Savigny-lès-Beaune Premier Cru 'Aux Vergelesses', Jane Eyre, 2020
Savigny-lès-Beaune Premier Cru 'Aux Vergelesses', Jane Eyre, 2020
- 75cl
- 13%
- Red Still
- Pinot Noir
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Optimal drinking window: Now - 2040
Whether crafting wines from the Côte-d'Or, Beaujolais, or her native Victoria, Jane's wines exude her distinct style—delicate and inviting, adorned with supple tannins and vibrant, luscious fruits. Through gentle extraction techniques, thoughtful oak usage, and early bottling, Jane has created Burgundies that are accessible and appealing even in their early stages.
2020 was a warm, generous vintage, and here that sunshine is held in check by the cool, north-facing character of Vergelesses itself.
Expect a wine that's perfumed and precise rather than plush, red cherry and wild strawberry laced with something more savoury, iron filings and crushed stone beneath. The tannins are fine rather than forceful, the acidity keeps everything honest, and there's real length for a wine at this level.
Right now the wine is still finding its feet, with bright primary fruit leading and the savoury, stony elements playing a supporting role. Give it until 2028 or so and those elements will start to swap places, the fruit settling back as earthier, more savoury notes take over. By the early 2030s expect a wine in full stride, textural and complete, before a slow, graceful decline sets in from around 2036. There's no rush here, but no reason to wait a decade either.
What the critics say:
"Elegant and perfumed, with somewhat pronounced aromas of plum and violets, underscored by an earthy, smoky quality. The texture is silky and the finish relatively long. The fruit was sourced from a southeast-facing parcel located mid-slope in the centre of the vineyard in Les Vergelesses, looking over to the hill of Corton. The grapes were fermented with 30% whole clusters and aged in 350-litre barrels."
"The vineyard is located in the upper part of this famous parcel on an east-facing slope looking over to the hill of Corton. 30% whole bunch, 25% new oak. Just bottled. Good drive and tension with very pure fruit flavours: violets and a hint of mushrooms. I can't see how any modern burgundy lover would be disappointed by this subtle, beautifully balanced wine that is already drinking beautifully. I may be under-scoring it… It may not last forever but it is pretty impressive on the finish."
Tasting Notes
AppearancePale to medium ruby, bright at the rim, with the translucency typical of good Pinot Noir.
NoseRed cherry, wild strawberry and redcurrant sit alongside crushed stone and a faint iron tang. There's a savoury, almost herbal lift beneath the fruit, with judicious oak offering a whisper of spice rather than anything louder.
PalateLithe and precise, the fruit arriving first before giving way to a firmer, mineral-driven mid-palate. Tannins are fine and well-integrated, acidity bright without being sharp, and the warmth of the vintage shows as generosity of fruit rather than weight.
FinishLong, cool and saline, with the red fruit fading into something closer to stone.
Overall impressionA Savigny with real backbone, built to reward a few years in the cellar.
Food Pairings
In Savigny and the villages around Beaune, this is the wine for jambon persillé or a simple roast chicken with wild mushrooms gathered from the Hautes-Côtes. Coq au vin made properly, with a good Burgundian bird, suits it just as well. Locals would reach for it with a wedge of Époisses too, though that's a pairing best attempted with the windows open. Earthy, umami-rich dishes are the key, nothing too rich or too sweet to drown out the wine's savoury edge.
We think this wine would go well with
Serve at 15-16°C, a touch cooler than room temperature, to keep the fruit lifted and the structure in focus. A short decant of 20-30 minutes will open it up nicely if drinking young, though it's not essential given the wine's inherent freshness. A classic Burgundy glass, wide-bowled, will do the aromatics every favour.
Aux Vergelesses sits on the Savigny side of the famous Corton hill, its soils a mix of limestone scree and marl that drain well but hold just enough moisture to see the vines through a hot summer. The north-facing aspect keeps things cooler than much of the Côte de Beaune, lending the wines a lifted, mineral edge even in ripe vintages like 2020. It's long been regarded as one of Savigny's two standout climats, with a structure closer to Pernand or Beaune than to the village's softer, more fruit-forward sites.
Savigny-lés-Beaune Premier Cru sits just north of Beaune itself, a village whose wines have historically traded at a discount to its grander neighbours despite real quality at the top end. Vergelesses and Les Lavières are its two most celebrated Premier Cru climats, both capable of a tension and savoury depth that belies the appellation's modest reputation. It remains one of the Côte de Beaune's better-value entry points into serious, age-worthy red Burgundy.
We'll be honest: 2020 in Burgundy was a vintage that kept everyone on their toes. A warm, dry spring brought early budbreak, then summer turned properly scorching with temperatures hitting 40°C in August. The saving grace came from perfectly timed August rains that rescued the vines from serious drought stress, followed by ideal September weather that allowed for unhurried picking. Yields were mercifully normal after several years of frost-ravaged harvests, and crucially, the heat never tipped into the jammy territory that can plague warmer vintages here.
What emerged were wines with surprising freshness despite the heat, showing ripe fruit balanced by good acidity and lovely mineral precision. The reds have more immediate charm than the structured 2019s, with silky tannins and generous Pinot Noir character, whilst the whites display beautiful richness without losing that crystalline Burgundian tension we adore. This isn't a legendary vintage like 2005 or 2010, but it's thoroughly delicious and more approachable in youth than many Burgundy vintages. The village wines are drinking beautifully now, Premier Crus are just hitting their stride, and the Grands Crus will reward patience for another five to ten years.
FAQs
What does this wine taste like?
Perfumed red cherry and wild strawberry with a savoury, stony undertow, fine tannins and a long, saline finish.
When should I drink this wine?
It's best from 2025, with plenty of life until 2040 for those happy to wait.
What food should I pair it with?
Roast chicken, jambon persillé, or a proper coq au vin all suit it well, as does good Époisses if you're feeling bold.
How should I serve it?
Serve at 15-16°C in a Burgundy glass, with a short 20-30 minute decant if drinking now.
Is this wine worth cellaring?
Yes. Vergelesses is one of Savigny's best sites, and this has the structure to reward several more years in the cellar.
What makes this producer unusual?
Jane Eyre is an Australian winemaker working as a micro-négociant in Burgundy, a rare and quietly impressive thing to pull off.
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