Beaune 1er Cru Vignes Franches AOP 2022

Wine Description for Beaune 1er Cru Vignes Franches AOP 2022 by Boris Champy

Colour & Appearance

Dark ruby red with a black core – a remarkably intense colour depth for Pinot Noir, already announcing the concentration of this wine.

Nose

Powerful and present, the wine opens with floral notes of violet and purple lilac on the top note. The whole-bunch fermentation makes itself clearly felt: stone fruit and dark berries merge with spicy accents of black cardamom and liquorice. The oak influence is perceptible but precisely calibrated to the vineyard site.

Palate

Despite its youth, the wine shows surprising accessibility. The open-hearted fruit radiates in luminous ruby red, whilst taut, fine-meshed tannins create a delicate, almost sweet texture on the tip of the tongue. The ripe acidity runs through the wine with electric tension – like an electric eel, to adopt the existing metaphor. Élevage and extraction shape the attack, yet beneath lies an impressive structure that demands patience.

Finish

Long and precise with persistent fruit and fine spice. The low-profile tannins provide a silky yet distinctive resonance.

Terroir & Origin

The tiny parcel of Vignes Franches comprises just 21 ares in perfect south-facing exposition in Beaune. The lean clay-limestone soils and the early ripening of the site deliver concentrated grapes with natural balance.

Grape Variety & Vinification

100% Pinot Noir, predominantly fermented as whole bunches for additional complexity. 15 months‘ élevage, 80% in new barrels from Tonnellerie Eric Millard. Hand-harvested at optimal ripeness, gentle extraction – classic Burgundian craftsmanship with modern ambition.

Food Pairing Suggestions

Crispy duck with five-spice and plum sauce, eel in red wine with prunes or indeed parmigiana – the wine accommodates both robust flavours and spicy complexity.

Special Features

Boris Champy took over Burgundy’s first Demeter-certified estate in 2019. His experience at Dominus, Louis Latour and Clos de Lambrays is evident in the precise vinification. A wine with great ageing potential from the forward-looking Hautes-Côtes de Beaune.