Good Burgundy is like nothing else but following a few small harvests, we have seen prices rise to levels that puts it out of most people’s reach. This prompted us to look beyond the big names of the Cote d’Or and we set out on a quest to find a few dynamic young growers from the fringe area of the Chalonnaise. Lying to the north of the Maconnais and just south of the Cote de Beaune, this region offers both red and white wines from the traditional Burgundian grapes, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. While the wines of the Cote Chalonnaise may sometimes be described as more rustic, there is no doubt the villages of Rully, Givry and Mercurey offer excellent value for money and are perfect for those seeking earlier drinking Burgundy at an affordable price.
Our newest discovery is Domaine Ninot and their wines have the honour of being our first new arrivals of 2016. The Ninot family have had vineyards in Rully since the 14th Century, making wine and barrels for over 600 years. Young Errell and brother Flavien have recently taken over the reins after studying oenology and travelling to vineyards in other parts of the world.
The grapes are entirely hand-harvested for strict selection of only the best fruit. Even after the strict selection in the vineyard, Erell manually sorts the harvested grapes by hand, making sure only the best fruit is chosen for her winemaking. The vines average a stately 35 years old, bringing concentration and complexity to the wine. Erell raises her wines with skill and care, always taking care to preserve all the delicate aromatic elements that help make her wine such a stand-out.
We visited them last summer and are delighted to see their excellent wines reaching these shores for the first time. We hope you enjoy them!
Rully AC La Barre
Bottle Price: £16.95 / €24.50 Case Bottle Price: £15.26 / €22.05
100% Chardonnay from the Cote Chalonnaise in Burgundy. Yield 45 hl / ha. 30 year old vines. Hand harvested, full malolactic fermentation. White flowers on the nose with fresh acidity and a round, pleasing texture.
Rully 1er Cru Gresigny
Bottle Price: £19.75 / €28.50 Case Bottle Price: £17.78 / €25.65
100% Chardonnay from the Cote Chalonnaise. Yield 40hl / ha. Grapes all hand harvested on this small family estate. Full malolactic with a proportion undergoing fermentation in barrel. Yellow fruits such as apricot and peach feature on the nose. A rich white wine with plenty of character and yet not lacking in finesse.
Rully 1er Cru AC Marissou
Bottle Price: £19.95 / €28.99 Case Bottle Price: £17.96 / €26.09
100% Pinot Noir from the Cote Chalonnaise in Burgundy, all hand harvested. Partly aged in oak. Red fruit on the nose with supple tannins and a long savoury finish. Drinking well now but can be kept a further 2 – 4 years.
Mercurey AC Vieilles Vignes 2014
Bottle Price: £18.50 / €26.50 Case Bottle Price: £16.65 / €23.85
100% Pinot Noir from this brother and sister team in Burgundy’s Cote Chalonnaise. The vines used for this wine are over 70 years old and the yield a meagre 35 hectolitres per hectare. Cherry red in colour with notes of black and red berry fruit on the nose. A round and supple wine with a firm structure and fine tannins. Complex yet delicate. A good example of savoury red Burgundy at a very fair price.
