Jean-Marc Burgaud, Morgon Côte du Py Réserve, Beaujolais, France, 2014

Overview of the Wine
Jean-Marc Burgaud founded his domaine in 1989. 19 hectares total -13 ha in Morgon, 5 ha in Beaujolais Villages, and 1 ha in Regnie. Jean-Marc has said that this is the maximum for him, it's possible to grow bigger, it's important to stay precise. Using traditional methods of viticulture, eschewing the using of chemical fertilizers or insecticides, respecting the land, plowing the soil, harvesting by hand, Jean-Marc does not care about being certified organic, but follows what needs to be done to grow the finest grapes. 

He likes to get his hands dirty, and spends 80% of his time in the vineyard and the cellar. 65% of his sales are export, which he is happy about. 'It's important that if you write your name on the label that you work in the vineyard,' he says. 'I have two employees but I work with them.'

Burgaudâs wines are quite structured and yet they avoid being overpowering or too extracted. He works in quite a reductive way, and young these wines can show a bit of matchstick/mineral/spice reduction, but this sets them up nicely for some ageing. I really loved his 2014s, which show a sense of place. The Côte du Py Javernières, which has the most alluvial soils in this climate, is sensational, as is the special bottling called Jamesâ, which is from the top of the south side.

Grape / Blend
Gamay

Origin
Beaujolais, France

Winemaker's Tasting Notes
Gevrey-like in its scents and bright juiciness of ripe dark cherry allied to smoked game and suffused with black tea and crushed stone. That noted, there is a particular fine-grained tannin feel and berry seed crunchiness that I do not associate with any Pinot Noir. Scents of peony as well as a suggestion of blackberry emerge with airing. This exhibits energy, grip, and refreshment, and should continue to perform on a high level for 4-6 years.

92 Points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate 
In Jean-Marc Burgaud’s absence, his father guided me through this estate’s 2010s, including a pre-assemblage of those cuvees that had not yet been bottled at the time of my visit, and an opportunity to further sample individual barrels. (For more about Burgaud’s sites, methods, and exceptional talents, consult my report in issue 190.) From among Burgaud’s 2009s, I have re-tasted stateside the Beaujolais-Villages, Regnie, and Morgon Cote de Py, all of which continue to enormously impress, the last-named easily justifying the upper end of my issue 190 projection. Unfortunately, press of time and circumstance has thus far precluded my revisiting Burgaud’s three limited special bottlings of 2009 Cote de Py.

Product size: 750ml
From a private seller.