From: Burgundy, France
Varietal: Chardonnay
Tasting Notes: Solid quality- in fact, I’d go as far to say that this is one of the best “value” white Burgundy wines I’ve had in a while. Seductive texture with a flinty, citrus, orchard fruit core that blossoms into racy stone fruits and kumquats on a chiseled, precision-led palate, leading into a persistent finish that’s rich but mineral at the same time. From 50- year-old vines grown between Meursault and Chassagne-Montrachet, this bottling conveys the opulent, piquant, golden-luster of the Côte d’Or.
Pairing: Any sort of roasted chicken, mushroom, scallion and butter dish would be amazing with this wine, not to mention recipes that revolve around caramelized onions and/or leeks. Go classic(ish) and serve alongside Sam Sifton’s Fluke in Lemon Brodetto With Scallops and Squash!
About. The history of Maison Vincent Girardin is relatively recent. In 1980, at the age of 19, Vincent Girardin, the son of a family of winegrowers based in Santenay since the 17th century, decided to strike out on his own and began producing wine from five acres of vines that he had inherited from his parents. From his earliest youth, Vincent had a passion for working with vines and great respect for the potential that they represent, and his ambition was to produce his own wine.
The quality of his wines was quickly recognized by connoisseurs all over the world, and this enabled him to expand his activity, focusing primarily on the great white and red wines of the Côte de Beaune. To cope with the growing demand for his wines, he developed an approach that was new in Burgundy: he purchased grapes from producers who shared the same philosophy and the same high standards. Quick note: This practice of buying from producers who share the same farming and winemaking philosophy is alive and well today. They’re called ‘micronegociants,’ and unlike the ‘negociant’ of old, this system of quality over quantity is one that strikes a cord with many a Burgundy-lover around the world.
In 2012, Vincent Girardin sold his operation to a long-standing partner of the Maison. Jean-Pierre Nié, President of the Compagnie des Vins d’Autrefois in Beaune, naturally decided to continue with the small team of nine people that had been faithful to the Maison for many years. Today, Eric Germain continues to uphold the style of the wines, and Marco Caschera markets them all over the world.
Eric Germain has been winemaker at Vincent Girardin for nearly twenty years. He was
known as Vincent’s right-hand man for many years until Vincent’s retirement. From a
family of winemakers in Meursault and as an oenologist, Eric has expert knowledge of the vineyard and the Côte de Beaune especially. In 2013, Eric became partners with Marco Caschera in Vincent Girardin. Eric has been instrumental in the expansion at the winery, with both investments in the Domaine’s vines and recent acquisitions in Volnay, Puligny, Meursault, Pommard and Auxey-Duresses.
