Blog - Page 34 of 126 - Ansonia Wines

Friday, March 25, 2022

“Refined,” Delicious $24 White Burgundy

The Ansonia team arrived in France this morning, after the longest stretch away (three years) in more than two decades. The world has changed a bit since April 2019, as has the market for Burgundy, Ansonia Wines, and even your trusty tasters. We’ve added new family members, new customers, new vignerons and even a few new gray hairs, but our passion for France and its winemakers has remained unchanged, and if anything we bring a renewed enthusiasm for our overdue visit.

Friday, March 25, 2022

Dark and Briary Burgundy: Terrific 2019 Côte de Nuits under $40

The Domaine Ravaut is the ultimate local wine source. For over a century the Ravaut family has cultivated a loyal clientele of friends, neighbors, and local workers — our tasting visits are frequently interrupted by neighbors stocking up their cellars. The domaine continues to sell nearly half its wine to folks who walk in their front door.

Wednesday, March 23, 2022

Delicious Everyday 2019 Red Burgundy from Michel Gros. $32

We like to judge a vigneron’s talent by his simplest wine. Great wines from great terroir of course involve a steady winemaker as guide, but the material undoubtedly provides a head start. With humble fruit from an unsung plot of regional-level vines, winemaking skill comes even more into play.

Tuesday, March 22, 2022

Spring Arrives: Delicious, Dry, Floral $19 Chenin Blanc

Chenin blanc has an enormous range of expression. It can be anywhere from bone dry to very sweet depending on vintage, terroir, and winemaker. Vouvray is the original source for Chenin Blanc, but the surrounding towns in the central Loire Valley produce excellent examples as well.

Thursday, March 17, 2022

Inky, Delicious, Organic Gigondas: Plums and Earth

Châteauneuf-du-Pape is one of the most recognizable brands in wine. Made famous by French popes in the 14th century, and then again by Robert Parker in the 1980s, the appellation’s place on the winemaking map is well established. And well deserved — the wines can be extraordinary, though they often come at a “special occasion” price point for most wine enthusiasts.

Thursday, March 17, 2022

“Brilliant,” Shimmering White Burgundy from Maconnais

When we lived near Cluny in Burgundy more than twenty years ago, we stumbled upon a nearby producer in Viré-Clessé. The young couple who owned it tended their vineyards and made their wine according to organic and biodynamic principles – not at all the norm back then – and their work opened our eyes to the quality possible in the Maconnais.

Tuesday, March 15, 2022

Crisp, Refreshing, Floral $22 Syrah-Blend

The South of France has always been hot, but like everywhere else in Europe, it’s getting hotter. Even with varietals adapted to warm climates, winemakers often struggle to achieve freshness in their wines. Winemaker Nicolas Haeni of Séguret is a master of balance.

Monday, March 14, 2022

Lush, Refreshing, Unoaked $25 White Burgundy

The white Burgundies of the Maconnais are some of our favorite expressions of Chardonnay. Grown in a region known as “la France Profonde” (“deep France”), the best cuvées are unoaked, mouthfilling, vibrant, and crisp.

Thursday, March 10, 2022

Bold, “Powerful” 2018 Premier Cru Gevrey-Chambertin

Red Burgundy is classically a study in finesse and understatement. Pinot Noir’s thin skin and clear juice enable remarkable subtlety, and at their best, Red Burgundies can be hauntingly beautiful. They’re rarely the loudest voice in the room, but often the most impressive. But as with most rules, there are exceptions.

Thursday, March 10, 2022

Beautiful, Floral, Meursault-Like 2019 Bourgogne. $34

Well-priced white Burgundy is getting harder to find. Demand is up, supply is (way) down, and the wines themselves just keep getting better. As prices at the high end reach to stratospheric levels and more consumers focus on entry level cuvées, it’s become trickier to find that weeknight Bourgogne blanc.

Wednesday, March 9, 2022

Delicious 10-Year-Old Left-Bank Bordeaux. $25

Last week we brought up the remaining stock from our offsite warehouse, a location whose inventory control hasn’t exactly been Amazon level. (We know – pot, kettle, etc.) But when the stock arrived we were excited to find a small lot of ten year old Bordeaux which was listed as white was in fact red – a happy surprise.

Monday, March 7, 2022

Perfect Everyday White Burgundy. $28

Vincent Ravaut’s Bourgogne blanc has become a favorite among readers in recent years. He makes excellent village-level Ladoix blanc and magnificent (and rare) Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru. But his humble Bourgogne blanc punches way above its weight, particularly this year.

Thursday, March 3, 2022

“Hard to Resist:” Delicious New $32 Red Burgundy

We’re often apprehensive when a new generation takes over a domaine. Young winemakers often implement needed modernization, but sometimes get caught chasing trendiness. No winemaker in our portfolio has more expertly balanced these impulses than Gautier Desvignes.

Tuesday, March 1, 2022

Magnificent Cornas from 100-Year-Old Vines: 2 Barrels Made

Cornas is a tiny appellation, covering 145 hectares (compared with Châteauneuf-du-Pape’s 3,000+), and home to fewer than 50 vignerons. Located at the southern end of the Northern Rhône Valley, Cornas (which means “scorched earth” in Celtic) harvests a week earlier than Hermitage (just 20 minutes north), and the vertiginous slopes produce wines with a southern, sunbaked character.

Monday, February 28, 2022

Two Terrific Condrieus: the Nectar of the Northern Rhône

French winemakers have spent centuries perfecting the ideal marriages of grape and land. Each region has its own match: Pinot Noir in Burgundy, Sauvignon blanc in Sancerre, Merlot in Bordeaux, Grenache in the Rhône, etc.