Bourgogne Week is a unique occasion to sample the latest vintage (2018) of Burgundy wines available on the market and meet the importers and distributors from the local markets, as well as producers and negociants.
From 7-16 January, Bourgogne Week is being celebrated across London with more than 15 En Primeur tastings taking place over the two weeks. While wine writers, buyers and importers taste and assess the 2018 vintage, we look back at stellar examples of Burgundy award winners from the most recent Decanter World Wine Awards.
See below for DWWA 2019 Gold, Platinum and Best in Show winners.
Premium content: Burgundy 2018 en primeur full report
Premium content: Top 2018 Côte de Beaune en primeur wines
For the fourth year, Bourgogne Week will also take place in Hong-Kong from 24 February to 1 March 2020 as well as in Tokyo, Japan in July 2020.
Top DWWA 2019 Burgundy wines
Best in Show
Domaine de la Vougeraie, Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru, Burgundy, France, 2016
Points – 98
Wines like this rarely appear surrounded by a gaggle of peers, so judging them fairly can sometimes be difficult, but our judges weren’t in any doubt that this is an outstanding example of wine from this relatively small, 3.68-ha vineyard in the Puligny side of the Montrachets. It’s still relatively pale in colour with inspiringly complex, layered aromas of fleshy stone fruits, of baked bread, of freshly picked, grass-flecked wild mushrooms, cream and even a little of the nourishing sweetness of chicken stock. On the palate, this is structured and relatively broad in architecture but graceful, fresh and lively in its flavours. All the elements are in place for even more enchantment down the line, but this is not a forbidding young Grand Cru and it would make a great treat in the next year or two, too. Drink 2019-2030
Château de Meursault, Les Charmes Dessus, Meursault 1er Cru, Burgundy, France, 2017
Points – 97
Generosity is intrinsic to the promise of Meursault, but the village’s best wines always manage to express this with subtlety, freshness and an overall sappiness and vitality which means that great examples are never overweight or obvious. This Best In Show Charmes is a copybook example of just how engaging a combination that can be, with its fragrant drift of sweet lime subtly amplified by restrained oak, it offers poised and restrained palate wealth. It’s teasingly gratifying now, but may well be even better with a few cellar years under its belt. Drink 2019-2028
Christian Moreau Pére et Fils, Les Clos, Chablis Grand Cru, Burgundy, France, 2017
Points – 97
Pale gold in colour, this commanding Chablis Grand Cru from the great site of Les Clos is everything Chablis-lovers could want. The site is so good, indeed, that its wines often take some time to evolve both aromatically and on the palate, but the supple, summer-meadow warmth of the aromas of this wine and its width and amplitude in the mouth suggest it has already set out satisfyingly down the evolutionary track. The balance with the wine’s inherently stony tension, though, is impressively achieved, too: a complete yet approachable Les Clos. Drink 2019-2028
Château de Meursault, Clos des Epenots, Pommard 1er Cru, Burgundy, France, 2017
Points – 97
The intrigue of Pommard, a relatively low-lying village along the Cote d’Or, is based on its combination of fruit style and amplitude given gravitas by its distinctively different soils, with their iron content and wealth of clays. This is often said to result in more tannic wines than would be usual at these altitudes on the hillside. This expansive red Premier Cru Burgundy fits the bill, with its dark colours and the rich, spicy notes in its generous plum-fruit aromas and flavours. It’s generous and forthright in the mouth, its taut construction here based as much on vivid raspberry acidity as tannin – though those tannins, finely milled in this instance, provide ample support. Gourmet red Burgundy. Drink 2019-2027
Platinum
Jaffelin, Ladoix, Burgundy, France, 2017
Points – 98
Decadent aromatic white flowers with flashes of mineral elegance unfurling into a richly textured, uplifting palate complete with layers of creamy tropical fruit and vibrant citrus. Complex and captivating with beautiful freshness on the long finish.
Domaine de la Vougeraie, Charlemagne Grand Cru, Burgundy, France, 2016
Points – 98
A glorious generosity of rich, smoky toast with flashes of minerality and piercing lemon sorbet freshness. Multi-layered with lush juicy pineapple, guava and citrus succulence and a powerful, incredibly elegant oak backbone leading to a long, spicy finish.
Albert Bichot, Domaine Long-Depaquit, Les Blanchots, Chablis Grand Cru, Burgundy, France, 2017
Points – 97
A thrilling complexity of fresh almond, acacia, lemon, lime peel and seashell minerals underpinned by an austere, vibrant acidity. Opulent and rounded with a salty, savoury, incredibly long finish. Highly polished with ageing potential of 5-6 years at least.
Château de Meursault, Perrières, Meursault 1er Cru, Burgundy, France, 2017
Points – 97
Stunning ripe lemon and apple with stony mineral notes and an elegant white floral edge. Luxuriously warm and generous with an energetic flow of pure grapefruit acidity and an attack of saline persistence on the finish.
Château-Fuissé, Le Clos Monopole, Pouilly-Fuissé, Burgundy, France, 2017
Points – 97
A luscious, multi-layered explosion of mouthwatering blood orange, fresh mineral, baked apple and juicy stone fruit; creamy, opulent and textured with a smoky, nutty, toasty oak core, fine fresh acidity and a luxurious, complex finish.
Domaine du Chardonnay, Vaillons, Chablis 1er Cru, Burgundy, France, 2017
Points – 97
Displaying great ageing potential this Premier Cru is rich with honeysuckle and mango notes unfolding into a powerful, savoury palate with tense mineral energy and a spicy edge. Beautifully pure with mouthwatering acidity and long length.
Olivier Tricon, Montée de Tonnerre, Chablis 1er Cru, Burgundy, France, 2017
Points – 97
An delicious concentration of zesty lemon and ripe peach underpinned by an electric current of maritime minerals and mouthwatering acidity. Superbly elegant and graceful with a powerful, smoky, seemingly endless finish melting in the mouth.
Morrisons, The Best, Chablis 1er Cru, Burgundy, France, 2013
Points – 97
Incredibly vibrant and youthful for its age, this Premier Cru is rich with layers of fresh almonds, baked citrus, honeyed florals, lemon zest and a lick of cream. Succulent and rounded with a lasting freshness. Fabulous.
Domaine Louis Max, Les Rochelles, Mercurey, Burgundy, France, 2017
Points – 97
A superb example of the terroir. Highly polished with layers of fresh chalky mineral character underpinned by a rich, creamy roundness. Beautifully persistent and complex with a delicious salty edge to the finish.
Points – 98
A thrilling combination of succulent red fruit, elegant sweet spice and delicate mineral chalkiness. Complex and textured with sleek, silky tannins and a mouthwatering purity of fruit which will improve with further ageing. Charming, enticing and long.
Domaine du Bicheron, Pinot Noir, Bourgogne, Burgundy, France, 2016
Points – 97
A sumptuous fruit basket of red plums, apples, dark cherries, redcurrants and raspberries. Fleshy, ripe and rounded with an enticingly crunchy texture and stunning velvety tannins underpinned by a precise mineral acidity and a lengthy, moreish finish.
Gold
Alain Geoffroy, Beauroy, Chablis 1er Cru, Burgundy, France, 2017
Albert Bichot, Domaine du Pavillon Clos des Mouches, Beaune 1er Cru, Burgundy, France, 2017
Albert Bichot, Domaine du Pavillon Les Charmes, Meursault 1er Cru, Burgundy, France, 2017
Château de Chemilly, Chablis, Chablis, Burgundy, France, 2017
Château de Marsannay, Les Champs Perdrix, Marsannay, Burgundy, France, 2017
Château-Fuissé, Tête de Cuvée, Pouilly-Fuissé, Burgundy, France, 2017
Domaine Arnoux, Les Beaumonts, Chorey-lès-Beaune, Burgundy, France, 2017
Domaine Berthelemot, Les Tillets, Meursault, Burgundy, France, 2017
Domaine de la Vougeraie, Le Clos Blanc de Vougeot, Vougeot 1er Cru, Burgundy, France, 2016
Domaine de la Vougeraie, Les Mazoyères, Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru, Burgundy, France, 2017
Domaine de la Vougeraie, Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru, Burgundy, France, 2017
Domaine de Vauroux, Montée-de-Tonnerre, Chablis 1er Cru, Burgundy, France, 2017
Domaine du Bicheron, Mâcon-Péronne, Burgundy, France, 2017
Domaine Louis Moreau, Valmur, Chablis Grand Cru, Burgundy, France, 2016
Domaine Pinson, Les Clos, Chablis Grand Cru, Burgundy, France, 2017
Henri Champliau, Rosé Brut, Crémant de Bourgogne, Burgundy, France, NV
Louis Picamelot, Les Reipes Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut, Crémant de Bourgogne, Burgundy, France, 2014
Maison Evenstad, Beaurepaire, Santenay 1er Cru, Burgundy, France, 2016
Maison Evenstad, Gravières, Santenay 1er Cru, Burgundy, France, 2016
Olivier Tricon, Montmains, Chablis 1er Cru, Burgundy, France, 2017
Philippe Bouzereau, Vieux Clos du Château de Cîteaux, Meursault, Burgundy, France, 2017
Savary, Sélection Vieilles Vignes, Chablis, Burgundy, France, 2017
Séguinot-Bordet, Les Preuses, Chablis Grand Cru, Burgundy, France, 2017
Terres Secrètes, Les Préludes Chardonnay, Bourgogne, Burgundy, France, 2017
Vaudoisey-Creusefond, Epenots, Pommard 1er Cru, Burgundy, France, 2017
Xavier Monnot, Les Charmes, Meursault 1er Cru, Burgundy, France, 2017