According to the latest statement, Top-end Burgundy wines remain one of the most sought-after wines around the world, with appreciation and investment value at an all-time high. The Robert Parker Wine Advocate Côte d’Or Wine 2019 Report is a timely guide to navigating the domaines, from aspiring to venerable, in the Côte de Nuits and Côte de Beaune, where the highest concentration of Grand Crus in the region can be found.
Reviewer William Kelley says, “In short, 2019 is a superb vintage, and these are wines that all Burgundy lovers are going to want to secure for their cellars.”
Highlights of the report:
- Insights into the 2019 vintage of the top rated Burgundian domaines: Domaine Dugat-Py, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti and Domaine Jacques-Frédéric Mugnier
- In depth 2019 white and red Burgundy report and reviews
- Reviewer’s 10 favourites
The Robert Parker Wine Advocate report format includes an in-depth introduction and vintage reports that are the reviewer’s expert opinions on the vintage, based predominately on their tastings and taking into consideration their regional visits and interviews with winemakers / viticulturalists. The annual Burgundy Côte d’Or report is helmed by William Kelley since 2017, who also reports on the Mâconnais, Chablis and Beaujolais in separate dispatches. Although tasting events were cancelled and international travel became difficult due to COVID-19, RPWA’s global base of reviewers still enabled physical visits and continuous coverage of this important region without interruption.
What you need to know: Burgundy Côte d’Or 2019
Where: Côte d’Or comprises of Côte de Nuits and Côte de Beaune, the two most important regions in Burgundy. Translated as golden slope, it gets its name from the east-facing slopes that are bathed in sunlight during the growing season.
Vintage conditions: 2019 was, on paper, a rather extreme vintage, yet the vines proved remarkably resilient while the wines are remarkably classical in profile. “We are convinced that the vines are adapting to warmer, drier years, and we find this very reassuring,” observed Aubert de Villaine of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti in speaking to Kelley, a sentiment shared by Burgundy lovers.
Kelley summarises the 2019 vintage: “A mild and dry winter set the stage for drought conditions later in the season. Budbreak came early, and spring was comparatively cool. Summer was warm and sunny, with heat waves in June and July compounding with hydric stress to slow ripening. August and early September were cooler and sometimes cloudy, though sunny conditions returned for harvest; but it was a dry north wind, rather than excessive temperatures, that concentrated both sugars and acidities alike in the final weeks before picking began.”
Grape performance: Says Kelley, “This is a thrilling year for Pinot Noir, delivering wines bursting with head-turning perfume and fresh, succulent fruit. Supple and enveloping, they are simultaneously serious and immensely charming. In Chardonnay, 2019 is more heterogenous. The small crop ripened rapidly, and the results are invariably muscular and concentrated; but the year’s best white Burgundies are as incisive as they are powerful, with bright acidity to balance their undeniable weight, and attentive producers excelled.”
Ten favourites that show the 2019 vintage at its best:
2019 Domaine Arnoux-Lachaux Romanée-Saint-Vivant Grand Cru (RP 97-99 points)
“One of the wines of the vintage, Lachaux’s 2019 Romanée-Saint-Vivant Grand Cru soars from the glass with a kaleidoscopic bouquet of raspberries, blood orange zest, peonies, violets and exotic spices, complemented by subtle hints of coniferous forest floor and raw cocoa.”
2019 Domaine Michel Lafarge Volnay 1er Cru Clos des Chênes (RP 95-97 points)
“The 2019 Volnay 1er Cru Clos des Chênes is a magical bottle in the making…. Medium to full-bodied, layered and complete, it’s elegantly powerful, with lively acids, powdery tannins and a long, perfumed finish.”
2019 Domaine Guffens-Heynen Pouilly-Fuissé 1er Jus des Hautes des Vignes (RP 94-96+ points)
“A cuvée composed of the free run and first press juice from Guffens’s best parcels in the appellation, the 2019 Pouilly-Fuissé 1er Jus des Hautes des Vignes is showing beautifully.”
2019 Domaine Jean-Claude Bachelet Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Blanchot-Dessus (RP 94-96 points)
“Full-bodied, layered and concentrated, with chalky structuring extract and racy acids, it’s long and resonant.”
2019 Domaine Jean et J L Trapet Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos Prieur (RP 92-94 points)
“Fleshier and more enveloping than the Petite Chapelle, the 2019 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos Prieur exhibits notes of plums, sweet wild berries, rich soil tones, mandarin orange and raw cocoa.”
2019 Domaine Simon Bize et Fils Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Cru Aux Vergelesses (RP 93-95 points)
“The 2019 Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Cru Aux Vergelesses is a striking wine…. Medium to full-bodied, layered and multidimensional, it’s vibrant and velvety, with lively acids and a long, perfumed finish.”
2019 Domaine Ghislaine Barthod Chambolle-Musigny Village (RP 91-93 points)
“The 2019 Chambolle-Musigny Village is superb, mingling aromas of cherries and raspberries with hints of dark chocolate, potpourri and spices.”
2019 Domaine Henri Germain Meursault Le Limozin (RP 91-93 points)
Medium to full-bodied, textural and precise, it combines impressive mid-palate volume with terrific cut.
2019 Domaine Duroché Gevrey-Chambertin Aux Etelois (RP 91-93 points)
“It’s a terrific cuvée from this optimally situated parcel that borders Griotte-Chambertin on one side and Charmes-Chambertin on the other.”
2019 Domaine Dureuil-Janthial Rully Blanc (RP 89-91 points)
“Medium-bodied, chiseled and concentrated, with tangy acids and a mouthwateringly saline finish, this will be delicious out of the gates–though don’t discount its capacity to age.”