2017 Red Burgundy: Chandon de Briailles and Domaine des Chezeaux

Keep it under your hat, but this Savigny-lès-Beaune property is one of the most overlooked and underrated in the Côte d'Or. Maybe that is because of its address in what some misguidedly regard as an “untrendy” appellation. Maybe it is because Chandon de Briailles is a traditional grower without airs and graces. The bottom line is that they are making damn good wine, perhaps the best ever under congenial co-proprietor François de Nicolay, who runs the estate with his sister. For me, this is one of the most aesthetically pleasing estates in Burgundy, an idyllic family home not only designed in the manner of Versailles, but designed by the same architect as Versailles at the end of the 1600s. At the rear of the maison, hidden by a high, ancient stone wall, lies the large family garden that cuts off the outside world, imbuing the domaine with a sense of tranquillity. The interior décor is steeped in history, the tasting room lined with 19th-century books, a sideboard decked with black and white photos of ancestors. It is a little timeworn yet brims with character and charm.
That is all a moot point if the wine does not measure up. However, after visiting here for many years, I can say that the 2017s rank amongst their finest. The freshness and terroir expression is the best I have ever seen, their use of 100% whole cluster fruit deft in application insofar as the presence of stems is sensed but never imparts overt “stemmy” traits. “We started harvesting on September 1 and finished on September 26,” de Nicolay explained. “The fruit was quite healthy and so there was not much selection to do. We achieved around 13° alcohol and there is no chaptalisation. The malolactic fermentation went through the same time as the alcoholic, which is why I bottled some of the cuvées sooner. In fact, the white malolactic went through after the reds. The malolactic acidity was quite low and so the conversion started earlier. I used no sulphur until just before bottling.”
There is so much to recommend here. Those looking for quality without busting wallets should make a beeline for the superb Pernand-Vergelesses Île de Vergelesses. An appellation and indeed, a Premier Cru that is often overlooked, it produced wonderful whites and reds in 2017 – perfect drinking over the next seven to 10 years. Even better is their killer Savigny-lès-Beaune Aux Fournaux, one of the finest vineyards in the appellation. This punches well above its weight and would give many expensive Premier Crus a run for their money. To be honest, these Premier Crus are so good that they nip at the heels of their own Grand Crus. That said, the domaine’s Corton Blanc and Corton Clos-du-Roi are both well worth seeking out and may offer more longevity.

From Burgundy Report: 
Whilst not a name on the tip of most peoples tongues, Chezeaux is the largest owner of Griotte-Chambertin – almost 60% of the vineyard. In fact they have a few other choice parcels too: Clos St Denis (100 year old vines – though due to the replanting of some empty spaces this average may slowly come down), Chambertin and some parcels of Gevrey 1er Cru’s. So why might you not know the name? That’s because you probably know the wines already, but under different labels – Laurent Ponsot for the three Grand Cru’s, René Leclerc also for the Griotte and Domaine Berthaut for the other Gevrey wines.

The domaine was formed in 1982 from the holdings of the Mercier family who still run the company (SNV des Chézeaux), the name Chézeaux refers to the original Mercier family home close the Chateau of Gevrey within the walls of which are about half a hectare of vines – Clos de Chézeaux. The basis of the holdings date from 1928, but today there are no winemakers in the family, hence, their holdings are all ‘en metayage’ i.e. they are ‘farmed’ by others (Ponsot, Leclerc & Berthaut) who take two thirds of the crop as payment, the balance going to ‘des Chézeaux’. In the case of Chézeaux the ‘metayers’ also do the elevage and bottling – herein used to lie a bit of a problem – for both Chézeaux and the consumer – historically and specifically for the Griotte; when you placed your order, you don’t know whether you would be getting the Ponsot or the Leclerc produced wine!