Moving southerly: Cote de Beaune whites and reds
Our first foray into the Cote de Beaune contains two producers who exemplify the absolute best of combining home and negoce vineyards. Both are skilled and both have an interesting spread of terroirs to exploit.
With an estate that includes parcels from Chablis all the way to Beaujolais, Joseph Drouhin has a lot of ground to cover. Impressive, then, that the domaine has maintained its biodynamic status. This was costly, especially early in the season when they were constantly in the vines. It was a complex year for them as different parcels were more or less frost-affected and it was after all a vintage of sacrifice as winemaker Jerome Faure-Brac said. But it was worth it and they have made a portfolio of super reds and very worthwhile whites.
At Jean-Marc Boillot the whites were a real surprise. Having heard that Jean-Marc prefers his 2015s we weren't expecting great things, but the slightly lean style, the energy and the smoky mineral character was strikingly attractive. These wines are still unfurling out of what was a very tight chrysalis, not because there is masses of acidity, rather that the winemaking here is so precise and the picking date was so well judged. They have a great future. /CW
Offered subject to remaining unsold; for shipment 2018/19
