2023 Domaine Lucien Muzard Santenay Vieilles Vignes, Burgundy

A third of the cuvee is in a new foudre, the rest in barrel. Just a touch of whole bunch, which helps lift the nose. A bright ruby purple. There is a significant volume of fruit here, sumptuous even, not too marked by the new wood, in a different league from the Maranges. Very good. Drink from 2026-2029. Tasted Oct 2024.

89-92 points Jasper Morris MW, Inside Burgundy

Domaine Lucien Muzard is one of Santenay's most respected family estates, with brothers Claude and Hervé Muzard continuing generations of traditional Burgundian winemaking. Their Vieilles Vignes is sourced from mature vines that naturally produce lower yields, resulting in a wine of greater concentration, complexity and site expression. It is a wonderful expression of Santenay, combining old-vine intensity with the elegance that defines the Côte de Beaune.

The 2023 vintage delivered beautifully balanced fruit, with warm days and cool nights encouraging exceptional flavour development while preserving freshness and aromatic lift. Careful vineyard management and restrained oak maturation allow the old-vine character and limestone-rich soils to shine, producing a wine of purity, structure and finesse.

Bright ruby with crimson highlights, the bouquet reveals aromas of wild cherry, raspberry and redcurrant layered with rose petals, warm spice and subtle forest floor notes. As the wine evolves, hints of crushed stone, fine cedar and earthy complexity emerge, adding depth and intrigue. The palate is silky and beautifully structured, balancing vibrant red berry fruit with fine tannins, lively acidity and a graceful mineral thread. Long, elegant and wonderfully persistent, the finish lingers with savoury spice and refined balance.

A superb partner for roast duck, grilled quail, mushroom pithivier, herb roasted chicken or mature washed rind cheeses. Delicious in its youth yet capable of graceful evolution, this expressive old-vine Santenay will continue to reward careful cellaring.

Cellaring: Drink now to 2036.