Savigny-Lès-Beaune 'Les Bas Liards', Pierre Meurgey, 2020
Savigny-Lès-Beaune 'Les Bas Liards', Pierre Meurgey, 2020
- 75cl
- 13%
- Red Still
- Pinot Noir
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Optimal drinking window: Now - 2038
Pierre Meurgey is one of Burgundy's quieter overachievers — a négociant and grower who has spent decades navigating the Côte de Beaune with an unusually sharp eye for value. Les Bas Liards is a lieu-dit in Savigny-lès-Beaune, sitting at the southern end of the village where the soils lean chalky and the vines catch good afternoon light. It's Pinot Noir doing what Savigny does best: neither the weight of Pommard nor the ethereal precision of Chambolle, but something winningly its own — earthy, bright, and honest.
The 2020 vintage gave producers ripe, generous fruit with enough structure to age gracefully, and Meurgey has handled it with restraint. This is village-level Burgundy that punches with confidence: red cherry and iron, a little woodland floor, and tannins fine enough to drink now with a slight chill.
Currently showing its dense, primary fruit phase with the plum and coffee notes at their most prominent. Over the next 2-3 years, the slight dryness on the finish will integrate as the tannins soften and the fruit becomes more confident. From 2026-2033, expect the wine to hit its stride with the dark fruit balanced by emerging earthy complexity typical of aged Burgundy. The impressive depth suggests it will hold well until 2038, gradually developing gamey and forest floor notes whilst retaining its core of dark fruit.
Tasting Notes
AppearanceMedium purple with good depth, though not quite as intense as some Côte de Nuits examples.
NoseDense, dark rich fruit dominates with clear plum notes coming through. There's a coffee-like depth that adds complexity and a slightly more sombre character than lighter Burgundies. The fruit concentration is impressive for Savigny.
PalateSolid and dense with dark rich fruit carrying through from the nose. The plum notes are joined by coffee-like complexity, showing impressive depth. There's a slight dryness at the finish, but the fruit returns confidently behind it.
FinishInitially shows some dryness but the fruit builds and returns with confidence, suggesting good aging potential.
Overall impressionA serious Savigny with the structure and depth to reward cellaring, showing Pierre Meurgey's talent for crafting age-worthy Burgundy.
Food Pairings
In Burgundy, this style of structured Pinot Noir would traditionally accompany coq au vin made with the same wine, the rich sauce complementing the wine's density. Local chefs would also pair it with boeuf bourguignon, allowing the wine's coffee-like notes to echo the dish's deep, slow-cooked flavours. Époisses cheese from nearby Auxois would make a classic match, the creamy richness balancing the wine's structure. Game birds like pigeon or duck, roasted simply with herbs from the Burgundian countryside, would showcase both the wine's fruit and its more savoury complexity.
We think this wine would go well with
Serve at 16-17°C to allow the dense fruit to express itself fully without masking the wine's structure. Decant for 30-45 minutes to help integrate the slight dryness on the finish and let the fruit emerge more confidently. Use Burgundy bowls rather than Bordeaux glasses to concentrate the aromatics and showcase the coffee and plum complexity. This wine benefits from some breathing time given its current youthful density.
Les Bas Liards sits in the heart of Savigny-Les-Beaune on clay-limestone soils that provide both richness and structure to the wines. The vineyard benefits from a south-easterly exposure that ensures good ripening whilst maintaining freshness. The combination of clay for body and limestone for minerality creates the ideal conditions for Pinot Noir that can develop complexity over time. This terroir naturally produces wines with more density and colour than many other Savigny sites.
Savigny-Les-Beaune sits just north of Beaune itself, producing some of Burgundy's most approachable yet age-worthy Pinot Noirs. The appellation is known for wines that combine the elegance of the Côte de Beaune with surprising structure and longevity. Unlike some of its more famous neighbours, Savigny offers excellent value whilst maintaining true Burgundian character. The best sites like Les Bas Liards can rival wines from more celebrated appellations when made by skilled hands.
We'll be honest: 2020 in Burgundy was a vintage that kept everyone on their toes. A warm, dry spring brought early budbreak, then summer turned properly scorching with temperatures hitting 40°C in August. The saving grace came from perfectly timed August rains that rescued the vines from serious drought stress, followed by ideal September weather that allowed for unhurried picking. Yields were mercifully normal after several years of frost-ravaged harvests, and crucially, the heat never tipped into the jammy territory that can plague warmer vintages here.
What emerged were wines with surprising freshness despite the heat, showing ripe fruit balanced by good acidity and lovely mineral precision. The reds have more immediate charm than the structured 2019s, with silky tannins and generous Pinot Noir character, whilst the whites display beautiful richness without losing that crystalline Burgundian tension we adore. This isn't a legendary vintage like 2005 or 2010, but it's thoroughly delicious and more approachable in youth than many Burgundy vintages. The village wines are drinking beautifully now, Premier Crus are just hitting their stride, and the Grands Crus will reward patience for another five to ten years.
FAQs
What does this wine taste like?
Dense and structured with dark plum fruit, coffee-like complexity, and a slightly dry finish that builds to show the underlying fruit concentration.
What food pairs well with this Savigny?
Classic Burgundian dishes like coq au vin or boeuf bourguignon work beautifully, as do roasted game birds and creamy local cheeses like Époisses.
Should I decant this wine?
Yes, decant for 30-45 minutes to help the fruit emerge more confidently and integrate the structure, especially if drinking it young.
How does this compare to other Burgundies?
It's more structured and dense than typical Savigny, showing the serious, age-worthy style that's making Pierre Meurgey's reputation as a producer to watch.
Is Pierre Meurgey a reliable producer?
Absolutely - he's a fourth-generation winemaker whose father Henri was highly respected in the Côte d'Or, and Pierre is now gaining recognition for his own thoughtful, cellar-worthy wines.
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