Chablis’ red wine neighbor: how does Irancy Pinot Noir stack up to Pinot from the Cote d’Or?
Burgundy Subregions
Usually when people talk about Burgundy, they think about Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from the Cote d’Or (divided into the Cote de Nuits in the north and Cote de Beaune in the south). This is where all the high-priced appellations are located like Vosne-Romanee, Gevrey-Chambertin, Meursault and the Montrachets. Within the Cote d’Or there are also some more reasonably priced appellations like Santenay and Marsannay too. Savvy buyers also look to the Cote Chalonnaise (appellations like Mercurey, Montagny and Givry) for bargain Pinot and Chardonnay and the Mâconnais for Gamay and Chardonnay.
Although technically a part of Burgundy, Beaujolais from Gamay grapes is sort of its own thing. Similarly Chablis and other small appellations around the city of Auxerre are technically Burgundy, but they’re actually slightly closer to the Loire even though Chardonnay and Pinot are still the main focus but with some added Sauvignon Blanc, like the Loire.
Irancy
Next to Chablis within the Grand Auxerrois subregion is the small appellation of Irancy. I probably would never have heard of Irancy if not for some research I did on the grape Cesar (Romain), which can be found here and Chile (see review here). Therefore, when I found a bottle of Irancy Pinot Noir, I decided to give it a try and compare it with a Red Burgundy from the Cotes d’Or although technically both are Burgundy Pinot Noir.
Irancy just produces reds. It’s almost all Pinot Noir with Cesar and a bit of Pinot Gris (Beurot) both of which combined can be blended in up to 10% of the wine. Being so far north like Chablis, it is definitely a cool climate appellation. Moreover, also like Chablis, Irancy boasts Kimmeridgian soil, which is said to add a special minerality to Chablis.
Although historically, it lost its prominence to its Burgundian counterparts to the southeast and Loire neighbors to the west, perhaps this is an appellation that can capitalize on the outrageous prices of Cote d’Or Burgundy these days. Or at least us, consumers, can save money. Let’s compare.
What am I looking for in good Burgundy?: The Pinot silkiness and light-feel with intense aromatics and mouth flavor. Red fruit and fresh acidity. Minerality and earthiness–terroir. Perhaps some oak spice but not too much. Can I get it from a $30 Irancy and $35 Santenay or do I need to spend more?
Tasting Notes
2018 Gabin et Felix Richoux Irancy Pinot Noir
Biodynamic. Manual harvests and native yeasts. 100% Pinot Noir although the appellation allows for some Cesar Noir and Pinot Gris. Destemmed. Fermented in stainless steel. Aged 1 year in stainless steel and then 1 year in second use oak barrels.
A little darker than some Pinot in color and in flavor profile. It’s more dark-cherry cola, California Pinot or Cotes du Rhone. There are some peppery, herbal and licorice notes and high alcohol barely holding the 15% in. Medium-bodied. Medium+ acid. I’d like more on the nose and lower alcohol. Overall, the darker and higher alcohol nature of this wine is surprising given the cooler climate but 2018 had a hot summer in France. 88
2020 Louis Latour Santenay
Louis Latour is a large producer in Burgundy producing wine in many appellations from cheap entry level to wines 10-20 times the price. As I mentioned, Santenay is a relative bargain appellation in the southern part of the Cote de Beaune. It’s generally cheaper because its terroir/soil is less regarded for producing top Pinot. Santenay can be more tannic and rustic. However, I thought it was fair to compare this with the Irancy because it’s roughly the same price.
Fermented in open vats. Aged 10-12 months in stainless steel vats. Typical light transparent color of Pinot. The nose immediately takes me to Burgundy with an earthy soil and slightly meaty and herbal tone. The palate is light, smooth but fresh with red berry fruit. The midpalate lacks consistent intensity, so I can only give it an 89 for now, but it was getting better throughout the meal. In comparison to the Irancy, this is more obviously Burgundy with earthiness, elegance and red fruit characteristics even though it’s not the most profound or ageworthy Burgundy.
Conclusion
Although one of the main reasons people love Burgundy is the variant terroir from village to village and specific vineyards, there are still characteristics that can distinguish Burgundy from Pinot Noir from other places in general. This Irancy, which is my only example, doesn’t remind me of Cote d’Or or even Cote Chalonnaise. It tastes more like warm climate Pinot, which could just be the vintage. I’ll have to taste some more Irancy in the future to get a better idea. On the other hand, the Santenay is rather standard Cote d’Or Burgundy. It has what I want in Burgundy. However, it’s still rather pricey for its overall quality, but that’s Burgundy too.
Have you tried Irancy? What’s your experience?