Vincent Bottreau, currently the winemaker at Bouchard Aîné has been confirmed as the new winemaker at Domaine Ardhuy. Vincent tells me that he’s hoping to be in place by mid-December.

Of-course this all started with:

• David Croix moving from Camille Giroud to Jean-Marc Roulot
• Carel Voorhuis moving from Ardhuy to Camille Giroud
• Now Vincent Bottreau moving from Bouchard Aîné to Ardhuy
• So, who next will be moving from ‘xxxx‘ to Bouchard Aîné?

The Boisset group have a habit of employing young new talent, so I’m looking forward to see who will be stepping in Vincent’s shoes!

Anyway, Carel, who has been working part-time at Camille Giroud during the harvest should be fully installed in November – so I have to visit him before that date in Ardhuy, and until December to visit Vincent at Bouchard Aîné – to look at their last vintages – the 2015s…

Quite an important announcement I think – at a time with very few transactions:

http://www.winespectator.com/webfeature/show/id/Burgundy-Wine-Producer-Maison-Champy-Sold

Advini are also the owners of Domaine Laroche in Chablis – and frankly, despite their ‘factory size’ Laroche have been making outstanding wines for a few years now. Smaller Champy will have much to benefit from, I think…

Returning to my ‘very few transactions’ comment. Burgundy pricing, including land prices are at historic highs, so Advini must have paid a very good (high!) price for this entry into the Côte d’Or. It seems that they have a lot of confidence!

And here is the press-release from Advini:

From a merchant in Switzerland, today – and even a discount for buying 3 at a time – some of the wines, anyway!

Don’t cases of 12 now sound so 20th century?

Bourgogne Cuvée de Noble Souche 2014, 32.00/bt, 3 bts 27.20/bt (CHF)
Marsannay Les Longeroies 2014, 41.00/bt, 3 bts 34.85/bt
Fixin, Vieilles Vignes 2014, 46.00/bt, 3 bts 39.10/bt
Gevrey-Chambertin Mes Cinq Terroirs 2014, 65.00/bt, 3 bts 55.25/bt
Gevrey-Chambertin Champonnet 1er Cru 2014, 114.00
Gevrey-Chambertin Les Champeaux 1er Cru 2014, 124.00
Chambolle-Musigny Aux Beaux Bruns 1er Cru 2014, 124.00
Gevrey-Chambertin Lavaux St-Jacques 1er Cru 2014, 135.00
Clos Vougeot Grand Cru 2014, 250.00

The Noble Souche is a great Bourgogne, indeed simply a great wine, but the argument about buying it reminds me of the case of the (Domaine) Leflaive Bourgogne; the price of this wine is so high, that its peer group is not other Bourgognes, rather village Gevrey-Chambertins…

I know I harp on about this from time to time, but Camus get the bad press that they deserve with regard to the average quality of their wines, but it is very easy to lose a certain perspective.

Look at the offer I have this weekend from a Swiss merchant (in swiss francs). Now let’s be honest, this is never going to be the best Chambertin, but note the price. You cannot buy a current vintage Chambertin for under €200, indeed the price here is more in the order of a current vintage Chambolle/Vosne/Gevrey/Morey – but a villages wine, not even a 1er cru!*

I haven’t tasted this 2010 for a long time, but let me be clear, this will be a significantly better wine than any villages that you choose to compare it with. I’m drinking some bottles of the ’98 at home every now and then – bought similarly to this offer – and they never cease to please and easily show a grand cru character – even if not a very top grand cru like they should.

So, do you want to drink the best wine you can for your money, or would you rather, for example, drink a proper villages Chambolle? As ever, the choice is really yours 🙂

*There’s 8% Swiss VAT to add to this price – which still means it’s a giveaway…