A wonderful example of a classic Burgundy Pinot Noir. Combine with other Beaune premiers crus from Domaine Besancenot for an instant introduction to the subtleties of French terroirs and vintages.

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  Cheryl Bringuez

  Lively and spicy, with great aromatics, including white pepper, tree bark, and cherry. A touch of oak adds character. Attractive for its rich finish with lots of grip.

  Food pairing: Cream of mushroom soup

A wonderful example of a classic Burgundy Pinot Noir. Combine with other Beaune premiers crus from Domaine Besancenot for an instant introduction to the subtleties of French terroirs and vintages.

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  Cheryl Bringuez

  Rustic yet silky Pinot Noir. Key players on the nose are wild berries, eucalyptus, and dried leaves. Ripe raspberry and currants dominate the palate, leading into a robust finish. Likely to be long-lived, improving through around 2020.

  Food pairing: Roasted lamb

A wonderful example of a classic Burgundy Pinot Noir. Combine with other Beaune premiers crus from Domaine Besancenot for an instant introduction to the subtleties of French terroirs and vintages.

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  Colin Talcroft

  An almost overwhelmingly complex nose makes this wine compelling before it ever touches the lips. Overflowing with scents of roses, spice, tomatoes, iron, candied cherries or fruitcake, musk, sage, and, after a little air contact, smelling very strongly of figs—not to mention a hint of licorice on the finish. The palate offers rich, layered fruit flavors mainly suggestive of dark cherries and figs again. Tasty now for its seductive fruit, but almost certain to improve with longer cellaring. Simply delicious.

  Food pairing: Pigeon, game hen, duck, other game or fowl, lamb

A wonderful example of a classic Burgundy Pinot Noir. Combine with other Beaune premiers crus from Domaine Besancenot for an instant introduction to the subtleties of French terroirs and vintages.

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  Cheryl Bringuez

  Rustic and closed at first, but after about 20 minutes aromas of dry leaves, mushrooms, and cranberry come up out of the glass. Cranberry and mushroom flavors linger through the mid-palate and onto the finish as well. If big, fruit-forward New World Pinot Noir is not your thing, give this wine a try. Likely to benefit from cellaring through 2019–2020.

  Food pairing: Mushroom risotto

A wonderful example of a classic Burgundy Pinot Noir. Combine with other Beaune premiers crus from Domaine Besancenot for an instant introduction to the subtleties of French terroirs and vintages.

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  Colin Talcroft

  A deep garnet hue makes this wine look older than it is. In fact, it’s youthful, and even a little brash. Metallic scents, cherries, and something gamey dominate the nose, but there are suggestions of citrus, passion fruit, and roses, too. Light in body at first, but quickly develops a little more weight, supported by a nice core of cherry-dominated fruit and prominent tannins that linger on the finish. Approachable now, but will need time to show at its best. Likely to improve in bottle through around 2018–2019.

  Food pairing: Pigeon, game hen, duck, other game or fowl, lamb

A wonderful example of a classic Burgundy Pinot Noir. Combine with other Beaune premiers crus from Domaine Besancenot for an instant introduction to the subtleties of French terroirs and vintages.

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  Colin Talcroft

  Deep plummy scents dominate the nose but strawberries and a distant floral perfume hover in the background and there is an interesting interplay between the brighter and darker scents. Notable for its poise with a good balance of veiled fruit, prominent acidity, and slightly aggressive tannins suggesting a long development. Still in its youth, but promising. Likely to reward patience.

  Food pairing: Pigeon, game hen, duck, other game or fowl, lamb

A wonderful example of a classic Burgundy Pinot Noir. Combine with other Beaune premiers crus from Domaine Besancenot for an instant introduction to the subtleties of French terroirs and vintages.

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  Cheryl Bringuez

  Rich in aromas of fennel, thyme, and strawberries with plenty of grip on the palate that lasts through to the finish. Opulent fruit will be the star of the show in the years to come, with spice a supporting player.

  Food pairing: Pork chops

A wonderful example of a classic Burgundy Pinot Noir. Combine with other Beaune premiers crus from Domaine Besancenot for an instant introduction to the subtleties of French terroirs and vintages.

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  Colin Talcroft

  A distinctive and quite expressive nose for such a young wine—suggestive of orange water, sandalwood, roses, and earth with a little oak and woody spice in the background. Will need time to open up, but approachable even now, offering subtle hints of cherries, strawberries, and something earthy on the palate, these flavors lingering on an extended finish marked by fruity sweetness jockeying with delicate tannins. Understated, but likely to repay cellaring.

  Food pairing: Pigeon, game hen, duck, other game or fowl, lamb

Aged for 21 years in the Besancenots’ cellar, this venerable Pinot Noir exudes complex aromas and a rich, round and vibrant palate. A rare opportunity to savor a great Burgundy at its peak of maturity.

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  Colin Talcroft

  Rose petals, citrus, meat, leather, and earth form a complex, evolving nose. Later suggestions of chalk, cinnamon, cherries, and, eventually, stewed fruit with a hint of celery. Round and surprisingly rich palate, but with delicate, leathery tannins on an extended finish. Puts me in mind of an old-school style Manhattan — rye, bitters, vermouth, and a real candied Marasca cherry. Delicious and an excellent value.

  Food pairing: Duck; roasted chicken dishes; rabbit or other game; mushroom or lentil dishes

Grown on a vineyard right in the middle of Beaune, and aged for 15 years in the winemaker’s cellar, this Pinot Noir is lighter-bodied than the ’98 Greves, and a little sharper than the ’98 Clos du Roi. A touch of acidity means if you’re serving up a fattier or greasier meat, this is the Beaune you want!

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  Cheryl Bringuez

  This wine smells a bit like bourbon-soaked cherries. It is big on the nose, but subdued on the mid-palate and finish. May need a bit more time for those flavors that came out on the nose to develop in the bottle.

  Food pairing: Stinky cheese

Made from Pinot Noir grown on the northern side of Beaune and aged for 15 years in the Besancenot cellar. A softer, more subtle and bready taste than the 1997 Bressandes or the 1998 Greves, with less acidity than the 1998 Theurons. We’ve nicknamed it our “Oh-Wow-That’s-Good” wine!

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  Cheryl Bringuez

  More fruit than funk, which was unexpected for a wine of its age. Great baking spices, cherry and red fruit. There’s also a nice hint of licorice. Given the fruit, this would be a good wine to try side by side with a more current vintage of Burgundy, or put away for a few years.

  Food pairing: Chocolate souffle