France

Burgundy

Burgundy, the mythical home of wines made from Pinot Noir & Chardonnay … don’t forget AligotéGammay too!

Located in the middle of France on the eastern side. There is no other wine region that has been defined in such incredible detail. Each vineyard has been named and classified. Within these vineyards their are also Lieux Dits  referring to a specific part of a vineyard or region recognized for its own topographic or historical specificities.

This detailed definition allows for the equally detailed exploration of terroir. Hereditary tittle law in France has seen vineyards split between siblings generation after generation. Many incredibly small parcels producing only enough grapes to yield a single barrel of wine exist. This further extends our ability to see terroir in action vs the hand of the maker with many of the great vineyards having dozens of owners each producing minuscule volumes of wine.

The opportunity to taste them side by side is becoming increasingly difficult as scarcity drives prices up!

The most famous and coveted wines are the Pinot Noir and Chardonnay of the Côte de Nuits and Côte du Beaune. Together they form a narrow escarpment running north-south over a distances of less than 50kms.

Much further north the Chardonnay from Chablis stands comfortably on it’s own two feet with some delicious mineral, fine wines with insane ability to age.

To the south excellent wines are produced in the Côte Chalonnaise and Mâconnais, home to Chardonnays of exceptional value & personality.

Further again the Gammay from Beaujolais represents some of the beast value wines from Burgundy.

We’ve shared a series of articles in the Wine Bites Mag “Getting Your Head Around Burgundy” deep diving into the region.

Where marginal climate saw a high proportion of tough vintages in Burgundy. In ability to rippen grapes is less often a problem today. Catastrophic frosts and hail storms more of an issue.

Filters & Sorting

This gorgeous old-vine Chassagne rouge hails from a single 0.94-hectare parcel of 50-plus-year-old Pinot Noir vines grown on the red clays of Les Grandes Terres on the Santenay side of Chassagne. The clay-rich soil has long produced some of the finest and silkiest reds of the village. The 2022 fermented with 50% bunches, bringing perfume and extra-fine tannins. It’s an incredibly pretty, floral, red-and-blue-fruited expression of Chassagne. It’s already drinking remarkably well!“M
$160
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$146ea in any 6+
On the left bank of Le Serein and on the middle of the slope, Vaillons is a particularly well-positioned Premier Cru that enjoys an excellent reputation thanks to the work of several key growers. The domaine works with vines planted in 1974 in the lieux-dits of Les Epinottes (a cooler part of the vineyard) and Roncières (which provides more opulence). Then, a parcel of 75-year-old vines in Sécher usually accounts for 30% of the blend and provides intense mineral cut and structure. The wine wa
$164
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The most south-westerly of all the Chablis Premiers Crus, Les Beauregards is one of its coolest due to its altitude and location at the end of Chablis’ Left Bank. It’s also one of the steepest (meaning the clay soils are shallow, and the limestone marl is never far from the surface) and one of the highest, rising to 300 metres. While this parcel has been in the family’s hands for decades, it was replanted in 2001 with mass-selection cuttings from Stéphane Moreau’s most treasured vine
$164
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The Volnay is a Violot-Guillemard staple – perfumed, violets and cherries, terrific complexity and elegance.
$167
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“Rich dense purple, the nose is a little more reticent than the Pommard, with darker fruit, ripe but balanced, and just a touch of liquorice. While quite backward at the moment, this should emerge very well.” Jasper Morris, 90-92 Points
$167
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This is the largest and most famous Grand Cru; its fame based on its history as one of Chablis’ first vineyards. The appellation enjoys a southerly aspect with very white, dense and deep clay soil, resting on a limestone bed 80 cm below the ground, which brings to the wine those spicy notes so typical of this terroir.Note: from 4 separate parcels totaling 4.11 ha, 3 of which are all at the top of the slope. If Kimmeridgian could be distilled, it would likely smell exactly like the nos
$168
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"A lightly riper and somewhat spicier nose offers up notes of plum, black raspberry and a hint of forest floor. There is better verve and intensity to the plush but focused flavors that also flash a touch of backend austerity on the equally mineral suffused finale. This is sufficiently firm to reward 10+ years of cellaring but not so tightly wound that it couldn't be approached after only 5 or so years." Drink: 2029+ Outstanding ♥Burghound
$168
$161ea in any 3+
$154ea in any 6+

Domaine Faiveley Gevrey Chambertin Vieilles Vignes 2022

Pinot Noir | Gevrey-Chambertin, Burgundy

An intensely flavored red, featuring cherry, raspberry, boysenberry and earth flavors. Firm, with a light dusting of powdery tannins on the well-defined finish. Drink: 2027-2038Bruce Sanderson, Wine Spectator 91 Points
This is also quite smoky in character with its nose of citrus confit, pear, apple and ocean breeze scents. The generously proportioned but quite punchy medium-bodied flavors possess a lovely texture while exuding evident minerality on the sappy, balanced, complex and solidly persistent finale. Allen Meadows, Burghound 90-93 Points
$173
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Prominent notes of mineral reduction and just picked white flowers suffuse the aromas of tidal pool, algae and zest. The rich but vibrant medium weight flavors possess even more obvious minerality that seems to become more obvious on the cool, firm and delineated finish that is clean, dry, citrusy and sneaky long. Lovely. Allen Meadows, Burghound 90-93 Points
$173
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A relatively high-toned and more elegant nose features notes of red currant, cherry, raspberry and a hint of lavender. The super-sleek, indeed almost lacy middle weight flavors display more minerality if less density before terminating in a lingering finish that tightens up noticeably on the dusty and mildly austere finale.Allen Meadows
$174
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David Duband Nuits-Saint-Georges 2018

Pinot Noir | Nuits-Saint-Georges, France

‘(from La Charmotte, Aux Saints-Juliens and Les Plateaux). A pungent nose is comprised at present by notes of reduction and wood toast. Otherwise there is excellent volume and mid-palate density to the powerful and muscular medium-bodied flavors that deliver outstanding depth and persistence on the robust and rustic finale. This outstanding if quite serious villages level wine is very Nuits in basic character. Drink 2028+.’Burghound.com January 2020.
$175
$168ea in any 3+
$161ea in any 6+