Deep ruby with purple notes. Evidence of over-ripeness on the nose and palate, with some volatility, oxidation and extraction. Pruney and tannic, this is the sort of wine that gives Clos de Vougeot a bad name as a Grand Cru. 

Bertrand Ambroise makes some of the best value Burgundies on the market, from his basic wines right up to his Grands Crus. They are characterised by restrained use of oak, subtle, understated fruit flavours and considerable finesse. This is light, perfumed and refreshing, but with complex wild starwberry and forest floor notes, tangy acidity, great poise and a fine, tapering finish. 

Very, very pale, almost transparent Pinot. Delicate and very subtle with red fruits, a hint of forest floor and wild mushrooms. Long and refined with grainy, sculpted tannins, refreshing acidity and a long finish. The wine needs a little more concentration perhaps. 

Famous for its amazing Grand Cru holdings, Jacques Prieur hits the heights more often with its whites than its reds. That’s not to play down the quality of this wine, which is very good indeed; rather it is intended to praise the Côte de Beaune wines. This is aromatic and smoky, with subtle oak, sweet red fruits and enough structure and tannin to age. 

Mid garnet/pink. A little closed on the nose and showing some reduction, possibly pre-bottling. Red fruits, cherry and a hint of int, with fresh acidity and some minerality. Not massively complex, but more than acceptable. 

Pale garnet/red. Aromatic, leafy, wild strawberry nose, with just a hint of oak. Fine and nuanced. Lovely, sweet, textured fruit, with acidity underpinning the flavours. The oak and extraction are perfectly judged here. The wine is very long: Pinot wizardry showing real mastery of the vintage and the cru. 

Pale purple with a pinkish rim. The nose is on the oaky side with a slightly feral note. The palate is leafy and a little dry, but there’s a refreshing twist that lifts the wine on the finish. It just needs a little more fruit in the middle for plumpness. 

If you like your red Burgundies pale (and I’ve seen deeper coloured rosés than this), purchase a case of this wine. Very delicate on the nose with wild strawberry and a hint of spice. Sweet cherry fruit on the palate, with a touch of meaty reduction. Light and ethereal, this is a very drinkable Pinot, although arguably closer to Premier than Grand Cru quality. 

Dense, almost opaque colour that could be a Syrah or a Cabernet in appearance. Big, oaky, concentrated, yet a little ponderous with too much extraction for the level of fruit. This is a decent dry red, but it doesn’t really stack up as a Grand Cru Burgundy, even from Clos de Vougeot. May soften with age, but I have my doubts. 

Pale garnet/ruby with a splash of pink. Youthful, elegant and complex perfume: savoury, some oak and supple red fruits. The acidity is very crisp, lending the wine balance and harmony and freshness. There’s quite a bit of  stuffing on the palate, suggesting that the wine will develop in bottle. Good and likley to get better. 

Vibrant, purple-hued Pinot from one of the top producers in Gevrey, specialising in deliberately modern style. Yes, it’s a big, bold, powerful wine, but it’s harmonious too. Youthful, vigorous and sweet with a subtle interplay between red and blacks fruits, succulent tannins and a finish that promises more to come in the bottle. 

A pale, almost translucent Pinot. Scented, leafy and complex with gentle understatement and a touch of smoky oak. The palate is very sweet, but the oak is a little intrusive here. A shae because the fruit is of high quality and the acidity gives the wine a refreshing lift. Maybe the oak will integrate with time.