A Secret to Quality and Value? Top Notch Bourgogne-Passetoutgrains!

Within the dazzling diversity of Bourgogne red wines, discovering quality and value doesn’t have to be an insurmountable challenge. Easy-drinking gems are readily available at terrific prices. You just have to do a little digging with an open mind and palate. Consider, for example, high quality Bourgogne-Passetoutgrain red wines.

GENERIC BOURGOGNE-PASSETOUTGRAINS
Bourgogne-Passetoutgrains (pronounced “Boor–gawn–Pass–too–gran”) typically receive passing attention since they fall in the broad, lowest tier of régionale wines in the “Bourgogne Pyramid.” Unlike wines from the top tiers which come essentially from single grape varieties, Bourgogne-Passetoutgrains come from blends. Hence the name “Passetoutgrain” which translates roughly to “all grapes pass.”

Under official French government rules (known as the cahier des charges), Bourgogne-Passetoutgrain must blend minimums of 30% pinot noir grapes and 15% gamay grapes. White-skinned chardonnay, pinot beurot, and pinot blanc may be added up to 15% provided the vines are co-planted with the red-skinned grapes.

And here’s the catch. Bourgogne-Passetoutgrain wine grapes may come from a vast range of vineyards.  The area covers the entire Bourgogne region and encompasses 385 villages from Fleys, Auxerre and Chablis in the north all the way to Fuissé, Mâcon and Belleville in the south. Consequently, large commercial négociants often buy grapes from growers across Bourgogne’s entire breadth to assemble easy drinking, but generic Bourgogne-Passetoutgrains wines.

These undistinguished wines typically sell inexpensively either in French supermarkets or by the pitcher at local bars and Parisian bistros. Easy to drink and enjoy in the moment, but that’s all with generic Bourgogne-Passetoutgrains.

BOURGOGNE-PASSETOUTGRAINS WITH A DIFFERENCE
Easy drinking and enjoyment are, of course, good. But not all Bourgogne-Passetoutgrains fit the lackluster generic stereotype in terms of overall quality. Independent, family-owned domaines bottling their own wines frequently offer Bourgogne-Passetoutgains with added layers of distinct flavors and depth. The difference comes when the domaines use only high quality grapes from their own localized vineyards.

Top-notch, domaine-bottled Bourgogne-Passetoutgrains illustrate a crucial point: just because a wine comes from the bottom of the hierarchy does not mean that it delivers inferior quality. In fact, some of the very best wines for quality and value—what the French call qualité/prix—come from the bottom tier.

Bourgogne-Passetoutgrains from talented, dedicated growers such as Domaine Mchel Lafarge, Pierrick Bouley, Domiaine Marc Rougeot Père et Fils, Domaine Trapet Père et Fils, Domaine Gérard Mugneret and Domaine Sylvain Morey illustrate the point. They work with distinctive grapes from old vines to produce Passetoutgrain wines of quality and value–all while preserving easy drinking, immediate pleasure. Try the following delicious Bourgogne-Passtoutgrains:

DOMAINE MICHEL LAFARGE

Today Domaine Michel Lafarge’s U.S. exporter, Becky Wasserman & Co., represents a wide range of leading Bourgogne winegrowers offering everything from top-of-the-line Grand Crus and Premiers Crus to more modest, entry-level Village wines and Bourgogne réegionale wines. But when founder Becky Wasserman-Hone started in 1979, one of the first wines she sought to represent for export was winegrower Michel Lafarge’s thoroughly gulpable Bourgogne-Passetoutgrain. Forty two years later in 2021, Wasserman-Hone still sells and drinks the Lafarge Bourgogne-Passetoutgrain.

“When done well, Passetoutgrain is a nice red wine to make you feel good and go well with food,” she says. ‘When it comes from old vines it can make one heck of a drink. And it meets our company motto: “Non vendimus quod non bibimus”–“We don’t sell what we don’t drink.”‘

While Michel Lafarge passed away in January, 2020 at age 91, his son, Frédéric Lafarge, and granddaughter, Clothilde, carry on the domaine’s Bourgogne-Passetotugrain tradition. They use equal parts pinot noir and gamay grapes co-planted in 1926. The 2.5 acre site of gravel, clay and limestone soils lies near the village of Meursault.

Since the father and daughter farm organically (with Ecocert certification), they do not treat the vines with synthetic chemical herbicides, pesticides, fungicides and fertilizers. Instead, the Lafarge’s also follow biodynamic standards and apply natural composts and spray treatments such as horn silica (#501), a preparation designed to enhance photosynthesis and natural immunity to diseases.

This allows the Lafarge Bourgogne-Passetoutgrain old vines to maintain vitality naturally while yielding meager, but high quality harvests. After picking and de-stemming the grapes, fermentation occurs with indigenous yeasts. Aging occurs in barrel and bottling takes places without filtration.

With the 2018 Domaine Michel Lafarge, Bourgogne-Passetoutgrain “L’Exception,” (average national retail price on wine-searcher.com: $32) the wine’s ruby color offers bright, aromas of red currants and griotte sour cherries. In the glass, flavors of red currants and ripe, juicy raspberries have medium concentration balanced with zesty, fresh acidity and fine tannins.  A couple of hours in the decanter really opens the wine by bringing out more fleshy, fruitiness and smoky meaty notes. Delicious! Highly recommended.

PIERRICK BOULEY
Pierrick Bouley assumed winegrowing responsibilities for his family’s domaine in 2014, and quality has progressed steadily over the last several vintages. He firmly embraces the traditional approach that great wines are made in the vines, not the cellar.

“We work all our vines in the same way whether it is this Passetoutgrain or our premier crus,” Pierrick says, “It is an important part of the work in the vines which is the basis of our profession: respect for the earth, plants and their cycles, adaptation to the climate, etc.”

Pierrick credits the character of his inherited vines as the foundation for success.

“The quality also comes from the fact that my great-grandfather planted the Passetotugrain plot in 1950,” he notes. “So no cloning here, but old vines of top quality!”

The plot, called “Monpoulain,” is located below the village of Volnay on the border with Pommard. The vines are planted en foule as a field blend.

“In this vineyard we have, for example, 3 gamay vines, then the next one is a pinot noir vine. Then again, 10 vines of gamay, then 4 of pinot noir, etc, ” Pierrick says. “In 2017 I took care to cut gamay and pinot noir from this plot separately just to see the precise proportion of each of variety. Result: 70% gamay – 30% pinot noir.”

After harvest, Bouley de-stems the grapes and then ferments them with indigenous yeasts. He ages the wine in older barrels and adds just a little sulfur after racking and before bottling.

The 2018 Pierrick Bouley, Bourgogne-Passetoutgrain is a delicious marvel. On the nose, it unfolds attractive aromas of ripe red fruit and smoky earthiness. On the palate, pure, juicy red fruit flavors, medium concentration and uplifting, bright freshness follow. Easy drinking but very fine quality! Available exclusively in the U.S. from Fass Selections direct importers. Subscribe for information on purchasing future vintages.

DOMAINE ROUGEOT PÈRE ET FILS
Affable winegrower Marc Rougeot and his son Pierre-Henri Rougeot hail from a long-established winemakng family in Meursault, a village more famous for its white wines. Their holdings encompass around 35 acres including a 2-acre plot of co-mingled gamay and pinot noir for Bourgogne-Passetoutgrain. This plot was planted nearly 60 years ago below the village and across the D974 main road near the “Léproserie de Muersault,” a historic charitable hospital from the Middle Ages. The vineyard features primarily clay over limestone.

The Rougeot’s pamper the Bourgogne-Passetoutgrain vines in this relatively flat vineyard. The vines receive the same dedicated attention provided to more prestigious premier cru sites. The family farms organically without synthetic chemical treatments for Ecocert certification. Harvest occurs by hand.

After carefully sorting the grapes for damaged and unripened fruit, fermentation occurs with indigenous yeasts and no added sulfur.  The resulting wine is what Pierre-Henri calls a Passetoutrgrain de Grand Cru quotidien—Passetoutgrain for drinking as an “everyday Grand Cru.

“I qualify our Passetoutrgrain as a daily Grand Cru, for two reasons,” Pierre-Henri says. “First, the vines give small yields each year—rarely more than 38 hectoliters per hectare—with very good quality grapes, very concentrated for the appellation.”

“Second, we vinify this cuvée in whole bunches, and vatting lasts about 12 days, without punching down but daily pumping over. Whole bunch vinification gives an inimitable expression,” he adds. “I had the chance to discover this way of vinifying when I worked at Domaine de Montille in 2004. In the end, it is the most traditional way, and it gives wines with a more developed aromatic range in aging.”

The wine ages in larger 500 liter and 600 liter barrels to add subtle aromas rather than woodiness.

The 2019 Domaine Rougeot, Bourgogne-Passetoutgrain “Les Vercherres” (average national price on wine-searcher.com: $33) offers a pretty ruby color unfolding aromas of ripe black cherries and smoky, gamey notes. Sweet, pure red fruits flavors follow with a touch of savory meatiness wrapped in fleshy concentration.. Bright freshness and fine tannins add backbone. It is a refined yet guleyant (i.e., gulpable”) wine. Fantastic, outstanding wine! Highly Recommended.

DOMAINE TRAPET PÈRE ET FILS
Vignerons Jean-Louis and Andrée Trapet, along with their sons Pierre and Louis, produce wines in the iconic village of Gevrey-Chambertin. Their extensive holdings include famous sites such as Chambertin grand cru and Latricières-Chambertin grand cru. But the domaine also has a lesser known gem: the delicious Bourgogne-Passetoutgrain from nearly 60-year old vines cultivated in the “Grand Champs” lieu-dit. The essentially flat vineyard lies to the east of the village just across the D974 main road.

In 1965 Jean-Louis’ grandfather co-planted the Grand Champs vineyard with gamay and pinot noir vines en foule. The location features gravel and clay soils over limestone. Notwithstanding the relatively modest site, the Trapet’s apply the same labor-intensive approach used in their more prestigious vineyards which are certified biodynamic by Demeter.

They apply only natural composts and treatments which maintain vitality in both the soils and the vines. And now they are implementing echalas (i.e., single-stake) trellising of the vines. The goal is to train the vines to grow high and only prune them at the apex. According to Trapet, enhanced energy and better photosynthesis result in the vines.

“We are very lucky to have with grand cru vineyards. But the Bourgogne vines are also very important to us,” Trapet says. “We keep these vines in our minds and hearts.”

Once the grapes are harvested by hand, the Trapet’s take a “hands-off” minimal approach in the cellar with the Bourgogne-Passtoutgrain. No sulphur is added to the grapes, and the fruit ferments in tanks with indigenous yeasts. Aging occurs in large wooden foudres and steel tanks. Just before bottling, the wine receives a little sulphur. In short, the Trapet wine essentially makes itself naturally to preserve pure, transparent fruit.

Trapet’s combination of detailed work in the vines and the “hands-off” minimal approach in the cellar delivers the marvelous 2018 Domaine Trapet Père et Fils, Bourgogne-Passetotugrain “à Minima” (average national retail price on wine-searcher.com: $30). It unfolds as a charming and delicious wine after lengthy decanting. The wine’s pure ruby color offers ripe black cherry and meaty, smoky aromas. On the palate, juicy strawberry and cherry flavors balance with zesty, fresh acidity and fine, subtle tannins. A delightfully juicy, uplifting wine to drink. Highly Recommended.

DOMAINE GÉRARD MUGNERET
Domaine Gérard Mugneret has vineyard holdings in some of Bourgogne’s most iconic vineyards including Échezeaux grand cru and Vosne-Romanée premier crus. René Mugneret, grandfather of current winegrower Pascal Mugneret, played a prominent role among his colleagues and with the wine community including exporter Becky Wasserman-Hone.

“René Mugneret was one of my respected teachers both in the vineyards and the cellars,” Becky Hone says. “So this is the third generation for us.”

Pascal Mugneret applies organic and biodynamic work in the vines including the Bourgogne-Passetoutgrain parcels.

“Biodynamics, for me, provide the essential guidelines,” he told Paul Wasserman in an interview in 2020. “You cannot separate the vines from the soils. They are together the soul and personality of the place.”

Pascal lavishes just as much attention to the vines in the less prominent locations.

“It’s simple. I love all the vines. They are like people,” he added during the Wasserman interview. “If you give to them without expecting a specific return, you still have a return. I can feel when the vines are well.”

The domaine’s Bourgogne-Passetoutgrain vines, which were planted between 1971 and 2001, lie in flat plain areas in the villages of Flagey and Gilly-lès-Citeaux to the East across the D974 main road. The 2017 Domaine Gérard Mugneret, Bourgogne-Passetoutgrain (average national retail price on wine-searcher.com: $29) is a 50/50 blend of gamay and pinot noir fermented with 25% whole bunches with indigenous yeasts. The wines ages for just over a year in mainly older barrels. He adds just a touch of sulfur during the aging and just before bottling.

The wine’s dark ruby color offers aromas of red currants, smoky earthiness and meaty accents. There’s also a touch of pleasant ripe stems aromas. On the palate, ripe, vibrant dark red fruit flavors balance with brilliant freshness and prominent, silky tannins. Delicious, complex and scintillating, yet easy drinking. Highly Recommended.

DOMAINE SYLVAIN MOREY

Winegrower Sylvain Morey confidently plants feet in two winemaking worlds. He grew up in in Chassagne-Montrachet in Bourgogne. But in 2002, he forged an independent path and founded  Domaine de La Basitde du Claux in the Luberon in southern France. Today he cultivates around 40 acres of Luberon vines there spread over nine distinct, named parcels.

When his father, Jean-Marc, retired in 2014, however, Sylvain and his sister Caroline split their vineyard inheritance in Chassagne-Montrachet. And Sylvain came into his own Bourgogne estate, Domaine Sylvain Morey. It encompasses 13 small plots totaling around 8 acres

For the 2018 Domaine Sylvain Morey, Bourgogne-Passetoutgrain (Average national retail price on wine-searcher.com: $28),  Morey deftly blends of 1/3 pinot noir and 2/3 gamay of domaine grown grapes to produce an easy-drinking wine suitable for quaffing with casual meals. But his wine also delivers that extra dimension of quality and complexity that sets it apart from otherwise uninspired Passetoutgrains.

It offers ripe black cherry and brown spice aromas with light smoky notes. Juicy cherry and cassis flavors blend with bright acidity and fine, light tannins. It’s a modest, but beautifully balanced red and a sheer joy to drink with rabbit stewed with red wine, garlic and mushrooms. Highly Recommended.