The 2020 vintage is among the best in recent memory for white Burgundy, says Adam Bruntlett. In this report from the biannual Burgfest tasting, our Burgundy Buyer takes a closer look at the wines. 

Each autumn I spend around five weeks tasting the new Burgundy vintage from barrel. I’ll taste every single wine we buy (and some we don’t), and I’ll often taste the same wine more than once. This allows me to get under the skin of the vintage, to understand how the wines should age. And yet, each tasting is just a snapshot. Wine is a living thing, particularly when in that youthful, pre-bottling state. It is essential, therefore, to revisit the wines and to reevaluate the assessments made from barrel. This is where the special tasting known as “Burgfest” comes in. 

Burgfest

Twice a year, a 12-strong group descends on a former Cistercian farmhouse in a sleepy valley behind Savigny-lès-Beaune. Jasper Morris MW, Neal Martin and Neil Beckett bring journalistic rigour, joining a selection of importers from the UK, USA, Singapore and Norway. Collectively, we take on the arduous task of revisiting some 250 Premiers and Grands Crus three years after bottling. 

The wines are tasted blind, but within flights of their village and vineyard. They are decanted and served cool, allowing for them to warm up as we taste. As the temperature increases, the wines reveal more nuances and change shape. How positively a wine evolves in the glass as it meets oxygen is a benchmark for how it will evolve in bottle. We only taste in the morning, with around 40 to 50 wines per day. This allows time to concentrate while also avoiding fatigue. 

In May this year, it was the turn of the 2020 whites. My hopes were high for an exciting set of wines. In my vintage report from barrel at the time, I was effusive in my praise for the whites. But predicting how a wine will develop is not an exact science. The previous edition of Burgfest had shown some wines from the warm 2019 vintage that were a little riper than I personally like. Would 2020, another warm vintage, fall into the same trap? Or could it eclipse 2017 or 2014 as the greatest white vintage in modern times? 

Starting out with Chablis

First thing on Monday morning, ten flights of Chablis lay ahead of us. In the olden days of lean, green and mean Chablis, this might have been a daunting prospect. But recent warmer vintages have somewhat altered the wines’ profile, giving a little more flesh on the bones. This might disappoint purists, but Chablis has soared in popularity as a consequence. 

Highlights included those vineyards known for their power and generosity. Fourchaume and Mont de Milieu appeared to have embraced the warmth of the vintage. Famille Grossot and Le Domaine d’Henri’s L’Homme Mort Vieilles Vignes were my picks from Fourchaume; William Fèvre, Grossot and Pinson all excelled in Mont de Milieu. Samuel Billaud and Benoît Droin stood out, scoring consistently well throughout. 

The Grands Crus took a step up in 2020. Louis Michel, a domaine renowned for using no oak at all, demonstrated the benefits of stainless-steel tanks in preserving freshness. The estate’s Les Clos was my top-scoring Chablis of the tasting, despite stiff competition from Droin’s Grenouille. 

Onto Meursault

Day two was all about Meursault. The standard was exceptionally high, as evidenced by the appreciative murmurs as we tasted. I struggled to pick a favourite between Comtes Lafon’s Porusots and Bouchères in the early flights. Benjamin Leroux’s Pièce Sous Le Bois showed the benefits offered by the cooler slopes of Blagny, with freshness and tension. 

Antoine Jobard’s wines displayed a coiled energy – still quite backward and reductive, but with huge potential. Michel Bouzereau was equally impressive but more approachable. Jean-Marc Roulot took my top score, though I was really impressed by Bitouzet-Prieur’s Charmes and Perrières. 

That day’s lunch was a vibrant occasion. From discussions, it felt as though we had been tasting something special; we weren’t yet sure if this was an anomaly, however. Theoretically, Meursault should be well adapted to deal with warm and dry vintages, thanks to its relatively deep clay soils and reliable water supply. Might the steep slopes of St Aubin – first up on Wednesday – show the effects of heat a little more? 

From St Aubin to Chassagne-Montrachet

In St Aubin, there were good performances from Hubert Lamy, Marc Colin and Jean-Claude Bachelet. Head and shoulders above the competition, however, was De Montille’s En Remilly. The combination of generous fruit, smoky reduction and a sleek, mineral backbone made for a wine of outstanding precision – albeit one which needs time to fully blossom. 

On to Chassagne-Montrachet and the highs kept coming. Paul Pillot was the star, with Bernard Moreau and Marc Colin just behind. The excitement in the room was palpable as the wines metamorphosed in the glass, constantly shifting shape and blowing us away with their tension and concentration. Unsurprisingly, the best vineyards were those on the higher ground, like Grandes Ruchottes, Grande Montagne and La Romanée. Add to that list Caillerets and those parcels adjacent to the Grands Crus, like Blanchots and Vide-Bourse. 

Puligny-Montrachet 

Day four was devoted entirely to Puligny-Montrachet. Like Chablis, you can expect a certain amount of precision and tension here. The shallow topsoil and high water-table suggested the village might have struggled in comparison to its neighbours to the north and south. 

Any concerns were swiftly dismissed when we tasted these racy, lacy whites. Jean-Marc Boillot and Etienne Sauzet were my picks in the earlier rounds. Jacques Carillon was metronomically consistent. Elsewhere, the under-the-radar Sébastien Magnien was my pick of the Folatières. 

Domaine Leflaive, under the guidance of the masterful Pierre Vincent, showed for the second year running that it has returned to the highest echelon of white Burgundy. A stunning Combettes was followed swiftly by an outstanding Pucelles – that was almost matched by the neighbouring Olivier Leflaive wine. My star of Puligny, and of the week so far, was De Montille’s Cailleret. It narrowly edged out Michel Bouzereau with its simply magical intensity and stinging freshness. 

The Grands Crus 

Ahead of us lay 41 Grands Crus, beginning with a double-flight of no fewer than 16 Corton-Charlemagnes. It is difficult to generalise about so many wines and such a varied vineyard, but the warm and ripe vintage clearly suited the generous and powerful style here. As is often the case, however, many wines were something of a step down in complexity and finesse from the best Premiers Crus of Puligny. De Montille was again a personal favourite, along with Benjamin Leroux, Tollot-Beaut and Henri Boillot. 

A three-wine flight of Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet followed. Such a small flight allows you to focus on the differences between the wine: Jacques Carillon was elegance personified; Jean-Claude Bachelet was much more hedonistic and sensual; and Domaine de la Vougeraie was textural and layered. 

Bâtard-Montrachet brought greater highs in the form of Olivier Leflaive’s rippling, somewhat backward wine and Vincent Girardin’s sophisticated yet muscular expression. Jean Chartron delivered a wine with more elegance than you might expect from Bâtard. 

Next, and quite special, was the chance to taste 10 Chevalier-Montrachet wines; this is perhaps my favourite vineyard. Domaine Leflaive narrowly edged out De Montille for me. Bouchard’s Cabotte bottling and Jadot were just behind, proving the big houses are on top form these days. An honourable mention must go to Bruno Colin. 

The week’s final flight was Montrachet itself: five wines of magical power, density and elegance. The richness at this level in a sunny vintage was something to behold, but matched by a stinging acidity and firm, mineral grip. The wines will need a lot of time in bottle to show their best. 

It was hard to separate Marc Colin and Olivier Leflaive as my preferred wine. Ultimately, I plumped for the elegant sophistication and mouth-aching freshness of the former over the sleek, spicy and chewy character of the latter. 

Struggling to pick a winner, I reflected on my privilege to be able to taste such wines in this esteemed company. Over our final lunch, we agreed that 2020 was the most successful white Burgundy vintage we had tasted at Burgfest. As with any tasting, it is but a snapshot of a moment in time. But this particular photograph is saturated with vivid colours. The detail is perhaps not yet defined at the top end of the spectrum, but I have no doubt that, in time, all will come seamlessly into focus. 

Browse our range of 2020 white Burgundy.

September brings a cheerful abundance of produce to our shelves, offering plenty of opportunities for seasonal feasting with friends and family. And every feast, no matter how small and ordinary, deserves good wine to elevate the occasion. Discover some seasonal delights and Own Selection wines to pair with them.  

All seasons are beautiful in their own way, but the transition from late summer to early autumn is especially so: golden fields dotted with hay bales, oak trees in full glory, fruit falling in soft heaps on the ground. There’s a sense of the year coming to fruition – a word meaning, in origin, “to enjoy”, sharing the same root with the word “fruit”. This is truly a season in which we get to enjoy edible gifts of all varieties, with blackberries, raspberries, damsons and figs all coming into season.  

But for me, September’s leading fruit has to be the apple. My childhood garden was home to two old apple trees, and I grew up closely connected to their rhythms, the soft blossoms of spring through to the hearty abundance of autumn. Every September, we’re treated to a deluge of huge, bulbous green fruits, lending themselves perfectly to pies, crumbles and chutneys, and seeing us into the darker months with cheer.  

An apple chutney is a beautiful thing, preserving September’s glorious produce for the cold season ahead. With a touch of spice, it can elevate the humblest of dishes to something special. Bringing together elements of saltiness, sweetness, spice and acidity, chutneys offer versatile gastronomic opportunities: curries, roast dinners, sandwiches and cold cuts can all be elevated by a generous dollop. It is the perfect condiment, perhaps.  

If we’re lucky, we still have a few beautiful afternoons left for a late summer picnic. A crusty baguette, an appropriately stinky brie, a jar of apple chutney and a bottle of Good Ordinary White would make a fine al fresco arrangement, with the delicate zest and fresh acidity of the white standing up to the zing of the apples. Come evening, a spoonful alongside your sausages and mash makes for a simple but delicious supper. Sausages and apples: a timeless match, only bettered by wine. A glass of St Emilion from Bordeaux would work very nicely here, with hints of clove spice from time spent in oak speaking to the warm spice of the chutney.  

On a recent camping trip, I discovered the joy of apple cake for the first time. We set up our tents just in time, before the rain forced us into them. Between our tents, we passed around a tin of Yorkshire parkin and a bundle of apple cake wrapped in brown paper. The cake had been a gift to my friend from her neighbour, especially for this trip, and it struck me as one of the most heartfelt things one could give to their neighbour. Alongside a dram of Kilchoman’s gently peated whisky and a good downpour of rain, it was utterly delicious. Soft apples and sweet, fiery smoke – a divine pairing.  

But enough about apples. My next favourite thing about September is the fact that the month has an “R” in its name. If you know how the saying goes, you’ll know that means oysters are on the menu. My favourite way to eat oysters is with a sharp sea breeze, stacked on a paper plate with a good portion of chips. Oysters naturally lend themselves to theatre, whether it is the low-lit drama of a London establishment or huddling around a bench with your friends, trying to stop the seagulls from having at them.

There are lots of delicious things to drink with oysters; their saline quality makes them incredibly versatile. A glass of strong, dark beer is the rustic version (and my favourite to sip on while batting away seagulls). Alongside a well-made Bloody Mary, you have a revivifying aperitif – an excellent after-work combination. But a good wine will really give this scenario a sense of occasion.  

Much has been said about Champagne and oysters, but personally, I’d be inclined to choose something with more delicacy and freshness to preserve their subtle flavour. Our Crémant de Limoux, a favourite of mine for adding a special touch to everyday occasions, would be perfect. For something a little more indulgent, look to our English Sparkling Wine – its lively green apple fizz is wonderful with oysters (and chips).  

Chablis, with its characteristic notes of iodine and oyster shell, should not be overlooked either, offering a crisp and refreshing combination. If you like your wines to have a touch more ripeness, the Swartland White from Eben Sadie gives a hint of peach and chamomile alongside a river-stone purity.  

As a big fan of sweet and salty combinations, I am intrigued by the prospect of oysters and Sauternes – ridiculously aristocratic, purported to be a classic pairing in the 18th century. It wouldn’t necessarily be the first pairing that would spring to my mind, but next time I happen to have an abundance of both at hand, I’ll be sure to try it out.  

Browse all our Own Selection wines here

Remy Osman has been working in our Singapore office for the last three years, and has seen the fine wine scene blossom again since the pandemic. Here, he tells us about the pleasure of working with such passionate wine-lovers across Southeast Asia, and why he believes we’re in a “golden age” of fine wine.  

I joined Berry Bros. & Rudd in May 2021. We were still in the dark days of Covid, limited to two people at a time in the office. Customer lunches or dinners were often impossible, due to intermittent restrictions on dining out. Since emerging from the pandemic, there has been so much enthusiasm here in Singapore and right across Southeast Asia, for tastings, education and discovery. It has been a pleasure to join our customers on their respective wine journeys and help customers in this part of the world build up fantastic collections. 

If I were to sum up the local market, it is one of true enthusiasts. Our customers in Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines and across ASEAN [Association of Southeast Asian Nations] all have a genuine passion for wine and love the process of learning everything there is to know about it. People take pride in knowing and experiencing the differences between the terroirs of two neighbouring Burgundian vineyards; having encyclopaedic knowledge of the weather and quality of decades worth of Bordeaux vintages; and being the first to try to uncover the next big Champagne grower.  

It is a constant cycle of learning, discovery and sharing. One minute I will be humbled by realising just how much I do not know about wine, and then the next I will share an insight that excites and encourages a customer to try a new wine that they fall in love with.  

Like many customers, I first fell in love with fine wine thanks to Bordeaux. It has never failed to amaze me how incredibly well these wines can age. I enjoy thinking about what was happening in the world during the particular vintage year, and all world events while the wine patiently aged in bottle before I drank it. I joined Berry Bros. & Rudd just as the 2020 Bordeaux En Primeur was kicking off, so this “Covid vintage” will always have a special meaning to me.  

I feel we are truly in a golden age of fine wine: a warmer climate means that many grapes now achieve ripeness in places where it would historically have been hard to do so, and vastly improved viticultural and winemaking techniques mean that even an average vintage these days is far superior to all but the very best vintages of the 20th century.  

We’re enjoying the fruits of this golden age, but we’re also aware of the irony that if the climate continues warming, the wines we know and love might not be possible to make in hotter years. In the longer term, I see huge potential for English winemaking, and I’ve been encouraged that customers in this part of the world are already beginning to try – and enjoy – their first few vintages of still English Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs, which have real structure and ageability. From my vantage point one degree north of the equator, I see such high-latitude wine regions as an exciting part of the future, so it is great that people are already starting to discover and enjoy them. 

Indeed, it is a generally positive trend that collectors in Southeast Asia are more confident to branch out beyond the big names and big regions, to discover excellent new wines for themselves. This is partly due to cost – not everybody will want to pay the price of a Bordeaux First Growth or Burgundy Grand Cru. But the joy of learning about wine, and discovering new details, can’t be diminished either.   

These days, the biggest flex at a wine dinner in Singapore is not simply bringing the most expensive bottle, but rather being the person who brings a previously little-known producer which people enjoy drinking above the big names. I find this wonderful, because at the end of the day, fine wine shouldn’t be about expense; is about the pleasure of discovery, tasting and sharing something delicious.

We have offices in Hong Kong, Tokyo and Singapore. If you’re interested in speaking with one of our Account Managers in Singapore, please contact us at bbr@bbr.com

Spain is one of the world’s fastest-growing fine wine countries, yet Spanish wine is more unfamiliar to many than Bordeaux or Burgundy. Here, Master of Wine and Spain Buyer, Catriona Felstead MW, guides us through this hub of exceptional winemaking, and breaks down what you need to know about key Spanish wine regions

I am often asked what my favourite wine is. It is a question that I struggle to answer, given the number of truly incredible wines there are in the world (it’s like being asked to choose your favourite child), but I always come back to the same response: “I can’t give you my favourite wine, but I can say that it would probably be a wine from Spain.”

So, why Spain? Well, I admit, it is partly personal. Spain holds a very special place in my heart; I had my first ever ‘wine moment’ there. One evening back in 1997, I went into a bar in Granada and asked for a simple glass of “vino tinto”. I was travelling in Spain after a year abroad in France as part of my university studies. Up until that moment, I had enjoyed drinking wine (I had just spent a year in France after all) but I certainly hadn’t ever really appreciated it. When I tried that wine, I had a transformative experience; it was unlike anything I had ever tasted before. The flavours and complexity in that glass completely blew my mind.

Annoyingly, I don’t remember the vintage, but I do recall that it was a glass of Viña Cubillo from Bodegas R. López de Heredia, one of the most wonderful, unashamedly traditional, styles of Rioja. That was the moment that I decided I wanted to learn more, the moment that set me on a path to a career in wine, and ultimately to attaining my Master of Wine qualification in 2012.

But this particular Rioja “wine moment” of mine is just the tip of the iceberg. There are so many regions to explore in Spain, which also has so many of its own grape varieties, and so many diverse styles.

Spain’s wine regions: Rioja

Central to most people’s experience of Spanish wine is Rioja.

Rioja is actually a ‘Denominación de Origen Clasificada’, the very highest quality level achievable under Spanish wine law. Along with Priorat, Rioja is only one of two Spanish regions that have ever been awarded this status. This doesn’t mean that all Rioja DOCa wines are uniformly great, but it does mean that the minimum quality standards that need to be adhered to here, in both the vineyards and wineries, are more exacting.

Rioja is an unbelievably beautiful region. Tempranillo thrives here, along with its common blending partners Graciano, Mazuelo and Garnacha (Grenache). Red wines are medium-bodied and elegant, in both modern, fruit-forward and traditionally complex styles.

Viura is the mainstay grape of the whites, capable of producing both youthful, fresh styles as well as some of the most astonishing, mature, nutty, complex wines you could ever wish to taste.

There are three main sub-regions: Rioja Alavesa, Rioja Alta and Rioja Oriental. Rioja Alavesa is closest to the mountains (it actually lies inside the Basque Country) and often produces wines with just a touch more red fruit and freshness.

Rioja Alta is the traditional heart of the region, containing the city of Logroño. Many of Rioja’s most famous and long-standing producers are based in Haro, almost on top of one another in the Barrio de la Estación district.

As the name suggests, this district is right by the railway station, the railway itself having been of huge historical importance to the success of Rioja. A series of dreadful harvest started in Bordeaux in 1863, followed by the devastating impact of phylloxera four years later. During this time, the Bordelais came to Rioja, searching for good volumes of wine to buy to transport north to boost their production. This was the start of the great Rioja bodegas as we know them now.

 Last, but by no means least, is Rioja Oriental. Thanks to the huge efforts of the inspirational Álvaro Palacios, this is no longer called “Rioja Baja”, which made it sound like a lowly neighbour. This is the true home of Garnacha. The region is dominated by volume-driven co-operatives, but it is also capable of producing some incredibly pure and ethereal styles of red wine.

Spain’s wine regions: Ribera del Duero

Only an hour’s drive south of Haro, and you are in Ribera del Duero, famed for its intense and fruit-forward red wines. These are often made solely from the Tempranillo grape, which here is called Tinto Fino, but some very famous producers, such as Vega Sicilia, famously add Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot to their blends.

One of the main differences between Ribera del Duero and Rioja is the altitude. Ribera lies on the northern plateau of the Iberian Peninsula and its vineyards lie between 750m and 900m altitude, higher than the 300m to 500m average in Rioja.

Ribera also has more of an extreme continental climate than Rioja (which is more moderate as it is closer to the sea). This means that it has hotter days and cooler nights, producing red grapes with thicker skins, and therefore making wines of more density and deeper colour.

Spain’s wine regions: Rueda and Toro

Just further to the west of Ribera del Duero are the smaller regions of Rueda and Toro. Rueda is dominated by the white grape, Verdejo, which makes grassy yet textured styles of white wine, a little along the lines of Sauvignon Blanc.

Toro has similar conditions to Ribera, still high up on the plateau with the majority of vineyards at a high altitude. However, it is closer to Portugal and generally even hotter here. Tempranillo is still king – but here it is called Tinto de Toro.

The soil is also full of remarkable pudding stone pebbles, similar to the galets found in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The reflection of the heat from these makes the growing conditions even hotter, leading to even more powerful red wines, often with a little less sophistication than Ribera del Duero.

Spain’s wine regions: Galicia

Moving north from here, we eventually reach Spain’s beautiful north-west. Galicia is a green, verdant region, thanks to its generally cooler, wet weather and proximity to the sea. It has many sub-regions: Rias Baixas is the best known for its fresh, salty white wines made from the local grape, Albariño. Moving into Ribeiro and Ribeira Sacra and beyond, this is then often blended with other local partners, Treixadura and Loureiro, and many other historic, local varieties. Godello has risen as another star grape of the region, namely thanks to Rafael Palacios (Álvaro’s younger brother) and his incredible work here turning this into wines that can rival some of the fines Burgundies in complexity.

Crisp, crunchy reds are also produced, often as blends of many local grapes, but with the star usually being Mencia. What Rafa has done for Galician whites, Telmo Rodiguez has achieved for Galician reds, both based very near each other in the eastern subregion of Valdeorras.

Spain’s wine regions: Bierzo

Just over the mountains is Bierzo, which has gained fame for its red, Mencia-dominant wines. The mountainous border keeps Bierzo much dryer than Galicia, lending more of a richness to the wines.

Descendientes de J. Palacios, a joint project with Álvaro and his nephew Ricardo Pérez Palacios is one to watch here, as they produce tiny volumes of sensational red wines high up in the mountains. Their most prized vineyard, La Faraona, produces electric wines, full of indescribable energy, finesse and power.

Spain’s wine regions: Priorat

Flying back over Rioja to the eastern coast of Spain, we get to Catalonia and the historic regions of Priorat and Penedès.

Priorat, if you recall, is the other DOCa region of Spain, making luscious yet sophisticated wines from Garnacha and Cariñena (also here called Samsó), often from very old vines. The soil is predominantly a volcanic black slate called llicorella which absorbs heat whilst also reflecting sunlight.

International varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah are also authorised here, and a much smaller volume of white wines is also made. This is where Álvaro Palacios made his name, crafting astonishing, remarkable wines from around the village of Gratallops.

Sangenís i Vaqué is another great producer here, producing more traditional wines of great character. It is very small and run by a historic Priorat family which can trace its wine-producing descendants right back to the 1700s.

Spain’s wine regions: Penedès

Moving now into the heart of Spanish sparkling wine production, we arrive in Penedès. Historically this is the home of mass-produced, traditional-method Cava made from indigenous grapes Macabeo (Viura), Parellada and Xarel-lo, as well as Chardonnay and Malvasia, although Cava can also be produced in other Spanish regions.

Penedès is now led by a number of premium producers who have moved away from the fairly innocuous Cava DO designation to make instead top quality “Spanish sparkling wine”. Leading the way was Pepe Raventós, who removed his family property, Raventós i Blanc, from the Cava DO back in 2012 to focus on creating terroir-driven sparkling wines from the marine-fossil soils of Conca del Riu Anoia.

Eleven other famous premium producers in the region, including the venerated Gramona, also pulled away from the Cava DO to create a separate group, “Corpinnat”, in 2017. Meaning “heart of Penedès”, this group commits to producing 100% organic wines with very strict quality rules.

Spain’s wine regions: Jerez

There are so many other small regions in Spain to discover, in addition to those already mentioned here, but one final region that we cannot ignore is Jerez. Right down in the south of Spain, Jerez is set apart both geographically and stylistically from the rest of this fascinating country. The reason for that is that it is home to Spain’s iconic fortified wine, Sherry.

Whilst it is often common to think of Sherry as being sweet (and much of the bulk production is), the most lauded styles tend to be the dry wines. Some of these are made under the influence of the flor yeast that thrives here. Nutty, almond-salted Manzanillas and Finos, hazelnut-led Amontillados and walnut-focused Olorosos are just some delights to be discovered from incredible, quality conscious producers such as Bodegas Lustau.

For those that enjoy a dry Manzanilla with juicy green olives, almonds and jamón ibérico (myself included), it is hard to beat as the finest food and wine match on the planet.

Spain is such a fascinating and diverse country, there really is something for everyone here; crisp, mineral sparkling wines from Penedès, dry, saline white wines from Galicia, elegant, smooth Riojas, powerful Priorat and Ribera del Duero wines and deliciously nutty Sherries, amongst many others. Some of these are amongst the very finest wines in the world, and just get into your heart and soul when you drink them. This is why I keep coming back again and again to Spain when I buy wine to drink at home – ¡salud!

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Browse our full range of Spanish wines now on bbr.com.