Bourgogne's Grape Revolution: The Renaissance of Aligote

Though sharing genetic material with Chardonnay, being offspring from the same parents, Pinot Noir and Gouais Blanc, Aligoté has not always enjoyed the same recognition as Chardonnay. Its lineage was already well-recognised as early as the 17th Century. A few synonyms exist including “Plant de Trois” used in Gevrey and Châtillon, with reference to its three bunches per cane. Before phylloxera, Aligoté was considered an equal to Chardonnay, and was found planted in Corton-Charlemagne and Montrachet. Though naturally vigorous as a variety, it gradually lost ground to the easier-to-cultivate Chardonnay that was producing more pleasing and accessible wine. In fact, its hardy ability to withstand the cold and tough environments had it relegated to being planted on less favourable locations, leaving the better vineyard sites in favour of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir after the ravages of phylloxera in Bourgogne. Even though there now still exist parcels of Aligoté in Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet and Pernand-Vergelesses amongst other villages, its plantings dwindled substantially, making it the second white grape variety of Bourgogne. Difficult to grow well in less favourable locations, Aligoté gained the notoriety of making tart neutral wines. At the end of the Second World War, the mayor of Dijon, Canon Félix Kir, made an effort to promote Aligoté by using the wine as the base of the eponymous cocktail, blended with a dash of Crème de Cassis to make it more palatable. He could not have anticipated that it would take three quarters of a century for Aligoté to make its comeback as a serious grape variety.

 

Perfect cheese pairing with Aligote wines from Bourgogne: Dome de Vezelay and Comte

With an area under vines of 1,800 ha, Bourgogne represents around 5% of the world’s total plantings of this variety. Elsewhere in France, only another 200 ha exist. According to “Wine Grapes” by Jancis Robinson et al, the majority of the world’s plantings are found in Eastern Europe (Ukraine, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Bulgaria and parts of Russia), with about 34,000 ha. Here the vines tend to be high yielding, thus producing wine of lesser quality. Some minor plantings can be found in Switzerland, California, Washington, Canada and Australia. To make high quality wine from Aligoté, it is important to control its yield.

Therefore, the recent renaissance of Aligoté in Bourgogne is a very welcomed development. Through the efforts of a group of dedicated growers, Aligoté is gaining traction with a new generation of Bourgogne lovers seeking wines of personality, vigour and a unique mineral expression.

 

An eager audience learning about this enigmatic variety

To celebrate the refreshed focus on Aligoté, the Bourgogne Wine Board (BIVB) kicked off the 2019 programme of live training with a special look at this long under-appreciated and misunderstood variety.

Apart from its role as a blending grape in Crémant de Bourgogne and Coteaux Bourguignons, Aligoté has its special place as the only permitted grape variety at two appellation levels in the Bourgogne hierarchy. The regional appellation of Bourgogne Aligoté was created in 1947, after a succession of laws recognising the place that this grape held in Bourgogne, a grape variety that faithfully translates the terroirs in which it is grown. Growers in the village of Bouzeron in Côte Chalonnaise understood that the terroirs in their village enabled Aligoté to be interpreted in a very unique manner and led by Aubert de Villaine, lobbied hard for this recognition by INAO. In 1979, the village name of Bouzeron was permitted to appear alongside the Bourgogne Aligoté appellation. Eventually, Bouzeron was formally awarded a village appellation in 1997 for wines made uniquely with Aligoté. At the height of its expression, Aligoté is the key varietal for a premier cru vineyard, Clos des Monts Luisants, in Morey-Saint-Denis, Côte de Nuits.

An expert from each of these three expressions of Aligoté was invited to speak about their experience with Aligoté in this edition of BIVB live training.

Sylvain Pataille explained how he started with just Gamay and Aligoté vines in 1999. He did not wish to make fruity wines, rather he wanted to make wines that spoke of terroir. He regarded Aligoté as a serious variety, that could be grown in limestone, marl or granite, in different regions. Besides the Bourgogne-Aligoté, Pataille makes 4 different cuvées of Aligoté from single vineyards. They are: the pure and saline Champ Forey, the powerful and precise Clos du Roy, the balanced and textural Auvonnes du Pépé and La Charme aux Prêtres, the ultimate expression with an intensity, complexity and minerality that is not like the others. Pataille believes in the ageing ability of Aligoté wines, and how it can develop into complex vines with 30-40 years of cellaring. When asked to compare Aligoté to an animal, he suggested “alligator”, not only for the phonetic similarity but also for the survival instincts in both grape and animal!

Pierre de Benoist of Domaine de Villaine, also admired the “wild” and “untameable” character of Aligoté by likening it to the wild horse from the Camargue, with unrestrained freedom to gallop in the wild. Bouzeron became the only village in Bourgogne to honour this variety by making it the lynchpin of its village appellation. Aligoté in Bouzeron does not taste like any other Aligoté because of the microclimates and slopes of this village and the special clone Aligoté doré.

Aligoté doré is a mutation of the Aligoté grape and has thinner skin than the original variety to allow better ripening and better balance between alcohol and acidity. Only wines made from Aligoté can be bottled as village appellation wine. When Pierre de Benoist became President of the village appellation 12 years ago, he encouraged the other growers to work with him to create a nursery to preserve the genetic material of Aligoté doré. The work based on massale sélection has allowed them to identify 11 selections of Aligoté doré that adapt best to the terroirs of Bouzeron for future plantings.

Map of Bouzeron (www.bourgogne-wines.com)

The village of Bouzeron is nestled in a dry valley, flanked on both sides by Montagne de La Folie on the east, and Montagne de L’Ermitage on the west. Vineyards adorn both hillsides of Oxfordian marl, at heights between 250 and 350 metres, thus benefiting from different exposures and the abundance of poor soils to limit the yield. To appreciate the differences, one has to taste the wines from the climats. Jean-Pierre Renard, the Official Educator of L’Ecole des Vins of BIVB, explained that climats such as La Tournelle, Les Pertuzots and Les Corcelles have a north-west exposure and vines take longer to ripen, translating into sinewy wines of greater freshness and distinct herbal complexity. On the opposite side, the climats of La Fortune, Les Clous and La Digoine for example benefit from a southeastern exposure and the morning sun, and tend to show more generosity and fuller body. Not only are the exposures different, the soil compositions vary as well. For example, Les Clous is more stoney, with more limestone, whereas Les Corcelles is more marl. While Aligoté enjoys prime hillside locations, the lower slopes are planted with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, contrary to other villages, and wine made from these two varieties could only be bottled as Bourgogne Côte Chalonnaise.


Finally, Rose-Marie Ponsot of Domaine Ponsot spoke about these special vines planted by “Uncle William” in the east-facing monopole climat of Clos des Monts Luisants, as far back as 1911. From the 2005 vintage, this premier cru has been made 100% with Aligoté grapes from vine stocks dating to 1911, despite Chardonnay and Pinot Gouges being included in this vineyard at earlier times. With cellaring, Aligoté takes on layers of complexity, almost like curry spice with iodic character, not unlike an aged Vin Jaune. Rose-Marie Ponsot shared her experience of tasting the domaine’s 1985 bottling of Clos des Monts Luisants and how it was extraordinary.



This BIVB live training finished with a tasting of 6 different expressions of Aligoté:

Bourgogne Aligoté, 2017, Domaine Catherine et Claude MARECHAL

Bourgogne Aligoté, 2016, Caves BAILLY-LAPIERRE

Bourgogne Aligoté, 2016, Domaine Manuel OLIVIER

Bourgogne Aligoté, 2015, Domaine Pierre-Louis et Jean-François BERSAN

Bouzeron, 2015, Maison Louis JADOT

Bouzeron Les Corcelles, 2016, Domaine Les Champs de Thémis

The characteristic floral, herbal and citrus scented notes were present in all six wines, with some showing more of the flinty mineral note than others. Cellar-ageing helped develop a slightly honeyed note. The two Bouzeron wines showed a rounded mouthfeel, balanced by vivacious freshness, but could both be described as youthful with much development potential. The Bouzeron Les Corcelles by Xavier Moissenet and the Domaine Bersan’s Bourgogne Aligoté received the most votes from the participants in Hong Kong, but not exclusively, with Domaine Marechal’s Bourgogne Aligoté finishing a close third.


To compensate for not being able to participate in the Q&A with Jean-Pierre (HK missed the original live session as it took place during the Chinese New Year holidays), I decided to prepare a little something extra and special to share with my guest participants. As if inspired by Rose-Marie’s comment, I brought to this tasting a bottle of 2001 Bourgogne Aligoté from the home collection to pair with a piece of Comté 18 months. The pairing was exceptional, as a beautiful Vin Jaune with some maturity would have delivered a similar effect with the nutty savoury cheese still with a fruity edge! The younger Bourgogne Aligoté was perfect with the demi-affiné Dôme de Vezelay. 

I wish to thank Berry Bros & Rudd Hong Kong for letting me host this session in their lovely tasting room.

Comte 18 months

Talking Cheese with Ivy: Who is Yanzi Wang?

Interview with Yanzi Wang, Operations Manager of Mongolian Artisan Cheesemakers Union (MACU), February 2019

Map of Mongolia (Source: geology.com)

During my training with Academie MONS, I discovered the network of MONS alumni reached as far as Mongolia, a landlocked country bordered by two giant states, China to the south and Russia to the north. With a population of around 3 million and a surface area of 1.5 million sq km, Mongolia is the most sparsely populated sovereign state in the world. About 45% of its population lives in Ulaanbaatar, one of the coldest capitals in the world. The country’s landscape is mountainous in the north and west, and dry and arid conditions from the Gobi Desert dominate the south. It is therefore not surprising that there exists very little arable land. A nation deriving from Genghis Khan’s early 13th Century Mongol Empire, today about 30% of its population is nomadic or semi-nomadic. Market economy came late to Mongolia, which only obtained its independence from China in 1921, but fell under control by the Soviet Union in subsequent years. Mongolia eventually underwent its own democratic revolutionary process in 1990, leading to a multi-party government and transition to market economy.

Yanzi Wang and her daughter Mao Mao

My curiosity about this alumnus hailing from Mongolia steered me to contact her via Sue Sturman, Academie MONS’s Anglophone Director. What I then learnt from Yanzi Wang and her husband Mike Morrow was a very inspiring story of vision, passion, survival and persistence.

Tumurkhuyag Urtnasan

It all started in 2014 when Mike was introduced to Tumurkhuyag Urtnasan, the doyen of Mongolia’s artisan cheesemaking industry and the maker of Mongolia’s most famous cheese Khustai Gouda. Tumurkhuyag has been making cheese in a remote atelier since 1995, working alone most of the year on a mountain steppe about 80 kilometres southwest of Ulaanbaatar. One important lesson in Mongolian artisan cheesemaking that Mike learnt from the cheese guru is that it needs to be practised where the animals pasture during the 100 days of summer when the mother animals are in full lactation and their young are strong enough not to require all the milk produced, thus creating a milk surplus.

Khustai Gouda

The American-Chinese couple began their year-long research into the socio-economic aspects of herding communities with the objective of identifying a feasible business model. Herder families principally derive their income from selling cashmere combed from goats in spring and selling meat and hides in the fall. During the hundred days of summer, herder incomes are low and labour is in surplus. If they could sell surplus milk for money, this would provide useful summer income and money for children’s education. By selling excess milk, the productivity of animals would be increased and herders would be encouraged to avoid overstocking and to better manage pasture conditions to improve quality and quantity of milk. This would not only improve animal husbandry practice but also help sustain the environment.

Mongolian ladies milking goats

Mongol Alatau Nomadic Pastoral Cheese Cow

Thus, Mongolian Artisanal Cheesemakers Union (MACU) was conceived in 2016, based on a networked socio-ecological entrepreneurship model. Yanzi and Mike soon realised that self-funding the business could take a long time to realise their goals and they could accelerate it by inviting a third party for capital contribution and sound business advice. Arvintsogt Ragchaa, one of the founders of Newcom Group, one of Mongolia’s most reputable business conglomerates, joined MACU as a Director in August 2017.






MACU currently has three subsidiaries, including its White Mountain Cheesemaking Plant built to international standards, and a cheese ripening facility. MACU plays multiple roles. It primarily sources investors and herders who are interested to become shareholders of cheesemaking plants. The estimated capital outlay for each cheesemaking facility is around USD 100,000-150,000, depending on location and capacity. Given the geographic spread of “sums” (districts) in Mongolia, each cheesemaking plant has different shareholders. Each MACU cheesemaking facility is committed to purchasing the milk from around 50 herders in each community at Mongolian Tugrik MNT 500 per litre (approx. USD 0.18 per litre), on the assumption that each family supplies 40 litres of milk on a daily basis during the hundred days. The price paid for milk will depend on quality of milk and animal breed. (In Mongolia, cheese can be made from the milk of cows, yaks, khainag (hybrid between cow and yak), goats, sheep and camels.) MACU’s management and technical personnel is committed to providing installation consultation, technical support and staff training to enable the cheesemaking plant to be suitably equipped and staffed to produce cheese to international standards and develop and create its own range of cheese products. MACU is committed to purchasing the freshly made cheeses, ripening them, marketing and selling them during the first five years of operation, at an agreed price. The cheeses will be sold either under the MACU brand or an independent brand. Where requested, MACU can also undertake to be the turnkey project manager and act as the initial plant manager for an arm’s length fee.

White Mountain Cheesemaking Plant

MACU’s vision is to build a network of 100 plants by 2024, with total production capacity of 1,000 tons of cheese per year (roughly 1 million kg per year). When fully operational, the plants are envisaged to employ about 500-750 people and provide summer income of USD 800 per family to about 5,000 families.



With this new source of summer income, children will have the opportunity to be educated when previously this potential income did not exist. Locals will be trained to become skilled workers and cheesemakers at each plant. MACU hopes that the prestige associated with the production of high quality products that generate meaningful income will serve to partially reverse the urban migration trend and help continue the nomadic pastoralism traditions. By-products from the cheese production can provide additional income, such as whey processing into animal feed, candy, baked goods and nutraceutical products. Herders can develop ancillary businesses to complement cheesemaking, such as honey production and production of winter fodder. In time, each “sum” will develop greater economic strength, stronger advancement opportunities for its people and a skilled and empowered workforce.



Aside from sourcing investors and building the network of cheesemaking plants, one of MACU’s most imminent tasks is developing the export markets, primarily to China and Russia, but also with Japan, Korea and Hong Kong in sight. The company is currently actively seeking distributors in these three markets. To develop export markets, MACU needs to build the brand, its credibility and consistency in quality.



Yanzi and Mike have embarked on a long and challenging journey to give socio-economic and ecological sustainability to nomadic communities and to developing Mongolia into a world-recognised producer of cheese when currently more than 95% of Mongolia’s own cheese consumption is met with imports. The journey has been fraught with challenges but also filled with rewards, rewards of being recognised by the privileged few who have had the opportunity to taste their products. The success of MACU will be Yanzi and Mike’s legacy to this landlocked country.



Yanzi is MACU’s Operations Manager and cheesemaker. She originally comes from Ying Xian 应县in Shanxi 山西 province, China. Her village is famous for the “Muta” 木塔, the tallest and oldest fully wooden pagoda in China, built in 1056 by the Khitan people, ancestors of the Mongols, when they led the Liao Dynasty. Fate had her sent to Mongolia from Beijing, where she was working in a different industry. In 2014, her husband Mike decided that cheesemaking would become the family business after his encounter with Tumurkhuyag Urtnasan. Mike had the vision but not the ‘touch’. So Yanzi took up the profession and enrolled into a number of training programmes to get up to speed in the shortest time possible. She completed most of her training in France and the UK. Her expertise is fresh, soft, bloomy rind and semi-hard cheeses. She created cheeses such as “Tsaagankhar”, “Piko” and “Larch” for the White Mountain Cheesemaking Plant’s major hotel clients, such as Ulaanbaatar’s Shangri-La and Kempinski Hotels.



I caught up with Yanzi on her return from China after the Chinese New Year holidays, while Mike had been battling with a broken septic tank, a crashed phone and an urgent need to recruit a new cheesemaker. Yanzi was very kind to share with us her background, experience and thoughts on cheesemaking for Asians.



IN: How and when did you decide to become a cheesemaker? Was there a particular incident or personality that triggered your interest in taking up this career?


YZW: I began to get interested in 2014. In 2016 we set up an experimental atelier in an abandoned student cafeteria near the Mongolian Agriculture University. We tried to train others but they did not stay. [During this experimental phase], I discovered I had a feel for the milk and my cheeses weren't so bad.



IN: Do you remember how you felt when you tasted the first cheese you made?

YZW: Being Chinese from the countryside, it was all new to me. At first, I didn't like any cheese. It was more the challenge of making cheeses that people liked that got me to begin paying attention to smell, taste and texture - especially that of Mozzarella and Brie. I discovered that I’m pretty good at it. I have a sensitive nose and acute taste buds and I can ‘feel’ the curd!



IN: Which is your favourite cheese amongst the cheeses that you make? Please tell us what it tastes like. And why it is your favourite?

YZW: I am happy with my Mozzarella and bloomy rind cheeses. But I kind of invented a semi-hard cow-milk cheese we call “Larch”. I'm still developing it. It's buttery and a little acidic when young, but gets progressively more nutty and fungal. I like to let the rind harden rough and brown like a Pecorino. It’s my favorite because I worked it up myself and I like tasting it myself, and because others like it too.

A selection of MACU cheeses

IN: Is making cheese in Mongolia very different from making cheese in Europe or US, using France, UK and USA as examples? What are the principal challenges and advantages?

YZW: I studied in France with Mons for less than a month, made Cheddar for a couple of days in England, and spent a few days visiting small cheesemakers in the US. I don't know much. We are beginners. Everything here is difficult, but also everything is open. We also have good quality whole milk directly from the animals. We have yaks, goats, sheep and camels as well as cows. Mongolia is one big grassland with various micro environments and wild grass of various kinds everywhere. It's paradise for creative cheesemakers if you can put up with all the problems and the climate, which is sunny but harsh.



IN: Historically in Europe, cheesemaking was a woman's job at the farm and the technique was passed from mother to daughter. Would you recommend cheesemaking to other women in Mongolia as a profession? Why or why not?

YZW: It is the same here. Unlike Chinese, Mongolian women have a long, rich association with milk animals, milking and making things from milk. Cheese in the European sense didn't develop because of the nomadic lifestyle and very cold and dry climate, but cheesemaking comes easily to Mongolian country women. We don't have to recommend cheesemaking to women here. Some are already making European cheeses. We are training more. More will follow naturally as artisan cheesemaking gets better established here.

Mongolian ladies milking sheep

Milking yaks and khainag

IN: As the MACU logo suggests, cheesemakers in Mongolia work with milk from different animals – goats, sheep, cows, yaks and camels. You learnt cheesemaking in France and the UK. Could you share with us how you have had to adapt certain techniques to work with different milk origins?


YZW: I personally only work with cow's milk. But even that is different. As a result of the wild, hardy grasses and the dry conditions, the cows may give only 4 liters of milk instead of the normal 40 litres, and the dry climate makes cheesemaking very different here. The milk smells stronger and earthier here. I also feel it when I run my hands through the milk. Perhaps it is because we only use whole milk to make cheese here.

Other of our [MACU] cheesemakers are making cheese with whole yak milk. It's got up to 8% butterfat. These are great cooking cheeses. Mike is busy developing cheeses from other animals with other cheesemakers, but so far I only eat them!

I make cheese at our own White Mountain cheese plant on the outskirts of Ulaanbaatar. To get yak and goat and sheep milk one has to go to other parts of Mongolia. We're working with local partners in such places. They come to White Mountain for training. Maybe this summer I will get a chance to go to them and make cheeses from other milks.

I like Pecorino so I am most interested in trying my hand at sheep milk cheeses.



IN: Which cheese do you admire the most from Europe? Why do you admire it?

YZW: I like Pecorino. It’s so many cheeses in one, changing from one to the other depending on how you age it. It also seems to change noticeably from one locale or cheesemaker to another. Also, most people seem to like it.

I make an imitation peppered Pecorino from cow's milk. We call it “Tsagaankhar” (White-Black). It is a great buffet cheese. The serving dish empties quickly. But if I teach someone else to make it, it won’t be the same cheese.

A selection of Pecorino cheeses on display at BRA

Mike Morrow

IN: What motivates you? What drives you?

YZW: Survival. My husband is crazy.



IN: Who is your hero? Is there a personality who has inspired you the most in your life? Or a cheesemaker you would like to create a cheese with?


YZW: Susan Sturman is not a cheesemaker exactly, but she arranged my training in France and helped me when I had difficulty because of the language barrier. She is an example to me of how cheesemaking can be more than a business, how it can be an activity that builds understanding and friendship from one part of the world to another.

Sue Sturman

IN: What is your vision/ambition for Mongolian cheeses?

YZW: We have worked very hard to establish Mongolian cheeses. Our goal is to develop a network of 100 cheese plants and at least 200 good cheeses.



IN: What will be your advice to fellow Mongolians or Asians who wish to enter into the cheese profession, either as a cheesemaker or cheesemonger?

YZW: Don't do it if you aren't prepared for a lot of difficulties and frustrations. Don't forget it is a business. But also make it more than a business. Focus on being as good as you can be. Quality precedes quantity in artisan cheesemaking.


IN: If you were a cheese, which one it would be? And why?

YZW: I already answered that -- a Pecorino. It's a cheese for all seasons, an interesting cheese that most people like.

Talking Cheese with Ivy Ng: Who is Myriam Bilbault?

25 January 2019 (updated on 10 July 2019):

Riding on the success of its wine bars in Paris, Hong Kong and Singapore, French-owned and operated group, Le Quinze Vins (“LQV”), opened the much-anticipated artisanal French cheese specialist, La Crèmerie, on Swatow Street, Wanchai, Hong Kong, in July 2017. With a compact temperature and humidity-controlled "cave" (aging cellar) at the back of the shop, La Crèmerie is able to offer to cheese connoisseurs a selection of cheeses, especially the soft-ripened and goat cheeses, at various stages of "affinage" (maturity). LQV has since opened another one-stop French gourmet concept on Caine Road in the Mid-Levels district, bringing French meat, cheese, more than 1,000 references of wine and other gourmet products to this rejuvenated residential neighbourhood, popular amongst the young legal and financial professionals in Hong Kong's CBD. The space features a wine bar in LQV's signature contemporary minimalist design that opened in April this year.  The group has recently introduced an online shop featuring their most popular products, available for delivery or collection at the shop). (www.lqv-group.com)

La Cremerie, Swatow Street, Wanchai

Born in 1990, Myriam Bilbault lived the first years of her life on the island of Réunion before returning to France when she was 12. Her father had taken over a farm in Limousin in 2004 and the family then settled in this region in the centre of France. Myriam pursued hospitality studies in Chamalières, near Clermont-Ferrand. After having worked a few internships at different gastronomic restaurants, she decided to return to her first passion - cheese. Having seen how little recognition is received for the extraordinary amount of hard work required on the farm, she went in search of an internship at a cheesemonger. In 2011, she started her internship at the family-owned cheesemonger Fromager Alain Michel in Annecy, an affluent French town bordering Switzerland. With some encouragement and much support from Alain, Myriam took part in a number of competitions which allowed her to learn a lot about herself and also the career in cheese. At the National Cheesemonger Championships, being part of the International Hotel, Catering, and Food Trade Exhibition (SIRHA) in January 2013 in Lyon, Myriam took home the third place as well as the title of first place in the Under 26 category.

 

The top 3 winners of the National Cheesemonger Championships in January 2013

Myriam's cheese platter that won her third place and top position in the Under 26 group

With the Certificat de Qualification Professionnel en fromagerie (“CQP”) in her hand, Myriam was ready to explore the world. In 2015, she left Annecy to travel and learn English in Australia. She worked at Spring Street Grocer in Melbourne before leaving for New Zealand where she wanted to get work in a vineyard. Fortunately for us in Hong Kong, Myriam did not stay long and was approached by LQV to take charge of their new cheese shop in Hong Kong. No persuasion needed! At age 27, Myriam readily accepted this challenging and exciting offer and landed in Hong Kong in July 2017.


Cheese Master, Myriam Bilbault CQP, speaks to Ivy Ng about her experience with cheese, her aspirations and vision.


IN: When and how did you decide to become a cheesemonger?

MB: Even though I already had experience of working with cheese alongside my father since 2004, it was not until the summer of 2011 when I started my internship at Fromager Alain Michel (La Crèmerie du Lac) that I decided I would build my career on cheese.

At the time, I was looking for an inspiration, something that would get me excited. Cheese is a living product - we never know exactly how it is going to evolve. This is what makes it so exciting in our profession. The products are never the same.

La Cremerie du Lac where Myriam cut her teeth in cheesemongering

Alain Michel

IN: What are some of the lessons you can share with young people who wish to join this industry?

MB: Just follow your dreams and ambitions. Never be afraid to go further. Whether it is this industry or another, as long as you are passionate about the product you are working with and you do your job whole-heartedly, you will be rewarded with success.

 

Myriam cherishing her recognised success in 2013

IN: Is working as a cheesemonger in Hong Kong very different from working as a cheesemonger in France or Australia?

MB: In general, people here are less well educated about cheese but they are very nice once you get to know them. It takes more work to arouse their interest and to encourage them to taste more and different cheeses. Once they have a taste of something different, they will be better persuaded to buy cheeses other than the classic ones, such as Comté or Brie. After a year and a half in Hong Kong, I have definitely noticed a change in customer purchases – there is now more diversity. Also, here people are not afraid to say they do not know – they are more humble than the customers in France or in Australia.

As for my fellow compatriots, they are much nicer than the ones in France and they are open to discuss with you! 😊 This is very refreshing!

Space is an issue in Hong Kong – it is a bit limited here. Also, it is difficult for us to source exactly what we want, whether it is equipment, grocery products or cheeses. We do not always have access to the best quality possible. As far as managing lead time for product shipment, it can be a challenge sometimes with so many different festivals and public holidays in the year.



IN: How have you found the cheese ‘palate’ of Hong Kong local customers?

MB: They used to buy mainly Comté and Brie but have begun to be interested in other less conventional selections. They have become much more open to new suggestions since we opened in July 2017. This is a positive change!



IN: Who is your hero in life? Who has inspired you the most?

MB: There are many who have guided me along the way, but I would like to say my hero in life is my father. My father is not very polished but he has always pursued what he wanted to do. He has never allowed anything to stop him from following his dreams. He has encouraged me to do what I wanted to do, to always go further even if the road can be difficult at times, and to never give up until a solution is found. He has taught me to be demanding on myself (and others!)!



IN: What is your vision for La Crèmerie and cheese in Hong Kong?

MB: I am very optimistic. I expect that we will continue to grow. I would like to go further and not stop at just Hong Kong. We need to improve on the things we do less well and continue to develop. 

Myriam about to cut a slice of Comte!

Myriam serving clients at La Cremerie

IN: What is your best cheese experience? Your best cheese and wine pairing?

MB: I want to say that my most treasured experience with cheese is tasting the fresh cheese in “faisselle” that my father makes at the farm. Otherwise, for a cheese and wine pairing, it would be a Sancerre with a Crottin de Chavignol “demi-affiné” (semi-aged).



IN: What do you do to relax when you are not working with cheese?

MB: I love walking by the seaside or going on a hike. I also go to the gym which relaxes me.



IN: Do you have a favourite cheese dish or a favourite cheese creation and why?

MB: I do not really have a favourite dish based on cheese. I like them all equally. But I do like adding cheese to my dishes, salads, etc.

As for a specialist cheese creation, I love Stilton marinated in Port wine. I like the texture of Stilton, which is a bit dry and crumbly and yet it melts so beautifully in the mouth. Port wine has notes of dried fruit and its sweetness softens the strong taste of the cheese.



IN: If you were a cheese, which one would it be and why?

MB: If I were a cheese, I would say a Tomme au Génépi – natural, a little sharp in taste, firm, aromatic, genuine with character. You either like it or not – there is no halfway!

(IN: Génépi is a herbal liqueur very popular in the Alpine regions, and it is also the plant "wormwood" of the family Artemisia that gives this liqueur the distinct aroma, flavour and colour.)
 

Tomme au Genepi

Uniquely Bourgogne: 'Extraordinary' Appellations

15 Jan 2019:  Chardonnay and Pinot Noir represent over 90% of vine plantings in Bourgogne. This special Bourgogne wine masterclass turned the spotlight on the minor grape varieties and less common appellations that rarely make it to the export market. The class of 12 students joined me in my enthusiasm to taste the selection of wines, specially selected from the cellars of Bourgogne Wine Board ("BIVB"). #bivb

A very attentive class!

The minor varieties in Bourgogne include Aligoté, Gamay, Pinot Beurot (Pinot Gris), Pinot Blanc, Sacy, Sauvignon, César, Melon de Bourgogne and others. Aligoté alone represents about 6% of plantings, which means the others together make up about 3%.

Being an offspring of the same parents as ubiquitous Chardonnay, namely Pinot Noir x Gouais Blanc, Aligoté has not enjoyed the same international reputation as its ‘sibling’. Aligoté used to be more widely planted in Bourgogne but its low commercial appeal and difficulty to grow well slowly converted most growers of Aligoté to replant with Chardonnay. Aligoté is known for its lively acidity and notes of spring meadows, straw and lemon zest, and a crisp mineral finish. With development, you may even find honey notes. Its association with the cocktail Kir may not have done it proper justice because this grape variety has a vivacity and character that should not be masked by Crème de Cassis! But there is more to Aligoté than its name suggests – we know there are at least two distinct clones of the grape variety. Aligoté Vert, the modern clonal version, is the more widely planted and higher yielding and is typically vinified into Bourgogne Aligoté. Aligoté Doré, the thinner-skinned version that allows for a more balanced expression of alcohol and acidity when ripening, is the older version and exists amongst very old vines.

Nowhere in Bourgogne is this grape variety as celebrated as in the village of Bouzeron in the Côte Chalonnaise region. The tiny appellation of Bouzeron (1998) (only 55 ha) has made the golden version of Aligoté its raison d’être. This is an appellation dedicated to Aligoté and nothing else. The Aligoté grapes here are grown on well-exposed white marly limestone upper slopes to achieve perfect ripening. The gobelet training allows the yields to be carefully controlled. (The lower slopes are for Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, sold as Bourgogne Côte Chalonnaise AOC.) Bouzeron wines have an ageing potential like no other Bourgogne Aligoté – they have been known to taste well beyond 5+ years. The perfect way to enjoy Bouzeron is with a plate of jambon persillé, but it can easily go well with a quiche and salad luncheon. Its cheese partners are Comté and CÎteaux. To celebrate the 20th anniversary of Bouzeron AOC, there is a public open day with tours around the vineyards and food/wine pairing on 14th April.

There is another high quality expression of Aligoté from the Côte de Nuits. Local, loyal practices have allowed Aligoté vines to continue to flourish from a hillside vineyard Clos des Monts Luisants, a Premier Cru Climat, in the village of Morey-Saint-Denis. Aligoté had been planted there since 1911, alongside Chardonnay and Pinot Gouges. It was not until 2005 that this monopole wine was made entirely with 100% Aligoté. This exception to the rule does not apply to other Monts Luisants white wine, which is typically based on Chardonnay. If you could get your hands on a bottle of 100% Aligoté-based Clos des Monts Luisants blanc, you would be in for a treat. The singular expression of Aligoté is so compelling here, with precision, vigour, boldness and concentration.

Gamay is synonymous with Beaujolais. Under the rule of Valois Duke Philippe the Bold, this grape variety was politically sacrificed and banned as ‘disloyal’ in 1395, making way for wider plantings of the prized Pineau-plant-fin (later known as Pinot Noir). Unbeknown to the Valois rulers at the time, Gamay does thrive better in granite soils in Beaujolais, rather than the prevalent argilo-calcaire in Bourgogne. The 1395 ban fortunately did not stretch to the Mâconnais region as the Bourgogne delimitation at the time did not stretch this far south. In certain areas of the Mâconnais we can find Gamay delivering an elegant expression when grown on granite and siliceous subsoils. Mâcon as a regional appellation can be made into white, red and rosé wines. The red and rosé wines can be made from Pinot Noir or Gamay, but Gamay typically features here. The example of Mâcon Rosé that we tried was so mineral, crisp and elegant, very unlike a Provencal rosé or one from the Loire Valley.   

Pinot Blanc and Pinot Beurot (Gris), both mutations of Pinot Noir, are permitted, for historic reasons, in a few Côte de Nuits village appellations that permit white wine, including Marsannay, Vougeot, and Nuits-Saint-Georges for the white wines. Naturally, they can also feature in Crémant de Bourgogne blends.

Sauvignon Blanc and Sauvignon Gris are the grape varieties permitted in the Saint-Bris appellation (2003) in the Auxerrois region. The terroir in Auxerrois sets this variety apart from its expression in the Loire Valley. It does not have the flinty character of the Loire Sauvignon, nor the asparagus note. Instead there is a juicy fruitiness of grapefruit and starfruit that is subtle, not overt and quite different from the more flamboyant Marlborough kiwi and passion fruit character. There is a mineral core and a saline finish that is characteristic of wines from the Kimmeridgian and Portlandian limestone soils of this northern Bourgogne region. Perfect with the goat cheeses from this region: think Charolais and Satonnay, but also saffron-flavoured dishes. Saint-Bris is mainly produced from the commune of Saint-Bris-le-Vineux, but also from the neighbouring communes of Chitry, Irancy, Vincelottes and Quenne. Total area under vines for Saint-Bris AOC is 133 ha.

César is typically a robust and vigorous variety, giving wines with deep red colour, firm tannins and intense red fruit aromas. The appellation of Irancy (1999) from the Auxerrois region permits a maximum of 10% of César to complement the lighter coloured and softer texture Pinot Noir, to give a wine that has more structure and texture in this northern region of Bourgogne. Vignerons who desire a more modern, softer, readily approachable style for their Irancy are more likely to make it with 100% Pinot Noir. (It was a shame that our wine did not contain César - it would have been an interesting illustration.) BIVB recommends Irancy as a good partner for these cheeses: Camembert, Coulommiers, Brie de Meux, Langres, Epoisses and Soumaintrain.  The producing communes are Irancy, Cravant and Vincelottes. Total area under vines for Irancy AOC is 159 ha. 

Sacy is an early-ripening white grape variety, with rather low acidity and alcohol, producing light-coloured wines. It is mainly found in the Grand Auxerrois region. Interestingly, this shares the same parents as Aligoté, Melon and Chardonnay.

Finally, Melon de Bourgogne (another Pinot x Gouais Blanc offspring) is no stranger to wine lovers familiar with Muscadet wine from the Loire Valley. It is valued for its minerality and lively acidity, and a lightness and salinity that serve so well when paired with oysters. It would appear that this grape variety had its origins in Bourgogne before migrating north to find a more faithful expression.

Therefore, this masterclass presented a very unique interest level for Bourgogne wine lovers. We also slotted in a Bourgogne Vézelay in the selection because of Vézelay’s newly promoted status as a village appellation as of 2017. We tasted a 2016 vintage – so it remained a Bourgogne Vézelay, a regional appellation. Vézelay AOC is reserved for white wines made with Chardonnay only. The wine we tasted showed a beautiful tension, mineral core and salinity at the finish that recalled the soil component of the Auxerrois region. It was elegant and sublime.

 

The selection of wines by BIVB

The wines we tasted were:

Saint-Bris, Simonnet-Febvre, 2017 (Sauvignon)

Bouzeron, Domaine Gagey, Louis Jadot, 2015 (Aligoté)

Bourgogne Vézelay L’Elégante, Domaine La Croix Montjoie, 2016 (Chardonnay)

Marsannay Les Vignes Marie, Domaine du Vieux Collège, 2015 (Chardonnay)

Mâcon Rosé, Vignerons de Mancey, 2017 (Gamay)

Irancy, Domaine de Mauperthuis, 2015 (Pinot Noir)


Each of these wines showed a distinct personality and style, whichever grape variety they were based on.  All of these wines would retail at below HK$ 200 retail per bottle if they were available in the local market. This was indeed one of the more exciting tastings I could remember, with each wine making a distinct impression, even though they all came from the same region!  Blind taste these wines on your wine-snob friends, and you might find some very interesting results!

Feasting on Italian Wines and Cheeses

2 January 2019:

Happy New Year!

Continuing with my recent love affair with Italian wines, I decided to dedicate a drinks party to Italian wines. So why not New Year’s Eve?! And to pair with the wines, I had ordered some fine Italian cheeses and cold cuts, including the very addictive truffle ham! More on the cheeses as you scroll down.

I tried to cover Italy from north to south as much as possible. The verdict is clear that Italy is a great producer of fine wines, with a tremendous diversity in styles that could suit different palates, thanks to the number of indigenous varieties, the range of soils and climates and local customs. I firmly believe the local food has a lot to do with the local wine styles.

Amongst the whites, the Timorasso Derthona by Massa probably won the all-round applause from the tasters, delivering a point of difference in terms of flavours and texture. A beautiful food wine showing honey and almond notes at this age and a smooth texture. Suavia's Monte Carbonare was an interesting showing of Garganega, with just a hint of residual off-dryness at the finish. All classic wine drinkers gravitated towards Frescobaldi's Pomino Benefizio in the familiar Chardonnay territory. The Argiolas Vermentino di Sardegna showed lovely herbal notes but the alcohol was a little on the high side.

 

As for the reds, all the 1997 bottles delivered great finesse, especially Robeto Voerzio's Barolo Brunate, the Tignanello (in magnum) showed class and harmony and the velvety texture of the Pelago (also in magnum) belies a surge of vivacity and strength that could see the wine through another decade or more. The San Leonardo was my quiet ‘Italian’ – it gathered expressiveness with time and could easily be my favourite wine of the evening. The Quintarelli Valpolicella was a quirky one to like but still found a number of admirers. The Poggio Antico Brunello Altera was a firm favourite amongst those seeking power, strength and vivacity. It was luscious and beautifully balanced at the same time. The Graci Etna Rosso was no shrinking violet and impressed all by its freshness and purity of 100% Nerello Mascalese and lack of oak treatment. The Taurasi by Terredora di Paolo was beautifully made and drinking perfectly at this age, still showing some violet character, but with some tertiary characters kicking in. (Full wine list at end of blog)

 

Now coming onto the cheeses, they were all amazing! Let’s start with the ones we might know a bit better.

 

From bottom left: Taleggio DOP, Beppino Occelli Cusie al Malto d'Orzo e Whisky, Castelmagno DOP Stagionato 3 mesi, Pecorino Riserva del Fondatore, Il Fiorino, Parmigiano Reggiano DOP 36 mesi, Gorgonzola Dolce DOP al Cucchiaio.

Taleggio DOP: This is a raw cow milk cheese produced on the mountains of Val Taleggio, Lombardia. The fresh cheese is washed to give the cheese its characteristic orange rind (with an ivory springy paste) and sweet pungent aromas. It is made with unpasteurised milk, giving the cheese a high level of flavour complexity. The pungency is more pronounced on the nose than on the palate. The creamy texture suggests a buttery sweetness in the flavours, with a tanginess and floral character. It is a gorgeous cheese to be eaten on its own, paired with Timorasso, a Nebbiolo d’Alba or a 1997 Barolo Brunate!, or melted in cooking.

The Gorgonzola Dolce DOP al Cucchiaio was absolutely heavenly. This cow milk blue cheese from Lombardia/Piemonte was rich and luxuriant. Once settled into room temperature, the creamy texture with just the delicate blue mould character simply blended into one buttery herbal dollop coating the palate with its deliciousness. I did not try this with any wine, but I could imagine a dessert wine or a Demi-Sec Champagne if you can get hold of one!

Known as the King of Piemonte cheeses, Castelmagno DOP is a cheese with a long history and a monastic origin owing the name to San Magno. Records from 1277 showed that rental of pastureland was settled with wheels of Castelmagno. In the 18th Century, it was regularly served in famous restaurants in Paris and London. Typically made with cow’s milk, but sometimes can have goat or sheep milk added. This farmstead version has been aged for 3 months (Stagionato 3 mesi) and it shows a grey rind, with an ivory coloured paste that is firm and crumbly, with herbal, floral and mineral notes. There is a long aftertaste that reminds one of a damp cellar. I paired this with the Barolo and it was marriage made in heaven.

Even more impressive was the Pecorino Riserva del Fondatore by Caseificio Il Fiorino. This award-winning Tuscan Pecorino was simply divine. It had strong and intense flavours of pineapple, grassy and herbal notes, with a persistent finish. This is a very balanced cheese, with a velvety richness that just made it so much more special. I thought the Brunello was superb with this!

The Parmigiano Reggiano DOP Stravecchio (36 months) was divinely paired with the vintage champagne. It tasted better with the 2007 Taittinger Comtes de Champagne than the drier, more mineral and chalky 2002 Jacquesson Dizy-Corne Bautray (in magnum). This cheese from Emilia-Romagna needs no introduction. This version from Agricola Giansanti di Muzio was exceptional, so packed with flavours, velvety smooth and yet nutty and spicy and the saltiness was so well integrated.

The pièce de résistance was the Beppino Occelli Cusie al Malto d’Orzo e Whisky. This nutty and piquant cheese had this most interesting appearance of a barley studded rind, and a firm but easily crumbled paste, the colour of milk coffee. Cusie is a Piemontese expression for “that which there is”. So the Cusie is usually made with whatever milk available at the time of production. However, typically it would start with milk from Alpine cows, mixed with either goat or sheep milk. This version was coated in whisky-soaked barley and aged for around 18-24 months, giving the cheese a smokey and sweet fermented taste infused with malt whisky flavours, such as fermented grains, caramel, dried fruit and marmalade. The aftertaste is distinctly spicy with a good lift of acidity. This is a gourmet cheese. I did not think it would do it justice to pair with wine. Rather a single malt with age?

This is a very exciting journey discovering Italian wines and cheeses. So glad to be on board! Salute!

Here are the wines that featured on this Italian evening:

The White Wines

Timorasso 'Derthona', Colli Tortonesi DOC, Vigneti Massa, 2014

(Timorasso, Piemonte)

Monte Carbonare, Soave Classico DOC, Suavia, 2015

(Garganega, Veneto)

Pomino Benefizio DOC, Castello di Pomino, Frescobaldi, 2014

(Chardonnay, Toscana)

IS Argiolas, Vermentino di Sardegna DOC, Argiolas, 2017

(Vermentino, Sardegna)



The Red Wines

Barolo DOCG Brunate, La Morra, Roberto Voerzio, 1997

(Nebbiolo, Piemonte)

San Leonardo, Vigneti delle Dolomiti IGT, Tenuta San Leonardo, 2004

(Approx Cabernet Sauvignon(60%)-Carmenère(30%)-Merlot(10%), Trentino)

Valpolicella Classico Superiore DOC, Quintarelli, 2003

(Corvina-Rondinella-Molinara-Others, Veneto)

Tignanello, Toscana IGT, 1997 (magnum)

(Sangiovese(85%)-Cabernet Sauvignon(10%)-Cabernet Franc(5%), Toscana)

Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Altero, Poggio Antico, 2007

(Sangiovese, Toscana)

Pelago, Marche Rosso IGT, Umani Ronchi, 1997 (magnum)

(Montepulciano (50%)-Cabernet Sauvignon(40%)-Merlot(10%), Marche)

Taurasi DOCG, Terredora di Paolo, 2007

(Aglianico, Campania)

Etna Rosso DOC, Graci, 2016

(Nerello Mascalese, Sicilia)

Becoming Gevrey-Chambertin: a village synonymous with the notion of terroir

The last edition in 2018 of BIVB Live Training by the Bourgogne Wine Board was broadcast to an eager audience in world markets on 5 December. We ended the year with one of the most famous villages of the Côte d'Or, Gevrey-Chambertin. Boasting 9 Grand Cru appellations covering 73 hectares and 26 Premier Cru climats covering 81 hectares, Gevrey is a large village in terms of surface area.  The total area under vines in Gevrey is 402 ha, compared to 112 ha in Morey-Saint-Denis or 150 ha in Chambolle-Musigny.  At Gevrey, the Premier Cru production is about 20% of the total production of the village.  Only one colour (red) is permitted here, and with a single variety, Pinot Noir.

Traces of vines planted on the plains dating to the 1st Century were uncovered in the village in 2008. Vines were not planted on slopes until the monastic communities became involved in viticulture and winemaking in the 6th and 7th Centuries. An abbey built in the village in 630 CE, at the location of Bèze, received donations of vineyards, one of which was to become Clos de Bèze. The abbey of Cluny which was created in 909 CE also received vineyards in Gevrey and built a château here. During the 16th and 17th Centuries, the vinous reputation of Bourgogne was defined by the wines of Dijon and Beaune. Then in the late 18th Century, the wines of Chambertin and Clos de Bèze began to sell for more prices than those of the Dijon wines. This prompted the village to devise an initiative to boost the reputation of the village wines. In 1847, the village name was changed from Gevrey to Gevrey-Chambertin. This ingenious and effective initiative was followed by Chambolle and other villages.

To understand the diversity of this prestigious village, Jean-Pierre Renard, the Official Educator of the L'Ecole des Vins of BIVB, guided us through an explanation of the geology of Gevrey-Chambertin. Essentially, the geology of Gevrey is defined by the presence of two combes (closed-end valleys) which cut through the escarpment of the Côte de Nuits. They are Combe Lavaux, which is the largest combe in the Côte de Nuits, forming an alluvial fan of 2 - 3 metres into the plain, and the smaller Combe Grisard.

 

Source: www.bourgogne-wines.com

It is possible to divide Gevrey into three zones. The first zone starts from the northern side of the Combe Lavaux, continuing along a semi-circular slope into the village of Brochon. (Note that despite being a winemaking village, Brochon is not entitled to its own village appellation. Therefore, the vineyards on the southern side of Brochon, abutting Gevrey, are classified as Gevrey village vineyards. Those at the northern end are classified as either Fixin village wines or Côte de Nuits-Villages wines.) For this first Gevrey zone, vines are planted from 280 metres to around 380 metres near the climat of Combe Aux Moines. The vines either face fully south near Combe Lavaux to fully east at Brochon. The soils are rich in limestone and clay. The vineyards near the top of the slope often have very thin topsoil of marl, around 30 cm. The mid-slope is largely formed from a stratum of crinoidal limestone from the Middle Jurassic period, whereas near the bottom of the slope, it can be around 60 cm of topsoil on marl. Renard noted the presence of fossiled marl from the Bajocian period, Marnes à Ostrea acuminata , at the Premier Cru climats of Clos Saint-Jacques, Lavaux and Poissenot. The soil's high mineral content or its accessibility to minerals for vine roots explains the finesse and structure of these wines.


The second zone largely consists of the alluvial fan that is formed by the Combe Lavaux. At places, the top soil lies above Comblanchien limestone several metres deep that offers good drainage properties.  This area accounts for over 50% of Gevrey's production.


The third zone begins from the southern side of the Combe Lavaux, following the hillside curve where the Grand Cru appellations are located, and finally stretching to the border with Morey-Saint-Denis.  Most of these vineyards face east, with some village appellation near the top of Combe facing north east.  The altitudes are from 260 metres to 300 metres for the Grand Cru climats stretching to 340 metres for the Bel Air climat.  A number of prestigious premier cru climats are located near the Grand Cru appellations, including Champonnet, Le Fonteny, Les Corbeaux, La Petite Chapelle and Aux Combottes. The presence of  Marnes à Ostrea acuminata is noted here, in particular in the climat of Chambertin.  

Jean-Pierre Renard, L'Ecole des Vins de Bourgogne, BIVB

Renard gave us an interesting illustration of the notion of terroir. Near the exit of Combe Lavaux, the vineyards on the southern side are less sheltered from the winds and face north east.  As a result, Combe de Lavaux and Les Marchais are only classified as village appellation lieux-dits, whereas the vineyards that are on the opposite side of the Combe face fully south and they are classified as Premier Cru climats, for example, Les Verroilles, Lavaux Saint-Jacques, Poissenot and Etournelles.

Grégory Patriat, winemaker of Maison Jean-Claude Boisset, added to the demonstration of the notion of terroirs by talking about his two favourite Premier Cru climats, Lavaux Saint-Jacques and Les Cazetiers. Both are located in the first zone described above, and separated by a few hundred metres. Lavaux is a south-facing climat and generally the vines are harvested earlier here than for Les Cazetiers. There is a higher limestone content and thus explains the greater finesse and elegance of the wines, perhaps a more feminine style with more fruit-forward aromas, such as dark berries and spices.  At Les Cazetiers, whose name refers to a little castle, there is more clay in the soil and the wine here is more restrained and structured,showing silky but firm tannins.  The style is much more masculine, with perhaps a greater ageing potential than Lavaux.  The wines of Gevrey can age very well. Patriat recalled opening a bottle of 1969 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Bel Air a week ago for a client and the almost 50-year-old wine still showed vibrancy and no sign of deterioration. 

Gregory Patriat, Maison JC Boisset (source: www.jcboisset.com)

Of the 26 premier cru climats, Renard highlighted some renowned ones including Aux Combottes, Les Cherbaudes, Les Corbeaux, Clos Saint-Jacques, Champonnet, Les Cazetiers and Champeaux.  He also remarked that a number of winemakers had started to indicate on the labels the lieu-dit for some village level production.  Some noteworthy lieu-dit names include Les Corvées, Les Etelois, Les Jeunes Rois and En Songe. 

A village with so much prestige to its name has only the reputation of its wines to defend and sustain. The current generation is working hard at ensuring the quality of the soils.  Nicolas Rossignol of Domaine Rossignol-Trapet mentioned the increased use of ploughing to work the soils and control the vegetative growth around the vines, to give the soils better aeration and improved organic content of the topsoil. The village now has about 8 domaines certified organic or biodynamic, evidence that the growers are keen to preserve nature for the sustainability of this prestigious heritage.

Source: www.bourgogne-wines.com

This unique delivery of masterclass finished with a tasting of six wines, from one village lieu-dit and six premier cru climats of Gevrey.  In fact the lieu-dit is Clos Prieur, which is partly a village lieu-dit and partly a premier cru, below Mazis-Chambertin.  

The six wines were:

Gevrey-Chambertin Clos Prieur, 2016, Domaine Marc Roy

Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru les Cherbaudes, 2015, Domaine des Beaumont

Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru Clos du Chapitre, 2015, Nuiton-Beaunoy

Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru Lavaux Saint-Jacques, 2016, Domaine Harmand-Geoffroy

Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru Les Champeaux, 2016, Domaine Henri Magnien

Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru Les Cazetiers, 2016, Domaine Henri Magnien

Being faithful expressions of their climats and vintages, the six wines all varied in styles. Some showed more violet and darker fruit, others more red fruit and roses. Oak was overall very well-managed and was nicely integrated, even for the three younger Premier Cru wines from 2016.  All three wines showed an invigorating freshness and a classic vibrancy, while flaunting some lovely ripe fruit, a generous mid-palate and long finish.  It was indeed difficult for us to choose a favourite. However, the most votes did go to the Lavaux Saint Jacques by Domaine Harmand-Geoffroy, followed by the Les Cazetiers by Domaine Henri Magnien.  Les Champeaux by Domaine Henri Magnien and Les Cherbaudes by Domaine des Beaumont shared an equal third. 

Kudos to this new generation of winemakers in Gevrey for having made these high quality and expressive wines. Their work has enabled us to appreciate the nuances of the climats and the rich diversity of Gevrey-Chambertin. Gevrey was a village made by the prestige of Chambertin but its future is a living tale of application, sensibility and persistence of its men and women.

Thank you BIVB for allowing me to host this masterclass and to share this experience with our trade and media friends in Hong Kong. #BIVBRDV