THE WINE ADVOCATE 2020

Wine advocate

MILLÉSIME 2020

The exciting evolutions continue at this high-quality Vosne-Romanée domaine. In 2020, Jean-Pierre Guyon stopped trimming in the vineyards, changing his trellising wires and using elastic to facilitate « tressage, » whereby the vines shoots are rolled and braided instead of being cut, and to cast more shade on his fruiting zones. In the winery, he embraced « vendange entière decoupée, » which is to say, clusters cut up by hand, removing the rachis but retaining the pedicels (a process pioneered by Lalou Bize-Leroy and somewhat mischaracterized when it’s rendered as « manual destemming ») to a much greater extent than in 2019: with some 20% in every cuvée, and many cuvées were entirely processed this way.
I looked at the 2020s for curiosity just after they’d been barreled down, when their quality was already apparent, and a year later they are showing even better. As in 2019, the wines are strikingly perfumed, sumptuous and seamless, with lively fruit tones, beautifully refined tannins and brilliant integration of oak (100% on which is new and derived from Tonnellerie Rousseau, which has developed a proprietary toast for the domaine). The best 2020s, if anything, possess even more energy and intensity, and even sweeter tannins than the 2019s. As the notes attest, these come warmly recommended.
As I’ve written before, Guyon is wont to recount how in the late 1980s and early 1990s he—along with many of his contemporaries—made heavily extracted, oaky wines, attempting to prove that Pinot Noir need not lack for color or structure. Today, by contrast, his ambition is to revert to what he considers the old-fashioned way of doing things: that’s to say, vinification with mostly whole clusters; no sulfur additions, if possible, until the spring following the harvest; a cuvaison of some 20 days; and gentle basket pressing. The consummation of this new approach, along with organic certification, dates to 2012.

Nuits Saint Georges Les Argillats 2020 (89-91)

Offering up aromas of crisp Anjou pear, hazelnuts, toasted almonds, white flowers, confit citrus and freshly baked bread, the 2020 Nuits-Saint-Georges Les Argillats is medium to full-bodied, ample and satiny, with lively acids and a long, saline finish.

Morey-Saint-Denis La Bidaude 2020 (89-91)

The 2020 Morey-Saint-Denis La Bidaude bursts with aromas of golden orchard fruit, honeycomb, white flowers and almonds. Medium to fullbodied, ample and fleshy, with lively acids and a chalky finish, it’s charming and demonstrative.

Bourgogne Pinot Noir 2020 (88-90)

Guyon’s 2020 Bourgogne Pinot Noir bursts from the glass with extravagant aromas of raspberries, rose petals, violets and spices. Medium to full-bodied, perfumed and sensual, its ample core of fruit is
framed by melting tannins and succulent acids. It’s a terrific effort that ranks as one of the very best regional wines I tasted in this vintage.

Chorey-les-Beaune Les bons Ores 2020 (90-92)

Aromas of plums, wild berries, warm spices and cherries preface the 2020 Chorey-lès-Beaune Les Bons Ores, a medium to full-bodied, rich and fleshy wine that’s textural and giving, with a deep core of fruit and ripe, powdery tannins.

Savigny-les-Beaune 1er cru Les Peuillets 2020 (90-92)

The 2020 Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er cru Les Peuillets reveals inviting aromas of plums, sweet berry fruit, rose petals and loamy soil. Medium to fullbodied, velvety and elegant, with lively acids and exquisitely refined tannins, Guyon’s team cut out each cluster’s rachis by hand, retaining the berries intact on their pedicels.

Gevrey-Chambertin Les Platières 2020 (90-92)

The 2020 Gevrey-Chambertin Les Platières bursts with aromas of sweet berries, cherries, warm spices and rose petals. Medium to fullbodied, velvety and enveloping, it’s a charming, supple and succulent wine that’s beautifully polished and refined.

Nuits Saint Georges Aux Herbues 2020 (90-92)

The 2020 Nuits-Saint-Georges Aux Herbues wafts from the glass with aromas of raspberries, plums, peonies, sweet soil tones, orange rind and pencil shavings. Medium to full-bodied, velvety and perfumed, with lively acids and a long, saline finish, it shows considerable promise.

Vosne-Romanée 2020 (90-92)

Another success is the 2020 Vosne-Romanée Village, a medium to fullbodied, velvety and perfumed wine evocative of peonies, exotic spices and sweet red berry fruits. Lively and elegant, it concludes with a long, saline finish.

Vosne-Romanée Les Charmes de Mazières 2020 (91-93)

The 2020 Vosne-Romanée Les Charmes de Mazières unwinds in the glass with notes of wild berries, exotic spices, rose petals, orange rind and violets. Medium to full-bodied, ample and perfumed, it’s sensual and layered, with terrific concentration, melting tannins and lively acids, concluding with a long, floral finish. It’s the most elegant rendition of this cuvée to date.

Vosne-Romanée 1er cru Aux Brûlées 2020 (92-94)+

Brooding aromas of blackberries, vine smoke, loamy soil, rich spices and incense introduce the 2020 Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Aux Brûlées, a full-bodied, ample and enveloping wine that’s fleshy and gourmand, with a broad attack that segues into a concentrated, lively mid-palate and a long, saline finish.

Vosne-Romanée 1er cru En Orveaux 2020 (93-95)+

The 2020 Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru En Orveaux is brilliant, wafting from the glass with aromas of dark berries, orange peel, peonies, plums, violets, exotic spices and loamy soil. Full-bodied, ample and perfumed, with a broad attack, lively acids and rich, powdery tannins, it’s seamless and complete, concluding with a long, expansive finish.

Clos Vougeot Grand cru 2020 (93-95)+

Aromas of orange rind, wild berries, plums, vine smoke, incense, sweet spices and loamy soil introduce the 2020 Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru, a full-bodied, concentrated wine that’s rich and muscular, with a layered core of fruit and plenty of powdery structuring tannins. This is one wine chez Guyon that will require a bit of patience.

Echezeaux Grand cru 2020 (95-97)

The 2020 Echézeaux Grand Cru seems likely to surpass its 2019 counterpart. Bursting with aromas of plums and raspberries mingled with notes of rose petal, incense, sweet spices, peonies and orange
rind, it’s full-bodied, multidimensional and textural, with a velvety attack, terrific concentration and a long, expansive finish. Deep and complete, with exquisitely refined tannins.