Author: Thomas Wilcox

Pouilly-Fuissé has come a long way from the over-oaked buttered popcorn of decades ago. Today the appellation is a hotbed of talent, with passionate young winemakers converting old vines to organics and turning out truly excellent wines. With prices for both land and wine in the Côte d’Or headed through the roof, the Maconnais has become one of the most exciting corners of Burgundy.

We spent a while this spring poking around the region, and discovered some really excellent sources. Chief among them is Sebastien Giroux, a thirtysomething winemaker farming 6 hectares (14 acres) with care and precision. Leading Burgundy critic William Kelley describes Giroux’s wines as “supple, pure and charming,” and we agree – they were thrilling at the domaine in April, and since their arrival a few weeks ago we’ve confirmed our first impressions.

Many readers have already picked up Giroux’s other two cuvées, the Macon-Fuissé ($25) and the Pouilly-Fuissé Raidillons ($35). Today we’re focused on Giroux’s old vine cuvée, which comes from 80 year old vines in particularly rocky soils. Sebastien gives this wine a year in oak barrels and then another a year en cuve before bottling – indeed, cellar patience is a pattern chez Giroux, and extra time pays tremendous dividends.

The 2019 Giroux Pouilly-Fuissé Vieilles Vignes is delicious, classy white Burgundy. The oak is perfectly integrated – if you didn’t know it was there you might miss it. The nose features pure fruit accompanied by a lovely minerality, and the wine has a distinct lift. Kelley awarded 91-93 points, calling it “fleshy but precise, with vibrant acids,” and “one of the highlights of the range this year.” The concentration from the old vines unwinds slowly and gracefully in the glass – indeed you could argue the wine shows better on day two.

How you serve this is up to you, of course, but here’s what we’d do: we’d open the bottle at 10am on Sunday, pour it into a decanter and put it back in the fridge. We’d put a roasting chicken with potatoes and carrots in the oven around noon, take the wine out of the fridge around 2pm, and place both on the table at 2:30. We’d serve it in red Burgundy glasses, light some candles for effect, and pretend the two-year-old hadn’t just spilled her milk.

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Giroux Pouilly-Fuissé Vieilles Vignes 2019
bottle price: $35

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The Clos du Joncuas is one of the most exciting recent finds in our portfolio. Based in Gigondas in the Southern Rhône, sisters Dany and Carol Chastan learned their craft from their parents and grandparents, and have themselves been farming organically for 40 years.

This is old school winemaking: ambient yeasts, no oak (not even foudres), 100% whole cluster, no fining or filtering. It sounds like a recipe for a big rustic wine, but the Chastan sisters somehow managed to produce wines of superb texture and subtlety.

We don’t know what goes into their alchemy, but it’s pretty easy to like what comes out.

Joncuas’s Gigondas cuvées are magnificent and worth every penny, but today we’re focused on their slightly simpler cuvée: Vacqueyras. The 2019 is as rich and delicious as their Gigondas usually is, and showed well side by side with a Châteauneuf-du-Pape over the weekend. It’s impressive wine at any price, and a steal at less than $30.

Made from Grenache and a splash of Mourvèdre, this wine resembles a cool inky Syrah, even though it’s absent from the blend. A floral nose gives way to ripe raspberries, lavender, sweet plums and earth. This is rich wine whose first impression is nonetheless freshness. It finishes smooth, leaving an inky blue-black perfume on the palate.

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Joncuas Vacqueyras 2019
bottle price: $28

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In the dozen years since he took over his family’s domaine, Romain Collet has elevated its reputation as fast as any new generation we’ve witnessed. We’ve noticed it ourselves, but we’re not alone — writers from Vinous, Burghound and William Kelley have noted a “higher level of refinement” and a “significant upsurge in quality.” Jasper Morris MW writes that Romain Collet “is moving towards joining the pantheon” in Chablis.

Romain ferments each of his premier crus in some combination of stainless steel, oak barrel, and amphora. Some cuvées benefit from the depth and roundness added from barrels, but for today’s cuvée, the recipe is simple: no oak at all.

Collet’s Chablis 1er cru Montmains is Chardonnay in its purest form.

Prices around Burgundy continue to skyrocket, but the “Chablis discount” remains in effect, and the region remains one of the best sources of value in all of France. In most years, Montmains is a friendly, delicious introduction to Collet’s premier crus, but in 2020 it’s particularly nice. Master of Wine Jasper Morris agreed, awarding 93 points, finding it “Quite floral, plus white fruit,” noting that it “starts well and kicks on to the end of the palate, some fresh apples, a little citrus, and persistent.”

Open at our warehouse tasting on Saturday this was a hit – lovely, floral, very expressive, and hard to put down. Look for honeysuckle, oyster shells, dried herbs and earth. This makes a lovely glass on its own, but we think it’ll show best with something from the sea: oysters, scallops, or sashimi.

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Collet Chablis 1er “Montmains” 2020
bottle price: $38

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It’s hard to call any place in Burgundy’s Côte de Nuits “overlooked,” but Morey-Saint-Denis has always been a bit of an underdog. It’s a tiny place — about a mile from end to end, and home to fewer than 700 people — and sits between two larger and more famous neighbors. But it’s an impressive town in its own right, worthy of attention and respect.

And nowhere in our portfolio is this clearer than the wines of Domaine Amiot et Fils. The Amiots have tended vines in Morey-St-Denis since 1702, and just last spring welcomed the 10th generation Léon Amiot back to the domaine. Having split the vines with Jean-Louis’s brother Didier, they’ve created a new domaine with new energy, new techniques, and centuries of history.

We’ve always loved the wines from the Amiot family, but we’re even more excited about where they’re going.

We’re not the only ones. The new domaine’s first vintage is a knockout – we just wish there were more to go around. Burghound awarded Amiot’s top two Morey-St-Denis premier crus his coveted “outstanding” award, and while Ruchots nearly sold out through Futures earlier this year, we’re pleased to have a bit more of their other terrific cuvée, “Les Millandes.”

The Millandes vineyard lies just several yards across the road from the famous Clos de la Roche Grand Cru, and its proximity to greatness is obvious. Normally the Amiots produce just 200 cases per vintage, but with yields down 50% in 2020, the number this year is less than 100. This wine grabbed our attention at the domaine for its delicious mix of concentration, energy, and detail.

Burghound awarded 90-93 points, finding “obvious power” in a “balanced effort [that] possesses very good quality in an ageworthy package.” We find dark, woodsy notes of briary blackberry and cassis. The mouth is intense and balanced, with fine, sturdy tannins coated in ripe, inky fruit. An exquisite, modern red Burgundy from a rising star.

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Amiot Morey-St-Denis 1er “Millandes” 2020
bottle price: $98

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In just over a decade, winemaker Romain Collet has turned his family’s reliable if unremarkable domaine into one of the very best sources in Chablis. With a focus on lower sulfur, a transition to organics, and modernized cellar practices, the domaine has begun to realize its full potential. The wine press has taken notice too; William Kelley finds “a lot to admire here,” and Jasper Morris recently opined that Romain Collet “is moving towards joining the pantheon in Chablis.”

Collet’s terrific crop of 2020 Chablis cuvées has at last arrived in our warehouse. As usual the premier cru and grand crus are terrific, but today we’re beginning with Collet’s simplest wine — a humble, village-level Chablis made from 90-year-old vines.

The 2020 Chablis Vieilles Vignes far outperforms its billing, and at under $30 provides tremendous value.

As vines age their production decreases as the quality of their fruit increases. Romain’s vines for today’s cuvée were planted in 1932, and produce very concentrated juice full of minerality and tension. It’s so pure and vibrant that Romain ferments and raises the wine 100% in stainless steel.

Jasper Morris found “excellent fresh concentration” and “a fine natural acidity,” concluding, “sunny but not hot.” Drawn from soils with very little clay, this is classic, old-school Chablis, but in an intense, concentrated vintage. It beautifully combines loads of dry extract with brilliant, vibrant freshness. Look for dry citrus notes in the nose with oysters shells, salt spray, and melon. The mouth is long, stony and dry, with chiseled texture and not a shred of oak.

Pair this with something from the sea – scallops, lobster, oysters, halibut, or whatever’s fresh at your local source.

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Collet Chablis VV 2020
bottle price: $29

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Châteauneuf-du-Pape is one of the most recognizable brands in wine. Made famous by French popes in the 14th century, and then again by Robert Parker in the 1980s, the appellation’s place on the winemaking map is well established. For decades the wine from Châteauneuf was head and shoulders above the rest of the Southern Rhône – but these days it’s got company.

There’s loads of great wine coming from the Southern Rhône these days, but no star is brighter than Gigondas. Wine from this appellation, about 20 minutes across the valley, shares many of the same rich, dark qualities that draw people to Châteauneuf-du-Pape. It’s a great choice for the autumn months ahead.

The Chastan family has been making wine in the same style for two generations. They were among the earliest in the region to farm organically (they were certified in 1980!), and their winemaking is simple and straightforward. Vinification for all the wines is cement vats, followed by an elevage in either vats or neutral oak foudres. The wines are all whole-cluster, and neither fined nor filtered.

Their Clos du Joncuas Gigondas 2020 is an easy, early-drinking vintage. It is silky smooth and rich, with dense, sweet fruit and notes of allspice. Though velvety and rich, there is good underlying structure and a bit of earthiness in the finish. A dose of salinity balances the lush fruit, making this a delightful young wine we think will drink well for several years.

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Joncuas Gigondas 2020
bottle price: $35

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Perched on the banks of the Gironde River, in the heart of Bordeaux’s Left Bank, the town of Pauillac (poh-yahk) produces some of Bordeaux’s most famous red wines: Lafite, Latour, Mouton-Rothschild, just to name a few. Its gravel rich soils produce prototypical Bordeaux: intense, ageworthy, regal, and impossibly complex.

Cabernet Sauvignon grown in Pauillac produces intense, powerful, sturdily built wines with no shortage of tannic backbone. They can be unfriendly in their youth, but are built to reward patience. The top names will age for decades, but the same cellarable structure means its lesser wines are enjoyable on a shorter trajectory.

A case in point: today’s eight year old Pauillac from Chateau Haut-Pauillac.

Haut-Pauillac is farmed by the Peyronie family, who also own Chateau Fondabet — it’s a tiny property(2 hectares) is planted 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc, and 2.5% each of Petit Verdot and Malbec. This wine sees 18 months of elevage with 15-20% new oak. The soils are classic Pauillac gravel, and show through beautifully in the glass.

The 2014 vintage produced Bordeaux of the old-school Claret style, before the recent summer heatwaves became the norm. As such this is not a bold wine, but one with finesse and savory delicacy. There’s plenty of inky fruit, and the plums have melted into violets, dried roses, and a bit of smoked meat. The mouth is subtle and polished, without the exuberance of a young wine or one from a hot vintage.

This is nearly mature, perfectly aged Bordeaux at an impressive price – we’d drink it over the next two years, but if it tastes this good we doubt any in our cellar will last that long.

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Chateau Haut-Pauillac Pauillac 2014
bottle price: $39

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Tucked away in the picturesque valley between Meursault and Volnay, the charming village of Auxey-Duresses is home to Michel Prunier and his daughter Estelle. They’re among the brightest names in this humble town, and a favorite of Vinous writer Neal Martin. Martin has visited for over two decades, and characterizes them as an “old-school producer” with “premier crus worth hunting down, as they represent good value.”

Martin (and we too) were really impressed with Prunier’s 2019s, which combine the ripeness of the vintage with the sturdy armature of classic red Burgundy. On the 2019s at Prunier, Martin writes “they represent honest and true reflections of their terroirs…considering that these continue to be sold at very reasonable prices, they are certainly worth looking out for.”

The Prunier’s farm a small half-acre plot in Premier Cru Sizies, one of the Beaune appellation’s top locations. This wine is terrific today, and a beautiful combination of old school structure and modern richness. The nose is floral and intense, with a stony minerality behind the lush fruit. Martin found “a concentrated bouquet with strong rose petal and violet.” The oak, once noticeable, has melted perfectly into the cushion of wild cherries.

In the mouth this is terrific, showing intense red fruits with a crunchy chalkiness and smooth, plump finish. This wine begs for traditional Burgundian fare, and a steak-frites would be a perfect match. Otherwise try with something richer and autumny – mushroom risotto or a cozy stew.

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Prunier Beaune 1er “Sizies” 2019
bottle price: $59

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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 in Bordeaux, Merlot thrives as an essential component to the region’s most iconic wines.

On Bordeaux’s Right Bank, particularly in the towns of Pomerol and St-Emilion, Merlot reaches its ultimate expression. The exact combination of limestone and gravel soils produce a version of the grape with balance, definition, and depth.

Made from 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc, it’s a rich, velvety blend with a classic combination of dark fruit and spice. Vinous reviewer Neal Martin loved the 2017 Montlisse, awarding 92 points and finding it “medium bodied with supple tannins, a fine bead of acidity, much fresher than many of its peers with a lovely, caressing finish. Excellent.”

We agree with Neal! Today this wine is smooth and elegant, with mellow fruit and subtle earthy/tobacco notes. The mouth is rich and velvety, with fleshy, approachable tannins supporting the gorgeous fruit. Look for notes of plums and toast with cassis, dark chocolate and dried violets. Pour this with a steak salad or this hearty Mushroom Farro.

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Montlisse St-Emilion Grand Cru 2017
bottle price: $38

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