Author: Thomas Wilcox

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2017 Beaujolais-Villages: New Chillable Summery Red. $16

We think summer wines should be refreshing, affordable, and served cool. Usually this means whites, and we’re thrilled about the new Sancerre we added to our site yesterday. But sometimes the menu or the moment calls for a red.

When that’s the case, we like something simple and chillable, and we’re excited about our newest addition to this category: Domaine Perrachon’s 2017 Beaujolais-Villages. Most of our wines from Perrachon are more serious and sophisticated than your average Beaujolais, but this one is pure uncomplicated enjoyment.

 

 

Most $16 Beaujolais is mass-market, large volume wine rushed to market soon after fermentation. Perrachon’s is a different sort, made with hand picked grapes from 45 year old vines. It shows all of the jubilant, carefree spirit of the region instead of the blandness of much cheap Beaujolais.

Perrachon’s 2017 Beaujolais Villages is juicy and refreshing. Unlike their more serious wines, it’s vat raised, and the vibrant ripe raspberry fruit shows through beautifully. The nose is clean and floral, and the mouth is cool, lively, and refreshing.

And at $16 this is a no brainer for a house summer red. Serve some from the fridge on a muggy afternoon and you’ll forget all about the heat.

 

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Perrachon Beaujolais-Villages 2017

bottle price : $16

 

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New Sancerre, at last. $25

We’ve spent years looking for a good Sancerre source. It’s harder than you might think — Sancerre is a small appellation with a big name, and everyone wants to have the wine in their portfolio. But this spring we struck gold, and they’ve just arrived in the warehouse.

The Domaine de la Garenne is a family property based in small town a few miles from Sancerre. Several consecutive favorable mentions in the Guide Hachette led us to their door, and we were so pleased with their style that we bought three of their white cuvées and a red.

They’re all available on our website now, but if you’re looking for somewhere to start, we suggest their simplest: Sancerre 2017.

 

 

Located along the banks of the Loire River in central France, Sancerre produces wines from pure Sauvignon Blanc. The wine typically combines ripe, juicy grapefruit notes with a lively minerality, often notes of flint, and pleasant herbal finish.

Garenne’s Sancerre fits this ideal perfectly — it’s bone dry with pure sauvignon grapefruit in the nose. In the mouth it’s lively but with no astringency or grassiness. Its terroir is a mix of Sancerre’s three soil types (limestone, clay/limestone, and flint), and shows the “balance” and “ease of access” highlighted in the Guide Hachette.

We expect this to be a staple in our portfolio year round. But it’s particularly appropriate for the hot weather of late — pull a well chilled bottle from the fridge and pair it with goat cheese.

 

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Garenne Sancerre 2017

bottle price : $25

 

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“Round and Delicious” 2015 Red Burgundy under $50

Morey-St-Denis is a most Burgundian style of Burgundy. The wines are firmly rooted in the old world — precise, refined, and sophisticated. Difficult vintages sometimes require deliberate aging in Morey-St-Denis, though they nearly always reward it handsomely.

But 2015 was anything but a difficult vintage. Heralded as one of the best in a generation, the red Burgundies of 2015 offer attractive fruit and generous texture in their youth, and promise much more down the road.

If you’ve never tried Morey-St-Denis, this is the one to try. If you’re already familiar, well then you don’t need convincing.

 

 

The Domaine Pierre Amiot is a small family domaine on the main street in Morey-St-Denis. The town’s population is less than 700, and its vineyards cover less than half a square mile. Amiot is among the best known names in town, and his wines are excellent year in and year out.

The 2015 Morey-St-Denis is simply delicious. The nose shows raspberry fruits, licorice, and cinnamon; the mouth is cool and vibrant with notes of cassis and red flowers. The freshness in this wine makes it an excellent pairing for food. Burghound found “good richness” and called it “round and delicious.”

We’d carafe this for an hour, and serve with charcuterie or pâté on crackers.

 

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Amiot Morey-St-Denis 2015

bottle price : $49

 

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“Beguiling,” Golden 2016 Meursault from 94 Year-Old Vines.

“If gold were a flavor,” Matt Kramer once wrote, “it would taste like Meursault.” Though it has no Grand Cru, the wines of Meursault are some of the most sought after in the world. For most, the name recalls white Burgundies of decadence, opulence, and style.

Stretching across nearly 1000 acres, Meursault also spans a wide range of terroir, producing taught, elegant wines high on the slope, and softer, richer wines nearer the town. Today’s 2016 Meursault from the Domaine Boyer-Martenot is from the lower slopes, and draws on extremely old vines for extra concentration and depth.

 

 

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

Burghound calls this “beguiling,” “attractive,” and “very Meursault.” We’ve got lots of simple, brisk refreshing wines around for the carefree evenings of summer. But when you need a white with a bit more breeding and substance, look no further than Meursault.

 

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Boyer-Martenot Meursault” Ormeau” 2016

bottle price : $69

 

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Dry, Intense Loire White: New Refreshing Muscadet. $19

For white wines, it doesn’t get much drier than Muscadet. Grown near the mouth of the Loire River, Muscadet is at once brisk and hearty — the essence of the windswept Atlantic coast. When it’s this hot out, we can’t think of much else in our glasses.

It’s also affordable and abundant. Wine writer Lettie Teague calls it “one of the world’s best, if most obscure, bargains,” saying “a glass of $8 Muscadet will always be a better wine than an $8 glass of something else.” We’ve just restocked one of our favorites: Cuvée Deux Roches from Martin-Luneau.

The Muscadet region’s new “cru communal” appellations require aging 24-30 months on lees, and Martin-Luneau’s excellent Gorges and Clisson cuvées both qualify. But today’s “Deux Roches” cuvée, the winemakers go even further, aging more than 30 months on the lees. “Deux Roches” refers to the distinct subsoils of the two Cru terroirs, Clisson and Gorges. The blend bears neither name, but the wine’s quality speaks for itself.

Their current release is the 2012 Deux Roches cuvée is bright and crisp, with lime rind and melon in the nose, and zippy, refreshing acidity in the mouth. There’s an intense dryness and liveliness that’s the perfect antidote to a muggy summer evening.

Pair this with anything from the sea, most perfectly, oysters. But all it really requires is a few hours in a good fridge and a couple glasses.

 

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Martin-Luneau Muscadet “2 Roches” 2012

bottle price : $19

 

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Refreshing Alsatian Blend for a Summer Picnic. $19

The French have a long tradition of eating outdoors. From harvest tables in Burgundy to breezy rooftops in Paris, a French meal en plein air is full of beguiling aromas, clinking glasses, and hearty laughter. In France and at home we like to eat sur terrace, and we find that wine (and really food in general) tastes better outside, with room to breathe and open.

A Spring-Summer favorite of ours is “Les Anémones,” a delightful blend from our friend Francis Muré in the Alsace. It’s a perfect picnic wine, matching nicely with a wide range of foods, from sharp cheeses to crusty bread. It’s a refreshing antidote to a muggy summer afternoon.

 

 

Anémones is a blend of Riesling, Muscat, and Pinot Gris. It’s soft but not sweet, with less sharpness than Riesling, but enough acidity to keep it lively. There are notes of apricot, orange and pear, with a lovely round mouthfeel and good length. Like curry, Muscat sometimes takes over things that it’s a part of; but here it is nicely balanced and not at all overwhelming.

Speaking of curry, Anémones pairs beautifully with food of Indian or Asian style, particularly with a bit of spice. But its best accompaniment is an afternoon outside. This is a simple but delightful and tasty wine with a beautiful bouquet – you’ll be surprised how fast the bottle disappears.

 

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Muré Anémones 2016

bottle price : $19

 

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Mixed Case: Oyster Pairing Sampler (plus Free Ansonia Oyster Knife)

Oysters are a common sight at French markets. Huitres are a natural pairing for wine, in both the gustatory and philosophical senses. Just like wine, they’re an expression of terroir (or merrior, if you like) whose character changes with their origin. And in matters gustatory, well, it’s a match made in heaven.

Oysters pair well with lots of white wines, but our favorites of late are four dry wines from Chablis, Muscadet, and Austria. So here’s a mixed case designed for oyster lovers. And each case will be packed with an Ansonia Wines Oyster Knives. (If oysters aren’t your thing, it’s a handy slicer for a piece of fromage.)

 

 

Martin-Luneau Muscadet Gorges 2014
Muscadet is near the mouth of the Loire River, not far from France’s finest oyster region. This classic pairing is aged on lees for three years, showing brioche, baked lemon, and stones.

Gautheron Chablis Vieilles Vignes 2016
Gautheron’s old vines produce a Chablis with an extra dose of richness. The classic minerals and lemon peel are there, but there’s a tad more material to round out the mouth.

Salomon-Undhof Grüner Veltliner Wieden 2017
This dry, minerally wine from Austria is a classic Grüner — look for notes of cucumber, lime zest, and saline, with a thick but lively mouthfeel and a clean finish.

Martin-Luneau Muscadet “Gorges” 2013
“Deux Roches” stays on the lees for longer than is allowed in the appellations for Gorges or Clisson. The result is an ultra-dry complex wine with mid acidity and intense dry flavor.

Free Oyster Knife with each case.

 

 

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Oyster Pairing Sampler

Ansonia Retail: $316
sampler price : $265/bot

+ free oyster knife

 

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The Grace Kelly of Wine: Exquisite New 2016 Puligny-Montrachet

“Puligny-Montrachet is where Burgundian Chardonnay is at its most complete,” writes Clive Coates MW. The tiny town, covering less than one square mile, has made highly sought after wine for nearly a thousand years. Today most consider it, as Coates puts it, “the greatest white wine commune on earth.”

What makes this tiny corner of Burgundy so special? On the ground, it’s a combination of soil content (limestone, clay, and other minerals), slope, and exposition. In the glass, Puligny is a white Burgundy with added structure, more tension, and a beautiful, angular elegance. Or as Jay McInerney puts it, Puligny is “the Grace Kelly of wines.”

 

 

Winemaker Gérard Thomas owns a tiny sliver of land in Puligny-Montrachet — just over a hectare. His Puligny 1er cru has the richness and concentration of neighboring Meursault and Chassagne, but adds a sort of lively raciness only found in Puligny. This is smooth, energetic wine backed up by a rich and tension-filled core.

Like all of Thomas’s 2016s, the Puligny shows a beautiful balance between richness and liveliness. Jancis Robinson found it “rounded,” “creamy,” and “tightly crisp,” calling it “very good and impressively long.” We find notes of hazelnut and lemon in the nose, and golden apple, almond, and toast in the mouth.

Serve this with a chicken roasted with rosemary and garlic; drink for another 3-5 years.

 

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Thomas Puligny-Montrachet 1er cru 2016

bottle price : $65

 

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[Advance Order] “Exceptional” 91 point 2015 Red Burgundy under $20

We often joke that inhabitants of the Beaujolais consider themselves Burgundian, but that the rest of Burgundy isn’t quite as sure. And while differences between the two halves abound — grape varietal, soil type, landscape, etc. — they share a tradition and style as well.

We call today’s wine “Red Burgundy” intentionally. The grape may be gamay and the zip code may be Juliénas, but this wine exhibits many of the characteristics of our favorite Pinot Noirs. It’s a combination of old vines (planted in the 1940s), expert craftsmanship, Burgundian style elevage. At the price, this could easily become your new house red Burgundy.

We’re featuring several new reds from Beaujolais in our July Futures issue, out next weekend. But this one was a favorite, so we’re opening up the bidding early.

 

 

The Domaine Perrachon has made wine in Juliénas since the 1870s. Today we’re enthusiastically suggesting their 2015 Julénas “Clos des Chers.” It’s as serious and sophisticated a Beaujolais as we’ve ever had. Made from south facing vines and raised in large 500L barrels, it marries the jubilant spirit of the Beaujolais with a bit of polish from further north.

This wine is exceptionally pretty, with dark blue fruits, violets, and cool earth in the nose; the mouth is long and intense, with beautiful texture and notes of baked blueberries and roses. Burghound called it “exceptionally pretty,” “rich,” and “caressing,” predicting “it could easily enjoyed now [but] there is plenty of upside development potential.”

We’re hard pressed to find a better value in Burgundy today. It’s not from a fancy town or a “noble” grape, but this is true red Burgundy at a remarkably friendly price.

 

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Perrachon Juliénas “Clos des Chers” 2015

Ansonia Retail: $300
Futures Price : $235/case

 

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AVAILABLE BY THE CASE AND HALF-CASE

 

 

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“True Craftsmanship:” Superb New Chianti Classico Riserva

Perched on a charming Tuscan hillside, the Fattoria Poggerino is certainly one of the most attractive domaines in our portfolio. (If you’re ever in the area, we highly recommend a visit.) As it turns out, the wine is just as beautiful as the source. Poggerino’s careful organic viticulture results in wines of unusual purity, as they practice what Jancis Robinson calls “true craftsmanship.”

Poggerino’s finest wine is their Chianti Classico Riserva from the “Bugialla” vineyard. Like Poggerino’s other wines, it is pure, unblended Sangiovese. But the Riserva comes from their oldest vines — nearly 45 years old now — and they raise it carefully in oak before bottling. Poggerino holds it a full year in the bottle before releasing it to the public.

 

 

With its time in the bottle, Poggerino’s Riserva becomes a remarkably elegant Chianti — as complex and subtle as many Burgundies we know. The density from the old vines and the time in oak means this is often hard to approach in its youth. But the 2014 is juicy and bursting with perfectly ripened fruit. After an hour in a decanter (or another 3-4 years), you’ll wish you had more around.

The Riserva’s nose is dark in complexion and tenor, but also contains silky high notes of roses and minerals. We found lovely blackberry jam, cherries, and graphite in the nose, but it’s in the the mouth that this wine really comes alive. Look for a dynamic mouthfeel, with juicy “crunchy” notes of currants, licorice, and blueberries.

 

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Poggerino Chianti Classico Riserva 2014

bottle price : $48

 

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Refreshing, Exuberant Crémant d’Alsace.

Alsace is a land of contradiction. Wedged between France and Germany, this charming region changed hands four times between 1918 and 1945. Its inhabitants tend to identify as Alsatian rather than either French or German, and today Alsace incorporates the best traditions – cultural, culinary, oenological – of both nations.

We’ve written recently about Francis Muré’s refreshing Rosé and dry Riesling. Today we suggest his excellent dry Crémant d’Alsace — just as delicious but twice as festive. It’s a delightful summer drink — a perfect way to start a meal or a cocktail party.

 

 

Muré’s Crémant d’Alsace is bright and dry but has more fruit than most crémant we offer from Burgundy. It’s 100% Pinot Blanc and aged on the lees for two years. The gentle mousse of bubbles lends a refreshing energy to an exuberant, fruit-forward palate. We suggest welcoming guests to the next dinner party in your backyard with a glass of this, perhaps with a splash of crème de cassis (try ours here) to make a kir.

But our favorite pairing for Muré’s Crémant echoes the Alsatian spirit of harmonious contrast: triple cream cheese like as Brillat-Savarin or Delice de Bourgogne. Let the cheese come to room temperature and slather a generous portion onto a piece of crusty fresh bread. The combination of tiny bubbles and creamy cheese is delightful.

 

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Muré Crémant d’Alsace

bottle price : $22

 

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Grand Cru Mazis-Chambertin’s Neighbor: “Rich and Velvety” Premier Cru

Gevrey-Chambertin is known for its bold, powerful red Burgundies. Located at the northern end of the Côte d’Or, Gevrey’s wines are at the masculine end of the Burgundy spectrum. Pinot Noir never makes wines as big and extracted as those from the south of France — but for Burgundy, Gevrey is about as bold as it gets.

The Guide Hachette calls Gérard Quivy “undoubtedly one of the reference points in the appellation.” Quivy himself is soft spoken, thoughtful, and meticulously dressed; and his wines reflect his understated style — they combine the intensity and muscle of Gevrey with an enticing sophistication. Today we’re suggesting his premier cru Gevrey-Chambertin from the “Corbeaux” vineyard.

 

 

Quivy’s Corbeaux vines are exceptionally well located, just 5 feet from the legendary Grand Cru Mazis-Chambertin (see photo). They’re also nearing 70 years old, and their fruit is rich and concentrated every year. The only catch is that Quivy owns less than half an acre, which produces about 60 cases per year.

The 2014 Corbeaux is seductive and elegant. The Guide Hachette found “licorice” and “toast,” calling it “ample, rich” and “velvety.” To this we’d add delicious sappy notes of cassis and gingerbread. This wine has the intensity and seriousness of Gevrey, wrapped in an unusually sleek and polished core.

Drink this late in the evening, with steaks and roasted potatoes.

 

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Quivy Gevrey-Chambertin 1er “Corbeaux” 2014

bottle price : $79

 

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Bone Dry, Refreshing Alsatian Riesling. $19

Most Americans avoid Riesling. We can’t really blame them — much of the Riesling on the market is mass produced, sugary, and uninteresting. But to ignore the grape entirely is to miss out on beautiful, dry, affordable whites.

Francis Muré’s Riesling has always been our favorite of his wines. Grown on the sunny hillsides of Alsace, the wine is lively, dry, floral, and refreshing. It’s a chorus of summer happiness in a glass.

 

 

Muré’s 2015 Riesling is the perfect cocktail party white. As a standalone quaffer it’s complex, dry, fruit forward, and smooth; with food it’s lively and bright, with clean, unoaked fruit and a delicious roundness. Serve it with spicy appetizers and your guests won’t soon forget the pairing.

We’re sad that Francis Muré retires this year, and we don’t know yet what we’ll be drinking in its place in 2019. But for this year we’ll live in the moment, enjoying this humble, lovely, joyful wine that has been such good company for the last 20 years.

 

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Muré Riesling 2015

Regular price: $24
Ansonia retail : $19/bot

 

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Wild Cherries and Violets: Summery Natural Red $25

“Natural” wines are hard to get right, but when they’re good they can be extraordinary. Mas Foulaquier’s cuvées are exceptional — clean and well formed, marrying ripe fruit with earthy notes from their rugged terroir.

Their philosophy is simple: as little intervention as possible between vineyard and bottle. Their vineyards are “Demeter” certified, and in the cellar the winemakers use only ambient yeasts, avoid fining and filtering, and minimal sulfites added only at bottling.

Foulaquier’s wines are always best enjoyed outside, free to commune with the natural world from which they spring.

 

 

Our newest cuvée from Foulaquier is a delightful 50/50 blend of Grenache and Syrah. Orphée is cool and fresh in the nose, showing berries, bay leaf, violets, and earth. The mouth is dark and beautifully textured, with softened tannins and notes of cassis, roses, and spice.

On a summer afternoon this is easy to like and hard to put down. Serve it at a cocktail party on a backyard patio or roofdeck. Close your eyes and plunge your nose into the glass. It’s a wine full of life, and it might just make you feel the same.

 

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Foulaquier Orphée 2015

Ansonia Retail: $30
6+ bottle price : $25/bot

 

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