Grand Jours de Bourgogne and the 2020s

The 2022 Grand Jours de Bourgogne are a return to the classic Burgundy wine-tasting week, after two years with Covid.

The return included some changes to the format and – as usual – loads of good wines from known and unknown producers. This is a big event with a fine history, and it’s a sound idea in a world where Burgundy wine prices are exploding.

One could fear that the prices of top-end Burgundies will put an end to the Grands Jours de Bourgogne as we know them, as the craziness stops the participation of even more vignerons. Let’s hope the event will prevail, even in this nutty world of 1000€ village wines.

The keys are energy and tension

The keys to good Burgundy are energy, tension, and liveliness – the qualities that make a vin d’émotion.

The best wines of 2020 have these qualities, particularly from producers like Cécile Tremblay, Domaine Bizot, Mugneret-Giborg, and Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair, among many others on the vin d’émotion lists I’ve created over the past months.

• Vins d’Emotion from Chassagne-Montrachet and St. Aubin
• Vins d’Emotion from Puligny-Montrachet
• Vins d’Emotion from Meursault
• Vins d’Emotion from Volnay and Pommard
• Vins d’Emotion from the Côte de Nuits – Off Piste
• Vins d’Emotion from Nuits-Saint-Georges – (New added)
• Vins d’Emotion from Vosne-Romanée and Flagey-Echezeaux (update)
• Vins d’Emotion from Chambolle-Musigny and Vougeot
• Vins d’Emotion from Morey-Saint-Denis
• Vins d’Emotion from Gevrey-Chambertin

Sadly, 2020 is also the story of hot conditions, drought, and imperfect phenolic ripeness. Tasting through the line-up at the Chateau du Clos de Vougeot, this is unfortunately the case for quite a few producers in 2020.

To be more direct, and perhaps a bit harsh, there are surprisingly few producers creating wines of true energy and hedonistic joy. This is rather sad, but being able to taste a few of the overt successes does make one smile again.

This experience underlines the importance of finding vins d’émotions, as these in reality are what you (or certainly I) want to drink, when village wines easily are 100€ and often reach 150€ or more.

I don’t see any reason to buy dull, dense, bereft-of-energy wines from producers hoping to cash in on the price boom. Let this article be a tribute to the organic and biodynamic growers who try to make a difference.

Vins d’émotion to the people!

The 2020s at the chateaux Clos de Vougeot and Gilly

There were some very good wines at the Chateau Clos de Vougeot and the Chateau de Gilly, and while this should not sound like a listing of vins d’émotion, many of them will not surprise you.

I did not taste everything, so while these are wines to search for, there are others.

Some estates to mention

Mugneret-Gibourg has done amazingly well in 2020, producing wines that prove the hedonistic joy of classic Vosne-Romanée. Delightful!

Although Domaine Cécile Tremblay is now in the super-league, I feel compelled to pay hommage: The 2020s here are great, with fabulous balance and intensity. Again, vibrant energy is the key.

The same could be said about Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair and Domaine Bizot, with the latter giving me the hedonistic grace of the day with its Vosne-Romanée village. Merci – it was very needed and welcome.

Of other magnificent wines, I noted Domaine des Lambrays, with its Clos de Lambrays 2020 reaching historic heights; florally refined, with lovely mineral balance and energy – clearly a vin d’émotion, and a tribute to Jacques Devauges, the “new” man at Lambrays.

Domaine Axelle Machard de Gramont – with Axelle serving the wines – deserves attention. Her 2020s are magnificent, with Nuits-Saint-Georges Les Terrasses de Vallerots and Nuits-Saint-Georges Aux Allots both showing very well. A testament to organic viticulture.

The wines of Maxime Cheurlin impressed me again. He is definitely moving the wines of Domaine Georges Noëllat up the ranks with his more detailed, precise style – bravo.

On the less famous side, Domaine Truchetet – Pauline and Morgan – have produced some lovely 2020s, and it was delightful to see this. It’s an estate to follow, as it produces wines with energy and hedonistic joy that even a ‘Hog can afford.

Regarding the next new name in the “super league,” I saw Domaine Garcia in Nuits-Saint-Georges displaying its sinfully decadent baie-par-baie wines. The demand for these wines will in my view explode shortly. I should mention that I did the 2021 harvest at Domaine Garcia, so call me biased. Yes: I adore these wines. But people who know the ‘Hog will know that I rarely put myself through hard work for no reason. The ’21 harvest was to learn and understand this vinification process, which is a tribute to Pierre-Olivier Garcia.

Domaine Berthaut-Gerbet, with Amélie Berthaut at the wheel, has produced some delightful 2020s. These are clearly sure choices for now and the future; she is a very talented vigneronne. In the years to come, perhaps even some whole clusters?

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