Burgundy Comes to San Francisco: Notes from La Paulée

San Francisco rarely offers the chance to taste top Burgundy wines. Many are scarce, expensive, and snapped up by collectors, restaurants, and retailers without needing promotion. When they do appear at public tastings, the winemakers themselves are often absent.

That made the Grand Tasting at La Paulée de San Francisco a special occasion. Producers poured their own wines in a beautiful enclosed courtyard at One Sansome Street, alongside excellent glassware and freshly shucked oysters. The tasting was costly, but the wines on offer helped put the price in perspective.

The 2026 event featured leading producers from both the Côte de Beaune and Côte de Nuits. Nearly all the wines were from 2023, an unusual Burgundy vintage: yields were roughly 30% above average, the season was warmer than usual across France but comparatively cool in Burgundy, and a stormier summer gave way to a late heatwave. Many growers dropped fruit to manage crop levels, with mixed results—especially for Pinot Noir. Chardonnay appeared to handle the larger crop more consistently.

The tasting notes below come from a walk-around event, which is not an ideal setting for detailed evaluation. They should be read with that limitation in mind. Still, the 2023s included many appealing wines, particularly those with vibrant acidity, lively fruit, and fine textures.

The prices were often extraordinary. There was little useful connection between cost and quality: wines priced at $40, $80, and $225 received similar assessments, as did reds costing $145, $820, and $1,200. Across the wines listed, the average price was about $225 for whites and $350 for reds; only four of roughly 65 bottles could be found for less than $80. The wines were impressive, but their cost puts them beyond the reach of all but a small share of consumers.

Standout white wines

Among the highest-rated whites were the 2023 Domaine Fontaine-Gagnard Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru, marked by wet-stone and lemon-peel aromas, saline minerality, and a long, resonant finish, and Domaine François Carillon’s “Les Aubues” Puligny-Montrachet, which offered floral notes, lemon oil, and bright acidity.

Carillon’s “Les Perrières Premier Cru” Puligny-Montrachet stood out for its tangy citrus, stony depth, and lingering finish. Domaine Ponsot’s “Clos des Monts-Luisants Premier Cru Vieilles Vignes” Aligoté was another highlight, combining zippy grapefruit and lemon with saline minerality. Its vines were planted in 1911.

Other highly regarded whites included Hubert Lamy’s “Haute Densité” Saint-Aubin and “Les Chaumées Premier Cru” Chassagne-Montrachet; Fontaine-Gagnard’s Chassagne-Montrachet and its “Les Vergers” and “Les Caillerets” Premier Crus; François Carillon’s “Clos du Vieux Château” Puligny-Montrachet; Bachelet-Monnot’s Chassagne-Montrachet; and Pierre Morey’s “Les Tessons” Meursault.

Among more moderately priced options, Pierre Morey’s Bourgogne Aligoté, at $40, showed lively citrus and wet-pavement minerality. Bachelet-Monnot’s “La Fussière Premier Cru” Maranges, at $85, was balanced and stony, while Fontaine-Gagnard’s Chassagne-Montrachet and “Les Vergers” were listed at $110 and $100, respectively.

Standout red wines

The top red wines included Domaine Hudelot-Noëllat’s Romanée-Saint-Vivant Grand Cru, an exceptionally complex and long wine with raspberry, floral, and pine-like notes, and Domaine Ponsot’s Clos de la Roche Grand Cru. Made from 65-year-old vines, the Clos de la Roche had vivid raspberry fruit, fine tannins, and striking acidity.

Several other reds received scores around 9.5. Marquis d’Angerville’s “Fremiet Premier Cru” Volnay was refined and earthy, with powdery tannins and bright raspberry. Thibault Liger-Belair’s “Les Saint Georges Premier Cru” Nuits-Saint-Georges brought together raspberry, spice, fine tannins, and expressive aromatics. Its Richebourg Grand Cru was a supple, mouthwatering wine with raspberry, herbs, and a long finish.

Hudelot-Noëllat’s Vosne-Romanée and “Les Suchots Premier Cru” were lively, floral, and lifted by crisp acidity. Other particularly compelling bottles included Domaine des Chezeaux’s Griotte-Chambertin Grand Cru, Domaine des Lambrays’ Clos des Lambrays Grand Cru, and Ponsot’s “Cuvée des Alouettes Premier Cru” Morey-Saint-Denis and Chapelle-Chambertin Grand Cru.

The tasting also offered strong reds at lower prices. Domaine David Duband’s “Louis Auguste” Bourgogne Hautes Côtes de Nuits, at $55, showed raspberry, herbs, and bright acidity. René Bouvier’s “Clos du Roy” Marsannay was listed at $60, and his “Crais de Chêne” Fixin at $75. Pierre Morey’s Monthelie, at $89, was described as long and pretty, while David Duband’s Nuits-Saint-Georges, at $87, was delicate and driven by fine tannins and acidity.

Across the lineup, the best wines shared energy, precise fruit, and elegant textures. But the tasting also underscored a growing divide: Burgundy’s finest bottles can be extraordinary, yet increasingly difficult for most wine drinkers to afford.

About the Author: Chris Lehoux

Meet Chris Lehoux, an experienced wine connoisseur and dedicated blogger with a deep passion for all things wine-related. With years of expertise in the industry, Chris shares insightful wine reviews, valuable wine tasting tips, expert pairing advice, and captivating tales of vineyard visits. Join Chris on a journey through the world of wine, where every sip is an adventure waiting to be savored!