armit En Primeur Burgundy Tasting 2012

Burgundy En Primeur 2010
Blogs by Phil Weeks, Sales Director & Nick Palmer, Private Client Account Manager

Burgundy Tasting - Hotel, Restaurant & Wholesale by Phil Weeks

It was with real excitement that we welcomed a big crowd from our Hotel, Restaurant and Wholesale customer base to cast their taste buds over what has turned out to be a stunning vintage.

Middle Temple Hall

Particular favourites on the night, in terms of producers, from those customers I chatted with were, Domaine Marquis d’Angerville, Domaine Arnoux-Lachaux, Domaine Simon Bize, Domaine de Clos, Domaine Fourrier, Domaine de Montille, Domaine Taupenot Merme and Domaine Guy Roulot.

Personally I loved the intense purity and elegance of the wines from Jean-Marc Roulot, everything from the Bourgogne Blanc to the Meursault 1er Cru Tessons Clos Mon Plaisir were exhilarating.



It turned out to be a bit of a Meursault night for me. I loved the 1er Cru Perrieres from Domaine Darviot Perrin, Les Narvaux du Dessous from Domaine de Montille and one of the greatest Luchets I have had the pleasure to taste from Roulot.

Other highlights included the Volnay 1er Cru Fremiets from Domaine Marquis d’Angerville, Savigny Blanc and Savigny 1er Cru Talmettes from Domaine Simon Bize, Beaune 1er Cru Avaux from Domaine de Clos, Pommard 1er Cru Pezerolles from Domaine de Montille, Puligny Montrachet 1er Cru Folatieres from Domaine Sauzet, Gevrey Chambertin 1er Cru Belair from Domaine Taupenot Merme and finally the Vosne-Romanée Les Hautes-Maizières and 1er Cru Chaumes from Domaine Arnoux-Lachaux.


All in all a top selection of great wines from some of the best producers on the planet, lots of whom attended and talked with great enthusiasm about the stunning wines 2010 has produced.
A must buy vintage for all fans of great Burgundy.

Post by Phil Weeks

Burgundy Tasting - Private Clients - Nick Palmer

The Burgundy En Primeur tasting is always a highlight on the armit calender and once again Middle Temple Hall was looking resplendent as it filled to capacity with private clients keen to taste the 2010 vintage.

Wines from 24 different Burgundian Domaines and negociants were on show with many of the growers there in person to present the vintage. The chance to taste such a lovely vintage alongside the likes of Guillaume d'Angerville, Pascal Lachaux, Erwan Faiveley, Nicolas Potel, Jean-Marie Fourrier and Jean-Marc Roulot is a great experience! The wines showed beautifully, with the vintage's silky textures, rounded fruit and energising acidity clearly on show.

As per our tastings in Burgundy last year, it is difficult to choose between the whites and reds in 2010 as both have poise and elegance with well defined fruit and good concentration.

Vineyards of Domaine William Fevre

It is undoubtedly a great year for Chablis and the wines from both William Fevre and Jean-Paul & Benoit Droin showed exceptionally well, attracting praise from all who tried them.

Like Phil, I found the Meursaults enthralling and Chassagnes also impressive. Fontaine Gagnard's wines were deliciously floral and open whilst Blain Gagnard's were a touch more withheld but showed a core of intensity that will be revealed given time. Their Puligny village is a steal this year.

A special mention must also go to Darviot Perrin's Meursault 1er Les Perrieres which was sublime. The most popular table in the room belonged to Domaine Fourrier who Neal Martin thinks has "produced some of his best wines ever in 2010".

The wines are fantastically intense in 2010, it is just a shame there is so little of them! D'Angerville's 1er Champans was as good as I have ever tasted from this great estate and Arnoux-Lachaux impressed on all levels but for me the Latriceres stole the show with its wild strawberry and savoury notes. Other picks were Simon Bize's Savingy 1er Cru Fourneaux, Faiveley's Nuits St George 1er Cru Damodes and as bargain of the night, Domaine des Clos' Nuit St Geroge Les Crots which surpassed even last year's effort.

Over dinner at 28'50 (who had prepared a special menu for us) after the tasting, clients were full of praise for the precise, energised style of the vintage. It is a 'classic' year in the best possible sense of the word.

Post by Nick Palmer

Next event:
The armit Italian Tasting - 15th March 2012 at One Marylebone... more information to follow soon.

Burgundy November 2011

When it comes to wine trips, a visit to the Cote d’Or is always a great experience, and all the more so when the wines you are tasting display the character, finesse and drive that marks Burgundy out as the most enthralling region of them all. That is exactly what greeted us in a cold, murky Beaune last week for our final viewing of the 2010 vintage before the start of the January En Primeur releases.

Cuttings being burnt outside Meursault

Hopes of seeing the slopes covered in a sea of golden leaves were dashed by the arrival of the first real cold weather of the autumn a few days before our arrival and a thick, murky layer of mist that clung to the hills for the duration of our stay. Atmospheric might be the best word to use as warm it was not!

Misty morning in the vineyards

The week commenced at Domaine Arnoux on the edge of Vosne Romanée where we were greeted by Pascal’s son Charles Lachaux, fresh from his vintage at Rousseau. Charles spend the first half of 2011 working with us in London and experiencing the UK wine market firsthand, so it was great to catch up with him in his ‘natural’ environment.

Charles Lachaux

Domaine Arnoux owns a variety of superb climats across the Cote de Nuits and their 2010s were excellent, setting a precedent of quality that was rarely strayed from over the entire week. At a village level the wines are precise, full of energy and show the clear fingerprint of their terroir. Climbing the 1er Crus and Grand Crus this became further defined. The 2011s have great balance and a wonderful level of detail that will appeal to all serious Burgundy fans.

Domaine Marquis d'Angerville

The afternoon took us to Volnay, where we visited a Domaine Marquis d’Angerville shrouded in mist. Guillaume d’Angerville was on fine form, telling us he believes he is the only vigneron on the Cote who can visit all his vineyards in a 20 minute stroll from his house. It certainly helps that his top vineyard, Clos des Ducs, is right next to the family home! Each of his wines showed a fantastic purity of fruit with strong mineral cores. This is a super year for Volnay.

Guillaume d'Angerville

Then it was on to Domaine Lafarge (also Volnay based), and their cellar that hosts what can only be described as a living ceiling of mould.

Cellar at Domaine Lafarge

The village Meursault is as consistent as every, whilst the Bourgogne Passetoutgrains l’Exception (from a parcel of 85 year old vines) will once again be one of the great bargains of the vintage. Their Volnays were, like d’Angerville’s, just brilliant with great energy, minerality and persistence.

The following day focussed on whites, with two morning visits in Chassagne and Puligny.

Bernard Mollard at Domaine Marc Morey

Domaine Marc Morey’s wines displayed their classic floral character at village level, with increasing levels of minerality and concentration as we climbed the Crus. These are wines of great finesse with oak used deftly and delicately to allow the minerality of the vintage to shine thorough.

Then it was on to Domaine Leflaive. This is the first time I have had the pleasure to taste at the Domaine itself and we were greeted by the full team of Anne-Claude, Eric (regisseur) and Antoiné (manager of Leflaive & Associés).

Eric (top left) and Antoine (top right)

The Associés wines have been a welcome addition to the Leflaive range and do not disappoint in 2010, with the Rully taking another step forward in quality and the two reds (Monthelie and Charmes Chambertin) harmonious and complex. The domaine wines themselves were tasting superbly, full of life, drive and brimming with minerality. The wines have finesse and elegance but hold a huge level of power and depth. I cannot wait to see how they evolve.

Tasting at Domaine Leflaive

The afternoon saw us at Domaine de Montille and their negociants arm, Maison Deux Montille. Alix and her winemaker Brian took us thorough their range of climats which span all parts of the Cote, and their mantra of clarity and precision was clear to see throughout.

Alix Montille

The whites have a bright, invigorating energy about them that clearly show their terroir off to the full. The reds were made with a focus on holding on to all the fruit character, and I found a lovely purity to the wines which balanced good aromatics with ripe, finely structured tannins. A lovely tasting and I will certainly be picking up a few for the cellar come January.

Michael and Fiona Wragg at M&M always offer a warm welcome, and the needed to by the time we arrived as a very cold night was setting in over Aloxe Corton.

Fiona and Michael Wragg

The whites here have a perfect level of ripe fruit and a rounded, plush acidity that makes them incredibly inviting. Minerality was clear to see throughout all the cuvees. The reds were plush with playful herbal and savoury notes and real vitality. For those looking for a wine that will drink soon as well as into the mid-term, these are just the ticket.

Our final morning started in Morey with a tasting at Taupenot Merme, a grower we have been championing for a number of years now. Romain Taupenot was particularly animated about the vintage and thinks the wines have a brilliant balance that he would love to make again and again. His wines (ranging from Corton to Gevrey) showed a wonderful restrained elegance to them at all levels. There is plenty of power here but each are well framed by acidity and fine, structured tannins and we anticipate an exciting future for them.

Romain Taupenot (far right)

At Domaine Faiveley we were met by Erwan Faiveley who took control of his family’s Domaine in 2007.

Domaine Faiveley

The wines made there are now arguably the finest they have been for many a decade, with new oak taking less of a role in the winemaking process and a more expressive, open style the result. Faiveley have an embarrassment of riches when it comes to vineyards and the 2010s did not disappoint. From 1er Cru Beaune through to the Grand Crus in Chambertin and Vosne, character and poise flowed through the reds, whilst the wines spoke clearly of their varied terroir. A definite name to look out for.

Our final stop was at Domaine Simon Bize, where Patrick was his usual mischievous self.

Patrick Bize

Another proponent of success of 2010, Simon’s wines showed a lovely pure ripeness of fruit with subtle tannins and fine acidity. Both the reds and the whites should be quite open in their early years but from experience can also hold up to some lengthy ageing. These unpretentious, brilliantly made wines. 2010 is a vintage that every Burgundy aficionado should be rightly excited about.

We will be publishing a full report on the year in the coming weeks and very much look forward to seeing as many of you as possible at our Burgundy En Primeur tasting in January.

Blog by Nick Palmer

The Christmas Tasting 2011

On Tuesday evening we all got together at The Caledonian Club for what was “the greatest armit tasting ever held” as Mike Laing commented!

It certainly was spectacular. Several Château owners, producers and representatives had come over from Bordeaux especially for the occasion:

Anthony Barton – Château Leoville Barton
Anne Cuvelier – Château Leoville Poyferre
Juliette Pareau – Château Lafon Rochet
Margaux Pariente – Château Troplong Mondot
Clare Burke – The wines of JP Moueix
Olivier Casteja – Château Doisy Vedrines
Didier Foret & Francis Anson – Château Giscours
Frederic Bernard – Domaine de Chevalier
Jean-Pierre Foubet – Château Chasse Spleen

The room was filled to the brim with over two hundred guests all eager to try the array of over a hundred and thirty wines we had on offer.


With so many wines being showcased, it was necessary to be selective about what one was going to taste. Do you start with the Christmas selection or maybe move straight to the Rhône corner? How about some Chateau Lafleur 1985 or perhaps a tasting of one of the many verticals on offer? Alternatively, fancy trying your chances on winning a magnum of Hermitage 2005 at the Blind Tasting table while the taste buds are still fresh?

As I maybe mentioned, there were many options. Luckily, everyone seemed to decide to taste a bit of everything. Some highlights had to include the six wines from Freemark Abbey in Napa, especially their delicious Cabernet Sauvignon.


Everyone sooned after the Château Lafleur 1985 which was delicious, as were the other Lafleur wines.


Then came what seemed to be the main event of the night – the vertical tastings of Bordeaux wines. You know it’s going to be a good evening when you see Anthony Barton standing behind a table with his Langoa Barton 1995, 1996, 2004 and 2007 open in front of him! They were all absolutely delicious but maybe the big surprise was how perfect the 2007 was right now. A wine to go with the turkey on Christmas day in many people’s opinions.


Another delight of the evening were the sweet wines of Château Doisy-Védrines presented by producer Olivier Casteja; the 1988, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005 and 2006 were open and the vintages of choice surprised many people, the 2002 really did stand-out. Olivier advocates drinking his wines as aperitifs; take note sweet wine drinkers!


A final word has to go the Blind Tasting table. Three whites & three reds - guess the grape, country and vintage. Many guests committed themselves with gusto, and the results ranged from the extremely good to the, er, odd. France isn’t the best-known place for growing Albarino! Everyone seemed to have fun, with the winner scoring a very creditable 13 out of 24.


Thanks everyone for coming and we hope to see you all next time!

Special thanks also to all from Bordeaux, to Spiral Cellars, Crosta & Mollica and of course to Cheese at Leadenhall.


Merry Christmas!

Blog by Nick Clarke

Domaine Marquis d’Angerville at The Fat Duck

5th November 2011


Where better to head on 5th November than to the home of gastronomic fireworks? The Fat Duck, one of only four restaurants in the UK to hold the coveted three Michelin stars, was the venue for an extraordinary evening, pairing the wines of one of Burgundy’s most revered Domaines with the creations of the genius of Bray-on-Thames, Heston Blumenthal.


Guillaume d’Angerville, who had travelled over from Volnay especially for the event, had very kindly opened his cellars to allow the diners present privileged access to older wines that had never moved in their lives and many of which are now rarely seen on the market. The Domaine has vines in eight of Volnay’s premier crus, six of which are bottled individually, and all six were on show, alongside two vintages of Guillaume’s 1er cru Meursault Santenots. The wines chosen spanned 20 years, thus showing the effect of age on the d’Angerville wines and of course wines made by both Guillaume and his late father, Jacques, Marquis d’Angerville.

The guests, some of whom had flown in from as far as Singapore just for the evening, were welcomed by head sommelier Isa Bal who in turn introduced Guillaume. He noted his surprise that Isa had chosen to start the evening with Volnay Champans 1998, rather than opting for the more conventional option of the whites. Perhaps he was making a nod to the Burgundian practice of tastings reds first and whites second in the cellar? Isa smiled knowingly and the games began.


For the uninitiated, an evening at the Fat Duck is like no other. “Food theatre” is one way to describe it. The senses are enlivened, challenged, stimulated and questioned by each dish. The first palate cleanser is a choice of gin and tonic, campari and bitter orange or vodka and sour lime. So far so simple, except that the choice is then squirted out of a canister where it has been pre-mixed with egg white and “poached” at the table in liquid nitrogen at -196 degrees. The result looks like a small, hard meringue but once placed in the mouth, it explodes, thoroughly cleansing every part of the palate. It is a brilliant way to begin a meal.


Next up was a scoop of pommery grain mustard ice-cream surrounded by a vivid, deep purple red cabbage gazpacho. A truly amazing dish to look at and a total flavour contrast to the zesty purity of the nitro-poached citrus.

Palates prepared, the first food and wine pairing. The aforementioned 1998 Volnay Champans was accompanied by quail jelly, crayfish cream, chicken liver parfait and truffle toast. The first three formed an intense layered dish, with a pea purée at the base, set inside a dish reminiscent of a diver’s bell. To prepare the diners, a piece of wood was set in the middle of the table covered in moss with an individual plastic pouch containing a film for each guest. Once removed from the pouch, the film dissolved on the tongue, releasing sweet oak flavours. Liquid nitrogen was then poured over the moss to create a cascade of autumn mist over the table as the smells of oak and moss filled the air.

The question was how would the Champans, from a famously tricky vintage, fare with such an elaborate dish? We needn’t have worried. Isa Bal isn’t considered to be one of the leading sommeliers in the world for nothing and this was a triumphant pairing. 1998 may have been difficult in Burgundy but with the tannins now finally in retreat, a beautiful subtle wine of real complexity and depth was allowed to express itself . There is at least another ten years in this wine if you have it in your cellar. Producer, producer, producer…


We then turned white, with 2009 and 2007 Meursault Santenots served as a pair to accompany two dishes, the signature ‘snail porridge’ and then a beautiful dish of roasted langoustine, konbu and crab biscuit. The two vintages were picked to show deliberately contrasting styles, the 2009 showing greater richness with ripe orange citrus flavours while the 2007 far more obvious minerality and tension. The snail porridge suited the 2009 better, the weight of the dish needing a wine of some scale to run alongside it while the 2007 cut through the oils of the roasted langoustine beautifully. Guillaume prefers to drink his whites young and when they are as good as this, it is certainly hard to resist.

Back to reds and with the famous ‘Mock Turtle Soup’ we had the pair of 2008 Volnay Clos des Angles and 2007 Volnay Frémiet. The dish really has to be experienced to do it justice and all that I will say is that it is one of the most original and exciting dishes that you will find on any menu anywhere in the world. “Incroyable!” was heard more than once from Guillaume! The wines were equally incredible though- the début vintage of the Clos des Angles showing classic Volnay elegance and charm and further evidence of why 2008s are provoking such excitement. By contrast, the softer, more seductive 2007 vintage had bought a succulence to the Frémiet that is rarely seen although the minerality is inescapable on the finish. They are so different from each other that it is extraordinary to consider that they are produced barely 100 yards apart.


Next up was salmon poached in licquorice, with its accompanying golden trout roe, vanilla mayonnaise and flecks of pink grapefruit. It is a beautifully composed dish and one of the most successful at the Fat Duck. With it were served magnums of 2003 Volnay Taillepieds and rare bottles of 1989 Volnay Caillerets. The 2003 had lost its puppy fat but was still very primary, with notes of sweet strawberry and no hint of excess ‘heat’ while the 1989 Caillerets was in a very different place with secondary, smoky, autumnal aromas coming to the fore, marrying very well with the licquorice in particular.


The final pairing was two vintages of Clos des Ducs, 2001 (en magnum) and 1990. To be honest, if we had just sat with these all night long, there would have been smiles as wide as the Thames. 2001 was another difficult, hail-affected vintage in Volnay but offering huge pleasure today, allowing this great terroir to express itself in all its glory but in a more measured manner. By contrast, the great 1990 was an epic, a glorious, powerful, magisterial wine at the very top of its game but perhaps lacking a bit of the focus and precision of some of the more recent vintages if one is to be truly picky. The chosen dish was powdered duck, blood pudding and umbles, an adaptation of another Blumenthal classic and a worthy partner to the greatness of the Clos des Ducs.


A further four dishes followed before the guests took their leave. Conversation flowed as the wines and food were discussed and compared, just as it should when they stimulate and provoke as much as these intriguing combinations did.

This was a great evening that demonstrated not only the brilliance of Blumenthal and his team but also the undeniable fact that in Burgundy, Marquis d’Angerville is firmly among the leading Domaines, not only for its rich array of vineyard holdings but more for its ability to show all of the facets and differences of them. As a tour of Volnay, few evenings can rival this and the consistency of the wines was remarkable, with one of the sommeliers stating that he had never opened so many faultless bottles from one producer in an evening, every single one being totally spot on.


Our thanks go to Guillaume d’Angerville and his family for their great wines and to Heston Blumenthal, Isa Bal and all at the Fat Duck for their daring and creative brilliance. For those interested in knowing more about the Domaine, please contact the Private Client Team at armit on 0207 908 0660. The eagerly-awaited 2010s will be released En Primeur in January 2012.

Blog by Mike Laing.