Vins d`Autrefois

May 15, 20o day ended with at the headquarters and tasting room of D`Autrefois.  This large company represents over 100 wines from 5 areas of Burgundy.  The company is owned by Jeanne Pierre Nie, a wine legend.  The headquarters and tasting room.are located in beautiful, historic Beaune. Representing so many wines from so many areas, all pallets will be satisfied with one of the selections.  On this night we tasted 35 wines, ranging from light and easy drinking to bold full bodied beauties. 35 is way to many to discuss here so I have picked a few of my favorites. 
D`Autrefois Pinot Noir Pays d`Oc
I must confess that this wine is a staple in my home.  A fruit forward medium body that has a long fruit filled finish. Smooth and easy drinking it offers so much.more character than many domestic pinots for a lot less money.  
Chateau Phillipe Le Hardi
Hautes Cotes de Beaune, Monopole
A seductive French Chardonnay. A golden straw color, a nose that is reminiscent of spring flowers.  It is fruity and fresh with a balance of minerality. 
Easy and crisp with a medium finish a great wine to serve with any meal.
Chateau Phillipe Le Hardi Les Puillets
Mercury 1er Cru.
An elegant smooth wine. Its color is a deep rich purple.  The nose blasts of dark ripe fruits.  Enticing and seductive the wine does not disappoint.  The mouth is velvety soft with tannins that invite you to have more.  Well structured and complex it lives up to its Cru.
Domaine Coquard Loison Fleurot
Vosne Romanee
Wow what can I say.  This wine is definitely a full representation of the Cote de Nuits.  All the grapes are hand picked and destemmed.  They are not filtered and will have some sediment in the bottle ( just more flavor to  enjoy).  The wine is a bright red color.  The nose reminds me of candy and jams.  The mouth also reminds me of bright red fruit,strawberry, with hints if a spring bouquet.  Enjoy this wine with any meal. Absolutely luscious.
  Fixin, Domaine Derey 2012
This generations owned winery produces some notable fixtures on their  market. I chose this one not only because of the taste, nut who can resist that name. 
A Pinot Noir of course.  The company describes it as a wild animal like wine with black and red fruit characteristics.  This is a solid wine that will be aged up to 6 years and will be a fantastic find. 
I found it to be fine to drink now but can only anticipate what it will be like with some.ageing. 
We ended the evening at a small bistro that Mr. Nie had rented out for the evening.  We were again given several more wines with each course.  The appetizer was a traditional burgundian staple. Poached eggs in red wine, yum.
The meal was very satisfying, prime rib and sides, followed of course by the cheeses and then apple tart for desert.
After so many wines and this huge dinner we walked back to the hotel trying to repast. To say the.least one of the best sleeps of the trip.
Thanks Jeanne Pierre Nie and d`Autrefois for this fabulous evening.

The offices in Beaune

Myself with Jeanne Pierre Nie and 

Alfio Moriconi

Just a few of the wines

Part of the cellar that dates 

To the second century

Poached eggs in red wine

Can you say Yum

Cheers

Domaine Patrick Javillier

Known for luscious Burgundy whites, Javillier is a legend.  His relatively small acreage covers five villages of the Cote de Beaune.  He produces high quality, small yield wines. Concentrated flavors that show off the terroir of the villages.
We were abke to sample;
Bourgogne Blanc Cuvee Forgets 2012
Mersault Les Tillets 2012, Savigny Les Beaunes Serpentieres  2012.

All exceptional examples of extraordinarily creative winemaking.  Added bonuses were the Mersault Les Clousots.
The Cuvee Forgets is an elegant crisp lighter body wine. Well balanced hints of tree fruit, apple and pear. Creamy  mouth feel.  Smooth, a true burgundian white.
The Savigny Les Beaunes sets the standard.  Bright, crisp and elegant it has layers of finely sewn flavors that enhance
The lighter body .  Citrus flavors that enthralled the mouth.
The Les Tillets is crisp, dry and acutely elegant.  Pineapple and tart with a quick finish.  Fruit to the last.

The winery

Patrick Javillier

The team with the Javillier`s

The barrel room

Ch. De Chamirey and the wines of Devillard

The Devillard family have been a fixture in Burgundy since the 18th century.  The family owns 4 domaines and manages or bottles the.wine for them.  The domaines are Ch de Chamirey, Domaine des Perdrix, Domaine de la Ferte, Le.Renard, Domaine de la Garenne,  Domaine du Cellier aux Moines.
We sampled 8 wines from the collection. All are intense, exceptional wines and some of the finest examples from their respective regions. 
The Renard Chardonnay 2012, is a fruit forward medium body wine with great balance. Hints of crisp apple and pear. Beautifully done.
Ch de Chamirey blanc  2011,has an intense nose. Elegant and complex, melon, a silky coating to the mouth with a long finish.
The Rouge 2011 is a fabulous dark purple
Intense plum light and juicy hint of spice for the lingering finish well balanced.

Ch de Chamirey Premier Cru, Monopole 2011. Approachable enjoyable with a floral knows Ruby colored with cinnamon pepper in a lighter body smooth easy finish an enjoyable and approachable wine with light tannins.
Domaine du Cellier Aux Moines Givry Premier Cru. 2011
An intense floral nose. Lighter body but with structure. Smooth and fruit forward.
Domaine des Pedrix 2011.
Easy drinking fruit forward Pinot Noir. Light to medium body with hints of pepper and cinnamon on the tongue.
Domaine des Pesrix Nuita st George Premier Cru. 2011
A dark plum color. A sweet rose nose. A rich mouthful, full body, textured and complex. Tannins are silky and smooth.
Domaine des Pedrix Echezeaux Grand Cru 2011.
Nose of pepper and cassis. Black fruits, fleshy long spicy tannins.

These are the wines we sampled. All are very much worth the $ . Enjoy..

Luquet

After a short drive we arrived at Luquet. A small family owned winery that produces incredible whites (chardonnay) done in the burgundy style. The St Verans Vers Les Monts, Pouilly Fuisse, Macon Village Condemine. Beautifully unoaky or a touch of oak taste with lots of melon, pineapple and peach flavors flowing through. Ranging from crisp and light to smooth and creamy. Small quality producers whose wines epitomize the art of winemaking.    My favorite was the Ver Les Monts. An elegant off dry wine. Perfectly balanced with hints of pineapple, grapefruit and melon. Smooth wast and rich with a crisp.ending. 

We were given the extra treat of sampling the Cremant Luquet Brut. Not yet on the market. A true sparkling tradition. Not bitter or tart like some bruts can be.  Elegant and crisp with no lingering aftertaste. A totally enjoyable start to the morning. 

Georges Duboeuf

Our last stop of the day brought us to Beaujolais.  More specifically to Georges Duboeuf the King of Beaujolais.  Beaujolais is know as the lighter red wine. Made from Gamay it exisits to compliment food and be the easy drinking go to table wine. Now if you believe that is all it is you are sadly mistaken.  Domaine Pignard is smooth easy drinking and a great go to. 
The Michelin Moulin Vent is deep rich and complex. The 4 Vents is a beautiful rich dark fruity wine with cinnamon , spice and everything nice. The Brouilly is espcially fine. Beautiful, floral velvet and silk.  We tried several of the whites the burgundy white  the Pouilly Fusse Galioperies (yes I misspelled the hell out of that). If you do not like the big bold butter oak chardonnay that is California then this is one for you to try.  Soft elegant no oak. Crisp delightful with touches of peach. 
We were pampered with a traditional dinner. And "inducted" into the oldest union, the grape pickers of Beajolais. 
Thanks to Debeouf for a tremendous end to our day. 

PH Morel and Chapoutier

Our second stop of the day was with PHMorel Chapoutier. Exquisite wines. Ee. We were fortunate to sample many of their wines .  All of the PH Morel wines hold the distinction of being not only popular but quality too. We were lucky to sample the new Douro from.their vineyards in Portugal also. 
The Signargues was spectacular as was rhe higondas. The Chante Alouette had hints of bitterscotch and cream with a softer easy smooth mouth. And what can I say about the Lieu dit Pignan. Luscious deep complex that is easy to drink and fruit forward. The Monier de la Suzanne Hermitage was reminiscent of dark red fruits with hints of licorice. Wonderful wines with a long history going back to 1808.

Day 7

We started out today in the south Rhone valley. Just a few miles from the Mediterranean.  Our first stop was with Laurent Terrisson wines. We visited several of the cooperatives he produces and ha d tasting at two places. We visited the vineyards of Chante-Chigale. Can you say damn it was cold. The mistral winds were blowing hard through the valley and there is no protection in a vineyard.  We were able to see the old castle of the Pope not much remains since WW2.  At Cave de Rasteau we samed several wines from the cooperatives.  Domaine de la Maurelle a Cote du Rhone, A Maurelle gigondas, A Domaine Mas Cu Bouquet that was absolutely fabulous.  The Domaine Du Grand Prieur, Ch  des Hautes Ribes, and Domaine de la Curniere which is very rare in the states.  We also had to Vacqueras, Eternite and Vieilles Vignes. All very sound wines.  Ranging from soft and fruity to intense tannins. I you want to try one email me and I can give you more specifics.   We next went to his tasting room where he had severak producers set up. Chante Cigake, Ch Eitagr, Domaine le Columbier, Pierre Amadieu, Luc Pirlet, Domaine Duclaux, Ortas.  Each producer had several wines making it tough to talk about each one. Luc Pirlet wines are great easy drinking with structure, the Chante Cigale well what can I say it lived up to the quality I have come to know. All of the Le Colunbier wines were intense and full body beautifully structured with easy smoky, velvey characteristics.  The Rasteua Signature is a perfect compliment to any desert or after dinner avticivity.  Well balanced, sweet and supple. Soft elegant and smooth. And folks that was just the first stop of the day.