In the dozen years since he took over his family’s domaine, Romain Collet has elevated its reputation as fast as any new generation we’ve witnessed. We’ve noticed it ourselves, but we’re not alone -- writers from Vinous, Burghound and Robert Parker have noted a “higher level of refinement” and a “significant upsurge in quality.” Jasper Morris MW writes that Romain…
Several years ago a winemaker summed up his thoughts to us on barrel aging wines: “oak is fine, but wine is better.” As oaking maxims go, we find this a pretty good one. Oak can be a necessary supporting element, but when it’s the loudest voice in a cuvée it’s rarely a recipe for success.
By Burgundy standards, Gevrey-Chambertin is enormous. It covers a thousand acres, including a whopping 135 acres of Grand Cru vines. Its wines are of a similar scale -- rich, meaty, bold Pinot Noir balancing delicacy and depth.
Thomas Morey makes some of the most delicate white Burgundies we know. Far from the rich, opulent style of the past decades, Morey’s Chassagnes are refined, subtle, and sophisticated. Burgundy expert Jasper Morris MW calls them “very pure, precise and elegant,” as well as “excellent.”
Everyone needs a pantry wine -- something to open without too much consideration or care. Thirsty guests looking for something to wet their whistle? Pantry wine. Back home after a long weekend away, with no energy for anything but takeout pizza? Pantry wine. Football game go into overtime and you need just one more glass of something simple? You guessed…
Christophe Mestre and his wife are from old Châteauneuf-du-Pape families. Like many such families, they own a number of parcels scattered across the town’s remarkably diverse terroir. About a third is among the famous galets roulés, (pictured above). Another third is in alluvial sandy soils, and the rest is spread among red and brown soils rich in pebbles and calcium.
The Loire Valley continues to be the epicenter of natural winemaking in France. We’ve found ourselves opening more and more Loire Valley wines recently, whatever the occasion. Organic viticulture, balanced wines, and affordable prices have all become the default in the Loire, a trend we celebrate enthusiastically.
Patrick and Christophe Bonnefond’s wines somehow keep getting better. They’ve enjoyed a string of excellent recent vintages in the vines, but they also seem to be hitting their stride in the cellar. Once firmly in the ripe, oaky, “extroverted” camp that made them a darling of Robert Parker, the domaine has shifted towards subtler expression in recent years: less time…
White Burgundy is an easy wine to pair with food. At the high end, an ageworthy bottle Meursault or Puligny can be as subtle and magnificent as a red. But white Burgundy also answers the call for something uncomplicated and reliable -- a Monday night pasta dish, or a hearty bowl of mussels.
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.
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,…
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.
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.
Though it has no Grand Cru, the wines of Meursault are some of the most sought after in the world. Traditionally Meursault inhabits the decadent, opulent end of the white Burgundy spectrum, drawing on clay-heavy soils to produce muscular, mouthfilling white wines.
Today’s producer may look like a new source, but it’s actually a familiar one. Several years ago the Domaine Merisol combined with another centuries old family domaine in the same Alsace town (Dambach-la-Ville): the Domaine Charles Frey. Frey (est. 1709) has made the wine under both labels for years, but we’ve decided to switch to their label.