We first met Arnaud Baillot where many great relationships have started – at a bar. This spring, as we enjoyed a terrific meal at La Superbe, a delicious new restaurant in Beaune, we struck up a conversation with the young couple a few seats down the counter. They explained they were local winemakers, we told them about our import business, and by the end of the night we had exchanged Instagram follows, with promises to remain in touch.
Baillot is a bit of an anomaly in Burgundy – he has no family connection to wine or the region, and has only been making wine for six years. His wife Laure is of a storied Burgundian family (Hudelot-Noëllat), but they have short winemaking experience and almost zero reviews. Still, since a hidden gem is the perpetual pursuit of all importers, we squeezed an appointment in late in the afternoon of our final tasting day this spring.
We’re certainly glad we did. Baillot is a talented, thoughtful winemaker with excellent instincts and impressive resources. He makes wine from a wide array of plots around the Côte d’Or, some farmed himself, some from carefully purchased grapes. We’re including three of his delicious 2022 reds in next week’s September Futures release – as well as an exciting collaboration between Baillot and his friend Theo Dancer of Chassagne-Montrachet fame – but we’re singling out his Bourgogne rouge for attention today.
Baillot’s 2022 Bourgogne Côte d’Or is lively, delicious, and eager to be drunk. The strawberry/cherry fruit is perfectly extracted, giving floral notes of violets and roses. It’s fully destemmed, from vines near Pommard and Volnay, and shows persistence and depth without sacrificing elegance. At just 10% new oak, this is a lithe, modern red Burgundy bursting with vibrancy and real style.
In short, we think Baillot has the makings of a star. But beyond his prominent spot on the wine list at Ma Cuisine and his inclusion in the Berry Brothers portfolio, you’ll have to take our word for it. Whether or not he gets famous some day, we are sure you’ll enjoy every bottle of this terrific sub-$30 Bourgogne rouge.
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Arnaud Baillot Bourgogne Côte d’Or 2022
Ansonia Retail: $468/case
September Futures: $350/case ($29.16/bot)
To order this wine, email Tom
