Gérard Boulay : La Côte 2023

From this quality Chavignol domaine comes this vibrant wine from the 'young' vines of the domaine – 25 years old. The deep Kimmeridgian marls on a southeast-facing slope give density and power, which has an almost chewy texture, alongside the savoury salinity. Scintillating wine with a tingling acid backbone, this is a pure expression of place. Fabulous. Manual harvest, indigenous yeasts, aged in older oak.

The 2023 La Côte is a meal of a wine that leaves you chewing. It's still young and almost raw in youth, with a piercing nose that's all zingy citrus and elderflower aromas. It is far too early to approach the 2023. Allow this to build in weight and develop nuance with bottle age. It is a serious, powerful style with a spine of firm acidity, which is almost tempting me to use the word mineral.