More selfless product testing. Two gorgeous wines from the 2019 Burgundy offer tasted today, a Pouilly-Fuissé and a Bourgogne Rouge Hautes Côtes de Beaune:
2019 Pouilly-Fuissé L’Alliance, Domaine Barraud
Here’s what I noted in early December:
‘The density of the vintage is immediately obvious: this is a deep, rich fruit-driven wine with an appealingly fresh citrus notes and a salty tang on the finish.’
Six weeks later it is all that, but even more exciting. 2019 whites are gaining freshness as they evolve, and this rich, creamy wine has a lovely streak of vibrant acidity to bring out the ripe fruit and stony minerals with an elegant clarity.
Domaine Barraud is widely acknowledged as one of the very best producers in Pouilly-Fuissé. Founded in 1905, the estate is currently run by Daniel and Martine Barraud who have been slowly handing over control to their son Julien and daughter Anaïs. Rather than blending all their wine together, they make no less than seven small-quantity Pouilly-Fuissés, alongside several Saint-Vérans, and three separate Macon-Villages.
2019 Bourgogne Rouge Hautes Côtes de Beaune, Domaine Jean-Marc et Thomas Bouley
Then:
‘A good example of why the Hautes Côtes should be taken seriously: this wine has all the definition, purity and finesse of a much classier vineyard lower down. There is a complex interplay of fresh bright red fruit, silky tannin and gentle salinity, and it is harmonious to the end. ‘
And now:
Hard to believe this is a Bourgogne. It is dense, well-delineated and wonderfully fresh. The fruit has integrated over the last few weeks, the wine is more seamless and elegant. Amazing stuff at this level.
Thomas Bouley joined his father Jean-Marc at the family estate in 2002 and has pushed the estate to ever increasing heights. His winemaking philosophy is to spend as much time as possible in the vineyards. Intervention is kept to a minimum, and he believes in encouraging the vines’ natural vigour: no fertiliser is used, no systemic treatments, no green harvesting, and hedging as late as possible after flowering. This gives him a greater number of smaller bunches, with a better skin-to-juice ratio.
