In the last decade, red Burgundy winemakers have produced a remarkable string of terrific vintages. But even amid these successes – some hard won, others blessedly simple – the 2019 vintage stands out. William Kelley calls it “thrilling… simultaneously serious and immensely charming.” Neal Martin writes, “It is remarkable, almost irrational, how the finest 2019s maintain detail, clarity and tension and sapid finishes.”
Nearly everything we’ve tasted from this 2019 has been excellent, with a consistency of balance and texture that’s remarkable. The 2019 reds of Belland, Boursot and Desvignes are on their way, and Gros and Ravaut out in October Futures later this month. But the 2019s from Pierre Amiot in Morey-St-Denis are here already, and they’re just as good as advertised.
Today we’re suggesting Amiot’s Morey-St-Denis 1er cru “Millandes” from 2019, the family’s tiny plot of 50 year old vines in stony soils scattered with round rocks called “têtes de loups” (wolf heads). Millandes is always one of Amiot’s most precise, sophisticated cuvées, and though the 2019 is riper and more muscly than usual, it retains its buttoned up, polished character.
The nose is multi-layered, a blend of oak and fruit. Burghound awarded 90-92 points and praised its “brooding liqueur-like aromas of plum, dark currant, earth and a whiff of Asian-style tea.” The wine also won a “Tastevinage” from the Chevaliers du Tastevin, the Burgundy trade group that blind tastes through the vintage each year and singles out particularly noteworthy wines.
We think this has a long, impressive life ahead of it; but like most 2019s, it can be coaxed into early enjoyment as well.
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Amiot Morey-St-Denis 1er “Millandes” 2019
bottle price: $78