Domaine Belleville Mercurey Champ Ladoy 2023 (750ml) *

The Côte Chalonnaise sits just south of the more famous stretches of Burgundy, and it has long been a place to find Pinot Noir that leans red-fruited and approachable rather than brooding. This bottling from Domaine Belleville comes from Mercurey, the appellation that anchors the district's reputation for reds, and the Champ Ladoy cuvée draws on two small parcels facing north and east. The 2023 was gently handled in the cellar, given a single punch-down during fermentation and a year in cask, a portion of it new, all of which keeps the emphasis on fragrance over muscle.

Expect a perfumed, forward nose, raspberry and pomegranate lifted by a cooling note of mint. The palate is medium-bodied and precise, with fine-grained tannins and a smooth, harmonious finish that never turns heavy. This is a wine built around scent and clarity rather than weight, and it is drinking well right out of the gate.