Annette and Christian Schiller participated in the 2017 American Wine Society (AWS) National Conference. Annette Schiller led 3 well-attended tastings (Germany, Bourgogne and Alsace). Annette and Christian Schiller poured 5 German wines from VDP producers (the association of about 200 elite winemakers in Germany) at the Showcase of Wines walk-around tasting dinner during the second evening of the conference.
This posting provides an account of the Bourgogne tasting.
This is the third in a series of postings related to the American Wine Society National Conference 2017 at the Kalahari Resort in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania:
The 2017 American Wine Society National Conference in in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania, USA: Seen Through Christian Schiller's Camera Lens
Showcase of Wines at the 2017 National Conference of the American Wine Society: Annette and Christian Schiller Present German/ VDP/ Loosen Bros. USA Wines
A Journey through the Vineyards of Alsace - A Tasting Seminar at the National Conference 2017 of the American Wine Society, led by Annette Schiller (ombiasyPR & WineTours)
Burgundy: What makes it so special? - Seminar at the 2017 American Wine Society National Conference in in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania, led by Annette Schiller
German Wines in the 21st Century - Seminar at the 2017 American Wine Society National Conference in in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania, led by Annette Schiller
The 2017 American Wine Society (AWS) National Conference
The 2017 American Wine Society (AWS) National Conference took place on Thursday, November 2 to Saturday, November 4, 2017, at the Kalahari Resort in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania.
Close to 800 AWS members from all over the USA came to this 3-day event, filled with tastings, seminars and presentations. The American Wine Society was founded in 1967 as a non-profit, educational, consumer-oriented organization for those interested in learning more about all aspects of wine.
Burgundy: What makes it so Special? (Tasting Seminar E2)
Presenter: Annette Schiller, Owner, Ombiasy PR & Wine Tours
Overall, there were 49 seminars, with 7 seminars at the same time. Annette's Bourgogne seminar was in the time slot before lunch on Saturday morning (E2). Annette poured 6 wines.
120 people attended Annette's seminar. 180 people had signed up but attendance had to be limited to 120 people because of the number of bottles available for pouring.
Burgundy is one of the world’s best-known wine regions, but perhaps one of the least understood. Burgundy is the most terroir-oriented region in France. Immense attention is paid to the area of origin with a specific vineyard or region bearing a given classification, regardless of the owner or producer. This presentation will explore the five core appellations, the importance of history for wine making in Burgundy, and the superior position of the Grand Cru white and red wines of Burgundy in the world of wine.
Annette poured 6 wines.
WHITE
2015 Chablis, Saint Claire, Jean-Marc Brocard
2015 Pouilly Vinzelles, Mâconnais, Joseph Drouhin
RED
2013 Coteaux Bourguignons, Cuvée Terroir, Maison Roche de Bellene
2015 Mercurey, La Framboisière, Côte Chalonnaise, Domaine Faiveley
2013 Volnay, Côte de Beaune, Nicolas Rossignol
2013 Volnay, 1er Cru, Côte de Beaune, Nicolas Rossignol
The Bourgogne
The Bourgogne is one of the most famous wine regions in the world. Most of the wine produced here is Pinot Noir or Chardonnay. Beaujolais is formally part of the Burgundy wine region, but wines from this subregion are usually referred to by their own names.
Some way south of Chablis is the Côte d'Or, where Burgundy's most famous wines originate. All Grand Cru vineyards of Burgundy (except for Chablis Grand Cru) are here. The Côte d'Or is split into two parts: the Côte de Nuits in the north and the Côte de Beaune in the south. The wine-growing area is just 40 kilometres long, and in most places less than 2 kilometres wide; the area is made up of tiny villages. Further south is the Côte Chalonnaise, where a mix of mostly red and white wines are produced. Below the Côte Chalonnaise is the Mâconnais region, known for producing easy-drinking and more affordable white wine. Further south again is the Beaujolais region. The Bourgogne (including Chablis but excluding Beaujolais) covers a total of 28,000 hectares. Côte d'Or covers 8,000 hectares.
Monks and monasteries of the Roman Catholic Church had an important influence on the history of Burgundy wine. As the power of the church decreased, many vineyards which had been in the church's hands, were sold to the bourgeoisie from the 17th century. The Napoleonic inheritance laws resulted in the continued subdivision of the most precious vineyard holdings, so that some growers hold only a row or two of vines. Clos Vougeot, for example, which was a single 125 acre run by the monks, today is parceled into plots owned by nearly 80 different owners. This led to the emergence of négociants who aggregate the produce of many growers to produce a single wine. Négociants play a vital role in the Bourgogne, ranging from simple labelling and distribution, to carrying out the entire wine-making process. Négociants may supply wines at all quality levels, including Grand Cru.
Bourgogne Classification
Burgundy is the most terroir-oriented region in France. Immense attention is paid to the area of origin, as opposed to Bordeaux, where classifications are producer-driven and awarded to individual chateaux. A specific vineyard or region will bear a given classification, regardless of the wine's producer. The main levels in the Burgundy classifications, in descending order of quality, are:
Grand Cru wines are produced from a small number of vineyards in the Côte d'Or and make up 2% of the production at 35 hectoliters per hectare. The origins of Burgundy's Grand crus can be found in the work of the Cistercians who, among their vast land holdings, were able to delineate and isolate plots of land that produced wine of distinct character. There are 33 Grand Cru vineyards in the Bourgogne.
Premier Cru wines are produced from specific vineyards that are considered to be of high, but slightly lower quality; they make up 12% of production at 45 hectoliters/hectare.
Village appellation wines are produced from vineyard sites within the boundaries of one of 42 villages. Village wines make up 36% of production at 50 hectoliters/hectare.
Regional appellation wines are wines which are allowed to be produced over the entire region, or over an area significantly larger than that of an individual village. These appellations can be divided into three groups:
AOC Bourgogne, the standard appellation for wines made anywhere throughout the region; these wines may be produced at 55 hectoliters/hectare.
Subregional appellations cover a part of Burgundy larger than a village. Examples are Hautes-Côtes de Beaune and Mâcon-Villages.
Wines of specific styles or other grape varieties include white Bourgogne Aligoté (which is primarily made with the Aligoté grape), red Bourgogne Passe-Tout-Grains (which can contain up to two thirds Gamay) and sparkling Crémant de Bourgogne.
The Wines Annette Poured
2015 Chablis, Saint Claire, Domaine Jean-Marc Brocard in Préhy
This domaine is a fruit of love. Jean-Marc Brocard is from the Côte d’Or region of Burgundy and fell in love with the daughter of a winemaker in Chablis. As a wedding gift, the couple got 2.5 acres of a vineyard near the church of Saint Claire in Préhy, in the vicinity of the town of Chablis. In 1973 JeanMarc established the domaine JeanMarc Brocard and developed the estate into a domaine with over 200 acres under vine. He had no prior connection with wine and trained with his father inlaw to learn everything about winemaking. In 1996, Julien Brocard joined his father with the goal to convert to organic and biodynamic farming. The process is still ongoing. ‘La Boissonneuse’ vineyard was the first one to start with the transition process in 1997 and ‘Vielles Vignes’ followed in 2001. Today, Domaine Jean-Marc Brocard is run by the ‘fatherson’ team and stands for the upper echelon of Chablis wines.
2015 Pouilly Vinzelles, Mâconnais, Maison Joseph Drouhin in Beaune, Côte de Beaune
Joseph Drouhin was only 22 when he left his native Chablis to move to Beaune to establish his wine merchant business “Maison Joseph Drouhin” in 1880. His son started to build up a ‘Domaine’ and purchased vineyards in outstanding appelations. Today the Domaine Joseph Drouhin is with 182 acres one of the largest wine producing estates in the region. It owns vineyards in all of Burgundy: Chablis (38 hectares 95 acres), Côte de Nuits and Côte de Beaune, (32 hectares 80 acres), Côte Chalonnaise (3 hectares 7.5 acres). It is comprised of a majority of Premier and Grand Crus, planted with the two Burgundian grape varietals, pinot noir and chardonnay. It is still also one of the major négociants in Burgundy producing wines made from purchased grapes grown in different parts of Burgundy. In 1988 they invested in Oregon and established the winery Joseph Drouhin in the Willamette Valley. Today both the estates in Burgundy as well as the one in Oregon are owned and operated by the great grandchildren of Joseph Drouhin. The most ancient vaulted cellars of Beaune belong to Drouhin.
2013 Coteaux Bourguignons, Cuvée Terroir, Maison Roche de Bellene
Maison Roche de Bellene's Cuvée Terroir is mostly from the Austral, southern area, where fruit-forward, mineral inflected Gamay is grown on old vines in granite soils. It is blended with finely structured Pinot Noir from the clay and limestone soils of the Cote d'Or. The result is what the French would call a "Vin de Plaisir" - an easy-drinking, affordable wine for everyday drinking.
The Pinot Noir portion of this wine is made with a brief cold maceration to start, followed by native-yeast fermentation in open vats. The Gamay is done in the traditional manner of the south, with a semi-carbonic maceration and whole-cluster fermentation. The wines are matured in large, old oak barrels for 4-5 months. After racking and a light filtration, the wines rest a few weeks before bottling.
Maison Roche de Bellene practices traditional, respectful winemaking. Nicolas Potel and his winemaker, Sylvain Debord, work closely with growers to make decisions about vineyard practices, crop reduction harvest dates, and the fermentation regimen. Their winemaking employs “careful guidance of the human hand.”
2013 is the inaugural vintage of this wine. The exact cuvee will vary with each vintage, but in 2013 it is 80% Gamay and 20% Pinot Noir.
The wine is delicate and fruity on the palate, with delightful raspberry, blackberry and Morello cherry notes. The firm tannin of the Pinoir Noir gives the wine a fine structure that beautifully complements the rounder, softer fruitiness of the Gamay.
2015 Mercurey, La Framboisière, Côte Chalonnaise, Domaine Faiveley
Domaine Joseph Faiveley is one of the biggest domains in the Bourgogne and, many would argue, one of the best. This illustrious company has been based in Nuits St Georges since the days of Pierre Faiveley who founded the business in 1825. His son Joseph gave his name to the family business, to be followed by (1) the first François, (2) Georges who was instrumental in founding the Chevaliers du Tastevin, (3) Guy who developed the business in the Côte Chalonnaise, (4) François who recently retired and (5) now his son Erwan, born in 1979.
Guy Faiveley, a brilliant intellectual who had a collection of diplomas had the difficult job of succeeding his very colorful father. Yet, with his impetus, the domain doubled in size. François Faiveley took over the domain at the age of 25. He was able to give it a new boost – using a precursor of the sorting table and carrying out cold macerations for example. At the same age as his father, Erwan Faiveley took over the domain in 2007, becoming the seventh generation. On his arrival, he renewed and reinforced his team and invested in the winery and the vineyards. He brought new dynamics to the family business, while remaining faithful to his predecessors' values.
Initially, the company was a classic négociant, buying and selling wine. Bourgogne wines started to experience greater fame in Louis 14th's reign, when those high up in the King's court and foreign ambassadors in Paris started to take an interest. It was against this background that Pierre Faiveley founded the négociant business in 1825.
But from generation to generation, with a strong commitment to the quality of Burgundy’s patrimony, the Faiveley family has purchased vineyards and is today among the largest owners of classified vineyards in the Côte de Nuits, Côte de Beaune and Côte Chalonnaise.
The objective of the family today, led by Erwan Faiveley, is to increase the firm’s holdings of great vineyards so that there can be complete control from vine to bottle across the entire range of wines.
On October 15, 2013, in a surprise announcement, Domaine Faiveley reported it had acquired 20 hectares of vines previously owned by Domaine Dupont-Tisserandot, which is based in Gevrey-Chambertin. All together, the firm now presently owns 123 hectares of vineyards among which 12 hectares are grands crus and 27, premiers crus.
Along with this focus, Erwan Faiveley and General Manager Bernard Hervet have renovated the cellars, which now boast state-of-the-art barrel presses, custom-designed wooden vats and among the finest, air-cured oak casks available in the world. Unlike many wine growers, Domaine Faiveley has united the management of its vineyards and its cellar under the direction of one technical director, Jerome Flous.
The grapes are entirely destemmed and fermented in new custom-designed wooden vats for the finer wines, conical stainless steel tanks for the lesser cuvées. Fermentation is slow and at low temperatures.
Wines mature afterwards in oak barrels in 19th century vault cellars that offer ideal conditions for long ageing. These barrels coming from great coopers have been rigorously selected for their fine grain and light toast. Both premier and grand cru wines may receive two-thirds new wood.
Many of Faiveley's top wines are hand bottled with no filtration. This in turn results in clean, opulent wines that often show Pinot Noir at its best.
2013 Volnay, Côte de Beaune, Domaine Nicolas Rossignol
2013 Volnay, 1er Cru, Côte de Beaune, Domaine Nicolas Rossignol
Nicolas Rossignol is one of the best examples of a new generation of Burgundy wine makers whose great wines lie in the future rather than the past, entering the fray in 1994. Born in 1974, he represents the 5th generation of vine growers on the soils of Volnay. After completing his technical formation at the enology school in Beaune, Nicolas put his knowledge into practice, staging at Domaine Joseph Voillot in Volnay, Domaine Louis Latour in Ardeche and Domaine Vieux Telegraphe in Chateauneuf-du-Pape. Anxious to learn other farming and winemaking techniques, he went to work in South Africa at Domaine Boschendal Stellenbosch in 1995, followed by Château Cardonne, owned by Château Lafite-Rothchild in Bordeaux.
Upon his return home to his family’s Domaine (Rossignol-Jeanniard) Nicolas began vinifying in 1994. However, it was not long before he started his own Estate. In 1997, he acquired approximately 7.5 acres spread over the communes of Volnay, Pommard, Beaune, Aloxe-Corton and Pernand- Vergelesses. In 1998, he increased his vineyard holdings by about 3.5 acres.
Today, Nicolas makes wine from his own 17 acre estate, as well as from his fathers's vineyards.
Pinot File: Nicolas Rossignol is one of the best examples of the new generation of winemakers in Burgundy. The wines go through a long fermentation (4 weeks, during which 1 to 2 weeks of cold pre-fermentation). He uses moderate amounts of new oak. The wines are bottled without fining or filtering.
Christopher Massie on Wine: The wine-making style Nicolas prefers can be best described as “sophisticated” – to borrow a term from Allen Meadows of Burghound, who describes these wines precisely as such. Towards producing wines of classic proportions, offering intense levels of the purist fruit as well as silky tannins and laser-focused transparency, he utilizes whole clusters during fermentation. Nicolas prefers the sweetness this method imparts to the finished wines (ala Jayer), but also stresses that this method must be avoided in vintages where the stems are not ripe.
Bergman’s Bourgogne: Nicolas Rossignol has a firm grip on Volnay and Pommard, the two villages just south of Beaune. There are few cellars in Burgundy where you can taste seven Volnay premier crus and eight Pommard premier crus. In addition to these there is also a handful of village wines from both villages. Instead of blending the small parcels and just label it Volnay premier cru Nicolas Rossignol prefers to bottle everything separately.
But Nicolas Rossignol's wine portfolio is not only about Volnay and Pommard. It is practically all red, but on top of all the Pommards and Volnays there are wines from Beaune, Savigny-lès-Beaune, Pernand-Vergelesses and Aloxe-Corton.
Sponsors: Thanks!
Annette Schiller: I could not have held the seminar without the generous support of my wine sponsors. I thank all of them very much for their donations which were instrumental to the great success of the presentation. The sponsors:
Domaine Jean-Marc Brocard:
- 2015 Chablis, Saint Claire
Maison Joseph Drouhin:
- 2015 Pouilly Vinzelles, Mâconnais
Loosen Bros. USA Import:
- 2013 Coteaux Bourguignons, Cuvée Terroir, Maison Roche de Bellene
Domaine Faiveley:
- 2015 Mercurey, La Framboisière, Côte Chalonnaise
Domaine Nicolas Rossignol:
- 2013 Volnay, Côte de Beaune
- 2013 Volnay, 1er Cru, Chevret, Côte de Beaune
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