Hautes Côtes de Nuits is one of Burgundy’s most rewarding and least-celebrated appellations — the hillside villages above the famous Côte de Nuits, where the altitude and the cooler microclimate produce Pinot Noir of a freshness, a purity, and an aromatic delicacy that is genuinely compelling at the price. Domaine Léchéneaut is a 12-hectare family domaine created in the 1980s by Fernand Léchéneaut, now run by his sons Philippe and Vincent with the same commitment to quality and the same respect for the terroir that has made this one of the most respected names in the appellation. The fruit comes from two separate parcels of vines surrounding the village of Nuits, ranging from 20 to 60 years old — old enough to produce fruit of real concentration and character — and the wine is made with 100% whole bunch fermentation, a technique that adds a distinctive aromatic complexity, a structural elegance, and a depth of character that is entirely the Léchéneaut signature. The 2022 is a very elegant Pinot of real purity and expression: pale blood red in the glass, with an uplifted, fragrant, and highly aromatic nose of crunchy red fruits, supported by a lovely sweetness, a sturdy wrap of tannins, and a fresh acidity that carries through to a clean, lingering finish. Hautes Côtes de Nuits at its most characterful — and outstanding value from a producer who could charge considerably more.