Creation Vinium

Beaune 1er Cru
"Vignes Franches"

  • RegionCôte de Beaune
  • VillageBeaune
  • AppellationBeaune Premier Cru
  • Grape varietyPinot Noir
The Vine
  • Average vine age 35 years
  • SoilClay and limestone.
  • Average yield40 hl/ha
  • HarvestHand picked
Wine tips
  • Cellaring Potential7-10 years
  • Serving temperature 15-17°
Description
  • Historically the owners of this area did not have to pay tax on the land, hence the name 'Vignes Franches' ('free vines'). The Beaune Premier Cru "Vignes Franches" parcel, important part of Domaine Louis Latour, is found mid-slope. The clay soils are scattered with small pebbles which allows for easy drainage of water. Here we find the same opulence as in neighbouring Pommard, as well as an extremely pleasant fruit-forwardness even when young. It is one of the best Premier Cru vineyards of Beaune, producing a wine that is capable of ageing to perfection for a considerable period of time.
Vinification & Ageing
  • Fermentation
    Traditional in open vats
  • Ageing
    10 to 12 months ageing in oak barrels, 25% new
  • Barrels
    Louis Latour cooperage, French oak, medium toasted
Wine tasting
  • Tasting Note
    This wine has a stunning bright ruby robe. It has a nice balance between red berry aromas; cherries and strawberries balanced with liquorice undertones. Well-rounded ample wine, good structure. Can be enjoyed now or in two to three years. Tasted January 2007
  • Food Pairing
    Beef "Bourguignon" - duck breast - woodcock - Camembert - soft cheeses.


Press review
    • Beaune 1er Cru "Vignes Franches" 2022 - Bill Nanson Burgundy Report - December 2023Domaine plot.
      That's also very perfumed - in this case more from the fruit than the flowers. Broad, what a panorama! Darker fruit again - but lithe, muscled, wine - here showing a little more structure than the Chambolle. Dark cherry finishing again.
    • Beaune 1er Cru "Vignes Franches" 2021 - James Suckling - July 2023 - 93/100

      A straight and zesty Beaune, with notes of cranberries, cherry stones, white pepper and some seaweed. Bright touch of orange zest and rosemary, too. Medium-bodied, with gently herbal tannins on the mid-palate. Very clear and transparent, particularly at the finish. Try from 2024.

    • Beaune 1er Cru "Vignes Franches" 2021 - Tim Atkin - February 2023 - 93/100
    • Beaune 1er Cru "Vignes Franches" 2021 - Wine Spectator - 92/100

      This red is tightly wound and austere, with black cherry and blackberry fruit encased in firm, dense tannins. Shows a solid fruit core, with a mineral element emerging on the finish, so be patient with this one. Best from 2027 through 2043. (USA, January 2024)

    • Beaune 1er Cru "Vignes Franches" 2021 - The Wine Advocate - January 2023 - 91/100

      The 2021 Beaune 1er Cru Les Vignes Franches bursts with aromas of cherries, plums, orange rind, peonies and spices. Medium to full-bodied, ample and fleshy, it's a sensual, charming wine built around melting tannins.

    • Beaune 1er Cru "Vignes Franches" 2021 - Bill Nanson Burgundy Report - January 2023

      A roundness to this aroma, very cushioned red fruit in style. Broad and much fresher than the Gevrey - but the flavour melts in juicy style. Today I have a preference for the Gevrey but this finish is impressively long.  Domaine and bottled just 10 days. 2 ha but not 25 hl/ha

    • Beaune 1er Cru "Vignes Franches" 2020 - James Suckling - 97/100 pts

      Grand Cru quality here, but also fabulously concentrated amarena-cherry fruit and stunning, fine tannins, plus lively acidity that sets this all alight. So much drive and energy that you feel feeble in comparison. Enormous aging potential. Drinkable now, but best from 2024.

    • Beaune 1er Cru "Vignes Franches" 2020 - Burghound.com - 90-92/100 pts

      Subtle though hardly invisible wood sets off ripe aromas of dark raspberry, black cherry coulis and more subtle warm earth nuances. As is usually the case, the texture of the middle weight flavors is noticeably finer with a beguiling texture while delivering markedly better depth and persistence. Worth considering.

    • Beaune 1er Cru "Vignes Franches" 2020 - La Revue du Vin de France - 91/100 pts

      This shows a broad spread and lively fruit dominated by raspberries in an intense and acidulous style.

    • Beaune 1er Cru "Vignes Franches" 2020 - Wine Enthusiast - 93/100

      Black cherry, rhubarb, violets, black mushroom, terracotta and flint balance each other in the glass. Its bright acidity uplifts and highlights its black cherry profile and a fig note that stays long on the finish. Impressive and precise. ( (February 2024, USA) )

    • Beaune 1er Cru "Vignes Franches" 2020 - The Wine Advocate - January 2023 - 92/100

      The 2020 Beaune 1er Cru Les Vignes Franches is fleshy and gourmand, revealing aromas of cherries, blackberries, rose petals, sweet spices and raw cocoa. Medium to full-bodied, ample and layered, it's a seamless, polished wine from this excellent site on the southern side of the Beaune escarpment.

    • Beaune 1er Cru "Vignes Franches" 2020 - Wine Spectator - USA - October 2022 - 92/100

      Ripe flavors of blackberry and black currant form the core of this supple, juicy red. Balanced, with plenty of refined tannins and lively acidity lending support. Firms up on the finish, where the dark fruit, earth and oak spice elements linger. Best from 2024 through 2038. -BS

    • Beaune 1er Cru "Vignes Franches" 2019 - 94 pts - James Suckling - July 2021

      Will you be able to resist this Beaune 1er Cru? Charming and delicate with fine black-cherry and floral aromas, this is a very elegant and sensual wine that wraps you around its little finger. Long finish that's dry and silky. Drink or hold.

    • Beaune 1er Cru "Vignes Franches" 2019 - 89 pts - Burghound April 2021
    • Beaune 1er Cru "Vignes Franches" 2019 - The World of Fine Wine - 91/92 pts

      An inviting Beaune, with ripe, dark-forest fruits on the aroma. On the attach, this sweet fruitiness is joined by roasted almonds and a slightly bitter chocolate. It flows silky smooth onto the palate, which is supported with freshness. It has an easy harmony and a balance that is lightly fresh and not over-rich. It ripples to an appetizing, bitter cranberry and just nicely sustained finish. Ripe but elegant. 2024-2030

    • Beaune 1er Cru "Vignes Franches" 2019 - Wine Enthusiast - 94/100 pts
    • Beaune Vignes Franches Premier Cru 2018 - 92/100 - Wine Enthusiast, December 2020

      The nose of this wine opens with notes of red cherry, crushed blackberry and a fragrant hint of vanilla. Although the palate is ripe and rounded, the freshness of the fruit is undoubted. Aromas are enriched by the gentle hint of vanilla that almost has a floral edge. Fine tannins still brush gently but will become supple with time.

    • Beaune 1er Cru "Vignes Franches" 2018 - 92/100 - Wine Enthusiast
    • Beaune 1er Cru "Vignes Franches" 2018, 93/100, James Suckling

      A ripe, juicy red with berries and light walnut and hazelnut undertones. Blue fruit, too. Medium to full body. Flavorful finish with chocolate and mushroom undertones to the fruit. Drinkable now, but better after 2022.

    • Beaune 1er Cru "Vignes Franches" 2018 - Bill Nanson - Burgundy Report 2021

      That's a deep nose, meaty and complex, slightly reductive too. Lots of freshness but here's a super middle and finishing flavour, always slowly melting - deliciously. That's a really excellent wine!

    • Beaune 1er Cru "Vignes Franches" 2018 - 93 pts - Wine Spectator May 2021

      The lush black cherry and blackberry fruit is like cashmere draped over a firm, yet refined structure. The harmony makes it tempting to drink now, yet this should age well. Shows excellent spicy length. Best from 2023 through 2038. — BS


    • Beaune 1er Cru "Vignes Franches" 2018 - The Wine Advocate - 90 pts

      "The 2018 Beaune 1er Cru Les Vignes Franches is showing nicely, bursting with aromas of berries, cassis, plums and dark chocolate, framed by toasty new oak. Medium-bodied, fleshy and gourmand, with an ample core of fruit and melting tannins, it's lively and seamless."

    • Beaune 1er "Vignes Franches" 2018 - Tim Atkin - January 2020 - 92/100
    • Beaune 1er Cru "Vignes Franches" 2018 - Burghound.com, Allen Meadows - Spring 2020 - 90/100

      A fresh, ripe and earthy liqueur-like plum and dark berry fruit-suffused nose leads to supple, round and delicious middle weight flavors that possess a velvety texture before concluding in a perceptibly warm and rustic finale. 2026+

    • Beaune 1er Cru "Vignes Franches" 2018 - William Kelley, Wine Advocate (USA) - February 2020 - 91/100

      Offering up aromas of ripe cherries, licorice and soil tones, framed by a touch of toasty new oak, the 2018 Beaune 1er Cru Les Vignes Franches is medium to full-bodied, rich and gourmand, with powdery tannins and an enveloping core of fruit. 


    • Beaune 1er Cru "Vignes Franches" 2018 - Bill Nanson - January 2020 - "This is excellent!"

      Dark colour but blind you wouldn't guess as this has much high-toned invitation. Fresh, driving with energy, lots of width. Mouth-watering with a lick of (very fine) tannin. So floral in the finish! This is excellent and you should have a little patience!

    • Beaune 1er Cru "Vignes Franches" 2018 - Jancis Robinson - January 2020 - 16/20

      Cask sample. Deep cherry red. Ripe and spicy and smells rich but not overripe. Doesn't smell very Beaune, nor very Pinot. I'm not sure I would recognise this as Pinot if I had it blind. Ripe and dark-fruited on the palate. Smooth but dense tannins. Lots of matière here. Flavourful rather than typical. (JH, UK)


    • Beaune 1er Cru "Vignes Franches" 2017 - James Suckling - USA - February 2019 - 93/100Dark berries, spice and iodine. Hints of dried fruit, too. Full-bodied, round and juicy with lovely fruit and round tannins. Flavorful finish. Delicious and decadent already. Hard not to drink now, but better in 2021.
    • Beaune 1er Cru "Vignes Franches" 2017 - USA Wine Ratings - August 2021 - Gold Medal
    • Beaune 1er Cru "Vignes Franches" 2017 - Wine Spectator - March 2020 93/100

      A beam of sappy cherry and kirsch marks this lush, smooth red, with a core of fruit accented by loamy earth and spice notes. Shows a light smoky cast and a long finish. - Bruce Sanderson

    • Beaune 1er Cru "Vignes Franches" 2017 - Jancis Robinson - January 2019 - 16.5/20

      Very charming, winning fruit on the nose. Fairly light bodied. But easy and flattering. Sweet. Drink: 2020 - 2027 (cask sample)

    • Beaune 1er Cru "Vignes franches" 2016 - The World of Fine Wine - March 2018 - 92/100

      A closed nose wants to keep its secrets. On the palate there is a lovely harmony between freshness, fullness of tart fruit, and fine tannins. Compact and charming, fine and elegant. - Anne Krebiehl MW

    • Beaune 1er Cru "Vignes franches" 2016 - James Suckling - February 2018 - 94/100Even today, Beaune is frequently underrated despite being within Burgundy. And this wine shows what nonsense that is. Great aromas of black fruit and concentration with beautifully integrated tannins. A long and complete finish, making this rather exciting. Drink or hold.
    • Beaune 1er Cru "Vignes Franches" 2016 - Jancis Robinson - January 2018 - 14,5/20Drink 2016-2019
    • Beaune 1er Cru "Vignes Franches" 2016 - Burgundy Report - Bill Nanson - December 2017A silky width of aroma - tiny, pure, concentrated berry aromas. Big volume in the mouth, a little less depth of texture but concentrated all the same. A little tannin and a lot of melting flavour. This is really excellent!
    • Beaune 1er Cru "Vignes Franches" 2016 - Inside Burgundy, Jasper Morris - January 2018 - 90/100

      Fine glowing medium purple. Lovely summer pudding fruit, lively dark redcurrants and some blackberry, very attractive. Middleweight, agreeable graceful finish, good wine.

    • Beaune 1er Cru "Vignes Franches" 2015 - Sommeliers International - Automne 2017 - "A lovely consistency"

      Visual aspect: clear ruby-red hue, brillant and limpid. Nose: small red fruits, a vegetale note elegant. A smoky hint. Palate: soft with an aroma of liquorice. Fresh finish. Food & wine pairings: fattened chicken with truffles. Comment: a lovely consistency.

    • Beaune 1er Cru "Vignes Franches" 2015 - Burghound.com - April 2017 - 90/100

      A relatively high-toned nose offers up notes of red currant, cherry and background nuances of both spice and floral elements. The detailed, vibrant and seductively textured medium-bodied flavors possess a suave mouth feel that culminates in a sappy, balanced and notably more complex finale. 2022+ Allen Meadows (USA)

    • Beaune 1er Cru "Vignes Franches" 2013 - Wine Spectator.com - June 2016 - 89/100

      Smooth and balanced, this red's cherry and raspberry notes are shaded by fennel and spice accents. The firm backbone emerges as this lingers on the finish. Best from 2018 through 2030.

    • Beaune 1er Cru "Vignes Franches" 2013 - James Suckling - June 2015 - 93/100This is tannic and intense with dark berry, strawberry and lemon rind character. Full body, firm texture and a long finish. Fresh and structured. Needs a year to two to soften. It was a quarter of the production for this. Better in 2017.



    • Beaune 1er Cru "Vignes Franches” 2013 - Burghound.com - Avril 2015 - 88/100There is a good energy to the dusty flavors that possess a mild dryness on the slightly clipped finish.
    • Beaune 1er Cru "Vignes Franches" 2013 - Burgundy Report - December 2014 - "lovely"Higher-toned, floral, less depth, with faint but fine red fruit - lovely. Similar shape to the Perrières, round and mouthfilling but with less attack. Still very good intensity and just a little more tannic texture. Very different, indeed prettier than Perrières, but I have a preference for that wine today.
    • Beaune 1er Cru "Vignes Franches" 2012 - Burghound.com - April 2014 - "A seductive mouth feel"A more deeply pitched nose features notes of both red and dark currants and plum. The fleshy, round and delicious medium weight flavors possess a seductive mouth feel and fine mid-palate density. 2016+ By Allen Meadows (USA)
    • Beaune 1er Cru "Vignes Franches" 2012 - Wine Enthusiast - December 2015 - 91/100This wine is soft and round, with attractive acidity as well as a light sense of structure from tannins. It features considerable acidity along with wild strawberry flavors that keep it lifted and aromatic. Drink from 2017. By Roger Voss (USA)
    • Beaune 1er Cru "Vignes Franches" 2012 - Wine Spectator - Juin 2015 - 91/100Ripe cherry, plum and subtle licorice flavors highlight this rich, round red, which is open and fruity, with fine harmony and a long, licorice- and tobacco-tinged finish. Best from 2017 through 2026.



    • Beaune 1er Cru "Vignes Franches" 2012 - Apstein on Wine - December 2014 - 93/100Consumers tend to forget that the top-tier négociants, such as Louis Latour, make wine from grapes grown in vineyards they own in addition to buying grapes from others.  Indeed, Latour, one of the largest vineyard owners in Burgundy, owns a substantial parcel in Vignes Franches, one of the best premier cru vineyards in Beaune.  Hence they bottle it under their Domaine label.   Always one their most engaging wines, the 2012 Vignes Franches has an opulence that reflects both the concentration of the vintage and the vineyard's locale in the southern part of Beaune closer to Pommard.  Lovely firmness and bright acidity balances its fleshy character.  Though easy to enjoy if you like the youthful vigor or Burgundy, it should develop beautifully over the next decade. Michael Apstein (USA)

    • Beaune 1er Cru "Vignes Franches" 2012 - Burgundy Report - June 2014 - "Simply lovely"Here's a lovely aromatic mix of fruits - red and black. The palate is lithe with lovely freshness and intensity, and there's an extra dimension of dark fruit in the mid-palate. Simply lovely. - Bill Nanson
    • Beaune 1er Cru "Vignes Franches" 2012 - Jancis Robinson - January 2014 - 15.5/20Rather muddy, indistinct nose. Bright fruit on the palate - and no shortage of it. Grainy tannins on the somewhat sudden finish. Drink 2016-2022 (cask sample) UK
    • Beaune 1er Cru "Vignes Franches” 2011 - Wine Enthusiast - September 2014 - 91/100Fruity and ripe, it also presents afresh feel that cuts through the jammy red fruits and gives an edge to the weight and velvet texture. It's almost ready to drink but will be better from 2015.-R.V.
    • Beaune 1er Cru "Vignes Franches" 2011 - Wine Spectator - June 2014 - 90/100On the lean side, evoking pure cherry flavors, with hints of cedar and sandalwood. The oak is a bit obtrusive but this finds equilibrium on the long, smoky finish. Best from 2016 through 2025. By Bruce Sanderson (USA)
    • Beaune 1er Cru "Vignes Franches" 2011 - Allen Meadows - Burghound.com - May 2013 - 90/100An expressive nose of earth, floral elements and plum scents slides gracefully into punchy medium-bodied flavors where a lovely mineral streak adds lift to the dusty, clean and mildly austere finish. There is both good volume and solid structural maturity and this should benefit from 5 to 7 years of bottle age. 2017+
    • Beaune 1er Cru "Vignes Franches" 2011 - Jancis Robinson - February 2013 - 16.5/20Sweet red cherry and a delicate touch of chocolate/vanilla sweetness, presumably from the oak. Drink 2016-2023. By Julia Harding MW.
    • Beaune 1er Cru Vignes Franches 2010 - Tom Cannavan's wine-pages.com - August 2015 - 91/100

      Fragrant with some floral and cherry, rose like tiny nuances and solid berry fruit beneath. The palate has a stripe of liquorice that is bittersweet and grippy, with a tight endive touch. Tight, very powerful and concentrated, perhaps a little too much in this vintage, but there is elegance.(UK)

    • Beaune 1er Cru "Vignes Franches" 2010 - Burghound.com - April 2012 - 89-100Noticeable wood frames ripe red berry fruit, earth and violet aromas. There is good volume to the fleshy and generous flavors that possess a sappy and easy-to-like texture, all wrapped in a mouth coating finish of moderate depth and length. By Allen Meadows (USA)
    • Beaune 1er Cru "Vignes Franches" 2010 - Wine Spectator - October 2013 - 90/100Bright and juicy, this red delivers strawberry and raspberry flavors on a medium-bodied frame. Balanced, this lingers nicely on the finish. Drink now through 2017.
    • Beaune 1er Cru "Vignes Franches" 2010 - My Wines And More - August 2013 - 90/100Ungrafted vines. Bright ruby. Scented, red berries, elegant and nuanced nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, elegant and lively, lovely balance, red berries and floral touch, long.
    • Beaune 1er Cru "Vignes Franches" 2010 - Jancis Robinson - January 2012 - 16/20Sweet, ripe, plump fruit on the palate and savoury, enveloping tannin on the finish. Nicely pert and perky. By Richard Hemming (UK).
    • Beaune 1er Cru "Vignes Franches" 2009 - Wine Spectator - November 2012 - 92/100Floral pepper aromas grace the wild raspberry and wild cherry flavors in this exotic red. The berry flavors team up with a silky texture, keeping the tannins at bay. Offers a fine, lingering aftertaste of berry and spice. Drink now through 2022. (USA)
    • Beaune 1er Cru "Vignes Franches" 2009 - Sommeliers International - October 2015

      The Beaune 1er Cru "Vignes Franches" 2009 verges to excellence. It asserts itself, powerful, but develops at the same time a pleasurable delicacy, a subtle roundness. By Nelson Chow

    • Beaune 1er Cru "Vignes Franches" 2009 - Burghound.com - May 2011 - 89/100A deft touch of wood sets off notably ripe dark berry fruit aromas that precede the rich, supple and very round medium weight flavors that possess good balance and fine persistence. This delicious and easy-to-like offering should age well over the medium-term. 2015+. By Allen Meadows (USA).
    • Beaune 1er Cru "Vignes Franches" 2009 - Jancis Robinson - January 2011 - 16.5/20Scented, quite racy nose. Lots of ripe fruit and then polished tannins underneath. Admirably persistent with some freshness. Very neat with quite marked tannins. Drink 2014-2018. (UK)
    • Beaune 1er Cru "Vignes Franches" 2008 - Wine Enthusiast - December 2010 - 88/100Soft and ripe wine, with gentle tannins and fresh acidity. There is an edge of bitterness that comes between the fruit and the structure. By Roger Voss (USA).
    • Beaune 1er Cru "Vignes Franches" 2008 - Wine Spectator - May 2011 - 90/100Sweet cherry, raspberry, spice and earth aromas and flavors play off the open texture and round profile of this red, with a firm structure buried underneath. Fine length. Best from 2012 through 2022. (USA)
    • Beaune 1er Cru "Vignes Franches" 2008 - Burghound.com - April 2010 - 86-89/100An elegant, pure and pretty nose offers up notes of both red and dark berry fruit aromas as well as hints of smoke and earth, the latter of which can also be found on the rich, generous and round middle weight flavors that are delicious and focused though mildly tangy on the acceptably persistent finish. 2015+. By Allen Meadows (USA).
    • Beaune 1er Cru "Vignes Franches" 2007 - Wine Spectator - November 30th 2009 - 89/100Ripe and fleshy, with notes of macerated cherry and hints of cola and clove. Firm but not obtrusive tannins and fresh acidity keep this lively. Best from 2010 through 2018. By Bruce Sanderson (USA).
    • Beaune 1er cru "Vignes Franches" 2006 - TheFineWineTimes.com - February 11th, 2010 - "Graceful"Quite delicate with creamy redcurrants, strawberry and red cherry aromas-fine, elegant and fruity with integrated vanilla oak and a distinct spicy, earthy note. Lithe and frisky in the mouth with high racy acidity matched to fine summer-pudding fruits and a hint of vanilla spice. Graceful. (UK)
    • Beaune 1er Cru "Vignes Franches" 2006 - Decanter World Wine Awards 2009 - BronzeClassic and cherry and strawberry, fine tannin, easy-drinking bright Pinot. (UK)
    • Beaune 1er Cru "Vignes Franches" 2006 - Wine Spectator - May 2009 - 90/100An elegant, tensile red whose strawberry, cherry and mineral flavors are stretched taut across its linear profile. Vibrant and long, but needs time to unwind. Best from 2011 through 2020. By Bruce Sanderson (USA).
    • Beaune 1er Cru "Vignes Franches” 2006 - Burghound.com - April 2008 - 87-89/100A sweet and very high-toned nose of airy red pinot fruit that has subtle spice and smoke notes that are also picked up by the fresh and energetic middle weight flavors that possess a racy and refined finish that also display a touch of youthful austerity. An attractive and generous effort that is very Beaune. 2011+ By Allen Meadows (USA).
    • Beaune 1er Cru "Vignes Franches" 2005 - Wine Gang - September 2009 - 93/100Classy Côte d'Or Pinot Noir from the excellent 2005 vintage. Expressive and aromatic with a heady, perfumed red fruits nose, an intense, sweet-cherry palate and terroir-in-the-glass earthy spice. It's ready now (roast partridge or pheasant wouldn't go amiss), but there's tannin and acidity to keep this for another five years. A far cry from old-style Latour red Burgundies. (UK)
    • Beaune 1er Cru "Vignes Franches" 2005 - CNBC.com - November 2008 - 92/100Silky and complex, this red shows succulent cherry, red currant and bilberry flavors matched to a firm structure. Great character and depth, with an old-vine intensity. Long, sweet fruit finish. Best from 2013 through 2025. By Bruce Sanderson (USA).
    • Beaune 1er Cru "Vignes Franches" 2005 - Wine Enthusiast - August 31st, 2008 - 92/100A rich, soft, opulent style of wine that shows delicious delicious reed fruits, the tannins just as ripe as the rest of the wine. It is not all richness, because to finish, those tannins and acidity come bursting through. This wine will age. (USA)
    • Beaune 1er Cru "Vignes Franches" 2005 - Jancis Robinson - January 2007 - 15/20Almost raw fruit character on the nose. Lots of acidity on the palate. Quite chewy and with a bit of a hole in the middle. (UK)
    • Beaune 1er Cru "Vignes Franches" 2005 - Wine Spectator - January 31st, 2008 - 92/100Silky and complex, this red shows succulent cherry, red currant and bilberry flavors matched to a firm structure. Great character and depth, with an old-vine intensity. Long, sweet fruit finish. Best from 2013 through 2025. (USA)
    • Beaune 1er Cru "Vignes Franches" 2005 - Burghound.com - April 2007 - 89/100A ripe, attractive and expressive nose of raspberry and cherry with background hints of earth merges into rich, velvety and punchy flavors that possess excellent volume and really envelope the palate on the sappy and mouth coating finish. Lovely in an understated style. By Allen Meadows (USA).
    • Beaune 1er Cru "Vignes Franches" 2005- Wine Advocate - May 30th, 2007 - 89/100The estate's 2005 Beaune Vignes Franches offers a fascinating high-toned nose suggestive of Cabernet Franc in its meld of flowers, nuts (pistachio?) and machine oil, exuberant, ripe cherry fruit and a smooth texture on the palate, and chalk and wet stone mineral character. (USA)
    • Beaune 1er Cru "Vignes Franches" 2004 - Burghound.com - April 2006 - 86-89/100This too is stylishly complex and high-toned with a ripe mix of red and black berry fruit aromas that precede very supple, round and almost easy flavors that are definitely on the light side but this culminates in a firm and very fresh finish. By Allen Meadows (USA).
    • Beaune 1er Cru "Vignes Franches" 2003 - Burghound.com - April 2005 - 87/100The ripest nose to this point with roasted plum, fig prune and obvious toreefaction but despite the ripeness, the rich, firmly structured and sappy flavors are nicely complex and offer good concentration. In short, a delicious but noticeably warm effort that I find to be too ripe for my tastes. 2009+. By Allen Meadows (USA).
    • Beaune 1er Cru "Vignes Franches" 2003 - Vinavisen Magazine - February 2005 - 5 starsPowerful, spicy and fresh are the characteristics of the bouquet and palate of this lovely red wine. It is as a young stallion, which with no doubt will turn into a full blooded race horse in time.
    • Beaune 1er Cru "Vignes Franches" 2003 - Wine Spectator - 15 May 2006 - 89/100Bright, with ripe cherry, candied berry and spice notes, this is soft and very appealing now. It has concentration, length and very finely woven tannins. Drink now through 2014. (USA)
    • Beaune 1er Cru "Vignes Franches” 2003 - Wine Enthusiast - September 2005 - 88/100Huge, forward fruit gives this wine an almost New World flavor. The jammy, red fruit are balanced with spice and some herbs. Tannins are light and lost in the fruit. (USA)
    • 2002 Beaune 1er Cru Vignes Franches - La Revue du Vin de France - February 2006 :More of an intense robe. Less straight-forward fruitiness, but more complex; minerality and spicy hints, with great freshness. The fruitiness makes a come back at the finale, drawn out by a remarkable nervousness. Fairly lively wine. Wait two to five years.
    • Beaune 1er Cru "Vignes Franches" 2002 - Winecurrent.com - September 3rd, 2005 - 5 stars The lifted nose of floral notes, tar and cassis is gargantuan and gorgeous. The flavours of crème de cassis and raspberry compote are interwoven with firm, ripe tannins and a wonderful balancing acidity that portent long life, but also approachable now. It has verve and elegance. Drink now to 2012. This Premier Cru is truly a bon Beaune.
    • Beaune 1er Cru "Vignes Franches” 2002 - Wine Spectator - May 2005 - 91/100Lovely expression of fruit and terroir. Cherry jam, licorice and spice aromas and flavours mingle with a velvety texture and solid tannins in this pure, elegant red. Good proportions and a fine length. (USA)
    • 2001 Beaune 1er Cru "Les Vignes Franches" - Sommeliers International - October 2007 :Visual aspect : a beautifully vibrant light-ruby colour.
      Nose : Still rather closed, on aromas of raspberries and fresh red fruits. It is well-balanced overall, although light.
      Palate : Lively primary taste, predominantly fruity; the tannins are well-matured however.
      To keep 5-7 years.
    • Beaune 1er Cru "Vignes Franches" 2001 - Wine Advocate - June 30th, 2003 - 88-89/100Black raspberries and dark cherries are found in the aromatics of the ruby-colored 2001 Beaune Vignes Franches. Medium-bodied, it explodes on the palate to reveal layers of black cherries, cassis, and spices. This intensely flavored, concentrated, enormously fruity wine displays loads of ripe tannin in its well-structured finish. (USA)
    • Beaune 1er Cru "Vignes Franches" 2000 - Wineanorak.com - September 2012 - 91/100Quite a pale colour. Very sweet, smooth nose of soft ripe red fruits with a hint of earthy, spicy complexity. The palate is smooth, elegant and soft with no rough edges and just a bit of spicy earthy structure. It's not the most complex Burgundy ever, but there's a nice texture here and some elegance. Quite a charming wine. Very good/excellent. By Jamie Goode (UK)
    • 2000 Beaune "Vignes Franches" - Burghound.com - April 2003 - 86 points :This too is extremely elegant with finely detailed red pinot fruit aromas though the flavors are too light to move this to the next level. There is surprisingly good richness and persistence on the finish and like the vibrancy of the fruit. That said, this too could benefit from more mid-palate sap.
    • 1999 Beaune 1er Cru "Vignes Franches" - Wine Spectator - February 2nd, 2001 - 90-94 points :The Beaune Vignes Franches (90-94) was a prototypical, outstanding'99, made from ripe grapes (13 percent potential alcohol) and fairly high yields of 50 hectoliters per hectare (about 3.7 tonnes per acre); it was the first vineyard harvested by Latour, in perfect weather, and it delivers rich, spicy, milky, sweet character and a balanced finish.
    • 1999 Beaune Vignes Franches 1er Cru - Decanter - July 2003 - 4 stars :Superb nose, intense berry and violet bouquet. Elegant tannins ; ripe berry fruit and well-integrated oak. Firm with a very long finish. 2 - 5 years.
    • 1999 Beaune 1er Cru "Vignes Franches" - Wine Magazine - 84 points :"Lovely complexity, everything from peaches to cherries. still developing."
    • 1999 Beaune 1er Cru "Vignes Franches" - Wine Advocate - June 2001 - 87-88 points :The ruby-coloured 1999 Beaune Vignes Franches displays loads of cherries and spices in its aromatics. This medium-bodied-wine has excellent depth of fruit to its red cherry, blackberry and blueberry flavoured character. It is velvety-textured, and has an extremely long, silky finish. Drink it over the next 5-6 years.
    • 1997 Beaune 1er Cru "Les Vignes Franches" - Wine Enthusiast - July 2000 :Delicate cherry and cranberry fruit is lightly seasoned with cinnamon, nutmeg and all-spice. A charming, elegant, drink-me-now wine.
    • 1997 Beaune 1er Cru "Vignes Franches" - Wine Advocate - 90 points : The 1997 Beaune Vignes Franches is medium to dark ruby-colored, and has a lovely nose filled with deeply ripe red and black fruits. This is huge, rich, fat, deep wine with plum syrupcovered, cookle dough flavors, and hints of candied orange rinds. Medium to full-bodied, silky-textured, and with evidence of sur-maturité, it is wine that provides enormous hedonistic pleasure. Anticipated maturity: now-2004.
    • 1996 Beaune 1er Cru "Vignes Franches" - The Times - December 2001 :This has more of that big, beefy, meaty almost chocolatey oomph than most red Burgundy and works well with demanding Christmas menus. It spent 18 months maturing in oak barrels before it was bottled. Serve with equaly rich game dishes, such as venison or ostrich, with a dash of chocolate in the sauce.
    • 1995 Beaune 1er Cru "Vignes Franches" - Wine Enthusiast - November 15th, 1998 - 92 points :Tight, concentrated nose of black cherry and raspherry. Grows fragrant after 40 minutes. Very concentrated black-fruit flavors emerge with breathing. More and more berries the longer it breathes. This wine is showing great promise. Delicious young fruit. A classic '95 Burgundy showing youthful accessibility and potential at a moderate price for a fine premier cru.
    • Beaune 1er Cru "Vignes Franches" 1985 - Wine Spectator - March 1988 - 90/100Sturdy and flavorful, with an attractive softness around the edges, with pl um, blackberry and violet flavors, a hint of black pepper and vanilla on th e nose, long on the finish, gaining delicacy with each sip.
Recommend this wine

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