Edouard Delaunay, Re-born

Founded over 130 years ago, the house of Delaunay became a large and important négociant and distributor of high-end Burgundy wines. The house remained in family hands, growing and garnering more and more success, as well as producing wines from their own vineyards. The success continued well into the 20th century under Jean-Marie Delaunay, but as he developed Alzheimers and the business began to falter, a decision was made to sell. The business was acquired by Jean Claude Boisset in the 1990s.

Under Boisset the company never hit the heights it had once enjoyed, and meantime the fifth generation who might well have been in charge had things been different, Laurent Delaunay and his wife Catherine, had established their own highly successful business in the south of France (including the Abbots & Delaunay brand). In 2017 the circle was completed, when Laurent purchased the name, winery and cellars from Boisset, once again putting the company into the original family’s hands.

The Boissets have expressed their intention to aim for the top with the reborn business, already producing a raft of Premiers and Grands Cru wines from top vineyards across the Côte de Beaune and Côte de Nuits within an extensive portfolio. I have yet to taste those upper-end wines, but recently tasted two wines being supplied through Majestic stores in the UK under the ‘Septembre’ brand. These are both very nice, modestly priced appellation Bourgogne wines, quite refined and with elegance at modest prices.

The Wines

(2022) A refined and very attractive white Burgundy made from a combination of 65% Côte d’Or fruit vinified in barrel, and Mâconnais fruit vinified in steel tanks. It has an attractive whisper of honey and creamy vanilla on the nose, clean, ripe pear and apricot fruit and a balanced palate, where the hazelnut toast of the oak supports plenty of refined citrus into quite a long finish. Again, good value at Majestic's £12.99 'buy six' price.
(2022) Both this and the partner Chardonnay can be had with £2 off as part of a mixed six deal. Sourced from across Burgundy, though more than 80% of the fruit comes from the Côte de Beaune and Côte de Nuits, with half aged in oak barrels. Bold crimson in colour, creamy Morello cherry and some clove-like spices on the nose, then the palate is lively and structured, the fruit has a bittersweet edge with a twist of liquorice, and the oak fills in a little coffeeish roundness. A pleasing style this, savoury, and decent value at the mixed six price.

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