Article: Michel Bouzereau
Michel Bouzereau
It's been a busy couple of days sifting through the latest issue of Burghound, and it's always gratifying to see the wines I've been buying earn some of the top reviews. 2024 is the kind of classic white Burgundy vintage we don't see often — I was deeply impressed when I tasted in March, and the recent arrivals confirm everything I already knew. These wines have what great white Burgundy is all about.
Rather than describe it in my own words, I'll let Allen Meadows do it. His summary from Issue 103 captures it exactly:
The key takeaway for Burghound readers is that 2024 produced limited to below-average quantities of outstanding whites — especially if your idea of outstanding is classical. These are whites with ultra-fresh, cool, and airy aromatics, where the fruit leans toward the white and green end of the spectrum rather than yellow, with ample influence from citrus and floral elements. On the palate there is good concentration — not heavy-handed — with solid acid support that is ripe and bright without being drying or austere. The wines show impeccable balance and a transparency that is gossamer in its delicacy; the word "crystalline" is apt. And as if that weren't already more than enough, the better upper-level wines should reward mid- to longer-term cellaring without necessarily requiring it. In short: 2024 is the best white Burgundy vintage we have seen in a long time.
These wines come with my highest recommendation, I only wish I had more to sell. They are expected to arrive Fall 2026. Buy these with confidence - you will thank me later.
A fresh, cool and bright nose reflects notes of various white orchard fruit aromas laced with notes of zest and petrol. The attractively textured middle weight flavors retain good delineation that carries over to the long, balanced and nicely complex finale. A quality Bourgogne with the stuffing to repay 2 to 4 years of cellaring if desired.
- Burghound, Outstanding Top Value
Smoky aromas of petrol, the essence of pear and apple and attractive acacia blossom hints. There is more volume to the gorgeously textured medium weight flavors that possess fine density while exhibiting notably better depth and persistence on the clean, dry and balanced finale. Worth considering.
- Burghound, Outstanding!
An overtly floral-suffused and markedly smoky nose displays nuances of acacia, lilac and rose petal along with touch of pear, citrus and discreet wood influence. Here too the medium-bodied flavors possess a gorgeous mouthfeel that is at once generous but punchy while retaining the innate class of a fine Charmes on the youthfully austere, balanced and citrusy finish that flashes excellent persistence. Impressive and a wine that is very much built to repay extended keeping.
- Burghound, 91-94 Outstanding
Slightly cooler aromas include those of lemon-lime, green apple and an array of spice wisps that include hints of exotic Asian-style tea, all of which is also trimmed in just enough wood to notice. There is a lovely sense of underlying tension to the middle weight flavors that flash evident minerality on the chiseled, clean, moderately dry and strikingly long finale. This is pretty much textbook Genevrières.
- Burghound, 92-94 Outstanding!
Here too there is a whiff of wood treatment in evidence on the nose of white peach, citrus confit and Granny Smith apple and mineral reduction. The medium weight flavors are not quite as concentrated but they're finer still with both a lovely texture and excellent punch that carries over to the clean, bone-dry and balanced finale that is akin to sucking on a small pebble. I would add that this youthfully austere effort is markedly compact and a wine that's going to need at least moderate patience. This too is excellent.
- Burghound, 92-94 Outstanding!
