Thomas Wilcox, Author at Ansonia Wines

Posted on August 6, 2019August 6, 2019 by Thomas Wilcox

Extraordinary Value: “Declassified” 5-Year-Old Premier Cru Red Burgundy

Sometimes it pays to do business face to face. This April, during a tasting at Domaine des Varoilles with owner Gilbert Hammel, he left the room suddenly, saying “I think I have something you might be interested in.”

He returned with a bottle of 2014 Gevrey-Chambertin, but a cuvée we didn’t recognize from his price list or vineyard map. He explained it was a special cuvée made from slightly younger vines in one of his famous premier crus.

This mystery cuvée was dynamite in the glass — floral, open, serious but accessible. (One line in our notes from April says simply, “why is this so drinkable?”) And when Monsieur Hammel finally quoted the price, we knew we had a find.

The Gevrey Chambertin 1er cru “Les Moniales” comes from vines in “Clos des Varoilles,” a large premier cru vineyard that dates to the 12th century. The name “Moniales” (“nuns”) refers to the domaine’s main building, originally a convent centuries ago. Hammel separated the slightly younger (still 40+ year old) vines from his vineyard in 2014, and dialed back the extraction.

The result is a cuvée with less tannin, perhaps less future, and a 40% discount from the regular Clos des Varoilles. At $65, we think it’s a bargain, and one you can enjoy today. The nose shows deep cherry spice, licorice, and earth, with perfectly integrated oak and cherry fruit leather. The mouth presents dark, fine tannins, and juicy, mouth-staining, inky fruit. It finishes with cinnamon, black pepper, and spice: rugged and refined, masculine and concentrated.

There aren’t any scores or reviews to quote you for this wine — there wasn’t much made, and but for Mr. Hammel’s whim we wouldn’t know it existed. But the bottle we opened last night proved our initial impressions right: it’s a real Gevrey-Chambertin that far outperforms its label and pricetag.

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Varoilles Gevrey-Chambertin 1er “Moniales” 2014
bottle price: $65

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Posted on August 4, 2019August 4, 2019 by Thomas Wilcox

At last, a New Source in Chambolle-Musigny: Superb $35 New Red Burgundy

New winemakers in Burgundy are hard to come by. It’s a tiny region, and between small harvests, ever increasing demand, and well-established importers, it can seem there’s nothing new to discover.

But with a bit of research and a dash of persistence, we’ve still managed to find hidden gems. This Spring we discovered the Domaine Boursot, based in part on a recommendation from Vinous’s Burgundy reviewer Neal Martin. Martin writes of a “foundation for a promising future,” and describes Boursot’s wines as “superb,” “excellent,” “very fine,” and “worth seeking out.”

Our tasting in April confirmed Martin’s impressions: a domaine with excellent terroir and a passionate new generation taking over. It’s just the recipe for a real find.

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 making the wines as the 15th generation.

Their three Chambolle-Musignys in stock are all excellent, but we were seriously impressed with their Côte de Nuits-Villages: a humbler wine from an extremely well-located plot. And we mean well-located: their vines are immediately on the other side of the wall from Chambolle royalty Frédy Mugnier’s famous Nuits-St-Georges 1er cru “Clos de la Maréchale,” (see photo).

Boursot’s 2017 CDNV is an excellent entree to their gamme: the nose is dark and spicy, with classic Côte de Nuits cassis and hints of black pepper and toast. The mouth is punchy and juicy, with a crackling mouthfeel laid over lots of beefy extraction. And at $35 it will run you far less than the $100 stuff from the other side of the wall. Decant for 30-45 min.

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Boursot Côte de Nuits-Villages 2017
bottle price: $35

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Posted on July 31, 2019July 23, 2020 by Thomas Wilcox

12 Classic French Food-Wine Pairings

A perfect food-wine pairing elevates both elements. Here are 12 favorite French recipes pairings, including Burgundy, Bordeaux, Rhône, Sauternes, and more.

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1. Chablis & Oysters

Chablis is a satellite region of Burgundy, known for its pure chardonnay wines made with little or no oak. Classic Chablis is full of tension, minerality, and zest. The soils of Chablis are rich in calcium and fossils from an ancient sea, making the pairing with oysters natural and perfect. Most oyster dishes pair well with Chablis, but the simplest and finest match is raw.

Ansonia Ideas: Gautheron, Collet
Oyster Ideas: Island Creek, Norumbega

2. White Burgundy & Veal

White Burgundy is the highest expression of Chardonnay. Famous sources include Meursault, Chassagne-Montrachet, Puligny-Montrachet, St. Aubin, and Corton-Charlemagne. As long as the wine retains some acidity, it should match beautifully with the subtle, delicate flavors of the veal. We’ve linked our favorite stew below.

Ansonia Ideas: Boyer-Martenot, Morey, Ravaut, Thomas, Belland
Veal Recipe: Marcella Hazan’s Veal Stew with Sage, White Wine, and Cream

3. Muscadet & Mussels

Muscadet is the refreshing, uncomplicated white wine made along the Loire River near the Atlantic Coast. With the ocean nearby, it’s a perfect match for shellfish, particularly oysters or mussels.

Ansonia Ideas: Martin-Luneau
Mussles Recipe: David Liebovitz Moules Marinières

4. Sancerre & Sole/Flounder

Sancerre is pure Sauvignon Blanc, and our favorites (including those from neighboring Pouilly-Fumé) are tank raised with no oak. Their combination of juicy grapefruit and mineral freshness matches beautifully with a fine fish in butter. Julia Child cites the combination as one of her favorites.

Ansonia Ideas: Garenne, Michot
Sole Recipe: Bon Appetit’s Sole Meunière

5. Condrieu & Asparagus with Hollandaise

Condrieu is the highest form of Viognier, a grape known for its viscous texture and explosive aromatics. Asparagus is famously difficult to pair with wine, but this combination elevates both into a perfect food-wine pairing. Make sure to use enough lemon in your hollandaise, and don’t overcook your asparagus.

Ansonia Ideas: Bonnefond
Recipe: Bon Appetit’s Hollandaise

6. Red Burgundy & Duck

Red Burgundy is the most complex and subtle expression of Pinot Noir. At its finest it combines delicate berry fruits with cool earthiness; as it ages red Burgundy picks up notes of underbrush, mushrooms and leather. Our favorite pairing is a carefully roasted duck breast, marrying the delicacy of red meat with a hint of gaminess.

Ansonia Ideas: Gros, Amiot, Varoilles, Quivy, Belland, Ravaut
Duck Recipe: Thomas Keller’s Pan Roasted Duck Breasts

7. Southern Rhône Red & Stew

Southern Rhone reds usually blend Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, and other grapes. The resulting wines are bold and rich, with mouthfilling textures and dark, jammy notes. Most beef stews work well with these sturdy, cozy wines; one of our favorites comes from Patricia Wells, an expert in Provençal cooking.

Ansonia Ideas: Goubert, Souverain, André, Malmont, Joncuas, Mestre
Stew Recipe: Patricia Wells’s Daube au Vin Rouge

8. Beaujolais & Coq au Vin

Beaujolais is the often-underestimated red from southern Burgundy. Made from pure Gamay, the wines are jubilant and easy to appreciate. The freshness in Beaujolais gives it plenty of tension to cut through the richness of stew, but the berry notes match better with chicken than beef or pork.

Ansonia Ideas: Perrachon, Monnet
Coq au Vin Recipe: Julia Child’s Coq au Vin

9. Northern Rhône Syrah & Lamb

Northern Rhône Syrah is as subtle and elegant as the varietal gets, combining dark berry complexion with soaring, lightweight aromatics. Tasters often find notes of smoked meats, bacon, licorice, and cloves, and our favorite food-wine pairing for these is the subtle gaminess of lamb.

Ansonia Ideas: Bonnefond, Saint-Clair, Dumien-Serrette, Tunnel
Lamb Recipe: Daniel Boulud’s Leg of Lamb

10. Bordeaux & Steak

Steak pairs well with many reds from France, but our favorite match is Bordeaux. In particular, merlot-dominant Bordeaux from the right bank (Pomerol, St-Emilion) provides a juicy foil for the savory richness of fine steak. We recommend splurging on meat quality, and using crunchy flake salt for texture.

Ansonia Ideas: Dauriac, Fleuron de Liot, Lafont-Menaut
Steak Recipe: Bon Appetit’s Perfect Steak

11. Vin Jaune & Comté

Vin Jaune is the oxidized, sherry-like wine made in France’s Jura region. It’s intense, unusual, and delicious: think notes of walnuts, dried fruit, anise, curry, pine, etc. It can be a bit abrupt on its own, but with cheese – specifically Comté from the same region – it is magical. A legendary food-wine pairing.

Ansonia Ideas: Ligier
Cheese Suggestion: 24-36 month Comté

12. Sauternes & Roquefort

Sauternes is another idiosyncratic wine, but one with a long and famous history. A favorite wine of Thomas Jefferson, Sauternes is made from mold-covered shriveled up grapes just south of Bordeaux – it’s sweet, complex, and remarkable. Look for notes of apricot, pineapple, magon, ginger, caramel and honey. We suggest combining this moldy sweetness with some moldy saltiness: any blue cheese will do, but Roquefort will do best.

Ansonia Ideas: Voigny
Cheese Suggestion: Roquefort (room temperature)

Posted on July 31, 2019July 31, 2019 by Thomas Wilcox

Cool, Crisp, Dry Alsatian White

Hot weather requires cold wines. Most wines lose complexity when you chill them, so we tend to reach for simpler bottles in the summer. And at our house, it’s not summer without a glass of Auxerrois.

From the granite covered hillsides of Alsace, winemaker Christophe Mersiol crafts a gorgeous blend of fruit, flowers, and freshness. The grape is a variation of Pinot Blanc, and Mersiol’s displays a perfect balance between round, mouthfilling fruit, and stony, crystalline freshness.

With over a month left in summer, this is a great wine to have around. A cool glass on its own after work, an aperitif to welcome your dinner party guests, or a match for a summery pasta.

Mersiol Auxerrois 2016
Bottle Price: $18
12+ bot price: $15.3/bot

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Posted on July 30, 2019 by Thomas Wilcox

Crisp, Dry, Organic Loire Valley Chenin Blanc. $18

All of our winemakers care deeply about their craft, but Nicolas Paget is unusually impassioned. He believes fervently in his vines, his wines, his technique and his terroir.

His excitement is well founded. Paget crafts delicious white wines from Chenin Blanc, a grape responsible for the great wines of the central Loire Valley, particularly Vouvray.

Paget’s Chenins are much like our favorite Vouvrays — they range from very dry to very sweet, with much in between. Today’s cuvée, the 2018 Chenin “Melodie,” is bone dry and the perfect antidote to summer heat.

Paget’s Melodie is a symphony of springtime in a glass. It’s exactly the wine we went searching for in the Loire: dry, expressive, organic Chenin Blanc with good balance and all of Chenin’s signature aromatic complexity. The 2018 has just arrived, with a splash more freshness than the 2017, but no less exuberance and fruit.

There’s pear and melon in the nose, with a dose of citrus and white flowers. The mouth is exceptional — lively and complex, with delicate freshness, bright minerality, and notes of dried orchard fruits.

It’s quintessential aperitif white wine: lively and dry, but with gorgeous fruit and beautiful texture. Serve it on a summer patio, a roofdeck soirée, or a backyard cocktail party.

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Paget Chenin “Melodie” 2018
bottle price: $18

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Posted on July 28, 2019 by Thomas Wilcox

Inky, Exquisitely-Balanced Left-Bank Bordeaux: Our New Margaux Arrives

If you know anything about Margaux, it’s probably about the iconic Chateau Margaux. But there’s lots to the appellation besides the famous First-Growth chateau. Margaux’s sandy, gravel-filled soils produce some of the Left Bank’s most elegant red wines; Jancis Robinson cites their “haunting perfume,” and “silky texture.”

This spring we discovered a delightful new wine from Margaux, the Chateau Larrieu-Terrefort. We’re not claiming it competes with its famous neighbor, but with Chateau Margaux running $750 per bottle, this sub-$50 cuvée is a comparative bargain.

Margaux has exceptional terroir – don’t limit yourself to experiencing it only as a splurge.

We opened the 2016 Larrieu Terrefort at our Newton Warehouse tasting yesterday, and it was delicious: a sophisticated, classy blend with real subtlety and elegance. It’s dark and powerful, but with silky, seductive texture; and at 13.5% alcohol it’s a welcome break from domestic Cabs with sledgehammer power.

The nose offers floral notes of violet, almost syrah-like, that blend nicely with the oak in which the wine was raised. Joining the violets are dark chocolate, black raspberry, and a hint of earth. It’s still a young wine, but its tannins are rich and perfectly balanced.

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Larrieu-Terrefort Margaux 2016
bottle price: $42

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Posted on July 23, 2019July 23, 2019 by Thomas Wilcox

Inky New Organic Rhône Reds: 93 points, “Succulent,” “Velvety”

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”).

Joncuas wines prove at least one thing about organic winemaking: it works. We stumbled across Joncuas this spring, and they’re one of the most exciting additions to our portfolio we can remember.

We’re thrilled to introduce their wines today: 2017 Vacqueyras and 2016 Gigondas.

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. For readers familiar with our portfolio, combine the ethos of Foulaquier or André with the terroir of Goubert.

Their 2017 Vacqueyras is bold and meaty. It’s 80% grenache, and the rest Syrah and Mourvèdre. The nose bursts with distilled red fruits and spice, lavender, and earth. The mouth is rugged and smooth with excellent length and notes of tapenade, bay leaf, plums and licorice. It’s twice the intensity that $25 normally buys.

Jancis Robinson found “succulent black fruit with good definition and purity,” and “lovely juicy fruit lingering on the finish.” Serve this with grilled meats this summer, and stews this fall.

The Joncuas Gigondas 2016 is a magnificent. It’s 80% grenache (some from centenarian vines), with the rest Mourvèdre and Cinsault. The fruit is clean and very pure, with a gorgeous silky texture and notes of violets, raspberry, garrigue, and spice. Think of it as Grenache that wants to be Syrah.

The Wine Advocate awarded 93 points, finding it “big and balanced,” “plush,” and “velvety and long.” Close your eyes and this is easily a Châteauneuf-du-Pape; open them and it’s an astonishing amount of wine for under $35.

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Joncuas Vacqueyras 2017
bottle price: $25

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Joncuas Gigondas 2016
bottle price: $34

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Posted on July 23, 2019 by Thomas Wilcox

“Outstanding” New Chassagne-Montrachet: Ten Generations of Excellence

Everything about Thomas Morey is precise. From his wire-rimmed glasses, to his spotless tasting rooms full of Zalto stemware, to his clean, meticulous wines: Morey is a man of purity and precision.

Morey is based in Chassagne-Montrachet, a town known for its white Burgundies full of richness and opulence. In style, Morey’s wines almost more resemble neighboring Puligny-Montrachet. But in fruit profile, depth, and expression of terroir, they’re classic Chassagne.

Morey’s spectacular lineup of 2017s has just arrived in our warehouse (browse all six here). Today we’re releasing his flagship: 2017 Chassagne-Montrachet villages.

Morey is relatively new to our lineup, but not to Chassagne. He’s a 10th generation resident: his ancestor Claude Morey arrived in 1643. His wines are as polished as any white Burgundies we’ve ever tasted. Jasper Morris calls them “very pure, precise, and elegant.” He’s been organic since 2014, and his wines pulsate with energy and life.

His 2017 Chassagne perfectly captures the Morey style. The nose shows dried peach, lime zest, green tea, and stones; the mouth is lush and round, but with excellent freshness and vibrant tension. Burghound called it “outstanding,” finding it “bold, rich” and “promising.” Morey blends 15% of premier cru vines into this village wine, and the depth and richness is evident.

It should improve for another 5 years, but it’s a magnificent glass today. Pair this with scallops with herbed brown butter.

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Morey Chassagne-Montrachet 2017
bottle price: $65

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Posted on July 18, 2019 by Thomas Wilcox

Delicious New 2015 Saint-Emilion. $25

Bordeaux is best known for its expensive, ageworthy red wines. Some carry 3- and 4-figure price tags; the best age for half a century or more. But not all Bordeaux reds are so prestigious.

At ten times the size of Burgundy, there’s an ocean of Bordeaux beyond the famous names. Much is mediocre and uninteresting. But some is genuinely delicious, and careful shoppers can find great value.

This spring we discovered a delicious, well-priced St-Emilion Grand Cru. It’s humble, smooth, uncomplicated; and at $25 it’s priced to enjoy with your weeknight pizza.

Like most wines from Bordeaux’s Right Bank, this is 60% Merlot; (the rest is 25% Cab Sauvignon, and 15% Cab Franc). The 2015 growing season on the Right Bank was magnificent. Master of Wine James Lawther wrote recently of the 2015 Right Bank reds “I wouldn’t say it’s the greatest ever, but it’s a very, very good vintage.”

Notes of Merlot jump from the nose on this wine: think licorice, plum, leather, iodine. The mouth is clean, mid-weight, and very well balanced, with smooth tannins and notes of cherry jam and pepper.

Don’t limit yourself to Bordeaux only on special occasions. Cheval Blanc this is not; but for a Wednesday evening bottle you don’t have to think about much, look no further.

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Bouquey St-Emilion Grand Cru 2015
bottle price: $25

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Posted on July 18, 2019 by Thomas Wilcox

Bold New 2015 Red Burgundy under $40

The wines of the Domaine des Varoilles are at the bold end of the Burgundy spectrum. All of their cuvées come from Gevrey-Chambertin, a village known for its robust, masculine wines. Where much red Burgundy tends towards subtleness and finesse, the Varoilles style is noticeably more intense.

We didn’t realize Varoilles even made a Bourgogne until it appeared on a price list this spring. We tasted the 2015 in April and were thrilled to discover it was right in line with the rest of the domaine’s wines — its density and richness calls to mind a village level Gevrey-Chambertin rather than regional level wine.

For those looking to sample the Varoilles style at a more reasonable price, here’s a surprise opportunity.

As with most of Burgundy, terroir explains everything. The vines for this Bourgogne are just over the border from Gevrey-Chambertin, in clay-rich soils producing rich, mouthfilling wine. Combine this with the 2015 vintage, considered among the best in a generation, and this wine is an impressive value.

The nose is big and spicy, with briary blackberry fruit, notes of woods, cinnamon, and a hint of ginger. The mouth is bold and smooth with a solid texture laid under intense masculine fruit.

If you’ve got room in your cellar (and budget) for some of Varoilles’s other 2015s, we recommend them. But their 2015 Bourgogne rouge requires no waiting – and, at under $8/glass, it’s a rare Burgundy value.

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Varoilles Bourgogne 2015
bottle price: $39

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Posted on July 15, 2019July 15, 2019 by Thomas Wilcox

Golden, Classic 2014 Premier Cru Chassagne-Montrachet

Chassagne-Montrachet and Puligny-Montrachet produce the world’s finest dry white wines. In production for nearly two thousand years, the vineyards surrounding these villages produce wines of different characters — Puligny a bit more buttoned up, Chassagne a bit friendlier.

Today’s suggestion is classic Chassagne — rich, mouthfilling, and golden. It comes from Roger Belland, a fifth generation Burgundian winemaker. Belland’s excellent 2017 lineup is in our current July Futures issue, but we’ve still got a small stack of his beautiful 2014s.

First planted in 1421, the “Clos Pitois” is a monopole of the Belland family. Owning an entire vineyard is rare in Burgundy, and in keeping with Chassagne’s tradition of excellent Pinot Noir Belland continues to plant it half red and half white.

But today we’re focused on the white. With a few years in the bottle, the 2014 Chassagne-Montrachet 1er cru “Clos Pitois” blanc is everything Chassagne-Montrachet is supposed to be. Burghound found “excellent richness” and “full-bodied flavors” and suggested 2019 as the year to begin drinking.

The bottles we’ve opened of this recently have been stunners. The nose is explosive and opulent, with coconut, flowers, butter, and honeysuckle — your nose will pick them up while the glass is still several inches away. On the palate it is long, rich, and vibrant, with notes of sweet lemons, hazelnut, and toast.

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Belland Chassagne 1er “Pitois” blanc 2014
bottle price: $69

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Posted on July 10, 2019 by Thomas Wilcox

Cool Refreshing Syrah for a Warm Summer Evening

The wines of Côte Rôtie have been celebrated for thousands of years. Made from pure Syrah at its northernmost growing limit, Côte Rôtie represents Syrah at its most refined. Our source for Côte Rôtie is the Domaine Bonnefond.

Vinous’s Josh Raynolds recently called Bonnefond’s wines “as graceful a group of wines that I’ve ever sampled.” Their flagship Côte Rôties come in three cuvées, all of which we strongly recommend — their refined, classy and downright delicious.

But if you’re interested in sampling the Bonnefond style with less commitment, the domaine also produces one of our favorite IGP Syrahs, made just outside the Côte Rôtie appellation. It’s as complex and polished as any $25 bottle we can think of.

Bonnefond’s regional level Syrah requires neither investment nor patience. At once dark, intense, and lively, it shows the inky, meaty characteristics of Syrah, but with unusual lift and grace.

The 2017 is among our favorite vintages they’ve made of this wine. The nose is spiced and expressive, with notes of blackberries, tapenade, black pepper, and game. The mouth is beautifully balanced — at 12.5% alcohol it’s smooth and long, with dense meaty notes joining plum fruits and graceful minerality.

With its fresh fruit and peppery mouthfeel this is excellent food wine — lamb and duck are particularly nice matches. But accompaniment isn’t required — pour yourself a slightly cooled glass of this after work on a weekday evening your mood will reset with ease.

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Bonnefond Syrah 2017
bottle price: $25

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Posted on July 9, 2019July 9, 2019 by Thomas Wilcox

White Bordeaux: Crisp, Refreshing, Affordable

For most people French Sauvignon blanc means Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé. But the grape also thrives in Bordeaux. In the Loire the grape is exuberant and fruit forward; Sauvignon blanc from Bordeaux isn’t unfriendly, just a bit less outgoing.

In Bordeaux, Sauvignon tends more towards grapefruit zest than pulp, showing less fruit and more skin. It’s a more dignified, less obvious take on Sauvignon than that of Sancerre — think Chablis rather than Chassagne. We love both. For a glass on its own, we might choose Sancerre; but when served with food, the better choice is often white Bordeaux.

One of our favorites in the white Bordeaux category is the Lafont-Menaut blanc. It’s pure Sauvignon raised in used oak barrels, which add a very subtle hint of muted spice and help round out the mouth. But it’s the lively fruit that drives this wine. Grapefruit is still the dominant note here, blended with notes of anise, grapeskin, honey, straw, and pear.

The 2017 Lafont-Menaut blanc arrived recently and it’s a perfect summertime glass of white. It’s lovely on its own, but food is a welcome companion for this wine. We like this with with moules marinieres, but it’s even sturdy enough to stand up to Moules Chorizo, a delicious dish from a few kilometers to the south over the Pyrenees.

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Lafont-Menaut Graves blanc 2017
bottle price: $22

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Posted on July 6, 2019 by Thomas Wilcox

Delightful Summertime Red Burgundy

The town of Maragnes is an underrated source for red Burgundy. Located at the very southern end of the Côte d’Or, it’s often left off regional maps, and its reputation is for rusticity over refinement.

But chosen carefully, Maranges can offer excellent value for red Burgundy drinkers. The wines never reach the complexity of Vosne or Chambolle, but can offer a less subtle alternative at far better prices. Today’s Maranges is a perfect example: a cheerful, approachable red Burgundy with unusual class for its level.

Belland’s lineup of delicious 2017s is in the July Futures issue, out now. But the 2016s are already in stock, and they’re better than ever.

Roger Belland is an excellent source for easy drinking red Burgundy. The domaine uses a long, very cool fermentation to retain the fruit in their wines. Today’s Maranges is from a south-facing vineyard and a vintage with excellent ripeness — it’s lively, round, and, as Belland puts it, “very gourmand.”

In the nose there’s intense, juicy, bursting cranberry fruit, with notes of honey and tulips. The mouth is pleasant and punchy with young, approachable tannins, no raspiness, and a clean refreshing finish. Burghound found it “very round” with “nicely voluminous flavors” and “pliant tannins.”

Think of this as somewhere between a Burgundy and a Beaujolais — the refinement of a Pinot Noir, matched with jolliness and joie de vivre of a Gamay.

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Belland Maranges 1er “Fussière” 2016
bottle price: $35

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Posted on July 4, 2019 by Thomas Wilcox

Shimmering White Burgundy in its Purest Form

Of all the white Burgundy we import, none is a purer expression of Chardonnay than Nicolas Maillet’s classic Maconnais cuvées. They’re cool, round, unadulterated Chardonnay with excellent balance and no oak. If the Côte d’Or offers Burgundies of pedigree and refinement, then the Maconnais offers Burgundies of vibrancy and joy.

Maillet takes this idea one step further with biodynamics, vinifying his wines with only indigenous yeasts and a slow, months-long fermentation. The resulting wines show extraordinary complexity and purity. Fruit and flowers dominate the palate, with gorgeous texture and long, supple mouthfeels. Maillet’s methods may be slightly unorthodox, but his results speak for themselves.

The 2016 Macon-Verzé is bursting with life and energy, from a vintage with near perfect fruit/acid balance. The nose is elaborately complex, with a range of notes from white flowers and green tea to tangerine and apricot. There’s zero oak, allowing the clear golden fruit to shine through. The mouth is classic Maillet — rich and long and pure, but with striking freshness and a beautiful baked lemon core.

So complete is the palate of this wine that it requires no accompaniment from food — it’s lush and delightful by itself. But if hungry guests become unavoidable, we suggest cow’s milk cheeses like Comté or Beaufort, or perhaps a bowl of steamed mussels.

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Maillet Macon-Verzé 2016
bottle price: $28

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