Melon de Bourgogne is an assuredly old Burgundian grape – though you would be forgiven for only ever having come across it in your glass when labelled as Muscadet – or Muscadet sur Lie.

Le Melon, as the (rare!) aficionados call it, has all but vanished from Burgundy – only about 2 hectares remain in production – 60% with one producer (in two plots) just outside of Beaune and the rest in the Yonne, near Tannay. Not yet in production, Armand Heitz (of Chassagne) has also just planted a plot!

This is a late-ripening variety with recorded local roots in the 13th century. Philip II of Spain, who was also Duke of Burgundy, banned its plantation in 1367 – not disloyal just not good! – but even back then, the locals didn’t like being told what to do! There were still around 40 hectares recorded in the Côte d’Or in 1960 but 30 years later there was just 1 hectare left!

Partly responsible for this decline is that Le Melon is not one of the ‘allowed‘ grapes of Burgundy – as you may note from the label, above, this wine is an IGP Saint Marie la Blanche – the words ‘Burgundy’ or Bourgogne’ are not allowed anywhere near the label!

Anyway, 3 notes for you here and an ‘allowed’ grape or not, I’ll add a section on Le Melon here later in the growing season – when I’ve images of something worth photographing 😉

2018 Melon
Plenty of colour. A narrow nose but deep and suggesting a faint oxidative salinity. Wide, vibrant, yes a slightly oxidative style – almost apple flavour – a grain to the texture almost a grainy complexity. I find the finish rather spicy – it’s supposed to be the same as muscadet but not here – nop!

2019 Melon
A little extra green tinge to the colour. Also a deep nose but here it’s due to a faint reduction. Fuller, a faint impression of oak – extra freshness – nicer fruit here. There’s only 2% barrel elevage the rest is in tank – this rather creamy but I assume I’m tasting something other than those barrels.

2020 Melon
In bottle 1 month.
This the most higher-toned and floral nose – it’s very attractive and certainly the freshest. In the mouth too – vibrant, fresh, more saline and intense – lovely acidity here. Whilst I loved the creaminess of the last, the nose was slightly sullen – this is a great around wine though!

If you are interested in something a little different, just 7km form the centre of Beaune, you can buy this wine (and their other Bourgognes (Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Aligoité, Crémant)) at their domaine shop, here

Last weekend there were no wines for me – but not because I was on the wagon – rather because I received my first covid-jab on Friday evening – Pfizer – so I let that do its thing before opening something a couple of days later…

2019 Yvon & Laurent Vocoret, Chablis
Whilst I personally prefer DIAM for whites, here is a winemaker with convictions – it’s cork but even for his entry-level Chablis, it’s NDtech cork! No cheap alternatives here.
A forward of aroma here – attractive and deep, reflections of fresh citrus. Good energy and not with the forward sweetness that many recent Chablis show chez Nanson – but still all the deliciousness of 2019 – I prefer this. Structurally sound, suggesting some salinity in the finish – that’s an excellent and delicious Chablis.
Rebuy – Yes

2006 Albert Bichot, Beaune 1er Champimonts
Plenty of depth to this colour and it’s now starting to show a little age. Creamy, some depth of more mature notes – and some, now, attractive last vestiges of oak. Ooh, that‘s a rather silky texture and there’s concentration here too. A width of flavour, sweetness of old fruit and still some (now) quite modest bitters – probably originally from the oak but still bringing a sense of dryness to the texture. The nose is getting better and better with time – freshening up and becoming more fruit-focused. It’s drinking but in terms of the submerged depth of tannin and those finishing bitters, still far from a fully ready or fully delicious wine. If I had more – I don’t know if I do! – I’d be tempted to wait for its 20th birthday. I’ll have to find something nicer for the weekend…
Rebuy – No