Thomas Wilcox, Author at Ansonia Wines

Posted on March 6, 2016 by Thomas Wilcox

Uncomplicated, Refreshing Côtes du Rhône. $14.95

Easy. Some wines we import are meant for grand occasions. These are the famous wines of Bordeaux, Burgundy, and Champagne — bottles to pull from the back of the cellar when the moment is significant. We think there’s no better accompaniment to a special moment than a special bottle of wine.

Today’s offer is not for that sort of wine. The Sablet from the Domaine les Goubert fits best in an unexceptional moment — something to reach for after a long day of work, or a cozy companion for that new season of House of Cards. It hits a sweet spot between balance, versatility and price. It’s a wine you don’t need to think hard about to enjoy.

By-the-glass. Goubert’s Sablet is the house red for many of our readers and friends. It’s a Côtes du Rhône Villages, a notch up from a simple Côtes du Rhône, and shows more stuffing and a noticeably smoother mouthfeel. We find ripe dark raspberry fruits, hints of leather and spice, and a full but nicely balanced mouthfeel.

Food isn’t necessary with Sablet — it’s a perfect by the glass wine that drinks well right out of the bottle — but it certainly won’t clash with something from the kitchen. We serve the Sablet with everything from spicy garlic pasta (cool the wine a bit before serving), to a hearty French salad, to anything from the grill, particularly marinated chicken.

This wine unlikely to win prizes for profundity or longevity, but that’s not always the wine that best fits the moment. Leave the $200 Grand Crus for anniversaries or birthdays — Goubert’s Sablet will fit just about everywhere else.

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GOUBERT Sablet 2012
Ansonia Retail: $18
case, half-case price: $14.95/bot

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AVAILABLE IN 6- AND 12- BOTTLE LOTS

Email Tom to place an order.

or call Tom: (617) 249-3657

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Posted on March 4, 2016March 4, 2016 by Thomas Wilcox

Everyday Syrah: Blackberries and Spice.

The Northern Rhône is best known for its classic all-syrah reds from Côte Rôtie and Hermitage. These spiced, inky wines age well for decades, and are precise expressions of a unique marriage of grape and land. Nowhere else does syrah taste quite like this. Most bottles from Hermitage and Côte Rôtie, however, require diligent cellaring and come with a starting price around $50.

Which is why we’re so glad to have found the wines of Denis Basset from the Domaine Saint Clair in Crozes-Hermitage. Basset’s wines provide an opportunity to enjoy dark, peppery Northern Rhône syrah with greater frequency and lower investment. His 2013 Crozes-Hermitage “Etincelle” has just arrived in our warehouse. It is a perfect red for the transition from winter to spring.

Basset is a young winemaker who is passionate and very talented — the latest issue of the Guide Hachette featured two of his four wines, an impressive feat for a winemaker who started only five years ago. Basset came to winemaking through an accident with a high-voltage wire that nearly cut short his life. Upon leaving the hospital, he decided to pursue his lifelong dream of making wine from his family’s vineyards. Lucky for us.

Like the best wines of the Northern Rhône, the 2013 Crozes-Hermitage is dark and dense without being the slightest bit heavy. At 13%, it’s dark and chewy but not too rich. The profile is classic Northern Rhône syrah: savory black fruit, black pepper and bacon in the nose, with clove and violets in the mouth.

This is dark but vibrant syrah, a versatile and excellent match for food. Our choice might be something with lamb and mediterranean spices, like this Daniel Boulud leg of lamb.

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SAINT CLAIR Crozes-Hermitage 2013
Ansonia Retail: $26
case, half-case price: $22/bot

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AVAILABLE IN 6- AND 12- BOTTLE LOTS

Email Tom to place an order.

or call Tom: (617) 249-3657

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Posted on March 2, 2016March 16, 2016 by Thomas Wilcox

Luxurious, Golden Meursault 1er cru.

Millenia. Meursault is a village stuck in time. Its narrow crooked streets and pointed steeple perch on a hill above fields of weathered vineyards first planted by monks in 1098. The golden product of these fields has been known for centuries, and today it is as sought-after as any wine in the world. Remove the trucks parked along criss crossing vineyard tracks, and it could just as easily be 1616 as 2016.

The wines of Meursault are known for their rich, honeyed aromatics, and for a near-perfect balance between mouth coating texture and acidity. Our source for Meursault is the Domaine Boyer-Martenot, a small producer in the heart of the town whose star is rapidly rising. Wine writer Allen Meadows (Burghound) called their 2013 whites “simply terrific.”

Almond and Honey. Today we’re offering Boyer’s finest Meursault, a premier cru called “les Perrières.” Though the town of Meursault has no Grand Crus, for years there has been talk of elevating “Les Perrières.” The wine exemplifies the rich, opulent luxury of classic Meursault, and the 2013 vintage is no exception.

The 2013 Boyer Meursault 1er cru “Perrières” shows golden yellow fruit, with honey and almond in the nose. The mouth is full, concentrated, and impossibly long, with a mouthcoating lemon-peach richness balanced by bright minerality and white pepper. This is Meursault as it should be — rich and extravagant. It’s a wine for a Sunday afternoon meal — chicken in crème fraiche would be our choice. Decant for a half hour while you set the table, and you won’t care a bit whether it becomes a Grand Cru.

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BOYER-MARTENOT Meursault 1er cru “les Perrières” 2013
S. Tanzer Retail: $119
Ansonia Retail: $104
offer price: $89/bot

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AVAILABLE IN 3- 6- AND 12- BOTTLE LOTS

Email Tom to place an order.

or call Tom: (617) 249-3657

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Posted on February 29, 2016March 3, 2016 by Thomas Wilcox

Mixed Case: Loire Valley Sampler

The Loire Valley is a pastoral land of magnificent chateaux and humble goat cheese makers. The range of wines made across its 250 mile expanse is just as dramatic: sparkling and still, dry and sweet, and everything from almost-clear Muscadet to deep purple Chinon. There’s a wine here for almost every taste, and our new Loire Sampler showcases the impressive range of wines from the region.

At the eastern end of the valley, the twin towns of Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé produce wines of pure Sauvignon blanc, separated only by subtle differences and the Loire river itself. In the heart of the Loire Valley lies Chinon, known for its dense, juicy reds from pure Cabernet Franc. And at the Loire’s mouth on the rugged Atlantic coast, the appellation of Muscadet produces brisk, energetic white wines that pair perfectly with fruits of the nearby ocean.

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Bellecours Sancerre 2013.
The Bellecours Sancerre is made from pure, unoaked Sauvignon Blanc, with a rich, expansive mouthfeel and electric freshness. Look for notes of grapefruit and gunflint, with steely minerality and a long, beautiful finish. Serve with a rich fish in butter.

Michot Pouilly Fumé VV 2014.
Our most recent find in the Loire Valley is Frederic Michot, a small scale producer just east of the river. His old vines from the 1940s produce an intense, delicious Sauvignon Blanc showing very ripe grapefruit, lime, and wild herbal honey. Serve with goat cheese on crackers.

Demois Chinon 2014.
Fabien Demois recently converted his vines to biodynamics, and his juicy, pure Cabernet Franc is inky and dark. Look for a crackling fresh mouthfeel, and notes of graphite, cool ripe berries, chocolate, and a hint of smokiness. Serve a bit cool with a chicken dish.

Martin-Luneau Muscadet 2010.
Our new Muscadet producer makes classic, bright Muscadet from Melon de Bourgogne grown near the Atlantic coast. Their “Cuvée Deux Roches” shows lime rind, salt air, and melon, with a zippy, refreshing mouthfeel. Serve with salty cheese, or anything from the sea.

MIXED CASE:

LOIRE VALLEY SAMPLER

3x Bellecours Sancerre 2012: $28
3x Michot Pouilly-Fumé 2014: $24
3x Demois Chinon 2014: $24
3x Martin-Luneau Muscadet 2010: $19

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Ansonia Retail: $285
mixed case price: $219/case

(free East Coast shipping) | save $66

Email Tom to place an order.

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Posted on February 28, 2016March 3, 2016 by Thomas Wilcox

By-the-Glass White Burgundy. $20

Bargain Bourgogne. Sommeliers often tell us of their search for a by-the-glass Chardonnay to please everyone. Chardonnay is both easy to like and ubiquitous, but the styles range widely from soft and buttery to crisp and mineral. “A glass of Chardonnay” can mean a dozen things to a dozen people.

A sommelier once described Gérard Thomas’s Bourgogne blanc as “a wine that the nearly all of my customers will love, but that I’ll also be proud to have on my list.” Several restaurants we work with (including James Beard Award winners) have this wine as their “house chardonnay.” It’s substantial enough to drink on its own at the bar, but retains enough freshness and minerality to serve with dinner.

Savory lemon. In fact, this wine is the “house chardonnay” at many friends’ houses as well. Its versatility is nearly unmatched among our white wines — there’s a touch of oak to round out the palate, but sturdy acidity to keep it lively. It’s easy to spend quite a lot on classic White Burgundy, but it’s not always required.

The Thomas Bourgogne 2013 is lively and delicious, with a bright, almost savory mouth and a beautiful toasty lemon nose. We pair this with everything from roast chicken to goat cheese to broiled fish to lobster. It will enliven any dish it lands next to, and drink beautifully on its own. At $20/bot, it’s the perfect by-the-glass chardonnay.

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THOMAS Bourgogne 2013
Ansonia Retail: $24
case, half-case : $19.95/bot

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AVAILABLE IN 6- AND 12- BOTTLE LOTS

Email Tom to place an order.

or call Tom: (617) 249-3657

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Posted on February 25, 2016March 3, 2016 by Thomas Wilcox

A Burgundian Source for “the Devil’s Wine.”

Invention. Sparkling wine is one of the world’s great culinary innovations. Who deserves credit remains unsettled. Is it the monks of Limoux, who mark 1531 as the genesis? Or the Champenois, who in turning a “fault” into a feature certainly won the publicity war? Or perhaps the Brits, who invented glass bottles thick enough to contain the pressure, and who by the numbers enjoy it more than anyone else?

Whomever you credit with taming the “vin du diable,” we can agree they deserve many thanks. We’ve written enthusiastically about our new producer, Pascal Bardoux, whose small batch grower Champagnes are elegant and delicious. But sparkling wines are made throughout France, and thought they may not match Champagne for complexity, they’ve certainly got it beat on price. (And they’re no less fun to open.)

Fresh. Our favorite everyday sparkling wine is from the Maison Picamelot in Burgundy. Founded back in 1926 by the son of a cooper and winegrower, Picamelot is one of the oldest sparkling wine producers in the area. They use the same in-bottle fermentation method pioneered in Champagne, and their wines are elegant and fresh.

Picamelot’s Crémant “les Terroirs” is a white blend of three grapes (Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Aligoté) from three different regions around Burgundy. This wine is aged on its lees for a year to gain complexity and texture, and the result is a delicious glass full of energy and very fine bubbles. The nose is floral with notes of apricot, and the mouth shows toast and lemon.

This is a perfect accompaniment to a plate of shellfish or a large salad. Pair it with a homemade caesar salad, and the wine will cut beautifully through the rich dressing.

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PICAMELOT Crémant de Bourgogne
Ansonia Retail: $24
half-case : $18/bot

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AVAILABLE IN 6- AND 12- BOTTLE LOTS

Email Tom to place an order.

or call Tom: (617) 249-3657

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Posted on February 24, 2016March 3, 2016 by Thomas Wilcox

New Old-Vine Gevrey-Chambertin

Muscly. Gevrey-Chambertin is the largest appellation of Burgundy’s Côte d’Or. And because of its clay rich soils, its wines are of a similarly grand scale. Known for power and longevity, Gevrey-Chambertin often shows dark, intense fruit and a sturdy tannic structure.

Last summer we “discovered” a fourth generation producer in Gevrey-Chambertin — Gérard Quivy’s longtime US importer had just retired, and we landed on his doorstep with perfect timing. Quivy tends his family’s old vines — many planted in the 1940s — with care and skill, and his wines are beautiful expressions of his hometown terroir.

Old-Vines. Quivy’s style is one of silkiness and elegance, which harmonizes well with Gevrey’s typical muscular fruit. His village level Gevrey-Chambertin “En Champ” comes from a small two acre plot at the north end of the appellation. The 70 year old vines turn out a deep, concentrated red burgundy that nonetheless offers an air of elegance and old-world class.

“En Champ” 2012 is beautifully expressive in the nose: notes of charcoal, toast, and graham cracker join dense jammy red fruit. The mouth is typically Gevrey: plenty of sturdy tannin alongside pleasant young briary fruit. As with Quivy’s other village level Gevrey “Journaux,” patience will be rewarded, but today this is handsome, crisp young Burgundy in unusually elegant dress.

Decant this for an hour or so, serve near room temperature, and pair with skirt steaks.

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QUIVY Gevrey-Chambertin “En Champ” 2012
Ansonia Retail: $54
quarter-case : $45/bot

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AVAILABLE IN 3- 6- AND 12- BOTTLE LOTS

Email Tom to place an order.

or call Tom: (617) 249-3657

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Posted on February 22, 2016March 3, 2016 by Thomas Wilcox

Mixed Case: Languedoc Sampler

The Languedoc is the world’s largest wine producing region, with over 700,000 acres of vines. The region traces its winegrowing history back to 125 BC, making it one of the oldest as well. For many years it has been known for abundant, cheap, and largely uninteresting wine.

But in the past few years the Lanugedoc has gone through a renaissance of sorts. Younger growers have moved to the region, bringing new techniques and meticulous cultivation of land and vines. Our two producers here make wines as good as any in our portfolio, and farm their unique terroirs with passion and care.

This mixed case collects four wines from our two producers — two from the Clos Bagatelle in St-Chinian, and two from the Mas Foulaquier in Pic-St-Loup. All four are dark, rich, and well balanced — perfect for the last few weeks of cool weather.

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Bagatelle St-Chinian Tradition 2013
This blend of Syrah, Grenache, Carignan and Mourvèdre is planted in St-Chinian’s high elevations, and gains minerality from the appellation’s schist-laden soils. The palate shows raspberries and sage, and the mouth is dark and fresh. Pair this with nearly anything from the grill, or a simple pasta dish.

Bagatelle Veillée d’Autmone 2011
This cuvée shows more depth than its simpler cousin. Veillée d’Automne has a higher percentage of syrah, and a more muscular and concentrated mouthfeel. Look for notes of stewed plums and blackberry jam; serve with a hearty skirt steak.

Foulaquier Petit Duc 2012
Petit Duc is a nearly all Greanche cuvée made in Foulaquier’s signature biodynamic style. The nose is very expressive, showing cherry pie and spice. The mouth is cool, earthy, and fresh. Pair with dishes with a bit of spice, or pork schnitzel.

Foulaquier Gran’T 2011
Foulaquier’s finest wine is the Gran’T, a blend of Grenache and Carignan from their oldest vines. This wine shows silky dark fruit and a long, mineral finish. Look for notes of raspberry and thyme; pair with something spiced like Moroccan Lamb stew.

MIXED CASE:

LANGUEDOC SAMPLER

3x Bagatelle Tradition 2013: $14
3x Bagatelle Veillée d’Automne 2011: $22
3x Foulaquier Petit Duc 2012: $28
3x Foulaquier Gran’Tonillieres 2011: $38

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Ansonia Retail: $306
mixed case price: $235/case

(free East Coast shipping) | save $71

Email Tom to place an order.

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Posted on February 21, 2016March 3, 2016 by Thomas Wilcox

Minerality and Old Vine Chablis. $19.95

Wet stones. “Minerality” is a hard word to define. It appears throughout the wine world, but nobody can quite say exactly what it is. Last year wine writer Lettie Teague called it “a helpful word to describe wines that aren’t fruity, spicy, or herbal.” That’s still a bit vague, but it’s a good start.

We often use the word to describe wines from Chablis, Pouilly-Fumé, and Muscadet, but we too struggle for an exact meaning. Our best suggestion for defining minerality? Today’s wine: Gautheron’s Chablis Vieilles Vignes. Whatever your lexical definition of the term, one sip of this wine will tell you what we mean.

Value. Chablis draws its minerality from its calcium-rich soil. The Chablis region was once the bed of an ocean, and the vineyards are peppered with chalky white fossils. Made from old vines and aged for what seems like a split second in oak, this wine has length and breadth, but also a vibrant backbone of freshness.

Chablis has always been a source for remarkable value, from last week’s Grand Cru under $50, to today’s weeknight-priced Vieilles Vignes. The market for Chablis still hasn’t quite recovered from the undrinkable “California Chablis” of decades ago, but the misconception only furthers the extraordinary value of these wines.

Raw oysters are the classic pairing for Chablis, and sitting as we are in the midst of “R months,” there’s no reason to abandon this tradition. If bivalves aren’t your cup of tea, fresh fish, pasta with lemon, or even sautéed greens will match with ease.

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GAUTHERON Chablis Vieilles Vignes 2013
Ansonia Retail: $25
case, half-case : $19.95/bot

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AVAILABLE IN 6- AND 12- BOTTLE LOTS

Email Tom to place an order.

or call Tom: (617) 249-3657

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Posted on February 19, 2016March 3, 2016 by Thomas Wilcox

Crowd-Pleasing Côtes du Rhône. $11.95

Ubiquitous. For a universally crowd-pleasing red, it’s hard to beat Côtes du Rhône. Guests with New World leanings will appreciate the richness and full flavor. Those with Old World inclinations will appreciate the balance and traditional style. (Your great aunt who likes drugstore merlot might turn up her nose, but you weren’t going to please her anyway.)

Most of our Rhône Valley vignerons make a Côtes du Rhône alongside their other wines, and the Domaine les Goubert is no exception. Well known for their Gigondas and Gigondas “Cuvée Florence,” Goubert’s star continues to rise as the family’s 30-something daughter Florence Cartier takes over more winemaking responsibilities. Goubert’s wine has always been good, but with Florence at the helm it seems to get better every year.

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Rules. We think a Côtes du Rhône should be three things: inexpensive, dark, and balanced. Goubert’s Côtes du Rhône fits this description nicely. It’s low in alcohol, which keeps it fresh and lively on the palate. The blend of six grapes — Terret Noir, Picpoul, and Vaccarèse join the familiar Grenache, Syrah, and Carignan — forms a rich, hearty, dark wine. And finally, a Côtes du Rhône should be inexpensive enough to pull out at a moment’s notice: at $12/bot, this is a wine to enjoy without planning.

It’s a by-the-glass wine for your kitchen, something to enjoy during the preparation and enjoyment of a meal. Goubert’s Côtes du Rhône is very expressive, showing dark wild cherries, raspberries, and a hint of minerality. The mouth is both jammy and refreshing, with notes of white pepper, licorice, and plums.

Serve this with anything from hamburgers to our favorite pasta: oil, garlic, red pepper flakes, and ample grated parmesan.

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GOUBERT Côtes du Rhône 2014
Ansonia Retail: $15
half-case price: $12.95/bot
case-price: $11.95/bot

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AVAILABLE IN 6- AND 12- BOTTLE LOTS

Email Tom to place an order.

or call Tom: (617) 249-3657

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Posted on February 17, 2016March 3, 2016 by Thomas Wilcox

Exquisite Grand Cru White Burgundy.

At the top. In Burgundy, Grand Cru is as good as it gets. Making up just the top 1.3% of wines produced, these are the finest wines Burgundy has to offer. Their correspondingly high prices mean that most wine drinkers enjoy them only occasionally, if at all. Many bottles fetch prices in the hundreds, and some even in the thousands.

But Chablis provides a seeming contradiction in terms: well-priced Grand Cru. Located an hour and a half northwest of Burgundy proper, Chablis is a terroir unto itself, where stony and fossil-laden soils produce pure, exquisite expressions of Chardonnay. At its best, Grand Cru Chablis rivals the greatest whites from the rest of Burgundy, and we think today’s wine deserves such a label.

Lemon and Gardenia. Today we suggest the Grand Cru 2013 Valmur from Jean Collet. As with much Grand Cru Chablis, Collet’s Valmur is raised in oak; but the wine handles it beautifully. The wood melts effortlessly into the lemony perfume, adding a rich background for the classic burst of acidity and minerals. The mouthfeel is remarkably long and dense, a real testament to the power found in top class white wine.

This is a special wine, and deserves a special dish to accompany it. Chablis and oysters are the easy pairing, but you’d have to find some pretty exceptional oysters for this wine. Scallops might be a better match, seared carefully in oil and butter. Or a triple-cream cheese – Brillat-Savarin, or Delice de Bourgogne – left on the table for a few hours to come to room temperature.

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COLLET Chablis Grand Cru “Valmur” 2013
Ansonia Retail: $60
quarter-case: $48/bot

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AVAILABLE IN 3- 6- AND 12- BOTTLE LOTS

Email Tom to place an order.

or call Tom: (617) 249-3657

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Posted on February 15, 2016March 16, 2016 by Thomas Wilcox

Mixed Case: Fireside Reds

As recent temperatures rival the equities markets for precipitousness of decline, the bottles on our dinner table continue to come from more southerly appellations. Cold weather calls for rich wines, usually made in the lower half of France, and from grapes such as Syrah, Grenache and Mourvèdre.

So we’ve put together a mixed case of dark wintery reds that will keep you warm this winter. Two are from Chateauneuf-du-Pape; grenache based, dark, rich, and intense. The other two are syrah-based, showing spice and black pepper. We recommend pairing all four with a crackling fire, a good book, and a friend to share the bottle. At the table, try a nice cut of grilled or roasted meat.

fireside-reds

Font du Loup CDP Puy Rolland 2013. The Font du Loup reserves the fruit of the oldest grenache vineyard — over 90 years old — for their finest cuvée, the Puy Rolland. This pure Grenache is an example of the richness and intensity only found in Chateauneuf-du-Pape, and the wine shows silky blueberry jam and cassis. Serve with cassoulet.

Saint-Clair Crozes-Hermitage 2012. Made at the southern end of the northern Rhône, this is a classic, pure syrah wine. The nose shows bacon and black pepper, with dense blackberries and earthiness in the mouth. This is both lively and dense, exhibiting the balance possible from Northern Rhône syrah. Serve with lamb stew.

Foulaquier Calades 2012. Calades is Foulaquier’s syrah-based wine, from Pic-St-Loup at the northern end of the Languedoc. Foualquier’s natural, biodynamic style matches well with the earthiness of syrah, and this cuvée shows pan drippings and wild raspberry jam. Serve with grilled meats.

Lazaret CDP Cuvée Exceptionelle 2007. Made by an iconic Chateauneuf estate, this wine is a classic. Lazaret’s finest cuvée is their “Exceptionelle,” and the 2007 was heralded as the best in recent memory. Today the 2007 is dark and silky, showing beautiful fruit and a long, intense mouthfeel. Serve with Boeuf Bourguignon, but remember to try (and marvel at) a glass on its own.

MIXED CASE:

FIRESIDE REDS

3x Font du Loup CDP “Puy Rolland” 13: $54
3x Saint Clair Crozes-Hermitage 2012: $28
3x Foulaquier Calades 2012: $32
3x Lazaret CDP “Cuvée Exceptionelle” 07: $54

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Ansonia Retail: $504
mixed case price: $395/case

(free East Coast shipping) | save $109

Email Tom to place an order.

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Posted on February 12, 2016February 12, 2016 by Thomas Wilcox

121-Year-Old Grenache Vines. $25

Almost CDP. The year is 1895. The United States number 44, and the president is Grover Cleveland. J Edgar Hoover and Babe Ruth are born, and inventor George Selden receives a patent for the automobile. Across the ocean in France (then a six-day crossing by boat), a vineyard of grenache is planted just outside Châteauneuf-du-Pape.

Those vines (most of them, at least) are still alive and producing fruit from gnarled, bush-like branches. Having outlasted several world wars, phylloxera, and even the Babe himself, they may yet survive us all. Today we’re releasing the last few bottles of a wine made from these Methuselan vines – a glimpse into the last 121 years.

Dense, Rich. The wine is (appropriately) named “Cuvée 1895,” and is technically a Côtes du Rhône-Villages, lying several feet outside the border of the Châteauneuf-du-Pape appellation. The winemaker is the centuries-old Chateau Maucoil, with several plots farmed since the 1600s. Their “1895” cuvée is 100% very-very-old-vine grenache.

In the nose, 1895 is very expressive, showing toasty black raspberries and sweet wood smoke. The mouth is smooth, long, and ripe, with roasted cherries and a faint dark earthiness. It’s less dense and a bit livelier than a Châteauneuf-du-Pape, but far richer than any Côtes du Rhône Villages we know. This wine will pair nicely with a rack of lamb, or something smoky.

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MAUCOIL “Cuvée 1895” 2012
Ansonia Retail: $30
case, half-case: $25/bot

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AVAILABLE IN 6- AND 12- BOTTLE LOTS

Email Tom to place an order.

or call Tom: (617) 249-3657

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Posted on February 10, 2016March 3, 2016 by Thomas Wilcox

Floral White Burgundy from a Forgotten Valley.

OH-say. Some of the best values in Burgundy are from towns just off the beaten path. Last week we wrote about St-Aubin, a hidden gem up the valley that stretches west between Chassagne-Montrachet and Puligny-Montrachet. This week we’re focusing on another valley about 5 miles to the north, which features the town of Auxey-Duresses.

Auxey-Duresses is an often overlooked town, set in the crook of a bucolic vine-covered valley west of Meursault. Master of Wine Clive Coates describes Michel Prunier as “certainly the best grower” in the town, though Monsieur Prunier himself is humble, welcoming, and kind. At barely 5 feet tall, he perfectly fits the charming, small-town Burgundian feel of the region.

DYOO-ress. Prunier’s Auxey Duresses blanc 2013 is lively and pretty. Made by a low-profile producer in an underappreciated town, it punches way above its weight for the price. The nose is simply gorgeous, showing elderflower and lemon rind with a whisper of carefully-integrated oak. There’s the fullness and roundness you expect from Meursault, with perhaps a bit more youthful exuberance.

This should drink well for another few years, but it’s awfully drinkable today. Try it with tuna or swordfish, and let it breathe for a half hour before serving. We know there’s nothing quite like the wines from the Big Three, and if that’s what you’re after, we understand. But for those with a love for white Burgundy and a nose for value, we can’t recommend this enough.

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PRUNIER Auxey-Duresses blanc 2013
Ansonia Retail: $38
case, half-case: $32/bot

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AVAILABLE IN 6- AND 12- BOTTLE LOTS

Email Tom to place an order.

or call Tom: (617) 249-3657

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Posted on February 8, 2016March 3, 2016 by Thomas Wilcox

Cozy Southern Red for Wintery Weather.

Burnt Cherries. We’re finally getting a dose of real winter here in New England. With cascades of wind and snow hitting the coast this week, we’re opening bottles from a bit further south, in an attempt to channel a bit of that clear Provençal sun.

In fact it was a chilly gray day in November when we first visited the Malmont vineyards in the Southern Rhône Valley, though the precipitation was rain, not snow. Winemaker Nicolas Haeni walked us through his new terraced vineyards before returning us to the domaine for a tasting.

Shedding our rain soaked coats and settling into his cozy tasting room, we found Haeni’s wines as comforting as any crackling fireplace or rich bean soup. Malmont’s cuvées are dark and rich, and often at their best when the weather outside is at its worst.

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Violets and Toast. Many readers have been enjoying the Côtes du Rhône from Malmont we released last month. Malmont’s second wine is from Séguret, a notch up in both appellation and density. We sold the last bottles of our 2013 Séguret in December, and though it drank well from the start, it was only getting better as our stocks evaporated.

The Séguret 2014 is a Grenache-Syrah blend (about 60/40), and has a classic Southern Rhône fell. The nose shows violets and dark burnt cherries, with black pepper and a hint of toast. The mouth is concentrated and dark, with a long, nicely structured finish. Whether it’s Netflix or Nabokov that keeps you company on wintery evenings, this is a cozy and delicious addition.

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MALMONT Séguret 2014
Ansonia Retail: $30
case, half-case: $25/bot

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AVAILABLE IN 6- AND 12- BOTTLE LOTS

Email Tom to place an order.

or call Tom: (617) 249-3657

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