[Akyeong Wine Cellar] Forget the Arrogant Burgundy... Discover the Hidden Gem of Great Value

Winery in Mercurey, Burgundy, France
Recent Surge in Burgundy Wine Prices Brings Regret
Still a Wealth of High-Quality Wines at Reasonable Prices

Editor's NoteThere is no wine under the sky that is the same. Even when using grapes grown in the same land every year and brewing and aging them in the same way, the results differ each time. Wine is a 'drink of chance' created by the harmony of humans and nature. Wines that silently disappear after leaving only one intense memory all carry interesting stories. 'Akyung Wine Cellar' shares one by one the stories of wines that are brewed and matured according to different circumstances.

Chateau de Chamirey winery exterior.

The world's most expensive wine, Romanee-Conti, represents Burgundy (Bourgogne) in France. Burgundy, along with Bordeaux, is considered one of France's two great wine regions and is praised as the pinnacle of elegance and delicacy that wine can show. Produced in extremely small quantities from top-tier vineyards, it is a wine that wine lovers worldwide compete to acquire. This process generates a high premium, which is the background for Burgundy wine prices soaring day by day.

Because of this, Burgundy wine has been perceived as a 'high-class wine' distributed through a system where producers select sellers and allocate quantities. In fact, Burgundy wine production accounts for about 5% of all French AOC (Appellation d'Origine Contr?l?e) wines, but its sales contribute as much as about 25% of the export market.

Koreans' love for Burgundy wine is no exception. According to the Burgundy Wine Board (BIVB), last year’s export volume of Burgundy wine to Korea increased fourfold compared to 2016. This ranks Korea 15th in the world by volume.

'Chateau de Chamirey' winery.

High-Class Burgundy... Hidden 'God-Value' Wines

"It is a misconception that Burgundy wine is always expensive and difficult."

Aurore Monot-Devillard, owner of the French Burgundy winery Chateau de Chamirey, who recently visited Korea, confidently said this. There is no need to be intimidated or burdened by the luxurious image Burgundy wine carries.

Pinot Noir from 'Chateau de Chamirey'.

Chateau de Chamirey, led by Ms. Devillard, is a winery located in Mercurey in the Cote Chalonnaise district of Burgundy, France. Currently, it owns 37 hectares of vineyards in the Mercurey area. From the best soils mixed with various terrains, it produces Pinot Noir with a soft texture and rich fruit aroma, as well as well-balanced Chardonnay wines.

The Mercurey region is considered a representative area for 'value-for-money' Burgundy. Burgundy is broadly divided into Chablis, Cote de Beaune, Cote de Nuits, Cote Chalonnaise, Maconnais, and Beaujolais districts, with most ultra-premium wines coming from the Cote de Beaune and Nuits regions. She explained, "There are still many wines in southern Burgundy that offer good quality for their price. Among them, Mercurey is the village with the largest area and highest recognition within Cote Chalonnaise." Mercurey's Pinot Noir accounts for about 40% of Cote Chalonnaise’s production and is recognized for both quantity and quality.

Mercurey’s Representative Winery 'Chateau de Chamirey'

Chateau de Chamirey has been owned by the Devillard family since 1934. The Devillard family owns a total of five wineries, including Chateau de Chamirey, Domaine des Perdrix, Domaine de la Ferte, Domaine de la Garenne in Burgundy, and Domaine Rolet in the Jura region, forming a family winery group.

Ms. Devillard’s grandfather purchased the current site and started the business, and her father, Bertrand Devillard, laid the foundation by pursuing various innovations. They limited the number of grape clusters per vine to increase fruit concentration, breaking away from the practice of mass-producing low-priced wines, reducing production by about 40%, and improving quality.

Aurore Monot-Devillard, CEO of Ch?teau de Chamirey, is conducting an interview with Asia Economy at Le Mont d'Ubain in Cheongdam-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul.

Changes have continued since Ms. Devillard succeeded her father. She banned the indiscriminate use of herbicides and focused on maintaining soil fertility and preserving the ecosystem by using cover crops. Additionally, by increasing vine planting density and limiting nutrients, the vines concentrate their energy on fruit rather than vegetative growth, leading to quality improvement.

In 2018, they hired winemaker Carole Briffox to bring changes to the wine style. She explained, "The greatest charm of Pinot Noir is its incomparable elegance. To highlight the wine’s elegance, delicacy, and refinement, we reduce oak usage and increase the use of stainless steel tanks to emphasize fruit aromas."

The Epitome of Elegance 'Les Cinq'

'Chateau de Chamirey'의 'Mercurey Les Cinq'

The representative wine of Chateau de Chamirey is 'Les Cinq,' considered the epitome of elegance. As a premium wine, Les Cinq, meaning the number five, is made using grapes from the five best vineyards in Mercurey. It is a wine with a deep ruby and purple tint color, blending Pinot Noir with a small amount of Chardonnay.

It offers rich fruit aromas, black pepper, and refined spice aromas, with a delicate structure, elegant tannins, and a long finish harmonizing well on the palate. Over time, deep aromas such as toast and leather emerge, and the wine’s taste becomes more complex and smoother. Ms. Devillard proudly stated, "The delicate structure, elegant tannins, and beautiful finish make it comparable to wines from the Cote de Beaune and Nuits regions."

Wine of 'Chateau de Chamirey'.

Chateau de Chamirey is also known as a 'white wine hotspot' in the Mercurey village. Mercurey’s vineyards consist of 90% Pinot Noir and 10% white varieties, mainly Chardonnay, so red wine dominates. However, Chardonnay accounts for one-third of Chateau de Chamirey’s production. She said, "Mercurey whites are characterized by freshness and crispness while maintaining a rich texture. Another strength is that they show optimal condition without needing to wait long after opening, making them easy to drink."

Ms. Devillard says, "The essence of wine is ultimately to drink and enjoy it with people." She added, "It is most important that people gather and have happy times through wine. Rather than being overwhelmed by the name, since there are many producers and wines within Burgundy, if you take an interest and look closely, you can find excellent wines that suit you perfectly."