BURGUNDY: MEET 10 EXCEPTIONAL TALENTS
The complexities of Burgundy, its appellations, walled slopes and dynastic stories are a source of fascination for many wine lovers. Inspired by research for her latest book, Jeannie Cho Lee MW highlights 10 personalities leading dynamic change in the reg
On a rainy Friday afternoon in March 2020, the second day of the Zachys Burgundy auction at Le Bernardin Privé New York was in full swing. Champagne flowed from 10am, and by lunchtime, grand cru red and white Burgundy wines were being generously shared among 150 registered bidders in the packed room. This was a hardcore Burgundy wine lovers’ gathering in celebration of the La Paulée weekend – even as Covid-19 was wreaking havoc around the world, with the US confirming 550 cases that weekend and only two weeks before the citywide lockdown.
For the past 10 years, as other wine regions including Bordeaux gained and then lost favour among fine wine lovers, Burgundy has been on a steady, steep, upward trajectory. Charles Antin from Zachys auction house says: ‘2016 was the first year we saw Burgundy surpass Bordeaux in terms of annual sales dollars. In 2018, Burgundy was 35% of lots and 54% of value, and in 2019 it was 38% of lots and 55% of value.’
This growing consumer demand around the world coincides with seven consecutive years of small yields in Burgundy (starting in 2010), mostly due to various climatic challenges. As prices crept up, so did the ambition and pressure to produce consistently high-quality wines, fuelling the motivation among producers to compete with the likes of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Domaine Armand Rousseau and Domaine Leroy. The new younger generation and a bevy of soughtafter micro-négociants are giving star domaines a run for their money.
Riding high
When I started my research on The 100 Burgundy back in 2014, Burgundy fever had already struck wine collectors in Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan; though not yet at the frenzied level it is now. Japan was already way ahead and was selling much of its allocation to
The 100 Burgundy: Exceptional wines to build a dream cellar (published by Assouline, £65/€75) collectors in Hong Kong and China through retailers such as Enoteca. It was fascinating to discover the dynamic changes that were well underway, combined with increasing momentum as wines commanded higher prices. Jean-Marie Fourrier, from Domaine Fourrier, laments: ‘We can’t just be farmers any more. We are constantly being asked to host dinners and entertain around the world.’
Dedicated vignerons such as Fourrier inspired me to write a book that is as much about the people as the wines themselves.
The 100 wines included in my book are a very personal selection, chosen for my daughter’s Burgundy ‘dream cellar’.
The 10 personalities selected for this article are, in my view, producing the most exciting wines at the highest calibre and quality for their respective regions. These producers are incredibly talented, dedicated and driven to continually improve their wines.
Some, like Cécile Tremblay and Arnaud Ente, are already on a rising trajectory, while Pierre Duroché and Charles Lachaux are just starting. What they have in common is that they have not yet reached their peak.
When the Zachys auction ended, I asked its president Jeff Zacharia what he thought of the results, given the jittery financial markets and the Covid-19 pandemic. He seemed pleased with the US$9.9 million (£7.4m) raised, with most wines selling at the high estimate and 40% of the buyers being Asian. ‘It’s Burgundy,’ he said with a shrug and a big smile.
‘These 10 are producing the most exciting wines at the highest calibre and quality for their respective regions’