Harvesting began, I was told, on 19 August and was finished in eight days. This is radically early compared to what I heard elsewhere, but when I questioned it, the date was confirmed. Take it with a grain of salt, but the wines are quite good.
Yields were characterized as "generous." Malo-lactic fermentations were “classic" — beginning in spring, the last ones finishing in July.
Alcohols are 12.5-13%, and there was no chaptalization.
These are not in the relaxed style of most wines I’ve tasted from the vintage — there’s more freshness and energy here, so maybe there is something to the radically-early harvest date: the wines taste as though they are from a much cooler, more classic vintage. Nevertheless, there was no immaturity of tannins.
In 2018 Prieur recovered vines that had been leased out in Santenay, Chassagne, and Pommard, and those wines will be added to the already spectacular collection of vineyards here.
2017 Beaune 1er Cru Clos de la Féguine
All destemmed. Crisp pure, intense, fresh red fruits. Nice structure, good length. 30% new oak. 45 h/ha (89-92)
2017 Beaune 1er Cru Champs-Pimont
Good acidity — seemingly more than previous wine. Pure, precise red fruits with some cassis. Excellent structure and freshness. (91-93)
2017 Meursault Clos de Mazeray
40% whole clusters. Spicy red fruits, crisp, good structure, but no aggressivity from tannins. Rounder than I’ve often seen it in other vintages. (89-91)
2017 Volnay 1er Cru Santenots
This is young vines — 25 years-old. Cassis, pure, good depth, some structure, no aggressivity, good freshness and energy. 45-50 hl/ha. (89-91)
2017 Volnay 1er Cru Clos des Santenots
60-80 year-old vines. 28 hl/ha. Floral, tobacco aromas. Cassis and blackberry flavors, fresh, crisp, good structure. (89-92)
2017 Pommard 1er Cru Charmots
A new entrant in the line-up. 100% whole clusters. Floral nose. Intense cassis fruit, good acidity, tannins here, but they are round. Medium-weight body with some power, some juiciness. (Only two barrels.) (91-93)
2017 Corton-Bressandes
30% whole clusters. Dried flowers in nose. Cassis, tight structure, good energy and acidity. Power and finesse. Needs a fair amount of time. (92-95)
2017 Clos Vougeot
14% whole clusters. Good grip and structure, black raspberry fruit, good freshness. Concentrated and powerful. Tannins are present. Can take quite a bit of aging. (92-95)
2017 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru
From Chambertin vines that are about 25 years old. Fresh, precise red and dark fruits, good acidity, plenty of energy. (91-93)
2017 Chambertin
60-70 year-old vines. Stony, mineral nose. Cassis, freshness, perhaps a little bitterness from immaturity here, but it is pleasing. Tannins here — will require a fair amount of aging, say 15-20 years at a minimum. Velvet texture, good breadth and depth. (93-96)
2017 Musigny
Intense, dense, spicy blackberry fruit, long, deep, pure. Needs 20 years. (94-96)
2017 Echézeaux
Vines at least 50 years-old on average. Sensuality, structure, dark fruits, minerality. Needs plenty of time in bottle, as tannins are present, but promising. (93-95)