2023 Paul Pillot, Chassagne-Montrachet Rouge Vieilles Vignes

Thierry Pillot's reputation was built on white Burgundy, but his reds have quietly become some of the most compelling wines in Chassagne. The Vieilles Vignes Rouge comes from 50-plus-year-old Pinot Noir vines planted in clay and reddish limestone soils directly below Les Morgeots — one of Chassagne's most respected premier cru sites. The farming is organic, the cellar work minimal: older, large-format barrels, very little new oak, and enough time for the vines to say what they have to say.

The 2023 vintage brought warmth and a late-season push that drove full physiological ripeness, but the site's natural acidity kept everything in check. The result is a medium-bodied, juicy Pinot with fine, integrated tannins and a structure that drinks beautifully now but has the bones to develop. Red Chassagne at this level doesn't get enough attention — this is a good reminder of why it should.