Now Drinking | 2022 Berry Bros. & Rudd Bourgogne Côte d'Or

This week, I'm drinking a gift bottle: the house label burgundy from one of the most legendary wine shops on the planet: London's Berry Brothers & Rudd. Sadly, it appears that this specific bottle is no longer offered at BBR, which I suppose isn't terribly surprising given that the wine comes from Chorey-lès-Beaune and 2022 was an exceptionally good vintage in the Côte de Beaune generally, and even more so in Chorey-lès-Beaune. It is my great good fortune to have come into this wine through a very generous friend with an excellent palate.

Appearance

Clarity: clear

Intensity: medium

Color: ruby

Nose

Condition: clean

Intensity: medium

Aroma Characteristics:

• Primary:

  • raspberry

  • strawberry

  • mint

  • red cherry

  • violet

• Secondary:

  • vanilla

  • cardamom

  • clove

• Tertiary:

  • mushroom

  • soil/forest floor

Palate

Sweetness: dry

Acidity: high

Tannin: medium

Alcohol: medium (13%)

Body: medium

Flavor Intensity: medium

Flavor Characteristics: raspberry, strawberry, cherry compote, vanilla, mushroom, soil/forest floor

Finish: long

Conclusions

Quality Level: very good

Notes: This is an interesting, exceptionally balanced, and well-made example of what structured but non-elite wines from Côte de Beaune are supposed to taste like. High typicity and excellent winemaking decisions here let the terroir sing. What it lacks in intensity--and to be clear, it is somewhat intense, but it isn't the explosive symphony we've come to expect from high-end burgundy--it more than makes up for in balance, complexity, and long, silky-smooth finish. The subtlety of the secondary aromas from its time in new oak highlight the oak's contributions to a velvety, if slightly grippy, tannin structure, offset by the soaring acidity that is this wine's calling card. As I noted above, this was a gift from a friend: if he keeps giving me bottles like this, I hope to call him a friend for a long time.