White Burgundy is synonymous with Chardonnay. But in fact one of every ten white vines is Aligoté. This less prestigious varietal generally produces simple, refreshing wines meant for enjoyment rather than contemplation or cellaring.
Volnay has always been among Burgundy’s most prized appellations. King Louis XI (1423-1483) liked the wine so much that in 1447 he bought every ounce the town produced. Thomas Jefferson collected Volnay, and today it’s considered, along with Chambolle-Musigny, the source for Burgundy’s most elegant and seductive red wines.
Cornas is a tiny appellation of only 50 growers. By rules and heritage, it’s the Northern Rhône: its wines are pure, unblended Syrah. But in spirit and character, it’s not far from the South. 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.
Last week we wrote about Michel and Estelle Prunier, a father-daughter winemaking team in the heart of Burgundy. Tucked away in a valley off to the west of the Côte d’Or, their hometown Auxey-Duresses is often passed over for famous nearby names such as Meursault and Volnay. But hot summers have turned these towns on the margins of ripeness into sources for real value.
Michel Gros is best known for his brilliant red Burgundies from towns like Vosne-Romanée, Chambolle Musigny, and Nuits-St-Georges. But he also holds quite a bit of land in the Hautes-Côtes de Nuits, a patchwork of rolling hills to the west of the Côte d’Or.
Michel and Estelle Prunier are a father-daughter winemaking team whose wines are humble and classic. Master of Wine Clive Coates calls the Pruniers “certainly the best grower” in the town, and their wines perfectly fit the charming, small-town Burgundian feel of the region.
Burgundians have made wine in Meursault since 1098. Over the last nine centuries the village has proudly earned its glowing reputation, and today produces among the most sought after wines in the world. Though it has no Grand Cru vineyards, Meursault’s wines are among the world’s most exquisite expressions of Chardonnay.
We’ve imported Chablis from the Domaine Gautheron for nearly a decade. Cyril Gautheron’s precise, elegant, well-priced white Burgundies have become a staple at our warehouse tastings, our kitchen table, and the cellars of many of our readers.
The 2019 vintage comes with no shortage of hype – “superb,” writes Burghound; “a thrilling year for Pinot Noir,” writes William Kelley – but from our tastings over the past few months we’ve found the buzz well deserved. It’s a terrific red Burgundy vintage, producing wines with extraordinary balance between ripe fruit, acidity, and tannin. As Neal Martin put it, “they unexpectedly offer freshness and richness that were once thought to be mutually exclusive.”
The 2018 vintage in Burgundy produced atypical wines. Record breaking heat and sun resulted in a crop of wines with loads of ripe fruit and sunny characters. Some writers speculate it may herald a “new normal” style in Burgundy.
Vincent Boyer is one of Meursault’s young superstar winemakers. His golden white Burgundies from Meursault and Puligny are among the finest in our cellar. Vinous calls his wines “superb” and “very impressive;” Jasper Morris MW writes “Boyer seems to make better wines year after year.”
In recent years the Domaine de la Garenne’s terrific Sancerre cuvées have become among the best selling wines in our portfolio. Crisp, refreshing, and well priced, their pure, unoaked Sauvignon Blancs are a perfect accompaniment to a wide range of dishes.
If there’s any place left hidden in Burgundy, it might be the appellation Ladoix. In recent decades the demand for Burgundy has skyrocketed, and it sometimes seems like there isn’t much left to discover.
Most Loire Valley reds are simple, lightweight, and delicious – made for drinking young and enjoying cool. We love serving Cabernet Francs from the Middle Loire and the Pinot Noirs of Sancerre — they’re perfect accompaniments to summertime fare.
Bordeaux is home to many of the most famous and expensive wines in the world. But it’s a huge region, and also produces well priced wines that dramatically overperform their pricetag. One of our favorite places to find value in Bordeaux is at the Cru Bourgeois level.