Le Grand Début
photo 1.
2021 Domaine du Puy de l’Ours Savigny-lès-Beaune ‘Clos des Godeaux’
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Piano Sonata No. 16 in C major, K. 545
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I fell in love with the Savigny-lès-Beaune region in Bourgogne when I tasted the 2018 Domaine Pierre Guillemot Savigny-lès-Beaune ‘Les Grands Picotins’ at Cote. My wife treated me to a Burgundy and Korean BBQ pairing dinner, and what intrigued me most about the wine was its thin, highly aromatic, and sensitive structure. Later, I discovered that the key characteristics of wines from Savigny-lès-Beaune include a long-lasting finish, high acidity, and pleasant strawberry-like notes.
When I first met Jason from Jersey Wine and Spirit, I asked him if he could recommend something similar to the Savigny-lès-Beaune I had enjoyed at Cote. Unfortunately, the store didn’t have any from the region that day, but he suggested the 2020 Jérôme Galeyrand Fixin ‘Champs de Vosger’ instead. That wine deserves its own separate post because it changed my life and set me on a wine journey.
Jason remembered how much I loved wines from Savigny-lès-Beaune. One day, while I was at the store to pick up something else, he recommended the 2021 Le Puy de l’Ours ‘Clos des Godeaux.’ I found out that this was Domaine du Puy’s very first vintage. This got me excited, as I always root for passionate independent makers. It took me a while to find the right moment to uncork this wine, but I finally had the opportunity. After returning home from a nice dinner, it was quite late when I opened the bottle. My friend, visiting from out of town, my wife, and I decided to open this wine because none of us knew what to expect except for the Savigny-lès-Beaune characteristics.
As we returned from a sumptuous dinner, we decided to forgo another round of food or snacks. Instead, we opted to savor the wine in its purest form, without any pairing. It was a delightful experience to fully immerse ourselves in the wine and pay meticulous attention to all its subtle notes. While I have a profound appreciation for pairing wine with a well-prepared meal, there is an undeniable pleasure in sipping fine wine without any additional accompaniments, allowing me to wholeheartedly concentrate on the wine itself.
What a delightful wine it turned out to be! It exudes sophistication, reminding me of the tiny red flowers one would see in the countryside. The pronounced strawberry notes were accompanied by unexpected hints of black pepper, nutmeg, and cinnamon. As the wine opened up, it revealed more red fruit notes like raspberry, sour cherry, red cherry, and even more strawberry. The wine was smooth and had a silkiness similar to milk chocolate. There is something comforting about the strawberry notes; perhaps it's because I always enjoyed eating biscuits with strawberry jam when I was little.
Regarding the vinification process, this wine originates from an organic-certified vineyard, boasting clay-limestone soils enriched with white marls and basking in southwestern exposure. It is then aged in oak barrels, not new ones, for a duration of 10 months. This aging process likely accounts for the subtle hints of nutmeg and cinnamon that grace the wine’s palate.
Unlike me, my wife is not a big fan of wines from Savigny-lès-Beaune, yet she enjoyed how the wine unfolded its story. Overall, the wine was very pretty, exhibiting the purity and essence of key Savigny-lès-Beaune characteristics. Because of its purity and prettiness, this wine reminded me of Mozart’s Piano Sonata No. 16 in C major, K. 545. Yes, the one everyone learns to play at some point during piano lessons. It is often overplayed by many, but definitely not played enough by the greatest pianists in concerts.
I had the opportunity to hear this piece played live by Mitsuko Uchida at Carnegie Hall a few years ago. I eagerly anticipated her performance, as I personally think she is one of the best Mozart interpreters. Even though I had heard the piece a million times, her performance gave me the impression of listening to it for the first time. There was freshness, refinement, purity in tone, and drama.
Mozart wrote this sonata to be played by beginners. However, it is often more challenging to play when there are fewer notes and to capture simplicity. The technical aspects may be designed for less experienced pianists, but there is much to consider in terms of the musical aspects when performing this piece. In other words, it is a difficult piece to master, as Mitsuko Uchida did in her concert.
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Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Piano Sonata No. 16 in C major, K. 545
1. Allegro
2. Andante
3. Rondo: Allegro
I titled my post “Le Grand Début.” This is not only in reference to the wine’s début millésime but also because Savigny-lès-Beaune rekindled my love for wine, much like how Mozart's Sonata serves as a debut piece for many aspiring pianists.
The 2021 Le Puy de l’Ours ‘Clos des Godeaux’ truly embodies purity, freshness, terroir, and, most importantly, unlimited potential. I cannot wait to taste other wines from this maker over the years. I still find myself asking the same question I had when I opened this bottle:
Can you believe that this is the very first vintage from the winemakers?
Other premiers vins millésimés from Domaine du Puy de l’Ours:
Blanc:
L'Absurde - Blanc de Noirs
Côte de Beaune Les Monsnières
Rouge:
Savigny-lès-Beaune Clos Des Godeaux
Savigny-lès-Beaune Les Follettes