Author: Thomas Wilcox

Some wines just hit a sweet spot between price and quality. All the way back to our brick and mortar days in Dupont Circle in Washington DC, the Goubert Sablet has been among the best sellers in our lineup. When we left it off our order last year, we had half a dozen customers write in to express concern.

It’s not the fanciest wine in our cellar — it’s not even the fanciest Côtes du Rhône. But there’s something about the balance of fruit, earth, texture, acidity, tannin and price that make it a winning combination. The 2020 has just arrived, and it’s hands down the best vintage Florence has made.

We were a bit nervous our “back up the truck” phrase in the October Futures writeup might have been overenthusiastic; but after finally opening a bottle this week, we can confirm that was no hyperbole.

The 2020 Sablet from Goubert might be the best Côtes du Rhône we’ve had in many years. It’s a blend of Grenache, Mourvèdre and Syrah, all fermented together in the same tank. It’s raised in large concrete vats rather than oak barrels, and the resulting wine is fresh and untouched by notes of vanilla or toast.

Goubert’s Sablet 2020 is dark, juicy and refreshing: the nose is a blend of wild cherries, lavender, violets, and cloves. In the mouth the fruits are red, perfectly ripe, with beautiful freshness and a clean, spiced finish. The weight is just right: rich, rounded tannins, mouth-coating fruit, solid supporting acidity, and a smooth finish.

Your search for a house red wine is over.

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Goubert Sablet 2020
bottle price: $19

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Though it has no Grand Cru vineyards, the white Burgundies of Meursault are some of the most sought after in the world. Classical Meursault inhabits the decadent, opulent end of the white Burgundy spectrum, drawing on clay-rich (pictured) soils to produce muscular, mouthfilling white wines.

In recent years the style has shifted towards less fat and more tension, and the average Meursault today is livelier than it was 20 years ago. Vincent Boyer makes several cuvées in this more modern style, but today’s is old-school. Drawing on nearly 100-year-old vines for extra concentration and depth, the Meursault “Ormeau” is classic: rich, decadent, and flat-out delicious.

Planted in 1924 by Vincent Boyer’s great grandmother Lucie, the “Ormeau” vineyard is named for the elm trees that once shared the clay-rich ground. This is classic, mouthfilling Meursault from vines that celebrate their centenary next year. The nose shows peaches and citrus, with pear and a faint nuttiness in the nose. All of Boyer’s wines are rich, elegant, and complex, but “Ormeau” is among the most classically Meursault in the lineup.

The 2020 is outstanding, from a vintage that has become widely hailed as a modern classic. There’s the prototypical Meursault nose – hazelnuts, white flowers, stones – but the mouth shows added concentration and superb energy. It’s still a traditional fleshy Meursault, but there’s and extra dose of concentration and tension. Burghound called it “elegant,” finding a “clean, lemony and agreeably dry finale.” William Kelley calls it “ample and fleshy, with lively acids and a saline finish.”

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Boyer-Martenot Meursault “Ormeau” 2020
bottle price: $75

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By Burgundy standards, Nuits-St-Georges is an enormous appellation, stretching nearly four miles end to end. The mineral content in the soil 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 lightest and most mineral.

Today’s cuvée comes from the middle, not far from the famous “Les St-Georges” vineyard from which the town draws its name. Michel Gros’s “les Chaliots” vineyard produces a classic expression of Nuits: deep intensity, muscular texture, deep dark fruit.

In his book “Inside Burgundy,” Jasper Morris MW singled out Gros’s “Chaliots” cuvée as among his best, calling it “dark in color and style of fruit, with firm tannins and fresh acidity,” and remarking “it ages exceptionally well for a village wine.”

The trick in Nuits-St-Georges (particularly the middle sector) is to balance the readily available tannin with enough fruit and finesse. The naturally rugged structure of grapes from Nuits lends itself to rusticity if not well tamed. As you might expect from someone who recently celebrated his 40th vintage at the helm of his domaine, Michel has steered this cuvée beautifully, and hit the balance just right. Burghound found “good punch to the mouth coating flavors.”

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. It’s very 2020 in its blend of concentrated ripe fruit but excellent acidity. We expect it to age beautifully over the next 3-5 years, but as with most 2020s, it’s simply delicious today. Serve with a warm plate of steak frites.

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Michel Gros Nuits-St-Georges “Chaliots” 2020
bottle price: $72

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The Northern Rhone Valley is best known for its pure-Syrah reds from towns like Côte Rôtie, Hermitage, and Cornas. The region’s most famous white – Condrieu – is pure viognier, and comes from a tiny appellation in the northern sector of the region. But in fact many of the other appellations also produce white, usually from one or both of the Roussanne and Marsanne varietals.

Today we’re excited to release our first new Northern Rhône white in many years: Domaine De Boisseyt’s Saint-Joseph blanc. Made from an equal blend of Roussanne and Marsanne, this spends 8 months in large barrels (none new) ahead of bottling. The resulting wine is unlike anything else in our portfolio, and simply delicious.

The Marsanne varietal produces rich, exotic, tropical notes of pears and peaches; the Roussanne brings freshness, savoriness, and a crisp minerality to the blend. Together they are an expressive, generous, captivating combination.

The first thing we look for in a white Rhône blend is freshness – without it the wines easily slip into flatness – and indeed today’s wine is expertly balanced. The nose is bright and clean with citrus, pear, melon, and no toast. The palate is juicy and mouthwatering, with orchard fruit, straw and nectarine.

Pair this with grilled fish or fresh goat cheese. Or earmark some for your Easter Sunday table.

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De Boisseyt St-Joseph blanc 2021
bottle price: $38

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It’s hard to find anything wrong with 2020 Burgundies. In both white and red, the wines are terrifically concentrated and yet possess vibrant acidity and beautiful balance. They’re predicted to age beautifully, but it’s hard to imagine many will last long in the cellar if they taste like this. The Wine Advocate’s William Kelley puts it “among the very best in the last two decades” for white Burgundies.

If there’s one fault in the vintage it’s the size of the crop. They’re awfully hard to find, and often pricey when you can. All of which makes Vincent Boyer’s Bourgogne blanc at $32 a striking bargain, and one we’re glad to be (for Burgundy) well stocked in. This is everything you want in an everyday white Burgundy, from a simply outstanding vintage.

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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Boyer-Martenot Bourgogne blanc 2020
bottle price: $36

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The Domaine les Goubert is among the domaines we’ve worked with the longest. Over more than two decades their consistency has remained unshakable – good vintage and difficult, up year and down, Goubert’s delicious, well-priced Gigondas cuvées are like trusty old friends.

In recent years Florence, the thirty-something daughter at the domaine, has taken over the winemaking, and turned an always consistent production into one that truly shines. Josh Raynolds of Vinous calls the wines “superb” and calls them “one of the appellations most venerable domaines.

Their 2020 Gigondas is the most exciting cuvée we’ve had from them in recent memory. The nose explodes with a symphony of floral notes, combining vibrant wild cherries, garrigue, blackberry, lavender, and earth. The mouth is long and fresh with excellent persistence.

Raynolds gave 93 points, finding “palate-staining red/blue fruit,” with flavors that “deftly blend power and delicacy,” before an “impressively long, floral- and spice-driven finish.” We think it’s a tremendous value, priced in a range to pull out on a chilly weeknight. The perfect accompaniment to a midwinter cold snap.

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Goubert Gigondas 2020
bottle price: $29

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Everyone seems to be raising their prices these days, but the Burgundians have been doing it since before it was cool. It’s hard to blame them – tiny vintages, pricier equipment, and a shortage of labor all contribute to rising costs. At the same time, demand and quality have never been higher.

Which makes the humble Bourgogne rouge from Domaine Ravaut all the more striking. Particularly in 2020, when each bottle of Burgundy seems to contain two bottles-worth of flavor, this wine is an outstanding value. It’s priced to enjoy on a weeknight, but delicious enough for a Sunday afternoon roast chicken.

Vincent Ravaut is a fourth generation winemaker in Ladoix, a town in the less famous stretch between the Côte de Nuits and Côte de Beaune. The Ravauts craft delicious, well-priced cuvées (white and red) from humble appellations. The Wine Advocate’s William Kelley calls them “hearty, characterful wines with plenty of stuffing.”

Ravaut’s 2020 Bourgogne rouge is intensely red-fruited, with notes of wild cherries and currants. The mouth is packed with flavor – juicy ripe tannins, plum and cassis notes, and 2020’s signature pitch perfect freshness. If you (like we) are constantly in search of an everyday red Burgundy for your cellar, your quest ends today.

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Ravaut Bourgogne rouge 2020
bottle price: $29

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Sauvignon blanc is among the world’s most widely planted grapes, but its origin is the Loire Valley. In the Loire, Sauvignon takes on a floral, mineral style, juicy grapefruit notes with a lively minerality, often notes of flint, and pleasant herbal finish.

Wine writer Lettie Teauge once described Sancerre as a wine that delivers “pleasure not profundity.” Located at the eastern end of the Loire, Sancerre produces consistently delicious wines — approachable, affordable, and uncomplicated.

Our source here is the Domaine de la Garenne, a family operation making classic, unoaked, vibrant Sancerre. It’s not showy or ageworthy, just pure, clean, and simply delicious.

Garenne’s new 2021 Sancerre is crisp and delightful. It’s bone dry with pure sauvignon grapefruit in the nose. In the mouth it’s lively but with no astringency or grassiness — a cooler vintage has added an extra dose of dry tension. Look for minerals and lime in the mouth, with dry extract, lovely tension, and surprising length.

Sancerre is as versatile as they come, pairing with anything and nothing. Our favorite match is a cozy moules frites — a simple broth of shallots, wine, parsley, garlic and tarragon. It’s just like Sancerre: humble, uncomplicated, and delicious.

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Garenne Sancerre 2021
bottle price: $25

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The Syrahs of the Northern Rhône are known for their intense color and soaring aromatics. Some wines even rival their Burgundian neighbors to the north in terms of elegance and subtlety. Though recent hot vintages have delivered a bit more meat on the bones than a decade ago, the most successful cuvées retain their classic northern complexity.

Our newest discovery in the region is the Domaine de Boisseyt, a recently founded domaine with an astonishing array of vineyards. At our most recent visit their 2019 Saint-Joseph “Izeras” grabbed our attention. This pure, sleek Syrah cuvée hails from old vines a windy plateau overlooking the river, and the resulting wine combines dark rustic power with floral, aromatic minerality in a dynamic concerto of high and low.

The 2019 Izeras finally arrived in our warehouse last week, and it’s as good as we remembered (if not better). The nose is dark and brooding, with no apparent oak and beautiful notes of tapenade, dark cherries, and stones. The mouth is compact and long, with a dry, sophisticated finish – it’s polished to sleek modern shine, but retains an rugged, untamed charm.

The Wine Advocate’s reviewer agreed with our enthusiasm, awarding 93 points and calling it “full-bodied, round and fleshy…with a long, silky finish.” He pointed out it’s “already drinking well, and should easily last through the end of the decade.” We think this domaine, and this cuvée in particular, is a real find – an awfully impressive wine under $50.

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Boisseyt Saint-Joseph “Izeras” 2019
bottle price: $49

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In a recent column, Vinous’s Rhône reviewer Josh Raynolds returned to one of his favorite subjects: Gigondas. This southern Rhône neighbor to Châteauneuf-du-Pape is perennially underrated; or as Raynolds writes: “Gigondas continues to be among the best values in high-quality, small production wines in all of France.”

We agree, and both of our producers here (Goubert and Joncuas) received terrific notes from Raynolds. Their styles diverge notably – Goubert toward polish and sophistication, Joncuas toward old-school, organic, and exquisitely complex. Today we’re focused on Joncuas, which Raynolds calls “a true insiders’ producer…with recent vintages their best yet.”

Winemaker Dany Chastan is the granddaughter of the founder, and she’s successfully raised the quality without abandoning the style. “These are true, old-school renditions of Gigondas,” writes Raynolds – whole clusters, ambient yeasts, not even mention of new oak.

Chastan’s 2019 Gigondas is a triumph, and just the ticket for a cozy winter afternoon. The nose explodes with black raspberry, plum, spice, earth and cedar; the mouth is rich and palate-coating but with excellent definition and exceptional length. Raynolds awarded 92 points, finding a “silky texture” with an “energetic, long, sappy finish” with “supple tannins that add shape and subtle grip.”

Hang up your skis, throw on your slippers, and curl up with a glass of masterful southern red.

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Joncuas Gigondas 2019
bottle price: $38

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Sofie Borhmann is a bit of an anomaly in Burgundy. She’s not French (she’s from Belgium), not well known, and exports very little to the US. In a tiny region with exploding demand and skyrocketing prices, her wines are quiet, well priced, and relatively unknown. We found them on a restaurant list in Beaune, and after some persistence managed to track her down.

It was worth the effort – her wines have become favorites among many of our readers for their clarity, meticulous oaking, and excellent pricing. Most of her wines in our portfolio are whites, but her reds – particularly today’s Bourgogne rouge – are terrific as well.

This is everything Bourgogne rouge is supposed to be – low oak, lovely red fruit, excellent energy, and a perfect Burgundian blend of earth and berries.

Borhmann’s Bourgogne vines are across the RN-74 from Pommard. At 35 years old, they’re more mature than many Bourgogne-level vines, and their fruit produces a wine of real complexity. She uses 70% whole clusters, giving the wines excellent definition and exquisite tension.

The nose shows seductive, crushed ripe red fruits, overlaid with a soft floral character. The mouth is perfectly ripe, smooth, and delicious, with fine chalky tannin supporting the bursting fruit. The 2020 shows a remarkably density, but also excellent acidity — some 2020 cuvées are destined for future greatness, but this one requires no patience.

This is everything you want from an everyday Bourgogne rouge. Nobody you serve it to will know the domaine, but after a sip or two they won’t care.

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Bohrmann Bourgogne rouge 2020
bottle price: $36

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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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Where much red Burgundy tends towards subtleness and finesse, the Domaine du Couvent style is noticeably more intense. The winemakers harvest relatively late, and use a long cold soak to extract loads of flavor and texture from their grapes. The resulting wines are concentrated, dark, and delicious.

Couvent is best known (and deservedly so) for their terrific village-level and premier cru wines from Gevrey-Chambertin and Chambolle-Musigny. They only began making a Bourgogne-level wine a few year years ago, but it’s an exciting addition to their lineup. And in 2018, a year of near-record ripeness, the wine is unusually good.

The nose is very dark and spiced, with briary blackberry fruit, notes of woods, cinnamon, smoke, and a hint of ginger. The mouth is bold and silky smooth with a solid texture laid under intense masculine fruit. It’s not as long or as deep as a Gevrey, but there’s loads more material than most Bourgogne-level wines.

No need to cellar this — this is a juicy, delicious glass of bold Pinot Noir today. If it lacks a bit of refinement and finesse, it makes up for it in character and charm. It might not be old-school Burgundy, but it’s awfully tasty wine.

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Couvent Bourgogne rouge 2018
bottle price: $35

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If we were to pick one thing we look for above all else when evaluating a wine, it would be balance. No matter the grape or region, style or price, a wine with all its elements in at the correct levels succeeds. Achieving balance between ripeness and freshness has become harder in recent hot, dry summers, particularly in the scorching south of France.

So we’re always thrilled to find classic Southern Rhône blends that manage to show energy and zip. The cooler than usual 2021 growing season gave winemakers a leg up in this effort, and we’re thrilled to release our first 2021 Rhône red today: Domaine le Souverain Séguret 2021.

Winemaker Eric Chauvin has crafted a humble, refreshing, delicious Rhône red – a screaming bargain that’s hard to put down. Made from 50/50 Grenache/Syrah raised only in stainless steel (no oak), this wine carries a beautiful energy throughout its dark, mouthfilling palate.

The nose is deep and perfumed, showing violet, cassis, and a hint of local garrigue. The mouth is dark and lush but with great freshness and a concentrated, middleweight mouthfeel. It’s the perfect wine for a weeknight burger or takeout pizza – upgrade your go-to Côtes du Rhône with a beautifully balanced everyday red.

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Souverain Séguret 2021
bottle price: $19

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