Burgundy
DECEMBER 2025
Michel Goubard harvest — Côte Challonaise, Burgundy
I had a visit from a Burgundy producer about a month ago at Portalis and thought the wine was so tasty that it merited being featured in wine club, and December — month of festive meals — seemed like the perfect time. What I wasn't planning on was how low supplies would be. Wines from Burgundy are considered some of the world's finest, but they are expensive, and following the tariff threat and with general economic uncertainly, importers had reorders on hold.
But we pressed on... and be glad we did! Your club features a Pinot Noir from vineyards 5 kms outside of Givry (Côte Chalonnaise) and the Chardonnay from the Chablis producer that stopped by. Three-bottle club members get a second Pinot Noir from vineyards just outside of Savigny-lès-Beaune (Côte de Beaune). These wines are going to make your holidays... no matter how you celebrate!
2-BOTTLE CLUB
Jean-Marc Brocard
Chablis, Burgundy, France
Jean-Marc Brocard founded this estate in 1971, the year his son Julien (pictured above) was born. Today they run the estate together. He planted his first vines in Préhy, a couple kilometers south of the village of Courgis. Julien joined the management team in 1995 with a focus on transitioning to organic farming. Today the estate has 240 hectares of vines and is the largest organic producer in Burgundy.
CREATIVE INITIATIVE IN LIGHT OF CLIMATE CHANGE:
From the winery (with photo above right): "A new ambitious and virtuous objective for Domaine Brocard in Chablis in our unwavering commitment to Nature: to plant 30,000 trees within 10 years.
Trees are also precious reserves of water, offering hope for the future in the context of climate change. Thanks to their roots, which are deeply rooted in the soil, they play a crucial role in regulating the water content of our ecosystem. Trees absorb rainwater, store it and gradually release it back into the soil, helping to recharge the water table and prevent drought. That’s why every tree planted as part of this wine-forestry project is a small oasis helping to preserve this vital resource."
Jean-Marc Brocard 2022 Bourgogne Blanc • Burgundy, France • Reg $25.99 | Wine Club $24.99 | Mixed Case $20.79
When the rep who visited me about a month ago had me taste this wine blind, I guessed it was Chablis. He said: It's a Chablis producer, but from a neighboring vineyard — same Kimmeridgien soil (=limestone and clayey marl from the Jurrassic period, full of marine fossils with a distinctive minerality famous in wines from Chablis), same micro-climate, but technically it's classified as white Burgundy (not Chablis). What this means for you? Half the price! (We also carry the Jean-Marc Brocard 2023 Vaulorent Chablis 1er Cru for $70, if your club wine gives you the bug).
100% unoaked Chardonnay from a vineyard neighboring the Chablis appellation. Flint, citrus, lime, chalk, with a note of candied lemon that morphs into lemon zest. Minerally. Tastes like a Chablis! Enjoy with roasted fowl, seafood dishes, goat cheese appetizers. Drink now to 3 years.
Michel Goubard
Côte Chalonnaise, Burgundy, France
Located in the village of Saint-Désert (5 kms southwest of Givry) in the Côte Chalonnaise, Domaine Goubard is run by brothers Vincent and Pierre-François (pictured below). Their family has been making wine in Burgundy since the 1600's.
Pierre-François manages the cellar: "His kingdom is internal, and nothing escapes his keen senses. It is up to him to nurture the wines of the Domaine ... and to guide them to perfect fulfillment in the secrecy of the cellars."
Vincent manages the vineyards: "[He] needs fresh air and wide open spaces. From Mont Avril to Givry, the 40 hectares of the Domaine don't intimidate him, ... he knows every contour and peculiarity of the land." (The brothers are pictured below.)
They produce Pinot Noir & Chardonnay from AOC Côte Chalonnaise, Givry Villages and Pinot Noir (only) from Givry 1er Cru as well as a small amount of Aligoté, rosé wine, and Crémant de Bourgogne .
All wines are bottled at the estate without excessive filtration, and they practice sustainable viticulture. Their vineyards are certified High Environmental Value (HVE).
Vincent and his viticulture team are pictured below. The photo at the top of the email is their Côte Chalonnaise harvest.
Michel Goubard 2023 Mont-Avril Bourgogne Côte Chalonnaise • Burgundy, France • Reg $35.99 | Mixed Case $28.79
100% Pinot Noir. Herbal, forest floor, red & black raspberries on the nose. Flavors add in black cherries & dark plums. The acidity is SO lovely, soft but adds brightness. The finish is what makes this wine: fennel, sort of a licorice note. Super sexy. A World Series curveball. It’s an amazing wine. The finish is just going…. In my opinion, this is one the best wines we’ve had in wine club all year. This is Burgundy!
Note: The wine we tasted was open 6 hours before we tried it. Our advice: open early (noon for a special dinner?) and enjoy. Drink now to 3 years.
3-BOTTLE CLUB
Domaine du Prieuré
Côte de Beaune, Burgundy, France
Husband/wife team Stephen & Lucie Maurice (pictured below) are the fourth generation (on Stephan's side) to run this estate, taking over in 2015 after Stephan finished his wine studies in Beaune. The estate has been organic (AB) certified since 2023.
They work hands-on from vineyard management to winemaking and cellaring their wines. They provide a sweet and unusually detailed explanation of their entire process here>
About the Bourgogne Pinot Noir in your club, they say: "Bourgogne Pinot Noir comes from a plot located in the town of Savigny les Beaune, and is a wine that expresses, in a simple way, all the typical aromas of its variety with beautiful notes of red fruits. This wine is tender and fruity and can be enjoyed on most occasions."
Domaine du Prieuré 2023 Bourgogne Rouge • Burgundy, France • Reg $29.99 | Mixed Case $23.99
100% Pinot Noir. 9-12 months in barrel. Nose is full of fresh, red raspberries, wild strawberries, and a note of earth. Flavors of black raspberries, blackberries, Bing cherries. This wine is fresh, pleasant, and lovely to sip or enjoy with dinner. Fish, roasted turkey or chicken, pork roast. Drink now. So delicious.
Jean-Marc Brocard vineyards — Chablis, Burgundy
A Note from Jens:
Your wine club pick-up tasting is always the 2nd Saturday of the month. We host this tasting so that you can taste and learn about your wines before enjoying them at home.
If you make me choose, Burgundy is my favorite wine region and Pinot Noir is my favorite grape of all time. All three wines are absolutely great. Hope you enjoy them as much as we did. Note: supplies on all three wines are limited (to no longer available), so relish every sip!
You can also taste the Portalis EXPLORES club wines. December theme is the Italian region of Puglia, featuring two reds: Negroamaro & Primitivo from around the town of Taranto. Hope you can join!
Cheers,
Jens Strecker, Owner
Portalis Wine Shop
If you are here because you’re curious about our wine clubs: Here’s more general info & online sign-up. You can also peruse the last 12 months of both clubs to get a feel for the themes we pick and the wines we showcase: Portalis EXPLORES (our everyday wine club) & Portalis FLAGSHIP (our signature club).