Bourgogne

Once again we have worked with our trusted friends Jean-Luc Terrier and Christian Collovrayto create this delicious expression of mineral Burgundian Chardonnay. With delicate floral aromas, the palate abounds with vibrant citrus and peach fruit, finishing on a subtle, smoky note thanks to well-judged oak. An excellent aperitif, a fresh, crisp profile makes this an ideal match for salads, seafood and lighter meat dishes.
Adam Bruntlett - Wine Buyer

This cuvée – they also make l’Impatiente and la Voluptueuse – of Chardonnay from the Bourgogne Vézelay appellation comes from 30-year-old vines grown on limestone. The wine is fermented and matured in a mix of tank and older barrels.
Jasper Morris MW
 
This feels a world away from nearby Chablis: an exotic, pineapple, almost passion fruit, and tinned peach nose leads to a fulsome palate which is quite round and fat, yet still manages to retain its eponymous elegance.

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.

The yield here was just 28hl/ha on average and the resultant concentration is noticeable. The fruit profile is more citrus-driven than one often expects from this wine, with a hint of grapefruit and lime. Saline and a touch austere at present, this will fill out in time. Drink 2019-2023.
Adam Bruntlett, Burgundy Buyer

Fichet’s big step forward came in 2000 when he moved the whole operation to splendid cellars at Le Creux du Coche by the Hôpital de Meursault. Jean-Philippe is looking for purity in his wines. He deals mostly with lieux-dits in Meursault with just one Premier Cru in Puligny. Constantly experimenting and refining, his wines have real definition and individuality, with the individual terroirs clearly exposed. The wines are raised in barrel for the first year, using larger demi- muids for the lesser appellations, then assembled in tank. A maximum of 30 percent new oak is used on any cuvée. It is hard not to be infected by Jean- Philippe’s enthusiasm and positivity. Despite being 40 percent down in 2016, he remained upbeat, explaining that he sees the variability of vintages as part and parcel of a vigneron ’s lot. The losses could have been much worse, but the domaine is equipped with candles which protect against frost and they work hard in the vines to keep grass low to reduce the risk of frost damage. He declared himself happy with the quality, but feels it is a vintage which will require patience on the part of the consumer, as many of the wines will be more austere in youth than those of 2015.

Sophie and Mathieu buy the grapes for this cuvée from a friend who shares their meticulous approach in the vineyards. Aged for 12 months in old oak barrels, there’s a seductive, untamed character to this wine, beginning with its spice and red berry aromas. At three years old, the tannins remain satisfyingly assertive, whetting the appetite for a dish of red meat or hard, strong cheese.

Olivier replanted the previous, inferior vines with cuttings of Pinot Fin taken from the Clos des Epeneaux 20 years ago. Pale ruby in colour, this is an elegant, delicate expression of Pinot Noir, full of red berry fruit and silky tannins. The limestone adds complexity in the form of fine, chalky tannins. Drink 2019-2023.
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.

The Bourgogne Les Sétilles is always an excellent example of classic white Burgundy from a top name in Puligny-Montrachet. The sunny 2015 vintage has added a touch more ripeness to the restrained stone fruit flavours, which are a perfect match to this wine’s chiselled, elegant profile. Juicy apricot and white peach flavours are interwoven with chalky citrus notes and hints of subtle, smoky, vanilla oak.
Something of a calling card for Olivier Leflaive, Les Sétilles makes up around a third of the production of the estate. It is produced from around 60 plots spread over 35 hectares, located mostly in Meursault and Puligny-Montrachet, with a small amount of Hautes Côtes de Beaune, Hautes Côtes de Nuits and Côte Chalonnaise to add freshness and energy. Two thirds of the wine was fermented in oak barrels and matured in oak, a small amount of which (15 percent) was new. The remaining third was fermented and aged in stainless steel tanks to preserve freshness. After 10 months everything was transferred to tanks to marry together and add some tension.
Adam Bruntlett, Wine Buyer

Ninety percent of the fruit for this wine comes from Bourgogne vineyards in the villages of Puligny-Montrachet and Meursault, with the remainder coming from the cooler, higher-altitude Hautes Côtes de Beaune and Nuits, adding a touch of steel and chalky minerality to the mix. The exceptionally small 2016 vintage meant that the whole cuvée was fermented and aged in oak barrels, around 15 percent of which was new. There is a prickly tension to this wine from the first sip, with citrus and orchard fruits to the fore, and a chalky, almost lacy texture which hints at a much grander wine. Precise, energetic and vibrant with just the right amount of oak, this is certainly a mini-Puligny.
Adam Bruntlett, Wine Buyer

As ever, this is a Bourgogne which punches significantly above its weight. A good dollop of Savigny, Santenay, Beaune, Monthélie and St Romain make their way into the blend, not as off-cuts, but because Ben sees this as his vinous business card. Raised in large foudres, this is as gorgeous as ever, with an incredible purity of juicy, red berry fruit. The quintessence of Burgundian Pinot Noir. Drink 2018-2024.
Adam Bruntlett, Burgundy Buyer

Having created a name for himself as régisseur (general manager) of Comte Armand in Pommard from 1999 until 2013, Benjamin Leroux established a small négociant business based in Beaune in 2007. The emphasis is on Côte de Beaune whites and Côte de Nuits reds. The company also owns a small holding of Bâtard-Montrachet and since 2014 some vineyards in Meursault. In a short space of time Benjamin Leroux’s wines have built an impressive reputation. Ben is a big fan of his 2016s, praising the sizzling tension of the whites and the beautiful quality of the Pinot fruit, which allowed him to use more whole bunches than in 2015. In early stages of élevage he drew comparisons to 2010, and feels these are wines which will surprise people and gain complexity with time. Thanks to his strong relationships with suppliers, Ben was able to maintain production at around 2015 levels despite the frost, although in general he has less Village and Grand Cru wine and more at the Premier Cru level. For reasons of space, the limited volumes of Grands Crus have not been included in this catalogue. Since the 2014 vintage, all white wines are bottled under screwcap.

A red-purple hue with attractive fruit, flora and gentle in the mouth. There is refreshing acidity behind, but the lovely floral notes win out. High class Bourgogne. 
Jasper Morris, MW - Wine Buyer

Harvest began during the last week in September and finished just before the storm. There was less whole bunch vinification for the wines affected by hail, but Volnay Taillepieds, Pommard Rugiens, Corton Clos du Roi and the wines from the Côte de Nuits were all predominantly vinified with their stems.
 

Pierre Vincent contrives to make a consistently fine Bourgogne Rouge every year. This example is a lovely red-purple colour, with beautiful fresh fruit demonstrating the really elegant Pinot, which continues right across the palate, dancing and lively, to the long finish.
Jasper Morris, MW - Wine Buyer

The harvest began with whites on 26th September, before the rain, then the reds were brought in during less good weather, with sorting necessary. The stems were ripe enough to allow for whole bunch vinification, and Pierre has chosen the soft pedal in 2013: not much punching down, more an infusion approach, less new wood and perhaps a shorter time in barrel. Pierre can see some elements of 2008 but with more weight, more flattering wines overall.

The older vines here date back to 1937. A fine, pale colour with the faintest green tint, this has a juicy, grapey luscious nose, a real treat. With good acidity, it has a little bit of heat but stays fresh behind thanks to some racy lime-juice notes. Drink 2018-2020.
Jasper Morris MW, Wine Buyer

With prices in Burgundy still rising, even if often for understandable reasons, the appellations Bourgogne Blanc and Bourgogne Rouge are great places to look for affordable wines. You get the opportunity to drink wine from a top winemaker, from vines which are adjacent to the famous villages, and which will be accessible earlier. The 2005 Bourgognes Rouges are still delicious and youthful more than 10 years later, but most wines have been drinking well for a few years now. 

From various sources in Beaune and the Hautes Côtes, this has a fine, pale colour, with a slight green tint. The nose has lovely, deliberate reduction woven in. There is attractive energy here, the fruit building very nicely to the back, with good, chiselled, crystalline verve. Excellent. 
Jasper Morris MW, Burgundy Director

Its fine, bright colour heralds an elegant bouquet: a perfect mix of fruit and gentle oaking. This is exuberant – perhaps even beguiling. Some old vines form the backbone of this cuvée, helping to provide the lovely mineral thread.

The progress we noted with the 2013 vintage here has been further developed with an excellent range of 2014 wines. Extra details apparent this year are the enhanced use of lees after racking and the minimal use of sulphur without risking oxidation. The Château de Puligny rises a further few notches up the ladder. Étienne de Montille notes that, in 2014, “there was super clean fruit and we could pick at leisure”. Fine and bright in colour, this has a lovely, elegant bouquet, a perfect mix of fruit and gentle oaking. Exuberant, perhaps even beguiling, some old vines form the backbone of this cuvée, helping to provide a lovely mineral thread.
Jasper Morris MW, Burgundy Director

From vines below Meursault and Puligny, this is bottled before the next harvest. Pale in colour, the wine has fine, crisp, energetic fruit. Medium-bodied, with white fruit and greengage, this is a tribute to Benjamin’s exceptional skills. 
Jasper Morris MW, Burgundy Director

From an excellent vineyard across the way from Chambolle-Musigny, this is bright pink-purple. An immediate, vigorous, bouncing wine emerges. The wine has super deep raspberry fruit with excellent but not trenchant acidity and a racy finish. Yes, please.
Jasper Morris MW, Burgundy Director