Once you climb into Premier and Grand Cru territory, red Burgundy becomes prohibitively expensive in a hurry—which makes the across-the-board value delivered by Domaine Camus-Bruchon downright unbelievable. Today’s Premier Cru is a low-production, traditionally-made wine from ancient plots which are highly praised by those in the know.
While each of Camus-Bruchon’s Premier Crus are indelibly elegant, today’s “Narbantons”—widely regarded as the cru to know in Savigny—easily shows the most depth and aging potential. But in a region that lives and dies by the real estate mantra, “location, location, location,” where in Burgundy are we? “Narbantons” is nestled within the commune of Savigny-lès-Beaune and if you were standing in the vineyard, you’d be able to see the tree-topped hill of Grand Cru Corton; it’s only a mile or so from here. Subscriber response was enthusiastic, to say the least, when we previously offered Camus-Bruchon’s $30 “Cuvée Reine Joly”—a blend of old parcels—so we were determined to find a single-vineyard expression that really shows the potential of this great producer. “Narbantons” is a wine of finesse and power, with deep concentration derived from vines that were planted in the 1950s. When we offer Premier Cru Burgundy in the $40 range, you’d think I’d be a little more forgiving, but instead I scrutinize all the more. This passed both the eye and taste test with flying colors and I can’t recommend it more highly. Load up—this value is near unbeatable!
Camus-Bruchon is a relatively new domaine in Burgundy, with Guillaume Camus representing the third generation at the estate. Though his father was actively involved until his passing last year, it was Guillaume's grandmother 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 became a local juggernaut. Already in the top rank of producers in the appellation, their star is still ascending, thanks in large part to their fanatical devotion to farming. Their wines are exceptionally pure and site-expressive; always bright, clean, authentic and in the case of “Narbantons,” powerful.
Guillaume’s northern-facing parcel of “Narbantons” was planted in the mid-20th century and his vines are now nearing 70 years old. His plot is located toward the base of this hillside vineyard and soils here are a mix of clay and limestone. Though uncertified, viticulture is incredibly important at Camus-Bruchon and their ‘lutte raisonnée’ approach closely mirrors an organic one. All grapes are sorted in the vineyard and harvested by hand. In the winery, they are approximately 70% destemmed before a 2-3 week fermentation. This was only their fourth vintage to experiment with partial whole cluster fermentation and I think it has largely paid off—there is more structure and grip that complements the ripe fruit of 2014. The wine aged for 15 months in 25% new French oak and the final production came in at a mere 225 cases.
In the glass, Camus-Bruchon’s 2014 “Narbantons” exhibits a dark ruby core with serious concentration. There isn’t any of that “Burgundian barnyard funk” on the nose, though mineral and terroir-driven notes are present in the main. What comes first, however, is an impressive wave of blue-black fruits: blackberry, huckleberry, blueberry, black cherry and black raspberry. Following are refined earthy aromas of forest floor, turned earth, raw leather, and slight exotic spice. The partial new French oak lends to notes of perfectly nuanced oak accents through the long finish. Moving to the palate confirms the fruits and introduces a hint of reds; all of which do a fine job of coating your palate, creating smoothed tannins and a dense mouthfeel. What isn’t lost, thankfully, is the finesse and elegance on which Camus-Bruchon built its reputation. Everything you want in top Premier Cru Burgundy is here for the taking and it will perfectly preserve itself over the following 10-15 years, but the magic will begin after the wines 6-7th birthday. If enjoying now, decant for 30-45 minutes and pour in large Burgundy stems slightly above cellar temperature (65F). Pair this alongside a preparation of roasted quail in balsamic vinegar—the glaze adds additional “oomph” to an already tasty dish. Cheers!
