Echezeaux du Dessus Grand Cru 2023

The 2023 Echezeaux Grand Cru "Echezeaux du Dessus" from Hoffmann-Jayer comes from one of Burgundy's most storied parcels — a half-hectare of old vines the Jayer-Gilles family bought directly from Domaine de la Romanée-Conti in the early 1960s, and which still produce this wine today. Sitting in the upper, stonier reaches of Echezeaux, right against Grands Echezeaux, the site gives a grand cru of real backbone and mineral drive. The nose is dark and layered, leading with black fruit, violet and peony, then opening with air into sweet spice and a savoury, almost meaty depth.

On the palate the terroir does the talking. There's a pronounced stoniness and length, with very fine tannins and an animating acidity that keeps a rich, medium- to full-bodied Echezeaux feeling light on its feet. The purity here is deliberate: since taking over the cellar, winemaker Alexandre Vernet has pulled back the new oak, worked without SO2 through the long élevage, and bottled without fining or filtration, letting the fruit and the site show through cleanly.

The finish is long and savoury, unwinding through rooty complexity and dark fruit that keeps going well after the sip. This is a wine built to age, and one that rewards patience — a trophy bottle that carries both a Jayer name and DRC-origin vines.

Country/Region: France, Burgundy

Grape Variety: 100% Pinot Noir

Bottle Size: 750ml

Ratings: NA

Best serve at 16 – 18°C

Food pairing: Cantonese roast duck or char siu, whose sweet-savoury glaze meets the silky tannins; well-marbled wagyu; a special-occasion truffle course.