2011 Nuits-St Georges Blanc, Les Argillats, Domaine Guyon, Burgundy

Domaine Guyon

The excellent Domaine Guyon in Vosne Romanée has been below most people’s radar – perhaps because Jean-Pierre Guyon spends as much of his time as possible out in the vineyards, which have been farmed organically since 2006, certified from 2012.  This is a hugely exciting addition to the Berry Bros. & Rudd range, the wines wowed Jasper Morris MW when he first discovered them.  The wines are extraordinarily good, yet are priced very sensibly indeed, a winning combination.

With his high pedigree viticulture as a great starting point, Jean-Pierre can employ whole bunch fermentation as the stalks are ripe, eschewing the use of sulphur at this stage (though some is added later during elevage and at bottling to assure stability). Another point of Guyon’s meticulous care is the use of a vertical press before the juice goes to barrel for 12 months, before racking into older wood for a final six months maturation.

This range of wines is hugely impressive, from the simple Bourgogne Rouge up to the Grand Crus. Finding high quality Vosne Romanée at this pricing level is a rare thing indeed.

Pinot Blanc

A white grape which is grown in Alsace, where it is sometimes referred to as Clevner or Klevner, and in Germany and Austria, where it is known as Weisseburgunder. In Italy it is called Pinot Bianco and is planted widely in Friuli-Venezia, the Alto Adige and the Veneto.

It is the workhorse grape of Alsace, where it is used to make varietal Pinot Blanc, is part of the blend for Edelzwicker, and is increasingly the main component of Cremant d`Alsace. It lacks the aromatic qualities of other Alsatian grape varieties and may not be used for the production of Grand Cru or late harvest wines.

At its best it produces light to medium-bodied, crisp dry white wines with hints of apples, honey and yeast and a refreshingly pure and clean finish. It normally sees no oak, though in the Alto Adige it is often fermented and matured in oak barrels.