Author: Thomas Wilcox

The Clos de Vougeot is one of Burgundy’s great landmarks. First planted with vines in the 11th century, the wall around the vineyard dates to 1336, and the majestic Chateau to 1551. It’s a Burgundian icon, both of culture and viticulture.

With more than 80 owners across an astounding 50 hectares (120 acres) of vines, the wines from the Clos de Vougeot vary widely in character and quality – so much so that the different “neighborhoods” within the Clos are often included on the label. As with many things in Burgundy, you can’t get too specific.

Michel Gros is among our most talented and best known winemakers. His two tenths of a hectare in the Clos represent just 0.4% of the vineyard – but if you had to pick a corner of Clos Vougeot for your couple rows of vines, Gros’s plot is where you’d pick. The “Grand Maupertuis” is considered one of the finest sectors in the massive vineyard, and Michel’s tiny sliver of land here produces magnificent wine.

The 2017 vintage is offering beautiful early drinking – Gros’s premier cru 2017 are magnificent today – and we think even the Clos Vougeot, typically Gros’s longest lived wine, will not require the decade of patience it often does. Writer Sarah Marsh MW calls it “layered and powerful” with “no lack of structure…nicely refined and compact.” With an hour in a decanter, this will be an impressive and regal presence on your Christmas dinner table this year. Or if you’ve got patience (or someone on your gift list with a cellar), give this another 3-5 years and enjoy a delicious slice of history.

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Michel Gros Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru 2017
bottle price: $250
24hr sale price: $212.50 (use code FRIDAY)

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Lots of wine drinkers will tell you they don’t drink Merlot; but we bet far fewer would turn down a glass of this wine. After seven years in the bottle, the Chateau Destieux’s 2016 Saint-Emilion Grand Cru Classé is pure, hedonistic pleasure. It may not be as complex as Ausone or as long lived as Cheval Blanc — but it’s proof that in the right terroir, Merlot can profound and outstanding.

Antonio Galloni of Vinous was blown away by the 2016, calling it “gorgeous, modern St-Emilion,” offering “tremendous depth,… dark, jammy fruit, chocolate, spice, and new leather.” He awarded 94 points, and called it “a terrific showing.” His Vinous colleague Neal Martin, often a harder grader than Galloni, called it “among the best wines I have tasted from this estate.”

This is a wine of boldness, glamour, texture and intensity. Open it today and enjoy it over several evenings — there’s impressive stuffing and backbone. But put a few bottles in the back of your cellar, and pull them out over the next few years — the wine ages magnificently, and by your last bottle we guarantee you’ll wish you had more.

 

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Destieux St-Emilion Grand Cru Classé 2016
bottle price: $85

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Barbaresco is an appellation in the Piedmont region, and along with neighboring Barolo is one of Italy’s best known wines. The grape from both towns is Nebbiolo, a thin skinned varietal capable of tremendous subtlety and elegance, with more than a passing resemblance to Burgundian pinot noir. Barbaresco is generally lighter-bodied than Barolo, offering less aggressive texture and often earlier drinking windows.

We’ve just received our latest shipment from Sassi San Cristoforo, our source in Barbaresco. Their 2015 Riserva is a real treat – now eight years on from harvest the wine has begun to add tertiary aromas to its gorgeous bouquet of fruit and flowers. The nose is deep and earthy, with beautiful depth and a dark floral perfume of plum, espresso and licorice. The mouth is softened and beautiful but with excellent clarity and a subtle spine of tannin to keep all the elements in line.

Given the density of the vintage this should age several more years with ease, but we think it’s perfectly delicious today. Serve from a decanter with a mushroom risotto.

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Sassi San Cristoforo Barbaresco Riserva 2015
bottle price: $65

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It took several years of working with Denis Basset before he’d sell us any of his white cuvée. The wine was so popular in Parisian restaurants that it was all spoken for – we’d sample it to start our tastings at his cellar, and then never see it again. Now we thirstily buy all of our small allocation each year – it’s the only wine of its kind in our portfolio, rounder and more tropical than white Burgundy; more tension than Condrieu; more softness than our Loire whites.

Basset’s white is a Roussanne-Marsanne blend (70/30), in the style of a classic northern Rhône white. The nose is soft and enveloping, with tropical notes of mango, pineapple, and green tea. The mouth is rich and round, but well balanced, showing nectarine and honey notes. There’s so much exotic fruit in the nose you almost expect this to be sweet, but the mouth finishes cool and soft and dry with terrific tension.

This is a perfect winter white wine, with bright citrus to match rich foods, but a cozy, waxy texture that makes it hard to put down. Begin your holiday dinner with a bottle of white Crozes, some salty triple cream cheese, and a crusty baguette.

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Saint-Clair Crozes-Hermitage blanc 2022
bottle price: $25

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The 2021 vintage was a tricky one in Burgundy. The growing season was considerably cooler and wetter than in recent years, and vignerons were forced to change tack. Winemakers who followed the vintage’s cues (rather than forcing a lush 2018-2020 style) were successful, making wines with beautiful clarity, a light, refreshing, classical touch.

Some of our favorites of the vintage came from the Boursot brothers in Chambolle-Musigny. The young Boursots passed the difficult vintage test with flying colors, extracting their wines perfectly and producing cuvées of balance and elegance. And no wine in their lineup was more successful than their humble Bourgogne rouge.

The Boursots decided that the correct amount of oaking for this wine in 2021 was… zero. Raised entirely in stainless steel, their 2021 Bourgogne is accessible, floral, simply delicious Pinot Noir. The nose shows cherry, plum and white flowers; the mouth is fresh and chalky with raspberry notes and low tannin. The dry, classy finish ties it up into a neat package. It’s a perfect house red Burgundy, and one that will pair with everything and nothing at all.

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Boursot Bourgogne 2021
bottle price: $35

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Michel and Estelle Prunier are a father-and-daugther team making terrific, traditional red Burgundies the town of Auxey Duresses. Their best wine is their Volnay, from the famous premier cru “Caillerets” vineyard. With such impressive terroir, much of Prunier’s job is to get out of the way – and their understated style is a perfect match.

Prunier’s 2020 Volnay 1er “Caillerets” is polished and sophisticated, with a gorgeous, perfumed bouquet and a lush, chiseled mouth. Neal Martin of Vinous found “black cherries, sous-bois, mint and juniper berries,” calling it “fresh and vibrant.”

Like all 2020s this is concentrated and intense, but that extra muscle matches beautifully with the subtle finesse of Volnay’s terroir. The 2020 is simply beautiful, already with impressive aromatics. In 5-8 years this will be a gorgeous mature red Burgundy, but patience is not required. But pour it from a carafe, or with braised shortribs this holiday season, and we’re confident your table will have no trouble finding the bottom of the bottle.

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Prunier Volnay 1er “Caillerets” 2020
bottle price: $100
3+ bottle price: $85 (use code FRIDAY)

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Stephane Robert of the Domaine du Tunnel is one of the brightest stars in Cornas. He’s humble and quiet in person, but his wines are bold, assertive, and charming. Robert farms an envious collection of old syrah vines around the tiny appellation, and his wines are well worthy of their hype. Vinous calls Tunnel “among the top producers of Cornas.”

Cornas is the southernmost appellation in the Northern Rhône. Its rules are northern: pure, unblended Syrah that ages for decades. But Cornas (which means “scorched earth” in Celtic) harvests a week earlier than Hermitage (just 20 minutes north), and the steep sundrenched slopes produce wines with a bit of southern, sunbaked character.

Tunnel’s 2017 Cornas is a classic – now five years on from harvest it still shows abundant dark fruit but has begun to add irresistible earthy and spice notes. Vinous and Wine Advocate both awarded 92 points, finding it “loaded with blackberries, cassis and plums,” with “very good depth as well as energy” alongside “supple tannins.” It’s a perfect choice for a Sunday afternoon roast.

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Tunnel Cornas 2017
bottle price: $68

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We love discovering new wines and domaines – exciting new sources full of energy and innovation. But sometimes we open a bottle that reminds us of just how good some of the wines already in our cellar are. This week we enjoyed a bottle of Goubert’s Gigondas “Cuvée Florence,” and it was simply outstanding.

The Cartier family reserves their finest fruit each year for their “Cuvée Florence,” the flagship wine of their domaine, started 35 years ago after the birth of their daughter Florence (now the winemaker). Josh Raynolds of Vinous called Goubert “one of the appellations most venerable domaines.” In particular he citeed “the 2018 and 2019 versions, the current releases, are superb and in the upper tier of bottlings from those vintages.”

Raynolds gave 94 points, finding “white pepper, incense, espresso,” and “smoke-laced blackberry compote, kirsch and mocha.” We found this week the oak and tannin hand blended seamlessly into the lush fruit, and while there are many happy years ahead of this wine, it’s a cozy, rich, wintertime delight today.

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Goubert Gigondas “Florence” 2019
bottle price: $52

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Philippe Cheron is just getting started. He’s hardly new to the trade – his father and grandfather were vignerons – and Phillipe has spent his career making wine around the Côte d’Or. But three years ago he managed to acquire most of the holdings from the defunct Domaine des Varoilles, and now farms an extraordinary collection of plots under the name Domaine du Couvent.

His unmarked cuverie is hidden down a back street in Nuits-St-Georges, and Cheron himself is quiet and pensive. But his wines more than speak for themselves. Cheron’s 2019s are beginning to shed their baby fat, and are showing just what talented winemaker he is.

Couvent’s 2019 Chambolle Musigny “les 40 Ouvrées” is a terrific expression of the Chambolle appellation in total. It’s open and accessible, showing deep strawberry fruit and the silky texture for which the town is known. Neal Martin of Vinous awarded 90-92 points, finding it “delicate but precise,” “smooth and succulent, very lush in style, but maintains good balance and freshness,” concluding “very sensual.” Jancis Robinson found it “luxurious” and “delicious.”

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Couvent Chambolle-Musigny “40 Ouvrées” 2019
bottle price: $88
3+ bottle price: $74.80 (use code FRIDAY)

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After a few years’ absence, the Fattoria Poggerino re-introduced the “Labirinto” cuvée this year. Made from the youngest vines on the estate, the Labirinto cuvée offers easy, uncomplicated pleasure. It’s Sangiovese with no rough edges – middle-weight, unoaked, unserious, and wonderfully easy to drink.

Poggerino’s regular Chianti Classico cuvée is as delicious as always, but the Labirinto offers something a bit less sophisticated. Labirinto’s fruits are redder – think wild cherries – with a smooth mouthfeel and very subtle tannin. The Classico is darker and woodsier (blackberries, cassis) with slightly firmer tannins and a longer mouthfeel.

If you’ve got thirsty relatives visiting this season, or need something easy to pair with everything and nothing, look no further.

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Poggerino Labirinto 2021
bottle price: $22

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Champagne has a reputation as refined, elegant, and delicate. While this reputation fits much of the wine from the heart of the Champagne region, today’s wine is another story. Domaine Jacques Robin is a small grower producer in the Côtes des Bar, a satellite sub-region of Champagne an hour to the south.

The Côtes des Bar is less fussy and more friendly, and the wines match this shift. Robin’s cozy family domaine is a far cry from the glossy brochures and glitzy tasting rooms of the Côtes des Blancs. Their 100% Pinot Noir cuvées sport a broader, richer palate than many Champagnes from further north – gourmand rather than gourmet — rich, welcoming, and mouthfilling.

They’re also a comparative bargain. At under $50 we think their Secret de Sorbée cuvée is among the best values of any wine in our portfolio, with a complexity that easily outpaces $100 bottles from the big name houses. It’s fermented partially in barrel and left on the lees for over two years. The resulting wine is toasty and fresh with lovely apple fruit and floral notes.

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Robin Secret de Sorbée NV
bottle price: $49

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Poggerino is often cited as a reference point for Chianti Classico. Vinous writes of their Poggerino’s “remarkable purity and nuance,” and Rajat Parr calls their wines “excellent” and “some of the purest expressions of the grape in Italy.” Their organic vines from Radda-in-Chianti produced exquisitely balanced wines, full of depth and richness but also tension and lift.

Poggerino’s finest wine is their Chianti Classico “Riserva,” a magnificent cvuée we’ve enjoyed both young and with 15+ years in the bottle. Their 2020 Chianti Classico is delicious as always – fresh and lively and bursting with perfectly extracted black cherry fruit. The Riserva is all of that, but moreso – deeper and richer with beautiful texture and a long, chiseled finish.

Vinous’s founder and chief reviewer Antonio Galloni writes that “cherry, incense, leather and spice give this virile Riserva plenty of complexity.” He called it a “dark, powerful wine, . . . impressive, especially in terms of its depth and overall substance.” Pour this with a wintery Osso Buco and a crackling fireplace.

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Poggerino Chianti Classico Riserva 2019
bottle price: $42

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Sauvignon Blanc is among the world’s most popular white grapes, planted everywhere from New Zealand to California to Chile. But the original source for Sauvignon Blanc is France’s Loire Valley, in particular the twin villages of Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé.

Here the grape takes on a distinctly mineral and citrus character. An elevated level of flint and limestone in the soil keeps the wines full of tension and chiseled energy. Our producer here is Frederic Michot, a small family vigneron with no other US importer making simple, delicious, startlingly affordable wines..

His 2022 has just arrived — beautiful, balanced wine, bursting with freshness and fruit. The nose is bright and expressive, with ripe grapefruit, honey, and lime. The mouth is full and very lively. There’s no oak at all, and the palate sings with zippy fruit and minerals. The palate is juicy, quick, and very clean, with a dry, slightly smoky finish.

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Michot Pouilly-Fumé 2022
bottle price: $19

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The 2015 vintage was just about perfect from top to bottom – warm but not scorching conditions, dry but no drought, good quantity and outstanding quality. It was also a vintage that was excellent at every level, from regional Bourgognes all the way up to Grand Cru.

At the premier cru and grand cru levels, most 2015s are deep in their mid-life hibernation – nothing wrong with them today, but years away from beginning to express their full potential. At the village level, however, things are starting to wake up.

Today we’re suggesting a 2015 Gevrey-Chambertin from Domaine des Varoilles, a shuttered domaine whose vines now operate under the Domaine du Couvent label. The “Clos du Meix des Ouches” is a small monopole at the edge of the town. It’s surrounded by an old wall, which blocks the wind and traps warmth, making its wines particularly round.

Writing several years ago, Jancis Robinson found it “rather gorgeous,” finding it has “already lots of pleasure but with the tannins to keep it in shape.” Burghound found it “solidly concentrated” and “sleekly textured.” This is a delight today – look for black pepper, mushrooms, anise, dried red berries and cocoa.

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Varoilles Gevrey-Chambertin 1er
“Clos du Meix des Ouches” 2015
bottle price: $88
3+ bottle price: $74.80 (use code FRIDAY)

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Nicolas Paget is a creative, organic winemaker working in the heart of the Central Loire Valley. His pure, expressive cuvées have been wildly popular among our readers since we discovered him a few years ago – most notably his crisp, dry, unoaked Chenin Blanc cuvée called Melodie. The 2021 of this wine has just arrived and it’s as good as ever.

But this year we imported a new wine from Paget – still dry, still Chenin blanc, but of an entirely different character. Paget’s 2020 Chinon blanc is from more exalted terroir in the nearby Chinon appellation, and the wine’s added pedigree is obvious.

This nose is perfumed and beautiful, with notes of yellow apples and pear compote. The mouth is rich, smooth and very long with notes of grapefruit, honey, lime and apricot. It sees a few months in old oak barrels, which add a smoothness and spice to the lush fruit. If a Meursault were made from Chenin Blanc it might taste like this.

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Paget Chinon blanc 2020
bottle price: $29

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