London Burgundy Week – January 2020 – Bring on the ‘18s..

This week, instead of sampling Burgundy’s finest in situ, all of Burgundy descended on London! I visited with

many familiar faces, and met some new producers, some from corners of my beloved Bourgogne I have not visited as yet. It was an exciting week.

2018 is a very warm vintage, which can be risky in Burgundy, when most Burghounds look for poise and balance in their wines rather than fruit forward accessibility. As expected, the best vignerons knew how to handle this, and I was relieved to taste refreshing seashell and mineral flecked Chablis alongside some aristocratic and typically poised and balanced Vosne-Romanees all week.

I was lucky enough to have the terroirs of the Macon explained to me by no less than Comte Dominique Lafon as he poured (a personal hero), and I even swapped quips with the infamous Jancis Robinson on the virtues of White Rully (and then gossiped amicably about the news of some royals, who shall remain nameless, de-camping to Canada).

2018 was an easy, well drinking vintage. The Vignerons I chatted with talked alot about not having space for stems in the vat, reducing yields and an easy triage. In Burgundy, where the cost of land is high, the AOC is strict and farming methods are often biodynamic, organic or at least VERY traditional, the relaxed energy of the tasting rooms was a welcome change to me. Some brief thoughts on this most summery of vintages below.

Favourites –

I continue to obsess over Mugneret-Gibourg and the magic those sisters weave with Pinot Noir from Vosne. Tasting wine with them at their domain in Vosne Romanee was the highlight of my domaine visits last year.

The family Pinson continue to produce stunningly subtle, balanced and elegant Chablis. Seeing father and daughter this far from Chablis in such good spirits was lovely. The restraint and minerality on display in these wines across their many Climats is a testament to their talent.

White Rully – generally and then specifically the premier crus. Elegant, moreish white burgundy at a fraction of the price of the Cote de Beaune more famous whites.

Hubert Lamy’s Saint Aubin remains a firm favourite. Everyone adores his En Remilly for it’s Montrachet inspired complexity, but I’ve put myself down for some more modestly priced village Princee which I suspect will come into its own in about a year.

Detailed tasting notes to come.

Cheers,

Colum