Arnaud Baillot is a bit of an anomaly in Burgundy – he has no family connection to wine or the region, and has only been making wine for six years. His wife Laure is of a storied Burgundian family (Hudelot-Noëllat), but they have short winemaking experience and almost zero reviews. We met him in a bar in Beaune last spring, and he invited us to come by to taste. And since a hidden gem is the perpetual pursuit of all importers, we squeezed an appointment in late in the afternoon of our final tasting day this spring.
We’re certainly glad we did. Baillot is a talented, thoughtful winemaker with excellent instincts and impressive resources. He makes wine from a wide array of plots around the Côte d’Or, some farmed himself, some from carefully purchased grapes. We bought three of his delicious 2022 reds last fall, and they’ve already made many friends at warehouse tastings – chief among them his humble, delicious Bourgogne Côte d’Or.
This cuvée is lively, tasty, and eager to be drunk. The strawberry/cherry fruit is perfectly extracted, giving floral notes of violets and roses. It’s fully destemmed, from vines near Pommard and Volnay, and shows persistence and depth without sacrificing elegance. At just 10% new oak, this is a lithe, modern red Burgundy bursting with vibrancy and real style. In short, we think Baillot has the makings of a star – but don’t take our word for it…
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Baillot Bourgogne Côte d’Or 2022
bottle price: $38
