2017 Domaine des Croix, Beaune Premier Cru, Les Tuvilains

The 2017 Beaune 1er Cru Les Tuvilains is drinking brilliantly from bottle, bursting with exuberant aromas of orange rind, petals, plums and sweet berry fruit that are quite a bit more demonstrative than when I last encountered this from barrel. Medium to full-bodied, satiny and charming, with a fleshy, open-knit core, lively acids and melting tannins, this is a giving, expressive wine that's showing well young.

The 2017 Beaune Tuvilains 1er Cru is the maiden vintage for David Croix and had been racked a week prior to my tasting from barrel. Slightly deeper in color than the other Beaune Premier Crus, it has a floral bouquet of rose-petal-infused, bright red cherries. The palate displays good complexity that derives from the 80-year-old vines. Structured with fine tannin on the precise finish, which lingers in the mouth. This is superb, a welcome addition to la famille Croix.

Pale rust red. Hint of old-rope smells. Lots of explosive sweet fruit on the front palate. And then it falls away a little, and is a bit drying on the end. I think I’d go for the Cent Vignes. (JR)