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