An Australian making wine in Burgundy is not uncommon these days. Plenty of winemakers head over for a vintage, and end up staying. This is the case for Andrew Nielsen. In little over 10 years he has changed roles from advertising to winemaking, along the way securing jobs at some of the most prestigious Pinot Noir and Chardonnay producers in the world. These are highly sought after gigs, so he must have had plenty of skill and talent even before he learnt what he was doing. He now works as a negociant, buying small parcels of fruit from growers he has developed friendships with over the recent years. He makes some Red Burgundy in tiny quantities, but it is in the Du Grappin range of wines that he excites us. Taking fruit from some of the lesser known regions of Burgundy and giving them the care and attention they deserve. The result is wines of high quality and great value. Two things you do not see in Burgundy very often.
Fruit for this wine has been sourced from a 25 year old vineyard on the outskirts of the village Péronne, considered the best part of the Mâcon-Villages appellation, just north of Pouilly-Fuissé. Macon is on the southern part of the Burgundy region, planted in clay/limestone soil and the fruit from this part of the Mâcon-Villages appellation tends to keep its acidity, due to a cooler microclimate, resulting in bright and fresh wines.
Winemaking is kept as simple as possible, with the use of larger older oak in the maturation. This wine is all about the fruit. The result is a beautiful glass of wine. Plenty of ripe melons and stone fruits. But is it on the palate where this wine really shines. There is a lush and juicy mouthfeel, held in tension with a taut mineral backbone. Only 300 cases were made and we are proud to have this wine in our pack.