Burgundy's New Generation

[Russell_Faulkner]

This is an interesting approach. But of course there are quite a lot of ‘new generation’ producers who didn’t (on the whole) inherit the vines and are doing something exciting.

I’d include
Antoine Petitprez
Noe
Santini
Dandelion
Grappin
Marthe Henry Boillot
Horees


(We will sell these wines in Bordeaux because we are excited about them).

[dcornutt]

Lucie Coutoux granddaughter of Michel Niellon (RIP) of Domaine Michel Niellon. There are some extraordinary wines coming out of this address. She is the new guard.

When did she take over and have the wines changed?

Her father, Michel Coutoux, is still in charge I guess but she is very much now the winemaker if my info is correct. Michel Coutoux is the son in law married to Michel Niellon’s daughter. Lucie is his daughter. He has been making the wines for several years. Not sure of the exact year Lucie became extremely involved. It was recent. I know she made the 2017s if I am correct. They are a brilliant set of wines. The 2018s are not far off. They are still that ultra pure style. Very mineral. I think they are even better than her father or grandfather.

William Kelley knows Msr. Coutoux very well I think. He might be able to tell us the exact year she really took the reins.

[Kelly_Walker]

Raphaël Coche has some pretty big shoes to fill. Some say the wines are changing but I love his results.

Alexandre Bernier replaced Bernard Noblet at DRC a couple of years ago. The results will be followed closely for sure.

Jean-Baptiste Bouzereau at Michel Bouzereau has been making the wine for 20 years but he has transformed that Domaine into one of the very best producers.

[Mattstolz]

According to WS’s obituary for his father, Guillaume was 47 in 2003, meaning he is 65 this year!

Jeremy Seysses was born in 1975 and this is his 20th year making the Dujac wines.

I think including them in the “new generation”, therefore, is testimony to how Burgundy’s wines can mitigate the effects of the passage of the years

I honestly did not realize Jeremy has been involved that long. That is part of why I think that really works so well, and why I love this conversation about Burgundy as opposed to Bordeaux or many others. Like Howard mentioned, by time the grandfather (or mother) is done teaching, it is almost the grandson (or daughters) turn to start learning! I love that.

I’m most curious about Clément Barthod-Boillot. What an incredible array of 1er Cru at a single address (as well as Beaujolais). As much as I love the Barthod and Boillot wines (I’ve been buying Barthod since the 1995 vintage) if they could have a touch less austerity in their youth, that would be great.

In a perfect world, everything would be like Mugneret-Gibourg, delicious whenever you choose to open them.

I was so frustrated during the Inside Burgundy call with him because I was so interested to hear what his approach would be, and even the other winemakers on the call mentioned not being able to understand him! was such a shame to not get an idea of if he would merge styles or change any approaches. William, any chance you can shed any light on his approach?

I would say that he is pretty well established by now: above all, he is making the wines he wants to make, and has progressed piece by piece to the point that you could say he has a “mature style”, even if he still has plenty of projects to carry out. Pierre is 1982 vintage, the same as Raphaël Coche. There are a few others around that age, e.g. Loïc Dugat-Py, Bertrand Dugat, Arnaud Mortet, who are also very well established now as they approach their 40th birthdays.

The domaines that are going through a transition right now, or are about to go through a transition soon, are often those that last went through a transition in the early 1980s. The premise of the thread is quite correct in that many of those estates are what might be considered “leading domaines”, so Burgundy’s familiar dramatis personae is going to suddenly look very different in just a few more years.

do you know much about how some of the personalities and domaines mentioned thus far are approaching the transition? at addresses like Lafon, Mugneret Girbourg, Barthod, Boillot, Drouhin, etc, are the older generations planning on spending a lot of time sharing their knowledge or just handing the domaines off and traveling the world?

This is an interesting approach. But of course there are quite a lot of ‘new generation’ producers who didn’t (on the whole) inherit the vines and are doing something exciting.

I’d include
Antoine Petitprez
Noe
Santini
Dandelion
Grappin
Marthe Henry Boillot
Horees


(We will sell these wines in Bordeaux because we are excited about them).

I’m gonna have to start doing some digging on those! thanks for the post!

[Howard_Cooper]

According to WS’s obituary for his father, Guillaume was 47 in 2003, meaning he is 65 this year!

Jeremy Seysses was born in 1975 and this is his 20th year making the Dujac wines.

I think including them in the “new generation”, therefore, is testimony to how Burgundy’s wines can mitigate the effects of the passage of the years

I honestly did not realize Jeremy has been involved that long. That is part of why I think that really works so well, and why I love this conversation about Burgundy as opposed to Bordeaux or many others. Like Howard mentioned, by time the grandfather (or mother) is done teaching, it is almost the grandson (or daughters) turn to start learning! I love that.

Yep. A lot of people find Burgundy confusing because of all the similar names. But, this just means they are people and not banks or insurance companies. Like you, I love it. Nothing in the world like going to winery whether in Burgundy, Alsace, Bandol or wherever and getting to meet family members involved in growing the grapes and making the wines. Adds about 5 points to any wine I drink from anywhere if I have visited the winery and have been hosted by the owners. 10 points if it is from Truchot or Dublere.

[Brady_Daniels]

Nothing in the world like going to winery whether in Burgundy, Alsace, Bandol or wherever and getting to meet family members involved in growing the grapes and making the wines. Adds about 5 points to any wine I drink from anywhere if I have visited the winery and have been hosted by the owners. 10 points if it is from Truchot or Dublere.

I mostly agree with this. I’d only add that visits that are indifferent or worse don’t evoke that same nostalgic feeling that makes mines more enjoyable. And yes, I’ve had a few, even in Burgundy. But they are definitely the exception.

Also, I’m sad I never met Jackie Truchot. Loved his wines and I’m sure it would have been magical. I didn’t visit Burgundy until after he retired. Maybe I should have leaned on Henri Jouan to arrange a meeting. (I’m kidding, I’m not that entitled.)

[Mattstolz]

Nothing in the world like going to winery whether in Burgundy, Alsace, Bandol or wherever and getting to meet family members involved in growing the grapes and making the wines. Adds about 5 points to any wine I drink from anywhere if I have visited the winery and have been hosted by the owners. 10 points if it is from Truchot or Dublere.

I mostly agree with this. I’d only add that visits that are indifferent or worse don’t evoke that same nostalgic feeling that makes mines more enjoyable. And yes, I’ve had a few, even in Burgundy. But they are definitely the exception.

Also, I’m sad I never met Jackie Truchot. Loved his wines and I’m sure it would have been magical. I didn’t visit Burgundy until after he retired. Maybe I should have leaned on Henri Jouan to arrange a meeting. (I’m kidding, I’m not that entitled.)

speaking of Jouan, how many years has he been at the helm now? I always group him and Bertheau in the same thought for some reason.

[Brady_Daniels]

Nothing in the world like going to winery whether in Burgundy, Alsace, Bandol or wherever and getting to meet family members involved in growing the grapes and making the wines. Adds about 5 points to any wine I drink from anywhere if I have visited the winery and have been hosted by the owners. 10 points if it is from Truchot or Dublere.

I mostly agree with this. I’d only add that visits that are indifferent or worse don’t evoke that same nostalgic feeling that makes mines more enjoyable. And yes, I’ve had a few, even in Burgundy. But they are definitely the exception.

Also, I’m sad I never met Jackie Truchot. Loved his wines and I’m sure it would have been magical. I didn’t visit Burgundy until after he retired. Maybe I should have leaned on Henri Jouan to arrange a meeting. (I’m kidding, I’m not that entitled.)

speaking of Jouan, how many years has he been at the helm now? I always group him and Bertheau in the same thought for some reason.

Philippe supposedly took over in 2005. But Henri doesn’t really agree with this assessment.