The 2021 Beaune 1er Cru Bressandes is a success for this high-altitude, steeply sloping site characterized by fine, calcium-rich soils (it's so steep that Croix is obliged to cultivate part of it by horse, as tractors are liable to topple over). Mingling aromas of cherries and red berries with scents of orange zest and forest floor, it's medium to full-bodied, ample and satiny, with a layered, tensile profile and a long, mineral finish.

Notes of sweet berry fruit and plums mingling with hints of peony, raw cocoa and orange rind in a complex bouquet introduce Croix's 2019 Beaune 1er Cru Bressandes, a medium to full-bodied, perfumed and satiny wine with a deep core of fruit, lively acids and a chalky, mineral finish. Croix's parcel is located high at the top of the slope, toward the northern limit of this large climat, where the soils contain a high proportion of fine freeze-thaw scree.

Opening in the glass with notes of plums, raspberries and blackcurrants mingled with espresso roast, dark chocolate and rich soil tones, the 2018 Beaune 1er Cru Bressandes is medium to full-bodied, deep and fleshy, with a rich core of fruit, lively acids and fine, chalky tannins. This is one of the more reserved of Croix's Beaune 1er Crus, but also the most promising.

The 2017 Beaune 1er Cru Bressandes is lovely, wafting from the glass with a pretty bouquet of rose petals, dried flowers, warm spices and sweet red berry fruit. On the palate, it's medium to full-bodied, fleshy and succulent, with satiny—even melting—tannins that elegantly frame its lavish core of fruit. This is a supple, gourmand Beaune that will offer a broad drinking window. This gets my nod as Croix's finest Beaune in 2017.