Domaine CHANDON-DE-BRIAILLES (Savigny-les-Beaune) -- 2022 Reds Tasted from Cask Samples and Bottle and a 2020 Red

This jewel of an estate has been in the de Nicolay family since 1834. In addition to the wines, there is a courtyard crowned by a beautiful early eighteenth century manor house that is classified as a historical monument (and more behind that I have never seen, including a park designed by Le Nôtre, who also laid out the gardens at Versailles). 

I first became aware of the great wines here with the 1985 Corton-Bressandes, the vintage after Nadine de Nicolay came down from Paris to take charge of the estate and begin its resuscitation.

In 2001, Mme de Nicolay’s children, François and Claude, took over the estate fully and they have moved it into organic culture and then biodynamic culture. The style of the wines is of great purity.

Claude de Nicolay-Drouhin, with whom I tasted, explained that picking for the whites began in late August. The reds were picked first week of September, and the harvest finished 11 September. Alcohols are about 13.5%.

Claude de Nicolay-Drouhin

2022 Savigny-les-Beaune  Aux Fourneaux

Blend of 1er cru and village Fourneaux. Racked the week before my tasting, to be bottled in December 2023. Spicy red fruits, Medium weight smooth, pure, fresh. (89-91)

2022 Savigny-les-Beaune   1er Cru   Les Lavières

Already in bottle when I tasted (November 2023). Iron, rust nose. Lively, pure, precise, the limestone shows in the structure. Dark fruits. Smooth, linear. Whole clusters here saved the wine  —- 3.85 pH. 93/A

The two wines above were 10% new oak, the next is 15%

2022 Pernand-Vergelesses   1er Cru   Les Vergelesses

Racked the week before I taste. Iron nose. Dark fruits, spicy, round, energetic, fresh. Good expression of the vineyard. (92-95)

2022 Pernand-Vergelesses   1er Cru  Île des Vergelesses

Still in barrel. There was a bit of sorting here to eliminate dry berries. Floral nose. Round, ample, pure, deep, dark fruits with some toasted almond. Sensuous, creamy texture. This is an extraordinary wine. (93-96)

2022 Aloxe-Corton  1er Cru  Les Valozières

Only clay and iron in the soil. Pure, iron nose. Good finesse for Aloxe, depth, chewy dark fruits, silk texture. A civilized Aloxe. 20% new oak. 13.4% alcohol. (91-94)

2022 Corton-Maréchaudes

Racked two weeks prior to my tasting. Round, pure, almost crystalline. 40 year-old vines, now getting to the maturity to achieve better than the wines from the 1990s and early 2000s. Dark fruits with some red berries. Smooth, long, delicious. (92-95)

2022 Corton-Bressandes

Smoky nose typical of Bressandes. In mouth, precision, purity, dark fruits, elegance with power. 1.3 hectares of vines, half planted in 1960s, rest is about 30 years ago. 13.5% alcohol. (95-97)

2022 Corton-Clos du Roi 

Lighter, pure, floating on the tongue, finesse, length, changing flavors. Great harmony and balance. 320 meters high — highest spot in Corton, planted in the early 1960s. (95-97)

2020 Pernand-Vergelesses  1er Cru  Île des Vergelesses

Beautiful pure, well-delineated, dark fruits with great complexity, freshness, elegance.  13% alcohol.   93+/A

The whites were not ready to taste at this time.