Domaine François Gaunoux
Beaune 1er Cru 'Le Clos des Mouches'
Beaune Premier Cru Clos des Mouches, Burgundy
2022
Vintage
Varietal
Pinot Noir
ABV
Where it is, June 2026
Approaching Peak: drinkable, but best years are ahead.
The 2022 Domaine François Gaunoux Clos des Mouches has entered its drinking window in 2026, but peak drinking does not begin until 2029. At four years old, this Beaune Premier Cru shows the hallmark 2022 Côte de Beaune character - succulence, harmony, and depth - but the wine is still early in its development. The fresh acidity and age-worthy tannic structure need another two to three years to settle into full integration. Open it now as a preview, or hold for 2029-2040 peak expression.
Related vintages
- 2015Très Vieilles Vignes Mazis-Chambertin Grand Cru
Mazis-Chambertin Grand Cru, France · Peak 2027-2044
- 2015Hommage à Jean Morin Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru
Clos Vougeot Grand Cru, France · Peak 2028-2043
- 2015Chambertin Clos de Bèze Grand Cru
Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Grand Cru, France · Peak 2035-2040
- 2021Gevrey-Chambertin
Gevrey-Chambertin, Côte de Nuits, Burgundy · Peak 2027-2035
- 2021Pommard
Pommard, France · Peak 2027-2034
The ‘22 Beaune 1er Cru 'Le Clos des Mouches'.
Clos des Mouches 2022 - a great Beaune Premier Cru from a landmark vintage, just opening its window with a decade ahead.
Drinking window
Tasting note
The 2022 Gaunoux Clos des Mouches is a focused, cellar-worthy Beaune Premier Cru Pinot Noir. Red cherry, rose, earth, and spice anchor the profile, with the appellation's characteristic freshness and depth carrying through a clean, age-worthy finish. The 2022 vintage imparted a sense of succulence and ripeness - the wine is more generous than earlier vintages - but Beaune's limestone-rich soils and this producer's precise approach ensure the freshness and structure that define Premier Cru drinking windows of a decade or more.
The 2022 vintage
The 2022 Côte de Beaune reds vintage (WS 96, Classic) was shaped by a hot, dry summer offset by crucial June rainfall that allowed the vines to maintain balance. Wine Spectator noted that June rains helped the vines resist the hot, dry summer, yielding reds of succulence, harmony and depth. Beaune Premier Cru sites like Clos des Mouches, with their complex limestone and clay soils, translated the vintage's warmth into generosity of fruit without losing the freshness and definition that make these wines age-worthy. This is a great vintage for Côte de Beaune reds.
About Domaine François Gaunoux
Domaine François Gaunoux is a small Burgundy estate based in Meursault, farming prestigious Premier Cru and village vineyards across the Côte de Beaune. The domaine is known for careful viticulture and a winemaking approach that emphasizes terroir expression over intervention - allowing each vineyard's character to speak through clean, focused wines built for medium-term cellaring. Clos des Mouches holds prestige as one of Beaune's most consistently excellent Premier Cru sites.
From the cellar: pair with
Roast chicken with tarragon and butter
Beaune Premier Cru Pinot Noir's red cherry, earth, and spice are the archetypal partner for roast chicken - the tarragon echoes the wine's herb notes and the butter fat integrates with the tannin structure.
Salmon fillet with mushroom and thyme cream
The wine's freshness and red fruit character carry through fatty fish with cream sauce - the acidity and delicate fruit profile work well against the richness.
Veal medallion with morel mushrooms and cream
Classic Burgundy pairing - the earthy morel notes echo the wine's forest floor and spice character, and the delicate veal protein is the ideal tannin partner for fine Premier Cru Pinot Noir.
Service & cellaring
- Serving Temp
- 58-62F (14-17C)
- Decanting
- Decant 20-30 minutes if opening now. For peak expression, hold until 2029. The wine will open up significantly over the next three years.
- Cellar Storage
- 55F (13C), 60-70% humidity, bottle on its side.
The drinking window on this bottle is calculated with the Cellared Ageability Index (CAI) v1.0, a 10-factor model. Try the free drinking window calculator on any wine, or read when to drink wine for the practical signals.
More from Beaune Premier Cru Clos des Mouches, Burgundy
Frequently Asked
What is Clos des Mouches?
Clos des Mouches is one of Beaune's most prestigious Premier Cru sites, covering nearly 26 hectares on the southern slopes of the Beaune appellation. The name historically referred to bees rather than flies. It produces both red and white wines of genuine quality.
How does the 2022 vintage stand in Burgundy history?
The 2022 Côte de Beaune reds received WS 96 (Classic) - a standout vintage. The combination of June rains and a hot summer produced wines of succulence, depth, and harmony that are drinking well young but will reward ten-plus years of cellaring.
When is peak drinking for this wine?
Peak drinking runs from 2029 through 2040. In 2026 the wine has just opened its window and shows well with decanting, but the fullest expression is still three years away.
Is Domaine François Gaunoux a well-known producer?
The domaine is respected within Burgundy circles for its careful, terroir-focused approach to the Côte de Beaune appellations. Its Premier Cru and village wines consistently offer genuine quality and age-worthiness at competitive prices relative to more famous neighbors.