(Please see my overview of the 2018 vintage in Burgundy here.)
Guillaume Camus said he began harvesting on 30 August, and he finished on 5 September. He described quantities as "correct", but not more, and in fact, less than for 2017.
Since 2010, he has been using 30% whole clusters in all cuvées. Wines from the plain had high degrees, 1er crus less alcohol, overall 13-13.5%. Malo-lactic fermentations were variable, some early, others not, overall most finished in June.
This collection is an excellent success for the vintage with wines substantially better than many others that will sell for many multiples of these wines’ prices.
2018 Bourgogne Pinot Noir
No new wood here. Pretty red cherry nose. Red cherry flavors, very good definition and precision, finesse, nice energy. (88-90)
2018 Chorey-les-Beaune Le Grand Saussy
A bit more structure and material than Bourgogne, nice finesse to red cherry fruit. Very enjoyable. Excellent precision and freshness. (90-92)
2018 Savigny-les-Beaune Cuvée Reine Joly
Cherry blossom nose. Maybe a little lower acidity here, riper fruit in mouth, but not overripe; dark and red berries. Smooth tannins. Finesse on tongue. (89-92)
2018 Savigny-les-Beaune Les Pimentiers
From here on, some new wood, some 500-liter casks. Dark cherry fruit in nose and mouth, good density, but finesse here, freshness. Tannins on finish, but round. Vineyard planted in 1929. (91-93)
2018 Savigny-les-Beaune Aux Grands Liards
Limestone, brown clay, large stones in the soils. Vines planted in 1913 and 1922. Dark cherries, more density than Pimentiers, finesse, round. Can be drunk now, but better with a few years’ age. Excellent depth and penetration. Good freshness. Fruit is precise and not too ripe. Quality would be very good for premier cru, and this is village. (92-94)
2018 Savigny-les-Beaune 1er Cru Aux Gravains
Tightly-wound, energetic, some tannins, good density, dark fruits. Freshness, tannins suggest needs some aging. (92-94)
2018 Savigny-les-Beaune 1er Les Lavières
Shallow soil. Dark fruits in the nose, dense, very fresh, no overripeness. Smooth texture, freshness to dark fruit flavors. Lovely balance. Some tannins will provide aging capacity. Density of texture. Good length. (92-94)
2018 Savigny-les-Beaune 1er Cru Narbantons
Intense, with excellent tension, dark fruits, a bit of licorice, medium-weight, good drive, finesse. Will take a little time to age, but maybe less than Gravains. (92-94)
2018 Beaune 1er Cru Clos du Roi
Spicy nose, touch of soy, red berry fruits, outstanding freshness and precision. No heaviness here. Outstanding finesse and liveliness, especially for Beaune. Fine balance. (92-94)
2018 Pommard 1er Cru Clos des Arvelets
Here, a little riper dark fruit, but good acidity in mouth keeps the freshness. Ripe tannins, overall balance and medium-weight. Will need a little time in the cellar. Power of Pommard. (90-93)
2018 Savigny-les-Beaune Les Goudelettes blanc
Relatively late malo-lactic fermentation here, alcoholic fermentation finished also fairly late, too, so this wine is in a less advanced state that one would express. Lemony, mineral, vanilla Chardonnay fruit, good freshness. Raised in 500-liter barrels. Outstanding quality. (89-91)
From 2017 and 2016 in bottle:
2017 Savigny-les-Beaune Les Goudelettes blanc
Bottled beginning of February. Tart, lemony fruit, excellent minerality and freshness with lots of tension. 90/A
2017 Chorey-les-Beaune Le Grand Saussy
Fine expression with fresh red cherry fruit, finesse, good acidity, length, medium-weight body. Still a little tannin here. Forthright with plenty of charm. Vines purchased in 1999, planted in 1960s, a good selection of Pinot Noir. 13% alcohol. 89/B+
2017 Savigny-les-Beaune Aux Grands Liards vieilles vignes
Deep, dark fruits in nose. Stony texture with great depth. Dark fruits. A noble austerity here. 13% stated alcohol. 92+/A
2017 Savigny-les-Beaune 1er Cru Les Lavières
Expansive nose, dark fruits. Finesse, dark fruits, penetration, minerality, good energy and freshness in the mouth. 93/A
2016 Savigny-les-Beaune 1er Cru Les Narbantons
Due to the frost in 2016, Camus-Bruchon lost more than 50% of production of Narbantons. Floral nose. Beginning to take on secondary nose with some soy. Tannins, crunchy dark fruits, beginning to go into a closed period but still can see what is there. Pure, good density but finesse, freshness. 92+/A