Bourgogne Oka 2024 Cyprien Arlaud

Bourgogne Oka 2024 from Cyprien Arlaud is the most accessible and joyful cuvée in the range, and the most personal, for its name carries a family story and a bond to the land. Oka is the name of the draught horse belonging to Cyprien's sister, a magnificent Auxois who works the domaine's finest parcels with quiet, patient determination. This cuvée is a tribute to his labour and his nobility, values essential to us as farmers. A Bourgogne from a true vigneron in every sense: sincere, precise, generous, and alive.

The terroir and the vines

A tribute to the draught horse who works the parcels of Domaine Arlaud, this cuvée is made from Pinot Noir sourced through trade. Farmed organically, these vines of some forty years old, planted on argilo-calcareous soils, are followed closely by Cyprien Arlaud. The wine is made partly from Bourgogne parcels on the domaine and a selection from other sites. Manual leaf removal. Hand harvested. The fruit is sorted by hand on a table. Gravity-fed into open vats for fermentation. Spontaneous fermentation driven by wild yeasts naturally present on the berries. Vinification lasts between 20 and 25 days. Ageing in oak for 12 to 14 months. At Cyprien Arlaud's, oak remains discreet, always in service of balance, yielding elegant, vibrant wines capable of ageing with grace.

Tasting profile

Behind a pale robe with garnet hues, an intense nose of small red and black fruits unfolds: plum, blackcurrant, raspberries lifted by spice. Aromas of raspberry and blackberry at the nose, then lightly roasted. The palate is generous and digestible, precise. A voluptuous finish. The vintage offers a bouquet of dark fruits tinged with iodine and tart blackcurrant notes, the Pinot character shines beautifully. On the palate, fruited flavours carry a hint of orange zest, the tannins are ripe and succulent, finishing fresh and long. A generous, fruited wine, ideal for drinking young, with notes of cherry and small red fruits. A Bourgogne for immediate pleasure, crunchy and unpretentious, yet with a precision and honesty that faithfully reflect the domaine's identity.

The domaine

Cyprien Arlaud represents the third generation of Domaine Arlaud, founded in 1942 when Burgundian Renée Amiot met Ardéchois Joseph Arlaud. In 2013, Cyprien took over from his father Hervé and has run the domaine biodynamically since 2009, becoming Morey-Saint-Denis's first domaine certified Biodyvin in 2014. Aided in the vineyard by his sister Bertille and his horse Oka, he produces wines of remarkable precision and purity that have quickly won over the international press and collectors. No filtration or fining, bottling by gravity in rhythm with the lunar calendar. He practises slow, controlled oxygenation, fostering soft tannins and great finesse. Sulphur is used sparingly, only when necessary.

Food pairings

This Bourgogne Oka pairs beautifully with œufs meurette, duck breast with cherries, homemade shepherd's pie, saucisson en brioche, roast poultry with herbs, or a board of soft cheeses such as Brie de Meaux or young Époisses. Served between 14 and 16 °C, slightly cool, it will reveal all the crunchy fruit and natural frankness of a Bourgogne signed by one of the Côte de Nuits' most scrupulous biodynamic vignerons, carried forward by the silent and steadfast labour of a horse.