Author: Thomas Wilcox

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Refreshing Provençal Rosé for the Beach.

On Island. This weekend we’ve been pouring wines at the Nantucket Wine Festival. Besides some favorite Burgundies from the Domaine Michel Gros, our table featured two reds and a rosé from the Domaine les Goubert in Gigondas. If the clear Provençal sun didn’t quite last the weekend on the island, the Nantucket breezes did their best impression of the blustery mistral.

Based on a quick tour of the tent, it’s clear that rosé continues its explosion in popularity. We think good rosé should be three things: inexpensive, dry, and refreshing. And while we’re mildly biased, we thought the Goubert Rosé showed better yesterday than several others at twice the price. The Rosé de Flo strikes a beautiful balance between ripe, honeyed fruit, and crisp lemony acidity.

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Sur la plage.  Many readers picked up the 2014 Goubert Rosé de Flo, which continues to drink beautifully today. But with meteorologists predicting that the impending summer will be a scorcher, there’s no such thing as too much rosé in the fridge. The Domaine les Goubert’s Rosé de Flo, you’ll remember, is the eponymous project of the family’s daughter Florence, who now handles much of the winemaking responsibilities.

The 2015 Rosé de Flo is a worthy successor to the popular 2014. This year’s blend is Grenache, Mourvèdre, and a local grape called “Vacarrèse;” Florence told us to expect slightly less spice and fresher fruit in this vintage, and she was spot on. The nose shows fresh-cut hay and wild strawberries; the mouth is round and ripe, but bolstered by excellent crisp acidity.

Anyone headed to a beach this year — on Nantucket or elsewhere — would do well to bring along a well-chilled bottle of this rosé. And for those stuck working in Boston, Philly, or DC, we recommend (with no shortage of experience) a summer evening glass of this on a roofdeck.

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GOUBERT Rosé de Flo 2015
Ansonia Retail: $19
case, half-case: $14.95/bot

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AVAILABLE IN    6-   AND  12-   BOTTLE LOTS

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or call Tom: (617) 249-3657

 

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10-year-old Grand Cru Red Burgundy.

Timing.  The perfect wine isn’t always the most expensive choice. Put a plate of just opened oysters in front of us, and we might rather pick a Muscadet over a Montrachet. Or consider a choucroute garnie (Alsatian sausage and sauerkraut) — so perfect is the marriage with an fine Alsatian Riesling, that Hermitage or Haut-Brion would seem out of place.

But the finest wines of the world have their time and place. They require time and investment, but reward both handsomely. Special occasions call for special wines, and when the moment is particularly grand, we most often turn to Grand Cru Red Burgundy. Representing just the top 1.3% of Burgundy’s production, these wines have appeared on the tables of kings and heads of state for centuries.

Most Grand Crus come with 3- or 4-digit price tags, and need years of patience. Today’s offer is for a Grand Cru Red Burgundy that has spent the last decade in the cellar in which it was bottled — and is available for less than $80.

The Domaine Ravaut is a small-scale family domaine in the “where-is-that?” hamlet of Buisson, just off the RN-74. We discovered this wine on our visit last summer, when Mr. Ravaut finished our tasting with an unmarked bottle from the back of the cellar — a Grand Cru Corton-Bressandes 2006. We called back a few hours later to reserve all that we could, and today we’re down to our last 3 cases.

This wine was extraordinary from the moment it hit our glasses. The nose was beautiful and perfumed, with notes of flowers and graham crackers; the mouth was dense and velvety, showing raspberry confit, cinnamon, and sous-bois. We marveled at how much of the core structure remained, though it has softened beautifully over nine years.

It’s unusual to have the opportunity to buy Grand Cru red Burgundy with nine years under its belt. But it’s even rarer to find it with perfect provenance. This is a case where we’d suggest choosing the wine first, and finding a meal to suit it; cornish hens, duck breast, or lightly seasoned pork tenderloins would work just fine.

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RAVAUT Corton-Bressandes Grand Cru 2006
Ansonia Retail: $88
quarter-case: $74/bot

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AVAILABLE IN   3-   6-   AND  12-   BOTTLE LOTS

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or call Tom: (617) 249-3657

 

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Granite and Wildflowers: Dry Grand Cru Riesling. (Plus, Auxerrois is back.)

Bone-dry Riesling. There is no more underappreciated wine than Riesling. Many US consumers have sworn off the grape, having been burned by syrupy Rieslings with no life and too much sugar. But for lovers of dry wine, there’s enough bone-dry Riesling out there to make Riesling avoidance foolhardy. Tall skinny bottle + “Riesling” ≠ sweet.

One of the liveliest and most delicious examples of dry Riesling in our portfolio comes from the Domaine Mersiol’s Grand Cru vineyard Frankstein. Grown organically from 30 year old vines, this wine perfectly conveys the landscape of its origin. Crisp notes of lime zest and melon with a delicate, precise minerality bolster the expressive nose of elderflower and peach. This symphony of spring perfectly echoes the landscape of wildflowers and vines that sprout from the granite-laden slope.

The iconic importer Terry Theise once said, “there are times when I think that any sip of wine that isn’t Riesling is wasted.” Take a sip of this wine, and you’ll know what he meant.

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Back in Stock.  We’re also thrilled to report that Mersiol’s Auxerrois is back in stock. If the Grand Cru Riesling will pair with anything from grilled trout to raw oysters to, as Christophe puts it, “Coq au Riesling,” then the Auxerrois is the perfect standalone summer wine.

Like Pinot Gris, Auxerrois is a grape with a high potential for viscosity — in the wrong hands it can turn flat. But Mersiol’s Auxerrois is 12.9% alcohol and shows beautiful peach and apricot fruit cut by a sharp, lemon acidity. The result is a straightforward, utterly drinkable wine. (Read our full writeup from March here.)

Auxerrois fits in perfectly at an outdoor summer cocktail party. Serve your guests a glass of Auxerrois when they arrive, and a glass of the Grand Cru Riesling at table — just be ready for them to ask for seconds on both.

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MERSIOL Riesling Gr. Cru “Frankstein” 13
Ansonia Retail: $30
case, half-case: $24/bot

AVAILABLE IN   6-   AND  12-   BOTTLE LOTS

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MERSIOL Auxerrois 2014
Ansonia Retail: $17
case, half-case: $13.95/bot

AVAILABLE IN   6-   AND  12-   BOTTLE LOTS

 

Email Tom to order either wine.

or call Tom: (617) 249-3657

 

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Old-Vine Loire Valley Cabernet Franc. $18

Value.  The Loire Valley boasts France’s widest diversity of styles. The rosés are mostly crisp and bright, the sparkling wines dry and floral, and the whites range from dry to sweet and brisk to rich. The Loire’s main red grape is Cabernet Franc, better known for its important part in the wines of Bordeaux. In the Loire Valley it is most often unoaked and unblended, taking on a juicier starring role.

Our favorite source for Loire Valley Cabernet Franc is Chinon, a charming, ancient town that boasts a well preserved, important 12th century castle. The best reds from Chinon are pure and crisp, and though some age well, they drink beautifully in their youth. As WSJ wine writer Lettie Teague wrote last week, “Chinon and nearby towns …produce some of the best-valued wines in the Loire Valley—if not all of France.”

 

50-year-old vines.  Our winemaker in Chinon is the young Fabien Demois, a shy, entrepreneurial fellow who took over his family’s wine production a few years ago and has since gained journalistic praise and more than a few awards. Fabien makes his Chinon “Galets Ambrés” from Cabernet Franc planted in the 1960s, and named for the amber-laden stones found in the vineyard. It’s unoaked, dense, and juicy — an unusually concentrated take on a Loire Valley red.

“Galets Ambrés” is delicious, showing notes of dark chocolate, cool ripe berries, graphite, and a hint of smokiness. The mouthfeel is lively, complex, and croquant (“crackling”), a testament to the increased freshness we often find in organically grown wines. We enjoyed a slightly cooled bottle last night with a summery pasta; this is low-alcohol and refreshing, a nice option for warm weather.

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DEMOIS Chinon 2014
Ansonia Retail: $24
case, half-case: $18/bot

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AVAILABLE IN   6-   AND  12-   BOTTLE LOTS

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or call Tom: (617) 249-3657

 

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Pairing Spotlight: Chinon / Summery Pasta

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WINE.

DEMOIS Chinon Vieilles Vignes 2004 — beautiful smoky nose, graphite and roasted berry fruit; the mouth is dry and fresh, with dark chocolate and raspberry.  (More about this wine.)

FOOD.

Pasta with Goat Cheese, Tomato, and Zucchini — a simple, delicious pasta that’s great for a crowd; we serve this regularly all summer long. Remember to reserve some cooking liquid to help distribute the goat cheese. High quality canned tomatoes can be substituted if ripe fresh ones are not available. Recipe below:

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PASTA WITH GOAT CHEESE, TOMATO AND ZUCCHINI

10 ounces pasta
2 small zucchini, scrubbed, trimmed, quartered lengthwise, and sliced thin crosswise
1/4 cup olive oil
5 ounces soft mild goat cheese cut into pieces
1 large tomato peeled seeded and diced
½ cup chopped fresh basil leaves

Cook pasta until al dente and drain well reserving about 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid.

In large skillet saute the zucchini in the oil until it is golden brown on the edges and season it with salt and pepper.

Add the pasta and saute the mixture, stirring for 3 minutes.

Remove the skillet from the heat, stir in the goat cheese and as much of the reserved cooking water as necessary to form a sauce.

Stir in the tomato, the basil and salt and pepper to taste and serve the pasta immediately. Serves 4.


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Crisp, Golden White Burgundy for the Summer.

Fresh and Golden.  Sometimes we wonder why Michel Gros makes any white wine at all. The Gros family has lived for generations in Vosne-Romanée, a town that produces some of the finest red wines in the world. His red Burgundies garner high prices and have won him acclaim for decades.

But the reason for a white becomes clear as soon as we taste it. If the 2013 Gros Hautes-Côtes de Nuits blanc was a bit brisk when it arrived in the states last fall, it has fleshed out into a rich and energetic white wine. A blossoming mouth-coating richness has reigned in the bright acidity of its youth, and today it sports beautiful balance.

Lemon and toast.  Gros’s only white wine comes from the Hautes-Côtes de Nuits, a region up on the ridge just west of the Côte d’Or. Gros farms a considerable amount real estate up here, much of it planted by his father in the 1970s. These wines may have less complexity than his famous village wines, but they also come with a friendlier price.

The Hautes-Côtes de Nuits blanc 2013 shows lemon and hazelnut in the nose with bright clean notes of white flowers and wild honey. In the mouth it’s rich and full, with a soft attack followed by a burst of freshness — look for lemon curd and toast. It’s richer than many white Burgundies, and shows a nicely integrated touch of wood.

We love the Gros HCDN blanc with grilled chicken and other such summertime fare — it’s refreshing and bright but with plenty of gras to stand up to the meal. Chablis might be better suited for raw shellfish or sushi, but for something coming off the grill this is an inspired match.

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GROS Hautes-Côtes de Nuits blanc 2013
Ansonia Retail: $38
case, half-case: $32/bot

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AVAILABLE IN   6-   AND  12-   BOTTLE LOTS

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or call Tom: (617) 249-3657

 

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Perfectly Cellared 2004 Saint-Emilion Grand Cru Classé.

Ancient.  Saint Emilion is an old place. Founded by Romans in the 4th century, the town is named for a monk who lived there until 787, and who began construction on the cathedral that stands today. Because of its location on the pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela, Saint-Emilion has been a cultural and commercial hub in southwestern France for over a thousand years.

Wine lovers have enjoyed the wines of Saint-Emilion for most of its history, and the wines offer a similar ability to stand the test of time with grace and elegance. Today’s offer is for a 2004 Saint-Emilion Grand Cru Classé now a dozen years on from harvest. Most wine from Bordeaux needs patience and proper cellaring to reach its full potential. With this wine, which arrived in our warehouse last month, the work is all done — all that’s left to do is pull the cork

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Right Bank. For many years now our source for classic Saint-Emilion has been the Chateaux Destieux and Montlisse, the projects of biopharma-exec-turned-winemaker Christian Dauriac. Many readers picked up some of his Chateau Montlisse, a delicious and approachably priced Grand Cru. But for special occasions, Destieux (now a Grand Cru Classé) is an impressive step up.

Destieux is a right bank blend: two thirds Merlot, with the final third split evenly between Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Today the wine shows cedar, licorice, and dark black cherries, with a long, silky mouthfeel and lovely earthy balance. For a carefully cooked high end cut of steak, it’s hard to imagine a better match.

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DESTIEUX Saint-Emilion Grand Cru Classé 2004
Ansonia Retail: $68
quarter-case: $56/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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Springtime in Alsace: Refreshing Pinot Noir

Storybook.  Alsace is beautiful any time of year, but it’s particularly charming in spring. Colorful flowers spill from window boxes on half-timbered houses, water spouts from weathered stone fountains in the quaint village square. No wines better capture this springtime spirit than those of Francis Muré.

Muré is a true artisan, and aside from smoking his own trout and making his own duck confit, he makes small batch wines that regularly garner praise in the Guide Hachette. Muré’s range of wines offers something for nearly every spring and summertime occasion. We’ll release his new whites and rosé in the coming weeks but we’re starting with the Pinot Noir.

Chillable.  Muré’s Pinot Noir is the perfect summer weight red wine. It’s light and fresh, full of notes of wild cherries, and fresh springtime flowers. We like to serve it slightly chilled — pull it from the fridge 20 minutes or so before serving. It has the freshness of a white, the nose of a rosé, and the light, fruity body of a summery Pinot Noir.

If it’s a bit more complex than many other Alsatian Pinots, it’s no less delightful. With just a hint of oak during elevage to help round it out, this wine adds hints of cinnamon and clove to the pure wild cherry fruit. Cool it down and serve it with salads, sushi, or grilled chicken — it’s the perfect red to welcome the warm weather at last.

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MURÉ Pinot Noir 2014
Ansonia Retail: $22
case, half-case: $16/bot

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AVAILABLE IN   6-   AND  12-   BOTTLE LOTS

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or call Tom: (617) 249-3657

 

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Golden, Refreshing Premier Cru White Burgundy

Pure.  Chardonnay grows in nearly every corner of the winemaking world. With a large spectrum of styles hailing from a wide range of origins, it’s hard to pin down what the grape itself tastes like. But our best suggestion is Chablis, or what wine writer Jon Bonné calls “the world’s great, BS-free expression of chardonnay.”

Chablis is white Burgundy grown on limestone- and fossil-laden soils, and has always been a source for unusual value. The Chablis brand, sullied long ago by California jug-wine, has yet to recover; but that’s all the better for buyers. In our opinion, Collet’s 2013 Chablis 1er cru “Forets” approaches a very fine Puligny-Montrachet in style and quality — and it can be had for less than $35.

Crisp. The 2013 “Forets” is a bit atypical for Chablis — it has subtle notes of oak to accompany the classic acidity. It could easily be mistaken for a white Burgundy from the Côte de Beaune. But beneath a beautiful golden mouthfeel lies an elegant strain of minerality whose origin could only be the rocky hillsides of Chablis.

The balance in this wine is striking. Every note — lemon, mineral, pear, straw, oak — hits in perfect harmony. The mouthfeel is at once rich and crisp, the finish mouthfilling and tense. Well suited for whole roasted fish or a classic risotto, this wine will elevate a weekday meal, or lend grace to a weekend feast.

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COLLET Chablis 1er cru “Forets” 2013
Ansonia Retail: $38
case, half-case: $32/bot

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AVAILABLE IN   6-   AND  12-   BOTTLE LOTS

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Extraordinary 2009 Premier Cru Gevrey-Chambertin.

Almost Grand Cru.  In Burgundy as in real estate, location is everything. Today’s wine comes from a vineyard classified as a Premier Cru, but surrounded by five Grand Crus. It sits along the famous stretch of Grand Crus between Morey-St-Denis and Gevrey-Chambertin, and today many believe its classification has as much to do with centuries-ago politics as any geography.

But whether it’s a secret would-be Grand Cru, or just a perfectly positioned Premier Cru, one thing is settled — the “Combottes” vineyard turns out magnificent wine. The Domaine Pierre Amiot is based in Morey-St-Denis, but makes a few hundred cases each year from this plot just over the border in Gevrey. Today’s offer is for the 2009 — a near-perfect vintage now more than five years on from the harvest.

 

Timing.  We opened a bottle of 2009 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er cru “Combottes” a few days ago with marinated skirt steaks. The steaks were delicious, but the wine was extraordinary. Combottes has a beautifully dark and floral nose, with notes of spice and mushrooms. The mouth still has ripe tannins which have weathered and knit together over 4 years in the bottle, dominated by notes of dark cherries and forest floor.

Most red Burgundy improves with age; some requires it. Combottes today is twice as delicious as it was few years ago, and given another few years it will likely show even better. But life is short, and while this wine will reward patience, it no longer demands it. We’re selling our last bottles in lots of three, and how you parcel them out is up to you; there’s no wrong answer.

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AMIOT Gevrey-Chambertin 1er cru “Combottes” 2009
Ansonia Retail: $95
quarter-case: $79/bot

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AVAILABLE IN   3-   6-   AND  12-   BOTTLE LOTS

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Pairing Spotlight: Skirt Steak / 09 Gevrey 1er

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FOOD.

Thomas Keller’s Marinated Skirt Steak — this is a great way to get a lot of flavor out of an inexpensive cut of meat. The longer you marinate, the more intense the flavor; make sure to brown the meat well. (Recipe).

WINE.

AMIOT Gevrey-Chambertin 1er cru “Combottes 2009 — extraordinarily delicious; beautifully dark and floral nose, spice, earth, mushrooms and smoke. Mouth retains juicy tannins which have dried and knit together over 4 years in the bottle — sour cherries and mouthfilling — really excellent.  (More about this wine.)

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Crisp, Refreshing Muscadet: Melon and Salt Air.

Rugged Coast.  Good Muscadet should be three things — refreshing, inexpensive, and served next to something from the sea. At its best Muscadet is a dry, precise white wine that’s the pinnacle of freshness. Grown near the mouth of the Loire River, Muscadet is at once brisk and hearty — the essence of the windswept Atlantic coast.

It’s also inexpensive and abundant. Wine writer Lettie Teague calls it “one of the world’s best, if most obscure, bargains,” saying ““a glass of $8 Muscadet will always be a better wine than an $8 glass of something else.” With our focus on Burgundy, most of our white wines are north of the $25 mark; but a really good bottle of Muscadet can be had for less than $15.

Freshness.  We discovered the Domaine Martin-Luneau in the only way Muscadet should be discovered: over a few dozen oysters on the outdoor patio of a bistro in Nantes last June. The finest Muscadets are raised “sur lie” (on the lees) to add complexity, and both of Martin-Luneau’s cuvées contain this distinction. Their “Cuvée Deux Roches” is bright and crisp, with lime rind and melon in the nose, and zippy, refreshing acidity in the mouth.

The marriage with seafood is so harmonious it’s hard to think of reasons for other suggestions: grilled fish, pan seared scallops, steamed lobster, and most perfectly, oysters. Last night we enjoyed a bottle with moules marinières and fresh bread; the match was fantastic. But for the fish-phobic, we’ll admit it’s also a delicious thirst quencher for a salty cheese.

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MARTIN-LUNEAU Muscadet de Sèvre et Maine 2010
Ansonia Retail: $19
case, half-case: $14.95/bot

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AVAILABLE IN   6-   AND  12-  BOTTLE LOTS

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Pairing Spotlight: Moules Marinières / Muscadet

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FOOD.

Moules Marinières — we were feeling decadent so added some cream to the broth before serving. Made bread à la Tartine to accompany. We let mussels soak in flour/water for an hour — meat was clean and plump. (Recipe).

WINE.

Martin-Luneau Muscadet de Sèvre et Maine “Cuvée Deux Roches” 2010 — delicious, dry, refreshing; notes of grape skin and lime rind; more roundness to back up minerality / acidity than remembered; very nice (More about this wine.)

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Cool, Refreshing, Springtime Côtes du Rhône.

Crisp.  As this weekend’s April showers spill into the month of May, we’re reminded that the arrival of warm weather is rarely dry or smooth. If the sweltering days of July and August require a well-chilled rosé, this transition time between spring and summer calls for a refreshing, mid-weight red. For this we usually direct readers to the Pinot Noirs of Burgundy and Alsace, but today we’re suggesting something a bit different.

The Domaine Malmont’s Côtes du Rhône is unique and delicious. The wine owes its distinctiveness to an unusually high percentage of syrah (60%), which contributes dark berry and black pepper notes, and keeps the wine lively and fresh. Where many Côtes du Rhônes are rich and full of baked fruit, Malmont’s is cool and crisp, with pleasant tannins and a long, balanced finish.

 

Olive and Plum.  Malmont is the project of Nicolas Haeni, a young Swiss winemaker who founded the domaine about 5 years ago. His grapes are grown on terraced vineyards in the hills above Séguret, and his wines have already met with wide acclaim from the international wine press. His Côtes du Rhône 2014 is refreshing and dark with notes of olive and plum.

Though it’s not raised in oak, there’s a pleasant note of toastiness in this wine, which makes it an excellent companion for anything from the grill. If you’re not a grill-in-the-rain type, a simple chicken piccata or pasta with sausage will fit nicely. There’ll be plenty of rosé, Chablis, and Muscadet a month or two down the road. While there’s still a chill in the air, consider this crisp, lively red.

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MALMONT Côtes-du-Rhône 2014
Ansonia Retail: $24
case, half-case: $19/bot

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AVAILABLE IN   6-   AND  12-  BOTTLE LOTS

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