2005 Domaine Moillard Beaune Epenottes

Moillard is an historic name in the Côte d’Or. But as a label it has often been confusing. The domaine started in 1848 when a young man named Symphorien Moillard married Margueritte Grivot, the daughter of a vineyard owner. In the many generations since then new vineyards were acquired, older parcels divided up for inheritance, and in true Burgundian style labels were often modified to reflect generational changes in the management of the domaine, or new parts of the domaine. Labels have included Thomas-Moillard, Moillard, Moillard-Grivot and Maison Moillard. By the early 21st century the estate had become a major player in the Côte d’Or, as a producer and a negociant. However today the Moillard extended family no longer owns the domaine or the maison. With more than 65 shareholders, most of them family members, disagreements arose and in 2005 some 30 acres of prime vineyards were sold off to Domaine Dujac and Etienne de Montille. In 2008 the remainder of Molliard was sold to Vincent Sauvestre, a major producer, negociant and land owner in Burgundy and elsewhere. Sauvestre owns the negociant Jean-Baptiste Béjot and more than 740 acres throughout Burgundy, Provence and Languedoc. Under Béjot ownership, Domaine Moillard produces Premiers Crus and village wines from a 75-acre property located between Vougeot and Volnay.

Beaune is the heart, soul and capital of Burgundy. A walled, medieval city of ancient buildings and cobble-stoned streets, Beaune is home to the annual Hospices de Beaune wine auction, a charity auction dating to the 15th century. Beaune has always been a natural crossroads, and it was a commercial center as far back as the Roman era. Today Beaune is home to many of Burgundy’s most famous negociants, including Drouhin, Jadot, Latour and Bouchard Pere et Fils. The Beaune appellation includes 1,620 acres of vineyards, of which 95% are planted to Pinot Noir, with the remainder to Chardonnay. Although there are no Grands Crus, there are 44 Premier Cru vineyards which account for nearly half the appellation’s vineyard acreage. The best vineyards are on the upper slopes around the town, and Beaune is especially known for its “clos,” or small, walled vineyards that are often parcels of larger vineyards. There are also Beaune village wines. Robert M. Parker Jr. wrote that the primary traits of Beaune reds in the best vintages are “an intense bouquet of berry fruit, principally black cherries and strawberries. The wines are rarely massive or large scaled, relying more on their smooth, silky, berry fruitiness and harmony to seduce…”

This red wine is relatively light and can pair with a wide variety of foods. The grape prefers cooler climates and the wine is most often associated with Burgundy, Champagne and the U.S. west coast. Regional differences make it nearly as fickle as it is flexible.