Marchand and Burch Old Wine Weekend 1 August 2026

[Waiters Friend]

G’day

This is the third Marchand and Burch event I have attended this week. This was the first of Burch Family Wines annual Old Wine Weekend events, with the next two focussing on Howard Park (old) Wines.

This tasting comprised 17 wines from the Marchand and Burch red Burgundy back catalogue. The wines ranged from 2020 vintage back to 2008, and there was a mix of Villages, !er Cru and Grand Cru wines. Only the two Grand Cru wines were also shown at last weekend’s event Marchand and Burch masterclass and dinner 26 July 2026 - The Auswine Forum.

This was a) a stand-up event and b) quite a social event, so my notes are a little slimmer than usual.

Marchand and Burch Nuits-Saint-George 2020: Full and savoury with plenty of spice and underlying dark and red cherry fruits. In a good place right now.

Marchand and Burch Nuits-Saint-George 2012: Not surprisingly, more developed than the 2020, with cherry and cranberry fruits in the background, and savoury, stalky elements to the fore.

Marchand and Burch Vosne Romanee 2020: Fruit forward with red cherries. Added complexity from five spice, and stalky notes. Fine grained tannins and good length. Like the 2020 NSG, in a good place.

Marchand and Burch Vosne Romanee 2012: Lighter fruits and more savoury notes, with spice notes adding interest. Tannins and acid are folding into the wine, and there’s reasonable length.

Marchand and Burch Vosne Romanee 2011: Similar to the 2012, with less apparent fruits, and more noticeable savoury and stalky notes. Moderate tannins and length.

Marchand and Burch Vosne Romanee 2008: Surprisingly fuller and slightly more fruit forward than the 2012 and 2011. Drying tannins and reasonable length. Not likely to improve.

Marchand and Burch Cote de Nuits Villages 2020: The lightest bodied wine of the tasting, with almost delicate cherries and strawberries. Fine and only slightly noticeable tannins, freshening acid and modest length.

Marchand and Burch Gevrey-Chambertin 2020: Juicy red and dark cherries, cranberry, and a mix of spices. Good palate weight and a long finish.

Marchand and Burch Gevrey-Chambertin 2012: Lighter fruits than the 2020, and more developed. Tannins have integrated, and the wine is medium bodied.

Marchand and Burch Gevrey-Chambertin 2011: Similar to the 2012, and showing similar signs of development. Moderate length.

Then we have the 1er Crus – a step up from the previous wines:

Marchand and Burch Beaune Clos du Roi 1er Cru 2020: Red and dark cherries, stalks, a little forest floor, moderate and fine tannins and just enough acid to keep the wine in balance. Medium to long finish and (like the other 2020s) in a good place now.

Marchand and Burch Beaune Clos du Roi 1er Cru 2019: Even better than the 2020 (by a small margin), with a little more spice, darker cherry fruit and savoury notes. Considerable length. I am a fan of previous vintages of Clos du Roi.

Marchand and Burch Beaune Vignes Franches 1er Cru 2009: I have not come across this wine before. Dark cherry and cranberry, very savoury, with drying tannins. Holding up well for its age.

Marchand and Burch Volnay Fremiets 1er Cru 2020: A perfumed wine, with cherries and strawberries. Savoury, stalky notes and spices also. Firmer tannins and medium to long finish. I’m also a fan of previous vintages of this wine.

Marchand and Burch Morey-St-Denis Les Genavrieres 1er Cru 2020: More delicate than the Volnay, with lighter cherry and strawberry fruits, and spice notes. Long finish.

Two Grand Crus to finish. Both of these notes are stolen from my report of last week’s events, and the notes today were very much the same.

Marchand & Burch Mazis-Chambertin Grand Cru 2010. A paler crimson colour. A powerful wine, with bright fruits, red and dark cherries, cedar and spice in abundance. A slight stalky character (which adds to the wine’s attractiveness). Fine tannins, good supporting acid and a medium to long finish. Everything in balance.

Marchand & Burch Mazis-Chambertin Grand Cru 2009. Slightly darker crimson than the surrounding wines. A fantastic balance of red and dark cherries, mushroom, earthiness, and cedary oak. Some sappy / stalky notes as well. Fully integrated tannins and just enough supporting acid. A complete wine and totally in balance. My wine of the day (again).


Another fascinating tasting -fascinating to look at wines at a minimum of 6 years old, and comparing across vintages and different vineyards / locations. Of the 17 wines shown today, eight of them will be following me home, and a couple of the wines are topping up previous purchases, so it was great to confirm my previous preferences as well. The Old Wine Weekends are definitely worth the annual dent to my wallet.

Many thanks to David Stredwick, Jeff Burch and the team at Burch Family Wines for hosting these events each year.

Cheers
Allan