Travels in Burgundy 2017

big works in nuits…

By billn on May 25, 2017 #travels in burgundy 2017

On Wednesday afternoon I managed to get a tour of massive re-modeling of the Faiveley winery in Nuits St.Georges Рtogether with JC Boisset, they are dragging winemaking in NSG into the 21st century. The demolition was already well underway when I visited last December to look at their 2015s. They say that all the work should be completed by the end of this year Рbut not before the harvest 2017 Рthe harvest is currently looking like ~10 September 2017. Enough work, however, will have been done so that they can vinify their 1er and grand cru wines from the C̫te de Nuits Рthe villages and regionals will have to be accommodated in another facility.

They are purposefully using engineering here that looks from the late 1880s – Nuits was anyway a railway town – there are some great views across the rooftops too! And the work is not just above ground, the extensive cellars are getting a full clean and they are installing LED lighting throughout. There is also some interesting use of materials – the copper roof is pre-patinated – the verdigris that normally accumulates over many years, is pre-installed – I’m sure that it will make the wines taste even better…
 

And just a few minutes walk away, Boisset are also not yet finished with their new cuverie – I think I see what they are doing there – and yes – those are vines planted on the roof 🙂

held hostage by a beaujolais producer

By billn on May 23, 2017 #travels in burgundy 2017

Two visits today, in La Chapelle de Guinchay, not far from Saint Amour – so lunch was there – some pics above.

I had a 14h30 appointment after lunch so got there early – 14h20 – just as well, I finally crawled into my car at 20h50. Apparently the police were not yet looking for me! I’ve a full programme tomorrow – hopefully I can make all the appointments…

a sunny sunday in burgundy – at last!

By billn on May 21, 2017 #travels in burgundy 2017

It’s been quite changeable weather since Friday – lots of showers – and even a little of the hard stuff (hail!) in Nuits on Friday – largely leaving just punctured leaves, but they won’t want any of that during flowering!

Today was fine and sunny, so a trip to Chalon for the Sunday market – it’s bigger, and more vibrant that Saturday’s market in Beaune – good for sitting outside with a drink while watching the passers-by – Even Mr and Mrs Roelof of Mercurey fame were spotted. Chalon-sur-Saone in the pics:
 

Then a short walk in Meursault on the way home – next time with a picnic I think 🙂
 

a world of difference…

By billn on May 07, 2017 #degustation#events#travels in burgundy 2017

What a lovely day Friday was, but how definitely un-lovely the rest of the weekend in the Côte d’Or was!

Friday I had lots to do, but late afternoon it was possible to get out for a walk in the vines and the old town of Meursault – and not one piece of Panatone from the Petite Vadrouille passed my lips!
 

Saturday (& Sunday, mainly) was a different kettle of fish – and pity the poor vignerons of Savigny-lès-Beaune who had their weekend of ‘open-doors‘ – a few of us hardy souls braved the rain, but 2 hours was more than enough, even with umbrellas – everything was wet!

In that time we managed to take in the Chenu sisters, the sisters of Domaine de Serrigny, Hugues Pavelot and Henri de Villamont – with strikingly different results – noting that I had a head-cold so no notes, but all our (4!) palates were generally aligned. We all like the Chenu sisters’ wines the most – 2015s – the Savigny blanc tasted more like a Bourgogne Blanc but a fresh and tasty Bourgogne – the 2015 red Savignys were lovely – Les Clous was most of our favourites, probably followed a super and typique Lavières. The Talmettes was delicious and very elegant if a much lighter impact wine – we all bought bits and pieces!

Onto the sisters of Domaine de Serrigny; a small range on show with a couple of villages level 2015s and some 2014s, even a C̫te de Nuits Villages from Corgoloin which was lovely, as was the Savigny Blanc here Рit had much more about it than the Chenu wine. The trip to the cellar of Hugues Pavelot was something of a disappointment Рmaybe it was the choice of wines Рperhaps things that they had more of in the cellar and were looking to sell off? Anyway, not much to write home (or to you!) about.

Lastly we dropped in on Henri de Villamont – probably with the sole hope that they might be showing their 4 domaine Chambolles! In the end we got two white Savignys and two red, plus they found a couple of 11s in the tasting cabinet – a Chambolle and a Mazis. Of the Savignys – in both cases it was the domaine’s Savigny 1er monopole Clos des Guettes which was the best – both red and white were forward, sweet, brassy wines with a lot of oak make-up – but highly drinkable. The two 11s I wouldn’t recommend to anyone – then again, I don’t know how long those bottles had been open.

That was it – 2 hours – very wet, time to go home for a hot shower. Dinner in the evening was our first visit to Beaune’s ‘La Superb‘ restaurant, sat right in front of the brusque chef as he cooked. I hated my desert, but really enjoyed the rest – I’d definitely go back!
 

a little sunday afternoon volnay…

By billn on April 23, 2017 #travels in burgundy 2017

16°C in the shade – but definitely not in the sun!
 

a late afternoon walk around corton…

By billn on April 08, 2017 #travels in burgundy 2017


It’s not just the vines that need some pruning in Corton!

Beautiful 20-22°C weather late this afternoon – so at 4pm we took ourselves for a wander around Corton – a number of pictures seemed to focus on Le Corton…
 

the last few days on tour…

By billn on April 07, 2017 #travels in burgundy 2017

A collection of images from this week – the obligatory bud-burst picture above from today in Mâcon-Cruzilles – so chardonnay. Cruzilles is a relatively cool spot, so not so advanced as Meursault, for example. Versus an ‘average year’ the vines are about 10 days ahead so far in 2017. I toured some of the vines with Emmanuel Guillot-Broux and found the horse working in a parcel of Cruzille called Le Chassagne – nothing to do with the Côte d’Or, rather old French for the oaks at the top of the hill – les chênes…
 

Burgundy Report

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