Burgundy Superstar - Vincent Dureuil

The Man in his vineyards

What a great way to start off the New Year. Finding another terrific young, exciting, winemaker in Burgundy.

Named by Bourgogne Aujourd’hui as the Winemaker of the Year in 2013, “Among the greatest white wines in Burgundy” by The Revue du Vin in 2015, “ Vincent Dureuil is the ultimate reference for the Côte Chalonnaise” by Le Guide des Vins Bettane+Desseauve, 2020, and he’s only in his mid-thirties. His wünderkind reputation is hard-earned. He reputedly spends 14 hours a day tending his vineyards, doing most of the work himself. He is certified organic and considering he owns 40+ hectares that in itself is no mean feat. “The talents of winemaker Vincent Dureuil in Rully are such that it’s easy to forget that there are others making wine in the Côte Chalonnaise. But there just is no other artist in the region that faithfully crafts Burgundy with as much purity, elegance or character as does Dureuil.” Billy Weiss – North Berkeley Imports.

The fact that this young man is making phenomenal wine in Rully is, to me, the most exciting part of his story. I have long dwelt on looking for great Burgundy wines from villages that are not so well know. We all know Batard-Montrachet, and yet who, these days, can spend $1,500 on one of their white wines? And for some time I have been researching the young and upcoming wine-makers, because, again, who wants to spend $5,000 on a bottle of Romanée Conti? And here we have the combination of an incredibly talented winemaker, making wines in a relatively unknown jurisdiction. And Rully is only a few kilometers south of Puligny Montrachet! They share the same soils, similar topology and very similar weather patterns. But Rully does not command the level of prices of it's norther sisters. But the white wine is still chardonnay and the red is still pinot noir.

I am also fortunate to have met a kindred spirit at Skurnik Wines & Spirits, who, like me, enjoys finding great hidden treasures in Burgundy. And he found me these wines hidden in the book of this famed NY Distributor.

Sadly there are others who have found this winemaker and so I was only able to snag a few cases of each of the following wines. They will be available this coming Friday, but I suspect that they will sell out shortly after you read this blog!

Domaine V. Dureuil-Janthial Bourgogne Blanc. 2016. $34 net
This is an insane price for a wine that is grown in Dureuil’s vineyard in Puligny, and it’s a beautiful introduction toVincent’s wines. Great aromas of white peaches, nougatine, crisp apples and flowers. On the palate, it’s medium-bodied with a succulence that begs for another sip. The use of minimal, lightly charred new oak is evident but in no way does it overcome the delicacy of the wine. Spectacular value.

Domaine V. Dureuil-Janthial Bourgogne Rouge. 2017. $36 net
Oh the smell! Ethereal pinot noir. The wine unfurls in the glass with notes of spicy red berried fruit, dark chocolate and candied orange peel. It’s medium to full bodied with an exquisite lushness that envelopes the entire mouth. Whilst it will probably reward me with some cellar time, I fear the few bottles I will buy will not last the test of time.

Domaine V. Dureuil-Janthial Rully Blanc. 2016. $40 net
Aromas of crisp peach, citrus fruit and honeycomb. So elegant and smooth. Superb concentration and purity this is a Rully Blanc that puts to shame so many more expensive Burgundies from much more famous villages. If I could drink this every day I would. If you have said to yourself I don’t like chardonnay, then try this one.

Domaine V. Dureuil-Janthial Rully 1er Cru Le Meix Cadot Vieilles Vignes 2017. $54 net
And this is the wine he’s famous for. From a village like Puligny or Meursault this wine would fetch $150+. From the little village of Rully it’s $54! Critics have lauded this wine since it first came to market. A snippet of William Kelley’s take on the wine, “ revealing a complex bouquet of fresh pears, blanched almonds, citrus oil and vanilla pod. On the palate, it's full-bodied, multidimensional and textural, with considerable power, concentration and breadth, displaying the tension and cut that distinguish the vintage at this address…” RP 95. Drinkable to 2050.

Domaine V. Dureuil-Janthial Rully 1er Cru Vauvry 2017. $49 net
Notions of crisp green orchard fruit, mandarin, toasted nuts and fresh pastry. Medium bodied with a fine, satiny texture. The wine is lively and very precise, great acidity and a combination of beeswax and wet stones. Stunning.

As I say, there are very few cases left in NY. I have bought what I can for delivery Friday so I would urge you to make a quick decision. You don’t have to drink it immediately you just have to buy it quickly.

Happy New Year to you all.