Why it matters
The producer
Long standing contracts with Burgundy winegrowers sit beside estate properties near Buxy. Maison André Goichot began as a wine trading business headquartered in Beaune, built through André Goichot's relationships with many Burgundy winegrowers. Many contracts have stayed with the same vigneron for over 25 years.
The first own bottlings appeared at the start of the 1990s. Before that, companies such as Corbet and Boisset took the wine in bulk. In 2016 and 2017, Maison André Goichot acquired Domaine Guignottes near Buxy and Château du Cray in Buxy through fermage, a lease arrangement for farming vines. The Beaune winery has modern winemaking equipment.
Place and vineyards
Where the wines begin
Maison André Goichot selects wines from Chablis, Côte de Nuits, Côte de Beaune and Côte Chalonnaise. The estate properties sit near Buxy in the southern Côte Chalonnaise, in Saône-et-Loire.
The Château du Cray vineyard spans 3.70 hectares in Buxy. The named Bourgogne Pinot Noir comes from this vineyard, giving the bottle a specific town and subregion within the wider Burgundy selection.
Wines to know
The range in view
The range follows two routes. Grower relationships supply wines from across Burgundy, while estate properties near Buxy supply estate bottlings. Domaine Guignottes covers 10 hectares near Buxy, and Château du Cray has another 25 hectares of vines through fermage.
The named red is Château du Cray Bourgogne Pinot Noir. Pinot Noir grapes are destemmed, vinified in vats for about four weeks, then aged in oak barrels for 15 months. It has a beautiful red color with ruby reflections, blackcurrant, morello cherry and redcurrant, followed by smoky, humus and sometimes animal notes. With a few years, it pairs with lamb, duck and game.