Top Côte de Beaune 2020 en primeur wines
After tasting more than 1,200 wines for his Burgundy 2020 en primeur report, Charles Curtis MW discovered that winemakers produced a host of delicious wines in the Côte de Beaune in 2020.
This region suffered the most from the drought conditions, so it was necessary to manage sun exposure for the Pinot and extract colour and tannin gently; for the Chardonnay, it was essential to maintain acidity.
Scroll down for tasting notes and scores for Charles’ top-scoring Côte de Beaune 2020 wines
Assuming neither pH nor alcohol levels got out of hand, the potential for great wine existed.
There were fabulous red and white wines around the hill of Corton, particularly in the cooler sites near the top, and the west-facing slopes in Pernand.
Both red and whites in Beaune also had potential, but the quality was less homogeneous here.
See the Burgundy 2020 score table listing Charles’ top Côte de Beaune wines all scoring 95 points or above
See all 650 Burgundy 2020 tasting notes and scores
At Bonneau du Martray in Pernand-Vergelesses in the north of the Côte de Beaune, they started to pick on the 25th of August – Pinot first and then Chardonnay.
They had 85% of the crop in before a big rainstorm on the 27th interrupted picking. In general, the grapes were picked at 13.5% potential alcohol with a pH that averaged 3.13.
‘The wines showed good minerality and freshness, and should have more balance than those of 2019,’ according to estate manager Thibault Jacquet.
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See further analysis and top-scoring wines of the following areas:
Côte de Nuits | Mâconnais | Côte Chalonnaise
Morey-St-Denis | Meursault | Gevrey-Chambertin | Chambolle-Musigny | Pommard and Volnay | Vosne-Romanée
Some producers in the Côte de Beaune began to pick early to retain maximum freshness. Michel Mallard started to pick at his domaine in Ladoix on the 20th of August and was finished by the 29th.
Others preferred to wait for fuller physiological ripeness. David Croix of Domaine des Croix in Beaune waited until the 24th to pick and finished on the 30th.
Much of the difference depends on the specific terroir. Chisa Bize of Domaine Simon Bize in Savigny-lès-Beaune notes that in 2020, sandy lieux-dits such as Les Marconnets can be difficult, while those with more clay such as Grands Liards ‘sort themselves out quite easily’.
Côte de Beaune 2020 top-value wines:
Domaine Jessiaume, Clos du Clos Gênet, Santenay, 2020
Domaine Michel Mallard, Aloxe-Corton, 1er Cru Les Valozières, 2020
Domaine Comte Senard, Chorey-lès-Beaune, 2020
Domaine Lucien Jacob, Savigny-lès-Beaune, 1er Cru Vergelesses, 2020
Benjamin Leroux, Auxey-Duresses, 2020
Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey, St-Aubin, 1er Cru Chatenière, 2020
Domaine Henri & Gilles Buisson, Sous la Velle, St-Romain, 2020
Côte de Beaune 2020 top producers:
Principally for white wines
Domaine des Comtes Lafon
Domaine Roulot
Domaine Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey
Domaine Etienne Sauzet
Domaine Bonneau du Martray
Domaine Jean-Noël Gagnard
Domaine Paul Pillot
Principally for red wines
Domaine Marquis d’Angerville
Domaine Michel Lafarge
Domaine Michel Mallard
See tasting notes and scores for Charles Curtis MW’s top-scoring Côte de Beaune 2020 wines:
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Burgundy 2020 en primeur: Full report plus top-scoring wines
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Domaine des Comtes Lafon, Montrachet Grand Cru, Burgundy, France, 2020
Abundant aromas of ripe apple fruit, with a full complement of butter and spice underpinned with a pronounced minerality, but there is no excess here....
2020
Domaine des Comtes LafonMontrachet Grand Cru
Bouchard Père & Fils, Montrachet Grand Cru, Burgundy, France, 2020
This wine has everything. Bouchard farms 0.89ha of well-positioned vines in Montrachet – south of Ramonet on the Puligny side (and north of the first...
2020
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Domaine Fontaine-Gagnard, Montrachet Grand Cru, Burgundy, France, 2020
The aromas begin with ripe apple and pear, then there are shades of citrus and tropical fruit that range from passionfruit to pomelo. On the...
2020
Domaine Fontaine-GagnardMontrachet Grand Cru
Henri Boillot, Montrachet Grand Cru, Burgundy, France, 2020
Extraordinary precision and concentration. The aromas begin with ripe pear, apple, acacia flower and chamomile, and with time expand to include hazelnut, struck flint and...
2020
Henri BoillotMontrachet Grand Cru
Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey, Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru, Burgundy, France, 2020
This beautifully delineated wine has a lush nose of peach pit, apricot, ripe apple and and touches of quince. Still, all of this ripe yellow...
2020
Pierre-Yves Colin-MoreyChevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru
Domaine Comte Senard, Corton Clos du Roi Grand Cru, Burgundy, France, 2020
For me, this is the most complete of the Cortons from the domaine. The plum and cherry fruit is forward but discreet, with subtle, earthy...
2020
Domaine Comte SenardCorton Clos du Roi Grand Cru
Domaine des Comtes Lafon, Meursault, 1er Cru Genevrières, Burgundy, France, 2020
Almost ethereal, impressively complex and long, showing a real presence in the spicy aromas and ripe orchard fruit. In the end, it is the elegance...
2020
Domaine des Comtes LafonMeursault
Domaine des Comtes Lafon, Meursault, 1er Cru Perrieres, Burgundy, France, 2020
Profuse aromas of ripe apple, marzipan, acacia flowers and smoke, with a suggestion of butter and cream. The texture on the palate is dense, long...
2020
Domaine des Comtes LafonMeursault
Domaine des Comtes Lafon, Volnay, 1er Cru Santenots-du-Milieu, Burgundy, France, 2020
A monumental wine, with super-ripe black cherry and currant fruit accented with rose petals, liquorice, smoke and minerals. Dense and full-bodied in texture, yet vibrantly...
2020
Domaine des Comtes LafonVolnay
Domaine Michel Lafarge, Volnay, 1er Cru Clos du Château des Ducs, Burgundy, France, 2020
Surpassingly elegant mulberry and black cherry fruit, with notes of spice, smoke and a saline mineral firmness. Lovely concentration and plenty of tannic grip, yet...
2020
Domaine Michel LafargeVolnay
Domaine Michel Niellon, Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru, Burgundy, France, 2020
This is always among my favourite Chevaliers, with its super-concentrated style. The aromas tend more toward fresh apricot than apple, with ample shading of saline...
2020
Domaine Michel NiellonChevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru
Domaine Paul Pillot, Chassagne-Montrachet, 1er Cru La Romanée, Burgundy, France, 2020
A monumental wine. Great concentration and purity, featuring aromas of lemon peel, pear and gooseberry, touched with mineral and smoke. There is a perfect...
2020
Domaine Paul PillotChassagne-Montrachet
Domaine Roulot, Meursault, 1er Cru Perrieres, Burgundy, France, 2020
This is assuredly the grand cru of Meursault in all but name. The wine is spicy and rich, with a complex nose that combines lemon...
2020
Domaine RoulotMeursault
Etienne Sauzet, Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru, Burgundy, France, 2020
There is an elemental freshness here that is truly lovely, with ripe William pear and floral notes, plus a suggestion of citrus and silk; there...
2020
Etienne SauzetBâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru
Etienne Sauzet, Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru, Burgundy, France, 2020
Bienvenues is poorly understood: this is great wine. It lacks the power of Bâtard, the structure of Chevalier (and the 'everything' of Montrachet), yet it...
2020
Etienne SauzetBienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru
Maison Joseph Faiveley, Clos des Cortons Faiveley Grand Cru Monopole, Burgundy, France, 2020
The grapes are vinified partly as whole clusters and punched down each day before ageing for 18 months in cask (half new). Despite the fairly...
2020
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Maison Pierre Millemann, Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru, Burgundy, France, 2020
This spectacular, showy wine comes from young vines planted high on the slope (380m) in stony soils. The 2020 vintage has a lovely lemony fruit...
2020
Maison Pierre MillemannCorton-Charlemagne Grand Cru
Benjamin Leroux, Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru, Burgundy, France, 2020
Wonderful, with a rich apple fruit, beeswax, butter and hazelnut notes. There is admirable freshness on the palate, and the wine lingers elegantly without heaviness....
2020
Benjamin LerouxBâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru
Benjamin Leroux, Pommard, 1er Cru Rugiens, Burgundy, France, 2020
After his years at Comte Armand, Leroux is something of an expert on Pommard, and this Rugiens does not disappoint. This is from Rugiens Haut,...
2020
Benjamin LerouxPommard
Domaine Fontaine-Gagnard, Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru, Burgundy, France, 2020
Complex nose, with classic Bâtard aromas such as ripe apple, butter, spice and cream, but there is also a slightly resinous quality that adds complexity....
2020
Domaine Fontaine-GagnardBâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru
Domaine Jean-Noël Gagnard, Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru, Burgundy, France, 2020
An exquisite wine, the nose is almost delicate, with ripe apple and floral notes, and the texture of the wine is astonishingly crisp and fine....
2020
Domaine Jean-Noël GagnardBâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru
Domaine Jessiaume, Selection, Santenay, 1er Cru Les Gravières, Burgundy, France, 2020
Ripe black plum fruit, with engagingly earthy notes on the nose and a pleasantly brambly edge. There is impressive richness and depth here, with firm...
2020
Domaine JessiaumeSantenay
Domaine Joseph Faiveley, Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru, Burgundy, France, 2020
The pebbles of Bienvenues leaven the soil somewhat, introducing elements of minerality and a bit more freshness into the wine. It is certainly still a...
2020
Domaine Joseph FaiveleyBienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru
Domaine Marquis d'Angerville, Volnay, 1er Cru Clos des Ducs, Burgundy, France, 2020
<p>This iconic wine from the d’Angerville estate is a 2.15-hectare monopole that begins on the north side of the village and climbs up the white...
2020
Domaine Marquis d'AngervilleVolnay
Domaine Michel Niellon, Chassagne-Montrachet, 1er Cru Clos de la Truffière Les Chaumées, Burgundy, France, 2020
Complex nose of lime peel, green apple, mineral and flint. The texture is intensely fresh, but there is a marvellous old-vine richness as well that...
2020
Domaine Michel NiellonChassagne-Montrachet
Domaine Paul Pillot, Chassagne-Montrachet, 1er Cru La Grande Montagne, Burgundy, France, 2020
Both sections of Grande Montagne are among the highest elevation premier crus in Chassagne. The altitude means the wines are almost more Puligny in style,...
2020
Domaine Paul PillotChassagne-Montrachet
Domaine Paul Pillot, Chassagne-Montrachet, 1er Cru Les Grandes Ruchottes, Burgundy, France, 2020
With its ripe apple citrus fruit and hints of beeswax, marzipan and smoke, this is an elegant wine with great finesse. However, it is not...
2020
Domaine Paul PillotChassagne-Montrachet
Domaine Thibault Liger-Belair, Corton Les Renardes Grand Cru, Burgundy, France, 2020
This is assuredly the grand cru of Meursault in all but name. The wine is spicy and rich, with a complex nose that combines lemon...
2020
Domaine Thibault Liger-BelairCorton Les Renardes Grand Cru
Henri Boillot, Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru, Burgundy, France, 2020
This is produced from a 0.32ha parcel that lies right on the border between Puligny and Chassagne. The wine also seems to be a balance...
2020
Henri BoillotBâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru
Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey, Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru, Burgundy, France, 2020
Exquisite, with notes of fresh flowers, ripe pear, spice and butter. The texture is rich but not overly so, and there is plenty of crisp...
2020
Pierre-Yves Colin-MoreyBâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru