Toby Morrhall
The 2018 vintage (I reserve judgement on the 2019s until after the malolactic fermentation has happened in the summer) is a warm year. However, good winter rainfall and a larger than average crop mitigated the heat and produced close to normal-style whites and powerful, opulent yet balanced reds.
White wines
The best domaines of the Mâconnais are producing excellent value for money wines between £10-20 a bottle. Joseph Burrier, Château de Beauregard, Guillemot-Michel, Cordier, Jacques Saumaize, Château des Rontets and Bonhomme are producing wonderful wines. All the vintages from 2011 are drinking well now. Mâcons and Bourgognes drink well soon after bottling, although the best repay keeping. A village Meursault, Puligny or Chassagne needs about three years, while premiers crus from such villages need four to five years’ ageing.
Red wines
There is very little red Burgundy of quality to be had below £20 a bottle as pinot noir has low yields and so is expensive. For the best-value wines, one has to search the byways and unearth the best growers who keep yields reasonable. We are or soon will be listing wines from the excellent Clos Salomon in Givry, Nicolas Perrault in Maranges and from Jérôme Galeyrand, who makes lovely wines from Fixin and Côte de Nuits Villages. Jean-Marc Vincent in Santenay and, at the other end of the Côte, Sylvain Pataille in Marsannay are both making wines from small crops given their reasonable prices. Also in Marsannay, Château de Marsannay are an up-and-coming domaine. Lesser 2017s are lovely now, as are some 2016s. Village and premiers crus from 2010, 2011 and 2012 are starting to drink well now.
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