Camus-Bruchon is a relatively new domaine in Burgundy, with Guillaume Camus representing “just” the third generation at the estate. It was Guillaume's grandmother—for whom this cuvée is named—who single-handedly put the family estate together, selecting choice parcels across Savigny-lès-Beaune, Pommard, and Beaune. The family sold their fruit to négociants until Guillaume’s father, Lucien, took the reins, and the father-son team has become their own little juggernaut in Savigny. Already in the top rank of producers in the appellation, their star is still in its ascent, thanks in large part to their fanatical devotion to farming. Few producers anywhere in Burgundy are able to capture aromatics as pure as those in this delicious 2013.

Guillaume is involved in every aspect of viticulture at Camus-Bruchon, and it shows in the clarity and purity in every bottle. Although he’s ‘technically’ a practitioner of lutte raisonnée farming (which entails organic viticulture unless an emergency arises in a particularly difficult vintage), his hands-on methodology goes far deeper. Camus-Bruchon’s vines are old, with an average of 35 years, but some parcels are as old as 95. Thanks to conscientious manual work, the exceptionally healthy, hand-harvested fruit is sorted in the vineyards—not on a sorting table in the winery. Cuvée Reine Joly is assembled from three diverse vineyard parcels, with soils ranging from sandy clay to shallow stony clay over a base of limestone. The pristine fruit is cold macerated, de-stemmed, and fermented with only indigenous yeasts over the course of 15-20 days. The wine is aged on its lees in 3- to 4-year-old French barrels for 10-15 months and is bottled without filtration in order to retain the “natural balance of fruit and tannins.” And what balance!

The 2013 Cuvée Reine Joly displays a bright ruby core with light garnet reflections on the rim. A concentrated nose full of black cherry, strawberry, goji berry and huckleberry is so clear and clean it reveals Burgundy at its purest. The fruit is laced with complex aromatics of violets, rose petals, a hint of forest floor, tree moss, a touch of mushroom and crushed earth. Every time I place my nose in the glass, another unexpected layer introduces itself. The palate is medium-plus in body and reveals a sweetness of fruit that is incredibly fresh. There’s a thread of wild, black fruit liqueur that evolves into layers of savory, umami, and crushed-rock minerality. It is spicy, snappy, and absolutely pulsating with energy and pleasure right now, but will reveal even greater nuances over the next 7-10 years in your cellar (be sure to lose some bottles in a cold, dark place!!). If you can find the time, pull the cork on this wine 2-3 hours before serving. Serve in Burgundy stems at 60 degrees or a touch higher alongside a rich, hearty dish like roasted pork loin with fruit or roast duck. Its brisk acid and savory spice will make it a delicious foil for Emeril Lagasse’s Venison and Mushroom Stew. Enjoy!