Chorey-lès-Beaune, Domaine Tollot-Beaut, 2021
Chorey-lès-Beaune, Domaine Tollot-Beaut, 2021
- 75cl
- 13%
- Red Still
- Pinot Noir
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Optimal drinking window: 2026 - 2035
Chorey-lès-Beaune has a reputation for sturdy, spice-tinged reds — plenty of muscle, a touch of earth and that classic woodland berry character.
At Domaine Tollot-Beaut, that natural robustness is still there, but it’s refined. They smooth out the edges, giving the wine a velvety texture and a more polished feel, while keeping the mineral freshness that stops it from ever feeling heavy. There’s generous fruit, but it’s handled with care and precision.
The domaine is based in Chorey itself, which perhaps explains why it flies a little under the radar — and why it continues to offer such strong value. Don’t mistake that low profile for lack of quality. Farming is thoughtful and hands-on: no fertilisers, low yields and hand harvesting throughout. The result is honest, beautifully made Burgundy with real character and integrity.
The 2021 vintage gave Burgundy wines good natural acidity and energy, and this Chorey is already showing well — the fruit is expressive and the texture inviting enough to enjoy now without any guilt. Over the next two to three years the primary cherry and earth character will start to knit together more seamlessly, gaining a little complexity and perhaps a subtle mushroom note. By 2028-2032 it will be at its most interesting, with secondary savoury depth emerging alongside the fruit.
Tasting Notes
AppearanceClear, mid ruby with a slightly translucent rim — classic 2021 Burgundy in colour.
NoseDark cherry, wild strawberry, and a thread of dried earth and dried herbs underneath. There's a faint woodsmoke quality that gives it that characteristic Chorey depth, and the oak is well-integrated, present but not shouting. It opens up nicely with a little air.
PalateMedium-bodied with a silky texture that is very much Tollot-Beaut's signature — they smooth the rougher edges the appellation can throw up. The fruit is ripe and generous, pulled into focus by a clean mineral line and tannins that are supple rather than grippy. Good freshness through the mid-palate keeps it lively.
FinishPersistent and pleasantly savoury, with a faint spice and iron note that lingers without overstaying.
Overall impressionA quietly confident village Burgundy that punches well above its appellation's reputation.
Food Pairings
In Burgundy, this is the sort of wine that appears alongside a proper Sunday lunch — poulet de Bresse roasted with tarragon and butter, or a slow-braised boeuf bourguignon where the wine in the glass and the wine in the pot are essentially cousins. Locally, you'd also find it paired with a platter of jambon persillé, the region's celebrated parslied ham terrine, which has just enough richness to meet the wine's fruit and just enough acidity to keep things moving. A simple roast duck with cherry sauce is another natural match. Stronger cheeses from the region — Époisses being the famous example — can work if you're feeling adventurous, though we'd probably keep those for a slightly older bottle.
We think this wine would go well with
Serve at around 15-16°C — a slight chill does this wine a favour and keeps the fruit precise rather than jammy. A short decant of 20-30 minutes will open it up nicely, though it's not demanding. A standard Burgundy or Pinot Noir bowl, with enough width to let the more delicate aromatics develop, is the right call here.
The Chorey-lès-Beaune vineyards sit predominantly on the flat plain east of the Beaune hillside, on alluvial and clay-limestone soils that drain reasonably well but retain enough moisture to give generous fruit. The elevation is low compared to the Côte de Beaune proper, which partly explains the rounder, more approachable character of wines from this village. What the land lacks in slope it compensates for in consistent ripeness and a particular mineral undercurrent that Tollot-Beaut's careful farming draws out reliably.
Chorey-lès-Beaune is a village appellation in the Côte de Beaune, flanking the N74 to the north of Beaune with no Premier Cru vineyards to its name — which is precisely why it offers such honest value in a region where prestige drives price. The wines are exclusively red, from Pinot Noir, and tend toward a medium-bodied, spice-inflected style with an earthy warmth that sets them apart from the more floral, precise character of neighbours like Savigny-lès-Beaune. Rules are those of standard Bourgogne rouge production: hand or mechanical harvest, maximum yields around 40 hl/ha in practice for serious producers, and ageing in oak varying by house. It's an appellation that rewards knowing where to look.
The 2021 growing season in Burgundy started badly and got worse before pulling off one of wine's great escapes. Spring frost in April devastated vineyards across the Côte d'Or, followed by a summer that alternated between biblical downpours and scorching heat. Many producers lost 50% or more of their crop to the frost alone, then watched hail batter what remained in some unlucky villages. By August, with rot creeping through rain-soaked vineyards, even the most optimistic vignerons were writing off the vintage.
What emerged from this chaos surprised everyone: wines with remarkable freshness and purity, if you can find them. The tiny yields meant those grapes that survived were intensely concentrated, while the September sunshine saved the day with perfect ripening conditions. We find the reds show beautiful fruit clarity without heaviness, drinking with an immediacy that makes them irresistible now but promising a decade or more of evolution. The whites are particularly stunning, with a mineral intensity that cuts through their richness. Yes, there's not much 2021 Burgundy about, and yes, it's expensive, but this is one of those vintages where disaster bred greatness.
FAQs
What does this Chorey-lès-Beaune taste like?
It's a medium-bodied Pinot Noir with dark cherry, wild strawberry, and a thread of earth and dried herbs. Tollot-Beaut give it a silky texture and a clean mineral freshness that makes it feel more polished than most wines from this village. There's a faint spice on the finish that is very much a Chorey signature.
When is the best time to drink this wine?
It's drinking well now. The 2021 vintage has good energy and the wine is approachable already, but give it another year or two and something a little more interesting starts to emerge.
What food should I pair with this wine?
It's a natural partner for roast chicken, duck, or a slow-braised beef dish. Burgundian classics like boeuf bourguignon or jambon persillé are the obvious local choices. If you're keeping it simple, a good roast with herbs and roasting juices is more than enough.
How should I serve it?
Slightly cooler than most reds — around 15-16°C is ideal. A short decant of 20-30 minutes will open the wine up nicely. Use a standard Burgundy or Pinot Noir bowl for best results.
Is Tollot-Beaut a reliable producer?
They are widely considered the benchmark producer in Chorey-lès-Beaune, with roots in the village going back to 1880. Farming is hands-on and thoughtful, with no synthetic fertilisers and low yields throughout. Year after year they make some of the most honest and consistent wines in the village.
Is Chorey-lès-Beaune worth buying, or should I spend up on a Premier Cru?
For everyday Burgundy drinking, Chorey-lès-Beaune is one of the best-value appellations on the Côte de Beaune. It has no Premier Cru vineyards, which keeps prices sensible, and in the hands of a producer like Tollot-Beaut the quality is genuinely impressive for the money. If you want a special occasion wine to cellar for fifteen years, look elsewhere — but for honest, characterful Burgundy to drink with supper, this is hard to beat.
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