Domaine des Croix Beaune 1er Cru Les Bressandes 2023

Along with Beaune Grèves, this vineyard shares its name with a Grand Cru vineyard on the nearby hill of Corton. It is no coincidence that these two vineyards regularly produce Beaune’s finest wines. David Croix’s vines sit high on the slope above Beaune at 300 metres on a 25-degree incline. It’s steep enough that Croix must cultivate part of it by horse. He is lucky enough to farm 0.88 hectares of mature plots in this legendary terroir, spread across three parcels planted in 1983, 1987 and 1991. All plots face east, on thin, gravelly soils, and have now been farmed organically for over a decade. The fruit was half destemmed and carefully extracted before aging in used casks. Although it has the generous fruit of the year, this overall is a mineral, rocky, earthy wine. A terrific wine to sit with, to sip and meditate. Give it air if drinking young.