Author: Thomas Wilcox

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Small-Batch, Everyday Red Bordeaux. $24

Scale.  Bordeaux is much larger than Burgundy. The region covers nearly ten times as much land, and the wineries themselves are usually far larger. For example Burgundy’s most famous vineyard, Romanée Conti, produces about 450 cases per year; Châteaux Margaux and Haut Brion are closer to 12,000 each.

But over the years we’ve been pleased to find some Burgundy-scale winemakers working in Bordeaux. One favorite is the Château Léhoul, a source in Graves run by the Fonta family since the 1700s. This small but excellent producer is truly a family affair — a few years ago when the winemaker had to be at his kids’ soccer game, it was his eighty-something mother who conducted our tasting.

Wednesday Wine.  Léhoul’s wines are straightforward and delicious red Bordeaux. They’re don’t cost a fortune, and they’re not meant to age for half a century. But for a weeknight steak or lamb, or even burgers from the grill, they’re a great match. Today we’re releasing Léhoul’s 2014 red Graves, a beautifully balanced red Bordeaux at an unusually low price.

Unlike many other simpler Bordeaux, Léhoul red is neither over-oaked nor high in alcohol. The nose shows dark plum fruits, with a hint of licorice and a lovely cool earthiness. At 13.5% alcohol the mouth is perfectly balanced, with dark rich fruit but a pleasant tannic structure that makes the wine perfect for food. Open an hour or so before serving and serve just a touch below room temperature — just don’t tell your guests how much you paid.

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LEHOUL Graves rouge 2014
Ansonia Retail: $28
6+ bottle price: $24/bot

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AVAILABLE IN   6-    AND   12-  BOTTLE LOTS

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Terms of sale. Ansonia Wines MA sells wine to individual consumers who are 21 or more years of age, for personal consumption and not for resale.  All sales are completed and title passes to purchasers in Massachusetts.  Ansonia Wines MA arranges for shipping on behalf of its customers upon request and where applicable laws permit.

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Elegant 5-year-old Red Burgundy from Michel Gros.

Thatch and tweed. If Vosne-Romanée is the paragon of Burgundian sophistication, then neighbor Nuits-St-Georges has the humbler charm of a country gentleman. Spread across five miles of varied terroir, the wines of Nuits-St-Georges range from spiced and elegant to meaty and rich. Wines from plots near the Vosne border can borrow a bit of spice and silk from their neighbor.

Today’s wine is from Michel Gros, a master winemaker from nearby Vosne-Romanée. Gros makes two Nuits-St-Georges cuvées — a richer one from the south of town, and a more refined one from near the Vosne border. Today’s cuvée is from the Vosne side, and combines some of the elements of both towns in a single wine.

Exquisite.  Pinot Noir from Burgundy may not be known for boldness, but this is not a wine that’s easy to forget. In 2012, very low yields made for wines of unusual depth and concentration. This wine has Gros’s signature style, with an enticing, silky bouquet of redcurrants and licorice. In the mouth it’s meaty and dense, showing cassis, toast, plum, and just a hint of spice.

Jancis Robinson listed Gros as one of five “overperforming” red Burgundy producers in 2012. Burghound (Allen Meadows) called the 2012 Nuits “appealingly fresh,” and “very round,” finding “excellent richness” and awarding 87-90 points. With four years in the bottle, this has begun to drink extraordinarily well (though it will improve over another 3-4 years in the cellar, if you can keep your hands off it).

Today, after just 20 minutes in a carafe or decanter, this wine will transport you to the Burgundy of centuries ago — think woven tapestries, roasted meats, and ancient stone chateaux. Speaking of roasted meats, this bottle matches perfectly with a steak. We opened a bottle a week ago with sirloin tips from the grill, and the match was magnificent.

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GROS Nuits-St-Georges 2012
Ansonia Retail: $75
3+ bottle price: $62/bot

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AVAILABLE IN    3-    6-    AND   12-  BOTTLE LOTS

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Terms of sale. Ansonia Wines MA sells wine to individual consumers who are 21 or more years of age, for personal consumption and not for resale.  All sales are completed and title passes to purchasers in Massachusetts.  Ansonia Wines MA arranges for shipping on behalf of its customers upon request and where applicable laws permit.

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Pure, Refreshing, No-Oak White Burgundy: $16.95

Unadorned.  “Oaked” or “unoaked” sounds like a yes-no question, but it really is a range. Most of the wines we import spend some time in oak, but the strength of its influence depends on the age and size of the barrel, the chauffe (how heavily the inside is charred), and time in the barrel.

With this wine, it’s simple: no oak at all. This classic, stony, energetic chablis is all freshness, minerality, and pure fruit. The Domaine Gautheron is a small, family-owned property, and we love their precise style. You could eat off the floor there, and the rigorous cleanliness extends to their wines as well.

Crisp.  Cyril Gautheron is a rising star in Chablis. The Gautheron Family has made wine here for 200 years, but Cyril has taken the reins with great passion and has won critical acclaim from wine writers around the world. The Domaine’s style is classique — little to no oak, bright notes of lemon and apple, and steely fresh minerality.

Gautheron’s Petit Chablis 2015 is a perfectly refreshing — look for notes of stones, lemon zest, and flowers. We usually suggest pairing this with food, but we served a bottle by itself at a cocktail party recently and it made many friends on its own. For summer heat, this is a refreshing, crowd-pleasing white wine. For anything from the sea — steamed lobster, raw oysters, grilled swordfish — it’s a must have.

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GAUTHERON Petit Chablis 2015
Ansonia Retail: $22
6+ bottle price: $16.95/bot

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AVAILABLE IN    6-    AND   12-  BOTTLE LOTS

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Terms of sale. Ansonia Wines MA sells wine to individual consumers who are 21 or more years of age, for personal consumption and not for resale.  All sales are completed and title passes to purchasers in Massachusetts.  Ansonia Wines MA arranges for shipping on behalf of its customers upon request and where applicable laws permit.

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Almost Châteauneuf-du-Pape: Smooth, Velvety 92-Point Gigondas

Fame and Value.  Châteauneuf-du-Pape dominates the south of France. No other town is more famous or produces more widely respected wines. But the relative anonymity of the surrounding towns belies the high quality of wine they produce. And while Châteauneuf-du-Pape will always be a more recognizable purchase, Gigondas often provides more bang for your buck.

A case in point is the Domaine les Goubert’s “Cuvée Florence.” Though it’s grown in Gigondas, in depth, complexity, and ageworthiness it more closely resembles a fine Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Made from only their best parcels of Grenache and Syrah, Cuvée Florence is noticeably better than many wines from its more famous neighbor.

Raspberry and Thyme.  We’ve been buying the Cuvée Florence for decades, and the quality continues to improve. The family’s thirty-something daughter Florence, whose birth inspired the creation of the cuvée back in the 1980s, is now the principal winemaker. The already excellent wines have become more refined since Florence took over, from their simple Côtes du Rhône, to today’s luxury cuvée.

Josh Raynolds of Vinous awarded the 2011 Florence 91-92 points, finding “supple fine-grained tannins” and “very good length.” Since we last wrote about this wine the oak has melted beautifully into the body, becoming more harmonious and smooth. The nose shows stewed raspberry jam, thyme, and a hint of lavender. The mouth is intensely concentrated, with a chewy blend of plum, blueberry jam, and pan drippings.

This is rich, dark wine that will fit perfectly alongside a fine cut of beef or rack of lamb. If it’s the name on the label you’re after, we have excellent Châteauneuf-du-Pape that will satisfy both palate and recognition. But if it’s value you seek, consider putting your money on the Cuvée Florence.

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GOUBERT Gigondas “Florence” 2011
Ansonia Retail: $50
3+ bottle price: $42/bot

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AVAILABLE IN    3-    6-    AND   12-  BOTTLE LOTS

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Terms of sale. Ansonia Wines MA sells wine to individual consumers who are 21 or more years of age, for personal consumption and not for resale.  All sales are completed and title passes to purchasers in Massachusetts.  Ansonia Wines MA arranges for shipping on behalf of its customers upon request and where applicable laws permit.

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Crisp, Dry, Refreshing Provençal Rosé. $16

Été arrivé.  We try not to be too beholden to seasonal drinking patterns. With certain dishes, red works best in the summer and white in the winter. But it’s hard to deny the appeal of a summertime rosé. Our criteria for rosé are threefold: dry, inexpensive, and refreshing.

The provencal-style rosé from the Domaine les Goubert hits all three of those perfectly. Grown across the sun-drenched plain just east of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Goubert’s rosé is dry and delicious. If there’s a beach or a roof deck or a backyard patio in your future this summer, this is almost as necessary as sunscreen.

 

Soleil.  Rosé de Flo is the project of the Cartier family’s thirtysomething daughter Florence, who is now handling much of the winemaking at Goubert. Florence decided not to make any Rosé in 2016 — the crop quality was too high, so it all went to red — but we managed to snap up the last of the 2015, which continues to be excellent.

The 2015 is a blend of grenache, mourvèdre, and a local grape called brun argenté. In the glass it’s a pale salmon color, with notes of wild strawberry jam and faint lavender; in the mouth look for fresh cut hay and lime rind. Bone dry, with 13% alcohol and a delicate acidity, this wine is dangerously easy to sip. Open one with a salad or tapenade and you’ll be transported to Provence.

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GOUBERT Sablet Rosé 2015
Ansonia Retail: $20
6+ bottle price: $16/bot

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AVAILABLE IN    6-    AND   12-  BOTTLE LOTS

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Terms of sale. Ansonia Wines MA sells wine to individual consumers who are 21 or more years of age, for personal consumption and not for resale.  All sales are completed and title passes to purchasers in Massachusetts.  Ansonia Wines MA arranges for shipping on behalf of its customers upon request and where applicable laws permit.

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Smooth New Grenache Blend: Berries and Lavender. $16

Barbecue.  For most people, the summer is rosé and white wine season. We’re thrilled to help in both categories (look for the Goubert Rosé release on Friday), but for something smoky off the grill, or for a cool midsummer evening, it’s helpful to have some red around.

Some of our favorite affordable reds from the last few years are from the Clos Bagatelle in St-Chinian. Grown in Southern France’s Languedoc region, Bagatelle’s reds avoid that region’s trap of flatness and over-ripeness. By picking early enough, the winemakers here retain good structure and balancing acidity. They’re perfect everyday sippers for the summer.

Uncomplicated.  For several years we’ve stocked Bagatelle’s two syrah-based wines, “Tradition” and “Veillée d’Automne.” Today we’re excited to introduce a third. The “Colline d’Assignan” is majority grenache, though there’s also syrah and carignan. The large proportion of grenache means the fruits are redder and smoother than those of Bagatelle’s other cuvées, but we’re confident anyone who liked the other two will enjoy this one as well.

The 2015 Colline d’Assignan doesn’t require a lot of thought or contemplation — it’s simple, well-made, and remarkably easy to drink. The nose is very expressive, with red berry fruits and hints of black pepper and lavender. In the mouth it’s smooth and full, with a clean finish giving notes of the woodsy local underbrush known as garrigue. We like to serve it slightly cool.

This won’t be the fanciest wine you have this summer. But for an outdoor barbeque or even a glass after a long day of work, it’s hard to imagine a better match.

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BAGATELLE “St-Chinian” Colline 2015
Ansonia Retail: $20
6+ bottle price: $16/bot

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AVAILABLE IN    6-    AND   12-  BOTTLE LOTS

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Terms of sale. Ansonia Wines MA sells wine to individual consumers who are 21 or more years of age, for personal consumption and not for resale.  All sales are completed and title passes to purchasers in Massachusetts.  Ansonia Wines MA arranges for shipping on behalf of its customers upon request and where applicable laws permit.

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Mixed Case: Loire Valley Sampler

The Loire Valley is a pastoral land of magnificent chateaux and humble goat cheese makers. The range of wines across its 250 mile expanse is just as dramatic: sparkling and still, dry and sweet, and everything from almost-clear Muscadet to deep purple Chinon. There’s a wine here for almost every taste.

For this case we’ve collected three wines from all across the region. From the west, a Muscadet — grown where the Loire Valley meets the windswept Atlantic coast. From the east, a pure Sauvignon Blanc from Pouilly-Fumé. And from the middle, a delightful unoaked Cabernet Franc with pure fruit and refreshing minerality.

MARTIN-LUNEAU Muscadet Gorges 13
This very dry wine is made from the Melon de Bourgogne grape — it’s unoaked and raised on the lees for several years, giving it both a smooth richness and an exceptional liveliness. Pair this with oysters and you’ll be in heaven.

MICHOT Pouilly-Fumé 2015
This pure Sauvignon Blanc comes from a town across the river from Sancerre. Raised in stainless steel, this refreshing wine shows notes of honeysuckle, grapefruit, flint, and minerals. Pair this with any fish or shellfish.

DEMOIS Chinon VV 2014
This is pure Cabernet Franc from the central Loire Valley. It’s unoaked and from old vines, giving it a freshness and density that pairs beautifully with food. Look for notes of cranberries and graphite, and pair with fresh chèvre.

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LOIRE VALLEY SAMPLER

4x   Martin-Luneau Muscader “Gorges” 13:   $24
4x   Michot Pouilly-Fumé 2015:   $20
4x   Demois Chinon Vieilles Vignes 2014:   $24


Ansonia Retail: $272
offer price: $235/case

free East Coast shipping    |    save $37

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Terms of sale. Ansonia Wines MA sells wine to individual consumers who are 21 or more years of age, for personal consumption and not for resale.  All sales are completed and title passes to purchasers in Massachusetts.  Ansonia Wines MA arranges for shipping on behalf of its customers upon request and where applicable laws permit.

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Elegant, Unoaked Chardonnay: Premier Cru Chablis. $25

Unique.  Chablis is a singular place. Its combination of deep stony soils and cool climate exists nowhere else on earth. These factors produce a similarly unique wine — mineral and crisp, pure and clean. Our goal as importers is to find wines that reflect the place from which they come, and there is no better place to find such wines than Chablis.

Cyril Gautheron is a rising star here. The Gautheron Family has made wine in Chablis for 200 years, but Cyril has taken the reins with an unusual passion. Our visits with him regularly run late as he explains the intricacies of his family’s property, and shows us unblended lots from dozens of plots.

Today’s wine, the Chablis 1er cru “Vaucoupin” is pure, elegant Chardonnay. In an era where many Chablis vignerons add oak to their 1er crus, Gautheron keeps his entirely unoaked, allowing the stony soil to show through as delicate minerality.

Flint.  Yesterday we opened the newest vintage of Vaucoupin, and it’s simply a delight. We served it alongside a few dozen oysters, and it reminded us why the pairing is so famous. The Vaucoupin has remarkable richness for a wine without oak — purity and elegance that is exceptional. The briny freshness of oysters (or a lemony-prepared fish) is a perfect foil for the brisk energy of the Vaucoupin.

The Vaucoupin 2015 is rounder than much Chablis — the old vines, premier cru classification, and sunny vintage create a wine that drinks really nicely on its own. But make no mistake: this is crisp, lively, and fresh. Cyril has managed to keep an impressive amount of acidity. The nose shows lemon rind and salt air; the mouth is smooth and full but with a crisp line of refreshing minerality.

It’s hard to imagine a purer interpretation of the Chardonnay grape. Put alongside a plate of fruits de mer or a simply grilled fish, and you’ll know that summer has indeed arrived.

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GAUTHERON Chablis 1er cru “Vaucoupin” 2015
Ansonia Retail: $30
6+ bottle price: $25/bot

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AVAILABLE IN    6-    AND   12-  BOTTLE LOTS

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Terms of sale. Ansonia Wines MA sells wine to individual consumers who are 21 or more years of age, for personal consumption and not for resale.  All sales are completed and title passes to purchasers in Massachusetts.  Ansonia Wines MA arranges for shipping on behalf of its customers upon request and where applicable laws permit.

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“Beguiling” 93-point Premier Cru Red Burgundy: “Utterly Delicious”

Almost Grand Cru.  In Burgundy as in real estate, location is everything. Today’s wine comes from a vineyard classified Premier Cru but surrounded by five Grand Crus. It sits along the famous stretch of Grand Crus between Morey-St-Denis and Gevrey-Chambertin, and many believe its classification has as much to do with centuries-ago politics as with terroir.

But whether it’s a secret would-be Grand Cru, or just a perfectly positioned Premier Cru, one thing is settled — the “Combottes” vineyard turns out magnificent wine. The Domaine Pierre Amiot is based in Morey-St-Denis, but makes a few hundred cases each year from this plot just over the border in Gevrey.

 

Impeccable.  Today we’re offering the Combottes from 2014, an excellent year in which Amiot excelled. The wine is young but already exceptional — the nose is dark and sweetly floral, with notes of spice, plum, and earth. The mouth is dense and sappy with an rich, mouthfilling concentration. Burghound awarded 91-93 points, finding “utterly delicious flavors,” and an “impeccably well-balanced finish.”

Most red Burgundy improves with age — Combottes today is twice as delicious as it was when it arrived last year, and given another few years it will likely show even better. But life is short, and when a wine tastes this good this young, no one will fault you for opening it early.

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AMIOT Gevrey-Chambertin 1er cru “Combottes” 2014
Ansonia Retail: $102
2+ bottle price: $88/bot

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AVAILABLE IN    2-    3-    6-    AND   12-  BOTTLE LOTS

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or call Tom: (617) 249-3657

 

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Terms of sale. Ansonia Wines MA sells wine to individual consumers who are 21 or more years of age, for personal consumption and not for resale.  All sales are completed and title passes to purchasers in Massachusetts.  Ansonia Wines MA arranges for shipping on behalf of its customers upon request and where applicable laws permit.

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Melon and Salt Air: Crisp, Refreshing New Muscadet. $19

Dry.  Value is subjective when it comes to wine. A $60 bottle of Burgundy might seem a steal to some, an extravagance to others. But nearly everyone agrees that Muscadet is just about the best bargain going.

Muscadet is a crisp, precise, dry white wine that is the essence of freshness. It’s also abundant and inexpensive. Made from the Melon de Bourgogne grape, the best examples are raised “sur lie” (on the lees) to add complexity. In recent years Muscadet has undergone a reinvention of sorts with the elevation of three of the region’s best towns to a new “Cru Communal” status.

Fresh.  Today’s wine comes from one of these three leaders in the new wave of Muscadet. Martin-Luneau is a family domaine farming old vines on the plains south of Nantes. Today we’re pleased to release the 2013 Gorges Muscadet de Sèvre et Maine. Combining exceptional terroir with extended years on the lees, this is an unusually complex take on a classic.

The 2013 Gorges is the perfect antidote to summer heat. It’s pure and clean, showing melon, dried spring flowers, and lemon zest. The mouth is smooth and very dry, with notes of salt air, stones, and green apple skins. It’s refreshing and full of energy.

Oysters are the longstanding pairing of choice with Muscadet, and the thick savoriness in this wine is an exceptional foil for the fresh brininess of an oyster. Moules Marinières is the choice of the winemakers, and as you might expect, the match is magnificent.

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MARTIN-LUNEAU Muscadet “Gorges” 2013
Ansonia Retail: $24
6+ bottle price: $19/bot

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AVAILABLE IN    6-    AND   12-  BOTTLE LOTS

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Terms of sale. Ansonia Wines MA sells wine to individual consumers who are 21 or more years of age, for personal consumption and not for resale.  All sales are completed and title passes to purchasers in Massachusetts.  Ansonia Wines MA arranges for shipping on behalf of its customers upon request and where applicable laws permit.

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An Old Favorite Côtes-du-Rhône Returns. $14.95

Drinkable.  Côtes du Rhône is one of the world’s most widely recognizable wine brands. There’s a wide range of styles out there, and we have favorites in many camps. For rustic and rugged we like the Domaine les Goubert. For refined and serious, we like the Domaine Malmont. But for easygoing, fruit-forward, and effortlessly drinkable, it’s hard to beat the Domaine Coulange.

Coulange’s Côtes du Rhône is named “Mistral” for the strong northwesterly wind that blows into Provence. The wind is a blessing to winemakers, drying their grapes and keeping their vineyards healthy. We’re excited to have this old favorite back in stock after a few months, just in time for summer enjoyment.

 

Smooth.  Winemaker Christelle Coulange returned to the family property after oenology school, and began to make and bottle her own wine (previously the family sold in bulk). In only a decade she has made quite a name for herself. She seems to win gold or silver at the Côtes du Rhône tastings every year — the 2015 offered today took the gold at the Gilbert & Gaillard International Concours in 2016.

The 2015 Mistral is delightful, an unoaked blend of 80% grenache and 20% syrah. The nose shows violets, wild cherry jam, and garrigue (provençal underbrush), with woodsy and briary notes as it develops in the glass. The mouth is dense and smooth, with a rich, vibrant mouthfeel, very smooth tannins and a clean finish. It’s not serious or complex, but for a weekday evening it’s everything you need.

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COULANGE Côtes du Rhône “Mistral” 2015
Ansonia Retail: $18
6+ bottle price: $14.95/bot

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AVAILABLE IN    6-    AND   12-  BOTTLE LOTS

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Terms of sale. Ansonia Wines MA sells wine to individual consumers who are 21 or more years of age, for personal consumption and not for resale.  All sales are completed and title passes to purchasers in Massachusetts.  Ansonia Wines MA arranges for shipping on behalf of its customers upon request and where applicable laws permit.

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Peach, Hazelnut, and White Flowers: New 2015 Meursault

Class.  If you ever need to convert someone to white Burgundy, pour them a glass of Meursault. Made from pure Chardonnay and grown in soils balanced between marl and chalk, Meursault is some of most opulent white wine in the world. Chardonnay can make rich, mouthfilling wines in most locations — but those from Meursault also contain elegance, minerality, and balance.

The town’s low water table means the vines reach deep into the earth for water, pulling minerals and nutrients from deep root systems. The chalk and other minerals in the soil bring a freshness and balancing minerality to the best Meursault. We meet plenty of people who tell us they don’t like Chardonnay, particularly when raised in oak — but we have yet to find someone who doesn’t enjoy Meursault.

Masterful.  We used to describe Vincent Boyer as a young, up and coming winemaker in Meursault. But at this point he has definitely arrived. It’s hard to imagine how Boyer’s wines could get any better, but every year we visit — even through the last several difficult vintages — his quality seems to improve.

This year we’re excited to introduce a new wine — the Cuvée Fernand Boyer. It’s a blend of four village-level plots in Meursault, and named for Vincent’s grandfather, the founder of the domaine. Like all of Vincent’s wines, it’s exceptionally well made; but because it’s from several plots it offers a slightly friendlier price tag.

The 2015 “Fernand Boyer” is classic Meursault. The nose shows stone fruits like white peaches and nectarines, and a lovely balance between tropical and citrus notes. The oak influence is very light, and in this ripe year Vincent has let the pure fruit and beautiful white flowers shine through. The mouth is rich and smooth but full of energy, with a long, smooth finish. Shellfish or pork tenderloin would match this nicely, but all it really requires is a glass.

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BOYER-MARTENOT Meursault “Fernand Boyer” 2015
Ansonia Retail: $56
3+ bottle price: $49/bot

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AVAILABLE IN   3-     6-    AND   12-  BOTTLE LOTS

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Terms of sale. Ansonia Wines MA sells wine to individual consumers who are 21 or more years of age, for personal consumption and not for resale.  All sales are completed and title passes to purchasers in Massachusetts.  Ansonia Wines MA arranges for shipping on behalf of its customers upon request and where applicable laws permit.

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The World’s Finest Expression of Syrah: 92 Point Côte Rôtie

Balance. At a glance, Côte Rôtie might seem the last place in the world to grow vines. The steep slopes reach 60 degrees in places, and so all field work — planting, pruning, treating, harvesting — must be done entirely by hand. And yet the citizens of this land have tended vines here since Roman times. What makes them continue to work this land?

Pour yourself a glass of Côte Rôtie and your questions will evaporate. Syrah from Côte Rôtie is unlike any other, at once dense and balanced, inky and crisp, mouthfilling and fresh. Christophe Bonnefond and his brother Patrick produce small batch wines of pure, concentrated syrah. Josh Raynolds calls their style “extroverted,” “friendly,” and “refined.”

Ink-like.  The Bonnefonds produce exceptional red wines, with notes of dark fruits and spice. They are rich without being heavy – only 13% alcohol – and there’s an attractive liveliness often lacking in Syrah from the Southern Hemisphere. Bonnefond wines will age with no trouble for ten or more years. Their 2014s are delightful — last month we restocked their extraordinary luxury cuvée “Côte Rozier,” today we’re releasing their more readily approachable “Colline de Couzou.”

The nose on the 2014 is perfumed but serious, with toasted dark red fruits, spices like clove and lavender, and notes of dried violets. In the mouth the tannins are punchy, with fruit notes of cherry and blackberry jam, alongside black pepper and licorice. Josh Raynolds of Vinous awarded 92 points, finding “sappy black and blue fruit flavors and a jolt of peppery spices.”

We wouldn’t be the first to volunteer to work the vertiginous “fields” of Bonnefond’s vineyards, but we’re certainly glad someone does.

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BONNEFOND Côte Rôtie 2014
Ansonia Retail: $54
3+ bottle price: $45/bot

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AVAILABLE IN   3-     6-    AND   12-  BOTTLE LOTS

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or call Tom: (617) 249-3657

 

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Terms of sale. Ansonia Wines MA sells wine to individual consumers who are 21 or more years of age, for personal consumption and not for resale.  All sales are completed and title passes to purchasers in Massachusetts.  Ansonia Wines MA arranges for shipping on behalf of its customers upon request and where applicable laws permit.

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Crisp, Thirst-Quenching Pinot Noir Rosé. $16

Crisp.  Francis Muré lives in a charming Alsatian hill town. His farmhouse nestles on vine-covered slopes near stone streets lined with colorful flower boxes. It’s idyllic, quaint, and picturesque, like something from a fairy tale.

Muré’s wines are a perfect representation of their pastoral origin. Today we’re suggesting his rosé, an uncomplicated, refreshing, delightful glass of wine — perfect for the summer heat arriving this week. We can’t all live in such a beautiful place as the Alsace, but a glass of this rosé will transport you there, at least for a moment.

Summertime.  Muré splits the fruit from his Pinot Noir harvest into two wines: the bright, summer-weight red Pinot Noir, and this rosé. Where the notes in the red are mostly wild cherries, the rosé is more floral, and the fruit is closer to strawberry.

Our requirements for rosé are low alcohol, good acidity, and an affordable price. Muré’s Rosé clocks in at 12.5%, and has a lovely, elegant balance. The cool, ripe fruits round out beautifully in the mouth, but the gentle acidity keeps it lively and fresh. The nose shows fresh herbs, wild strawberries, and dandelions. The mouth is cool and crisp, showing strawberry preserves and bright spring flowers.

For the heat arriving this week, Mure’s Rosé is as useful as an umbrella in April. Take a glass outside to your back yard, patio, or roof deck — you might even get some gardening done.

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MURÉ Rosé 2015
Ansonia Retail: $20
6+ bottle price: $16/bot

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AVAILABLE IN    6-    AND   12-  BOTTLE LOTS

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Email Tom to place an order.
or call Tom: (617) 249-3657

 

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Terms of sale. Ansonia Wines MA sells wine to individual consumers who are 21 or more years of age, for personal consumption and not for resale.  All sales are completed and title passes to purchasers in Massachusetts.  Ansonia Wines MA arranges for shipping on behalf of its customers upon request and where applicable laws permit.

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Mixed Case: Everyday Red Burgundies

It’s getting harder to find bargains in Burgundy. Demand continues to increase, and the small supply is even smaller after a string of difficult years in the vines. At many domaines, the least available cuvées are at the Bourgogne level.

But we do our best to find and stock Burgundies for everyday drinking. Though the region produces some of the most expensive and ageworthy wines in the world, it’s also home to excellent petits vins. We’ve collected four of our favorite reds, all designed for weeknight enjoyment.

Desvignes Givry 1er cru 2014
Located in the Côte Chalonnaise, just south of the more famous Côte d’Or, Givry produces a more rugged, lively version of Pinot Noir. Desvignes 1er cru Givry is delicious, showing a rich, ripe mouthfeel, excellent energy, and notes of cherries, toast, and earth.

Monnet Juliénas VV 2015
Though we’ll admit this Burgundy isn’t Pinot Noir (it’s Gamay), we include it here because it’s richer and finer than many Bourgogne-level pinots we’ve had. The wine is inky dark and smooth with cool, refreshing fruit, and notes of cranberries, graphite, and underbrush.

Ravaut Côte de Nuits Villages 2014
This wine is made from several plots in the Côte de Nuits, and shows the cool berry fruit for which the northern half of the Côte d’Or is known. The nose shows cassis jam, and the mouth has cool, crackling tannins; Jancis Robinson found it “succulent with a lovely, fresh, juicy finish.”

Bouree Bourgogne 2015
This Bourgogne comes from Pierre Bourée, an old school producer in Gevrey-Chambertin. The wine is dark and brooding in the nose, with raspberries and stewed cherries. In the mouth it’s perfectly ripe, with juicy tannins, great length, and a clean, delicious finish.

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EVERYDAY RED BURGUNDIES

3x   Desvignes Givry 1er 2014:   $30
3x   Monnet Juliénas Vieilles Vignes 2015:   $20
3x   Ravaut Côte de Nuits-Villages 2014:   $36
3x   Bourée Bourgogne 2015:   $30


Ansonia Retail: $348
offer price: $285/case

free East Coast shipping    |    save $63

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Email Tom to place an order.

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Terms of sale. Ansonia Wines MA sells wine to individual consumers who are 21 or more years of age, for personal consumption and not for resale.  All sales are completed and title passes to purchasers in Massachusetts.  Ansonia Wines MA arranges for shipping on behalf of its customers upon request and where applicable laws permit.