Domaine Georges Glantenay En Primeur 2020

Sarah and Guillaume’s parents bought this 0.4 hectare plot in 2008. It is located just above Santenots. After replanting it to Chardonnay, the first proper vintage was 2015. Flinty and cedary aromas make for a very inviting nose, with peppery spice and hints of bacon fat. The palate is white-peachy, with a salty, fine granular definition. Aged in one 500-litre new oak barrel.

This is made from eight different plots in the village of Volnay. These are 30-60 year old vines, so are by no means young, but the idea here is drinkability. Ripe raspberry aromas, with a touch of cedary spice. Supple fruit-coated tannins, with a lovely transparency of fruit and a long, perfumed finish. 20% new oak.

This is a 0.4 hectare plot in the centre of the village, just below Champans, although only half is currently in production. 65 year-old vines. The name is thought to come from ronce, meaning blackberry. This is the most accessible and early-drinking of the premiers crus. Lifted and aromatic, with roses and red cherries on the nose. The palate is vivacious, with delicate fresh raspberry flavours and supple tannins. 30% new oak.

At 1.10 hectares, Brouillards is the domaine’s largest premier cru holding and is essentially the flagship. It is on the Pommard side of the village, to the north of Mitans and across the road from Les Angles. There are more stones in the soil here and limestone. This is a more mineral style of Volnay, the domaine’s accessible supple red fruit overlaying a very fine salty mineral tension. Fine tannic grip on the finish. 35% new oak.

This comes from three plots within the village of Pommard, the oldest of which, Les Riottes, is 90 years old. Deep ruby colour, with supple dark berry fruit aromas and a touch of orange zest. The structured tannins of Pommard are evident on the mid-palate, offset by a winning succulence and a fresh arc of acidity.

The premier cru Combes Dessus is on the border of Pommard and Volnay. The domaine has 0.3 hectares here. Supple and delectable, this is a wine of upfront approachability, the fresh acidity buoying the raspberry and blackberry flavours. A wine of fabulous purity and energy, with Volnayesque elegance.

A steeply-sloping 0.35 hectare plot, on the Volnay side of the village. Along with Épenots, Rugiens ranks among the best terroirs of Pommard; there is a move to upgrade both to grand cru status. Aromas of dark berries, pepper, bramble, mint and blood orange – this is a complex wine. The palate has a granular iodine/salty precision. Around 50% new oak – as Sarah says, “we know it can take it.” The name Rugiens derives from ‘ferruginous’, reflecting its red irony soil.

We now move to the Côte de Nuits and Chambolle-Musigny. Les Feusselottes sits in the middle of the appellation, just above Les Charmes. The first vintage here was 2017. Just 0.08 hectares. Intensely red-berried, with aromas of roses, peonies and green peppers – this is a joyful ‘spring’ wine! Vinification intégrale for the first time this year, whereby berries are fermented in the barrel: this has brought out an extra layer of elegance. Two barrels of grapes are needed to end up with one barrel of juice, due to all the solids. One of these is new oak, then the juice is transferred to one-year-old barrels.