©2007, The Birmingham Post
There is a saying that "Bordeaux is for investors, but Burgundy is for wine-lovers". As in Bordeaux, the 2005 Burgundy vintage was simply glorious. Although drought conditions persisted, unlike the 2003, there was no heatwave.
The result is concentrated ripe fruit, without traces of any rot. Comparisons have been made with a handful of truly great post-war vintages, such as 1990, 1985, 1978 and 1959. With reference to more recent vintages, the best combine the acidity of 2002 with the richness of 1999, but the lower yields mean that the wines will be more concentrated.
The wines simply have perfect fruit, wrapped around a core of juicy freshness. Completely in balance, they can be enjoyed equally in youth or maturity.
Wine-lovers and investors alike were swept along by the media-hype which accompanied last summer's Bordeaux 2005 campaign. All records were broken and, in some cases, Chateaux values soared over 300% above 2004 prices.
The major difference with Burgundy is size. In spite of the clamour for en primeur Claret, there will always be plenty to go around, whereas, in Burgundy, there will not. Bordeaux wines bought on the futures market have a habit of reappearing a few years down the line, albeit at a higher price.
The market for Burgundy, apart from a handful of blue-chip properties, is not as developed, primarily because the volumes are much smaller. This makes it less of an investment commodity, and more of a treasure to be stashed away until it's ready for drinking.
The annual round of Burgundy tastings kicked off in London in early January and, naturally, there has been a great deal of excitement this year. Whilst he was passing through Birmingham, I caught up with Gilles de Courcel, the Director-General of the old-established Burgundy House, Chanson Pere et Fils. Conveniently, they were putting on a tasting of the 2005 vintage, hosted by the Hotel du Vin.
Founded in 1750, Chanson had remained under family control until as recently as 1999, when it was acquired by Bollinger. Under-performing, the main attractions were their extensive holdings of Premier Cru vineyards, some 38 hectares, in the Cotes de Beaune.
Bollinger wasted little time in implementing a new management structure. Leading consultant, Jean-Pierre Confuron from Vosne-Romanee was installed as winemaker, and Gilles de Courcel as Managing Director.
The new team set about root-and-branch change in the vineyard and winery. The approach is to achieve optimum fruit maturity using strict yield control through short pruning and debudding. The soils are ploughed to cut through shallow roots, forcing the vines to delve deep into the subsoils, resulting in greater minerality and complexity in the grape flavours.
At reception, the grapes are strictly sorted. Unripe or rotten berries are rejected, resulting in losses of between 10-25% of the potential harvest. The team realise, however, that to build a reputation for great wine, they must use top quality grapes.
Pinot Noir, used for red Burgundy, requires delicate handling, and only a soft and gentle extraction creates the round structure and fresh aromas that make the wine so appealing. The new management team have discarded big vats, and now employ small vats so that each parcel can be vinified separately. They realise the old methods work best, so it's a case of "back to the future".
On the one hand, Burgundy is easy to understand but, on the other, it's mind-blowingly complex. Essentially, white Burgundy is from Chardonnay and red from Pinot Noir, and really that's all you need to know.
Well - not quite. Over many generations, the best vineyard parcels have been scrupulously identified and distinguished. Within the Cote d'Or, there are currently well over 500 different place names, each according to the attributes of the site, and each determining the quality and price.
Indeed, Chanson have holdings in 10 Premier Cru sites in Beaune and their intention is to maintain the identity of each. In producing their wines, they are not simply looking for an expression of the grape, but of the "terroir".
Amongst other interests throughout the region, Chanson work closely with contract growers, and are now the largest producers of Vire-Clesse located in the Maconnais. The villages of Vire and Clesse are particularly noted for their minerally and elegant white wines, and the villages were united under one name in 1998. Their 2005 Vire-Clesse has great purity and precision.
Chanson's "Opening Offer" highlights are as follows:
For details, contact orders@metzendorff.co.uk, or visit www.vins-chanson.com
Great Burgundy is never cheap, but compared to some extravagant price hikes in Bordeaux last summer, it's beginning to look reasonably priced. With uniform quality amongst both reds and whites, unquestionably the 2005 Burgundy vintage is the vintage to buy.
Burgundy lovers will also be interested to learn that Chris Connolly is holding an Open Evening at his Livery Street premises on Thursday, 15th March, between 6.30 and 8.30 pm. There will be an opportunity to taste over 20 Burgundies from previous vintages, with experts on hand to answer any questions. Tickets cost £25, for further details telephone 0121 236.9269.
For further details on Burgundy Opening Offers, contact the following specialists: www.tanners-wines.co.uk, www.nickollsandperks.co.uk, www.connollyswine.co.uk, or www.thewinesociety.com