These days cellaring wine has become a rarity. Not all wines are meant to age, and indeed the wine world’s style continues to shift toward early maturity. But for wine that rewards patience, the transformation of bottle aging is nothing short of magic.
Today we’re suggesting 2011 Morey-St-Denis 1er cru “Millandes” from Jean-Louis Amiot — it’s proof that ageworthy wine doesn’t have to cost a fortune. Located about ten yards from the famous Grand Cru Clos de la Roche, Millandes is a premier cru that always punches above its weight, but that also needs a few years to reach its potential.
Patience may be a virtue, but in this case someone else has already done the work.
This lot of 2011 Millandes comes with impeccable provenance — it just arrived a few months ago from Morey-St-Denis, having spent the last eight years resting peacefully in the cellar where it was bottled. Burghound awarded 90 points, finding it “delicious, balanced and solidly persistent,” and predicted it would be perfectly mature beginning in 2019.
We think his timing prediction is spot on. Today it’s bursting with dry fruit and secondary flavors — think woodsy notes like tobacco, leather, plums, morel mushrooms, and well worn leather. It’s in an excellent drinking window — carafe for fifteen minutes after opening (not longer).
Serve this with pan seared duck breasts and potatoes in duck fat.
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Amiot Morey-St-Denis
1er cru “les Millandes” 2011
bottle price: $75
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