BURGUNDY CORNER

DELICIOUSLY ‘TYPICAL’ VOSNE ROMANEE

There are a lot of reasons to talk about a particular wine. In this case we are mentioning it because it is simply an outstanding example of why people love Burgundy. The Olivier Gard Vosne Romanee Damaudes 2018 hits all of a Burgundy lover’s buttons. At first sip, our seasoned veteran wine buying panel simply stopped for a moment to appreciate this little gem.

As is usually the case in Burgundy, it starts with the dirt. Les Damaudes is a lieu dit (a named vineyard considered elite among ‘villages’ plots) at the top of one of the wine world’s most special hills. It abuts Premier Cru Malconsorts and Dessus de Malconsorts, not far (about 300 feet) from some of the ‘grandest’ of Grand Crus, La Tache, Gaudichots de La Tache, and Le Grande Rue. Talk about a good neighborhood.

The age of the vines for the grapes Gard harvested were an average of 60-years-old. Gard practices sustainable agriculture, uses organic fertilizer and ploughs the rows. The grapes are harvested by hand and sorted on a conveyor. Half of the grapes are whole cluster and half destemmed, macerated at cool temperatures and fermented wit natural yeasts. The juice remains in contact wit the fine lees in light toast Vosges and Allier oak casks, 50% new and 50% year-old, for 18 months

From our point of view, everything clearly went right for Gard in the ripe, generous 2018 vintage. This is a textbook Vosne Romanee with that insistent red and dark cherry fruit lased with effusive spice notes and just a touch of earth. This showcases this village completely. Yes, at $85, it isn’t cheap. But wines from this hill are expensive, with a few of them fetching four or five-digit prices. Relatively speaking this is a bargain for a true, pure Vosne Romanee experience.

Reviews? Not a lot. Gard isn’t that widely distributed or even seen. We’ve got this from Wine Enthusiast, “This wine’s shy nose gives away only a tantalizing notion of black cherry. Alive with both freshness and ripeness, the palate expands into a shimmering canvas of red and dark cherry, densely woven with an edge of conifer perfume. This wine is firm, fresh, elegant and delicious…94 points.”

But this wine isn’t about scores. It’s about authenticity. This is what really good Vosne Romanee is supposed to taste like, and it’s about the joy of consuming it now, or ten years from now.

MORE MACONNAIS MAGIC FROM TROUILLET-LEBEAU

This is one of three different wines we have talked about from this impressive new producer (to us anyway)in a very short time, There has been a lot of news about this part of Burgundy of late with the initiating of a series of first ever Premier Cru designations for Pouilly. All of that is well and good, but finding a new source like Trouillet-Lebeau is much more relevant for us. You can’t drink titles.

It is composed of vines in six villages that average 40-50-years-old planted in classic clay-limestone soils: Soluté-Pouilly, Fuissé, Loché, Vinzelles, Leynes, and Davayé. The vines are grown sustainably, and tilling is largely carried out to encourage underground soil life and root development to obtain the richness and minerality required for the highest quality wines. In the cellar, grapes are pressed gently using a pneumatic press and decanted rigorously for 24 hours, in order to obtain clear, pure grape juice. All vintages are vinified in oak vats, large barrels or casks from Burgundy, fully respecting the required cool temperatures in order to maintain all of the freshness and finesse of Chardonnay.

The Trouillet-Lebeau Saint Veran les Condemines 2019, as with all of the Trouillet-Lebeau wines we have been presented thus for, has an uncommon depth and richness and distinctive styling for the category. As Saint-Verans go, this one is much more fleshy and fruit driven than the typical examples. From 70-year-old vines in this single vineyard, there is a captivating generosity to this wine and a rather lush texture supported by just enough acidity. Not having had this bottling before, we have no idea how the warm 2019 vintage plays into the whole personality of this wine, but we like the result.

The nose has peach, apple, floral and slightly honeyed tones. In the mouth, the fruit is tender and round and delivers all that the nose promises with a nice little kick of unctuous fruit and acidity at the end. One might suggest there is an almost New World feel to this wine, but the subtle minerality and the way this gentle fruit manifests gives away its Burgundian origins. A very compelling effort, particularly for the price, as we have been saying this is a house to watch.

OLD VINES, GLOBAL WARMING, BURG VALUE

We’ve spent a bit of print explaining the whole theory about how global warming has elevated quality in a number of climats in places like Burgundy. That plays right into our hands of finding delicious Burgundy ‘on the cheap’. But to recap briefly, because temperatures are a little higher than they were before, places that didn’t quite ripen before now hit that sweet spot. The whole determination of prices in Burgundy is based on historic performance. The warmer weather pushes the ripeness level in place that, previously, didn’t always hit the mark. For the time being you have riper, juicier wines but market mechanics have not yet let the prices catch up.

Bottom line, there is more delicious ‘little’ Burgundy around these days ay sensational prices. The 2019 vintage was particularly successful in a number of regions throughout France, not the least of which is Burgundy. We have presented some very engaging efforts from the ripe, round 2018 vintage. But as we start working through offerings from the 2019 vintage in Burgundy, we might even be a notch or two better. This lusty, fruit driven effort from Danjean Berthoux is a beautiful example of the vintage as well as a spectacular Burgundy value.

Danjean Berthoux has been on our radar for a long time, probably before global warming was the topic it has become. Located in Givry in the Cote Chalonnaise, Berthoux was something of the poster child for wines in less esteemed appellations that delivered far above their station. But 2019 has provided a richer, sweeter, juicier effort than we can recall previously. For the record, Pascal Danjean, who took over the family estate some 20 years ago, never fines or filters and eschews the use of new wood almost entirely, resulting in soft, supple wines that allow the terroir to shine.

The Danjean Berthoux Bourgogne Chaume Ronde 2019 comes from outside the demarcation line for Givry. There are 2 parcels that are located in the lower slopes of the hills in the commune of Jambles, below the Premier Crus. Being lower on the hillside means there is more topsoil sitting on top of clay and some limestone. One of the parcels, called the Chaume Ronde, was planted in 1948 (the other parcel a mere 50 years old). This wine comes from that 1 hectare older block.

Curiously we had tasted and enjoyed the 2018 version of this wine only a week before but the purveyor showed up with the 2019 in hand and it trumped the delightful 2018 by virtue of more flesh and richness in the mid-palate. Timing is everything. The Bourgogne is done entirely in stainless steel. As Burgundy goes, this has a fleshy palate of cherry and some darker berries, streaks of minerality, and spice notes. As always there’s a firm backbone of acidity underpinning the forward fruit but it stays in a supporting role.

As for reviews, it’s a 2019, so it just got here. Even so, we don’t expect a lot of ink on wines like this. As we have often discussed, Burgundy reviews are a hierarchal exercise performed by critics bent on reviewing the elite wines that don’t really require reviews. The last time Burghound reviewed this Givry-based domaine was 2003. There were some dismissive reviews from Vinous’ Neal Martin in 2016, probably penned after a Romanee Conti vertical, and that vintage alone. The point is wines like this don’t get the attention of the media, which is why you can get something this satisfying for this kind of price in an expensive place like Burgundy. The 2019s look to be a lot of fun and you can bet we’ll be drinking a lot of this delicious, angst-free, old vine Bourgogne ourselves.

EXCITING ‘INSIDER’ FIND IN CHABLIS

There are always new things to discover with wine. As odd as it may sound, the other day we ran across a designation we had never seen before. Now that, in and of itself, isn’t necessarily shocking. There are lots of new things coming to light in wine as new areas and producers are appearing as the world becomes smaller and more connected. But we are talking about Chablis, a place that has existed as a wine appellation for centuries within the same boundaries more or less, and our buying team that, combined, is approaching a century of experience.

The producer is one that is pretty familiar around here, Chateau des Malandes in Chablis. Founded in 1949 by the grand parents of the current owners, it was run until 2018 by their daughter, Lyne Marchive. We have sold the wines for years and they have always had a very appealing, some might say ‘feminine’ style. Malandes Chablis, while portraying the various terroirs from which they came, always had in common a tender, fruit-driven palate feel and rather gentle demeanor. Thus far not much has changed under the guidance of son Richard and daughter Amandine, and that’s a good thing.

The estate has holdings in a number of Premier Cru climats including Vau de Vey, Lechets, Montmains, Fourchaume and Mont de Milieu, as well as Grand Crus Vaudesir and Le Clos. But the subject of this piece is, as we said, something we had never seen until this bottling, the Domaine de Malandes Chablis ‘Envers de Valmur’ 2019. This is what they call a ‘lieu dit’ or ‘named vineyard’ in Burgundy. Essentially they are naming the vineyard on the bottle even though it does not have an official designation, something not that unusual in in the Cote d’Or but not all that common in Chablis.

As we all know about Burgundy, location is everything. We have talked many times about relatively unknown parcels that exist in close proximity to famous ones, and how the potential can far exceed the price commanded. That is the case here. This 1.6 ha parcel exists on the backside of the hill of Grand Cru vineyard Valmur (envers de Valmur literally means ‘behind Valmur’), and face west looking out at Grand Cru Vaudesir. The vines were planted in 1967 and typically deliver small, concentrated berries that give the wine plenty of punch and acidity as well as well-woven minerality.

The vineyard is farmed organically and the fruit sees time in oak vessels from one to seven years old with the purpose of rounding the wine and giving it a creamy texture while not letting pronounced wood notes get in the way of the vineyard terroir. The plush, inviting, somewhat gentle texture and palate feel has been a consistent feature of Malandes wines for as long as we have known them. Given this wine and the location, one has to wonder why this vineyard was never given any ‘official’ standing.

Like we said, we had not seen this designation before and there isn’t a lot of it anyway (about 900 cases produced). But it didn’t slip past the folks at Decanter Magazine who wrote, “Domaine des Malandes is a 29ha estate with the ‘Envers de Valmur’ an intriguing ‘insiders’ choice from vineyards abutting Grand Cru Vaudésir. Classic in colour, aroma and flavour profile on the palate, this is a fine Chablis with great potential for further ageing. Bright, focussed and mineral with a lovely balance between freshness, bright acidity and ripe fruit flavours. Long and precise on the finish… 94 Points!

This would have been an email but there really wasn’t enough juice to support that. We bought everything there was anyway because it is simply a lovely, well-priced example of the genre from a vintage that looks like it is going to get some attention.

RANDOM NOTES: PHILIPPE MILAN MARSANNAY 2018

The trouble with Burgundy is that it’s confusing enough on the surface and then there are a whole bunch of folks fighting over a few hallowed labels. The critics don’t help a lot in that they are fighting to post scores on rare, pricey things like Romanee Conti and Roumier, and virtually everything falls in line with established historic hierarchies as far as reviews go. Who’s looking out for the guy that just wants a tasty bottle of Pinot without sacrificing a couple of house payments? We are! We’re with you and get pretty thrilled when we find something plush and tasty for under $30.

If you rush to your review books, you aren’t likely to find anything on Domaine Philippe Milan, even though the domaine was founded in 1950 by Philippe Milan, grandfather of the current proprietor Karl Milan. They farm 27 acres in southern end of Burgundy, the Cote Chalonnaise, an area that we always look to in warm vintages for sneaky value. Why? As we have explained many times, these typically cooler areas don’t hit the ‘high notes’ every year and, for that reason, can’t get top dollar for their wares because they aren’t necessarily consistent year in and year out.

However in warmer vintages, the grapes get a little riper in these places and the wines become richer and more plush. But the prices are still modest thanks to their history. With global warming, places like Maranges, Givry, and at the other end of the Cote d’Or, Marsannay, will be treasure troves of delicious, moderately priced red Burgundies.

Most of Milan’s production is sold in France. Only about 10% is exported. But in a warm, ripe vintage like 2018, the Philippe Milan Marsannay 2018 shines. Plenty of engaging cherry fruit to be the focus, hints of spice and minerality to add interest, and enough weight and richness to keep you coming back for more, this has all the requisites. Medium weight, sweet middle, tender edges, this is quite the satisfying beverage. At $21.98, it’s a bargain for even this modest neighborhood. A Burgundy for the people.

DISTINCTIVE 2006 DUO FROM DANIEL-ETIENNE DEFAIX

We have spoken of our penchant for Chablis many times, and how Chablis, the region, is in a better place than it has ever been. There is a great range of activity there these days, classic producers as well as passionate newcomers that are expanding the style range of the region within the context of the classic chalky terroir. Even within the broad context of today, Daniel-Etienne Defaix is no ordinary Chablis producer. This guy is in the ‘aged Chablis’ business and we have had numerous great experiences with his wines dating back more than two decades. That makes him ‘the exception’ over a period of time where premature oxidation has changed people’s expectations about aging white Burgundy. And he does it for you!

His whole approach is not only different, it would be virtually impossible to imitate starting from scratch. For Defaix, aged Chablis is his raison d’etre. He has extensive holdings in Chablis and sells most of his harvest “en vrac” (in bulk). This affords him the capital to underwrite long aging of cuvees from selected lots of wine. First, only a small percentage of his produce actually finds its way into his bottlings in the first place. He retains the very best juice for his own label.

At that point, as we understand it, the wine ages for at least two years in vertical tanks with the lees in constant suspension. Each month or two the lees are pumped up-and-over the wine via an external tube with no exposure to air. Those lees circulate and descend through the vat over the next days and weeks in a state of suspension thus enriching the wine as they pass through.

Defaix decides when to bottle and then ages the wines in bottle until he deems them ready for prime time. He is in no particular hurry and ‘go time’ might not come for more than a decade. But when the wine then hits the shelves, it is in a state of near-perfect readiness. No one else conducts business in this manner. Not sure anyone could. As a number of you found out from the two rounds of offers we did with Defaix’s 2005s, the results are magic.

Today we are pleased to roll out an intriguing pair of 2006s we just tasted. We’ll tell you right up front that Defaix does not go out of his way to court the press and these wines have not been reviewed as yet. But 2006 is a better vintage and this pair is better respectively than those delightful, reviewed 2005s we sold before. Also, they couldn’t be more different from each other which is a pretty sensational demonstration of what terroir is all about.

The Daniel-Etienne Defaix Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons 2006 panders in a way that only aged Chablis can. The vines (average age 45 years) are planted on a 28-degree slope in the original parcel of “Vaillon” with a southeast exposure. The soil here is particularly influenced by iron deposits which yields a wine of fruit and spice and great density. The Vaillons is influenced by notes of forest floor and subtle, more iron-like minerality, and is often the most generous wine of the domaine. That generality definitely applies here. The Vaillon has classic apple and citrus fruit up front laced with typical salinity and mineral notes. As it rolls across the palate, it flashes some lifted but surprisingly butter-like notes as well, sort of Chablis meets Cote de Beaune. Delightful, elegant and very civilized, this will appeal to a broad audience with its show of refinement, creamier palate and tender-but-insistent finish.

The Daniel-Etienne Defaix Chablis 1er Cru Cote de Lechet 2006 is more about power and exhibits what Defaix’s careful, purposeful process can deliver. If you are more of a ‘hard-core’ lover of Chablis, this one will ring your bell. It is truly spectacular in a different way. Defaix’s holdings in the Cote de Lechet are on a 38 degree slope facing southeast. Most of the grapes come from a single parcel called ‘Clos des Moines’. The vines are on average 45 years of age, and naturally have smaller yields, thus more concentrated fruit. This specific vineyard section has the reputation of being “the most emphatic and pure expression of the minerality.” That’s the story here, surprising size, stoniness, power, texture and energy, particularly for a 14-year-old white. Amazing.

Once again you have classic, perfectly proportioned Chablis at its optimum and showing a distinct display of the terroir. That is the Defaix way. Considering the effort and time to produce these wines, at these prices they are simply some of the better deals on premium Chablis we’ve encountered.

ANOTHER WINNER FROM THIVIN

This respected house was one of our first experiences with the 2019s from Beaujolais and, based on this ‘early return’, it looks to be a sensational harvest for this part of the world. Thivin is one of the iconic estates in Cotes de Brouilly and one with considerable history. It is the oldest estate on Mount Brouilly, circa the 15^th Century, and has been in the hands of the Geoffrey family since 1877. The vines are an average of 50-years-old and this crazy steep vineyard (an average 48% slope) is farmed organically.

As we have stressed in the past, there are front-loaded carbonic Beaujolais and there are estate producers that produce with the utmost care and work more like great Burgundy. Thivin is a poster child of that second group. The wines are always good, and occasionally brilliant examples. They can also be a bit inward on release. That is what was striking here. We don’t recall a deeper, richer, friendlier version of this wine out of the gate. Saturated color, ripe berry and plum on the nose and an expansive, broad, polished feel on the palate, this has fruit and character to burn. They have been on quite a roll, averaging 93 points from Wine Advocate for the last six, very different vintages.

Wine Advocate Burgundy guy William Kelly was on the same page, “Bottled a mere week before I tasted it, Thivin’s 2019 Côte de Brouilly unwinds in the glass with inviting aromas of plums, red berries, warm spices and peonies. Medium to full-bodied, velvety and enveloping, it’s bright and precise, with fine depth at the core and real energy, concluding with a long, gently tannic finish. A touch finer-boned and more dynamic than the gourmand, demonstrative 2018, this is showing very well…93+.”

It is showing well, indeed, yet history tells us that this wil age and develop for a decade at least, maybe longer, if you can keep your hands off it. At $26.98, it delivers well above its class and reaffirms our point that Beaujolais is still the source for some of the best value reds on the planet. It’s hard to say this is their best ever because they have had an impressive string of sensational efforts. But this Thivin Cote de Brouilly 2019 is definitely the sexiest.

A BURGUNDY ‘FAMILY AFFAIR’

The working title of this piece is ‘the kids are alright’. It starts with one of the historic domains of Burgundy. Georges Noëllat was the nephew of Charles Noëllat, who was once the proprietor of one of Vosne’s greatest domains. We recall when Domaine Leroy purchased a chunk of the top holdings of the estate and we sold some of the library Charles Noellat wines as they were liquidating the cellar around 1990.

Around that time, Domaine Georges Noëllat went forward selling its production to Jadot and Drouhin for the next 20 years. In 2010, 20-year-old Maxime Cheurlin took over the management of the estate from his grandmother. Cheurlin grew up in Champagne, but it seems Burgundy wine is truly in his blood. He is related to Burgundy ‘royalty’ as he is a nephew of the Jayer family and Emmanuel Rouget’s sons are his cousins. Thus, he complemented his winemaking studies at the Lycée du Viticole in Beaune with stages at Emmanuel Rouget and Gros Frère et Soeur in 2009.

The ‘kid’ has shown true talent from ‘day one’ and has a clear, well defined winemaking regimen. Genetics? Maybe. The focus is on purity of fruit and reflection of terroir. A lot of vignerons say that, but Maxine takes it to another level. They will never be the biggest, blowsiest wines on the table. But they have an uncanny clarity of flavor and definition. Grapes are hand-harvested, 100% de-stemmed (except in a few rare cases where up to 30% of stems may be included), and cool macerated for a few days before fermentation begins (native yeasts only). Maxime prefers the term “infusion” to extraction, so punch downs are rare and gentle.

Deeming that the intensity of his terroirs can stand up to new oak, he uses 30-100% depending on the appellation and vintage. Aging lasts 14 to 20 months, and the wines are bottled generally without fining or filtration. Yet the wines are not ‘oaky’ by any means. Allen Meadows (aka Burghound) commented, “As to the style of the wines, they are understated and impressively crafted wines that emphasize purity of fruit and refinement, indeed they could well be described as delicate. One might wish for a bit more body and weight but that is more of a stylistic comment because the wines are beautifully well-balanced and speak clearly of their underlying terroirs.”

Delicate is not a dirty word. It is rather a word that will be very appealing to true lovers of Burgundy, along with other words like clarity, purity, elegance, and harmony. In our tastings, the terroirs were all evident, but exhibited themselves within the context of shimmering, inviting, tender dark cherry fruit. If you want to contemplate the vineyard, it’s there for you. But if you are in a more hedonistic mood, there’s plenty of engaging, perfectly ripened midpalate fruit to consume with gusto and no sharp edges to get in the way. There is a definite ‘family resemblance’ between his wines and his cousin’s (they apparently spend a lot of time together), though Maxime’s are perhaps a touch more lifted.

The Georges Noellat Nuits-St-Georges 2016 comes from a tiny plot of .6 hectare of 50-year-old vines. The delicate but ethereal nose delivers beautifully ripened dark cherry fruit laced with spice. In the mouth the purity of the fruit is clear and the cherry and spice is joined by the traditional iron-like minerality of the village but it is subtly woven into the fabric of the wine rather than dominating.

Good barrel notes from Steve Tanzer and Alan Meadows, both tough scorers (88-90). Tanzer’s notes, “(mostly from Au Bas de Combe): Deep red-ruby. Aromas of blackberry, violet and licorice pastille complicated by a hint of coffee torrefaction. Still a touch of reduction to its youthfully bound-up flavors of black fruits, licorice and spices. Finishes with noteworthy length and a firm tannic backbone for village wine.”

The ‘firm tannic backbone’ seems to resolved itself in the subsequent two and a half years since the notes were written. This refined Burgundy was also tasted alongside big time Grand and Premier Crus, a subject we have spoken on at length about how the ‘lesser’ climats are always at a disadvantage. On its own the Nuits-St.-Georges is a beautiful, true bottle of Burgundy. We’d also encourage you explore some of the upper cuvees. We think this producer has great touch and is clearly one to watch. This is an important name for a variety of reasons and his 2016’s are très, très bien.

See all 2016 Noellat red Burgundies

‘OLD’ CHABLIS LABEL IS NEW TO US

There is always room for another classy Chablis around here, and this one has all the right stuff. The 2018 vintage has been an interesting one for white Burgundies in general. There was plenty of ripe fruit like 2015, a vintage where the wines generally suffered a lack of acidity and focus. But unlike 2015, you can’t make sweeping generalizations about 2018s. Sure we have run across some of those. But there are also many that have just barely enough acidity to hold them together and, because they do, are enormously pleasurable to drink, if a little atypical.

The Domaine de la Meuliere is different yet again. You would describe it as a slightly riper version of ‘classic’ Chablis, with all of the traditional trapping of green apple and citrus fruit foiled succinctly by a more restrained version of the chalky, flinty salinity that makes Chablis what it is. The slightly more tender palate feel makes this an ideal example to serve folks who aren’t as experienced with the genre, yet there is plenty to love for hardcore Chablis fans like us.

This Laroche family (there are others) has been producing in Chablis from their 24-hectare property since 1780. Claude Laroche was the one that got the inspiration to create a domaine in 1984. Now sons Nicolas and Vincent are running the show, updating the prior seven generations’ knowledge with more modern takes on winemaking. The soils of the vineyard are classic Kimmerigeon with vines averaging 25 years of age.

The grapes are harvested by hand, sorted, and done completely in stainless steel where the wine subsequently rests for nine months. This is our first ‘dance’ with Meuliere, but the delicacy, purity and authenticity of this wine compelled us to add it to the lineup, and the relative tenderness of the 2018 vintage gives it a broader appeal while still being true to type.

ANOTHER OVER-THE-LINE BURGUNDY VALUE

Burgundy is sometimes a ‘game of inches’ as in a short distance one way or the other can determine a lot about quality, and price. As the demarcation of vineyards or appellations go, you have to draw a line somewhere. We’ve had good success finding little wines from top producers where the grapes are sourced in very close proximity to where the elite bottlings come from, but the prices are substantially less because the wine doesn’t carry the name of the top site.

Domaine Philippe Bouzereau et Fils has been one of the places where we have consistently found a very classy Bourgogne that is sourced from a plot ‘just over the line’ from their flagship Chateau Clos de Citeaux in the heart of Meursault. The Bouzereau family has been in Meursault since the 18th Century and this particular domaine was established in the 1960s by Philippe Bouzereau (senior). Philippe Bouzereau (Junior) took over in 2006 and runs this 18 hectares of vines on ‘lutte raisonee’ (meaning only intervening in the vineyard when absolutely necessary).

Like many of the ‘next gen’ vignerons, he is judicious with the use of oak and is all about letting the vineyard shine through. While it sounds a little trite, the term mini-Meursault is quite applicable here. The texture of the wine is consistent with the broader, more open profile of the 2018 white Burgundies in general, but there is sufficient acidity to keep everything bright. The flavors run from white peach to apple fruit-wise with classic flecks of grilled nuts and spice that is the signature of Meursault. A delicious choice for current Chardonnay applications, the Philippe Bouzereau Bourgogne Chardonnay 2018 is well priced ($24.98) given the pedigree it shows in the glass.