2024 Maison Chanzy Pinot Noir Les Fortunes Bourgogne Rouge 750 ml

There's no shortcut to red Burgundy. Pinot Noir found its voice here centuries ago, and every bottle since has been measured against it—which is why the genuine article, made with genuine care, so rarely turns up at an approachable address.

Maison Chanzy sits in Bouzeron, at the northern edge of the Côte Chalonnaise, the stretch of Burgundy just south of the fabled Côte d'Or. It's the same limestone and the same grape as the grander names up the road, without the pedigree markup the Côte d'Or commands. Daniel Chanzy founded the house in 1974, and the estate farms 163 acres across 40 appellations, controlling everything from the vine to the bottling line.

Les Fortunés is 100% Pinot Noir grown on classic clay and limestone, from vines averaging 35 years of age. Old vines dig deep and crop less, and what they give up in volume they return in concentration and clarity.

Since 2020, the cellar has belonged to winemaker Max Blondelle, who arrived after well over a decade at Domaine Chanson. His approach is deliberately hands-off—let the vineyard talk and stay out of its way. That means a gentle, week-long cold soak to draw out fruit and perfume before fermentation, native yeasts, and a rest split between seasoned French oak and stainless steel. Older barrels and steel are the whole point: enough shape to frame the wine, with no new-oak gloss to bury the fruit or blur its purity. The vineyards are farmed sustainably, in step with each site.

The 2024 vintage tested all of Burgundy—a cool, wet, hard-won year—but it delivered exactly what Pinot lovers chase: fresh red fruit, bright acidity, and moderate weight. The Côte Chalonnaise came through better than the regions farther north, and the result is a classic, unforced expression rather than a ripe or heavy one.

In the glass, expect the textbook Côte Chalonnaise profile: lifted red fruit, a light step, and the kind of energy that rewards a little patience and a seat at the table—alongside a roast chicken, a plate of mushrooms, or nothing more than a Tuesday night.