Theatre of Wine En Primeur Offer

Introduction

Having been in Burgundy during the rather damp days of autumn one and half years ago no-one was more surprised than me by the turn around in quality achieved in Burgundy and nearby regions during the 2008 vintage. The year was fraught with difficulties from poor flowering, through hailstorms, to a sunless summer. Autumn sunshine and mild weather recuperated the wines with the more resilient Chardonnay producing consistently good wines especially in the extremes of Macon and Chablis, and Pinot Noir pulling the proverbial rabbit from the hat. The more I think about this grape the more I think it relishes gloom, and delights in nothing better than driving winemakers to despair. The acid is high in this vintage which made the annual en primeur tasting quite hard, but strangely compelling. This bright raciness is more accessible in the whites at this stage and there is a welcome freshness. In the reds the high acid caused protracted fermentions which made them difficult to taste so early in their life , especially as most are pre-bottling samples. In some case flavours can seem angular but at best the wines have silky textures and the aromas are of glorious pinot noir, which gives them a compelling attraction and a promise of future complexity. So with the proviso that the further you go up the scale the longer you must exercise patience, here is our selection of our favourites from recent tastings.

Ordering and Payment

There is no minimum purchase but quantities are very limited. All the wines will have been shipped by early 2011 at the latest. Payment is requested on purchase. A few wines are available now (these are marked DP which means that the price includes duty at £1.62 per bottle but not VAT). Most prices are In-Bond (IB) which means that duty and VAT will become payable when the wines are shipped. Duty is currently £19.26 per case and VAT is 17.5% although this is liable to change before the wines become available in the UK. As a result a final invoice for duty and VAT will be payable separately at the point the wines become available at the prevailing rate. If you have any questions about this please ask.

White Wine

Founded in 1815 this estate is one of the leading lights of the appellation with a broad range of bottlings across the 1er and grand crus. This wine comes from the foot of the Grand Cru Les Clos and unsurprisingly shows something of the richness of its illustrious neighbour. Partly vinified in old oak barrels it is a full flavoured expression of Chablis with ripe fruit and sparkling acidity. A steal.

This domaine, run by Alexandrine Roy, was a high point of our tasting this year. It is a constant surprise how one person can fashion something of seamless quality while another offers sour grapes! It all boils down to hard work and without any grand appellations in her portfolio Alexandrine treats every vine with passionate care. All I wrote in my notes was ‘marvellous – this sings – alive.’

This is a new domaine to our shelves and we were mightily impressed by this wine that offers sold value for money. Immediately rich and sexy with smoky notes of sweet bacon and an unabashed palate that delivers a punchy finish.

This is a reliable source of flavoursome St Aubin that has produced a fine Meursault that will be accessible straight away. This has a broad nutty aroma with hints of cream and milk chocolate. It tastes lush and full.

This is consistently one of our favourite domains for white Burgundy. The vineyard of Le Limozin is situated just below the 1er cru Genevrieres. On tasting this was alluringly withdrawn, displaying pure mineral notes of oyster and sea air backed by layered lemony fruit. Very Meursault.

Not only do we normally buy his Chassagne-Montrachet but this year Jean-Marc Pillot presented a Puligny-Montrachet we had never seen before and it is fabulous. This is sizzling as though an electric current is running through it. Sweet and sharp at the same time and also has the deep tang of preserved lemons. A very promising wine.

A much sought after domaine for concentrated, classical white Burgundy. This impressive wine is one that will develop beautifully, showing a lovely texture and a balance of ripe stone fruit and pineapple acidity.

Red Wine

This young estate is already achieving stardom with exciting wine comes from the ‘natural’ movement, which means an organic approach in the vineyard, top quality fruit and gentle vinifications. The wines have a transparent quality with expressive black fruit flavours and an easy structure.

This is the next step up in Sylvain’s range and has more concentration with plenty of vivid floral aromas of violets and jasmine, It is a succulent and smooth mouthful.

A very famous estate that is most well-known for its Pommard Clos des Epeneux. This is totally convincing, showing the elegance of Volnay with enough structure to age well. It has a silky palate and flows seamlessly from start to finish. It is biodynamically farmed with no synthetic chemicals or artificial yeasts used in the cellar.

A fastidious domaine producing sleek, ripe and expressive wines that taste way above their appellation. In fact this village wine comes from just below two grand crus and from vines that average 55 years of age. It is a magnificent wine with great depth, flesh and structure that will last a decade and beyond.

This is a star domaine based in nearby Chambolle-Musigny that is the sole owner of this walled vineyard in the Premeaux district of Nuits St. Georges. As you might expect this is a substantial wine with cherries on the nose, dark fruits underneath, and a seamless structure linking all the elements. It is a superb wine that deserves to be aged.

Domaine Fourrier

Finally, here is a special parcel of a much sought-after domaine in Gevrey-Chambertin:

This famous old domaine was revived in the early 1990’s by Jean-Marie Fourrier after an apprenticeship with the legendary Henri Jayer. All the procedures commensurate with high quality are in place here and there is great care not to over-extract, or over-oak. They are wines for the long-term and should be squirreled away and guarded jealously. Having decided that 2008 was the most horrid year in living memory M. Fourrier has recanted. The wines are taut, elegant, mineral and precise. Suffice to say that quantities are especially small here.

The king of the Cotes-de-Nuits villages and quintessential red burgundy; firm, silky, complex. The wines generally have more mineral backbone than wines from further south and they retain a certain steeliness as they mature. This is balanced by a definite richness which makes them flavoursome and compelling.

Such a name to conjure with, Chambolle-Musigny suggests everything that is weightlessness yet power in Pinot Noir. The wines from this section near to grand cru Bonnes-Mares have been described by Clive Coates MW as having ‘cool dignity’. A quality we might all aspire to perhaps?

The ‘cherry’ in the Chambertin constellation. This would make a good 18th birthday present for children born in this vintage or since! Only 6 bottles available.