The Domaine des Varoilles is one of the most exciting recent additions to our Burgundy portfolio. Based in Gevrey-Chambertin, the domaine boasts an extraordinary collection of vines, ranging from village-level to Grand Cru Charmes-Chambertin.
Most interesting, perhaps, are their two premier cru monopoles at the western end of Gevrey-Chambertin. “Clos des Varoilles” and “La Romanée” sit side by side, with “La Romanée” up the slope, and the larger “Clos des Varoilles” further downhill. Only a small wall and a six-yard dirt path separate them (see photo) — but their characters are strikingly different.
Clos des Varoilles, for which the domaine is named, is prototypical Gevrey-Chambertin — rich, meaty, full-bodied, and intense. La Romanée, on the other hand, is elegant, subtle, and silky. And from an extraordinary vintage, the Varoilles 2015 “La Romanée” is a wine of beautiful contradictions: an intense, premier cru Gevrey-Chambertin, but with finesse and and elegance that comes from the mineral content pulled from the bedrock. It’s Gevrey-Chambertin with a splash of Vosne-Romanée.
The 2015 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er “Romanée” is Gevrey with particular poise. Today the nose shows gingerbread and cherries, with briary, brambly fruits and a pleasant toastiness. In the mouth this walks a beautiful line between robust Gevrey structure and elegant mineral notes. The tannins are perfectly extracted — intense and bold but not at all bitter or dry.
Burghound awarded 92 points, calling it “vibrant and delicious” and finding the finish “sappy and balanced.” Old vines (planted in the 1950s), exceptional terroir, expert winemaking, and an outstanding vintage — all make it hard to find much wrong with this wine. It’s not exactly cheap, but the best in any category rarely is.
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Varoilles Gevrey-Chambertin 1er cru “La Romanée” 2015
bottle price: $108
FREE EAST COAST SHIPPING ON ANY 12 BOTTLES
