Burgundy

A solar growing season brings another stellar vintage. The whites are textural, expressive and perfectly balanced by salinity and fresh acidity. The reds are densely packed with fine tannins and ripe fruit. 2020 repeated 2019’s phenomenon of high sugar levels complemented by fresh acidity: all the raw elements of quality, acidity, phenolic content and sugars were concentrated to deliver impressive, well-balanced wines for the best performers. The keys to success lay in careful attention to vineyard management, a well-chosen harvest date and a very gentle extraction regime.

2020 was warm, dry and very sunny, with no frost, and minimal hail or pressure from disease. A warm dry spring triggered budburst three weeks earlier than 2019 with flowering beginning in mid-May – almost a month earlier than the previous year. With record numbers of sunshine hours during the growing season, an early harvest was inevitable and by the end of August the majority of growers had finished the harvest, some 2 weeks earlier than many had started picking in 2019.

2020 produced enchanting wines with long aging potential. Considering recent vintages, the richness and raciness of the whites call to mind 2017; reds share their deeper, darker fruit profiles with 2018 and 2019 yet there is more definition and freshness in 2020.

Domaines have increased their prices but the low volumes of wine produced in 2019 and 2020, and the miniscule yields that many producers were limited to in 2021 mean that the supply vs demand gap is wider than ever. Reassuringly 2020 has delivered excellent quality across all hierarchy levels so Le Clos customers will find superb wines even outside the Grand and top Premier Crus.

Le Clos will be publishing prices and adding wines over the coming weeks as allocations are confirmed.