Back with the lovely people at Le Grappin in Meloisey, a good distance from AMG Mercedes, Ferrari and the Porsches of famous appellations.
This is in the part of Burgundy where Teslas did not even come into fashion before they dissapeared from the European car scene along with their makers. This is where Citroën and Renault are still dominant … mainly vans … and high end cars are Mercedes Zito vans are in the locally fashionable color, white.
In other words, where Burgundy is still Burgundy!
This is where you find the “hippie” domaines: estates run by innovative growers with a more experimental approach.
Some of these hippies are so-so, but others have grown into interesting, exciting producers, often with limited funds for top-end vineyards. Le Grappin is just such a producer.
Le Grappin is owned and run by Andrew Nielsen and his wife Emma, and despite the rather Danish name, they hail from Australia and the United Kingdom, respectively.
I have known Andrew from social media for many years (since 2014), and I met him and Emma at tastings with Pacalet and Chanterêves. They are truly lovely people, and their wines have improved year after year.
So, it’s time for a visit!
To the notes
Let’s try!
The wines
Le Grappin Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Beaune 2022
This is a vivid and fresh wine, has a very good phenolic ripeness – fresh and léger – with a nice acidity backbone. A lovely glass with a fine drinkability … uncomplicated.
(Drink From 2025) – Very Good (87p) – 
Le Grappin Beaune Grèves Blanc 2022
This is a treat … a rare white Beaune Grèves, 1/3 made in vinglobe and 2/3 made in oak. It’s still quite tight with a delicate fruit. Love the slightly rich note that one often finds in the white Beaunes … a favourite at Grappin in my view.
(Drink From 2027) – Very Good (91p) – 
Le Grappin Bourgogne Les Beurettes 2023
This is a delicious 2023 … with the Stokinger barrel giving the wine good structure and liveliness. Very good intensity and deep fruit … love the liveliness of the 2023s. A pretty impressive wine.
(Drink From 2027) – Very Good (88-89p) –
Le Grappin Beaune Boucherottes 2022
The Boucherottes 2022 is a lovely wine. 25% made in Wineglobe and the rest 75% in oak barrels. It has lovely length … nice limestone minerality: Elegant and quite lightfooted. Let’s face it, I am not always a big fan of the Wineglobe, but I think Le Grappin has used it well, letting the more reductive glass-matured part support the fruitier barrel component.
(Drink From 2030) – Fine (91-92p) –
Du Grappin Beaujolais Villages 2023
The Beaucholais village is currently quite reductive … will presumably be more ready to drink when it gets some months of bottle age. Some people are not sensitive to this kind of reduction … but I am … so give it time.
(Drink From 2026) – Good (86p)
Du Grappin Beaujolais Submersion 2023
This is a special wine as the red grapes have been fermented whole cluster in a cask with pressed juice from the same vineyard … i.e. a carbonic or semi-carbonic fermentation, as there is no oxygen entering fermenting red whole-cluster berries. It is also slightly reductive but has gorgeous and lively fruit with some of the elements from more classic carbonic maceration. Special … yes, but it works … I quite adore this wine with its organic style.
(Drink From 2030) – Fine (91-92p) –
- A true vin d’émotion – a Burgundy of passion
- A potential vin d´émotion - frais et léger