Author: Thomas Wilcox

Lace.  The wines of Volnay are all about finesse. Setting a perfect foil to the rich, meaty wines of its neighbor Pommard, Volnay embodies subtlety and elegance. The soils of Volnay are unusually rich in limestone, and the resulting wines have a distinctive lace-like minerality. As Rajat Parr puts it, “Volnay makes some of the most charming and delightful red wines of the Côte d’Or.”

The Caillerets vineyard is considered among the finest in the appellation; in fact the local saying goes “he who has no vines in Caillerets knows not the worth of Volnay.” Whether that’s all true or not, today’s Volnay 1er cru Caillerets, from the Domaine Michel Prunier, is delicious and exceptionally fine in 2014. The local tasters from the Chevaliers de Tastevin anointed it with the “Tastevinage” sticker.

Aristocracy.  Michel Prunier and his daughter Estelle make honest, traditional red and white Burgundies from their small domaine in Auxey-Duresses. This Volnay 1er cru Caillerets is the finest wine in their lineup, and shows the brilliance of this exceptional terroir. This wine has many happy years ahead of it, but the bottle we decanted last night was delightful.

The nose is rich and enticing, showing violets, dark chocolate and raspberries. The mouth is balanced, silky, and very long. Alongside a smooth, chalky minerality, look for notes of cassis and forest floor, with a silky, velvet mouthfeel that’s long, and very fine. If you can keep your hands off of it, this wine will be singing in a year or two, and even better in four.

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PRUNIER Volnay 1er cru “Caillerets” 2014
Ansonia Retail: $66
case, half-case price: $58/bot

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AVAILABLE IN   3-  6-   AND  12-   BOTTLE LOTS

 

 

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.

Style.  Many domaines imbue their wines with a distinct style, but at the Domaine Quivy the wines are unusually close expressions of their source. Gérard Quivy is a well dressed fifty-something winemaker, whose domaine is an impeccably restored 18th century manor house in Gevrey-Chambertin. Quivy’s wines are similarly polished and elegant, as meticulous and refined as their maker and domaine.

Quivy’s wines are all from Gevrey-Chambertin, a town whose terroir he knows intimately. His wines are a sophisticated take on this bold, masculine appellation, but remain true to Gevrey’s character. The Guide Hachette, the premier French language wine guide, describes Quivy as “undoubtedly one of the reference points in the appellation.”

Dense.  Today we’re offering the last of our 2012s from Quivy, the village-level Gevrey-Chambertin “Journaux”. This low-yield vintage turned out wines with excellent concentration and richness, and plump, juicy tannins. Combine this with Quivy’s old Journaux vines, planted in 1933 and 1947, and you have a recipe for excellent wine. We had planned to offer Journaux in another few months, but the bottle we opened last week was so lovely that we couldn’t delay

Quivy’s 2012 Gevrey-Chambertin “Journaux” is gorgeous today. The nose is dark, warm and enticing, showing stewed cherries, gingerbread, and smoke. The structure in the mouth is firm but smooth, with elegant dark fruit and an effortless, delicate finish. Serve this with a fine cut of steak, something special enough to match this meticulously crafted red Burgundy.

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QUIVY Gevrey-Chambertin “Journaux” 2012
Ansonia Retail: $56
case, half-case price: $48/bot

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AVAILABLE IN   3-  6-   AND  12-   BOTTLE LOTS

 

 

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.

The Côte de Nuits is the northern half of Burgundy’s famous Côte d’Or. This narrow 15-mile strip of land is home to nearly all of Burgundy’s greatest red wine vineyards. Wine has been made on this hallowed slope for over a thousand years, and today it produces the world’s finest expression of Pinot Noir.

Each town in the Côte de Nuits has its own identity. As the terroir shifts from village to village, the character of wine shifts as well. We’ve put together a mixed case of four wines from four villages and four different winemakers. This sampler displays both the remarkable diversity and unmatched brilliance of the wines from this famous stretch of earth.

GROS Chambolle-Musigny 2014
Michel Gros’s Chambolle-Musigny may be the silkiest wine in his lineup. Made mostly from a plot bordering the famous “Le Musigny” vineyard, this is unusually dense and rich for a village-level Chambolle.

AMIOT Morey-St-Denis 2014
Morey-St-Denis is the Domaine Amiot’s home turf — their Domaine sits on the main street of the town. Amiot’s village-level Morey-St-Denis is ripe and delicious, showing lace-like minerality behind juicy raspberry and currant fruits.

BOURÉE Gevrey-Chambertin “Justice” 2011
Grown in an old-school style (whole clusters, long maceration), Bourée’s “Clos de la Justice” is classic, meaty Gevrey-Chambertin. Look for stewed fruits, dried cranberries, cloves, and baked apple in the nose, and a smooth, tense palate.

ARLOT Nuits-St-Georges 1er cru 2013
The monopole “Clos des Forets-St-Georges” is Arlot’s flagship vineyard, turning out rich, beefy wines every year. The 2013 is no exception, showing dark cherry jam, smoke, and minerals; the mouth is lively and long.

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CÔTE DE NUITS SAMPLER

3x   Michel Gros Chambolle-Musigny 2014:   $74
3x   Amiot Morey-St-Denis 2014:   $56
3x   Bourée Gevrey-Chambertin 2011: $75
3x  Arlot Nuits-St-Georges 1er 2013:   $96

Ansonia Retail: $903
offer price: $750/case

free East Coast shipping    |    save $153

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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.

Bubbles.  The French drink much more sparkling wine than we do. Chez nous, we’ve been trying our best to imitate them — serving sparkling wines at the beginning of a dinner, paired with creamy dish, or just as an after-work aperitif. But if you need a celebration to pop a cork, there’s no shortage of them over the next few weeks.

For February festivities, we submit the Crémant Rosé from Burgundy’s Maison Picamelot, the clear winner as the prettiest bottle in our cellar. For Valentine’s Day this is an obvious match. For Mardi Gras, this colorful and celebratory bottle should fit right in. And if it’s Presidents Day you’ve been waiting for 11 months to celebrate, we’ll remind you that first few presidents were serious collectors of French wine.

Roses.  Happily, the contents of a bottle of Picamelot’s Crémant Rosé are every bit as attractive as the appearance. Made entirely from Pinot Noir, this shows a lovely balance of fruit and floral notes, with good fresh acidity. The wine is perfectly dry, but has a pleasant creaminess alongside notes of strawberry, herbs, and lemon.

Serve this in a white wine glass (skip the flute), and pair it with anything from beignets to chocolate covered strawberries. And if there are a few bottles left over after this month’s festivities, try pairing this with a regular meal you might serve with white wine. The winemakers at Picamelot suggest asian foods, or something else with some spice.

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PICAMELOT Crémant Rosé NV
Ansonia Retail: $24
case, half-case price: $18/bot

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AVAILABLE IN    6-   AND  12-   BOTTLE LOTS

 

 

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

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OTHER IDEAS FOR SAINT-VALENTIN

BARDOUX Champagne Rosé
$45/bot — post here

PERRACHON Saint-Amour 2015
$19.95/bot — post here

Kir Pair: Bourguignon: $59
Boyer Aligoté + Crème de Cassis
free East Coast shipping

Kir Pair: Almost Royale: $59
Picamelot Crémant + Crème de Cassis
free East Coast shipping

Kir Pair: Royale: $89
Bardoux Champagne + Crème de Cassis
free East Coast shipping

 

 

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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.

Saint-Valentin.  In France, Saint-Amour is known as the most “romantic” of the Beaujolais Crus. Located at the northern end of the Beaujolais region, it’s neither the richest nor the most tannic wine of the region. But the wines from this Cru possess a silky, enchanting quality. Whether it’s the amorous name or the smooth berry fruit, there’s always something charming about Saint-Amour.

Today’s Saint Amour is from the famous 2015 vintage, among the best in a generation in Burgundy. A warm dry summer resulted in near-perfect conditions for winemaking, and the results in the Beaujolais (what’s left of them) speak for themselves. If you don’t have something planned for Valentine’s day in a few weeks, consider picking up a few of these.

Fruit.  We discovered Laurent Perrachon last summer, and have blown through our stock nearly everything we bought from him since. (We held onto the Saint-Amour for a February release.) Perrachon is one of very few Beaujolais winemakers to be featured in both Burghound’s (Allen Meadows) newsletter and Antonio Galloni’s Vinous, and most of his wines score in the 90s in both publications.

The soils in Saint Amour are full of schist and limestone, which make for wines with soft, floral character, balanced by an energetic minerality. Perrachon’s 2015 Saint Amour shows beautiful raspberry and cassis fruit in the nose, with bright red flowers and a pleasant chalky minerality. The mouth is crisp and juicy, with a smooth palate and a refreshing, fruit-laden finish.

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PERRACHON Saint-Amour 2015
Ansonia Retail: $24
case, half-case price: $19.95/bot

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AVAILABLE IN   6-   AND  12-   BOTTLE LOTS

 

 

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.

Fruit.  The Domaine Ravaut is the ultimate local wine source. For 120 years the family has cultivated a loyal clientele of friends, neighbors, and workers at the stone quarry in thee hamlet of Ladoix. Though they have expanded their reach in recent years, they still sell more than half of their wine to clients who walk in the front door.

Today the winemaker is Vincent Ravaut, a friendly, thirtysomething son who has mastered cellar work. His diligence and careful attention during vinification and ageing results in wines of extraordinary freshness. Particularly in a year like 2014, the Ravaut reds are among the most juicy, pleasant, and refreshing pinots in our cellar.

 

Succulent.  Today’s Ravaut wine is their Côte de Nuits Villages, from vines near the border with the Côte de Beaune. Ravaut’s 2014s have remarkably pure, dark red fruit — at their best they are fruit-forward, floral, lively Pinot Noirs with round, approachable tannins. Jancis Robinson agreed, finding this wine “succulent with a lovely fresh, juicy finish.”

The CDNV 2014 is a wine to enjoy now with food, and in a year on its own. The nose shows raspberry jam, graphite, and cassis — it’s a seductive and utterly pleasant bouquet. The nose shows 2014’s cool, juicy, crackling tannins — punchy and bright on the palate, with enough fruit stuffing behind it to keep it perfectly weighted.

Serve this with roast chicken on a Sunday afternoon — you won’t even have to move to Ladoix to get some.

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RAVAUT Côte de Nuits-Villages 2014
Ansonia Retail: $36
case, half-case price: $29/bot

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AVAILABLE IN   6-   AND  12-   BOTTLE LOTS

 

 

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.

Burgundy isn’t known for its inexpensive wines. A limited growing area and perpetually high demand make it hard to find bottles below $30. For most wine drinkers Burgundies are special occasion wines — elegant and ageworthy, but too pricey for a Wednesday.

We do our best to find affordable options from Burgundy, and we’ve collected four of our favorites into this case. The reds display the bright, earthy, Burgundian side of Pinot Noir.
The whites represent both ends of the white Burgundy spectrum — crisp and unoaked vs rich and smooth.

We think everyone should be able to enjoy Burgundy on a regular basis — this case should help do so without breaking the bank.

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Ravaut Bourgogne blanc 2015
Ravaut’s entry level white Burgundy is the richest and fullest we have. Their subtle use of oak melts beautifully into the baked lemon and mango core.

Prunier Bourgogne rouge 2014
Michel Prunier’s Bourgogne is simple, clean, bright, and delicious. Look for notes of cherry jam and dried roses in the nose, with a lively, pleasant, effortlessly drinkable mouth.

Gautheron Petit Chablis 2015
This unoaked Chardonnay perfectly reflects the mineral freshness and stoniness found only in Chablis. Look for notes of lemon rind, crushed shells, saline, and herbs.

Desvignes Givry 2014
Grown south of Burgundy’s famous Côte d’Or, this Givry is packed with rugged red fruit. Look for notes of black cherry and graphite, with round, juicy tannins.

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AFFORDABLE BURGUNDIES

3x   Ravaut Bourgogne blanc 15:   $29
3x   Prunier Bourgogne rouge 14:   $26
3x   Gautheron Petit Chablis 15: $20
3x  Desvignes Givry 14:   $26

Ansonia Retail: $303
offer price: $250/case

free East Coast shipping    |    save $53

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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.

Rue Less Traveled. Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet, and Chassagne-Montrachet get most of the white Burgundy press. But surrounding towns can offer excellent value. Many whites from St-Aubin and Santenay punch way above their weight, as does today’s white Burgundy from Auxey-Duresses.

Auxey-Duresses is often overlooked, a town set in the crook of a bucolic valley just west of Meursault. Master of Wine Clive Coates calls Michel Prunier “certainly the best grower” in the town, though Monsieur Prunier himself is humble, welcoming, and kind. At barely 5 feet tall, he perfectly fits the charming, small-town Burgundian feel of the region.

For white Burgundy fans in search of a drink-now bottle, this is unusually pretty and well priced wine.

Exquisite.  Prunier’s 2014 Auxey-Duresses will remind you more than a little of Meursault. The nose is explosive and gorgeous — honeysuckle, elderflower, and mango burst from an effusive bouquet. The mouth is just as rich as the nose, with a pleasant chalky minerality and lemon acidity to balance. Between the candied lemon rind nose and smooth, low-oak mouth, this is about as accessible as white Burgundy gets.

This is perfect for an after-work glass of white — round and complex but beautifully balanced, and not demanding of undivided attention. In the kitchen, pair this with something citrusy — the richness in the glass will balance out the lemon. Tuna or swordfish garnished with lemon work well, as does Mark Bittman’s scallops with basil and lemon.

Sometimes a particularly grand moment calls for a white Burgundy from the Big Three (or even Grand Cru Chablis). But for Burgundy lovers with a nose for value, we can’t recommend this enough.

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PRUNIER Auxey-Duresses 2014
Ansonia Retail: $38
half-case price: $32/bot

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AVAILABLE IN   6-   AND  12-   BOTTLE LOTS

 

 

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.