The 2018 vintage was good, both in terms of quality and quantity, and there is a mineral freshness in Bourgogne Blanc from that year. You could taste that wet stone character in this Aligoté, where it underpinned generous peach and pear fruit, notes of Granny Smith apple and a creamy texture. The use of oak is controlled: fermentation took place in 300 litre barrels for a touch of oak to add complexity and length without being overpowering.
This was one of the standout wines from the tasting for me. Four parcels of fruit from across this old Burgundy appellation create a wine which perfectly reflects what the area is about. Large format oak was used for fermentation, adding texture. Then the wine was aged in used oak for a savoury character. I loved the layers on the palate: peach, buttered toast, vanilla…mmm.
If the village-level Rully is the gateway to the appellation, this Premier Cru is the destination. It showcases a two-hectare site planted with old vines which give a rich character and express sense of place. This wine has depth and elegance – something we can all aspire to! As well as the mineral profile we saw in the other wines from 2018, there was a complex blend of pear, green apple, toast, vanilla, struck match and toasted hazelnut. It reminded me of German Apfelkuchen, though that might just have been me!
This was a more savoury style of Chardonnay, where the fruit was more restrained. Fun fact here: the family who founded this winery used to be goat farmers. I think we’re all glad they decided to go on an adventure into wine!
I liked the floral perfume in this wine. It was complemented by notes of raspberry, red cherry, cherry pip and forest floor. Lifted acidity carried lots of gorgeous flavour through to a long finish.
This was a very generous wine with a lot of Black Forest gateaux character: ripe red fruit, blackberry, black cherry, cinnamon, with leather and clove. The wine spent 18 months in used oak for subtle, integrated oak notes – hence that sweet spice.
For times when only a Burgundy will do, I suggest you reach for a bottle of this. It’s just toweringly complex on the palate. This is what I noted down: black cherry, black plum, tomato leaf, clove, smoke, tobacco, truffle, cigar box. Very nice, indeed.
This wine comes from a very small, family enterprise. The family domaine covers 10 hectares and they have three employees. I liked the brooding nature of this wine; it was also richer than the other reds we had tried. It had a tight tannin structure achieved by following an ‘infusion’ of the skins – a gentle technique to integrated tannins from the skins of the fermenting grapes into the wine.