On Vintage, Quality, & Other Proclamations
There is a tendency in the wine world to report as quickly as possible how a vintage is going to turn out, especially for classic regions like Burgundy. I understand the desire — publications, critics, and journalists want to give both the trade and consumers the earliest possible report on what to expect. These days, though, it is not just professionals with the acumen to evaluate Burgundy in its infancy sharing their perspectives. We live in a world where pretty much everyone has an opinion, and there is an enormous reach online for anyone with the desire to share theirs far and wide. It should come as no surprise that messaging as it relates to vintage quality can get, shall we say…muddled.
No matter who does it, when a vintage is broadly mischaracterized or misunderstood, no one benefits. Wine lovers and professionals alike run the risk of missing out on really delicious bottles because of sweeping generalizations or judgment calls about a vintage made far too early. I suppose the upside of missing out upon release is that the great bottles of less acclaimed vintages can wind up on wine lists at relative steals down the line, assuming provenance and storage were sound over the years. Though it might sound utterly pretentious, not everyone is equipped to interpret young wines in barrel or bottle. There is too much left to unwind, too many pieces yet to come together. Those who dare to predict the future with outright critical scores really must have the skill and experience with Burgundy at every stage of its life.
In no way am I saying we should ignore vintage previews. I read vintage reports from a variety of sources to educate myself, fill in my own gaps of knowledge, and compare and contrast viewpoints of journalists. I also listen to the wine trade in a variety of markets. The interpretation of a vintage can vary widely depending on a person’s experience with Burgundy, personal preference, or access to accurate information. What I am saying to the trade and consumers alike is to read with both caution and an open mind. Vintage reports should be guides, not oenological dogmas.
Two of the biggest topics in Burgundy that affect vintage style and quality are severe weather events (like frost, hail, or heavy rain) and temperature. Frost and hail are quite common in Burgundy, but the timing and location of these events is critical to their end result. Severe frost before bud break is unlikely to affect the yield or quality of the vine. Devastating frost that destroys first buds, which happened for many in the Côte de Beaune in 2021 in Burgundy, can lead to a reliance on the secondary bud, and ultimately, lower yields. Quality may or may not be affected.
Hail can drop so quickly in Burgundy and be so isolated in its damage that it is hard to predict how it will affect even a single vineyard. I will never forget shutting the door of my car in 2018 while in Chambolle-Musigny only to immediately have my windshield hammered with quarter-sized hail for less than a minute before it stopped completely. Neighboring villages felt nothing. The damage was, luckily, minimal. In other vintages, like 2016 Chablis, multiple hailstorms destroyed grapes, leading to unsalvageable fruit and tiny yields.
And rain, well, it can be a savior or a demon depending on its timing. In warmer vintages it can provide relief to vines. In wetter, cooler vintages it can affect ripening, pick times, and cause rot. I have always enjoyed the details that Jasper Morris includes in his vintage recaps because he balances the what of the weather events with the why it matters to the final wines.
As for temperature, I recently chatted with a sommelier who told me that fellow colleagues found 2022 to be a mediocre vintage. Surprised, I asked why. The many 2022s I taste in Burgundy both in barrel and bottle and the bottles that have made their way to market shelves have been remarkable. Producers were very happy with the vintage, and not just because it came on the heels of the more challenging 2021. Critical reviews have generally been quite positive.
The answer, they felt, was because the vintage was too warm. To be fair, 2022 was one of the sunniest vintages in history. But as my friend Charles Curtis MW notes in his Decanter report, and as I do in my reflections on 2022 here, rain at critical times during the growing season allowed for vines to produce ripe but well-balanced fruit. The resulting wines range in style. Some are more fruit-driven and drinkable quite young, while others have the vibrancy and backbone to age for decades. To proclaim an entire vintage as mediocre because of one variable — warm temperatures — is simply impossible. Sadly, it happens a lot.
For Burgundy classicists, vintages like 2020 and 2018 were so warm that the wines fall out of their notion of what Burgundy “should be.” While the vintage style might not be their favorite, or fit into a conventional idea of a Burgundian profile, the reality is that the wines from these vintages are still from Burgundy. There has been a string of warmer vintages since 2015 in Burgundy, and of course, the wines reflect it in the glass. Vintages 2020 and 2018, in particular, offer a unique expression in time for Burgundy in the same way that cooler or rainier vintages do, like 2014 or 2011. Should one be valued over the other, or can we simply accept that these are all valid chapters in the story that is Burgundian wine? There seems to be this idea in every wine region that prizes to the “golden days of the past” when wine tasted a particular, perhaps more restrained, way. I find these sorts of strolls down memory lane a little frustrating, since quality in regions like Burgundy has never been consistently higher. Nostalgia can be a funny thing. Ultimately, personal preference plays a role in what you choose to drink, but it should not interfere with an objective evaluation of a vintage’s quality.
This, of course, is not a new phenomenon. I have been hearing since my first day in the wine industry almost two decades ago to watch out for 2003, the “heatwave” vintage. Years later, many of the whites and reds are quite lovely, albeit with a bit more breadth on the palate than acidity. In all honesty, I have had just as many hits and misses with the coveted 2002 vintage in Burgundy. Meanwhile, the merits of 2005 remained largely unquestioned until collectors started popping bottles, only to find that many of the reds were still very tannic 15+ years later.
We cannot predict the quality or ageability of a whole harvest based on a single weather event or temperature. We can, however, evaluate the way in which those wines tend to express themselves in the glass. We can take a good, honest stab at evaluating a wine’s aging potential based on structure. Time, provenance, storage conditions, and drinking companions play a large role in how we ultimately enjoy a bottle of wine.
Rather than view vintages as inherently good or bad, I submit that we should view them as ideal or challenging. Great wines come from both.
To concisely communicate, we must generalize. There simply is not enough time table-side for sommeliers to recite the weather events and conditions of every vintage of Burgundy on the menu (and wouldn’t that be boring!?!) When I am given wine advice at a restaurant, I am more than happy to accept stylistic generalizations about a vintage. To reduce an entire vintage to good or bad is far too simple for any region, let alone Burgundy and its complex myriad of terroirs. It is also an extraordinarily ineffective way to sell wine. Every vintage in Burgundy has something to offer, whether you are a traditionalist, a California Pinot Noir lover, a complete newcomer to the region, a person who loves young wine with primary fruit, or a person who adores well-aged wines that have reached their peak maturity. It is always such a pleasure to share a glass of Burgundy with someone that is completely tailored to their tastes and preferences, not to mine.
To truly evaluate a vintage and its quality, we must explore nuance in the bottle both early on and later in a wine’s life. To illustrate this point, I offer a list of what I like to call “underdog vintages” that have brought me great joy over the past few years. These are bottles from vintages that, in my opinion, were unfairly maligned in the press or by the trade. All have had the time to illustrate their capabilities both in the long and short term. In tasting them, I appreciate every chapter in the story that is Burgundy. I hope you will, too.
Finally, before you read this list and shout, “But these are all from top producers at the premier cru or grand cru level!” I will stop and acknowledge that yes, that is true. It serves as a nice reminder, though, that top producers with excellent vineyards can make extraordinary wine in less than perfect conditions.
Ten of My Favorite Wines from Underdog Vintages
1991 Domaine Bonneau du Martray Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru
I have tasted this bottle many times, including as recently as March 2025, when it was singing. This is a bottle for those who love mature white Burgundy. I remember it the most from an event in San Francisco in 2019, when I poured it at a private dinner for some collectors. The sommelier at the restaurant asked as I was opening the bottle why I would choose such a poor vintage. I lifted the glass, smelled it, took a sip, and handed the glass to him, saying, “I don’t know, why don’t you taste it and tell me?” Eyes wide, the sommelier agreed with my choice. Caramel, lemon curd, and hazelnuts on the nose lead into a broad palate of mature orchard fruit and a fresh lift of acid. 1991 was not easy, and few thought it would live very long, but Bonneau du Martray’s wines have the density and balance to live long ahead of expectations.
2003 Vincent Dauvissat Chablis 1er Cru ‘La Forest’
I ordered this vintage as an experiment with some wine collectors at Press in St. Helena in February of 2024. Master Sommelier Vincent Morrow was running the wine program at the time, and I loved that we could find this vintage on the list. I had recently had the 2002 with friends and clients, and while it was mature, over the course of the evening the 2002 became so beautiful. The 2003 vintage is so often associated with extreme heat, and while the vintage was warm, many wrote it off as overripe and unworthy of aging. This bottle was a mature Chablis ‘Forest’ to be sure, offering ripe apple, orchard fruit, and light floral notes. Yet its fresh backbone of acidity, distinct chalk and salinity, and beautiful extract on the palate made it an absolute pleasure.
2003 Christophe Roumier Ruchottes-Chambertin Grand Cru
If I have said it once, I have said it a million times: I adore Roumier. This 2003 Ruchottes-Chambertin was a gift from dear friends at a lunch in July of 2023. They knew my type. While certainly dense in black cherry, savory spice, and hints of leather, there was nothing out of place with this wine. The tannins had softened beautifully, the acidity was bright and refreshing, and the calling card of Christophe Roumier’s touch in Chambolle found its way into Gevrey’s Ruchottes-Chambertin. Utter pleasure, as usual.
2004 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Montrachet Grand Cru
On the rooftop of a romantic hotel in Lyon in 2021, I scoured the wine list with a friend and collector only to stumble upon one of the most affordable bottles of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Montrachet that I have ever found. Undoubtedly, the 2004 vintage made it a less obvious choice for many. For us, it was the best pick on the list, and it delivered in spades. Robust yet subtle for Romanée-Conti’s Montrachet, it carried its weight with extraordinary tension. Funnily, I had the 2007 Montrachet just recently, and I recall the 2004 drinking a bit younger, even years ago.
2004 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Romanée-St-Vivant Grand Cru
Tasted in May of 2025 with an extraordinary collector and friend in Dallas, the 2004 Romanée-St-Vivant delivered beautifully. We were given the choice of vintage and vineyard, and I have to say that Romanée-St-Vivant was an easy choice for me. I find this vineyard to be so floral, lifted, and sensual. Of the vintages offered, I chose the 2004 for the very reason I wrote this article — to see how an underappreciated vintage performed after over 20 years. Roses, cranberry, raspberry, and sweet baking spices leaped from the glass. I adored the structure of this wine; fine-grained tannins and puckering acidity indicate a long life ahead.
2008 Domaine de la Pousse d’Or Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru ‘Le Cailleret’
While the whites of 2008 were not as highly criticized as the 2008 reds, there is still a stigma around this vintage. The red wines have been described by colleagues as serious, classic, or focused at best and lean, lacking density, and thin at worst. It was a season marked by ups and downs of wetness and coolness, with a few warm spikes in the summer. In hindsight, it often gets lost amidst the 2009 and 2010 options, which are considered much more desirable and age-worthy. In the meantime, the whites have been aging beautifully over the years, as they were not as affected by rot and have a lovely concentration and density to them. I drank the 2008 Pousse d’Or Puligny 1er Cru ‘Les Cailleret’ first in 2015 and was absolutely blown away by it. I managed to track down another bottle in 2019 and found it every bit as charming, if a bit more on the honeyed side.
2008 Domaine Anne Gros Richebourg Grand Cru
Since I used to have the pleasure of working with the wines from Anne Gros back in my days at North Berkeley Imports, I know how much I love them. So when a collector shared a bottle of the 2008 Richebourg back in 2022, I was hardly surprised at its purity, focus, and more importantly, density. Dark cherry fruit and nearly perfect integration of tannins made it such a pleasure to drink. While it lacked the sheer hedonism of some more recent vintages I have had (2015, 2018, and 2022), it was an absolutely delicious bottle that taught a masterclass on how great producers excel in less than ideal vintages.
2011 Domaine William Fevre Chablis Grand Cru ‘Les Preuses’
It is no secret that 2011 got a bad reputation when it was first released. 2009 and 2010 were hard acts to follow in the first place, but it also turned out to be quite rainy during harvest, and pick times were critical. There is a great range in style and quality among producers in this vintage, though, depending on whether they picked a bit earlier to avoid rain or waited a bit longer to (hopefully) miss it. I remember offering the first round of 2011s to collectors back in 2013, and my perspective then was that the wines were light on their feet, approachable young, and just joyful in the short term. Turns out they aged well, too. Fevre’s Chablis Grand Cru ‘Les Preuses’ was absolutely stunning when I had it back in June of 2023. It had softened in a way that only Chablis Grand Cru can, showcasing all the flinty, crushed oyster shell bits that we love in great Chablis, all while boasting an aromatic nose of orchard fruit and green apple.
2011 Domaine Armand Rousseau Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru
I will never forget the smile on the face of my friend who brought the 2011 Rousseau Charmes-Chambertin to our little gathering back in March 2024. He’s the type of guy who brings 12 bottles to a gathering of 5 or 6 people, “just in case.” The real fun is in the crowd selecting from his offerings, and the rockstar producer from an underdog vintage was a pretty obvious choice for all of us. I love Rousseau for many reasons, but one of them is that it is classic, complex, and it delivers. This was no exception, and it further proved the rule: do not skip top producers in challenging vintages. It did not pack the punch of 2010 or 2015, but it didn’t need to mimic anything but itself. Elegant yet powerful, this was a beauty.
2011 Domaine Roulot Meursault 1er Cru Clos de Bouchères Monopole (Magnum)
I had the joy of tasting Roulot in its prime in May 2025, just over a month ago as I type this. Poured from magnum this 2011 was youthful but in such a perfect spot. As you may know, Jean-Marc suggests waiting to open these bottles so that they can unwind a bit and offer up a bit more breadth (all that said, I had the same bottling from 2021 just days later and it was very, very approachable.) Broad yet still laser-sharp with acidity, it conceded to its age with light pear, white flowers, hints of white peach and apricot, and a long, lingering finish. Bravo.
2013 Domaine de Montille Volnay 1er Cru ‘Les Mitans’
The 2013 vintage has been marked by its lightness because of the difficult, rather cool and delayed growing season. I enjoyed this bottle in Aspen in 2024. I ordered it because I really enjoy the wines of Domaine de Montille, though generally I drink their whites. A value on the wine list, the 2013 offered an added delicacy to the elegance of Volnay. Pretty red fruits, lifted and bright yet not lean, this is the sort of gem I enjoy finding.
2013 Domaine Georges Roumier Bonnes Mares Grand Cru
All roads lead me back to Roumier, I guess. Any time I am in France, I order the Bonnes Mares because it just brings me so much damn pleasure. I love the finesse that Roumier manages to find in wines that, like Bonnes Mares, can be so muscular. I drank the 2013 back in 2021 when it was still just a baby, but at least it had almost a decade of time to find its footing. Refined tannins, grippy, with red cherry, black fruit, and a light menthol element and gave the wine an overall lift of freshness. I recently enjoyed the 2018 vintage, which is a wildly different animal. I thought back fondly to the structure that 2013 offered with fondness, but no less appreciation for the more supple 2018 expression.