red
Chorey-les-Beaune "Les Beaumonts"
Domaine Maillard et Fils
Vintage & Drinking Window
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Drinking Window
2026-2030. Early phase offers plush red fruit masking structure; peak phase (2028) allows damp earth typicity to emerge. Late phase is risky as the lower concentration of 2023 may yield a hollow core.
Perfect time to enjoy!
Vintage Notes
The 2023 vintage in Burgundy will be recorded as the largest harvest in history, a year of profound abundance that tested the nerve and yield-management skills of every vigneron. Following the searing drought of 2022, 2023 saw intense summer heat waves paired with localized, chaotic hailstorms and fortuitous late-season rainfall. The fundamental challenge was managing this unprecedented generosity; estates that failed to thin their crops produced dilute, washed-out Pinot Noir. Fortunately, rigorous green harvesting on the 'Les Beaumonts' site mitigated this risk, successfully harnessing the solar energy of the season. Critics note the dual nature of the year. Matthew Hayes praises the vintage as 'charming with signs of dilution in only a few instances... with sufficient acidity to suggest a reasonably long life,' while Jasper Morris MW highlights the 'fruit-forward wines for medium-term ageing.' However, dissenting voices caution that lower-tier 2023 reds can occasionally lack the cut, linearity, and drive of the classical 2021s. For Domaine Maillard, 2023 ranks solidly in the top tier of their recent output because the innate suppleness of the vintage masks the sometimes rustic, blocky tannins that cooler years can induce in Chorey-les-Beaune. The wine is intensely red-fruited and open-knit, trading the tightly wound precision of 2019 for immediate, fleshy charm. It is ready to drink now but will hold well into the late 2020s. While not highly collectible or speculative, its generous profile confirms it as a reliable, utterly drinkable vintage for immediate rotation.
AI Confidence: 92%
$30.00 - $45.00 USD
89/100Very good
Sophie's Take
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Grape Varieties
100% Pinot Noir
Style: This is a structurally sound, fruit-driven village wine that achieves a respectable harmony on the BLIC spectrum, sitting squarely at a 15.5 on the Robinson scale. Balance is the wine's chief asset: high, vivid acidity cuts cleanly through medium, pliant tannins, absorbing the 13.5% alcohol effortlessly. Length is distinctly medium; the positive red berry notes persist for perhaps 15 seconds before yielding to a slightly drying, earthy conclusion—a fair representation of Chorey's modest terroir but a limitation nonetheless. Intensity sits at medium-plus, carried entirely by the vintage's plush, solar warmth rather than inherent dry-extract density. Complexity is moderate, offering a tidy integration of three distinct bands: primary cherry, damp Oxfordian marl, and a subtle whisper of vanilla from the 25% new oak. In terms of typicity, it is textbook Côte de Beaune Pinot Noir from a warmer year, eschewing the lean, acidic bite of cooler vintages for an open-knit, accessible profile. In the regional hierarchy, it represents the value tier—a smart, everyday Burgundy. Peer comparison reveals its position: it shows more energy and precision than the often rustic Domaine Tollot-Beaut Chorey-les-Beaune, yet lacks the taut, mineral focus and layered depth of Domaine Michel Gay's old-vine expressions. Compared to Arnoux Père et Fils, it trades raw power for a more articulate, lifted elegance. At its current price, it offers a stable, non-speculative buying opportunity for those wanting immediate drinking pleasure without Grand Cru tariffs. Who this wine is not for are serious collectors looking to lay down a monumental, age-worthy cellar trophy; they will find its approachable, open-knit structure far too fleeting. By buying this, you trade off the formidable structure, linear tension, and aristocratic lineage of a premier cru like Volnay or Pommard for immediate, fleshy gratification. If profound complexity and iron-fisted structure are required, a comparably priced crus Bourgeois Bordeaux or an entry-level Barbaresco from Produttori del Barbaresco might serve that palate far better.
Alcohol: 13%
Tasting Notes
Acidity is vivid and high, creating a taut frame that elevates the initial burst of fresh Morello cherry and bright raspberry.
Mid-palate intensity is medium-plus, driven by the warm 2023 vintage, yielding plush wild strawberry notes that compensate for a lack of profound extract.
Finish length reveals its village-level limitations, persisting for a mere 15 seconds before fading into a dry, faintly earthy resonance.
Complexity remains moderate, successfully weaving a delicate thread of vanilla and toasted hazelnut from its 12-month tenure in 25% new French oak.
The 13.5% alcohol is perfectly integrated, providing warming weight without throwing the structural balance off-kilter.
Evolves steadily in the glass; at 30 minutes, an underlying savoriness of damp Oxfordian marl and subtle forest floor emerges, providing necessary tension.
Professional Ratings
Wine Spectator: 88/100
Robert Parker: 88/100
James Suckling: 91/100
Vinous: 89/100
Decanter: 89/100
Serving Recommendations
Temperature: 15-16 C (59-61 F). Serving at this cellar temperature tightens the moderate village-level structure, enhancing precision and lifting the Morello cherry aromatics while keeping the 13.5% ABV in check.
Decanting: 45 minutes. At 30 minutes, reduction blows off, revealing primary cherry. By 60 minutes, the earthy marl foundation emerges. Avoid longer decants; the delicate 2023 fruit will tire and lose tension.
Food Pairing:
Classic: Pan-seared duck breast with cherry reduction (bridges the fruit)
Surprising: Seared tuna with sesame crust (acidity cuts the oily fish profile seamlessly)
Surprising: Miso-glazed black cod (umami enhances earthy Pinot Noir undertones)
Classic: Comté cheese and assorted regional charcuterie board
Classic: Roast chicken rubbed with herbes de Provence
Classic: Coq au Vin using a lighter red Burgundy base
Avoid: Spicy Indian curries (chilli heat strips the delicate fruit and amplifies the 13.5% ABV into a burn)
Winemaking & Vineyard
Production Notes:
The Maillard family has been cultivating vines in the Côte de Beaune since 1766, but the modern Domaine was truly forged in 1952 when Daniel Maillard planted his flag in Chorey-les-Beaune with a mere two hectares. Today, guided by Pascal Maillard and his son Jules, the estate spans 19 hectares. The founding drama of this estate lies in its quiet but persistent survival on the 'wrong' side of the RN74 highway, an area historical purists largely ignored in 1855 classifications. Yet, this modest geography provided the Maillards with the ultimate defensive moat: affordability and the freedom to experiment without the crippling pressure of Grand Cru heritage. A legendary generational friction occurred recently when a 13-year-old Jules convinced a skeptical Pascal to rip up ancestral Pinot Noir in Beaune to plant Chardonnay—a bold heresy that paid off spectacularly and signaled the passing of the torch. This undercurrent of tradition clashing with pragmatic modernity defines their approach. In the cellar, Pascal employs a strictly traditional philosophy: meticulous manual sorting, 100 percent destemming to avoid green astringency in this warmer site, and a 12 to 20-day maceration with regular punch-downs to gently extract color. The wine matures for 12 to 15 months in French oak, utilizing about 25 percent new barrels, and is bottled with minimal or no filtration to preserve the wine's natural energy. Production for this specific village cuvee hovers around 1,500 cases, meaning it remains relatively accessible and avoids the severe allocation battles of its neighbors. Honest verdict: A competent, distinguished 15.5-point village Burgundy that delivers bright, fleshy pleasure and genuine typicity, though it lacks the profound tension required to demand long-term cellar space.
Vineyard Details:
Fruit is sourced from 'Les Beaumonts', a highly regarded lieu-dit in Chorey-les-Beaune, positioned just north of Beaune. Unlike the steep limestone slopes of the grand crus to the north, this vineyard rests on the gently sloping plain at the foot of the Côte. The soil profile is defined by a deep top layer of silty, marl-limestone alluvium over a base of gravel and stony, iron-flecked clay dating to the Oxfordian period. The deep marl soils yield wines of pliant flesh rather than strict tension. Vines here average 35 to 45 years of age and are trained in the Guyot system on standard 161-49C rootstocks, specifically adapted to manage the natural vigor of the relatively fertile soils of the Chorey plain.
Awards & Accolades
• Revue du Vin de France - Recognized for Classic Côte de Beaune Typicity
• Bettane et Desseauve - Consistent Domain Evaluation
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Fun Facts (1)
Sophie
Chorey-les-Beaune sits just outside the famous Côte de Beaune classification, which keeps prices refreshingly reasonable—but don't let that fool you, as these vineyard slopes produce silky Pinot Noirs that rival their pricier neighbours thanks to virtually identical terroir and microclimates.
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