We had the pleasure of welcoming Bill Nanson in January 2025 for a tasting of the 2023 vintage. Read his tasting notes below.
Fred on 2024:
“We quit organic in May – without that we wouldn’t have made the 50 hl/ha we achieved…”
Fred on 2023:
“I think it’s a super vintage – generous but we kept the freshness. It started a little complicated – we had a mildew problem for a time but came through that – the wines were not all easy to vinify despite classic levels of sugar – 12.5-13°. We made a little less volume than in 2022 – but there was some VCI in 2022 too.”
The team here have another 15 hectares of vines bought from a retiring domaine at the end of 2024 – so now they work 40 hectares of vines.
The wines…
The average quality is high at this address in 2023 – there are many wines that are simply excellent… From 2018 the wines are DIAM sealed, not just the entry ones – some screw-cap also remain. There’s a little more volume from 2023 to bottle but the first bottlings of all the wines have been done:
2023 Bourgogne Rouge La Vigne d’Emile
This from the terroirs of St.Bris – vines from Céline’s grandfather.
A nose of depth and width, slightly saline. Round and sweetly attractive – there’s depth to this flavour. Quite mouth-watering and perfumed in the finish – that’s a lovely entry wine..
2023 Irancy Mazelots
Here there was 10% oak barrel elevage.
Hmm – that’s a got a nicer freshness and focus of aroma. Large in the mouth – rounder, faintly grained by a frame of tannin. Layered and wide finishing – this will drink quite early and the length is fine…
2023 César Cepage Autochtone
The name talks of an ancestral history – ‘indigenous or native’ – just 2-3 months in barrel.
Lighter colour, 100% barrel elevage. Quite an airy nose – but still an attractive style despite a small impression of reduction at the base. Larger in scale and energy than the Irancy – cushioned with a small creamy note – a delicious finish – the best part of this quitre attractive wine – the length is there too…
Les Whites:
2023 Saint-Bris Curiosité de Bourgogne
A fresh width. Hmm, transparent, mouth-filling wine that’s delicious and has lovely finishing bitters – less overtly Sauvignon – but completely delicious.
2023 Bourgogne Aligoté Vieilles-Vignes
Vines from 1965, planted by Céline’s grandfather – like the St.Bris with a north, north-east exposure.
Not so wide but there’s plenty of depth to this nose. Large in the mouth – lovely clarity – it’s pure, growing in intensity and almost with a juicy finish – again with some attractive finishing bitters…
2023 Bourgogne Chardonnay Côtes Salines
Vines south of Préhy, a little from around St.Bris too – but the latter is only about 20% of the mix.
Less open but with nice texture. Round, more concentrated, more generous too. There’s energy in these finishing flavours too. Tasty though very easy…
2023 Sacy Cépage Confidential
That’s a lovely nose – fresh and open with a tiny touch of sucrosity. Scale and much extra freshness vs the previous Bourgogne.
2023 Petit Chablis
From 1.3 hectares in Préhy.
Directly wide, fresh and mineral – we are in Chablis. A little generosity here – there’s not quite the same energy that the nose suggested. But the finish regains the mouth-watering freshness and is delicious – give it a year or two in the cellar – it will be fine!
2023 Chablis
From Préhy and Chichée – 6.5 hectares worth. With the Bourgogne the largest cuvée of the domaine.
Quite direct, but floral too – another attractive invitation. Larger in scale, fresher in character and beautifully intense finishing – that’s just a really excellent Chablis !!
2023 Chablis ‘La Vigne de 1975‘
‘We wanted to do a different cuvée but everyone does ‘old vines’, they are not the oldest vines that we have, but they are the same vintage as me and Céline!’ Vines in Préhy.
A/ pretty nose – really wide though more airy in style vs the previous Chablis. Open, architectural floral-perfumed wine – more composed and relaxed but beautifully tasty and clearly more chalky minerality to finish. That’s excellent – and the persistence is still there when it’s time to try the next!
2023 Chablis 1er Vosgros
Deeper, more mineral and quite crystalline – impressive depth. Large in scale, once more, here with extra density to the flavours but not at the expense of balance – here there’s very fine flavour energy in the finish – love that finishing minerality!!
2023 Chablis 1er Vaillons
This a long-term contract since the 2021 vintage – the team here do the harvesting too.
Higher tones, more yellow citrus in a slightly more volatile but attractive style. Hmm, gelée fruit – that’s ultra delicious – bravo!
2023 Chablis 1er Vaucoupin
Older vines in one single parcel, planted in 1975.
A more airy width – very inviting. More mineral, cool and composed, with excellent energy. Broad finishing and holding very well – that’s an excellent wine…
2023 Chablis 1er Fourchaume
Also, like the Vaillons, a contract since 2021. From Côte de Fontenay. In bottle 1 month
Nicely vibrant and pure ripe yellow citrus. Scale, cool, mineral – that’s very impressive and it’s ultra delicious too – for my palate this seems a vintage of Fourchaume.
2023 Chablis Bougros
From ‘Clos de Roy’ in Bougros following the road opposite the plantations of cereal and the Petit Chablis
What a wonderful clarity of aroma. Hmm, here is the extra density of grand cru – but balanced with fine texture and energy.Keep it for 4-5 years it will be excellent.
2023 Chablis Preuses
A small nose to start but slowly opening and deepening. This is super in the mouth – wide, mineral and with a fluid style and it’s long too – but today the Bougros is much more expressive – give this 5+ years if you have some…
2023 Bourgogne Rosé
Late harvested – also vines of Céline’s grandfather.
A vibrant nose – quite mineral – a slight rigour today. Round, delicious, slightly sweet and certainly generous in style – a concentrated wine with long finishing flavours and slight minerality/rigour that I’d wait 1-2 years to fade. I’d probably drink it extra-chilled in the Summer.
