When Henry-Frédéric Roch established Domaine Prieuré Roch in 1988, he brought with him the exacting standards of DRC and a philosophy he describes not as "making" wine but as managing a natural process—listening to and stewarding the vines through the seasons. The result is a collection of wines so vibrant and refined that they've become emblematic of what's possible when tradition and minimal intervention are practiced with vision and humility.

Coteaux Bourguignons is Burgundy's regional appellation allowing winemakers freedom to blend varieties or craft single-varietal wines. Created in 2011 to replace the less marketable "Bourgogne Grand Ordinaire," the appellation was originally conceived for approachable, everyday wines.

At Prieuré-Roch, approachable does not mean ordinary. Their Coteaux Bourguignons—a blend of Gamay and Pinot Noir from 30-year-old vines planted below Vosne-Romanée—receives the same uncompromising treatment as their Grand Crus: whole-cluster fermentation, indigenous yeasts, and minimal sulfur. It's a serious expression of terroir that happens to carry a humble label, precisely the kind of wine that rewards those who look beyond appellation hierarchy.

Many in Burgundy enjoyed an abundant harvest in 2018, but Domaine Prieuré-Roch was not among them. Plagued by hail, drought, and unseasonable heat, the harvest was rather uncertain. In the bottle, though, the wines show freshness and vitality belying their early struggle. Alpine strawberry and raspberry dominate the nose, accented by peony and white pepper. The domaine calls it "fresh and fruity, cheerful and cheeky," but there's serious winemaking behind that exuberance.