Exploring new domaines in Burgundy with Jasper Morris MW

To celebrate the official launch of Inside Burgundy's second edition, a tour around some of the domaines that came to Jasper's attention during the rewrite of the book.

• 2016 Black Dog Hill Classic Cuvée 92 Points

  United Kingdom, England, Sussex, West Sussex

  60% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir, 10% Pinot Meunier. Attractive bead, honeyed nose. Fresh, balanced, good depth of flavour, some green apple. Seemed to be appreciated by all, and one of the best ESWs I've tasted to date.

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• 2017 Château de Béru Chablis Clos Béru 93 Points

  France, Burgundy, Chablis

  Based in an outlying area of the appellation, fully natural winemaking (no sulphur at all), two years in barrel.
  
  Green fruit on the nose at first, becoming fumy and tropical with more air. Very impactful on the palate - boom! Rich, viscous, tangy, somewhat mealy, then a long floral finish. Not a classic style of Chablis, but very exciting on its own terms.

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• 2017 Domaine Guillemot-Michel Viré-Clessé Quintaine 92 Points

  France, Burgundy, Mâconnais, Viré-Clessé

  Viré-Clessé has been an appellation since 1988, and Quintaine is its richest section.
  
  Oddly, this wine lacked intensity on the nose, with toffee apple and hints of flowers appearing with air. Much more full-bodied on the palate, attractively floral, full of sweet orange, lemon and apricot, seemingly a dash of residual sugar. Good length, and likely a long future ahead.

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• 2017 Jules Desjourneys Pouilly-Vinzelles Les Longeays 92 Points

  France, Burgundy, Mâconnais, Pouilly-Vinzelles

  Les Longeays is one of Pouilly-Vinzelles's two best vineyards. Desjourneys has come here from Beaujolais to make some white wines.
  
  Quite an oaky nose, reflecting barrel-ageing, but increasingly sweet and floral. An interesting, precise feel to the palate, with plenty of chew and weight - real substance here. Good balance and length, and a pleasure to drink.

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• 2017 Domaine Darviot-Perrin Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Blanchots Dessus 93 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru

  From a vineyard adjacent to Montrachet. This wine, although a 2017, was only bottled in September 2020 as a result of a family issue.
  
  Evident class from the first sniff: really aromatic, well-judged, classic white 1er cru Burg nose, with excellent balance between reductive gunflint and oak. Chewy, intense and long on the palate, with so much substance it almost seemed savoury. Very popular in the room tonight.

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• 2018 Domaine Des Vignes du Maynes (Julien Guillot) Mâcon-Cruzille Clos des Vignes du Maynes Manganite 93 Points

  France, Burgundy, Mâconnais, Mâcon-Cruzille

  Old-vine Gamay, vinified with zero sulphur.
  
  A bright, sherberty nose, with tons of shapeshifting complexity: just from one small glass I had violets, herbs, white pepper, rose, crushed rock, meat, mushroom, prune, then flowers again. What wonderful perfume! Sensational.
  
  Super-bright on the palate, so fresh, full of sour cherry fruit and with obvious whole-bunch influence (which I don't much care for), so very bitter and intense towards the finish. At first I found that offputting, but the wine pulled itself together with time in the glass, and the captivating nose won me over.

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• 2019 Henri et Gilles Buisson Saint-Romain Sous Roche Absolu 92 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Saint-Romain

  A high-altitude vineyard. The fact that good Pinot can be made here is one beneficial effect of climate change. Also made in a no-sulphur, natural style: one to drink early.
  
  Obvious very young and bright, with pure clean strawberry fruit, succulent in the style of 2019. Some pepperiness on the palate, and candied red fruit, which reminded me of childhood jelly.

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• 2017 Fernand & Laurent Pillot Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Morgeot Rouge 91 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru

  Very joyous, in line with the vintage. A touch caramelised on the nose, sunny and easy. A touch of oak on the palate, again a little bit of sweetness, then lots of fruit and some grippiness on the finish. Enjoyable, but not exciting.

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• 2016 Domaine Anne et Hervé Sigaut Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Noirots Flawed

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru

  A big shame: this smelled great upon being poured, but by the time we got round to it there was an obvious bacterial flaw on the nose: old socks, old cheese and spicy Nik Naks. It was less pleasant when tasted than smelled. The same issue seemed to affect all four bottles supplied for the event.

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• 2014 Domaine Chicotot Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Les Vaucrains 91 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru

  Deep nose, with strawberry cough sweet and a touch of cream. Relatively elegant, but not a typical 2014. Large-scaled on the palate, with strong acidity, lots of tangy fruit and lots of tannin: reminded me of Barolo!

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Who would have thought that a 'natural' Gamay would be my WOTN at the launch of Inside Burgundy?! The Darviot-Perrin was a very, very good wine too, but lacked the thrill of the Manganite.