Bourgogne in November 2013 - Part 1

16 - 24 Nov 2013: We’re back in Bourgogne……every year we notice a few changes to this very charming and special region and we learn some new things about Bourgogne wines.  I landed at CDG on the Saturday morning and just made it in time for the Hospices de Beaune pre-auction tasting at the Hôtel Dieu.  We tasted some very young but promising 2013s, some of which still hanging onto a bit of residual sugar yet to be fermented out.   Having been totally dumbfounded by the extraordinary prices for the brilliant 2012 vintage, we still found it hard to believe the stellar prices the auction fetched this year: a total sales value of EUR 5.77 million for 443 barrels, representing a 27% increase in value per average barrel (28% increase for reds and 20% increase for whites), despite a 15% decrease in total volume.  The Pièce de Président (456 litres) went for the grand price of EUR 131,000 (last year it went for EUR 270,000)!  The Meursault-Genevrières Cuvée Philippe Le Bon did taste very well but at this price, this would easily put a bottle of this wine at well over EUR 450, after factoring in costs of élevage, auction premium and transportation, etc.  This very charitable act would benefit two very worthy causes: L’Association Petits Princes and L’Association Beaunoise des Papillons Blancs….even if this stunning price almost rivalled that of a bottle of Montrachet by a good producer?!  

The direction of this auction may have left us behind……perhaps….but there is a piece of Bourgogne for everyone.  We are now ever more encouraged to discover lesser-known appellations which offer great price-quality relationship and younger growers who are getting increasing recognition for the improving quality of their wines with every vintage.  Bourgogne is as diverse as the terroirs and the people behind who work to preserve the character of the terroirs through their own individual expressions……this for me is the ‘Inimitable Bourgogne’.

For those interested in discovering the lesser known appellations, I highly recommend Givry, Montagny, Mercurey, Pernand-Vergelesses, Savigny-lès-Beaune, Marsannay, Ladoix-Serrigny and Auxey Duresses.  Another thing we noticed on this trip was how approachable young Burgundies are, we had some rather tasty 2010s and 2011s.  Some very interesting examples that we tasted on this trip included: 2010 Mercurey Blanc 1er Cru Croichots, Bruno Lorenzon (well balanced, with a lovely minerality and spiciness, ripe peach, and clean finish); 2011 Auxey Duresses, Maréchal  (lovely juicy Pinot with very pure red fruit and underbrush character, and a nice refreshing lift at finish – an alternative to a Beaujolais Cru?); 2011 Pernand-Vergelesses Blanc 1er Cru Le Clos du Village, Rapet (great balance and lush mouthfeel, balanced by crisp acidity and finishes with superb minerality); 2010 Pernand –Vergelesses Blanc 1er Cru Sous Frétille , Rapet (good grip and balance, soft mouthfeel embodying finesse and elegance, crisp minerally finish); 2010 Santenay Blanc, Borgeot (lovely crispness plus rounded mouthfeel, some complexity with a hint of oak and a minerally finish); 2011 Rully, Vincent Dureuil-Janthial (needing a little more time to come together but very appealing, with a bit more ‘gras’ than the typical Rully, quite close to the Côte de Beaune style)  and a 2011 Mercurey 1er Cru La Cailloute, Theulot Juillot (crispy red fruit with a good grip).

For the appellation of Givry, we went for a very good tasting at Domaine Masse Père et Fils which produces 50% Givry and 50% Bourgogne from 11 hectares of land (the wines are made by Fabrice, nephew of Monsieur Roland Masse, winemaker of the Hospices de Beaune). Tasting through 2011 through 2013 (with the 2012s just bottled)…the wines all showed good expression of the vintage characteristics, as well as purity of fruit and balance, with freshness, vibrancy, elegance and the top cuvée showing layered complexity.  Highly recommend the Givry 1er Cru En Veau (with vines that are just 6 years old but showing great potential) and the Givry 1er Cru Champ Lalot (an excellent top drop of Givry 1er Cru).  The 2003 Champ Lalot that we tasted at the end was still remarkably fresh and vibrant.

How did the 2012s taste?  I’m afraid it is shaping up to be yet again ANOTHER GREAT VINTAGE!  We tasted at a few domaines…..admittedly most of them from Côte de Nuits, but the quality has been very consistent, and the small millerandé fruit gave a very fine structure, silky tannin, refreshing acidity, wonderful balance, aromatic complexity and with the greatest wines, a very long finish to the wine.   At least from the reds that I tasted, this seems to be a vintage that will be able to be approached readily with a long ageing potential for the best wines!  We need to come back to taste some whites to see how they compare with the 2011s. It is possible that some white wine domaines probably did better in 2011 than 2012.  In any case, with the much lower volume (generally 30 to 60% less depending on region and appellation, and being the 3^rd successive small vintage and with a fourth in view for some appellations), there will be no bargains…..

Snow arrived while we were in Bourgogne.....and everything looked rather magical!

View from our room at Le Montrachet in the morning, fresh from the overnight snow fall.....