2017 Bourgogne Rouge, Domaine Rossignol-Trapet, Burgundy

Domaine Rossignol-Trapet

Brothers Nicolas and David Rossignol have run this domaine, created by the marriage of their parents, since 1990. The range offers a fine overview of Gevrey-Chambertin terroir, capped by their three, very contrasting, Grands Crus. The Chambertin stands supreme, but a preference between Latricières and La Chapelle varies from year to year.

In the vineyard
The brothers began their move towards biodynamics in ’97 in their Chapelle-Chambertin vineyard; the whole domaine was converted by 2004. They value that status deeply; the work required in ’18 to combat the pervasive mildew was a true labour of love, with endless applications – by hand – of horsetail teas.

In the winery
Over the years, their style has defined itself: these are now relatively delicate wines, lightly extracted so never deep in colour, but built around subtle textures. Aromatics are further enhanced using about 50% whole bunches, depending on the year.

Bourgogne Blanc

Bourgogne Blanc is the appellation used to refer to generic white wines from Burgundy, a wide term which allows 384 separate villages to produce a white wine with the label ‘Bourgogne.’ As a result of this variety, Bourgogne Blanc is very hard to characterise with a single notable style, however the wines are usually dominated by the presence of Chardonnay, which is just about the only common factor between them. That being said, Chardonnay itself varies based on the environmental factors, so every bottle of Bourgogne Blanc will vary in some way from the next! Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris are also permitted for use in Bourgogne Blanc under the regulations of the appellation.

As Bourgogne Blanc is very much an entry-level white wine for most regions in Burgundy, prices are usually very reasonable, and due to the terroir and climate of Burgundy, Bourgogne Blanc wines tend to have a strong acidity to them, combined with a vibrant and often fruity palate when compared with other whites from the New World, say, allowing fantastic matchmaking with many different kinds of food.

Pinot Noir

Pinot Noir is probably the most frustrating, and at times infuriating, wine grape in the world. However when it is successful, it can produce some of the most sublime wines known to man. This thin-skinned grape which grows in small, tight bunches performs well on well-drained, deepish limestone based subsoils as are found on Burgundy's Côte d'Or.

Pinot Noir is more susceptible than other varieties to over cropping - concentration and varietal character disappear rapidly if yields are excessive and yields as little as 25hl/ha are the norm for some climats of the Côte d`Or.

Because of the thinness of the skins, Pinot Noir wines are lighter in colour, body and tannins. However the best wines have grip, complexity and an intensity of fruit seldom found in wine from other grapes. Young Pinot Noir can smell almost sweet, redolent with freshly crushed raspberries, cherries and redcurrants. When mature, the best wines develop a sensuous, silky mouth feel with the fruit flavours deepening and gamey "sous-bois" nuances emerging.

The best examples are still found in Burgundy, although Pinot Noir`s key role in Champagne should not be forgotten. It is grown throughout the world with notable success in the Carneros and Russian River Valley districts of California, and the Martinborough and Central Otago regions of New Zealand.