Chanson : Beaune 1er cru "Clos des Marconnets" Domaine 2020

Lovely raspberry fruit and particularly nice depth of flavour, with accents of mineral, spice and smoke. The texture is supple and generous (as one might expect), and the finish lingers pleasantly. Marconnets is the most northerly of Domaine Chanson’s vineyards, at the border with Savigny. They have 3.5ha in three blocks at mid-slope here in an old clos (with some of the walls still intact). The grapes were very ripe (some above 15%) and they were partially destemmed before a careful extraction and ageing in 30% new casks.

Quite some roasted-meat character here, alongside the dried-cherry and wild-blackberry notes. On the palate, this has been built on a huge scale for a wine from this appellation and the bold, plush tannins may strike some as untypical. However, there's a deep pool of black fruit here and the structure fits in there, so that all you need is some patience...and then maybe a big barbecue! Drinkable now, but best from 2025.

Deeper in color and texture than Clos des Mouches, with a remarkable spicy, licorice-scented bouquet, this Beaune shows great style and expressiveness—quite majestic and built for aging—in a style that brings it closer to the Côte de Nuits, as the old-timers already used to say!

Aromas of black cherry, ripe black plums, clove, shiitake mushroom, and gravel meld harmoniously in the glass. The palate offers a lush experience, with tannins that coat the mouth and support layers of plum, violets and spice. Its silky texture lingers long on the palate, keeping the palate craving for more. Enjoyable with spicy charcuterie boards and semi-firm goat cheeses with truffle.