Author: Thomas Wilcox

By Burgundy standards, Nuits-St-Georges is an enormous appellation, stretching nearly four miles end to end. The soil makeup varies widely across the town, and Nuits can best be thought of as three distinct districts: north, middle and south. The northern part that borders Vosne is the most elegant, the middle the boldest and most powerful, and the southern the most mineral.

Today’s cuvée comes from the middle, not far from the famous “Les St-Georges” vineyard from which the town borrows its name. Pierre Gros’s “les Chaliots” vineyard produces a classic expression of Nuits: deep intensity, muscular texture, deep dark fruit. The trick in Nuits-St-Georges (particularly the middle sector) is to balance the readily available tannin with enough fruit and finesse.

Gros’s 2023 NSG Chaliots walks this balance to perfection, with an irresistible combination of rugged density and vibrant lift. The nose is deep and lovely, with plums, blackberries, toast and spice. The mouth is rich and concentrated, with deep color and even deeper flavor. This bold, dynamic wine has a bright future, but as with most 2023s is already a tasty glass. Serve with sirloin tips from the grill.

____________________________

Michel Gros Nuits-St-Georges “Chaliots” 2023
bottle price: $88

Add to Cart

 

Domaine Guillemot-Michel is an iconic Maconnais source for white Burgundy. Based in Quintaine in the Viré-Clessé appellation, they’ve been biodynamic since  the 1980’s. Founded by Pierette and Marc Guillemot-Michel forty years ago, they’ve recently been joined in the last decade by their daughter Sophie and their son-in-law Gautier Roussille. For years we’ve sold them as “Forces Telluriques” label, but going forward we’re using their official label.

We can also now quote directly from the extensive critical praise for this domaine: Jasper Morris writes “amazing how such a luxurious style of chardonnay can retain elegance.” Neal Martin (Vinous) writes “these wines are well worth seeking out.” William Kelley (Wine Advocate) writes “these are honeyed, concentrated wines that are imbued with remarkable concentration and energy, and they develop beautifully in the cellar….One of the best producers in the Maconnais.”

Guillemot-Michel’s flagship Quintaine cuvée is terrific in 2023 – it’s unoaked, pure Chardonnay full of tension and energy. Despite a stormy summer, the grapes reached optimal maturity while maintaining an excellent level of acidity — a perfect equilibrium that makes for a wine with ripe fruit, minerals and structure at the same time. Look for notes of honeysuckle, tangerine, green tea, and lime zest. It shows the richness of a Meursault without relying on any oak for added weight – not to mention at a serious discount. A showstopping white Burgundy.

____________________________

Guillemot-Michel Viré-Clessé Quintaine 2023
bottle price: $45

Add to Cart

 

Salomon Undhof is a centuries-old winery in Krems, Austria overlooking the Danube River. Today 7th and 8th generation winemakers Bert and Bert Salomon run the estate, and they’re among the best respected sources in the region. They’ve become favorites of many readers (as well as our own family) and we’re delighted to bring them back by popular demand.

“Austrian wine” is nearly synonymous with Grüner-Veltliner, and indeed 75% of the world’s Grüner is Austrian. Much of it is dry, crisp, unserious wine that matches will with hot weather and light fare – the Salomons’ “Hochterrassen” is just such a wine. But they also produce a more serious cuvée, that’s more interesting and flat out delicious.

Salmon’s more serious cuvée of Grüner Veltliner comes from the 1ÖTW Wachtberg vineyard, and the domaine has held some of the 2017 for a delayed release. Now with nine years under its belt, this is fully mature but remarkably youthful. There’s no hint of oxidation – the nose shows dried pears and with woodsy notes you might confuse with white Burgundy. The mouth is mellow and very long, with notes of chalk, citrus peel, white pepper, and just a whisper of salinity at the end. A dry, delicate, delightful cuvée that calls for sushi.

____________________________

Salomon-Undhof Grüner Veltliner “Wachtberg” 2017
bottle price: $28

Add to Cart

 

The 2023 red Burgundies are still quite young, but they’ve already begun to reveal themselves as a tremendous vintage. From a growing season full of extreme heat and drought but with perfectly timed rains, the best wines are perfectly balanced – with modest alcohol, excellent density, and vibrant textures. We heard more than a few winemakers describe them as “digeste” (roughly, digestible), and it’s an excellent characterization.

Nobody was more successful than Gautier Desvignes, a humble thirtysomething winemaker with a near limitless attention to detail. Gautier landed back at his family’s domaine a decade ago, and has since transformed it into one of the region’s superstars. We find ourselves saying this almost every year, but his 2023s are the best he’s made – ripe and sleek with perfect extraction and maturity, vibrant textures, and elegant, lifting finishes.

At the northern end of town lies Gautier’s Givry 1er cru “Clos Charlé.” It’s a plot that produces elegant, chiseled wines, with beautiful detail and loads of dark fresh fruit. The tannins are fine grained and seamless, with pretty notes of rose petals and cool berries. It has the weight of a Beaune 1er cru, with a stony freshness amid the perfectly detailed fruit. Now six months after arriving this has just begun to open up; serve with refined dishes like duck or mushroom risotto.

____________________________

Desvignes Givry 1er “Clos Charlé” 2023
bottle price: $45

Add to Cart

 

You don’t have to be a vigneron to notice Guillaume Goujon and Sebastien Dupré are farming organically. Their vineyards appear almost abandoned – vines share the ground with herbs, flowers, grasses, and wildlife, all in the name of fostering biodiversity and soil health. In the cellar Dupré and Goujon have a similarly light touch – their cuvées are made with whole clusters, ambient yeasts, limited oak, very low sulfites, and a long, slow elevage.

The resulting wines are remarkably complex, and yet immaculately crafted. The wine press agrees – William Kelley calls the wines “supple and charming” and labels them “an estate to watch.” WA reviewer Kenna Wells writes, “The domaine encapsulates the Beaujolais spirit, showcasing a blend of humility, intentional farming and a cellar brimming with character.”

One of our favorites this year is their “631” Côte de Brouilly, a blend of three plots that’s readily drinkable but deceptively sophisticated. The 2022 is terrific, with an expressive nose of dark, ripe fruit – violets and cassis with a croquant (crackling) texture. The profile is almost somewhere between a Pinot and a Syrah. James Suckling praised its “striking elegance” and “fine tannins.” It’s the perfect bottle to grace your patio on a warm summer afternoon.

____________________________

Dupré-Goujon Côte de Brouilly “631” 2022
bottle price: $35

Add to Cart

 

Wine writer Rajat Parr describes St. Aubin as the “insider’s white Burgundy.” Wedged in a valley between Chassagne and Puligny, this town produces white Burgundy with hints of Chassagne and Puligny’s golden richness, but a less stratospheric price tag. St-Aubin has become rarer and pricier like everything else in Burgundy, but it’s still far more affordable than its famous neighbors.

At the western edge of the St. Aubin appellation lies a plot named “Murgers des Dents de Chiens.” Perched just up the hill from Montrachet itself, this St. Aubin 1er cru is a remarkable value – real, classy premier cru white Burgundy, but somehow still under $70/bot with St-Aubin’s (and Gérard Thomas’s) friendly pricing. The nose is deeper and slightly darker than the village level, with a hint more of woodsiness. The mouth is classic, with lemon curd sucrocité and a beautiful beeswax finish – it shows a similar grapeskin note as the village, but there’s more flesh around it.

Jancis Robinson’s reviewer was effusive: “Refined, understated. A very fine example of the best of Chardonnay from the Côte de Beaune but without the elevated prices of the better-known appellations. So precise! I love the focus here. Fresh, clean, mineral, the concentration is there but you don’t really see it until you let the wine linger in the mouth. Great result!”

____________________________

Thomas St-Aubin 1er cru
“Murgers des Dents de Chien” 2024
bottle price: $65

Add to Cart

Antonio Galloni, the founder of Vinous and a renowned critic of Italy’s best wines, calls Poggerino’s wines “some of the purest expressions of the Sangiovese grape in Italy.” Winemaker Piero Lanza is in his third decade at the helm, and his excellent wines continue to improve.

His Chianti Classico is among the most consistent and popular wines we import (don’t tell the French). For a number of years now, Piero has made a new cuvée raised in cement eggs – hence the wordplay in the name Nuovo. Cement eggs have the virtue of self-stirring, as ambient temperature changes affect the wine in the eggs at different rates, promoting a natural circulation without the need for physical stirring. With no oak flavor mixed in, this wine has particularly pure fruit, and as one might expect at Poggerino, it is beautiful.

Galloni awarded 93 points writing “this is such a distinct wine. The purity of the fruit is just striking.” The cement adds structure and depth, meaning this needs an extra few years to melt together – Lanza has just released the 2021, and it’s magnificent. The nose shows dark red fruit with a touch of mint, spice, and licorice. A gem of a cuvée, just entering a perfect drinking window that we expect to remain open for at least another five years.

____________________________

Poggerino Chianti Classico Nuovo 2021
bottle price: $42

Add to Cart

For centuries the Ravaut family has made traditional red and white Burgundies from their small domaine just north of Beaune. Their little-known hamlet of Ladoix sits at the junction between the Côte de Beaune and Côte de Nuits. It’s one of the corners of Burgundy where winemakers will somewhat sheepishly admit that, aside from frosts and hailstorms (a big aside), climate change has improved their wines in recent years.

Vincent Ravaut and his sons have taken this opportunity and run with it – they’re now certified EU organic, and have softened the extraction in their reds. Their wines used to require extended maceration to draw color and flavor from grapes, but now the crop arrives at harvest with enough concentration to ferment more gently. The resulting wines are smoother, beautifully balanced, and simply delicious young. William Kelly of the Wine Advocate calls them “hearty, characterful wines,” with “plenty to admire.”

The Ravaut humble Bourgogne Côte d’Or Rouge is gorgeous this year, a useful entry-level wine that provides excellent value. The nose is dark and sappy with notes of plum and wild cherries. The mouth is inky and smooth, and the tannins are perfectly integrated. This requires no patience, and you won’t be able to keep your hands off it anyway. A perfect, easygoing weeknight red Burgundy.

____________________________

Ravaut Bourgogne Côte d’Or rouge 2023
bottle price: $35

Add to Cart

 

The pursuit of freshness is a perennial struggle for white Burgundy vignerons these days. They’ve adapted to warmer, drier summers by delaying pruning, harvesting earlier, and tweaking their cellar work. But Chardonnay loves the sun, and inattentive growers can end up with overripe, high alcohol wines.

Aligoté has always been Chardonnay’s distant understudy. It’s been part of Burgundian winemaking for centuries, but has never been responsible for the region’s famous white wines. But warmer drier summers have meant that this naturally bright grape varietal has taken on added depth and complexity. Winemakers are now taking the grape more seriously, and the results are really exciting.

Our favorite so far is Vincent Boyer’s, a superstar winemaker crafting classic white Burgundies in Meursault and Puligny. His Aligoté transcends the grape’s humble reputation, offering real white Burgundy with a middle weight palate and excellent concentration. Boyer elected to use foudres (huge oak barrels) this year instead of eggs, and while you won’t find any wood notes in the wine, there’s a beautiful weight and length. The 2023 is more floral than usual, and exceptionally pretty.

____________________________

Boyer-Martenot Aligoté 2023
bottle price: $28

Add to Cart

 

Much of the world’s Merlot is undistinguished. Its default expression is a soft, rounded wine lacking tannin, acidity, and character. “Global” merlot is smooth and easy, but neither distinctive nor particularly interesting. But on Bordeaux’s right bank Merlot thrives as an essential component to the region’s most iconic wines. The exact combination of limestone and gravel soils produce a version of the grape with balance, definition, and depth.

We’ve long enjoyed the delicious and well-priced St-Emilion from Chateau Montlisse. Made from 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc, it’s a rich, velvety blend with a classic combination of dark fruit and spice, but well supported by a solid backbone and lively freshness. We’ve just restocked the terrific 2019, and it’s as good as ever.

From a magnificent vintage, the 2019 Château Montlisse is everything you want from a sub-$50 Bordeaux: smooth and elegant, with mellow fruit and gorgeous earthy notes, and a solid core of structure and concentration. Look for notes of plums and toast with cassis, dark chocolate and dried violets. Neal Martin in Vinous cited “fine grained tannins and well judged acidity,” concluding, “this is a classy offering from Montlisse.” Grilling season is back in swing – pour this with a high end steak from the grill.

____________________________

Montlisse St-Emilion Grand Cru 2019
bottle price: $42

Add to Cart

 

Salomon Undhof is a centuries-old winery in Krems, Austria overlooking the Danube River. Today 7th and 8th generation winemakers Bert and Bert Salomon run the estate, and they’re among the best respected sources in the region. They’ve become favorites of many readers (as well as our own family) and we’re delighted to have them back in stock.

“Austrian wine” is nearly synonymous with Grüner-Veltliner, and indeed 75% of the world’s Grüner is Austrian. The grape’s typical expression is dry and savory, with excellent acidity and low alcohol. Today we’re introducing a new grüner cuvée from Salomon: the 2024 Hochterassen.

This comes from vines high up on the slopes, above the family’s historic plots – the vines are younger and wine they produce is lightweight and vibrant. This is fresh, clean, lightweight wine with a lovely profile – white flowers, stones and lime. The mouth is short, very dry, and refreshing (12% alcohol) – the phrase “wine that wants to be water,” comes to mind. Pour this all summer on the patio.

____________________________

Salomon-Undhof Grüner Veltliner Hochterassen 2024
bottle price:  $22

Add to Cart

The red wines of the Loire Valley always play second fiddle to the region’s whites. But it’s a mistake to ignore them – they’re well balanced, low-alcohol, usually organic, and often exceptional values. Our favorites these days are the unblended, unoaked Cabernet Francs from the central Loire.

Celine and Didier Sanzay are fifth generation growers in Saumur-Champigny in the central Loire Valley. They craft fresh, pure Cabernet Franc in the modern Loire style — small batch, organic, wild yeasts, no fining or filtering. Their wines are delicious, affordable, and excellent for food pairing.

Their 2024 Saumur-Champigny is exactly what you want Loire Cab Franc to be: pure, joyful, unoaked, and fresh. Clean, juicy fruit bursts from the glass on the nose — think wild cherries and graphite. The mouth is fresh, fruit forward, inky, and intense, with a bold and vibrant attack and a quick clean finish. Drink this outside with summer fare: shish kabobs, salads, or just a summer afternoon.

____________________________

Sanzay Saumur-Champigny 2024
bottle price:  $22

Add to Cart

 

More than anywhere else in Burgundy, winemakers in Chablis have felt the impact of recent warm vintages. Earlier harvests and more sun exposure have meant riper grapes and wines with fleshier, richer textures. This style of Chablis can support more oaking, and some winemakers have begun to increase the exposure to oak barrels.

Not Cyril Gautheron. His commitment to original Chablisien style is unwavering, and even today’s premier cru, bursting with an extra dose of citrus fruit and energy, is 100% stainless steel. Jasper Morris MW applauded Cyril’s commitment recently, writing “Cyril Gautheron is a superb producer making wines in a crisp cool classically Chablis style, which is now really quite hard to achieve in these warmer seasons.”

Gautheron’s 2023 Chablis 1er Vaucoupin is pure, shimmering, and unadorned — a modern Chablis in a perfectly classic style. Gautheron’s vines here are 50 years old, and produce intense concentrated juice from the bare, rocky soil. Cyril has managed to reign in a warm vintage into a neat, precise package. It shows a balanced blend of fruit, freshness, savory herbs and minerality, with a hint of saline on the finish.

____________________________

Gautheron Chablis 1er “Vaucoupin” 2023
bottle price: $48

Add to Cart

 

The test of great winemakers is how they perform in the face of adversity. In sunny, dry vintages like 2023, just about everyone made tasty wine. But success in a challenging year speaks far more; and there’s rarely been a more difficult vintage than 2024. Some winemakers struggled, but others excelled; and Gautier Desvignes proved himself an exceptional talent.

We’ve long been fans of the Desvignes wines, but it was nice to see Vinous’s Neal Martin (a notoriously exacting critic) heap praises on Gautier’s wines – and particularly impressive when his first visit there was to review the 2024s. “Commendable purity, fine tannins, and clear evidence of thoughtful winemaking,” was Martin’s conclusion – well deserved accolades for an impressive young vigneron.

Gautier’s terrific lineup of 2024s will be in next Sunday’s “May Futures” release, but today we’re focusing on his best value: the village-level Givry “Champ la Dame.” Gautier has managed the balance of tannin, acidity, fruit and weight with impeccable precision in this wine – it’s elegant, fresh and vibrant in the nose, with notes of violets and cassis. He dialed back pigéage (punching down the cap during fermentation) and the resulting low alcohol (13%) wine has an irresistible texture: silky, fine-grained, with an almost mouthwatering tension and finesse.

Neal Martin found “lift and delineation on the nose” with a “cold stone element tucked under the raspberry and cranberry fruit.” In the mouth he found “pliant tannins, a keen line of acidity, quite elegant in style with a cohesive finish.” With a $32 Futures pricetag, it’s hard to imagine a better value red Burgundy.

____________________________

Desvignes Givry “Champ la Dame” 2024
case price: $504
May Futures: $395 ($32.92/bot)

Email Tom to Order

 

There are winners and losers from the warming trend in France. Weather hazards aside, the Loire Valley and much of Burgundy have come out more or less ahead. In the south, the extremes have been less friendly. It’s no longer uncommon to find wines at nearly 16% alcohol – Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre soak up whatever sun they’re given, and there’s only so much winemakers can do to counter temperatures over 100F.

All of this makes Nicolas Hanei’s wines from his tiny Domaine Malmont that much more exciting. Grown high in the hills above Séguret in the Southern Rhône, the Malmont grenache and syrah vines struggle though rock-laden nutrient-poor soils, slowing their maturation. The west-facing hillside at 1200 feet of elevation enjoys plentiful breezes throughout the growing season, keeping the grapes cool and healthy.

The resulting wines are almost an anomaly in the modern Rhône Valley: organic, delicious southern red blends with modest alcohol and fresh textures. Phey show the dark, dense rich fruit for which the region is known, but always with vibrant tension and lift. The 2022 is perfect – smooth blackberry-plum fruit with a mineral backbone and beautiful aromatic lift. If you miss the days when you could enjoy a southern Rhône red blend without having to take a nap afterwards, Malmont is the producer for you.

____________________________

Malmont Séguret 2022
bottle price: $32

Add to Cart