Domaine Follin-Arbelet 2020

It is hard to think of vignerons more humble, yet producing wine with such passion and sense of authenticity, than Franck Follin and his son Simon.  Romanee St Vivant and Corton Charlemagne aside, most of their wines are not from flashy appellations yet throughout the range the wines speak clearly of their vintage and each cru expresses its individual vineyard origin.

Visits to Domaine Follin-Arbelet often become surprise highlights of trips to Burgundy, with the family modestly uncorking old bottles at the end of each tasting.  During our last visit, Simon blinded me with a half bottle of red.  Based on the expressive quality of the fruit and pinpoint balance, I guessed we had a 2010 in our glasses, but no; Simon had generously served a 1993, from his father’s inaugural vintage.  What’s more, this was not a Grand Cru but a humble Aloxe Corton 1er Cru Les Vercots that I rated 94/100.

These wines last; they improve with age; they provide remarkable value from a region whose prices are fast disappearing into the stratosphere!

We are delighted to present our offer of Follin-Arbelet’s 2020 vintage, a year of flattering and expressive fruit, seductive textures and brightly defined minerality.  These wines are in our Singapore cellars and ready for immediate delivery – I hope you’re tempted to add a few cases to your collection.

The Offer:
Offered subject to remaining unsold.  Immediately available from our Singapore cellars.  Grand Crus subject to allocation.

Corton Charlemagne Grand Cru 2020

48 bottles available @ $210 per bottle (inc GST $226.8)

** Restricted to 12 bottles per person**

From Le Charlemagne.  Planted in 2014.  Some subtle toast on the nose.  Ripe yellow stone fruit on the nose but also plenty of pithy extract and crunch.  Has cream at the core but is also sheathed in structure to keep it crisp and upright.  Long, spicy finish.

94/100 – Matthew Hemming MW

From Le Charlemagne. Excellent pale lemon colour. The nose has concentration and character and above all the wonderful pure stone qualities of top Corton-Charlemagne. Very juicy too, lightly saline, definitely stony, something of everything here. Delicious finish.

94-96pts – Jasper Morris MW / insideburgundy.com

Pernand Vergelesses 1er Cru Les Fichots 2020

18 bottles available @ $70 per bottle (inc GST $75.6)

Dense purple black. Extraordinary colour given very short light vinification. Happily the fruit, though ultra-concentrated, has stayed fresh, more raspberry than anything darker, and with good acidity. The tannins are well assimilated. Very good concentrated persistent finish. Excellent.

88-91pts – Jasper Morris MW

Aloxe Corton 1er Cru Clos du Chapitre 2020

70 bottles available @ $85 per bottle (inc GST $91.8)

30 magnums available @ $180 per magnum (inc GST $194.4)

Combines the richness and ripeness of a warmer site with the framework of a more mineral soil,  Tannins are ripe, fine and nicely defined.  A hint of earthiness on the mid-palate and a juicy, raspberry-scented finish.  Has a cool quality of some spice and herbs.

89-91pts – Matthew Hemming MW

Rich imperial purple, a touch of reduction making the nose tougher, This is ultra-rich, with super-concentrated sun-dried cherries. Very happy with this on the palate, not least thanks to the excellent acidity. Tense, concentrated with just that slight reduction which will disappear.

89-92pts – Jasper Morris MW

Aloxe Corton 1er Cru Les Vercots 2020

66 bottles available @ $85 per bottle (inc GST $91.8)

30 magnums available @ $180 per magnum (inc GST $194.4)

Glossy, dark berry fruit.  Not particularly classical but has wonderful dark-toned and plush fruit.  Has a great core and the tannins are rich and creamy.  Note to self: buy in mags!

91-93pts – Matthew Hemming MW

Real powerful black purple. Brutally concentrated nose. Much firmer tannins, black fruit, a little less acidity, built more around the tannic structure. Powerful stuff but not unbalanced.

88-91pts – Jasper Morris MW

Corton Grand Cru 2020

42 bottles available @ $180 per bottle (inc GST $194.4)

From Le Charlemagne.  50% new oak for short period but this is completely subsumed into the wine.  Creamy, elegant and scented red fruit.  A hint of reduction brings delicate spice and some smoke.  Has a gentle musky quality.  Fine-grained finish.

93/100 – Matthew Hemming MW

Another inky black purple. A prune or two mixing with fresher fruit, dry tannins behind, this needed picking earlier for my taste. But even so it finishes on a sweetness of fruit which is ripely attractive rather than dried out.

89-92pts – Jasper Morris MW

Corton Bressandes Grand Cru 2020

30 bottles available @ $180 per bottle (inc GST $194.4)

Negoce and they buy wine for elevage, this was a barrel sample.  A more muscular and broad-shouldered expression.  Firm tannin structure gives clear Corton signature in contrast to the delicacy of Le Charlemagne.  Lots of volume and a touch coarse on the dry finish.

91-93pts – Matthew Hemming MW

From Le Charlemagne. Rich dense purple with quite a powerful weight of fruit but verging on the cooked plums. Good oak, quite suave, not at all ugly at the finish, but a riper style of fruit than the ideal. 

88-91pts – Jasper Morris MW

Romanee St Vivant Grand Cru 2020

** Highly restricted allocations **

$600 per bottle (inc GST $648)

Maximum purchase 3 bottles per order & we ask for an equal spend on non-Grand Cru bottles.

No tasting notes available.

Terms & Conditions
Offer ends on Wednesday 1st November 2023 l No further discount l Immediate payment required l Delivery fees ($32.40) waived for purchases above $500 before GST excluding airports | Cancellation of orders not allowed l Orders to be collected/delivered within 3 months upon stock availability l Offered Ex-Singapore & subject to remaining unsold​