Domaine Pierre-Olivier Garcia is close to the Winehog as I did the harvest (or part of it anyway) at Domaine Pierre-Olivier Garcia in 2021, 2022, and 2023, and was more on the sideline in 2024 and 2025 … see the comments below regarding my connection to PO Garcia.
I have therefore been able to follow the baie-par-baie vinification closely, and was very intrigued to see if PO was able to push through the wall of mildew and partly unripe grapes in 2024. Would the baie-par-baie phenolics shine through?… This is the big question in 2024.
And make no mistake, 2024 was an annus horribilis … wine-wise in Burgundy … and only the skills and dedication of the wine growers brought some enjoyable wines to the bottle and the table!
Disclaimer: I am a mere mortal
The reason I worked the harvest at Domaine Pierre-Olivier Garcia was that I wanted to observe and understand the baie-par-baie vinification practised here (among other domaines).
The experience gave me insights into both the harvest and vinification processes. Please remember, I’m merely a ‘Hog, and not an all-knowing expert like some others populating parts of the wine business. So yes: I did the harvest at Domaine Pierre-Olivier Garcia, and if you feel this disqualifies me from objectively appraising the wines, then ignore the rest of this article. Biased? Perhaps. But taste the wines for yourself.
I have written in depth about Domaine Garcia before: see the 2020 article here, and the 2019 article here.
Explaining baie-par-baie
Domaine Pierre-Olivier Garcia is an exciting estate, as readers of this column know. It employs the baie-par-baie technique (hand-destemming a third of the harvest) to make wines with unique floral qualities.
It seems that hand-destemming – baie-par-baie and other variants – is becoming increasingly popular in Burgundy.
Pierre-Olivier Garcia removes approximately a third of the berries from the stems by hand, grape-by-grape, with a pair of scissors to ensure whole, undamaged grapes for vinification. The result is the most delicate and beautiful berry caviar. It is also very time-consuming.
The one-third share of baie-par-baie is currently fixed, as Pierre-Olivier considers this optimal. However, it is possible to use less or more baie-par-baie if the vinification is adjusted accordingly, according to Garcia.
The baie-par-baie grapes are vinified with whole-cluster bunches and machine-destemmed berries. They are arranged in layers in the tank: whole clusters on the bottom, then baie-par-baie, and on top machine-destemmed berries. The layers are separated by CO2 to ensure the intracellular maceration starts in the two bottom layers.
While the baie-par-baie method is unusual and time-consuming, the resulting wines are of indisputably exciting quality.
In my opinion, this technique encourages more highly perfumed aromas that are greatly detailed, with precise notes of roses and other floral components, giving a special, delicate complexity to these wines.
I have followed this method for some time, and its results are stunning, with tremendous phenolic complexity and variation, as the floral expression combines with the terroir and the vintage.
Beauty is on the palate of the beholder, though; I find these wines interesting and hedonistically expressive, but that’s me.
The 2024s
The conditions were poor in 2024, hence on the positive side one can count low yields and hard work during the year to ensure just some kind af harvest.
The key question was the expression of the baie-par-baie phenolics … i.e. the flavours you are able to extract via the method described above.
Normally, these flavours and scents range from pink dog roses (Rosa Canina), to more velvety red roses in some wines.
In general, the expression of the floral notes is somewhat cooler in 2024, white roses, white lilacs perhaps … a lighter and more spring-like flavour perhaps. But the phenolic Baie-par-Baie flavours are definitely there.
The wines are lightly extracted and on the lighter side, but with a nice midpalate concentration. Well done in 2024 … most importantly the wines will provide good drinking in the short to medium term.
To the 2024s!
The 2024 reds from bottle – 19 November 2025
Domaine Pierre-Olivier Garcia Brouilly La Folie 2024
Light and fresh … more classical with a nice light fruitiness.
(Drink from 2026) – Good (87p) – 
Domaine Pierre-Olivier Garcia Bourgogne Aux Maladieres 2024
The Maladieres is quite rich for the vintage … delicate but with very little of the Pinot Droit cinnamon. Nice phenolics with white flowers … roses … cool and elegant in my book.
(Drink from 2027) – Very Good (88p) – 
Domaine Pierre-Olivier Garcia Aux Argillieres 2024
The Aux Argillieres is a lovely wine – some pink roses, but both bouquet and palate are dominated by a gorgeous framboise note. A delicate glass.
(Drink from 2027) – Very Good (87p) – 
Domaine Pierre-Olivier Garcia Hautes Côtes de Nuits Au Défoi 2024
This is more floral, perfumed with hints of pink roses. Lovely strawberry notes on the palate … an enjoyable wine. Phenolics at work!
(Drink from 2029) – Very Good (89p) –
Domaine Pierre-Olivier Garcia Marsannay 2024
Not showing / just bottled
(Drink from 2029) – Very Good (88?p)
Domaine Pierre-Olivier Garcia Nuits-Saint-Georges Les Grandes Vignes 2024
This cuvee comes from Premeaux, right next to Comte Liger-Belair’s 1er-cru holding – i.e. below the national road. Not really singing currently … but just bottled … lets see.
(Drink from 2029) – Very Good (89p) –
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- A true vin d’émotion – a Burgundy of passion