Romain Taupenot always offers such insight into not only his own domaine but the picture across Burgundy. We discussed the need to replant with rootstocks that allow the vine to cope with warmer vintages, which are becoming increasingly common. broader concerns over rootstocks and the consequent need for replanting to ones that will give the vines a greater facility at coping with the increasingly common warmer vintages – the relatively widely used ‘161’ rootstock he described as ‘lazy’ as it does not send its roots deep into the soil but spreads more laterally and thus gives no access to deeper water reserves in hot vintages. (This issue was also highlighted by Jasper Morris who wrote in his own vintage overview “I have never seen as many vines being ripped out as I did in the autumn of 2020.”) Romain started his harvest on 26th August and commented in his usual philosophical manner: “If there had been just one or two showers this would have been a stellar vintage.” …at this address it is pretty impressive, nonetheless.
2020 Gevrey-Chambertin, Domaine Taupenot-Merme
£255 per 6 bottle case in bond
Incredible concentration of ripe fruit on the nose. Brambly forest on nose and palate. Fluid nature on the mid palate, flowing yet full. Clean, healthy fruit with a mineral touch towards the end. Fine tannins, gently firm, present but ripe. Balanced intensity. Drink 2025-2035
2020 Morey-St Denis, Domaine Taupenot-Merme
£300 per 6 bottle case in bond
Ripe and vibrantly fresh fruit nose. Very ripe blueberry and black cherry nose of fine intensity. Again, there is a silkiness here and the fruit is so clean and elegantly flowing with a touch of white pepper spice towards the end, where a pure mineral edge accompanies the juicy, fresh fruit length. Drink 2025-2035
2020 Chambolle-Musigny, Domaine Taupenot-Merme SOLD OUT
£270 per 6 bottle case in bond
Sweet red fruit with some darker fruit notes too. The palate opens with a lovely fruit sweetness – the ‘sucrosité’ that characterises the vintage. So silky through the mid-palate but with a freshly crushed raspberry fruit freshness. The finish is clean and long with a touch of spice and an understated mineral presence. Drink 2025-2035
2020 Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru, Bel-Air, Domaine Taupenot-Merme
£540 per 6 bottle case in bond
The deeper, darker fruit of Gevrey is again immediately evident, highlighting the ability of the 2020 vintage to manifest terroir from the outset. The fruit here is so ripe yet retains poise and clarity with the mid-palate marked by a taut, linear freshness. Typical of Bel-Air to perform so well in a warmer vintage (as it also did in 2019). Drink 2026-2040
2020 Morey-St Denis 1er Cru, La Riotte, Domaine Taupenot-Merme
£480 per 6 bottle case in bond
Deep intensity of dark blue fruit on the nose leads into a palate that is powerful in a taut, compact, profoundly mineral sense. “Good flesh right from the beginning, La Riotte always shows well early” says Romain. The finish is all silkiness and finesse. The 65-year-old vines and the warmer vintages have eliminated a previously angular nature to the tannins, which now show more creamy silkiness towards the finish which also exhibits a spicy mineral vibrancy. Drink 2026-2040
2020 Nuits-St Georges Premier Cru, Les Pruliers, Domaine Taupenot-Merme
£450 per 6 bottle case in bond
Pure, ripe red fruit, cherry, raspberry. Wonderful sense of power on the palate. Intense, mineral core but with explosive fruit. This will need time but the fruit and structure on show here are exceptional and in fine balance with each other. Long, juicy, mineral, full of energy. Drink 2028-2040
2020 Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru, Domaine Taupenot-Merme
£1,020 per 6 bottle case in bond
The fruit here shows restraint while being ripe, fresh and well defined. The palate opens with a seamless texture – flowing and silky, palate-coating but with freshness and moreishness. There is elegance at the heart of this wine. Refined and focused red fruit underscored by very fine tannins and pure mineral expression and energy. Drink 2027-2045
2020 Mazoyères-Chambertin Grand Cru, Domaine Taupenot-Merme
£1,200 per 6 bottle case in bond
Darker red and blue fruit with a touch of spice too. There is a real intensity here which Romain attributes to the particularly high proportion of very small berries but there is a notably darker fruit profile here compared to the redder fruit of the Charmes. (Romain always says Mazoyères should be a Grand Cru of Morey rather than of Gevrey.) Pure, ripe, fresh berry fruit dance across the palate supported by wonderfully ripe tannins. The finish is so silky and all about dark fruit and taut mineral persistence. Another great Mazoyères from Romain Taupenot. Drink 2027-2045