Episode Summary:-

Jasper Morris MW, one of the world’s leading experts on Burgundy, talks to Sarah Kemp about the region and the new edition of his award-winning book, Inside Burgundy, which has just been published. The first edition was published over ten years ago and Jasper discusses the updated book and the aspects of Burgundy which have been affected by climate change.

In the new edition, he has gone into more detail on lesser-known areas, such as Monthélie, Fixin, and the Maconnais, and tells Sarah he regrets not being able to cover Beaujolais, but, he notes, “after 800 pages, a book has to be bound by hand.” The new edition is 150 pages longer than the first, and describes more than 1,200 vineyards and 300 wine villages, as well as appraising 700 domaines. He discusses how climate change has affected the vintages and discloses how the producers have responded to new conditions. Jasper explains how the changing patterns of airflow and wind has meant that the polar air currents are much weaker and are sliding down, and how there are now fewer southwestern winds, but more north and south, which are both dry. “People have to manage extreme weather events, plus a generally hot and dryer climate,” he says.

Jasper also talks about the different measures the producers are taking to deal with the new climate conditions, including electric cables (which are already used in Chablis, but need large water supplies), mobile wind turbines and smudge pots, though, he adds, some producers are reluctant to use them, as they are petro-chemical based.

The rise of Aligoté is something that Jasper tells Sarah he is in favour of, as it is properly Burgundian, and takes longer to ripen, which brings freshness and acidity. He believes that canopy management is crucial, and rootstock needs looking at, as some rootstock is failing. He reports that the picking window has changed and producers need to be ready to go earlier than before. “People are going to have to be a lot more intelligent about their picking dates,” he states. The use of whole bunch and partial bunch fermentation is also discussed.

“2014 and 2017 had wider windows for picking because the sugars weren’t galloping, and that’s why those two are amongst my favourite two white Burgundy vintages,” Jasper reveals. He explains he likes early-ripening sites less than before and has found that Pommard “is hitting a wonderful streak of exciting wines.”

Sarah asks him what had surprised him most when writing the second edition. “Aligoté has leapt forward,” he replies. They discuss premature oxidation and Sarah asks if it has gone away. “No, but it nearly has,” he replies.

Jasper then talks about how the different vintages are developing for both reds and whites, which vintages to keep and which to drink, plus his favourites. Finally, the question of value is raised by Sarah and Jasper advises to look at some of the best producers in lesser communes. He also suggests there is true value to be found in Monthélie, Saint-Romain, the Hautes Côtes and the Maconnais.

“It was this frost in 2021 which has made people realise quite

You can also find Jasper’s guest appearances on other Podcast/Video channels we work closely with:

• The Wine Conversation
• 67 Pall Mall TV

Bringing Burgundy closer to you with every episode!
Daily updates on our Instagram: @jaspermorris.insideburgundy

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