I’m not sure if I shared these with you (memory post-60 ;-)) anyway, I always find them fascinating – so just in case it slipped my mind:

HERE

For as long as I can remember – certainly 15 years – whenever anyone asked me ‘who from Beaune makes the best Beaune wine?‘ my answer has been unchanging – Domaine des Croix and Domaine Albert Morot.

Of course these are two different styles of winemaking but they are honest and well made – one shows a bit more oak and the winemaking is a bit more traditional – but both offer a wide range of 1er crus and both have wines that sing after 10 years.

I’d heard the rumours from a friend before this year’s harvest but it was confirmed to me when I visited the domaine to taste their 2022s on Wednesday this week; I was greeted not just by Geoffroy Choppin de Janvry (right) – who I’ve known for about 20 years – but also Pierre-Jean Villa (left) of the Rhône – who you may remember from Decelle-Villa.

Pierre-Jean had quit his partnership with Decelle already a few years back but has returned with a bang as the face of the group that has bought Domaine Albert Morot. They promised me a press release for Thursday when the acquisition would become official – I’m still waiting for that but thought it timely to post this.

Geoffroy did the 2023 harvest but hasn’t been involved in the fermentation of these wines – but will remain at the domaine until the end of January.

Pierre-Jean explained “The plan is; you know it’s a domaine only with 1er cru wines, so we intend to have entry wines too – Bourgognes Rouge and Blanc. Apart from from a couple of wines – at least from 2022 – where we will, as was traditional here, bottle before Christmas – the rest of the wines will get longer elevage with bottling in the Springtime.”

I believe that they are already planning updates to their marketing image/labels etcetera and we will see where this leads. I wish luck to all…

When I have their communiqué I will update these details

It’s been about a week since the press release was set free into the wild but the Artémis Domaines and Domaines Barons de Rothschild Lafite have announced that they have entered into exclusive negotiations for the sale of Domaine William Fèvre from the former to the latter. A bit of a coup for the latter and I can’t help but feel a bit of a shame for the former. A shame? Well, it seems that they don’t value Chablis – one of the iconic wines of the world and they already have in their hands one of the greatest Chablis domaines – I’m sure DBRL will be very happy!

And things not yet announced? Well, the vineyard workers will always talk, won’t they?

It seems that my favourite domaine in Monthelie has a new owner – I suppose that the announcement is imminent but it seems that American couple – Mark Nunnelly and Denise Dupré – who, were also owners of Leclerc Briant in Champagne and more recently Domaine Belleville in Mercurey and the Château du Clos de la Commeraine are also the new owners of Domaine Monthelie Douhairet Porcheret.

I’m sure it’s not going to harm the quality of those excellent wines chez MDP – only the price that you might now be expected to pay for them 🙂

News came out, yesterday, of the acquisition of the Château d’Etroyes by the Bollinger group of Champagne. As you will see, the actual Press Release (here) positions this more as an acquisition by Domaine Chanson of Beaune – who are, of course, Bollinger’s arm in the Côte d’Or.

Despite a production covering more than 50 hectares in the area of Mercurey & Rully, plus producing over 20 different cuvées – it’s a name that I confess to not having stumbled across – except for here – and I have one more!

I expect that this will change over the coming years, as this acquisition more than doubles the surface of vines of Domaine Chanson. I also expect that there are multiple synergies to be unravelled in the coming years.

A patchwork of history of the Château d’Etroyes
Whilst the château and some vineyard ownership dates from around 1720, the existing winery of d’Etroyes was founded in 1930 by François Protheau. Following the death of François in 1955, his son, Maurice, took over and expanded the family holdings – in the 1960s the domaine ran to ‘only’ 35 hectares – it was double that at its peak – though only 50 of those hectares were in the Côte Chalonnaise. After 50 years at the domaine, Maurice passed away in 2005, leaving the winery to his children Michelle, Martine & Philippe. The domaine and château had new owners in 2016 – the Helfrich family – who resold in 2018 before the chateau found its latest owners. There are some additional aspects to this transaction in that François Protheau had also a négociant operation with about 10 hectares of vines which produced Mercurey, Montagny and Rully – I’m unsure if this part of the business/vines is also part of the Chanson-Bollinger transaction, or whether they remain in the portfolio of the Côte d’Or’s François Martenot – i.e. the old Maison Béjot.

From my local, Swiss merchant. In the brackets, you will find the prices of the 2020s & 2019s from the previous two years and — indicates ‘not offered.’

Domaine Marc Morey 2021:
Saint-Aubin Charmois 1er Cru 2021 75cl 52.00 (49.00, 48.00)* (Swiss Francs)
Chassagne-Montrachet 2021 75cl 64.00 (59.00, 59.00)
Chassagne-Montrachet Morgeot 1er Cru 2021 75cl 79.00 (78.00, 72.00)
Chassagne-Montrachet Les Vergers 1er Cru 2021 75cl 79.00 (78.00, 74.00)
Chassagne-Montrachet En Virondot 1er Cru 2021 37.5cl — (46.00, 47.00)
Chassagne-Montrachet En Virondot 1er Cru 2021 75cl 94.00 (88.00, 88.00)
Chassagne-Montrachet En Virondot 1er Cru 2021 150cl — (181.00, —)
Chassagne-Montrachet Caillerets 1er Cru 2021 75cl 99.00 (94.00, 92.00)
Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru 2021 75cl 158.00 (139.00, —)

*Prices delivered, but without the 7.7% Swiss purchase tax…

One of my favourite white wine domaines of the last couple of years – but a harder one to pin down as they no-longer show their wines before bottling and also commercialise the wines with some delay – hence, here we have a mix of 2018s plus an occasional 2017.

The prices are in Swiss francs* including the Swiss 7.7% purchase tax – delivery is extra:

Offer – Domaine de la Comtesse de Chérisey

2018 Meursault La Genelotte Monopole 1er Cru 75cl 122.00*
2018 Meursault La Genelotte Monopole 1er Cru 150cl 254.00
2017 Meursault La Genelotte Monopole 1er Cru 150cl 223.00

2018 Puligny-Montrachet, Les Chalumeaux 1er Cru 75cl 122.00

2018 Puligny-Montrachet, Hameau de Blagny 1er Cru 75cl 122.00
2018 Puligny-Montrachet, Hameau de Blagny 1er Cru 150cl 254.00

2017 Blagny La Genelotte Monopole 1er Cru (Rouge) 150cl 223.00

100-150 Swiss Francs (it’s about the same in Euro) does seem to be about the going rate for very good white 1ers from Chassagne to Meursault. I’m old enough(!) to remember when they were under €40 and were drunk with much more regularity. The red is very expensive for a Blagny – even a 1er cru – but given such low yields in this vintage, it clearly remains more of a cost-centre than a profit-centre!

Or, at least in part 2021 – there are only 2 wines offered – and whilst the price of the Musigny may have softened, the villages has always been an expensive thing – I last bought the 2012 and that was €100 a bottle. These wines were offered by my usual Swiss merchant.

The first price is for 2021, the subsequent prices in brackets are of the formula (2019, 2018, 2017) and — means ‘not offered.’ I’ve not seen any prices for 2020.

DOMAINE COMTE GEORGES DE VOGÜÉ 2021

2021 Chambolle-Musigny 75cl 225.00 (—, —, 149.00) *Swiss francs
2021 Bonnes-Mares 75cl — (625.00, —, 489.00
2021 Bonnes-Mares 150cl — (—, —, 998.00)
2021 Musigny Vieilles Vignes 75cl 898.00 (998.00, 898.00, 699.00)
2021 Musigny Vieilles Vignes 150cl — (—, —, 1,418.00)

*7.7% Swiss purchase tax to be added, but these are delivered prices.

Interesting!

In Switzerland, at least, and two months after they were offered, I see that none of these have sold out. And we can assume that some were offered in very small quantities…

It’s actually a great vintage chez Arlot – but are these the first winds – breezes – of market change?