Burgundy Unembellished
To finish off 2025 we’ll be dipping our toe into what, to many, is the world’s premier wine region: France’s Burgundy. The winemaking practices, focus on terroir, grapes and more have been copied from this relatively small region more than any other, sometimes to great effect (Barolo, Willamette Valley, Central Otago) but often… not so much. You can plant the best clone of Pinot Noir and farm it with the best intentions, but Burgundy is where Pinot Noir and Chardonnay find their perfect match. Unfortunately, the premier growing sites in Burgundy are few and have been cultivated consistently for hundreds of years, so the top cuvees coming from this appellation are fairly unobtainable for all but the most extreme consumers of fine wine. The price has become ridiculous and the supply has become but a trickle.
This wine club isn’t about those wines though, it’s about the absolutely delicious and approachable wines that can be found (with some difficulty) coming from the outskirts of Burgundy. Full transparency: this was one of the most difficult wine clubs we’ve done in terms of finding four fabulous wines that fit within the price points needed to make wine club work. There’s just not much Burgundy available that is produced within the strictures of how we choose wines: small producers, sustainable or organic viticulture, no extra crap in the wine. Through much sampling, we were able to find four wines that capture the more playful side of this region… wines made to be drunk young. Enjoyed. Not thunk too hard about.
These wines don’t come from the big-name Grand and Premier Cru sites of Chablis, the Cote de Nuits, or the Cote de Beaune. They come from the more fertile expanses to the south, primarily the Maconnais. A region well-known for its Chardonnay but also full of Pinot Noir gems if you can pinpoint them. While this isn’t the beating heart of Burgundy, it may well be the soul, where beautiful wines emerge from small estates to little fanfare, as their cousins to the north fetch hundreds (sometimes thousands) of dollars a bottle for their wines regardless of the quality of the vintage. The one exception to this is the Moillard Cremant, which has grapes sourced from a range of vineyards throughout Burgundy. We like to fit sparkling wine in the December wine club if we can, and this was a delicious fit for the Burgundy theme.
Onto the vin!
Moillard - Cremant de Bourgougne Brut
The Grapes
Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Gamay - Sustainable Viticulture
Vinification
Grapes are picked at the beginning of harvest and immediately taken to the winery for pressing to preserve freshness. After initial fermentation aging happens sur latte for 12 months before disgorgement and corking.
Tasting Notes
Refreshingly vibrant and zippy with a splash of lemon up front and lovely aromatics of lilac and peach. The fruit comes through the palate as well, leading to a long finish with bubbles that hold up very well.
Pairing Suggestions
The easiest pairing there is - 12:00am on January 1st, 2026! What food to pair with that occasion though? This is a perfect aperitif wine… cheeses and charcuterie; olives and crackers.
Can it Age?
Up to two years
Chateau de la Greffiere - Macon-La Roche-Vineuse Blanc 'Vielilles Vignes'
The Grapes
100% Chardonnay - Sustainable Viticulture
Vinification
Wine is fermented in barrel where it then remains for malolactic fermentation, with lees stirring regularly for many months before bottling and a short further bottle aging before release.
Tasting Notes
On the nose, honeysuckle, chamomile, yellow apple, pears, ripe lemon. Mostly confirmed on the palate with the addition of vanilla and pineapple to round out a wonderful mouthfeel.
Pairing Suggestions
Coq au Vin Blanc - this traditional Burgundian dish ‘Chicken with white wine’ is fairly simple, yet delicious. We wouldn’t recommend using the Greffiere Chardonnay for cooking though, grab something a little more simple for that!
Can it Age?
Yes, up to 5 years, though it’s drinking wonderfully now.
Domaine Laurent Chardigny - Bourgogne Rouge
The Grapes
100% Pinot Noir - Organic Viticulture
Vinification
All fermentation, maceration and aging is done in stainless steel, preserving the vibrant fruit character of this Pinot.
Tasting Notes
Fruit fruit fruit on the nose, strawberry, red cherry, cassis. Then some other aromatics open up - pepper, rose petal. Similar on the palate, very juicy, decent acid, almost no tannin. Fun and easy-going.
Pairing Suggestions
Mouthwatering food for mouthwatering wine: a Croque Madame, piled high.
Can it Age?
Not recommended.
Domaine Thevenet & Fils - Bourgogne Rouge 'Les Clos'
The Grapes
100% Pinot Noir - Sustainable Viticulture
Vinification
Single-vineyard Pinot Noir is fermented in stainless steel before aging in used oak barrels for up to a year. Further aging is done in bottle before release.
Tasting Notes
Crunchy red and black fruit from the forest, wild strawberries, blackberries, currants. Maybe some pomegranate, ‘tis the season after all. Rich floral notes, rose and violet. On the palate the earthiness emerges, a touch spicy. Very balanced acid and tannin and a pleasant finish driven by the florality!
Pairing Suggestions
Burgundy’s most well-known dish, the classic Beef Bourguignon, is an excellent pair for this more structured Pinot Noir.
Can it Age?
Yes, up to 5 years.
