with cool, nuanced aromas of Granny Smith apple, some Asian pear, a little bit of sweeter yellow fruit, light mineral notes of stone dust and a hint of creamy oak. The wine feels broad, textural and somewhat concentrated on the palate with impressive sense of breadth, moderately full body and youthful flavors of Granny Smith apple, some Asian pear tones, a little bit of chalk dust, light juicy notes of cantaloupe, a hint of creaminess and a touch of stony minerality. The high acidity lends great sense of structure and intensity to the wine. The finish is long, mineral and palate-cleansing with flavors of ripe Granny Smith apple and fresh Asian pear, some chalky mineral tones, a little bit of creamy oak, light herby nuances and a hint of cantaloupe.
This was a minor yet still noticeably step up from Moreau's village-level Chassagne-Montrachet; a very stylish, clean and textural single-vineyard Chassagne-Montrachet that shows lovely sense of breadth and concentration without compromising its freshness and precision one little bit. There was a tiny bit of that herby character that was also present in the 2023 Bourgogne Blanc, but while it felt maybe a little bit out of place in that wine, it didn't stick out one bit in this bottling. The overall feel is still super youthful and still some ways away from its optimal drinking window, but it is obvious the wine is showing great promise already. A fine wine with lots of upside.
(92 points) - 2023 Benoit Moreau Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru La Maltroie - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru (22.4.2025)
100% biodynamically farmed Chardonnay from two parcels in 1er Cru La Maltroie in Chassagne-Montrachet, one with deep clay soils and one with more limestone. Fermented spontaneously, aged for 18 months in predominantly old oak barrels.
Pale lime-green color. The nose feels fresh, maybe a little bit closed but still very bright and focused with aromas of fresh white fruits, some leesy tones, a little bit of spicy red apple, light sweeter nuances of cantaloupe and a hint of steely minerality. The wine feels textural yet remarkably fresh and very electric on the palate with a medium body and intense flavors of crunchy white fruits and creamy oak, some leesy tones, a little bit of salty liquorice powder, light smoky nuances, sharp hints of tart Granny Smith apple and lemony citrus fruit and a hint of ripe grapefruit. The racy acidity lends a tremendous amount on energy and structure to the wine. The finish is crisp, long and acid-driven with an intense aftertaste of lemony citrus fruits and chalky minerality, some smoky tones, a little bit of fresh Golden Delicious apple, light sweeter notes of cantaloupe, a hint of creamy oak and a touch of leesy richness.
This was a Chablis lover's Chassagne if there ever was one! Although the fruit profile is maybe a bit more Côte de Beaune than Chablis, the combination of bracing acidity, cool minerality and almost complete absence of any oak notes is something that is guaranteed to speak to any fan of classic, zippy Chablis. Even though the wine seems to be all about acidity and minerality on the surface, the fruit department still packs enough intensity so that it is never relegated to play second fiddle; the balance here is just on point. With this much acidity, the wine might come across as too lean or shrill to people who want their white Burgundies with ripe fruit and buttery oak, but to me, this is an absolutely fantastic wine. Still super young and very high-strung, it is obvious that the wine is way too young at the moment, but it is nevertheless a fantastic wine in its own right and it shows a tremendous amount of potential for future development. Highly recommended.
(94 points) - 2023 Benoit Moreau Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Chenevottes - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru (22.4.2025)
100% biodynamically farmed Chardonnay from 1er Cru Les Chenevottes in Chassagne-Montrachet. Fermented spontaneously, aged for 18 months in predominantly old oak barrels.
Pale yellow-green color. The nose feels rich, creamy and slightly sweet-toned with aromas of ripe Golden Delicious apple, some woody oak tones, a little bit of leesy creaminess, light cantaloupe nuances and a floral hint of apple blossom. The wine feels ripe, broad and pretty textural on the palate with a medium body and dry, bold and somewhat concentrated flavors of ripe Granny Smith apple, some sweeter notes of cantaloupe, light mineral notes of chalk dust and salinity, a little bit of woody spice, a floral hint of apple blossom and a touch of ripe grapefruit. The high acidity makes the wine feel firm, balanced and pretty structured. The finish is crisp, long and lively with a somewhat concentrated aftertaste of lemony citrus fruits and cantaloupe, some leesy notes of creaminess, a little bit of smoky reduction, light woody notes of savory oak spice, a hint of saline minerality and a touch of salty liquorice powder.
A ripe, textural and somewhat concentrated but also very firm and balanced 1er Cru Chassagne-Montrachet where the emphasis is on the vibrant fruit and chiselled minerality, not on oaky tones. The wine is still very youthful and maybe a bit linear, but with this much fruit, concentration and structure, I'm positive this wine will continue to age, evolve and improve for a very long time. A very promising and thoroughly enjoyable white Burg. Highly recommended.
(93 points) - 2023 Benoit Moreau Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Fairendes - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru (22.4.2025)
100% biodynamically farmed Chardonnay from at least 45 yo vines in Les Fairendes, a climat in 1er Cru Morgeot in Chassagne-Montrachet with deep red clay soils and big limestones. Fermented spontaneously, aged for 18 months in predominantly old oak barrels.
Pale greenish color. The nose feels fresh, clean and precise with aromas of assorted, freshly picked white fruits, some leesy tones, a little bit of zesty citrus fruit, light mineral notes of chalk dust, a hint of juicy stone fruits and a faint touch of creamy oak. The wine feels quite broad and textural on the palate with a fuller body than with other 2023 Benoît Moreau wines we tasted and layered flavors of zesty citrus fruits and fresh white peach, some chalky mineral tones, a little bit of juicy Fuji apple, light apricot tones, a hint of creamy oak and a touch of honeyed richness. The rather high acidity keeps the wine nicely in balance and the overall feel is suave and harmonious. The finish is long, broad and quite ripe with a juicy aftertaste of cantaloupe and honeydew melon, some spicy mineral notes, a little bit of fresh white peach and crunchy Golden Delicious apple, light creamy nuances and a hint of honeyed richness.
To me, this bottling seemed probably the most ripe wine of the 2023s we tasted at Benoît Moreau - although not necessary bigger than the others, the wine seemed nevertheless somewhat broader and more textural in style with maybe a tiny bit less acidity along with subtly sweeter-toned fruit flavors. Yet still the wine is impressive and very serious with great depth of flavor, good sense of structure and wonderfully harmonious overall feel. Based on its quite open and expressive nature, I feel this wine might arrive in its optimal drinking window a bit earlier than the other Moreau 1er Crus, and consequently the wine might peak sooner than the others as well. While not quite at the level of the best 1er Crus, this was still a splendid and eminently delicious white Burg in its own right. Recommended.
(93 points) - 2023 Benoit Moreau Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru La Cardeuse - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru (22.4.2025)
100% biodynamically farmed Chardonnay from La Cardeuse, a tiny climat in 1er Cru Morgeot in Chassagne-Montrachet. This wine is sometimes called as a Monopole bottling, but that is incorrect; La Cardeuse used to be a monopole of Bernard Moreau, but today both Benoît and his brother Alex vinify grapes from the climat. However, Benoît Moreau is the only one producing white La Cardeuse, since in the past Bernard Moreau made only a red La Cardeuse and all the Chardonnay from La Cardeuse was blended with Chardonnay from Les Fairendes and bottled as 1er Cru Morgeot. Fermented spontaneously, aged for 18 months in predominantly old oak 400-liter barrels. Annual production is 1 to 2 barrels, ie. ranging from approximately 400 to 900 bottles.
Pale and subtly hazy lime-green color. The nose feels herby, leesy and subtly reductive with zippy aromas of citrus fruits and crunchy Golden Delicious apple, some steely mineral notes, a little bit of spicy wood, light smoky nuances of reduction and a hint of creamy oak. The wine feels juicy and quite textural yet remarkably fresh and precise on the palate with a medium-to-moderately full body and intense flavors of ripe white peach and stony minerality, some fresh apricot tones, a little bit of savory spice, light sweeter nuances of honeydew melon, hints of creamy oak and woody old oak and a touch of incisive steely character. The brisk acidity makes the wine feel very precise, structured and lively. The finish is focused, lengthy and rich yet very firm with an intense aftertaste of honeydew melon, some fresh apricot tones, a little bit of steely minerality, light creamy oak notes, a hint of zesty lemon and a faint smoky touch of reduction.
A wonderfully focused and immensely promising 1er Cru Chassagne-Montrachet. Tasting the sense of precision, minerality and intensity here - it all intermingling with the ripe and subtly sweet-toned fruit so seamlessly - I just can't help but wonder why they didn't vinify this as a single-vineyard bottling at Bernard Moreau. Well, I guess it might be too much work just to go through the process for only two barrels of wine? It's a boon that we have Benoît Moreau who is willing to do all the hard work and vinify all his climats separately instead of blending them into catch-all cuvées! This wine is still very youthful and somewhat nervous, but fortunately not too primary. With its sense of ripeness and breadth the wine is already starting to drink quite wonderfully right now, but I feel this wine is going to be a real banger once it reaches its full maturity. As this is only the 3rd vintage of white La Cardeuse ever, it is hard to say how long that will take - and how the wine is going to evolve - but I believe this wine is going to turn even more impressive as it ages. Very highly recommended.
(94 points) - 2023 Benoit Moreau Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Grandes Ruchottes - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru (22.4.2025)
100% biodynamically farmed Chardonnay from parcels in Grandes Ruchottes, a climat in 1er Cru La Grande Montagne in Chassagne-Montrachet. Most of the vines are very old (planted in 1939) but some of the fruit comes from vines planted in 2019. Fermented spontaneously, aged for 18 months in predominantly old oak barrels.
Youthful, luminous lime-green color. The nose feels very focused but also somewhat reductive and extremely youthful with aromas of PYCM-like smoky reduction, some fresh pineapple tones, a little bit of salty liquorice powder, light crunchy notes of peachy stone fruit, a hint of zesty minerality and a touch of savory wood spice. The wine feels firm, crisp and quite powerful on the palate with a moderately full body and concentrated flavors of honeydew melon and crunchy Golden Delicious apple, some stony mineral notes, a little bit of fresh pineapple, light reductive notes of gunpowder, a hint of tangy salinity and a faint woody touch of savory oak spice. The level of dry extract seems to be pretty high, lending the wine a very chewy, mineral and punchy feel. The brisk, racy acidity lends a tremendous amount of freshness and structure to the wine. The finish is crisp, long and quite concentrated with intense flavors of lemony citrus fruits and leesy creaminess, some sharp Granny Smith apple tones, a little bit of grilled pineapple, light saline mineral notes, a hint of woody oak spice and a reductive touch of flint smoke.
An outstanding, remarkably focused and very concentrated wine that seems to be packed with power and dry extract, yet still coming across as very racy, electric and even relatively light on its feet. Floats like a butterfly, stings like a bee. Moreau himself described this as his own "Grand Cru" - and rightfully so. This might be a 1er Cru in technical terms, but this can put many a Grand Cru in its shadow. And true to the Moreau style, even if the wine is powerful and concentrated, this wine still might speak more to the fans of Chablis rather than classic Côte de Beaune - the wine is all about minerality, electric acidity and brisk fruit; not about fruit concentration and oak influence. Although the wine is almost painfully young now, at the age of less than two years, it is still an eminently delicious and thoroughly impressive by any standards. Perhaps even the best white wine we tasted on our trip to France? This is helluva banger already now and I can't see it going anywhere but up over the next decade or two. Very highly recommended.
(95 points) - 2023 Benoit Moreau Chassagne-Montrachet Rouge Vieilles Vignes - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chassagne-Montrachet (22.4.2025)
100% biodynamically farmed Pinot Noir from 50--55 years old vines in Chassagne Montrachet. 80% of the grapes were destemmed, 20% vinified in whole bunches. Fermented spontaneously, aged for 16 months in oak barrels (15% new). Annual production is approximately 2500 bottles.
Youthful, translucent cherry-red color. The nose feels dry, clean and spicy with aromas of cherries and crunchy cranberries, some heady floral aromas of violets and orange blossom, light brambly notes of raspberries, a little bit of savory wood spice, a hint of wild lifted character, a faint zesty touch of Campari and a whiff of licorice root. The wine feels dry, firm and pretty crunchy on the palate with a medium body and clean flavors of tart lingonberries and brambly forest fruits, some sweeter notes of black cherries, light stony mineral notes, a little bit of crunchy cranberry, savory hints of licorice root and savory wood spice and a touch of sour cherry bitterness. The wine is wonderfully high in acidity with medium-to-moderately grippy tannins. The finish is dry, moderately grippy and surprisingly robust with a long, savory aftertaste of ripe black raspberries and juicy black cherries, some crunchy notes of red plums, light gravelly mineral notes, a little bit of earthy and spicy Pinosity, a hint of sour cherry bitterness and a faint woody touch of oak spice.
For the entry-level red of Benoît Moreau, this is a surprisingly serious effort by all accounts. The wine shows impressive sense of structure and intensity, along with a nice emphasis of freshness over power. The wine is quite similar to many other Côte de Beaune whites - especially from producers known for their white wines; they don't seem to be interested in ripeness, fruity nuances or silky textures. No, their reds quite often seem to be about freshness, minerality and firm structure. Considering how rich and textural Moreau's whites are, this red wine might come across as somewhat angular and extracted in comparison. However, that is also the key - Moreau's wines always seem to be high in dry extract! The wine is very fine-tuned and well-delineated, not aggressively extracted - Moreau's vineyards, viticulture and other winemaking choices just produce fruit high in dry extract, which results in wines that might not be silky smooth. However, I don't consider that as a negative; no, I love wines with character, depth of flavor and great sense of structure - and this wine checks all those boxes. This is a brilliant red Chassagne-Montrachet that is starting to drink marvelously right now, but I have no doubts the wine will continue to evolve and improve at least until its 10th birthday - and most likely for even longer. An outstanding wine - and IMO much better than Moreau's white 2023 Chassagne-Montrachet - highly recommended.
(93 points) - 2023 Benoit Moreau Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru La Cardeuse Rouge - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru (22.4.2025)
100% biodynamically farmed Pinot Noir from two parcels of 55 to 65 yo vines totaling to just 0,25 hectares (1 acre) in La Cardeuse, a tiny climat in 1er Cru Morgeot in Chassagne-Montrachet. This wine is sometimes called as a Monopole bottling, but that is incorrect; La Cardeuse used to be a monopole of Bernard Moreau, but today both Benoît and his brother Alex vinify grapes from the climat. Some of the grapes are destemmed, some vinified in whole bunches. Fermented spontaneously, aged for 16 months in oak barrels (15-20% new).
Youthful, translucent blackish-red color. The nose feels very youthful, quite spicy and somewhat smoky with aromas of brambly black raspberries and floral violet tones, some crunchy red plums, a little bit of pipe tobacco, light ferrous notes of blood, a hint of earthy spice, a reductive touch of gunpowder smoke and a faint whiff of sauvage funk. The wine feels youthful, stern and somewhat concentrated on the palate with a medium body and intense flavors of black cherries and red plums, some licorice root tones, a little bit of stony minerality, light woody notes of savory oak spice, a brambly hint of black raspberry and a smoky touch of reduction. The wine is still rather tightly-knit with its high acidity and ample, rather grippy tannins. The finish is juicy, somewhat concentrated and pretty grippy with an intense aftertaste of sweet black cherries and tart lingonberries, some licorice root tones, a little bit of savory oak spice, light floral notes of violets, crunchy hints of red plums and redcurrants and a touch of earthy Pinosity.
A firmly structured, tightly-knit and pretty much dead-serious 1er Cru Pinot Noir. The wine feels very similar to the 2023 Chassagne-Montrachet VV bottling, only with a bit more of everything. A very impressive effort by all accounts. I think the Chassagne VV is starting to drink nicely now, but this La Cardeuse version is still quite stern and forbidding now, calling for some additional aging. All in all, this is a terrific, delicious and thoroughly classically styled Côte de Beaune red with tons of upside. Expect the score to go up as the wine ages. Very highly recommended.
(94 points)
Naturally, after we had tasted the wines we had to ask if there were any available for purchase. Alas, as it had been with all the producers so far, no wines were available. In Burgundy, the numbers of bottles produced are almost invariably very tiny, the wines are sought-after and almost everything is allocated, so an opportunity to buy wines from the domaines seems to a nigh impossible task in Burgundy!
As the clock was ticking and our table reservation at restaurant Au Fil du Clos was approaching, we had to make our leave. We thanked Benoît for his time and the opportunity to taste his amazing wines and left for Meursault.
The vineyards of Meursault and the hill of Le Montmellian.
We dropped off our car at our motel and made the 1,5 km walk along the beautiful vineyards and through the picturesque village of Meursault to the restaurant that was located right across the street from Domaine Roulot.
The moment of our arrival.
As Ilkka wrote in his report, our visit to the restaurant was not a triumphant success; the wine list was admittedly an impressively sizeable (and weighty) tome, but it seemed that almost all the wines we would’ve loved to order were either crossed over, or the waiter just told us that “unfortunately we have sold that one out”. As we didn’t receive any suggestions from the staff based on our unsuccessful queries, Ilkka and I just had to comb through the list, trying to find wines that were both something we wanted to drink now AND were still available. It turned out to be quite a task, I tell you!
We finally managed to select a fizz to sip on while waiting for the food; a white for the entrées; and a red for the main course. While nothing catastrophic, the wines didn’t really manage to raise rounds of applause around our table: the Champagne had a subtly green streak (something me and Ilkka noticed almost immediately); the Roulot was probably the most disappointing white Burg we tasted on our trip; and while entirely correct and enjoyable, the Volnay was definitely on the ripe side of things.
The foods were also quite something.
The amuse-bouche was a tiny cup of soup that was probably supposed to be an umami bomb, but honestly; it tasted just downright fishy. I managed to handle the cup with no problems, but several of us seemed to have problems going through more than one spoonful of the stuff. It seemed obvious that their bouches we definitely not amused!
I guess I managed to avoid a bullet by being the sole diner not taking escargots (a dish Ilkka described in his report quite scathingly - and the others in our entourage seemed to comment along those same lines) but instead going with foie gras. However, these two huge sticks of foie gras with almost nothing else to go with them was getting a bit too much as well. Not really a dish I would need to re-visit.
Fortunately the main course, quail, was pretty much on point. Nothing special, but after the two preceding dishes, “nothing special” was certainly a very welcome change.
Naturally we had also two desserts - one savory, one sweet. First, probably the biggest reason why we were in this restaurant in the first place; mousse tiède d’Époisses. An airy yet rich and utterly hedonistic mousse made with funky washed-rind Époisses cheese. Very over-the-top, just in the right way.
Then the sweet one. A delicious plate of chocolate three ways.
Naturally, a glass of Chartreuse as a digestif.
The wines and my notes on them:
- 2015 Franck Bonville Champagne Grand Cru Cuvée Les Belles Voyes - France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru (22.4.2025)
100% Chardonnay from the 0,8-hectare (2 acre) lieu-dit Les Belles Voyes planted in 1960 in the Grand Cru terroir of Oger. Fermented in oak barrels. Full MLF. Lot number L150923 (ie. disgorged on September 15th, 2023 - after aging approximately 7½ years sur lattes). 12,5% alcohol and dosage 5 g/l.
Concentrated, medium-deep yellow-green color. The nose feels rather noticeably ripe with aromas of cantaloupe and yellow stone fruits, some leesy notes of autolysis, light nutty notes of almond, a little bit of juicy Golden Delicious apple, a creamy hint of custard, a touch of wood and - despite all the ripeness - a faint touch of vegetal greenness. The wine feels ripe, broad rather fruit-forward on the palate with a rather full body and juicy flavors of Golden Delicious apple, some ripe citrus tones, light leesy autolytic notes, a little bit of nutty almond, mineral hints of steel and stones and a faint leafy touch of vegetal greenness. The mousse feels gentle and creamy but also quite persistent. The medium acidity feels rather modest for a Champagne. The finish is dry, long and rather ripe with flavors of juicy citrus fruits and sweet Golden Delicious apple, some leesy notes, a little bit of steely minerality, light bready notes of autolysis, a nutty hint of slivered almonds and a faint vegetal touch of leafy greenness.
A somewhat awkward combination of elevated ripeness and vegetal greenness. I wonder if the vintage 2015 was so hot that the grapes ripened but at some point the vines shut down, halting the ripening process? That would explain why the wine feels so ripe with relatively low acidity, yet still there's a tiny bit of vegetal greenness lingering in the background. In spite of all this, the wine is quite pleasant and harmonious. I'm not going to lie; the subtly green nuances do distract a little bit from the pleasure. However, the wine is still a far cry from those spritzy pickle juices produced in 2011. This is good - just not great. Although I like vinous Champagnes with rich textures and sense of breadth, this was a bit too ripe and soft for my preference. Not really worth the 137€ in a restaurant.
(89 points) - 2020 Domaine Roulot Meursault Les Luchets - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault (22.4.2025)
100% biodynamically farmed Chardonnay from lieu-dit Les Luchets. Fermented spontaneously. Aged in oak barrels (about 1/3 new) for 12 months, then for another 6 months in stainless steel tanks. 12,5% alcohol.
Intense and moderately deep yellow-green color. The nose feels ripe, rich and rather noticeably sweet-toned with aromas of juicy nectarine-driven yellow fruits, some creamy oak tones, a little bit of buttery richness, light crunchy notes of fresh pineapples, a sweet hint of toasty caramel oak, a touch of reductive funk and a whiff of savory wood spice. There are lots of things going on here, but the overall feel is a bit too unctuous for my preference. The wine feels ripe, broad and subtly sweet-toned on the palate with a full body and lush flavors of honeyed richness and juicy apricot, some sweet and subtly smoky toasty oak tones, a little bit of crunchy Fuji apple, light woody notes of savory oak spice, a mineral hint of wet rocks and a touch of ripe pineapple. The rather modest level of acidity holds the wine together just barely and the overall feel is simply lacking verve and energy. There's lots of flavors and complexity, but relatively little sense of structure. The finish is ripe, broad and concentrated with a very long aftertaste of fresh nectarine and ripe pineapple, some sweet honeyed tones, a little bit of buttery oak, light creamy vanilla custard nuances, a woody hint of savory oak spice and a touch of stony minerality.
A very rich, broad and quite noticeably ripe vintage of Les Luchets. The overall feel is too ripe, honeyed and oaky for my preference and while coming across as somewhat balanced, to me, the wine is still lacking quite a bit in acidity. This is just very ripe, succulent and hedonistic Meursault with lots of fruit and quite a bit of oak but relatively little sense of freshness, balance or structure. I can imagine the wine will benefit from additional aging and I really do hope the wine drops quite a bit of that baby fat and integrates those oaky tones with the fruit as it ages; I'll be happy to give the wine the benefit of the doubt in the hopes that the wine would actually come across as more harmonious and balanced with age. However, if you happen to like fresh, fine-tuned and mineral white Burgundies, this wine offers relatively little enjoyment at the moment. One of the biggest disappointments on our trip to France and at 212€ (in a restaurant), this was just lousy value.
(87 points) - 2019 Domaine Jean-Marc / Thomas Bouley Volnay - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Volnay (22.4.2025)
100% Pinot Noir from five different parcels in Volnay, average vine age 25 years. Fermented and macerated with the skins in open-top vats for 15-20 days. Aged in oak barrels (25% new) for 18 months. 13% alcohol.
Quite translucent cherry-red color with a subtly evolved pomegranate hue. The nose feels sweet, fragrant and quite nuanced with aromas of spicy Pinosity and juicy Bing cherry, some ripe raspberry tones, a little bit of earth, light floral notes of violets, a hint of toasty oak spice and a touch of strawberry. The wine feels dry, vibrant and well-delineated on the palate with a light-to-medium body and ripe yet quite savory flavors of juicy raspberries and black cherries, some tart lingonberries, a little bit of peppery spice, light sweeter notes of wild strawberries, a hint of earthy Pinosity and a touch of woody oak spice. The overall feel is firm and balanced with the moderately high acidity and ripe yet somewhat grippy medium tannins. The finish is juicy, succulent and moderately grippy with a long, vibrant aftertaste of black raspberries and black cherries, some tart lingonberries, a little bit of peppery spice, light earthy tones, a hint of tobacco and a touch of wood spice.
A tasty, sophisticated and elegant Volnay. Quite a bit on the ripe side and perhaps a bit more darker-toned (rather than red-toned) than I expected, but a balanced and enjoyable effort all the same. Fortunately the wine was more savory than sweet-fruited on the palate, as the rather lush nose set up slightly different kinds of expectations. Anyways, the overall feel is still very youthful - and perhaps even a bit too much so; I feel the wine could really use a few additional years. Enjoyable and balanced by all accounts, but nothing too memorable. Feels pricey for the quality at 125€ (in a restaurant).
(90 points)
So, even if the restaurant nor their wines didn’t fully live up to our expectations this time, we still returned back to our motel (through the impenetrating darkness of Meursault countryside) quite content; after all, our first day in Burgundy had been quite an experience already - and it had only just begun!
