Burgundy 2023 En Primeur

Overview

A bountiful vintage of concentrated, fresh wines. Following on from the healthy quantities produced in 2022, domaines were able to go one better in 2023, with many achieving close to record-ever yields. Understandably, with cellars full to capacity, producers were all smiles. A relatively trouble-free growing season was punctuated by heatwaves during the harvest and as ever deciding exactly when to pick was crucial. For those making the right call, the resulting wines are well-balanced and charming, delivering real pleasure in a glass.

The Big Picture

The wines of Burgundy have never been so popular. A raft of press column inches has been dedicated to the enduring and ever-growing demand for the region’s most desirable ‘names’. Villages such as Chablis, Puligny-Montrachet, Meursault, Chambolle-Musigny, Gevrey-Chambertin and Vosne-Romanée have attained such a following that for many there is no substitute for these pedigree expressions of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

Following on from the healthy 2022 vintage and with a bumper harvest in 2023, surely it’s a return to the good times of generous allocations for all Burgundy enthusiasts? Well, possibly but a word of caution. The 2024 harvest, particularly in Chablis, has been frankly dismal or in the words of Domaine Vincent Dauvissat, ‘catastrophique’ in terms of yields. Despite cellars being full to the gunnels of 2023s, individual domaines and négociants have one eye on next year, and many have chosen to hold onto sizeable quantities to make up for the significant shortfall in income next year. We’re glad to report that on the pricing front, many are the same, or in some cases less than 2022. With the prospect of stable pricing and excellent quality, this will be a sought-after vintage, so with lower-than-expected quantities available we urge you to choose early and, as always, the sage advice of seeking out the lesser-known villages still holds true.

The Wines

It’s hard to recall tasting a vintage from barrel that was so immediately appealing. From our first tasting of the week with Ghislaine Barthod and Louis Boillot to the very last with Arthur Gras, it was evident this is a generous vintage in both quantity and quality. Sharing the innate charm of 2017 and the concentration of 2019s (other vintages are available!), the 2023s have a suppleness and freshness that make them so very attractive from the off. The best possess no hard edges, no excessive acidity, no lack of fruit concentration, nor questionably high alcohol levels – they are superbly balanced, with each element playing its part to perfection. The lack of extreme growing conditions with a late heat surge in late August and September has delivered deliciously ripe whites of concentration and appealing texture. The aromatics are enticing, with beautiful floral and exotic notes. My scribblings are littered with references to citrus, honey and pear on the palate with salivating but not bracing acidity. For Chardonnay picked later in September, the added ripeness delivers more yellow fruit with a broader mouthfeel, but they still retain an elegance and freshness. As for the Pinot Noir, one of the key issues was whether the large crop may affect the levels of concentration, but we found this not to be the case. Registering more on the red fruit scale than black, there is plentiful depth and purity on display. The tannins are silky, almost ‘sweet’ in some cases, which in addition to the bright acidity gives the reds an approachable, juicy nature. Possessing an irresistible finesse from Bourgogne up to Grand Cru level, it’s hard to fault the 2023s, simply put, enjoy!

The Weather

In short 2023 was a relatively straightforward year which ended in a heatwave and provided a bountiful harvest.

After a relatively mild winter, fluctuating weather patterns in April delayed budburst just a few days which had the advantage of missing the frosts this year. This was followed by favourable conditions in May and from around the 20th of the month things began to warm up. The flowering started at the end of May with the 7th June being the mid-point, and conditions were excellent with mostly sunny weather. A few thunderstorms at the end of the period provided moisture for the vines and knocked the caps off the flowers allowing the wind to assist in the pollination giving a potentially large crop. July also brought thunderstorms, high temperatures and humidity so vigilance was needed in the vineyard for disease control. Hail on the 11th and 15th July caused some very localised problems in the Mâconnais, Chalonnaise and Meursault but the rest of the region was spared. Veraison, the colour change, came early this year in the middle of the month in warm but not too hot conditions which also provided a good difference between the warm days and cool night-time temperatures. Many performed green harvests in late July and August in order to reduce the potential crop and increase the concentration of the final wines, those that didn’t risked making dilute, characterless wines. The rest of the summer saw warm, sunny conditions interspersed with beneficial rains before an unseasonably warm period for the harvest with temps over 35ºC. Many chose to harvest at night or only in the cooler mornings to give the pickers a break and preserve freshness in the wines. The whites looked superb with Chardonnay and Aligoté responding well to the conditions this year. The Pinot needed more sorting, many doing it three times to remove any shrivelled or sunburnt grapes, but the year was so bountiful it was an easy sacrifice to make so only the perfect berries were used.