Author: Thomas Wilcox

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“Delicate, Charming” New Red Burgundy under $30

Vigneron: Gautier Desvignes took over his family domaine just a few years ago, but his arrival is already having an impact. He’s rebuilt his winery, replanted with new clones, and tightened up the fermenting and bottling regime. In the last two years Vinous and the Wine Advocate have arrived, calling his wines “superb,” “succulent,” and one of the region’s “five emerging talents to watch.”

Appellation: Gautier believes his family’s terroir in Givry is undervalued. For centuries the vignerons of the Côte Chalonnaise planted for quantity over quality. Today a new generation of winemakers has begun to replant and implement modern winemaking, and the power and subtleties of Givry’s terroir has emerged.

Wine: Perhaps no wine in the Desvignes lineup has improved more than their village-level Givry. Particularly in 2017, the wine is drinkable immediately, with silky tannins and beautiful young fruit — cherries, roses, briary berries, and earth. William Kelley (WA) called it “a delicate, charming Givry adapted to near-term consumption.”

Pairing: Skirt Steak and Cold-Oil Fries

You might also like: New Collection: Red Burgundies under $40

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Desvignes Givry 2017
bottle price: $29

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Sophisticated New $24 Bordeaux: 2017 Left-Bank Cru Bourgeois

Vigneron: The Negrier Family is a bit unusual for Bordeaux: a tiny family winery making small-batch, terrific wines from limited terroirs. Nearly all of their wine is sold to local customers who visit the domaine.

Vintage: Bordeaux experienced a tough frost in 2017, which cost winemakers nearly half their crop on average. The wines that survived show relatively low tannin, and will drink well from the start. Jancis Robinson, cites St-Estèphe as a standout appellation in the vintage; the vines for this Cru Bourgeois are just over the border.

Wine: Made from 50/50 Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2017 Moulin de Blanchon is remarkably drinkable today. The nose shows raspberry jam, tobacco, fresh leather, and forest floor. The mouth is smooth and rich, punchy and dry — juicy tannins that are enticingly approachable already. The palate is long and inky with fresh fruits and delicate chalky finish.

Pairing: Cast Iron Steak

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Moulin de Blanchon
Cru Bourgeois Haut Médoc 2017
bottle price: $24

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Smooth, Classy, Modern: New Pommard Premier Cru

A good French restaurant takes pride in its wine list. The restaurateur will curate a thoughtful collection of interesting wines, often from winemaker friends and acquaintances. And so when two of our favorite Beaune restaurants featured several bottles last year from a domaine we’d never heard of, we had to give them a try.

That’s our discovery story for the Domaine Borhmann, one of the most exciting finds we’ve made in years. Last fall we wrote about their exquisite white Saint-Aubin, and readers have been enjoying their vibrant, excellent Bourgogne rouge. Today we’re excited to release a new red from Bohrmann: Premier Cru Pommard.

Borhmann’s Premier Cru “La Chanière” is classic Pommard — big, muscly, earthy, and intense. The vineyard is a south-facing slope that receives excellent sun exposure. The hill is so steep that tractors are unusable — Borhmann uses a horse to plow the plot.

In the cellar they use 80% whole clusters, which lend a backbone and precision to the ripe, sun-filled palate. The wine sees 50% new oak barrels, but you would never guess it. The nose is gorgeous and spiced, with intense red raspberry fruit, alongside minerals and earth. As with all of Bohrmann’s other wines, the mouth is impeccably balanced: long, pure, clean, and gorgeous.

This wine has many happy years ahead of it, but it was delightful after an hour in a carafe at our warehouse tasting on Saturday. It’s dense, refined, immaculate red Burgundy of the highest degree.

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Bohrmann Pommard 1er cru 2017
bottle price: $89

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“Pure and Precise:” Gorgeous New $35 White Burgundy

When we first met Gautier Desvignes he was 12. We happened across the Desvignes family domaine in 1998, during our year spent living in Burgundy. Having been fans for over two decades, it warms our hearts to see the Propriété Desvignes begin to receive the acclaim it deserves.

Neal Martin of Vinous recently described their wines as having “wonderful balance,” calling them “excellent,” and “really quite superb.” The Wine Advocate’s William Kelley praised the Desvignes wines as “succulent,” “elegant,” and “a decided success.” He named Gautier, now the domaine’s thirtysomething winemaker, one of the region’s “Five Emerging Talents to Watch.”

We’ve imported almost exclusively the domaine’s reds in recent years, but in 2018 the whites were simply too good to pass up.

The Desvignes Givry blanc 2018 is truly elegant white Burgundy. Gautier has carefully layered subtle wood treatment atop a gorgeous array of fruit and flowers. The nose shows honey, pear, and spring flowers, with a hint of hay. The mouth is fresh, clean, long and complex — a powerful reminder that Burgundy’s fine terroir extends beyond the Côte d’Or.

The WA’s William Kelley called found notes of “pear, white flowers and blanched almonds,” calling it “pure and precise” and adding “it will drink well on release.” We agree, and expect this will make friends among fans of Santenay, Chablis, and Meursault.

Put potatoes and carrots in the base of a roasting pan, and roast a chicken on a Sunday afternoon. Pair it with this delightful white Burgundy and you’ll be in heaven.

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Desvignes Givry blanc 2018
bottle price: $35

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Excellence in Chambolle-Musigny since 1550

For years we’ve searched for a source in Chambolle-Musigny. The town has both a stellar reputation and miniscule size (population 300), and it hasn’t been easy to find a domaine without existing importing relationships. But this spring we finally stumbled upon the Domaine Boursot, a humble family of winemakers right in the heart of Chambolle.

The Boursots began making wine in Chambolle-Musigny in 1550; for centuries, like many Burgundy domaines, they sold their entire production each year to the negociants of Beaune. In 1974 Remy Boursot began bottling on his own, and today it’s his sons Romauld and Romaric making the wines as the 15th generation of Boursots.

We discovered the Boursots in part via a note from Vinous’s Burgundy reviewer Neal Martin, who writes of a “foundation for a promising future,” and describes Boursot’s wines as “superb,” “excellent,” “very fine,” and “worth seeking out.”

We’ve already sold through most of our initial stock from Boursot, and are excited to make a larger purchase later this year. Boursot’s premier cru Fuées rightly earns most of the spotlight in their lineup, but we were also taken with another Chambolle 1er cru from “Chatelots.” This cuvée provides silkier and less masculine depth than the famous Fuées, and in 2017 is simply delicious.

We opened a bottle of this at a tasting at the warehouse last month, and it stopped tasters in their tracks. The nose is spiced and gorgeous, with notes of dried roses, roast, violets, and wild cherries. The mouth is rich and concentrated, but without even a hint of aggression. The 2017 red Burgundies continue to impress with their ease and charm. This cuvée will certainly improve for years to come, but it’s already a stunner today.

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Boursot Chambolle-Musigny 1er “Chatelots” 2017
bottle price: $95

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Pocket Knife Wine: New $16 Côtes du Rhône.

In most home cellars, Côtes du Rhône is the pocket knife wine: a handy answer to nearly every question. Hosting thirsty guests? Go with a Côtes du Rhône. Pairing anything from salad to stew to soup to sirloin? Côtes du Rhône fits the bill. The best examples are crowd-pleasing, inexpensive, and full of character.

Our favorite Côtes-du-Rhône these days comes from the Domaine les Goubert — it’s among the best buys in our whole portfolio. It mixes a bit of Gigondas richness and depth with the hearty character of the rugged provençal landscape, and winemaker Florence Cartier’s touch of elegance and refinement.

It’s unlikely to be the fanciest wine in your cellar, but it might be the most useful.

A Côtes du Rhône should be three things: balanced, dark, and inexpensive. Goubert’s is all three. The relatively low alcohol, keeps it fresh and lively on the palate. The blend of six grapes classic Rhône grapes forms a rich, hearty, dark wine. And it’s inexpensive enough to pull out at a moment’s notice.

Goubert’s 2018 Côtes du Rhône is the expressive and refined, showing dark wild cherries, raspberries, and a hint of menthol. The mouth is both jammy and refreshing, with notes of white pepper, licorice, and plums.

It’s a by-the-glass wine for your kitchen, something to enjoy before and during your meal. Serve this with anything from hamburgers to our favorite pasta: oil, garlic, red pepper flakes, and ample grated parmesan. Just be ready when your guests start looking for a second bottle.

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Goubert Côtes du Rhône 2016
bottle price: $16

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Your New Favorite Sub-$30 White Burgundy

Burgundy is where Chardonnay finds its finest expression. In cold climates, the grape can be acidic and thin; in hot climates, it runs the risk of high alcohol and over extraction. But in Burgundy, Chardonnay has the potential to strike its most elegant balance between soft, mouthfilling fruit, and crisp, refreshing acidity.

Winemaker Vincent Ravaut deftly walks this balance between fullness and crispness in his white wines. The Ravaut family’s white Burgundies include some of the best we know, including an extraordinary, age-worthy Grand Cru Corton-Charlemagne. But today’s offer is for their simplest — a Bourgogne blanc that combines the golden texture of elegant Chardonnay with a vibrant line of freshness.

The Ravaut Family is a low-profile domaine in an often-forgotten town. They still sell a majority of their wine to loyal customers who visit their front door, and during our tastings their cellars are often crowded with visitors from Paris and elsewhere in France. The Ravauts fly mostly below the radar of the international wine press, and we feel lucky to have found them.

From France’s warmest vintage since 2003, the Ravaut Bourgogne Blanc smooth and ripe – an effortlessly drinkable glass of wine. The nose is expressive and attractive, showing pear and coconut, with a hint of lemon peel. The mouth is silky but lively, with notes of almond and toast balanced by green apple freshness. There’s more chalky length than you’d expect from a wine of this level.

This is a perfect house white Burgundy — lively and energetic, but full of rich smoothed fruit to coat the palate in style.

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Ravaut Bourgogne blanc 2018
bottle price: $28

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The Best $25 Syrah Around

Our source in Côte Rôtie is the Domaine Bonnefond. The Wine Advocate calls Bonnefond’s wines “among the finest in the appellation,” and Vinous’s Josh Raynolds recently called them “as graceful a group of wines that I’ve ever sampled.”

We’ve written recently about their terrific Côte Rôties, which regularly gain high scores and praise from the international wine press. Today’s Bonnefond Syrah is a bit easier on the wallet — it’s not as profound, and won’t cellar nearly as well. But it’s as complex and polished as any $25 bottle we can think of.

Made just outside the Côte Rôtie appellation, the 2018 Syrah is true Northern Rhône Syrah: The nose is spiced and expressive, with notes of violets, blackberries, tapenade, black pepper, and game. The mouth is beautifully balanced — it’s smooth and long, with low alcohol and dense meaty notes joining plum fruits and graceful minerality.

This is dangerously drinkable wine — something you might enjoy in a Parisian bistro or a picnic by the Seine. It’s not something to cellar or to serve to visiting dignitaries, but it will wash down a hearty steak or wood fired pizza with style.

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Bonnefond Syrah 2018
bottle price: $25

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Blackberry, Lavender, and Earth: Gulpable $19 Organic Rhône

Last April winemaker Eric Chauvin took us out into his vines for our tasting. He believes fervently in organic winemaking, and wanted us to taste his wine en plein air, amid the rich earth from which they spring.

The combination was magic — Chauvin’s wines pulsate with life and energy, a result of his low-intervention style and careful organic viticulture. Tasting them outside brought out their vibrancy, connecting us to the millenia of wines made from the very same earth.

These aren’t the fanciest or the most ageworthy wines in our portfolio. But it’s hard to think of any that are more alive.

We discovered Eric Chauvin’s wine three years ago in a bistro in Séguret. It took a few days to track him down — his Domaine le Souverain has no website, no road sign, and he didn’t answer our first few calls. But after finally connecting we realized quickly what a find he was.

Chauvin’s wines are intense and beautifully balanced Rhône blends that drink more like a Gigondas or Vacqueyras than the Côtes-du-Rhône pricing suggests. His 2018 Séguret is gorgeous — deep and juicy, with a blackberry and lavender nose, with a cool earthiness that fans of the Mas Foulaquier will immediately recognize. The mouth is beautifully balanced, with softened but present tannins, clean dark fruit, and a faint smokiness in the nose.

Pour this with pizza or sausages or smoked meats.

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Souverain Séguret 2018
bottle price: $19

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Gorgeous Everyday Red Burgundy from Michel Gros. $35

Burgundies aren’t always the most accessible of wines. The classification system is confusing, many bottles need cellaring, food pairing can be tricky, and there’s often a hefty entry fee. So we’re are always on the lookout for entry-level Burgundy — wine that drinks well young and that won’t break the bank.

One of our favorite sources for affordable Burgundy is the Hautes-Côtes de Nuits. This beautiful rural patchwork of vineyards, meadows, and monasteries lies just west of the more famous Côte d’Or. Michel Gros produces a wine from the Hautes-Côtes that retains the signature silky, smoky style of his more famous wines from Vosne-Romanée and Chambolle-Musigny. It’s an affordable chance to see what all the fuss is about.

All of our 2017 Red Burgundies are delicious — the French call them “restaurant wines,” a reference to their abundance, approachability, and charm. Gros’s 2017 Hautes-Côtes de Nuits boasts unusual polish for its price, with a nose full of violets, cassis, and earth.

Today the wines shows juicy wild cherry fruits, a concentrated earthiness, and a vibrant mouthfeel. It’s a great Burgundy to have around when you’re not feeling the need for Chambolle-Musigny, and it comes in at less than half the price.

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Gros Hautes-Côtes de Nuits 2017
bottle price: $35

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Silky New $25 Syrah: Currants, Licorice, Bacon, Violets

The Northern Rhône is the land of Syrah. Best known for its pure-syrah reds from towns like Côte Rôtie, Hermitage, and Cornas, the Northern Rhône produces spiced, intense, inky wines that give unique and precise expressions of their terroir. Most Syrah from famous towns starts north of $60/bot, and those from famous domaines quickly jump to three figures.

Which is why we’re so glad to have found the Domaine Saint Clair in Crozes-Hermitage. Denis Basset’s wines provide an opportunity to enjoy dark, peppery Northern Rhône syrah with greater frequency and lower investment. His 2017 Crozes-Hermitage “Etincelle” is a pure, juicy, classic syrah, with loads more complexity than your average $25 bottle.

Basset is a young winemaker who is passionate and very talented — the Guide Hachette calls his wines “superb,” “subtle” and “silky.” Basset came to winemaking through an accident with a high-voltage wire that nearly cut short his life. Upon leaving the hospital, he decided to pursue his lifelong dream of making wine from his family’s vineyards, and he hasn’t looked back.

Denis somehow continues to improve on his success — his 2017s are magnificent. The nose shows black tea, licorice, a hint of smoke, and currants. The mouth is lively and full of texture, with savory fruit, bacon, and violets.

Some $25 bottles are background music – a quiet array of flavors to accompany conversation. This is the opposite: complex, multilayered, intense, and unforgettable. Pair it with spiced lamb, or a flavorful roast.

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St-Clair Crozes-Hermitage 2017
bottle price: $25

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Exquisite Red Burgundy from a Hidden Source.

There’s not much left hidden in Burgundy’s Côte d’Or. A mere 30 miles long, the region is home to many of the world’s most famous vineyards. Limited supply and increasing demand mean even its most obscure corners receive visitors from around the world.

But even real Burgundy nerds scratch their heads when you mention the town of Ladoix. It’s right on the RN-74 (the main artery that runs through Burgundy) and located at the foot of the famous Hill of Corton. Yet it remains one of the last corners of the region relatively unknown.

Lucky for us. In a good year in the hands of a good producer, the wines of Ladoix can provide extraordinary value. Our source here is the centuries old Domaine Ravaut — a small family domaine of the highest quality.

The 2017 vintage produced what the Burgundians call “restaurant wines:” pleasant, young drinking Burgundies with easy tannins, punchy fruit, and attractive, approachable structures. We’ve found them simply delicious — they may not drink as well in 15 years, but they also might be all drunk by the end of 2020.

Ravaut’s 2017 Côte de Nuits-Villages sold out in a matter of weeks back in November. Today we’re suggesting it’s more sophisticated and classier cousin: the Ladoix 1er cru “Bois Roussot.” It’s bursting with strawberries and briary, woodsy berries in the nose; the mouth is smooth and leathery, with excellent density and a clean, modern finish.

Ravaut’s 1er crus usually need a year or two to show their stuff. This one is gulpably good today. Serve it with a meat-based wintery dish, and make sure to open some for yourself in the kitchen.

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Ravaut Ladoix 1er cru “Bois Roussot” 2017
bottle price: $48

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Rich, Velvety New Everyday Rhône Blend. $22

France’s Rhône valley produces rich, smooth red blends, perfect for a wintery afternoon meal. At one end there’s Châteauneuf-du-Pape, famous and long-lived; at the other there’s Côtes du Rhône, uncomplicated and inexpensive. Today’s wine is from the middle.

Many of our favorite red Rhônes come from the Domaine les Goubert, best known for their excellent Gigondas. Today we’re focused on one of their lesser known gems: red Beaumes de Venise.

If Beaumes de Venise calls to mind dessert wines, you’re not wrong. The town is famous for its sweet Muscat wines first planted in 600 BCE. But the terroir also produces a small amount of excellent red, with a rugged richness that makes them perfect for cold weather.

Goubert’s Beaumes de Venise is a blend of Grenache, Syrah, and Cinsault, with the final grape adding a sauvage quality that makes the wine distinct and delicious. The 2017 is dense and gorgeous, with all three grapes fermented together and raised in concrete tank. The wine is full of spice and garrigue, but all drawn from grapes and earth instead of oak.

The nose is dark and weathered, showing strawberry jam, honey, and earthy notes;. the mouth is lively and juicy, with pleasant structure. This is an astonishingly complete wine at $22. It’s perhaps a bit less refined than its older brother Gigondas, but what it lacks in elegance it makes up in pluck.

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Goubert Beaumes-de-Venise 2017
bottle price: $22

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[Advance Order] “Gorgeous,” “Impeccable” 2016 Chianti Classico, $250/case

French wines have long been the focus of the Ansonia portfolio. Of the 45 winemakers we work with, about half are from Burgundy, and all but a few are French. Our longtime exception to this rule is the Fattoria Poggerino.

Poggerino’s wines are all pure sangiovese — dark, delicately balanced expressions of an intense, powerful grape. We’ve worked with Poggerino for almost 15 years, but recently their star has risen dramatically. In his recent book Rajat Parr calls their wines “excellent” and “some of the purest expressions of the grape in Italy.”

As usual, the entire Poggerino lineup (including some exciting large formats) will appear in next Sunday’s January Futures release. But we’re singling one of our favorites out today to review in a bit more detail.

Poggerino’s 2016 Chianti Classico is simply terrific, with strawberry jam and anise on the nose, and cherries and roses in the mouth. The texture is firm and long, with excellent aging potential; but even today the wine opens nicely in a glass or carafe. It’s finer grained than in some recent vintages, offering gorgeous, velvety immediate drinking.

Antonio Galloni, founder and owner at Vinous, was effusive: “Poggerino’s 2016 Chianti Classico is gorgeous. Aromatically lifted and juicy on the palate, the 2016 has much to offer. Black cherry, plum, tobacco, new leather, licorice and spice are pushed forward in a supple, beautifully perfumed Chianti Classico. The 2016 is impeccably done. Best of all, it will drink well right out of the gate. 92 points”

We think this is among the finer vintages of Chianti Classico that Poggerino has made. If you’ve got Poggerino in your cellar already, this vintage is an excellent for replenishing your stock. And if you’re new to the wine, Futures offers a discounted way to try it out.

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Poggerino Chianti Classico 2016

Ansonia Retail: $300
January Futures: $250/case



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Rosé Grower Champagne, the Height of Elegance

Vigneron:   Pascal Bardoux is our grower Champagne producer just west of Reims. His Pinot Meunier dominant cuvées are carefully crafted and perfectly elegant. Amid Champagne’s haze of le marketing and glossy promotion, Bardoux’s wines are quietly brilliant.

Wine:   Bardoux’s Rosé Champagne is two thirds Pinot Meunier and Pinot Noir, and one third Chardonnay. The two dark grapes give gorgeous dry fruit (and color), and the Chardonnay adds freshness and length. This cuvée sits on the lees for three years before disgorgement; only 150 cases made each year.

Notes:   The nose is intense and fresh, with strawberries, crème brûlée, and apple pie. The mouth is crisp and dry but full of springy fruit; wild cherries and roses.

Pairing:   Drink this on its own, and not too far below room temperature. Let it develop in the glass. If a pairing is required, try Brillat Savarin, or gougères.

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Bardoux Champagne Rosé Brut NV
bottle price: $65

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