The 2023 vintage in Burgundy
Like 2016 & 2016 in Tuscany, or 1989 & 1990 in Bordeaux, 2022 & 2023 in Burgundy have yielded a remarkable duo of back-to-back vintages that will not only stand the test of time but provide accessibility in youth to adore lover of wines from the regal region of Bourgogne.
Growing Season & Harvest
The 2023 growing season was one of extraordinary balance. Overall, it was the warmest recorded vintage, but this metric is measured on the average temperature throughout the season. This reading was raised by warm nights and higher average temperatures through winter, spring and autumn rather than heat spikes through summer. The warm nights in this period generally protects the vines from frost, essential when there is an early budburst & flowering like in 2023. It was less of a solar vintage than a problematic year like 2003, which led to a sustained growth phase without need for careful canopy management to protect from sunburn or cause viticulturists to stave off a vegetal cycle where fruit production can shut down. The result were full bunches, fully developed flavour compounds, ripe tannins and nicely poised acidity.
Generous vintages like 2023 can sometimes come with a caveat; very high natural yields. This can be an issue for two reasons: diluted concentration and maximum yield restrictions. Generally speaking, though, the conscientious vignerons controlled fruit set and harnessed the generosity of the vintage producing wines of a very high calibre.
The style of the wines
2023 is the optimal vintage for early drinking and also medium to long term ageing. Rarely do Grand Cru reds from sites like Charmes Chambertin offer quality drinking within 18 months of vintage - but 2023 is an exception to this common rule. The whites offer a unique blend of phenolic development that lends texture, flavour ripeness for intensity and balanced acidity to maintain structure. The wines might not have the iconic tension of recent years like 2014 or 2017, but the depth of fruit expression lends itself to a generosity that is wowing daring drinkers who have tasted the wines already. Even whites of Villages or Bourgogne classification are superb examples of Chardonnay. Poignantly, the attention producers have given to aligote in the last decade have proven their merit in 2023. Villages throughout the Cote Challonaise previously overlooked, like Bouzeron, have produced some of the best examples of the grape ever seen.
The reds are picture perfect; ripe, tense, structured and balanced. The density of the terroir expression is superb in the famed crus - showcasing a length and concentration to be admired. However, the stars of the show right now are almost everything from Bourgogne to 1er Cru classification, with a freshness of acidity that pairs with an expressive and approachable spectrum of primary character that make the wines irresistible. The best winemakers have harnessed this to produce wines of clarity, finesse and beauty. Sites like the Dominodes 1er Cru in Nuits St Georges offer an approachability that will make the wines hard to cellar as they are just so delicious right now.
Surprise Value Red Villages:
Fixin, Nuits-St-Georges, Rully
Surprise Value White Villages:
Bouzeron, Saint-Veran, Macon Plus (Macon-Pierreclos, Macon Verze etc)