Red Burgundy

Question 1

Faiveley 2017 (Bourgogne)

Answer 1

AOC:

• Bourgogne Rouge

Story:

• Founded in 1825, Bourgognes Faiveley has been handed down from father to son for over 175 years. As the sixth generation to take the reins, François Faiveley manages, with equal amounts passion and competence, the largest family domaine in Burgundy. Methodically reconstructing vineyards fractured by French inheritance laws, Bourgognes Faiveley today owns more appellations in their entirety (monopoles) than any other domaine in Burgundy.
• Domaine Faiveley is located in France, at the heart of Viticultural Burgundy, between Dijon and Beaune in Nuits-Saint-Georges. Today they own vineyards in the finest climats in Burgundy - Gevrey-Chambertin, Pommard, Volnay, Puligny-Montrachet, Mercurey and others. Also has a negociant business.

Viticulture:

• Sourced from vineyards spread throughout the terroirs of the Côte de Nuits, Côte de Beaune and the Côte Chalonnaise.
• Sustainable/ Practicing Organic

Vinification:

• Blend: 100% Pinot Noir
• Stainless Steel
• Destemmed

Taste:

• A beautiful ruby color. This wine has pleasant, fresh, red-fruit aromas on the nose, which we find again on the palate. It has rich and very ripe substance, with fine round tannins. It’s a very well-structured and pleasing wine.
• “Pleasant, educational and highly recommended to those who want to get an idea of the red wines of this beautiful region without necessarily getting a mortgage.”

Cost vs Front:

• Front: $22 - winesearcher.com
  
  • $20 - frederick wildman list
• Cost: $80

If/Then:

• If you want a wine with a Story, talk about Dominique Gruhier’s whole experience. Plus, the wine is delicious! It has a little more structure to it, as well. He does whole cluster. It’s the difference between charming and fabulous.

Question 2

Dominique Gruhier, Epineuil 2016

Answer 2

AOC:

• Epineuil (outside of Chablis) - but technically still a Bourgogne.

Story:

• Literally what hasn’t happened to this poor man and his wines!
• https://www.beckywasserman.com/domaines/dominique-gruhier/#.XlQVgi2ZPq0

Viticulture:

• Certified Organic (finally!)
• Kimmeridgian Soil

Vinification:

• Up to 100% whole cluster (depending on vintage and cuvée)
• Indigenous yeasts
• Max. 10% new oak
  
  • Aged for 15 months in older oak barrels.
• Light extraction
• Low sulfur

Taste:

• “Stunningly distinct and assertive. Their mid-palate is intensely mineral, and their finishes long and chalky. The fruit is so vibrant and acidulated in red fruit vintages that it feels bioluminescent, and even black fruit vintages in Epineuil have the energy of red fruit.”

Cost vs. Front:

• Front: $25 - winesearcher.com
  
  • $20.50 - Frederick Wildman list
• Cost: $90

If/Then:

• Might I recommend Simon Bize “les Perrieres” instead? He’s a stunning producer located in Savigny-Les-Beaune, and as critics say, “Nobody beats Bize!” Some of the best village wine in all of Burgundy.

Question 3

Simon Bize “Les Perrieres” 2017

Answer 3

AOC:

• Bourgogne AOC - located in Savigny Les Beaune

Story:

• “Nobody beats Bize!” Some of the best village wine in all of Burgundy.
• The Bize family originated in the Savoie region and moved to Burgundy in the early 19th century where the Bize family continued to make wine. Patrick Bize, a leader in Savigny, often considered an underrated region of Burgundy, took over in 1988. Sadly, Patrick passed away suddenly in 2013 but his work is continued by his wife Chisa and sister, Marielle Bize-Grivot.
• The domaine has a long history, having been founded in 1890, and farms 22 hectares of vines. Their holdings are a laundry list of Savigny-les-Beaune’s best sites, from perfectly situated lieux-dits to the best premier cru parcels of the appellation. Their house style is one partial to whole cluster fermentation for the reds and little to no new oak on both whites and reds.

Viticulture:

• Vine age: Half planted in 1971, half in 1974
• Hillside above Savigny, rocky soil
• Practicing organic and biodynamic

Vinification:

• Blend: 100% Pinot Noir
• Partial whole-cluster
• Indigenous yeast fermentation
• Aged in older oak barrels.
• Unfined, unfiltered

Taste:

• Decent freshness on rather simple but very ripe fruit… Easy to like. - Jancis
• “The 2017 Bourgogne Rouge Les Perrières has a fragrant dark cherry and mulberry bouquet that needs a little coaxing from the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with slightly grainy tannin, darker fruit than some of its regional peers and a saline touch on the finish. Fine.” - MW Co.

Cost vs Front:

• Front: $30-40 - winesearcher.com
• Cost: $108

If/Then:

• If you’re attracted to Simon Bize, I would recommend taking a look at his Savgny-Les Beaune. It moves from a basic level to a village level, and Bize even says Perrieres tends to be a bit mineral and linear. Savigny is a bit more lush.

Question 4

David Duband Cote de Nuits 2017

Answer 4

AOC:

• Cote de Nuits Villages AOC; Sourced from vineyards between Gevrey and Fixin.

Story:

• David Duband is one of those winemakers—a traditionalist with his own innovative fingerprint that’s been at the helm of his family estate since 1991. Under his father, Pierre, the family had modest holdings in the Côte de Nuits, which originally sold their grapes to the cooperative in Beaune. Over the years, David has expanded the estate’s holdings and has converted all of his vineyards as well as his long-term leases to organic and biodynamic viticulture under the strict governing body of Ecocert. David obtained an Oenology degree in Beaune before joining his father at the family domaine. Once he took the reins, David began crafting and bottling all of their wines in-house, and in doing so found his signature style that has firmly ensconced the Duband name among the greatest in Burgundy.

​Viticulture:

• Organic Certified
• 40% stems
• silty limestone soils

Vinification:

• 5-7 extractions with pigeage and pump over
• 14 month in 70% old oak 30% new
• 3 mo. Stainless before bottle
• No fining no filtration

Taste:

• Light to mid cherry. More chewy than the Louis Auguste but still super-fresh. Light-bodied, balanced and gentle but quite long. Not quite as aromatic” - Jancis

Cost vs. Front:

• Front: $30 - winesearcher.com
• Cost: $98

If/Then:

• Might I recommend Michel Magnien instead? He’s not only fully organic, he’s also biodynamic. He uses ancient techniques of fermenting partially in terra cotta jars, bringing back methods of old. It’s not just simple village wine, it combines the structure of Gevrey-Chambertin with the perfume of Chambolle-Musigny.

Question 5

Rene Bouvier “Les Jeunes Rois”

Gevrey Chambertin 2017

Answer 5

AOC

• Gevrey-Chambertin: Village level

Story:

• Bernard Bouvier took over his father’s 10 ha domaine in 1992 and it has now been expanded to 17 ha covering 20 some different appellations. Bouvier is also the current president of the Marsannay grower syndicate and thus he has been instrumental in the commune’s movement to have premiers crus anointed at some point in the future if INAO is ultimately in accordance with their upgrade petition.
• In the family for 3 generations, Domaine René Bouvier is today run by Bernard Bouvier. It has 17 hectares of vines and 18 appellations, ranging from Marsannay to Gevrey-Chambertin. The domaine covers, like many wine growers in the region, a wide range of grand crus, premier crus, villages and regional appellations. Despite the differences, the entire range has been certified organic since 2013. The age of the vines (up to 90 years old) gives these wines a complex character. This area has made considerable progress in recent years, notably thanks to finer extractions than before.
• The climate owes its name to cultivated land. The term Kings does not refer to any king. It comes from “rica”, a Celtic word meaning a kind of line, the trace left by the plow, a drop which separates a group of six or eight furrows. The Young Kings are therefore a land cultivated more recently than the neighboring plots.

Viticulture:

• Manual Harvest
• Vine age: 40+ years
• 1 ha plot
• Certified Organic

Vinification:

• Blend: 100% Pinot Noir
• 30% whole cluster
• Natural yeast
• Little cap management
• Racked into 20-30% New oak, the rest used oak
• Barrels have very little toast
• 18 mo. elevage
  
  • 12 in barrel
  • 6 in steel

Taste:

• Burgundy’s reds in 2017 have been described as “very good, often excellent, and from time to time, bloody awesome” (Vinous). From a superb family domaine, this is an elegantly nuanced and seductive Gevrey with lovely purity of fruit and richness.
• The fine harmony of the black cherry, black currant and refined oak makes for an enticing red. Refined tannins and lively acidity lend support. A mineral note emerges as this builds to a lingering finish

Cost vs Front:

• Front: $63 - 75 - winesearcher.com
• Cost: $148

If/Then

• Les Jeaunes Rois is really pretty. For something with a little more oomph, I recommend Burguet’s “Mes Favorites Vielles Vignes”. These grapes are sourced from “his favorite old vines” with an average age of 70 years. You’re tasting not only place, but time as well.

Question 6

Burguet “Mes Favorite Vieilles Vignes”

Gevrey-Chambertin 2016

Answer 6

AOC:

• Gevrey-Chambertin: Village level

Story:

• Barrel-chested Alain Burguet has been one of Gevrey’s most respected vignerons for a quarter of a century. He has been making terrific wines in Gevrey Chambertin for nearly thirty years, during which time his techniques have evolved. He left school in 1964 to work in the vines and made his first vintage under his own name in 1972. Alain is approximately two barrels tall by one barrel wide, and his muscular physique could be seen in the wines he made in the 1980s, where the tannins were occasionally too firm for the fruit. His style has evolved since then, the fruit now being picked later and riper to add a richer dimension to his wines. He is now assisted by his two sons, Jean-Luc and Eric.
• Alain was born in 1950 to Yvon Burguet, a tâcheron for Domaine Tortochot who also worked his own vines in Gevrey. He was a tough father, and Alain and his brother, Gilles, were expected to work in the vines at a young age on their days off from school. Alain remembers being ten years old and carrying a bucket of grapes at harvest that must have weighed as much as he did. By age 14, the boys were deemed finished with school and they began to work full-time in the vines of Gevrey under their father’s strict direction.

Viticulture:

• ONLY from old vines, across 18 different parcels from the north to the south of the Gevrey appellation (in Brochon and Gevrey), facing east
• Vines: no younger than 70 years old.
• Practicing organic and biodynamic
• Hand harvest

Vinification:

• Blend: 100% Pinot Noir, ONLY from old vines, across 18 different parcels from the north to the south of the Gevrey appellation (in Brochon and Gevrey), facing east
• Limited extraction
• 20 months in oak, 30% new.
• Held on its lees for the whole elevage, adding a plusher texture.
• 100% de-stemmed
• Indigenous yeast fermentation
• minimal intervention.

Taste:

• Dark ruby robe. Tightly wound, black-fruited on the nose, with aromas of game, iron, violets, black cherry, and blackberry giving way to loamy soil notes and wood smoke. Great sense of sauvage wildness—unmistakably Gevrey.

Cost vs. Front:

• Front: $83 - winesearcher.com
  
  • 65$ - Wildman list
• Cost: $190

If/Then:

• If/Then: I’d reccomend Louis Jadot’s “Lavaux-St-Jacques” instead. Not only is it a step up in classification (better quality), and it’s basically baby Chambertin - grand cru quality at half the price. As Robert Parker says, this is a “bootylicious” Gevrey-Chambertin! Very seductive.”

Question 7

Burguet “Champeaux” 1er Cru

Gevrey-Chembertin 2013

Answer 7

AOC:

• Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru: “Les Champeaux” is a 6.88 ha vineyard at the northernmost limit of Gevrey-Chambertin, just south of Evocelles

Story:

• Barrel-chested Alain Burguet has been one of Gevrey’s most respected vignerons for a quarter of a century. He has been making terrific wines in Gevrey Chambertin for nearly thirty years, during which time his techniques have evolved. He left school in 1964 to work in the vines and made his first vintage under his own name in 1972. Alain is approximately two barrels tall by one barrel wide, and his muscular physique could be seen in the wines he made in the 1980s, where the tannins were occasionally too firm for the fruit. His style has evolved since then, the fruit now being picked later and riper to add a richer dimension to his wines. He is now assisted by his two sons, Jean-Luc and Eric.
• Alain was born in 1950 to Yvon Burguet, a tâcheron for Domaine Tortochot who also worked his own vines in Gevrey. He was a tough father, and Alain and his brother, Gilles, were expected to work in the vines at a young age on their days off from school. Alain remembers being ten years old and carrying a bucket of grapes at harvest that must have weighed as much as he did. By age 14, the boys were deemed finished with school and they began to work full-time in the vines of Gevrey under their father’s strict direction.

Viticulture:

• 100% Pinot Noir from Burguet’s miniscule Premier Cru plot within Les Champeaux (just .182 hectares!).
• The vines are tended with certified organic, on the way to biodynamic, practices.
• The bedrock of Les Champeaux consists entirely of fossiliferous crinoidal limestone, which imparts a stunning minerality.
• Its elevation, 340 m, makes you feel on top of the world, and the view on the Gevrey village and Saône plain is wonderful. Cold air from the forest at the top of the slope makes this location particularly cool, especially early in the day.
• Vine age: 1987 = 33

Vinification:

• Minimal intervention winemaking techniques are utilized
• 100% destemmed
• native yeast
• 19 months in barrel (33% new).

Taste:

• This Pinot displays an elegant style with pretty blackberry, rich, vibrant fruit, and bright acidity. There is a really lovely sense of refinement on the medium bodied palate highlighted by an attractive minerality and a touch of baking spice from time in oak. Rounding out the drinking experience is a complex, balanced, lingering finish that is shaped by dense but fine tannins. A fantastic wine and a terrific vintage.

Cost vs. Front:

• Front: $110 - winesearcher.com
  
  • 118 - Wildman list
• Cost: $295

If/Then:

• Armand Rousseau. All the way. He’s, hands down, the best producer in all of Gevrey-Chambertin. It’s a blend of 8/10 of his parcels, using some of his best grapes, and you really taste the hard work in the vineyard.

Question 8

Louis Jadot “Lavaux-St.-Jacques” 1er Cru

Gevrey-Chambertin 2013

Answer 8

AOC:

• Gevrey-Chembertin: “Lavaux-St.-Jacques 1er Cru” Gevrey-Chambertin is the northernmost of the great communes of the Côte de Nuits. There are 26 premiers crus and eight grands crus. Half of the premier crus of Gevrey lie scattered around the perimeter of the grands crus; the other half occupy a steep, south-east facing slope to the north, with chalky/ clay soils. The Lavaux-Saint-Jacques vineyard is situated on the south-facing slope of the hill next to the Clos St-Jacques. Its soil is almost the same as the soil of grand crus such as Chambertin.

Story:

• The House of Louis Jadot has been producing exceptional Burgundy wines since its founding in 1859 by Louis Henry Denis Jadot. For the past 150 years Louis Jadot has continued as one of the great names of Burgundy and has gained international reputation for its superb red and white Burgundy wines. Louis Jadot is not only one of the largest producers of estate Burgundies of the Cote d’Or, it is one of the most celebrated exporters of premium Burgundies, owning close to 140 acres of vineyards from 24 of the most prestigious sites in Burgundy. Negociant.

Viticultue:

• Sustainable
• Hand harvest

Vinification:

• Long macerations
• Choice of wild yeast when possible for fermentation
• no pumping over because that will accelerate the fermentation process while punching down will not.
• Raised in barrel, 1/3 new oak but perhaps up to 50% in a weaker vintage.

Taste:

• “The 2013 Gevrey Chambertin 1er Cru Lavaux St Jacques has a more conservative, straitlaced bouquet at present, though one that is well defined, with orange blossom and light quince aromas infusing the red berry fruit. The palate is well balanced with silky tannin, the new oak nicely integrated here and filling out the rounded and surprisingly plump finish. This is a “bootylicious” Gevrey-Chambertin! Very seductive. It should drink well for the next 15-20 years, possibly longer.” - Robert Parker

Cost vs. Front:

• Front: $98 - winsearcher.com
• Cost: $245

If/Then:

• Check out Burguet’s “Champeaux”. It’s his miniscule Premier Cru plot within Les Champeaux (just .182 hectares!) - Bryant Park is 3.9 Hectares, just for reference. The vines are tended with certified organic, on the way to biodynamic, in comparisson with Jadot who is only sustainable.

Question 9

Louis Jadot “Clos-St.-Jacques” 1er Cru

Gevrey-Chambertin 2014

Answer 9

AOC:

• Gevrey-Chambertin “Clos St. Jacques” 1er cru: There are 26 Premiers Crus in Gevrey-Chambertin, of which half are located in the valley called Combe de Lavaux, on calcareous and clay soil with marl. Clos Saint Jacques is oriented to the southeast and has only five owners.

Story:

• The House of Louis Jadot has been producing exceptional Burgundy wines since its founding in 1859 by Louis Henry Denis Jadot. For the past 150 years Louis Jadot has continued as one of the great names of Burgundy and has gained international reputation for its superb red and white Burgundy wines. Louis Jadot is not only one of the largest producers of estate Burgundies of the Cote d’Or, it is one of the most celebrated exporters of premium Burgundies, owning close to 140 acres of vineyards from 24 of the most prestigious sites in Burgundy. Negociant.

Viticulture:

• 100% PN
• Sustainable
• Hand picked

Vinification:

• Fermented in vats for up to 4 weeks
• Long macerations
• Choice of wild yeast when possible for fermentation
• No pumping over because that will accelerate the fermentation process while punching down will not.
• 1/3 new oak but perhaps up to 50% in a weaker vintage. Matured in oak barrels for 18 to 20 months.

Taste:

• “This vineyard is widely regarded for its quality worthy of grand cru status, and this wine, from vines owned by Louis Jadot, is a fine example. It is both structured and richly fruity—dense with ripe red fruit flavors cut with acidity. A dry core of tannins will allow this impressive wine to age.” - Wine Enthusiast
• “So floral, like a bouquet of flowers. Fills the glass. Full-bodied, yet beautifully balanced and subtle. Such purity of fruit and polish. I can’t wait on this. Drink or hold. Will age beautifully.” - James Suckling

Cost vs. Front:

• Front: $174 - winsearcher.com
• Cost: $375

If/Then:

• Armand Rousseau “Lavaux-St-Jacques”. He’s the best producer coming out of Gevrey-Chambertin. These vineyards are right next to each other, and burgundy is funny in a way that it’s a game of inches. Armand Rousseau’s property is far superior to that of Jadot’s. Plus, you’ll get a little more age on the wine. Masses of fruit and charm!

Question 10

Armand Rousseau 2011 (Gevrey-Chambertin Villages)

Answer 10

AOC:

• Gevrey-Chambertin Villages: Domaine Rousseau owns 10 vineyards in Gevrey-Chambertin, 8 of which are used in its Village appellation. Domaine Rousseau owns 10 vineyards in Gevrey-Chambertin, 8 of which are used in its Village appellation:

Story:

• For four generations, the Rousseau family has worked tirelessly and passionately on some of the finest terroirs of the Côte de Nuits.
• The domain is managed by Eric Rousseau, with the help of his daughter Cyrielle. It has expanded over the years and today covers 15 hectares and 3 ares. They own 3 hectares of Village appellation, 3 hectares 77 of Premier Crus and 8 hectares 52 of Grand Crus, situated in Gevrey Chambertin and Morey-Saint-Denis.
• Eric Rousseau claims there are no real “secrets” to the quality of his wines: just old vines in top vineyard sites, pruned short with low yields, and careful farming.

Viticulture:

• The vineyards, clay-limestone soils situated on slopes with eastern or south-eastern exposures, are pruned using the Guyot system, and are tended with traditional cultivation methods.
• They yield between 30 and 40 hectolitres of wine per hectare.
• Sustainable

Vinification:

• 90% destemming
• 18 to 20 days fermentation in open stainless steel vats
• Regular pumping and treading
• Strict control of temperatures with a max of 31 to 34°C.
• All our young vines are brought together with our old vines, because each generation brings its own richness to the wine.
• Pneumatic press, let to settle 24 hours, then transferred in oak barrels

Taste:

• An exquisitely focused wine, with savory, bright cherry fruit on the nose and mouth. Perfectly structured and balanced.

Cost vs. Front:

• Front: $200-250 - winsearcher…?
• Cost: $350
  
  • $110 in half bottle

If/Then:

• Instead try “les cazetiers”. It’s a step up in quality and only ten cases of this wine are imported into the U.S. every year. That’s 1200 bottles in all of the US. Truly, get it while you can.

Question 11

Armand Rousseau “Les Cazetiers” 1er Cru

Gevrey-Chambertin 2010

Answer 11

AOC:

• Gevrey-Chambertin “Les Cazetiers” 1er Cru: Les Cazetiers vineyard lies just over the wall from the Clos Saint Jacques. Just ten cases of this wine are imported into the U.S.

Story:

• For four generations, the Rousseau family has worked tirelessly and passionately on some of the finest terroirs of the Côte de Nuits.
• The domain is managed by Eric Rousseau, with the help of his daughter Cyrielle. It has expanded over the years and today covers 15 hectares and 3 ares. They own 3 hectares of Village appellation, 3 hectares 77 of Premier Crus and 8 hectares 52 of Grand Crus, situated in Gevrey Chambertin and Morey-Saint-Denis.
• Eric Rousseau claims there are no real “secrets” to the quality of his wines: just old vines in top vineyard sites, pruned short with low yields, and careful farming.

Viticulture:

• Sustainable
• The soil rich in clay and in limestone.
  
  • The limestone helps drainage and absorbs heat during the day, releasing it to the vines at night.

Vinification:

• 90% de-stemmed—but not crushed
• Fermentations start (without adding yeast) after four or five days of cold soak
• Wines are pumped over at the start of fermentation for oxygenation, then punched down in the latter stages
• The wines spend 18-20 days on the skins and are settled for 24 hours after pressing. The Chambertin and Chambertin Clos de Bèze are aged in 100% new oak, the Clos Saint-Jacques is aged in 80% new oak, and the remaining grands and premiers crus are aged in once-used (or older) barrels.
• The wines spend 18 months in oak with one racking and are filtered prior to bottling.

Taste:

• The wine from this appellation is elegant, complex, well-defined, with a juvenile structure
• This is notably different as the fruit is notably riper though it also is very fresh and cool with sauvage notes that carry over to the intense flavors that contrast a silk-like texture with bold flavor authority on the mineral-driven and powerful finish.

Cost vs. Front:

• Front: $394 - winesearcher.com
• Cost: $450

If/Then:

• What about the “Lavaux St. Jacques”? It’s probaly the best 1er cru site in all of Burgundy, and we all know that burgundy is a game of inches. It’s essentailly baby grand cru Chambertin without the price tag.

Question 12

Armand Rousseau “Lavaux-St.-Jacques” 1er Cru

Gevrey-Chambertin 2010

Answer 12

AOC:

• Gevrey-Chambertin “Lavaux-St.Jacques” 1er Cru: Lavaux St Jacques sits directly adjacent to the Clos St Jacques vineyard. Domaine Armand Rousseau owns 3 acres of this Premiere Cru vineyard which sits in relatively flat terrain with exposure slightly to the southeast. Vines average 50 years old.

Story:

• For four generations, the Rousseau family has worked tirelessly and passionately on some of the finest terroirs of the Côte de Nuits.
• The domain is managed by Eric Rousseau, with the help of his daughter Cyrielle. It has expanded over the years and today covers 15 hectares and 3 ares. They own 3 hectares of Village appellation, 3 hectares 77 of Premier Crus and 8 hectares 52 of Grand Crus, situated in Gevrey Chambertin and Morey-Saint-Denis.
• Eric Rousseau claims there are no real “secrets” to the quality of his wines: just old vines in top vineyard sites, pruned short with low yields, and careful farming.

Viticulture:

• Sustainable
• Vine Age: 50+ years
• The two parcels are located on the lower part of the slopes at the entrance to the Combe Lavaux.
• Usually the last one to be harvested (along with the Clos Saint Jacques), due to the cool breezes at night, which lengthen the maturation time of the grapes.
• Limestone and gravel soil

Vinification:

• 90% de-stemmed—but not crushed
• Fermentations start (without adding yeast) after four or five days of cold soak
• Wines are pumped over at the start of fermentation for oxygenation, then punched down in the latter stages
• The wines spend 18-20 days on the skins and are settled for 24 hours after pressing. The Chambertin and Chambertin Clos de Bèze are aged in 100% new oak, the Clos Saint-Jacques is aged in 80% new oak, and the remaining grands and premiers crus are aged in once-used (or older) barrels.
• The wines spend 18 months in oak with one racking and are filtered prior to bottling.

Taste:

• “Masses of fruit and charm! Just serious strawberry fruit. Yet good race too!” - Jancis
• “The resulting wines are firm, with a pleasant roundness and aromas of red berries and cherries. This excellent Premier Cru is characterised by its elegance, freshness and minerality.” - Rousseau

Cost vs. Front:

• Front: $300ish - winesearcher
• Cost: $535

If/Then:

• What about a step up in quality to the Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru? Burgundy is a game of inches, and this is some of the best soil in the whole region. The Charmes-Chambertin is the best Grand Cru Gevrey on our list. Why not taste quality?

Question 13

Armand Rousseau “Charmes-Chambertin”

Gevrey-Chambertin 2009 and 2010

Answer 13

AOC:

• Gevrey-Chambertin “Charmes-Chambertin” Grand Cru: Charmes-Chambertin is the largest Grand Cru in Gevrey-Chambertin covering 72 acres spread across many growers. Domaine Armand Rousseau owns a total of 3.4 acres in a prime position on the hill, mid-slope with an east/southeast exposure.
• In Burgundy, the word ‘Charmes’ refers to the ancient communal fields which became abandoned and overgrown. Here, ‘Charmes’ means ‘Straw’ or ‘Stubble-field’.

Story:

• For four generations, the Rousseau family has worked tirelessly and passionately on some of the finest terroirs of the Côte de Nuits.
• The domain is managed by Eric Rousseau, with the help of his daughter Cyrielle. It has expanded over the years and today covers 15 hectares and 3 ares. They own 3 hectares of Village appellation, 3 hectares 77 of Premier Crus and 8 hectares 52 of Grand Crus, situated in Gevrey Chambertin and Morey-Saint-Denis.
• Eric Rousseau claims there are no real “secrets” to the quality of his wines: just old vines in top vineyard sites, pruned short with low yields, and careful farming.

Viticulture:

• Sustainable
• Limestone/Clay
• The Charmes-Chambertin comprises grapes from two parcels of Charmes-Chambertin appellation and a parcel of Mazoyères-Chambertin.

Vinification:

• 90% de-stemmed—but not crushed
• Fermentations start (without adding yeast) after four or five days of cold soak
• Wines are pumped over at the start of fermentation for oxygenation, then punched down in the latter stages
• The wines spend 18-20 days on the skins and are settled for 24 hours after pressing. The Chambertin and Chambertin Clos de Bèze are aged in 100% new oak, the Clos Saint-Jacques is aged in 80% new oak, and the remaining grands and premiers crus are aged in once-used (or older) barrels.
• The wines spend 18 months in oak with one racking and are filtered prior to bottling.

Vintage:

• Both vintages (‘09 and ‘10) of the highest quality, and both vintages that split opinions.
• 2009 red Burgundy was hailed as a great Burgundy vintage from the moment it was picked, with some of the more enthusiastic growers suggesting that it matched even 2005. Then the 2010 vintage came along and 2009 was sent to the back of the bus. 2010 red Burgundy was seen as classier, more complex, more precise and generally more grown up. But the 2009s are delicious at the lower end, and brilliant at the top. It is easy to describe the 2009s as simple, and easy to say that the wines are marked by the ripeness of the vintage, but they do give an enormous amount of pleasure, which is rather the point.

Taste:

• “A supple wine; both fine and elegant.” - Rousseau
• “One-thirds Mazoyères. Transparent and cool. Unforced. Amazingly, charming sweet fruit and jewel-like freshness and transparency. So delicate.”

Cost vs. Front:

• 2009
  
  • Front: $525 - winsearcher.com
  • Cost: $795
• 2010
  
  • Front: $568 - winesearcher.com
  • Cost: $775

If/Then:

• 2010:
• 2009: Price wise, the only thing to move to would be Clos de Tart in Morey, but that would mean a slight change in style.
  
  • This is a true monopole, which in burgundy is extremely rare - to have only one owner of the entire vineyard! Even better, it’s now owned by Latour. This has only the best NFO on it, and you’re literally going into a taste time capsule by choosing the ‘99 or the ‘96.

Question 14

Armand Rousseau Mazy-Chambertin

Gevrey-Chambertin 2010 and 2011

Answer 14

AOC:

• Gevrey-Chambertin “Mazy-Chambertin” Grand Cru:

This parcel owes its name to the small cabins on its land. Mazy-Chambertin is the northernmost Grand Cru in Gevrey-Chambertin and has two distinct parts: Mazy-Haut and Mazy-Bas. The domain’s vineyard is in Mazy-Bas, at the end of the road coming down from Les Ruchottes.

Story:

• For four generations, the Rousseau family has worked tirelessly and passionately on some of the finest terroirs of the Côte de Nuits.
• The domain is managed by Eric Rousseau, with the help of his daughter Cyrielle. It has expanded over the years and today covers 15 hectares and 3 ares. They own 3 hectares of Village appellation, 3 hectares 77 of Premier Crus and 8 hectares 52 of Grand Crus, situated in Gevrey Chambertin and Morey-Saint-Denis.
• Eric Rousseau claims there are no real “secrets” to the quality of his wines: just old vines in top vineyard sites, pruned short with low yields, and careful farming.

Viticulture:

• Sustainable
• Limestone/clay

Vinification:

• 90% de-stemmed—but not crushed
• Fermentations start (without adding yeast) after four or five days of cold soak
• Wines are pumped over at the start of fermentation for oxygenation, then punched down in the latter stages
• The wines spend 18-20 days on the skins and are settled for 24 hours after pressing. The Chambertin and Chambertin Clos de Bèze are aged in 100% new oak, the Clos Saint-Jacques is aged in 80% new oak, and the remaining grands and premiers crus are aged in once-used (or older) barrels.
• The wines spend 18 months in oak with one racking and are filtered prior to bottling.

Taste:

• “Mazy-Chambertin wines are known for their good structure. A robust wine with pleasant and persistent aromas.” - Rousseau
• “The Mazy-Chambertin is a wine known to have a firm structure and considerable power. Elegant red berry and cherry fruit aromas and flavors, with excellent structure and balanced acidity. Hints of spice, forest floor, and elegant fruit. It is a virile wine, well built with a nice aromatic power and elegance.” - Wildman

Vintage:

• The best 2011 red Burgundies are striking, quintessentially transparent wines that capture the essence of site, but overall this is a variable vintage that is going to require careful selection. Interest remains sky-high for the 2009s, 2010s and 2012s – for different reasons – while by comparison the 2011s are languishing
• 2011 = a variable year with uncharacteristic/ strange weather.

Cost vs. Front:

• 2010
  
  • Front: $620 - winesearcher.com
  • Cost: $750
• 2011
  
  • Front: $436
  • Cost: $695

If/Then:

• 2011: Do the 2010 instead. That was a much better vintage - 2011 had extremely variable weather patterns, and the 2010 is much more reliable and delicious!
• 2010: Try the Charmes-Chambertin 2010 instead. Not only is Chamres-Chambertin some of the best land in Gevrey, 2009 red Burgundy was hailed as a great Burgundy vintage from the moment it was picked, with some of the more enthusiastic growers suggesting that it matched even 2005. Then the 2010 vintage came along and 2009 was sent to the back of the bus.

Question 15

Dominique Gallois Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru

Gevrey-Chambertin 2014

Answer 15

AOC:

• Gevrey-Chambertiin Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru:

Story:

• Dominique Gallois is a softly-spoken, dry-witted and thoughtful vigneron who took over the family vineyards from his father in 1989, when he instituted the production and marketing of domaine wines – essentially creating his eponymous domaine – rather than continuing to sell wine in bulk to various negociants. The domaine is barely four hectares of vines, comprised of around half a hectare of Bourgogne rouge (located in Fixin); 11 parcels of Gevrey-Chambertin villages totalling 2.2 hectares and a single grand cru of Charmes-Chambertin.
  The philosophy at Gallois is simple: rational control and hard work in the vines allow for the ability to do less in the cellar. The entire approach is predicated on the notion that quality comes from the place, age of the vines and that year’s climate.

Viticulture:

• Sustainable
• Hand Harvested
• Planted in 1910.
• Charmes-Chambertin is a Grand Cru of 12.24 ha at an altitude of 260 metres in which Domaine Gallois has a small plot of 0.30 ha, with some vines reaching 100 years old.
• The plot is located near the Griotte-Chambertin Grand Cru and below the Chambertin Grand Cru. The soil structure is clayey-limestone with small limestone fragments, including marl and iron as the soil is red-ish in colour, the mother rock is not far below.

Vinification:

• Whole bunch
• A cold pre-fermentation skin-maceration for 2 to 5 days
• Stainless steel vats and Cement vats are used, which will last for 10 to 14 days
• only indigenous yeasts are used.
• The wines are barrel aged in the underground cellar for a period of 16 to 18 months.
• 50 - 100% NFO for the Charmes Chambertin depending on the potential of the vintage..
• We are always careful to ensure that the wooden barrel effect does not dominate the wine aromas.
• After racking, bottling is done at the domain as a function of the lunar calendar so that wine conservation, aromas and qualities are developed to the maximum of their capacities

Taste:

• There is enough wood to notice but not so much as to intrude on the wonderfully fresh and airy aromas of red cherry, pomegranate, earth and a hint of the sauvage. The seductively textured and lush medium-bodied flavors possess an abundance of energy on the lightly mineral-inflected, sappy and impeccably well-balanced finale that also reflects a touch of youthful austerity.

Cost vs. Front:

• Front: $108 - Wildman list
• Cost: $395

If/Then:

• Tough. Could sell Armand Rousseau, but that would be declassification.

Question 16

Michel Magnien 2017

Morey-St.-Denis

Answer 16

AOC:

• Morey-St.-Denis Villages: First mentioned as far back as 1120, fourteenth century Morey was a place of asylum for Cistercian monks who appeared to have possessed numerous vineyards and even a winery by 1306. The appellation extends from Chambolle-Musigny to Gevrey-Chambertin and covers around 148 hectares, 80% of which are planted with grapes for red wines.

Story:

• Michel Magnien represents the fourth generation of wine growers of the Magnien family. From a very young age, he worked on the vineyard of his father, Bernard Magnien (third generation) owner of 4 hectares of vines. Now, their Domaine is an 18-hectare vine Estate located on the Côte de Nuits and spilt into 23 appellations of Grands Crus, Premiers Crus, Villages and AOC Régionales.​
• (Son) Frédéric Magnien began experimenting with organic practices in the late 1990s and the entire production was certified biodynamic by Demeter in 2015. Frédéric has also evolved the style of the wines and today élevage takes place in only used oak and clay jars.

Viticulture:

• Certified Biodynamic - Demeter
• Certified Organic - Ecocert
• Vine age: 50+
• Calcerous Marl

Vinification:

• Wine aged partially in terracotta jars and only used wood barrels. Terracotta= neutral. Practiced since 2015 vintage.
• Bottled unfined and unfiltered
• Ages for 19 months

​__Taste:

• “Powerful acidic spine here, with tight, fine tannins and compact, underripe fruit. Tense and tight but with enough concentration to unfurl in the medium, if not long, term.” - Jancis
• “The wines of Morey-Saint-Denis are often said to combine the structure of Gevrey-Chambertin with the perfume of Chambolle-Musigny. This Morey-Saint-Denis shows fresh red berries on the nose with notes of violets, spice, and earth. Old vines and heavier soils give this wine weight and richness on the palate.” - Winebow

Cost vs. Front:

• Front: $48 - winsearcher.com
• Cost: $128

If/Then:

• Try the Lignier Michelot instead. The vineyard is located right next to Clos de Tart - the best grand cru in Morey St. Denis. Like getting grand cru quality at a fraction of the price.

Question 17

Lignier-Michelot “En la Rue de Vergy”

Morey-St.-Denis 2014

Answer 17

AOC:

• Morey-St.-Denis Villages: En la Rue de Vergy is not a premier cru vineyard - simply a Lieux Dit. It is situated above the Clos de Tart and next to the Clos des Lambrays vineyards, both of which have grand cru status. There are no premier cru vineyards above the Clos de Tart and Clos des Lambrays.

Story:

• Virgile Lignier, 38, is the third generation to run his family’s estate, Domaine Lignier-Michelot. He worked with his father from 1988 until 1998, during which time they began bottling about 50 percent of the harvest. Virgile took over in ’98 and since 2002 all of the production is bottled at the Domaine. Over the past 10 years, he has changed the style bit by bit, what he calls a three-part evolution. In the vineyards, he now plows and green harvests. He is not organic, but works organically as much as possible, spraying for botrytis and oïdium as necessary.

Viticulture:

• Practicing Organic (not certified)
• Above Clos de Tart, terraced, extremely shallow topsoil of marl on limestone bedrock
• Vine age: 1974 = 46 years

Vinification:

• 30% whole-cluster
• Short cold maceration before fermentation
• Rapid de-vatting.
• Aged for 12 months on fine lees in barrel (20-30% new), 5 months settling in tank
• Light white earth filtration.

Taste:

• “Light bright crimson. Pale rim. Light nose. Charming fruity palate with energy and grainy but not aggressively tannic texture. Lots of vivacity and grip.” - Jancis

Cost vs. Front:

• Front: $66 - winesearcher.com
• Cost: 160

If/Then:

• Try the Georges Lignier instead. It’s a step up in classification and quality- village to 1er cru. It’s a traditional wine with delicate and seductive nuances.

Question 18

Georges LIgnier “Clos des Ormes” 1er Cru

Morey-St.-Denis 2014

Answer 18

AOC:

• Morey-St.-Denis 1er Cru “Clos des Ormes”:

Georges Lignier owns the lion’s share (2 of 4 Ha) Morey St. Denis Clos des Ormes premier cru located beneath Clos de la Roche on the Gevrey side of the village.

Story:

• Domaine Georges Lignier is a domaine based in Morey-Saint-Denis which was established in the beginning of the 20th century, although the Lignier family has been wine growers since the 1850’s. Georges is a cousin to Hubert Lignier and they both own comparable and magnificent vineyards. Since 2008 Benoît Stehly ,the nephew of Georges, is in charge of the property. The style of wine making is described as traditional with delicate and seductive nuances, but with a great potential to mature. Domaine Georges Lignier owns a total of 16 Ha of vineyards in 17 different appellations.

Viticulture:

• Vine age: 50+ years
• Chalky clay soil

Vinification:

• 80% destemming
• Cold pre-fermentation soak for 4 to 5 days
• Fermentation is temperature-controlled and periodic pumping over
• Post ferment, 3 to 4 days of supplementary maceration are necessary to complete the extraction of the soluble material
• Oak barrels of 228 litres, to mature for a period of 18 to 20 months. 30% NFO.
• During maturation, the wine is racked twice.
  
  • 1) After the malolactic fermentation, to remove the biggest particles.
  • 2) One month before bottling. We avoid total filtrationin order to preserve the wine’s structure.
• Racking is done 1 month before bottling in order to eliminate the fine lees = avoid the need for filtration.

Taste:

• “Hint of coffee but lots of lively fresh fruit. A bit dry on the end but serious intentions. Good stuff. Morey raciness in abundance. Long” - Jancis

Cost vs. Front:

• Front: $64 - winesearcher.com
• Cost: $178

If/Then:

• Try the Perrot-Minot instead. The Vineyard is located RIGHT next to Clos de tart, the best grand cru in Morey, and one of the most quintessential expressions of Burgundy there is, according to Jancis.

Question 19

Perrot-Minot “La Rue de Vergy”

Morey St. Denis 2015

Answer 19

AOC:

• Morey-St.-Denis Villages: En la Rue de Vergy is not a premier cru vineyard - simply a Lieux Dit. It is situated above the Clos de Tart and next to the Clos des Lambrays vineyards, both of which have grand cru status. There are no premier cru vineyards above the Clos de Tart and Clos des Lambrays.

Story:

• The origins of the Perrot-Minot estate go back to the middle of the 19th century, when the vines of the Sigaut (Chambolle-Musigny) and Morizot (Morey-Saint Denis) families were brought together in the heritage of Léonie Sigaut, wife and widow of Alexandre Morizot.
• It wasn’t until the 1960’s that the estate would become known as Perrot-Minot. The family members running the estate at that time decided to adhere to the tradition of quality and innovation which had already prevailed with the two previous generations. Christophe Perrot-Minot became manager in 1993. His previous experience as a wine broker for seven years had brought him a deep and broad knowledge of the winegrower’s trade. He also brought convictions about what constitutes a great wine and how to produce it. Convictions that he was to put into practice by adhering, like the three generations who preceded him, to that grand tradition of putting excellence and innovation at the very heart of work. Rethinking, modernizing the estate, and perfecting ever further the quality of the wines, while preparing the continuation of a story which now goes back nearly two centuries.
• Has learned a lot. when he took over the estate, he used to dress up the wines a lot, but now he lets them speak for themselves. He learned from experience.

Viticultre:

• Area : 1,5 ha
• Age of the vines : 40 years old
• This terroir located just above the Clos de Tart shows a high mineral content because of its soil scattered with rocks and some rock tips. Very poor soil which shows a lot of mineral content.
• Praciticing Organic
• Hand harvest
  
  • rigorous sorting: every berry cut in half to ensure perfect ripeness.

Vinification:

• Limits yields to less than 40hl/ha for his villages
• Pressing is done with the lightest of touches here utilizing only the free run juice,
• Gently pumped over just enough to keep the must wet.
• Racked into Oak barrels and aged for up to 18 months before bottling.
• The percentage of new wood has decreased here over the years to a maximum of 30% for the Grand Crus and select 1er Crus.
• Unfined and unfiltered

Taste:

• “Pale garnet. Interesting, very fruity nose. Sweet, charming start. Real energy and charm. Maybe not for the very long term but this is quintessential burgundy.” - Jancis

Cost vs. Front:

• Front: $67 - winesearcher.com
• Cost: $195

If/Then:

• HUGE price jump etween Perrot-Minot and Georges Roumier. Can’t upsell without switching regions.
• Maybe the Arlaud “les Sentiers”. It’s close to Morey in region, and is a step up in classification: village to 1er cru. Higher quality. Certified organic and bio.

Question 20

Georges Roumier “Clos de la Bussiere” 1er Cru

Morey-St.-Denis 2015

Answer 20

AOC:

• Morey St. Denis 1er Cru “Clos de la Bussiere”: MONOPOLE. Acquired by the Roumier family in 1953, the Clos de la Bussière is located just over the border from Chambolle. It has been a monopole since the 12th century and is encircled to this day by its original Cistercian wall.

Story:

• Since Christophe Roumier joined the family domaine in 1982, this domaine has become one of the absolute elite producers in Burgundy. It was founded in 1924 with the marriage of Georges Roumier to Geneviève Quanquin of Chambolle-Musigny, whose dowry included 12 hectares of premiers and grands crus. Domaine bottling began in 1945. Over time the family added the Clos de la Bussière monopole, a small parcel of Corton-Charlemagne and an even smaller slice of Musigny Grand Cru. Today, the domaine boasts many old vines; in order to maintain a high average vine age Christophe prefers to replace individual missing vines rather than replant entire vineyard blocks. All vineyards are plowed, no herbicides are used, and insecticides and synthetic fertilizers are also avoided. Low yields are achieved through severe pruning and de-budding in spring. Like Mugnier, Christophe Roumier prefers to train his mature vines as single Guyot with a long cane, removing every other shoot early in the growing season to promote good spacing and ventilation of the vine canopy. This is a domaine of impeccable quality, and the worldwide demand for these wines means they are now very difficult to find.

Viticulture:

• 2.5925 hectares
• Exposition: East
• Slope: negligible; the parcel bulges in the center to form a sort of dome
• Altitude: 265m
• Soil: very rocky subsoil covered in iron-rich clay
• Average vine age: 35 years
• Hand-harvested and sorted

Vinification:

• 75% destemmed
• punchdowns during fermentatin
• all natural yeasts
• 16 months in 25-35% new oak
• bottled unfined and unfiltered

Taste:

• “Tank sample. Monopole and less than 2 ha. South of Morey. Very Morey and lots of clay.
  Racy start and then very fine, even a little light at this stage, and then more obvious sandy tannins. Redcurrant fruit. “ - Jancis
• “Clean and precise, almost pixelated bouquet with blackberry, briary and cold limestone scents that gain intensity in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with crisp acidity, quite structured in the mouth with filigree and tensile tannin. This is very focused, linear in style, which is surprising given the warmth during the growing season, with great clarity on the finish. This is just a fantastic Morey-Saint-Denis from Christophe Roumier.” - Robert Parker

Cost vs. Front:

• Front: $272 - winesearcher.com
• Cost: $390

If/Then:

• Again, tough to upsell without switching AOC. Huge price jump to Clos de Tart
• Maybe Rousseau’s “Les Cazetiers”: do more research.

Question 21

Clos de Tart Grand Cru

Morey-St.-Denis 1999 and 1996

Answer 21

AOC:

• Morey-St.-Denis Grand Cru “Clos de Tart”: MONOPOLE GRAND CRU. Lying on the southern extremity of Morey-Saint-Denis, the Clos de Tart is one of Burgundy’s oldest walled vineyards. Despite its many centuries’ existence it has had only four owners, which is highly unusual for a prime vineyard in Burgundy! And it is one of only five Grands Crus in Burgundy under single ownership… and it is the largest!

Story:

• The sisters of Notre Dame de Tart purchased the vineyard that has become known as Clos de Tart in 1141. The Marey-Monge family purchased the ecclesiastical land at public auction in 1791; the Mommesin family—its current owners—purchased it in 1932. In 1997 the Mommesin family sold their négociant business to Boisset but retained the Clos de Tart property and its winemaking buildings, now known as Domaine du Clos de Tart. Clos de Tart is the largest monopole grand cru vineyard in the Côte d’Or, and it is one of the few vineyards in the Côte de Nuits in which rows are planted north-south (in order to prevent erosion). Replanting is done by sélection massale and the domaine’s average vine age is sixty years. Sylvain Pitiot has run the domaine since 1995, after a career as a cartographer and a stint at the Hospices de Beaune winery.
• Sold to Chateau Latour owner in 2017: François Pinault and his family announced that they have bought Clos de Tart, the renowned domaine of Morey St-Denis in Burgundy’s Côtes de Nuits, via their holding company Artémis. - Decanter

Viticulture:

• 7.53 ha Pinot Noir
• 60-year-old vines
• Average Total Production: 1,650 cases
• Practicing Organic

Vinification:

• Sylvain Pitiot favors harvesting very late in order to have fully ripe fruit = “Clos de Tard”
• The grapes are sorted in the vineyard and again on a sorting table at the winery.
• he decision to de-stem depends on the vintage, with up to 50% whole clusters retained in warmer vintages (e.g. 2009).
• The wines ferment without inoculation in stainless steel and spend approximately three weeks on skins.
• After pressing, the wines age in 100% new oak for 18 months prior to bottling
• No fining or filtration

Vintage:

• 1996 = Sylvain Pitiot’s first vintage
  
  • Very warm weather in June led to a swift flowering. The summer was unsettled and August was relatively cool, but late August and all September was sunny and dry, with cool nights that conserved acidity in the grapes. The outcome was a large crop of extremely healthy grapes, with high sugars, excellent acidity, and deep colours.
• 1999: Flowering took place in cool weather in June. The summer was warm and humid, and once again mildew and oidium caused problems. Moreover it was clear that the crop would be huge, and growers had to green-harvested to keep yields under control. Hot conditions from mid-August to mid-September speeded the ripening, and the harvest took place during the second half of September. Some rain fell at this time, but caused very little damage to the ripe
  bunches. The grapes were very healthy, acidities sound if not exceptional.

Taste:

• 1999: “Concentrated ruby. A little (oak) dusty on the nose. Faint notes of sweet decay. The beginning of sweet tobacco. Gravelly tannin, coating on the finish. Finely concentrated sweet fruit with lovely balance. Very long and intense without being heavy. The most concentrated fruit finish of the three so far, but there is freshness too.” - Jancis
• 1996: “Definitely mature looking, but amazingly youthful on the nose. Very fine oak and fruit and a merest hint of sweet beetroot. Lithe and transparent on the palate but with grip. Grainy tannin. Ongoing finish with great freshness.” - Jancis

Cost vs. Front:

• 1999
  
  • Front: $600ish - winesearcher.com
  • Cost: $950
• 1996:
  
  • Front: $586 - winesearcher.com
  • Cost: $950

If/Then:

• Where do you go from here? Musigny Grand Cru? Hard to beat the age on Clos de Tart though.
• Masculine vs. Feminine. Musigny = masculine, Chambolle = feminine. She plays with your heart, her supple and volumptousness that is reminiscent of Marilyn Monroe.

Question 22

Amiot-Servelle

Chambolle-Musigny 2015

Answer 22

AOC:

• Chambolle-Musigny Villages: A blend of 8 lieux dits from contrasting exposures and soils of the entire village : Les Bas-Doix, Les Danguerrins , Les Argillières, Les Drazeys, Aux Croix, les Clos, Les Bussières, and les Cras.

Story:

• Amiot-Servelle’s history begins with the establishment of the domain by Clement Tachot in the village of Chambolle-Musigny in 1920. Eventually, his son-in-law took charge of the estate, and the domaine operated under the name of Servelle-Tachot till the torch was passed to his daughter and her husband Christian Amiot of the Morey-St.-Denis family of Pierre Amiot. The next generation is in place with the arrival of Christian’s daughter Prune Amiot in 2011. She is an oenologist with two years’ experience working in Cote Rotie followed by three years of being in charge of the vinification at Maison Jaffelin in Beaune.

Viticulture:

• Certified Organic
• Soils:earthy scree and limestone
• Trellis system: Guyot
• Hectares: 2.4
• Exposure: SE
• Hand harvested
• Vine age: 30 - 35 years old

Vinification:

• Ambient Yeast
• Aging 18 months; 20-30% new oak
• Unfined, unfiltered
• Generally destemmed although Christian will use as much as 20% whole cluster in perfect vintages.
• 5-6 day cold maceration at 10⁰C in stainless steel vats

Taste:

• “Cask sample. Nice vegetal aromas as well as plump red bramble fruit. Very fragrant on the palate – violet, cherry, aniseed. Not massively concentrated, but has enough complexity to develop nicely” - Jancis
• “Charming”
• “This wine is produced from the grapes of various vineyards all harvested at their optimum maturation stage and blended after devatting. It turns out to be very complex due to the different varied origins and different types of soils formed by the screes and colluvial deposits to be found in the comb.”

Cost vs. Front:

• Front: $62 - winesearcher.com
• Cost: $160

If/Then:

• This wine is simply charming. However, if you want something more quintessential Burgundy, I recommend the Bertagna Les Beaux Monts 1er cru 2012. Not only is this a step up in classification, Vosne is likened to the central pearl in the necklace of Beaune - the showcase, the showstopper. Located next to some of the best grand crus in all of Burgundy, this is killer wine at a killer price.

Question 23

Arlaud “Les Sentiers” 1er Cru

Chambolle-Musigny 2017

Answer 23

AOC:

• Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru “Les Sentiers”: Directly below Grand Cru Bonnes Mares. Similar soil composition.

Story:

• Domaine Arlaud was created in 1942 with the marriage of Joseph Arlaud, a man from Ardèche, and Renée Amiot, a woman from a family with deep roots in the Burgundian wine culture. The bride’s dowry brought parcels in excellent vineyards, which Joseph supplemented by shrewd acquisitions, beginning in 1949. In 1966, the family acquired a 14th Century historical building in which to age their wines. The cellar is displayed on their wine labels.
  Their son Hervé took over in 1983 and, with his wife Brigitte, continued to increase the estate. Their children gradually joined them and worked together from 2004 to 2012. In 2013 Cyprien Arlaud assumed full control over management of the Family estate. By then, it had grown to 15 hectares, consisting of 19 separate Appellation Controlled vineyard sites, with choice plots in 4 grand Crus: Clos de la Roche, Clos Saint Denis, Charmes Chambertin, and Bonnes Mares.

Viticulture:

• Certified biodnyamic
  
  • ​In 2014, we became the first estate in Morey Saint Denis to be certified in Biodynamic by Biodyvin.
• ​Certified Organic
• Grand cru/ 1er cru plots are plowed by their two horses Nougat and Oka to help alleviate the soil compation caused by tractor plowing
• 60+ year old vines

Vinification:

• Hand-harvested
• Partially destemmed
• Fermented on indigenous yeasts in cement tank
• Aged in barrel (20% new)
• No fining or filtration
• Bottled in accordance to the lunar cycle
• 800 bottles produced

Taste:

• “Aromas of raspberries, pomegranate jam, wildflowers, licorice. Tangy, red-fruited, refined; very long.” - North Berkley Imports

Cost vs. Front:

• Front: $83 - winesearcher.com
• Cost: $230

If/Then:

• Georges Roumier: He does a lot of really interesting things in the cellar and vineyard, that not a lot of other Vigneronds do - and you can really taste the quality in the wine. His Village level wine is better than most 1er cru. The quality is more consistent than those who are fully biodynmaic/ organic.

Question 24

Georges Roumier

Chambolle-Musigny 2015

Answer 24

AOC:

• Chambolle-Musigny Villages: Contains fruit from small sections of the 1er Crus of Fuées and Plantes that are vinified separately, in addition to village parcels. The Fuees is from a very steep part of the vineyard which Christophe says does not produce wine distinguished enough to bottle on its own.

Story:

• Since Christophe Roumier joined the family domaine in 1982, this domaine has become one of the absolute elite producers in Burgundy. It was founded in 1924 with the marriage of Georges Roumier to Geneviève Quanquin of Chambolle-Musigny, whose dowry included 12 hectares of premiers and grands crus. Domaine bottling began in 1945. Over time the family added the Clos de la Bussière monopole, a small parcel of Corton-Charlemagne and an even smaller slice of Musigny Grand Cru. Today, the domaine boasts many old vines; in order to maintain a high average vine age Christophe prefers to replace individual missing vines rather than replant entire vineyard blocks. All vineyards are plowed, no herbicides are used, and insecticides and synthetic fertilizers are also avoided. Low yields are achieved through severe pruning and de-budding in spring. Like Mugnier, Christophe Roumier prefers to train his mature vines as single Guyot with a long cane, removing every other shoot early in the growing season to promote good spacing and ventilation of the vine canopy. This is a domaine of impeccable quality, and the worldwide demand for these wines means they are now very difficult to find.

Viticulture:

• 3.5 hectares
• Soil: clay-limestone
• Average vine age: 40 years
• Hand-harvested and sorted

Vinification:

• 70-80% destemmed
• punchdowns during fermentation
• slow fermentation
• Delays malo as long as he can
• all natural yeasts
• 16 months in 10-15% new oak
• bottled unfined and unfiltered

Taste:

• “It has an understated bouquet at first, needing just a few swirls of the glass to reveal red cherry and cranberry nose with purity rather than power. The palate is very well balanced with crunchy red fruit, wonderful acidity, fresh and with a touch on confit fruit on the engaging finish. What a delicious village cru this will grow up to be.” - Robert Parker

Cost vs. Front:

• Front: $102
• Cost: $285

If/Then:

• Jacques Frederic Mugnier 2015: Mugnier is extremely highly allocated. There are only 3-5000 bottles in circulation every year. Why not taste a rarity? Plus, Mugnier is an inspiration to Roumier, so why not taste the orriginal?

Question 25

Jacques-Frederic Mugnier

Chambolle-Musigny 2015

Answer 25

AOC:

• Chambolle-Musigny Villages: 2 different lieux-dit, La Combe d’Orvaux and 1er Cru Les Plantes, both facing east, with mostly limestone soil.
• The Mugnier wines are usually reserved in youth but capable of long aging, particularly the Musigny. Elegant and powerful, they never show over-ripeness or excessive oak.

Story:

• Frédéric (Frédy) Mugnier is currently in charge of this outstanding domaine founded by his great-great-grandfather Frédéric Mugnier in 1863. Along with the vineyard holdings, the family business initially included a négociant business focused on liqueurs, but over time that was sold and the vineyards were leased out in fermage arrangements. In 1977 Jacques-Frédéric Mugnier decided to take back the family’s Chambolle-Musigny vineyards and bottle the wines himself, and in 1985 Frédy joined his father after a career as a petroleum engineer. In 2004 the fermage arrangement with Faiveley for the Clos de la Maréchale came to an end, resulting in the domaine more than tripling in size—from four to 14 hectares—thanks to the addition of this largest monopole in the Côte d’Or.
• Today, the vineyards are plowed, and no chemical herbicides, fertilizers or insecticides are used—though Frédy prefers to use systemic fungicides rather than copper to fight mildew, feeling that copper harms the vines and soils more than fungicides. The older vines are trained to the guyot system with a slightly longer fruiting cane than is normal, as Frédy removes every other shoot early in the growing season so as to space the shoots and clusters well. A green harvest is performed if necessary to keep the crop load small. Frédy Mugnier is a very meticulous and precise winegrower, and the quality of his wines reflect his great attention to detail.

Viticulture:

• 1.3 ha (3.21 ac) Pinot Noir
• Lutte Raisonee
• Planted from 1952 to 1998 = 68-22 yrs

Vinification:

• 100% de-stemmed, vinification in open wooden vats. Aged for 18 months in barrel (15% new)
• Native yeasts
• Ferment on the skins for up to 3 weeks
• Frequency of pigeage has been reduced in recent years
• Bottled without fining or filtration
• Annual production varies between 3000 and 7000 bottles approx.

Taste:

• “Light crimson. Simple, transparent, very charming cherry fruit. Nothing at all forced. Very relaxed and fresh. Really charming” - Jancis

Cost vs. Front:

• Front: $128
• Cost: $ $350

If/Then:

• Roumier “Clos de la Bussier”: Yes, it’s a regional shift, but you are moving from a village level wine to a fantastic premier cru, that is inches away from being a Grand Cru.
• Otherwise, Rousseau “Les Cazetiers”. Since Chambolle is a bit more feminine, why not try Gevrey - liquid silk. Plus, 2010 is one of the best vintages coming out of Burgundy vs the 2015.

Question 26

ItJacques-Frederic Mugnier “Les Amoureuses” 1er Cru

Chambolle-Musigny 2014

Answer 26

AOC:

• Chambolle-Musigny “Les Amoureses” 1er Cru:
  
  • The name might refer to a meeting place for lovers, but a more practical if no less romantic interpretation of Les Amoureuses is that the soil here thickens in the rain, sticking to one’s boots like entwined lovers. Whatever the origin, this is one of Burgundy’s finest vineyards, located just north of the grand cru Musigny.
• Les Amoureuses, without doubt, is the greatest of the Premiers Crus of Chambolle-Musigny. It can easily measure up to many of the Grand Crus of the Côte d’Or.
• The Mugnier wines are usually reserved in youth but capable of long aging, particularly the Musigny. Elegant and powerful, they never show over-ripeness or excessive oak.

Story:

• Frédéric (Frédy) Mugnier is currently in charge of this outstanding domaine founded by his great-great-grandfather Frédéric Mugnier in 1863. Along with the vineyard holdings, the family business initially included a négociant business focused on liqueurs, but over time that was sold and the vineyards were leased out in fermage arrangements. In 1977 Jacques-Frédéric Mugnier decided to take back the family’s Chambolle-Musigny vineyards and bottle the wines himself, and in 1985 Frédy joined his father after a career as a petroleum engineer. In 2004 the fermage arrangement with Faiveley for the Clos de la Maréchale came to an end, resulting in the domaine more than tripling in size—from four to 14 hectares—thanks to the addition of this largest monopole in the Côte d’Or.
• Today, the vineyards are plowed, and no chemical herbicides, fertilizers or insecticides are used—though Frédy prefers to use systemic fungicides rather than copper to fight mildew, feeling that copper harms the vines and soils more than fungicides. The older vines are trained to the guyot system with a slightly longer fruiting cane than is normal, as Frédy removes every other shoot early in the growing season so as to space the shoots and clusters well. A green harvest is performed if necessary to keep the crop load small. Frédy Mugnier is a very meticulous and precise winegrower, and the quality of his wines reflect his great attention to detail.

Viticulture:

• 0.53 ha Pinot Noir
• Soil of red clay 30 to 50 cm deep on limestone bedrock
• The youngest vines were planted in 1966, the majority however were planted between 1954 and 1956 = 60+ yrs
• Lutte raisonee

Vinification:

• 100% de-stemmed
• 15 to 20 days indigenous yeast fermentation and maceration in open wooden vats
• Aged for 18 months in barrel (15% new oak).
• Grapes are 100% de-stemmed
• Frequency of pigeage has been reduced in recent years.
• Bottled without fining or filtration.
• Annual production varies between 900 and 2700 bottles approximately.

Taste:

• “Great density and vivacity on the nose – much more than in his Bonnes Mares. Firm drive of fruit. Race and pungency. Real grip with intense red-fruit compote flavours. Very graceful indeed (gracieux in French, apparently) but with intensity.” - Jancis

Cost vs. Front:

• Front: $383
• Cost: $1200

If/Then:

• Drouhin-Laroze Musigny Grand Cru: This should be a no brainer. A grand cru for only a few dollars more? It’s a crazy small production (.12 ha - Bryant park is just over 3 ha…) which comes out to about 2,000 bottles a year, AND they use 100% brand new oak. Yum yum yum.

Question 27

Robert Groffier “Les Hauts Doix” 1er Cru

Chambolle-Musigny 2016

Answer 27

AOC:

• Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru “Les Hauts Doix”: Nicknamed “Baby Amoureuses” because of its positioning right next to the famed “Les Amoureuses” Premier Cru.
• Burgundy is a game of inches!
• Les Hauts Doix is noteworthy for its exposition, which skews marginally northeast in aspect. This alters the sun exposure of Les Hauts Doix ever so slightly, and its wines are typically a little more delicate in texture than those of its immediate neighbors.

Story:

• Three generations now work together at this high-quality domaine: Robert, his son Serge, and his grandson Nicolas. While the Groffier domaine is located in Morey-Saint-Denis, the family does not own a single vine there. Instead, their holdings are concentrated in top premiers crus in Chambolle-Musigny as well as grands crus Bonnes Mares and Chambertin Clos de Bèze. The domaine has a practical approach in the vineyard which is not always in line with current fashions. The vineyards have been plowed since 2005 and no herbicides are used. Clones are preferred to sélection massale for their regularity of ripening, and all vineyards have been converted from the Guyot system to Cordon de Royat in order to space the foliage and limit yields. The Groffiers also prefer to use synthetic fungicides rather than spraying copper—they believe copper has a negative effect on vines and soil. A green harvest is performed if necessary, and harvest is late at as they seek fully ripe, very healthy fruit to ensure quality.

Viticulutre:

• 1.0 ha Pinot Noir
• planted in 1980

Vinification:

• De-stemming is done according to the qualities of the vintage—there is no set formula
• Vinification is in stainless steel, and fermentation starts after a brief cold soak without inoculation.
• The Groffiers favor a hot fermentation, allowing the juice in the tanks to rise to 35° Celsius (95° F).
• The wines spend 17-20 days on the skins, and the press wine is incorporated with the free-run juice after pressing.
• The wines are aged 14-16 months in oak; about 1/3 of the barrels are new for the premiers and grands crus.
• The wines are bottled without fining or filtration.

Taste:

• “A delightful wine with perfect balance and lovely intensity. As always, forward and rewarding, revealing lovely mid-palate fruit and fine, defined minerality. A treat and definitely a wine that offers great drinkability even in its youth. A georgeous wine – with intense and vivid fruit and Chambolle character”

Cost vs Front:

• Front: $253
• Cost: $625

If/Then:

• Without a crazy price jump, the only place to go is Gevrey.
• Rousseau’s Mazy Chambertin: If you’re looking for something with a little structure as well as finesse. Plus, it’s a step up in quality. 1er cru vs grand cru.

Question 28

Robery Groffier “Les Amoureuses” 1er Cru

Chambolle-Musigny 2016

Answer 28

AOC:

• Chambolle Musigny 1er Cru “Les Amoureuses:
  
  • The name might refer to a meeting place for lovers, but a more practical if no less romantic interpretation of Les Amoureuses is that the soil here thickens in the rain, sticking to one’s boots like entwined lovers. Whatever the origin, this is one of Burgundy’s finest vineyards, located just north of the grand cru Musigny.
• Groffier is the largest owner of Chambolle-Musigny Les Amoureuses

Story:

• Three generations now work together at this high-quality domaine: Robert, his son Serge, and his grandson Nicolas. While the Groffier domaine is located in Morey-Saint-Denis, the family does not own a single vine there. Instead, their holdings are concentrated in top premiers crus in Chambolle-Musigny as well as grands crus Bonnes Mares and Chambertin Clos de Bèze. The domaine has a practical approach in the vineyard which is not always in line with current fashions. The vineyards have been plowed since 2005 and no herbicides are used. Clones are preferred to sélection massale for their regularity of ripening, and all vineyards have been converted from the Guyot system to Cordon de Royat in order to space the foliage and limit yields. The Groffiers also prefer to use synthetic fungicides rather than spraying copper—they believe copper has a negative effect on vines and soil. A green harvest is performed if necessary, and harvest is late at as they seek fully ripe, very healthy fruit to ensure quality.

Viticulture:

• 1.0 ha Pinot Noir
• planted in 1968

Vinification:

• De-stemming is done according to the qualities of the vintage—there is no set formula
• Vinification is in stainless steel, and fermentation starts after a brief cold soak without inoculation.
• The Groffiers favor a hot fermentation, allowing the juice in the tanks to rise to 35° Celsius (95° F).
• The wines spend 17-20 days on the skins, and the press wine is incorporated with the free-run juice after pressing
• The wines are aged 14-16 months in oak; about 1/3 of the barrels are new for the premiers and grands crus.
• The wines are bottled without fining or filtration.

Taste:

• “Even in its youth, the perfume here is certainly seductive, suggesting violets, spice, orange peel, mint, and damp earth. Juicy and showing its immaturity with a tightness that will soften and become increasingly silky with time in the bottle.”

Cost vs. Front:

• Front: $513
• Cost: $1300

If/Then:

• Without a major upsell to DRC, you’ve reached the top.

Question 29

Drouhin-Laroze Musigny Grand Cru

Chambolle-Musigny 2014

Answer 29

AOC:

• The Musigny vineyards lie above the Clos de Vougeot between the Les Amoureuses Premier Cru Climat and the Échezeaux Grand Cru. The altitude varies from 260 to nearly 300 m. The southern portion rises towards the plot known as Combe d’Orveau which marks the boundary between Musigny and Flagey-Échezeaux.
• The gradient on this rocky limestone terrace is quite steep (8-14%). The soils, though not deep, are enriched by red clay in the upper section and are generally more clayey and less limey than the neighbouring Grands Crus. The rocks are of Jurassic origin (approx. 150 million years BC).

Story:

• Five generations have been running the Domaine for 163 years, Caroline and Nicolas, Christine and Philippe’s children represent the sixth. In 1850, Jean-Baptiste LAROZE started a vineyard operation in Gevrey Chambertin. He was later succeeded by Félix LAROZE. In 1919, Suzanne, the daughter of Félix, married Alexandre DROUHIN, who owned vines in Chambolle Musigny and the estate was henceforth called Drouhin-Laroze. It is now run by Philippe and Christine Drouhin.

Viticulture:

• Surface area of total Musigny: 9.30 hectares
  
  • OUR PLOT: 0.12 hectares
• Altitude: 260-280 m
• Slope: 8-14% - Exposure: East / South-East
• Soil: Shallow, rich in a little red clay in the upper part

Vinification:

• Matured in 100% NFO

Taste:

• “It may not possess the powerful splendour of a Chambertin or the silky and meaty calibre of a Romanée, but what sumptuous colour, what exceptional elegance, what richness of body and bouquet with blackcurrant, wild rose and raspberry fragrances.” Camille Rodier.
• “The colour of the Musigny is a delicate and deep magenta purple with wild rose, violet, blackcurrant and raspberry on the nose. With age come odours of leather and cherry spirit. Its almost caramelized grapes and aromas of open flowers embalm the palate with a texture of voluptuous taffetas. Its length leads us towards the endless complexity of its aromas.”

Cost vs. Front:

• Front: $573
• Cost: $1250

If/Then:

• Groffier “Les Amoureuses”: Truthfully, this bottle outperforms most grand cru. The vineyard of lovers - where the mud loves to stick to your boots - is seductive and charming, bold and truthful - like two people falling in love.

Question 30

Anne Gros “Les Loachausses”

Echezeaux Grand Cru 2014

Answer 30

AOC:

• Echezeaux Grand Cru: The wine-growing village of Flagey-Échezeaux lies in the plaine, so-called, between Vougeot and Vosne-Romanée in the Côte de Nuits. Facing east, the Grands-Échezeaux vines are a prolongation of Musigny following the North-South axis of the Côte, but more regular and less broken in their layout.

Story:

• Anne Gros quickly elevated her own domaine to an elite level when she took over from her father François in 1988; by 1990 all of the wines from her vineyards were domaine-bottled. No herbicides or insecticides are used in her vineyards, though synthetic fungicides are employed so as to avoid overuse of copper. Anne constantly experiments and seeks to improve her vines and wines, and in 2008 she also purchased 14 hectares of vineyards in Minervois along with her husband Jean-Paul Tollot in an endeavor to explore new winemaking challenges. The Gros name is prominent in Vosne-Romanee.

Viticulture:

• 0.76 ha Pinot Noir
• Planted in 1990

Vinification:

• 100% de-stemmed before open-top fermentation in cement
• Fermentation starts quickly with no cold soak, and the wines spend 12-15 days on the skins
• The wines age for 16 months in barrel, 80% NFO

Taste:

• “Intense with lots of drive. Rich, ripe fruit yet with some energy. Good complex of flavours on the finish.” - Jancis
• ​The Anne Gros wines show off concentration thanks to her old vines as well as a generous amount of new oak.

Cost vs. Front:

• Front: $200
• Cost: $600

If/Then:

• Rousseau Mazy-Chambertin if still want GC: Still structured and powerful, but a more realiable and infamous producer.
• Sylvain Cathiard “En Orveaux” if okay with declassification: His grandfather worked for DRC and took what her learned to his vineyards. Even though not a grand cru, it’s baby DRC. Fruity and oaky, but not over the top. And his vineyard is less than half the size of Anne’s - more exclusive. Less than half of a football feild.

Question 31

Bertagna “Les Beaux Monts” 1er Cru

Vosne-Romanee 2011 and 2012

Answer 31

AOC:

• Vosne 1er Cru: “Bourgogne has produced nothing better than this little corner where all her charms come together”. So wrote Gaston Roupnel Burgundian author, celebrated historian of the French countryside. This “central pearl in Bourgogne’s necklace” harbours fabled Grands Crus
• The plots growing the communal appellation lie either at the top of the slope or at its foot on either side of the Grand Cru Climats and in some cases reaching the same altitude. The soils are limestone mixed with clayey marls. Depth of soil varies from some tens of centimetres to 1 metre deep. The exposure is easterly.

Story:

• The historic Domaine Bertagna once belonged to the Cistercian monks, famous for founding the Clos de Vougeot in the 13th century.The estate’s cellars and vineyards are still located in the heart of the village nearby the Château and its ancient Chapter House, but the winery is owned since 1985 by the world-renowned Reh family and managed by Eva Reh.
• Eva Reh-Siddle represents the seventh generation of Moselle winegrowers. She was born amongst these breathtaking viticultural landscapes. She had a choice however: she could either continue cultivating the family vines planted on the vertiginous slopes swooping down to the Rhine’s tributary, or come to Burgundy to grow Pinot, a variety still known as “Burgunder” in the area in which it originated. Nonetheless, profound, historical affinities exist. Eva’s grandfather, a wine professional, Francophile and amateur of Great Growth wines, purchased his first vines in Burgundy in 1954. In 1982, Eva’s father bought Domaine Bertagna in Vougeot.
• Domaine Bertagna was originally put together by Monsieur Bertagna in the 1950s before he sold to the Reh family in 1982. Eva Reh-Siddle has been in charge since 1988 with various winemakers at the helm, notably Roland Masse, now at the Hospices de Beaune, and Claire Forrestier who was responsible for vintages from 1999 to 2005. Eva’s sister Annegret also runs the world-famous Reichsgraf Von Kesselstatt estate in the Mosel.

Viticulture:

• Grown on a slope rich in stones with excellent drainage, covered with red mineral clay. Les Beaumonts is magnificently situated surrounding the south and west boundaries of Echezeaux Grand Cru
• Organic
• Strict yield control (green harvesting and de-budding)
• Hand harvest
• Hand sorting in the vineyard and selective sorting at the winery

Vinification:

• Prefermentation cold maceration is followed by alcoholic fermentation at 28°C, with malolactic fermentation in barrels.
• Ambient Yeast
• Manual punched down and left to ferment in tanks for 21 to 28 days.
• Aged in 50% NFO for 15 to 18 months.

Vintage:

• 2011: The 2011 vintage will be remembered as one of the most unusual in history. A number of growers talked about the inversion of seasons; summertime weather in the spring and spring-like weather in the summer.
• 2012: “it will certainly be remembered. Well the four horsemen of the apocalypse may have caused plenty of hand-wringing for the vignerons of the Côte de Beaune, but the growers of the Côte de Nuits were also far from happy with their harvested lot.”
  
  • 3 frosts, 4 hail storms. Mildew. Vintage was saved by late august/july weather, but exposed bunches got sunburnt. TINY yeild. Sorting was imperative.
  • Not an ideal year for organic or biodynamic - washed away many treatments to vines.

Taste:

• “This is a wine of rare elegance and a deep color. With fresh aromas of cherries, raspberries, and redcurrants, this wine has a fruity, floral, and mineral palate. With age, this wine has hints of cocoa.”

Cost vs. Front:

• 2011:
  
  • Front: $57
  • Cost: $190
• 2012:
  
  • Front: $56
  • Cost:$195

If/Then:

• 2011: Big Jump
  
  • Clos de Reas by Michel Gros is a vineyard by a SINGLE OWNER. You won’t find this vineyard produced by anyone else. More oak, more tannin, more concentration, more eveything.
• 2012: Definitely do the 2011 instead. 2012 was a CRAZY year in terms of weather, and for bio/organic vineyards, many of their “treatments” got washed away, mulitle times, and the quality isn’t as great as the 2011.

Question 32

Michel Gros “Clos des Reas” 1er Cru

Vosne Romanee 2016

Answer 32

AOC:

• Clos des Reas 1er Cru Vosne: MONOPOLE. The Clos des Reas is located on the hillock that overhangs the small Reas valley. The wall of this triangular parcel borders the village of Vosne-Romanee on the east. A monumental portal stands in its middle. A small, ancient house marks the north corner next to the Town Hall square. The geological stratum of the subsoil is a Salmon conglomerate on the Oligocene strata with many limestone blocks alternated with marl. This soil profile, along with the slope, ensures excellent drainage.

Story:

• Michel Gros is a member of the sixth generation in a dynasty of Burgundian vignerons that dates back to 1830 in the village of Vosne-Romanee. In 1975 Michel, the eldest of Jean Gros’ children, began working with his father at the family estate, Domaine Jean Gros. He then established his own Domaine in 1979 and ran both properties until his father retired in 1995 and divided the Jean Gros estate amongst his three children – Anne-Francoise (Domaine A-F Gros), Bernard (Domaine Gros Frere et Soeur), and Michel (Domaine Michel Gros).
• Michel inherited the five acre monopole Vosne-Romanee 1er Cru Clos des Reas, which had been in the family since 1860.

Viticulture:

• Lutte Raisonee
• Hand-sorted
• 100% de-stemmed.

Vinification:

• Vinification takes place in a variety of vats, mainly cement, following a gentle crushing of about 50% fruit.
• To encourage immediate fermentation, Michel adds selected yeasts
• Pumped over twice daily
• After a cuvaison of 10-12 days the wines are transferred to barrel where they mature for 18-23 months in wood.
• 50-80% NFO
• Michel prefers heavily toasted Troncais barrels from Tonnellerie Rousseau

Taste:

• “The 2016 Vosne Romanee 1er Cru Clos des Reas has one of the most ebullient and vivacious bouquets from Michel Gros this year with red cherries, wild strawberries and a touch of blood orange in the mix. The palate is very well balanced with fine tannin, crisp acidity, plentiful tart red fruit with a fine structure that does not dominate toward the finish” - Robert Parker

Cost vs Front:

• Front: $99
• Cost: $280

If/Then:

• BIG price jump to Cathiard.
• Maybe the Mugnier 2015? Michel toasts his barrels quite a lot, and if you’re not looking for a ton of oak, that might be alarming in the glass. The mugnier instead is more feminine and supple, choosing to show you her fruit instead of hiding it with makeup.

Question 33

Sylvain Cathiard “Aux Reignots” 1er Cru

Vosne-Romanee 2014

Answer 33

AOC:

• Vosne - Romanee 1er Cru “Aux Regnots”: Located just above La Romanee between Les Petits Monts to the north and Champs Perdrix to the south. The vineyard is 1.62 ha – split in 20 plots and there are currently 10 owners on the vineyard.

Story:

• The small domaine was founded by Sylvain Cathiard’s grandfather Alfred, who was a vineyard worker for the Domaine de la Romanée-Conti. The domaine was built up over the years through purchases of small parcels and métayage agreements with the Thomas-Moillard family. Sylvain took over in 1986 and his son Sébastien joined him in 2005. Vineyards are plowed and weedkillers are not used, though synthetic fungicides are used if necessary in order to minimize the build-up of copper in the soils. The domaine’s average vine age is generally very old, which lends enough substance to the wines to stand up to the fairly generous amount of new oak used.

Viticulture:

• 0.24 ha Pinot Noir
• Planted in 1997
• Lutte Raisonee
• Practicing Organic

Vinification:

• The grapes are sorted in the vineyard and again on the sorting table in the winery.
• 100% de-stemmed and cold-soaked for up to seven days
• Native yeast
• Pigeage and remontage vary by tank depending on the progress of extraction.
• Aged in 50-60% NFO for 15-18 months in barrel
• Bottled without fining or filtering

Taste:

• Cathiard wines are expressively fruity and oaky.
• “Planted 1997, so the youngest vines of the domaine.
  A little reduced but still with a notably attractive spicy nose with real energy and tension. Great texture and interplay between fruit and race. “ - Jancis

Cost vs. Front:

If/Then:

• These are the youngest vines on the domaine. I would instead recommend doing the “En Orveaux” by Cathiard. Those vines have an average age of 60 years, which tend to express themselves more boldy than their youthful counterparts. Plus, there’s more structure to the “Orveaux”.

Question 34

Sylvain Cathiard “En Orveaux” 1er Cru

Vosne-Romanee 2015

Answer 34

AOC:

• Vosne-Romanee 1er Cru “En Orveaux”:

Story:

• The small domaine was founded by Sylvain Cathiard’s grandfather Alfred, who was a vineyard worker for the Domaine de la Romanée-Conti. The domaine was built up over the years through purchases of small parcels and métayage agreements with the Thomas-Moillard family. Sylvain took over in 1986 and his son Sébastien joined him in 2005. Vineyards are plowed and weedkillers are not used, though synthetic fungicides are used if necessary in order to minimize the build-up of copper in the soils. The domaine’s average vine age is generally very old, which lends enough substance to the wines to stand up to the fairly generous amount of new oak used.

Viticulture:

• 0.29 ha Pinot Noir
• Planted in 1953
• Lutte Raisonee
• Practicing Organic

Vinification:

• The grapes are sorted in the vineyard and again on the sorting table in the winery.
• 100% de-stemmed and cold-soaked for up to seven days
• Native yeast
• Pigeage and remontage vary by tank depending on the progress of extraction.
• Aged in 60-70% NFO for 15-18 months in barrel
• Bottled without fining or filtering

Taste:

• Cathiard wines are expressively fruity and oaky.
• “Vines over 60 years. Gamey and jewelly on the nose. Very sweet and rather a lack of acidity. A bit soft on the palate despite the come-on nose. And then a light, drying finish.” - Jancis

Cost vs. Front:

• Front: $202
• Cost: $625

​If/Then:

• No where to go, without switching regions.

Question 35

Domanie de la Romanee Conti

Richbourg Grand Cru

Vosne Romanee 2012

Answer 35

AOC:

• Vosne-Romanee Grand Cru: La Tâche and La Grande Rue share brown limestone soils, rather shallow at the top end with deeper rendzinas lower down. The same is true for the Richebourg, depending on slope and aspect. The underlying rock is hard Premeaux limestone dating from the Jurassic (175 million years BC).

Story:

• The Domaine de la Romanée-Conti (DRC) is widely considered the greatest red wine domaine in Burgundy. Its modern history can be traced to the 1869 purchase of Romanée-Conti by Jacques-Marie Duvault-Blochet, a Santenay-based négociant. However, the domaine’s most famous vineyard’s history goes back much further and is laid-out well in Richard Olney’s book titled Romanée-Conti. The vineyard’s most famous proprietor was Louis-François de Bourbon, Prince de Conti, who purchased what was then-known as La Romanée in 1760. The vineyard’s production was reserved for the prince’s table for the next 30+ years until the French Revolution and the resulting confiscation of clergy and nobility lands. The prince’s surname was appended to the vineyard’s name when it was auctioned off as a biens nationaux to emphasize its famous history; the greatest vineyard in Burgundy has been known as Romanée-Conti ever since. In 1942, Duvault-Blochet’s heirs, Edmond Gaudin de Villaine and Jacques Chambon, transformed the domaine into a société civile by splitting the shares equally between their families to prevent the domaine’s fracture when Jacques Chambon wanted to sell his portion. Henri Leroy, a négociant and personal friend of de Villaine, purchased Chambon’s half of the domaine and his heirs still own it. Today, Edmond de Villaine’s son, Aubert de Villaine, and Henri Leroy’s grandson, Henri-Frédéric Roch, oversee the domaine. In 1963, the domaine first purchased vines in Montrachet, and signed a lease for Prince Florent de Merode’s Corton vines in 2008. All farming has been organic since 1986 and biodynamic since 2007. The average vine age is 40-50 years. Re-planting is done by selection massale taken from Romanée-Conti’s pre-phylloxera vines prior to their removal in 1945.
• Since Lalou Bize-Leroy’s departure, the public face of DRC has been Aubert de Villaine

Viticulture:

• 3.51 ha Pinot Noir

Vinification:

• A team of 90 pickers sorts the grapes in the vineyard before delivery to the winery where they are sorted once more prior to vinification
• Grapes ferment as whole clusters if the fruit is clean enough and they are partially de-stemmed if the weather has been difficult.
• The grapes are cooled prior to fermentation, which occurs in open-top wood fermenters.
• Pigeage takes place twice a day after fermentation begins
• Wine averages 17-21 days on the skins.
• After pressing the wines age in 98% new oak for 18-22 months
• Bottled without fining or filtering
• Wines are blended and bottled six barrels at a time using a bottling tank, to eliminate bottle variation that would occur were each barrel bottled individually.

Taste:

• “We lend the Richebourg the silky character of its neighbor Romanée-Conti and the firmness of the Task. He is a king’s musketeer who likes to live in company, laugh and sing, to feel that we admire the power contained in his athletic body.” - DRC
• “Very deep crimson. Heady purple-fruits nose. Spicy and rich. Broad and very friendly. So different in structure from the Romanée St-Vivant! Round and with remarkably polished tannins at first. Almost open and accessible with all that ripe fruit until the very end when the depth charge of tannins hits the palate. So juicy and alive! Less fine than the RSV but awfully good.” - Jancis

Cost vs. Front:

• Front: $1,036
• Cost: $2,500

If/Then:

• St. Vivant: Richbourg can be a bit brash - headstrong, powerful and lively. St. Vivant is the girl that got away. Shes seductive, subdued, aloof, yet enticing. She’s dancing across the room and you just want to join in, but are separated by a sea of people.

Question 36

Domanie de la Romanee Conti

Romanee-St.-Vivant Grand Cru

Vosne-Romanee 2011

Answer 36

AOC:

• Vosne-Romanee Grand Cru: Romanée-Conti lies on brown limestone soils 60 cm deep with a major clay component. Romanée-Saint-Vivant has similar but deeper (90 cm) soils

Story:

• The Domaine de la Romanée-Conti (DRC) is widely considered the greatest red wine domaine in Burgundy. Its modern history can be traced to the 1869 purchase of Romanée-Conti by Jacques-Marie Duvault-Blochet, a Santenay-based négociant. However, the domaine’s most famous vineyard’s history goes back much further and is laid-out well in Richard Olney’s book titled Romanée-Conti. The vineyard’s most famous proprietor was Louis-François de Bourbon, Prince de Conti, who purchased what was then-known as La Romanée in 1760. The vineyard’s production was reserved for the prince’s table for the next 30+ years until the French Revolution and the resulting confiscation of clergy and nobility lands. The prince’s surname was appended to the vineyard’s name when it was auctioned off as a biens nationaux to emphasize its famous history; the greatest vineyard in Burgundy has been known as Romanée-Conti ever since. In 1942, Duvault-Blochet’s heirs, Edmond Gaudin de Villaine and Jacques Chambon, transformed the domaine into a société civile by splitting the shares equally between their families to prevent the domaine’s fracture when Jacques Chambon wanted to sell his portion. Henri Leroy, a négociant and personal friend of de Villaine, purchased Chambon’s half of the domaine and his heirs still own it. Today, Edmond de Villaine’s son, Aubert de Villaine, and Henri Leroy’s grandson, Henri-Frédéric Roch, oversee the domaine. In 1963, the domaine first purchased vines in Montrachet, and signed a lease for Prince Florent de Merode’s Corton vines in 2008. All farming has been organic since 1986 and biodynamic since 2007. The average vine age is 40-50 years. Re-planting is done by selection massale taken from Romanée-Conti’s pre-phylloxera vines prior to their removal in 1945.
• Since Lalou Bize-Leroy’s departure, the public face of DRC has been Aubert de Villaine

Viticulture:

• 5.29 ha Pinot Noir

Vinification:

• A team of 90 pickers sorts the grapes in the vineyard before delivery to the winery where they are sorted once more prior to vinification
• Grapes ferment as whole clusters if the fruit is clean enough and they are partially de-stemmed if the weather has been difficult.
• The grapes are cooled prior to fermentation, which occurs in open-top wood fermenters.
• Pigeage takes place twice a day after fermentation begins
• Wine averages 17-21 days on the skins.
• After pressing the wines age in 98% new oak for 18-22 months
• Bottled without fining or filtering
• Wines are blended and bottled six barrels at a time using a bottling tank, to eliminate bottle variation that would occur were each barrel bottled individually.

Taste:

• “Miracle of femininity and delicacy,
  she has this desire to seduce
  that you can’t resist “ - DRC
• “Romanée-Saint-Vivant is a seducer: you can only love it. Behind grace is expressed a power so perfectly in balance that it had not been seen at first.” - DRC
• “Bright crimson. A little less forthcoming on the nose than the Richebourg. Vosne essence somehow – great energy and wonderful concentration but currently introvert. Almost a distillate rather than a ferment! Firm, dry finish after an array of extremely embryonic ingredients. Very clean finish. All about future potential.” - Jancis

Cost vs. Front:

• Front: $1,000
• Cost: $2,700

If/Then:

• We might as well swing for the fences - bring on La Tache - the greatest vineyard in all of Burgundy. Monopole of DRC.

Question 37

Domanie de la Romanee-Conti

La Tache Grand Cru

Vosne-Romanee 2014

Answer 37

AOC:

• Vosne-Romanee Grand Cru: MONOPOLE.
• La Tâche and La Grande Rue share brown limestone soils, rather shallow at the top end with deeper rendzinas lower down. The same is true for the Richebourg, depending on slope and aspect. The underlying rock is hard Premeaux limestone dating from the Jurassic (175 million years BC).

Story:

• The Domaine de la Romanée-Conti (DRC) is widely considered the greatest red wine domaine in Burgundy. Its modern history can be traced to the 1869 purchase of Romanée-Conti by Jacques-Marie Duvault-Blochet, a Santenay-based négociant. However, the domaine’s most famous vineyard’s history goes back much further and is laid-out well in Richard Olney’s book titled Romanée-Conti. The vineyard’s most famous proprietor was Louis-François de Bourbon, Prince de Conti, who purchased what was then-known as La Romanée in 1760. The vineyard’s production was reserved for the prince’s table for the next 30+ years until the French Revolution and the resulting confiscation of clergy and nobility lands. The prince’s surname was appended to the vineyard’s name when it was auctioned off as a biens nationaux to emphasize its famous history; the greatest vineyard in Burgundy has been known as Romanée-Conti ever since. In 1942, Duvault-Blochet’s heirs, Edmond Gaudin de Villaine and Jacques Chambon, transformed the domaine into a société civile by splitting the shares equally between their families to prevent the domaine’s fracture when Jacques Chambon wanted to sell his portion. Henri Leroy, a négociant and personal friend of de Villaine, purchased Chambon’s half of the domaine and his heirs still own it. Today, Edmond de Villaine’s son, Aubert de Villaine, and Henri Leroy’s grandson, Henri-Frédéric Roch, oversee the domaine. In 1963, the domaine first purchased vines in Montrachet, and signed a lease for Prince Florent de Merode’s Corton vines in 2008. All farming has been organic since 1986 and biodynamic since 2007. The average vine age is 40-50 years. Re-planting is done by selection massale taken from Romanée-Conti’s pre-phylloxera vines prior to their removal in 1945.
• Since Lalou Bize-Leroy’s departure, the public face of DRC has been Aubert de Villaine

Viticulture:

• 6.06 ha Pinot Noir

Vinification:

• A team of 90 pickers sorts the grapes in the vineyard before delivery to the winery where they are sorted once more prior to vinification
• Grapes ferment as whole clusters if the fruit is clean enough and they are partially de-stemmed if the weather has been difficult.
• The grapes are cooled prior to fermentation, which occurs in open-top wood fermenters.
• Pigeage takes place twice a day after fermentation begins
• Wine averages 17-21 days on the skins.
• After pressing the wines age in 98% new oak for 18-22 months
• Bottled without fining or filtering
• Wines are blended and bottled six barrels at a time using a bottling tank, to eliminate bottle variation that would occur were each barrel bottled individually.

Taste:

• “Nothing evokes La Tâche better than this famous portrait of Richelieu by Philippe de Champaigne in which the burning and angular authority of the Cardinal is expressed: the nervous hand is placed on the guard of the sword, but this one is drowned in a rich
  ermine and velvet case. La Tache is elegance and vigor. Under the frequent firmness of the tannins, the passion burns, mastered by an implacable court elegance.”
• “Lightish garnet. Like the Richebourg, there is an initial sweetness here. Smells so cool and delicately fragrant. Then on the palate, there is real power, the tannins holding everything in tightly as on the Grands Échezeaux but here the acidity spills around the edges and lifts it to terrific intensity on the palate. Firm, chalky texture but still fluid. Long and so refined that the power is disguised. In the empty glass, there is a return to fruit sweetness, showing the complexity and range in this wine.” - Jancis

Cost vs. Front:

• Front: $1,300
• Cost: $4,000

If/Then:

• There is no where to go. lol.

Question 38

Faively “Les Vignerondes” 1er Cru

Nuits St. Georges 2013

Answer 38

AOC:

• Nuits-St.-Georges 1er Cru: 1er Cru Aux Vignerondes translates to “round vine” paying homage to the original shape of this small 9.5 acre vineyard that sits just below Aux Chaignots to the north of the village of Nuits-St-Georges. Domaine Faiveley farms just over an acre of vines that are set in very shallow, stony soils.

Story:

• Founded in 1825, Bourgognes Faiveley has been handed down from father to son for over 175 years. As the sixth generation to take the reins, François Faiveley manages, with equal amounts passion and competence, the largest family domaine in Burgundy. Methodically reconstructing vineyards fractured by French inheritance laws, Bourgognes Faiveley today owns more appellations in their entirety (monopoles) than any other domaine in Burgundy.
• Domaine Faiveley is located in France, at the heart of Viticultural Burgundy, between Dijon and Beaune in Nuits-Saint-Georges. Today they own vineyards in the finest climats in Burgundy - Gevrey-Chambertin, Pommard, Volnay, Puligny-Montrachet, Mercurey and others. Also has a negociant business.

Viticulture:

• Sustainable Practices
• Soil: Rich Organic, Gravel
• Vineyard Acreage: 1 of 9.5 acres
• Avg Vine Age: Date to 1945

Vinification:

• Hand harvested and sorted upon arrival at the domaine.
• Following a 18-20 day maceration the must undergoes primary fermentation in a combination of stainless steel and wooden vats.
• The young wines are aged in 70% lightly toasted new oak barrels for 14 to 16 months.
• 2900 bottles produced annually

Taste:

• “A beautiful dark ruby color. The nose is very pleasant with fruity and spicy aromas. This wine is nice on the palate, where we find the same fruity and spicy notes and a few woody hints. Its fine and silky tannins give it great elegance.” - Wildman

Cost vs. Front:

• Front: $42
• Cost: $140

If/Then:

• Henri Gouges: Clos de Porrets is a bit more interesting. Favieley is like the girl who is pretty, but there isn’t much going on inside. Gouges is more traditionally beautiful, AND got that 4.0 GPA. Plus, Gouges is completely organic. Faiveley has probably had a little plastic surgery.

Question 39

Henri Gouges “Clos des Porets St. Georges” 1er Cru

Nuits St. Georges 2013

Answer 39

AOC:

• Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru “Clos des Porets”: MONOPOLE.This is a monopoles of the Domain of about 9 acres. It is located just below the Perrieres. It is a former quarry of Nuits Saint Georges, which was exploited by the monks of Citeaux. Sitting on the Stony pink limestone Premeaux, the Clos de Porrets is composed of cancerous scree and soil rich in clay. The wines from here express an elegant finesse after only a few years in the bottle. The Poorest are cited by Dr. Lavalle in 1855 when he documented Burgundy wines. His book considers this one of the best vineyards in the village.

Story:

• Henri Gouges is an important figure in the history of Burgundy. Along with the Marquis d’Angerville, he spoke out against the fraudulent blending taking place in many négociants’ cellars. To combat this he began domaine-bottling in 1930. He also worked with INAO in the 1930s to delimit Burgundy crus for new AOC laws. In the 1940s Henri noticed that one of his Pinot Noir vines in the premier cru Perrière had mutated and had begun producing white grapes. He propagated cuttings of the color mutation, and eventually converted the entire Perrière vineyard to what Clive Coates nicknamed “Pinot Gouges.” Henri shared the cuttings with friends in the village, and as a result several growers in Nuits-Saint-Georges now cultivate this selection of Pinot Blanc in their vineyards (see Robert Chevillon). In the 1970s Domaine Henri Gouges was also one of the first in Burgundy to plant grass in vineyard rows to combat erosion in some of their steep premier cru vineyards. The vineyards have been farmed organically since 2008 by Henri’s grandsons, Pierre and Christian, and his great-grandson Grégory. Today, Domaine Henri Gouges remains one of the best domaines in Nuits-Saint-Georges for classic, long-lived Burgundy.

Viticulture:

• 3.57 ha, mostly Pinot Noir, but a small amount of Pinot Gouges, planted in 1975
• Grégory Gouges prefers limiting the crop by de-budding and clipping off side-shoots, but will conduct a green harvest in July or August if necessary.
• By 2008, the entirety of the vineyards had been converted to organic viticulture, but the domaine emphasizes that the goal is not for certification but simply using viticultural techniques to respect the terroir and the wine.

Vinification:

• Grapes are sorted on a sorting table and completely de-stemmed prior to fermentation.
• They are allowed to begin fermenting slowly without inoculation
• Daily pigeage for 15 days in glass-lined cement tanks (A new pump-free and gravity-fed cuverie was constructed in 2007)
• The free-run and press wine are combined, and the wine is aged in 15-20% new oak for 18 months prior to bottling.
• The wines have not been fined or filtered since the 1990s.
• Grégory Gouges has been working to make the family wines less backward and tannic upon release—they have a reputation for requiring a decade of aging to open up.

Taste:

• “Lively and pure, ripe and a slight note of dried fruit on the palate. Firm, generous, more character than elegance.” - Jancis

Cost vs. Front:

• Front: $38
• Cost: $195

If/Then:

• It’s worth the upgrade to Mugnier. Having tasted the Gouges, it’s such a short finish, it leaves you wanting more. Mugnier is not only a well known producer across burgundy, his monopole “clos de la marechale” satisfies that need for vivacity and complexity that Gouges leaves you wanting.

Question 40

Jacques-Frederic Mugnier

“Clos de la Marechale” 1er Cru

Nuits St. Georges 2014 and 2015

Answer 40

AOC:

• Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru “Clos de la Marechale”: (monopole)
• The Clos de la Maréchale has a surface of 9 hectares, 76 ares. It is the largest monopole (an appellation belonging to a single owner) in the Côte d’Or.
• This vineyard is right alongside the route national between Comblanchien and Premeaux. It was owned by the Mugnier family for generations, and it was these fore-fathers that planted the oldest vines in the Clos around World War I. As the family became less involved in the alcohol and wine business, they decided to lease the vineyard long-term to Domaine Flaiveley in 1950. When Frédéric moved to Burgundy and took over the old family house and cellars, the lease was still in effect: it only ended in 2004. Frédéric suddenly went from having 4 to 14 hectares of vines, which necessitated enlarging the family cellars.
• Notice anything odd about the label? When Frédéric got the vineyard back, they hired someone to put up an archway over the entrance to the vineyard, only the worker mistakenly installed the “a” in “la Maréchale” backwards. It was decided that they would keep the sign as it was, and the label followed.

Story:

• Frédéric (Frédy) Mugnier is currently in charge of this outstanding domaine founded by his great-great-grandfather Frédéric Mugnier in 1863. Along with the vineyard holdings, the family business initially included a négociant business focused on liqueurs, but over time that was sold and the vineyards were leased out in fermage arrangements. In 1977 Jacques-Frédéric Mugnier decided to take back the family’s Chambolle-Musigny vineyards and bottle the wines himself, and in 1985 Frédy joined his father after a career as a petroleum engineer. In 2004 the fermage arrangement with Faiveley for the Clos de la Maréchale came to an end, resulting in the domaine more than tripling in size—from four to 14 hectares—thanks to the addition of this largest monopole in the Côte d’Or.
• Today, the vineyards are plowed, and no chemical herbicides, fertilizers or insecticides are used—though Frédy prefers to use systemic fungicides rather than copper to fight mildew, feeling that copper harms the vines and soils more than fungicides. The older vines are trained to the guyot system with a slightly longer fruiting cane than is normal, as Frédy removes every other shoot early in the growing season so as to space the shoots and clusters well. A green harvest is performed if necessary to keep the crop load small. Frédy Mugnier is a very meticulous and precise winegrower, and the quality of his wines reflect his great attention to detail.

Viticulture:

• 9.16 ha Pinot Noir
• Vines originally planted in early 1910s and most recently in 1980.
• Terroir: Facing east, limestone-clay soil with oolithic limestone pebbles.
• Lutte très raisonnée

Vinification:

• 100% de-stemmed
• 15 to 20 days indigenous yeast fermentation and maceration in open wooden vats
• Aged for 18 months in barrel (15% new oak).
• Frequency of pigeage has been reduced in recent years.
• Bottled without fining or filtration.
• Annual production varies between 900 and 2700 bottles approximately.

Taste:

• 2014: “About 7% of total production of this vineyard is white. Racy and savoury with a glossy overlay. Attractively savoury. Hint of white blossom. Great nerve. Just very slightly soapy on the end. Great nerve.” - Jancis
• 2015: “40,000 bottles. An assemblage of the eight cuvées. Very dense and savoury – very different from the Chambolles! Very solid and rewarding with no rough edges. Lovely texture. Sweet start but (just) enough acidity. You could drink this almost now! Dances around.” - Jancis

Cost vs. Front:

• 2014:
  
  • Front: $91
  • Cost: $285
• 2015:
  
  • Front: $91
  • Cost: $295

If/Then:

• Chevilon: This is a crazy vineyard. It’s name “ Les Vaucrains” literally means infertile soil - which for wine is GREAT. You want your grapes to struggle reasonaby - lutte rainson - it makes that much greater of a product. And you can taste that in Chevillon’s wine. It has just the right altitude, the right aspect, the right soil. It’s Just Right. Plus, the acerage vine age is about 100 years old…

Question 41

Robert Chevillon “Les Vaucrains” 1er Cru

Nuits St Georges 2016

Answer 41

AOC:

• Nuits St. Georges “Les Vaucrains” 1er Cru: A term that represents infertile land. South part of the vineyard, in Nuits-Saint-Georges territory.

Story:

• The Chevillon domaine was founded in the late 19th century by Symphorien Chevillon. The domaine is now in the hands of the fourth generation of Chevillons, Denis and Bertrand, who took over from their father Robert when he retired in 2003. Domaine Chevillon is a reference point for Nuits-Saint-Georges due to the consistently high quality of the domaine’s wines, its numerous premier cru vineyards across the appellation, and some very old vines in the domaine’s three best vineyards—Cailles, Vaucrains, and Les Saint-Georges. The high average vine age is maintained by replacing individual vines by repiquage, rather than replanting entire blocks. All of the vineyards are plowed; yields are controlled by removing extra buds in the spring and by green harvesting in the summer. The domaine produces a Nuits-Saint-Georges blanc from Henri Gouges’ Pinot Blanc selection. The vines are interplanted in Pinot Noir vineyards and in the past Robert Chevillon co-fermented the white and red grapes.

Viticulture:

• 1.55 ha Pinot Noir
• 75-100-year-old vines
• Clay, Limestone
• Name expresses “infertile land”
• East by northeast sun exposure
• 260-280 meters in altitude, with a grade of 15%

Vinification:

• Chevillon wines are benchmark examples of Nuits-Saint-Georges and show none of the reputed rusticity of the village’s wines.
• 100% de-stemmed prior to vinification in stainless steel vats
• There is a one-week cold maceration prior to fermentation with native yeasts, and both pigeage and remontage are practiced.
• The wine spends up to four weeks on skins prior to pressing
• 30% new oak for the premier crus for 18 months
• The wines are filtered but not fined prior to bottling

Taste:

• “Ripe fruit but fresher on the nose than the Cailles. Seductively rich in cherry fruit. Incredibly smooth tannins with some vanilla sweetness on the palate. Deep and long and with the harmony for a long future.” - Jancis

Cost vs. Front:

• Front: $134
• Cost: $355

If/Then:

• Sylvain Cathiard “Aux Thorey”: Chevillon produces a benchmark style of Nuits-St.-Georges - pretty and stuctured, without being overly rustic, but a little plain. (Oklahoma!) Cathiard, on the otherhand, is robust and bold yet bright and zesty - as if Nuits St. Georges became a musical (Hamilton perhaps?). Plus, Cathiard’s grandfather worked for DRC and took a lot of lessons home to the vineyard.

Question 42

Sylvain Cathiard “Aux Thorey” 1er Cru

Nuits St. Georges 2014

Answer 42

AOC:

• Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru

Story:

• The small domaine was founded by Sylvain Cathiard’s grandfather Alfred, who was a vineyard worker for the Domaine de la Romanée-Conti. The domaine was built up over the years through purchases of small parcels and métayage agreements with the Thomas-Moillard family. Sylvain took over in 1986 and his son Sébastien joined him in 2005. Vineyards are plowed and weedkillers are not used, though synthetic fungicides are used if necessary in order to minimize the build-up of copper in the soils. The domaine’s average vine age is generally very old, which lends enough substance to the wines to stand up to the fairly generous amount of new oak used.

Viticulture:

• 0.49 ha Pinot Noir, planted in 1953
• Terroir: Facing southeast, fine gravel soil with broken oolitic or Comblanchien limestone rocks
• Careful lutte raisonnée, experimenting with organic

Vinification:

• 100% de-stemmed, indigenous yeast fermentation.
• Cold-soaked for up to seven days
• Fermentation starts without inoculation
• and pigeage and remontage vary by tank depending on the progress of extraction
• Aged in 75% new oak for 18 months
• Bottled without fining or filtering

Taste:

• “Bright, fresh, zesty notes. Almost as though there’s some whole bunch on the nose. Firm and dense on the palate with good vital acidity. Smudgy tannins and solidity there on the palate. Still quite youthful. Robust. Good confident finish. Very dry rather than sweet.” - Jancis

Cost vs. Front:

• Front: $167
• Cost: $425

If/Then:

• If you really want to taste Cathiard at his best, try “aux Reignots” in vosne. It’s like the centerpiece of a pearl necklace - drawing the eye to just the right part of the decolletage, and completing the outfit with elegance. The nuits-st.-george tends to be more bombastic and robust in style. Lizzo vs. Scarlet Johanssen.

Question 43

Antonin Guyon “Les Fourniers” 1er Cru

Aloxe-Corton 2012

Answer 43

AOC:

• Aloxe-Corton “Les Fourniers” 1er Cru: “Fourniéres” is named for an ancient forge, whose large chimney near the village is still visible.
• Linking the Côte de Nuits with the Côte de Beaune, the hill of Corton signals a change in the landscape. Towards Beaune the land becomes more rounded, its sharp contours yielding to gentle valleys. Like its neighbours Ladoix-Serrigny and Pernand-Vergelesses, Aloxe-Corton (pronounced “Alosse”) enjoys a perfect wine-growing location and forms as it were a guard of honour on the approach to the prestigious appellations Grands Crus Corton and Corton-Charlemagne.
  The Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée dates back to 1938.

Story:

• Dominique Guyon and his brother Michel control the business that was started by their father Antonin in the 1960’s. Antonin was relatively mature when he set out on his vine-owning journey – 55 – buying his first parcels in Gevrey and Meursault. The biggest single addition to the family’s holdings came in 1970 after Dominique had patiently accumulated hundreds of small parcels from almost 80 different Hautes Côtes de Nuits growers in Meuilley into a single, 22 hectare block of southfacing vines.
• Based in Savigny-lès-Beaune the domaine owns a fine range of vines from around the hill of Corton but their northern limits are in Gevrey, southern in Meursault, western in the aforementioned Hautes Côtes de Nuits and to the east in Chorey-lès-Beaune.

Viticulture:

• The wines here benefit from east to south and southwest exposure.
• Soils are predominantly clay and limestone.
• Grapes are hand-harvested and then carried in small boxes to the cellar, where they are sorted.

Vinification:

• Picking is 100% by hand
• Grapes are stored 2x to ensure quality
• 100% destemmed
• open-top wooden fermentation tanks.
• one week cold (10-12°C) maceration
• one week of (maximum 30°C) fermentation then finally
• one week of post-fermentation maceration
• twice-daily pigeage before gravity feeding into barrels in the cellar below.
• 50% new oak is used for the grand crus, less for the ‘smaller’ wines.

Taste:

• “Very nice deep ruby red, with light aromas of red fruit. Rich and round in the mouth, with a long finish and a well-balanced woody character.” - Taub Family

Cost vs. Front:

• Front: $30
• Cost: $115

If/Then:

• Simon Bize “Savigny”: Guyon is based out of savigny, and truthfully it is worth moving from Aloxe to Savigny. Nobody beats Bize. Unless it is a Grand Cru, Aloxe can fall flat, whereas even Bize’s village wines sparkle as if they’re a 5karat diamond.

Question 44

Lucien Le Moine “Renardes”

Corton Grand Cru 2012 and 2011

Answer 44

AOC:

• Corton Grand Cru: The vineyards lie at heights of 250-330 metres and form a kind of amphitheatre not found elsewhere in the Côte. The Hill of Corton produces white Corton-Charlemagne and (mainly) red Corton, described by Camille Rodier as “le roi des bons-vivants” (or “the king of the bon vivants”).

Story:

• Lucien Le Moine is a small House of Grands Crus in Beaune. It is a two people operation established in 1999: “we came here because of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, we stayed because we discovered “La Côte d’Or” and its wines but also the Burgundians as People and Friends. Lucien Le Moine is our way of living the seasons in Burgundy and growing roots deep into that beautiful place where we chose to live. Mounir learned and worked in a Trappist Monastery where he discovered Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. He studied Viticulture and Oenology at the ENSAM Montpellier, than had a 6 years experience in different Wineries in Burgundy, other areas of France and California where he became fascinated by the “old way” of growing, vinificating and aging wines. One day he decided to push to the extreme everything he saw and experienced and created, with Rotem, a small cellar dedicated to the ideas of purity and typicity. Rotem comes from a cheese making family. She learned Agriculture both at the Technion and the ENESAD in Dijon and oriented her studies towards wine. At the end of her title she won a national prize from the French Academy of Agriculture for a study on the Côte d’Or than she participated in many Harvests in Burgundy and California. She joined Mounir in 1999 and they Started Lucien Le Moine together.

Vinification:

• One to three barrels per Cru (300 - 900 bottles) per year
• Aged 100% of their lees: both whites and reds.
• Gentle “battonages” three to four times a month
• Malolactic is delayed until summer
• The natural CO2 associated to this fermentation protects the wines during the hot summer enabling us an extremely limited use of SO2.
• Bottling takes place after a full moon (where atmospheric pressure is favorable), by gravity, Cru by Cru whenever a wine is ready.
• Neither fined nor filtered
• As our wines are never pumped (no racking, no filtration, bottling by gravity…) the natural CO2 from the malolactic is present even in bottle. In fact we are looking for this presence as it helps protecting the wine in the most natural way.
• The CO2 protects the wine by closing it upon itself that is why
• ALL OUR WINES MUST BE DECANTED;
  With decanting CO2 will leave and the wine will show itself. If one has time decanting can be for a few hours, if not a few minutes: by pouring the wine into the decanter and moving it slowly allowing the gas to leave.

Taste:

• Bright ruby-red color. Distinctly wild aromas and flavors of black raspberry, game birds and animal fur. Plush, dense and fine-grained, showing more early personality than the Bressandes despite the fact that there’s still a trace of unconverted malic acidity here. Finishes pure and very long, with very suave tannins.

Cost vs. Front:

• 2011:
  
  • Front: $99
  • Cost: $280
• 2012:
  
  • Front: $102
  • Cost: $295

If/Then:

• 2012: Upsell to the 2011. The 2012 vintage tends to be a bit variable because of the vintage. It rained a lot, it hailed a lot, and there was a ton of frost. If you want to taste the land that Le Moine fell in love with, do the 2012.
• 2011: HARD upsell to the Meo-Camuzet: The Le Moine wines tend to have a lot of CO2 - leftovers from the fermentation process - and NEED to be decanted before drinking. This is on their website. They’re a bit highmaintence. Meo is a traditional producer, and showcases the very best of the Corton Hill Grand Cru.

Question 45

Meo Camuzet “Perrieres”

Corton Grand Cru 2016

Answer 45

AOC:

• Corton Grand Cru “Les Perrieres”: A fine plot of about one and a half acres, situated just north of the village of Aloxe. “Perrières” refers to “stones” and you will immediately understand why when you look at the soil which contains numerous round stones, often pink in colour. The soil is quite deep, but always full of stones. The orientation is typical of red Cortons, facing due east, and the plot lies more on the lower part of the slope.

Story:

• Etienne Camuzet started buying vineyards in the early 20th century while serving in the French parliament as representative for the Côte d’Or. He obtained large holdings in Clos de Vougeot and was the last private owner of the Château before donating it to the Confrérie des Chevaliers du Tastevin. His daughter Maria Noirot died without heirs and deeded the estate to a distant relative and friend, Jean Méo, who put the estate in the hands of a number of métayers (including the now-famous Henri Jayer). Jean Méo’s son, Jean-Nicolas, took over management of the domaine in 1988, shortly after domaine bottling began in 1985, when Henri Jayer retired, though Jayer stayed on as a consultant. Jean-Nicolas considers the vineyards to be the foundation of quality for his wines and restricts yields by removing every other shoot early in the growing season to promote ventilation. No weed killers are used and vineyards are green-harvested if necessary. A négociant business was started under the name of Méo-Camuzet Frère et Soeurs In 1999.

Viticulture:

• 0.45 ha Pinot Noir
• planted in the 1920s

Vinification:

• Méo-Camuzet wines are made following Henri Jayer’s methods, paying careful attention to grape health, completely de-stemming the fruit, and generous new oak usage.
• The grapes are hand-sorted prior to de-stemming and allowed to begin fermentation slowly without adding cultured yeast.
• The wines ferment on the skins for up to 18 days, with more frequent pigeage as fermentation ends.
• The press wine and the free-run wine are blended before aging in oak, with 100% NFO.
• Wines are aged 15-18 months prior to bottling with no fining or filtering.

Taste:

• “Scented and just very slightly tarty. Big and sweet and smooth but not nearly as exciting as the Clos Vougeot. Chewy, almost rasping finish.” - Jancis
• “Your first impression of “les Perrières” is that of a typical Corton, as it is so frequently described: austere, slow to mature, tannic. But that impression should be moderated because the wine is apparently multifaceted: frankness, certainly, but also an underlying structure that lines the palate and a finish marked by minerality. There’s no heaviness, which facilitates the expression of this complexity. A long ageing period is certainly beneficial.” - Meo

Front vs. Cost:

• Front: $271
• Cost: $495

If/Then:

• This is the top of Corton price point.

Question 46

Chandon De Brialles “Iles de Vergelesses” 1er Cru

Pernand-Vergelesses 2017

Answer 46

AOC:

• Pernand-Vergelesses 1er Cru “Iles de Vergelesses”:

Story:

• Chandon de Briailles is a historic domaine in the heart of Savigny-Lès-Beaune that has belonged to the de Nicolay family since 1834. Considering that many famous domaines in Burgundy occupy humble homes and cellars, Chandon de Briailles is unique in featuring a gorgeous, 18th-century manor house as the center of their domaine. The modern-day reputation of the domaine is owed to Nadine de Nicolay (wife of the Comte de Chandon de Briailles), who left Paris in 1984 to run the show here. Nadine’s daughter, Claude, joined her in 1989 after her studies in Dijon and work abroad in New Zealand and Oregon. Claude and her brother, François, have run the domaine together since 2001. François pushed for conversion to organic and biodynamic farming, which was completed in 2005, and the vineyards have been Demeter- and Ecocert-certified since 2011.

Viticulture:

• 3 ha Pinot Noir
• 10- to 60-year-old vines on limestone and clay soils
• These vines are found mid-slope on a slight incline facing east
• The vines were planted in several phases, with an average age of 40 years

Vinification:

• The Chandon de Briailles wines are notable for their lack of new oak—the winery buys eight new barrels a year from François Frères, purchases once-used barrels from Méo-Camuzet as needed, and uses barrels over 20 years old for fermentation and aging of their wines.
• Vinified with varying amounts of whole clusters: 100% whole-cluster for the top grands crus, and 100% de-stemming for the lower-tier reds.
• No yeasts are added, and fermentation starts cool and slow.
• Fermented on the skins for 15 to 20 days and are usually pressed a few days after fermentation ends
• Aging in mostly neutral barrels lasts 14 to 18 months for
• Not usually filtered or fined prior to bottling.

Taste:

• “Lightish cherry red. Intense aroma of sweet ripe but fresh red fruit balanced by a light stemmy herbal note. Light-bodied, elegant rather than lean, subtle.” - Jancis
• “The wine is of great aromatic finesse on the nose, very intense, and develops scents of red fruits tending to liquorice and spices. Its structure is straight-line and tannic; it possesses great power and long persistence on the palate. Wait around 5 years before opening.” - Chandon

Cost vs. Front:

• Front: $57
• Cost: $175

If/Then:

• By Chandon’s own recommendation, this wine should age for at least 5 years before drunk. While we’re waiting for this to mature, let’s try Bize “forneaux”. This wine is simply elegant, expressive and generous. Old vines!

Question 47

Simon Bize 2017

Savigny-Les-Beaune

Answer 47

AOC:

• Savigny Villages

Story:

• After three generations of vignerons named Simon Bize helming this domaine, Patrick Bize joined his father in 1972. Patrick’s father had begun domaine-bottling in 1950 under the belief that a close relationship with his clients was as important as a close relationship with his vines. For Patrick’s part, he grew the domaine through purchases of new parcels, and he built new winemaking facilities as well as expanded the cellars. Domaine Simon Bize became an exemplar in Savigny-Lès-Beaune, well known for showing the top quality Burgundy can achieve even in its more humble appellations. Patrick Bize passed away unexpectedly at the age of 61 in October of 2013; he is survived by his wife, Chisa, and their two children.

Viticulture:

• A cuvée blending of parcels planted between 1965 and 1978 situated on the right bank of the Rhoin river.
• 3.90 hectares
• Moderately deep soils of white limestone and clay.

Vinification:

• The Simon Bize wines are excellent examples of the Savigny-Lès-Beaune terroir,
• The domaine strongly advocates for whole clusters in their red wine vinifications, as long as vintage conditions permit.
• The red musts are cooled for the first four or five days prior to fermentation, and all pigeage is by foot in order to prevent breaking seeds and stems.
• All pressing decisions are done by tasting, and the wines age in very little new oak
• The reds are generally bottled 14-18 months after harvest with no fining or filtration.

Taste:

• “This wine expresses a beautiful fruitiness, supple tannins, and a complex aroma. It is a wonderful example of a village wine that can be enjoyed young.”- Bize

Cost vs. Front:

• Front: $37
• Cost: $135

If/Then:

• Move to Aux Grands Liards. This is simply a vilage level wine, and when you move to 1er cru you really begin to really have that “taste of place”. Beautiful and a bit more tannic and interesting.

Question 48

Simon Bize “Aux Grand Liards” 2017

Savigny-Les-Beaune

Answer 48

AOC:

• Savigny Villages

Story:

• After three generations of vignerons named Simon Bize helming this domaine, Patrick Bize joined his father in 1972. Patrick’s father had begun domaine-bottling in 1950 under the belief that a close relationship with his clients was as important as a close relationship with his vines. For Patrick’s part, he grew the domaine through purchases of new parcels, and he built new winemaking facilities as well as expanded the cellars. Domaine Simon Bize became an exemplar in Savigny-Lès-Beaune, well known for showing the top quality Burgundy can achieve even in its more humble appellations. Patrick Bize passed away unexpectedly at the age of 61 in October of 2013; he is survived by his wife, Chisa, and their two children.

Viticulture:

• The vines in this parcel have the particular feature of having been planted progressively by three different generations at the domain, in 1939, 1950 and 1979.
  Several of the oldest vines will be replanted in 2019.
• Surface : 1.60 hectare
• Soil composed of limestone and red, pebbly clay.

Vinification:

• The Simon Bize wines are excellent examples of the Savigny-Lès-Beaune terroir,
• The domaine strongly advocates for whole clusters in their red wine vinifications, as long as vintage conditions permit.
• The red musts are cooled for the first four or five days prior to fermentation, and all pigeage is by foot in order to prevent breaking seeds and stems.
• All pressing decisions are done by tasting, and the wines age in very little new oak
• The reds are generally bottled 14-18 months after harvest with no fining or filtration.

Taste:

• “This wine features a beautiful tannic structure, a rather masculine profile, and a wonderful sense of balance in each vintage. Very well suited for aging, this is a perfect example of the wines from Savigny-les-Beaune.” - Bize

Cost vs. Front:

• Front: $45
• Cost: $165

If/Then:

• Move to the Marconnets instead. It’s just about the size of a football field (as opposed to 2 - more exclusive), and the vineyard is one of the leading 1er crus coming out of savigny.

Question 49

Simon Bize “Les Fornaux” 1er Cru 2017

Savigny-Les-Beaune

Answer 49

AOC:

• Savigny 1er Cru

Story:

• After three generations of vignerons named Simon Bize helming this domaine, Patrick Bize joined his father in 1972. Patrick’s father had begun domaine-bottling in 1950 under the belief that a close relationship with his clients was as important as a close relationship with his vines. For Patrick’s part, he grew the domaine through purchases of new parcels, and he built new winemaking facilities as well as expanded the cellars. Domaine Simon Bize became an exemplar in Savigny-Lès-Beaune, well known for showing the top quality Burgundy can achieve even in its more humble appellations. Patrick Bize passed away unexpectedly at the age of 61 in October of 2013; he is survived by his wife, Chisa, and their two children.

Viticulture:

• 1 ha Pinot Noir
• Vines planted in 1962 and 1963
• This east facing plot is situated in the middle of the hillside.
• The pebbly, higher slopes give way to deeper soils as they descend in elevation.

Vinification:

• The Simon Bize wines are excellent examples of the Savigny-Lès-Beaune terroir,
• The domaine strongly advocates for whole clusters in their red wine vinifications, as long as vintage conditions permit.
• The red musts are cooled for the first four or five days prior to fermentation, and all pigeage is by foot in order to prevent breaking seeds and stems.
• All pressing decisions are done by tasting, and the wines age in very little new oak
• The reds are generally bottled 14-18 months after harvest with no fining or filtration.

Taste:

• “An expressive, generous wine with great accessibility. A great starting point for the 1er crus of Savigny-les-Beaune.” - Bize

Cost vs. Front:

• Front: $64
• Cost: $ 195

If/Then:

• Try Marquis d’Angerville in Volnay instead. He gives you the same elegance as Bize, but hes completely biodynamic as opposed to simply sustainable - he bottled on a fruit day, and you can ususally sense the ripeness!

Question 50

Simon Bize “Les Maconnets” 1er Cru 2017

Savigny-Les-Beaune

Answer 50

AOC:

• Savigny 1er Cru

Story:

• After three generations of vignerons named Simon Bize helming this domaine, Patrick Bize joined his father in 1972. Patrick’s father had begun domaine-bottling in 1950 under the belief that a close relationship with his clients was as important as a close relationship with his vines. For Patrick’s part, he grew the domaine through purchases of new parcels, and he built new winemaking facilities as well as expanded the cellars. Domaine Simon Bize became an exemplar in Savigny-Lès-Beaune, well known for showing the top quality Burgundy can achieve even in its more humble appellations. Patrick Bize passed away unexpectedly at the age of 61 in October of 2013; he is survived by his wife, Chisa, and their two children.

Viticulture:

• Vines planted in 1973 on the right bank of the Rhoin river.
• 0.660 hectare
• Atop their deep and sandy terrain, the vines best reveal their potential during humid years. The tension and energy inherent to Les Marconnets make this parcel one of the leading 1er crus of the Côte de Beaune.

Vinification:

• The Simon Bize wines are excellent examples of the Savigny-Lès-Beaune terroir,
• The domaine strongly advocates for whole clusters in their red wine vinifications, as long as vintage conditions permit.
• The red musts are cooled for the first four or five days prior to fermentation, and all pigeage is by foot in order to prevent breaking seeds and stems.
• All pressing decisions are done by tasting, and the wines age in very little new oak
• The reds are generally bottled 14-18 months after harvest with no fining or filtration.​

Taste:

• Well suited for aging, over time this rich and meaty wine reveals the complexity of the terroir.

Cost vs. Front:

• Front: $64
• Cost: $195

If/Then:

• Try Domain de Courcel “les Fremiers”. If you like the complexity of Maconnets, you’ll love Courcel in Pommard, and only 30,000 bottles are produced annually.

Question 51

Domaine De Courcel “Grand Clos des Epenots” 1er Cru

Pommard 2007 and 2015

Answer 51

AOC:

• A monopole of the domaine - which accounts for 50% of the Domaine’s production

Story:

• The Domaine de Courcel is a 400-year-old family-owned winery located in the village of Pommard in the Côte d’Or. Its current owners, three sisters and one brother, are the descendants of the founders. Gilles de Courcel provides leadership for the domaine, the estate is managed by Anne Bommelaer and Marie de Courcel, and Yves Confuron has served as the winemaker since 1996. Its prestigious Pommard Premier Crus include Le Grand Clos des Épenots, Les Rugiens, Les Frémiers, and Les Croix Noires. Tradition, modernism, and excellence are the pillars of this domaine.

Viticulture:

• 4.89 hectares (12.1 acres).
• North of Pommard at the start of the slope. East-facing.
• Vines = Around 60 years old
• The brown soil is rich in clay and limestone with limestone rocks strewn around. The depth of the soil is around 40-60 cm/15.7-23.6 in acts as a natural filter
• The soil is ploughed to favor biological activity and encourage assimilation of the minerals.

Vinification:

• The winemaking is done over a period of one month. After a thorough selection, grapes are delicately deposited in a wine vat.
• Cold maceration followed by low-temperature fermentation enables a better ex- traction of the aromas of the wine.
• The process ends with a final post-fermentation carbonic maceration adapted to each cuvée.
• The maturing is done in carefully selected oak barrels, which are replaced each third year.
• After a one month extraction, the wine is matured during a period of 21 to 23 months.
• After racking, the wines are bottled without any treatment or manipulation.

Taste:

• “The wines have aromas of red berries and also ripe white fruits such as peaches and apricots. The fine tannins are numerous and blend in nicely with the smoothness and the aromas” - Vineyard Brands

Cost vs. Front:

• 2007:
  
  • Front: $121
  • Cost: $350
• 2015:
  
  • Front: $83
  • Cost: $295

If/Then:

• 2015: Do the 2007. Fantastic Vintage! or move to the Compte Armand, and taste his legendary expression of the same Vineyard. - Both monopoles.
• 2007. You’ve reached the top.

Question 52

Domaine De Courcel “Vaumuriens” 1er Cru

Pommard 2014

Answer 52

AOC:

• Pommard 1er Cru

Story:

• The Domaine de Courcel is a 400-year-old family-owned winery located in the village of Pommard in the Côte d’Or. Its current owners, three sisters and one brother, are the descendants of the founders. Gilles de Courcel provides leadership for the domaine, the estate is managed by Anne Bommelaer and Marie de Courcel, and Yves Confuron has served as the winemaker since 1996. Its prestigious Pommard Premier Crus include Le Grand Clos des Épenots, Les Rugiens, Les Frémiers, and Les Croix Noires. Tradition, modernism, and excellence are the pillars of this domaine.

Viticulture:

• 1.44 hectares
• Located just above Les Rugiens. Northeast-facing vineyard.
• White soils that are not very deep (0.3-0.4 m/11.8-15.75 in)
• The soil is ploughed to favor biological activity and encourage assimilation of the minerals. Each vine is pruned.

Vinification:

• The winemaking is done over a period of one month.
• After a thorough selection, grapes are delicately deposited in a wine vat.
• Cold maceration followed by low-temperature fermentation enables a better ex- traction of the aromas of the wine.
• The process ends with a final post-fermentation carbonic maceration adapted to each cuvée.
• The maturing is done in carefully selected oak barrels, which are replaced each third year.
• After a one month extraction, the wine is matured during a period of 21 to 23 months.
• After racking, the wines are bottled without any treatment or manipulation.
• 30,000 bottles a year

Taste:

• “Spicy wines with aromas leaning towards cassis and white fruits, such as mango” - vineyard brands

Cost vs. Front:

• Front: $66
• Cost: $215

If/Then:

• Do the Grand clos des epenots 2015 instead. That is the wine that they’re most known for - it accounts for 50% of their total annual production - and you get a more premium expression of the 2015 vintage.

Question 53

Domaine De Courcel “Les Fremiers” 1er Cru

Pommard 2015

Answer 53

AOC:

• Pommard 1er Cru

Story:

• The Domaine de Courcel is a 400-year-old family-owned winery located in the village of Pommard in the Côte d’Or. Its current owners, three sisters and one brother, are the descendants of the founders. Gilles de Courcel provides leadership for the domaine, the estate is managed by Anne Bommelaer and Marie de Courcel, and Yves Confuron has served as the winemaker since 1996. Its prestigious Pommard Premier Crus include Le Grand Clos des Épenots, Les Rugiens, Les Frémiers, and Les Croix Noires. Tradition, modernism, and excellence are the pillars of this domaine.

Viticulture:

• 0.79 hectares
• Located south of Pommard, right below Les Rugiens, at the start of the slope
• Red and brown, rich in both clay and limestone. Deeper than that of Les Rugiens (0.6-0.8 m/23.5-31.5 in)
• The soil is ploughed to favor biological activity and encourage assimilation of the minerals.

Vinification:

• The winemaking is done over a period of one month.
• After a thorough selection, grapes are delicately deposited in a wine vat.
• Cold maceration followed by low-temperature fermentation enables a better ex- traction of the aromas of the wine.
• The process ends with a final post-fermentation carbonic maceration adapted to each cuvée.
• The maturing is done in carefully selected oak barrels, which are replaced each third year.
• After a one month extraction, the wine is matured during a period of 21 to 23 months.
• After racking, the wines are bottled without any treatment or manipulation.
• 30,000 bottles a year

Taste:

• “Elegant and sophisticated. The aromas lean towards fine spices and cooked fruits such as prune. The tannins are very refined.” - Vineyard Brands

Cost vs. Front:

• Front: $66
• Cost: $210

If/Then:

• Do the Grand clos des epenots 2015 instead. That is the wine that they’re most known for - it accounts for 50% of their total annual production - and you get a more premium expression of the 2015 vintage.

Question 54

Comte Armand “Clos des Epeneaux” 1er Cru

Pommard 2013

Answer 54

AOC:

• Pommard 1er Cru “Clos des Epeneaux”: ​a 5.25 ha monopole of Pinot Noir, planted 1930-1986; the top of the vineyard is thin, rocky marl over hard limestone while the lower section has deeper soil with more iron oxide

Story:

• The Clos des Epeneaux has been in the Armand family since 1826, when Comte Armand married a daughter of the Marey-Monge family, whose extensive 19th-century domaine included the Clos. Domaine Comte Armand made wine exclusively from the Clos des Epeneaux until a 1994 purchase of vineyards in Auxey-Duresses and Volnay. The domaine was revitalized in 1985 when the Comte Armand placed a young Canadian, Pascal Marchand, in charge; he converted to organic farming and modernized the cellars. In 1999, 23-year-old Benjamin Leroux took over from Marchand; he also completed the estate’s transition to biodynamic farming that had begun in 1996.

Viticulture:

• Low yeilds
• Certified Organic, Certified biodynamic

Vinification:

• The red grapes are completely de-stemmed and cooled before beginning fermentation with indigenous yeasts.
• The amount of pigeage and remontage varies, depending on vintage conditions.
• The wine spends an extended period on the skins—usually at least 28 days - longer than traditional burgundian style
• and the wines are aged in up to 40% new oak
• Barrel-aging lasts up to 22 months
• Not fined or filtered
• Done in accordance with lunar calander
• 20,000-25,000 bottles

Taste:

• “The wines produced there present both power and finesse, the quintessence of what Pinot Noir can reveal through Pinot Noir. They also have spicy notes characteristic of Clos des Epeneaux.”- Armand

Cost vs. Front:

• Front: $108
• Cost: $325

If/Then:

• Try the Courcel Epenots. Its the same vineyard, but look at the age! If you’re looking for a more settled, elegant Pommard, look no further.

Question 55

Michel Lafage 2016

Volnay

Answer 55

AOC:

• Frédéric strives to emphasize the signature of his terroirs through his winemaking choices, and the differences in his wines from Beaune, Pommard and Volnay are dramatic.

Story:

• This small jewel of a family domaine is run by father and son Michel and Frédéric Lafarge. Michel took over in 1960, and his conservative nature made him skeptical of the then-trendy use of synthetic fertilizers and clonal selections for replanting. His preference was to farm his plots organically and make new plantings from a sélection massale of his old vines. Frédéric joined his father in the mid-1980s and began making biodynamic trials in the vineyards; they completed a full conversion to biodynamics in 2000. Frédéric and Michel continue to work together closely to maintain and improve the very high standards and quality of the domaine. JUST DIED.

Viticulture:

• Frédéric Lafarge looks to harvest at full phenolic maturity but is very wary of harvesting overripe fruit as he seeks freshness and vitality in his wines.
• Certified organic (Ecocert) and biodynamic (Demeter, since 2000)

Vinification:

• 100% de-stemmed prior to a cool start to fermentation with indigenous yeasts
• The use of pumps is generally avoided, and pigeage occurs once or twice a day during the two weeks of maceration.
• The wines are barrel-aged in minimal new oak (25% max) for about 18 months
• Bottled without filtration.

Taste:

• “Mossy notes on the nose and then very polished fruit on the palate. Chewy and with real energy. Lots of fine tannin and earthy terroir-informed fruit. Tension and sculpted texture. Lip-smacking.” - Jancis

Cost vs. Front:

• Front: $67
• Cost: $160

If/Then:

• Y. Clerget: Lafarge is tasty. Pretty, classic. Clerget is young blood. HES 29 YEARS OLD. WHAT?! 2015 was his introductory vintage, and 2016 was even better than his first. Can’t wait to see what else comes from him. (Plus hes really cute - swoon).

Question 56

Y. Clerget “Santenots” 1er Cru

Volnay 2016

Answer 56

AOC:

• Santenots 1er Cru VOLNAY: On the border of mersualt. Chooses volnay because it’s red.

Story:

• Thibaud Clerget is the 28th generation of his family to make wines in Volnay and Pommard. No, that is not a typo; the Clerget family has been in Burgundy since 1268! The story of Domaine Yvon Clerget is one of rebirth. In 2009, Thibaud’s father Yvon decided to retire from winemaking. Knowing his son had an intense passion to continue the family legacy, he made the decision to sell the grapes from the family holdings in the finest terroirs of Volnay and Pommard to Henri Boillot. During this time, Thibaud began studying the craft of vineyard management and winemaking from two storied names in Burgundy, Henri Boillot and Domaine Hudelot-Noellat. After this three year apprenticeship, Thibaud returned to take over the family domaine. In 2015 (AT 24 - is now just 29) he produced his first wines and announced the re-emergence of Domaine Yvon Clerget. Quality of this kind from an inaugural release is incredibly rare and it is clear to all that have followed the rise of Thibaud Clerget, that benchmark status is imminent.

Viticulture:

• Sustainable
• 68 acres
• Vine age = 30 yrs
• Calcerous clay

Vinification:

• Little to no oak - approachable

Taste:

• “arguably the most powerful Volnay in the field. Even if it is fierce, the pleasure is instant. The most masculine of feminine wines! “ - Thibaud.
• Notably dark crimson. Really very intense and dramatic on the nose. Then exciting tension on the palate. Certainly makes a statement! Almost more Pommard intensity than Volnay elegance but lots of delivery.

Cost vs. Front:

• Front: $60
• Cost: $185

If/Then:

• Try the Marquis d’Angerville instead. It’s exciting to hear that Clerget is a 29 year old wine maker, but d’Angerville has been doing this for a long time. Clerget is still trying to find his stride, d’Angerville has his art down to a science.

Question 57

Marquis d’Angerville “Taillpieds” 1er Cru

Volnay 2011

Answer 57

AOC:

Story:

• The Marquis d’Angerville was an important influence in the domaine-bottling movement in Burgundy. In the 1920s, Jacques d’Angerville was highly critical of the négociants’ widespread fraudulent blending in their cellars, and after threatening a lawsuit that left him without clients for his bulk wine, Jacques was forced to bottle, market and sell the wines himself.
• Today, the flagship of the estate remains the monopole Clos des Ducs, which lies just north of the family’s manor house in Volnay. The estate is run by the current Marquis, Guillaume d’Angerville, who has maintained the exemplary quality of the wines while converting the vineyards to biodynamics in 2009.

Viticulture:

• 1.07 ha Pinot Noir
• Planted in 1969-1977
• The domaine’s plot of Taillepieds is 1.07 hectare at the top of the hillside of Volnay, south of the village. The soil of Taillepieds is very poor and rocky. Its steep slope, the thinness of the soil and the particularly solar exposure give the wines of Taillepieds its finess and elegance.
• Biodynamic since 2006

Vinification:

• Vinification is fairly traditional
• Grapes are 100% de-stemmed,
• all grapes are cooled and fermented with indigenous yeast
• macerations lasting 15-21 days
• The free-run and press wines are combined and racked after two days of settling into barrels.
• A maximum of 20% new oak is used, and aged in barrel for 15-18 months
• only fined and filtered if absolutely necessary

Taste:

• “Dark crimson. Perfumed but still quite severe in terms of tannin. Tough finish and then lovely freshness. Edgy at present but with an inner glow that is particularly promising. Very long.” - Jancis

Cost vs. Front:

• Front: $123
• Cost: $325

If/Then:

*

Question 58

Marquis d’Angerville Volnay 1er Cru

Volnay 2017

Answer 58

AOC:

• Volnay 1er Cru: blended from small holdings in Mitans, Pitures and (prior to 2008) Les Angles

Story:

• The Marquis d’Angerville was an important influence in the domaine-bottling movement in Burgundy. In the 1920s, Jacques d’Angerville was highly critical of the négociants’ widespread fraudulent blending in their cellars, and after threatening a lawsuit that left him without clients for his bulk wine, Jacques was forced to bottle, market and sell the wines himself.
• Today, the flagship of the estate remains the monopole Clos des Ducs, which lies just north of the family’s manor house in Volnay. The estate is run by the current Marquis, Guillaume d’Angerville, who has maintained the exemplary quality of the wines while converting the vineyards to biodynamics in 2009.

Viticulture:

• Biodynamic since 2006

Vinification:

• Vinification is fairly traditional
• Grapes are 100% de-stemmed,
• all grapes are cooled and fermented with indigenous yeast
• macerations lasting 15-21 days
• The free-run and press wines are combined and racked after two days of settling into barrels.
• A maximum of 20% new oak is used, and aged in barrel for 15-18 months
• only fined and filtered if absolutely necessary

Taste:

• “Transparent cherry red. Occluded, rather earthy nose with cassis notes. Very pure and fresh with extra weight compared with the Volnay village wine but still very embryonic. Marked acidity with the fruit just starting to fill the frame. A suggestion of something quite mineral. Stony, persistent finish.” - Jancis

Cost vs. Front:

• Front: $72
• Cost: $235

If/Then:

• It is 100% worth the upgrade to Taillpieds. The 1er cru is made from a blend of different vineyard holdings, whereas the Taillpieds gives you that singular taste of place - and perhapes the best 1er cru vineyard in Volnay. Like drinking cashmere.