Once, white wines from Sancerre were a rarity, and Pinot Noir rouge reigned supreme, an order of things that lasted for centuries. In more modern times, as the world thirsted for crisp, lively whites, Sancerre stepped up with such roaring success that it nearly became a household name for “white wine.” Pinot Noir, suddenly shoved into the back seat, was almost a victim of the region’s popularity. Thankfully, Simon Chotard has spent the last decade or so deeply focusing on his reds, releasing micro-cuvées of Pinot Noir from his oldest vines and most interesting plots. His Chant de l’Archet cuvée comes from two parcels of prime real estate (mid-slope and south-facing) on the celebrated “cirque de Reigny,” the amphitheater hill around his village. A slow, cold ferment and a long élevage in old wood help showcase the elegance, dark fruit, and spiced nose of this profound and grand Pinot.

One place where Pinot still decidedly rules the roost is on the Montagne de Beaune, home to the famed premiers crus that look down on the town below. Damien Gachot may be best known for his bright and delicious wines from the Côte de Nuits, but he’s been secretly eyeing the high-altitude terroir of Les Montrevenots for quite some time. Damien’s permanent and beaming smile managed to get even wider once he scored a few small rows in 2019 and elbowed his way into the elite club of the Côte de Beaune. It’s an exceptional parcel, perched atop the Montagne, directly above the Clos de Mouches, and adjacent to the start of the Pommard appellation, an ideal spot for making colored, complex, deep Pinots marked by the Beaune terroir while keeping a healthy splash of fresh fruit and acidity in the mix—essential to Burgundy in warmer vintages like this one. His grandmother, Marguerite Monot, who created and single-handedly ran the estate for nearly thirty years, would be proud to see what Damien is adding to her foundations, row by row, village by village, for us to drink and enjoy.