Côte de Beaune Rouge Les Pierres Blanches Giboulot 2020

Côte de Beaune Rouge Les Pierres Blanches Giboulot 2020, biodynamic Burgundy, purity, style, finesse, gorgeous.  On the hillside of the Montagne de Beaune, above the 1er crus, the very old vineyard of the Côtes de Beaune unfolds. This rare appellation has an area of only 52 hectares, one of the smallest in Burgundy. Although their names are similar, the Côte de Beaune appellation should not be confused with that of the Côtes de Beaune Villages which covers a massive 3,222 ha and encomposses the vines of 14 different villages.

The vines are located on the Montagne de Beaune, in the hollow of a small valley. This 40-year-old vine looks towards the city of Beaune, and is exposed to the rising sun. It faces the opposite slope where the Combe d’Eve plot is located. It is located above the AOC Beaune 1er cru ‘Les Bressandes’.  The soil is characterized by the presence of very white limestone and sandstone deposits, called ‘lavas’ in patois.  The vines are between 25 and 70 years old and are farmed biodynamically.  

This delicious Pinot Noir is an absolute delight.  It is fermented from very delicate free run juice, and spends 18 months in barrels.  It would be lovely with any game in a wine rich sauce or soft strong cheeses like epoisses.  It will age majestically for over 10 years.

Emmanuel Giboulet is somewhat of a renegade in the Burgundy bubble, resisting wholeheartedly the use of chemicals and pesticides in the vineyard.

He started out wanting to be an actor and when you meet the guy, you immediately understand this.  He has a suave, elegant persona, very calm, intelligent but with a glint in his eye and wicked sense of humour.  As always the wines reflect the personality of the wine maker.

Paul Giboulot, Emmanuel’s father, was a true trailblazer in organic viticulture. In the 1970’s, when organic farming was very misunderstood, Paul began to work using these methods – plowing, composting, avoiding chemicals and respecting soil life and biodiversity. Even though the reaction from fellow winemakers was skeptical, Emmanuel saw the impact and when he set up his domaine in 1985, he naturally followed the same path.

Emmanuel slowly grew his domaine over time, and began to follow biodynamic practices in 1996. His wines became highly regarded and sold out each vintage, while he wholeheartedly rejected the use of chemicals and pesticides in the vineyard.

In 2014 his commitment to his chosen path risked landing him in jail when the appellation called for all vineyards to be sprayed with chemicals to protect against the spread of ‘florescence dorée’ (a vineyard disease).  His refusal to do so ignited a firestorm of debate in the wine community, and he was prosecuted and fined. But he firmly defended his freedom to choose how to care for his land. In 2021 the ordeal was the subject of a film entitled ‘Intraitable’ (Intractable) and the issue branded Emmanuel as both a renegade and a staunch protector of organic farming– an identity that still defines him today.

He has now grown his holdings to nearly 10 hectares with small plots all over the Cotes de Beaune and some in Cotes de Nuits. He remains committed to his principles and he even has the enviable reputation of being ‘supposedly’ the only producer in Burgundy never to chaptalise his wines.  He also never uses new oak, only used barrels.

He is a purist through and through, and this makes his wines in some ways not commercial and for some, difficult to understand.  Burgundy is perhaps the most artistic of all great wines and Giboulot is for sure an artist at heart.  He does not respond to what the market asks for but instead allows his beautiful terroir, the vintage and the grapes to create authenticity in his wines.  For us, they represent what Burgundy should be, sometimes difficult, always intriguing and always a pleasure even if the pleasure is not immediately obvious.