Burghound.com 7 January, 2025

2023 Bonnes Mares Grand Cru red (91-93) 2023 Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Grand Cru red (89-92) 2023 Chambolle-Musigny red NR 2023 Chapelle-Chambertin Grand Cru red (90-93) 2023 Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru red (90-92) 2023 Gevrey-Chambertin "En Champs" red (88-91) 2023 Gevrey-Chambertin "En Combes" red (88-91) 2023 Gevrey-Chambertin "Au Closeau" 1er red (89-92) 2023 Gevrey-Chambertin "Craipillot" 1er red (89-92) 2023 Gevrey-Chambertin "Clos Prieur" 1er red (89-92) 2023 Gevrey-Chambertin - Dix Climats red (87-89) 2023 Gevrey-Chambertin "Lavaut St. Jacques" 1er red (90-92) 2023 Gevrey-Chambertin - Sans Souffre red 87 2023 Gevrey-Chambertin "Vignes Belles" red (87-89) 2023 Latricières-Chambertin Grand Cru red (91-93) 2023 Morey St. Denis "Très Girard" red (86-89) 2023 Musigny Grand Cru red (90-93)

Philippe Drouhin's children, Caroline and Nicolas, now both work at the domaine full-time and have essentially assumed all responsibility for the wines. I met this trip with Nicolas, who briefly described the 2023 vintage as "one of abundance and a relatively easy growing season as there wasn't much disease pressure or climatic incidents like we had in Gevrey in 2022. The fruit set was large so even with our efforts to control yields directly, it was still necessary to drop fruit in some vineyards. Yields were relatively generous but not excessive at between 40 to 45 hl/ha with very good potential alcohols that ranged from 12.5 to 13.5%. The fruit was largely quite clean so there wasn't much sorting required. We used on average around 20% whole clusters for the vinifications though it varied. We had no trouble with the fermentations finishing and overall, 2023 gave us a style of wine that should appeal to basically everyone, both purists and casual Burgundy lovers. See also the wines from Maison Laroze de Drouhin below. (Atherton Wine Imports, www.awiwine.com, CA, Terlato Wines International, IL, USA; The Wine Society, www.thewinesociety.com, FINE+RARE Wines Ltd, www.frw.co.uk, Davy & Co., www.davywine.co.uk, Goedhuis & Co., www.goedhuis.com, Decorum Vintners, www.decvin.com, Averys Fine Wine Merchants, www.averys.com, Tanners Wine, www.tanners-wines.co.uk, Laytons, www.laytons.co.uk, Cru World Wine, www.uk.cruworldwine.com, Justerini & Brooks, www.justerinis.com, Anthony Sarjeant, anthony@anthonysarjeant.co.uk and Fields, Morris & Verdin, www.fmvwines.com, all UK; Watson's Wines, 852.2606.8828, www.watsonswine.com, Hong Kong; Domaine Wine Cellars, www.domaine.com.tw, Taiwan).

2023 Morey St. Denis "Très Girard": (from a .18 ha parcel planted in 1946). Subtle if still easily perceptible wood influence can be found on the ripe aromas of mostly black cherry and newly turned earth. The vibrant and attractively textured middle weight flavors are not particularly dense but I like the persistence of the youthfully austere finale. This does however need to develop quite a bit of depth if it's going to merit the upper end of my projected range. (86-89)/2029+

2023 Gevrey-Chambertin - Sans Souffre: (from Croix de Champs). Here the nose is moderately reduced though it seems clear that the underlying fruit is ripe. The succulent and suave, though not dense, barely medium weight flavors offer acceptable length while also needing to develop better depth. 87/2026+
2023 Gevrey-Chambertin - Dix Climats: ("Dix Climats" means 10 vineyards). A brooding dark berry fruit, earth and sauvage-inflected nose leads to lighter weight flavors that possess a finer mouthfeel and particularly so on the youthfully austere and dusty finale. (87-89)/2029+

2023 Gevrey-Chambertin "Vignes Belles": A very ripe though appealingly fresh nose freely offers up its blend of black cherry, cassis, warm earth and a dollop of oak toast. There is very good vibrancy to the rich and generous middle weight flavors that conclude in a lingering bitter chocolate-tinged finale that is delicious but could use better depth. (87-89)/2029+

2023 Gevrey-Chambertin "En Combes": (from Combe du Bas). Here too there is both good ripeness and freshness to the earthy array of forest floor and wild red and dark currant. The sleek, delicious and more voluminous flavors display focused power that carries over to the more youthfully austere but also more complex and longer finale. Patience. (88-91)/2031+


2023 Gevrey-Chambertin "En Champs": Firm reduction presently dominates the nose but there is both good verve and freshness to the succulent and delicious medium weight flavors that flash a subtle minerality that adds a sense of lift to the youthfully austere, linear and serious finale that is firm enough to need patience as this is borderline strict. (88-91)/2031+

2023 Chambolle-Musigny: (a mix of .18 ha in Les Baudes and .04 ha from the villages portion of Les Véroilles). This is firmly reduced on the nose and the funkiness extends to the palate, which is never a good sign. Now this may of course clean up successfully but since I can't predict that with confidence, I prefer to remain cautious. Not Rated

2023 Gevrey-Chambertin "Au Closeau": (Drouhin is the only producer of this tiny .53 ha vineyard and owns 83% of it, or .44 ha; from vines planted in 1943). A ripe mix of red and dark cherry reveals wisps of both earth and the sauvage. There is good vibrancy to the seductively textured medium weight flavors that conclude in a dusty and youthfully austere finale. This should drink well on the younger side but reward up to a decade of keeping. (89-92)/2031+

2023 Gevrey-Chambertin "Lavaut St. Jacques": (from a .3 ha parcel of vines planted in 1943). Firm reduction dominates the fruit. On the palate there is a lovely sense of tension suffusing the middle weight flavors that exude evident minerality on the balanced and persistent finish that is firm and serious. This does however need to develop better depth so at least some cellaring should prove helpful. (90-92)/2033+

2023 Gevrey-Chambertin "Craipillot": (from a parcel measuring .26 ha planted in 1943 and 1953). This is also quite firmly reduced and revealing nothing aromatically. The succulent, suave and seductively textured flavors are unusually rich if less powerful and stony than those of the Lavaut, all wrapped in a dusty and ever-so-mildly warm finale. (89-92)/2031+

2023 Gevrey-Chambertin "Clos Prieur": (from a parcel of .30 ha that was planted in 1954 though a section was replanted in 2003). Enough wood to merit pointing out is present on the liqueur-like aromas of poached plum, cherry and discreet earth and spice wisps. The vibrant middle weight flavors are not as rich but they are finer and more mineral-driven as well before culminating in a refreshing, dusty and youthfully austere finale that needs to develop better depth. (89-92)/2033+

2023 Chapelle-Chambertin: (from a .52 ha parcel in En La Chapelle). Once again a deft application of wood envelops pretty and layered aromas of violet, black cherry and crushed anise. There is good if not exceptional volume to the caressing and rounded medium weight flavors that conclude in a compact, moderately austere and clearly built-to-age finale where a touch of bitter bit fruit character eventually surfaces. (90-93)/2035+

2023 Latricières-Chambertin: (from a .67 ha parcel of extremely old vines). An interesting nose is at once quite cool but also markedly ripe as there is a touch of bitter chocolate character to the nose of airy red berry and wet stone aromas. The finer but not richer or more voluminous flavors are definitely more mineral-driven while delivering slightly better depth and persistence on the balanced, youthfully austere and balanced finale. (91-93)/2035+

2023 Bonnes Mares: (from a 1.5 ha parcel that is almost entirely in the terres rouges section). This is also interesting aromatically as there is a red cherry bonbon character to the aromas of kirsch, spice and pretty floral nuances. The succulent, caressing and admirably rich larger-bodied flavors display excellent power on the sappy, youthfully austere and equally compact finale that is also austere though not quite to the same degree. More depth will be needed to achieve the upper end of my projected range. (91-93)/2035+

2023 Chambertin-Clos de Bèze: (from a parcel of 1.5 ha of vines planted in 1949). Once again the nose is sufficiently firmly reduced to preclude an assessment. By contrast there is a lovely sense of freshness and verve to the medium-bodied and caressing flavors that exude a subtle bead of minerality that adds a sense of punch to the dusty, compact and somewhat grippy finale. This may well come together but today it's less harmonious than its grand cru brethren. (89-92)/2035+

2023 Clos de Vougeot: (from a superbly situated 1 ha parcel high on the hill). Here too firm reduction overshadows the underlying fruit. There is even better volume and slightly better mid-palate density to the sappy broad-shouldered flavors that also conclude in a dusty, very austere and compact finale where a prominent bitter pit fruit character, as well as a touch of warmth, appear. This is difficult to accurately read as the bitterness concerns me though at this early stage, it could well age out if given a chance. (90-92)/2035+

2023 Musigny: (from a .12 ha parcel). Spicy aromas include those of exotic tea, black raspberry and a hint of violet. The refined and delicious, if not especially dense, flavors flash an almost aggressive minerality on the moderately austere, chalky and dusty finish that is compact and sneaky long. This is also clearly built to repay extended keeping so at least some bottle aging is strongly advised. (90-93)/2035+