A wonderful tasting of Domaine de la Pousse d’Or wines from the Gerard Potel era, 1979 to 1993:

1. 1993 Volnay Les Caillerets 1er Cru, Domaine de la Pousse d’Or
2. 1993 Volnay Clos des 60 Ouvrées 1er Cru, Domaine de la Pousse d’Or
3. 1990 Volnay Clos de la Bousse d’Or 1er Cru, Domaine de la Pousse d’Or   magnum
4. 1990 Volnay Clos des Chenes, Domaine Lafarge
5. 1988 Volnay Les Caillerets 1er Cru, Domaine de la Pousse d’Or
6. 1988 Volnay Clos de la Bousse d’Or 1er Cru, Domaine de la Pousse d’Or   magnum
7. 1986 Volnay Clos des 60 Ouvrées 1er Cru, Domaine de la Pousse d’Or

1. 2010 Chablis Vaillons 1er Cru, Domaine François Raveneau
2. 2010 Chablis Forêt 1er Cru, Domaine François Raveneau
3. 2010 Chablis La Forest 1er Cru, Domaine Vincent Dauvissat
4. 2010 Chablis Montée de Tonnerre 1er Cru, Domaine François Raveneau
5. 2010 Chablis Chapelot 1er Cru, Domaine François Raveneau
6. 1997 Chablis Butteaux 1er Cru, Domaine François Raveneau
7. 2011 Chablis Clos Grand Cru, Domaine François Raveneau
8. 2008 Chablis Clos Grand Cru, Domaine François Raveneau
9. 2008 Chablis Blanchot Grand Cru, Domaine François Raveneau
10. 2007 Chablis Valmur Grand Cru, Domaine François Raveneau
11. 2005 Chablis Valmur Grand Cru, Domaine François Raveneau
12. 2000 Chablis Montée de Tonnerre 1er Cru, Domaine François Raveneau
13. 2000 Chablis Valmur Grand Cru, Domaine François Raveneau
14. 1996 Chablis Blanchot Grand Cru, Domaine François Raveneau
15. 1995 Chablis Preuses Grand Cru, Domaine Dauvissat-Camus
16. 1990 Chablis Blanchot Grand Cru, Domaine François Raveneau

Domaine Roulot wines tasted:

1. Bourgogne Blanc 2018
2. Meursault Blanc 2018
3. Meursault Vireuils 2018
4. Meursault Meix Chavaux 2018
5. Meursault Clos du Haut Tessons a Mon Plaisir 2018
6. Meursault 1er Cru Clos des Bouchères Monopole 2018
7. Meusault Vireuils 2017
8. Meursault Clos du Haut Tessons a Mon Plaisir 2017
9. Meursault 1er Cru Perrières 2017
10. Meursault 1er Cru Charmes 2010
11. Bouteillles de Liqueur D’Abricot

18 Mar 2021: Now is the time to discover just how good are the wines made by the team which took over the Domaine Engel vineyards in 2006. Jasper Morris MW will be at Domaine d’Eugénie with the director of Artemis Domaines, Frédéric Engerer, and the winemaker on the ground in Vosne-Romanée, Michel Mallard. The domaine is small but perfectly formed with half their 4.5 hectares in grand cru vineyards, most notably Clos Vougeot and Grands Echezeaux.

Domaine d’Eugenie Wine Samples:
1) Vosne Romanee Clos d’Eugenie 2015
2) Vosne Romanee 1er Cru Aux Brûlées 2016
3) Grands Echezeaux 2014
4) Grands Echezeaux 2017
5) Grands Echezeaux 2018
6) Clos Vougeot 2016

15 Mar 2021: One of the wonderful features of burgundy is the multiplicity of place names, many of which feature in several different appellations. Theoretically there is a reason behind each name. With this tasting we take a look at the magical name of Charmes which can be found at village, premier cru and grand cru level. Is there a thread which links the Charmes vineyards in different villages? Join in to find out where the name came from and how they all link up.

Wine samples:

1. 2017 Puligny-Montrachet Les Charmes Alain Chavy
2. 2016 Domaine des Comtes Lafon Charmes Meursault Premier Cru
3. 2018 Domaine Jean Foillard Morgon Les Charmes
4. 2014 Thibault Liger-Belair Nuits-Saint-Georges La Charmotte Cote de Nuits
5. 2015 Domaine Ghislaine Barthod Les Charmes Chambolle-Musigny Premier Cru
6. 2012 Gerard Raphet Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru Cote de Nuits

3 Mar 2021: Beaune may be the headquarters of the Burgundy wine trade but we often overlook the appellation when making our choices. There are so many great wines to choose from with variations in style depending on location as well as producer style.

Join me for a sweep through this under-appreciated appellation and see just how good the best of the premiers crus can be.

Wine Samples:

1. 2010 Beaune Blanc, Clos des Mouches, 1er Cru, Joseph Drouhin, Burgundy
2. 2002 Beaune 1er Cru Clos des Ursules, Domaine Louis Jadot
3. 2009 Bouchard Pere & Fils Greves Vignes de L’Enfant Jesus Beaune Premier Cru
4. 2015 Beaune, Les Bressandes, 1er Cru, Domaine des Croix, Burgundy
5. 2015 Beaune 1er Cru Clos du Roi Tollot-Beaut, Domaine Tollot-Beaut et Fils
6. 2014 Domaine Faiveley Beaune 1er Cru Clos de L’Ecu

23 Feb 2021: There is history of innovation here with it being one of the first Domaines to practice estate bottling in the 1930s, and perhaps more significantly the Ponsots were among the first growers to understand the importance of clones and clonal selection – many of the most important Pinot Noir clones originate from their vineyards.

The first Ponsot on the scene was William, originally from St Romain but on returning from the Franco-Prussian war he settled in Morey St Denis in 1872 and bought vineyard land including the Clos des Monts Luisants. He was succeeded in 1920 by his cousin and godson, Hippolyte Ponsot, who was joined by his son Jean-Marie in 1942. Jean-Marie, long-time mayor of Morey, ran the business from 1958 until the early 1980s when his son Laurent, took over.

In 2017 Laurent Ponsot stepped down from the estate to concentrate on personal ventures. Rose-Marie Ponsot became the sole Director of the company, seconded by Alexandre Abel.

Join this webinar as Alexandre Abel and I guide us through the history and evolution of Domaine Ponsot, as we enjoy these specially chosen wines.

Domaine Ponsot Wine Samples:

2017 Clos de la Roche, Cuvée Vieilles Vignes, Grand Cru
2013 Clos de la Roche, Cuvée Vieilles Vignes, Grand Cru
2010 Clos de la Roche, Cuvée Vieilles Vignes, Grand Cru
2006 Clos de la Roche, Cuvée Vieilles Vignes, Grand Cru
2001 Clos de la Roche, Cuvée Vieilles Vignes, Grand Cru
1999 Clos de la Roche, Cuvée Vieilles Vignes, Grand Cru

18 Feb 2021: Roll over Clos St-Jacques? Not necessarily, but in terms of value for money, Les Cazetiers is a strong contender for providing exceptional quality at a more-or-less fair price. The next door vineyard has a multitude of different plots, with a variety of different soil types – yet somehow the mineral class of Cazetiers shows through, whatever the style. I will take us through what lies under the soil, what is happening above it, and what is in your glasses.

Wine Samples:

1. 2015 Domaine Berthaut-Gerbet Gevrey-Chambertin Cazetiers
2. 2015 Domaine Faiveley Gevrey-Chambertin Cazetiers
3. 2015 Domaine Henri Magnien Gevrey-Chambertin Cazetiers
4. 2012 Domaine Armand Rousseau Gevrey-Chambertin Cazetiers
5. 2010 Domaine Sérafin Gevrey-Chambertin Cazetiers
6. 2005 Domaine Bruno Clair Gevrey-Chambertin Cazetiers

11 Feb 2021: Are you a Puligny person or a Meursault fan? Hang on, what about Chassagne? The appellation is sometimes criticised because there is too much red wine territory which has been set to producing chardonnay, but the best parts of the village can make magical wines. I have chosen six of the finest producers of the village covering terroirs that compete with the best. Will vineyard or vigneron win out?

Wine Samples:

1. 2017 Chassagne 1er Cru Boudriotte Domaine Ramonet
2. 2017 Chassagne 1er Cru Morgeot Domaine Bernard Moreau
3. 2017 Chassagne 1er Cru Vide-Bourses Thomas Morey
4. 2017 Chassagne 1er Cru Caillerets Pierre-Yves Colin Morey
5. 2018 Chassagne 1er Cru Grande Montagne Domaine Lamy-Caillat
6. 2018 Chassagne 1er Cru Romanée Domaine Paul Pillot

19 Jan 2021: Olivier wanted to feature the 2018 vintage including his new parcels in Clos de France, Côte Rôtie and En Crêches to introduce these wines and this was also the year that his two sons joined him at the Estate and interesting to now bring in the next generation. With the 2020 harvest behind him, Olivier is keen to talk of the challenges to come: “The virus has changed many things – the distribution of wine is just one problem,” he says. “But the real challenge is not that – we will continue to drink wine – the real challenge comes from global warming and the changes we make to slow its impact.”

He talks of rootstock changes, growing systems, canopy management, evolving wood strategies. There is – clearly – much to do. Will he retire soon? He laughs. “Does a musician stop playing music? I plan to continue as long as I can; making wine is not my job,” he says. “It is my passion.”

Three decades into his career, winemaker Olivier Merlin continues to be a leading light in the Mâconnais.

Winemaker Olivier Merlin has 35 vintages under his belt. He’s far from a “new” winemaker; in fact, he’s the most established producer in the Mâconnais, Burgundy’s most southerly terroir. And, while for some producers longevity could translate to complacency, nothing could be further from the truth for Olivier. He is the region’s most dynamic winemaker, and his dazzling cuvées continue to challenge conventional views about the Mâconnais’ reputation for humble wines. “Unlike my colleagues in the Mâconnais, we do everything by hand,” Olivier explains. “We might apply modern technology, but we make our wines in the same way as they were made 200 years ago.” He makes it sound simple, but at the heart of this approach is a commitment to meticulous winemaking – stripping everything back until what is left is the terroir. And, in Burgundy, terroir is everything.

Olivier Merlin 2018 Wine samples:

1. Mâcon La Roche Vineuse, Vieilles Vignes
2. St Véran, Creches
3. St Véran, Côte Rôtie
4. Pouilly-Fuissé, Sur La Roche
5. Pouilly-Fuissé, Clos France
6. Moulin-à-Vent, La Rochelle, Beaujolais

4 Feb 2021: The leading candidate for promotion to grand cru in Pommard is Les Rugiens, the deepest and richest wine that Pommard can offer. The whole appellation is on an upswing, benefitting from global warming and the arrival of fresh blood in the village. Does the vineyard merit promotion? We can decide after tasting these six wines from some of the best known protagonists.

Wine Samples:

1. 2016 Domaine Y Clerget Pommard 1er Cru Les Rugiens
2. 2015 Domaine Faiveley Les Rugiens, Pommard Premier Cru
3. 2010 Pommard, Les Rugiens-bas, 1er Cru, Domaine de Montille
4. 2008 Pommard Premier Cru ‘Les Rugiens’ Michel Gaunoux
5. 2009 Domaine de Montille, Pommard Premier Cru Rugiens-Bas
6. 2009 Pommard Les Rugiens 1er Cru Domaine Louis Jadot

14 Jan 2021: Camille Giroud has tiny vineyard holdings in Beaune; otherwise relying on contracts from as far afield as Marsannay and Maranges, with particular strengths in Corton and the Gevrey Chambertin vineyards.

The quality of winemaking is consistent and very much in the modern, quality-oriented genre, although the practice of very gentle oak treatment and little racking continues, so that each cuvée shows a very individual character.

Camille-Giroud had a long history as a négociant that released powerful, very long-lived wines. In 2000, it was sold to a group of American investors, and David Croix installed as director, who, to put it simply, is a genius, and made a raft of great wines until his departure in 2016. His successor is Carel Voorhuis, who is crafting similarly pure, seductive and terroir-driven wines. The course charted for the Maison from its origin remains unchanged, whilst pursuing new projects implemented since 2002.

There are two parts to the Camille Giroud story. With the first begining in 1865 when the enterprising young Camille Giroud founded the small négociant firm which carries his name. He married late, as did his son, so by the end of the 20th century the company was still being run by the founder’s daughter-in-law and her two sons. The company’s motto in the later days was to make wine in as old-fashioned a way as possible: heavy extraction and very long barrel ageing. Part of the crop might be sold early on but most was kept back until it was ready to drink, which might be 30 or 40 years later. There were plenty of misses but also some extraordinarily fine wines. Almost all production was and still is red. Stocks of these old style wines still exist, with various 1976s still to be offered for sale.

In January 2002 the company was bought by an American consortium led by banker Joe Wender and winery owner Ann Colgin, and a new chapter began.  The business is managed by winemaker/technical director David Croix (of the eponymous Domaine des Croix) with a major revamping of the winemaking facilities and especially replacement and renewal of the old barrels to make wines in a much purer, more modern style. The company also owns 1.20 hectares of vineyards, consisting of Hautes-Côtes de Beaune, Beaune premier cru Cras and Beaune premier cru Avaux.

Camille Giroud Wine Samples:

1. 2017 Santenay, Clos Rousseau, 1er Cru
2. 2018 Meursault, Les Vireuils
3. 2018 Chassagne-Montrachet, Tonton Marcel, 1er Cru
4. 2018 Corton, Renardes, Grand Cru
5. 2017 Corton-Charlemagne, Grand Cru
6. 2018 Clos de Vougeot, Grand Cru