Génot-Boulanger Beaune "En Lulunne" Blanc 2022
We have 2 in stock (Inventory is live and accurate)
Beaune is the largest wine town of the Cote d'Or and is considered the capital of Burgundy wine. The 21,000 or so residents reside downslope of the Cote which has a large area of premier cru vineyards with village level grapes found above and below. We are journeying about as far as we can from the city here and driving up a side valley on the southern border where Beaune meets Pommard - the sliver of vines in the southwest corner of the appellation as seen here where the giant red arrow points:
En Lulunne is named after a spring that's just across the road on the Pommard side with what appears to be a campground surrounding it. The vineyard itself is bordered by forest on 3 sides and has a gentle south-east facing slope. Genot-Boulanger owns a solid chunk of the middle section and in 2003 they grafted what was Pinot Noir over to Chardonnay. This process leaves the roots the same age (planted 1986) and depth while the vines are young growth with a new grape variety, so it could be debated how old exactly the vines are.
The decision to switch this vineyard to white was a good one, as it shows that classic Cote-de-Beaune opulence-meets-acidity that is so rarely replicated in Chardonnay anywhere else. The vintage was warm and generous, which for me makes whites that drink better on the younger side than cooler years which require bottle age to calm down the acidity and show some roundness, such as 2021.
The domaine itself is run by a couple, Aude and Guillaume, and it was Aude's great-grandfather who originally founded the domaine in 1974. Their holdings are extensive, spanning 30 different appellations, all of which they farm themselves and produce at least 26 different wines from. For having such an impressive array of vineyards the domaine is still in its youth and continues to improve and grow in fame every year.
The wines are picked based on acidity instead of sugar to make sure never to lose the focused acid that great Chardonnay needs to counter its natural richness. Their whites see 15% new oak maximum, part of a growing trend of lower use of new oak in Burgundy, which I think is the correct response to naturally richer wines from a warmer climate.
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Burgundy, in eastern France, encompasses several subregions, but it is the Côte d'Or that is home to many of the world's most expensive and revered wines. The region, primarily a single east-facing slope, has mixed limestone soils that vary dramatically from village to village and even vineyard to vineyard. White wines, crafted from Chardonnay, range from rich and opulent to lean and intensely mineral, while Pinot Noir produces silky, perfumed red wines of exceptional finesse and complexity. Centuries of winemaking tradition have resulted in every plot being meticulously recognized and scrutinized, making the Côte d'Or a true capital of terroir.
Burgundy - Cote d'Or
Chardonnay, one of the world's most versatile and beloved white grape varieties, showcases a remarkable spectrum of styles, from the lean, mineral-driven expressions of Chablis in France to the rich, buttery, and oak-aged versions from California's Napa Valley. Its adaptability extends to cooler climates such as Burgundy, where it achieves elegance and complexity, and to regions like Australia's Yarra Valley, known for producing vibrant and fruit-forward renditions. This grape's ability to reflect its terroir, coupled with winemaking techniques, results in a wide array of profiles, including unoaked, crisp varieties with apple and citrus notes, to full-bodied wines with tropical fruit flavors and creamy textures.
