Per usual, our meager PYCM allocations are never enough to support a stand-alone offer, so we bundle together what we can to create some semblance of viability. These multi-packs have always sold out at a rapid velocity, but we were determined to introduce something new for today’s: an under-$100 price tag. As far as the 21st century goes, Pierre-Yves is easily one of Burgundy’s hottest, in-demand winemaking talents, so tasting a bottle, let alone two, is an exceptional treat—especially if you’re only required to shell out double digits!
Today’s profoundly mineral and deeply textured 2018 Chardonnays could be considered a Burgundy “starter pack,” albeit one that instantly qualifies for best-in-class: The “Bourgogne” hails from a collection of sites in Meursault, Puligny, Chassagne, and Saint-Aubin, and the “Au Bout du Monde” comes from a high-elevation parcel up in the hills of Côte de Beaune. As is the MO for all Pierre-Yves Chardonnay, fermentation occurs naturally in larger French barrels, and filtration is eschewed at bottling. In other words, these wines are loaded with laser-sharp precision, typicity, and tremendous cellar appeal. For us, a $99 PYCM two-pack is a no-brainer: If you want some of the finest and most sought-after white Burgundy on the market, without breaking the bank, this is it. Here’s hoping you’re quick enough to snag one...
[NOTE: Complimentary Ground Shipping on two orders!]
Domaine Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey is relatively new on the scene, but its lineage is undeniably impressive: Winemaker Pierre-Yves Colin is the son of Marc Colin, and his wife, Caroline, is daughter to Jean-Marc Morey (both are highly regarded in the world of Burgundy). Pierre-Yves and Caroline represent modern-day Burgundian royalty and their wines are just as regal. After studying enology in Beaune, Pierre-Yves worked for his father at Domaine Marc Morey from 1994-2005, but he also learned under greats in Nôrthern Rhone, Languedoc, and the Loire Valley before setting up his own shop in 2006. He was able to do so with income generated from he and Caroline’s small négociant business started in 2001. Additionally, Pierre-Yves transferred over vineyard holdings given to him by his father to help launch his new label. Since then, everything they’ve touched has turned to gold and ubiquitous critical praise has followed.
In the vineyards, it’s all about sustainability: Pierre-Yves eschews the use of herbicides and opts to plow manually in an effort to further deepen the root system, which results in concentration and complexity. His “Bourgogne” in 2018 was sourced from four parcels located throughout the top villages of the Côte de Beaune—Puligny, Chassagne, Saint-Aubin, and Meursault. Today’s second bottling hails from Hautes-Cotes de Beaune, a higher-altitude appellation of Burgundy hugging the hillsides. This specific cuvée is sourced from “Au Bout du Monde,” which located around 1400 feet elevation just west of Chassagne and Saint-Aubin. Because of the different climate, harvest here typically happens a week later than Chassagne, so Pierre-Yves like to bottle it separately to really highlight the nuances of this unique site.
In the winery, juice is pressed into mostly used 350-liter demi-muids rather than standard 228-liter Burgundy barrels, so as to impart less oak influence on the wine. After fermentation on native yeasts, the wine ages on its lees without bâtonnage (stirring of lees); this ensures a fresh and terroir-driven wine. After at least 12 months in barrel, the final wine is always bottled unfiltered. Oxygen is avoided as much as possible in order to retain the purities and reductive qualities of each wine. Intricate, clean winemaking is always front and center in Pierre-Yves’ releases, as they reveal astonishing levels of tension and nerve that can only be shed with proper air exposure and/or years of cellaring. Perhaps more so than any other producer, PYCM requires a healthy decant in their youth: I suggest at least 60 minutes for both of these bottlings (a bit more for the “Bourgogne,” as it is the racier wine right now), but these are just guidelines. Use your best judgment and savor each bottle in large Burgundy stems over an entire evening, or two. Cheers to an extraordinary two-pack deal!
