xBreakout Burgundy: Bessin-Tremblay and Guillot-Broux!

Somehow, Burgundy still manages to offer up new discoveries and relative bargains. As evidence, we've uncovered two outstanding wineries from the bookends of the region, ready for their time in the spotlight, each offering undeniably delicious wines, full of charm and depth. In the north, Chablis' Jean-Claude Bessin has turned over the reigns to the next generation, and the wines are better than ever. At the southern end, in Macon-Cruzille, Domaine Guillot-Broux has struck gold resurrecting vines in historic but abandoned vineyards. Both domaines are turning out intricate, textured bottles of Chardonnay, and over-delivering on value. All wines are In Stock, but limited, so be prepared to act quickly!

My Top Wines:

2020 Domaine Guillot-Broux Macon-Cruzille Les Genievrieres
2020 Domaine Guillot-Broux Macon-Cruzille Les Perrieres
2020 Domaine Bessin-Tremblay Chablis Grand Cru Valmur

At the southern end of Burgundy, Domaine Guillot-Broux is amply demonstrating the insane quality to be found in the Maconnais right now. With top Cote de Beaune winemakers drifting south, and the recent additions of 1er Cru designations in nearby Pouilly-Fuisse, there's a lot of attention and excitement in the region right now. Even amongst stiff competition, Guillot-Broux is turning out some of the top bottles in the area, with certified organic viticulture and remarkable pedigree. Founded in 1978, the domaine is currently run by brothers Emmanuel and Patrice. In some ways, it is an extension of their grandparent's work, who established France's first organic vineyard in the early 1950s. Now, with 17 hectares, the brothers and their small crew are offering up polished, structured bottles with great verve and cut. Not surprisingly, the work begins in the vineyards. Most of the sites they farm were abandoned after phylloxera, for being too steep, too rocky, or both. Today, the mature vines are densely planted, with low yields, bringing intensity to the wines. Two sites are the standouts of the lineup. Steep-sloped Les Genievrieres sits atop a break in the bedrock, with deep clayey limestone soils. Low-yield rootstock was picked for this site to bring balance to the wines. Each vintage brings incredible depth and richness, layered over a mineral core, fine-grained acidity, and chiseled fruit. In contrast, Les Perrieres is quite stony – not surprisingly – with a thin layer of topsoil over slabs of limestone, and protected by low walls and woods. Les Perrieres has a smidge more texture and a lemon-curd, yogurt profile that makes it absolutely irresistible in the glass. Winemaking is fairly consistent for all cuvees, with whites pressed to barrel for natural fermentations, and 11 months of aging. The brothers are moving from strength to strength with each release and are intent on making the best wines of the region!

Hype seems to have already taken hold of Macon's darling Guffens-Heynen, but I can confirm these Guillot-Broux wines are every bit as good and at half the price, a really smart buy.

2020 Guillot-Broux Macon-Cruzille Les Genievrieres
2020 Guillot-Broux Macon-Cruzille Les Perrieres

Even with family ties in Chablis going back to the 19th century, Jean-Claude Bessin wasn't initially interested in the wine trade, opting instead to become an architect. But in 1992 he and his wife, Evelyne Tremblay, took over from her father. The domaine, now re-christened Bessin-Tremblay, is led by Evelyne and Jean-Claude's son, Romain. Having overhauled everything top to bottom, this once-humble estate has morphed into one of the top addresses in the region. Improvements in both the vineyards and the winery have brought impressive results, and a shift towards more natural processes – organic conversion, hand-harvesting, and in the cellar, native ferments, more judicious oak and longer elevages. Densely planted, old vine holdings in prime sites are also instrumental to their success, with excellent parcels in Valmur, as well the 1er crus. Their piece of Fourchaume is particularly prized, with some vines dating back to the 1930s, bringing intense minerality and focus to this coveted climat. For now, the Bessin wines are still an insider's wine, but that is changing quickly. Recently, the Wine Advocate's William Kelley, noted "...this estate really deserves to be talked about more, as it belongs among Chablis's top half-dozen domaines." Between this acclaim and the minuscule 2021 vintage, I suspect this will be our last Bessin offer for some time.

2020 Bessin-Tremblay Chablis Vieilles Vignes
2020 Bessin-Tremblay Chablis 1er Cru Fourchaume
2020 Bessin-Tremblay Chablis 1er Cru La Foret
2020 Bessin-Tremblay Chablis 1er Cru Montmains
2020 Bessin-Tremblay Chablis 1er Cru Fourchaume La Piece au Comte
2020 Bessin-Tremblay Chablis Grand Cru Valmur