To loosely quote Jean-Philippe Fichet: “God has given us the finest terroir on the earth for making wine. It is our responsibility to use it as best we can.”
And Mr Fichet does his very best, not just through his undeniable skill, but also through sheer hard work. And it’s clear what drives him.
Burgundy is my favourite place in the world. To me it’s like God’s telephone box. I’m not quite sure that it works both ways but when I’m tasting something beautiful from cask, I know there is something serious going on, that I’m in the presence of something special. The best winemakers know this too. They know that from what they have been given – some earth, some vines – they can make something of beauty. It’s a partnership. God, or nature if you prefer, does the earth, the plant, the rain and the sunshine. Man does the rest. And through a combination of skill, love and hard work we get wine.
Nowhere in the world sums this partnership up for me as well as Burgundy, where even the simplest of Bourgogne Rouges can show glimpses of something ethereal. An exceptional bottle of claret is often just that: an exceptional bottle. An exceptional bottle of Burgundy can make you want to cry…
Reports on 2008 Burgundy to follow.
