Our Man in Puligny Montrachet
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| Maxine & Mike at Home |
An Englishman immersed in Burgundy, Mike McAndrew writes regularly to friends and clients with news on life in a wine village. This blog is a collection of his letters.
From an extensive repertoire of restaurants and wineries, he puts together bespoke tours to the sources of fine wines and great dining experiences - often in undiscovered places.
Visit www.frenchwineroutes.com for examples of the programmes and see our Client's Comments.
Fall '15
2015 should prove to be an outstanding vintage for Burgundy.
We had a glorious summer with bright clear days. The intensity of the sun accelerated photosynthesis and high levels of chlorophyll gave the healthy vines exceptionally intense green foliage.
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| Over Saint Aubin 1er cru En Remille to Chassagne 26 July |
Following decent spring rainfall, June and July precipitation was half the average at 98mm. As the recolte approached, the fear was that the exceptionally dry conditions would trigger a survival mechanism in the stressed plants to draw moisture from the fruit. August obliged with 76mm of much needed gentle rain and the grapes swelled appreciably.
There was mixed opinion on when to harvest. Some vignerons went ahead in the last week of August, others waited for fullest ripeness until 21st September and later.
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| Machine picking Puligny Montrachet Village |
Mechanical pickers are gradually replacing vendangeurs. Jean-Luc Pascal explained that one man driving a harvester can work 15 hours per day and do the work of dozens of itinerant pickers. The higher classified vineyards are still handpicked.
Apart from a few showers, conditions were good and continued strong sunshine boosted sugar levels up to 14°.
Vignerons throughout the Cotes were delighted with the harvest and the young wine is showing encouraging signs.
Apart from a few showers, conditions were good and continued strong sunshine boosted sugar levels up to 14°.
Vignerons throughout the Cotes were delighted with the harvest and the young wine is showing encouraging signs.
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| Hand picking Batard Montrachet Grand cru |
Not all of the local winemakers operate on a large scale.
Marcel Savry has a small holding. Harvest for him is as much a social event with friends helping to pick the fruit and operate his micro-cuverie.
Blagny
The communes of Meursault and Puligny-Montrachet are the sources of the World’s greatest Chardonnay. Between these two celebrated villages and slightly off the beaten track lies the lesser known but distinguished hamlet of Blagny.
From Meursault, head south on an undesignated road which runs along the base of the escarpment. On your right, 1er cru vineyards ascend its flank. A couple of kilometres bring you to the walled vineyard of Meursault 1er cru Les Perrières, regarded by many as the finest of Meursault.
Beyond its enclosure, a country lane starts to the right. If you turn your wheels there you will begin a steady climb obliquely across the contours, just steep enough to challenge a fit cyclist.
Beyond its enclosure, a country lane starts to the right. If you turn your wheels there you will begin a steady climb obliquely across the contours, just steep enough to challenge a fit cyclist.
The land becomes increasingly stony as you rise and the vineyards concede to scrubby forest. After a couple of steep bends you reach flatter ground and pass through mixed woodland to emerge at the head of a shallow basin, a vale scooped out of the hillside, running southwards and tilted down towards the east. The upper, right hand side is bounded by a band of dense forest capped by a limestone crest.
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| Looking South to the Hamlet of Blagny |
To the left is an inhospitable ragged heap of broken stone and scree covered in thorny scrub. This is the Dos d’Ane or Donkey’s Back. Once it stood higher but as a source of manganese, it was quarried to its present level for the Schneider steelworks in Le Creusot.
Go down this valley on a rougher but slightly downhill track between vineyards to arrive at a T junction and the ancient settlement of Blagny. To the right, the road traverses 1er cru climats to arrive at the vineyards of Saint Aubin.
Left leads to Puligny-Montrachet and passes further confirmation of mineral resources. After a sharp descent you will pass the drift entrance to immense underground galleries deep below the hamlet. These were exposed by the extraction of silica sand for glassmaking in Chalon.
Go down this valley on a rougher but slightly downhill track between vineyards to arrive at a T junction and the ancient settlement of Blagny. To the right, the road traverses 1er cru climats to arrive at the vineyards of Saint Aubin.
Left leads to Puligny-Montrachet and passes further confirmation of mineral resources. After a sharp descent you will pass the drift entrance to immense underground galleries deep below the hamlet. These were exposed by the extraction of silica sand for glassmaking in Chalon.
Heritage
As early as the gallo-roman era, it is believed that vines were cultivated here.In the 12th century, Cistercian monks from the Abbey of Maizières established a satellite monastery here. In the 15th century they built a chapel which yet stands well preserved. The track that they built from their base still exists and is known as the Route des Moines. Today it defines the commune boundary between Meursault and Puligny.
The Cistercians did not have great interest in political power but sought to exploit nature through industrious efforts. Their pursuit of perfection resulted in the application of a professional approach to viticulture and winemaking. By 18th century, the Blagny monks’ had built a high reputation for fine wines.
Following the revolution and along with other church assets, Blagny was confiscated and sold as national property in 1793.
In more recent history, WWll RAF and US planes dropped supplies to the resistance here – see www.cote d’or resistance .
Appellations
Blagny encompasses about 40ha under vines. This is an exceptional 40ha because 80% of it is rated as 1er cru. Indeed, Blagny alone accounts for about 20% of all the 1er cru climats by area in the whole of Meursault and Puligny-Montrachet combined.
Three AOC labels apply. Chardonnay that is grown to the north of the Route des Moines is classified as Meursault-Blagny 1er cru, to the south the vineyard is Puligny-Montrachet 1er cru Hameau de Blagny, held to be the best of these terroirs for Chardonnay. The third bears the name of Blagny itself and is applied solely to Pinot Noirs.
The burgeoning international market for White Burgundies has pushed up prices for Chardonnay from these most prestigious appellations. The economic balance between grape types increasingly results in parcels of Pinot Noir vines being grubbed out to be replanted with Chardonnay.
Three AOC labels apply. Chardonnay that is grown to the north of the Route des Moines is classified as Meursault-Blagny 1er cru, to the south the vineyard is Puligny-Montrachet 1er cru Hameau de Blagny, held to be the best of these terroirs for Chardonnay. The third bears the name of Blagny itself and is applied solely to Pinot Noirs.
The burgeoning international market for White Burgundies has pushed up prices for Chardonnay from these most prestigious appellations. The economic balance between grape types increasingly results in parcels of Pinot Noir vines being grubbed out to be replanted with Chardonnay.
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| Chardonnay vines in Puligny-Montrachet Sous-le-Coutil |
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| Pinot Noir parcel in Blagny 1er cru Sous-le-Dos-d’Ane |
Domaine Blagny
The domaine was acquired in 1811 by an ancestor of the present owners. Six subsequent generations have been dedicated to maintaining the high standards of the estate. Responsibility has just passed from Jean-Louis de Montlivault into the hands of daughter Beatrice and son-in-law Etienne de Brechard. He gave up a successful career in Audio-Visual technology to study winemaking at the Lycee Viticole in Beaune in preparation for the job before taking up the succession. One of the first achievements under the new management has been the the construction of a state of the art cuverie, commissioned in time for the 2015 harvest. The architecture says much for their environmental values.
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| Looking south to the domaine and low profile cuverie |
Viticulture
The domaine farms about 7ha to produce three wines: Puligny-Montrachet 1er cru Hameau de Blagny, Meursault Blagny 1er cru and Blagny 1er cru Sous-le-Dos-d'Ane
Only methods compatible with the sustainable quality of the vine are practiced. The land is ploughed mechanically to enable the vine roots to grow deep down and in this manner the use of herbicides can be avoided.
Spray treatments against infections of the vine are limited to recognized, environmentally friendly methods. Pruning to control vegetation and limit yield for best quality fruit depends on the species: Guyot for Chardonnay and Cordon for Pinot Noir.
Domaine Blagny rightly values its outstanding Pinot Noir and remains faithful to its continuity, resisting the temptation to follow fashion. This year, one parcel was replanted with the black grape.
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| A healthy crop |
They are now the exclusive producer of Pinot in the 1er cru vineyard of Sous-le-Dos-d’Ane; not quite a monopole but certainly a unique status for their 1ha parcel.
Vendange
All grapes are handpicked. Only bunches of grapes from the first truss are taken.
Secondary fruit, resulting from later flowers is left on the vines.
The harvest is a family affair with friends and children of all generations returning home for a working holiday.
Picking starts early in the morning but there is a mid-morning break for the workers to restore their stamina. Known Cas Croute (Crust break), they are in reality a substantial picnic of bread and cheese with sausage and ham, taken on-the-hoof and washed down with wine. Generic white Burgundy is usually served but in this domaine the pickers enjoy 1er cru Blagny!
The fruit is transported in crates over the short distance to the cuverie.
The modern pneumatic press works on low pressure to extract the juice without fracturing the grape skin.
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| Temperature check to ensure controlled fermentation |
For the white wines, the must is racked in vats for 24 hours which gives time for the coarse solid matter to settle and immediately after this period, the clear juice is filled into oak casks. The alcoholic fermentation is a biological process employing the natural yeast present on the skins of the grapes.
Such cultures pervade a cuverie, surviving in the fabric of the building from one vintage to the next. For the 2015 millesime only, a selected yeast was used in the new and sterile environment.
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| Process control records on each barrel |
Specific gravity is the physical indicator of change from high sugar content grape juice into wine. From the start of the process, it is measured frequently against temperature and recorded by each cask. The former shows the rate of conversion as it falls whilst the latter confirms that the yeast is performing. The alcoholic fermentation is completed when SG reaches and levels out at about 990 grams/litre and the wine begins to cool. Also naturally, follows the malolactic fermentation process. About 14 months later, the wine is racked in vats and filtered before bottling.
The red wine process starts with temperature controlled fermentation of the de-stalked grapes in a stainless steel vat for one week. For a further two weeks the must rests with a crust of skins and pips. This is punched at judicious intervals to achieve the depth of colour and level of tannins required. The clear wine is then racked off into a second vat and the mash is pressed to release the remaining liquid.
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| Pressure is critical to achieving texture and flavour |
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| Etienne and Vincent De Anfrasio test the pressed wine |
Puligny-Montrachet 1er cru Hameau Blagny
This wine is distinguished by its fine, mineral sensation giving length in the mouth. When young, the aroma is rich and ranges from citrus fruit to white blossom moving towards honey, buttered toast and hazelnut.
After 2 or 3 years in the cellar it may be served as an aperitif with jambon persillé (diced ham in garlic and parsley jelly) or Comté cheese; a little older it will be an ideal match for Quenelles de brochet (pike dumplings). When more mature it provides the ideal accompaniment for white meats such as veal in cream sauce.
After 2 or 3 years in the cellar it may be served as an aperitif with jambon persillé (diced ham in garlic and parsley jelly) or Comté cheese; a little older it will be an ideal match for Quenelles de brochet (pike dumplings). When more mature it provides the ideal accompaniment for white meats such as veal in cream sauce.
Meursault-Blagny 1er cru
More direct than lower altitude Meursaults, this well structured wine has good minerality. When young, it is ideal with scallops, a couple of years later it will suit poultry dishes such as poularde à la crème” (chicken or pullet in cream sauce). In a good cellar it will age well over 10 years.
Blagny, 1er cru Sous le Dos d' ne
Deep red and limpid, this wine has considerable finesse with rich aromas of red fruit such as raspberry and ripe black cherry. Long in the mouth it also has subtle tannins, sumptuous fruit, good acidity and a spicy finish. It opens up well after 3 or 4 years but in a good cellar can be laid down for at least 15 years.
A great attendant for red fatty meats like lamb, it is particularly suitable for serving with duck “magret” or grilled pork. Visit www.domaine-de-blagny.fr
Working Practices
France is a conservative nation and this is evident in the working life.
Metiers (craftsmen) are rightly proud of their skills. The British style general builder, prepared to tackle any job does not exist here. In wood working alone there are three distinct trades: Charpentier, Menuisier and Ebéniste (Carpenter, Joiner and Cabinet maker).
Any building project is segregated into recognised trades. This does make projects more difficult to plan and manage. It can provide superior quality of workmanship. A current development in Puligny includes the creation of new stone arches into an existing vaulted cellar.
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| Craftsmen at work |
Onerous employment overheads make it expensive to hire people. Companies are reluctant to engage new workers even when they have full order books. Latest figures show that there are 3.6m unemployed, 500,000 of them under 25 (10 and 23% respectively).
Prime Minister Manuel Valls is set to reform Labour Laws to stimulate recruitment. Consultation has begun to implement changes by 2017. They will include:
- The official working week, currently 35 hours to rise to 39 hours with an upper limit of 48.
- Companies will negotiate and agree hours of work, pay rates and other conditions of employment with unions where they represent at least 50% of the workforce against the present 30.
- Terms and conditions can be set by “branches”. Today there are 740 of these trade councils. Within three years, mergers will reduce their number to 100.
- Collective agreements on job protection will take precedence over individual contracts of employment.
- Refusal by an individual to conform could result in redundancy.
- Refusal by an individual to conform could result in redundancy.
These changes are long overdue. They already apply to workers in small and medium businesses all over the country. But they could provoke determined resistance in large enterprises and service industries. Union leaders have expressed their opposition.
We shall see if Valls has the balls!
Summer '15
Heritage
14th July is Bastille day and the French National Holiday. All inhabitants were invited to the Mr Nonciaux’s Vin d’honeur gathering in front of the Mairie. He reminded us that this year has special significance for the commune. On 4th July UNESCO awarded les Climats du vignoble de Bourgogne the status of a World Heritage site. The achievement itself will change nothing in the management of the vineyards or village life. However, it is an important accolade which will encourage pride in our region and its produce and have a positive effect on wine tourism.
Last year’s product from the Cotes des Nuits and Beaune has received enthusiastic acclaim from leading authorities including Master Sommelier, Jean-Claude Wallerand. In examining wines throughout the côtes, he said that he was reminded of 1978 and thought that this vintage will be better than 2009 – itself a very good vintage. As they say “When it is good in the barrel, it is always good”. Certainly our earlier tastings from the barrel were of wines clear and rich in colour, not at all disagreeable on the nose, as incomplete wines can be and good enough to drink then and there!
A leading Puligny vigneron has stated his optimism for a good vintage in both quality and quantity. “Even though there was some loss to hail, in its gestation the wine promises great potential.” One producer of both Red and White told us that he expects his 2014's will exceed 2009 in subtlety and balance.
2015 so far
The vines are bearing good volumes of fruit thanks to the early arrival of spring and decent rainfall then. The outstanding feature of the growing season has been the prolonged period of high pressure which has meant clear skies, hot sunny days and almost no rainfall. Daytime maximum temperature has exceeded 40 centigrade several times, against the July norm of 25. Since 1st June, there has only been one day of rain. Compare that to the average of nearly 1 in 2 days and one can imagine how parched conditions have become.
The limestone escarpment is a natural reservoir and the water table on the flatter land at its foot has a high water table. So far, thanks to these physical features the vines are continuing to develop well. But as one vigneron complained, any moisture in the grapes is evaporating in the hot, dry breeze. Irrigation is not permitted on the côtes and unless there is substantial precipitation there is a risk that the survival mechanism in the vines will shut down growth and arrest the ripening process.
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| Spraying in 1er cru Les Pucelles |
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| Hail nets in Volnay 1er cru Le Brouillards, April 2015 |
The so called nets are actually curtains of heavy duty plastic mesh which are suspended along either side of a row. There is a narrow gap at the top and each curtain can be rolled up for access to the ceps. One in three rows may be netted in any single parcel. BIVB, the professional winemakers association, will make frequent observations of the development of the trial vines. Separate cuvees (makings) of the wine from netted and the control vines will be assessed too. Subject to results, growers will be advised if the nets are acceptable.Following our last newsletter, we are again featuring a commune and one of its independent winemakers:
Les Maranges
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| La Cosanne at Sampigny-les-Maranges |
The corner formed by that confluence defines the limit of the Côte de Beaune wine region and contains three villages which bear the common suffix of their communal appellation. They are the two mentioned above and a third, Dezize-les-Maranges, which sits on the highest ground amidst south/south east facing 1er cru vineyards.
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| Côte Chalonnaise over the Dheune valley |
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| End of the crest |
The appellation of Les Maranges dates from 1989. Before achieving their own celebrity, wines from this area were often used to beef-up lesser quality red wines of the Côte de Beaune. Now more appreciated by wine lovers in their own right, they still represent great value for money. Only about 5 hectares is planted with Chardonnay vines where soils are more sandy granitic, containing minerals including feldspar and silica. There are some very good Chardonnays made here and which express aromas of white flowers and exotic fruits and offer good minerality.
Domaine Edmond Monnot et Fils
It is from their domaine in the village of Dezize-les-Maranges that Christelle and Stéphane Monnot farm 9 hectares and produce a wide range of fine wines. Stéphane’s grandfather founded the enterprise in 1920. Christelle is the daughter of a vigneron from the Beaujolais Cru Village of Saint Amour. Their holding includes parcels in five of the commune’s six Pinot Noir 1er cru vineyards as well as other highly rated local climats.
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| Dezize-les-Maranges from La Fussière |
La Fussières, an extensive vineyard where they hold a 1.04ha parcel of south facing vines set high on the slope at 370m above sea level. The soil here is brown limestone marl mix. Typically, La Fussière red is ruby in colour with aromas of red fruits, complex in the mouth with discreet tannins. It goes well with white and grilled meats.
Monnot’s 1.4 hectare parcel represents the greater part of Clos de la Boutière in the form of a narrow strip of vines running south over a shallow broken limestone and sedimentary clay marl above Jurassic bed rock. They qualify this wine as “Vieilles Vignes” since the ceps (vines) are on average 55 years old with about a third being planted in 1930. The wine has strong perfumes of red fruit and cherries and is powerful on the palate with concentrated fruit and herbal notes and strong yet subtle tannins – best served with roast beef or richly flavoured cheese. Domaine Monnot cultivates 0.8 hectare of Clos Roussots. Adjacent to Clos de la Boutière and with a south/south east aspect, these vines are also long established, in this case averaging 60 years of age. Above a layer of Jurassic limestone, the soil is deep and rich in clay minerals. To the nose, Clos Roussots gives concentrated aromas of black fruits; it is well structured and rich in tannins and makes a good companion to red meat and game dishes.
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| Clos Roussots flowers 4th June |
Close to the D136 Nolay road, in Clos des Loyères the Monnots farm 1.09ha on Jurassic sub soil.
In a neighbouring parcel below, a “Tendeur” carefully raises the parallel training wires to contain fruit bearing canes. This man is a specialist viticulteur contracted by the owner to manage the plants from pruning up to harvest. |
| Clos des Rois by the cycle path |
The pride of Monnots’ Pinots comes from their 0.3ha holding of Les Maranges 1er cru Clos des Rois. Soil here is brown limestone with sedimentary clay rock, rich in minerals. Facing due south, their vines are at the foot of the long, steep slope where they enjoy maximum sunshine and shelter from cold north winds; this is an exceptionally hot climat. As is often the case, the best terroirs are subject to the greatest risks of adverse weather.
Pruning is to the Cordon de Royat style. In pursuit of quality, yield of this most precious fruit is kept to 24-30hl/ha (about 1/3 bottle per plant) against the area’s norm of 48hl/ha. The wine is limpid and deep ruby in the glass and has complex aromas of cherry, blackberry and myrtille. Tannins are melted to give a texture of velure, oak is discreet and there is a long and complex aftertaste of ripe black fruit. The perfect partner for red meats. It is deservedly presented in the classic Burgundy bottle shape.
Chardonnay grown under the regional label of Hautes Côtes de Beaune, is a refreshing well balanced everyday drink; a village appellation of Santenay, Le Chainey which has powerful flavours of honey and white flowers. Their Maranges 1er cru La Fussière blanc has rich straw colour, aromas of white flowers and toasted brioche, it is long in the mouth with good minerality. In the vineyards, grass is grown between the rows of vines to keep the ground alive by supporting insect life and worms which aerate the soil and retain moisture. Other natural flora is encouraged too. In 2012 use of herbicides was discontinued. |
| The cuverie – note antique press and even older fossils in terrace wall |
The crates of freshly picked grapes are delivered to a spacious but sheltered porch at the cuverie hall doors. The produce is then brought into the air conditioned cuverie hall and disgorged onto a belt conveyor where fruit is sorted by hand. Approved bunches of black grapes are destemmed and delivered by giraffe elevator into stainless steel vats. Selected Burgundian yeasts are introduced to the must and maceration takes place for between 15 and 21 days. 
Throughout the process, judicious pigeage (punching of the floating crust of skins) takes place. This is how the viniculteur achieves good balance, keeps the wine supple and controls the extraction of tannins from the skins. Once the alcoholic fermentation is complete the new wine is transferred to the air conditioned cellar directly below the vats. There is no pumping process; it simply flows by gravity into the oak barrels.The method of producing the wines varies according to the terroir and the vintage. As examples: The Maranges village appellation Le Saugeot is matured in old oak barrels for 12 months. Their Santenay Les Charmes Dessus is raised in barrels made from oak from the Allier forest close to Vichy, for 12 months then rested in a cuve for a further 6 months.
Maranges 1er cru Clos des Loyères benefits from 20% new oak and the Maranges 1er cru Clos des Rois up to 30% new oak. Chardonnays are pressed immediately upon harvest and the juice poured directly into oak barrels for both alcoholic and malolactic fermentation. The Santenay village Le Chairey and Maranges 1er cru La Fussière are vinified with 20% new oak. Battonage or the stirring of the young wine on its lies, is carried out according to the development of its properties. Filtration may be conducted to enhance aroma and achieve brilliance in colour.
An old cave has been recently restored to provide an atmospheric tasting room where Christelle and Stéphane provide generous and interesting introductions to their exciting range of fine wines.
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| Visit: www.domaineedmondmonnot.fr |
It is some months since the last newsletter and to those kind readers who say they have missed the epistles, I apologise. The excuse is that your correspondent has been nursing his wife who had a prosthetic right knee fitted in December last. She is progressing very well and already overtakes him on country walks. It has been an interesting time for both, though painful for only one!
British friends often ask how we find the health service in France. Here is a rough account of our experiences which have been generally good.
Delivery - In France, the patient is expected to accept significant personal responsibility. Our GP does not operate to appointments; if you need to see him, you go along in the afternoon or evening and wait your turn, home visits take up his mornings. When it comes to tests or referrals, your GP will advise you of alternative clinics or specialists give you the telephone number of your preferred choice and provide you with a letter of introduction on the spot. It is then the client’s responsibility to make an appointment at the next level.
Private clinics conduct examinations from blood tests to CT scans. Subject to the nature of the referral, the patient is given the report, X ray or CD to keep safely or bring back to the GP. There is only person to blame if records get lost!
Hospitals and clinics are well financed, staffed and equipped with the latest technology. Most are open for business every day to provide service when needed and maximise asset utilisation. Treatment programmes are comprehensive. Physiotherapy following surgery is usually free of charge. It is possible to get a prescription for a spa cure.
Fall '14
Summer '14
Nearby Chagny holds a great market every Sunday and that morning Swingshift played in the Place Jets d’Eau at the top of the town and right in front of the famous Michelin *** restaurant of Lameloise. Here too the commune was very generous in its hospitality; the unexpected bonus was a Saint Romain 1er cru aperitif served by the proprietor Mr Lamy and his famous chef, Eric Pras.
In the Vineyard
Vine flowers are quite unimpressive being not much more than a tiny white pistil. They are nevertheless a welcome sight which cheers the growers by confirming there will be fruit. It was good to see healthy vines following poor volumes of recent vintages.
The Street Market
Ugly Politics
Spring '14
Tournante Saint Vincent
The wine makers’ social year begins with a festival which has great social and professional importance in the Côtes des Nuits and Beaune.
The annual event of the Tournante Saint Vincent is celebrated in a different village each year. There is just cause for pride in the host commune which makes a huge collective effort to present its environs and its produce in the most attractive way.
Saint Aubin was the venue for this year’s celebration of the 70th Tournante. Preparations there had begun three years ago on decorations that included the production of hundreds of thousands of paper flowers to dress the bare trees.
Early that frosty morning, we set out to breakfast with friends in the cellar beneath their home in the hamlet of Gamay.
The day itself started even earlier for those taking an active part in the ceremonies.
Each wine village in the Côtes has a vignerons guild. These societies fulfil a role in the occupational life of a wine village. They provide mutual assurance for their members.
In a social way they represent their community or village appellation at festivals. Each society has its silken banner and patron saint, whose effigy is carried on a bier and which are proudly carried in processions.
Some villages have marching bands too which accompany the corteges. The various groups met before dawn and set off for mass celebrated by the bishop in the historic church which dates from the Carolingian period.
After a blessing they filed back to the 13th century château of Gamay ancient home to the Seigneur du May. It was he who famously brought back the original Gamay vines from the crusades. Although subsequently banned from the Côtes as an inferior grape type to Pinot Noir, it is still grown in the Haute Côtes for the blended Passe Tout Grains and of course, as the voluptuous fruit of Beaujolais.
The central authority in the whole event is the Confederation des Chevaliers de Tastevin or brotherhood of the Knights of the Tasting Cup. The Commanders of the brotherhood brought up the procession to the chateau courtyard and there, honoured certain inhabitants of Saint Aubin by dubbing them Knights.
The chevaliers were formed in 1937 by a group of leading winemakers. Following numerous man-made and natural disasters, the reputation of their wines had seriously declined and the image of Burgundy was poor.
They were determined to re-establish the ascendancy of Burgundy and to encourage the highest standards of quality in wine production. Various initiatives began to flow from their headquarters in Vougeot to restore pride in the region’s wines. One of which was the institution of the Tournante.
What began as a local event has grown into an international affair with global interest on different commune each year. People come from all over the World to visit the terroirs and test the wines.
Attendance this year was over 40,000 – that is about 160 visitors for each of the population of 250 souls. The main Paris roads was closed to provide a lineal car park several kilometres long and other routes in and around the village were open to pedestrians only to provide a traffic free zone. They coped with the deluge of thirsty people very well thanks to impressive preparations. Following the formal ceremonies, food and wine marquees opened throughout the village and the good natured throng toured the township.
The local producers had made special cuvees from 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012 vintages in both village and 1er Crus and both Red and White. We managed to visit several caves and sample everything. The most popular bar was at the domaine of the Bachelet family where they poured decent helpings of the excellent 2009 Saint Aubin 1er Cu, without question the star of the show.
For a modest sum the visitor invests in a pack comprising a souvenir glass (collectors’ items!) with a set of tasting tokens and a glass neck holder – invaluable for hands free partying!
The theme of montages was the Four Seasons and the whole of Saint Aubin and Gamay were zoned into artificial seasonal scenarios.
Dozens of gardens, courtyards and square exhibited the most elaborate and humorous situations, just a few are shown here.
The whole day was an unforgettable experience and probably the best ever festival of its kind.
We ate and drank on the hoof but there were also tented restaurants for more civilised dining, one of which had a Michelin *.
In many situations there was a silver or jazz band (les Fanfares) to entertain.
Next year the Tourane will be held at Vougeot. Working on a roughly 30 year cycle, Puligny’s turn should come round again in 2021.
In the Vineyard
By tradition creative pruning and the training of new fruit canes starts after the feast of Saint Vincent. Spring began early this year and the local vines are currently about one month ahead of normal development. Viticulteurs have been under pressure to complete their spring tasks in time as the growing season has arrived with haste. One of the first jobs is to replace rotted and broken posts and to refit training wires. This work must be completed before this year’s leader can be tied in.
Under the Guyot system of pruning the selected leader is cut after four or five buds. By early March the wood is sufficiently pliable to be gently bent against the lowest wire and tied to form a horizontal platform from which the new laterals can rise.
This is known colloquially as “doing your baguettes”. Once the branches have been secured in neat rows, cultivation can begin. Throughout the winter the soil had been heaped against the plant stocks to protect against frost. In order to allow sunlight and the circulation of warming air, the operation of “de-earthing” is carried out.
In the Grand Cru vineyard of Batard Montrachet ploughing is by horse power to conform to the bio-dynamic policies of the celebrated Domaine Leflaive. Bio dynamics require organic cultivation methods. Further, they conduct operations to coincide with the phases of the moon and movements of other heavenly bodies. An engaging debate, exciting a lot of interest in these organic principles has been forced to the surface by the prosecution and conviction of a local vigneron.
Emmanuel Giboulot practices bio dynamic methods and has refused to comply with certain compulsory controls. These measures are designed to combat a highly contagious and incurable bacteriological disease called Flavesence Dorée. Sick plants display yellow leaves as they deteriorate. Their golden hue seems to be particularly attractive to a foliage eating cicadelle (leaf hopper) and the pest picks up the bacteria as it feeds. Subsequently, it moves to a healthy neighbouring vine where it passes on the infection. A parallel human infection process would be malaria.
The disease is indigenous but the carrier is a relatively recent immigrant that probably arrived in egg form, on root stock imported from USA early in the last century – ironically in the effective resolution of the scourge of phylloxera. Appearing first in the South West, the plague has already spread as far as Italy and Switzerland. This new threat to the French wine industry is not being underestimated. The compulsory controls have been imposed through most of the country. Growers are required to spray all vineyards as defined by the Prefecture, with an insecticide in an attempt to eradicate the offending bug. The spray has been approved by organic and bio dynamic bodies but some dedicated believers in natural methods remain unconvinced.
Giboulot’s defence was that his vines were not infected and even if they were, his action would be to uproot and destroy infected plants to arrest the spread of the disease. To spray would destroy the ecological balance which he seeks to preserve. He is not alone in supporting these values but is so far the only one to stand so boldly against official wisdom and the law. In February he was fined by a court but could face prison if he continues to refuse to follow directives to spray his vines with the prescribed chemical.
By the end of March the leaf nodes were bursting to allow the new green leaves to emerge. One month later and the fruit bearing stems have developed. Precocious “graps” or bunches of flower buds which appear as tiny bunches of grapes.
Flowering normally takes place in June and as a rule of thumb sets the harvest date 100 days later. One vigneron predicted flowers on 20th May; indicating the recolte to commence before the end of August this year.
Flora & Fauna
Above the vineyard the escarpment is largely covered by scrubby forest, which in places clears to reveal grey crags. A well marked but generally little used footpath runs along this edge. Hard limestone pavements underfoot makes easy going and spectacular views eastwards over the plain of the Saône and as far as the Alps, lift the spirits.
Through winter months these dense woods are populated by winged visitors from Scandinavia such as buntings and bramblings. Now the summer migrants from from Africa have arrived including the extravagantly plumed Hoopoe and the tuneful Nightingale. To catch sight of the one and to hear the brilliant song of the other are bonuses for the walker here.
This spring saw an early and full display of wild flowers including Pasque and Violets.
In the Cuveries
In the last days of March, our neighbour was bottling his 2012 1er and Grand Cru wines. Good quality Village and Cru Chardonnays on Côte de Beaune ferment and lie in oak barrels for at least 12 months. Then the wine is transferred to stainless steel tanks for assemblage – the collation of complete cuvees or makings. Here they rest for a further 5 months or more prior to bottling.
After allowing some weeks for the wine to settle in the bottle it will be considered fit to be sold. Here his precious stock of only 600 bottles of Bienvenue Batard Montrachet is being sent over to the filling line.
At Easter we sampled some of his 2012 vintage. Being very young the 1er Cru Les Perriers was tight but with robust structure and great minerality. We bought a few bottles of 1er Cru Les Referts, richer and rounder and expected to be great within 6 years.
It is fun to visit the caves of well established and renowned winemakers. It can also be rewarding to discover lesser known vignerons, some just making their way in the World. We are always looking for new sources of good value in wine. Almost by chance we discovered a promising young winemaker in the charming village of Noyers.
This small market town is famed for its medieval architecture we decided to test a restaurant there on our route home following a buying trip to Chablis. The tasting in Chablis had been interesting but limited in choice. Successive poor harvests had left our host with nothing to sell but very young 2013 village.
The restaurant was a happy find for a number of reasons. For aperitif we had a glass of Fié Gris Sauvignon from Domaine Goisot in the nearby village of Saint Bris, the sole appellation of Sauvignon in the whole of Burgundy. It was fresh, acid but with mellow tones of honey and white flowers. The blackboard menu was short enough to assure freshly made dishes but long enough to give a broad choice of tastes. I had the andouillette which was delicious, washed down with an appropriate bottle of 2009 Irancy Palotte.
Our waiter was the proprietor/chef’s son. In discussing the wines he told us that he had recently acquired a south facing hectare of vineyard which he has planted with Pinot Noir. He had previously inherited a small parcel and had made a few hundred bottles for each of the last couple of years. He invited us into the cellar after we had eaten to taste his 2013 cuvee. There is no local appellation in the immediate area and his wine can only be described as Vin de France but it was intriguing. Limpid, with hard tannins but fruity, we hope to buy some when available.
2013 Vintage
The year’s weather could be summed up in two words: cold and wet. Spring did not happen at all and there was snow on high ground at the end of May, by which time precipitation was 80% over normal. As previously reported there was a lot of fungal disease. Fortunately Puligny was spared the devastating hail suffered in other villages on the Côte de Beaune. Still the harvest here was low in volume.
The bright start to the summer weather encouraged healthy fruit development but as we approached harvest time, more dull days and inclement weather threatened a total write off as sugar levels refused to rise. At the last minute a period of brilliant, warm days presented delicious ripe grapes.
Jean Michel Chartron said of the vintage; “Fruity and balanced, 2013 white wines are characterized by a nose of citrus notes. This aromatic sharpness follows in the mouth. These well structured wines display vivacity and freshness without the aggressiveness that had threatened from acid levels measured just before harvest. Direct, without embellishment, 2013 will acquit itself well against previous years.”
Meantime...
In March the country went to the polls to elect city and village councils. I am pleased to report that our own mayor, Bernard Nonciaux was voted back in. In places like Puligny, leaders are elected on their personal qualities rather than for their political complexion. That is not the case in large cities. The unpopularity of socialist President Hollande was reflected in a violent swing to the right as eleven cities came under the control of the National Front. There are five levels of government in France: National, Regional, Departmental, Cantonal and Communal. That is too much bureaucracy, even by French standards. Now there are proposals to reduce linkage and administration costs by redrawing political boundaries.
It seems designed to increase the political influence of the urban areas at the expense of the rural. Since the former tend to be more radical and the latter more conservative it could be seen as an effort to improve socialist chances in future presidential contests. Gerrymander could become a French verb. This month, together with other EU member states, we vote for representatives in the European parliament. It will be interesting to see if the move to extremism is repeated for the candidates in France as well as in other EU states.
PS
For lovers of the tastes of Burgundy there is a new book out: “Breakfast in Burgundy” (ISBN 1629144746), written by food and wine journalist Raymond Blake.
Winter '13/'14
2013 – A Mixed Harvest.
Following the bizarre weather throughout the growing spring and summer of 2013, the harvest was later than in any year this century so far and more than one month behind the exceptional 2003 when it was all over by the end of August.
Earliest picking began on 25 September but the main recolte did not take place until early October. This seems late to us these days but is more typical of harvests in the 1960s and 70s. One retired vigneron was prompted to comment that much of the phenomena attributed to so-called global warming are really cyclical variation in seasonal weather patterns.
The right moment to pick grapes is determined by fruit sugar levels. The winemaker needs about 12o of sugar to produce palatable wine. The month of September had begun with overcast skies and cold temperatures. By the second week of the month sugar levels were only 8o.
Sunlight rather than heat is essential for photosynthesis and each bright, sunny day will add about 0.2o to the sugar level so; at least one full week of bright sunshine was needed to reach maturity.
It is perhaps surprising to realise that Puligny is on the same latitude as Winnipeg. In these northern climes, the advancing autumn deals a double blow to the ripening process; first in reducing the intensity of the sun’s rays and second in shorter days.
The vignerons were ready; everyone had had enough time to take all the holiday needed; vats, presses and barrels had been cleaned to clinical standards; the itinerant vendangeurs were beginning to arrive and all loins were girded for the eagerly anticipated event.
As if by miracle, on 19 September the required spell of warm sunny days arrived, late but effective. There was general satisfaction with both quantity and quality of the harvest.
In company with Gerry and Jane Loftus visiting from Cleveland Ohio, we were given juice from the first pressing of Puligny Montrachet Les Combettes 1er Cru at the cuverie of Francois Carillon. It was refreshing but more complex than most grape juice.
Villages to the north were disappointed in volume. The devastation of hail storms reported earlier meant that only a fraction of normal yields was possible in some of the better vineyards in a band from Meursault to Savigny. Indeed, certain 1er Cru climats had no harvest at all.
By 18 October, alcoholic fermentation was finished in this cuverie in Ladoix and the new Red wine could be put into barrels.
Golden Hillsides.
This part of Burgundy is called the Cote d’Or, literally the Golden Hillside. In 2013 it fully justified its name.
This year’s abundant growth resulted in full foliage and autumn leaves stayed longer to develop vivid fall colours, from pale yellow on Chardonnay vines to Pinot Noir’s bright crimson.
Autumnal shades vary according to varieties and at this time of year one can see a patchwork of to ownership and planting patterns.
The fine weather continued into late October but immediately in November, we were thrust into sharp wintry conditions. There was a little snow but a short period of quite cold nights and freezing fog.
It was possible to escape the sub zero conditions by climbing above the ground hugging clouds.
Post Harvest
Puligniens have a reputation for enthusiasm in vineyard tasks and are known for being generally ahead of neighbouring communes with seasonal work. This is certainly true in the case of la taille or the pruning.
The skilled metier here takes long handled secateurs to an old vine which has been successively hard pruned.
He also prizes out suckers and decides on the leader for the coming summer. With an eye to 2015 and beyond, he chooses infant branches for special attention.
This plot was planted in 1926 in ground so challenging that growth must be fiercely restricted in favour of quality.
Most viticulteurs use powered secateurs. At the push of button, all but the stoutest bough falls under these mighty tools. Batteries are charged overnight and carried in waistcoats to provide power all day.
This is the time of the bruette, the ubiquitous mobile incinerator made from a 200 litre oil drum and mounted on a wheel barrow that is pushed along the rows and fuelled with the off cuts.
It provides nourishing phosphates in the form of ash for the plants and a welcome source of heat for the worker.
Recent visitors included Jessica Foster and Darren Carroll who took some great photographs of la taille as well as scenes from Paris which can be seen on his blog: www.darrencarroll.com/
153th Vente des Vins des Hospice de Beaune.
Each year on the third weekend in November, the Hospice de Beaune auctions off the wine of the current vintage.
This year saw new record sales of 5.8m€. The prices of Reds grew by more than that for White, forced by lower volumes as a result of the extensive hail damage from Volnay, Pommard, Beaune and Savigny les Beaune.
Buyers from the East were once again to the fore. Each year a celebrity or film star is appointed president of the auction. This year it was the actress Clotilde Courau, popularly known as the Princess of Venice and Piedmont. Her privilege was to sell a 456 litre barrel of Meursault 1er Cru Genevrières for a charity of her choice. It was bought by Madame Yan-Hong Cao, Chinese owner of tea plantations and jade mines.
She paid 131,000€ or about 215€/bottle. That is quite a price for a half made wine of uncertain quality. But that’s not the end of it because the young brew is still in the barrel and requires the care and attention of a good winemaker to finish the process before bottling perhaps 18 months down the road.
The World market for Burgundy continues to strengthen and this is reflected in land values. Recently a hectare of Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru went for 4m€, that is about 400€/vine. At an estimated payback of up to a 40 years, this sadly precludes most independent growers.
There is more to the festival than the sale itself. Marching bands (les Fanfares) and dancing groups come from all over France and beyond to entertain the crowds.
Nothing is taken too seriously and there are loosely associated activities including a cork pulling contest for aspiring sommeliers – this year won by a visitor from Alsace.
Origins and Appellations.
After the scourges of disease and infestation in the late 19th and early 20th centuries there followed devastation by man. The political and economic disasters of the latter restrained demand for fine wines.
After WWI, there was an increase in demand on an industry that was not equipped to respond and this resulted in widespread adulterations such as the importation of wines from far to the south into the villages of the Côtes. It became the accepted norm for wine makers in the region to fortify their product with cheaper wines.
In 1935, the Institut Nationale des Appellations d’Origine INAO was formed to protect the integrity of high quality French food and wine.
Today, the label of every bottle provides a great deal of knowledge. Once a relatively few terms are understood then a Burgundy label can provide a wealth of information. It is the INAO which authorises the appellations which appear on labels.
In the best quality wines, the celebrated vineyard name is proudly displayed. In the case of Grand Crus, the definitive Burgundies, it stands distinctively and simply on the label; for example Montrachet or Chambertin.
Next in reputation are the Premier Crus, being wines from specific vineyards which have been judged to consistently produce the highest quality wines in a commune. Wines of this designation bear the name of the vineyard together with that of the village, for example Santenay Les Gravières.
These names are often intriguing and their roots can be fascinating. Some have origins in physical attributes and describe local topography or geological conditions. Others are founded on characters.
Back in 1253 the proprietor of the great Montrachet was the Abbey of Maizières who named it Territorium de Mont Rachaz or Land of the Bald Hill, a name still appropriate.
Adjacent are Chevalier Montrachet, Bâtard Montrachet and Les Pucelles. The Seigneur of Puligny distributed vineyards amongst his children, specifically his heir, the Chevalier; his daughters, being maidens or Pucelles and even recogned an illegitimate son.
Chambertin is said to derive from Champ de Berhtin or Burton’s Field.
In the commune of Santenay can be found the 1er Cru Les Gravières, so called because of its favourable gritty soil or Gravel.
Slightly more obscure is the Blagny 1er Cru La Pièce sous le Dos d’Ane or the Part beneath the Donkey’s Back. An isolated hillock with a depression like a saddle stands over this small vineyard.
St Aubin’s Sur Gamay 1er Cru is easily spotted as the vineyard on the hill above the hamlet of Gamay. A neighbouring St Aubin 1er Cru field is identified as Les Murgers des Dents de Chien, literally the Rough Stone Walls of the Dog’s Teeth. Murgers being cairns of rocks cleared from productive earth which contains small, hard white stones resembling Hounds’ Teeth.
Tournante Saint Vincent
The feast of the patron saint of winemakers occurs on 22nd January. It is celebrated by a movable feast on the fourth weekend each January. The 70th Tournante will be hosted by the commune of St Aubin on 25/26 January.
Large crowds are expected for a day that will start early with a vignerons’ mass followed by processions. Many caves will be open and we are looking forward to a great day. I will report next time on the event and in the meantime represent here our invitation to breakfast with friends in Gamay.
To commemorate the event, villages usually erect a permanent edifice. Puligny had the honour in 1991 and this statue of workers engaged in traditional seasonal vineyard tasks graces Place Johannesburg, seen here in winter glory.
This is late, I know but we would like to wish all our readers a Healthy & Happy 2014.
Summer 2013
The Springless Year
The weather can be a boring topic, not so this year so far and certainly not a matter without great significance for vignerons on the Côte de Beaune and indeed throughout the whole of France. Spring began exceptionally cold and dark in Côte d’Or. April did show some signs of improvement but temperatures and sunlight were far below par.
By mid month, buds began to open on the baguettes (this year’s leaders) and by late April, the chardonnay leaves were bursting out - the miracle of spring seemed to have eventually arrived. One good thing about this tardy awakening was that all the vines were developing at the same pace, slow but consistent.
This was quite unlike 2012 when some precocious flowering resulted in uneven ripening. Often in the same bunch one saw both green and overripe grapes. Already this year, a general view seemed to be developing amongst vignerons that in 2013 nature would be more regulated and things were progressing steadily.
One springtime task is to plough heaped soil away from the vine bases and into the centre of the aisles between the rows. This operation is called de-earthing; it allows fresh air and sunlight to reach the stems and it was generally completed by early May.
At that stage, the optimist believed that spring must be just around the corner. That confidence was short lived as we were thrust right back into winter.
In May, days of sunshine were 40% below the historical mean and it seemed to rain every day. But it didn’t just rain, it deluged. In one 8 hour period, 135mm of water fell in Dijon – 160% of normal average for the whole month.
Cellars were flooded and rivers reached unprecedented levels. Only the steeper slopes avoided inundation and some flatter fields were swamped.
The conditions were ideal for fungal diseases such as oidium and mildew. The unrelenting rain made it difficult for growers to get on top of infection with treatment as waterlogged fields became impassable by tractor.
Organic spays such as Bordeaux mixture or copper sulphate were instantly washed off by fresh showers and systemic chemicals had to be employed.
Burgundy vignerons often have small and highly fragmented holdings. For example, one Chassagne owner has over 50 parcels spread over a distance of 10km.
It became logistically impossible to deal with the problem by conventional means. On the côtes, spraying by air is forbidden. Not only do the aircraft create pollution but also precision in delivery is unreliable. This is not acceptable to many growers who claim organic credentials. A catastrophe was looming and in these exceptional circumstances, the ban was temporarily lifted and special dispensation by the prefecture allowed helicopter spraying.
Low flying helicopters buzzed the vineyards every daylight hour for a couple of weeks. Even so, some plots of land were too small to delineate for effective spraying from above. The only solution here was application on foot.
Finally, if proof of wintry conditions were needed, on 25th May it actually snowed on the top of the escarpment behind Puligny.
Spring never did arrive. Right on cue, at the start of June we moved directly from winter into summer! Temperatures leapt and we enjoyed brilliant sunny days.
One benefit of the retarded start to the growing season was that the vines developed in a controlled manner. Flowering was late but well coordinated and by mid June, thanks largely to brighter weather, the vines were largely disease free and growing healthily.
This region is photogenic at any time but the sudden abundance of lush green foliage on both vines and wild plants was phenomenal.
Above, ploughing the steep slopes of En Charlemagne Grand Cru above Pernand Vergelesses, one of the prettiest villages in Burgundy.
Below, June morning over the ruined medieval hilltop château of Saint Romain with the present day township at its foot.
But that was not the end of the problems for some vignerons. On 19 June there was a tornado in the north of the region which caused considerable damage.
Closer to home and of more serious economic consequence was a couple of violent thunderstorms on 24th July and then 22nd August. Each threw a curtain of hail across a line of villages from Meursault northwards as far Savigny-lés-Beaune.
Fruit loss was extensive with some 1er Cru vineyards in Pommard losing 100% of the young grapes. This was a double blow for many growers in that village. Last year they suffered, along with the rest of Cote d’Or widespread low yields because of disease. Now they saw some vineyards devastated by vicious local weather conditions.
To cope with one bad year was difficult; to survive consecutive disastrous vintages will be very hard for many small firms. Elsewhere in France producers have appealed for government aid to cover some of their losses; perhaps any compensation will apply in Burgundy too.
Social Affairs
Communal pride shows itself in a number of ways, one of which is in respect for older residents. After eight years living in Puligny, we qualified for the first time to be guests at the annual Repas des Aines (Old Ones Meal) held on 14th April.
At the expense of the village, about sixty of us sat down to an excellent lunch, prepared in the Michelin * kitchens of Le Montrachet supported by fine wines from Puligny-Montrachet and Auxey-Durresses.
On 1st May, Jaap and Karin Reijnders declared Porte Ouverte (Open doors) at Le Vieux Château. This was to mark the completion of their massive restoration project. This six-bedroom house now offers a luxury holiday home, suitable for all seasons and in the form of a lovingly reinstated 15th century mansion. Work begins on a swimming pool next month, to be ready for spring 2014.
Mayor Bernard Nonciaux officiated, previous owner Madame Maraslovak was guest of honour.
The feast of the Assumption on 15th August is a public holiday in France and it has become the traditional date in Puligny for our annual Brocante (Second hand market). Around that time, many villages celebrate similar fairs. They go under various names including Puce (Flea market) and Vide Grenier (Attic clearance). It is a popular weekend activity for folk to visit neighbouring villages to hunt for bargains. The idea is to hire a pitch and display all your unwanted possessions. Of course, the greater part of it is rubbish but there are some gems to be found. These are invariably snatched up by professionals within 20 minutes of opening, to reappear in due course at antique fairs at considerably enhanced prices.
The rest is recycled once the new owners realise that they have acquired another piece of junk that must lie in the grenier until the puce season comes round once more.
Tasting Notes
In June we went with friends to the Loire Valley. We stayed in some fascinating places and enjoyed some excellent cuisine in Michelin* restaurants from the city of Nantes to others through Anjou and Touraine. But, by general consent the best meal was in a modest family auberge in the Touraine wine village of Bourgeuil. In France, the best cooking can often be found in modest hostelleries – and at a fraction of the cost of better publicised establishments.
We also had some pleasant degustations. The most memorable being at Château Plaisance in the Côte de Layon. The Rochais family are among the few producers of Quarts-de-Chaume, the only Grand Cru vineyard in the whole of the Loire, a superb dessert wine which once rivalled the great Château Yquem.
We tasted a range of fine wines, which as chauffeur, I was obliged a-cacher (to spit out). The finale was a Quarts-de-Chaume ice wine from 1997. This is exceptionally rare since the local micro climate normally prevents frost in October and that year was the last time it had been possible to produce. It was made clear to me by the assertive Mr Rochais that I was not to spit that one out! It was brilliant, intensly sweet yet well balanced and with a long refreshing after taste.
I took his advice after he related an anecdote about the visit to his estate by exhalted Robert Parker. It seems that the American guru had persistently grilled him about his policy of no new oak; “wood, wood, wood!” he had replied “I am making wine here - not furniture!”.
With visitors from California, we tasted some interesting 2012s from the barrel. Jacques Carillon generously shared his Bienvenue Batard Montrachet Grand Cru, very much limited by the poor harvest. It was very young of course, but easy to drink and full of great promise.
At Domaines Fontaine-Dubreuil in Pernand Vergelesses and Laurent Pillot in Chassagne Montrachet we sampled 2012 Pommard 1er Crus Les Epenots and Les Rugiens, both first class: the former round and fruity, the latter more muscular with good tannins which will soften further with time. These two vineyards, generally accepted as the best of Pommard, compare very well with some of the Grand Crus from north of Beaune and have aspirations to be awarded the higher appellation themselves.
In our constant quest for lesser known sources of fine wine we took visitors from New York to the Milan cuverie in Chassey-le-Camp, not a renowned wine village but where excellent Mercurey red and white from Rully can be found. Madame Milan explained their policy of total process control - to personally perform or supervise all operations in cultivation and vinification. We discussed aspects of 2012 and she explained that she regarded a challenging vintage as she would a difficult child; you do not love it any less than the others but you remember the special care that it required to come good.
Their 2012 Rully 1er Cru will not be bottled until October but our friends were able to order a couple of dozen for shipment to their home when available and at reasonable cost. Another example of the Burgundian wine makers’ pride in their product was seen in Rully.
We went to collect some wine and found Madame Breliere entertaining a group of local children to an educational tasting of grape juice with an explanation of the merits of local terroirs.
Return to Normality
After the trials of the first half of the year, those vineyards which have escaped hail damage so far are looking healthy and abundant in fruit. In the model growing conditions since June, the vines continued to push out leaders and sprout new growth. The vignerons have continued to trim the tops to encourage development of fruit.
Leafy side shoots are still being pruned or tucked in by hand to expose the fruit to maximum sunshine. Sugar content should now begin to rise rapidly as the grapes ripen.
The proprietors have been able to take their summer holiday, prepare their cuveries and finalise recruitment of vendangeurs (pickers). The harvest date is estimated at between 25th September and 5th October. So, with one eye on the weather and the other looking out for signs of mildew, they now anticipate the large harvest.
Spring 2013
Spring seems to be a long time in coming this year. But
there are benefits for the viticulteur.
Winter 2013
Since early November the viticulteurs have been in the fields performing the pre-taille – the pruning after the harvest. According to the standard Guyot system of vine cultivation, the first cut is made at the base of last season’s leader, the major limb that generated the four or five canes which bore the fruit for 2012.
So, I was interested to know why these Pinot Noir vines, only 36 years old, were being stripped of all shoots and supports in preparation for ploughing up. The reasons are economic as global demand in recent years for Chardonnay has eclipsed Pinot Noir as the growers’ preferred plant.
Since those days, the institution has continued to receive
endowments from local families, often in the form of land. Today it is still an
active charity and owns some of the best vineyards in the region. Their parcels
are distributed throughout the côtes and are tended by selected viticulteurs. To be appointed to manage one of the Hospice
climats is an accolade for any grower.
Modern Burgundy includes several political departments. The wine regions of Côtes de Nuits and Côtes de Beaune are in the department of Côte d’Or. Dijon is the administrative centre but Beaune is the capital of wine.
Le Bourgogne is the generic title for wines that are grown in a number of regions from Chablis, about 130km North West of here to Beaujolais, 100km to our south. A series of escarpments runs the length of the Côtes from Marsannay in the north to Les Maranges in the south. All of the wines of Côte de Nuits and Côte de Beaune are grown along its eastern side. It is some 50km in length but on average, only 1,500m wide.
This part of France enjoys a semi-continental climate. The winters are cold; there is limited snowfall but there are about 50 days of frost on average each year. Spring comes early and the hot summer weather turns into extended autumns. However, there is substantial rainfall with occasional heavy and violent thunderstorms, sometimes accompanied by vine damaging hail. The prevailing winds are westerly and the Côtes benefit from the protection of the heavily forested massif of the Morvan to the west, where most of the moist air blowing in from the Atlantic precipitates. Closer to home, the forest-topped ridge above the vineyards provides a further weather shield.
Our relatively northern latitude means long days of summer sunshine. The eastern and south-eastern facing hillsides thus benefit from the maximum exposure to the sun’s radiation both in intensity and duration. The latitude, the climate, the orientation of the banks, their gradient and highly localised soil conditions combine to make these narrow slopes the most important vineyard in the World.
Provenance
We British are brand conscious people, for us the mark is the all important sign of quality. The French have different buying criteria; for them provenance is the principal badge of confidence and terroir is fundamental in this requirement. To ensure satisfaction in this respect, the Institut National des Appellations d’Origin (INAO) exists and endorses not only wines but also many other consumer products including cheeses and poultry.
The wine appellation systems can vary from region to region but in Burgundy it is used to identify the potential quality of the wine based upon precise local environment and sustained historical performance. There are many individual appellations in Burgundy but they fall into three groups.
The top ranking is Grand cru. Grand cru appellations identify a specific named vineyard or climat, such as Chambertin or Corton, which have a particularly high reputation for consistent and outstanding quality. There are 33 Grand cru climats in Burgundy, all within the Chablis, Côtes de Beaune or Côte de Nuits areas. Amongst these are a few “Super Wines” such as La Romanée or Le Montrachet, which are both rare and expensive.
The next group standard is Communal appellations. These relate to specific villages for example Aloxe-Corton or Nuits St Georges. A further distinction within a commune can be a specified climat. So, the declared village might be Pernand-Vergelesses and the vineyard could be “Sous Fretilles”. Within a commune, certain climats may be further defined as Premier cru. The product of these locations is considered as consistently the best of the commune.
The third class includes the regional appellations. These cover Pinot Noir & Chardonnay wines grown on land which does not meet the standards of communal appellations. Lesser grape varieties are recognised too, for example Aligoté, as well as alternative vinification processes such as Crémant de Bourgogne, Burgundy’s sparkling wine.
Each appellation is governed by comprehensive regulations which detail measures and correct methods of cultivation, handling and presentation which must be employed to meet the appropriate standard.
What’s in a name
On the topic of appellations, a point about village names; names in the Côtes are often double-barrelled, for example Aloxe-Corton or Morey St Denis. This is an affectation from the last century when villages such as Puligny or Gevrey sought to distinguish their address by hyphenating it with the name of the most celebrated local vineyard. Thus Puligny became Puligny-Montrachet and Gevrey became Gevrey-Chambertin.
But anyone who buys a bottle of village appellation wine should be aware that its origins might be some distance from its famous Grand cru suffix – both in location and in quality! On the other hand, it is possible to find a communal climat that is immediately adjacent to a Grand cru or even a “super wine”. A good case being Chassagne-Montrachet’s 1er cru Blanchot-Dessus. This small vineyard is separated by only a narrow track from the fabulous Montrachet and its product too can be very good.
Local knowledge is invaluable and it is important to understand also that cru labels are not the guarantee of quality. Their status relates to the history and potential of a climat but it is down to the application of skill and pains taking efforts by the grower and the winemaker to get the best from the fruit of any plot. Estate bottled wine from a renowned domain further qualifies provenance and class.
A difficult year
Since our last letter, the vignerons have been very busy dealing with the challenges caused by the exceptionally poor and erratic weather patterns. The early spring and subsequent return of wintery conditions were described in earlier newsletters. Flowers appeared on time in early June but blooming was irregular with some fruit beginning to form before flowers had opened on neighbouring vines.
Along with most of northern Europe we have seen a lot of rain and not much of the sun until now. Constant high humidity has encouraged the dreaded Oidium on a vast scale. This form of mildew is endemic and unless treated promptly and effectively, will attack green growth, penetrate the plant and prevent the young fruit from developing.
As growers sprayed to contain infection, frequent heavy showers not only washed away their treatments but also turned clay soils into quagmires, making it difficult to negotiate the land by tractor. So, progress was slow and often incomplete. One Chassagne grower with over 50 separate parcels found it impossible to keep ahead of the problem. An option was to resort to more potent fungicides. Even so, loss of fruit was extensive and it will be a meagre harvest in most places. Domains that have maintained their commitment to bio or organic methods are sure to be particularly hard hit.
We also experienced several violent hail storms. There is no defence against hail and a few minutes of sufficient intensity can strip an area of vines to leafless, fruitless sticks. So far, Puligny has escaped without serious loss but other villages have not been so fortunate. In June some vineyards in Beaune and Pommard suffered up to 50% damage and the great Clos de Ducs monopole in Volnay lost 80% in one storm. Other villages have fared equally badly in July storms. 2012 harvest volume is certain to be low and it will be remembered as a year of frustrated toil and low yields. Quality too is under threat since oidium can taint the juice.
On a more positive note, routine seasonal tasks continued in the vineyards. Rows of vines are spaced and planted to standard pitch to optimise exposure to the summer sun. Throughout the growing season leaders are regularly trimmed to concentrate each plant’s energy into the fruiting trusses. Stems are trained vertically to allow warm air to circulate along the rows and provide better access for picking. One or two pairs of wires at half height are fixed to the main support posts at the end of each row.
Earlier in the year these wires were laid down but as the new wood grew, they were lifted along their length to rest on hooks in the intermediate posts. These lateral restraints support the canes and train them to grow upright.
Village news
Work on the restoration of Place Marronniers continues but at a reduced pace. Previous bulletins reported on the sad demise of the stately chestnut trees. Results so far are gratifying. Fifty five lime trees and several hundred evergreen shrubs have been planted in borders around a newly seeded lawn.
The focal point is a mirror fountain symbolising a wine press and located in front of the Mairie. This is to be complemented by bronze plaques dedicated to the Grand and 1er cru vineyards of the commune. For the first time on 14th July (Quatorze Juillet, the French national day) a fête was celebrated in the refurbished place. Aperitifs were taken during a sunny gap between showers and a funky jazz band entertained as we sipped excellent village wine. In true democratic style, a poll will be taken of all residents to select a new name for this important new asset.
Another great plus for the village is in the restored old château. Built in the mid 15th century and standing within an enclosed vineyard, the house has been faithfully brought back to former glory. But in its new life the old château will provide the latest in modern facilities including a superbly equipped kitchen. Le Vieux Château de Puligny Montrachet will be the most prestigious and luxurious of holiday homes.
Mid September harvest
Throughout the village, cuveries are being prepared for the harvest. The portion of new oak barrels varies from domain to domain but is typically about 20%. Most barrels are used for several years and those recently released as 2010 vintage was bottled, have already been cleaned ready to receive the new vintage. Our neighbour is particularly fastidious and uses various mechanical devices to wash and scour. The machine below is ingenious but simple. Brush heads scrub continuously as the barrel is driven on its wheeled bed. Other cleaning machines work on the barrel interior to deliver a spotlessly clean vessel in which to ferment this year’s chardonnay juice.
In the last days of July settled summer weather finally arrived. We now trust that nature will provide the right conditions to bring some recovery to the vines for a mid-September vendange.
Following a warm and sunny March, the Côtes slipped back into almost wintry conditions. Vines that were up to one month ahead of normal growth were suddenly arrested. The much feared frosts were generally avoided and the plants miraculously paused in their development. Now after these abnormal circumstances, normal service has been resumed and the new foliage has taken off with recharged vigour. With the return ofproper seasonal weather, growers are happily busy once more in the vineyards. The restoration of spring weather has encouraged a profusion of extra buds and side shoots. There is so much new growth on some vines that the viticulteurs are obliged to remove them in order to concentrate fruit production on a limited number of shoots.
On the hillsides and on verges between vineyards, there is currently a riot of wildflowers. Amongst the mass of common flora are some stars, this is season for orchids which love calcareous soil.
In the meantime, our winemaker neighbours were attending to cuverie tasks including bottling. In recent decades the practice of domaine bottling has increased in popularity in the Côte d’Or. Rather than investing in a bottling line, which might stand idle for most of the year, these producers will hire a specialist contractor with a mobile bottling line to fill and cork their finished wines at the cuverie door.
Burgundy differs from other wine regions in the scale of estates. To understand this some historical background is needed:
- By the 18th century, the wine trade began to become commercially organised and saw the emergence of large firms of negotiants or merchants. Certain “super wines” such as Le Montrachet and Le Romanee had already gained international reputations. Then, increasing consumer awareness led to the first system of classification of vineyards to identify specific plots that regularly produced superior wines.
- Until the revolution, vineyards had been largely owned by the church. Under the new regime, nationalisation of property of both the church and émigré aristocrats was swift. From 1790, estates were divided into affordable pieces and sold at auction. The effect was a general breaking up of large vineyards. One of the prevailing features of Burgundy is this patchwork of plots. For example, the once monopole of more than 50 hectares (120acres) of the Grand Cru Clos de Vougeot is today in more than 80 separate parcels.
- Fragmentation is furthered at each generation, since French inheritance law requires that property is shared amongst surviving blood relatives. So, each generation experiences further divisions of land and each marriage between vigneron families brings additional but perhaps remote parcels into their ownership. A vigneron friend in Pommard has 4 hectares (about 10 acres) in 19 separate parcels and this level of dispersal is common.
- The modern wine industry in Burgundy has operated as a multi-tier structure of growers (viticulteurs), winemakers (viniculteurs) and distributors. In recent times, independent vignerons have developed their own presence in the global market for fine wines. Domaine bottling has become an essential activity for some recolteurs (those who grow and harvest) even though output might be quite limited – perhaps only a few hundred bottles of any particular appellation. Yield is strictly regulated by the authorities. Generally speaking, communal appellations are limited to 40 hectolitres of wine per hectare (about 1/2 bottle/vine). This favours better quality at the expense of volume.
Turning to national issues, France has a new President, Socialist Francois Hollande narrowly defeated Nicolas Sarkozy earlier this month. His five year term will be an interesting time for France and Europe. Election of the President is decided by a national count and unless one candidate receives at least 51% of the vote, a second round takes place. So, the first ballot cuts down the field to two leading candidates and a fortnight later, a second determines the winner. There were nine candidates. Ideology ranged from deep left to neo-fascist. There was a wide spectrum of policies too; from a 32 hour working week to a block on immigration. Nevertheless, a number of people deliberately spoilt their polling papers in protest over the lack of choice!
In the first round, 94% of the votes went to five candidates. The leader was Hollande with 28%, closely followed by conservative President Sarkozy with 27%. Third came extreme right winger Marine Le Pen with 18% followed by the "ex Trotskyite”, Melenchon who got 11%. That's nearly three people in ten voting for fascist and communist politicians. It certainly demonstrates the diversity of opinion of the people but probably contains an element of safe protest since there will almost certainly be a second ballot. Closer to home, the first round results had been more conservative. Sarkozy took 44% of the vote in Puligny and Hollande at 15% was beaten into third place by Le Pen with 20%.
On Saturday 12 May a new restaurant opened in the Place du Monument. It was christened Le Pelugney - an ancient spelling for Puligny. Jean-Louis and Béatrice Choquet-Sabbe specialise in traditional cuisine and presentation. Menus are well balanced and affordable; they offer wines from notable sources at fair prices. Decor is stylishly simple and the atmosphere friendly. We went there with friends for dinner on the inaugural night and enjoyed an excellent meal. At the end of the evening we gave our hosts the customary Burgundian equivalent of “for he’s a jolly good fellow”. This involves rotating both hands lifted to shoulder height whilst “la-la-ing” a simple tune. There are 32 seats including a pavement terrace and since our visit, they have been pretty well fully booked for lunch and dinner. It should be a great success.
Each April Beaune hosts a film festival. It is quite specialised in Policiers or crime thrillers. There is usually a guest of honour, this year was tough guy, Jean Reno. To celebrate the event, they imported some cinema police cars which were on display in Place Carnot and then toured wine villages with sirens wailing.
We have made a couple of interesting domaine visits in the last week or so. First we drove to a cave in the village of Dezize-lès-Maranges for a wine tasting. This commune contains the most southerly appellation of the Côte de Beaune and borders on the Côte Chalonnaise. The Pinot Noirs from Maranges or more sunny and full bodied than those from villages only a few kilometres to the north. They also carry a distinctive herbal taste. I bought some 2009 Hautes Côte de Beaune Chardonnay, which is refreshing and good to drink now, 2006 Maranges 1er Cru Clos Roussots that will go well with red meat, game or cheese and a few bottles of the great vintage of 1999 Maranges 1er Cru Clos des Loyères The latter will complement the same dishes but its liquorice and chocolate tastes could go with a rich desert too! For the first time in 2011 they made some Rosé. This has good acid and generous fruit and was great value. We bought half a dozen in anticipation of some warm summer evenings soon.
The second was a short walk to a close neighbour in Puligny. We tasted Puligny Montrachet, 1er Cru Champ Canet, 1er Cru Les Referts and 1er Cru Les Perriers– all 2010. The village appellation was fresh and surprisingly ready to drink now. This vigneron has a reputation for very good Chardonnay but his traditional methods mean that his wines age more slowly than is currently fashionable. The Champ Canet had good acidity and minerality but was very young, having been bottled in March this year. Les Referts had honey overtones and although easy to drink now, should improve over 3 years as the acidity mellows. The best was Les Perriers which filled the mouth and already showed some fattiness. The older vines used for this cuvee provided good minerality and aftertaste was long. We also tried Pinot Noirs from Mercurey and Saint Aubin from both 2009 and 2010. The earlier year is good to drink now having “sous bois” aroma and good fruit. For me, the latter vintage is more typical of Burgundy and I bought some Saint Aubin 1er Cru Les Pitangerets, which I trust will prove a good investment within about three years.
The French are a nation of gardeners. With 15th May (the day of Saint Glace, after which we are said to be safe from frosts) behind us people put out tender plants and restock their beds and balcony boxes. We took a trip to Autun a few days before the magic day. In the pre-Christian era, as Augustudunum it was second city to Rome itself. Set on the edge of the great Morvan forest, this provincial market town contains many vestiges of its strategically important past.
Each August hundreds of its citizens volunteer to take part in an epic nocturnal pageant set within the ruins of the Roman theatre and overlooking a lake. It relates the story of Autun from prehistoric times to present day. The highlight is a chariot race between German, English and French teams – guess who wins! A firework display completes a unique entertainment. It is an interesting town to visit at any season, with a range of good spots to dine and other fascinating sites to see. The market has a wide selection of country produce and the flower market is great value.
Work on Puligny’s Place Marronniers is progressing well. Fifty five mature Lime trees have been planted to replace the old Chestnuts plus beds of evergreen shrubs and a square of grass. It is already looking super and I will send more detail when the job is finished. The petanque pitches are playable already and we took part in an international challenge with our Danish friends last weekend. The ground has been well prepared but the surface of fine grit was a little loose which made the bowls difficult to control. Of course, the glass of crémant at the caveau afterwards is the best part of the game!
We look forward to a World Series when the USA gang is next here in October.
The triangle formed by the communes of Puligny Montrachet, Chassagne Montrachet and Saint Aubin contains the most famous chardonnay vineyards in the World. But not all of the land is under cultivation. A rocky massif rises in their midst and its steep sides and barren slopes make crop growing impossible. The summit is the Roche Dumay, a limestone crag 200 metres above Puligny. The brief ascent from here rewards the walker with extensive vistas in all directions and a great overview of the local topography.
France is covered by a network of long distance footpaths known as the Grand Randonées (long distance footpaths). These often have a regional theme and the one which passes through Roche Dumay is the GR76, also known as the Chemin des Grands Crus (Grand Crus Road), the 217km path follows the line of eastward facing escarpments from the Côte de Nuits right through Beaujolais . In places the main route shares sections of local footpaths and the whole network is clearly marked with finger posts and way marks. It provides a fascinating way to visit many great Burgundy wine villages on foot.
The route is interesting in natural history too. The complex soil conditions of the côtes are the result of successive of periods in geological development. The most significant events were firstly the Jurassic period, around 150m ago when Burgundy was covered by sea. In this era, deposits of the bodies of countless billions of shellfish and crinoids lined the seabed to form a thick layer of limestone. This made a great foundation since limestone is a desirable rock for grape production - it absorbs water and acts as a vast porous reservoir just below the surface. It also retains warmth within the soil.
The Alpine upheaval 35m years ago caused lateral breaking of the côtes and the random exposure of accumulated bedrock, generally rich in calcium. One of the remarkable features of some areas is the abundance of fossils, confirmation of the marine life that existed here aeons ago. Time and weather since have honed the present day landscape. Streams carved clefts in the limestone wall and created natural sites for human settlement at the base of the hills. This erosion also exposed varied rock strata, rich in minerals. Outcrops of rock, mixed with different soil types formed highly localised conditions. It is in these complex environments today that soil, weather & drainage combine to enable the creation of such diverse and distinctive flavours in wines raised in quite close proximity.
Spring has arrived early; midday temperatures have been in the 20s oc and both cultivated and wild plants are bursting out. The winter had ended with a two week freeze late in February, when day time temperature did not rise above zero and we had several consecutive nights at -14oc. Immediately after this fortnight of frost came to end, temperatures leapt. Clear skies provided plenty of sunlight and perfect growing conditions.
Tradition holds that it is not safe to put tender plants outdoors until after the feast of Saint Glace on 15th May. This is deeply respected lore, which dictates when just about everyone puts out their summer bedding plants and pots en masse. Being foreigners, we are exempt from this convention and for the last few years have acted in reckless advance of this date. Up to now our putting-out of exotic plants has paid off. Sooner or later we might pay the price of our hasty gardening and then we will be reminded of the importance of waiting for that time honoured date.
For the professional, these unseasonably warm conditions are cause for some concern since frost can strike the Côtes well into April. A Puligny vigneron told me that his vines are currently three weeks ahead of the norm; in fact, he felt that 2012 to date was a record for premature vine development. With the new leaf buds just beginning to open, a frost could ruin growth so far and possibly destroy the shoots on the pruned plants. We are all hoping for frost free nights from now on.
Throughout March growers have been completing their pruning. Almost all the baguettes have been tied over in time for the sap to begin to rise. As the life giving liquid rises but before the leaf buds swell, drops of juice exude from the cut end of the new leader. This phenomenon is popularly said to be to be the vines crying.
Another important job for March is de-earthing. In early winter months soil had been ploughed up to protect the stock base from frost. Now, in order to let warm air and sunlight get to the body of the vine, a delicate ploughing of soil away from the stems is carried out.
Although vines can remain productive beyond 100 years, some vines are lost each year through mechanical damage or natural causes. To replant a parcel of land is a major undertaking. The work itself is substantial and costly but the land is unproductive for several seasons as the plot must lie fallow for one year and the fruit for the first three harvests may not be used for winemaking. So, lost plants are replaced on an individual basis until the time when overall yield declines sufficiently to justify the replanting of the entire plot.
Spring revives the human spirit too. Last weekend saw nearby Chagny celebrate mi-carême or half way through lent. There were various carnival activities but the most enjoyable for us was to sit in a pavement café with friends, watching and listening to visiting bands. There were a number and they moved from place to place around the town in a stop/start procession. They played everything from marches to boogey in spectacular style – great fun and essentially French!
A tribute to earlier conflagrations was made last week a little north of Dijon . Some 28€ million has been invested in a museum dedicated to Julius Caesar’s final defeat of the forces of Vercingetorix in 52BC. The double siege, as the Roman legions contained him in the hilltop town of Alesia whilst withstanding assaults from the united Gallic tribes from the outside, is documented in Caesar’s own chronicle “The Conquest of Gaul”. Latest presentation technology has been incorporated and the site includes a reconstruction of the Roman fortifications. Added to the existing remains of the Gallo-Roman town, it will make an enthralling visit.
Our New Year began with a tasting of 2010 and 2011 vintages from Beaune, Pommard and Volnay. They were still in their oak barrels; the earlier wine being close to ready for bottling and the latter having not long completed malolactic fermentation. Some of the 2010s will take a few years before being ready to drink but a lot of the 2011s were not far off palatable already. This was a year that had begun with great promise and seemed destined for an exceptionally early harvest, eventually threatened by a lack of sun and saved by the last couple of weeks gloriously sunny weather. As reported in a previous letter, it was this late ultra-violet barrage, followed by a dry cool breeze that could deliver an excellent year, so watch out for this vintage, especially from growers who held their nerve and did not pick too early.
As in all French towns and villages, the communal year begins with a reception and an address by the mayor. It is a good time for the population to get together and to hear from their elected leader what the coming twelve months might bring. Also of course, to enjoy canapés and a glass or two of our own Puligny Montrachet wine, grown in the communal vineyard and vinified by the students at the Lycée Viticole de Beaune (wine college); but it is not just a social event.
The commune was the building block of the French Republic and still today, the nation relies on good management at this first level of administration. Some tax revenue is retained within the commune for local works.
The mayor, through the departmental Prefecture in Dijon bears executive responsibilities from the President; these even include ensuring a reliable supply of good bread (a price controlled food in France) for the people. Presidential hopefuls must show proof of the support of at least 500 mayors from across all regions before their candidature can be accepted.
On January 10th we were informed of the local capital and maintenance projects which will be tackled in the coming twelve months. Increasing the stock of social housing, commissioning a shop to sell objets d’art works and the reconstruction of a major road with its drains and sewer beneath were among the undertakings proposed.
Sadly, the dozens of stately chestnuts which gave the square its name have been ravaged by a fatal fungal infection. Efforts to treat the disease failed and eventually all of the trees became infected. As the trunks and boughs rotted from within, they became structurally weak and increasingly dangerous. So, in the interests of safety they were condemned.
The mayor and his council were determined to make something positive out of the disaster and now the whole area is being remodeled to provide a new and better facility for inhabitants and visitors alike. It should prove to be a great asset for the village. The green area will be planted with Lime trees and a new T shaped piazza will run on an East/West axis from L’Estaminet bistrot, past the Mairie to the hotel; with a leg going northwards towards the Place du Monument.
This pedestrian area will include a mirror fountain and bronze plaques mounted upon stone plinths depicting the grand and premier cru vineyards which border the township. It should be all finished by midsummer and will be an appropriate contribution to the regional campaign to win UNESCO World Heritage Site status for the Côtes des Beaune and Nuits-Saint-Georges.
By that time, Jean-Louis and Beatrice will have opened their Belgian restaurant in the former épicerie of Place du Monument – moules et frites and smoked eel washed down with Belgian beer could become regular fare! In spite of these hard economic times our restaurants and bars are thriving. From the recently extended haut cuisine of Le Montrachet to the Caveau de Puligny of our resident wine authority, Julien Wallerand whose extended bar is due to reopen in March.
On 25th January we drove with a group of friends down to Beaujolais, to the Cru village of Fleurie to lunch at a superb country restaurant called Le Cep. It has one Michelin * and is run with an iron hand by Madame Chagny, a charming lady of indeterminate age who specialises in local cuisine. We had a terrific meal, supported by the indigenous light and fruity chardonnay and a couple of bottles of fine 2009 Fleurie. Dishes included spinach soup served with tiny toasted ham sandwiches, hot goats cheese or cray fish salad, rack of lamb or cervelas sausage and a memorable blackcurrant soup and sorbet to finish – delicious!
Afterwards we took the road towards Moulin-A-Vent to taste Beaujolais Cru Village wines of both appellations. The 2011 Moulin-A-Vent was in new oak barrels in order to “pinotate” it or seek to achieve a quality closer to the pinots of “the Côtes”. It was far too tannic and heady to drink now but one can believe it will be a full fruity wine after a couple of years in the bottle. More popular with English drinkers is their Fleurie which is matured in oak barrels from previous Moulin-A-Vent vintages. I found the 2010 Fleurie easier to drink, being softer with red fruit and liquorice flavours and an unexpectedly long after taste. These are true Beaujolais wines; limpid ruby in colour with scents of woodland, dry but full of fruit to taste. It is a great shame that unscrupulous marketing of inferior wines, on an international scale has done so much damage to the reputation of this region.
Finally we were offered, in a less than serious vein, to try their brand of “snake bite”. A bottle was produced of a viper pickled in Marc de bourgogne, said to possess sobering properties. We didn't need time to reflect but declined with as much élan as we could muster!
La Taille, the pruning is in progress here as well as in Burgundy proper. The work in the south is more labour intensive since the Gamay vine is not trained on wires but trimmed to a goblet shape. Some vineyards are even planted randomly, with no thought of rows.
The Pinot Noir and Chardonnay vines around Puligny are always planted in neat rows and trained to strands of wire. The most popular style of pruning is known as the Guyot system. Each vine is visited several times during this demanding process and the final result, achieved by winter’s end is a plant with only two stems. The longer one is trimmed to about five buds but long enough to be bent over horizontally and tied to the lowest wire. This is the new leader, known as the “baguette” and which will bear the fruit for the coming vintage. Vertical growth from its buds will cross and eventually be supported by the higher wires. The shorter branch is no more than a spur with a couple of buds – this will be allowed to develop into the leader for the subsequent spring.
The method of pruning begins with a mechanical cutting of side and top twigs once the sap has dried up. This is followed by the hand cutting of the last season’s fruit bearing leader and its numerous laterals. The old canes must be disentangled from the training wires and disposed of in one of three ways. The most common practice is to burn them in a kind of mobile incinerator – the favoured design being a wheel barrow arrangement with the body being a split steel drum. The workers push these “brûleurs” between the rows of vines, feeding the fire as they go. Ash falls through the ventilation holes in the body of the brazier and provides phosphates for the roots. More important to the person labouring outdoors in freezing conditions, it gives a close source of heat! Some growers prefer to remove the cuttings from site to be burned away from the vines. The most ecological solution involves laying the brushwood between the rows to be mechanically shredded and thus provide mulch to the base of the vines.
Thus the feast of the patron saint of vignerons falling at a natural place in the process makes a convenient date for a holiday. In Burgundy this takes the form of the Tournante. This is the ultimate movable feast, being held in a different village each year. This year was an exception in that the festival was held across three venues: Dijon, administrative centre of Burgundy; Nuits-Saint-Georges, hub of the Côte de Nuits and Beaune, capital of Wine. 2012 is a special year too because the Côtes hope to be awarded UNESCO World Heritage Site status. All of these cities were showing off wines from the several regions of Burgundy. Each had set up seven “pavilions” to serve the produce from Chablis, Côte de Nuits, Côte de Beaune, Côte Chalonnaise, the Mâconnais and generic Bourgogne and Crémant-de-bourgogne.
November is in part a sombre month. The first day is the feast of Tous Saint – All Souls Day. It is a public holiday in France, when people travel back to the villages of their origins to visit their families and remember their ancestors. This is the season for chrysanthemums, a plant which thrives in the Burgundian climate and which is traditionally the flower of bereavement and remembrance. Public places are bedecked with huge bunches in vibrant colours. Graveyards become riots of glorious, brilliant displays of chrysanthemum blooms.
Throughout the country, in cities and villages remembrance ceremonies are held at these shrines and the French respectfully pay their respects to their fallen countrymen and those of their allies. Each year, at 11 o’clock a substantial crowd of all ages gathers in the Place du Monument for an address by the mayor. He reads a message from the president and there is a minute’s silence followed by the playing of Le Marseillaise.
All of that is pretty sobering stuff but in true Burgundian style, in the interests of enjoying what life has to offer, the gathering proceeds to the Salle des Fêtes for a communal Vin d’Honneur. This is a glass or three of wine accompanied by gougeres (savoury choux pastries) and brioches (cake). By now the spirit has become more convivial, encouraged by the quality of communal chardonnay. There is never a function or fête that does not justify the Vin d’Honneur. One added benefit of living in this particular village is that we are always served with Puligny Montrachet.
The following week we drove with friends to the Auxerrois in the north of Burgundy. We were going back to see a vigneron in the picturesque village of Irancy. This is a special place, nestled in a steep sided valley running westwards to the Yonne valley and close to the white wine communes of Chablis and Saint Bris. Here the regulations allow a blend of Pinot Noir and the rare and ancient Cesar grape. The latter is highly tannic and so astringent that it would be impossible to drink by itself. It does give this northerly grown Pinot Noir peculiar qualities in taste and longevity. Typically brilliant and clear with herbal aromas, red fruit flavours and soft tannins lead to a subtle after taste which is cleansing to the palate. Part of the attraction lies in the unspoilt nature of this area and the size of the appellation; at only 166 hectares (about 400 acres) there is limited production. Commercial attitudes are unspoilt too.
On our previous visit, earlier this year we had wanted to buy some bottles of their 2005 but were told it was not ready. Our promises not to drink it right away were to no avail, none would be sold until it was ready to drink! Upon our return this time, that vintage was available to buy. So far, even I have resisted the temptation to drink our purchases.
Last weekend we were invited to join a group of local friends for a trip to Alsace. Alsace is a colourful region, lying at the foot of the Vosges Mountains, lining the Rhine from Strasbourg to Colmar with eastward views to the Black Forest. Successively claimed by Germany and France, it displays the best of both. Despite a turbulent past - nationality changed 6 times in 200 years - its carefully preserved heritage has largely survived and beautiful architecture from all eras fills its charming towns. Christmas is celebrated here like nowhere else and preparations throughout December are spectacular - they actually invented the Christmas tree here. Each weekend in the month, there are Christmas markets in the medieval town centres and villages. People come from far and wide to join in the merriment from wine drinking to just plain shopping, there is something for everyone!
Alsacienne wines betray the region’s pedigree – German grapes converted in French ways! Alsace grows a number of grape types to make a wide range of wines from the driest whites, through fruity reds & fine sparkling wines to the sweetest dessert wines. The latitude is similar to Champagne and the local Crémants compare very favourably with their more famous compatriots. Menus too, offer a delicious duality in everything from Foie Gras to Choucroute. A favourite of mine is Tarte Oignon - a quiche of caramelised onion, cheese & cream; the perfect lunch with a green salad and a glass of Riesling.
After an extended summer, the autumn has arrived in Burgundy
In July and early August the essential sunshine was sadly limited and fruit ripening was delayed. By mid August as sugar levels were mounting, heavy rain and some violent storms occurred.Rully in particular suffered severe hail damage, losing up to 80% of fruit in places. A difficult decision for the viticulteur to make is always: whether to play safe and pick before threatened storms or wait a few more days to optimise ripeness but risk damage. Some growers, especially in Meursault took the plunge and began to pick in the last week of August. This season however, those who waited a further week were rewarded with better quality fruit. Their grapes were refreshed by some rain and subsequently dried out by bright days and cooling breezes – perfect for picking. The Chardonnay harvest was high in volume with good sugar content and is expected to deliver an excellent vintage. Results for Pinot Noir were more mixed with lower yield; partly through rot which had developed but which was sorted in the vineyard or upon arrival at the cuverie. It is all now progressing through the miracles of fermentation.
In October the vignerons are largely engaged in earthing-up. In this ploughing process the ground between the rows of vines is drawn up to the base of the plants to protect them from the worst of approaching winter frosts. We went for a sunny walk this morning up to the Grand Cru vineyard of Chevalier Montrachet. There a neighbour was turning the soil with his 12 year old Ardois mare Luciole (Firefly). Horse power is an increasingly popular feature of cultivation as consumers become more interested in bio methods. Another consideration is that the hooves of a horse effectively “need” the soil whereas driven wheels can roll the surface into a hard, impervious crust. Apart from the technical benefits, the sight of a fine animal working the furrows is very agreeable. For the first time today we saw preparatory pruning taking place. In this operation the worker cuts off the limb which has borne this year’s fruit. The cut is made low down, close to the stock of the plant. The separated branch is left suspended by its training wires to be later disentangled and disposed of. Creative pruning, to stimulate growth next spring will take place early in the new year.
Each year on the third weekend in November a great fête is celebrated in and around Beaune. The occasion is the annual auction of the wine of the Hospice de Beaune. Between now and then the vineyards will display a mounting spectrum of autumnal hues from the palest yellow to deep scarlet. This department of France
On both of these holiday weekends this winter there will be extra emphasis on the region’s environment, history and produce. This is because we are all eagerly anticipating that the special cultural and environmental nature of the Côte d’Or is about to be recognised by the award of UNESCO World Heritage Site status. As a physical feature, the côte is a south east facing escarpment which runs about 80 kilometres between Dijon
I must tell you about two exciting developments are taking place within the village of Puligny Montrachet
The other improvement is a courageous private enterprise by our friends Jaap Reijnders and Karen Verdooren. This Dutch couple have had a holiday home in Puligny for many years. Now they are making a great personal investment in Le Vieux Château. Work is well advanced and should be complete by spring 2012. A seven bedroom house with well appointed living areas is being rebuilt in the heart of the village. The best of modern materials and equipment are being installed but only after the most careful and loving restoration of the 15th century Donjon and later mansion. We were invited there for aperitifs last week and given a thorough tour of the project. The window views in all directions are stunning and include Grand Cru vineyards and the natural beauty of the côte. Accommodation will be spacious and luxurious. Original features abound, many of which have been revealed in the course of the works and make it a fascinating and memorable place to visit.
France
Switzerland on Boxing Day 2010 the village was covered in snow & we wondered what to expect en route for the Alps . There was a lot of good snow in the mountains too but it didn’t snow there again until late February – and it didn’t snow again in Puligny at all! As a rule we don’t catch much snow here but we do have cold night temperatures. This year at the Tournante Saint Vincent, on the third weekend in January it was stayed below 0c all day but it was bright and sunny. Immediately after that it began to warm up and we have had very little rain since. The vignerons were able to press on with la Taille (pruning) and were not hampered by wet clay underfoot, which makes hard work of just walking.
British friends often ask how we find the health service in France. Here is a rough account of our experiences which have been generally good.
Delivery - In France, the patient is expected to accept significant personal responsibility. Our GP does not operate to appointments; if you need to see him, you go along in the afternoon or evening and wait your turn, home visits take up his mornings. When it comes to tests or referrals, your GP will advise you of alternative clinics or specialists give you the telephone number of your preferred choice and provide you with a letter of introduction on the spot. It is then the client’s responsibility to make an appointment at the next level.
Private clinics conduct examinations from blood tests to CT scans. Subject to the nature of the referral, the patient is given the report, X ray or CD to keep safely or bring back to the GP. There is only person to blame if records get lost!
Hospitals and clinics are well financed, staffed and equipped with the latest technology. Most are open for business every day to provide service when needed and maximise asset utilisation. Treatment programmes are comprehensive. Physiotherapy following surgery is usually free of charge. It is possible to get a prescription for a spa cure.
Fall '14
The harvest was largely completed by the end of September.
A bizarre growing season started well with an exceptionally fine March and April. Frigid and sunless May was followed by glorious June which ensured timely flowering and profuse budding.
The supposedly high summer months of July and August were wet and cold and the abundant grapes looked unlikely to ripen. September gave us an extended summer with days of continuous sunshine and cool winds; perfect weather for maturation and to discourage fungal infection.
Conditions for the recolte (harvest), which began 11th September, were good. The mornings began bright and fresh at about 10oc rising above 20o by early afternoon, with a dry northerly breeze. The evenings were balmy too.
This year the vendangeurs were in high spirits throughout because the perfect picking conditions made their hard work more agreeable.
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Puligny enjoyed a good harvest with large quantities of good quality grapes and little rot. However, volume of juice was a little short of expectation.
A celebrated house in Puligny is that of Domaine Leflaive. They own 21 hectares (ha) of some of the best vineyards in the area. Such large firms hire several dozen vendangeurs in teams to pick the fruit quickly. Another team is kept at the cuverie to receive and process it without delay.
Stainless steel trailers transfer fruit from vineyard to cuverie throughout the day. There is a constant traffic of these containers and the presses are fully occupied until late in the evening.
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Here the cuverie team is inspecting and sorting bunches of grapes as they are disgorged from the trailer and fed into the press.
The top quality chardonnay fruit is pressed by pneumatic cylinder to gently extract the rich juice which is allowed to rest in a vat for a few days before being put into barrels. Both alcoholic and malolactic fermentation take place in oak barrels in the cellar.
Measures
France adopted the metric system early in the 19th century but vestiges of earlier standards remain. Agricultural land is formally measured by the hectare (ha) of 10,000m2. This equates to about 2.4 acres.
An ancient measure of land here still in legal usage, is the ouvrée. This has the seemingly odd value of 428m2. It is defined as the area that one labourer (un ouvrier) could cultivate in one day. There are roughly 24 ouvrées per ha and 1 ouvrée is 1/10 acre; or for those who remember their Imperial measures, a chain2. The feudal seigneur could easily calculate how many serfs to draft in to dig a given acreage in a day.
Incidentally, recently we came across a mushroom vendor in a local market who was selling his produce by the livre or pound (lb). Until recently he would have risked prosecution in Britain for trading in non metric units!
...and Values
There are 9,500ha of land under vines on the Côtes. Owners of vineyards are occasionally moved to sell some plots to pay off debts or taxes and social charges. Typically, 150ha comes on the market each year. Demand is high for the better climats, fuelling 15% inflation in Grand Cru land.
Three consecutive poor harvests may have encouraged disposals and current prices in €/ha are:
- Red, Côte de Beaune average 280,000 to 650,000 with 1er cru going as high as 1.8m.
- White, average 590,000 to 1m with 1er cru at 2.5m. Grand cru is generally around 4m and a top end of 9.5m.
In 2012, an ouvrée of Montrachet Grand Cru was offered at 1m, that’s about 24m/ha.
It is interesting to compare averages for AOC Côte Chalonnaise at 95,000, Beaujolais Villages at 117,000 and Chablis 1er cru at 316,000.
At these levels, a parcel of vineyard with a higher appellation is beyond the reach of independent viticulteurs. Capital return is unattractive too. New owners of substantial plots tend to be corporate bodies seeking an appellation to complement their existing range or buyers of prestige. There have been some high profile sales recently. Last year and most controversially, Château de Gevrey was sold to Chinese casino owners for 8m€.
In April, one of the best domaines in Burgundy, the 8.7ha Grand cru Clos de Lambrays at Morey Saint Denis went for around 100m€ to LVMH (Louis Vuitton, Möet, Hennessy).
In July, news that Bejot bought Maison André Corton followed hard on the heels of the purchase of Domaine Billaud-Simon in Chablis by Maison Faiveley.
In September it was announced that Silicon Valley entrepreneur Michael Baum had bought Château de Pommard with its 20ha monopole (vineyard under single ownership). The good news from this sale is that it has been bought by an individual with a passion for Burgundy.
Pommard
Between Beaune and Volnay, the côte is cleft by a broad valley through which flows La Vandaine, a swift little river running eastwards and fed by several pure sources. The renowned village of Pommard stands where the stream emerges onto the plain. It is believed that the Romans dedicated a temple here to Pomona, goddess of fruitful abundance. The modern name of Pommard is derived from the deity and justly proclaims the produce of its fertile terroirs.
Thomas Jefferson came here in 1787. Having spent two years in Paris as US ambassador, he had tasted many fine wines and Pommard was a favourite. He included a visit of the Côte d’Or as part of his great journey of research around France.
The land is rich in geological terms and has more in common with some Côte de Nuits areas than with its immediate neighbours. Its soil is largely clay and limestone and gives its Pinot Noir great depth of colour and intensity in aroma and taste. Pommard is more robust and masculine in character than its Côte de Beaune fellows. The appellation covers 320 ha including 118ha of 1er cru.
Domaine Michel Rebourgeon
The family Rebourgeon earned its reputation as vignerons here since 1550. In 1996 the current generation of Steve and Delphine Whitehead took over the reins. Delphine is the daughter of Michel Rebourgeon and Steve was a wine merchant in Oldham, when they met.
Normal production is 20,000 bottles pa but in the last three years this has been limited to 9-12,000. Fruit loss from hail damage has been the main cause of these serious shortfalls.
Aerial chemical treatment of storm clouds to prevent hail has so far been the conventional approach to the problem. Steve & Delphine are keen to try hail-proof nets, as successfully used in Italy. Existing regulations in Burgundy prohibit the erection of any screen over vines but representations are being made to the authorities to permit this proven means of protection.
Most of the output is sold direct from the domaine shop in Place Europe. The balance goes largely to UK with a few cases taken by a handful of restaurants in Canada.
They farm 3.5 ha in 18 parcels, not an unusual fragmentation for Burgundy properties. Appellations include Bourgogne Chardonnay and Pinot Noir; Pommard Village and 1er crus of Les Rugiens, Arvelets, Charmots and Pézerolles; Volnay 1er crus of Carelle-sous-la-Chapelle and Les Brouillards and Beaune village and 1er cru.
A few decades ago, fruit was vinified together with stalks. In the MacDonald guide to French Wines published in 1986 Michel Rebourgeons’ 1982 Pommard Village was described as “Rugged: vinified from grapes which were not destemmed. Fairly mature, slightly musky nose. Still a little astringency on the palate, which tempts one to leave it to age”.
Wine for today’s taste
The new proprietors began to progressively reduce woody content with encouraging effects. A critical vintage came in 2003. It was an exceptional summer, fruit ripened early and the recolte was completed before the end of August. The harvest was bountiful with lots of juice of high sugar content. They decided then to destem entirely and were so pleased with the result that they have followed that policy since.
The effect on subsequent vintages has been in softer wines with less hard tannins, retaining long life but being capable of drinking earlier.
The 2014 Hachette guide awarded their 2010 1er cru Les Rugiens a star. Les Rugiens is the epitome of Pommard. The name suggests its ruddy red soil caused by a concentration of iron oxide nodules. There has been talk for many years that its status will be enhanced to Grand cru. As such, it would become the only Pinot Noir Grand cru vineyard south of Beaune but long justified as a worthy equal to many of the finest wines in the Côte de Nuits.
Hachette’s comments were: “breathes out elegant perfumes of black fruit and spices, almost soft on attack, opens in the mouth to deliver dense texture and soft tannins guarantees this wine good ageing within 3-5 years. Serve with game and beef Wellington.”
They have continued to invest in state of the art equipment to produce wines with all the traditional attributes of fine Pommard as well as good ageing properties.
Harvest and winemaking
All fruit is handpicked and initially inspected for rot or other defects, in the field.
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The ancient cuverie is nowadays air-conditioned to ensure unhurried fermentation. A ring main supplies chilled water to new stainless steel vats fitted with cooling jackets so that each cuvée enjoys appropriate and independent temperature control. Existing concrete vats have been equipped with submersible radiators for the same purpose.
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The crop is delivered to the winery in trays. The bunches of grapes are meticulously sorted and substandard fruit removed before being fed into the new destalking machine. This gently plucks each fruit from the stalk, and ejects all woody material.
The “giraffe” elevator raises the grapes in pockets to the vat rim and tenderly pours them in.
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Once all the fruit is in the vats, the temperature is allowed to rise. As the natural yeast culture on the skins becomes active, the biochemical process of alcoholic fermentation begins. Within about ten days almost all of the glucose and fructose has been converted to deliver a wine with about 13% alcohol by volume.
At Domaine Michel Rebourgeon they like to leave the young wine to rest on the skins and seeds for a few days longer than at most cuveries. Three weeks after picking they were satisfied it was time to put their 2014 Volnay 1er cru into barrels. The wine was already quite clear, soft red fruits came to the nose, acidity in the front of the mouth confirmed its unfinished state but there was already an underlying roundness, typical of good Volnay.
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In the interests of quality, AOC appellations stipulate a maximum yield. The Volnay 1er cru appellation limit is 45 hectolitres (hl)/ha. This year’s yield was only 24hl/ha, roughly 1 bottle from every three vines.
A new peristaltique pump, designed to avoid harsh shearing action, transferred the wine to a holding vat.
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About 3/4 of the making was free liquid. The remaining wine was still trapped in the skins and seeds in the bottom of the vat.
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This was dug out by hand and loaded into the pneumatic press where the mash was gently pressed. The released fluid was then added to the holding vat.
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The wine is allowed to rest for a further three days before decanting by gravity into oak barrels deep in the cellar, 20% of which are renewed each year.
In this cool and calm environment, the wine will rest on its lies for 18 months and should be ready for bottling in April 2016. Initially the wine contains 2-3g/l of malic acid which will be naturally converted by malolactic fermentation into the more palatable lactic acid in that time.
Continuity
The next generation of the family are sons William and Samuel. The older boy is already attending the Lycée Viticole in Beaune and both take an active part in vineyard and cuverie tasks.
In each vintage there are two special makings: Cuvée William and Cuvée Samuel.
The former is a selected batch of Pommard Village, aged in 100% new oak barrels. Hachette’s 2015 edition, published last month, gave a star for the 2011 as “on the nose spicey oak mixed with notes of compote of plum, a generosity which we find powerful to the palate, solid without being hard.”
Cuvée Samuel is taken from a chardonnay vineyard just across the D974 from the 1er cru vineyard of Les Epenots. Delicate of hue, citrus and white flower tones precede a flinty fresh rush followed by subtle minerality to generous length, refreshingly exceeding the modest label. Easy to drink with salads and a fine companion for all fish dishes.
A bizarre growing season started well with an exceptionally fine March and April. Frigid and sunless May was followed by glorious June which ensured timely flowering and profuse budding.
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| Puligny Montrachet Village Chardonnay vines early September |
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| First pickings, 11 September Chassagne Montrachet |
This year the vendangeurs were in high spirits throughout because the perfect picking conditions made their hard work more agreeable.
.jpg) |
| Harvesting Pinot Noir in St Aubin |
Puligny enjoyed a good harvest with large quantities of good quality grapes and little rot. However, volume of juice was a little short of expectation.
A celebrated house in Puligny is that of Domaine Leflaive. They own 21 hectares (ha) of some of the best vineyards in the area. Such large firms hire several dozen vendangeurs in teams to pick the fruit quickly. Another team is kept at the cuverie to receive and process it without delay.
Stainless steel trailers transfer fruit from vineyard to cuverie throughout the day. There is a constant traffic of these containers and the presses are fully occupied until late in the evening.
The top quality chardonnay fruit is pressed by pneumatic cylinder to gently extract the rich juice which is allowed to rest in a vat for a few days before being put into barrels. Both alcoholic and malolactic fermentation take place in oak barrels in the cellar.
Measures
France adopted the metric system early in the 19th century but vestiges of earlier standards remain. Agricultural land is formally measured by the hectare (ha) of 10,000m2. This equates to about 2.4 acres.
An ancient measure of land here still in legal usage, is the ouvrée. This has the seemingly odd value of 428m2. It is defined as the area that one labourer (un ouvrier) could cultivate in one day. There are roughly 24 ouvrées per ha and 1 ouvrée is 1/10 acre; or for those who remember their Imperial measures, a chain2. The feudal seigneur could easily calculate how many serfs to draft in to dig a given acreage in a day.
Incidentally, recently we came across a mushroom vendor in a local market who was selling his produce by the livre or pound (lb). Until recently he would have risked prosecution in Britain for trading in non metric units!
...and Values
There are 9,500ha of land under vines on the Côtes. Owners of vineyards are occasionally moved to sell some plots to pay off debts or taxes and social charges. Typically, 150ha comes on the market each year. Demand is high for the better climats, fuelling 15% inflation in Grand Cru land.
Three consecutive poor harvests may have encouraged disposals and current prices in €/ha are:
- Red, Côte de Beaune average 280,000 to 650,000 with 1er cru going as high as 1.8m.
- White, average 590,000 to 1m with 1er cru at 2.5m. Grand cru is generally around 4m and a top end of 9.5m.
In 2012, an ouvrée of Montrachet Grand Cru was offered at 1m, that’s about 24m/ha.
It is interesting to compare averages for AOC Côte Chalonnaise at 95,000, Beaujolais Villages at 117,000 and Chablis 1er cru at 316,000.
At these levels, a parcel of vineyard with a higher appellation is beyond the reach of independent viticulteurs. Capital return is unattractive too. New owners of substantial plots tend to be corporate bodies seeking an appellation to complement their existing range or buyers of prestige. There have been some high profile sales recently. Last year and most controversially, Château de Gevrey was sold to Chinese casino owners for 8m€.
In April, one of the best domaines in Burgundy, the 8.7ha Grand cru Clos de Lambrays at Morey Saint Denis went for around 100m€ to LVMH (Louis Vuitton, Möet, Hennessy).
In July, news that Bejot bought Maison André Corton followed hard on the heels of the purchase of Domaine Billaud-Simon in Chablis by Maison Faiveley.
In September it was announced that Silicon Valley entrepreneur Michael Baum had bought Château de Pommard with its 20ha monopole (vineyard under single ownership). The good news from this sale is that it has been bought by an individual with a passion for Burgundy.
Pommard
Between Beaune and Volnay, the côte is cleft by a broad valley through which flows La Vandaine, a swift little river running eastwards and fed by several pure sources. The renowned village of Pommard stands where the stream emerges onto the plain. It is believed that the Romans dedicated a temple here to Pomona, goddess of fruitful abundance. The modern name of Pommard is derived from the deity and justly proclaims the produce of its fertile terroirs.
Thomas Jefferson came here in 1787. Having spent two years in Paris as US ambassador, he had tasted many fine wines and Pommard was a favourite. He included a visit of the Côte d’Or as part of his great journey of research around France.
The land is rich in geological terms and has more in common with some Côte de Nuits areas than with its immediate neighbours. Its soil is largely clay and limestone and gives its Pinot Noir great depth of colour and intensity in aroma and taste. Pommard is more robust and masculine in character than its Côte de Beaune fellows. The appellation covers 320 ha including 118ha of 1er cru.
Domaine Michel Rebourgeon
The family Rebourgeon earned its reputation as vignerons here since 1550. In 1996 the current generation of Steve and Delphine Whitehead took over the reins. Delphine is the daughter of Michel Rebourgeon and Steve was a wine merchant in Oldham, when they met.
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| Pre revolution cabotte restored in 2012 |
Aerial chemical treatment of storm clouds to prevent hail has so far been the conventional approach to the problem. Steve & Delphine are keen to try hail-proof nets, as successfully used in Italy. Existing regulations in Burgundy prohibit the erection of any screen over vines but representations are being made to the authorities to permit this proven means of protection.
Most of the output is sold direct from the domaine shop in Place Europe. The balance goes largely to UK with a few cases taken by a handful of restaurants in Canada.
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| Some of the range in the domaine shop |
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| Inspecting fruit in La Vache |
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| Planted in 1902, these are some of the oldest vines in Burgundy |
Wine for today’s taste
The new proprietors began to progressively reduce woody content with encouraging effects. A critical vintage came in 2003. It was an exceptional summer, fruit ripened early and the recolte was completed before the end of August. The harvest was bountiful with lots of juice of high sugar content. They decided then to destem entirely and were so pleased with the result that they have followed that policy since.
The effect on subsequent vintages has been in softer wines with less hard tannins, retaining long life but being capable of drinking earlier.
The 2014 Hachette guide awarded their 2010 1er cru Les Rugiens a star. Les Rugiens is the epitome of Pommard. The name suggests its ruddy red soil caused by a concentration of iron oxide nodules. There has been talk for many years that its status will be enhanced to Grand cru. As such, it would become the only Pinot Noir Grand cru vineyard south of Beaune but long justified as a worthy equal to many of the finest wines in the Côte de Nuits.
Hachette’s comments were: “breathes out elegant perfumes of black fruit and spices, almost soft on attack, opens in the mouth to deliver dense texture and soft tannins guarantees this wine good ageing within 3-5 years. Serve with game and beef Wellington.”
They have continued to invest in state of the art equipment to produce wines with all the traditional attributes of fine Pommard as well as good ageing properties.
Harvest and winemaking
All fruit is handpicked and initially inspected for rot or other defects, in the field.
The “giraffe” elevator raises the grapes in pockets to the vat rim and tenderly pours them in.
Once all the fruit is in the vats, the temperature is allowed to rise. As the natural yeast culture on the skins becomes active, the biochemical process of alcoholic fermentation begins. Within about ten days almost all of the glucose and fructose has been converted to deliver a wine with about 13% alcohol by volume.
At Domaine Michel Rebourgeon they like to leave the young wine to rest on the skins and seeds for a few days longer than at most cuveries. Three weeks after picking they were satisfied it was time to put their 2014 Volnay 1er cru into barrels. The wine was already quite clear, soft red fruits came to the nose, acidity in the front of the mouth confirmed its unfinished state but there was already an underlying roundness, typical of good Volnay.
In the interests of quality, AOC appellations stipulate a maximum yield. The Volnay 1er cru appellation limit is 45 hectolitres (hl)/ha. This year’s yield was only 24hl/ha, roughly 1 bottle from every three vines.
A new peristaltique pump, designed to avoid harsh shearing action, transferred the wine to a holding vat.
In this cool and calm environment, the wine will rest on its lies for 18 months and should be ready for bottling in April 2016. Initially the wine contains 2-3g/l of malic acid which will be naturally converted by malolactic fermentation into the more palatable lactic acid in that time.
Continuity
The next generation of the family are sons William and Samuel. The older boy is already attending the Lycée Viticole in Beaune and both take an active part in vineyard and cuverie tasks.
In each vintage there are two special makings: Cuvée William and Cuvée Samuel.
The former is a selected batch of Pommard Village, aged in 100% new oak barrels. Hachette’s 2015 edition, published last month, gave a star for the 2011 as “on the nose spicey oak mixed with notes of compote of plum, a generosity which we find powerful to the palate, solid without being hard.”
Cuvée Samuel is taken from a chardonnay vineyard just across the D974 from the 1er cru vineyard of Les Epenots. Delicate of hue, citrus and white flower tones precede a flinty fresh rush followed by subtle minerality to generous length, refreshingly exceeding the modest label. Easy to drink with salads and a fine companion for all fish dishes.
L’Estivale
Literally summertime, l’estivale combines l’été (summer) and festival (display) and neatly expresses the spirit of France at this time of year; sunny days and balmy evenings, perfect conditions for outdoor celebrations.
There is a concentration of national holidays in the months of May, June and July. In towns and villages throughout the country, communities celebrate with family and neighbours.
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| Wild cherries above Chevalier Montrachet Grand cru |
La Fête de la Musique
The solstice is marked with the Fête de la Musique.
This year in Puligny the weather was perfect for a picnic party and we were able to celebrate mid-summer night with a concert in the Pasquier de la Fontaine. Two choirs, one of the children and other of the old folk opened the event. There followed a duet who played nostalgic popular music and the night ended with a heavy rock group.
Between these acts was Jonathan Bailey’s Swingshift, the orchestra of friends who came all the way from East Sussex for a weekend of performances in and around Puligny. Their visit this year was very appropriate since June saw the 70th anniversary of the invasion and their repertoire includes classics of the forties such as Pennsylvania 6500 and St Louis Blues. Singer Aprile Biggs was a star with her superb renditions of Black Magic and Night and Day.
Thanks to the generous hospitality of many of our neighbours, who took the visiting musicians into their homes over the weekend, the orchestra was able to make another couple of engagements in adjacent villages.
On the second evening they played in the Place de la Fontaine in Santenay, where they received an appreciative welcome from the mayor and many of the residents.
Quatorze juillet
The second great party of the summer is to celebrate the National Day – 14th July.
A formal element is an address by the mayor on the state of the commune and who this year, included presentations of book vouchers to successful students. Each of whom gave an account of their achievements and their next course. Our thriving youngsters are shown here with the mayor, Bernard Nonciaux and his council.
This was followed by a vin d’honneur of a glass of local wine for the inhabitants in front of the Mairie. Just as we were taking our glasses, a coach load of Taiwanese tourists turned up. They showed great interest in the event and some even found their way to the bar to join in the toasts! That evening a Country group entertained before a marquee, into the small hours.
The traditional date for flowers to open on the vines is 10th June. As reported earlier, the fine weather in March and April had accelerated plant development and some were predicting flower burst three weeks ahead of normal. It was a great shock when we experienced a cloudy and chilly May. The cold spell slowed things down but the first blossoms appeared at the end of that month and by 2nd June flowers were opening throughout the vineyards.
Warm and dry weather returned and by 21st June, vineyards up and down the Côte de Beaune were full of vigorous vines all laden with healthy bunches of good looking fruit. The biggest challenge to the viticulteurs appeared to be in keeping redundant top and side shoots under control in order to force growth into those lower trusses burgeoning with young grapes. It began to look as though 2014 would buck the trend of recent low volume harvests, the results of disease and hail damage.
Violent storms are a feature of Burgundy summers and vines remain vulnerable to hail damage right up to harvest time. Storm clouds can be seeded with Silver Iodide to melt ice slabs and turn hail into rain. The chemical can be dropped by aeroplane or fired up, into convections of rising air to be carried further, into the cumulonimbus clouds where thick blocks of ice accumulate.
In an initiative to reduce the impact of hail storms, a network of 34 hail canons or vortex generators was installed earlier this year. The canon is a simple device that blasts a dose of vaporized acetone charged with microscopic grains of silver iodide up into the thunder clouds. Natural warm air currents take the hydrophilic material up to 12,000 meters into the heart of the thunderstorm cells. At such altitude, the active particles melt the chunks of ice. The result should be rain rather than hail.
A trained team of operators is responsible for three successive banks of generators beginning in Epinac, 20km to the west of Volnay, to greet storms approaching from the West. The system is designed to send up repeated charges to break up the ice before the cloud reaches the Côte.
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| The most easterly canon at Volnay |
Severe weather episodes are becoming increasingly frequent so, this project represents an important investment to combat a regular and serious problem. France is the World’s largest exporter of wine and Burgundy is the quality leader. In the last twelve years, six harvests have been severely affected by hail damage. The harvest of 2013 was reduced by more than 30% as a result of hail.
Tragically, the first test of the arrangement was a failure. In the afternoon of 28th June a particularly ferocious storm broke over the Côte. A threat of hail had been forecast but these storms are unpredictable in behaviour and such cloud formations can change direction rapidly.
That day the storm came from the south and ran north along the line of the escarpment. We were aware of some light hail in Puligny which soon turned to rain.
The first point of significant damage to vines was in Puligny Montrachet’s 1er cru Le Cailleret where there was up to 10% loss of fruit. As the cloud moved northwards the intensity and size of the hail increased. The next vineyard of 1er cru les Folatières suffered up to 35% damage.
Blagny and Meursault were badly afflicted but Volnay and Pommard once again took the brunt. The level of damage can vary within a single vineyard but Volnay growers reported between 45 and 80% with Pommard vignerons claiming 65-100% loss. The better vineyards are generally more exposed to the weather and they suffered worst. Pommard 1er crus of Les Arvelets and Les Rugiens were complete write-offs; the third year running that these villages have suffered serious damage. 2009 was the last full harvest in the latter. Between Pommard and Beaune cars were battered and many had golf-ball indentations on their bodywork.
In places, the deep-frozen ice came in large jagged pieces which not only ripped leaves and fruit but also slashed canes and battered the plant trunks. In Pommard 1er cru Les Pézerolles the total loss of crop in 2014 will be repeated in 2015 since the ice cubes cut out the “eyes” that would have become buds next spring. A vigneron here stated that it could take four years careful pruning to get the vines back to into productive order. Beaune and Savigny vines were also heavily smashed.
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| Beaune 1er cru Le-Clos-des-Mouches northward over Pommard 1er cru Les Sausilles |
The street market is a French institution. The Sunday market in Chagny is a fine example and with 180 stalls, is said to be the largest in Burgundy. It offers excellent shopping from fresh fruit and vegetables to live poultry and clothes. But each town has its own style. Here are some scenes from several local bazaars:
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| Friday morning in the Roman city of Autun, the vast market square in front of the Empire style Hotel de Ville |
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| Beaune's Saturday brocante market |
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| Olives from Provence |
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| Extensive range of sausage including cheese, duck, donkey, wild boar, tomato, stag, bull, fennel, mushroom & pepper |
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| Fresh pasta from Italy |
At the end of May, elections for the European Parliament took place across the European Union. Each member state was to elect representatives for its various divisions. Our department of Côte d’Or is part of the Grand Est division of France.
In that division, the popular vote was led by the Front National (FN, the extreme right party led by Marine Le Pen who won 29% support) followed by Union pour un Mouvement Populaire (UMP, the moderate right wing party of ex president Sarkozy: 23%) third was the Union Gauche (an alliance of left wing parties including the Parti Socialiste, the PS of President Hollande: 13%) fourth came the Union des Démocrats et Indépendants (UDI, who seem to stand for something nice for everyone: 9%). Twenty three more parties including Royalty and Communiste, brought up a long, thin tail.
Under proportional representation conditions, Grand Est returned nine representatives to the EU parliament: four Front National, three UMP, one PS and one UDI.
In the department of Côte d’Or itself, the picture was similar overall but taking the winning party by cantons (a district being something between a borough and a county) the picture was more dramatic. Of forty three cantons, FN topped the poll in 36; UMP in 5 and PS in 2.
The European parliament has a total of 751 seats and following these elections, 48 and 80 will be occupied by Neo-Nazi and other anti-EU members respectively. France has 74 Euro deputies. Their composition is now: 24 FN, 20 UMP, 13 PS, 7 UDI, 6 Greens and 4 other leftists.
This was not a simple swing to the right. Dissatisfaction with Europe was washed with the unprecedented unpopularity of President Hollande. It seems that large numbers of traditional socialist supporters took one giant step to the far right and voted for Le Pen’s anti-Euro and anti-immigration policies.
The French electorate do have history in setting out to shock complacent leaders. This time so far, no one seems to be listening!
In the Caveaux
We have enjoyed some pleasant tastings in the last month or so.
In the cellars of Gaston and Pierre Ravaut in Ladoix we had a good experience with 2012 Chardonnays. Until then I had been reserved about the quality of that vintage but they gave us an extensive sampling of their Whites from Aligoté (a much underrated grape type), through Bourgogne Blanc, Ladoix Village to Grand Cru Corton Charlemagne. The last was exquisite with delicate white flower flavours and long honey tones.
Then we went into the Red cellar for a range of 2011 Pinot Noirs starting with Bourgogne Rouge and through Ladoix Village, Côte de Nuits Villages, Ladoix 1er cru, Corton Village and finally Corton Grand Cru Les Bressandes. For me, 2011 is drinking sooner than 2010 and all of these wines represent good value. We bought Ladoix from 2011 and 2007.
In Puligny, Sylvain Bzikot continues to impress. His Bourgogne Blanc is refreshing and easy to drink and fit for any fish or white meat plate. He has a parcel in the Puligny Village vineyard of La Rousselle. That 2011 was impressive and could masquerade as 1er cru, with good minerality and having modest levels of butter.
In Red, the 2011 Auxey Durress Village exhibits that classic Burgundy mouthful of fruity acidity. Their Volnay Village has rich, limpid colour and is well structured, perfect for white or red meats and cheese.
In the caves of Michel Rebourgeon in Pommard we tried some 2013 Pinots from the barrel. It should be a rewarding year in quality terms, though volumes are so low. We drank Bourgogne Rouge which was fruity and subtle, outstanding for a modest appellation. Then Pommard Village, higher in tannins and still with a veiled character. The Volnay 1er cru did not disappoint, having a deep ruby robe, an earthy (sous bois) aroma and a fulfilling and rounded taste of red fruits.
We ended with two Pommard 1er crus, Les Arvelets and Les Rugiens. Both excellent wines, I think that the latter beats some Grand crus from other villages, too young to drink now but indicating their future excellence. The star, which was served with dinner, was a 2001 Les Rugiens. Colour was deep and bright, aroma rich and the taste intense yet supple and very long.
The harvest is now predicted to start on 10th September. Areas little affected by hail should have an abundant crop and we hope that there are no more catastrophes of nature in the meantime.
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| Looking over Grand cru Batard Montrachet westward to Le Montrachet |
Tournante Saint Vincent
The wine makers’ social year begins with a festival which has great social and professional importance in the Côtes des Nuits and Beaune.
Saint Aubin was the venue for this year’s celebration of the 70th Tournante. Preparations there had begun three years ago on decorations that included the production of hundreds of thousands of paper flowers to dress the bare trees.
Early that frosty morning, we set out to breakfast with friends in the cellar beneath their home in the hamlet of Gamay.
Each wine village in the Côtes has a vignerons guild. These societies fulfil a role in the occupational life of a wine village. They provide mutual assurance for their members.
In a social way they represent their community or village appellation at festivals. Each society has its silken banner and patron saint, whose effigy is carried on a bier and which are proudly carried in processions.
The central authority in the whole event is the Confederation des Chevaliers de Tastevin or brotherhood of the Knights of the Tasting Cup. The Commanders of the brotherhood brought up the procession to the chateau courtyard and there, honoured certain inhabitants of Saint Aubin by dubbing them Knights.
They were determined to re-establish the ascendancy of Burgundy and to encourage the highest standards of quality in wine production. Various initiatives began to flow from their headquarters in Vougeot to restore pride in the region’s wines. One of which was the institution of the Tournante.
What began as a local event has grown into an international affair with global interest on different commune each year. People come from all over the World to visit the terroirs and test the wines.
Attendance this year was over 40,000 – that is about 160 visitors for each of the population of 250 souls. The main Paris roads was closed to provide a lineal car park several kilometres long and other routes in and around the village were open to pedestrians only to provide a traffic free zone. They coped with the deluge of thirsty people very well thanks to impressive preparations. Following the formal ceremonies, food and wine marquees opened throughout the village and the good natured throng toured the township.
The local producers had made special cuvees from 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012 vintages in both village and 1er Crus and both Red and White. We managed to visit several caves and sample everything. The most popular bar was at the domaine of the Bachelet family where they poured decent helpings of the excellent 2009 Saint Aubin 1er Cu, without question the star of the show.
For a modest sum the visitor invests in a pack comprising a souvenir glass (collectors’ items!) with a set of tasting tokens and a glass neck holder – invaluable for hands free partying!
In the Vineyard
By tradition creative pruning and the training of new fruit canes starts after the feast of Saint Vincent. Spring began early this year and the local vines are currently about one month ahead of normal development. Viticulteurs have been under pressure to complete their spring tasks in time as the growing season has arrived with haste. One of the first jobs is to replace rotted and broken posts and to refit training wires. This work must be completed before this year’s leader can be tied in.
Emmanuel Giboulot practices bio dynamic methods and has refused to comply with certain compulsory controls. These measures are designed to combat a highly contagious and incurable bacteriological disease called Flavesence Dorée. Sick plants display yellow leaves as they deteriorate. Their golden hue seems to be particularly attractive to a foliage eating cicadelle (leaf hopper) and the pest picks up the bacteria as it feeds. Subsequently, it moves to a healthy neighbouring vine where it passes on the infection. A parallel human infection process would be malaria.
The disease is indigenous but the carrier is a relatively recent immigrant that probably arrived in egg form, on root stock imported from USA early in the last century – ironically in the effective resolution of the scourge of phylloxera. Appearing first in the South West, the plague has already spread as far as Italy and Switzerland. This new threat to the French wine industry is not being underestimated. The compulsory controls have been imposed through most of the country. Growers are required to spray all vineyards as defined by the Prefecture, with an insecticide in an attempt to eradicate the offending bug. The spray has been approved by organic and bio dynamic bodies but some dedicated believers in natural methods remain unconvinced.
Giboulot’s defence was that his vines were not infected and even if they were, his action would be to uproot and destroy infected plants to arrest the spread of the disease. To spray would destroy the ecological balance which he seeks to preserve. He is not alone in supporting these values but is so far the only one to stand so boldly against official wisdom and the law. In February he was fined by a court but could face prison if he continues to refuse to follow directives to spray his vines with the prescribed chemical.
Flora & Fauna
Above the vineyard the escarpment is largely covered by scrubby forest, which in places clears to reveal grey crags. A well marked but generally little used footpath runs along this edge. Hard limestone pavements underfoot makes easy going and spectacular views eastwards over the plain of the Saône and as far as the Alps, lift the spirits.
In the last days of March, our neighbour was bottling his 2012 1er and Grand Cru wines. Good quality Village and Cru Chardonnays on Côte de Beaune ferment and lie in oak barrels for at least 12 months. Then the wine is transferred to stainless steel tanks for assemblage – the collation of complete cuvees or makings. Here they rest for a further 5 months or more prior to bottling.
The restaurant was a happy find for a number of reasons. For aperitif we had a glass of Fié Gris Sauvignon from Domaine Goisot in the nearby village of Saint Bris, the sole appellation of Sauvignon in the whole of Burgundy. It was fresh, acid but with mellow tones of honey and white flowers. The blackboard menu was short enough to assure freshly made dishes but long enough to give a broad choice of tastes. I had the andouillette which was delicious, washed down with an appropriate bottle of 2009 Irancy Palotte.
Our waiter was the proprietor/chef’s son. In discussing the wines he told us that he had recently acquired a south facing hectare of vineyard which he has planted with Pinot Noir. He had previously inherited a small parcel and had made a few hundred bottles for each of the last couple of years. He invited us into the cellar after we had eaten to taste his 2013 cuvee. There is no local appellation in the immediate area and his wine can only be described as Vin de France but it was intriguing. Limpid, with hard tannins but fruity, we hope to buy some when available.
The year’s weather could be summed up in two words: cold and wet. Spring did not happen at all and there was snow on high ground at the end of May, by which time precipitation was 80% over normal. As previously reported there was a lot of fungal disease. Fortunately Puligny was spared the devastating hail suffered in other villages on the Côte de Beaune. Still the harvest here was low in volume.
The bright start to the summer weather encouraged healthy fruit development but as we approached harvest time, more dull days and inclement weather threatened a total write off as sugar levels refused to rise. At the last minute a period of brilliant, warm days presented delicious ripe grapes.
Jean Michel Chartron said of the vintage; “Fruity and balanced, 2013 white wines are characterized by a nose of citrus notes. This aromatic sharpness follows in the mouth. These well structured wines display vivacity and freshness without the aggressiveness that had threatened from acid levels measured just before harvest. Direct, without embellishment, 2013 will acquit itself well against previous years.”
Meantime...
In March the country went to the polls to elect city and village councils. I am pleased to report that our own mayor, Bernard Nonciaux was voted back in. In places like Puligny, leaders are elected on their personal qualities rather than for their political complexion. That is not the case in large cities. The unpopularity of socialist President Hollande was reflected in a violent swing to the right as eleven cities came under the control of the National Front. There are five levels of government in France: National, Regional, Departmental, Cantonal and Communal. That is too much bureaucracy, even by French standards. Now there are proposals to reduce linkage and administration costs by redrawing political boundaries.
It seems designed to increase the political influence of the urban areas at the expense of the rural. Since the former tend to be more radical and the latter more conservative it could be seen as an effort to improve socialist chances in future presidential contests. Gerrymander could become a French verb. This month, together with other EU member states, we vote for representatives in the European parliament. It will be interesting to see if the move to extremism is repeated for the candidates in France as well as in other EU states.
PS
For lovers of the tastes of Burgundy there is a new book out: “Breakfast in Burgundy” (ISBN 1629144746), written by food and wine journalist Raymond Blake.
Winter '13/'14
2013 – A Mixed Harvest.
Following the bizarre weather throughout the growing spring and summer of 2013, the harvest was later than in any year this century so far and more than one month behind the exceptional 2003 when it was all over by the end of August.
Earliest picking began on 25 September but the main recolte did not take place until early October. This seems late to us these days but is more typical of harvests in the 1960s and 70s. One retired vigneron was prompted to comment that much of the phenomena attributed to so-called global warming are really cyclical variation in seasonal weather patterns.
The right moment to pick grapes is determined by fruit sugar levels. The winemaker needs about 12o of sugar to produce palatable wine. The month of September had begun with overcast skies and cold temperatures. By the second week of the month sugar levels were only 8o.
Sunlight rather than heat is essential for photosynthesis and each bright, sunny day will add about 0.2o to the sugar level so; at least one full week of bright sunshine was needed to reach maturity.
It is perhaps surprising to realise that Puligny is on the same latitude as Winnipeg. In these northern climes, the advancing autumn deals a double blow to the ripening process; first in reducing the intensity of the sun’s rays and second in shorter days.
The vignerons were ready; everyone had had enough time to take all the holiday needed; vats, presses and barrels had been cleaned to clinical standards; the itinerant vendangeurs were beginning to arrive and all loins were girded for the eagerly anticipated event.
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| Barrel scrubber |
In company with Gerry and Jane Loftus visiting from Cleveland Ohio, we were given juice from the first pressing of Puligny Montrachet Les Combettes 1er Cru at the cuverie of Francois Carillon. It was refreshing but more complex than most grape juice.
Villages to the north were disappointed in volume. The devastation of hail storms reported earlier meant that only a fraction of normal yields was possible in some of the better vineyards in a band from Meursault to Savigny. Indeed, certain 1er Cru climats had no harvest at all.
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| First day picking, En la Richarde above Puligny |
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| Filling barrels post fermentation |
This part of Burgundy is called the Cote d’Or, literally the Golden Hillside. In 2013 it fully justified its name.
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| Les Pucelles 1er Cru |
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| Santenay Les Gravières |
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| Looking south over Sur Gamay |
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| Hoar frost on Puligny village vines |
Post Harvest
Puligniens have a reputation for enthusiasm in vineyard tasks and are known for being generally ahead of neighbouring communes with seasonal work. This is certainly true in the case of la taille or the pruning.
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| Hard pruning, Le Montrachet Grand Cru |
He also prizes out suckers and decides on the leader for the coming summer. With an eye to 2015 and beyond, he chooses infant branches for special attention.
This plot was planted in 1926 in ground so challenging that growth must be fiercely restricted in favour of quality.
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| Envy of rose gardeners |
This is the time of the bruette, the ubiquitous mobile incinerator made from a 200 litre oil drum and mounted on a wheel barrow that is pushed along the rows and fuelled with the off cuts.
It provides nourishing phosphates in the form of ash for the plants and a welcome source of heat for the worker.
Recent visitors included Jessica Foster and Darren Carroll who took some great photographs of la taille as well as scenes from Paris which can be seen on his blog: www.darrencarroll.com/
153th Vente des Vins des Hospice de Beaune.
Each year on the third weekend in November, the Hospice de Beaune auctions off the wine of the current vintage.
This year saw new record sales of 5.8m€. The prices of Reds grew by more than that for White, forced by lower volumes as a result of the extensive hail damage from Volnay, Pommard, Beaune and Savigny les Beaune.
Buyers from the East were once again to the fore. Each year a celebrity or film star is appointed president of the auction. This year it was the actress Clotilde Courau, popularly known as the Princess of Venice and Piedmont. Her privilege was to sell a 456 litre barrel of Meursault 1er Cru Genevrières for a charity of her choice. It was bought by Madame Yan-Hong Cao, Chinese owner of tea plantations and jade mines.
She paid 131,000€ or about 215€/bottle. That is quite a price for a half made wine of uncertain quality. But that’s not the end of it because the young brew is still in the barrel and requires the care and attention of a good winemaker to finish the process before bottling perhaps 18 months down the road.
The World market for Burgundy continues to strengthen and this is reflected in land values. Recently a hectare of Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru went for 4m€, that is about 400€/vine. At an estimated payback of up to a 40 years, this sadly precludes most independent growers.
There is more to the festival than the sale itself. Marching bands (les Fanfares) and dancing groups come from all over France and beyond to entertain the crowds.
Nothing is taken too seriously and there are loosely associated activities including a cork pulling contest for aspiring sommeliers – this year won by a visitor from Alsace.
Origins and Appellations.
After the scourges of disease and infestation in the late 19th and early 20th centuries there followed devastation by man. The political and economic disasters of the latter restrained demand for fine wines.
After WWI, there was an increase in demand on an industry that was not equipped to respond and this resulted in widespread adulterations such as the importation of wines from far to the south into the villages of the Côtes. It became the accepted norm for wine makers in the region to fortify their product with cheaper wines.
In 1935, the Institut Nationale des Appellations d’Origine INAO was formed to protect the integrity of high quality French food and wine.
Today, the label of every bottle provides a great deal of knowledge. Once a relatively few terms are understood then a Burgundy label can provide a wealth of information. It is the INAO which authorises the appellations which appear on labels.
In the best quality wines, the celebrated vineyard name is proudly displayed. In the case of Grand Crus, the definitive Burgundies, it stands distinctively and simply on the label; for example Montrachet or Chambertin.
Next in reputation are the Premier Crus, being wines from specific vineyards which have been judged to consistently produce the highest quality wines in a commune. Wines of this designation bear the name of the vineyard together with that of the village, for example Santenay Les Gravières.
These names are often intriguing and their roots can be fascinating. Some have origins in physical attributes and describe local topography or geological conditions. Others are founded on characters.
Back in 1253 the proprietor of the great Montrachet was the Abbey of Maizières who named it Territorium de Mont Rachaz or Land of the Bald Hill, a name still appropriate.
Adjacent are Chevalier Montrachet, Bâtard Montrachet and Les Pucelles. The Seigneur of Puligny distributed vineyards amongst his children, specifically his heir, the Chevalier; his daughters, being maidens or Pucelles and even recogned an illegitimate son.
Chambertin is said to derive from Champ de Berhtin or Burton’s Field.
In the commune of Santenay can be found the 1er Cru Les Gravières, so called because of its favourable gritty soil or Gravel.
Slightly more obscure is the Blagny 1er Cru La Pièce sous le Dos d’Ane or the Part beneath the Donkey’s Back. An isolated hillock with a depression like a saddle stands over this small vineyard.
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| Great names |
Tournante Saint Vincent
The feast of the patron saint of winemakers occurs on 22nd January. It is celebrated by a movable feast on the fourth weekend each January. The 70th Tournante will be hosted by the commune of St Aubin on 25/26 January.
Large crowds are expected for a day that will start early with a vignerons’ mass followed by processions. Many caves will be open and we are looking forward to a great day. I will report next time on the event and in the meantime represent here our invitation to breakfast with friends in Gamay.
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| Anne & Thierry Prudhon |
This is late, I know but we would like to wish all our readers a Healthy & Happy 2014.
Summer 2013
The Springless Year
The weather can be a boring topic, not so this year so far and certainly not a matter without great significance for vignerons on the Côte de Beaune and indeed throughout the whole of France. Spring began exceptionally cold and dark in Côte d’Or. April did show some signs of improvement but temperatures and sunlight were far below par.
By mid month, buds began to open on the baguettes (this year’s leaders) and by late April, the chardonnay leaves were bursting out - the miracle of spring seemed to have eventually arrived. One good thing about this tardy awakening was that all the vines were developing at the same pace, slow but consistent.
This was quite unlike 2012 when some precocious flowering resulted in uneven ripening. Often in the same bunch one saw both green and overripe grapes. Already this year, a general view seemed to be developing amongst vignerons that in 2013 nature would be more regulated and things were progressing steadily.
One springtime task is to plough heaped soil away from the vine bases and into the centre of the aisles between the rows. This operation is called de-earthing; it allows fresh air and sunlight to reach the stems and it was generally completed by early May.At that stage, the optimist believed that spring must be just around the corner. That confidence was short lived as we were thrust right back into winter.
In May, days of sunshine were 40% below the historical mean and it seemed to rain every day. But it didn’t just rain, it deluged. In one 8 hour period, 135mm of water fell in Dijon – 160% of normal average for the whole month.
Cellars were flooded and rivers reached unprecedented levels. Only the steeper slopes avoided inundation and some flatter fields were swamped.The conditions were ideal for fungal diseases such as oidium and mildew. The unrelenting rain made it difficult for growers to get on top of infection with treatment as waterlogged fields became impassable by tractor.
Organic spays such as Bordeaux mixture or copper sulphate were instantly washed off by fresh showers and systemic chemicals had to be employed.
Burgundy vignerons often have small and highly fragmented holdings. For example, one Chassagne owner has over 50 parcels spread over a distance of 10km.
Low flying helicopters buzzed the vineyards every daylight hour for a couple of weeks. Even so, some plots of land were too small to delineate for effective spraying from above. The only solution here was application on foot.Finally, if proof of wintry conditions were needed, on 25th May it actually snowed on the top of the escarpment behind Puligny.
Spring never did arrive. Right on cue, at the start of June we moved directly from winter into summer! Temperatures leapt and we enjoyed brilliant sunny days.
One benefit of the retarded start to the growing season was that the vines developed in a controlled manner. Flowering was late but well coordinated and by mid June, thanks largely to brighter weather, the vines were largely disease free and growing healthily.
This region is photogenic at any time but the sudden abundance of lush green foliage on both vines and wild plants was phenomenal.
Below, June morning over the ruined medieval hilltop château of Saint Romain with the present day township at its foot.
Closer to home and of more serious economic consequence was a couple of violent thunderstorms on 24th July and then 22nd August. Each threw a curtain of hail across a line of villages from Meursault northwards as far Savigny-lés-Beaune.
Fruit loss was extensive with some 1er Cru vineyards in Pommard losing 100% of the young grapes. This was a double blow for many growers in that village. Last year they suffered, along with the rest of Cote d’Or widespread low yields because of disease. Now they saw some vineyards devastated by vicious local weather conditions.
To cope with one bad year was difficult; to survive consecutive disastrous vintages will be very hard for many small firms. Elsewhere in France producers have appealed for government aid to cover some of their losses; perhaps any compensation will apply in Burgundy too.
Social Affairs
Communal pride shows itself in a number of ways, one of which is in respect for older residents. After eight years living in Puligny, we qualified for the first time to be guests at the annual Repas des Aines (Old Ones Meal) held on 14th April.
At the expense of the village, about sixty of us sat down to an excellent lunch, prepared in the Michelin * kitchens of Le Montrachet supported by fine wines from Puligny-Montrachet and Auxey-Durresses.
The feast of the Assumption on 15th August is a public holiday in France and it has become the traditional date in Puligny for our annual Brocante (Second hand market). Around that time, many villages celebrate similar fairs. They go under various names including Puce (Flea market) and Vide Grenier (Attic clearance). It is a popular weekend activity for folk to visit neighbouring villages to hunt for bargains. The idea is to hire a pitch and display all your unwanted possessions. Of course, the greater part of it is rubbish but there are some gems to be found. These are invariably snatched up by professionals within 20 minutes of opening, to reappear in due course at antique fairs at considerably enhanced prices.The rest is recycled once the new owners realise that they have acquired another piece of junk that must lie in the grenier until the puce season comes round once more.
Tasting Notes
We also had some pleasant degustations. The most memorable being at Château Plaisance in the Côte de Layon. The Rochais family are among the few producers of Quarts-de-Chaume, the only Grand Cru vineyard in the whole of the Loire, a superb dessert wine which once rivalled the great Château Yquem.
We tasted a range of fine wines, which as chauffeur, I was obliged a-cacher (to spit out). The finale was a Quarts-de-Chaume ice wine from 1997. This is exceptionally rare since the local micro climate normally prevents frost in October and that year was the last time it had been possible to produce. It was made clear to me by the assertive Mr Rochais that I was not to spit that one out! It was brilliant, intensly sweet yet well balanced and with a long refreshing after taste.I took his advice after he related an anecdote about the visit to his estate by exhalted Robert Parker. It seems that the American guru had persistently grilled him about his policy of no new oak; “wood, wood, wood!” he had replied “I am making wine here - not furniture!”.
With visitors from California, we tasted some interesting 2012s from the barrel. Jacques Carillon generously shared his Bienvenue Batard Montrachet Grand Cru, very much limited by the poor harvest. It was very young of course, but easy to drink and full of great promise.
At Domaines Fontaine-Dubreuil in Pernand Vergelesses and Laurent Pillot in Chassagne Montrachet we sampled 2012 Pommard 1er Crus Les Epenots and Les Rugiens, both first class: the former round and fruity, the latter more muscular with good tannins which will soften further with time. These two vineyards, generally accepted as the best of Pommard, compare very well with some of the Grand Crus from north of Beaune and have aspirations to be awarded the higher appellation themselves.
In our constant quest for lesser known sources of fine wine we took visitors from New York to the Milan cuverie in Chassey-le-Camp, not a renowned wine village but where excellent Mercurey red and white from Rully can be found. Madame Milan explained their policy of total process control - to personally perform or supervise all operations in cultivation and vinification. We discussed aspects of 2012 and she explained that she regarded a challenging vintage as she would a difficult child; you do not love it any less than the others but you remember the special care that it required to come good.
Their 2012 Rully 1er Cru will not be bottled until October but our friends were able to order a couple of dozen for shipment to their home when available and at reasonable cost. Another example of the Burgundian wine makers’ pride in their product was seen in Rully.
We went to collect some wine and found Madame Breliere entertaining a group of local children to an educational tasting of grape juice with an explanation of the merits of local terroirs.Return to Normality
After the trials of the first half of the year, those vineyards which have escaped hail damage so far are looking healthy and abundant in fruit. In the model growing conditions since June, the vines continued to push out leaders and sprout new growth. The vignerons have continued to trim the tops to encourage development of fruit.
The proprietors have been able to take their summer holiday, prepare their cuveries and finalise recruitment of vendangeurs (pickers). The harvest date is estimated at between 25th September and 5th October. So, with one eye on the weather and the other looking out for signs of mildew, they now anticipate the large harvest.
Spring 2013
In the Vineyard
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| Hibernating Vines, late February |
The vines are waking up more slowly than in 2012 and are
doing so in synchronised fashion. This has allowed better coordination of the
essential Winter preparatory work in the vineyards.
A major pre-Spring maintenance task each year is the repair
of posts and training wires. The image below shows this work being carried out
in La Vide Bourse, a 1er Cru vineyard of Chassagne Montrachet. It is interesting
to note the location. Just behind the dry stone wall lies the distinguished
Grand Cru Batard Montrachet. There will be a great difference in price of
bottles bearing these respective labels but the distance between the vines in
the parcels is very little.
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| Repairing Training Wires |
Once the supports are in order and final pruning is
completed, the leading limb of each vine is attached to the lowest horizontal
wire. This is known in vineyard vernacular as “doing your baguettes”. The
worker gently bends the branch to the wire and secures it, using a hand tool
which neatly wraps and twist locks the tie.
In Clos de la Pucelle, a 1er Cru monopole of Domaine Jean
Chartron, they were planting vines to replace those which have died in the past
year.
Late in the 19th century, the whole of the wine industry in France was
devastated by successive diseases. A national epidemic of Oidium or powdery
mildew was followed by the much more serious Phylloxera. The latter, which was
the result of infestation by the larvae of a tiny moth, effectively destroyed
all the vine stocks. It was a vast disaster on a European scale and caused
widespread calamity throughout France .
After years of research and trial, the solution to the latter was found in the
introduction of American root stock which was immune to attack. The cure was a
long time in coming and the whole industry in France was severely affected for
many years.
Still today, the preferred method of propagation is by
grafting a scion cloned from selected vines onto the stock of American variety.
Before planting the graft roots are trimmed very short and
looking almost like a shaving brush.
The act planting is carried achieved with surprisingly
brutal treatment.
The graft is pushed into a dibbed hole and the soil pressed
home with the heel of the boot. There is no watering-in; irrigation is
forbidden on the Côtes.
In Celebration
The feast of Saint Vincent ,
patron saint of vignerons, occurs in January and marks the start of cultivation
for the coming vintage. Masses are celebrated to commemorate the date.
Each village has a mutual society of winemakers, often
founded centuries ago to provide practical assurance for its members. Today
these clubs continue their roles in both the professional and social life of
communities dependent upon wine. In the case of Puligny Montrachet the society
is the Confrérie de Saint Bernard.
This year, the societies of Volnay, Pommard and Puligny took
part in a joint mass in the small but magnificent church of Saint Cyr
Each society proudly bears its regalia at these ceremonies
but it is not just in vain pomp. To the French, patrimoine or heritage to us is
a big word.
Very real and important issues of culture and business are
to be commemorated in these events:
Wine has always held a fundamental function in Christian
rites.
In the political history of Europe ,
our local boy Saint Bernard played a leading role.
It was also his leadership of the Cistercian order which did
so much to develop the technology and distribution of Burgundy the Wine.
So, following the spiritual ceremony, the festivities moved
to the temporal, just across the road in the Salle des Fêtes, where the
Volnaysiens provided a Vin d’Honneur of Kir accompanied by hors-d’oeuvres.
After this agreeable reception, each society went its separate way, back to its
own village to celebrate in grander style.
By the time they were home in Puligny Montrachet, a banquet
was waiting. Below is the menu for what was a sumptuous affair.
This was the annual corporate lunch of the winemakers of
Puligny; no one went back to work that afternoon!
The footnote translates to: All washed down with the best
wines of the village and elsewhere.
This could not be described as lunch since they sat down at
12:30hrs and the festin wasn’t over until after 18:30hrs.
Each guest was expected to take a decent bottle but, with a
number of the greatest personalities in White Burgundy present, the selection
of wines was awe- inspiring. Indeed throughout the meal, individual wine
producers walked between the tables filling the glasses of the company with
their choice vintages. Each diner had a row of glasses in front of him/her but
as soon as one was emptied it was instantly topped up with a fresh delight.
Before long an ethnic disparity between French natives and
expatriates began to appear. Gallic temperance dictated that any remnant in the
first glass should be tipped into the buckets provided before taking a refill.
Anglo Saxon economy demanded that nothing should go to waste; this proved the
undoing of at least one foreign diner.
But he did take care to record every wine tasted. The notes
started off neat and rational and are still legible. But as the party wore on,
his annotations (before him, as he now writes) became increasingly sensational
and scrawled; decipherable with care and then only after a couple of Burgundy starters!
There were entries for twenty Whites and a dozen Reds -
apart from the Crémant and Sancerre aperitifs.
A couple were passé but there were some stunners. Most
memorable being:
- Domaine Leflaive’s 2009 Les Combettes 1er Cru
- Pascale’s 2006 Les Chalumaux 1er Cru and 2008 Les Folatieres
- Carillon’s 1999 Les Perriers 1er Cru
- Bzikot’s 2009 Les Folatieres 1er Cru and 2010
And two rare but exquisite Pinot Noirs, both from vineyards
famous known for their Chardonnay: Riget-Bisset’s 2003 Saint Aubin Les Murgers
des Dents de Chien 1er Cru and Chartron’s Le Cailleret 1er Cru.
In History
The villages of
Puligny and Chassagne share the suffix Montrachet and most of the Grand Cru
vineyards generally straddle the communal boundary. The exception is Chevalier
Montrachet which lies entirely in Puligny.
It was a particular favourite of Alexandre Dumas who was
once asked how it should be drunk, he replied that 'it should be drunk kneeling
and with bear head'.
In his Great Dictionary of Cuisine he relates a tale of a
conversation between Louis XV and the Maréchal de Richelieu. When the King
asked his advisor what was the best wine, he said “...In a good year, Beaune
competes with the premiers crus of Burgundy .
Then come the wines of Pommard, Volnay, Nuits, Chassagne, Saint Georges, Vosne,
Chambertin, Clos Vougeot and la Romanée. The Romanée-Conti is the best of the
red wines of Burgundy .”
“As for white wines, those of Chablis, Musigny, Richebourg,
Vosnes, Nuits and Chambolle, are pleasant but these are surpassed by
Chevalier-Montrachet. It is recognized that the Montrachet wine itself, is the
best of all French wines.”
In the Caves
As previously reported, the jury is still out on the 2012
vintage. Volume is less than half the norm overall but better rated wines were
even more severely reduced. In spite of encouraging comments from some
quarters, I remain unconvinced on quality and apprehensive on cost.
One policy in the circumstances is to stock up on 2010 and
2011. Both are excellent years in Red and White. The former has further to go
but the latter is drinking earlier.
With friends, we have been prudently providing for a
one-year break.
Great 2008 Chardonnays and the highly acclaimed Pinot Noirs
of the following year are still available in places.
In Saint Aubin we stocked up on 2011 1er Cru Murgers des
Dents de Chien. It needs a least a couple of years in the bottle but by then
should be the closest thing to Le Montrachet at an affordable price of 20€. At
the same place we bagged just three bottles of 2008 Puligny Montrachet 1er Cru
La Garenne.
For Reds, from a vigneron in les Maranges we bought some
2009 Santenay 1er Cru Clos Rousseau - at 16€/bottle this must be one of the
best deals around. A village Pinot that holds promise is Domaine Larue’s 2011
Saint Aubin Les Eduens at 10.50€ and a personal favourite, 2011 Blagny 1er Sous
le Puits for 21€.
Most recently and for drinking now, Bzikot’s 2010 Auxey
Duresses (see banquet notes above) a great fruity mouthful at 12€/bottle.
We have also uncovered a couple of new sources of Crémant.
Mr Boillot of Volnay produces a very good Blanc de Noir, white sparkling wine
made exclusively from Pinot Noir grapes. It has a light straw colour, fine
bubbles and a comforting balance of ripe fruit and acid. The other will be
tried in the next week or so.
In the Streets
The last winter was far from the coldest in memory but it
does seem to have been one of the longest.
In Chagny the fête of Mi-Carême, or half way through Lent is
a civic expression of hope for Spring and makes a revealing comment on the
gallic psyche.
It confirms their pride in their pious intent to observe
Lenten moderation but concedes to the need to take a weekend break for some
fun!
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French
Pipe band in Chagny market
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Visitors to the celebration this year included a very
musical pipe band.
The French love celtic music and highland regalia because it
reminds them their old alliance with Scotland against their common
enemy!
Winter 2013
Since early November the viticulteurs have been in the fields performing the pre-taille – the pruning after the harvest. According to the standard Guyot system of vine cultivation, the first cut is made at the base of last season’s leader, the major limb that generated the four or five canes which bore the fruit for 2012.
The pruner visits many hundreds of vines each day. The
modern worker uses electric secateurs, powered by batteries carried in a
waistcoat. It is hard work still today but in an age before light weight
rechargeable batteries, it called for muscles like Popeye!
The second task is to extricate the cut branches from the training wires. This old wood is burned as it is pulled out of the rows in a brûette - a mobile incinerator recycled from a 200 litre oil drum mounted on an outsize wheelbarrow frame, with a bicycle wheel for traction.
By tradition, the most skilful stage in pruning, shaping the
shoots for the next vintage, will not begin until later in January.
In the Saint Aubin 1er Cru vineyard of Sur Gamay, a more drastic pruning was taking place.
Vines can live to impressive ages before the need to replace with new stock. Older vines are valued as the source of more complex wines. Their extensive root networks have tapped into mineral deposits deep in the sub strata, from which they draw distinctive elements. Eventually, the tough old plants begin to dry up and the grower must make a decision to balance the benefits longer roots against falling yields. This is long term planning, covering several generations in a cycle of perhaps one hundred years.
In the Saint Aubin 1er Cru vineyard of Sur Gamay, a more drastic pruning was taking place.
Vines can live to impressive ages before the need to replace with new stock. Older vines are valued as the source of more complex wines. Their extensive root networks have tapped into mineral deposits deep in the sub strata, from which they draw distinctive elements. Eventually, the tough old plants begin to dry up and the grower must make a decision to balance the benefits longer roots against falling yields. This is long term planning, covering several generations in a cycle of perhaps one hundred years.
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| Doomed Pinot Noir Vines |
Chardonnay rules as the white wine grape of Burgundy . It is a cool climate species and therefore
particularly well suited to the temperate conditions of the region. It is not
only the local weather that suits this species; it is also the hard limestone
of the Côte de Beaune which best brings out the elegant and subtle flavours of
Chardonnay.
The eminent black grape variety of Burgundy and exclusive fruit for all great
Red Burgundies is the Pinot Noir. This
is the “black grape with the white juice” and which has been regarded for
centuries as best suited for these terroirs. It is notoriously difficult to grow and
produces low yields; good to drink young but capable of developing tremendous
tastes in the bottle over many years.
Heritage and Market Forces.
In 1364, a son of King John the Good became Duke of
Burgundy. That young man founded a dynasty, which lasted for only four
generations, but in that time became a European superpower. It was the Dukes of
Burgundy who created the great commercial breakthrough for Burgundy
wine.
The first Duke, Philip the Bold was concerned at the
inconsistencies of the wine produced in the Duchy and determined to set a
benchmark for fine wine. He recognised that volume was not necessarily good for
quality and issued a declaration in 1395, which included a ban on the
cultivation of the Gamay grape on the Côtes as well as other regulations
designed to raise product standards. In time, Burgundy
came to be regarded as the source of the greatest wines of France .
Of particular seasonal relevance, his grandson Philip the
Good appointed one Nicolas Rolin as his Chancellor. It was Rolin who in 1443
founded the Hospice de Beaune as a charity hospital for people of all classes.
The ancient hospital itself continued in operation until the last century and
is now a magnificent museum in the city of Beaune .
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| Hôtel Dieu de l’Hospice de Beaune |
Its income comes largely from its wine and each year on the
third week in November, the hospice sells its wines in the World’s greatest
wine auction. The wines are sold in
multiples of barrels. The standard Burgundy
barrel is 228 litres, which will eventually deliver about 300 bottles. The
buyer has not only to pay for the lot but also to have a suitable local
winemaker standing by to receive his purchase and to be prepared to tenderly
nurture its development into a fine wine before bottling and finally shipping
it.
The whole weekend is a grand festival, attended by lovers of
Burgundy
everywhere. For their entertainment, bands of musicians and folk dancers come
from all over France .
Not long ago the market for hospice wines was monopolised by
local negotiants. Christies took over the sales a few years back and have been
successful in attracting buyers from all over the World and in achieving
increasing revenues for the foundation. Prices achieved at the auction are said
to be a barometer of values in the market for Burgundy in general.
The recession in Western economies may have reduced the
appetite for top wine in Europe but in the last couple of years there has been
recovery in demand from America and any shortfall has been more than
compensated for by burgeoning confidence in Asia.
This year saw new record total sales of 5.3m €; the more
remarkable considering volume was 1/3 down on 2011. Red wine was particularly in demand with
average prices 73% higher than in November 2011. Could this herald the advent
of Pinot Noir recovering its popularity alongside Chardonnay on the Côte de
Beaune? Average price for Whites was 18%
up on last year.
Air China
and Sun Favorite Taiwan paid 166,000€ for three pieces of Batard Montrachet
Grand Cru. The highest price paid for a single barrel was 67,000€ for one of
Clos de la Roche. This year’s guests of
honour included ex first lady Carla Bruni-Sarkozy. She was given the privilege of auctioning La
Pièce des Presidents, a special 350 litre barrel of Corton Grand Cru. Her offer
to deliver it in person if the price was higher than 200,000€ fuelled strong
bids, so she went further to say that if the winning bid exceeded 250,000€, she
would deliver it with her husband.
It went to the Ukrainian businessman Igor Iancovskyi (via
the caves of Maison Albert Bichot) for 270,000€. Gerard Depardieu had been expected as a guest of honour too
but he didn’t show up. Since then we have heard about his threat to renounce
French nationality in protest over recently imposed higher levels of income tax
on the super-rich. Perhaps he was busy negotiating his proposed Russian
citizenship with his friend President Putin. Are these indicators of privilege and extravagance final
proof of the inevitable triumph of socialism over capitalism?
At more modest level we have been busy testing 2009, 2010
and 2011 vintages with local producers.
I was invited with a neighbour and some visitors from UK to
the caveau of Paul Pernot early in November. We enjoyed an extensive tasting of
2009 Puligny Montrachet village and 1er Crus of Meursault Blagny; Puligny La
Garenne, Les Folatieres and Les Pucelles and Grand Crus of Batard Montrachet
and Bienvenue Batard Montrachet. We ended up with a Red from Beaune, Les
Toussaints, great value and not at all overawed by its prestigious stable
mates.
Each wine village has a mutual society of vignerons with a
patron saint. In past times these associations played an important role in the
social security of the commune. In Puligny we have the society of Saint
Bernard. Paul Pernot’s grandson Philippe and his wife Christale are now running
the house of Pernot-Bellicard. This year
he has been made custodian of the statue of Saint Bernard, which is paraded at
fetes throughout the region.
To mark the occasion
they hosted aperitifs in their caveau. The show was stolen by their 2009 Meursault
Les Perriers 1er Cru. This is a fine wine with light honey undertones and great
mineral depth; after taste is long but eventually leaves the palette fresh and
eager for more.
As demand for celebrated Burgundies continues to increase we
have to continue our research for sources of lesser known but still fine wines.
A new discovery for us was Domaine Chevrot in Cheilly Les Maranges. They have a terrific 2009 Santenay Le Rousseau
1er Cru. It is brilliant in colour with
subtle tannins, good acidity and full of red berry fruit. Santenays, both White
and Red can be much underrated.
The commune was the building block of the Republic. Today
the commune still has great significance in the function of the nation. So it
is that early each New Year the mayor of every town and village in France
addresses the population to briefly review the “state of the commune”.
In his talk this year, Mr Nonciaux described the difficult
economic conditions in the World, Europe and France and more close to home, how
they were compounded by the awful recent harvest.
One longer term challenge in village life was the news that
our population has fallen below 400. This was despite efforts by the council to
attract young families through social housing projects. There has been a lot of
private development in the restoration of older houses too. But more often than
not such works have been in “maisons secondaire”. The number of expatriates
living in the village all year round has increased but the greater number of
new owners are foreigners buying a holiday home in Burgundy . These newcomers are not confined
to adjacent countries but include Australians and New Zealanders, Americans,
and Russians.
The mayor also describes the major capital projects in hand
or proposed. One item on the agenda was the eagerly awaited announcement of the
new name for the rebuilt Place Marronniers. The reader will remember that, following some
debate it had been decided to canvass the whole commune for a suitable new
name. A poll taken in December offered nine alternatives. The votes had been
counted and the outstanding favourite, with over 30% of popular support was
declared to be the Place du Pasquier de la Fontaine – which is the title of the
square as shown in a map of Puligny dated 1741. Having declared the peoples’ choice, the
mayor is contemplating further. I hope to let you know the decision in due
course..................
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| Bright November morning, Meursault Blagny |
Fall 2012
October marks the end of the viticulteurs’ year. The harvest is completed and the juice of the fruit is well on the way to becoming wine.
This is the season when the department flaunts its name, La Côte d’Or literally the golden coast or the hillside of gold. This month it is easy to see where the name derives. Daily the sun sinks lower and as wintry weather creeps in, the vine leaves unanimously assume their autumn colours. Before the first frost the whole vineyard foliage turns to warm shades between yellow and scarlet.
InBurgundy the fruit is picked in one go and then only from the lowest trusses. Second generation fruit, from later flowers is left on the canes to rot or provide a feast for flocks of rooks which wait in a marvellously disciplined manner until man has taken his share.
Years ago the gleaning of grapes was very popular but the practice is now forbidden. Even so, you can still see the odd furtive scavenger who takes a few bucketfuls of missed or rejected bunches as dessert treats or the means to produce a few bottles of illicit Meursault or Montrachet in a carboy under the kitchen table at home. This year their pickings will have been hard won.
The proprietors make every effort to encourage high morale and the workers sing and joke together throughout the day. There is a mini celebration as each parcel is completed. Of course, with so much physical exertion there is a need to fortify their bodies. The day begins at about 7:00hrs when the various gangs assemble to head for the vines. At about 8:30hrs breakfast of bread, sausage and cheese with coffee and white wine is served in the field. At midday everyone returns to the domaine for a full three-course lunch. Each firm has a kitchen crew who serve delicious dishes in serious portions, accompanied by good (sometimes excellent) wines. Following a further four hours labour in the afternoon a similar feast is presented in the evening. There is a major party by the whole team when the last load of grapes for the whole domaine is delivered into the cuverie.
Some of the finest places to dine are unpretentious family establishments that do not always boast tourist awards or appear in famous guide books but which do offer the best of regional cooking. Typical is a favourite restaurant of ours in Beaune, L'Auberge Bourguignonne, where we had a superb lunch with friends one day in September.
In recent years, the degustation lunch has become a popular formula. It makes for an unhurried sampling of a number of fine wines selected to compliment local dishes. Dining in this way allows one to maximise the tasting experience yet avoid the side effects!
Another culinary strength lies in the street market. Every decent town in France holds a weekly produce market where the choice of foodstuffs can be wide. There is always a well stocked cheese stall. The French could not survive without a daily selection of cheese. Together with bread and wine, cheese represents the national staple diet. Our favourite vendor is a family who visit Autun and Chagny every Friday and Sunday respectively. Their range is extensive and this diversity reflects the Gallic character well; an exasperated De Gaulle once questioned how anyone could be expected to run a country that had over 300 cheeses!
Sausage too comes in an amazing range of meats, cheeses and herbs. Flavours include game options of rabbit, wild boar and deer as well as more exotic sources such as bison, kangaroo and donkey. Contrary to common belief the French enjoy fast food too. The rotisserie is always a popular stall, offering delectable roast chicken or duck, beef, lamb and to order, a suckling pig.
There are many great spots for picnicking in the countryside or on the wooded fringes above the vineyards. Recently we went with friends to dine on the boundary between Puligny Montrachet and Saint Aubin. We pitched our site at the junction of three 1er Cru climats. We ate market bought produce and drank the wines of our immediate environs: Puligny Montrachet La Garenne and Champ Gain and Saint Aubin Murgers des Dents de Chien and ended up with cheese and Blagny 1er Cru Sous le Dos d’Ane. It was a glorious late summer evening and we only finally and reluctantly packed up the table after nightfall.
On 17th October a grand opening ceremony was held to celebrate the reincarnation of Puligny’s village green. This “Village Centre” capital project was successfully completed to the general delight of the population. In a village like this it is never possible to please everyone. One lady said that she preferred the square the way it had been before – condemned chestnuts and all! The great event was attended by a government minister, the sub-prefect and a phalanx of departmental dignitaries. After the speeches, the assembled populace retired to the salle des fêtes for delicious canapés and some good wine from several Puligny domains.
The new square comprises a fine lawn bordered by lime trees and box and yew beds. This Englishman’s suggestion of a cricket green had been discounted early in the consultation process! The Place Marronniers is still awaiting the census on the new name. It may be that there is some political division developing. The mayor publicly stated his preference for "Place Grand Crus" his deputy - who managed the project - favours "Place Chevalier". Something should happen before January & the Mayor's New Year address. The French way is to let things stew for a long time to see what arises naturally or to avoid any controversial decision for as long as possible. If you wait long enough, those with opposing views might die before you commit yourself.
This magnificent new setting saw its first formal event last month. France is a secular state. The greater part of the population is catholic but it is not a catholic country. No religion is taught in state schools. Ostentatious displays of religious belief are not allowed whatever the faith. Matrimony is officially encouraged and the income tax regime positively favours formal family units.
When it comes to marriage, the state maintains its initiative and weddings take place in the Mairie. The procedure is much like the civil ceremony in UK but includes a reading of the specific fiscal responsibilities of the partners, especially in respect of children and their maintenance. Any subsequent religious service is a matter of private celebration. So it was on 17th October that the new square witnessed its first wedding. After the official business, the bride and groom left mairie in a beautifully restored 1953 vintage Peugeot, followed on foot by their guests.
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| Meursault under autumn mist |
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| La Côte d'Or |
In
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| Now under the kitchen table |
2012 will be remembered for hard work and frustrated effort. After months of unremitting husbandry, the recolte or harvest has been nothing short of catastrophic. The causes of this disaster were reported in earlier newsletters.
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| Sous le Puits – all picked |
Volume has typically been measured at between 30 and 50% of normal. The better parcels were particularly hard hit, being those plots which enjoy maximum exposure to the elements. Some Grand Cru parcels yielded no fruit at all.
Notwithstanding these tragic circumstances the vendange was carried out with the customary high level of excitement. Mechanical harvesters are becoming more common but are only used on generic Burgundy vineyards. But communal appellations specify hand picking, which is highly labour intensive. Every year an army of itinerant fruit pickers descends upon the côtes. The population of this village grows by several hundred percent as they settle into their lodgings. The work is hard and the days are long. The fruit trusses are low so, most of the vendangeurs’ time is spent bent double.
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Tipping the hod
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Despite the poor yields, winemakers remained philosophical. No one can deny the many abundant harvests enjoyed in recent vintages. In true Burgundian manner, many people are saying “that’s nature, every year cannot be bountiful”. In terms of quality, opinion varies considerably. Some say that whatever their dissatisfaction in volume, fruit condition was good. Others express a double disappointment in both quantity and quality. One sage response to my question on quality was “we will know in March”, when fermentation is complete and the wines begin to show their character.
So, there will be less to sell but revenues might be balanced by higher prices. 2011 prices were marginally lower than 2010; this year will be particularly meaningful as supply could fall well short of demand. We will know soon enough since the Vente des Vins des Hospice de Beaune takes place in mid November. This event, held annually on the third weekend in November determines the market price for burgundies.
One of the great things about this part of France is the abundance of good places to eat. There are many Michelin starred establishments in and around Beaune. They invariably serve World class cooking and often at sensible prices. Le Montrachet, is a shining example. Here a delicious lunch, elegantly served in a charming setting can be enjoyed for less than 30€ per person.
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Lunch at L'Auberge Bourguignonne
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| Degustation lunch at Domaine Comte Senard |
In recent years, the degustation lunch has become a popular formula. It makes for an unhurried sampling of a number of fine wines selected to compliment local dishes. Dining in this way allows one to maximise the tasting experience yet avoid the side effects!
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| Some of the 300 |
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| Take-away roasts |
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| Sausage for all tastes |
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| 1er Cru picnic |
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Place Marronniers
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| La Montrachet on Place Marronniers |
The previous road in front of the Mairie has been replaced by a terrace of rough limestone pavement to reflect the rustic vineyard walls. A knotted design of raised beds planted with indigenous shrubs, runs up the middle of the plaza. The centrepiece is a large mirror fountain in polished stone. On its base are bronze plaques bearing the names of the four Grand Crus of the commune Le Montrachet, Batard Montrachet, Bienvenu Batard Montrachet and Chevalier Montrachet. The seventeen 1er Crus are similarly confirmed along the sides of the terrace.
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| The Mairie with New Terrace |
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| Wedding Party at the Mairie |
Another difference to UK custom is that the public celebration, the Vin d’Honneur involves pretty well all of the couple’s family and acquaintances. The form is canapés and wine and lasts only for an hour or so, following which everyone goes home. The serious festin takes place in the evening when close friends and family dine and party into the night.
Summer 2012
Complicated Burgundy
Burgundy is complicated, for a start in the name itself. There is La Bourgogne - feminine and Le Bourgogne - masculine. La Bourgogne is the region that was once the centre of a powerful medieval duchy, which at its peak stretched from the Netherlands to the Pyrenees and eastwards to Switzerland. It is today, a large province bounded by Champagne in the north, with two great rivers running either side. The Loire in the west, runs north to the Atlantic whilst the Saône to the east, flows south to join the Rhône at Lyon and thence on to the Mediterranean.
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| Puligny Montrachet from the escarpment |
This part of France enjoys a semi-continental climate. The winters are cold; there is limited snowfall but there are about 50 days of frost on average each year. Spring comes early and the hot summer weather turns into extended autumns. However, there is substantial rainfall with occasional heavy and violent thunderstorms, sometimes accompanied by vine damaging hail. The prevailing winds are westerly and the Côtes benefit from the protection of the heavily forested massif of the Morvan to the west, where most of the moist air blowing in from the Atlantic precipitates. Closer to home, the forest-topped ridge above the vineyards provides a further weather shield.
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| Twilight over Chassagne |
Provenance
We British are brand conscious people, for us the mark is the all important sign of quality. The French have different buying criteria; for them provenance is the principal badge of confidence and terroir is fundamental in this requirement. To ensure satisfaction in this respect, the Institut National des Appellations d’Origin (INAO) exists and endorses not only wines but also many other consumer products including cheeses and poultry.
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| Provenance – Beaune produce market |
The top ranking is Grand cru. Grand cru appellations identify a specific named vineyard or climat, such as Chambertin or Corton, which have a particularly high reputation for consistent and outstanding quality. There are 33 Grand cru climats in Burgundy, all within the Chablis, Côtes de Beaune or Côte de Nuits areas. Amongst these are a few “Super Wines” such as La Romanée or Le Montrachet, which are both rare and expensive.
The next group standard is Communal appellations. These relate to specific villages for example Aloxe-Corton or Nuits St Georges. A further distinction within a commune can be a specified climat. So, the declared village might be Pernand-Vergelesses and the vineyard could be “Sous Fretilles”. Within a commune, certain climats may be further defined as Premier cru. The product of these locations is considered as consistently the best of the commune.
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| Le Montrachet |
The third class includes the regional appellations. These cover Pinot Noir & Chardonnay wines grown on land which does not meet the standards of communal appellations. Lesser grape varieties are recognised too, for example Aligoté, as well as alternative vinification processes such as Crémant de Bourgogne, Burgundy’s sparkling wine.
Each appellation is governed by comprehensive regulations which detail measures and correct methods of cultivation, handling and presentation which must be employed to meet the appropriate standard.
What’s in a name
On the topic of appellations, a point about village names; names in the Côtes are often double-barrelled, for example Aloxe-Corton or Morey St Denis. This is an affectation from the last century when villages such as Puligny or Gevrey sought to distinguish their address by hyphenating it with the name of the most celebrated local vineyard. Thus Puligny became Puligny-Montrachet and Gevrey became Gevrey-Chambertin.
But anyone who buys a bottle of village appellation wine should be aware that its origins might be some distance from its famous Grand cru suffix – both in location and in quality! On the other hand, it is possible to find a communal climat that is immediately adjacent to a Grand cru or even a “super wine”. A good case being Chassagne-Montrachet’s 1er cru Blanchot-Dessus. This small vineyard is separated by only a narrow track from the fabulous Montrachet and its product too can be very good.
Local knowledge is invaluable and it is important to understand also that cru labels are not the guarantee of quality. Their status relates to the history and potential of a climat but it is down to the application of skill and pains taking efforts by the grower and the winemaker to get the best from the fruit of any plot. Estate bottled wine from a renowned domain further qualifies provenance and class.
A difficult year
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| Chardonnay flowers |
Along with most of northern Europe we have seen a lot of rain and not much of the sun until now. Constant high humidity has encouraged the dreaded Oidium on a vast scale. This form of mildew is endemic and unless treated promptly and effectively, will attack green growth, penetrate the plant and prevent the young fruit from developing.
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| Man Outstanding in his field |
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| Getting the height and lean just right |
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| Le Cailleret & Chevalier Montrachet |
Earlier in the year these wires were laid down but as the new wood grew, they were lifted along their length to rest on hooks in the intermediate posts. These lateral restraints support the canes and train them to grow upright.
Village news
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| Place Marronniers |
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| Cafe & Mairie facing new fountain |
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| Le Vieux Chateau de Puligny Montrachet |
Mid September harvest
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| Barrel Washer |
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| Healthy Puligny vines |
May 2012
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| Emerging leaf buds – Guyot pruning |
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| Burgeoning laterals |
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| Orchids above Chevalier Montrachet |
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| Wildflowers Taking Over |
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| Mobile Bottling |
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| Bottling 2010 Mercurey 1er Cru |
Burgundy differs from other wine regions in the scale of estates. To understand this some historical background is needed:
- By the 18th century, the wine trade began to become commercially organised and saw the emergence of large firms of negotiants or merchants. Certain “super wines” such as Le Montrachet and Le Romanee had already gained international reputations. Then, increasing consumer awareness led to the first system of classification of vineyards to identify specific plots that regularly produced superior wines.
- Until the revolution, vineyards had been largely owned by the church. Under the new regime, nationalisation of property of both the church and émigré aristocrats was swift. From 1790, estates were divided into affordable pieces and sold at auction. The effect was a general breaking up of large vineyards. One of the prevailing features of Burgundy is this patchwork of plots. For example, the once monopole of more than 50 hectares (120acres) of the Grand Cru Clos de Vougeot is today in more than 80 separate parcels.
- Fragmentation is furthered at each generation, since French inheritance law requires that property is shared amongst surviving blood relatives. So, each generation experiences further divisions of land and each marriage between vigneron families brings additional but perhaps remote parcels into their ownership. A vigneron friend in Pommard has 4 hectares (about 10 acres) in 19 separate parcels and this level of dispersal is common.
- The modern wine industry in Burgundy has operated as a multi-tier structure of growers (viticulteurs), winemakers (viniculteurs) and distributors. In recent times, independent vignerons have developed their own presence in the global market for fine wines. Domaine bottling has become an essential activity for some recolteurs (those who grow and harvest) even though output might be quite limited – perhaps only a few hundred bottles of any particular appellation. Yield is strictly regulated by the authorities. Generally speaking, communal appellations are limited to 40 hectolitres of wine per hectare (about 1/2 bottle/vine). This favours better quality at the expense of volume.
Turning to national issues, France has a new President, Socialist Francois Hollande narrowly defeated Nicolas Sarkozy earlier this month. His five year term will be an interesting time for France and Europe. Election of the President is decided by a national count and unless one candidate receives at least 51% of the vote, a second round takes place. So, the first ballot cuts down the field to two leading candidates and a fortnight later, a second determines the winner. There were nine candidates. Ideology ranged from deep left to neo-fascist. There was a wide spectrum of policies too; from a 32 hour working week to a block on immigration. Nevertheless, a number of people deliberately spoilt their polling papers in protest over the lack of choice!
In the first round, 94% of the votes went to five candidates. The leader was Hollande with 28%, closely followed by conservative President Sarkozy with 27%. Third came extreme right winger Marine Le Pen with 18% followed by the "ex Trotskyite”, Melenchon who got 11%. That's nearly three people in ten voting for fascist and communist politicians. It certainly demonstrates the diversity of opinion of the people but probably contains an element of safe protest since there will almost certainly be a second ballot. Closer to home, the first round results had been more conservative. Sarkozy took 44% of the vote in Puligny and Hollande at 15% was beaten into third place by Le Pen with 20%.
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| For they are jolly good fellows! |
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| Movie Car |
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| Gran Torino of Starsky & Hutch |
We have made a couple of interesting domaine visits in the last week or so. First we drove to a cave in the village of Dezize-lès-Maranges for a wine tasting. This commune contains the most southerly appellation of the Côte de Beaune and borders on the Côte Chalonnaise. The Pinot Noirs from Maranges or more sunny and full bodied than those from villages only a few kilometres to the north. They also carry a distinctive herbal taste. I bought some 2009 Hautes Côte de Beaune Chardonnay, which is refreshing and good to drink now, 2006 Maranges 1er Cru Clos Roussots that will go well with red meat, game or cheese and a few bottles of the great vintage of 1999 Maranges 1er Cru Clos des Loyères The latter will complement the same dishes but its liquorice and chocolate tastes could go with a rich desert too! For the first time in 2011 they made some Rosé. This has good acid and generous fruit and was great value. We bought half a dozen in anticipation of some warm summer evenings soon.
The second was a short walk to a close neighbour in Puligny. We tasted Puligny Montrachet, 1er Cru Champ Canet, 1er Cru Les Referts and 1er Cru Les Perriers– all 2010. The village appellation was fresh and surprisingly ready to drink now. This vigneron has a reputation for very good Chardonnay but his traditional methods mean that his wines age more slowly than is currently fashionable. The Champ Canet had good acidity and minerality but was very young, having been bottled in March this year. Les Referts had honey overtones and although easy to drink now, should improve over 3 years as the acidity mellows. The best was Les Perriers which filled the mouth and already showed some fattiness. The older vines used for this cuvee provided good minerality and aftertaste was long. We also tried Pinot Noirs from Mercurey and Saint Aubin from both 2009 and 2010. The earlier year is good to drink now having “sous bois” aroma and good fruit. For me, the latter vintage is more typical of Burgundy and I bought some Saint Aubin 1er Cru Les Pitangerets, which I trust will prove a good investment within about three years.
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| Autun Flower Market |
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| Autun Flower Market |
Each August hundreds of its citizens volunteer to take part in an epic nocturnal pageant set within the ruins of the Roman theatre and overlooking a lake. It relates the story of Autun from prehistoric times to present day. The highlight is a chariot race between German, English and French teams – guess who wins! A firework display completes a unique entertainment. It is an interesting town to visit at any season, with a range of good spots to dine and other fascinating sites to see. The market has a wide selection of country produce and the flower market is great value.
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| Whose Boule is Closer |
We look forward to a World Series when the USA gang is next here in October.
Spring 2012
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| Puligny from Montrachet |
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| Finger Signpost |
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| St. Aubin & Gamay Beyond |
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| Chassagne & Cote Chalonnaise |
The untamed areas of hillside support a rich flora and this season can be particularly attractive for the walker or mountain biker. This year the early flowers are plentiful and robust both in fruit tree blossom and underfoot.
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| Bird Cherry |
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| Blackthorn, its fruit makes Sloe Gin |
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| Periwinkle |
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| Pasque |
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| Chardonnary Tears |
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| Vineyard Tractor De-earthing |
There is a secondary purpose to this task. Artificial irrigation of vines on the Côtes is forbidden. Plant roots must search for water below the top soil and are encouraged to do so by shallow ploughing between rows of vines. The roots penetrate fissures in the rocks to impressive depths and there take nourishment from the mineral rich rocks. The longest recorded roots being 70m; I have seen a taproot from a Pinot Noir vine some 90 years old, broken off from 12m deep but still as thick as your finger.
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| New Replacement Vine |
A favourite wine producer of ours is Domaine de Blagny. We went recently to taste and buy their recently bottled 2010. They produce Meursault Blagny and Puligny Montrachet 1er Crus in white and the rare Blagny 1er Cru in Pinot Noir. It was a great tasting and confirmed that the vintage will age well. I bought some 2008 Meursault which is drinking well now and some Blagny of the latter vintage, which should be very good in a year or two.
The proprietor, Mr de Montlivault is an interesting man whose family have lived in Blagny for many generations. I asked him about a website I had visited featuring the activities of the resistance in Burgundy in WW2. In July 1944, the occupying Germans were seeking to reinforce their positions in northern France and were sending heavy materials by train north through this region. The resistance was sabotaging their movements and one group was based in Meursault. It was recorded that British and US air forces made a number of supply drops to them in Blagny. He remembered some of these events as a six year old and recalled some relevant anecdotes and described where, as a boy he had found remnants of some of the parachuted canisters.
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| Band in Front of Lameloise (3*) |
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| Basque Band in Chagny |
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| Mock Pomp Done Well |
Breaking news for visitors to the area is the opening of a new five-star boutique spa hotel. Château de Cîteaux is a classic French empire mansion built on top of 13th century vaulted cellars and set in an enclosed vineyard in the centre of the village of Meursault
An important piece of good news for Puligny is that the restaurant in our celebrated hotel, Le Montrachet has been awarded a Michelin star. It is excellent timing since the Place Marronniers restoration is expected to be completed by the end of April and will perfectly complement the hotel.
Winter 2012
As in all French towns and villages, the communal year begins with a reception and an address by the mayor. It is a good time for the population to get together and to hear from their elected leader what the coming twelve months might bring. Also of course, to enjoy canapés and a glass or two of our own Puligny Montrachet wine, grown in the communal vineyard and vinified by the students at the Lycée Viticole de Beaune (wine college); but it is not just a social event.
The commune was the building block of the French Republic and still today, the nation relies on good management at this first level of administration. Some tax revenue is retained within the commune for local works.
The mayor, through the departmental Prefecture in Dijon bears executive responsibilities from the President; these even include ensuring a reliable supply of good bread (a price controlled food in France) for the people. Presidential hopefuls must show proof of the support of at least 500 mayors from across all regions before their candidature can be accepted.
On January 10th we were informed of the local capital and maintenance projects which will be tackled in the coming twelve months. Increasing the stock of social housing, commissioning a shop to sell objets d’art works and the reconstruction of a major road with its drains and sewer beneath were among the undertakings proposed.
The most visible single project however, concerns a famous landmark, the reconstruction of Place Marronniers. This shady green is a focal point for the village. Fêtes are celebrated here and petanque games are decided on lazy summer evenings. It provides a great foreground for our famous hotel, Le Montrachet.
Sadly, the dozens of stately chestnuts which gave the square its name have been ravaged by a fatal fungal infection. Efforts to treat the disease failed and eventually all of the trees became infected. As the trunks and boughs rotted from within, they became structurally weak and increasingly dangerous. So, in the interests of safety they were condemned.
The mayor and his council were determined to make something positive out of the disaster and now the whole area is being remodeled to provide a new and better facility for inhabitants and visitors alike. It should prove to be a great asset for the village. The green area will be planted with Lime trees and a new T shaped piazza will run on an East/West axis from L’Estaminet bistrot, past the Mairie to the hotel; with a leg going northwards towards the Place du Monument.
This pedestrian area will include a mirror fountain and bronze plaques mounted upon stone plinths depicting the grand and premier cru vineyards which border the township. It should be all finished by midsummer and will be an appropriate contribution to the regional campaign to win UNESCO World Heritage Site status for the Côtes des Beaune and Nuits-Saint-Georges.
By that time, Jean-Louis and Beatrice will have opened their Belgian restaurant in the former épicerie of Place du Monument – moules et frites and smoked eel washed down with Belgian beer could become regular fare! In spite of these hard economic times our restaurants and bars are thriving. From the recently extended haut cuisine of Le Montrachet to the Caveau de Puligny of our resident wine authority, Julien Wallerand whose extended bar is due to reopen in March.
On 25th January we drove with a group of friends down to Beaujolais, to the Cru village of Fleurie to lunch at a superb country restaurant called Le Cep. It has one Michelin * and is run with an iron hand by Madame Chagny, a charming lady of indeterminate age who specialises in local cuisine. We had a terrific meal, supported by the indigenous light and fruity chardonnay and a couple of bottles of fine 2009 Fleurie. Dishes included spinach soup served with tiny toasted ham sandwiches, hot goats cheese or cray fish salad, rack of lamb or cervelas sausage and a memorable blackcurrant soup and sorbet to finish – delicious!
Afterwards we took the road towards Moulin-A-Vent to taste Beaujolais Cru Village wines of both appellations. The 2011 Moulin-A-Vent was in new oak barrels in order to “pinotate” it or seek to achieve a quality closer to the pinots of “the Côtes”. It was far too tannic and heady to drink now but one can believe it will be a full fruity wine after a couple of years in the bottle. More popular with English drinkers is their Fleurie which is matured in oak barrels from previous Moulin-A-Vent vintages. I found the 2010 Fleurie easier to drink, being softer with red fruit and liquorice flavours and an unexpectedly long after taste. These are true Beaujolais wines; limpid ruby in colour with scents of woodland, dry but full of fruit to taste. It is a great shame that unscrupulous marketing of inferior wines, on an international scale has done so much damage to the reputation of this region.
Finally we were offered, in a less than serious vein, to try their brand of “snake bite”. A bottle was produced of a viper pickled in Marc de bourgogne, said to possess sobering properties. We didn't need time to reflect but declined with as much élan as we could muster!
La Taille, the pruning is in progress here as well as in Burgundy proper. The work in the south is more labour intensive since the Gamay vine is not trained on wires but trimmed to a goblet shape. Some vineyards are even planted randomly, with no thought of rows.
On the Côte de Beaune the unseasonably mild autumn finally gave way to the normal continental winter weather. There has been no snow so far, other than a couple of light dustings. As January ended, brisk northerly winds brought temperatures down below -10oc at night and have kept them well below zero during daylight hours. It is currently bright and dry, which as well as providing excellent walking conditions, has enabled the viticulturist to press on with their wintry work.
The Pinot Noir and Chardonnay vines around Puligny are always planted in neat rows and trained to strands of wire. The most popular style of pruning is known as the Guyot system. Each vine is visited several times during this demanding process and the final result, achieved by winter’s end is a plant with only two stems. The longer one is trimmed to about five buds but long enough to be bent over horizontally and tied to the lowest wire. This is the new leader, known as the “baguette” and which will bear the fruit for the coming vintage. Vertical growth from its buds will cross and eventually be supported by the higher wires. The shorter branch is no more than a spur with a couple of buds – this will be allowed to develop into the leader for the subsequent spring. 
The method of pruning begins with a mechanical cutting of side and top twigs once the sap has dried up. This is followed by the hand cutting of the last season’s fruit bearing leader and its numerous laterals. The old canes must be disentangled from the training wires and disposed of in one of three ways. The most common practice is to burn them in a kind of mobile incinerator – the favoured design being a wheel barrow arrangement with the body being a split steel drum. The workers push these “brûleurs” between the rows of vines, feeding the fire as they go. Ash falls through the ventilation holes in the body of the brazier and provides phosphates for the roots. More important to the person labouring outdoors in freezing conditions, it gives a close source of heat! Some growers prefer to remove the cuttings from site to be burned away from the vines. The most ecological solution involves laying the brushwood between the rows to be mechanically shredded and thus provide mulch to the base of the vines.
The most skilful stage in pruning does not begin until after the feast of Saint Vincent on 22nd January. The experienced viticulturist makes the final cuts to not only stimulate growth and control yield for the immediate summer but also to fashion the shape of the stock for years to come. In the last stage of all, the baguettes are gently bent down and tied to the bottom strand of wire.
Thus the feast of the patron saint of vignerons falling at a natural place in the process makes a convenient date for a holiday. In Burgundy this takes the form of the Tournante. This is the ultimate movable feast, being held in a different village each year. This year was an exception in that the festival was held across three venues: Dijon, administrative centre of Burgundy; Nuits-Saint-Georges, hub of the Côte de Nuits and Beaune, capital of Wine. 2012 is a special year too because the Côtes hope to be awarded UNESCO World Heritage Site status. All of these cities were showing off wines from the several regions of Burgundy. Each had set up seven “pavilions” to serve the produce from Chablis, Côte de Nuits, Côte de Beaune, Côte Chalonnaise, the Mâconnais and generic Bourgogne and Crémant-de-bourgogne.
Frankly it was a disappointment. We tasted an excellent Fuissé and a very good Beaune 1er Cru (both 2009) but there was quite a lot of less than mediocre wine on offer. The concentration on a single village showing off the best of its close is a well proven formula and I am glad to confirm that future years will revert to a focus on one rural community.
November 2011
November is in part a sombre month. The first day is the feast of Tous Saint – All Souls Day. It is a public holiday in France, when people travel back to the villages of their origins to visit their families and remember their ancestors. This is the season for chrysanthemums, a plant which thrives in the Burgundian climate and which is traditionally the flower of bereavement and remembrance. Public places are bedecked with huge bunches in vibrant colours. Graveyards become riots of glorious, brilliant displays of chrysanthemum blooms.
In our first year here we had a humorous but embarrassing experience. We had been invited early that November to dinner at neighbours and Maxine wanted to take a gift for our hostess. She noticed that the florists were well stocked with healthy looking bunches of chrysanthemums and bought one to take with us. As we arrived at the door we were greeted warmly by our friends but their welcoming smiles turned to looks of shock and bewilderment as she handed over the floral arrangement more suitable for dressing a grave than a sitting room!
Within a couple of weeks another annual holiday, on 11th November marks the armistice in 1918. Every commune in France has a war memorial usually erected in about 1920 to display the names of the local young men who died in the Great War. The numbers are shocking even today, for example, the population of Puligny is about 460 and the names of 37 young men who did return from the trenches are recorded on our memorial – perhaps more than half of the eligible males. France nearly lost an entire generation as a consequence of the monstrous battles which ravaged the land. Subsequent conflicts, from WW2 through Indochina, Korea and Algeria have added further names.
All of that is pretty sobering stuff but in true Burgundian style, in the interests of enjoying what life has to offer, the gathering proceeds to the Salle des Fêtes for a communal Vin d’Honneur. This is a glass or three of wine accompanied by gougeres (savoury choux pastries) and brioches (cake). By now the spirit has become more convivial, encouraged by the quality of communal chardonnay. There is never a function or fête that does not justify the Vin d’Honneur. One added benefit of living in this particular village is that we are always served with Puligny Montrachet.
The following week we drove with friends to the Auxerrois in the north of Burgundy. We were going back to see a vigneron in the picturesque village of Irancy. This is a special place, nestled in a steep sided valley running westwards to the Yonne valley and close to the white wine communes of Chablis and Saint Bris. Here the regulations allow a blend of Pinot Noir and the rare and ancient Cesar grape. The latter is highly tannic and so astringent that it would be impossible to drink by itself. It does give this northerly grown Pinot Noir peculiar qualities in taste and longevity. Typically brilliant and clear with herbal aromas, red fruit flavours and soft tannins lead to a subtle after taste which is cleansing to the palate. Part of the attraction lies in the unspoilt nature of this area and the size of the appellation; at only 166 hectares (about 400 acres) there is limited production. Commercial attitudes are unspoilt too. 
The highlight of our trip came at the end of our tasting when the caviste brought out a bottle of 1999. This was a great vintage and now difficult to find but she kindly shared the bottle with us. It was exceptional in all respects; the colour was ruby and limpid with sous-bois (woodland) and berry aromas, the taste was intense strawberry and the aftertaste extensive, lasting more than 10 minutes. Experiences like this are truly the best of France – first class produce, ethical values and generous hospitality. A bonus to the day was in that the necessary return provided a good excuse for a superb lunch at the Auberge Tilleuls restaurant on the Yonne in nearby Vincelottes.
November sees a great fête every year in the city of Beaune. That is the occasion of the Vente des Vins d’Hospice de Beaune. The central event is the auction of the recent harvest of the wines of this charity which was established hundreds of years ago. Over the intervening centuries, vignerons have bequeathed many fine vineyards to this trust and today it owns some of the best properties in Burgundy. The product of many famous climats is sold in barrels in what is one of the greatest charity auctions in the World. The proceeds go to equipping the local hospital & retirement home.
This year was the 151st Vente des Vins and people from all over the globe made the journey to join in the party. This year there was a mini migration from Asia. Prices were very marginally lower as Anglo Saxon bankers reflected on their smaller bonuses but held up by the increasing Chinese interest in White Burgundy. We understand that one bidder was prepared to buy 20% of the whole sale and he didn’t mind which 20%!
It is also a good excuse for an autumn celebration on a grand scale. Bands & street entertainers parade throughout the town there is a lot of wine tasting & dining to be done. As part of the celebrations, for two days the Palais de Congres stages a colossal wine tasting. Some 150 villages from Chablis in the North to Beaujolais in the South are represented and hundreds of wine makers proudly dispense thousands of fine wines. We sampled some good 1er Cru vintages but particularly tried 2010 Red & White.
Each Sunday a market is held in the village of Chagny. It was particularly popular one weekend and we had to drive beyond our normal place to find a parking spot. We eventually found one by an old mill standing on the bank of a gushing stream. As we got out of the car, my attention was drawn to a large stone with a bronze plaque standing by the bridge.
The plaque reads:
THOMAS JEFFERSON
SYMBOL of FRANCO AMERICAN FRIENDSHIP
Ambassador of the United States to France 1785-1789.
Third president of the United States 1801-1809.
Principal author of the American Declaration of Independence 4th July 1776. Lover of France, he travelled throughout our land and promoted to the United States our heritage, architecture, environment and culture. Humanist, he shared our values of liberty. With his friend Lafayette, he played a key role in drafting the French Constitution and the Declaration of Rights of Man and of the Citizen in 1789.
1789-2009
A BRIDGE for LIBERTY
220th ANNIVERSARY of the FRENCH REVOLUTION
Thomas Jefferson made a grand tour of France in 1787. He travelled alone but for a guide, by carriage, hiring fresh horses as he went. Remarkably for a politician he did it all at his own expense; modern day would-be presidents take note.
The Cave de Turckheim offers a wide selection of wines from all the grape varieties grown in the area. We tried Riesling grown on different soil types from granite to limestone and from sand to clay; an informative way to appreciate terroir. We bought fruity, flinty Pinot Gris; bone dry Chasselas (which should be perfect with English fish and chips) and light and nutty Pinot Noir – not unlike Bouzy Rouge from Champagne.
Fall 2011
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| Fall in Cote d'Beaune |
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| Meursault Chardonnary Vendange |
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| Firefly Takes a Breather |
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| Fall in Cote d'Or |
A second great festival is celebrated on the weekend closest to the feast of Saint Vincent (22nd January), the patron saint of vignerons. This is a movable feast known as the Tournante Saint Vincent because, by tradition every year a different village hosts the event. To mark the feast in January 2012, the tournante will be on an even grander scale than normal and held across three major venues simultaneously - the city of Dijon, political capital of Côte d’Or; the town of Nuits-Saint-Georges, centre of the Côte de Nuits-Saint-Georges and the medieval city of Beaune, wine capital of Burgundy and centre for the Côte de Beaune.
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| Montrachet Hillside Clos |
- Terroir is an important word to wine. Literally it means the soil but terroir effectively embraces all the environmental attributes present which influence or determine the character of the local produce. Here terroir can change dramatically within the space of a few metres.
- Climat is another important word. Climat refers to a precise plot of land, which exhibits a distinct terroir. A whole vineyard might qualify as a climat, it might be restricted to a extremely limited area of a vines.
In cultural terms the côtes have great heritage too. There is written evidence of “admirable wines” being produced here in Roman times. From the Middle Ages, monastic houses refined winemaking until the time when their properties were seized in the revolution. The sale of nationalised church assets at the end of the 18th century gave people of all classes the opportunity to become involved in a lucrative industry. Since then, the science of winemaking and the skills of local vignerons have continued to evolve to the highest levels. It is this unique legacy which is responsible for the côtes being the source of the greatest wines in the World and why it deserves UNESCO distinction.
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| Chestnuts in Place Marronniers |
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| Puligny Salute to the Vendange |
We are looking forward to the Vente des Vins on 19th November and hope to give you an update on 2011 and other vintages later that month.
Summer '11
July 14th is the Fete Nationale in
In the afternoon we went for a tasting in the nearby village of Chassey-le-Camp. The camp is a neolithic site on the highest point above a pretty valley containing a several small villages. We tried Rully, Santenay, Meursault & Puligny chardonnays & Rully, Santenay & Mercurey Pinots - all 2009. Mercurey is a favourite of ours - it was one of the first villages that we ever visited in this area. I bought some to save for a few years but ended up drinking one this afternoon, lack of will power was always my weakness.
Am writing especially to tell you about the lunch because you had previously expressed an interest in farm restaurants. Today we visited for the first time, a farm auberge that we had heard a lot about but never tried. It was excellent good country cooking. The starter was poached egg on a bed of ratatouille with sweet white tomatoes & a basil sauce, the bread was delicious "a la gaulle". We had a bottle of Chenin Blanc from Anjou
Of course your party does not have to number at least 10 but they will only open on Tuesdays & Fridays if they have bookings for a minimum of 10 people in total. Website is www.laruchotte.com You can see from the maps that it is not far from the Abbey Busierre which I mentioned in a recent email & within easy cycling distance of Meursalt via picturesque but hilly countryside.
Spring Letter 2011
It is an interesting year so far. In December last we had quite a lot of early snow and unseasonably cold weather. When we left here for
Still in January, I had jokingly remarked to a neighbour that we were already running into Spring. His response was that in some years the winter could be over by 20th January – and indeed, that seems to have been the case. I was outside painting shutters early in April – quite a bold thing to do but it felt settled enough – when a passing villager said it was the best April weather since 1971. I asked if that had been a good year and he laughed - “No, it snowed in May and it was a disaster!” Early in May flower buds appeared 3-4 weeks early and this caused concern over the possibility of late frosts. There is a time in mid May which is called Saint Gele or Saint Glace (Saint Ice) which is regarded as the latest date for frost. So, up until 15th May many growers were worried about the exposed shoots and buds. There was no need, everything just went on growing and temperatures were safe. There has been a lack of rain however, and it was possible to see that although the vines were up to normal height, they were thin and the rows lacked density of foliage.
On 8th May all over France France and Britain and the USA
The other comparison being drawn is with 2003. That was a year of heat wave in France Burgundy Burgundy
Now we are enjoying hot sunny days, more like July than May. 80% of France
On 10th June Mr de Montlivault is having a day of Portes Ouvert (open doors) and we will be there too. I love Blagny – which appellation is always Red but is becoming rarer. Chardonnay gives greater yields than Pinot Noir and fetches better prices. So, when it is time to pull up old Pinot vines they are being replaced by Chardonnay and Chardonnay grown in Blagny qualifies as Puligny Montrachet appellation. That’s progress!
I’ll give you an update on both visits mid June.
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