This is to wine what Carlsberg is to lager...

...probably the best in the world (ok, not the world, but possibly Italy). Why do I love this wine? 

It is authentic. It is not diluted with non indigenous grape varieties.

It has character, yet it is fine.

It is excellent value. If a wine of this quality was from the Médoc, it would be at least twice the price. 

It is perfect with food - the optimal balance of fruit, tannin, and acidity.

Perhaps most of all, it is evocative. It has the ability to transport the drinker to the place it was made. Isn't that terroir? Possibly, but this wine has a well defined sense of place. 4* 8/ 10

A breath of fresh air in Paris

Long weekend in Paris, where most restaurants are like a broken record, churning out the same bistrôt classics with copycat wine lists (Côte de Brouilly, Côte du Rhône, Medoc, Saumur Champigny...).

No note, just a great wine. Château de Chamirey, Mercurey blanc, 2008.

The Fourrier 'spritz'

I've read lots about the Fourrier CO2 'spritz' but seldom experienced the frustration first hand. He makes great wines but if you didn't know otherwise you'd be forgiven for thinking they were average and poorly made. Fourrier himself suggests putting your thumb over the bottle and turning upside down a couple of times to release the CO2. Where does the CO2 come from? Fourrier doesn't rack his wines (move from one container to another), which would allow the CO2 - a by product of fermentation - to escape into the air. Indeed, the CO2 plays the same role as sulphur, which winemakers add to protect their wines from oxidation. The alternative remedy to shaking the bottle is to let the CO2 disappear with age as the wine matures. Nonetheless, if you can afford and obtain Fourrier's wines, once you've made it past the 'spritz', they sing with a purity of fruit, made possible by the CO2 protection. 

Morey St-Denis, Clos Solon, Domaine Fourrier, 2009

Beautiful deep beetroot and translucent ruby red core. Upon opening the nose was intense and captivating. However, after initial opening the nose disappeared, only to reappear 3 hours later with the rest of the wine. The palette is sheer silk in a glass with sublime balance. Some liquorice and spice initially and then black cherry and oak with a medium finish. Took a lot of time and shaking to lose the CO2 'prickle', which was finally gone (typically) by the last glass. A very good wine, but didn't live up to my admittedly high expectations. 4* 6/ 10

Of bishops and knights: Clos du Vignon

Sticking with the vineyard series, this time Clos du Vignon in the Hautes Côtes de Nuits. The locals of Marey-lès-Fussey have made wine from the vineyard (see photo above) since the twelfth century. The current owner, Domaine Thévenot Le Brun, make both a red and a white wine from the seven hectare Clos du Vignon. The Chardonnay is planted on the south-east slope while the Pinot is on the steepest slope, oriented a little more to the south. The bottle has the following sentimental quotation on its label...

"Et son vin dont les ceps unissaient leurs murmures, aux cloches des Couvents, aux frissons des armures, fut le vin des Prélats et des preux Chevalliers."

Which roughly translates as: "And its wine whose grapes joined their rustling to the bells of the convents, to the thrill of the suits of armour, made the wine of bishops and brave knights."

Whether the wine still evokes convent bells and suits of armour remains to be seen. Having just bought three bottles, I shall report in due course...

Diamond in the rough: Au Clos Bardot

Officially Côtes de Nuits Villages, the villages of Comblanchien and Corgoloin are not well known. Nonetheless, I have found them to be a consistent source of good quality, decent value wine. In his iBook, Inside Burgundy: Côte de Nuits, Jasper Morris remarks...

“Comblanchien... could be described as the marble village: here the vine has to take second place to the quarrying. The vineyards lie on both sides of the main road running the full length of the commune, finishing up against the premier cru Nuits-St-Georges Clos de la Maréchale at the northern end. To get a feel for the underlying hard limestone, it is worth taking the dusty road out of the southern end of the village up towards Villers-la-Faye for a look at the quarries which appear shortly on the left. Au Clos Bardot (0.67ha) [is] situated just below the D973 as you move from Corgoloin into Comblanchien, with a little sign in the vineyard to identify it.”

And now for a wine from Au Clos Bardot...

Bourgogne Clos Bardot, Domaine de Bellene, 2010

From vines planted in 1936! Beautiful colour with bright translucent crimson core. Wow, big and really complex nose. Lots going on: black cherries, cloves... I just don't have the adjectives to do this justice! Light with sweet tannins and vanilla core. Crunchy red currant fruit with sous-bois (just like fruits of the forest yoghurt) and an imaculate backbone of sweet strawberries balanced with just enough (balsamic?) acidity and oak. Medium but unpronounced finish. This is a really great little wine that punches well above its weight and, £11 per bottle duty paid, is great value too. This is the best wine I have drunk year to date. 2* 9/ 10

Call of the search!

Sometimes you find a wine you like so much, you think "call off the search" because there is no point searching for anything better. This is one of those wines.

Saint-Veran, Les Chailloux, Domaine des Deux Roches, 2008

Bright and golden, showing some age. Big bouquet of ripe fruit and very Meursault. Lovely balance of tropical fruit, oak and acidity, with a rich but not overly cloying palette. Another layer of apricot stones? Long and vibrant finish. If tasted blind you'd be forgiven for thinking this was something much more expensive from Meursault! 2.5* 8/ 10

Vintage advice from Burgundy

Berry Bros's boots on the ground in Burgundy,  Jasper Morris MW, recommends which vintages to drink and keep... 

http://bbrblog.com/2014/02/26/burgundy_drinking_now/

Drink (red): 2001 & 2007

Drink (white): anything pre 2009 (except 2005)

Keep (red): 1999, 2002 and 2003 can be drunk now but will improve; 2006 and 2008 for a year or two; leave 2005 for a while

Keep (white): 2010 and 2011 can be drunk now but will improve; keep 2005 and 2009 for a while

Usual caveats regarding generalisations apply.

A lost chapter in Burgundy

Le Chapitre is an AOC Bourgogne climat in Chenôve, on the outskirts of Dijon. Despite its lowly appellation and location in the suburbs of Dijon, Le Chapitre was once considered one of Burgundy’s finest wines.  The wines of Chenôve were first documented by the Abbaye de Bèze in the 7^th century and by the 11^th century the Chapitre vineyard was recorded as part of the cathedral chapter of Autun, from whom the vineyard gets its name. Indeed, Le Chapitre was owned by the Dukes of Burgundy until the late 15^th century and in its 18^th century heyday it is reputed to have commanded a higher price than Gevrey. However, owing to an oversight of epic proportions in 1936, the communes of Chenôve and Marsannay refused to sign up the new  Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC) system, thereby condemning their vineyards to irrelevance for the next fifty years.

 

Today, the majority Chenôve's wines are sold as AOC Marsannay, which was awarded AOC status in 1986. However, the 31 hectares of le Chapitre are sold as AOC Bourgogne. Indeed, the vineyard itself would be totally annonymous were it not for its heritage that allows it to keep the climat name on the label, an honour not normally awarded to the catch-all AOC Bourgogne. Therefore, as is common along the length of the Côte d'Or, the landscape and etymology of the vineyards reveal a rich tapestry of history and terroir. So, while the modern urban sprawl of Dijon has all but consumed the once rural village of Chenôve, the chapter house and its eponymous vineyard remain and hark back to more celebrated past. However, all is not lost. Chenôve is applying for AOC Marsannay status for Le Chapitre as part of a wider campaign to promote other climats in Marsannay to premier cru.

Richmond Park at sunset

Not wine related, just a nice photo...

All along the watchtower

"All along the watchtower, there princes kept the view. While all the women came and went, barefoot servants too."

This wine comes form a vineyard named after the watchtower, or guette, situated within. The domaine, Pavelot, is one of the best addresses in Savigny-les-Beaune and from where I bought the wine last year.

Savigny-les-Beaune, 1er Cru Aux Guettes, Domaine Pavelot, 2009

Dark, almost like claret, with very dark rim and blood red core. Closed nose, nothing to report. Brooding palette, nice depth with very grapey fruit with soft, sweet black currant and plums. Very long finish of red fruits and well integrated, soft tannins and oak (suggests limited new oak for a wine so young). Overall, a really good wine with lots of complexity and delicious fruit. Definitely a cut above the usual Savigny, even the premier crus. 4* 8/ 10

A good year, an even better wine

From the château that provided the set in the film, A Good Year...

Château la Canorgue, Luberon, 2011

Youthful deep core with scarlet and lilac rim. Intense perfume of fresh thyme and rosemary and sweet forest floor fruit. Well rounded palette like soft velvet with ripe grapes wrapped in sweet chocolate tannins and blue berries. Herbs and glycerol on the finish which is long and pure. We were told it would last for ten years but, when a wine tastes this good, why wait? 2.5* 9/ 10

Back to school, back to Bourgogne

As the nights start drawing in, it's time to make the move from rosé to red and uncork some Burgundy. So, I decided to revisit a new friend...

Bourgogne, Pinot Noir, Olivier Guyot, 2010

Lovely deep colour for a bourgogne and indeed a pinot noir. Ruby red and translucent with a deep beetroot  core. Sweet vanilla and clove nose. Light palette, with crunchy acidity (just like biting into a Braeburn apple). Surprising that none of the sweetness of the nose is present on the palette. A long and savoury (?) finish with dry tannins. A good wine that improved after two hours but, for me, the palette fell short of my expectations. 2.5* 6/ 10

A Damascene conversion!

Cava, Spanish for painfully dry, headache inducing fizz... or so I thought. This was the second of two holiday cavas that have changed my opinion 360 degrees on Spain's most well known fizz. Knowing the Raimat still whites, I went with a producer that I know and love...

Raimat, Cava, Brut Nature, Chardonnay Xarello, NV

Pale yellow with a green hue. Lots of bubbles with a delicate and crisp palette. Very refreshing and lovely balance of acidity and fruit. Citrus (like the delicious lemons at Pollença market) and floral with very subtle undertone of tropical fruit. A very good and well balanced wine and not bad for €9. 2.5* 7/ 10

Sink the pink!

This disproves my theory that all rosé is just rosé - pleasant and carefree but indistinguishable and innocuous. Indeed, I commend Château Vignelaure on creating a genuinely interesting wine in a difficult vintage that, for a rosé, is even fine!

Château Vignelaure, Côteaux d'Aix en Provence, 2012

Pale salmon pink colour with a fine, well balanced palette - spicy (white pepper), and tart with soft strawberry flavours. Good length and a strong finish of strawberries and lemons with even a hint of mango?! Provençal bliss in a glass! 2.5* 8/ 10

In wine hell!

Too much of a good thing last night. Hungover.

In wine heaven!

What better way to end a tough week at work than with friends, a rack of lamb and a bottle of mature Rioja...

Remelluri, Rioja Reserva, 2000

Lighter than expected with a translucent, very burgundian, colour with a tawny, almost golden, rim which reveals its age. The most striking element of this wine is the  beautiful nose of damsons, vanilla, plums, and just a hint of spice and mushrooms/ sulphur (is that what people refer to as reduction?). Initially quite austere on the palette but then flourishes on the finish which is long and full of plums and damsons with a typical velvet soft vanilla undertone from the oak.  This is a very subtle wine but with layers of interest, each revealing more complexity. 4* 7/ 10

Here today, gone tomorrow

After a week of sunshine, here endeth the case of Bruno Clair's Marsannay Rosé.

Marsannay Rosé, Bruno Clair, 2010
Bright pink. Initially very pinot nose and palette but then receded and ended up fairly tasteless. Aren't most rosés like that? 2* 5/ 10

Au Bon Climat

Owner, Jim Clendenen, strikes the balance between Californian ripeness and Burgundian style and winemaking. This wine was fermented in barrel and then aged for 9 months in French oak (not new) before being bottled unfiltered. As with most Californian wines, it is not cheap, but at £20.95 a bottle, this compares well with a Puligny or a Meursault and the comparison is not unreasonable.



Santa Barbara County, Chardonnay, Au Bon Climat, 2010
Pale straw colour. Classic west coast nose of grapes, brown sugar and elderflower but more restrained than I expected. More Puligny than California. Full of flavour - passion fruit, apple juice, and sherbet - but well balanced with acidity and a judicious use of oak that keeps it fresh and light. This is a very good but possibly one dimensional wine. However, I'd love to try the ABC single vineyard wines for added complexity and terroir expression. 3* 6/ 10

¡Ay, Bierzo!

I don't drink enough Spanish wine, which is a shame as Spain is producing some great wines from an increasing range of interesting terroirs such as Bierzo. This is made from 100% Mencía from 90 year old vines and aged in French oak for 18 months, followed by a year in bottle.



Bierzo, Peique, Selección Familiar, 2005
Brooding, deep, dark and impenetrable, almost black. The nose is very promising with chocolate and spice followed by toasted oak and a whiff of manure (in a pleasant way!). There is a lot of oak and alcohol, but once they recede there's a lighter palette than the colour suggests. The fruit blossoms with raspberries, blackberries, prunes, and a lot of acidity which makes this an excellent food wine. In fact, it's as though this is a white wine trapped within a red wine. The finish is fairly short but well supported by the oak and acidity. Although not young, I think this wine needs another few years to shake off the oak. This is a very good and interesting wine, full of character, but the palette doesn't quite match up to the promise of the nose. 3* 6.5/ 10

Chez Pavelot, Savigny-les-Beaune

The Aux Guettes vineyard overlooking Savigny-Les-Beaune

The return leg of our trip to the Alps gave me the chance to visit a domaine I have always wanted to visit in a village that has become my favourite on the Côte d'Or. Domaine Jean-Marc et Hugues Pavelot is on the northern edge of Savigny-les-Beaune, next to the lieu-dit 'Guetottes' and produces a range of wines, mainly from within the Savigny appellation. We tasted a range of wines from the 2010 vintage...

Bourgogne Rouge €9
From a vineyard in lower Aloxe-Corton from 50 year old vines. Pleasant fruit driven nose. Drink immediately after vintage. A bargain, bursting with bright fruit. 2* 8/ 10

Savigny-les-Beaune €13
From a variety of parcels in the village and 40 year old vines. Not much more than the Bourgogne, with very similar nose and a short finish. Drink 2-3 years after the vintage. 3* 6.5/ 10

Savigny-les-Beaune, 1er Cru Aux Guettes €20
From a vineyard with 25 year old vines opposite the domaine, named after the watch tower (tour de guet) in the vineyard. An instantly captivating nose, definitely a step up from the village wine. Slightly deeper fruit while still maintaining the house style (or was it the vintage style?) of pure, bright fruit with a touch of mineral tension. Drink 5 years after the vintage. 4* 8/ 10

Savigny-les-Beaune, 1er Cru La Dominode €24
La Dominode comes from a section within the premier cru Les Jarrons, and is named after a previous owner, a Monsieur Domino from Pommard. The vines are on average 35 years old and up to 80 years old. Madame Pavelot told me that only four growers make wine from this vineyard (I make it five: Bruno Clair, Jean-Marc Pavelot, Louis Jadot, Chanson Père et Fils, and Jean-Claude Boisset). A similar nose to Aux Guettes with extra depth on palette from velvety fruit. The tannins, although not huge, need a couple of years to mature and bring balance to the wine. The Pavelots recommend drinking this wine from five years after the vintage but say it can be kept for up to 15 years. Finally, at €24 a bottle, this is a serious bargain both relative to other cellar door prices (Bruno Clair's La Dominode is €46) but also relative to what you'd pay for it in the UK (it's 45% cheaper than the £37.50 Berry Brothers sell it for). 4* 8/ 10

These were all very good wines characterised by their translucent, yet dark cherry colour as well as very pure fruit (blackberries, raspberries & cherries) and sublime balance with little evidence of oak.