Domaine Tollot-Beaut et Fils is a long-established, family-run Burgundy estate based in Chorey-lès-Beaune, with roots going back to the late 1880s and now led by fifth-generation cousins Nathalie, Jean‑Paul, and Olivier Tollot. The domaine farms roughly 60 acres across the Côte de Beaune, and its style is often described as “serious but pleasing,” aiming for Pinot Noir that combines structure with drinkability.

The 2023 Beaune Premier Cru Clos du Roi is a single-vineyard Pinot Noir from the northern part of Beaune, a climat whose name—“the King’s enclosure”—reflects its historic association with King Louis XI, who seized the vineyard in 1477. The site’s brown limestone soils and favorable south to southeast exposure are typically linked with freshness and mineral drive, giving a finer profile than many of Beaune’s richer southern-sector premier crus. Tollot-Beaut’s vines here were planted in 1978, 1982, and 1987, and the wine is raised in French oak with about 50% new barrels, a regime intended to add structure and discreet spice rather than dominate the fruit. The finished alcohol is around 13%, notably moderate for a warm-leaning modern context.

Critical response, as early barrel assessment, is strong. Vinous rates the wine an excellent 93 points (listed as 91–93), with Neal Martin noting it was “picked toward the beginning of the harvest,” a detail that fits the wine’s clear emphasis on freshness. Martin describes “a lovely nose of lifted wild strawberry and cranberry fruit with just a touch of leather,” then adds that “the palate is well balanced and fresh with crisp acidity and a nicely detailed finish.” He also flags the moderate strength: “This has lower alcohol at 13% and it shows,” suggesting a wine built more on clarity and line than sheer weight.

Taken together, Clos du Roi 2023 reads as a poised, classically framed Beaune Premier Cru: red-fruited, detailed, and structured for short- to mid-term cellaring, while retaining enough lift to drink well relatively early.