2022 Jean-Marc Pavelot Chorey-les-Beaune Les Beaumonts, Burgundy

The 2022 Chorey-lès-Beaune Les Beaumonts has a lifted, red-fruited nose with red cherries and crushed strawberry fruit, quite exuberant in style, though not showy. The palate is medium-bodied with smooth tannins. A very polished Chorley-lès-Beaune with a sensual, persistent finish. Excellent. Drink: 2024 - 2033.

90-92 points Neal Martin, Vinous Nov 2023

Chorey lès Beaune rarely grabs the headlines in Burgundy, though wines like this are exactly why savvy Burgundy drinkers keep coming back to the appellation. Jean Marc Pavelot has built a reputation for honest, terroir driven Pinot Noir that favours purity and balance over flashy winemaking, and Les Beaumonts shows just how compelling these lesser known villages can be. Domaine Pavelot remains family run and deeply rooted in the Côte de Beaune, producing wines that consistently deliver character and value in equal measure.

The 2022 vintage is bright, supple and wonderfully inviting. Juicy red cherry, wild strawberry and raspberry fruit sit alongside hints of violets, baking spice and gentle earthy complexity. There is a lovely freshness running through the wine, keeping the ripe fruit lively and energetic rather than heavy. Fine tannins give shape without hardness, while subtle oak adds a touch of warmth and texture in the background. As the wine opens, notes of forest floor, dried herbs and tea leaf begin to emerge, adding another layer of Burgundian charm.

This is the kind of Pinot Noir that works beautifully at the table without demanding too much ceremony. Roast chicken with crispy skin, duck rillettes or mushroom tart would all be excellent matches. It would also be superb slightly cool with charcuterie, pâté and good crusty bread on a relaxed evening with friends. Delicious in its youth for the vibrant fruit and silky texture, though it will happily gain more savoury complexity over the next 5 to 7 years.