Wines of Irancy: Chablis' Sneaky-Good Next Door Neighbor
- Ryan Bair
- Oct 15
- 4 min read
In the northernmost reaches of Burgundy, Chablis reigns in fame.
Chablis is a household name that can be found on every wine store's shelves. Chardonnay grows exceptionally well in this region for several reasons, primarily due to the beautiful, chalky Kimmeridgian soils that comprise the landscape.
Chablis is so famous, however, that it regularly outshines the surrounding wine regions.
And I quite enjoy the fact that it does... because wines from the burbs of Chablis are an excellent value.
There is one small village that stands out in this conversation, for sure, producing fruit of exceptional quality. The shocker here is that most of this fruit is actually Pinot Noir, and not Chardonnay. I'm talking about Irancy, an insanely picturesque village a few miles southwest of Chablis.
The drive to Irancy from Chablis is a short one; it takes about 20 minutes.
You drive through vineyards the entire way, and right as you get to the outskirts of Irancy, you drop into a 360-degree amphitheater of vineyards that look down into the village (pictured above!).
The village itself is pretty quiet. There is a stunning restaurant on the road into town called Le Soufflot. This restaurant is, without a doubt, worth a trip if you find yourself in Chablis. It's a classic Burgundian bistro with one of the most amazing wine lists you will ever find, focused on local wines and rare gems at approachable prices..... ;)
How about a little history? Winemaking in Irancy
Grapes have been grown here for winemaking since the First Century BCE. The region was a large supplier of wine to Paris in the Middle Ages, where it travelled on the Yonne River by boat.
In the 1800s, other regions such as the Côte d'Or and Sancerre took over in popularity, which significantly decreased interest in appellations such as Bourgogne Irancy.
Pinot Noir dominates here, but 5 hectares of César—a vigorous and tannic red grape variety brought to this region by the Romans—also grows here.
Today, these wines are rarely exported to the USA, but the ones that do come here from the region are stellar value, seriously competing in quality with the Côte d'Or.
We've tasted a few recently that have excited us, and we're super stoked to be able to share them with you!
You can find two different examples of Irancy on our shelves, one championing the traditional style of the appellation and one experimental example from a collaboration of some of the finest winemakers in Burgundy.
Gabin and Felix Richoux
Gabin and Felix Richoux, sons of legendary Thierry Richoux, make stunning wines that live up to their family's name.
The Richoux family has been making wines in Irancy since 1610, and, without a doubt, is the benchmark producer for this region. Their Pinot Noir vines are the most prized in Irancy, and legends such as Vincent and René Dauvissat purchase fruit from the Richoux family to make their own Irancy cuvée.
They are one of the only growers in Irancy to fully incorporate organic and biodynamic farming.
The fruit for this particular wine comes from South-West facing slopes made up of limestone and clay soils. When the fruit arrives at the winery, the grapes are sent onto one of the two state-of-the-art sorting tables used to separate out unhealthy bunches.
The fruit is then 100% destemmed and fermented with all indigenous yeasts. Élévage is unusually long here to enhance complexity and finesse. The wines age for a year in stainless steel tanks and then are racked to large foudres for at least another year.
This wine is a wonderful comparison to its friends down in the Côte d'Or, as it gives the same amount of drinking pleasure. It is still Burgundy, and it is still Pinot Noir, but it comes at an affordable cost given how complex and lively the wine is.
On the nose, you get everything you want from red Burgundy. Delicate bright red fruits, rose petals, sea shells, forest floor, savory plums, kirsch, pepper, and some smoke jump out of the glass.
The texture on the palate is so insane. It is so silky and slippery, but the tannins have some grip, which pulls the wine together beautifully. Being this far North, the acidity is wildly fun and the finish lasts for ages. This is easily one of my favorite wines of the year, and at a super approachable price of $41.99, it's a steal.
Les Pinot Blacks
On the complete other end of the spectrum, you find experimental wines being made here by well-known Burgundian producers. As Irancy regains popularity, some wines are starting to command a premium due to scarcity and insane quality. This wine is an awesome example of that.
Les Pinot Blacks is a collaboration between Chablis restaurateur Fabien Espana (Au Fil du Zinc) and three winemakers: Thomas Pico of Domaine Pattes Loup in Chablis, Damien Delecheneau of Domaine de La Grange Tiphaine in the Loire, and Bruno Verret of Domaine Verret in Irancy.
They make wine from just one hectare of Pinot Noir farmed by Bruno Verret. The first vintage release of their Irancy was 2018. As of 2020, they only have 7 small barrels total of wine. This stuff is made in uber small quantities.
Their wine is an amazing example of terroir expression.
It shows delicate floral characteristics, but this time with a bit more backbone behind the delicacy. There is structure here, with some meaty and bloody notes too. This is a best-of-both-worlds wine in all senses.
There's something for everyone here. It has acid, depth, complexity, freshness, savoriness, and an amazing story behind it. You have to try this if you can find it. Luckily, we were allocated just under a case of it in the store, and it can be yours at just $71.99.
Irancy, once famous and powerful in the wine world, is finally gaining back the recognition it deserves. We are beyond excited to represent these beautiful wines and get them into your glasses.
Obviously, the cool thing to do would be to try both of these wines side by side, along with some classic Burgundian fare. These wines would pair deliciously with Beef Bourguignon, Coq au Vin, and snails. Ooof. I know what I'm doing this weekend.
Ryan Bair