“Burgundy’s 2021 vintage gave us “the uncomfortable negative side of what is referred to as a classical vintage,” said one Cote d’Or winemaker during our weeklong trip to the region in June. The year was marked by severe April frosts followed by mildew pressure during the season. And although few producers openly admitted it, botrytis was prevalent at the end of the growing season, which meant that serious selection and sorting of the best quality grapes was imperative.

But thanks to the hard work of some winemakers, the quality of the 615 wines we tasted in total on the road and in Hong Kong was very good to outstanding. 2021 is indeed a return to a more classic style, which means fresher and lighter wines without the high alcohol of some recent years. The 2021 vintage will definitely appeal to Burgundy lovers who found the 2020s overly ripe, concentrated and extracted.” (James Suckling)

The 2020 white was the only white in a blind line up, and the Corton Charlemagne from Henri Boillot (wax capsule) is always worthy of a glass but I am not a huge fan of Corton unless it has a crispness a distinct acidity and not over whelmed by oak. I used like the reducxtive quality of Coche-Dury and over time it faded with his son taking over the wine making. But never underestimate a great white Burgundy, and never say no to trying it.

The Echezeaux by E. Rouget is a pinnacle wine and needs plenty of time, and La Montagne was an odd ball from Domaine Camille Thiriet’s Côtes de Nuits La Montagne Rouge.

It is from a 50-year-old vineyard in Comblanchien, on Burgundy’s Côte de Nuits. This Premier Cru parcel is planted mid-slope on a unique clay-limestone terroir, with only 25cm of soil before the bedrock. This characteristic gives the wine remarkable richness and complexity, and is interesting.

The Echezeaux Michel Noellet needs time and the JF-Mugnier is always well crafted and consistently reliable.