Father-son team Jean-Hughes and Guilhem Goisot epitomize what wine people mean when they describe someone as a “winegrower” rather than “winemaker.” In this era of heightened environmental responsibility (among some, anyway), a vineyard-first mentality is something to be celebrated, and the Goisots are as vineyard-first as it gets.
They’ve attracted widespread acclaim in both the press and trade for wines from some of Burgundy’s most obscure appellations—Saint-Bris, Irancy, and Côtes d’Auxerre, all of which orbit Chablis in France’s Yonne department—yet regularly out-perform others of greater renown. When we tasted today’s wine, a single-vineyard Bourgogne Côtes d’Auxerre from the excellent 2014 vintage, the reaction was a visceral one: this is gutsy, deeply mineral white Burgundy that made us all want to roast a chicken and sit down to dinner (despite it being 11 in the morning). There’s a level of depth and soulfulness here that transcends both its modest price point and its cool, northern-limits-of-Burgundy place of origin. It’s the kind of wine an off-duty sommelier (i.e. one spending his/her own money) would jump on if it popped up on a wine list. Only a small amount has landed in our warehouse, which gives you a chance to jump on some, too: up to six bottles per customer until our supply runs out!
Auxerre is the namesake town of the regional appellation that includes it and a handful of other communes on either side of the Yonne River, west of Chablis (the Serein, which flows through the heart of Chablis, meets up with the Yonne about 15 kilometers north of Auxerre). As with Chablis, the Côtes d’Auxerre are characterized by subsoils of Kimmeridgian and Portlandian limestone from the Jurassic period, and yet the area wasn’t granted a regionally specific appellation until 1993. The Goisots were instrumental in getting this and other AOC designations written, including the 2003 codification of Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc from nearby Saint-Bris. They have earned a reputation as fastidious, even fanatical, stewards of their vineyards, which have been farmed organically since 1993 and are now certified biodynamic. Proponents of high vine density (10,000 vines per hectare, which is designed to allow each one to produce lower quantities of highly concentrated fruit) and low yields, Guilhem (son) and Jean-Hughes (father) would be commanding much higher prices for their wines if the bottles said “Chablis” on them—and I wouldn’t hesitate to compare them to the best Grand and Premier Cru bottlings of Chablis.
And yet, despite its geographic proximity to Chablis, today’s 2014—like most of the Goisot whites we’ve tried—has a greater level of texture and concentration than your typical steely, linear Chablis. “Gueules de Loup” is the name of a small, south-facing vineyard site near the village of Saint-Bris (gueules de loup are snapdragons, which grow around the picturesque vineyard). Vines are around 40 years old and the Goisots ferment and age the hand-harvested fruit in barrels, lending creaminess and depth. It is not a long aging period in barrels (20% of which were new), but enough to impart another layer of flavor and texture to an already well-structured Burgundy Chardonnay.
The 2014 “Gueules de Loup” is a wine that combines richness and freshness in a way you might not think is physically possible. Its combination of ripe fruit, mineral savor, and laser-focused acidity is a marvel. In both appearance and aromas, it is only vaguely reminiscent of Chablis, with a deep yellow-gold cast to the color and notes of hazelnut, button mushroom, and acacia honey on the nose that bring old-school Meursault to mind. The fruit profile mixes yellow apple, pear, and salted lemon, which saturate the palate before running into a solid wall of chalk. Don’t let anyone tell you that soil character cannot be tasted, because this wine is dripping with it! Medium-plus bodied and deeply satisfying, this wine needs about 45 minutes in a decanter before service at 50 degrees in large Burgundy stems. It is enjoyable now, but should also age another 7-10 years with ease; and as I said above, I can’t think of a better white for one of our go-to roast chicken preparations: the iconic version from Zuni Café in San Francisco. The wine alone is mind-blowing, but this combination? No words. Cheers!
