Les Sizies is a 8.58-hectare Premier Cru climat within the Beaune appellation in Burgundy’s Côte de Beaune. It is situated within the western sector of the Premier Cru vineyards, to the west of the N470 and just south of the Premier Cru climat Les Avaux. The vineyard appears to have been named after Renaud de Sesie, 13th century mayor of Beaune. Relatively flat, and lying at 240-250 meters, Les Sizies enjoys a mixed soil of clay and limestone and an eastern exposition. Perhaps the best examples of the vineyard come from Maison Leroy and Domaine de Montille.
Archive for the ‘Wine’ Category
Vineyard Description: Beaune, LES SIZIES, Premier Cru
Posted in Appellations, Burgundy, Vineyards, Wine, tagged Beaune, Domaine de Montille, Maison Leroy on April 20, 2010| Leave a Comment »
Vineyard Description: Beaune, LES BRESSANDES, Premier Cru
Posted in Appellations, Burgundy, Vineyards, Wine on April 20, 2010| Leave a Comment »
Les Bressandes is a large 16.97-hectare Premier Cru climat within the Beaune appellation in Burgundy’s Côte de Beaune. The vineyard is located downhill from Les Mondes Rondes, in the prime portion of the northern sector where Dr. Lavalle designated the other “Têtes de Cuvées. ” At the top of the band of Premier Cru climats, Les Bressandes lies south of Les Marconnets. The name seems to derive from the onetime ownership of three women from the city of Bresse. Bressandes is generally considered among the top five or six finest Premiers Crus of Beaune. The vineyard faces east and lies on a steep slope, ranging from 240 to 320 meters, with sandy brown limestone soil. Les Bressandes is considered among the finest vineyards in Beaune and produces round and rich wines of considerable elegance.
Vineyard Description: Beaune, LES AIGROS, Premier Cru
Posted in Appellations, Burgundy, Vineyards, Wine on April 20, 2010| Leave a Comment »
Les Aigros is a large 18.64 hectare Premier Cru climat within the Beaune appellation in Burgundy’s Côte de Beaune. The vineyard is located in the southern sector of the appellation near the Pommard border, downhill from the Montaigne Saint-Désiré just uphill from the Premier Cru vineyard Les Sizies. Les Aigros is quite steep, rising from 250 meters to over 310 meters at its top. Facing due east from the slope, with rocky limestone soil rich in clay, the grapes reliably reach full ripeness and produce round and rich wine. Fine examples from this vineyard come from Domaine Lafarge and Domaine de Montille.
Vineyard Description: Beaune, LES PERRIÈRES, Premier Cru
Posted in Appellations, Burgundy, Vineyards, Wine on April 20, 2010| Leave a Comment »
Les Perrières is a small 3.20 ( only 2.98 cultivated) hectare Premier Cru climat within the Beaune appellation in Burgundy’s Côte de Beaune. The vineyard is situated in the northernmost sector of the appellation, uphill and to the west of the Premier Cru Les Marconnets, and somewhat downhill and to the east of the Premier Cru Les Bressandes. The name of the vineyard may indicate that an ancient quarry was located there. Facing southeast from a steep slope varying between 250 and 300 meters, the rocky soil is a mixture of clay and limestone.
Vineyard Description: Beaune, LES GRÊVES, Premier Cru
Posted in Appellations, Burgundy, Vineyards, Wine on April 20, 2010| Leave a Comment »
Les Grêves is a large Premier Cru climat within the Beaune appellation in Burgundy’s Côte de Beaune. At 31.33 hectares, it is, in fact, the largest Premier Cru in the appellation, and most certainly among the finest. Named by Dr. Lavalle (History and Statistics of the Cote d’Or) in 1855 as a “Tête de Cuvée”, Clive Coates writes that the vineyard produces “Beaune at its most elegant, fullish but properly round, rich and balanced, with plenty of depth.” The vineyard name derives from the observed presence of gravel in the soil. Les Grêves is bordered on the south by Sur-les- Grèves and Les Teurons and, on the north, by Les Bressandes and Les Toussaints. Facing east from an elevation varying between 230 and 300 meters, the soil is generally light with a sand and gravel mix, with a somewhat higher proportions of clay uphill.
A parcel of Les Grêves enjoys the lieu-dit La Vigne de l’Enfant Jésus. This parcel belonged to the Carmelite order in the 17th century, when a nun predicted the birth of the future Louis XIV even though his mother, Anne of Austria (who was actually Spanish) was believed sterile. At 37 years of age, Anne’s pregnancy was considered “a marvel.” La Vigne de l’Enfant Jésus belongs today to Bouchard Père et Fils. Other notable parcels of Les Grêves belong to Domaine Lafarge and Domaine de Montille.
Appellation Profile: Beaune
Posted in Appellations, Burgundy, Wine, tagged Beaune, Bouchard Père et Fils, Domaine de Montille, Domaine Lafarge, Julius Caesar, Maison Joseph Drouhin, Vercingetorix on April 15, 2010| Leave a Comment »
Beaune AOC, looking North From Clos des Mouches
Beaune is a wine appellation that produces high quality Burgundy from vines planted in the commune of Beaune situated in the Côte de Beaune region of the Côte-d’Or. The city of Beaune itself is the second largest (after Dijon) in France’s Burgundy department.
By tradition, Beaune was founded about 52 B.C. as a camp for Julius Caesar’s army as it prepared to defeat the Gaul’s legendary hero Vercingetorix. The name “Beaune” 
derives, according to Clive Coates, from Belno Castrium, which would have referred to a fortified small villa. By 1602, Beaune was being referred to in a contemporary map as “Belna (commonly called Beaulne)”.
During the Gallo-Roman period, Beaune served as a way station along the road to Autun, then the capital of Burgundy. As the importance of Autun diminished, first following its conquest by the sons of Clovis in 532, and later after its sacking by the Saracens around 730, Beaune began to emerge as an urban entity in its own right. Formally chartered as a city in 1203, Beaune remained the residence of the Dukes of Burgundy until the late 14th Century, when Phillip the Bold married Margaret of Flanders, and moved the ducal court to Dijon. During the latter part of the Hundred Years war, in 1401, a fire destroyed Beaune. After the Treaty of Arras in 1435, first Louis XI and then Charles XIII, constructed the pentangular castle and massive fortified walls that continue to define Beaune. The Hôtel-Dieu (Hospices de Beaune) was built during that same period under the direction of Phillip the Good, Duke of Burgundy, whose chief claim to fame is that he betrayed Joan of Arc to the rosbifs, who promptly burned her at the stake.
Beaune has been celebrated for its vineyards at least since Gregoire, Bishop of Tours, wrote his history of France (Historia Francorum) in 570. Today Beaune continues to boast some of the finest vineyards in the world. The entire appellation comprises 531 hectares, the majority of which, 337 hectares, is within 44 climats that are, in whole or part, designated Premier Cru. In addition, the appellation consists of 138 hectares of village-level Beaune and 66 hectares from the related AOC Côte-de-Beaune.
The vineyards are situated on gentle slopes northwest of the city and thus enjoy, in general, favorable southeastern exposition. The sloping hillside on which the Premiers Crus lie, begins at the border with Pommard and extends in a northerly direction until it meets the border of Savigny-lès-Beaune. The vineyards are bisected by the N470 as it crawls up the hill toward Bouze-lès-Beaune. Most critics believe that the best section lies to the north of this road, where the soils are a mix of gravel and iron-rich clay over a limestone base. This sector, celebrated even in the 19th Century, includes Les Bressandes, Les Perrières, Les Grèves, and Les Marconnets, and produces the most complex wines of the appellation. Further north of this sector, toward the border with Savigny-lès-Beaune, the soil becomes thinner, especially in the steeper upslope vineyards.
South of the N470, the soil becomes more sandy, and occasionally quite stony. While 95% of Beaune vineyards produce red, Pinot Noir-based Burgundy, a few of the vineyards in this sector, notably the famous Le Clos des Mouches, yield excellent white Burgundy. In the central portion of this sector are found two remarkable vineyards, Les Aigros and Les Sizies, whose sandy, limestone soils give rise to elegant and subtle red Burgundies of a charming, somewhat lighter style. The vineyards downhill from Le Clos des Mouches, tend to flatten out as they extend toward the RN 74, and have deeper soil with a higher proportion of clay. This last sector, known locally as Le Puits de Beaune (“Beaune’s well”), and accordingly suffering from poor drainage and risk of frost, is not a reliable source of fine wine.
The size and wealth of Beaune as a city have resulted in two salient consequences: (1) the high proportion (arguably not fully justified) of Premier Cru climats in the appellation; and (2) the dominance of the large négotiant houses (e.g., Drouhin, Bouchard Père et Fils, Bichot, Patriarche) headquartered in the city, within the ownership and politics of the appellation. Although a couple of these négoces do in fact produce exemplary wines from the Beaune AOC (Bouchard’s Vigne De L’Enfant Jésus, from a lieu-dit within Les Grèves, and Drouhin’s Clos des Mouches), the preponderance their wines have contributed to the unfortunate and lackluster reputation of the appellation. Not surprisingly, some of the finest wines from Beaune come from Domaines originating in other appellations but with small holdings in Beaune: Domaine de Montille ( Les Grèves, Les Sizies, Les Aigros, Les Perrières), Domaine Lafarge (Les Grèves, Les Aigros).
Vineyard Description: Volnay, LES MITANS, Premier Cru
Posted in Appellations, Burgundy, Vineyards, Wine, tagged Domaine de Montille, Etienne de Montille, Lafarge, Michel Lafarge, Volnay on April 10, 2010| Leave a Comment »
Les Mitans is a 3.98-hectare Premier Cru climat in Volnay. The vineyard downhill, just to the southeast of the Autun Road (RN73) between Premiers Crus Les Brouillards and En L’Ormeau. “Mitans” means “between”. The vineyard is mostly clay-limestone, very stony, and enjoys an elevation of 250-260 meters and an exposition of east, southeast.
Vineyard Description: Volnay, CLOS du CHÂTEAU des DUCS, Premier Cru
Posted in Appellations, Burgundy, Vineyards, Wine, tagged Domaine Lafarge, Michel Lafarge, Volnay on April 10, 2010| Leave a Comment »
Clos du Château des Ducs is one of several Premier Cru climats in Volnay collectively known as Le Village but also entitled to their own individual Premier Cru liux-dits. Clos du Château des Ducs, a tiny .57-hectare monopole of Domaine Michel Lafarge, lies below the village of Volnay , just above Clos de la Chapelle and Clos de la Bousse d’Or. As the name suggests, this vineyard lies on the site of the 11th century Château de Volnay, which was owned by the Ducs of Burgundy from the 13th century onward. The Château itself was destroyed by fire in 1749, but its vineyards, as well as the cellars originally belonging to the Château, now belong to Domaine Michel Lafarge. Facing east, southeast, the vineyard lies at an altitude averaging 280 meters. The soil is a light-colored mixture of clay and Oxfordian (“Argovian”) limestone.
Vineyard Description: Volnay, LES CAILLERETS , Premier Cru
Posted in Appellations, Burgundy, Vineyards, Wine, tagged Clos des Chênes, Domaine Michel Lafarge, Marquis d'Angerville., Volnay on April 10, 2010| Leave a Comment »
Les Caillerets is a 14.33-hectare Premier Cru climat in Volnay. The vineyard is situated downhill from Clos des Chênes, just southeast of the Autun Road (RN 73). It is among the most renowned in Volnay, producing, as Clive Coates writes, “Volnay of real silk, lace and the complexity of all the petits fruits rouges you can imagine.” Facing east, southeast from an altitude varying between 260 and 290 meters, the rocky soil of Les Caillerets is an admixture of limestone and calcium- rich clay. Fine examples of Volnay, Les Caillerets are made by Domaine Michel Lafarge and Domaine Marquis d’Angerville.
Profile: Maison CAMILLE GIROUD
Posted in Burgundy, Domaines, Wine, tagged Ann Colgin, Becky Wasserman, Benjamin Leroux, David Croix, Joe Wender, Pascal Marchand on April 9, 2010| 1 Comment »
Négociants and winemakers are generally viewed today as polar opposites. The winemaker is a veritable rock star, a man or woman of heroic mien and charismatic appeal. Adoring oenophiles and wine snobs alike grovel at his gates and genuflect in his cave. Today’s winemaker is the innovator and the artiste who, typically operating from his own domaine, routinely spins straw into gold. A majority of fine Burgundy is now being produced by winemakers under the domaine system, and, as result, the percentage of fine wine is significantly higher than it was in years past. In contrast, the négociant is often viewed as an insensitive corporate suit who panders to vulgar tastes and MacDonaldizes Burgundy in the pursuit of unholy profits. While there are, sadly, a few négociants who fit this mold, there are also négociant-winemakers who are fully in the avant garde of what is new and exciting in Burgundy.
The word négotiant encompasses a swath of possibilities, beginning with the trader who buys finished wine in bottles and merely slaps on his label before hitting the shelves of les grandes surfaces. There are also the traditional large négociant companies, well-known and quite respectable like Faiveley or Drouhin, who enjoy long-term contracts with vineyard owners for their fruit. Finally, there are the négociants who, under long term contract, dictate vineyard
Négotiant as Artiste: David Croix
practices, buy grapes, and then use superstar winemakers to craft the wine to exacting standards. These are the “boutique négociant winemakers,” who are today in the vanguard of Burgundy.
Among the finest of the boutique négociant-winemakers is Maison Camille Giroud, an old and venerable négoce, which is today presided over by wunderkind David Croix. Founded in 1865, Camille Giroud earned an impeccable reputation over the last century and one-half as a specialist in “eccentrically traditional” vins de garde. Often hard and tannic in their infancy, Giroud’s wines were raised very slowly and deliberately in their own deep, cool cellars in seasoned (not new) barrels. Even after bottling, the wines are allowed time to reach harmonious maturity at their leisure. On a recent visit, many of the 1976’s were still not yet ready. When the wines are at least deemed mature, the Maison releases them with pristine labels and capsules, even new corks if necessary.
This system produced generations of legendary wines but was not, unfortunately, a very good business model, especially in the 1980’s and 1990’s, periods of high interest rates and spiraling costs. The aged grandsons of the founder finally felt the need the to pass to torch in 2001 to a group of oenophiliac investment bankers led by wine-collector/banker Joe Wender and his wife, Napa cult vintner, Ann Colgin. This group has been able not only to infuse necessary capital but also to bring management at once sensitive to fine wine and highly skilled in modern business practices.
The group’s first inspired decision was to induce Burgundy’s legendary Becky Wasserman-Hone to take over as “PDG” (président directeur général) and to reorganize the entire operation. In short order, she sold off old stocks not worthy of the Giroud name, replaced outmoded barrels and equipment, and otherwise brought the winery and cellar into conformity with modern standards.
Winemaker David Croix
Her most inspired decision was the hiring of then 24-year old David Croix as winemaker. After formal training in oenology, David apprenticed to Benjamin Leroux at Comte Armand, who had succeeded wunderkind poet/winemaker Pascal Marchand. In 2007, the still-young and very accomplished David Croix assumed full charge of the Maison as successor PDG.
Following in the footprints of Leroux and Marchand, David Croix has sought to bring his viticultural contracts into line with organic principles, with an unswerving commitment to the holistic health of the vineyards. There is very strict triage both in the vineyards and on a vibrating sorting table in the cuverie. Typically, the Pinot Noir is 100% destemmed (although Croix is increasingly experimenting with some whole cluster fermentation with some vineyards ) and then allowed to macerate in open, wooden vats. Afterwards, there is some light pressing with a pneumatic press. (The former use of a hundred year-old wooden press has been discontinued). Some press wine may be added later to increase structure.
Winemaking for Pinot Noir varies considerably with the conditions, and the amount of punchdowns and rackings is highly dependent on the vintage. Under the right conditions, Croix will also use frequent pigeage (punching down) during the first stages of alcoholic fermentation; and, if alcohol levels increase, sometimes remontage (pumping over).
For white wines, the Chardonnay grapes are pressed and then barrel fermented and aged.
One of the Giroud “signatures” has traditionally been little or no new oak. Under Croix, the average percentage of new oak averages 15% but can be 0% (e.g., Bourgogne rouge, Marsannay) up to 40-50% for some Grands Crus like Chambertin or Corton Charlemagne. Depending on the state of the fruit, Croix may not rack until bottling, allowing up to 20 months in barrel.
Maison Camille Giroud occupies a singular niche in Burgundy: it is at the same time among the most dependable and exciting sources of fully mature, traditional Burgundy, and one of the best sources for transparent, terroir-driven current vintage Burgundy.
Jockovino 
