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“Truly astonishing wine.” Extraordinary New Pure, Vibrant Gamay

The Domaine Dupré-Goujon is quietly becoming a leading domaine in the Beaujolais. Winemaker Sebastien Dupré and Guillaume Goujon are crafting outstanding wines that elevate the potential of the gamay grape. We’ve gotten emails from customers with comments like “had no idea Beaujolais could be that good,” and “best Gamay I’ve ever had, by a lot.” We agree, and often find ourselves reaching for these vibrant organic wines.

Part of the Dupré-Goujon recipe is an extended elevage (for their reds) of over two years, first in barrels, and then in tanks. This is nearly unheard-of patience in the Beaujolais, but the results speak for themselves. Their 2021 Côte de Brouilly “Heronde” is the best wine we’ve had from them, all this in a vintage that produced more misses than hits.

The 2021 is magnificent – deep and perfumed but remarkably light on its feet. Writing for James Suckling’s review, Spigott gave 96 points, calling it “a truly astonishing wine…stunning concentration…explosive stony minerality.” The tannins are exceptionally fine, supporting deep floral notes of peony and roses. We think the complexity here rivals many wines at twice the price from the Côte d’Or, and indeed the subtlety and elegance calls to mind a Volnay made from Gamay.

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Dupré-Goujon Côte de Brouilly “Heronde” 2021
bottle price: $39

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Crowd-Favorite Sub-$40 White Burgundy Returns

Weeknight Burgundy is not an oxymoron. Yes, pricing for the famous names in Burgundy has gone a bit nuts of late – and while the wines have never been better, many cuvées now occupy the “special occasion” tier for most consumers. But we’re happy to report that with legwork and a bit of patience, there’s still value to be found.

The 2022 vintage in Burgundy produced quantity and quality for the first time in years – the wines are low in alcohol, full of ripe fruit and excellent freshness, with terrific concentration and appealing textures. And none more successful than the lineup of whites from Sofie Borhmann.

This is our fifth vintage buying from Sofie, a domaine in Meursault whose wines we discovered in a Beaune restaurant. Her wines are quietly brilliant, many hailing from well-known vineyards in St-Aubin, Puligny and Meursault. But it’s her outstanding everyday Bourgogne blanc that has become a staple of many readers’ cellars.

From vines near Meursault, this cuvée offers more than a little of the golden, opulent quality of the famous town. The 2022 is simply beautiful, with a sleek core of yellow orchard fruit with lemon peel and minerals – drier than in past years, with more polish. The nose shows very light toast, and the texture is dense and sophisticated. This well outperforms its regional-level billing, and we’d struggle to find a better value white Burgundy in our portfolio.

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Bohrmann Bourgogne Côte d’Or 2022
bottle price: $35

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Inky, Punchy, Delicious New Cru Beaujolais

There’s no more exciting corner of Burgundy today than the Beaujolais. Long derided as a source for inexpensive plonk, the wines made here today are as dynamic and delicious as anything in the Côte d’Or – and at a fraction of the price. Wine writer Stuart Piggott calls Beaujolais “the best value reds in the world,” and it’s easy to see why.

A new wave of exciting winemakers priced out of the land market in the north of Burgundy has landed in the Beaujolais; and while we’re sure they’d make tasty wine in Beaune, they’re more than succeeding in Brouilly. Frederic Berne is a leader in this new Beaujolais – passionate about organic viticulture and low intervention cellarwork, he’s typical of this exciting and innovative wave.

Berne’s 2022 Chiroubles is seriously good gamay. It’s concentrated and sturdily built – it would age several years with ease – but carefully balanced with acidity and lush fruit. The appellation’s signature deep rose petal nose is there, joined by a burst of wild cherry and a zip of stony minerals. This cuvée benefits from the hot dry vintage, combining ripe fruit and refreshing granite into a tasty package.

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Berne Chiroubles 2022
bottle price: $29

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Sleek, Vibrant New Premier Cru White Burgundy

Romain Collet is a mad scientist in the cellar. He’s matched each of his Chablis terroirs with a specific recipe of elevage vessels – a combination of stainless steel tank, concrete egg, clay amphora, and wooden barrels of various ages. Each is designed to bring out the unique character of every plot of vines.

The most clay-rich of Collet’s terroirs is “Butteaux,” a south-east facing sector of the Montmains vineyard on Chablis’s left bank. For this cuvée, Romain ages the wine in a combination of old oak barrels (5 to 10 years). The resulting wine has a concentration and layered complexity somewhere between premier cru and grand cru.

We were blown away by the 2022 Butteaux when we tasted it at the domaine, and so were tasters at this past weekend’s MushroomFest. It’s not exactly classic Chablis – less brisk and angular than some of Romain’s cuvées; but it’s perfectly balanced and simply delicious in the glass. It begins with a rich attack of concentrated fruit that might make you think of modern Puligny-Montrachet, but a vibrant splash of Chablisienne minerals bursts through the palate and it finishes dry and precise.

Jasper Morris MW was similarly impressed, finding “lovely generous fruit yet with tension. Very good this year,” and awarding 91-94 points – just a point behind Romain’s Grand Cru Valmur. Think of it as a particularly stony village-level Puligny-Montrachet, at a roughly 50% discount…

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Collet Chablis 1er “Butteaux” 2022
bottle price: $42

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“Sculpted,” Extraordinary New Grower Champagne

Several readers are already hooked on our newest Champagne producer, RH Coutier. Coutier has been a favorite of Vinous founder Antonio Galloni “for years;” he calls their wines “gorgeous… showing the natural richness of Ambonnay.” The Coutier style is open and accessible – the non-vintage “Traditionnel” is expressive, captivating wine at an exceptional price – today we’re introducing their finest cuvée.

We opened Coutier’s 2015 vintage champagne at a private tasting last week and it blew everyone (including the author of this post) away. It’s 75/25 Pinot Noir/Chardonnay, and has spent 96 months on the lees, gaining astounding complexity and depth. At 3g of dosage, this is dry, sophisticated and simply extraordinary.

The nose immediately jumps forth with layer upon layer of dry papery fruit; as it opens it adds almonds, brioche, and white flowers. The mouth is dry but full of texture and concentration, a sleek core perfectly balanced by delicate acidity and detailed minerality. Galloni found it “bright and sculpted” with “energy and cut,” remarking that “citrus peel, mint, white pepper and crushed rocks all race across the palate.”

If it sounds like we’re going over the top here, it’s a reflection of just how impressive we found this. Serve with a soufflé, cornish hens, a fish in beurre blanc, or just a quiet autumn Sunday afternoon.

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Coutier Champagne Millesimé 2015
bottle price: $82

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Rich, Tasty, Biodynamic Grenache from the Southern Rhône

Organic viticulture is the future of winemaking — the majority of our winemakers are organic or in conversion. But at some domaines, it’s also the past. The Domaine du Joncuas in Gigondas turns 100 years old next year, and they’ve practiced organic winemaking, as they put it, “depuis toujours” (“since forever”).

Sisters Dany and Carole Chastan are third generation vigneronnes practicing old-school winemaking — whole clusters, limited sulfur, all wild yeasts. They use no new oak, and neither fine nor filter. Their wines are juicy and deep and very expressive, with gorgeous fruit. Writer Jon Bonné has named them a benchmark producer of the region, “essential defenders of grenache’s good name.”

Their just-arrived 2022 Vacqueyras is delicious, and a terrific value. From an appellation just south of Gigondas, this is nearly all Grenache (85%). The nose is extraordinary, bursting with dark wild strawberry fruit, plums, lavender, bay leaf and earth – a splash of Mourvedre adds complexity and backbone. It’s a crowd-pleasing everyday red that will offer immediate pleasure.

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Joncuas Vacqueyras 2022
bottle price: $29

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Fresh, Juicy, Delicious Weeknight Red Burgundy

Much like their hometown of Morey-St-Denis, the Amiot family flies a bit below the radar. From their tiny domaine on the town’s main street, they craft delicious quantities of remarkable Burgundy. They make cellar-worthy, magnificent cuvées from premier crus like Ruchots and Combottes, and Grand Crus like Clos de la Roche and Charmes-Chambertin. But they also extend their considerable winemaking talent to their petits vins.

And none is friendlier or easier to enjoy than their Gamay-Pinot blend called Coteaux-Bourguignons. Drawn from up to 70-year-old vines, this cuvée for years was reserved only for family enjoyment. Particularly in a warm, concentrated vintage like 2022, it’s juicy, punchy and delightful – more serious than a Beaujolais, but more fun than a Bourgogne.

Amiot’s 2022 Coteaux-Bourguignons shows that top notch winemaking can elevate even humble terroir. The nose is dark and juicy with notes of plums, cherries, and earth. The mouth combines the elegance and length of pinot noir with the juicy freshness of gamay. It’s more complex than a blend of this type usually is, but no less fun.

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Amiot Coteaux-Bourguignons 2022
bottle price: $32

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Brisk, Delicious New Premier Cru Chablis

In recent years the profile of Chablis has changed a bit. Most cuvées still show the terroir’s classic stony, mineral intensity; but warm summers have added a bit of extra flesh to the wines. Our favorites still taste like Chablis, but are often a bit easier to approach young or on their own.

Winemaker Romain Collet has deftly steered his family’s domaine through this new climate, and we’re not alone in this conclusion. Wine Critics Allen Meadows (Burghound) and William Kelley (Wine Advocate) 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.

Collet’s 2022 Chablis 1er cru “Forets” is a delicious, classy Chablis. It’s raised mostly in cement eggs, which add depth and texture to the crisp minerals and fruit. This is delightful, complete white Burgundy on its own, but also a terrific match with food. Burghound cites “minerality on the moderately austere and quite dry finale.” He concludes, “I like both the balance and the delivery and this is one to consider.”

A dry, mouthfilling texture cut by a lime zest and saline – this is a triumph of modern Chablis.

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Collet Chablis 1er cru “Forêts” 2022
bottle price: $42

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Vibrant, Silky Chambolle-Musigny from our Exciting New Source

We’re delighted to welcome Christian Clerget back into the Ansonia portfolio. Thirtysomething Justine Clerget (Christian’s daughter) is now in charge, and has brought renewed energy, refined techniques, and a passion for organic viticulture. The Clerget wines were always classical, terroir-transparent, old school red Burgundy; Justine has maintained this spirit but added polish and class.

This tiny gem of a domaine has always been a favorite of ours – from their winery in Vougeot (population 174) they farm 6 hectares (14 acres) of average 60 year-old vines across eight appellations. We have four Clerget cuvées in stock from the exceptional 2022 vintage, and none is more exciting than their village-level Chambolle-Musigny.

The Chambolle is a blend from six different plots around the town, and shows the village’s classic silky, seductive nature. Neal Martin gave 90-92 points, praising its “sense of vibrancy and tension” on a “very well-controlled and persistent finish,” concluding “this is worth seeking out.” This is a wine of perfume, elegance, and grace, but with real density from the hot, dry summer – we think it punches above its village weight.

Served from a decanter at a dinner last week, this was youthful, sleek, deep and expansive — a delicious bottle with many years ahead of it.

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Clerget Chambolle-Musigny 2022
bottle price: $82

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[Advance] Introducing: An Exciting New Discovery in Burgundy, 25% off

We first met Arnaud Baillot where many great relationships have started – at a bar. This spring, as we enjoyed a terrific meal at La Superbe, a delicious new restaurant in Beaune, we struck up a conversation with the young couple a few seats down the counter. They explained they were local winemakers, we told them about our import business, and by the end of the night we had exchanged Instagram follows, with promises to remain in touch.

Baillot is a bit of an anomaly in Burgundy – he has no family connection to wine or the region, and has only been making wine for six years. His wife Laure is of a storied Burgundian family (Hudelot-Noëllat), but they have short winemaking experience and almost zero reviews. Still, since a hidden gem is the perpetual pursuit of all importers, we squeezed an appointment in late in the afternoon of our final tasting day this spring.

We’re certainly glad we did. Baillot is a talented, thoughtful winemaker with excellent instincts and impressive resources. He makes wine from a wide array of plots around the Côte d’Or, some farmed himself, some from carefully purchased grapes. We’re including three of his delicious 2022 reds in next week’s September Futures release – as well as an exciting collaboration between Baillot and his friend Theo Dancer of Chassagne-Montrachet fame – but we’re singling out his Bourgogne rouge for attention today.

Baillot’s 2022 Bourgogne Côte d’Or is lively, delicious, and eager to be drunk. The strawberry/cherry fruit is perfectly extracted, giving floral notes of violets and roses. It’s fully destemmed, from vines near Pommard and Volnay, and shows persistence and depth without sacrificing elegance. At just 10% new oak, this is a lithe, modern red Burgundy bursting with vibrancy and real style.

In short, we think Baillot has the makings of a star. But beyond his prominent spot on the wine list at Ma Cuisine and his inclusion in the Berry Brothers portfolio, you’ll have to take our word for it. Whether or not he gets famous some day, we are sure you’ll enjoy every bottle of this terrific sub-$30 Bourgogne rouge.

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Arnaud Baillot Bourgogne Côte d’Or 2022

Ansonia Retail: $468/case
September Futures: $350/case ($29.16/bot)

To order this wine, email Tom

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The “Insiders’ Producer:” Expansive, Magnificent Gigondas

Gigondas continues to produce some of the best value southern reds around. At their best they match the complexity and depth of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, but at a noticeable discount. Our producer here, the Clos du Joncuas, is described by Josh Raynolds of Vinous as an “insiders’ producer…true, old-school renditions of Gigondas.”

Winemaker Dany Chastan is the granddaughter of the founder, and she’s successfully raised the quality without abandoning the style. Organic for over 40 years, she uses 100% whole clusters, ambient yeasts, and not even mention of new oak – this is pure, unrestrained expression of magnificent terroir.

Chastan’s 2019 Gigondas is a triumph – we’ve bought it now three times, and each time it gets better. We poured it for a tasting last night and it was easily the crowd favorite – smooth, generous, expansive and flat out delicious. 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 found “silky texture” with an “energetic, long, sappy finish” with “supple tannins that add shape and subtle grip.”

Just the wine to stock for your autumn cellar.

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Joncuas Gigondas 2019
bottle price: $42

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Exquisite, Meursault-Like White Burgundy

Vincent Boyer lost nearly 90% of his Meursault crop in a single cold night in April 2021. The resulting wines were tremendously successful, but exceedingly rare – indeed we’ve almost sold every bottle already. But for some reason the frost spared Vincent’s regional-level wines: Bourgogne Côte d’Or, and Aligoté. They’re delicious and we’re delighted to be well stocked.

Sourced from old vines, crafted by a masterful winemaker, and given (like his Meursaults) an exceptionally long 22 months of elevage before bottling, Boyer’s 2021 Bourgogne Côte d’Or is a triumph – far closer to a village Meursault than a humble regional-level wine.

We found Vincent’s 2021 Bourgogne his best yet, and we weren’t alone in our enthusiasm. Burghound gave it his “outstanding” distinction, finding “white orchard fruit and orange peel,” with “excellent punch and delineation,” from “delicious medium weight flavors” and a “sneaky long finish.” He concluded, simply, “Lovely.” We agree – 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. Every bottle we open gets better.

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Boyer-Martenot Bourgogne Côte d’Or 2021
bottle price: $45

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Terrific New 2022 Syrah from a Northern Rhône Star

Stephane Robert of the Domaine du Tunnel is one of the brightest stars in Cornas. He’s humble and quiet in person, but his wines are bold, assertive, and charming. Robert farms an envious collection of old Syrah vines around the tiny appellation, and his wines are well worthy of their hype. Vinous calls Tunnel “among the top producers of Cornas.”

Stephane also produces an excellent cuvée from St-Joseph, a large appellation that stretches from Cornas in the south to Côte Rôtie in the north. This enormous span covers a wide range of terroirs, and makes the character of St-Joseph hard to pin down. Tunnels vines are all in the south, and we think it’s best considered a JV version of his iconic Cornas.

Drawn from 40+ year old vines and clocking in at a cool 13% alcohol, this is vibrant, intense, Syrah with Tunnel’s signature polish and class. There is a pleasant nose of dark fruit supported by exceedingly fine-grained tannins, and also excellent length. Vinous’s reviewer reported that “Vivid red and black cherry, violets and leafy subtleties rise up from the glass….polished and concentrated.”

Pour this characterful, perfectly-balanced Syrah as autumn arrives.

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Tunnel St-Joseph 2022
bottle price: $59

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Wine Club is Back!

With the summer heat now (mostly) behind us, we’re delighted to announce the restart of our monthly wine club! We’ve made a few changes, and have added to the membership offering. Join the wine club and, like last year, you can expect:

  • 3 bottles delivered monthly; white or red
  • 10-20% off retail value of the trio
  • tasting notes, recipe ideas, winemaker background
  • video recordings of Tom or Mark discussing the wines
  • followup coupon: purchase any full case of the club wines at 20% off

but this season we’re adding for club members:

  • early access to website sales
  • exclusive access to limited-release wines not found on our site
  • site-wide discount coupons
  • monthly 4th bottle giveaways

We’ve also added a second tier called “Wine Club Plus” focused on premier crus and back vintages. As always, there’s no commitment — cancel anytime.

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Click below to subscribe!

Wine Club (Reds): $98/mo
Wine Club (Whites): $98/mo

Wine Club Plus (Reds): $195/mo
Wine Club Plus (Whites): $195/mo

 

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Everyone’s Favorite Châteauneuf-du-Pape Returns

Christophe Mestre is from an old Châteauneuf-du-Pape family. Together with his wife and son they craft a single delicious, traditional, early drinking cuvée. In a town where luxury cuvées and single-varietal bottlings have become in vogue, the Mestres stick with the original formula – a single, appellation-wide cuvée.

Christophe farms plots more than a dozen plots around the appellation, blending Mourvèdre, Grenache, Syrah, and a touch of Cinsault. The elevage is 18 months, mostly in foudres and large oak, with some in cement eggs and vats. The resulting wine is accessible, crowd pleasing, and the perfect bottle to welcome fall.

The 2022 vintage is particularly pretty. It offers an expressive nose of youthful fruit with attractive floral notes. It’s rich and supple of course, but with noticeable freshness that prevents heaviness and keeps it juicy. The bigger the glass you have, the more you’ll appreciate the nose. Serve with an autumn stew.

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Mestre Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2022
bottle price: $35

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