Author: Thomas Wilcox
White Burgundy’s Best Kept Secret.
la Chance.  This week in France has been a reminder of the precarious livelihoods of winemakers. Overnight frosts devastated vineyards in several regions in France this week, and the vignerons aren’t out of the woods yet. As we drove through the Côte d’Or yesterday, winemakers were readying bales of hay in the vineyards, in preparation for the overnight bonfires to protect against the cold.
Weeks like this one make us appreciate the good years. The 2015 vintage provided both quantity and quality, and nearly every wine drinks better than its label — simple table wines drink like village-level Burgundies, and village wines resemble premier crus.
We’ve long found St-Aubin to be a source for exceptional value in white Burgundy. Indeed Jancis Robinson recently wrote that though long passed over in favor of its more famous neighbors Chassagne-Montrachet and Puligny Montrachet, St-Aubin “should now be regarded as virtually their equal.” This statement particularly rings true in a year like 2015.
Value.  Though most wines in St-Aubin punch above their weight, we know of few more impressive than the 1er cru St. Aubin from Gérard Thomas. This wine comes from “Murgers des Dents de Chien,” a plot of vines high on a ridge from which one can see north and south along the golden slope.
The 2015 “Murgers” is refined and elegant. The fruits are ripe and rich, with mouthfilling intensity and subtle use of oak. The nose shows lemons and toast, with almonds and wild honey in the mouth. Whatever the occasion, when white Burgundy is called for, this is a delicious and affordable example.
The Burgundians are sanguine about the frost — having seen it all before, most winemakers shrug their shoulders, smile, and shake their head. “Qu’est-ce qu’on peut faire?” they ask, “what can you do?” The best thing we can think to do is to celebrate the fruits of one of Mother Nature’s friendlier moments.
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THOMAS St-Aubin 1er cru “Murgers” 2015
Ansonia Retail: $40
6+ bottle price : $34/bot
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AVAILABLE IN Â Â 6- Â AND Â 12- Â BOTTLE LOTS
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[Travel Blog] Day Four: Northern RhĂ´ne and Beaujolais.
2015 Old-Vine Crozes-Hermitage: “a Model of Balance and Finesse.”
This morning we visited our Northern Rhône producers, tasting wines from Crozes-Hermitage, Saint-Joseph, and Côte Rôtie. Winemakers here are basking in the glow of the 2015 vintage, said to be the best in 55 years. We don’t have quite that long a memory, but from this morning’s tastings we can confirm that this is an extraordinary vintage.
The finest Northern RhĂ´ne Syrahs are a study in finesse and subtlety. Their brilliance comes from their marriage of a dark, rich southern grape varietal with cooler northern climate. In 2015 in particular, the wines show an exquisite balance between an inky meatiness and a brisk fruitiness.
We’ve yet to have a bad 2015 Northern Rhône Syrah, but despite a crowded field, Denis Basset’s old-vine Crozes-Hermitage “Fleur Enchanté” is a favorite. The Guide Hachette calls Basset’s wines “a model of balance and finesse;” we call them dense, complex, and delicious.
The 2015 Fleur Enchantée shows dark blackberry and cassis fruit in the nose, with violet and cloves alongside. The mouth is startlingly dense and fine, with a balanced mouthfeel and an extremely long finish that shows peppercorn, plum, and wild cherry jam. From nearly 50 year old syrah vines and aged carefully for a year and a half before bottling, this is an extraordinarily dense and mouthfilling Syrah.
It’d be an impressive wine at $40/bot, and no one would be disappointed. At $25, it has to be among the best buys in our lineup. If you’re a fan of Northern RhĂ´ne syrahs, you already know to expect great things from this wine. If you’re new to the region, 2015 is a great place to start — there might not be another chance like this for half a century.
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SAINT CLAIR Crozes-Hermitage “Fleur EnchantĂ©” 2015
Ansonia Retail: $30
6+ bottle price : $25/bot
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AVAILABLE IN Â Â 6- Â AND Â 12- Â BOTTLE LOTS
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or call Tom: (617) 249-3657
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[Travel Blog] Day Three: Northward along the RhĂ´ne.
Goubert’s Signature Gigondas: Violets, Spice, and Joie de Vivre
There’s something exceptionally pleasant about the pace of life in the South of France. Since arriving Sunday afternoon we have eaten five of our six meals outside, under clear blue Provencal skies and a gentle, refreshing breeze. Winemakers greet us with quick smiles and warm welcomes. Even the often sullen waiters seem a bit more at ease (as long as you don’t need your check fast).
Joie de vivre has long been tradition here. Two thousand years ago the town of Gigondas was a vacation spot for Roman soldiers. They named the place jucunditas, a latin word that means enjoyment, delight, and pleasure. The spelling has changed a little since then, but the charm has not. Today it’s as quaint and pleasant a town as any in France — and it has delicious wine to match.
We spent this morning tasting with our friends the Cartiers at the Domaine les Goubert in Gigondas. Jancis Robinson and Robert Parker consider them a “reference point” for the village, and we’ve been enjoying their Gigondas since the early 1990s. We have yet to see a bad vintage, but even amid astonishing consistency, the 2012s stand out.
In 2012 Goubert’s signature Gigondas is dark and smooth and full, with pleasant red fruits playing beautifully off the provencal spice below. The nose shows bright red flowers and dark rich fruit, hitting high notes and low notes simultaneously in a harmony unusual even for the Cartiers. The mouth is sturdy and meaty, with cool dark tannins and impressive length. Serve this with grilled meats, rustic salads, or hard sheep’s milk cheese, particularly on a picnic.
If you’re ever in the South of France, we recommend a visit to Gigondas — you’ll see why the Romans came back year after year. But if it’s charm and enjoyment and joie de vivre you’re after, this bottle will get you most of the way there.
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GOUBERT Gigondas 2012
Ansonia Retail: $30
6+ bottle price : $25/bot
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AVAILABLE IN Â Â 6- Â AND Â 12- Â BOTTLE LOTS
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[Travel Blog] Day Two: Châteauneuf-du-Pape Four Ways
[Travel Blog] Day One: Paris to Avignon
Day One: Paris to Avignon
122 Years of Grenache, CĂ©zanne, and Provence.
Le Train. Â In 1895, at age 56 impressionist painter Paul Cezanne had his first solo show in Paris. His 150 paintings were a revelation to artists and collectors, and the show secured his place as a leading artist of his time. But despite his first real commercial success, Cezanne returned south to live out his final decade in his beloved Provence.
This morning we made the same trek from Paris to Provence — our trip (by TGV) today was no less scenic, but perhaps a bit quicker than in 1895. As it happens, that same year a vineyard of Grenache vines was planted outside Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Those vines (most of them, at least) are still alive, and still producing fruit from their gnarled bush-like branches. They may not have gained as much value as a Cezanne canvas, but they produce an awfully good glass of red.
 
Pure, Unblended.  The vines for Maucoil’s “Cuvée 1895” are all Grenache and lie just feet outside the Châteauneuf-du-Pape appellation border drawn in 1937. The wine they produce may not match the complexity or longevity of a Châteauneuf-du-Pape, but it’s likely to be the richest and densest Côtes-du-Rhône Villages you’ve ever had.
The nose of the 2014 “1895” is dark and beautiful, showing ripe cherry and raspberry notes with dried fruits and leather. The mouth is full of classic grenache spice, wild cherries, and a hint of sweet licorice. If it wasn’t the warm air, the clear blue skies, or the striking Provençale light that pulled Cezanne back home, it could have been a wine like this.
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MAUCOIL “CuvĂ©e 1895” 2014
Ansonia Retail: $30
6+ bottle price : $25/bot
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Plums, Cedar, and Licorice: Small-Batch Bordeaux from Saint-Estèphe
Micro.  We don’t import much Bordeaux. We’ve always taken more readily to the scale and culture of Burgundy, where the estates are much smaller and the atmosphere less formal. But it’s no secret that Bordeaux makes some extraordinary wines, and we like having some in our portfolio.
We’re hoping to add a few new reds from Bordeaux in the next few months, but in the meantime we continue to enjoy our first and only Saint-Estèphe, the Fleuron de Liot. From a remarkably small 1.5 acre plot, this family run winery turns out an exceptional, classic red Bordeaux. It’s equal parts Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.
Value.  Saint-Estèphe’s clay-rich soils make it perfect for Merlot, and this wine showcases the richness and complexity possible from the grape. At under $30/bot, precise timing isn’t crucial for a satisfying return on investment — but this wine is delicious now and will be even better in five years.
Today this wine is inky and dark, with plum and dark cherries in the nose. The mouth is dense and full, with solid ripe tannins and low oak, notes of cedar and licorice, and a long, velvety texture. The tannins are rich, dense and supple, rather than harsh or dry.
One thing common to Bordeaux and Burgundy is their ability to gain complexity with age. For this wine at least, the choice is yours. Every bottle we open seems to get better, but then again, every bottle we open is one fewer in the cellar. Whichever you choose, we’re willing to bet you will wish you had more.
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FLEURON DE LIOT Saint-Estèphe 2014
Ansonia Retail: $35
6+ bottle price : $29/bot
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A Pommard in Volnay Robes: Raspberry and Spice
Land. Â Spend even a few days tasting Burgundy, and the power of terroir is hard to miss. From a single grape, planted across a 30 mile collection of towns, comes an astonishing array of wines. Cellar work, weather, harvest times, and other factors play a role in the final product, but in Burgundy, location (terroir) is king.
Volnay and Pommard are a particularly good study in terroir. These neighbors feature opposing takes on Pinot Noir: Volnay is known for wines of elegance, Pommard for wines of power. Some Burgundy enthusiasts prefer one over the other — we like them both. But for those who’d rather not choose, today’s wine is a Pommard dressed in Volnay robes.
Continuum.  And as you approach the border, the differences between the towns blur a bit, and it’s from this gray area that today’s wine comes. From three plots in the appellation of Pommard, vines from near the Volnay border dominate this wine. The nose is pretty and exotic, with soy sauce and spices alongside the classic raspberry fruit. The mouth shows dry blackberries, with elegant, delicate, long mouthfeel.
Every bottle of this wine we open gets better. Though it will certainly benefit from another few years of cellaring, today half an hour in a carafe dramatically softens the tannins and opens the palate. Paired with a simply prepared peppery steak, this is a delightful glass of classic Burgundy. Try a bottle every six months for the next few years — it might even age better than you do.
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MEGARD Pommard 2013
Ansonia Retail: $50
3+ bottle price : $42/bot
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AVAILABLE IN Â 3- Â 6- Â AND Â 12- Â 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. Â All sales are completed and title passes to purchasers in Massachusetts. Â Ansonia Wines MA arranges for shipping on behalf of its customers upon request and where applicable laws permit.
Mixed Case: 2014 White Burgundies, “the Most Consistently Fine in a Generation”
Vintages play an important role in the style of wine. Each vintage has its own character, a result of weather patterns, harvest dates, and temperature swings. Some are difficult, requiring regular intervention to from the winemaker. Others are easy, where everything seems to go right.
For white Burgundies, 2014 was one of the best vintages in recent memory. It produced exceptionally well-balanced wines, showing good richness and ripe fruit, but also refreshing acidity and long mouthfeels. British Master of Wine Jasper Morris called the 2014 white Burgundies “the most consistently fine in a generation.”
We have collected four white Burgundies from this superb vintage into a mixed case. All these Chardonnays are drinking beautifully now, but their acidity will help carry them for a number of years.
Gros Hautes-CĂ´tes de Nuits blanc 2014
Michel Gros is a master of red Burgundies, but his only white wine is beautiful as well. Grown in the rugged hills to the west of the CĂ´te de Nuits, this smooth, rich white Burgundy shows notes of baked lemon, almonds, and hazelnut.
Prunier Auxey-Duresses 2014
Michel Prunier and his daughter Estelle make understated, beautiful Burgundies from their quiet town of Auxey-Duresses. Their 2014 Auxey blanc is among the best they’ve made, showing pretty white flowers, lemon zest, and straw.
Maillet Pouilly-Fuissé 2014
Nicolas Maillet is our biodynamic producer in southern Burgundy, turning out chardonnays of extraordinary complexity and depth. His Pouilly-Fuissé is long and very complex, with notes of green tea, sweet lemons, and gardenia.
Belland Santenay 1er cru 2014
In good years Roger Belland’s Santenay 1er cru drinks more like a village level Chassagne-Montrachet. This year’s Beauregard is simply delicious, with a soft but vibrant mouthfeel of mango, meyer lemon, and minerals.
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2014 WHITE BURGUNDIES
3x  Gros Hautes-Côtes de Nuits blanc  14:  $40
3x  Prunier Auxey-Duresses  2014:  $38
3x  Maillet Pouilly-Fuissé  2014:  $40
3x  Belland Santenay 1er cru  2014:  $42
Ansonia Retail: $480
offer price: $395/case
free East Coast shipping   |   save $85
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Springtime in Alsace: Cool, Refreshing Pinot Noir. $16
Easy.  Our focus on Burgundy means we taste a lot of Pinot Noir. From simple regional wines to ageworthy Grand Cru, the spectrum of that single grape is impressive. But a few of our Pinot Noirs come from outside even Burgundy’s wide range. Though it’s grown all over France, our favorite non-Burgundian expressions of the grape are Alsatian.
In the Alsace, Pinot Noir takes on a less serious role — simpler, juicier, and more floral. Winemakers here usually employ less oak and less extraction, resulting in wines that drink well immediately . Though the Pinot Noir’s of Alsace rarely reach the profundity of the finest wines of Burgundy, on a warm summer afternoon it’s hard to think of a better choice.
 
Picnic.  Today’s wine comes from the Domaine Mersiol, a family source in the picturesque Alsatian hilltown of Dambach-la-Ville. The Mersiols farm organically on rolling, granite-flecked hillsides, producing crisp whites and refreshing juicy reds. Their 2015 Pinot Noir is denser and a bit more mouthfilling than usual, but no less pleasant.
The 2015 Mersiol Pinot Noir shows cranberry and wild cherries, with perfumed spring flowers and violets in the nose. The mouth is cool, clean, and refreshing, with excellent freshness and a crisp, lively finish. We like to serve it as the French often do — a bit cool and, if possible, outside. Bring it along on your next picnic and you’ll be transported to the banks of the Seine.
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MERSIOL Pinot Noir 2015
Ansonia Retail: $20
6+ bottle price : $16/bot
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AVAILABLE IN Â 6- Â AND Â 12- Â 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. Â All sales are completed and title passes to purchasers in Massachusetts. Â Ansonia Wines MA arranges for shipping on behalf of its customers upon request and where applicable laws permit.
White Bordeaux: France’s Other Sauvignon Blanc. $22
Undervalued. When most people think French sauvignon blanc, they think Sancerre. But the grape also thrives in Bordeaux. Loire Valley Sauvignon blanc (known as simply “Sauvignon” in France) is exuberant and fruit forward, showing the friendly, outgoing side of the grape. It’s not that Bordeaux’s version is unfriendly, just perhaps a bit cooler and more intellectual.
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 — like 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.
 
Zest. Once owned by the enlightenment philosopher Montesquieu, the Chateau Lafont Menaut is named for a centuries old fountain (font) and the stream Menaut from which it draws water. Vines have grown here for over 300 years; today the winemaker is Philibert Perrin of Chateau Carbonnieux.
Lafont Menaut blanc 2015 is pure Sauvignon raised in oak barrels (another difference from Sancerre). The oak adds a very subtle hint of muted spice and helps 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 honey, straw, and pear.
This wine is a springtime evening in a glass, and in a ripe vintage it’s even lovely on its own. But food is a welcome companion for this wine. In the past we’ve paired this with moules marinieres to great success — it’s even sturdy enough to stand up to Moules Chorizo, a delicious dish from a few kilometers to the south over the Pyrenees. With warmer weather and grilling season on the way, you’ll want this versatile, food-friendly underdog in your corner.
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LAFONT-MENAUT Pessac-Leognan blanc 2015
Ansonia Retail: $26
6+ bottle price : $22/bot
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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. Â All sales are completed and title passes to purchasers in Massachusetts. Â Ansonia Wines MA arranges for shipping on behalf of its customers upon request and where applicable laws permit.
Mixed Case: Springtime Sampler
After a long and snowy winter, it seems Spring has at last arrived in the northeast. We avoid rigid rules for seasonal drinking — sometimes the moment calls for Chablis in December, or a Châteauenuf in June. But with the arrival of warm, sunny days, we find ourselves reaching for a certain style of wine. So we’ve collected four of our favorites into a sampler to welcome Spring. Two are whites — crisp, dry wines with pleasant fruit and refreshing mouthfeel. And two are reds — Pinot Noirs from Alsace and Burgundy, showing pleasant cherry fruit and cool mineral balance. All four should fit nicely into those picnics and outdoor meals we’ve been waiting all winter for.
Collet Chablis Vieilles Vignes 2015
Collet’s old-vine Chablis is pure, unoaked chardonnay. The mouthfeel is bright and fresh, with notes of lemon zest, salt air, and minerals.
Muré Anémones 2015
This dry Alsatian blend uses Riesling, Pinot Gris, and Muscat to create a beautifully floral wine, with notes of mango, lime, and spring flowers.
Prunier Bourgogne rouge 2014
This classic red Burgundy is pure Pinot Noir, with very little oak and a lively, refreshing mouthfeel. Look for cherries and earth.
Mersiol Pinot Noir 2015
This Alsatian Pinot Noir is more floral and juicy than the Bourgogne rouge, but shows the grape’s strawberry and plum side.
SPRINGTIMEÂ SAMPLER
- 3x Collet Chablis Vieilles Vignes 2015: $28
- 3x Muré Anémones 2015: $20
- 3x Prunier Bourgogne rouge 2014: $26
- 3x Mersiol Pinot Noir 2015: $20
Ansonia Retail: $282 offer price: $235/case
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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.