I met Stu for lunch at this tiny brasserie tucked away in my local village. Ten minutes in and we were deep into Burgundy territory. The moment he mentioned a late-night cellar tasting of 2015 Clos de Vougeot, I knew I was in trouble – and probably going to need a notebook. Not the map, the wine. Domaine gossip, after-hours tastings, and the kind of Pinot talk that makes your eyes glaze over (in a good way). The man’s properly obsessed.
He’s also brave – because launching a new Burgundy business in this market? That’s either madness or genius. And honestly, with these tasting kits, it’s leaning heavily towards genius. Worth keeping an eye on – I’m not involved, just genuinely keen to support a smart idea when I see one.
If you’re even remotely into Burgundy, have a nose around: https://www.burgundygrandcru.com
From Roof Tiles to Romanée-Conti Dreams
Stu didn’t start out with a corkscrew in hand. He was a roofer. Fifteen years of climbing ladders, fixing leaks, and running a business the hard way. Then came a Grand Prix trip to Monaco. That was the decoy. On the way home, he and his wife stopped in Burgundy. Cue: epiphany.
Hostellerie de Levernois. Vines. A couple of bottles that made the rest of the wine world feel like beige wallpaper. That was the start. From there, it was return visits, proper vineyard tours, and gradually becoming mates with the people behind the labels. But back home? A nightmare. The wines he loved were either impossible to find or cost more than his van.
So he thought, sod it. I’ll bring the good stuff back myself. And do it properly.
Taste Before You Remortgage
The biggest problem with top-end Burgundy? No one wants to drop £300 on a bottle they haven’t tried. That’s where Stu’s idea is smart.
Burgundy Grand Cru lets you taste serious wine without committing to the whole bottle. Think:
- Village, Premier Cru & Grand Cru wines
- Curated boxes by classification
- An Assortment Box so you can taste all three levels side by side
And here’s the clever bit: you’re not opening full bottles. You’re getting single-serve samples taken directly from the original wine, preserved using oxygen-free tech. So:
- You get a proper glass of a proper wine
- The original bottle stays fresh
- You don’t need to sell a kidney to find out if you like it
I Tried It. Obviously.
Stu sent me a sample box, and I did what any self-respecting wine nerd would do: made an evening of it. Three little bottles lined up – Village, Premier Cru, Grand Cru – and a beautifully designed info card walking me through the Burgundy structure. If you’ve ever tried explaining climats after two glasses of Meursault, you’ll appreciate the clarity.
Tasting them in order was where it clicked. You feel the step up in complexity. And because it’s not three full bottles, opening them all isn’t a big deal. Plus, if your partner doesn’t drink red (hi Alison), you’re not left with three sad half-bottles loitering in the fridge.
More than anything, it takes the fear out of fancy Burgundy – the eye-watering prices, the confusing labels, the pressure to already know stuff. This strips all that away. It turns “maybe one day” wines into “let’s try it tonight”.
The Club, The Cellar, The Community
There’s also the ‘Cru’ Club: a free monthly sample, discounts, access to rare cellar wines, invites to tastings. If you’re even mildly Burgundy-curious, it’s a smart gateway.
It’s not a faceless wine club run by accountants. No filler content, no mystery bottles that taste like regret – just a proper passion project done well. It’s one bloke who fell for Burgundy and built something from it.
Final Pour: Burgundy Made Human
There are loads of wine clubs out there. But this one surprised me. I went in curious and came out genuinely impressed. The Grand Cru in my box was a knockout – layers, structure, the lot – and it’s the first time I’ve ever said that about a 100ml sample.
Would I buy more? Absolutely. Would I share it? Unlikely.
But that’s the point. This one gets it. Real producers. Real passion. And tasting without the usual risk of regret or credit card trauma.
If you’ve ever wondered what makes one patch of Beaune different from another, or just wanted to dip a toe into Grand Cru waters without gambling your rent, give it a go.
Here’s the link again: https://www.burgundygrandcru.com
And if you do try it, line them up. Pour. Sip slowly. That’s where the magic lives.
