Author: Thomas Wilcox

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. But most consider “classic” Nuits to come from the section south of town, which contains the “les Saint Georges” vineyard.

Today’s wine is from Michel Gros, a master winemaker based in nearby Vosne-Romanée. His Nuits-St-Georges “les Chaliots” comes from south of the village, just a hundred yards from the famous “Saint Georges.” It’s quintessential Nuits-St-Georges, with the signature richness and sturdiness found in the heart of the appellation.

We’ve managed to secure the last few cases of the excellent 2012 NSG Chaliots still in Gros’s cellar. We’ll be bringing it in with the January Futures (to be released next Sunday), but we’re opening up the bidding early; if there’s any left by Sunday we’ll include it in the Futures brochure.

Exquisite. Pinot Noir from Burgundy may not be known for its boldness, but this is not a wine that’s easy to forget. In 2012, an extremely low-yield vintage 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 a bit of game.

Jancis Robinson listed Gros as one of five “overperforming” red Burgundy producers in 2012. Burghound (Allen Meadows) called the 2012 Chaliots “complex, balanced, and lingering,” finding a “velvety mouthfeel” and “fine volume.” With four years in the bottle, this has begun to drink extraordinarily well, but it will improve over another 3-4 years in the cellar, if you can keep your hands off it.

Today, given a half hour 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 — use a cast-iron skillet and finish it in the oven.

In short, this is a rare shot at exquisite red Burgundy, four years on from the harvest, with perfect cellaring and 40% off retail (thanks, Euro:Dollar). As always, orders are first come, first served.

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GROS Nuits-St-Georges “Chaliots” 2012
Ansonia Retail: $816/case
Futures Price: $495/case     ($41.25/bot)

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AVAILABLE BY THE CASE AND HALF CASE

 

This is an advance order, part of the January Futures program, which will be released 1/15/17

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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.

Balance.  The 2014 whites were a gift to Burgundian winemakers. Though quantities were somewhat low, the quality of the grapes was universally excellent. As Master of Wine Jasper Morris put it recently, “an all-round consistently beautiful vintage for whites… at all levels and across all the districts of Burgundy.”

It’s the exceptional balance we find most appealing in the 2014 white Burgundies — there’s a near-perfect ratio of richness and acidity. Even away from the famous three towns — Chassagne, Puligny, and Meursault — beautiful white Burgundy abounds. Today’s offer is from a quiet producer in a town you’ve likely never heard of; but if you like white Burgundy, we know you’ll like this too.

Under the radar.  The charming and jovial Michel Prunier (pictured) makes uncomplicated, delicious wines from his Domaine in Auxey-Duresses. Together with his daughter Estelle, Prunier has built his domaine into what Clive Coates MW calls “certainly the best grower in the village.” Today we’re offering Prunier’s 2014 Chorey-les-Beaune “Clos Margot,” from just north of the city of Beaune.

The Clos Margot is lively and round — the nose is pretty and delicate, with white flowers and pear fruit. The mouth is smooth and mid-length, with far more complexity and depth than most everyday Burgundies. This is honest, vibrant, delicious white Burgundy at a weeknight price.

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PRUNIER Chorey-les-Beaune “Clos Margot” 2014
Ansonia Retail: $32
case, half-case: $26/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.

Easy.  Some wines we import are meant for grand occasions. These are the famous wines of Bordeaux, Burgundy, and Champagne — bottles to pull from the back of the cellar when the moment is significant. Over the past few weeks we opened a few such bottles, enjoying the magical effect of time on a bottle of wine.

Today’s offer is not for that sort of wine. The Sablet from the Domaine les Goubert fits best in an unexceptional moment — something to reach for after a long day of work, or a cozy companion for that new season on Netflix. It hits a sweet spot between balance, versatility and price. This is a wine you don’t need to think hard about to enjoy.

By-the-glass.  Goubert’s Sablet is the house red for many of our readers and friends. It’s a Côtes du Rhône Villages, a notch up from a simple Côtes du Rhône, and shows more stuffing and a noticeably smoother mouthfeel. The 2015 is particularly ripe and rich, showing dark raspberry fruits, hints of leather and spice, and a full but nicely balanced mouthfeel.

Food isn’t necessary with Sablet — it’s a perfect by-the-glass wine that drinks well right out of the bottle — yet it certainly won’t clash with something from the kitchen. We serve the Sablet with everything from spicy garlic pasta (cool the wine a bit before serving), to a hearty salad or a bowl of French Onion Soup with a crusty piece of bread.

Goubert’s Sablet won’t win prizes for profundity or longevity, but it’s among the most popular wines we’ve ever imported. Save the $200 Grand Crus for anniversaries or birthdays — Goubert’s Sablet will fit just about everywhere else.

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GOUBERT Sablet 2015
Ansonia Retail: $18
case, half-case: $14.95/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.

Violets and Smoke.  Burgundy is best known for its wines of refinement and elegance. The delicate, often ethereal Pinot Noirs from towns like Vosne-Romanée and Chambolle-Musigny are unlike any other in the world, and rightly receive the majority of Burgundy’s press. But there’s a whole other world of red Burgundy to the South of the Côte d’Or.

Burgundy’s Côte Chalonnaise is home to towns like Mercurey, Givry, and Rully, where Pinot Noir takes on a heartier, brisker form. These are red Burgundies that trade elegance for energy, more comfortable in a Parisian bistro than a three-star restaurant. Today’s wine, a new Givry from the Propriété Desvignes, perfectly embodies the vibrant, rugged side of Pinot Noir.

 

Everyday Red.  The Desvignes Givry “Meix au Roy” is a Burgundy disguised as a Côtes du Rhône. There’s more rusticity and juiciness than Burgundy from further north, but the same pure, delightful Pinot Noir fruit, and deliciously accessible mouthfeel. Look for fresh wild raspberries in the nose, and a crackling lively mouthfeel. This is a charming wine that succeeds in being just what it sets out to be — hearty and refreshing.

This is an excellent choice for Burgundy fans looking for a house red and a break on the bill associated with the affliction. The 2014 vintage’s ripe tannins make this easily accessible young, particularly with a steak and frites. Close your eyes and you might even hear boats going by on the Seine.

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DESVIGNES Givry “Meix au Roy” 2014
Ansonia Retail: $26
case, half-case: $22/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.

Clean.  Ask ten people what comes to mind when they think of Chardonnay, and you’ll get twelve answers. Grown in nearly every corner of the winemaking world, Chardonnay has become a blank slate upon which winemakers write. Character — and quality — vary widely.

The most honest interpretation of Chardonnay we know comes from Chablis. It’s a stripped-down version of the grape: no oak clouding the purity of the fruit, just clean, crisp, refreshing white wine. In the hands of a skilled winemaker, and particularly in a year like 2015, it also be elegant, complex, and delicious.

Pure. We’ve recently written about Domaine Jean Collet’s excellent premier crus from “Forêts” and “Montée de Tonnerre.” Today’s wine is the domaine’s simplest, their 2015 Chablis. This is easy, uncomplicated wine — bright and crisp, with clean ripe fruit and an unusually smooth mouthfeel. Ripe meyer lemon notes accompany the tense mineral core to produce a beautifully balanced wine, noticeably more complex than most at its level.

This wine needs no ageing, and you probably couldn’t keep your hands off it anyway. Oysters, the classic Chablis pairing, will work beautifully; even Oysters Rockefeller will match up nicely with this energetic little wine. Light a fire, find Bing Crosby on Spotify, and serve your guests a glass of Chablis and a plate of some breadcrumb-covered bivalves — you might forget what decade you’re in.

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COLLET Chablis 2015
Ansonia Retail: $25
case, half-case: $19.95/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.

Masterful.  Red Burgundies can be some of the most expensive wines in the world. On release they can reach into the thousands of dollars; on the auction block years later, many times that. But outlandish investment isn’t required for high-quality red Burgundy. In a top of the line domaine, everything is expertly made — from their Grand Crus down to their simple Bourgogne.

Today’s offer is for the simplest wine from a master craftsman. Michel Gros makes world-famous, age-worthy red Burgundies, that are wonderful special occasion wines. But he also produces an excellent “petit vin.” For our money, it’s the best Bourgogne-level wine there is.

 

Silky.  Gros doesn’t make much of this wine, and we’re never allocated more than a handful of cases. But if you’re a fan of elegant, Burgundian pinot noir, this is a perfect everyday version. The 2014 has a lively, clean nose showing raspberries and violets, and a whisper of smokiness. The mouth is cool and elegant, and surprisingly long for its class. Look for blackcurrant and toast.

For those new to Michel Gros, the Bourgogne is a perfect way to experience this elite winemaker’s work without breaking the bank. For readers who know Gros well, here’s a chance to upgrade your weeknight Burgundy consumption. For everyone else, this an affordable, delicious red Burgundy from a master.

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MICHEL GROS Bourgogne 2014
Ansonia Retail: $30
case, half-case: $25/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.

Old Friends.  Longtime readers of these notes may notice this is the first Pouilly-Fuissé we’ve offered in nearly three years. Our source in the town was Michel Forest, a charming old winemaker who made tiny quantities of exceptional white Burgundy. Much to our disappointment Forest retired several years ago, and we’ve missed his wines ever since.

Today we’re excited to introduce a new wine from Nicolas Maillet, a winemaker whose unoaked Macon wines have become wildly popular among our readers. Believe it or not, Maillet’s Pouilly-Fuissé comes from the very same plot as one of Forest’s cuvées — the “Sur la Roche” vineyard, perched on top of the famous “Rock of Vergisson” (pictured).

We couldn’t be more excited to reintroduce this classic white Burgundy into our lineup.

Classic.  Maillet’s Pouilly-Fuissé is a delight. Sporting the same astonishing purity and complexity as his unoaked cuvées (Macon-Villages and Macon-Verzé), the Pouilly-Fuissé adds careful notes of oak and toast to the elegant Chardonnay fruit. Maillet’s Pouilly-Fuissé vines average 75 years old and are farmed organically, resulting in exceptional density and richness.

This wine is a beautiful example of careful use of oak. The nose shows white flowers and attractive, bright yellow fruit. The mouth perfectly balances richness from old vines and barrel with a chalky minerality and bright Chardonnay freshness. It’s extremely long in the mouth, showing opulent depth and luxurious richness.

Michel Forest’s wines used to fool people into thinking they were premier cru Chassagne-Montrachet (at a blind tasting at a 3-star Michelin, no less). We put Maillet’s Pouilly-Fuissé in the same class. For those readers (like us) who miss Michel Forest’s elegant old wines, or for fans of classic white Burgundy with months of cold weather ahead — this is one not to miss.

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MAILLET Pouilly-Fuissé 2014
Ansonia Retail: $40
case, half-case: $34/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.

Location.  Morey-St-Denis is a tiny town. Home to only 680 people, its half-square-mile of vineyards produces a wide array of wines, ranging from simple Bourgogne to famous Grand Cru. We’ve found much to like across this small terroir, particularly in the premier crus from the Domaine Pierre Amiot. Today’s offer is for Amiot’s excellent 2012 premier cru from “Ruchots.”

The Ruchots vineyard lies a mere 10 feet from the historic Clos de Tart, an iconic Grand Cru vineyard in production for nearly a thousand years. While you wouldn’t mistake one wine for the other, it’s easy to see why many consider Ruchots the best premier cru in the town. It’s a wine of unusual depth and intensity for its class.

Clos de Tart deserves its praise and acclaim, but at $250 a bottle it’s nice to have a more affordable neighbor at the ready. For those in search of a special red Burgundy from an exceptional location, we submit “Ruchots.”

 

Small-batch.  From just over an acre of vines, the Amiot family makes only 200 cases of this wine per year. Their vines, planted in the 1950s, produce a concentrated, intense red Burgundy. Allen Meadows (Burghound) awarded 90 points to the Ruchots 2012, calling it “detailed and punchy,” and finding “plum” and “dark-berry fruit.”

Last night at a Boston tasting, the 2012 Ruchots outshone everything else on the table. Next to a Chambolle-Musigny and Gevrey-Chambertin, it was proof enough that Morey-St-Denis is more than just a stop between its more famous neighbors. The nose was dark and spicy, with hints of earth and smoke. The mouth was cool and long, with blackberry and woodsy flavors.

This wine should age easily for another 5 years; however today it sports a softened but sturdy tannic structure that makes it an excellent choice for food. Last night’s pairing was venison with winter vegetables, and the match was superb. From a small, well-located vineyard in an overlooked town, this wine is nothing short of a gem.

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AMIOT Morey-St-Denis 1er “Ruchots” 2012
Ansonia Retail: $80
case, half-case: $69/bot

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AVAILABLE IN     3-    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.

Pure.  For fans of white Burgundy, 2014 is among the finest years of the past decade. Both in Chablis and in the Côte d’Or, the wines walk a beautiful balance between a rich core of ripe fruit and a vibrant streak of minerality and acidity. We expect them to age nicely, but most are drinking beautifully already.

One such example is the Jean Collet’s Chablis Premier Cru from the “Forêts” vineyard. With a dense, concentrated core, and a crisp dose of classic Chablis minerality, this wine is simply beautiful. Allen Meadows (Burghound) awarded it 90 points, finding “truly distinguished complexity.” This is the type of wine Collet does best: no woodsy oak in the way, just pure, elegant, honest white Burgundy.

New Generation.  Burghound stopped reviewing Collet’s wines a decade ago when he felt the quality had begun to decline. But after learning the young Romain Collet had taken over winemaking duties, he began tasting again and was “sufficiently impressed to return.” We’ve also noticed an improvement at Collet — though always crisp and traditional, the wines in recent years have taken on an added refinement and elegance.

The 2014 Chablis 1er cru Forêts shows a beautiful white flower bouquet in the nose, with notes of honey and almonds. The mouth is bright and fresh, with great energy overlying an intense, rich body. Look for notes of herbs, lime rind, and salt air in the mouth.

The Wilcox family usually enjoys plenty of oysters and scallops around Christmas, and Chablis fills many of our holiday wine glasses. But if your menu this year has anything from shellfish and fish to roast chicken to soufflé, consider this one.

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COLLET Chablis 1er cru “Forets” 2014
Ansonia Retail: $38
case, half-case: $32/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.