David Moreau's Beautiful 2019 Red Burgundies

David Moreau (Courtesy of Michel Joly/Becky Wasserman Selections)

From a viticultural standpoint, Santenay can be somewhat unforgiving. Along with its little sibling Maranges, Santenay sits at the very south end of the Cote de Beaune where the hills start to bend west and open up. The resulting wind-swept valley has always been colder and later-ripening than their northern neighbors and so in tough vintages the wines could be stingy. Additionally, the hill is high and steep and the vineyards have thin rocky topsoil that is difficult to work. But as a result of these challenges, the wines have always been affordable. Furthermore, there is a transparency in Santenay, even in warm vintages. I learned a lot about the ideas of minerality and vineyard character that are so key to understanding Burgundy by drinking Santenay early in my career. Today, I'm very excited to present the 2019 vintage from Domaine David Moreau as an example of top-class Santenay at a reasonable price.

David Moreau is a second-generation grower in the heart of the village. His grandfather created Domaine Jean Moreau in the 1960s and ran the estate into his eighties, until his grandson was ready to join him (David's father had never had any interest in winegrowing). After the customary stint at the Lycee Viticole in Beaune and an oenology degree in Dijon, he completed internships with three absolutely top-flight estates in France: Hubert Lamy in Saint Aubin, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti in Vosne and Chateau de Beaucastel in Chateauneuf-du-Pape. He followed these up with an additional stage at Neudorf in New Zealand, at which point he joined his grandfather in Santenay.

Today he farms nine hectares, most of it red, spread across Santenay with a bit of Meursault and Maranges. The estate is farming organically (uncertified). The vineyards are filled with vibrant diverse cover crops and then tilled or untilled depending on the natural vigor of the parcel and the vines. In the cellar, the wines are fermented using only indigenous yeasts and the wines are aged with a minimum of new oak, ranging from ten to thirty percent depending on the cuvée.

The overall impression I had of these wines when I tasted through recently was one of deep respect for vineyard expression. These wines feel exceptionally pure. It also didn't hurt that these are from the fairly incredible 2019 vintage. I've talked about '19s extensively in previous emails but the short version is that the wines combine incredible full red Pinot fruit with a great deal of acidity. Rarely have I come across young Burgundies wines that are this much fun. David's wines are no exception. These are juicy delicious wines and distinctly Santenay. Particularly at the Premier Cru level, there is a chalky dusty quality that warms my heart.

I hope that you will take advantage today, for these wines will not only be terrific this fall as the temperature continues to drop but will reward patient drinkers who put aside a few bottles for the years ahead.

-Sam Ehrlich