The Sarrazin name is an important one to know in the Côte Chalonnaise, the region just to the south of the Côte de Beaune that includes the lesser-known villages of Bouzeron, Rully, Mercurey, Givry, and Montagny. Headquartered in the tiny hamlet of Jamblès, within the Givry AOC, the domaine includes about 35 hectares of vineyards across a number of appellations (Givry, Rully, Mercurey, Maranges), all farmed according to lutte raisonnée (“reasoned struggle”) principles; this means that herbicides, pesticides, and any other non-organic inputs are prohibited except in serious emergencies. Brothers Guy and Jean-Yves Sarrazin have run the domaine since the mid-1990s, and in that time, they have raised their own profile along with those of the lesser-known villages they showcase. We have come to rely on Sarrazin for red (and white) Burgundies of uncommon depth and clarity at the lower end of the price spectrum, and in a generous vintage like 2015—known for lushly concentrated wines—their lineup was especially impressive.

 

The cuvée “Les Vieilles Vignes” (old vines) isn’t messing around in the vieilles department: The wine is sourced from 50+-year-old vines on a family plot in Jamblès, which, at about 1,000 feet in altitude, is just outside the Givry AOC boundary. Hand-harvested grapes are fermented on indigenous yeasts in open-topped wooden vats, after which the wine is aged partly in large, wooden casks (80%) and partly in stainless steel (20%). It is bottled unfined and unfiltered.

 

In the glass, the 2015 “Les Vieilles Vignes” is a concentrated dark ruby moving to pink and magenta at the rim, with a well-concentrated nose of black and red raspberries, wild strawberry, cranberry, wild flowers, crushed stones, with a hint of mushroom and underbrush. It’s downright juicy by young red Burgundy standards, but with that inimitable backbone of acidity that gives it lift. It glides gracefully across the palate and ends with a floral flourish. I’ll bet it would improve with a few years of cellar age—and make you feel even better about what you paid for it—but it is also approachable now. Decant it about 30-45 minutes before serving in Burgundy stems at around 60 degrees (the cooler temp here designed to highlight the floral tones). Perhaps the best word for this wine is “surprising”—considering everything that went into it, I’m surprised it doesn’t cost more. It offers great versatility at the table as well, with enough finesse for grilled seafood but enough backbone for chicken, pork, even beef. When I think about which dish would stand up to the intensity and concentration of this wine, my mind immediately goes to cassoulet made with duck confit. If you have never had cassoulet, it is time. You will be addicted. Enjoy!