Of all the white Burgundy we import, none is a purer expression of Chardonnay than Nicolas Maillet’s classic Maconnais cuvées. They’re cool, round, unadulterated Chardonnay with excellent balance and no oak. If the Côte d’Or offers Burgundies of pedigree and refinement, then the Maconnais offers Burgundies of vibrancy and joy.
Burgundy doesn’t have to be expensive or ageworthy to be delicious. A talented winemaker with excellent terroir can make terrific wine miles from the main drag, and today’s wine is a perfect example.
The towns of Pommard and Volnay are giants of the Côte de Beaune reds. Though less than a mile apart, the two towns represent opposing profiles – Volnay tending toward elegant and feminine, and Pommard toward sturdy and masculine. As neighbors they provide an excellent example of the microterroirs of Burgundy.
Michel Gros appears on many lists of Burgundy’s finest winemakers. His style is smooth and elegant, with warm, enticing notes of toast, red berries, and a silky texture. Gros’s village level and premier cru wines can be truly extraordinary, but they require (and reward) investment and patience.
Meursault has no grand crus, but its three famous premier crus -- Perrieres, Genevrières, and Charmes -- almost make up for it. These exceptional terroirs produce some of Burgundy’s greatest wines of any color. We’re excited, for the first time ever, to offer all three from our star Meursault winemaker, the Domaine Boyer-Martenot.
Many of our winemakers are multi-generational, some stretching back for centuries. We’re always slightly apprehensive when a new generation takes over. Some try too hard to make their mark early, changing styles and abandoning longtime traditions. But at many domaines the younger generation arrives with modern techniques and a new energy.
The Clos de Vougeot is a 900-year-old Grand Cru vineyard in the heart of Burgundy. It’s the largest Grand Cru in the region, and certainly the most famous. Over nine centuries of growing seasons, it has seen kings and countries rise and fall.
The wines of Chablis are known for their limited oak, piercing minerality, and crystalline elegance. Our favorites are often mid-range bottles that combine everyday pricing and with great energy and beautiful precision.
With chilly, drizzly weather settling into Boston this week, our first suggestions for wine are usually red. Recently arrived reds from Goubert are approachable and affordable, and were a hit at yesterday’s depot tasting. But if your menu or your guests require something white, look no further than today’s cozy Meursault.
Chardonnay is responsible for all of Burgundy’s finest white wines. But 10% of white wine vineyards in Burgundy are Aligoté, a less celebrated grape that produces simple, refreshing wines. Aligoté is seldom magnificent, but in the hands of the right winemaker it can be delicious.
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 2011 premier cru from “Ruchots.”
Chablis is a singular place. Its combination of deep stony soils and cool climate exists nowhere else on earth. These factors produce a unique wine — mineral and crisp, pure and clean. Our goal as importers is to find wines that reflect the place from which they come, and there is no better place to find such wines than Chablis.
No, that’s not a vintage typo in the subject line. We’ve just called up our small collection of 2005 Gros Burgundies from our offsite warehouse. Purchased back in 2007, and they’ve rested quietly under temperature control for over a decade. Today we’re bringing them out of their slumber to pass them along to you.
The town of Maragnes is an underrated source for red Burgundy. Located at the very southern end of the Côte d’Or, it’s often left off regional maps, and its reputation is for rusticity over refinement.
The Domaine de l’Arlot is one of the iconic estates of Burgundy’s Nuits-St-Georges. Early adopters of biodynamics, they farm their impressive holdings with precision and care. The estate uses whole-cluster fermentation, which adds a structure and tension to their wines.