Aromas of sweet raspberries, orange zest, petals and earthy spices introduce the 2021 Hautes-Côtes de Beaune Altitude 421 Bignon, a medium to full-bodied, supple and fleshy wine with more mid-palate volume and texture than its generic counterpart.

The 2021 Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Beaune "Bignon 421" comes exclusively from vines trained on the lyre system, which hardly suffered any frost damage. It has a floral bouquet with ebullient redcurrant and cranberry fruits that burst from the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins and plenty of dark berry fruit with a touch of spice on its structured finish. There's a bit of reduction here, and it will benefit from two to three years in bottle.

Tank sample. Light to mid cherry red. Seductively sweet but fresh red fruits. Tart and sweet at the same time. Gently chewy tannins, pure-fruited and crunchy. Mouth-watering but not lean. GV and promising, even if the 2021s are not for the long term. (JH)