It’s not often that one is genuinely “moved” by a Bourgogne Rouge, but Confuron-Cotetidot’s Bourgogne is really something else—a trusted benchmark that never fails to deliver the powerful soul of Burgundian Pinot Noir. From a tiny selection of vines in the northeastern reaches of Vosne-Romanée, this is liquid muscle: full of intense minerality, old-school structure, and sophistication.
Forget 5-7 years of evolution, this staunchly traditional, age-worthy Burgundy has the balance and constitution to take the next two decades in stride! Following in the footsteps of their parents, brothers Yves and Jean-Pierre “Jack” Confuron have stayed true to classic Burgundian philosophies while working with mature vines and hand-crafting wines in what appears to be a centuries-old cellar. It’s a rare occasion when I declare a Bourgogne Rouge “collectible,” but this is one of them: You can certainly consume today’s ’16 after a lengthy decant, but as is always the case with these wines, the true magic is revealed many years down the road. This is the ultimate value cellar addition that, once mature, competes with the Premier Crus that lie just down the road. Compared to the 2015 release—a rapid sellout—we received a meager allocation this time around. Don’t drag your feet!
By now, given how many of their wines we’ve offered, the Confuron-Cotetidot story should be a familiar one: This is a family operation, specializing in selection massale—the process of propagating new plants by using cuttings from the best-performing vines in the vineyard. Parents Jean-Jacques “Jacky” (Confuron) and Bernadette (Cotetidot), who created the domaine in 1964, still work the vines today; Yves and Jack now handle day-to-day operations and winemaking, while simultaneously holding positions at other properties. The family farm is about 12 hectares of vineyards from ‘Bourgogne’ level to Grand Cru, and they’ve even developed a clone of Pinot Noir that carries their name: “Pinot Confuron.” Farming has always been done organically—holistically, really—without the use of synthetic pesticides or herbicides. Truly, their plots have never been introduced to any chemicals. Very few producers can claim that.
Today’s Bourgogne Rouge was sourced from small, old-vine plots in the eastern section of Vosne-Romanée, all of which are tended by hand. All of their tools sit in front of the winery (more like a cottage) and though fully-functioning, they seem better suited for a museum showcasing early 1900s viticulture. Confuron-Cotetidot always utilizes whole-cluster fermentation, followed by a multi-week maceration and ~16 months of aging in mostly neutral barrels. As with all of their wines, their Bourgogne Rouge is bottled unfined and unfiltered.
Heady perfume, formidable structure, and layers of subtle complexity are the hallmarks of Confuron-Cotetidot, no matter the appellation on the label. Where 2015 had the blasting, uncompromising sun to ripen bountiful crops to hedonistic levels, 2016 was cooler and yields were severely curtailed, making our PSA of cellaring this wine all the more apt. Even now, though, flavors of dusty black cherry, red plums, licorice, red currants, and wild black raspberries announce themselves loud and clear, along with underbrush, baking spice, black tea, and a potpourri of hibiscus, violet, and rose. Remember, this is made almost the exact same way as their ‘Cru’ wines so it doesn’t lack any boldness—it’s unbelievably complex and powerful with immense structure. I see this blossoming over the next 3-5 years, but not reaching its true potential until its 10th birthday and well beyond. So, again: Please give one or two bottles the gift of long cellar aging. If drinking within the next couple years, decant for at least two hours (or pull the cork in the morning) and serve in large Burgundy stems around 60-65 degrees. Cheers!
