A fresh, mineral and beautifully defined Pinot Noir from the higher slopes above Pommard, combining bright red fruit with fine tannins and the freshness characteristic of the Hautes-Côtes de Beaune.
The 2024 shows wild strawberry, red cherry, cranberry and redcurrant, complemented by violet, subtle spice and a distinctive stony-mineral character.
Higher elevation and limestone soils give the wine greater tension and freshness than the domaine's Bourgogne Côte d’Or Pinot Noir, while ten months in barrel provides texture and gentle spice.
A particularly attractive expression of high-altitude Côte de Beaune Pinot Noir.
Region: Burgundy, France
Subregion: Côte de Beaune
Appellation: Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Beaune AOC
Vintage: 2024
Producer: Domaine Georges Joillot
Grape: 100% Pinot Noir
Vineyard Area: Approximately 2.64 Hectares
Principal Climats: Les Boeufs & Les Vignots
Altitude: Approximately 300 Metres
Soils: White Jurassic Limestone
Exposure: South
Harvest: Hand-Harvested
Destemming: 100%
Aging: 10 Months in Burgundy Barrels
New Oak: Approximately 25%
Style: Dry Red Burgundy
Although carrying the broader Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Beaune appellation, the vineyards used for this wine are located entirely within the commune of Pommard.
The important difference is altitude and location.
These vineyards lie farther back from the main Côte d’Or escarpment and therefore outside the geographical boundaries required to carry the Pommard appellation.
The principal fruit comes from the Les Boeufs and Les Vignots climats at approximately 300 meters elevation.
The soils are dominated by white Jurassic limestone, while the vineyards benefit from a favorable southern exposure.
This combination of elevation and limestone is fundamental to the wine's personality.
The altitude encourages slower ripening and helps preserve acidity, while the limestone contributes mineral definition.
The result is a distinctly fresh and precise interpretation of Pinot Noir.
The grapes are hand-harvested and sorted as needed.
They are 100% destemmed before fermentation.
A short maceration precedes fermentation, with total cuvaison adjusted according to the characteristics of the vintage.
Extraction is carefully controlled to preserve the perfume and freshness of the Pinot Noir rather than producing excessive tannin.
The wine then matures for about 10 months in 228-liter Burgundy barrels, with around 25% new French oak.
The oak adds subtle spice and texture while keeping the red fruit and limestone-derived freshness central.
Nose:
Wild strawberry, red cherry, cranberry and redcurrant lead initially, followed by violet and subtle floral notes. With air, gentle spice and a distinctive crushed-stone character emerge.
Palate:
Fresh and energetic, with red cherry, strawberry and cranberry supported by lively acidity.
Fine tannins provide definition without heaviness, while subtle oak contributes texture and gentle spice.
Structure:
Light to medium-bodied, with bright acidity, fine tannins and excellent mineral tension.
The combination of elevation and limestone gives the wine a particularly fresh, precise profile.
Finish:
Clean and persistent, with red berries, subtle spice and a lingering stony-mineral character.
Domaine Georges Joillot Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Beaune 2024 is a particularly interesting expression of Pinot Noir, combining Pommard origins with the freshness of the higher slopes.
The vineyards sit at approximately 300 meters on white Jurassic limestone and enjoy a southern exposure.
These conditions allow Pinot Noir to achieve ripeness while preserving acidity and aromatic definition.
The wine emphasizes wild strawberry, cherry, cranberry and redcurrant rather than darker, heavier fruit.
Floral notes and subtle spice provide complexity, while the limestone terroir contributes a distinctly mineral quality.
Ten months in barrel, including approximately 25% new oak, gives sufficient texture without obscuring the freshness of the fruit.
The result is a Burgundy built around:
Freshness · Red Fruit · Limestone · Precision · Fine Tannins
2024 was a challenging and relatively small vintage in Burgundy, with cooler and wetter conditions reducing yields considerably in many vineyards.
For Pinot Noir, the resulting wines generally place greater emphasis on freshness, aromatic definition and moderate weight than the richer 2022 or 2023 vintages.
That profile should suit the Hautes-Côtes particularly well.
At approximately 300 meters elevation, this is already a naturally fresh terroir.
The 2024 should therefore be particularly attractive for drinkers who prefer bright, precise and energetic Pinot Noir rather than richness or extraction.
Drink: 2026–2033
Preferred Window: 2027–2031
The 2024 can be enjoyed young, but I would ideally give it another year in the bottle for the oak, acidity, and fruit to settle together.
Young bottles should emphasize:
Wild Strawberry · Red Cherry · Cranberry · Redcurrant · Violet · Crushed Stone
From approximately 2027 onward, the palate should become more integrated while retaining the freshness that defines the wine.
With bottle development, expect subtle secondary notes of:
Dried Cherry · Dried Flowers · Forest Floor · Tea Leaf · Mushroom · Savoury Spice
The domaine generally suggests 2–8 years of aging for this wine.
I would therefore enjoy most bottles through the early 2030s rather than holding them in search of substantial tertiary development.
Serving Temperature: 15–16°C
If drinking young, open approximately 30 minutes before serving.
No aggressive decanting is needed.
In Cayman, I would serve it closer to 15°C, allowing it to warm gradually in the glass.
Its combination of fresh acidity, red fruit and fine tannins makes this particularly versatile at the table.
Recommended Pairings:
Charcuterie · Rabbit · Roast Chicken · Roast Turkey · Duck · Pork Tenderloin · Veal · Steak Frites · Grilled Beef · Mushroom Risotto · Porcini · Lentils · Cantal · Comté
Pair with roast duck, rabbit fricassee or grilled beef.
The wine's acidity and red-fruit character provide enough freshness to complement richer meats, while its fine tannins avoid overwhelming more delicate preparations.
I particularly like this with roast duck and mushrooms.
For a more casual presentation, serve slightly cool alongside charcuterie, pâté, and Cantal or Comté.
Since you now have both 2024/2023 wines from Georges Joillot, it's worth highlighting the distinction.
Bourgogne Côte d’Or Pinot Noir 2023
Pommard Plain · Deeper Clay · Cherry · Raspberry · Rounder · More Supple
Hautes-Côtes de Beaune Pinot Noir 2024
Higher Elevation · White Limestone · Strawberry · Cranberry · Fresher · More Mineral
The Bourgogne Côte d’Or comes from the lower-lying vineyards of Pommard and offers a rounder, more immediately generous expression.
The Hautes-Côtes de Beaune comes from vineyards higher on the slopes, around 300 meters, where white limestone and elevation produce greater freshness, acidity, and mineral definition.
For guests exploring the domaine, tasting the two side by side clearly shows how altitude and geology can change the expression of Pinot Noir, even in vineyards around the same village.
