La Pierre Ronde - Exciting New White Burgs

At a recent tasting we had the pleasure to try something new and exciting from Burgundy. La Pierre Ronde is a newcomer, both to Manhattan Wine Company and to the scene as a whole. It’s not often a new negociant jumps out as much has La Pierre Ronde and wanted to share the good word with you.
 
La Pierre Ronde released their first vintages last year, with 5 cuvees for the 2021 vintage, growing to 12 for the 2022. Founder Antoine Lepetit de la Bigne spent almost 10 years at Domaine Leflaive helping them to implement and refine their biodynamic viticulture processes. He also notably founded l’Ecole Du Vin et des Terroirs alongside Anne Claude Leflaive, which works to educate Burgundy producers on a broad array of subjects involving vinification. He left Domaine Leflaive after Anne Claude passed in 2015 to found La Pierre Ronde, originally as a biodynamic consultancy and later in 2021 as a negociant.
 
There are two standout bottles that we decided to acquire, the first being the Hautes Cotes de Beaune. The grapes are sourced from Nantoux on the Montagne de Cras, with a high concentration of limestone in the vineyard that shows on the palate. It is aged for a year total, with 10 months on a restrained 25% new oak and a further 2 months in stainless steel. It is drinking beautifully now, showing intense fruit with clear limestone that is both delicate and forward with the modest oak exposure adding some structure. This would be a great choice for those looking for a nice white Burgundy for Thanksgiving.
 
Antoine’s Rully Fromange is also a standout from his lineup. The vineyard is located towards the top of the Cru, with shallow white soil, a strong northern wind, and a tendency to ripen later just a stone’s throw from Mercurey. Unlike its brother, the Fromange is fermented and aged entirely in barrel – given that the fruit and concentration is more substantial here, Antoine employees 60% new oak which is done well and does a great job framing this wine. With lovely salinity, intense freshness, and generous orchard fruit, it is drinking well and just asking to be paired alongside a perfectly roasted chicken or a creamy fish dish.
 
The holiday season is fast approaching and both the Rully Fromange and Hautes Cotes de Beaune would be fantastic to crack open and share with your loved ones. La Pierre Ronde is a producer to watch, selecting fantastic grapes and making beautiful wines with murmurs of Antoine acquiring his own parcels in the coming years. These wines are well worth picking up, not only to get a taste of the newest producer to spin out of Domaine Leflaive, but mostly because they are delicious.