The world of Pinot Noir is changing. There was a time when we could never imagine describing a bottle of Irancy the way we would Domaine Bardet’s–fruit-driven, floral, even fleshy, and hands down one of the best values in red Burgundy we’ve come across in ages. Indeed, Domaine Bardet’s bottling isn’t just deeply pleasurable now, but primed for some seriously rewarding mid-term aging. Irancy is “red Chablis” after all, at the appellation’s far north regions, and for most of our careers, it was little more than a tart, often underripe oddity. But if Domaine Bardet’s knockout bottling is anything to go by, Irancy is going the way of German Pinot Noir: These are no longer just regions of curiosity, but one every Burgundy lover owes to themselves to explore, and they offer tremendous value to boot. You couldn’t ask for a better (re)introduction to Irancy than Domaine Bardet!
Irancy may be one of the least-seen French appellations. This rural town is far removed, both geographically and culturally, from the famed red Burgundy villages to the south. In fact, Irancy didn’t even get its own appellation until 1999. This is true cool-climate viticulture, where winter snow and spring frosts are a regular occurrence. The same Kimmeridgian limestone responsible for Chablis’ profound minerality runs through Irancy. And for a long time, it was almost more helpful to think of Irancy as a high-acid, low-tannin red version of Chablis. You drank it well-chilled and quickly, if you drank it at all. But in recent years, with seemingly every vintage warmer than the last, the Pinot here has taken on more heft and aromatic complexity. Those who cut their teeth on the more structured and earthy–not to mention more affordable–red Burgundy of yesteryear will find plenty to love in modern-day Irancy.
The Bardet family are farmers through and through. In fact, the viticultural side of the family business only began in the early 90s. Until then, Philippe Bardet was a cereal farmer whose grain fields just happened to fall within the boundary of the Chablis AOC. He and his cousin Michel decided that perhaps they should plant some vines, and the rest is history. The style from the start here has been one of simplicity and pure expression; the Bardets employ mostly stainless steel to produce their deeply mineral Chablis. In 2018, Philippe’s son Damien purchased a small one-hectare plot of Irancy, and the plot included a few rows of the extremely rare “César” grape, an ancient variety known for deep color and robust tanning. We don’t see much of the Bardet wines stateside, as well over 90% of their production is consumed greedily by locals, but wines like today’s Irancy are wonderfully unadorned expressions of place. Just a few hundred cases were made, and only a precious few are here and ready for your enjoyment.
If you’re enjoying Bardet’s 2022 Irancy now we recommend a quick decant. Irancy’s signature tension is still in play here, though with a little air, the nose unfurls into some beautiful Burgundy classicism. Morello cherry, crushed raspberry, and purple plum flesh fruit lead into black tea and tobacco, violet petals, mushroomy earth, and potting soil savor. The palate is medium-bodied, with moderate tannins providing a fantastic frame for more flavors of deep red fruit and earth. The acidity at play here is a little higher than you find in most modern Burgundy, and it’s totally welcome; this truly feels like the sort of Burg we drank a decade or more ago. It’s refreshing, complex, and full of pleasure now, but we strongly suggest stashing away a little Bardet for future exploration; this is going to unfurl into something pretty special. Thankfully, it’s priced reasonably enough to do just that. Allez Irancy!
