Tasted in Theizé with Pierre Brossette, 21 February 2023
Domaine Paul-André Brossette & Fils
696 Rte de Cruix
69620 Theizé
Tel: +33 4 74 71 24 83
www.domaine-brossette.com
Hidden away in one of the valleys around Theizé is the house and domaine headquarters of this family – and it’s been here since 1710!
And this is not just a domaine but also a vine nursery producing one million new vines per year. Pierre Brosette, a giant of a man, is mainly running things today but at 70 years old, his father Pierre-André was still busying himself in the office on the day that I visited. Pierre has been at the domaine since finishing school in 1995. And at that time 95% was sold to the négoce – the domaine still doesn’t commercialise all their production in bottle, some is sold in bulk to the maisons – but it’s less than 10% of the toral.
“We can’t say how many hectares the domaine once had,” says Pierre, “It has varied a lot over the generations – but today we have vines on 23 hectares, 2 of those in the crus, plus our nursery business. 50% of our production is exported, and Japan is a big market for our Nouveau.”
Pierre on 2022:
“Me, personally, I’m very happy; it was very hot but it was also a very clean vintage – we had no frost and no hail and the advantage of Theize is that it remains cool – so we didn’t have vines that were in too dry soil. If I could sign up for the next 15 years to do the same, I would. I’m looking for quality rather than quantity and I almost had both in 2022 – the gamay was a little down vs what’s allowed but not the chardonnay.”
Pierre on 2021:
“Much wetter, much later harvesting. We avoided the frost – we are neither high nor low in Theize so in 2021 it wasn’t a problem.”
The wines…
Very good, well-made wines. I hope also to return to cover in a bit more detail their work in making rafts and their plant business.
A mix of already bottled wines – no 21s in this case:
2022 Bourgogne Blanc Empreinte
It’s really Beaujolais Blanc – bottled 14 Dec. There’s a little chardonnay-muscaté in this mix and – ‘We never do the malos with the whites.’
A direct and mineral nose. Mouth-filling, some structure but not hard. Finishing broad and slightly tannic
2022 Beaujolais Cuvée l’Authentique
Very forward, fruity and attractive – cliché super BJ.
Mouth-filling with freshness and energy, growing in weight and intensity and with a frame of tannin growing in tandem – this is more BJV than BJ standard – bravo!
2019 Moulin à Vent
From the climat En Brennay, in the domaine since 2011.
Not full colour but a full and forward nose – not so wide but deep and with a nice energy. Broad, mobile, some tannin – long finishing – this is a youngster – you can drink it now but better wait 4-5 years.
2020 Côte de Brouilly
Chardignon – and like the last, near the cemetery!
A silky and red nose – today a bit more serious and tight. Hmm, now that’s lovely in the mouth – melting over the palate – there’s concentration but not weight and a lovely texture. Finishing long. That’s a simply excellent wine – I love it!
2022 Côteaux Bourguignons
It’s Beaujolais and it has seen some barrel elevage. This bottled at the start of January.
A nose of width but less overt, less deep. Large scale – to start there’s no obvious oak – though slowly a creamy accent develops. A wine for keeping a year or two but it tastes really good.
2017 Bourgogne Blanc
From magnum…!
Hmm – a little fumé starting to show some notes of maturity. Round, supple, plenty of sweetness. Chalky texture in the finish. Super.
2017 Côte de Brouilly
Also from magnum!
Subtly evolving – in a very nice way – lovely aromatics. Mouth-filling, energetic, super flavour and today still lots of structure that you should wait for.
Crémant
Done by a third party with the domaines wine.
A little round and sweet for my (brut or extra brut) taste but this is exactly that – round and tasty – no faults, no rigour – just a lovely glass.