2024 Awards: Burgundians of the Year

Marchand-Tawse

The meaning of wine

Frankly, and as paradoxical as it may seem when we know that we are talking about a Canadian, a Quebecer perhaps, but Canadian nonetheless, with no other connection to Burgundy wines than a well-stocked family cellar, who deserves this "title" of Burgundy of the Year more than Pascal Marchand? In thirty years of Bourgogne Aujourd'hui, we have seen a few, winemakers from father to son with varying degrees of passion, more or less serious new winemakers… but very few endowed with this "feel for wine", this feeling that shines through in Pascal.

Pascal Marchand arrived in Burgundy in 1983 and it didn't take him much more than two years for Count Armand to entrust him with the reins of the Domaine of Clos Spelts, to Pommard with the mission of restoring the prestige of a declining institution. Aware of the need to return to more environmentally friendly farming methods and to revitalize Burgundy's terroirs, Pascal Marchand was among the founders in the mid-1990s of GEST, the Terroir Study and Monitoring Group. After setting the project on the right track (and converting it to organic farming…) between 1999 and 2006, the Domaine of La Vougeraie resulting from the merging of the estates of the Maison Boisset Pascal Marchand launched his own trading business in 2006.

A new and decisive step came in 2009 with the partnership of Moray Tawse, a long-time friend, investment banker in Toronto, and… wine enthusiast. Marchand-Tawse now cultivates eight hectares of vines on the slopes of Beaune and from Nuits, and also produces a high-quality range of wines through négociants. In his early days, but it was also a different era, Pascal Marchand tended to produce very extracted, "robust" red wines. Youth fades… "I've evolved and I'm looking for more finesse, more elegance in rouge , of tension in blanc "So that each terroir can express its personality," he explains. A business is a team effort, and we should also mention the importance of Thomas Dinel and Mark Fincham on the technical team, as well as Amandine Terrier for the administrative and commercial side.

 

Domaine Pierrick Bouley

The art of winemaking

The evolution of practices Domaine Pierrick Bouley This represents considerable work carried out over several years, with the goal of obtaining the finest grapes while respecting the terroir. "The priority is the work in the vineyards." In 2017, the first braiding trials were conducted on two plots to observe their impact on photosynthesis and the vines. "We preferred the grapes from the braided treatment because they had a better balance, riper seeds, and more refined sugar," explains Pierrick. With the results being quite conclusive, one hectare was braided in 2018 before the rest of the vineyard. domaine This process will be carried out gradually, until its completion in 2020. "Our key difference is that we do this on all our wines to try to raise the quality level." By 2024, no more trimming will be done on the domaine This choice requires a colossal amount of work on the ground: during the summer, the vines require about twenty people for three months to braid them every two weeks. Since 2023, the domaine is certified organic.

 

Domaine Bruno Colin

The essence of the terroir

Issu d’une famille de viticulteurs, Bruno Colin incarne la 8<E>e<E> génération de vignerons. Après un BTS Technico-Commercial au lycée viticole de Beaune, il travaille pendant dix ans au domaine familial Colin-Deleger. « On était quatre à prendre des décisions, mon frère, mes parents et moi, on n’avait pas forcément tous la même vision et on arrivait à un moment où mes parents voulaient prendre un peu de temps pour eux ». En 2003, le domaine est alors séparé en trois entités. Depuis la « réelle » retraite de ses parents en 2015, Bruno exploite 8,5 hectares répartis sur cinq communes différentes. « Le gros du domaine est sur Chassagne-Montrachet avec six hectares », précise Bruno. Il produit aujourd’hui 80 % de blanc pour 20 % de rouge dont quatorze premiers crus et deux grands crus. Depuis 2020, il explore la voie du bio, avec tous les rouges et un tiers des blancs, et obtiendra des résultats satisfaisants. Malgré une année 2021 compliquée et un retour au conventionnel, Bruno n’a pas abandonné et est resté engagé dans sa démarche. « Depuis 2022, nous sommes en bio sans vouloir la certification juste par conviction ».

 

Domaine Jaeger-Defaix – Domaine Bernard Defaix

Two terroirs, one vision

Based in Rully (71), the Domaine Jaeger-Defaix embodies the family heritage of the Côte Chalonnaise , while the Domaine Bernard Defaix is ​​a reference to Chablis (89). In 2002, Hélène Jaeger-Defaix took over her first plot of land inherited from her great-aunt. In 2005, she recovered the entire plot. domaine and currently farms six hectares of Rully , villages Premier cru wines, red and white. Meanwhile, Didier Defaix, along with his brother, is taking over the estate located in Milly, near Chablis in 1990 and they now work on twenty-seven hectares of Petit- Chablis , Chablis villages and Premier Cru wines, in addition to a trading activity, particularly in Grand Cru wines. At harvest time, the grapes from both entities are vinified at Chablis with the aim of producing wines with excellent aging potential. A team is therefore dedicated to the vinification However, two different teams cultivate the vines. The estates are united by a deep, long-standing vision of environmentally responsible viticulture. Domaine Defaix has been certified organic since 2009, but the implementation of organic farming practices truly began in the 1990s. Domaine Jaeger-Defaix has been certified organic since 2012.

 

Domaine Cart

Between tradition and transition

Installed in Vergisson (71), in the heart of the vintage Pouilly-Fuissé , on a fragmented territory, the Domaine Carrette, with its family history, has been managed since 2003 by Hervé, who is in charge of the vineyards. He is joined by Nathalie, a trained oenologist, who oversees the vinification grapes. Committed to an environmental protection approach, the domaine began its organic conversion in 2020 and will be certified in 2023. This philosophy aims to minimize the ecological impact by developing respectful viticulture. Domaine Carrette is still in the process of converting to organic farming and is constantly adapting to the climate crisis. "For us, 2019 was a turning point in terms of climate change. Cultivating seventeen hectares with almost a single grape variety, we have to harvest quickly; the challenge is to harvest at peak ripeness while preserving freshness in the wines." It's worth noting that the majority of the estate's grapes are harvested by hand. Braiding trials were conducted in 2022 to try and retain a bit more acidity in the grapes.

 

 

TASTING

OUR FAVORITE WINES

 

 

Pierrick Bouley

Volnay premier cru Champans 2023

From a vine trained since 2017, harvested at a very high level of ripeness, 100% destemmed, this premier cru This very early vintage reveals a "black" color, fine, precise aromas of black cherry, flowers, and mocha. The palate is rich, luscious, and indulgent, while retaining great delicacy and an ethereal finish.

Volnay premier cru Champans 2018

Aged for forty-six months in oak barrels, this 2018 vintage boasts an intense color and is still very youthful. The nose reveals the floral character of the terroir, mingled with notes of candied cherry, raspberry, and sweet spices. The wine is velvety, delicate, and luscious, with depth and excellent balance.

 

Domaine Cart

Pouilly-Fuissé premier cru blanc The Crays 2021

THE domaine cultivates nearly one hectare in Les Crays "under the rock of Vergisson Facing due south, on a steep slope at nearly 400 meters, with hot days and cool nights, it's a dream terroir that never freezes, except in 2021 when 70% of the vines were affected,” comments Nathalie Carrette. The wine has a brilliant golden color. Precise aromas of yellow fruit, spices, and flowers… On the palate, it displays the classic elegance of Crays, with a superb balance of richness, body, lusciousness, and salinity.

 

Bruno Colin

Chassagne-Montrachet premier cru blanc In Remilly 2022

It's a "small" one premier cru of 1.5 hectares located on Chassagne-Montrachet , facing due south, perched on the rock at an altitude of 300-320 meters and bordering the grand cru Chevalier -Montrachet. The domaine cultivates fifty ares in two plots planted in 1956 and 1989. "This premier cru was vinified and then aged (eighteen months for all the wines of the domaine "In 350-liter bottles, which for me is the ideal format for both the interaction between wine and oak and the balance of the wines. In warm years, 350-liter bottles retain a bit more freshness," says Bruno Colin. A lovely, rich, toasty, spicy, and refined nose. The wine is generous, full-bodied, elegant, and harmonious. A wine for aging.

 

Jaeger-Defaix

Rully premier cru blanc The Nails 2014

Vinified and then aged entirely in 228-liter oak barrels (0% new oak), this premier cru of Rully , vineyard today 70% planted in chardonnay , reveals a beautiful evolution. Golden, brilliant robe. Fresh, lemony aromas, yellow fruits, sweet flowers… The wine is rich, generous, luscious, long, juicy, with a tonic finish.

Chablis premier cru Léchet Coast Cuvée Reserve 2004

From an old vine now nearly 70 years old, this 2004 vintage displays a remarkably youthful, golden-green hue. The nose is complex and refined, with aromas of ripe yellow fruit, spices, and a mineral, iodine-like, marine background, exhibiting great purity after twenty years in the cellar and in a very challenging vintage. The wine is rich, luscious, long, taut, and harmonious.

Chablis premier cru Côte de Léchet 1994

The magic of aging wines Chablis operates in this cuvée With its vibrant color and aromas of toast, petrol, and shellfish… An incredible palate for a 1994, another vintage with a very average reputation, full-bodied, rich, long, saline, and elegant. “It’s worth noting that this wine was machine-harvested, like the other two, and it underwent three filtrations. Which just goes to show…” smiles Didier Defaix: “the wines must have been difficult to taste young, but they’ve aged beautifully.”

 

Marchand-Tawse

Gevrey-Chambertin premier cru Les Champeaux 2016

"The 2016 frost affected me greatly because the vines struggled to regain their vigor," recalls Pascal Marchand. Intense color. A very open nose of jammy red fruits, spices, and toast... The wine is crisp, fruity, juicy, long, and elegant.