Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Beaune rouge Bignon 421 AOP 2023

Wine description for Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Beaune rouge Bignon 421 AOP 2023 by Boris Champy

Colour & Appearance

Medium-dense purple-red with youthful luminosity – a Pinot Noir that reveals its altitude and freshness at first glance.

Nose

Here the altitude speaks: 421 metres above sea level means coolness and precision. The nose initially presents itself with restraint, showing lingonberries, redcurrants with their green stems, raspberries and sour cherries. These are joined by animal notes of game and tar, undergrowth, damp leaves and a hint of ash. The wine’s youth reveals itself in a slight yeasty character – a wine still in the making.

Palate

Surprise: on the palate, the Altitude 421 reveals considerably more warmth and charm than the cool nose would suggest. Pressure, freshness and brightness meet an agreeable gourmandise with ripe red and dark fruits. The tannins present themselves as slightly grainy and perfectly integrated, the body remaining slender and elegant with beautiful drive.

Finish

The finale is slightly saline and mouth-watering – typical of Burgundian Pinots from high-altitude sites that cannot hide their mineral character.

Terroir & Origin

The parcel En Bignon in Bouze-lès-Beaune lies at a remarkable 421 metres altitude – one of Burgundy’s highest vineyard sites. The soil of red clay and calcareous marl gives the wine its characteristic freshness and minerality. The old vines were partly planted back in the 1980s at a high density of over 10,000 vines per hectare.

Grape Variety & Vinification

100% Pinot Noir, vinified with 60% whole bunches for additional structure and complexity. Boris Champy extracted gently and aged the wine twelve months in large oak casks, with 15% maturing in new wood – just enough for complexity without overwhelming the fruit.

Food Pairing Suggestions

This slender, fresh Pinot calls for correspondingly refined cuisine: game birds, duck breast roasted pink, Coq au Vin, Boeuf Bourguignon, aged Comté or Époisses. Also an excellent choice with mushroom dishes and autumnal risottos.

Special Features

A high-altitude wine in the best sense – cool, precise, with Burgundian soul and remarkable value for money from one of the Côte d’Or’s most underrated appellations.