J. Coudray Bizot

Jean-Jacques Coudray-Bizot's grandfather Dr. Bizot, was a surgeon and wine maker at the Hospice du Beaune. His favorite saying about wine was, “you have to hurry up and wait!”. Walking in Coudray-Bizot’s vineyard holdings is a Burgundy lover’s dream as your feet sink into the soil that has given birth to some of the world’s greatest pinot noirs and chardonnays. Here in the vines Jean-Jacques works with the utmost respect for nature and the specific character of the terroirs. All the work is done to allow the earth to speak through the wines. Use of any chemical treatments are avoided and, of course, harvest is done completely by hand. His holding in the Grand Cru Echezeaux vineyard is in the "En Orveaux" at the northern most site in vineyard. Le Musigny is just to the north and Clos Vougeot to the east. The vines are 30 to 60 years old.

The grapes are all hand harvested and sorted, and fully destemmed before being gently pressed. Fermentation takes place naturally in open top wooden tanks without external yeast, without enzymes or sulfur. Though the cellar is naturally cool, some temperature control is necessary and accomplished by immersing coils in the tanks through which cool water flows. The red wines are neither filtered nor clarified, with an appropriate proportion of new barrels for each appellation and vintage, (never more than 30%) in order to respect the terroir. this wine aged 18-20 months on fine lees and an essential part of Jean-Jacques' philosophy is that he will not release wines until he feels they are truly mature. Hence this 2013 is his latest release.
Wine Enthusiast Magazine awarded this an Editors' Choice and scored it 97 points saying "Lifted red currant, gunpowder and flint shoot from the glass, announcing their insistence and pervasiveness. On the slender but concentrated palate, light gaminess plays around the edges, becoming more intense alongside the red currant core. This is an incisive and statuesque wine that holds a quiet sense of power."