Beaune 'Les Blanches Fleurs', Domaine Tollot-Beaut, 2021
Beaune 'Les Blanches Fleurs', Domaine Tollot-Beaut, 2021
- 75cl
- 13%
- Red Still
- Pinot Noir
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Optimal drinking window: Now - 2035
Lying just to the north of the Beaune premier cru of Clos Du Roi, Domaine Tollot-Beaut's Les Blanches Fleurs is one of the classiest Beaune wines you're liable to find, despite not being a premier cru vineyard.
It's generous, well fruited and with the typical Tollot-Beaut touch that just exudes class.
Right now, Les Blanches Fleurs 2021 is in a generous and open phase, the primary red fruit vivid and the structure easy to enjoy without any coaxing. Over the next two to three years the wine will begin to knit together more fully, the fruit deepening from bright cherry towards something darker and more autumnal. By around 2028 to 2030 it should hit a real sweet spot, with secondary earthy complexity beginning to emerge alongside the fruit. There is no rush, but equally no reason to wait if the mood takes you.
Tasting Notes
AppearanceBright, clear ruby with a warm crimson hue and a lively, youthful rim.
NoseRipe red cherry and wild strawberry sit at the centre, with a gentle waft of violet and dried rose petal lifting the whole thing. There is a subtle earthy quality underneath, like damp forest floor after rain, that gives it real Burgundian identity without being heavy-handed.
PalateMedium-bodied and precise, with that generous, well-fruited character that Tollot-Beaut reliably delivers. The tannins are fine-grained and polished, the acidity nicely poised, and there is a quiet but confident structure underneath the supple red fruit. 2021 brought a freshness and tension that this wine wears particularly well.
FinishClean, persistent, and lifted, with a mineral pull at the end that keeps you coming back for another sip.
Overall impressionVillage Beaune that drinks like it knows it belongs somewhere rather more grand.
Food Pairings
In Beaune itself, a wine like this would almost certainly find itself across the table from a classic Burgundian coq au vin, slow-cooked until the sauce is silky and deeply savoury. The locals would equally pour it alongside an oeufs en meurette, those poached eggs in a rich red wine reduction that is one of the region's great unsung dishes. A simple roast guinea fowl with thyme jus is another natural match, as is a plate of Époisses or Comté at the end of a meal. Nothing too elaborate: this is a wine that rewards honest, well-made food rather than elaborate fine dining.
We think this wine would go well with
Serve at around 15-16°C, which means giving it 20 minutes out of a cool cellar before pouring. A brief decant of 30 minutes will open it up nicely, softening any initial reticence and letting the fruit breathe. A mid-sized Burgundy bowl is ideal, giving the aromatics room to develop without dissipating them. No need to overthink it.
Les Blanches Fleurs sits just north of the premier cru Clos du Roi on the slopes above Beaune itself. The soils here are a mix of limestone and clay over the classic Jurassic bedrock of the Côte de Beaune, giving the wine that characteristic combination of red fruit generosity and a firm, mineral backbone. The gentle east-facing aspect ensures good morning sun without the risk of over-ripening, which helps preserve freshness even in warmer vintages like 2021. It is not a premier cru, but the ground tells a different story.
Beaune is the beating heart of the Côte de Beaune and produces a remarkable range of red Burgundy, with over 40 classified premier cru vineyards but also a clutch of excellent village-level plots like Les Blanches Fleurs that punch well above their appellation status. The wines are typically more accessible and open-knit than those from Pommard to the south or Volnay to the north, with an elegance and charm that makes them among the most food-friendly reds in the Côte d'Or. Rules are straightforward: Pinot Noir for reds, a maximum yield of around 40 hectolitres per hectare, and a minimum alcohol of 10.5%. At their best, Beaune reds offer some of the most honest and rewarding Burgundy drinking at a sensible price.
The 2021 growing season in Burgundy started badly and got worse before pulling off one of wine's great escapes. Spring frost in April devastated vineyards across the Côte d'Or, followed by a summer that alternated between biblical downpours and scorching heat. Many producers lost 50% or more of their crop to the frost alone, then watched hail batter what remained in some unlucky villages. By August, with rot creeping through rain-soaked vineyards, even the most optimistic vignerons were writing off the vintage.
What emerged from this chaos surprised everyone: wines with remarkable freshness and purity, if you can find them. The tiny yields meant those grapes that survived were intensely concentrated, while the September sunshine saved the day with perfect ripening conditions. We find the reds show beautiful fruit clarity without heaviness, drinking with an immediacy that makes them irresistible now but promising a decade or more of evolution. The whites are particularly stunning, with a mineral intensity that cuts through their richness. Yes, there's not much 2021 Burgundy about, and yes, it's expensive, but this is one of those vintages where disaster bred greatness.
FAQs
What does Tollot-Beaut's Les Blanches Fleurs taste like?
Think ripe red cherry and wild strawberry with a lifted floral quality, backed by fine-grained tannins and a clean mineral finish. It is generous and well-fruited in the classic Tollot-Beaut style, with the freshness and precision that 2021 brings to everything it touches.
Is this a premier cru Burgundy?
No, Les Blanches Fleurs is a village-level Beaune, not a premier cru. But do not let that put you off. The vineyard sits immediately north of the premier cru Clos du Roi and the quality here regularly outpaces its classification. Think of it as one of Burgundy's better-kept open secrets.
When should I drink this wine?
It is already very approachable and drinking well now, making it an excellent option if you want to open something tonight. That said, it will genuinely reward a few more years in the cellar, hitting its stride somewhere around 2028 to 2030 and holding well until around 2032.
What food should I serve with this?
Classic Burgundian cooking is the answer: coq au vin, roast guinea fowl, oeufs en meurette, or a good Comté. The wine's balance of fruit and earthy depth makes it versatile at the table. Avoid anything too rich or heavily spiced, which would overwhelm its elegance.
How should I serve this wine?
Serve at around 15-16°C and give it a short decant of 30 minutes or so. A classic Burgundy bowl works well, giving the nose room to open up. If you are pulling it from a cold cellar, leave it out for 20 minutes first.
Is this good value for a Burgundy?
Yes, genuinely. Village Beaune from a producer of Tollot-Beaut's standing is one of the more honest value propositions on the Côte de Beaune, especially compared to the premier cru prices that have climbed steeply in recent years. You are getting serious winemaking and a fine vineyard without the premium that a premier cru label commands.
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