Exploring less explored Burgundy

Expectations for tonight are peak. Parav and I have been goading each other for a Berry Bros dinner for most of the time since we met. Finally, we buckled and as late birthday gifts here we are just off Pall Mall for Burgundy's Less Explored Fine Wine Dinner.

My search for that elusive Burgundian high continues, will tonight’s selection reach that cresendo?

We enter through the old part of the shop and we’re greeted with a glass of Champagne before being beckoned down two stores below No.3 St James’s Street to the Napoleon Cellar.

Nick Kemball DipWSET was our host this evening, he is currently completing his Master of Wine and was the Best UK Sommelier 2024. With these credentials he definitely has skills to make an impeccable selection. I asked Nick how he picked tonights wine, he remarked it was pretty easy, he just starts by seeing what they have in stock. I could imagine the Berry Bros cellar is a bit like Santa’s workshop with some real treasures to be found.

Over four courses we’ll experience eight wines sourced from Burgundy’s lesser known villages. The region is an accordion of terroir variability, due to tectonic plate movements millions of years ago we are left with different soils and aspects over a relatively small area. This gave winemakers a blank canvas to create many different expressions of Burgundy. Perfecting traditional techniques through experience, winemakers now realise a full and uncompromising terroir expression in their final wines.

Round 1: Cured Chalk Stream Trout, potted brown shrimps, artichoke and watercress

2023 Bouzeron Maison d’Anost (£28.00)

Bouzeron, located in the Côte Chalonnaise, just south of the Côte d'Or, was promoted to appellation status in 1998. It is the only one where Aligoté is permitted, the lesser known Burgundian white varietal. Pale lemon. Pronounced nose with clear green fruit; apple and pear. Some citrus; lemon and grapefruit. White peach. Floral notes; white flowers. I detect some buttery notes? Creamy texture with a long finish and tastes of orange peel and honeysuckle.

2023 Saint-Véran, La Combe Desroches, La Soufrandiere, Bret Brothers (£33.00)

Further south, reaching the Mâconnais, here, the whites are known for ripe stone and tropical fruit character. Saint-Véran sits either side of the more famous Pouilly-Fuissé. The wine is from a vineyard that is actually faces north giving us high acidity. Interestingly the aromas were pronounced, I would have thought the grapes would struggle to ripen here. Green and citrus fruits, but I there were also stone fruits; peach and apricot. Crisp freshness with a some roundness.

The verdict. The Bouzeron was exceptional on its own but it couldn’t compete with the food and that’s where the Saint-Véran shined, opening up to reveal more fruits.

Round 2: Wild mushroom and celeriac pithier, truffle butter sauce

2023 Savigny-lès-Beaune, Aux Vergelesses, 1er Cru, Domaine Pierre Vincent (£111.00)

Savigny-lès-Beaune, a red wine village in Côte de Beaune. In recent years Chardonnay plantings have increased and here, the upper slopes of Aux Vergelesses favour white wine. The plot borders Pernand-Vergelesses (a village I tried to visit over the summer) that is known for their white wines. Fortunately, this is close enough. From a tiny half acre plot, it’s pronounced and I’m overwhelmed by secondary aromas of oak, butter and brioche. I note some straw and hay. Dry with high acidity. Mouth feel is textured, as I taste, stone fruits persist. I wonder if the bouquet would open up if given more time to breathe?

2021 Saint Aubin, La Chatenière, 1er Cru, Joseph Colin (£64.00)

Still in Côte de Beaune, Saint Aubin sits behind Montrachet, where we get some of the world’s best Chardonnays. La Chatenière is on South / South-West facing plots, giving the vines shade in the morning but sunlight until the end of the day. This extra sunlight means the grapes can achieve full ripeness and turn into opulent wines. Not as acidic as the other wines, medium (+). More citrus notes with some supporting stone fruits in the mouth.

The verdict. I was struck by the secondary development of these wines, these were far more complex than the Bouzeron and Saint-Véran . This is very much my style, big, textured and complex - challenging. This a big step in price and this will be, in part to the additional winemaking processes that create that complexity.

Round 3: Slow-cooked short rib, creamed potatoes, onions

2022 Marsannay Rouge, Clos du Roy, Domaine Sylvain Pataille

When Nick introduced this wines, he asked if we knew about Sylvain Pataille. I got far too excited at this, his Marsannays are well known but difficult to get hold of! However, when they poured the wine it was a different bottle... even Berry Bros struggle to get their hands on this stuff!

2022 Marsannay, Le Chapitre, Domaine Jean Fournier (£40.00)

Fear not, a Marsannay was served. Marsannay is at the northern end of the Cote de Nuits and it only received appellation status in 1987, this was then extended in 2019, including Le Chapitre, where we can find the replacement. It was a delicious replacement. I was overwhelmed with rich concentrated forest fruits; red plum through to blackberry and blackcurrant. Medium well integrated tannins, a long finish of black forest fruits.

2021 Chassagne-Montrachet Rouge, Morgeot, Clos de la Chapelle, 1er Cru, Domaine de la Vougeraie (£116.00)

Confession, this was the one I was most excited for. I have had a couple Chassagne-Montrachet Rouges and feel like it’s my little secret. Back in the Côte de Beaune, here the soils are perfect for reds but the whites can sell for much higher. Morgeot’s soils in particular are well suited to red wine production. There was more of a floral expression here with violets. Red fruits came through in force, cherries, raspberries, redcurrants and forest fruits. Muted compared to the Marsannay, but I enjoyed this delicateness. There was some of that premium pinot noir funk and tanginess. The tannins were super smooth and supple - very well integrated.

Round 4: Cheese, Comte, Yarlington, Napoleon

The notes thin out a bit here.... I blame the liberal refills...

2021 Corton, La Vigne au Saint, Grand Cru, Domaine des Croix (£166.00)

Our first grand cru of the evening. Back in Côte de Beaune, here we have a south, slightly west facing plot known for producing a more graceful style. Although, here we have a bit of an experiment, only two barrels were produced with 100% whole-bunch vinification (grapes are left and fermented on their stems - introducing complexity but can create vegetal aromas if the stems aren’t ripe). The colour is medium ruby, rich forest fruits but with some underripe stem aromas. Tannins well integrated and inviting.

2018 Clos-Saint-Denis, Viellies Vignes, Grand Cru, Herni & Philippe Jouan (£220.00)

Finishing off the evening with a grand cru from Clos-Saint-Denis in the Côte de Nuits. Located in the village of Morey where the locals have been nicknamed “wolves”, the village has kept a relatively low profile, while its neighbours, Chambolle and Gevrey, arguably have more worldwide renown. What to make of the wine? Very deep ruby. Everything was pronounced. Pronounced floral notes. Pronounced forest fruits. Pronounced cloves. Then the tannins were silky, so approachable and well integrated. Here we have something that is more elegant than Gevrey and more structured than a Chambolle.

The Pinot Noir verdict. The choices are examples of how it can be done right. They all had full concentrated flavour, at this level, the aroma I always come back to is wild berries. There is a richness that extends from red fruits into black. The winemaking doesn’t stop at bringing out this fruit character, they find ways to add more complementary complexity while ensuring all these components are well integrated. This means you can enjoy them now but they have enough power for further evolution in the bottle you can resist in 5-10 years.

If I had to pick a best wine of the evening it would be the Chassagne-Montrachet. Purely on an emotional basis.

Was it worth it?

Yes. The evening was ~£300 the volume of wine consumed with a four course meal definitely covered the cost. I can’t fault the wine selection. It was amazing. A big thank you to Nick for curation of the evening and the level of service provided by the rest of the staff. There was such a welcoming atmosphere and at the table I got to meet so many fun and interesting people a big shout out to Cath and Steve, Jane and John, Natalia and Maxime(?) who we were sitting next to.

Will we be back again?

Yes