Author: Thomas Wilcox

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“Excellent” New Unoaked Chablis from 90-Year-Old Vines

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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[Advance] Perfect Everyday 2020 Red & White Burgundy, 25% off

Each fall, as we compile the lineup for our October Futures, we search for something other than Michel Gros’s Bourgogne rouge to offer as our early preview. And every year we come up short – for value, price point, and availability, it’s just too hard to beat. So last year, instead of a replacement, we found it some company.

If Gros is at the top of Ansonia’s list for red Burgundy, Vincent Boyer is at the top for white. Both vignerons are producing tremendous wines these days, and both have turned in terrific efforts in 2020. Gros’s and Boyer’s full 2020 lineups will both be included in our October Futures out next week, but we’ve decided to focus on both of their excellent Bourgognes today.

These are as good as entry level Burgundies get. And while there’s not much that costs the same as it did a year ago, thanks to a surging USD these are both holding steady at $295/case Futures. First come, first served – if there’s any left next Sunday we’ll include them in October Futures.


BOYER-MARTENOT BOURGOGNE COTE D’OR 2020
In the past few years Vincent Boyer has extended his élévage (pre-bottling period) to almost 24 months for all of his wines, and together with his conversion to organic viticulture, the move has improved an already impressive lineup. His magnificent Meursualts deserve every word of their considerable critical praise, but his regional wines are just as impressive for their level.

The 2020 Bourgogne blanc is excellent – an example of grapes from humble terroir in the hands of a great winemaker. The nose shows Boyer’s signature blend of golden fruit and focused minerals. The mouth is rich and smooth, with terrific concentration for its level. Burghound awarded it his “Outstanding” distinction, finding a “blend of pear, apple, and pretty floral whips,” with a “rich and solidly dense,” concluding “very good for its level.”

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MICHEL GROS BOURGOGNE COTE D’OR 2020
Michel now works with his son Pierre, and the team has already produced a handful of truly excellent vintages. The 2020s chez Gros are remarkably dense and concentrated across the board (yields were 40% below normal), but manage to retain terrific balance and energy. The wine might look like Syrah in the glass, but it’s unmistakably Burgundian in the mouth.

The 2020 Bourgogne rouge is delicious, and far more intense than usual. The nose is dark and polished, with notes of violets, cassis and cherries. The mouth has an abundance of both density and freshness, making it delicious and easy to enjoy young. Burghound also awarded it his “Outstanding” distinction, finding “ripe plum, dark currant, and a whiff of pinot spice, with “fine mid-palate density” and “very good depth and persistence,” concluding “fine quality.”

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Introducing, Piedmont! Delicious New 2018 Barbaresco

For over a decade the lone Italian holdout in our portfolio has been the Fattoria Poggerino, a Chianti Classico producer beloved of many readers. Today we double our Italian roster by introducing Sassi San Cristoforo, a small estate in Barbaresco. Italy still represents a small corner of the Ansonia portfolio, but we think it’ll continue to be a popular one.

Barbaresco is an appellation in the Piedmont region, and along with neighboring Barolo is one of Italy’s best known wines. The grape for both towns is Nebbiolo, a thin skinned varietal capable of tremendous subtlety and elegance, sometimes referred to as the Pinot Noir of Italy. As Burgundy lovers, the expansion to Barbaresco was an easy fit, and we’re thrilled to add something entirely new (and entirely delicious) to our lineup.

Founded in 1997 by Angelo Sassi, the small estate is today run by Davide Carniel, producing just a few hundred cases of Barbaresco annually. Their 2018 Barbaresco is terrific – pure Nebbiolo from an excellent, ripe vintage. The wine ages for two years in barrel, then six months in bottle before release.

This wine is beautifully balanced, with a nose of violets, red cherries, black pepper and anise. The mouth is compact and attractive, with delicate tannins and a refreshing salinity, amid sophisticated and polished wild cherry fruit. The tannins are sturdy but fine, with intricate detail and a lovely, welcoming finish. This has the density to age for another five years easily, but after 30 minutes in a carafe the bottle we enjoyed last week was a delight.

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Sassi San Cristoforo Barbaresco 2018
bottle price: $45

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Rare, Exquisite 2020 White Burgundy from a Master Vigneron

Thomas Morey is a winemaker at the top of his game. After splitting his father’s vines with his brother Vincent in 2007, Thomas has carefully charted his own course, establishing himself as a leading producer in Chassagne-Montrachet. His style is low-oak, precise, and immaculate – each element in perfect harmony, not a leaf out of place. As the seldom effusive critic Burghound writes, “2020 is a stunningly good vintage chez Thomas Morey, in fact I can’t recall ever seeing better quality across the board since he started in 2007.”

Indeed the only thing wrong with Morey’s wines is their scarcity – of the nine wines in our allocation this year, only two made it past the Futures land grab back in May. (We have our eyes on the abundant and apparently excellent 2022s for a longer wishlist.) But in the meantime, what’s left over is just as good as anything he makes, and arguably the best value in his lineup.

Morey’s St-Aubin 1er cru “Les Castets” is on a south facing hill at the west end of town. Morey’s early picking and low-oak style match the sunny hillside and concentrated vintage perfectly. The nose shows gorgeous balance of minerals, pears and just-ripe lime. The mouth is excellent too, with lemon custard and terrific dry concentration. As usual with Morey, the shape and detail are terrific.

Jasper Morris awarded 91-93 points, finding “fresh white fruit, pears, chiseled limestone clarity behind, with excellent length.” It may not be as impressive or as ageworthy as Morey’s legendary Grand Cru Batard-Montrachet, but at one sixth the cost we think it’s well worth the price tag. Here’s an opportunity to taste a masterful winemaker firing on all cylinders.

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Morey St-Aubin 1er cru “Castets” 2020
bottle price: $65

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Autumn Arrives: Velvety, Cozy New 2020 Gigondas

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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Pouilly-Fuissé Returns: Magnificent New 2019 White Burgundy. $35

Pouilly-Fuissé is getting well-deserved respect in the wine world these days, and beginning with the 2020 vintage some vineyards are entitled to the “premier cru” designation. A growing distaste for excess wood and a reluctance to add more softness to already ripe wines makes it rare to find overoaked Pouilly-Fuissé these days: the days of by-the-glass buttered popcorn are over.

This spring we discovered Sebastien Giroux, a small-scale winemaker with 6 hectares of vines in and around Fuissé. The wines are very much handmade, with elevage carefully calibrated according to vineyard and vintage. We were drawn to the domaine by praise from William Kelley, who described the wines as “supple, pure, and charming.” He was entirely correct.

After a summer of anticipation, the Giroux wines at last arrived in our warehouse last week. We were prepared to have our months-old expectations let down, but in fact the opposite occurred – all three Giroux wines are better than we remember.

We’ll tell you more about Giroux Macon-Fuissé and old-vine Pouilly-Fuissé a bit later, but today we’re focusing on the 2019 Pouilly-Fuissé Radillons. This cuvée comes from limestone soils situated over marl (causing the vines to suffer a bit, according to Sebastien). The wine spent about six months in barrels, followed by six months en cuve.

This is modern, expressive, gorgeous white Burgundy. The nose is a prototypical Maconnais: golden fruits, a whisper of oak, and a pleasant stony freshness. The mouth is rich, mouthfilling and smooth, with a dollop of sucrocité on the attack, and a clean, focused, energetic finish. Kelley praised this wine as “rich and layered,” “[u]nwinding in the glass with notes of pear and white flowers” and gave 90-92 points. There is a terrific mix of fruit and minerals here, offered in a racy style – thick texture but with excellent focus.

You could argue we don’t need another white Burgundy address in our portfolio…but you haven’t tried these wines.

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Giroux Pouilly-Fuissé “Radillons” 2019
bottle price: $35

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Eight-Year-Old Pauillac: Regal, Classic Red Bordeaux under $40.

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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“Rose Petals & Violets:” Terrific 2019 Beaune 1er Cru

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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Refreshing, Delicious, Biodynamic Alsatian Bargains under $25

With costs rising in nearly every step of the winemaking process – tractors, corks, bottles, labels, boxes, and so on – it’s no wonder the prices from the domaines are rising too. All of this makes the quality of Alsatian wine today even more impressive. Our source here is Charles Frey, an old family winery based in Dambach-la-Ville in central Alsace.

The Frey family is firmly committed to biodynamic viticulture and winemaking, in spite of its increased costs and labor. And that commitment pays off – their wines are vibrant, energetic, and simply delicious. They also happen to be some of the best values in our cellar. Below are four of our favorites – all (somehow) still below $25/bot.

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PINOT BLANC: $19
Frey’s Pinot Blanc was once called “Auxerrois” under the Mersiol label, before the two domaines merged a decade ago. The 2020 vintage is delicious, as good as Auxerrois ever was. It features the characteristic orchard fruit nose — along the lines of white peaches — with a touch of briskness and a clean, dry finish. Serve this before a meal as a humble, delicious aperitif.
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SYLVANER: $22
Sylvaner is a popular grape in Germany, but very little is exported to the US. Frey’s Sylvaner “Intemporel” offers a very expressive nose of cloves and spices like white pepper and juniper. These notes carry through in the mouth, along with a very attractive touch of gentle grape-peel bitterness with excellent freshness. Serve with Lo Mein or a Thai curry.
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RIESLING: $22
Frey’s Riesling “Granite” 2020 is classic and dry, bursting with granite minerality from the stony soils. It has enticing hints of petrol that often appear in the nose of a Riesling, but with lovely fruit and freshness, as well as touch of salinity. A perfect balance between fruit and minerals. Serve it with oysters on the half shell.
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PINOT NOIR: $22
Frey also makes a delightful, unoaked Pinot Noir – it’s simple and unserious in the best sense of the word. The nose shows honey and dark cherries, with fine minerals and cool stoninness – there’s a healthy dose of pleasant natural wine funkiness too. The mouth is smooth and ripe, with low tannin and nice freshness. Pour it where you would a rosé, but when the mood (or food) calls for something with a bit more substance.
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“Excellent,” “Modern” 2017 Grand Cru St-Emilion

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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Silky, Precise, Flat-Out Delicious 2019 Chambolle-Musigny

The soils of Burgundy vary widely based on location, but in general are some blend of argile (clay) and calcaire (limestone). The proportion of these two elements goes a long way in determining the character of wine made in each town. And in Chambolle-Musigny, it’s all about the calcaire.

This higher mineral content gives the wines of Chambolle their signature silkiness, featuring elegance and lift more than muscle and power. Our source here is the Domaine Boursot, a winery dating back to the 1550s, but one that’s unmistakably on the upswing today. Jasper Morris MW writes that “the winemaking has been sharpened up by the current generation;” Neal Martin of Vinous sees “good potential” and “a promising future.”

Boursot produces three really terrific premier crus from Chambolle. But it’s their village-level cuvée that might most effectively punch above its weight. Martin calls the 2019 Chambolle Nazoires “generous and nicely defined, perhaps quite Vosne-like in style.” Writer Bill Nanson called it “elegant… delicious, complex, proper Chambolle.”

A high toned silky precision wafts from the nose of this wine, with notes of red currants, roses, and stones. The mouth is concentrated and precise, with cinnamon, wild cherries, and cassis all channeled into a polished, regal form. Enjoy this as a delicious you wine from a decanter over the next year or two, or save it for another five and drink it as a mature masterpiece.

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Boursot Chambolle-Musigny 2019
bottle price: $78

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Delicious Weeknight Red Bordeaux: 91-point 2016 Cru Bourgeois. $25

Bordeaux is home to many of the most famous and expensive wines in the world. But it’s a huge region, and also produces wines that dramatically overperform their pricetag. One of our favorite places to find value in Bordeaux is at the Cru Bourgeois level.

This Médoc classification, revived in 2010, is earned each year, and awarded based on the quality of the wine rather than the name of the chateau. Of the few hundred cuvées awarded the status each year, the best include, to quote Vinous’s Neal Martin, “a clutch of fabulous wines that I bet could be sneaked into a blind tasting of Grand Cru Classé and nobody would notice.”

Today’s wine is a case in point: a no-brainer everyday Bordeaux for $5/glass.

Now after six years on from harvest, the 2016 Cru Bourgeois from Chateau Ramafort well overperforms its billing. The 50/50 Cab/Merlot blend is a younger, fresher take on the terroir, but one with silky tannins and a perfectly balanced texture.

Martin awarded 91 points, finding “a very attractive bouquet with blackberry, briary and cedar aromas.” He went on to find “fine grain tannin” and a “silky finish,” before concluding finally “Yes, yes, yes!” The bottle we opened on Saturday at our warehouse was a hit: smooth and quietly delicious. Pair with a weeknight burger.

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Ramafort Medoc Cru Bourgeois 2016
bottle price: $25

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Classy, Delicious 2020 White Burgundy from St-Aubin

St-Aubin may not be the secret source for white Burgundy it once was, but it’s not because of the quality. Soaring prices for Burgundy from its famous neighboring towns of Puligny, Chassagne, and Meursault mean that the spillover demand has nudged prices for St-Aubin well. But the quality has more than kept pace, and despite the demise of its anonymity, it’s still a source for exceptional value.

Most of the vineyards in St-Aubin are rockier and at a higher elevation than those in Meursault, Chassagne and Puligny. In an ever-warming climate this gives its winemakers an advantage in the perennial race to find freshness. Our source here, the Domaine Gérard Thomas, has performed magnificently over the past few sunny vintages — their wines are always fresh, clean, and full of energy.

Many readers know Thomas’s terrific 2020 Bourgogne blanc, an excellent everyday value in white Burgundy. Today we’re featuring their 2020 village-level St-Aubin, a considerable upgrade from the Bourgogne and a real bargain under $40. The 2020 is the best vintage we have seen of this wine.

The nose offers a lovely blend of toast and fruit. In the mouth there is plenty of energy, with a touch of grape skin and Puligny-like supporting acidity front and center; which then melts into something rounder and more complex. The balance is excellent, and there is very good persistence and a complex finale. This is first-rate Champ Tirant, resembling a premier cru more than a village wine.

Serve with roast chicken stuffed with lemon, garlic, and thyme.

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Thomas St-Aubin 2020
bottle price: $39

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Floral, Concentrated, Impressive New 2020 White Burgundy

If there’s any place left hidden in Burgundy, it might be the appellation Ladoix. In recent decades the demand for Burgundy has skyrocketed, and it sometimes seems like there isn’t much left to discover.

But even a serious Burgundy collector might have trouble finding Ladoix [lah-DWAH] on a map. Located just north of the famous Hill of Corton, the vineyards of Ladoix are downslope from some of Burgundy’s finest Grand Crus. Our longtime source here is the Domaine Ravaut, a traditional domaine making excellent wines of both colors.

Ravaut’s make several delicious reds from Ladoix, but it’s their white Ladoix we’ve always found really exceptional. From vines planted down slope from Corton-Charlemagne, Ravaut’s Ladoix blanc does an admirable impression of the great Grand Cru, and at a fraction of the price. It was writer Bill Nanson’s description of this wine as a “baby Corton-Charlemagne” that first drew us here, and it rings true today.

The 2020 in Ladoix is seriously impressive wine. The nose is deep and expressive with notes of lemon cream, chalk, and white flowers. The mouth is delicious – very concentrated, with a waxy texture and a bold, lemon-zesty finish alongside faint hints of pear.

Grand Cru Corton-Charlemagne this isn’t, but at less than half the cost, it punches way above its weight.

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Ravaut Ladoix blanc 2020
bottle price: $65

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Lovely, Old-School, Five-Year-Old Red Burgundy. $35

Alcohol levels are on the rise in just about every region in France. More heat means riper grapes, and more sugar means higher levels of alcohol. Growers are experimenting with canopy management to increase shade, adjusting plowing schedules, earlier harvesting, and other techniques to avoid overripeness, but the trend is clearly in one direction.

In Burgundy, the wine is still delicious – indeed you could argue it’s never been better – but it tastes a bit different than a decade ago. So those yearning for old-school Burgundy, we suggest today’s wine from 2017. Clear, middleweight, pure, and punchy – 12.5% alcohol, and perfectly balanced. Nothing fancy or showy, just humble, delicious, affordable red Burgundy.

Michel Gros farms quite a bit of land in the Hautes-Côtes de Nuits, a subregion to the west of his famous hometown of Vosne-Romanée. His Burgundies from this region are always delicious, and because of their under-the-radar zip code are often terrific bargains as well. Today’s wine is an Hautes-Côtes from 2017, a slightly cooler year that produced wines with lower acidities and friendlier tannins.

Today the 2017 Hautes-Côtes “Au Vallon” is just lovely. The nose shows earthy red cherries, delicate floral notes, and a hint of chalk. The mouth shows rounded structure, with perfectly balanced tannins and a clean, surprisingly elegant finish. This is traditional red Burgundy from a masterful winemaker in an extremely accessible vintage, all wrapped up in a neat 5-year-old package.

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Gros Hautes-Côtes “Au Vallon” 2017
bottle price: $35

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