France - Burgundy

Dauvissat and Raveneau have proven with their wines that there can be growen truly exceptional wines in Chablis, and for a long time they were the only local heroes. But that is now history! There is now a new kid on the block! The BESSIN-TREMBLAY family has worked its way out of the shadow of the two Chablis institutions, completely unnoticed by most, and today their wines are at least on a par with those of Dauvissat and Ravenau in terms of quality. We bet you will thoroughly enjoy these wines.

Talloulah and Hugo's mission is to capture the terroir and put it in the bottle. They produce lively wines, full of energy and precision. Great Burgundies, interpreted in a contemporary way – after all, the two learned from the best, Chappaz, Roulot, and Mugnier. Wonderful, in my opinion, because I am tired of over-oaked, opulent, or harsh Burgundies that are far too high in sulfur. The two lovingly care for their vines, some of which are already very old (almost 100 years) and would have long since been discarded by other winemakers. It is these ancient vines that provide the fruit for Cassiopée's dreamy wines, which are carefully aged in used wooden barrels and clay containers.

Philippe and Catherine Pascal must have felt the same way as we did when we first drove up the narrow, winding road and saw the beautiful old buildings on the right and the vineyards directly in front of us. History seems to materialize here, becomes tangible. Records date back to 1130, when the Cistercians laid out the Clos des Moines. History, I didn't say it. The Pascals know how to do it right. They consistently focus on the highest quality and in 2015 they brought Guillaume Marko on board, a man who earned his spurs in the best houses of the Côte d'Or, or how would you describe Romanée-Conti and Arnoux-Lachaux?  So this is hot, ultra-hot stuff that will delight you if you love Burgundy and its elegant, finesse-rich, great wines like we do!

Florence has seen what she likes and dislikes and has developed her own personal vision of the ideal wine over the years. In 2019, she took over her parents' business and began to nurture and care for the old vines - some of which are over 80 years old - in order to harvest highly aromatic grapes loaded with minerals, which she transforms into fabulous wines with just a few simple steps. In mostly aroma-neutral wood, Florence grows intense, multi-layered wines that dance across the palate and finish wonderfully mineral, fresh and elegant. A winemaker you should keep an eye on!

Joseph's ideal is to press wines of exceptional quality and bottle them without any hocus-pocus, letting the terroir speak for itself. This means not only no new wood (or almost none), but he has even purchased these completely aroma-neutral glass balls, which his neighbor has been using successfully for many years – bringing with it a certain reduction, exactly. Sulfur? Only when bottling, and then as little as possible, as much as necessary, but hardly more than 50 ppm (total). That's how contemporary Burgundy works.

In dreamy Blagny above Meursault and Puligny-Montrachet, Hélène and Laurent Martelet live in their tiny seven-hectare domaine, named after Hélène's mother Comtesse de Chérisey. She had the courage to plant vines in this cool corner. Laurent cultivates the vineyard close to nature; his assets are the old vines, which are around 60 years old in the Premier Cru sites, and the proximity to the forest, which cools the vineyard somewhat in summer. Laurent traditionally ages his infernally hot wines in pièces bourguignonnes before bottling them unfiltered. His mother-in-law, the Comptesse de Chérisey, already did this. Precision, complexity, a delicate texture and good acid structure end in a fascinating finish, juicy and so clear that you simply have to take another sip!

Domaine Drouhin-Laroze, founded in 1850, is one of the finest producers in Burgundy. This is not only because it is at home in the most sought-after Grand Cru vineyards of Gevrey-Chambertin, but above all because Philippe Drouhin, who has been making the wines since 2001, knows how to bottle captivating wines that are typical of their terroir year after year. Whether it says Clos de Vougeot, Bonnes Mares, Clos de Bèze or simply Gevrey-Chambertin on the label, Drouhin-Laroze will give you a powerful, energetic Pinot Noir, characterized by marl, limestone and the winemaker's hand in your glass. A Pinot Noir that will delight you so much with its precise, seductive finish that you will have to treat yourself to a second sip of this fine wine!

“The bastard is getting better and better,” said Martin Lunter during our last visit to Glantenay. And Martin is right, as always! Over the past five vintages, Thierry’s wines have become clearer year after year, gaining finesse and increasing in energy. The wines are wonderfully harmonious, straightforward, and finish perfectly, heavenly juicy. Glantenay's wines are somewhat firmer, requiring a little more patience than other great wines from Volnay or Pommard, such as those from the Bouley family, which I also greatly appreciate. Not only should you take a look at Glantenay's Volnay and Pommard, but you simply MUST try his Bourgogne Rouge, because rarely—if ever—will you get more wine for this price in Burgundy!

Like the winemaker, like the wine. Do you agree? If, like us, you are sure that there is more than just a spark of truth in this saying, then you will LOVE the wines of Jean-Marie Guffens! Always assuming that you like people with personality, heads of character. But wait, the wines do not live from their character alone, no, they are simply brilliant wines. Jean-Marie and his small team do everything they can to spoil us with wines of maximum quality. Crazy things like "the fruit of the first passage in a vineyard" or "the first juice of a pressing" are all vinified separately here, if the vintage allows or wants it, and then bottled, neatly documented on the label and in the name of the wine. Yes, these are ULTRA-HOT things. Good luck getting a few bottles from us!

This is exactly how wine should be grown, as Caroline and Benjamin grow it – organically, of course? –, pressed in the classic way that has been done in the best Burgundy houses for generations, with each plot processed separately, because ultimately it is about the terroir, matured in wooden barrels, of which there are always a few new ones, and all without ever moving the I have rarely met a winemaker who, like Guilbert Gillet, pays such close attention to detail in everything he does, carefully considers every move, analyzes the result and always questions his actions, adapting the process where necessary.

For years, wines from southern Burgundy were simply ignored. This was despite the fact that winegrowers in the various appellations west of the town of Mâcon were just as committed and dedicated, putting just as much work into their vineyards as their colleagues in the famous communes to the north, in the Côte-de-Beaune. They fought, made sacrifices, and continue to do so, just to bring the quality of their wines up to world-class level, or to maintain it there, despite the poor pay (the latter applies above all to winegrowers such as Jean-Marie Guffens-Heynen and his second label Verget, who have been producing brilliant wines for 25 years).

Valentin Jobard, a talented young man, ensures that today, under the “Jobard-Morey” label, wines are bottled that can hold their own not only with the famous wines of the Meursault appellation. Since his vines are old and most of them are in great locations, Valentin can really draw on abundant resources. But the wine doesn't make itself, even with him. Valentin decides how much is harvested and when it is harvested. The yields are significantly reduced and the grapes are ripe when they are cut from the vine, but not too ripe. In this way, Valentin's wines have a wonderful freshness and tremendous energy that are no longer often found in Meursault. These wines have the potential to really shake up the Meursault appellation, sooner rather than later.

Olivier is a doer, one who brings the wines into the barrels himself late at night - they are usually larger ones, hold around 600 liters and are almost always used. It is also him who sends me an e-mail after this work and thanks me for the visit - the chocolates from Max Chocolatier - and the conversation. And it is also he who sends us the allocation the following morning, which shows how pleased he was about our visit, our interest in his wines, all before he disappears into the vineyard, the place where he prefers to work, because a great wine is never made, because a great wine always grows, but not without the master putting his hand on the plant, such stories are fairy tales. I take my imaginary hat off to you, Olivier Lamy! No good's no glory!

Florence Lamy and Sébastian Caillat mustered all their courage and followed their dream of producing wines completely detached from commercial dogma, allowing nature, or rather the wine, the time it needs to develop. With a serenity that testifies to their vast experience, the two calmly produce wines that, if you are lucky enough to get them in your glass, will take your breath away and make you wonder why there aren't more like them. People say that Lamy-Caillat is the most exciting winemaker in Burgundy that you've never heard of!

Pascal and Marko are a well-rehearsed team that has been making GREAT wines in Burgundy for years - Cellier aux Moines is the name of the Pascal family's domaine in the Givry appellation in the south of Burgundy. Personally, I really like these wines, I am delighted by their transparency, their lightness and their almost uncanny, unexpected presence in this context. In 2020, the rare opportunity arose to buy six hectares on a slope with a perfect south-east exposure on wonderful granite from three different owners at the same time. Of course, the two couldn't pass up such an opportunity and have been making wine in Beaujolais as if they were on the Côte d'Or ever since. They have already taken my heart by storm!

Jacques-Frédéric has been managing this winery since 1985 with great sensitivity and foresight. Mugnier produces wines from ripe, healthy grapes, without any technical frills, protecting the fragile creation of nature, which express their origin, i.e. their terroir, as purely, clearly and precisely as possible. He does this so well that his wines are among the most sought-after in Burgundy. His price policy, which has always remained reasonable, probably plays a not insignificant role in this. People buy these great wines because they want to experience them, enjoy them and can afford them without having to take out a loan. We are impressed by Mugnier's talent, fascinated by his philosophy and touched by his modesty. Kudos!

In the early 1990s, the ambitious third-generation Christophe Perrot-Minot took over the then little-known domaine, albeit one with old vines in prime locations. With the clear goal of making the best wine in Burgundy in mind, he courageously took on every burden imposed on him. Even today, Christophe works tirelessly to perfect his wines, which have long since entered the hall of fame of great Burgundy wines! These Perrot-Minots will leave you speechless, they are all so indescribably harmonious, complex, elegant and pure, from the Bourgogne to the Chambertin! Perrot-Minot, another dimension of Pinot Noir!

Of course, Jean-Marie Guffens is no longer the only one rocking not only Mâconnais but the whole of Burgundy with Verget wines. Jean-Marie receives powerful support from none other than Julien Desplans – I trust you to google this name yourself and marvel at where Julien got his skills. The vineyards belong to some of his old friends, companions who, like him, are solely focused on producing wines of the highest quality. No, this is not just a sales pitch on my part, it is nothing but the truth. Believe me, in recent years I have turned over many stones in Burgundy, if not all of them, in search of wines of the same quality as Verget's.

A trip to Burgundy with friends made me rediscover the Santenay appellation. However, it wasn't a bottle of the Vincents that brought me back to Santenay. It was the visit, just two weeks later, to Anne-Marie and Jean-Marc Vincent that amazed me. It was the tour through the vineyards, where they work biodynamically, with high, extreme foliage walls for Burgundy. I also tasted the wines from 2017, 2018 and 2019, all of which are of the highest quality and impressed me so much that I simply had to show them to you. "I am hooked!" Trust us, we have found a pearl in Laurent Vincent!