As all eyes are on Burgundy for the release of the region’s 2018s, our Head Chef Stewart Turner has rustles up a recipe for a fish stew that will sing alongside the region’s whites
January is Burgundy season and I’m a real fan of these wines.
It is definitely my favourite wine region, especially for whites, with
Meursault being my go-to for a special occasion. So, with all that in mind – and
breaking with tradition – I’m doing a dish to go with all those fantastic
Burgundian whites. These wines are often paired, and work fantastically well,
with shellfish; but as Burgundy is landlocked, I thought it would be great to
do something that hails from the region. This is my take on what is a classic
freshwater fish stew, or Pôchouse, as it’s known to the locals.
River fish are an acquired taste and their popularity has
been declining for many years, so they can be quite hard to source. I’ve stuck
with trout and crayfish, as they are readily available, but you can use carp or
perch, although these are mainly produced in Eastern Europe and China where
they remain popular.
PôchouseServes 6
3 river trout
1 leek – chopped
1 stick celery – chopped
1 onion – peeled and roughly chopped
3 sprigs of thyme
2 bay leaves
½ bunch of flat parsley – picked with stalks
reserved for the stock
500g small new potatoes
150g crayfish tails
150 g smoked eel fillets – diced
100g small button mushrooms
100g button onions – peeled
500ml white wine
150ml double cream
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
50g unsalted butter – diced
Fillet the
fish, or ask your fishmonger to do this for you – just make sure you get the
heads and bones for the stock. Remove the eyes and the gills from the fish
heads. Rinse the bones well to remove any blood. Cut the fillets into large
chunks.
Put the fish
heads and bones in a pot. Cover with clean water (about a litre). Bring
to a boil and remove the scum that will rise to the surface with a slotted
spoon. Add the leek, onion, celery, garlic, thyme, bay and parsley stalks. Lower
the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes.
Strain the
stock through a fine sieve and set aside. Place the wine in a pan and bring to
the boil. Reduce to 150ml, then add the passed stock and reduce by half. While
the stock is reducing, add the button onions and new potatoes. Poach for about
10 minutes until just tender. Remove with a slotted spoon and keep warm.
Add the
cream and bring the mixture back to the boil. Reduce the heat and poach the
trout until just cooked. While the fish is cooking, lightly sauté the button
mushrooms with the diced smoked eel, and then put to one side with the onions
and potatoes.
Once cooked,
place the fish on a serving dish and keep warm. Return the sauce to the boil. Whisk
in the diced butter and mustard, then fold in the crayfish tails. Simmer for a
couple of minutes to warm through, then mix in the potatoes, onion, eel and
mushroom mix. Finish with the chopped parsley, season to taste and then pour
over the fish. Serve with some sprouting broccoli and crusty bread.
What to drink: You can’t go wrong with our own-label white Burgundy, but this dish would benefit from a wine that has a bit more weight and richness. Try one of Stewart’s favourites with our own-label Meursault. Of course, you could also go for a less authentic partner with Chardonnay from elsewhere – something like this superb Napa example (that also happens to be in our Sale) would work nicely.
As we add a host of new bottles to our Sale, we pick five
of the best bottles available
2016 Mullineux, Kloof Street Chenin Blanc, Swartland, South Africa: This old-vine Chenin Blanc comes from one of South Africa’s leading new wave producers, Mullineux & Leeu Family Wines. From their Kloof Street range, it’s designed for earlier drinking than its other more age-worthy styles – but offers incredible complexity for its price. (£10.46, down from £14.95)
2016 Rosso di Toscana, Sangiovese, Scopetone, Tuscany, Italy: Scopetone is better known for its superb Brunello di Montalcino, but the estate also makes this top-class “entry-level” Sangiovese. The fruit is picked early to make a wine full of vim – vibrant red-berry fruit and amazing subtlety for its Rosso di Toscana status. (£10.15, down from £14.50)
2006 Champagne Gosset, Grand Millésime, Brut: Vintage Champagne, in a Sale: need we really say much more? Gosset isn’t the best-known Champagne House – partly because most of their wines go directly to top-end restaurants around the world thanks to their food-friendly style. This – from the 2006 vintage – is drinking beautifully now, but has much more time ahead of it too (an excellent excuse to stock up). (£52.00, down from £65.00)
2015 Frankland Estate, Olmo’s Reward, Frankland River, Australia: Frankland Estate was the first winery to set up in Frankland River – leading the way in a corner of Western Australia that is now known for its elegant cool-climate wines. While they work with a lot of Riesling and Shiraz, this is their flagship cuvée – an incredible Cabernet blend (more Franc than Sauvignon) from old vines in its Isolation Ridge Vineyard. (£34.65, down from £44.00)
2014 Ramey, Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County, California: David Ramey may have made his name with his benchmark Chardonnays, but he’s now also working with Pinot Noir – and the wines are, unsurprisingly, just as good. This, the first vintage of his Russian River Valley Pinot, is layered with bright red fruit, and a plushness thanks to some new oak. It’s also a rare chance to pick up Californian wine with a little bottle age. (£39.96, down from £49.95)
Please note that stocks of Sale wines are, by their very
nature, limited; so these wines may not be available for long.
There is
much more to Burgundy than its most famous plots and producers – if you know
where to look. As the 2018 vintage is released en primeur, our Wine Director
Mark Pardoe MW offers his insider tips on where to find serious value
Nothing in
Burgundy is made in large volumes. The most famous wines are almost impossible
to find, as the tiny quantities usually have to be allocated, and prices for these
rarities are high. But there are ways you can get a foothold on the Burgundy
ladder and find wines that give the thrill of Burgundy’s unique qualities – without
having to break the bank.
Big names, “lesser”
wines
The one immutable fact about Burgundy is that the name of the producer is the most important guarantor of quality. Great producers make excellent wines at all levels. While their top wines may command eye-watering prices, almost all Burgundians have a broad portfolio, running from the generic to the great. They may cost a little more than their peers, but don’t hesitate to pick up these “lesser” wines when they are made by Burgundy’s most admired producers.
A lot of
Bourgogne Rouge and Blanc is created by blending across the region but, at
smaller growers, some generic wines are created from vineyards situated only
around the famous villages. Although less intense and to be drunk young, in the
right hands these wines can capture the essence of a village’s character, be it
the steely minerality of Puligny, the silky intensity of Vosne or the floral
delicacy of Chambolle. There is no way of knowing from the label. Be sure to
check our tasting notes, which always aim to show each wine’s provenance.
Burgundy’s
quality hierarchy is based on the empirical observation of each vineyard’s
ability to ripen fully and, for centuries, those vineyards on the best soils
and situated mid-slope have been identified as prime land. The converse is that
vineyards that struggled to ripen, although on good soil, were not so well
regarded. But as climate change brings earlier harvests, these out-lying
vineyards are coming into consideration. Look at wines from villages tucked
into the valleys, such as St Aubin, Pernand-Vergelesses and St Romain for
whites, or higher locations, like Monthélie and Blagny for reds.
As vines
age, their yield reduces and the fruit gathered is more concentrated. This
quality is much prized as, although the volumes produced are smaller, quality
and intensity are enhanced. This is seen as a particular benefit to Burgundy’s
great wines, but there is a win lower down the scale as well. Many producers
still prefer to keep as many old vines as is practical, even though this is a
more commercially challenging decision. Sometimes producers will label their
wines as “vieilles vignes”, but there is no legal definition of an old vine, so
others may not.
As demand
for the great names of Burgundy increases, it pays to keep an eye on their
neighbours. Santenay borders Chassagne where the soil turns more to red wine
territory (for the same reason, do not underestimated Chassagne’s reds, for
which it was once more famed), Auxey-Duresses has much in common with
Meursault, whereas in the north, Fixin borders Gevrey-Chambertin and itself
runs into Marsannay. Do not necessarily expect the finesse of the more renowned
villages, but you will find very worthy and delicious wines.
With the
price of land in the Côte d’Or increasingly prohibitive, many producers are
looking south to the Côte Chalonnais, Mâconnais and Beaujolais. A much greater
understanding of these regions’ terroir has catalysed a resurgence in
quality, led by existing domaines and now joined by increasing numbers
of renowned producers from the Cote d’Or, keen to make wines that are both
affordable and of quality in line with their own reputations, and thus able to
offer wines with their imprimatur to their growing bands of customers.
Although
much of the traditional focus on Burgundy is on the precious vineyards of the Côte
d’Or, there are also vineyards in the higher country to the west, behind the
famous hills. There is some fine terroir here and, in centuries past,
some villages were held in very high regard. The themes are well-known: a new
generation of vignerons, better vineyard management, climate change, a
better understanding of the market, and a quality halo effect from the famous
wines; all these influences are helping to support wines that offer both value
and interest.
As our offering of Burgundy 2018 En Primeur goes live, our Buyer Adam Bruntlett introduces the vintage – one that offered both quality and quantity, but also posed new challenges for the region’s growers
The 2018 vintage encapsulates the future of Burgundy; a
snapshot, perhaps, of the new normal. A warm and dry summer which yielded
perfectly ripe and healthy grapes, picked in August and early September, giving
charming and succulent wines. Gone are the days when vignerons faced an
anxious wait as grapes struggled to ripen before the onset of rot, harvesting
in wet and cold conditions in late September or October. Thin, green and acidic
wines are no more. The practice of chaptalisation – adding sugar to the grape
must to boost its alcohol – is a thing of the past (much to the dismay of the
local sugar merchants). At their best, the 2018 reds are fleshy and dense, with
melting tannins, while the crop of Chardonnay is both plentiful and
concentrated – a rare combination.
The changing climate of the region, however, presents its
own, previously unheard-of challenges. Growers now face a delicate balancing
act to pick at precisely the right moment to retain acidity, keep alcohol
levels in check and make sure the tannins and flavours are ripe. During the
season, they have to innovate, often borrowing techniques from the New World, to
ensure the fruit ripens gradually and acidity levels are retained. Now, more
than ever, the hard work is done in the vineyard and the vigneron is the
key factor in making quality wines. Making great wine in this new age is no
easier; the challenges in doing so are simply different.
The noise surrounding the 2018s was cacophonous since before
the first grapes were picked. Such a wonderful summer could only produce great
wines, and in particular great reds. However, this year’s barrel tastings were
surprising; the white wines are of very consistent quality, well-balanced and
concentrated. The reds, while often outstanding, can vary significantly, even
within the same cellar. Those who picked their Pinot Noir too late often had
high alcohol, stuck fermentations and bacterial problems. We are fortunate
enough to work with some of the best names in Burgundy, shielding us from the
worst of the excesses, but in addition to this, we have made a particularly
careful selection of growers and wines this year, rejecting anything which did
not meet our high standards.
As a rule in Burgundy, it is best to follow an estate rather
than a village or region, and 2018 is no exception. It is therefore difficult
to make generalisations about which villages or areas came out on top. However,
for white wines, the Mâconnais particularly impressed, perhaps because growers
are more adept at dealing with warm summers. As for the reds, the Côte de
Beaune has produced a particularly consistent set of wines and Beaune itself
continues to offer exceptional value in relation to its peers. We also noted
through the course of our tasting that those vineyards with deeper clay soils –
typically the low-lying village vineyards and Bourgogne – really punch above
their weight, with ripeness and freshness in equal measure.
In light of the changing face of Burgundy, we continue to
seek out domaines which can offer value, and particularly those with
vineyards in cooler appellations. To that end, we are delighted to introduce Domaine Denis
Carré, run by a dynamic brother-and-sister team in the Hautes Côtes de
Beaune, as well as Domaine
Rollin in Pernand-Vergelesses and the excellent-value Montagny wines of François Berthenet.
We have also decided to broaden our en primeur offering of Chablis
estates, including the exciting barrel-aged wines of Eleni and Edouard
Vocoret, as well as Jean-Claude and
Romain Bessin, a domaine we have followed for many years, and which
is now receiving the recognition it richly deserves.
Photograph: Jason Lowe
The vintage
On a simple level, the 2018 growing season was straightforward with few challenges. After an unusually warm and very wet January, there was a welcome cold snap in February, before yet more rain in March. These substantial periods of rainfall, along with a humid spring, would prove key to sustaining the vines through the warm and dry summer which was to come. From April onwards, the temperatures were consistently one to two degrees above the average, with daily showers through the spring pushing the vines on quickly, but also bringing a serious threat of mildew. This risk was nullified just in time by an extended period of warm, dry weather with occasional light showers, beginning in mid-June and running until well after harvest. For spring and summer the number of sunshine hours was significantly above average, giving the feeling of “luminosity” that can be found in the 2018s. Frost was not a serious issue, but in July hail struck twice to the south of Nuits-St Georges, on 3rd and 15th, with damage reported by growers with vineyards in Comblanchien, Corgoloin and Premeaux-Prissey. Harvest began very early, on 20th August for the most precocious in the Côte de Beaune, with most of the Mâconnais beginning the same week. Harvest dates varied, but the vast majority of the crop had been brought in by mid-September. Conditions were dry and warm, with some rain showers on 7th September, and the fruit was near-perfect. Read a more detailed report on the vintage here.
The white wines
The fear with a large crop and a warm summer was that wines
would be either dilute or heavy. In fact, the two factors have cancelled one
another out, giving wines with both concentration and freshness. Stylistically
they do not feel acidic, but instead have a mineral freshness, along with
muscular and sinewy grip. Having tasted several times during the course of 2019,
it is clear that they have gained focus with time, and I feel they will finish
at a point which is not far from the excellent 2017s. The level of consistency
in the white wines is impressive, and there is value from Bourgogne level upwards,
with St Aubin and low-lying Meursault village sites particularly impressing.
The red wines
The best reds are beautifully ripe and fleshy, with
expressive aromatics, sweet red-berry fruit, supple, melting tannins and a
pleasing mineral freshness. The current trend for gentle extraction and using
less new oak fits perfectly with a riper vintage such as 2018, where there is
plenty of natural colour and structure in the grapes, and those who took a
light-touch approach have been most successful. Comparisons have been drawn with
1959, 1990 and perhaps more recently, 2015. These are wines which, while charming
and approachable now, will have very good ageing potential. As with whites, the
Bourgogne wines and cooler sites such as the Hautes Côtes and Santenay offer
outstanding value.
Key points
Generous volumes of white wines, while reds are
around 10 to 20% down on 2017
Whites of a consistently high standard, while
reds reach higher peaks
A perfectly ripe vintage, with ageing potential
for reds in particular
Many regional and village vineyards have
overperformed and offer excellent value
Generally stable prices, although there are some
increases
