Burgundy
Burgundy produces some of the most regal Grand Cru and Premier Cru wines in the world. With 100 different appellations, myriad individual vineyards and more than 3,000 individual producers, around 15 million cases are produced there annually from 26,500ha of vines. Burgundy has five sub-regions: Chablis in the Yonne department; the Côte de Nuits and Côte de Beaune in the Côte d'Or; and the Chalonnais and Mâconnais in the Saone-et-Loire.
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Domaine du Colombier, Chablis,
Ready, but will keep,
The warm and luminous 2018 growing season has lent a touch of generosity to our Chablis. It is a blend of four different vineyard parcels in Chichée, a village renowned for producing fresh, mineral wines. Fermented and aged in stainless steel to preserve the wine’s crisp, citrus fruit and steely freshness, this classically styled Chablis is a perfect match for seafood and fresh cheeses.
Adam Bruntlett, Wine Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd
Adam Bruntlett, Wine Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd
Benjamin Leroux,
Ready, but will improve,
Our Bourgogne Côte d’Or Pinot Noir is a new addition to our own-label range, made from 100 percent Côte d’Or fruit to obtain this prestigious new appellation (which only came into existence from the 2017 vintage). The fruit is in fact declassified Chorey-lès-Beaune, from very old vines and sourced with the help of star négociant Benjamin Leroux exclusively for Berry Bros. & Rudd. Unsurprisingly, the wine offers remarkable complexity, with pretty, floral top-notes accompanying the charming red-berry fruit. Elegant and delicate, this is Burgundian Pinot Noir in its most elemental expression.
Adam Bruntlett, Wine Buyer
Adam Bruntlett, Wine Buyer
Olivier Merlin,
Ready, but will keep,
A blend from a number of excellent vineyard sites in the villages of Chaintré and Vergisson, we have worked again with the renowned “wizard of the Mâconnais” Olivier Merlin to create this benchmark Pouilly-Fuissé. Generous stone-fruit ¬flavours combine with a saline minerality and toasty oak notes to give a poised and restrained white Burgundy, one which will pair beautifully with seafood risotto.
Adam Bruntlett, Win Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd
Adam Bruntlett, Win Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd
Olivier Merlin,
Ready, but will keep,
The fruit for our Pouilly-Fuissé comes from a number of excellent vineyards across the villages of Vergisson and Chaintré. Olivier Merlin’s skilful winemaking draws together the various elements to create a wine which offers generous peach and apricot flavours, underpinned by a crystalline thread of electric acidity, and rounded out by smoky oak and a satisfying, stony finish. An ideal partner for salmon quiche or cheese soufflé.
Adam Bruntlett, Wine Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd
Adam Bruntlett, Wine Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd
Domaine Rossignol-Trapet,
Ready, but will keep,
This Gevrey-Chambertin is made for us by the organic Rossignol-Trapet family, who select the fruit from parcels scattered across the village. Beautiful pale ruby in colour and with a charming bouquet of red berry fruits, it is a seductive prospect. But don't be fooled by the delicate nose, the palate has genuine power and an unerring poise and purity. The finely-honed structure makes this an excellent match for game, as well as lighter red meat dishes like roast lamb.
Adam Bruntlett, Wine Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd
Adam Bruntlett, Wine Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd
Benjamin Leroux,
Ready, but will keep,
The fruit for our 2017 Nuits-St Georges comes from 50-year-old vines in three different vineyards. Les Fleurières, to the south of the village, provides spice and dark cherry fruit, while Aux Herbues and Aux St Jacques, both near the border with Vosne-Romanée, provide juicy red fruit and floral perfume. The result is a delicious and charming expression of this famous village; the delicately floral nose offers hints of fragrant spice and subtle wafts of kirsch, while the palate is expressive with generous cranberry fruit, sweet vanilla oak and a crunchy, salivating finish. Drink now to 2024.
Adam Bruntlett, Wine Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd
Adam Bruntlett, Wine Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd
Domaine Rossignol-Trapet,
Ready, but will keep,
Made by Rossignol-Trapet, our 2016 Gevrey-Chambertin is made with fruit from 10 organically farmed, old-vine plots. The old vines provide both concentration and balance, while the varied locations of the parcels give a true expression of the village. A bouquet of vibrant redcurrant and flowers seduces, while the palate is packed with sweet cherry fruit and subtle spice, finishing on a precise and mineral finish. Try it with roast lamb or mushroom Wellington.
Adam Bruntlett, Wine Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd
Adam Bruntlett, Wine Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd
Domaine Patrick Javillier,
Ready, but will improve,
Our 2017 Meursault comes from a selection of vineyards from across the village, including the well-regarded Murgers de Monthélie and Les Clous. Raised completely in oak barrels to give smoky aromas and the hallmark buttered toast notes of classic Meursault, this wine has broad shoulders and rich stone-fruit flavours which are complemented by a racy, saline finish.
Adam Bruntlett, Wine Buyer
Adam Bruntlett, Wine Buyer
Domaine du Colombier, Chablis,
Ready, but will keep,
Our 2017 Chablis comes from two separate vineyards in the village of Chichée, renowned for its classically steely character. The small but excellent 2017 vintage has given a wine with a harmonious balance between ripe orchard fruits and crisp, refreshing mineral notes. Fermented and raised completely in tank, this is a benchmark expression of Chablis, one which is equally at home as an aperitif or with seafood or a goats cheese salad.
Domaine des Deux Roches,
Ready, but will keep,
This excellent example of unoaked white Burgundy comes from our friends at Domaine des Deux Roches. Its fresh, citrussy character owes much to the north-westerly aspect of the vineyard, which ensures the grapes here ripen slowly and retain plenty of acidity. Winemaker Jean-Luc Terrier (a committed gastronome) suggests pairing it with shellfish, creamy chicken dishes or goats’ cheese. Drink now to 2020.
Will Heslop, Burgundy Buying Assistant (summer 2019)
Will Heslop, Burgundy Buying Assistant (summer 2019)
Domaine des Gerbeaux,
Ready, but will keep,
This is an elegant, mineral St Véran, which gives little indication of the long, dry summer that characterised the 2018 vintage. It was raised in stainless steel, rather than oak, and bottled early (in March 2019) to emphasise its vibrant acidity and fresh, white-fruit aromas. It will gain texture and complexity in bottle, but is tough to resist now as an apéritif, or perhaps paired with a Caesar salad. Drink now to 2022.
Will Heslop, Burgundy Buying Assistant (spring 2019)
Will Heslop, Burgundy Buying Assistant (spring 2019)
Heritiers du Comte Lafon,
Ready, but will keep,
The 2018 crop was generous in the Mâconnais, but there was no negative effect on the quality of the wines – quite the opposite, in fact, in the case of the Mâcon-Villages from Les Héritiers du Comte Lafon, which contains de-classified fruit from some of the region’s most celebrated vineyards. As ever, this wine’s calling card is zippy acidity and a citrus-fruit attack segueing into richer stone-fruit notes on the mid-palate. A proportion of the ’18 was aged for six months in large oak foudres, contributing extra complexity and texture. A luxurious apéritif, it also pairs brilliantly will all manner of dishes from tandoori chicken to salmon and asparagus quiche. Drink now to 2022.
Will Heslop, Burgundy Buying Assistant (summer 2019)
Will Heslop, Burgundy Buying Assistant (summer 2019)
Olivier Merlin,
Ready, but will improve,
The vines here are relatively young, having mostly been planted since Olivier and Corinne set up the domaine in the late 1980s. This youthful vigour gives the wine an impressive freshness and fruitforward approachability. Fermented and raised entirely in tank, this shows the purity and vibrancy of Chardonnay, with a pleasant citrus bitterness on the finish. Drink 2018-2020.
Adam Bruntlett, Burgundy Buyer
Olivier and Corinne Merlin have been established in the Mâconnais village of La Roche Vineuse since 1987. Over the years they have bought the domaine which they originally rented, built a new cuverie, planted new vineyards locally and spread out into further appellations such as Pouilly-Fuissé and Moulin-à-Vent. Theirs has been one of the great success stories of the modern Mâconnais. They expect to be joined shortly by sons Théo and Paul. Having made his first wines in 1987, this year represents Olivier’s 30th vintage in La Roche Vineuse. It is fair to say that in this time he has contributed much to raising standards in the Mâconnais. Proof of his great skill as a winemaker came in the form of a bottle of 1990 Mâcon La Roche Vineuse Vieilles Vignes, a highlight of a lunch at Berry Bros. & Rudd in July to mark Jasper Morris’s retirement.
Adam Bruntlett, Burgundy Buyer
Olivier and Corinne Merlin have been established in the Mâconnais village of La Roche Vineuse since 1987. Over the years they have bought the domaine which they originally rented, built a new cuverie, planted new vineyards locally and spread out into further appellations such as Pouilly-Fuissé and Moulin-à-Vent. Theirs has been one of the great success stories of the modern Mâconnais. They expect to be joined shortly by sons Théo and Paul. Having made his first wines in 1987, this year represents Olivier’s 30th vintage in La Roche Vineuse. It is fair to say that in this time he has contributed much to raising standards in the Mâconnais. Proof of his great skill as a winemaker came in the form of a bottle of 1990 Mâcon La Roche Vineuse Vieilles Vignes, a highlight of a lunch at Berry Bros. & Rudd in July to mark Jasper Morris’s retirement.
Olivier Merlin,
Ready, but will improve,
This wine shows the quality of this excellent, chalky site. The nose is smoky and spicy, with a little oak showing. The fruit is rich and dense on entry, with some complex floral notes too, but what is most impressive is the tension and acidity of this wine, which finishes on a chalky note as though sucking on a stone. Drink 2020-2025.
Olivier is taking many steps to counteract the warmer summers and earlier harvests; managing the canopy to protect grapes from sunburn, using late-ripening rootstocks, reducing the amount of new oak he uses to keep the wines feeling fresher, and bringing harvest dates forward to retain acidity. The 2017 crop is around 15 percent down due to the dry summer which stressed the grapes. Picking began on 27th August and Olivier feels the wines are a little richer than 2016, but still with very good balance and well-integrated oak.
Olivier is taking many steps to counteract the warmer summers and earlier harvests; managing the canopy to protect grapes from sunburn, using late-ripening rootstocks, reducing the amount of new oak he uses to keep the wines feeling fresher, and bringing harvest dates forward to retain acidity. The 2017 crop is around 15 percent down due to the dry summer which stressed the grapes. Picking began on 27th August and Olivier feels the wines are a little richer than 2016, but still with very good balance and well-integrated oak.
Domaine la Croix Montjoie,
Ready, but will keep,
Domaine la Croix Montjoie was established in 2009, and was named after the crossroads of Vézelay, which lies between Chablis and Beaune. The estate has 10 acres of vineyards overlooking the basilica and the foothills of the Morvan. The vineyards and building management are family run, with the help of close friends, and all are involved in the on-going development of the business.
This characterful Crémant de Bourgogne is made predominantly from Chardonnay, with a proportion of Pinot Noir, Gamay and Aligoté thrown in for good measure and additional complexity. It has an altogether enticing quality, from the bouquet of white flowers through to the deliciously rounded palate: undeniably charming – in fact, disarmingly moreish.
This characterful Crémant de Bourgogne is made predominantly from Chardonnay, with a proportion of Pinot Noir, Gamay and Aligoté thrown in for good measure and additional complexity. It has an altogether enticing quality, from the bouquet of white flowers through to the deliciously rounded palate: undeniably charming – in fact, disarmingly moreish.
Domaine Naudin-Ferrand,
Ready, but will keep,
This is the second vintage of Claire’s fabulous Gamay, made from grapes grown by her friends in the Allier département (Auvergne). So pleased was Claire with the 2016 – born of necessity when her vines in the Hautes-Côtes were severely frosted – that she repeated the experiment. In our view, the ’17 is even better. It’s slightly hazy in the glass and brick red in colour. The nose is intensely varietal, with red berry and floral aromas to the fore. As for the palate, it’s ever so slightly spritzy, but clean as a whistle. This isn’t a wine for laying down, or one to savour over consecutive nights – no, it’s an exceptionally expressive, energetic wine to drink with great gusto but minimal ceremony. Drink now to 2020.
Adam Bruntlett, Buyer (summer 2019)
Adam Bruntlett, Buyer (summer 2019)
Olivier Merlin,
For laying down,
This is from young vines which come from cuttings of old Pinot Fin taken from the Clos des Epeneaux around 20 years ago. The class of the plant material shows on the nose, which is packed with pretty red berries. The palate is nice and juicy, with lots of ripe strawberry and cherry fruit, and chalky tannins. Drink 2019-2024.
Olivier is taking many steps to counteract the warmer summers and earlier harvests; managing the canopy to protect grapes from sunburn, using late-ripening rootstocks, reducing the amount of new oak he uses to keep the wines feeling fresher, and bringing harvest dates forward to retain acidity. The 2017 crop is around 15 percent down due to the dry summer which stressed the grapes. Picking began on 27th August and Olivier feels the wines are a little richer than 2016, but still with very good balance and well-integrated oak.
Olivier is taking many steps to counteract the warmer summers and earlier harvests; managing the canopy to protect grapes from sunburn, using late-ripening rootstocks, reducing the amount of new oak he uses to keep the wines feeling fresher, and bringing harvest dates forward to retain acidity. The 2017 crop is around 15 percent down due to the dry summer which stressed the grapes. Picking began on 27th August and Olivier feels the wines are a little richer than 2016, but still with very good balance and well-integrated oak.
Olivier Merlin,
Ready, but will improve,
Located in the south of Burgundy, the Mâconnais is an excellent source of good-value white wine, typically offering a sunnier and fruitier style of Burgundy. Olivier Merlin set up his domaine from scratch in the late 1980s with his wife, Corinne. He quickly established himself as one of the best winemakers in the region.
Vibrant pale lemon in colour, this wine sees between 10 and 15% new oak during the élevage, which serves to add a touch of complexity and breadth to the vibrant citrus fruit. There is excellent concentration and a focused, mineral purity which shines through. Drink now to 2022.
Vibrant pale lemon in colour, this wine sees between 10 and 15% new oak during the élevage, which serves to add a touch of complexity and breadth to the vibrant citrus fruit. There is excellent concentration and a focused, mineral purity which shines through. Drink now to 2022.
Sebastien Magnien,
Ready, but will improve,
The Clos de la Perrière is one of the outstanding sites of the Hautes Côtes de Beaune, facing south on stony and shallow soil. The nose has a lovely, lifted perfume which leads on to a textured palate packed with pure red-cherry fruit and dense tannins. This will truly hit its stride with a few years in bottle. Drink 2020-2024.
A short tour of one of Sébastien Magnien’s vineyards tells all you need to know about his philosophy; each vine is perfectly manicured, with not a leaf out of place. This attention to detail is reflected in his wines, which are precise, steely and mineral. Sébastien’s choice of picking date is guided by acidity rather than sugar levels, putting the emphasis on freshness. He declared himself very happy with 2017, comparing the white wines to 2014 but with perhaps a touch more flavour ripeness, and praising the accessible, moreish character of the reds.
A short tour of one of Sébastien Magnien’s vineyards tells all you need to know about his philosophy; each vine is perfectly manicured, with not a leaf out of place. This attention to detail is reflected in his wines, which are precise, steely and mineral. Sébastien’s choice of picking date is guided by acidity rather than sugar levels, putting the emphasis on freshness. He declared himself very happy with 2017, comparing the white wines to 2014 but with perhaps a touch more flavour ripeness, and praising the accessible, moreish character of the reds.
Michele & Patrice Rion,
For laying down,
Situated just above the vineyards of Nuits-St Georges, Les Dames Huguettes is at an altitude of 300 to 450 metres, giving the wine a vivacious freshness and vibrancy. The fruit is crunchy with a cool freshness, chalky tannins and a touch of spice which gives a nod to Nuits. Drink 2019-2024.
Patrice explains that the hard work they did at the start of the year in pruning short and carrying out a severe de-budding, as well as a little green harvesting on younger vines, paid dividends in terms of avoiding excessive yields and consequent dilution. The dry and warm conditions towards the end of the season allowed them the luxury of choosing when to harvest, in fact beginning on 9th September. Patrice compares the vintage to 1979 and 1989, highlighting the wines’ impeccable balance and freshness (the latter he prefers over power) as particular strengths. Our notes indicate whether the wines are domaine or négoce bottlings.
Patrice explains that the hard work they did at the start of the year in pruning short and carrying out a severe de-budding, as well as a little green harvesting on younger vines, paid dividends in terms of avoiding excessive yields and consequent dilution. The dry and warm conditions towards the end of the season allowed them the luxury of choosing when to harvest, in fact beginning on 9th September. Patrice compares the vintage to 1979 and 1989, highlighting the wines’ impeccable balance and freshness (the latter he prefers over power) as particular strengths. Our notes indicate whether the wines are domaine or négoce bottlings.
Adam Bruntlett, Wine Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd