After four consecutive vintages of small crops in Burgundy, 2022 finally delivered relief. “Beautiful and bountiful,” writes Jasper Morris of the 2022 red Burgundies; “very good wines and plenty of them.” William Kelley calls them “succulent, suave and charming.” Having tasted dozens of them during our spring tasting trip we can entirely agree.
Roger Belland’s wines have always been affordable and accessible, but in recent years they’ve become more serious and more impressive. His reds are still juicy and flat out delicious, but there’s more of interest than before – they’ve dialed back the oak, extended elevage, added whole clusters. The new Belland style is surprising and delicious.
Belland’s 2022 Maranges 1er cru “Fussiere” is excellent, and provides real value. The rustic character of Maranges is perfectly channeled into a dense core with an attractive texture. The fruits are plum and cherry, with approachable tannins and a dollop of inky dark fruit. Bring this to a summer afternoon picnic.
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Belland Maranges 1er “Fussière” 2022
bottle price: $38
