January 2025: Club Whites
1. Martin-Luneau Muscadet “Clisson” 2020
GRAPE: 100% Melon de Bourgogne
TYPE: dry wine from Muscadet near the mouth of the Loire Valley on the west coast of France
YEAR: 2020, warm and dry
NOTES: Muscadet is a lightweight, crisp wine that relies on its time on the lees (2+ years) for complexity, rather than on oak aging. Martin-Luneau’s traditional “Clisson” from granite soils is classical and delicious, and with a few years in the bottle has gained real depth
FOOD: oysters; otherwise scallops, mussels or fish sandwich
AVAILABLE: $22/bot ($17.6 w/ followup coupon)
2. Boyer-Martenot Bourgogne blanc 21
GRAPE: 100% Chardonnay
TYPE: White Burgundy from vines near Meursault
YEAR: 2021, cool and wet
NOTES: Vincent Boyer produces extraordinary ageworth Meursault and Puligny; his Bourgogne blanc punches well above its weight, with depth and richness unususal for a regional-level white. This 2021 is from a leaner vintage, and will be focused and precise amid the lush Meursault-like fruit.
FOOD: Serve with comté, or chicken with mushrooms and cream
Available: $45/bot ($36 w/ followup coupon)
3. Desvignes Givry 1er “Grandes Vignes” 22
GRAPE: 100% Chardonnay
TYPE: White Burgundy from the Côte Challonaise in southern Burgundy
YEAR: 2022, hot and dry
NOTES: Gautier Desvignes has transformed his humble family domaine into a leading Côte Chalonnaise source. Best known for his reds, he’s a talented crafter of tasty whites; this premier cru has remarkable length, limited oak, and excellent focus. FOOD: Serve with roasted chicken with cauliflower and potatoes.
Available: $45 ($36 w/ followup coupon)