Mercurey, Côte Chalonnaise
Vineyards at Mercurey, Côte Chalonnaise
(Image credit: Getty)

Waiting patiently for your Burgundies from the Côte de Beaune and Côte de Nuits to reach their fully mature exquisiteness? The five wine-producing communes of the Côte Chalonnaise a little further south provide some excellent options for earlier drinking, advises Clive Coates MW

Givry

Givry, Côte Chalonnaise

Vineyards in Givry, Côte Chalonnaise.
(Image credit: Claude Duroy)

The next village north is Givry, best known – and deservedly so – for its reds. A decade or more ago the whites were linear and charmless. Today they are a lot better, and in the best cases at least the equal of those of Mercurey, if not as delicious as those of Rully. But the reds, with an earthy yet round character and medium body, show a seductive fruit which matures after three or four years.

The appellation extends over the neighbouring villages of Poncey and Jambles, but the best wines come from an extensive slope above the village. Of the 25 premiers crus, look out for Servoisine, and even better the Clos Jus, whose wines which remind me a little of Chambolle-Musigny. In total the appellation measures 269ha, of which 120ha is premier cru.

Best growers: Guillemette et Xavier Besson; Domaine du Cellier aux Moines; Domaine Chofflet- Valdenaire; Jean-Marc Joblot; François Lumpp; Vincent Lumpp; Nicolas Ragot; Domaine du Clos Salomon

Domaine François Lumpp, Clos Jus 1er Cru 2013

18.5 (95)

Quite rich and oaky, but the latter is not exaggerated, allowing vigorous, succulent fruit to sing out. Lovely. It would be a pity to open this too early.

Price: £29.95 Berkmann, Georges Barbier, Lea & Sandeman, Thorman Hunt

Drink 2020-2030

Alc 13.5%

Domaine Joblot, Servoisine 1er Cru 2013

18.5 (95)

Ripe, substantial, and a very high class wine. Splendid quality. The new oak (70%) does not dominate at all.

Price: £24 Big Red Wine Co, Hallgarten Druitt, Vin Cognito

Drink 2020-2030

Alc 13.5%

Domaine Guillemette et Xavier Besson, Les Grands Prétans 1er Cru 2013

17.75 (92)

Splendidly rich nose. Good depth and substance. Summer pudding flavours. Very good grip. Fine.

Price: £19.80 Raeburn

Drink 2019-2027

Alc 13%

Domaine Chofflet-Valdenaire, Clos Jus 1er Cru 2013

17 (90)

Splendid ripe, rich fruit. Lots of vigour. Long, pure and multi-dimensional. Fine.

Price: £22 Amps, Harveys, Stone Vine & Sun

Drink 2019-2027

Alc 13.5%

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Clive Coates MW
Clive Coates MW
Decanter Magazine, Wine Writer
Clive Coates is one of the world's leading wine writers. He published his first article in 1967. At first he concentrated on Bordeaux, becoming well known for his Chateau Profiles and Vintage Assessments. In 1984 he set up his own magazine, The Vine, and began to spend a lot more attention on Burgundy. Burgundy was going through a revolution, with a new generation of wine-makers who were vinifying more carefully, using temperature control for instance, cultivating their vineyards by increasingly biodynamic methods, and bottling and marketing their wines themselves. Clive was there from the beginning. With a group of professional wine friends he organised comprehensive vintage tastings; at three and en years on. He has written nine books on wine. Three on Bordeaux, three on Bordeaux and three on the Wines of France. He lives in the Mâconnais.