Bertrand Ambroise first came to Beaune when his father was transferred to work there on the French railways. He then enlisted in the Lycée Viticole to study winemaking as this was considered an easier option than the shepherding school!
Whilst at the school, he met his future wife Martine. After they married, Bertrand worked alongside Martine’s dad until his death in 1988 when the couple took over the 8 hectares and took the estate from strength to strength. A family run business, Bertrand is now joined by his son, François, in the winemaking and his daughter, Ludivine, in the running of the Domaine. Together they produce boutique wines in the traditional Burgundy way, as the photos attest!
The Bourgogne Hautes Côtes de Nuits in our exclusive parcel is 100% chardonnay and grown according to the principals of sustainable viticulture. Whereas most wines classified as Hautes Côtes de Nuits come from vineyards up to 15 km from the Cote de Nuits appellation, the vines which make this wine come from not more than 1km from the winery in Prémeaux-Prissey and the Côte de Nuits appellation.
The wine is fermented in oak barrels and aged in a mixture of large and small oak barrels. It’s aged on it’s lees (yeast) to give complexity and subjected to minimal racking. Lees stirring is frequent up until the malolactic fermentation and continues throughout the barrel maturation. Culminating in the wine being bottled in November or December of the year following the harvest.
This time and effort is reflected in the subtle nuances and complexities of the wines the Ambroise family produces. The wines show tremendous potential for aging and paired with the right food, can make a dinner party to remember. You can even see a recommended recipe for a French dish to suit here:
Recipe Suggestion: Les Oeufs en Meurette.
This offer is tempting but it bundles in some very old burgundies. I would be very concerned about oxidation in the older vintages and not confident enough to buy.
Hi Alan, we all had a chance to try these wines at Head Office when they arrived and we were all impressed. Out of the batches we tried – there were no problems. I accept that mature Burgundy isn’t to everyone’s taste, but I think this is just a great opportunity to taste unique vintages side by side. To prove the point, I’ve put my money where my mouth is and already bought my case!
I bought the case at the first opportunity. It has proved something of a mixed blessing.
The first bottle of 2004 was vibrant,complex and had me excited to try the earlier vintages. The side by side tasting was not the success I had anticipated. The 1999 demonstrated complexity,minerality,toasted almonds and brioche flavours, but the 2001 was perhaps past its sell-by date with neither residual fruit or mineral quality I had hoped for. I will try it again in another week to determine whether it was a one-off.
Dear Mr Griffiths,
I particularly enjoyed the 1999 vintage too! If you have any future bottles that you deem faulty, please email us at info@majestic.co.uk and let us know, as of course we will always take these back.
Kind regards,
Emma