A week in Burgundy

[AlexR]

After a roundabout trip that took me via Castelnaudary (yes, home of cassoulet), Narbonne, Montpellier, Vacqueyras, Beaumes-de-Venise, and Lyon, I just got back from a week in Burgundy.

I stayed in a gîte in Meursault with a couple of friends, including Ian Amstadt. This is an ideal arrangement: plenty of space and all the comforts of home at half the price of a hotel, with the possibility of making your own meals and drinking good wine without paying through the nose for it. What’s not to like?

I visited 13 producers and mostly tasted 2015s. A brief rundown follows.

A few general observations first, though. The low yields of the past few years, especially 2016, are patent. A comparison of barrels from 2015 and 2016 from the same vineyard speaks volumes. The shortage has not been invented. And this comes at a time when demand has been steadily rising... The more lucid winegrowers are keeping price increases to a minimum (mustn’t kill the goose that lays the golden eggs!), but the temptation to jack them up significantly is very strong.
The sale of Domaine Bonneau du Martray has certainly set tongues wagging. The fact that this was acquired by a foreign investor is not the main issue. What has people really worried is the transmission of their domaines to upcoming generations. Will their children be able to pay the inheritance tax on land that has become extraordinarily expensive? Will they be interested in pursuing viticulture and winemaking instead of landing a good job in Paris? Can the Burgundian model survive? Can the vineyards be sub-divided even further among family members, or are have the limits just about been reached?

A great many hopes are placed on the upcoming 2017 vintage, especially in terms of volume. Already, it is felt that the very cold weather this winter is a good sign.

The first visit was to Domaine Dujac in Morey-Saint-Denis, where we tasted 2015s with Jacques Seysses. I was particularly taken with the Morey village, Vosne-Romané Malconsorts, Charmes-Chambertin, and Clos de la Roche. The Chambolle village, made from bought grapes was a little less good, and the domaine’s Puligny-Montrachet les Folatières was not up to scratch. We nevertheless came away with a very favourable impression and were delighted to have shared the experience with Jacques, who has handed winemaking duties over to his son, Jeremy. He was also kind enough to share some 1996 Clos de la Roche at the end – the sort of wine you don’t just taste, you swallow!

We then went to Drouhin Laroze in Gevrey-Chambertin. I have visited this domaine several times, and Madame Christine Drouhin also prepares meals there. The vineyard holdings include a constellation of grands crus. These are reasonably priced, but have never really shone in my opinion. However, I feel that this is about to change. Philippe Drouhin has handed over winemaking to his son, Nicolas, and the improvement in the 2015s is impressive. The Lavaux-Saint-Jacques, Clos Vougeot, Bonne Mares, Clos de Bèze, and especially the Musigny, had a depth and class never before encountered. This is an estate to watch.

The next day started out with a visit to Robert Chevillon in Nuits-Saint-Georges. We tasted through the entire range of his 2015 Nuits premiers crus with Les Prulières, Les Cailles, Les Vaucrains and Les Saint-Georges showing particularly well. I asked about progress being made with Les Saint-Georges’ application for grand cru status. Chevillon shrugged his shoulders in a way familiar to anyone who has liveed in France, as though to say that the civil service and powers-that-be work in weird and wonderful ways that cannot be understood… I continue to think that Chevillon wines are utterly dependable and very fair value for money.

The next stop was chez Frédéric Mugnier in Chambolle Musigny. This was somewhat arduous because the cellar temperature was 6°C and I had a cold, but the quality of wines made it worth the effort. The tasting of 2015s started out on a very good note with the excellent Chambolle-Musigny village wine. The domaine’s high standards also came through in Les Fuées, Le Clos de la Maréchale, Les Bonnes Mares, Les Amoureuses and, of course, Le Musigny (which costs a bomb). In addition, we sampled the 2014 Clos de la Maréchale white wine (3,000 bottles), a tannic 2014 Clos de la Maréchale, and a 2014 Bonnes Mares. I would have enjoyed wines from this world-famous producer even more if the temperature of the wines had been less glacial. Freddy entertained us with his views on all sorts of things, including hang gliding.

The last visit of the day was to Domaine David Duband in Chevannes, a small town a few km. from Beaune. This domaine (paired with Domaine François Feuillet), was founded in 1991. I was interested in visiting because David received high praise in the Revue du Vin de France and I was unfamiliar with his wines. He is a young, energetic, articulate man who welcomed us warmly. We tasted through 18 of his wines (mostly 2015s) at a leisurely pace. I found that there was a clear split between the more entry level wines and the premiers and grands crus. The former were light in body and colour with some green tannin. This may well be due to the use of whole bunches – a subject that invariably makes for lively discussion in Burgundy! The grand cru wines (Echézeaux, Charmes Chambertin, Latricières-Chambertin, and Le Chambertin) were quite special and we left with a high opinion of this domaine.

The next day’s visits started out with Domaine Taupinot-Merme in Morey-Saint-Denis, where we tasted six 2016s with Romain Taupinot, who speaks excellent English (not so common in Burgundy). The Chambolle-Musigny and Gevrey-Chambertin village wines were above average, and the Nuits-Saint-Georges Les Prulières and Mazoyères-Chambertin big, classic wines. There ensued some discussion as to why a Mazoyères would use that name instead of the easier to pronounce and better-known “Charmes-Chambertin” to which it is entitled. Romain explained that Mazoyères was once regarded as the least good of Gevrey’s grand crus, but that its star is rising.

We went on to visit a producer in Prémeaux-Prissey (next to Nuits) who was entirely new to me: Domaine Michèle et Patrice Rion. There are several Rions in Burgundy and Daniel Rion’s establishment is highly visible on the main road. Daniel’s brother Patrice split to do his own thing starting in 1990 and built his own winemaking facility ten years later. He recently bought two neighboring buildings and plans to expand the cellars. We tasted through thirteen of Patrice’s 2015s and found the overall level to be very good indeed. The domaine has an excellent cross-section of fine Côtes-de-Nuits up to and including Les Amoureuses and Bonnes Mares. The Nuits-Saint-Georges wines also stood out, including a monopole red premier cru, Clos Saint-Marc and a white premier cru, Les Terres Blanches. We considered this domaine a very worthwhile discovery.

Last visit of the day was to a newish producer, Domaine Poisot. Their offices are in Beaune, but their cellars are in a building across from Château Corton Grancey in Aloxe-Corton. Winemaker Rémi Poisot is a member of the Louis Latour family who took over vines previously leased to Latour to start his own domaine in 2010. The vineyard holdings are small, but first-rate. I quite enjoyed the 2014 Pernand-Vergelesses blanc and especially the 2014 Corton-Charlemagne. The 2015 Corton-Bressandes made a very fine impression and the Romanée-Saint-Vivant from the same vintage was absolutely superb with all the hallmarks of a Vosne grand cru. The latter’s elegance was confirmed with the 2015.

The next day started with a visit to Domaine du Clos Frantin in Nuits-Saint-Georges. This is located at the entrance to the town coming from Beaune and the GPS is no help in finding it! Clos Frantin is wholly owned by the negociant house of Bichot, one of the largest in Burgundy. Bichot has had a less than stellar reputation in the past, but that is changing and their domaine wines were always considered something special. We tasted 4 reds and 4 whites at Clos Frantin. The best red was the 2012 Château Gris, followed by the 2011 Clos Vougeot. The whites were quite fine indeed: 2015 Domaine Long-Depaquit Chablis Premier Cru Les Vaucopins, 2014 Moutonne Grand Cru (wonderful!), the 2014 Domaine du Pavillon Meursault Premier Cru Les Charmes, and the 2014 Domaine du Pavillon Corton Charlemagne (superb).

The last visit of the day was to Faiveley in Nuits-Saint-Georges, where we sampled 6 wines. Of the four reds, I took special notice of the 2015 Gevrey-Chambertin Les Cazetiers (one of my favorite premiers crus in Burgundy) and enjoyed the 2015 Charmes Chambertin, although less. The 2015 Corton “Clos des Corton Faivelely” was magnificent, with great depth and structure. The 2015 Corton-Charlemagne was not quite up to the same standard, but ageing may change that.

My last day in Burgundy was very eventful. It started with a visit to the cellars of Bruno Clair in Marsannay. Winemaker Philippe Brun is a friend I met in the Napa Valley many years ago. He is doing great work and his 2015s were quite special, perhaps the best wines he has ever made in his many years at the domaine. We tasted 15 reds and 3 whites. I even found the more modest appellations to be very successful. And what to say of the Clos-Saint-Jacques (which is justifiably famous), the Chambertin Clos-de-Bèze and Bonnes Mares? Impeccable. The Corton-Charlemagne was in the same vein, with an extraordinarily attractive minerality. We enjoyed lunch afterward with Bruno Clair and Phlippe Brun at the Auberge du Vieux Pressoir.

The first stop after lunch, Frédéric Magnien, in Morey-Saint-Denis was a bit of a let-down. Having worked for several négociants, I do not suffer from an allergy to them that some more delicate souls have… Certain négociants, of course, make superb wines. This did not, unfortunately, prove to be the case with Magnien. We tasted through 17 red wines. Two of them had oenolgical problems, one of which was confirmed when other bottles of the same wine were brought to taste. This is disconcerting in view of the price (it was a Clos de Vougeot). I do not mean to damn Magnien across the board, and a distinction should be made between their négociant wines (Fréderic Magnien) and wines from their own vines (Domaine Michel Magnien). Good wines included a 2014 Morey-Saint-Denis Premier Cru Les Millandes, a 2014 Morey-Saint-Denis Premier Cru Les Ruchots, a 2013 Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru Les Damodes, and a 2014 Bonnes Mares (if a little over-oaked).

The day ended at Domaine Buisson Charles in Meursault. This is owned by friends Patrick and Catherine Essa. We had an extensive tasting of the domaine’s wines – which I have always liked, and found reasonably priced – before enjoying dinner at the Essas’ house. Patrick writes extensively about Burgundy and once performed the most incredible feat of blind tasting I have ever seen. He is also a great fan of Bordeaux and opened a bottle of 1990 Gruaud Larose in my honor.

Anyone who has read this so far may well ask: what is my opinion of the 2015s in general? I thought they were excellent, but more in terms of fruit and structure than richness. I do not think that these are ones to age forever, even if some of them may be able to. The wines are forthcoming young too. They will certainly be difficult to buy, and producers everywhere are reducing allocations.

One last comment. As always, the quality of food in Burgundy is excellent. Le Millésime in Chambolle has an excellent value lunch menu, although service is famously slow. The owners recently opened Le Coteau, a new restaurant in Villars-Fontaine, a short drive from Nuits-Saint-Georges. They offer a three course meal with beverage (wine, beer, or soft drink) plus coffee for 13.50 euros. Hard to beat! The same can be said for the Café de la République in Nuits and the more upmarket La Cabotte in the same town. Caves Madeleine in Beaune have long been a favorite, but I am less enthusiastic after my recent dinner there, and the new management has pumped up wine prices shamelessly.

Best regards,
Alex R.

[Antoine]

Great trip Alex! Great wines as well I suppose.

[JCNorthway]

Thanks for the great wine commentary. I've heard good things about the 2015 vintage, but given the supply and demand circumstances, I'm likely to be priced out of buying, except perhaps a few lower level bottles.

[Nicklasss]

Same as for Comte, thanks for reporting Alex. Domaine Buisson Charles is well known and has a great reputation in Québec. I had their entry level red Bourgogne and liked it a lot, very well made and burgundian in spirit.

Bruno Clair is well known here too, but the wine rose in price significantly lately. The 2014 Savigny-les-Beaune Premier Cru La Dominode at 124 can$ (90 us$ or 81 euros)? No thanks.

For Bourgogne, is it as easy to visit and taste like in Bordeaux? Just to make sure to book a rendez-vous? I'm curious to learn as quantity of wine produced is tiny compare to the Aquitaine region.

Nic

[AlexR]

Nic,

Ian Amstad and I were lucky to be able to accompany an Australian importer visiting his suppliers.

I would say that setting up visits is perhaps harder than in Bordeaux because the domaines are short-staffed: the same people tend the vines, make the wine, deal with the paperwork, etc.
They are less available.
Also, what motivation to receive people when you have no wine to sell?

That having been said, a polite, targeted, well-written letter sent months beforehand can still work wonders at most places, other than the superstars (DRC, Coche-Dury, Rousseau, etc.).

All the best,
Alex

[AKR]

nice trip report.