Author: Thomas Wilcox

Masterful.  Red Burgundies can be some of the most expensive wines in the world. On release they can reach into the thousands of dollars; on the auction block years later, many times that. But outlandish investment isn’t required for high-quality red Burgundy. In a top of the line domaine, everything is expertly made — from their Grand Crus down to their simple Bourgogne.

Today’s offer is for the simplest wine from a master craftsman. Michel Gros makes world-famous, age-worthy red Burgundies, that are wonderful special occasion wines. But he also produces an excellent “petit vin.” For our money, it’s the best Bourgogne-level wine there is.

Silky.  Gros doesn’t make much of this wine, and we’re never allocated more than a handful of cases. But if you’re a fan of elegant, Burgundian pinot noir, this is a perfect everyday version. The 2014 has a lively, clean nose showing raspberries and violets, and a whisper of smokiness. The mouth is cool and elegant, and surprisingly long for its class. Look for blackcurrant and toast.

For those new to Michel Gros, the Bourgogne is a perfect way to experience this elite winemaker’s work without breaking the bank. For readers who know Gros well, here’s a chance to upgrade your weeknight Burgundy consumption. For everyone else, this an affordable, delicious red Burgundy from a master.

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MICHEL GROS Bourgogne 2014
Ansonia Retail: $30
case, half-case: $25/bot

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AVAILABLE IN   6-    AND   12-   BOTTLE LOTS

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Email Tom to place an order.
or call Tom: (617) 249-3657

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Terms of sale. Ansonia Wines MA sells wine to individual consumers who are 21 or more years of age, for personal consumption and not for resale.  All sales are completed and title passes to purchasers in Massachusetts.  Ansonia Wines MA arranges for shipping on behalf of its customers upon request and where applicable laws permit.

Old Friends.  Longtime readers of these notes may notice this is the first Pouilly-Fuissé we’ve offered in nearly three years. Our source in the town was Michel Forest, a charming old winemaker who made tiny quantities of exceptional white Burgundy. Much to our disappointment Forest retired several years ago, and we’ve missed his wines ever since.

Today we’re excited to introduce a new wine from Nicolas Maillet, a winemaker whose unoaked Macon wines have become wildly popular among our readers. Believe it or not, Maillet’s Pouilly-Fuissé comes from the very same plot as one of Forest’s cuvées — the “Sur la Roche” vineyard, perched on top of the famous “Rock of Vergisson” (pictured).

We couldn’t be more excited to reintroduce this classic white Burgundy into our lineup.

Classic.  Maillet’s Pouilly-Fuissé is a delight. Sporting the same astonishing purity and complexity as his unoaked cuvées (Macon-Villages and Macon-Verzé), the Pouilly-Fuissé adds careful notes of oak and toast to the elegant Chardonnay fruit. Maillet’s Pouilly-Fuissé vines average 75 years old and are farmed organically, resulting in exceptional density and richness.

This wine is a beautiful example of careful use of oak. The nose shows white flowers and attractive, bright yellow fruit. The mouth perfectly balances richness from old vines and barrel with a chalky minerality and bright Chardonnay freshness. It’s extremely long in the mouth, showing opulent depth and luxurious richness.

Michel Forest’s wines used to fool people into thinking they were premier cru Chassagne-Montrachet (at a blind tasting at a 3-star Michelin, no less). We put Maillet’s Pouilly-Fuissé in the same class. For those readers (like us) who miss Michel Forest’s elegant old wines, or for fans of classic white Burgundy with months of cold weather ahead — this is one not to miss.

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MAILLET Pouilly-Fuissé 2014
Ansonia Retail: $40
case, half-case: $34/bot

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AVAILABLE IN   6-    AND   12-   BOTTLE LOTS

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Email Tom to place an order.
or call Tom: (617) 249-3657

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Terms of sale. Ansonia Wines MA sells wine to individual consumers who are 21 or more years of age, for personal consumption and not for resale.  All sales are completed and title passes to purchasers in Massachusetts.  Ansonia Wines MA arranges for shipping on behalf of its customers upon request and where applicable laws permit.

Location.  Morey-St-Denis is a tiny town. Home to only 680 people, its half-square-mile of vineyards produces a wide array of wines, ranging from simple Bourgogne to famous Grand Cru. We’ve found much to like across this small terroir, particularly in the premier crus from the Domaine Pierre Amiot. Today’s offer is for Amiot’s excellent 2012 premier cru from “Ruchots.”

The Ruchots vineyard lies a mere 10 feet from the historic Clos de Tart, an iconic Grand Cru vineyard in production for nearly a thousand years. While you wouldn’t mistake one wine for the other, it’s easy to see why many consider Ruchots the best premier cru in the town. It’s a wine of unusual depth and intensity for its class.

Clos de Tart deserves its praise and acclaim, but at $250 a bottle it’s nice to have a more affordable neighbor at the ready. For those in search of a special red Burgundy from an exceptional location, we submit “Ruchots.”

Small-batch.  From just over an acre of vines, the Amiot family makes only 200 cases of this wine per year. Their vines, planted in the 1950s, produce a concentrated, intense red Burgundy. Allen Meadows (Burghound) awarded 90 points to the Ruchots 2012, calling it “detailed and punchy,” and finding “plum” and “dark-berry fruit.”

Last night at a Boston tasting, the 2012 Ruchots outshone everything else on the table. Next to a Chambolle-Musigny and Gevrey-Chambertin, it was proof enough that Morey-St-Denis is more than just a stop between its more famous neighbors. The nose was dark and spicy, with hints of earth and smoke. The mouth was cool and long, with blackberry and woodsy flavors.

This wine should age easily for another 5 years; however today it sports a softened but sturdy tannic structure that makes it an excellent choice for food. Last night’s pairing was venison with winter vegetables, and the match was superb. From a small, well-located vineyard in an overlooked town, this wine is nothing short of a gem.

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AMIOT Morey-St-Denis 1er “Ruchots” 2012
Ansonia Retail: $80
case, half-case: $69/bot

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AVAILABLE IN     3-    6-    AND   12-   BOTTLE LOTS

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Email Tom to place an order.
or call Tom: (617) 249-3657

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Terms of sale. Ansonia Wines MA sells wine to individual consumers who are 21 or more years of age, for personal consumption and not for resale.  All sales are completed and title passes to purchasers in Massachusetts.  Ansonia Wines MA arranges for shipping on behalf of its customers upon request and where applicable laws permit.

Pure.  For fans of white Burgundy, 2014 is among the finest years of the past decade. Both in Chablis and in the Côte d’Or, the wines walk a beautiful balance between a rich core of ripe fruit and a vibrant streak of minerality and acidity. We expect them to age nicely, but most are drinking beautifully already.

One such example is the Jean Collet’s Chablis Premier Cru from the “Forêts” vineyard. With a dense, concentrated core, and a crisp dose of classic Chablis minerality, this wine is simply beautiful. Allen Meadows (Burghound) awarded it 90 points, finding “truly distinguished complexity.” This is the type of wine Collet does best: no woodsy oak in the way, just pure, elegant, honest white Burgundy.

New Generation.  Burghound stopped reviewing Collet’s wines a decade ago when he felt the quality had begun to decline. But after learning the young Romain Collet had taken over winemaking duties, he began tasting again and was “sufficiently impressed to return.” We’ve also noticed an improvement at Collet — though always crisp and traditional, the wines in recent years have taken on an added refinement and elegance.

The 2014 Chablis 1er cru Forêts shows a beautiful white flower bouquet in the nose, with notes of honey and almonds. The mouth is bright and fresh, with great energy overlying an intense, rich body. Look for notes of herbs, lime rind, and salt air in the mouth.

The Wilcox family usually enjoys plenty of oysters and scallops around Christmas, and Chablis fills many of our holiday wine glasses. But if your menu this year has anything from shellfish and fish to roast chicken to soufflé, consider this one.

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COLLET Chablis 1er cru “Forets” 2014
Ansonia Retail: $38
case, half-case: $32/bot

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AVAILABLE IN     6-    AND   12-  BOTTLE LOTS

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Email Tom to place an order.
or call Tom: (617) 249-3657

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Terms of sale. Ansonia Wines MA sells wine to individual consumers who are 21 or more years of age, for personal consumption and not for resale.  All sales are completed and title passes to purchasers in Massachusetts.  Ansonia Wines MA arranges for shipping on behalf of its customers upon request and where applicable laws permit.

One size fits.  From now through the end of the year, most lives are filled with gift exchanges, holiday parties, and large family meals. Whether you’re a host or a guest, everyone’s just a bit happier to see you with sparkling wine in hand. Here’s a bottle of affordable, versatile bubbles that fits as well in a secret Santa or New Year’s Eve party as on your family’s holiday table.

We’ve been enjoying the Champagnes of Pascal Bardoux, and for those looking for the real deal we can certainly help. But we’ve also always been fans of crémant, Champagne’s less glamorous but more affordable cousin. Today’s crémant comes from Burgundy, and at $25 is an exceptional value. A glass of bubbly may always say “celebration,” but it doesn’t have to say “extravagance.”

Pure Pinot.  The Champenois often mix Pinot Noir juice (skinless thus colorless) into their cuvées of Champagne, and today’s example from Burgundy borrows this idea. Made from a select plot of 100% Pinot Noir grown in the hills above the Côte d’Or, the Maison Picamelot’s “Terroir de Chazot” is an complex and unusual example of terroir-based sparkling wine.

Most crémant in Burgundy and Alsace is a blend of several varietals from different locations. For this wine, Picamelot decided to isolate a single grape from a single plot and bottle it unblended – the result is a finer, more intense and earthy sparkling wine, with notes of roasted apples and herbs.

Sparkling wines provide the answer to dozens of food-pairing puzzles, from asparagus to strong cheese to dessert; but our favorite is a triple cream cows’ milk cheese, like Delice de Bourgogne or Brillat Savarin. Start with the crémant/triple-cream pairing and your guests won’t want to move on to the next course.

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PICAMELOT Crémant Chazot NV
Ansonia Retail: $30
case, half-case: $25/bot

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AVAILABLE IN     6-    AND   12-  BOTTLE LOTS

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Email Tom to place an order.
or call Tom: (617) 249-3657

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Terms of sale. Ansonia Wines MA sells wine to individual consumers who are 21 or more years of age, for personal consumption and not for resale.  All sales are completed and title passes to purchasers in Massachusetts.  Ansonia Wines MA arranges for shipping on behalf of its customers upon request and where applicable laws permit.

End of Stock.  Weather plays an important role in shaping a vintage. Warmer years produce richer wines; years with rain usually drive down yield. And then there are years where nearly everything goes just right. 2015 was such a year, though most of its wines have yet to be bottled. But while we wait, we continue to enjoy the fruits of the last banner year in Burgundy: 2009.

Now with more than five years in the bottle, the 2009s continue to improve and drink beautifully. Today offer is for Michel Gros’s 2009 Morey-St-Denis, a dark, delicious, classic red Burgundy. Gros has a tiny plot in a Morey vineyard that borders three Grand Crus (Clos de Tart, Clos des Lambrays, and Bonnes Mares), producing fewer than 1000 bottles each year.

If there’s an elegant holiday dinner in your future, here’s a chance to pick up some of the last bottles in our cellar from a near-perfect vintage.

Harmony.  Master of Wine Clive Coates describes the wines of Morey as a cross between the silkiness of Chambolle-Musigny and the sturdiness of Gevrey-Chambertin. Gros’s Morey-St-Denis is closer to the Chambolle side, and shows an elegant mouthfeel that’s typical of his style.

We found beautiful blackberry fruit in the nose, with licorice and cinnamon. The mouth is smooth and silky, with cool, ripe tannins that have softened but not disappeared. The wine has just begun to add secondary aromas of wood and earth, which melt harmoniously into the fruit and spice.

This truly elegant red Burgundy — we wouldn’t recommend it as wine to gulp during a cocktail party, or a gift to a fan of New World cabs. But if you have duck breasts or a carefully roasted tenderloin on the menu, a bottle or two of this will add refinement and class like no other.

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GROS Morey-St-Denis 2009
Ansonia Retail: $75
quarter-case: $64/bot

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AVAILABLE IN    3-    6-    AND   12-  BOTTLE LOTS

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Email Tom to place an order.
or call Tom: (617) 249-3657

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Terms of sale. Ansonia Wines MA sells wine to individual consumers who are 21 or more years of age, for personal consumption and not for resale.  All sales are completed and title passes to purchasers in Massachusetts.  Ansonia Wines MA arranges for shipping on behalf of its customers upon request and where applicable laws permit.

Rich. In a region as small and well trodden as Burgundy, it’s amazing there are any surprises left at all. But today’s wine might be the single most exciting Burgundy of either color we’ve found in the last few years. Hailing from tiny and oft-forgotten town of Ladoix, it’s a wine of extraordinary complexity and depth.

Ladoix sits at the border between the Côte de Nuits and the Côte de Beaune, just north of the famous Grand-Cru covered hill of Corton. Our source here is the small family-run Domaine Ravaut, whose Bourgogne blanc we wrote about last week. Today’s post is for the Bourgogne’s more muscular older brother, the 2015 Ladoix blanc.

Thick and elegant.  It was this wine, described by wine writer Bill Nanson as a “baby Corton-Charlemagne,” that first drew us to the Ravaut domaine. We found his comment spot on — the Ladoix is an admirable impression of the famous Grand Cru white, and one that can be had at less than half the price. Ravaut is an old school domaine of the highest quality, and one that continues to sell more than half their wine to loyal individual customers.

Fans of Ravaut’s Bourgogne will love this wine, which shows richness at an unmistakably elevated and refined level. Notes of caramel, herbs and baked lemon melt effortlessly with soft toasted wood and precise minerality. The mouthfeel is long and dense, with a luxurious depth and delicate freshness.

This is a wine to convert anyone to white Burgundy. For those already converted, we can’t recommend it enough.

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RAVAUT Ladoix blanc 2015
Ansonia Retail: $52
quarter-case: $44/bot

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AVAILABLE IN    3-    6-    AND   12-  BOTTLE LOTS

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Email Tom to place an order.
or call Tom: (617) 249-3657

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Terms of sale. Ansonia Wines MA sells wine to individual consumers who are 21 or more years of age, for personal consumption and not for resale.  All sales are completed and title passes to purchasers in Massachusetts.  Ansonia Wines MA arranges for shipping on behalf of its customers upon request and where applicable laws permit.

Opportunity.  Chablis remains one of the best bargains in the wine world. Forever playing second fiddle to the rest of Burgundy, the brand suffered damage from the jug-wine “California Chablis,” and has yet to recover fully. The wines themselves, however, have never been better.

Today we’re offering one of our favorites from Chablis — the premier cru Montée de Tonnerre. Considered one of the three finest premier crus in Chablis, Montée de Tonnerre produces firm, dense, and elegant wines year after year. Our source for this vineyard is the young winemaker Romain Collet, who has turned in an exceptional effort with the 2015 vintage.

Balance.  Record high temperatures in 2015 made ripening easy but harvest timing tricky. The Collet family was careful to pick early, retaining acidity in the fruit, and ensuring balance in the final product. The 2015 Montée de Tonnerre is a triumph — beautiful, long, rich mouthfeel, attractive, ripe fruits, and a crisp, lively acidity and minerality to maintain freshness.

Premier Cru white Burgundies are among the finest white wines in the world. But it’s good to remember they don’t all come from Puligny and Chassagne, and they don’t all cost north of $60 per bottle. The 2015 Collet Montée de Tonnerre is a comparative bargain — look for notes of honey, lime rind, and salt air in the nose; the mouth shows intense, concentrated fruit, with notes of almond, pineapple, and herbs.

This wine ages beautifully for a few years, but thanks to 2015s added ripeness there’s no need to wait — in fact this is a leading contender for the white at our Christmas dinner table in a few weeks.

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COLLET Chablis 1er “Montée de Tonnerre” 2015
Ansonia Retail: $38
case, half-case: $32/bot

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AVAILABLE IN    6-    AND   12-  BOTTLE LOTS

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Email Tom to place an order.
or call Tom: (617) 249-3657

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Terms of sale. Ansonia Wines MA sells wine to individual consumers who are 21 or more years of age, for personal consumption and not for resale.  All sales are completed and title passes to purchasers in Massachusetts.  Ansonia Wines MA arranges for shipping on behalf of its customers upon request and where applicable laws permit.

Round.  Some of the finest wines in our cellar are White Burgundy. Grown in a small collection of vineyards where Chardonnay reaches its highest expression, White Burgundy can be as profound as any red wine. Burgundy is where Chardonnay strikes its most elegant balance between soft, mouthfilling fruit, and crisp, refreshing acidity.

No one walks this line between fullness and crispness better than the Domaine Ravaut. The Ravaut family’s whites include some of the best we know, including an extraordinary, age-worthy Grand Cru Corton-Charlemagne. But today’s offer is for their simplest — a Bourgogne blanc that combines the golden texture of elegant Chardonnay with a vibrant line of freshness.

Pears.  The Ravaut Family is a low-profile domaine in an often-forgotten town. They continue to sell a majority of their wine to loyal customers who visit their front door, and during our tastings their cellars are often crowded with visitors from Paris and elsewhere in France. The Ravauts fly mostly below the radar of the international wine press, and we feel lucky to have found them.

From a ripe, early drinking year, the Ravaut Bourgogne Blanc is a treat already. The nose is expressive and attractive, showing pear and coconut, with a hint of lemon peel. The mouth is round and soft, with notes of almond and toast balanced by green apple freshness. There’s more chalky length than you’d expect from a wine of this level.

With Holiday dinners and cocktail parties coming up this month, this is a great wine to have on hand. White Burgundy pairs flawlessly with food, particularly fish, chicken, and cow’s milk cheeses — but in this case, it’s a lovely glass on its own as well.

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RAVAUT Bourgogne blanc 2015
Ansonia Retail: $29
case, half-case: $24/bot

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AVAILABLE IN    6-    AND   12-  BOTTLE LOTS

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Email Tom to place an order.
or call Tom: (617) 249-3657

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Terms of sale. Ansonia Wines MA sells wine to individual consumers who are 21 or more years of age, for personal consumption and not for resale.  All sales are completed and title passes to purchasers in Massachusetts.  Ansonia Wines MA arranges for shipping on behalf of its customers upon request and where applicable laws permit.