Catherine and Claude Marechal - Rathdowne Cellars

348 Rathdowne Street North Carlton 3054 AustraliaTelephone 61 3 9349 3366 Facsimile 61 3 9348 1036wine@rathdownecellars.com.au www.rathdownecellars.com.auCatherine & Claude MaréchalBligny les Beaune, BurgundyThe StoryClaude Maréchal is a winemaker who mostpeople have not heard about, especially outsideFrance despite his estate being rated at the samelevel as Dujac, Carillon, d’Angerville, Ponsot andSauzet in France’s most respected wine guide - LaRevue du Vin de France.Now in his forties and having befriended the lateHenri Jayer, he follows in his mentor's footstepsusing the same meticulous approach to quality inthe vineyards and the cellar. Of course he doesn'twork the same exalted vineyards as Jayer did (he doesn't have any land in the Côtes de Nuits) but hismethods are the same and the results are brilliant.Claude's father was a cereal farmer with a few vineyard holdings around Bligny-les-Beaune, a smallvillage east of Beaune. Claude and his wife Catherine reside there now and it is also where theymake their wines. Claude's passion for vineyard work has meant he has been able to piece togethera good sized estate of 13 hectares by renting vineyards throughout the Côte de Beaune.His principles in the vineyards are straightforward: the vineyards are ploughed, no herbicides areused, treatments are kept to a minimum and the pruning is severe to keep yields low.Vinification takes place in open wooden vats, all grapes are totally destemmed (à la Jayer), andfermentation is not induced by adding cultured yeast, so it can take a few days to start (a "natural"cold pre-maceration) using it's own.New barrels are added every year for maturation, but their proportion stays very low in order toproduce wines where fruit dominates. It is important to stress that there is no recipe here.Winemaking follows a general theme, but techniques may be changed from year to year to suit theconditions of the vintage.The best wines of the 2011 vintage are succulent, lush, and intensely fruity and are unlike any of themost recent vintages. The 2011s are characterized by lower acidity than the 2010s and an enticingroundness that gives them undeniable charm. They are very approachable now. And, while they maybe overlooked by some after the great 2009 and 2010 vintages, this is a mistake. The wines areunique and beautifully balanced and the best wines from 2011 like these will greatly rewardcellaring.abn 77 703 729 413

348 Rathdowne Street North Carlton 3054 AustraliaTelephone 61 3 9349 3366 Facsimile 61 3 9348 1036wine@rathdownecellars.com.au www.rathdownecellars.com.auClaude's wines are not expensive for top level Burgundy, but due to their quality, are in demandand can be hard to find. Be quick!Pre-Arrival OfferWines available early September 2013.Order now, pay on arrival.**All orders will be reconfirmed by reply, subject to availabilityVintage Wine Normal SPECIAL2011 Bourgogne Blanc 'Antoine' $50 $432010 Bourgogne Rouge 'Cuvée Gravel' $50 $432011 Auxey-Duresses Rouge $67 $572011 Chorey Les Beaune Rouge $67 $572010 Savigny Les Beaune Rouge 'Vieilles Vignes' $77 $642011 Savigny Les Beaune Rouge 1er 'Lavieres' $105 $882011 Volnay $112 $942011 Pommard 'La Chanière' $112 $94Please email thru any requests to wine@rathdownecellars.com.au and we will respond asap.abn 77 703 729 413