Trying harder: getting amazing quality and value
From north to south the Côte Chalonnaise is full of vignerons who just know they can make wine the equal of the northern neighbours. They have the terroirs, they certainly have the skills and they have the desire. The modern Burgundy lover should be looking hard at these wines as they are extremely affordable and give huge pleasure.
Rully
Marie et Paul Jacqueson have been buying vineyards. They have an old family friend who sold them almost 5 hectares of land adjacent to some of their own holdings. The new wines are a fine and necessary addition because the demand for Jacqueson is so high. We have the Rully 1er Cru Préaux and the Mercurey Vaux from the new plots. In a so-called red wine vintage their whites are particularly impressive. Delicious wines all round with energy and balance.
Mercurey
Vincent Charton doesn't look old enough to be allowed on a tractor, but this fresh-faced young vigneron has been impressing Allen Meadows (Burghound) for some time as well as everybody else queuing up for an allocation. Mercurey is often disparaged for a rustic quality in its wines but in the hands of the hardworking and talented this is never a thing partly because the grapes are entirely hand picked.
Givry
The famille Lumpp had a difficult spring, in common with everyone, but suffered more from frost in 2017 than 16. The dry summer with its cool nights gave them a healthy crop and they have made a set of very high quality wines of both colours: the white Crausot with pronounced stonefruit and white flower character, and reds with floral but substantial red fruit flavours. /CW
Offered subject to remaining unsold; for shipment 2018/19
