Whiffling Burghounds
From the dawn of Les Caves de Pyrene time we have always been pigeon-holed as the South West specialist: mad about Madiran, crazy about Cahors, frantic about Fronton, passionate about Pacherenc, jaunty about Jurancon and bonqueurs about Buzet and Bergerac. Meanwhile, in the real world, people sold wine. Our love of France, however, was much much more than a mere gavage of Gascon idiosyncrasy, and all regions were eventually amply represented in our portfolio except for Burgundy whose elusive wares were inevitably the province of other merchants.
Now the Burghounds can, if not howl, certainly bark more appreciatively at us, because we have assembled a reckonable range of growers. 
We begin with the wines of Patrick Miolane, a vigneron based in Saint-Aubin. His village Puligny comes from a parcel of vines planted in the early 1960s on alluvial soils. The harvest is manual with the grapes transported in small cases to the winery and sorted further on the table de tri. After pressing the juice is chilled down for debourbage and undergoes an alcoholic followed by malolactic fermentation. Batonnage is practiced in order to give more aromatic richness to the wine. Half of the wine is raised in tank and half in futs de chene of which 20% of new Burgundy barrels. Yellow straw in colour with a nose of hawthorn and holly, candied apples and pears. On the palate it is round, generous, ample, and delicate in texture that lingers on the palate for a long finish. The acidity is just amazing here. Several years in bottle will reward patience as you can sense the shimmering nervosity of the wine “C’est un vin gourmand qui revele des aujourd’hui une facilite gustative.” Get your gustatory kicks as you sup this wine with a fillet of sea bass - which the estate recommends you cook with andouille de Gemene, a dish assuredly aimed at the chitterling classes. Ebaupin is a small parcel of thirty-five year old Pinot Noir vines situated just above the village of Saint-Aubin on limestone-clay soils. After the manual harvest and selection the grapes are destemmed and put into a tank cooled down to 8 degrees centigrade. The fermentation begins slowly and naturally and pigeage and remontage take place during the twenty one day cuvaison after which the wine is transferred to futs de chene for twenty- four months. This red has the ruby clarity characteristic of Saint-Aubin and the well-delineated nose reveals a complex palette of fruit aromas such as redcurrants and cherries, whilst the wood notes lend a depth and sensuality. The wine lingers gently in the mouth, the softness of the fruitness given grip and definition by the refined and delicate tannins. This charming Pinot would gladly doff its fez at a pot-roast pheasant. Les Perrieres is a parcel of south-east facing vines situated just behind the domaine. The micro-climate contributes to the amazing character of the wine. This Saint-Aubin is dark red, fluid, almost twinkling. The nose is seductive, marked by liquorice and cassis and with a certain animal character that contributes an extra dimension. Elegant and lifted the palate is completed by the signature Perrieres minerality which raises this wine to a level where it might be confused with some of the finer Burgundies of the region. This finesse steers our putative food match towards fish such as sandre - la peau croustillante sur une fondue d’echalote et sauce au vin rouge. If that’s a bit too complicated to rustle up in ye olde microwave try it with salmon and a beurre blanc reduction.
Hubert Lamy is considered by most to be the benchmark producer in St. Aubin. Nestled in the hills between Chassagne and Puligny Montrachet, Saint-Aubin - one of Burgundy’s best kept secrets - often produces wines that rival those of its illustrious neighbours and its wines represent exceptional value. Having said that, Lamy’s wines command the same price as those from Meursault and Puligny.
Olivier Lamy, Hubert’s son, took over the winemaking in 1992 and ever since the winery has gone from strength to strength.
The vineyards are situated on limestone-clay with a south or south-east aspect. Debudding occurs in May to limit the number of grapes on the vine and a green harvest in August ensures that only the best quality grapes will remain to be harvested. The Lamys practise lutte raisonnee. This entails using anti-parasitical treatments that respect the existing fauna and flora - and then only in exceptional circumstances. Organic composting takes place to engender healthy soils. Perfectionism rules as yields are kept low and a recent innovation has been the introduction of selection tables in the cuverie to ensure that only the healthiest and ripest grapes are used. Lamy has begun experimenting with 600-litre tonneaux in the winery, rather than all 225-litre barriques. He feels this protects the purity of the fruit without over-oaking. Today, the majority of his production is raised in these larger casks. Vinification is traditional and the wines are matured in oak casks (20-30% new) for 12 months before minimal filtration and then bottling. Lamy seeks to make stylish wines that are refined and racy, and underscore St. Aubin’s mineral character. La Princee is bready on the nose with clean, crisp, peach-kernel and lime-fruited aromas emerging. Lovely freshness and cleanness on the palate. En Remilly is a svelte and elegant white wine, with silky minerality. Ripe fruit and stone layer in a millefeuille on the mid-palate. It is both intense and delicate with a terrific finish. The Saint-Aubin Rouge Derriere Chez Edouard is a mouthful and a mouthful. Limpid colour, nose of cinnamon, musk and cherry and mingled flavours of strawberry, mocha and earth. Plenty of life left in this wine!
Situated in the very heart of Saint-Aubin Domaine Larue also produces a particularly fine example of Puligny. The Garenne vineyard is a mere 0.6 hectare in size. The viticulture is exacting: lutte raisonnee, working the soil, green harvest, manual harvest. Fermentation is in barrique, a third of which are new and there is a further elevage on the lees with regular batonnage. The wine displays classic honey, butter and citrus overlaid with hazelnut and pain grille and the striking palate offers equilibrium between minerality and sweetness. Try this, if you will, with medallions of monkfish in a saffron sauce or fricassee de volaille aux morilles.
The Saint-Aubin 1er cru Vieilles Vignes is a reserved character with a nervy citrus acidity that dances around the butter, nuts, yeast and toasted almond character of the wine. The wine uncoils with some time in the carafe to reveal some nice honey and fig aromas. I’m thinking smoked trout, you’re thinking turbot.
More next time on Chassagne-Montrachet from Coffinet-Duvernay, a solid Puligny from Domaine Bzikot, Philippe Pacalet’s low sulphur red Burgundies and a superb range of new wines from Fred Cossard’s Domaine de Chassorney.