Author: Thomas Wilcox

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Grand Cru White Burgundy: “Chablis at its very, very finest.”

Of the seven Chablis vineyards classified as Grand Cru, most consider Les Clos to be the finest. Taken as a share of the region’s production, Les Clos accounts for only 0.6%. But as Master of Wine and Burgundy expert Clive Coates says, it is “Chablis at its very, very finest.”

We’re big fans of Chablis, and there’s much to like in the other 99.4% of wines grown there. But Les Clos is something special, a wine to open when the moment is just right. Romain Collet leases a tiny 0.4 acre plot of 65-year old vines, and from it produces one of our favorite wines in his lineup.

 

 

One whiff of the Collet’s Les Clos, and you’ll understand the hype. The nose shows exquisite lemon, pear, and mineral aromas, and follows with an extraordinarily long, rich, tension-filled palate. It’s hard to imagine more concentration or density in white wine, particularly one with a nearly imperceptible use of oak.

Romain Collet has expertly balanced Chablis’s signature minerality with a richness and intensity that calls to mind Corton-Charlemagne or Montrachet. Allen Meadows (Burghound) awarded 92 points, finding “white orchard fruit,” and a mouthfeel “textured, dense and powerful.”

Les Clos is famously long lived wine, with aging potential stretching out a decade or more; and the longer you can keep your hands off of it, the better it will be. We opened a bottle recently, and we’d suggest decanting it (yes, decanting), for a half-hour or so before serving. Give it a year, and you’ll wish you had bought more; but even in its youth, Les Clos is unmistakably in a class of its own.


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Collet Chablis Grand Cru “Les Clos” 2015

bottle price : $69

 

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Intense, Smooth, and Woodsy: Overperforming Premier Cru Red Burgundy

Thomas Morey is a master of Chassagne-Montrachet. His properties are among the finest in the town, including magnificent white Burgundies at village, Premier Cru and Grand Cru levels. We’ve been thrilled to welcome his 2016 Chassagne-Montrachet and 2016 Chassagne 1er cru “Embrazées” to our lineup.

But Morey also makes wine from neighboring Santenay, including a red premier cru that blew us away this spring. Most Côte de Beaune reds feature bright red fruits at the forefront of their palates, but Morey’s Santenay 1er cru “Grand Clos Roussot” is a dead ringer for a Côte de Nuits red.

Morey’s vines in this plot are over 40 years old, and produce small, perfectly ripe berries year in and year out. This results in an intense, sappy wine with dark flavor, dark color, and a smooth, concentrated mouthfeel. We were amazed at how rich and masculine the flavor was, particularly so far from the soils of the Côte de Nuits.

The nose is dark and woodsy, showing intense black raspberry and licorice. The mouth is intense but smooth and long, with gingerbread, spice, and blackberry jam. Tasted blind we’d put this somewhere in southern Nuits-St-Georges or northern Gevrey Chambertin.

This wine serves as a reminder not to ignore the reds of the Côte de Beaune. With exceptional terroir and expert winemaking, they can be astonishingly good.

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Morey Santenay 1er cru “Grand Clos Roussot” 2016

bottle price : $52

 

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Sophisticated, Refined New Blanc de Blancs. $29

For centuries Champagne has been a symbol of refinement and class. It’s sophistication in a glass, the pick of high rollers from Gatsby to Churchill. And for the most serious aficionados, Blanc de Blancs is the best of the best. Made from only white grapes, it’s Champagne at its most elegant.

Champagne producer Pascal Bardoux chose the exceptional 2010 vintage to craft his first Blanc de Blancs, and for those with a taste for the real stuff, we think it’s worth every penny. But for those in search of refined bubbles at a more affordable price, our newest crémant from Picamelot in Burgundy should fit the bill nicely.

Picamelot’s “Les Reipes” is a Burgundian Blanc de Blancs that’s subtle, elegant, and classy.

Louis Picamelot was among the first crémant producers in Rully, a town now known for its sparkling wines. They make several excellent cuvées, most of them blends of Burgundy’s four grapes: Chardonnay, Aligoté, Pinot Noir, and Gamay.

But for “Les Reipes,” the recipe is simple — all Chardonnay from a single terroir. It’s dry and very fine, with bright clean notes of brioche, almonds, and lightly buttered toast. The mouth is crisp and complex, with notes of lemon, minerals, and woods.

Serve this at your next cocktail party beside creamy cheese, summer vegetables, or in an unusually good kir royale.

 

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Picamelot Crémant “Reipes” NV

bottle price : $29

 

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Extraordinary New Cornas from a Superstar Winemaker.

Cornas is a tiny appellation. Its 145 hectares (compare to Châteauneuf-du-Pape’s 3,133) are at the southern end of the Northern Rhône. The name Cornas comes from the Celtic word for “burnt earth,” and its grapes often ripen two weeks earlier than the rest of the region.

For years Cornas’s reputation has been for richness and ruggedness. The first quality remains true: these are inky, chewy wines made from hard granite soil. But “ruggedness” needs some revision. A younger generation has brought modern winemaking to the ancient vineyards, and the results are more refined than ever before.

Cornas hasn’t given up its untamed spirit, but the new wave of winemakers has bought it nicer clothes and taught it some manners. And none more famous than the Domaine du Tunnel.

 

 

The Domaine du Tunnel is often cited as one of the best sources in the town. Named for an old railway tunnel that now houses the domaine’s exquisitely designed cuverie, these wines are a highlight of any Cornas collector’s cellar. It took us years to secure an allocation here, and the wines themselves have lived up to every bit of hype.

Tunnel’s 2016 Cornas is classic and excellent. The nose shows inky, woodsy flavors — violets and blackberry mix with underbrush and mushrooms. The fruit is clean, and dense and pure and the finish unimaginably long. Josh Raynolds of Vinous awarded 92 points, finding “fine-grained tannins,” and “sharply focused black and blue fruit flavors.”

This should age easily for a few decades. With a decanter and a few hours it’s magnificent today.

 

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Tunnel Cornas 2016

bottle price : $59

 

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“Luscious” New Austrian White: 91 points, $25

Grüner Veltliner is generally simple and delicious — refreshing, uncomplicated wine that’s neither expensive nor serious. For those interested in that style, our excellent 2017 Grüner “Wieden” is a steal on this month’s 25% off shelf for under $15/bot. But today’s Grüner is different.

Both come from Salomon-Undhof, a winemaker that Austria’s preeminent wine guide calls a “figurehead of Austrian wine history.” Their estate dates to 1792, and their terraced vines overlooking the Danube have long been an excellent source.

We were skeptical at first about an atypical Grüner, but this wine quickly won us over.

 

 

The 2015 Wachtberg Gruner Veltliner Erste Lage is raised briefly in barrel, giving the wine a rounder, more complex mouthfeel. From the Wachtberg vineyard, this is a more concentrated expression of terroir, with a fine minerality and more intense flavors. Think Grüner Veltliner with a new suit on ready for an evening out.

The nose shows melon and grapefruit, with earthiness and pleasant dry apple notes in the mouth. Vinous’s David Schildknecht gave this 91 points, noting its “polished, expansive yet in no way heavy palate” and “lusciously lingering finish.” This is an overperforming, complex, delicious wine for an unusually good price.

 

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Salomon-Undhof Gruner Veltliner “Wachtberg” 2015

bottle price : $25

 

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Late Summer Sampler: $195

We’re not sure what the temperature is where you live, but chez nous it’s hot and humid. Across the pond the Burgundians are sweating it out too, with temperatures in Beaune reaching 100 degrees this week. Wherever you are, we hope you have air conditioning and a fridge full of something chilled.

On that note, we’ve collected a new sampler of cool wines for hot weather — two whites and two reds, all dry and crisp. If it’s too hot to think much about your wine this week, try these four — they’re simple, refreshing, and inexpensive. Serve them chilled and remember that the heat won’t last forever.

 

 

Martin-Luneau Muscadet “Deux Roches” 2012
Dry, crisp, and very refreshing. Grown near the mouth of the Loire River. Drink well chilled with cheese and crackers.

Paget Chenin “Melodie” 2017
Dry, floral, and lively. Grown near Vouvray; notes of pear and minerals. Drink well chilled with appetizers or a salad.

Souverain Merlot 2017
Juicy, fruit-forward, bursting. Grown in the Rhône valley; an organic, fruit-forward take on the grape. Drink cool with grilled anything.

Perrachon Beaujolais-Villages 2017
Crackling, gulpable, juicy. Grown in the Beaujolais (not Nouveau); notes of graphite and berries. Drink cool with goat cheese and charcuterie.

 

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Mixed Case: Late Summer Sampler
(3 of each wine)

case price : $195

 

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Brilliant New 2016 Chassagne-Montrachet Premier Cru

The villages of Puligny and Chassagne sit side by side, sources for the world’s finest white wine. The famous vineyard of Montrachet straddles their border, and while both towns produce extraordinary Grand Crus from their respective halves, as you leave Montrachet in either direction the styles diverge.

Chassagne-Montrachet is known for opulence and richness, wines of grandeur and glamour. Puligny-Montrachet is known for precision and elegance, wines of intensity and finesse. Today’s wine is a premier cru from Chassagne, but in style it borrows much from Puligny.

 

 

Thomas Morey is as much a part of Chassagne as the bell tower or the fields of vines — his family has lived in the village since 1643. His father Bernard’s wines were considered a reference point for the town, and Thomas’s reputation has grown steadily since he started his domaine in 2007.

His style is one of precision and intensity (hence the Puligny comparison, though don’t tell him we said so). His judicious use of oak and careful vinification mean that his wines are more sophisticated and less showy than much Chassagne. But their smoothness and ease of enjoyment reveal their true origin.

Morey’s 2016 Chassagne Montrachet 1er cru Embrazées is exquisite. The name Embrazées roughly translates to “aglow” or “aflame,” and the wine indeed glows with intensity and a smooth sophistication. Look for notes of peach, hazelnut, and lemon — serve with lobster and butter.

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Morey Chassagne-Montrachet
1er cru “Embrazées” 2016

bottle price : $85

 

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New “Seductive” 2015 Red Bordeaux. $25

The 2015 vintage produced exceptional red wines throughout France. We’ve most recently highlighted some of our favorite examples from Burgundy and the Rhône. But the vintage was just as successful in Bordeaux.

Particularly on Bordeaux’s Right Bank, the results have been stunning. Master of Wine James Lawther found 2015 Right Bank reds “excellent” and “seductive,” explaining “I wouldn’t say it’s the greatest ever, but it’s a very, very good vintage.”

 

 

Today we’re introducing the first of two 2015 Lalande-de-Pomerols just in to our cellar: the Chateau de Marchesseau. It’s a 70/30 blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc, grown just outside the famous appellation of Pomerol. The neighborhood has perfect clay/gravel soil for Merlot, producing the ripe, intense, velvety tannins for which the grape is known.

The 2015 Marchesseau shows plum and hints of licorice and spice. The mouth is rich and intense, but full of juicy, bursting tannins. Decant this and it drinks like a far fancier wine. It’s classic Bordeaux from an outstanding vintage, at a weeknight price.

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Marchesseau Lalande de Pomerol 2015

bottle price : $25

 

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Smooth, Dry, Refreshing: New White Bordeaux. $18

Bordeaux is a region best known for wines that are expensive, ageworthy, and red. So in the spirit of keeping readers on their toes, we’re introducing a new Bordeaux today that is the complete opposite: inexpensive, drink-now, and white.

We’ve bought our Sauternes from the Chateau Voigny for years now — it’s an excellent source for the classic dessert wine. But this spring we got to try their simple dry white, and found it refreshing and easy to like.

For heat like we’re having these days, our wine criteria are dry, fresh, and inexpensive. The new Bordeaux Blanc sec fits the bill perfectly.

 

 

Most dry white Bordeaux is predominantly Sauvignon with a dose of Semillon. This wine is the reverse, and we found the taste was as good as the price. (We’re not the only ones: the wine won a gold at the Concours de Bordeaux).

The nose shows grapeskins, minerals, melon, and herbs. In the mouth there’s lemon/citrus and a brisk, clean, very dry mouthfeel. It will be a good match for anything that goes with white Bordeaux, and at a by-the-glass price of under $4, you won’t need to think to hard before opening it.

Chill it down and serve it with cheese and crackers after a long summer day like this one.

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Voigny Bordeaux Blanc sec 2016

bottle price : $18

 

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Refreshing New Red Sancerre: Strawberries and Stones

Sancerre has always been the star of the Loire Valley. Though recent years have seen interest explode in the region’s other appellations, Sancerre remains the best known and among the best-liked. It’s popular, easy to drink, easy to pronounce, and pairs well with lots of dishes.

Today’s wine is classic Sancerre — mineral, bright, refreshing and summery… it just happens to be red. Nearly a quarter of the appellation is planted to Pinot Noir. Like the Sauvignon Blanc used to make white Sancerre, Pinot Noir deftly and elegantly expresses the minerality of Sancerre’s terroir.

It’s a perfect summertime red wine, particularly when served cool.

 

 

The whites of the Domaine de la Garenne have already received a warm welcome from our readers — their Sancerre 2017 is cool, lively, and refreshing; their Sancerre “Bouffants” 2017 is full of intensity, minerality, and elegance. Garenne’s Sancerre rouge is in the same line: refreshing and well balanced, with no new oak and an unusually complex palate.

If the words “Sancerre rouge” call to mind a simple fruit-forward wine, this wine should expand that notion. There’s indeed beautiful red fruit with violets and honey, but also a complex earthiness, both from stones and forest floor. The smooth, relaxed tannins make this go down surprisingly easily — you’ll be amazed how fast a bottle disappears from your summer table.

Serve this wine cool or chilled, with goat cheese on crackers.

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Garenne Sancerre red 2016

bottle price : $28

 

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Elegant New Chassagne-Montrachet from a Legendary Family.

It’s not every day we add a Burgundy producer to our portfolio. Burgundy is a small region, with well-trodden paths — many winemakers are exclusively represented or have very little wine. But every once in a while the stars align and a top notch producer falls into our lap.

Thomas Morey’s wines may be new to our warehouse, but his winemaking is full of experience and history. He’s a 10th generation Morey working in Chassagne, and his father Bernard ran one of the town’s most famous and well respected domaines until his retirement in 2005.

Morey is a rare find, and his wines are every bit as good as his reputation. We’re excited to introduce our first wine from him today.

 

 

Thomas Morey’s style is elegance and charm. Where some Chassagnes seem to strive for Californiaesque butteriness, Morey’s aim for sleekness and precision. His production is entirely organic, using low vineyard intervention and only ambient yeasts at harvest. Most interestingly, Morey limits his wines to only 20% new oak, even on his Grand Crus — the result is clarity and purity unlike much else in Burgundy today.

Morey lost 50% of his crop to hail last in 2016, so his village Chassagne-Montrachet is a blend of the fruit from seven parcels. The nose is clean and refined, showing delicate white flowers and golden fruit, all with a sophisticated style. The mouth is very intense and long, gaining its opulence from the fruit and soil rather than over oaking.

This should improve for a few years, but it’s hard to put down after one glass today.

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Morey Chassagne-Montrachet 2016

bottle price : $65

 

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72 HOUR SALE: 93-95 point 2015 Red Burgundies from Michel Gros

We are hardly alone in our enthusiasm for the 2015 red Burgundies. The hype began even before the harvest, and critics now consider it one of the finest vintages in recent memory.

Many of Michel Gros’s 2015s top our list of favorites from the vintage. Just this week, The Wine Spectator’s Burgundy writer Bruce Sanderson concurred, including some Gros 2015s in his list of favorites. And while we try not to accept the critics’ views uncritically, it’s always nice when they agree with us.

So we’re highlighting five of those Gros 2015s today. Enter the code GROS for an extra 10% off your order. Sale lasts through Sunday midnight.

 

 

Nuits-St-Georges 2015
Ansonia Notes: This is Michel’s parcel near the Vosne-Nuits border, and the wine shows an enticing mix of meaty Nuits strength with Vosne-Romanée finesse.
WS Notes: Offering a mix of graphite, cherry, raspberry and smoky, spicy flavors, this red is complex and structured. A little disjointed now, with all the components in the right places, so give this some time. Fine length.
WS Score: 93

WS Price: $85
Ansonia Price: $69

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Nuits-St-Georges “Chaliots” 2015
Ansonia Notes:  This classic Nuits is from the southern half of the appellation, where the clay-rich soils give excellent intensity and richness.
WS Notes:  Aromas and flavors of macerated cherry are intense, surrounded by earth, mineral and spice accents. Dense and meaty, this red also delivers vibrant acidity.
WS Score: 93

WS Price: $85
Ansonia Price: $69

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Chambolle-Musigny 2015
Ansonia Notes:  Always one of Michel’s most elegant cuvées, this is silky and smooth with a very long finish and notes of toast, cassis and violets.
WS Notes:  Bright, infused with violet, black currant, blackberry and stone flavors, this red is harmonious and expressive, extending nicely on the finish.
WS Score: 93

WS Price: $102
Ansonia Price: $85

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Vosne-Romanée 1er “Clos des Réas” 2015
Ansonia Notes:  From Michel’s flagship vineyard, this wine is terrific every year, but in 2015 it’s extraordinary. Look for notes of roses, toast, and cherry jam.
WS Notes: A smoky cast to the cherry and spice flavors and a hint of vegetal notes mark this rich red. Firm and long, with a lingering echo of smoke and spice on the finish.
WS Score: 94

WS Price: $180
Ansonia Price: $159

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Vosne-Romanée 1er cru “Aux Brûlées” 2015
Ansonia Notes: Grown a mere 10 feet from the famous Grand Cru Richebourg, Aux Brûlées comes from legendary terroir. Look for smoky cherries and lace-like minerality.
WS Notes:  Intense, yet with finesse and detail, this red is sophisticated, complex and alluring. Cherry and strawberry fruit and mineral and oak spice flavors mingle on an elegant frame, while a subtle yet supportive structure balances the whole. Stays persistent from start to finish.
WS Score: 95

WS Price: $170
Ansonia Price: $139

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Two New Samplers: Red & White Burgundies Under $40

Burgundies span a wide range of prices. We try to find values at every level, from simple, everyday house wines to ageworthy Grand Cru trophy bottles. Today we’ve collected two new samplers: white and red Burgundies under $40/bot.

Wherever $40 fits on your price scale, here are eight wines we think you’ll love. As usual, East Coast shipping is included for each. Limited quantities; first come first served.

 

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WHITE BURGUNDIES UNDER $40

Collet Chablis 1er cru “Forets” 2015: classic, mineral-driven Chablis with low oak, excellent freshness, and beautiful, elegant floral notes

Ravaut Ladoix blanc 2015: rich, mouthfilling, exotic white Burgundy made in the style of a Corton-Charlemagne; look for white flowers and baked lemon

Gros Fontaine-St-Martin blanc 2015: smooth, round, floral white Burgundy from the hills; notes of herbs, mango, lime, and chalk

Thomas St-Aubin 1er cru “Murgers” 2016: classic, sophisticated, precise white Burgundy with lots of depth; look for notes of hazelnut, lemon cream, and stones

3 of each wine, free East Coast shipping

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Suggested Retail: $543
Sampler Price: $450/case

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RED BURGUNDIES UNDER $40

Gros Fontaine-St-Martin red 2015: precise, earthy, mineral red from the hills; notes of violets, slik, cherries and stones

Desvignes Givry 1er cru “Clos Charlé” 2015: hearty, lively red Burgundy with unusual polish; look for wild raspberry jam, briary fruit, and a clean, rugged finish

Belland Santenay 1er cru “Comme” 2015: juicy, ripe, elegant red Burgundy; lace-like texture, with minerals, herbs and strawberry fruit

Arlot Clos du Chapeau 2014: dark, delicate, woodsy red Burgundy from a top producer; intense briary flavor layered over a meticulously structured texture

3 of each wine, free East Coast shipping

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Suggested Retail: $543
Sampler Price: $450/case

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Dry, Exuberant New Chenin Blanc from a Vouvray Neighbor. $19

Nicolas Paget is one of the most exciting (and excited) new producers we’ve found in years. All of our winemakers care deeply about their craft, but Paget is unusually committed. After 90 minutes of tasting with him, we were running more than an hour late for our next tasting; but when he begged us to join him for a quick visit to his vines, it was impossible to turn him down.

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, though they come from the less known nearby appellation of Touraine-Azay le Rideau.

Like much Vouvray, Paget’s whites range from very dry to very sweet, with much in between. Our favorite of his cuvées, and the one we suggest today, is his 2017 Chenin “Melodie.”

 

 

Melodie is everything we went searching for in the Loire: dry, expressive, organic Chenin Blanc with good balance and all of Chenin’s signature aromatic complexity. We found 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.

Melodie was in our July Futures issue that closed last week, but we were so excited that we pre-ordered a few cases last month in time for summer enjoyment. Since their arrival a few weeks ago, Melodie has already wowed family gathered on our porch and tasters last weekend at the depot. For dry, exuberant, summery white wine under $20, there may be no better option.

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Paget Chenin “Melodie” 2017

bottle price : $19

 

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Exquisite New 10-year-old Grand Cru Grower Champagne.

For a few years now Pascal Bardoux has supplied us with his exceptional Champagne — from his charming Rosé Brut to his elegant Vintage blends to his remarkable 15-year-old magnums. (Watch this space for more magnums later this year.)

This spring we stumbled across another excellent Grower Champagne source — the Domaine Daniel Petit-Lebrun. They’re located in the famous Côte des Blancs, and their wines are all 100% chardonnay. Their Grand Cru classified vineyards produce classic Côtes des Blancs wines — linear and elegant with long finishes and delightful complexity.

At first glance their 2008 Vintage Champagne wine struck as well-made and straightforward — but as we found out, good things come to those who wait.

 

 

Like still wines, Champagne opens up as it is exposed to warmth and air. Decanting Champagne usually doesn’t often happen, but the more air you can get to this wine the better. At our Newton Owner’s Hours yesterday this was lovely when we opened at 10am, and magnificent by the close at 4pm.

Now a decade after harvest, this wine is as complex and delicious as any Champagne we’ve had lately. Look for butterscotch, confectioner’s sugar, toast, grape skin, and flowers in the nose. It’s a Brut so the mouth is dry, but the baked fruit and raspberry tart notes are simply enticing.

We may be the first American importers for this wine, but if it continues to show this much magic in the glass we certainly won’t be the last.

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Petit-Lebrun Champagne Grand Cru 2008

bottle price : $75

 

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