Skip to main content
Bottle and Glass
0
  • Red Wine
    • Australia
    • Austria
    • France
    • Italy
    • New Zealand
    • Spain
  • White Wine
    • Australia
    • Austria
    • France
    • Germany
    • Italy
    • New Zealand
    • South Africa
  • Rosé Wine
    • Australia
    • France
  • Sparkling Wine
    • Australia
    • France
    • Italy
    • New Zealand
    • Spain
  • Sweet
    • Australia
    • Italy
    • New Zealand
  • Fortified Wine
    • Australia
  • Mixed Cases
  • Gift Vouchers
Bottle and Glass
0
Cart0 Login / Register
  • Red Wine
    • Australia
    • Austria
    • France
    • Italy
    • New Zealand
    • Spain
  • White Wine
    • Australia
    • Austria
    • France
    • Germany
    • Italy
    • New Zealand
    • South Africa
  • Rosé Wine
    • Australia
    • France
  • Sparkling Wine
    • Australia
    • France
    • Italy
    • New Zealand
    • Spain
  • Sweet
    • Australia
    • Italy
    • New Zealand
  • Fortified Wine
    • Australia
  • Mixed Cases
  • Gift Vouchers
  • Home
  • Our Newsletter
  • Night of the Round Table

Night of the Round Table

David   26 April 2012 

Marchand & Burch is an exciting collaboration between leading Burgundian winemaker Pascal Marchand and Howard Park's Jeff Burch (Western Australia). Marchand has impressive credentials, including 15 years with Domaine Comte Armand, transforming it into the greatest estate in Pommard (commune in Burgundy), after which he was headhunted to establish the 'super-domaine' Domaine de la Vougeraie in 1999. His winemaking philosophy revolves around anti-interventionism and biodynamics, and together, Marchand and Burch are making waves. 

I'd been hearing good things, but hadn't tried the wines, so last week I rang the local distributor for a bit of a chat. After a few minutes of conversation there came a spontaneous invitation to taste the entire range that night. He was off to Golden Century with a few industry mates for a bit of duck and Pinot.

So there I was at Golden Century on a Tuesday night, with the distributor, his staff, a few prominent Sydney publicans and the GM of Marchand & Burch, Paul McArdle, none of whom I'd met before. The lazy-susan groaned under the weight of beer, Chinese food and a bevy of top wines from Australia and Burgundy. The only rule was that there was to be no 'wine wankery' and they held true to this, as multiple vintages of every wine were opened without fanfare. These boys were seasoned campaigners, highlighted by the lack of spittoons and notepads (save mine under the table). What a night! Great company, great food, and the rare chance to taste the entire range (including the good stuff) of these incredible wines, which that morning had been just a thought. The first to leave at 12.30am, I made my way through the deserted streets of Chinatown and reflected on how serendipitous my day had been. 

Marchand & Burch lavish extraordinary attention to detail in both the vineyard and the winery, producing a range of top red and whites from both Burgundy and Western Australia. I was impressed by all of them, however I've limited it to a manageable 5. For the Burgundyheads there's more at the bottom. 


1. Marchand & Burch Bourgogne Rouge 2009   

One of the ultimate challenges in the wine world is to find drinkable red Burgundy (Pinot Noir) at a reasonable price. Only in Burgundy can you spend $100 and still not be sure of getting something half decent. I've been on a quest to find something in the elusive $30-$40 bracket - and finally a wine has delivered. 

Being a 'Bourgogne' this wine can be made from fruit sourced anywhere within the entire Burgundy region. For those of you used to drinking new world Pinot, as opposed to Burgundy, the feature you will find most different about this wine will be the acid structure. Burgundy is built on good acid structure and this is the reason they have the ability to age so much better than new world Pinots. 

This is a fresh and appealing wine. It has lots of up-front fruit and plenty of good acid and tannin structure. It opens up beautifully to become a generous and smooth pinot. Here's a recent review from Huon Hooke. Amazing that he describes an entry level pinot as 'undeveloped' at 3 years of age. 

"Medium to full red/purple; very good colour for its age. Sweet raspberry, strawberry aromas. Excellent fresh, clean, bright, undeveloped and well-made wine. Pristine, with light, tight and rather firm tannins. All bodes well for ageing." 91 Points.

This is a remarkably complex and serious wine for the price, and I think it's great value. I should also mention that 2009 is regarded as a top vintage in Burgundy. I'd recommend decanting the wine to let it open up on the table. It's on at a few cool places around town, including 'Fix St James' where it's $89. 

I can offer it for $37 a bottle. SOLD OUT


2. Marchand & Burch "Mount Barrow" Pinot Noir 2010

M&B produce two Pinots from the Great Southern region of Western Australia. The 'Mount Barrow' vineyard is in the sub-region of Mount Barker, while the 'Gibraltar Rock' vineyard is in the Porongorup sub-region. Both are great vineyard sites and provide terrific examples of how good, often maligned Western Australian Pinot can be. I chose the 'Mount Barrow' as it's the more generous of the two. It's slightly bigger, more concentrated and fleshy, in that appealing new world sort of way. You'll find this wine has plenty of red fruit and cherry-like flavours. It's a pleasurable medium weight in the mouth and offers an inviting and warm texture that borders on indulgent. 

The critics seem to like it too: 
Ralph Kyte-Powell, in The Age, gives it Five Stars.
He notes: "offers aromas reminiscent of cherries, spice and blossom, with a dab of gamey richness. The medium-bodied palate is succulent and rich... the finish is subtle and long."

James Halliday, in his Australian Wine Companion 2012, gives it 94 points. 

This is a great example of an Aussie Pinot. You'll find it Aria restaurant for $150 and at Est for $145. 

I can offer it for $65 a bottle. SOLD OUT


3. Marchand & Burch Chardonnay 2010

This is the wine that put these guys on the map. The first vintage released was 2007 and it went straight to the top. Halliday rated it 97, a score that only one other Chardonnay (Penfolds Yattarna) equaled. What an incredible achievement! The benchmark - Leeuwin Estate Chardonnay 2007 -  got a 96. 

When told it was a top WA Chardonnay I naturally braced myself for a Margaret River style monster, big, rich and stone-fruity. However, this is from Porongurup in the Great Southern, which is cooler, much cooler... and it shows. The wine is lean and bright, and full of zest, but what's amazing is its ability to combine this youthful vigour with so much more. It has all the underlying complexity of the best Margaret River Chardonnay without the overblown weight. It manages to achieve a perfect balance of being lean without too much acidity, and complex without being over the top. You'll find fresh and attractive citrus flavours perfectly balanced by more textural and nutty characteristics. This is a restrained and elegant wine that finishes long in the mouth. What a delight to drink. 

The 2010 got an impressive 97 points from Halliday. Once again it was the equal top scoring Chardonnay.
He notes: "A wine with utterly exceptional intensity and length. You can't put your finger precisely on it, but this shows the Burgundian training of Pascal Marchand." 

It's one of Australia's top Chardonnays and it's only a matter of time before the price increases to reflect this. Get it while still a relative newcomer. You can try it at Quay restaurant for $140. 

I can offer it for $65 a bottle. SOLD OUT


4. Marchand & Burch Vosne-Romanee 2009

Vosne-Romanee is the most famed Pinot Noir producing commune in the world. It's home to 8 Grand Cru vineyards (highest classification for a vineyard site in Burgundy) including: Romanee-Conti, La Romanee, La Tache and Richebourg. It's also home to the absolute superstar, Domaine de la Romanee-Conti whose wines are the best and most expensive Pinots in the world. Releases in a good year can be upwards of $5000 for their top wines! Great Burgundy is all about the combination of power, finesse and intensity of fruit, and it seems Vosne-Romanee is the commune that's better at capturing this elusive combination than any other. 

The fruit for the wine can come from anywhere within the commune and in this case it's from 3 different sites. I found this wine all about texture, it's silky, velvety and smoooooth. It's a sensual mouthful that made me just close my eyes and savour the moment. It stopped me. Life suddenly seems better when drinking a wine like this. The wine also prompted an interesting, and humorous, discussion at the table about the often used, and misused, term 'sexy' in the context of wines. Some suggested restraint, others thought of power, whilst others thought specifically of texture and mouthfeel. To me, this wine manages to capture all of these. 

The wine itself is described well by Halliday's recent notes: "Full purple-crimson, the spicy fruits on the bouquet lead into a deep and satisfying palate, ripe tannins are embedded in black cherry and plum fruit, as is the integrated oak. Excellent finish and aftertaste." 94 points.

The quality of the 2009 vintage was highlighted with the opening of a 2008 which was noticeably lighter. 

I can offer it for $120 a bottle (limited supply). SOLD OUT


Prior to tasting the two most expensive wines ('Clos De Beze' & 'Mazis-Chambertin') I wondered how much better could they really be. Were they really worth the extra money? And the simple answer was yes - they were incredible. These were truly great wines that were a step up in complexity and intensity that you wouldn't think possible. This is the level of Burgundy that draws you into the world of descriptors like ethereal and perfection, and makes you comprehend the concept of Pinot Noir as the 'holy grail' of wine. As for trying to pick between the two wines, it's kind of like being asked to choose a favourite amongst your children. 

On a more practical note I was amazed, and pleased, to see Pascal Marchand using stelvin (screw caps) on all his wines, including these Grand Crus. A sure sign of his progressive nature. 


5. Marchand & Burch Chambertin 'Clos De Beze' Grand Cru 2009

'Clos De Beze' lies alongside 'Chambertin' and together they are regarded as the two most prestigious grand crus in the commune of Gevrey-Chambertin. Just to confuse matters, Clos de Beze may be labeled Chambertin, but not vice-versa. 

Napoleon's well known preference for the wines of Chambertin, combined with their richness (within the Pinot spectrum) has them often referred to as the 'wine of kings'. In this context the wines of 'Clos de Beze' are thought of as the Queen. Whilst powerful, they tend to be slightly more refined, austere and delicate than Chambertin. 

This was a profound wine experience for me. It epitomised great Burgundy, with its ability to combine power and extreme complexity with finesse and elegance. Weight, texture, flavour and acid all balanced perfectly in the mouth. Such a pity I was driving, I could just keep enjoying it... 

Allen Meadows from Burghound manages to continue the superlatives in spectacular style...
"An overtly spicy, cool and elegant nose that features a broad array of earth, game, underbrush, humus and stone notes that marry into opulently rich, full-bodied and quite serious big-bodied flavours that possess excellent mid-palate concentration and simply gorgeous length on the quite firmly structured finale. This will require close to 20 years to be at its best." 93 - 95 Points.

If you want to know how good Burgundy can get, this will give you an insight. I know it sounds trite, however a top Grand Cru from 2009, for under $500 - yes - it's a bargain.  

I can offer it for $495 a bottle (extremely limited). SOLD OUT


Also available:
Marchand & Burch 'Mazis-Chambertin' Grand Cru 2009
I can offer it for $375 a bottle. Click here to order

Marchand & Burch Nuits St Georges  2009
I can offer it for $93 a bottle. SOLD OUT

Service

Service

  • My Account
  • Track Order
  • Returns and Refunds

About Us

About Us

  • About Us
  • Our Newsletter
  • Contact Us

Information

Information

  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Shipping
  • Security Policy

Receive our newsletter

Copyright © 2021 Bottle and Glass. All Rights Reserved.
NSW Liquor Licence No. LIQP770010172
ABN: 61 143 856 919
Liquor Act 2007: It is against the law to sell or supply alcohol to, or obtain alcohol on behalf of, a person under the age of 18 years. We support the responsible service of alcohol.
  • MasterCard
  • Visa

Terms & Conditions

Welcome to our website. If you continue to browse and use this website, you are agreeing to comply with and be bound by the following terms and conditions of use, which together with our privacy policy govern Bottle and Glass’s relationship with you in relation to this website. If you disagree with any part of these terms and conditions, please do not use our website.

The term ‘Bottle and Glass’ or ‘us’ or ‘we’ refers to the owner of the website whose registered office is Shop 4, 29 Newland St, Bondi Junction, NSW, 2022. Our ABN is 61 143 856 919. The term ‘you’ refers to the user or viewer of our website.

The use of this website is subject to the following terms of use:

  • The content of the pages of this website is for your general information and use only. It is subject to change without notice.
  • Neither we nor any third parties provide any warranty or guarantee as to the accuracy, timeliness, performance, completeness or suitability of the information and materials found or offered on this website for any particular purpose. You acknowledge that such information and materials may contain inaccuracies or errors and we expressly exclude liability for any such inaccuracies or errors to the fullest extent permitted by law.
  • Your use of any information or materials on this website is entirely at your own risk, for which we shall not be liable. It shall be your own responsibility to ensure that any products, services or information available through this website meet your specific requirements.
  • This website contains material which is owned by or licensed to us. This material includes, but is not limited to, the design, layout, look, appearance and graphics. Reproduction is prohibited other than in accordance with the copyright notice, which forms part of these terms and conditions.
  • All trademarks reproduced in this website, which are not the property of, or licensed to the operator, are acknowledged on the website.
  • Unauthorised use of this website may give rise to a claim for damages and/or be a criminal offence.
  • From time to time, this website may also include links to other websites. These links are provided for your convenience to provide further information. They do not signify that we endorse the website(s). We have no responsibility for the content of the linked website(s).
  • Your use of this website and any dispute arising out of such use of the website is subject to the laws of Australia.

Privacy Policy

This privacy policy sets out how we uses and protects any information that you give us when you use this website.

We are committed to ensuring that your privacy is protected. Should we ask you to provide certain information by which you can be identified when using this website, then you can be assured that it will only be used in accordance with this privacy statement.

We may change this policy from time to time by updating this page. You should check this page from time to time to ensure that you are happy with any changes.

What we collect

We may collect the following information:

  • name and job title
  • contact information including email address
  • demographic information such as postcode, preferences and interests
  • other information relevant to customer surveys and/or offers

What we do with the information we gather

We require this information to understand your needs and provide you with a better service, and in particular for the following reasons:

  • Internal record keeping.
  • We may use the information to improve our products and services.
  • We may periodically send promotional emails about new products, special offers or other information which we think you may find interesting using the email address which you have provided.
  • From time to time, we may also use your information to contact you for market research purposes. We may contact you by email, phone, fax or mail. We may use the information to customise the website according to your interests.

Security

We are committed to ensuring that your information is secure. In order to prevent unauthorised access or disclosure, we have put in place suitable physical, electronic and managerial procedures to safeguard and secure the information we collect online.

How we use cookies

A cookie is a small file which asks permission to be placed on your computer's hard drive. Once you agree, the file is added and the cookie helps analyse web traffic or lets you know when you visit a particular site. Cookies allow web applications to respond to you as an individual. The web application can tailor its operations to your needs, likes and dislikes by gathering and remembering information about your preferences.

We use traffic log cookies to identify which pages are being used. This helps us analyse data about webpage traffic and improve our website in order to tailor it to customer needs. We only use this information for statistical analysis purposes and then the data is removed from the system.
Overall, cookies help us provide you with a better website by enabling us to monitor which pages you find useful and which you do not. A cookie in no way gives us access to your computer or any information about you, other than the data you choose to share with us.
You can choose to accept or decline cookies. Most web browsers automatically accept cookies, but you can usually modify your browser setting to decline cookies if you prefer. This may prevent you from taking full advantage of the website.

Links to other websites

Our website may contain links to other websites of interest. However, once you have used these links to leave our site, you should note that we do not have any control over that other website. Therefore, we cannot be responsible for the protection and privacy of any information which you provide whilst visiting such sites and such sites are not governed by this privacy statement. You should exercise caution and look at the privacy statement applicable to the website in question.

Controlling your personal information

You may choose to restrict the collection or use of your personal information in the following ways:

  • whenever you are asked to fill in a form on the website, look for the box that you can click to indicate that you do not want the information to be used by anybody for direct marketing purposes
  • if you have previously agreed to us using your personal information for direct marketing purposes, you may change your mind at any time by writing to or emailing us.

We will not sell, distribute or lease your personal information to third parties unless we have your permission or are required by law to do so. We may use your personal information to send you promotional information about third parties which we think you may find interesting if you tell us that you wish this to happen.

If you believe that any information we are holding on you is incorrect or incomplete, please write to or email us as soon as possible at the above address. We will promptly correct any information found to be incorrect.