Beaune Premier Cru 'Grèves', Domaine Tollot-Beaut, 2022
Beaune Premier Cru 'Grèves', Domaine Tollot-Beaut, 2022
- 75cl
- 13%
- Red Still
- Pinot Noir
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Optimal drinking window: 2026 - 2040
The 2022 Beaune Premier Cru ‘Grèves’ from Domaine Tollot-Beaut is a poised, expressive red Burgundy that shows the balance and structure typical of this classic Beaune site. The Grèves climat, with its warm south-facing slopes and limestone-rich soils, tends to produce wines with vibrant red fruit, fine tannins and a clear mineral line.
It’s a natural partner for dishes with savoury depth - think roasted lamb chops with rosemary and garlic, pork belly sliders with pickled onions, beef bourguignon, or even a mushroom and taleggio tart.
Currently showing its youthful primary fruit character with excellent balance and structure that promises graceful development. Over the next 3-4 years, the red fruit will integrate further with the oak and mineral elements, developing more complex secondary notes of forest floor, leather, and dried flowers. The wine should reach its peak between 2030-2038, when the fruit concentration and earthy complexity will be perfectly balanced.
What the critics say:
"The 2022 Beaune Les Grèves 1er Cru has a little more delineation and Pinoté on the nose than the Clos de Roi. There is a slight earthiness at play here. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins and good tension. More mineralité is at play with a vivid, quite structured finish. This is a superb Grèves from Nathalie Tollot and her team. "
Tasting Notes
AppearanceMedium ruby with bright clarity and a hint of garnet at the rim.
NoseFresh red cherry and wild strawberry leap from the glass, followed by subtle woodland floor and dried rose petals. There's an underlying earthiness that speaks to the limestone soils, plus a whisper of sweet spice that suggests careful oak integration.
PalateMedium-bodied with excellent tension between ripe red fruit and mineral precision. The tannins are fine-grained and well-integrated, providing structure without overwhelming the fruit. A saline minerality builds through the mid-palate, adding complexity and lift.
FinishClean and persistent with lingering cherry fruit and a chalky mineral thread that keeps you reaching for the next sip.
Overall impressionA textbook Grèves that captures both the site's generosity and its mineral backbone with impressive clarity.
Food Pairings
In Burgundy, this would naturally accompany coq au vin made with the same wine, or perhaps a simple roasted chicken with herbs from the garden. Locals might serve it alongside bœuf bourguignon on Sunday lunch, or with the region's famous escargots swimming in garlic butter. The wine's mineral backbone and moderate tannins make it perfect with Époisses cheese, whilst its red fruit character complements wild boar or venison dishes that are popular during autumn hunting season. Even a rustic pâté de campagne with crusty bread would show this wine beautifully.
We think this wine would go well with
Serve at 16-17°C to allow the fruit and mineral complexity to shine without muting the wine's natural freshness. No need to decant unless you want to show off, though 30 minutes of breathing in a large glass will help it open up. Use Burgundy bowls rather than Bordeaux glasses to concentrate the delicate aromatics and capture the wine's elegant character rather than trying to amplify it.
The Grèves climat sits on the warm south-facing slopes of Beaune, where limestone-rich soils are interspersed with red clay and gravel deposits. This privileged exposure allows for excellent ripening whilst the limestone base provides natural drainage and mineral precision. The combination of warmth and mineral structure typically produces wines with generous red fruit character balanced by fine, chalky tannins and a distinctive saline thread that runs through the finish.
Beaune Premier Cru represents some of Burgundy's most reliable and food-friendly reds, sitting between the approachable village wines and the rarefied grands crus. The appellation encompasses 42 premier cru climats on the slopes surrounding the historic town, each with its own character but all sharing Beaune's hallmark elegance and moderate power. Compared to neighbouring Pommard's robust structure or Volnay's silky refinement, Beaune offers the perfect middle ground with wines that combine accessibility with genuine complexity and ageing potential.
The 2022 growing season in Burgundy began with a worryingly dry spring that had vignerons checking soil moisture levels weekly, followed by a summer that alternated between intense heat and welcome rainfall. The vines handled the stress remarkably well, producing smaller berries with concentrated flavours, though yields dropped significantly across both the Côte d'Or and Chablis. Harvest began earlier than usual, with many producers picking in late August under bright skies.
What emerged from the cellars shows a vintage of surprising finesse given the challenging conditions. The Pinot Noirs display vivid fruit and firm tannins without the jammy weight you might expect from a hot year, whilst the Chardonnays retained their mineral backbone alongside ripe stone fruit flavours. We're finding the village-level wines particularly compelling right now, drinking beautifully with just a year or two of bottle age, though the premier and grand crus will reward patience until the late 2020s.
FAQs
What does this Beaune Premier Cru taste like?
Fresh red cherry and strawberry with fine tannins and a distinctive mineral thread from the limestone soils. It's elegant rather than powerful, with excellent balance between fruit and structure.
When should I drink this 2022 vintage?
It's approachable now for those who enjoy primary fruit character, but we'd recommend patience until 2029-2030 when the wine will show greater complexity. It will drink beautifully until 2040.
What food pairs best with this wine?
Classic Burgundian dishes like coq au vin or beef bourguignon are perfect, but it's versatile enough for roasted lamb, pork belly, or even mushroom-based vegetarian dishes. The mineral backbone handles rich, savoury flavours beautifully.
How should I serve this wine?
Serve at 16-17°C in large Burgundy glasses to capture the delicate aromatics. No need to decant, though 30 minutes of breathing will help it open up and show its full character.
Is this wine worth cellaring?
Absolutely. Whilst enjoyable now, this has the structure and balance to reward 5-10 years of patient cellaring. Premier Cru Beaune from good producers like Tollot-Beaut develops beautiful complexity with age.
How does Grèves compare to other Beaune Premier Crus?
Grèves is one of the more structured and mineral-driven Beaune Premier Crus, thanks to its limestone-rich soils and south-facing exposure. It offers more depth than some climats whilst remaining quintessentially elegant and food-friendly.
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