Chiroubles may occupy the lightweight end of the Cru Beaujolais spectrum, but in a vintage as warm as 2019, that means it offers elusive balance. There’s nothing lightweight about today’s cuvée, which combines bright floral precision with inky, juicy gamay density.
Burgundy is where Chardonnay finds its finest expression. In cold climates, the grape can be acidic and thin; in hot climates, it runs the risk of high alcohol and over extraction. But in Burgundy, Chardonnay has the potential to strike its most elegant balance between soft, mouthfilling fruit, and crisp, refreshing acidity.
New winemakers in Burgundy are hard to come by. It’s a tiny region, and between small harvests, ever increasing demand, and well-established importers, it can seem there’s nothing new to discover.
Beaujolais is the source of plenty of uninteresting wines. Fully a third of the region’s production is the Beaujolais Nouveau, a cheap insipid red rushed to market a month after harvest. But the rest of the region contains many highly undervalued wines, some in the same class of top wines from the north of Burgundy.
Maranges is the Côte d’Or’s forgotten appellation. In the past it was known for its unrefined, tannic wines -- Burgundians used to call it “le medecin” (the doctor) because some secretly blended it into thinner Côte d’Or reds to bulk up weak vintages.
White Burgundy is among the best food-pairing wines around. It works at the high end – an ageworthy Meursault, a rich dish of veal in cream, etc. But it answers the call for something uncomplicated and reliable -- a hearty bowl of mussels, chicken thighs on the grill.
It’s starting to feel like Fall again -- football is back, there’s a chill in the air, and pumpkins are popping up at the market. Chez nous, the change in seasons means a change in our wine habits -- a shift towards bottles that are richer, redder, and more robust. But most importantly, autumn means Beaujolais.
If we were to sum up Thomas Morey’s wines in one word, it would be “precise.” Much like the man himself -- wire rim glasses, serious demeanor, Zalto stemware in his tasting room -- Morey’s wines offer crystalline elegance, with not one hair out of place. Each cuvée conveys its terroir with honesty and clarity.
Romain Collet took over his family’s fines in 2008, and has since made great strides. Having introduced organic farming, natural yeasts, and a lighter hand in the cellar, the Domaine Collet has regained its once lofty status among sources for high-end Chablis.
Of the 12,000 acres of vineyards planted in Chablis, only 250 acres (2%) qualify as Grand Cru. And of these, most consider the “Les Clos” the finest. As Clive Coates MW puts it, Les Clos is “Chablis at its very, very finest.”
Michel Gros is a quiet, humble vigneron whose wines are world famous. Having directed every vintage at his family’s winery for 45 years, his knowledge of Burgundian terroir is deep and intimate. His relatively interventionist style stands out today amid today’s laissez-faire winemaking, but his skill in the vines and cellar is unparalleled, and the results are consistently superb.
Harvest began in much of Burgundy last week, the earliest in a century. It’s a good reminder that even with all the advancements in measurement and technology, winemakers remain subject to the whim of Mother Nature -- if the grapes are ripe a month ahead of normal, the picking must start.
Cyril Gautheron is a 6th generation winemaker who approaches his winemaking with fanatical precision. He farms over 65 different plots of vines across the Chablis appellation, and vinifies each in its own separate tank. His obsession results in perfectly-calibrated cuvées.
Romain Collet’s lineup of 2018 Chablis is delicious. From their simple Vieilles Vignes to the magnificent Grand Cru Les Clos, Romain Collet handled the warm vintage with expert control, finding perfect balance and freshness in every cuvée.
Pouilly-Fuissé was once the darling of American wine drinkers -- fun to pronounce, rich and voluptuous in texture. Popularity bred overproduction, and quality suffered in the 80s. But in the last few decades local winemakers have begun to reclaim the wine, and today Jasper Morris calls it “the most dynamic white wine appellation in Burgundy.”