Christophe Buisson

Supplier/Importer: Kermit Lynch

Appellation: Côte de Beaune

Christophe Buisson is a young, passionate vigneron with all the skills for success. From his home base in Saint-Romain, the little known and thus underappreciated (and undervalued) appellation in the hills behind Meursault, Christophe has been honing his craft for the last decade. The appellation of Saint-Romain is ampitheatre-like, with the best sites located on stony slopes beneath a striking outcropping of limestone cliffs. You access the village after traversing Auxey-Duresses on the way to the Hautes Côtes de Beaune. Christophe owns land in some of the best sites in Saint-Romain, Sous le Château and La Perrière, sites that would likely be premier cru in a village such as Chassagne-Montrachet.

Christophe’s beliefs, meticulous work in the vineyards, fermentation in cement cuves, élevage in medium age barrels, minimal racking and pumping, and a gentle bottling with no filtration or fining for the reds, all combine to give wines of impressive depth and complexity. He manages to achieve sufficient natural ripeness every year and shuns chaptalization, and his wines show impressive concentration year in and year out. His are deeply colored reds with ample fruit and great texture and layered whites with ripeness and intense minerality juxtaposed for just the right balance. They are very user friendly Burgundies, capturing the immediate pleasure of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Buisson’s wines are always imminently drinkable upon release with generous aromas and flavors and while they do age well in a good cellar, these are wines to drink over the short to medium term.