Auxey-Duresses Premier Cru 'Ecusseaux', Domaine Robert Ampeau et Fils, 1990
Auxey-Duresses Premier Cru 'Ecusseaux', Domaine Robert Ampeau et Fils, 1990
- 75cl
- 13%
- Red Still
- Pinot Noir
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Optimal drinking window: Now - 2031
Michel Ampeau, now in his 70s, has retired after making more than 35 vintages at the family domaine created by his grandfather at the turn of the last century. The domaine covers many of the finest climats of the Côte de Beaune. For decades, however, he pursued a policy of only selling his wines when mature and, as a result, has one of the finest collections of back vintages in the whole of Burgundy.
The wine-making has long been traditional. The reds are 100% de-stemmed, fermented in cement, open-topped vats at a maximum of 30C with regular pigeage and aged for up to 12 months in 10% new oak barrels. The style is one of lean, intellectual, harmonious wines where the fruit is complemented by crisp acidity and/or firm but ripe tannins. They are built to age and are fantastic partners for food.
"This is a delightful surprise – fully mature but showing wisdom, not wrinkles. Ecusseaux is on the eastern boundaries of the village and touches Monthelie to the north and Meursault to the east. This has some firmness but no rusticity, the quality of this super vintage shines through – literally, with a warmth and generosity to the fruit. A really fun, rewarding bottle to produce at a tasting or dinner table."
Tom, Head Wine Guru
This wine is, in the most straightforward terms, at peak drinking now and has been for a few years already. The 1990 vintage's exceptional ripeness has given it more staying power than most Auxey reds of its age, and Ampeau's deliberately late release policy means you are not scrambling to catch it in time. We would drink it with some urgency over the next three to five years — so until around 2029 to 2031 — after which the fruit will begin to dry out and what remains will be more historical curiosity than genuine pleasure. There is no further transformation to wait for; this is the wine, and it is rather wonderful right now.
Tasting Notes
AppearanceA mature, translucent ruby with a warm amber-tinged rim that signals its age with quiet dignity.
NoseDried rose, warm earth, and a suggestion of sous-bois — that Burgundian forest-floor quality that only comes with real age. Beneath that, the 1990 vintage asserts itself with an unexpected generosity of fruit: red cherry preserve and a faint, sweet spice. There is nothing tired here.
PalateLean and focused rather than broad, with a clean, bright acidity that has kept everything honest across three and a half decades. The tannins have softened to something silky but still present, giving the wine structure without austerity. Red fruit and dried herbs carry through with real persistence.
FinishLong, mineral, and gently warming — the 1990 sunshine still somehow audible in the finish.
Overall impressionFully mature, showing everything Ampeau's traditional approach was designed to achieve, and still holding its shape.
Food Pairings
In the villages of the Côte de Beaune, a wine like this would traditionally be opened alongside something slow-cooked and earthy — a coq au vin made with the same kind of Burgundy, or a daube of beef with mushrooms and lardons. The locals would think nothing of pairing it with a simple roast rabbit with mustard and thyme, which has a way of mirroring the wine's own lean, savoury character. A plate of Époisses or aged Comté, brought to room temperature and left to do its work, would be another natural choice. This is food-and-wine pairing in the old-fashioned sense: regional, instinctive, and entirely satisfying.
We think this wine would go well with
Serve at around 16°C — cooler than most people instinctively pour red Burgundy, which lets the wine's acidity and mineral character speak before the room warms it up. At 36 years old, it deserves a brief decant of 20 to 30 minutes, enough to open it up without dissolving the delicate structure that has taken this long to arrive. Use a large, tulip-shaped Burgundy glass that allows the nose room to breathe without dissipating it.
Ecusseaux sits on the eastern edge of Auxey-Duresses, where the village nudges up against Monthelie to the north and Meursault to the east — a location that lends the vineyard a slightly more sheltered character than the steeper, more exposed Auxey slopes. The soils here are limestone-rich with clay, giving the wines a firm mineral backbone without the rusticity that can sometimes afflict lesser Auxey reds. The aspect is broadly east-facing, meaning the vines receive morning sun but avoid the most intense afternoon heat, which suits the elegance of Pinot Noir.
Auxey-Duresses sits in a side valley off the main Côte de Beaune, tucked between Meursault and Monthelie, and has historically been overshadowed by its more famous neighbours. The appellation produces both red and white wines, with the reds — made from Pinot Noir — often showing a slightly leaner, more structured character than Volnay or Pommard. Premier Cru status here means something: the best climat sites, Ecusseaux among them, produce wines of genuine finesse that reward the patience Auxey's relative anonymity tends to discourage buyers from giving them.
The 1990 vintage in Burgundy was shaped by a hot, dry summer that concentrated the fruit beautifully but required careful handling in the cellar. After a reasonably normal spring, July and August brought sustained heat that stressed some vines, particularly those on poor soils, while the best sites with older roots sailed through with ease. The harvest began early and yielded small, thick-skinned grapes with impressive concentration – though producers had to work quickly to avoid overripeness.
What emerged was a vintage of considerable power and richness, quite different from Burgundy's usual restraint. The Pinots show deep colour and generous fruit that feels almost Côte-Rôtie-like in their intensity, while the Chardonnays have a broad, honeyed character that speaks of fully ripe grapes. Quality varies significantly by producer – those who managed the heat well created wines of real distinction, while others struggled with the unusual conditions. These wines have aged gracefully and are drinking superbly now, offering immediate pleasure while the best examples should hold until 2030.
FAQs
What does this wine taste like?
Fully mature Pinot Noir with dried rose, warm earth, red cherry preserve, and a faint dried-herb quality. The 1990 vintage brings unexpected warmth and generosity to what is otherwise a lean, precise, mineral-driven style. This is aged Burgundy at its most intellectually satisfying.
What food should I serve with it?
Classic Burgundian cooking is the obvious answer: coq au vin, slow-braised rabbit with mustard and thyme, or a simple roast with good pan juices. Aged Comté or Époisses brought to room temperature would also be excellent. The wine's lean acidity and savoury character means it wants food rather than the spotlight on its own.
Is Robert Ampeau a well-known producer?
Known and admired by those in the know, though never a household name in the way that the grand domaines of Gevrey or Vosne tend to be. What made Ampeau special was Michel Ampeau's policy of holding wines back until he considered them ready — which means buying from Ampeau has always meant accessing genuinely mature Burgundy rather than wine that still needs years in your own cellar. That is increasingly rare and increasingly valuable.
How should I serve this wine?
Around 16°C, with a short decant of 20 to 30 minutes. A large Burgundy glass gives the nose space to open without letting it dissipate too quickly. Do not serve it too warm — the acidity and mineral character that have kept it alive this long deserve to be appreciated before the room temperature softens everything.
OUR GROWERS
Robert Ampeau & Fils
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