Burgundy 2023: Morey-Saint-Denis

Midway down the Cote de Nuits, the village of Morey-St-Denis is home to several favourite Uncorked growers. Cyprien Arlaud's 2023s have it all: fruit, tannins, structure, complexity and balance, with a lovely sense of freshness. Cyprien told me he planned to bottle a little earlier than usual, to capture what he considers that vintage signature of freshness. While many domaines which favour an element of whole bunch in their fermentations cut back in 2023 (their vats were already full of grapes, so there was little room for stems as well), Cyprien contrived to make room — he says it is important to keep the stylistic domaine signature constant from one year to another. It shows in the lifted aromatics and underlying sense of sapidity in these lovely wines.

Come and taste some examples today in-store at our barrel sample tasting, on from 12-6pm. Tickets are £25, with the ticket price redeemable on any purchase of 2023 Burgundy en primeur.

'2023 was a hot year,' Romain Taupenot told me, 'but nothing like other recent hot years such as 2018 or 2020. The very high yields mean lower alcohol, lower acidity and more natural balance. It's a surprisingly refreshing vintage.' Romain’s 2023s are gorgeous, pure and fresh and focussed, with evident complexity waiting under the surface. Terroir differences speak very clearly through his wines.

Jeremy and Jacques Seysses launched the Dujac Fils et Pere label in 2000, in partnership with top growers in the Cote de Nuits. The Seysses control the farming methods, yields and harvest dates in these vineyards, and lavish the same amount of care and attention on these wines as they do on the Domaine Dujac wines. The difficulties of the upcoming 2024 vintage, and the Seysses' plans for Domaine Dujac, mean they have decided to discontinue this negociant label. 2023 will therefore be the last vintage for Dujac F&P, except for the Nuits-St-Georges Les Cras. /NT