Burgundy meets Oregon

Burgundy and Oregon maybe a world apart but thanks to Jean-Nicolas Méo, owner of Domaine Méo-Camuzet in Burgundy and partner of Nicolas-Jay in Oregon, we were able to compare the Pinot Noirs from both sides of the Atlantic Ocean during his recent visit in town.

The family owned Domaine Méo-Camuzet is in Vosne-Romanée. In 1989, Jean-Nicolas joined his father after studying winemaking in Burgundy and a stint in the USA . With his father Jean Méo and well-respected Henri Jayer as his mentors, Jean-Nicolas experimented with different winemaking techniques and eventually developed his own style. He prefers de-stemming as opposed to whole bunch fermentation although he may include around 10% of stems during fermentation. Grapes are cold-soaked at around 15ºC for a few days prior to fermentation in cement or stainless-steel tanks at up to 30ºC, then warm-soak for a couple of days before pressing for more extraction. Depending on the fruit structure, each wine is aged with different wood regime. Today , the domaine produces 25 wines, including Grands Crus and Premiers Crus form the region.

We tasted four Pinots, all 2016 vintages from different villages in Cote de Nuits. True to Burgundy distinctive terroir, the wines show different characters. I like the delicate aromas and velvety structure of Fixin, a lesser-known small appellation with only 80ha under vines. In comparison, its neighbour Marsannay, the latest, bigger and more well-known appellation, produces wine with bright red fruits. Vosne-Romanée, with multi-layered aromas and freshness, is my favourite. The two plots of vineyard, next to the family house, are located at a higher altitude. In contrast, the wine from Morey Saint-Denis is sturdy with a darker fruits profile and a firm tannin. This is why Burgundy is unique - every appellation, no matter how close they are, has its own interpretation of Pinot Noir.

Jean-Nicolas met music producer Jay Boberg 30 years ago when he was in the US. Sharing the same philosophies about life, wine and music and especially the passion for Pinot Noir from Oregon, the pair eventually founded Nicolas-Jay in 2013. Jean-Nicolas was excited to take what he learnt from Burgundy to a new region with different climate and soil.

Unlike Burgundy, Oregon has a wet spring but dry summer. There are also differences in the soil, clones and working attitude. Burgundian is more intuitive whereas Oregonian is more technical. Jean-Nicolas was humble to admit that he also has to learn from his US colleagues.

At the moment, Nicolas-Jay only produces Pinot Noir. They source grapes from three vineyards sites in Willamette Valley in Oregon, make three single-vineyard wines and two blends using grapes from across the valley. Comparing to Burgundy, the Oregon wine is riper and more fruit-forward but there are still variations in different sites. The 2017 wine from the organic, dry farmed Nysa vineyard is generous with a softer tannin while the same vintage wine from the cooler, biodynamically farmed Momtazi vineyard is more focused, uplifted and structured. The 2017 Own-Rooted Pinot Noir was made from vines at least 30 years old and planted on their own roots. The wine has a more savoury note and it will be interesting to see how it develops. Jean-Nicolas also showed us three vintages of Willamette Valley Pinot Noir, 2017, 2016 and 2015 to compare the different vintage conditions and evolvement.

The only white wine we tried was Hautes-Côtes de Nuits ‘Clos Saint-Philibert’ 2016 from Domaine Méo-Camuzet, a very pleasant wine that Jean-Nicolas described as a cross between Chablis and Meursault. It possesses the freshness and mineral character of Chablis and at the same time, the ripe stone fruits aromas and richness of Meursault. Cotes de Nuits is a red wine region but this particular vineyard is at an altitude of 1,200ft with stony soil. Jean-Nicolas explained that Pinot Noir grown there will lack richness and volume, but the terroir is just perfect for a remarkable Chardonnay.

Running two wine estates thousands of kilometres apart and with harvests pretty much at the same time is not easy. Jean-Nicolas said he is lucky that he can rely on resident winemaker Tracy Kendall. He goes to Oregon around four times a year and definitely at harvest. Burgundy harvest is compact and shorter so he is able to catch the end of Oregon harvest, which spreads over a longer period of time.

Both Domaine Méo-Camuzet and Nicolas-Jay are available from Watson’s Wine.

Exploring French wine regions on foot, by bike and car

Wine lovers always choose to go to wine regions for holiday and I am no exception. My adventure in July was Burgundy, Jura and Alsace. I have never been to this part of France and my French is pathetic, but this is exactly why it was fun.

Some friends were excited about my trip and asked which wineries I had made appointments to visit. Actually I didn’t and didn’t want to. It would be a work trip if I have arranged meetings in advance. Moreover, I much prefer to see wineries that I haven’t heard of, there are always nice surprises waiting round the corner!

Burgundy

Beaune was my base to explore Burgundy, where there are well-signed cycling tracks and hiking routes. I spent a few days cycling and hiking amongst the vineyards and famous villages including Volnay, Chassagne-Montrachet and Aloxe-Corton, then a day driving down to Beaujolais. There is no dramatic landscape but the scenery is pleasant and calming. It seems that the life at all these villages only revolves around wine. I only tasted at six wineries but they were all authentic and friendly. All cellar doors close at lunch time for at least 2 hours and some need prior appointments because they may be working in vineyards.

Most established negociants have tasting rooms in Beaune. A not-to-be-missed is Patriarche for its underground cellar with self-guided tasting using a a tastevin that you can keep. There are also a few independent wine shops that carry boutique, individual labels. I didn’t have any luck in Beaujolais but was glad to find the Jean Foillard Cuvée 3.14 2014, made from 100 years old vines at one of these shops.

While in Beaune, make sure to spend a good few hours at Hospices de Beaune (also called Hôtel-Dieu de Beaune) to learn about the history; and drop by La Moutarderie Edmond Fallot to taste the many mustard flavours, including Pinot Noir!

Restaurants abound in Beaune. Those around the square inside the old city wall are great for people watching but for a few good glasses of wine, highly recommended are Maison du Colombier and Le Bistrot Bourguignon for an extensive wine list, and Le Comptoir des Tontons for organic and natural wine. Caves Madeleine has a good reputation but it was full when I was there.

In case you visit Dijon, Dr Wine is the place to for good one for wine and tapas.

Jura

My next stop Jura was the most unexpected. I used Arbois as the base, drove around the region for few days, and learned everything from Savagnin to Poulsard and Trousseau, all local varieties. The other two permitted varieties are the most widely planted Chardonnay (43%) and Pinot Noir. Jura is certainly more rustic than Burgundy but the scenery is totally different and more spectacular. Baume-les-Messieurs, ranked one of the most beautiful villages in France, is surrounded by high cliffs, while Chateau-Chalon is a hilltop village and a Vin Jaune only AOC. Arbois itself is a quiet historic town with the Cuisance River passing through it. The main streets are dotted with tasting rooms and wine shops. Apparently, it is the first AOC denomination in France!

For me, the local variety Savagnin is the most fascinating. It is full-bodied with crisp acidity, citrus and floral notes. The most famous wine from the region is Vin Jaune (yellow wine), where Savagnin is aged under a layer of flor (like fino sherry) in oak barrels for a minimum of 6 years and 3 months without topping up or fortification, and bottled in a special 62cl bottle ‘Clavelin’. The wine style is known as ‘oxidative’ style because it is aged without topping up but this is what I don’t understand. The wine is aged under a layer of flor which by sherry’s definition, is biological ageing rather than oxidative ageing. Yes, the wine is golden yellow but it is nowhere like the brown colour of oxidative Amontillado or Oloroso sherry. The wine has the nutty sherry character yet fresh on palate. I scratched my head every time I tasted Vin Jaune but my hopeless French forbid me to have any meaningful discussion with the locals. I welcome anyone who read this to share his/her thought.

‘Tradition’ Savagnin is aged without topping up and in a shorter period of time than Vin Jaune, so the wine can still develop the ‘sherry’ character although not as obvious. In contrast, ‘Ouille’ Savagnin is aged with topping up giving more fruit-forward wine. Domaine André et Mireille Tissot even made an Amphore Savagnin. Apart from dry wine, Savagnin can also be made into Crémant (sparkling wine), Vin de Paille (naturally sweet wine made with dried grapes), and Macvin du Jura (liqueur wine made by adding marc brandy to unfermented grape juice).

Another surprise in Jura is a variety called Melon à Queue Rouge, a mutation of Chardonnay that has a red stem. It is planted only around Arbois and just a few producers are making this as a varietal wine, including Domaine de la Pinte.

Alsace
Only two hours drive from Arbois, Alsace is a totally different world. The architecture, names of villages, wines and to a certain extent culture, are more Germanic than French because of historical reasons. Croissants in bakeries are replaced by bretzels (pretzels in Germany). There are times that I was wondering if I was in Germany or France.

The old town of Colmar is very attractive with traditional half-timbered houses, floral displays and canals, while most Alsatian wine villages, located on slopes or hill tops, are equally picturesque. The region is bicycle-friendly and a hiker’s paradise. I was so excited to have come across a wine festival while cycling through the village of Eguisheim, and ended up spending 3 hours there!

I also attended the Wine and Gastronomy Fair in Ribeauville. 11 restaurant stands were set up where each restaurant showcasing one dish accompanied with two wines. There were music, DJs and revellers were dancing the night away. For an extra fee, wine lovers could sample over 270 wines according to style and grape varieties: Crémant, Chasselas, Sylvaner, Pinot Blanc, Auxerrois, Muscat, Riesling, Rosé, Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris and Gewürztraminer in a separate tasting parlour. Guess where I spent most of my time😀.

The two must-try restaurants in Colmar are L’Un Des Sens run by two sommeliers and Le Cercle des Aromas serving 250 wine by the glass. Le Grognard in Riquewihr has a good wine list and an even better rum list.

The trip was super enjoyable. To see and experience a wine region first hand is the way to understand its wine. We may be familiar with Burgundian fine wine but visiting the villages and seeing people working in vineyards allow us to appreciate the lesser appellation wines. Mingling with locals certainly help us broaden our horizon. Moreover, wine regions are not only about wine. There are history, culture, outdoor activities and of course fine cuisines. Please plan your next holiday exploring wine regions.

Recommended wineries:
Patriarche, Beaune, Burgundy (available from wine’n’things)
Mestre Pere et Fils, Santenay, Burgundy
Christophe Vaudoisey, Volnay, Burgundy
Domaine Michel Voarick, Aloxe-Corton, Burgundy
Domaine André et Mireille Tissot, Arbois, Jura
Domaine de la Pinte, Arbois, Jura
Domiane Jacques Tissot, Arbois, Jura
Domaine Désiré Petit, Pupillin, Jura
Domaine Berthet-Bondet, Chateau-Chalon, Jura
Domaine Ginglinger Pierre Henri, Eguisheim, Alsace
Domaine Zinck, Eguisheim, Alsace
Domaine Jean-Paul Schmitt, Scherwiller, Alsace
Domaine Clé de Sol, Ribeauville, Alsace

Underdog grapes

Bourgogne Wine Board (BIVB) organises regular masterclasses in town but most of them are focused on their famed grape varieties Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Therefore, the fact that the first BIVB masterclass this year was ‘An in-depth analysis of the Aligoté grape’ came as a surprise - in fact, a very nice surprise.

I’m pretty sure that not all Burgundy fans heard of Aligoté. The grape has been grown in the region since 17th century and was granted its own AOC, Bourgogne Aligoté, in 1937. In 1997, Bouzeron was recognised as its village appellation. Despite its large growing area in Burgundy from Chablis in the north to Mâconnais in the south, it only has 6% of the planting. It used to have equal footing with Chardonnay but sadly after phylloxera, vinegrowers ditched Aligoté for the more accessible Chardonnay.

Aligoté is subtle with lively acidity and a mineral note, a wine in the background that supports food rather than taking the centre stage. Its texture and subtlety reminded me of Semillon from Hunter Valley. Most people may dismiss them at first sip because they are not as pretty as Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc, but you will be rewarded especially if you have the patience to wait. Ivy was very kind to share an18 years old  Aligoté which has layers of exotic spices and a savoury yet light palate.

A lot of grapes, especially those neutral ones, suffer from poor reputation not because they don’t shine like their more glamorous siblings but because vinegrowers and winemakers treat them like work horse grapes, maximising their yield for distillation or making characterless wine. However, given proper management in the vineyards, the lack the attractive aromas of these varieties is often more than compensated by its texture and flexibility to match with food. Take Aligoté for example, mainly used for Kir and Cremant de Bourgogne, spoke out in this masterclass. The wines presented were made by the few dedicated winemakers who take the variety seriously.

There are still many underdogs in the wine world, notably Airén, Pinot Bianco (or Pinot Blanc) and Müller Thurgau. Airén is the most widely planted grapes in Spain mainly destined for distillation or mediocre wine, but I did try a couple including Más Que Vinos in La Mancha that defy the norm.  Pinot Bianco is pretty much an inoffensive house wine but Germany is leading the way to revive it under the name of Wiessburgunder (Pinot Blanc in German). Weingut Stigler in Baden, amongst others, produces a Weissburgunder Trocken, Ihringen Winklerberg ‘'GG'' from its oldest Weissburgunder plot. The wine was wonderful with a wide spectrum of Cantonese dishes from shrimp dumpling to roasted suckling pig.

As for Müller Thurgau (also known as Rivaner in Germany) mainly grown in cooler regions such as Germany, England and Northern Italy, is a cross between Riesling and Gutedel created in 1882 to produce earlier ripening and bigger crop than Riesling. As you can imagine, the wine is often light and unassuming. But I have faith that this ugly duckling will one day be transformed. The first wine I made was Müller Thurgau fermented in four different yeasts for my final project at Plumpton. I still have two bottles with me and am waiting for a suitable occasion to open them.

Burgundy undiscovered appellations

It was the annual Bourgogne Week in Hong Kong and this year the spokesperson was Anne Moreau, owner of Domaine Louis Moreau in Chablis. Anne shared a few insights at the tasting.

We all know that Burgundy is a very tiny region with a big name, but I was nevertheless surprised when Anne put it in figures: Burgundy produces only 0.5% of the word’s production but commands 3% of the trade. Even with that tiny volume, Burgundy is available in 177 countries out of 196 in the world, Albeit a lot is by allocation and in small volume, still it is impressive.

While China is a big potential market, it is a challenge for the Burgundians. Most consumers are still buying wine by labels and they generally prefer oaky red wine. For now, Anne said they are happy to let Bordeaux, with the quantity, marketing power and resources, to open up China and other new markets because consumers, once they start drinking, always move from Bordeaux to Burgundy, which is the destination. This echoed another Burgundy producer, Marco Caschera from Vincent Girardin, who we had lunch a couple of weeks ago. Judging by the fact that Hong Kong, a traditional Bordeaux stronghold and is now Burgundy’s fifth biggest market in terms of value, the statement certainly rings true.

Burgundy produces around 2/3 white and 1/3 red. But in Hong Kong, red Burgundy accounted for 76% of value, mostly from the village and above appellations of Côte de Beaune and Côte de Nuits. The relatively small share of white wine is also mainly from the better known and iconic AOC’s. Probably this is the reason why the theme of this year’s Bourgogne Week is ‘Bourgogne AOSs Undiscovered Treasures’ that focused on the lesser known regions such as Petit Chablis, Givry, Mercurey and Montagny in Côte Chalonnaise;  as well as Mâcon Davayé and Saint-Véran in Mâcon, not to mention the simple but refreshing Bourgogne Aligoté.

I think it is a positive sign that BIVB (Bourgogne Wine Board) is pushing these smaller names. The wines may not be as complex and long lasting as their big brothers but they are accessible, affordable and enjoyable. We cannot just merely focus on the top wines and shun the rest as this will only reinforce the ‘snobbish’ image of wine, misleading average consumers that wine must be expensive.

Back to the vintage, Anne said 2015 was good for both white and red with balanced fruits and freshness. There were a few 2015 white wines at the tasting but in general, I enjoyed the 2014 whites more, especially Chablis. I’m looking forward to tasting some 2015 red maybe next year.

Here are some of the ‘undiscovered treasures’ that I will be happily sharing:

White:
Domaine Barraud Pouilly-Fuissé Alliance Vergisson 2015, from Syba (China) Ltd
Domaine Denoît Ente Bourgogne Aligoté 2014, from Burgundy Wine Co Ltd
Domaine Fabien Coche Bourgogne 2015, from The Juicy Grape
Domaine Patrick Hudelot Bourgogne Hautes Côtes de Nuits, Les Plançons 2011, from Natural Food & Beverages
Domaine Piguet Chouet Monthélie Cuvée Clara 2014, from Vins & Vignerons
Domaine Vrignaud Chablis 1er Cru, Fourchaume 2015, from Montrose Fine Wines
Louis Moreau Chablis 2015, from Continental Wines
Olivier Leflaive Montagny 1er Cru, Les Bonneveaux 2015, from Corney & Barrow

Red:
Bruno Clair Masannay Les Vaudenelles 2013, from Altaya Wines
Domaine Fabien Coche Mersault 2014, from The Juicy Grape

Lunch with Maison Vincent Girardin

Marco Caschera, the Commercial Director of Maison Vincent Girardin, is quite a character. Probably because of his Italian origin (he was born in France but his parents are Italians), he talked non-stop during the very entertaining media lunch where he presented his still in barrel 2015 white Burgundy. He also made a few daring comments that made us laugh, probably upset some people but certainly have the ring of truth.

Marco called his white wine ‘no makeup’ Chardonnay because it is fine, elegant and precise. He admitted that in the beginning of 2000, Vincent Girardin wines were about strong extraction and new oak but had since backtracked. He said it is important that wine first has to show fruits and then terroir. New oak masks the soul of wine and they certainly do not want to make American wine in Burgundy!

Because of this philosophy, Marco compared wines from 2003, an exceptionally hot year in Burgundy, to dead babies, that the wine was good when young but ageing potential was limited, except for the very few wine with great terroir.

We also had a geology lesson from Marco on how hills were formed in Burgundy and soil eroded resulting in stony slopes with thin top soil and deep clay soil at the bottom of the hill. He said wines from stony parcels, like south Meursault, are more tense and elegant with pronounced minerality/saltiness, whereas wines from heavily clay soil, as in north Meursault, are round and supple. To emphasise his point, he further commented  that if a winemaker made a round and soft wine from a stony vineyard, it would be a failure in winemaking technique!

Back to his wines, 2015 was blessed with a farvourable growing season, having no disease and a cool harvest. All the six wines we tasted were certainly elegant with no makeup and terroir expressive. The outstanding ones are:

Meursault 1er Cru Les Perrières 2015: Perrières means stones and the site is considered as the Grand Cru of Merusault.

Corton Charlemagne Grand Cru 2015: Elegant and tense with minerality jumping out of the glass. According to Marco, the site has the poorest soil with only chalk hence the tight structure of the wine.

I asked Marco about what he thinks about New World wine, which is taking market share from the Old World. He was very relaxed and welcome the fact that New World wine in expanding the wine market. He said consumers drinking New World wine today will drink Burgundy one day. It is just like people drinking Bordeaux and now all drink Burgundy. Burgundy is the final destination that once wine lovers are there, they will not turn back. Well, I kind of agree but I will also certainly sneak out the back door of the Burgundian world and enjoy all the great New World wines! 😉

Vincent Girardin is available from Altaya Wines.

Good burgundy doesn’t need to break your bank

Following the success of Bourgogne Week in London, the Bourgogne Wine Board was pleased to introduce Bourgogne Week to Hong Kong, comprising a series of Burgundy wine tastings over five days. I attended the ‘One day for Bourgogne Wines’ tasting with over 100 wines from the latest vintages (2104 for white and 2013 for red) from 20 exhibitors.

Mentioning Burgundy, most people will think DRC, one of the most expensive wines in the world. As a matter of fact, Grand Cru, the appellation where DRC belonged, only contributed to 1.3% of the entire Burgundy wine production. Most of the wines in the market are from the Regional (51%) and Village (38%) appellations. The ‘One day for Bourgogne Wines’ tasting pretty much reflected the market. Most of the wines featured were from the Regional and Village appellations. No wonder Amaury Devillard, the spokesperson of Bourgogne Wine Board, emphasised that Burgundy wine is affordable and can be enjoyed every day.

I agree with Amaury. The overall quality, especially the white wine, at the tasting was good. They were balanced, with ripe fruits and supporting acidity. Most of the whites were from 2014 vintage, an excellent year according to the harvest report. There were no major hiccups during growing season and the grapes ripened to full maturity. Most of the wines I tried were retailed between $180 and $300 per bottle, certainly a price that won’t break the bank. A bit of research revealed that 2014 was confirmed to be a fine vintage for Burgundy white from various critics including Jasper Morris MW and Decanter.

Vintage 2013, in contrast to 2014, was much more difficult that challenged winegrowers. It was cold in spring and a violent hail storm hit on 23rd July. Some of the reds at tasting might be lean, but nevertheless ripe with fresh acidity that made them pleasant to pair with mild flavoured dishes.

Burgundy is one of the wine regions where vintage variation is significant. Because of improved viticulture practice and winemaking techniques, a difficult vintage these days does not necessarily equate to bad vintage. Yield might be small but vigilant and responsible winemakers could still produce good quality wine, which was not the case just 20-30 years ago. When we sip Burgundy, whether it is the style we prefer or not, we just have to remember that behind every bottle was a lot of dedication and hard work.

A few outstanding wines from the tasting are:

Whites:
Domaine Christian Moreau, Chablis Premier Cru, Vaillons 2014, from Altaya Wines,
Domaine du Chalet Pouilly, Saint-Véran 2014, from Dream Wines,
Domaine du Clos Salomon, Montagny Le Clou 2014, from The Juicy Grape,
Domaine Jérôme Sordet, Saint-Romain Sous le Château 2013, from CCF Wines,
Domaine Saint-Jacques, Rully Premier Cru Marissou 2013, from Burgundy Wine Co Ltd,
Domaine Samuel Billaud, Chablis Premier Cru, Monte de Milieu 2013, from The Juicy Grape

Reds:
Domaine Bachey-Legros, Santenay Les Charmes 2013, from CCF Wines,
Domaine Colinot, Irancy Les Cailles 2013, from Burgundy Wine Co Ltd,
Domaine du Château de Meursault, Savigny-Les-Baeaune Premier Cru Les Peuillets 2013, from Kerry Wines,
Domaine Faiveley, Beaune Premier Cru Clos d l’Ecu 2013 from Altaya Wines,
Moillard, Côte de Beaune-Villages, Vieilles Vignes 2013, from Kedington Wines

Love for Burgundy

Asked about their favourite wines, 90% of wine lovers, including myself, will name Burgundy—or more specifically, the Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs from Côte d’Or—as one of the top three. However these wines can be very confusing. So I was glad to have spent two afternoons in quick succession with experts, learning about what makes Burgundy tick.

Jasper Morris MW, Burgundy Director of Berry Bros & Rudd, and the author of ‘Inside Burgundy’, is well known for his expertise and passion for all things Burgundian. On his recent visit to Asia, we explored the three Ws in Côte d’Or— where, when and who —by tasting three pairs of wines, each pair having two Ws in common and one different. A similar exercise was conducted just a week later at the Altaya Wines annual ‘Passion for Pinot’ seminar, this time with owners from four family-run Burgundy wineries sharing their insights into the three Ws through 12 wines.

Burgundy wine is classified into four levels of quality: Regional appellations make up 52% of the total production, Village appellations 36% and Premier Crus (1er Crus) 10%. The remaining 2% belongs to the Grand Crus. The latter two levels are based on climats, small, precisely delineated plots of land that enjoy specific geological and climatic conditions. Côte d’Or, a long and narrow strip, is the heartland of Burgundy where the greatest wines are made. It is split into Côte de Nuits in the north and Côte de Beaune in the south. Some 30 of the 44 Village appellations and hundreds of climats are found here, as well as 28 of the 33 Grand Crus AOC.

The ‘Where’
The soil in Côte d’Or is predominantly limestone and marl, but each village has a different combination. Pascal and Charles Lachaux, a father and son team from Domaine Arnounx-Lachaux, explained that the different characters of their three reds—all from the same vintage of 2011 and made exactly the same way but from different villages—are due to the soil and location. Chambolle Musigny, further north with white soil, produces lighter and softer wine, while Vosne Romanée’s darker soil gives more structure and power to the wine. The third wine is from Nuits St Georges but it is not in the typical rich style thanks to the very white soil that results in smaller grapes. The wine is concentrated yet elegant.

Another interesting comparison was the two 1er Crus from Domaine Faiveley. Both were from Gevrey Chambertin, vintage 2012 and the same winemaking method. The ‘Clos des Issarts’ has a marked mineral palate with a smooth finish while the ‘Combe aux Moines’ is more tannic and muscular. The two climats are less than two kilometres from each other!

The ‘When’
‘When’ refers to vintage. According to Jasper, Burgundy is a crossroads for weather and is often at the cusp of two weather systems. No wonder every vintage in Burgundy is different. Frost and hail reduce crop yield while rain during ripening season affects quality. A hot summer gives powerful wine but too hot may result in imbalance between acidity and alcohol. A cool year, on the other hand, may produce wine that is too thin although diligent winemakers can still make some very elegant wine. Jasper’s philosophy is that vintages should not be classified as good or bad, but rather, an indication of when to drink the wine.

With Jasper, we compared the 2003 and 2000 reds from Domaine Jean Grivot Nuits-Georges 1er Cru ‘Roncieres’. The 2003 was rich and concentrated reflecting the particularly hot year, but it was still youthful with ripe dark fruits at 12 years of age. The 2000, although only three years older than the 2003, was much more advanced with dried fruits and forest floor bouquets. It was a more difficult vintage with too much rainfall close to harvest. Jasper described 2000 as a cheerful vintage for wine lovers—while it is not a long-lived vintage, the price is reasonable and the wine absolutely enjoyable now. The 2003, in contrast, still has at least another five years before its peak.

The ‘Who’
The notion of terroir is the interaction between soil, climate and people, so obviously winemakers play an important role in shaping the style of the wine. This was well demonstrated by BBR’s pair of 2008 Vosne-Romanèe 1er Cru ‘Les Beaux Monts’, Domaine Bruno Clavelier and Domaine Jean Grivot. The grapes of the first wine were picked slightly early and vinified with some stems. The wine displayed vibrant red fruits and floral notes yet with a fairly dense structure. The second wine had no stems used during winemaking but was aged in barrels for 18 months. It showed riper red fruits but with a leaner palate.

We also contrasted three reds at the Passion for Pinot session: Domaine de Montille Volnay 1er Cru ‘Les Mitans’ 2009, Domaine Faiveley Pommard 1er Cru ‘Les Rugiens’ 2012 and Bonneau du Martray Corton 2011. Although they were from different vineyards and vintages, we could still see the fingerprints of the different winemakers in the wine by the way they managed tannin and extraction.

Domaine de Montille, Domaine Faiveley, Bonneau du Martray

These two tastings confirmed my belief that our choice of wine is personal. Wine is not about price or ratings. We all have different palates and stylistic preferences so it is only logical that we do not all prefer the same wine. As for vintage, well, we just have to buy every year and enjoy them at different times!

2013 vintage

I also had the chance to taste the Louis Jadot 2013 en primeur organised by ASC Fine Wines. Louis Jadot is one of the larger producers in Burgundy with vineyards in nearly every Côte d’Or village. Thibault Gegey, its Deputy General Manager, explained that 2013 was a difficult year. Spring was wet and cold, resulting in poor flowering and thus a smaller crop. Summer finally arrived in June but a hailstorm in July devastated some vineyards between Meursault and Aloxe-Corton. September, the most important month for grape ripening, was excellent and balanced fruit with good potential began to develop, albeit in a much smaller crop. Unfortunately though, the weather turned progressively wetter and colder so those grapes harvested later had more rot than those harvested earlier.

Armed with knowledge of the three Ws, I would certainly not dismiss the 2013 vintage. It doesn’t taste like 2010 and probably doesn’t have the same ageing potential, but so what? I love its elegance and leaner style, and I’m sure I’m not the only one. When we sip a Burgundy, we know we are tasting the dedication of vinegrowers and wienmakers who care about their climats, and try to make the best possible Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs in every weather condition. Enjoy!

Domaine Bruno Clavelier, Domaine Jean Grivot are available from Berry Bros & Rudd.
Domaine Arnounx-Lachaux, Domaine Faiveley, Domaine de Montille, Bonneau du Martray are available from Altaya Wines.
Louis Jadot is available from ASC Fine Wines

Louis Jadot, Burgundy en primeur 2013

2013 was a difficult year in Burgundy. Spring was wet and cold, resulting in poor flowering and thus a smaller crop. Summer finally arrived in June but a hailstorm in July devastated some vineyards between Meursault and Aloxe-Corton. September, the most important month for grape ripening, was excellent and balanced fruit with good potential began to develop, albeit in a much smaller crop. Unfortunately though, the weather turned progressively wetter and colder so those grapes harvested later had more rot than those harvested earlier.

But don’t simply dismiss the 2013 vintage. The overall production is definitely small but where vines were well-tended and grapes meticulously sorted, some truly elegant wines were made. I guess this is a big part of the excitement about wine grown in such variable climatic conditions. The wine is never the same every year but dedicated producers can always make something out of it. 2013 doesn’t taste like 2010 and probably doesn’t have the same ageing potential, but so what? I found a few more than decent wines at the recent Louis Jadot en primeur tasting:

Chablis ‘Preuses’ Grand Cru (white): Elegant with pronounced minerality. I always like Chablis and this one certainly doesn’t disappoint.

Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru (white): Rich and intense with ageing potential

Volnay 1st Cru Clos de la Barre (red): Not sure if it would age well but no doubt enjoyable within the next three to five years.

Moulin-à-Vent Clos du Grand Carquelin (red): Surprisingly good, fleshy but supported by fresh acidity. No doubt will beat a lot of Burgundies.

Clos Vougeot Grand Cru (red): A masculine wine with depth, power and ageing potential.

With more than 230 ha of vines in the region, Louis Jadot is one of the largest producers in Burgundy. Thibault Gegey, Deputy General Manager, said that wines from all appellations are being made pretty much the same way so the differences we can taste in the wines are attributable to the terroir—soil, vineyard facing and weather conditions. We have all heard this refrain so many times but it is always fascinating to taste wines side by side and see it for yourself.

2013 Burgundies are unlikely be 100 point wines but, thanks to the winemakers, there will nevertheless be wine lovers, including myself, who appreciate their elegance and leaner style. Try some for yourself.

Louis Jadot is available from ASC Fine Wines.

The many faces of Pinot Noir

Altaya has been running Passion for Pinot for five years. This year's seminar, entitled’ Unmasking the Grape: Diversity and Identity’, presented by speakers from five wineries on both sides of the equator and moderated by Debra Meiburg MW, was definitely one of the best seminars I have attended this year.

The speaker line-up included:
• Erwan Faiveley, seventh generation of Domaine Faiveley owning some 120 ha of vineyards in Burgundy,
• Cédric Oillaux, brand ambassador of Godmé, a five generation grower champagne in Montagne de Reims,
• Jo Mills, owner of family owned Rippon in Central Otago, now run by
the fourth generation,
• Brian Bicknell, owner and winemaker of Mahi in Marlborough,
• Steve Flamsteed, chief winemaker of Giant Steps and Innocent Bystander in Yarra Valley,
• A representative of Walter Hansel Winery from Russian River Valley was not present but his wines were featured

Ask any winegrower and they will all agree Pinot Noir is a temperamental, fussy grape. This seminar focused on four areas: climatology, geology, topography and techniques. Each speaker shared their experience on how they tame Pinot Noir in their vineyards, and more importantly, spoke of their passion for this variety. All the speakers love their dirt, which they believe is the key component of shaping the wine, but each of them also had some unique insights.

Steve from Giant Steps said the many different soil types in Yarra influence the way vines find water and minerals, subsequently influencing the fruit. Therefore soil really dictates the personality of the wine.

Jo from Rippon echoed that tasting wine is about tasting its form and shape, which comes from the soil. Rippon’s vineyard is mainly schist from glaciers, which is highly reflective, and when it comes into contact with water remains how it was rather than crumbling like clay, giving her Pinot its dense structure.

Cédric from Godmé illustrated the relationship between the top soil, the sediments and clay with their water retaining capability and the underlying chalk (limestone) in Champagne. Pinot Noir needs more water than Chardonnay to ripen properly so prefers a deeper top soil, but it cannot be so deep as to obstruct the roots reaching down to the underlying limestone for minerals. There are 84 plots at Godmé each producing a different style of Pinot Noir. Grapes for making the Blanc de Noirs are grown on plots with 25-30cm of top soil.

Erwan from Faiveley further elaborated that while terroir dictates the wine style it is climatology that defines vintage, and this is especially important in Burgundy given the ever changing weather. Vineyards in Burgundy are about the matching of soils of different water retaining capability with the right topography.

Brian from Mahi agreed that soil is about structure and its water holding capacity. He also explained the importance of rainfall, which is not replaceable by irrigation. The function of the leaves is photosynthesis. Irrigation may provide water to vines in dry weather but cannot provide moisture to leaves. Leaves may be too dry, causing the stomata to close and preventing them from functioning properly.

We tasted two different wines from each winery to understand the interactions among these four factors and how they affect the final wine style. 10 Pinot Noirs from five wineries and they were all different. The pairs from Faiveley, Rippon, Giant Steps and Walter Hansel were from different sites but the same vintage so we were tasting the effect of soil and topography on wine, while Mahi’s pair was from different sites and also different vintages so we had more elements to consider. Godmé’s pair was all about climatology—the difference 500 extra sunshine hours during growing season can make.

Godmé
• Blanc de Noirs Grand Cru Brut NV: Perfect balance between ripe fruit and minerality
• Millésimé grand Cru Brut 2003: A very rare vintage Blanc de Noirs, the first and only one from Godmé thanks to the exceptional heat wave that year that gave the region 2,100 sunshine hours instead of the normal 1,600 (most vintage champagne has a high proportion of Chardonnay for the acidity). Partial oak ageing and 10 years of yeast autolysis further added complexity to the wine.

Mahi:
• Marlborough Pinot Noir 2012 from five different vineyards in the cooler region of Marlborough
• Pinot Noir Rive Vineyard 2010 from a biodynamic vineyard

Rippon:
• Tinker’s Field Pinot Noir 2011 from 30 year old vines on their own roots and unirrigated, grown on a light clay soil
• Emma’s Block Pinot Noir 2011 mainly on schist soil, definitely more dense on palate

Giant Steps:
• Sexton Pinot Noir 2012 from a north facing warmer site with thin topsoil
• Gladysdale Pinot Noir 2012 from a cooler site at 350m with volcanic soil.

Domane Faiveley:
• Nuit St Georges 1er Cru Les Damodes 2011
• Nuit St Georges 1er Cru Les Porets Saint-Georges 2011, more floral with a herbal touch when compared with the first wine.

Walter Hansel:
• Pinot Noir South Slope 2011, warmer site displaying plush sweet fruits
• Pinot Noir North Slope 2011

Try this kind of pairing for yourself and you will see how mother nature plays its part in wine. Hopefully this will help you understand and appreciate more different styles of wine.

All wines are available from Altaya Wines.

The Wine Detective?

At a recent Domaine Ponsot tasting, it was interesting enough tasting the wines and listening to Laurent Ponsot, the fourth generation in the winemaking family, talking about them. But, like a great detective novel, it was the twist at the end that made it especially memorable.

Let’s focus on the wine first. Like most Burgundian producers, Laurent respects the land. He insists that it is the overall geology of Burgundy, not merely the soil, that results in so many appellations—1,250 in total. Wines from two adjacent rows of vines can be totally different if the rows are on different sides of the fault line, because the minerals underground are not the same. Hence his remark, "We don’t produce Pinot Noir, we produce appellations."

To preserve integrity, Laurent has no fixed rules for making a wine. He does only what is necessary to help it express itself. The vineyards are organic and the work is natural. Also, he does not use new oak barrels, first because of the overpowering wood flavour imparted and second because of the fast ingress of oxygen—a new barrel transmits too much oxygen, resulting in premature oxidation. He compares this with the tragedy of a child destined to be a sumo wrestler: the child was overfed so much that he died young. Laurent's newest barrel is five years old.

We tasted the 2009 and 2010 vintages. Laurent reckoned 2010 was 100% a 'terroir wine'. The weather was not great so the sun did not have a great influence on the grapes. Yield was down across the board, but for those who made it the wine was a true expression of terroir. In contrast, 2009 was an easy vintage with perfect weather. Even the lesser vineyards produced better and riper grapes than normal. It was a '35% vintage' wine, according to Laurent. For me, both vintages were good, though the younger wines were too closed.

We were surprised to see that the wines were sealed with a synthetic closure, the Ardea Seal AS-Elite to be exact. Laurent was excited about this. He had spent 20 years searching for the perfect closure and eventually found this in Italy. It has a polymer section in contact with the wine that allows oxygen to go in but not wine to go out, like a Goretex layer. Compared to cork, this gives the dual advantages of avoiding TCA taint and enabling more precise control of maturation.

But on top of this the Ardea closure, being difficult to copy, offers the additional benefit of making it easier to spot counterfeit wine. The topic of counterfeiting makes Laurent animated. He proudly points out that all his bottles have the domain name inscribed in the bottom, and the label is made of a paper like that used in bank notes that can be verified using special machines. Even more impressively, each bottle also carries a hologram for authentication. Clearly Laurent is out to make sure his wines will not easily be counterfeited.

I smiled, perhaps questioning whether all this was a little excessive. It was then that Laurent dropped his bombshell. He earnestly told me that he works in collaboration with the FBI, and that it was his investigation that led to the arrest of the infamous Rudy Kurniawan in 2012! I had followed this story closely last year but during the tasting it didn't cross my mind that the gentleman next to me was the man that had sent shockwaves through the auction market. Shame on me, I should have done more research beforehand.

To Laurent, the winemaker is only one element in the process, and wine is mostly made by itself. He reckons he is the laziest winemaker out there, often preferring to travel the world getting closer to customers. Well, I reckon being a counterfeit detective should also be taken into consideration!

Domaine Ponsot is available from Altaya.

Burgundy en Primeur 2010

What a joy to start 2012 with the tasting of some fabulous Burgundy 2010, most of it straight from the barrel and flown direct to Hong Kong, courtesy of Berry Bros & Rudd. Even better was a chat about the 2010 vintage with renowned Burgundy expert, Jasper Morris MW.

Burgundian producers did not expect 2010 to be a good vintage. The first strike was the plummet in temperature in a short space of time from -3ºC to a record low of -19ºC on 19th December 2009. Since the sap hadn’t gone back down yet, quite a number of vines were killed by the cold air, severely reducing the crop level. The second hit was bad flowering weather in May, which was cool, wet and windy, leading to small and uneven bunches, further reducing the yield. In hindsight, the small crop actually saved the vintage, because summer was not particularly great. A big crop would not have been properly ripe. Furthermore, the smaller berries increased the skin to juice ratio, leading to more concentrated wines as a result. Mother nature struck again on 12th September 2010 in the form of a massive thunder and hail storm, damaging some Chardonnay which was about to be harvested. Luckily a north wind came soon afterwards to dry the grapes, preventing the spread of rot. The harvest in mid September was carried out in sunny weather.

The end result? A classic vintage with elegance and finesse. The Pinot Noir show a perfect balance between acidity, tannin and fruit; while the whites display a density of fruit that is well-integrated with the fresh acidity. According to Jasper (and after tasting the wine I agree), the 2010 vintage is much more 'Burgundian'. 2009 may be more pleasing, but it is more 'international' than true Burgundy.

The negatives? The yield was down between 30% and 50% across the region. Given the latest enthusiasm for Burgundy, there won’t be enough to satisfy demand. Despite this, most producers have kept their prices the same as 2009’s, unlike their counterparts in Bordeaux.

Many wine lovers find it confusing to navigate the myriad labels of Burgundy. Burgundy classifications are by geographic district rather than producer. Yet, two vineyards of the same Cru status next door to each other may produce wines that seem miles apart. The quality of Burgundy wine has always been hit and miss. Jasper says this is because most Burgundian producers have traditionally been farmers who learned by on-the-job training from their fathers. Today’s young generation of producers have formal oenology training, some even have overseas vintage experience. He is seeing big improvements in quality in all categories of Burgundy wine including the regional appellation.

Jasper selected 34 wines for BBR’s 2010 Burgundy en primeur tasting. There are some real bargains. Patrick Javillier Bourgogne Blanc Cuvée Oligocène is full of life and a steal at £150 per 12 bottle case. My other favourites are the complex Domaine Jean Grivot Clos de Voueot Grand Cru (£570 for 6 bottles), the generous Maison Camille Giroud Corton Clos du Roi Grand Cru (£270 for 6) and the elegant Domaine du Comte Armand Pommard Clos des Epeneaux (£345 for 6). Visit BBR’s website for more information.