If there weren’t such an assured and well-entrenched family behind it, I’d call this wine a Cinderella story—which is to say, a white Burgundy plucked from relative obscurity that outclasses countless more ‘noble’ whites of higher station (and price). Burgundies like this one make the job exciting, because if I were to serve you this wine blind in a restaurant you’d likely think it was (a) from Premier Cru real estate in Puligny-Montrachet or Meursault; and (b) much more expensive than it is.
Were you to encounter this wine yourself on a wine list or a store shelf, you might take one look at the out-of-the-way Auxey-Duresses appellation on the label and pass it by. Or, like us, you might also see the name Taupenot-Merme and think: This could be something special. Well, it is. Under the direction of seventh-generation
vigneron Romain Taupenot, this impeccable domaine crafts an deliciously diverse range of wines—some 20 bottlings from an assortment of vineyard holdings totaling just 13 hectares. This is one of the best examples of ‘punch above its weight’ Burgundy I’ve tasted in a long time—great to drink now, cellar-worthy, and an exceptional value. We hoarded every bottle we could to make up to a case per customer available today. This is a sleeper superstar you’ll be very pleased to have on hand over the next many years.
Although founded in 1963 following the union of Jean Taupenot and Denise Merme, winemaking in the Taupenot family can be traced to the early 1700s—even later for the Merme side. At the behest of his father, Romain was summoned back to head the domaine in 1998 after working in finance for a decade (although he made sure never to miss harvest). Taking the knowledge he amassed throughout his childhood and beyond, Romain preserved key philosophies and principles while improving on areas he felt were lacking. A prime example was the full conversion to organic viticulture in three short years (although he has not sought certification). Additionally, the family had two wineries at the time of his takeover, which Romain quickly merged to channel all his focus and passion into one place.
What’s also interesting about Taupenot-Merme is how far-flung their vineyard holdings are, spanning almost the entire length of the Côte d’Or. The estate is based in Morey-Saint-Denis (where they own part of the acclaimed Grand Cru “Clos des Lambrays”) but they farm choice, old-vine sites in Gevrey-Chambertin, Chambolle-Musigny, Nuits-Saint-Georges, Corton, Auxey-Duresses, and Saint-Romain. In Auxey-Duresses, the Taupenots have a fairly strong presence, with a few hectares of Premier Cru vineyards and nearly a hectare of village-classified vines dedicated to this bottling.
Geologically, Auxey-Duresses is an extension of Monthélie and Meursault, with stony limestone soils in vineyards that skew often to the southeast, giving them prime exposure. Most of the village’s vineyards sit at the entrance to one of many narrow valleys, or combes, that run up into the ‘Hautes Côtes’ (“upper slopes”) and forested mountains to the west. These valleys serve as funnels for cool air from the hills above, so southern-leaning aspect of the vineyards is counterbalanced by the slightly cooler microclimate. As I noted above, you’ll detect similarities to Meursault and Puligny-Montrachet in these wines, which shouldn’t come as a surprise.
I’ll go one step further and proclaim this 2014 to be of clear Premier Cru quality at a minimum. Now with a bit of bottle age, it has begun to broaden and blossom, but it maintains a level of crystalline purity and tension that suggests many more years of delicious drinking ahead. In the glass, it’s a reflective yellow-gold with hints of straw at the rim, with a nose absolutely bursting with fruits and florals: yellow apple, lime blossom, meyer lemon, honeysuckle, white flowers, and wildflower honey all come into the picture. It’s what I’d call a ‘reductive’ (i.e. oxygen-starved) style; it was aged 10 months’ on its lees (spent yeast cells) without being ‘racked’ (decanted from one barrel to another) so it has yet to show many of the oxidative notes (nuts, mushroom) that will come with more time in bottle. Right now, it is tingling with freshness and minerality, unleashing plenty of fruit and charm after about 30 minutes in a decanter. Serve it in all-purpose white wine stems at 50-ish degrees (not too cold!) with a beautiful piece of fish, prepared simply. The fine detail and brightness of this wine had me thinking about halibut cooked
en papillote (in parchment, to preserve its moisture). What you’ll find, though, is that this masterful Chardonnay will go with just about anything. Enjoy!
