Marchand and Burch 2023 French Collection Tasting - 30 August 2026

[Waiters Friend]

G’day

Ten of us were privileged to experience a private tasting and lunch, featuring the 2023 French Collection from Marchand and Burch. Those familiar with this label will know it is a collaboration between Pascal Marchand (Burgundy) and Burch Family Wines in W.A. The partnership was established in 2007, and there is an Australian Collection under this label also. This event, however, focused entirely on Burgundy.

Regular readers of my scribblings will not be surprised in the least to discover the event was held at Lulu’s Litle Bistro – our ‘go to’ for these events. On this occasion, we had the restaurant to ourselves and we were delighted to have Mark (co-owner and chef) join us for the majority of the event. Mark also provided a superb lunch tailored to accompany the wines.

The wines shown included every wine in the Marchand and Burch 2023 French collection, up to and including Grand Cru level. All wines are bottled under screwcap. This was an informal event, and was hosted by David Stredwick of Burch Family Wines, whose encyclopedic knowledge of Burgundy (and the detail of each wine in the collection) made for fascinating listening and conversation.

We opened with the Marchand and Burch Cremant de Bourgogne NV. A blend of Pinot Noir, Gamay, Chardonnay and Aligote, this is fresh and flavourful fizz, with some strawberry, lemon and nectarine flavours, and dances lightly across the palate. A good alternative to NV Champagne.

Next were the three white wines in the collection:

Marchand and Burch 2023 Bourgogne Aligoté – Whole bunch pressed; used French oak barrels, no new oak, no battonage. From 70 year old vines. Moderate lemon colour. Light peach and nectarine on the nose, with hints of lemon. More lemon and nectarine on the palate. Moderate acid, a slight lees texture, and reasonable length.

Marchand and Burch 2023 Savigny-Les-Beaune Les Vergelesses 1er Cru – Whole bunch pressed; 20% new French oak (Tronçais & Allier), Moderate yellow in colour. Ripe peaches, nectarine and apricot skin, with some citrus / preserved lemon in support. There’s underlying oak, with cedar and grilled nuts. There’s a slightly viscous mouthfeel and gentle acid. Medium to long finish. My pick of the whites.

Marchand and Burch 2023 Meursault – Whole bunch pressed; 20% new French oak (Jupilles). Medium yellow colour. A powerful nose with yellow peach, nectarine, cedary oak, and underlying citrus. There’s hazelnut and spices as well. The spicy oak continues through the palate, matching the rich stone fruits and some lemon curd. This is full and mouth filling, with a light buttery texture and medium to long finish.

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The remaining wines make up the red collection, and were grouped partially according to classification (Villages, 1er Cru and Grand Cru), partially on geography and partially on the relationship to the other wines in the collection.

Marchand and Burch 2023 Marsannay – 100% destemmed; 15% new French oak (Jupilles). Pale ruby colour. A delicate nose, with light cherry and strawberry, and rose petal. The palate is similarly red fruited, and includes some raspberry. Fine feathery tannins and freshening acid. Light to medium bodied with medium length.

Marchand and Burch 2023 Côte de Nuits – Villages – 100% destemmed; 10% new French oak. A darker ruby colour. Red and black cherries on the nose, with a touch of earth and mushroom. The palate is more concentrated, with fresh black fruits, cedar and savoury notes (perhaps tar). Soft acid and mildly drying tannins with some grip. A medium to long finish and the ‘biggest’ wine so far.

Marchand and Burch 2023 Gevrey-Chambertin – 100% destemmed; 10% new oak. Ruby colour. Light cherry and strawberry on the nose, more intense than the Marsannay. Perfumed and floral, with some spicy notes. Juicy red plums and cherries on the palate. Very fine tannins, soft acid and modest textural grip. Medium bodied and a medium to long finish.

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Marchand and Burch 2023 Savigny-Les-Beaune Les Lavières 1er Cru – 100% destemmed; 20% new French oak. Pale ruby colour. A harmonious wine, with the cherry fruits, oak and savoury notes all meshing together. The palate shows some concentration, with juicy dark fruits, and savoury oak notes. Balancing acid, fine grippy tannins and a velvety mouthfeel. Medium to long finish.

Marchand and Burch 2023 Beaune Clos du Roi 1er Cru – 100% destemmed; 30% new oak (Allier). Ruby colour. A more complex nose, with stalky notes, some woodsmoke, red and dark cherries, a touch of balsamic and a light dusting of five spice. Red and dark cherries on the palate, with more five spice. Moderate tannins and balancing acid – the whole package in balance. More intense and complex than previous wines and a medium to long finish. The Clos du Roi has been a long-term favourite of mine.

Marchand and Burch 2023 Volnay Fremiets 1er Cru – 100% destemmed; 20% new French oak (Tronçais & Allier). Darker ruby / crimson. Rose petal, red and dark cherry, mushroom. five-spice and a touch of menthol on the nose .There’s a core of red plums and cherries on the palate. Supporting acid, and fine lightly grippy tannins. The palate is rounded, with a velvety and mouth filling texture. Medium to long finish and well balanced.

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Marchand and Burch 2023 Chambolle-Musigny – 70% whole bunch / 30% destemmed; French oak (Jupilles), new oak % not specified. Ruby tending to crimson colour. A perfumed nose, with rose petal, vibrant fruits - bright red cherries, plums, five spice, and cloves. The palate is quite intense and complex. Red fruits, supporting acid, fine silky tannins and a long finish. Very well balanced.

Marchand and Burch 2023 Vosne-Romanée – 100% destemmed; 25% new oak (Allier). Crimson colour. The nose shows cedar, a touch of mushroom, spices dark cherries and slightly tart red berries. The palate is complex, with juicy dark and red fruits, moderate powdery tannins, fresh acidity and some concentration. Medium to full bodied and similar length.

Marchand and Burch 2023 Nuits-Saint-Georges – 10% whole bunch / 90% destemmed; 20% new French oak (Allier, Jupilles, Nevers). A light crimson colour. Stalky nose, with cedar, some florals and plenty of sweet fruit. There’s also a touch of five spice. A quantity of fruit sweetness on the palate – red and dark plums and cherries. Juicy acidity and fine drying tannins. Medium to full bodied and a long finish.

Marchand and Burch 2023 Morey-Saint-Denis Les Millandes 1er Cru – 40% whole bunch / 60% destemmed; French oak casks (Tronçais & Allier), new oak % not specified. Lots of spices (including cloves), some florals and perfume, and lifted red and dark cherries on the nose. A supple and stalky palate with red fruits and black plums, cedar, fine drying tannins, gentle acid and a long finish. Well balanced .

Marchand and Burch 2023 Clos de la Roche Grand Cru – 100% destemmed; 100% new French oak (Allier & Jupilles). Pale crimson colour. A fragrant and spicy nose, with five spice, black tea, cloves, cedar and perfumed fruits. The palate iscomplex, with more red and dark fruits intertwined with fine slightly drying tannins and balancing acidity. Medium to full bodied and a very long finish. The descriptors are not doing the wine justice – this is supremely balanced, with plenty of concentration.

Mark then offered a bonus bottle for the group to taste – the Marchand and Burch 2018 Chambolle-Musigny. A stalky and spicy nose with vibrant red and dark fruits. The palate is more red fruited, with integrating tannins, soft acid, and a velvety texture. Medium to long finish.

The event ended up consuming the afternoon (over 5 hours) which was exactly what was required, allowing for leisurely evaluation of these excellent wines, grazing on the superbly matched food, and the (increasingly noisy and enthusiastic) buzz of conversation. A fine afternoon, with fine friends. Profound thanks to David Stredwick for sharing the wines (and his considerable expertise) with us, and to the team at Lulu’s for again looking after us to their regular high standard.

Cheers
Allan

[Waiters Friend]

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