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Chassorney (w/o Frédéric Cossard...)
08/04/24
Two weeks ago, I was able to sit and taste the full range of '22s from Domaine de Chassorney.
A notable vintage, in that it’s the first release without Frédéric Cossard – who sold his estate to friend and fellow vigneron Aurélien Verdet.
Outside of the symbolic passing of the reins, the holdings remain the same and the wines remain as we know them (though with some changes worth noting). We get into the transfer, the changes and the final wines below.
With children nowhere near the wine trade, Cossard began looking for a long-term solution for the future of his Saint-Romain based domaine. It was in 2018 (his 32nd vintage!) that he found one in his longtime motorcycle friend, Aurélien Verdet. Verdet already ran his family’s vineyard in the Hautes-Côtes de Nuits, and is the son of Alain Verdet – one of Burgundy's organic farming pioneers.
The two friends spent the 2019-2021 vintages working shoulder to shoulder in Cossard’s cellar.
Initially, the full transition was supposed to happen in 2021; but the difficult vintage kept the two working together to ensure a successful year. These three years were spent tracking how-and-what Fred did for each cuvée, for the most seamless transition possible.
In 2022, Aurélian moved the work to his cellar in Arcenant and took full ownership of the Domaine.
In the vineyards, the domaine remains very much the same: ardently organic, like Fred, Aurélien and his father worked. And in the cellar, much remains the same: the whites are whole cluster pressed directly into cement egg, and the reds continue to see an extended whole cluster maceration.
Changes are subtle but notable: elevage in qvevri is absent in ‘22 (though Aurélien plans to fold them into the program) and most importantly all of the wines see sulfur. Both decisions clearly inform a slightly more classic style.
All in all, the final lineup in Aurélien's first vintage is more site specific and less blurred by Cossard’s high-wire winemaking. Maybe our tastes have evolved, but – he's showing just how special the farming and terroirs are within Domaine de Chassorney.
And there is one other notable difference worth pointing out: the wines, across the board, are more gently priced.
Fred continues his legendary work with his négoce wines. Below, you’ll see the new cuvées and – for the curious or nostalgic – some of Fred’s last vintage from 2021.
AURÉLIEN'S DOMAINE DE CHASSORNEY:
2022 Domaine de Chassorney Auxey-Duresses Blanc, Cote de Beaune $65
2022 Domaine de Chassorney Saint-Romain Combe Bazin Blanc, Cote de Beaune $65
(See also '21 qvevri from Fred below)
2022 Domaine de Chassorney Savigny-les-Beaune Les Gollardes, Cote de Beaune $70
2022 Domaine de Chassorney Saint-Romain Sous Roche Rouge, Cote de Beaune $70
2022 Domaine de Chassorney Auxey-Duresses Rouge, Cote de Beaune $75
2022 Domaine de Chassorney Volnay, Cote de Beaune $80
2022 Domaine de Chassorney Pommard, Burgundy $85
(See also '21 from Fred below)
2022 Domaine de Chassorney Volnay 1er Cru Les Lurets, Burgundy $100
2022 Domaine de Chassorney Volnay 1er Cru Les Roncerets, Burgundy $110
2022 Domaine de Chassorney Saint-Romain Rouge 'Sous La Velle' 1.5L $110
2022 Domaine de Chassorney Pommard 1er Cru Pezzerolles, Burgundy $120
THE LAST OF FRED'S CHASSORNEY:
2021 Frederic Cossard Domaine de Chassorney Pommard, Burgundy $90
2021 Frederic Cossard Domaine de Chassorney Saint-Romain Combe Bazin Blanc Quevris, Cote de Beaune $92
FRED'S NÉGOCE WINES:
2022 Frederic Cossard VDF Ploussard, Jura $55
2021 Frederic Cossard Bourgogne Blanc 'Bigotes Quevris', Burgundy $75
2020 Frederic Cossard Beaune Blanc 'Les Bressandes', Burgundy $86
2021 Frederic Cossard Puligny-Montrachet Cote de Beaune $140
2021 Frederic Cossard Les Folatieres Puligny-Montrachet Premier Cru $330
2021 Frederic Cossard Gevrey-Chambertin Les Genevrieres Quevris Cote de Nuits $175