Learys Liquor Cabinet
- Oct 7, 2022
- 2 min read

🍷 Burgundy's Burgundy all the year round

Hillaire Belloc had it right when he wrote, "For there's never a wine, Like this tipple of thine. From the great hill of Nuits to the River of Rhine." - Drinking Song On the Excellence of Burgundy Wine

This week, Armando takes us to the great hills of Burgundy, France.

🍷 #Salut

Dubreuil-Fontaine Père & Fils Bourgogne

Notre-dame de Bonne Espérance

2019

$25.99

Wine production in Burgundy is an old, practically ancient, tradition. A refund petition sent from the people of Autun to the Roman emperor Constantine in 312 A.D., shows wine production in the area dates back at least 23 centuries. These winemakers know what they're doing because they've been doing it for a long, long time.

The area is small but diverse. It's just 138 miles from Lyon to Dijon, and 87 miles from Dijon to Chablis. However, this small area features an astounding range of terroirs which means it is now recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

This wine is one to grab for Thanksgiving. Plus, there is an attitude of gratitude in the name. Notre-dame de Bonne Espérance means Our Lady of Good Hope.

Estate History

Domain Dubreuil-Fontaine is old too. In 1879, Pierre Arbinet first founded the family estate. In 1991, Christine Dubreuil became the 5th generation to take the helm, no small feat for a woman in the early ‘90s. Christine inherits the job of maintaining the production of excellent wine from her father, Bernard. That’s 143 years of producing wines that are highly rated and award-winning.

Bourgogne Notre Dame de Bonne Esperanza is part of the Bourgogne Rouge still reds produced under the generic Bourgogne designation. Established in 1937, it includes Burgundian wines made from vineyards without a more location-specific title and is produced from grapes grown in any of 300 communes throughout Burgundy. Pinot Noir is the predominant grape used.

Vineyard Notes

Established in the Côte de Beaune, the Domaine takes advantage of the noble grape varieties to compose the range of its 22 appellations, from fresh Burgundy to the lively village, from the prestigious Premier Cru to the rare Grand Cru. Its vineyards extend over the communes of Pernand-Vergelesses, Aloxe-Corton and Savigny Les Beaune, Pommard, Beaune, and Volnay.

Our farming methods are respectful of the environment, the objective is to produce a rich and healthy harvest while ensuring the sustainability of our terroirs. The amendments and applications of phytosanitary products are reasoned, and the soils worked in order to preserve the natural balance of our vines as much as possible. The harvest is ensured by hand at maturity and sorted on arrival in the winery

Tasting Notes

The Dubreuil-Fontaine Père & Fils Bourgogne Notre-dame de Bonne Espérance 2019 vintage endured hot temps with a slight touch of chill which served the reds well. According to Christine Debreuil, “We had a hot summer this year, but the year started with a little frost – fortunately just a little. By the end, the biggest damage was the cold weather during flowering, maybe minus 30% in the end, a little more for the whites and less for the reds. But very happy with the quality.”

Hints of various red berries with a ripe, fresh nose.