Antoine Lienhardt Cote de Nuits-Villages Les Essards 2023

Drink it now or cellar for up to 15 years. No need to decant but best to open it an hour before service. After years of experience in the world of wine in France and abroad, in 2011 Antoine Lienhardt took over the family business located in Burgundy, between Dijon and Beaune, in the Côte de Nuits, and founded by his great-grandfather in the second half of the 19th century. Joined by his sister Heloise in 2017, Antoine carries on a philosophy of total respect for nature, which has led to the estate being certified organic since 2019. The Pinot Noir grapes are sourced from the plot called Les Essards located in the village of Comblanchien. Here the vines, planted in the 60s, sink their roots into a soil composed of clay and stones on the surface, with deep limestone. After manual harvesting and vinification, the wine rests for 7 months in used barrels. The Cote de Nuits-Villages Les Essards is a mature and complex wine that reveals a broad and fragrant aromatic profile with notes of red fruits and delicate sweet spices followed by floral notes. On the palate, it is well structured and elegant, juicy, and fresh. It has fine, well-integrated tannins and a long, pleasantly fruity finish. It is excellent with rabbit stew or grilled duck breast.

Price: £46.67 from 8wines UK