Gifting? Dive into Lovely Burgundy's: An Assorted Case from Porter Creek Vineyards' Friend (and Mine, too) from Francois Morey's Caveau d’Auxey

Francois Morey in Auxey-Duresses

Last year I had the very wonderful opportunity to visit Burgundy en route to the OIV sponsored Vineyards and Biodiversity conference held in Avignon. I decided to take on an extra five days before the Avignon event to travel on my own to Burgundy, which I had never been to, and which I think of not only as a great wine region but also the place where the biodynamic movement gained so much ground that it established biodynamics as a "cool brand" around the globe. 

In "stealth mode," I am in the process of writing a book about organic and biodynamics, primarily in the U.S. but I felt I was missing an important chapter in the biodynamic movement unless I checked out its role in Burgundy. I also knew no one in Burgundy, so I reached out to a few biodynamic Pinot Noir producers here who I greatly admire and consider very Burgundian. That list included Doug Tunnell at Oregon's Brick House Vineyards and Alex Davis at Porter Creek in the Russian River Valley here in California. 

Both were very obliging. Alex who had interned under Domaine Georges Roumier in Burgundy early on in his career (they are still in contact today), put me in touch with Francois Morey in Auxey-Duresses who runs a wine shop in the village, operating out of his grandmother's former kitchen and his family's long running retail space. (Francois had interned at Porter Creek in 2003.) 

Little did I know what a prestigious family he comes from. As I found out when we chatted in his grandmother's former kitchen, now his wine shop's office, his uncle was the technical director of Leflaive, one of the pioneers of biodynamics in the region and a legendary producer. 

I met Francois at his shop in January last year for what was an unforgettable day. His hospitality and generosity went beyond the bounds. He arranged for me to visit several wineries and winemakers (in their homes, even), translated when necessary, and took me out for a special lunch in an out of the way spot. 

We headed for our first stop to a nearby Demeter certified biodynamic producer Clos du Moulin au Moines. The Auxey-Duresses mill (moulin) was built by monks (moines) from Cluny at the edge of a stream which still exists today. The mill was built before Burgundy's more famous monastery, Vougeot.

There we met up with Willy Roulendes, technical director, and Anne-Lise Roman, his co-worker (whose official role is marketing), and tasted their stunning wines in the cellar. 

Willy Roulendes

Founded in 962, the domaine has only had five owners in its 1,000+ year old history. 

In the monopole of Monthelie, where the mill is located, the winery has just 3 hectares planted (but also sources from other climats in Burgundy.) 

It makes one Chardonnay, rare in a region of mostly reds. It is crisp and complex. Fermentation takes place in 350L oak barrels. Aging is 10 months. 

Fortunately for us, this Chardonnay is available in the U.S. but only rarely. One place you can get it is in Francois's selection of Burgundy wines in this offer–a perfect holiday gift or splurge. 

Here are the details of Francois's selection (pdf online). Or you can email contact@caveau-auxey.fr.

Here are more details from Alex Davis, who sends his customers an email each year for Francois's annual case offer. 

"Caveau d’Auxey focuses on Burgundian wines made in traditional terroir driven style (meaning that the winemaking intention is to show the character of where and how the grapes are grown as opposed to showing winemaking manipulation), emphasizing producers that are independently owned and operated.  Wines produced in this fashion have personality that shows through in a way that simply cannot be achieved by an offsite board of directors. Francois provides his own detailed description of wines offered as well as profiles of the producers, with personal details and how the approach of each vigneron is reflected in the wines. And that is something we can relate to at Porter Creek! 

The winemaking of Burgundy is a huge inspiration and foundation for Porter Creek's owner/winemaker Alex Davis, who spent three harvest seasons and a school year learning about wine in Burgundy in the years 1994-1996. Incidentally, Francois also worked a harvest with Porter Creek in 2003, as did his assistant Théo in 2022. A special quality about the winemaking circle are friendships such as these.

For those that enjoy Burgundy wines, this is an opportunity not to be missed to acquire these unique bottlings. For those that are curious or still learning about Burgundy, this is a great chance to sample a well-curated selection of wines of the region. Many of these wines are not otherwise available in the US and are offered at lower markups than standard. You will find all of the details about ordering and pricing in his attachment. Porter Creek has no financial affiliation with Caveau d’Auxey.

Here on the Porter Creek estate the fall colors are holding beautifully and the mid-day temperatures have been ideal, so if you happen to be in the area this is definitely one of the most aesthetic times of year for a visit! And if you need any of our wines for your cellar as winter and the holidays approach just send us an email at info@portercreekvineyards.com or call us at (707) 433-6321.

Cheers,

Alex Davis, Proprietor & Winemaker, Porter Creek Vineyards, 707-433-6321
www.portercreekvineyards.com"

The cave in Auxey