Bourgogne

Once again we have worked with our trusted friends Jean-Luc Terrier and Christian Collovray to 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

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

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.

An extraordinary Bourgogne Rouge, this is made only from vines planted in 1947 on oolitic limestone, just outside Marsannay. There are some intriguing smoky notes, with echoes of coffee and caramel. In many ways, it is the even more hirsute cousin of the Clos du Roy. A unique and fascinating wine. Drink 2019-2025.
Adam Bruntlett, Wine Buyer

The Fourniers have been making wine in Marsannay since at least the 17th century, though the domaine as currently constituted was established in the 1960s by Jean Fournier. His son Laurent now runs the estate, along with being in charge of the project to establish Premiers Crus in Marsannay. The domaine is now certified organic, through AB and Ecocert. They make more than 20 different cuvées, the majority from Marsannay. Laurent’s efforts for the creation of a Premier Cru category in Marsannay seem to have stalled for the moment – perhaps a good thing, as he needed all his energy to combat the mildew this year. Laurent is another vigneron who had to compromise his organic status to save the crop, and he ended up with 28hl/ha across the domaine. The results are compelling though: these are wines without compromise, amplifying the paradoxes of Marsannay, with its cool limestone, extreme terroirs and burly tannins. Running between those is the fruit of some wonderful old vineyards, of which Laurent is the proud custodian.

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.

The heart of this cuvée is a Volnay Bourgogne lieu-dit, Les Longbois, and various parcels around Puligny. The nose is deliciously expressive, with lots of raspberry and strawberry fruit; only the slightly chew y tannins indicate that this is not a village wine. But that is not a criticism; well-made Bourgogne is a great litmus test for a domaine ’s abilities, and this receives the same amount of care as every other wine in the De Montille portfolio. Drink 2018-2022.
Adam Bruntlett, Burgundy Buyer

Domaine de Montille was developed by Hubert de Montille (1930-2014), a prominent Dijon lawyer, who inherited 2.5 hectares of vineyards in Volnay in 1947. Over the years he acquired further parcels in Volnay, Pommard and Puligny-Montrachet Les Caillerets. Today the business is run by his son Étienne who has extended the domaine by purchases of vineyards in Beaune, Corton and the Côte de Nuits, including some marvellous Vosne-Romanée Les Malconsorts. The vineyards are farmed biodynamically and the red wines are increasingly vinified with whole bunches. Following the splendid successes here in 2015, this vintage provides a contrast in style, but with reasons to buy that are just as compelling. Volumes are down in certain appellations and winemaking has been tempered to release more of the vintage’s purity of fruit and definition of terroir. Use of whole bunches for the reds continues, but not by rote, with proportions being adjusted according to each cuvée’s requirements.

The 50-year-old vines that go into this cuvée sit at each end of the Vosne-Romanée appellation. Harvested at just 25hl/ha, there is an added layer of concentration this year, while maintaining the sensual, floral elegance I associate with this mini-Vosne. Beautiful. Drink 2019-2024.
Adam Bruntlett, Wine Buyer

This excellent domaine in Vosne-Romanée has flown under the radar – perhaps because Jean-Pierre Guyon spends so much of his time out in the vineyards, which have been farmed organically since 2006, certified from 2012. 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 during élevage and at bottling to assure stability. Despite obvious frustration at the small volumes, Jean-Pierre Guyon is delighted with the quality of his 2016s. He describes it as a vintage of great Pinot Noir typicity, which will be greater than 2015, explaining that the wines' saline character will have you reaching for the next glass. As ever, the grapes here were picked a touch later than many estates to ensure the stems were fully ripe. He only bought six new barrels for the entire 2016 crop, so the proportion of new oak is reduced.

The 2014 Bourgogne Rouge has a simple, light-hearted red cherry and bergamot-scented nose that if full of joie-de-vivre. The palate is fleshy on the entry, nicely defined with crisp tannin, surprisingly fleshy and generous on the finish. Recommended.
Neal Martin, The Wine Advocate. 31st December 2015. 

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

Pure mid-purple, this is a baby Chambolle from Les Bons Bâtons. The wine is seductive, with fresh crunchy acidity, but not too much for the fruit with which it is steadily integrating. Lovely finish.
Jasper Morris MW, Burgundy Director

A fine, bright purple, the nose is quite restrained but there is a sumptuous weight of fruit on the palate. Very long indeed, there are some minerals, while perfumed raspberry fruit comes back behind. Drink 2019-2025.
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. 

This cuvée is a tribute to Olivier’s uncle, Vincent Leflaive, and made exclusively from vineyards in Puligny, 80 percent of which are domaine -owned. A wine of real energy with wonderful finesse and purity, it is no exaggeration to call this a mini-Puligny. There is a sizzling, crackling freshness to this wine, along with a remarkable complexity which points to a promising future. Drink 2018-2022.
Adam Bruntlett, Wine Buyer

After studying at business school, Olivier Leflaive headed to Paris to live a rather bohemian life during the 1970s, working in music and television. He returned to Burgundy in 1981 to manage Domaine Leflaive with his uncle Vincent and later his cousin Anne-Claude. Having long-aspired to work for himself, he set up his own négociant business in 1984 and, upon leaving the family domaine a decade later, he gave 15 years’ notice that he would take back his share of the family vines from 2009. Experienced winemaker Franck Grux now makes between 85 and 90 different cuvées, vinifying the equivalent of 120 hectares, of which 17 are estate. The focus here is on elegance and finesse over power. Winemaker Franck Grux is very pleased with the quality of the 2016 vintage, although he explained that the frost damage caused grapes to ripen at different times, which required a great deal of patience and necessitated extending the harvest to three weeks, as opposed to the normal two. The Puligny vineyards were relatively lucky in terms of frost damage, giving good yields. Franck explained that he carried out more lees stirring in 2016 than in 2015 to give the wines more weight, feeling that 2016 is a vintage with comparatively modest body and ripeness. Unless otherwise stated, all wines are domaine.