The 2015 Beaune 1er Cru Greves is more earthy and masculine on the nose than the Clos du Roi, hints of grey slate percolating through the veneer of red berry fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, though it is structured and linear, refusing to fan out on the finish at this early stage. Built for the long-term, don't hesitate from cellaring this Beaune for a few years. This is another impressive 2015 from Chorey's best grower.

Tasted blind at the Burgfest 2014 tasting, the 2014 Beaune 1er Cru Les Grèves by Tollot-Beaut has a lovely cranberry and wild strawberry nose with just a hint of soy. The palate is very composed with a fine line of acidity, supple tannin and disarming and vibrant red fruit with a tart finish that gets the taste buds all excited. This has great promise, conveying the vineyard with style and panache. I never tasted this from barrel due to reduction at the time, but here it seems to have turned out better than the domaine's Clos du Roi. Tasted September 2017.

The 2013 Beaune 1er Cru Grèves was actually picked before the vendangeurs began on October 2 by the domaine’s employees. The vines had been damaged by hail and so they wanted to pick carefully to maintain the quality. Also, readers should note that this is the first, and thus far only time that the domaine has used whole-bunch fruit. The nose is nicely defined with blackberry, briary and just a touch of mocha from the 50% new wood. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy blackberry fruit, though the oak is quite pronounced on the finish and shaves off some of the terroir expression. Hopefully, that will be absorbed with time in bottle.

Tasted blind at the Burgundy 2011 horizontal tasting in Beaune. The Beaune 1er Cru Grèves 2011 from Tollot-Beaut was showing some reduction on the nose at first with a tinge of burnt rubber besmirching the dark berry fruit. Returning after ten minutes the aromatics are beginning to “motor” and develop an arresting sense of mineralité. The palate is medium-bodied with quite dry, what you might call “stringy” tannins, sour cherry and black pepper appearing on the saline finish. It seems to lack harmony and persistence initially, but ameliorates with aeration and emerges butterfly-like with grace, tension and sophistication.

The medium to dark ruby-colored 1999 Beaune Greves has beautiful blackberry, spice, herb, and cassis aromas. Medium-bodied and juicy, it is crammed with black currant liqueur, freshly laid asphalt, blackberries, and black cherries. Its firm backbone is composed of sweet, fine tannin. Anticipated maturity: 2004-2009. Importer: Seagram Chateau and Estate Wines Company, New York, NY; tel. (212) 572-7725.