Bourgogne Passetoutgrain Vieilles Vignes AOC 2023

A light-footed red aiming for juiciness and clarity rather than weight: red cherry, raspberry and redcurrant, with violet and a fine spiciness. At 12.5% vol., a wine made for the table.

Domaine Bruno Clavelier sits on the edge of Vosne-Romanée on the Route Nationale, in an unassuming building without a sign. Its 6.5 hectares are spread across Vosne-Romanée, Chambolle-Musigny, Gevrey-Chambertin, Nuits-Saint-Georges and Aloxe-Corton. The vines root in limestone subsoil; most were planted in the 1930s and 1940s, with the oldest over 80 years old and naturally low-yielding. Every wine from the estate carries the Vieilles Vignes designation, a nod to the heritage that Joseph Brosson rebuilt starting in 1935.

Pinot Noir provides structure and finesse, Gamay the fresh fruit. In the cellar, Clavelier ferments with indigenous yeasts in open, conical oak vats, punches down the cap by hand, and ages the wines in barrels from Tronçais and Allier, only a third of them new. "I'm not looking for colour or tannin," he says; he's looking for transparency and terroir.

Lithe and nimble, with fine tannin, crisp acidity and a clean, refreshing finish.

With charcuterie and pâté en croûte, with coq au vin, bœuf bourguignon or roast poultry, and equally well with lentil dishes, mushroom tart and goat cheese. Serve lightly chilled at 14 to 16 °C.

The estate has been organic-certified (Ecocert) since 1999, and the label states biodynamic farming. Each climat is vinified separately, around 15 wines per vintage.