Domaine des Croix Saint-Romain Combe Bazin 2020

"A genuine prodigy, David Croix was recruited to head up the historic Beaune négociant Camille Giroud at the tender age of 24—a serious gig for so young a winemaker. Even then, Croix had earned a reputation as a conscientious and shrewd wine mind beyond his years. Today, he manages an artisanal, eight-hectare domaine widely credited with helping put Beaune back on the fine wine map. Simply put, he is one of his generation’s brightest talents.

If Burgundy is a test bed for progression in France, Croix is at the forefront. For now, his 2021s are outstanding. The reds are long, classy, and full of fruit and energy. This year, we also have the Beaune village and Beaune 1er Cru Pertuisots (from a terroir that Croix rates as Beaune ‘Grand Cru’). As you might expect from someone once headhunted by Jean-Marc Roulot, the two 2021 whites are equally terrific. And do we need to highlight the prices? Wines with this kind of quality/p

"The grapes are lightly crushed, followed by a gentle, three-hour press and the wine then ferments (wild) and ages for one year on lees in used 500-litre barrels before another six months in concrete. Croix notes that the archetypal Combe Bazin is a Saint-Romain that “fills out the palate”, and that is exactly what you get here: generosity balanced with juicy freshness and coolness from the terroir’s shallow limestone soils and high altitude. A bargain."