From: Burgundy, France
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Taste: Though this wine is thirst-quenchingly juicy & goes down easily, perhaps too quickly upon first opening, we recommend letting this sit or cellar (the latter if you're hosting). The aromas of bing cherry, red flowers, and perfectly plump raspberry meet graphite in the glass.
The fruit is dominant on day 1, though since it's early 2023, that's no shock to anyone. That mineral graphite note is more pronounced on day 2; the floral quality is more distinct and adds lift. There's also a distinctive brown spice and blood orange note that carries through to the palate that adds intrigue, and on day 2, the blood orange picks up on the palate for a pleasant "pick-you-up" vibe.
Pairing: The usual suspects apply here; roasted or braised beef (ie Boeuf Bourguignon), poultry like roasted chicken or Coq au Vin, duck confit, and game meats like venison (chicken fried for us please but only because we’re in dire need of comfort food). For veggie-based meals, lean into all the mushrooms you can! Basically, anything that combines elements of umami while staying away from dishes that carry too much acid, heat (spicy), and citrus (though orange citrus works in balanced doses!). We’re going with elements both classic and new in our pairing suggestion today, noted below. Happy dining!
Braised Short Rib Dumplings
Recipe from Café Boulud
Adapted by Alex Witchel
From an interview with Ola Bergman, 2020.
The six Savigny-lès-Beaune premier crus of Domaine Philippe & Arnaud Dubreuil look as if they have been placed there for educational purposes. Nicely lined up across the eastern part of Savigny-lès-Beaune, from one side to the other, from the bottom of the slope to the top, they illustrate the differences in character. Tasting the wines side by side will give you an idea of the impact of the variations in soil, exposure etc.
In terms of surface area Savigny-lès-Beaune is one of the major villages in the Côte d’Or. 358 hectares of vineyards in total. Like many other growers here Domaine Philippe & Arnaud Dubreuil has its vineyards in Savigny and the neighbouring villages. From 45 parcels in five villages – Beaune, Chorey-lès-Beaune, Aloxe-Corton, Ladoix-Serrigny and Savigny-lès-Beaune – Arnaud Dubreuil produces 15 wines.
– Growing up I wanted to become a horticulturist, a gardener, says Arnaud Dubreuil. As I grew older I found it more logical to take on the family domaine instead. I love working outdoors.
Domaine Philippe & Arnaud Dubreuil is a bit unusual in the sense that everything is sold directly to private customers. There is no export, no distributors or resellers. The only exception is a small portion of grapes sold to Bichot, the négociant, thanks to an old agreement.
– I took on the domaine in 2010, explains Arnaud Dubreuil. By then I had been working together with my father for ten years. My grandfather created the domaine in the 1950s. Then my father set up his own in the 1970s. When my grandfather retired my father brought together all the vineyards from the two domaines.
Since then Arnaud Dubreuil has added another two and a half hectares to the domaine, making the total surface area 12,5 hectares. 80 per cent of the production is red wine, the rest is white. Domaine Philippe & Arnaud Dubreuil also shares its past with another Savigny-lès-Beaune domaine, Domaine Simon Bize.
– Bize is an old family, says Arnaud Dubreuil. My grandmother was a Bize. Patrick Bize was my father’s cousin. In the past Domaine Dubreuil and Domaine Bize were the same domaine.
– The great grandparents Bize had vineyards. My grandmother got some of them and that was what my grandfather started out with. He originally came from a village in the plains, not far from Beaune.
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The six Savigny-lès-Beaune premier crus of Domaine Philippe & Arnaud Dubreuil – all red – are lined up from south to north across the commune. Les Narbantons is the southernmost of them all, next to the Paris motorway.
Les Serpentières never suffers from drought stress. There are underground springs there and when it rains there is water coming up to the surface.
– It’s a wine with lots of finesse. East of Les Serpentières you have Les Lavières, which is quite different. The name comes from laves, the flat stones you find there. You only have 30 centimetres of surface soil before you reach the laves.
Immediately above Les Lavières you have the small premier cru of Les Charnières. It is actually surrounded by Les Lavières on three sides.
