What's Pressoir Drinking? Domaine Coche-Dury, Meursault 2009

May 20, 2020
by Daniel Johnnes

I recently opened an extraordinary bottle of white Burgundy. There were several things about it that made it extraordinary in addition to its flavor. It was from the warm 2009 vintage. I was a little reticent about opening it, fearing it might display some of the heat of the vintage and lack zip. It was a village level wine and I was in the mood for a higher appellation such as premier cru or grand cru. Yet, in both cases, it performed better than many wines in those situations. It was fresh, focused and vibrant. It tasted higher than its classification. And it proves why Coche-Dury is such a reliable performer.

This was Meursault AC 2009. In fact, it was from the “Vireuils Dessus” parcelle which is high elevation and always bright. The warm vintage may have rounded it off just a bit but it was not at all flabby like some 09's can be.

Interview with Camille Thiriet

May 11, 2020
by Justine Puaud

Can you tell us a little bit about your “micro” business?

After several trips to Australia and New Zealand, I moved back to Burgundy and my dream came true! In 2016, I was creating a micro negoce in my garage. At that time, I was making only 2 wines in 7 barrels. My goal was to enhance the lesser-known appellations of Burgundy and be able to produce NO more than 15,000 bottles per year.

Have you made some changes in the vineyard and cellar work since the creation of your domaine ?

As I said, my goal was to be able to produce between 13,000 and 15,000 bottles of wine in the next 5 years. Today, I can say that I achieved my goal after only 4 years!

To give you some history: In 2016, I only had 2 cuvees for a total of 2,000 bottles:
Côte de Nuits Villages Aux Montagnes
Bourgogne Blanc Cuvée Confidentielle

In 2017, I made a 3rd wine: Bourgogne Rouge les Blanches with my own vines from Pommard. I produced a total of 3,500 bottles.
In 2018, the production went up to 6,000 bottles! I added 3 wines in my micro domaine: a Vezelay, a Volnay and a Savagnin.
At the end of 2018, I bought some Aligoté vines in Pommard.
In 2019, I added the Bourgogne Aligoté and 2 news parcels of Côte de Nuits Villages which I am really proud of! The Côte de Nuits Villages Les Retraits and the Côte de Nuits Villages Les Vignottes. Total of the production of 2019 is 13,000 bottles.

Can you tell us a little bit about your Côte de Nuits Villages (from the most elegant to the most rustic)?

The three parcels are between Comblanchien and Premeaux-Prissey.

1. The Côte de Nuits Villages Les Retraits is literally next to Frederic Mugnier’s vineyard, Clos de La Maréchale. It is an elegant wine with a nice aroma of crushed strawberries. In my opinion, this is not representative of a Côte de Nuits Village because it is very subtle and delicate.

2. The Côte de Nuits Villages Aux Montagne is in front of Château de Comblanchien, on the slope. The vines benefit from exceptional exposure to the sun. Based on the geographical situation, it is definitely a terroir of a premier cru. This wine has more structure and more tannins.

3. The Côte de Nuits Villages Les Vignottes faces the Clos de La Maréchale but is on the other side of the road. This is the “big daddy” of the 3 parcels. Beautiful dark ruby color with good tannins. On the palate there is a dominance of dark fruits and raspberry. I love the fact that they are all in the same area but so different. It is a good example of Burgundy and its notion of terroir.

When do you think it is a good time to drink your wines in general?

Ideally with a minimum of 3 years!

Do you have new projects for the domaine?

Now I am in a phase of stabilization. I want to keep control of everything. At this time I cannot increase my production. My partner, Matt, is helping part time but most of the time I have to do everything by myself. There is quite a lot between the grape purchasing, the vinification, the client relationships, etc…

Have you always wanted to be a winemaker?

When I was younger, I always wanted to be the “nose” of a perfume company. I was not really into science... My major in college was literature so after my graduation I decided to enter a Business School specialized in Wine Marketing and Management. After my MBA I knew I didn’t want to work in sales...I moved back to Burgundy and worked with Nicolas Potel. I did the harvest and the vinification. This is where I realized I loved the production side of the wine. I quickly asked if I could buy grapes from him. I tried to convince my partner Matt. He said “no” the first time, the second time and then he finally said yes!! It was in 2014 when we started with our first purchased grapes.

What is your general winemaking philosophy?

I am learning everyday and asking myself consistently if I am doing the right thing. It is stressful but I am learning from my mistakes. I think making wine is like cooking. You need to know your products perfectly to make a great dish! You taste and then you adjust if necessary. All your senses are stimulated. I think the vinification is like the butterfly effect. Every single decision will have a huge impact on your wine. This is the most stressful and important moment in the wine making process. Each winemaker has his/her own identity and his/her own signature.

News from the vineyard 5/20/20

Due to high temperatures in Burgundy in the last two months, some vineyards are already flowering. Compared to 2019, the vines are reaching the flowering stage three weeks earlier.

As Brice de la Morandière reminded us in last Saturday’s At Home Session, the harvest date is typically scheduled 100 days from the flowering. If this calculation is applied this year, the harvest would start in August.

Photo courtesy of Nicolas Rossignol

What's Pressoir Drinking? Domaine Tollot-Beaut, Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru 1991

May 6, 2020
by Raj Vaidya

A rare treat to taste a perfectly stored older bottle of white Burgundy in great shape. The wine had terrific vibrancy and finesse, with all the lemon curd acidity of Corton Charlemagne and the saltiness too. Great length! Tollot-Beaut 1991, with scallop ceviche and grilled langoustines for a delicious Sunday supper.

News from the vineyard 4/22/20

In Burgundy, the vines are growing quickly. An early growing season especially in the Cote de Beaune means that some vines are already showing mini grapes. Winemakers are now hoping for some rain for the vineyards. After an élevage of 18 months, most domains of Burgundy are bottling the 2018 vintage in their cellars. Domaine Matrot, in Meursault, finished bottling the 2018 on 21st of April.

Domaine Yvon Clerget, Volnay 1er Cru Carelle sous la Chapelle

What's Pressoir Drinking? Mastroberardino Greco

April 22, 2020
by Justine Puaud

I miss traveling!! That is why this weekend I brought Italy to us! Homemade pasta a la vongole with a delicious Greco from one of the best winemaker family in Campania : Mastroberardino. Campania is the “shin” of Italy’s boot next to Napoli. This less known wine region produces great white wine. Greco is like Riesling. It can make excellent wines from dry to fully sweet. Mastro was a dry Greco, fresh and floral with a lively acidity. Perfect pairing with seafood.

What's Pressoir drinking? Domaine Bernard Moreau & Fils, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Chenevottes 2011

April 15, 2020
by Edouard Bourgeois

In my opinion, Alex Moreau is one of the top winemakers in Chassagne-Montrachet. His premier cru les Chenevottes displays a beautiful richness and depth. It made an ideal partner for lobster.

What's Pressoir cooking? Rye starter

April 15, 2020
by Edouard Bourgeois

The alcoholic fermentation is what makes wine a fascinating product. Of course, beer but also Kimchi, Kombucha and even chocolate are other products of this magical phenomenon. These days, more and more people have been making their own bread while stuck at home. Here again, fermentation is key, and, just like wine making, the origin of the yeast and its strain will determine the flavors in the bread. Cool right? “At home, I’ve been working on sourdough starters, also affectionately called “mothers”. It makes for fluffy Pizza dough, flavorful gnocchi and orechiette, and of course, bread!