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| They began making wine in Chambolle-Musigny back in… (+) They began making wine in Chambolle-Musigny back in 1550, and nearly five centuries later they’re still farming many of the same soils. The most recent generation has upgraded the facilities and the focus, and their wines have begun to gain substantial critical interest.The 2019 “Chatelots” has a pleasant dark fruit nose with a nice dollop of toast. It represents a step up in intensity from the village, with lots of body and structure. Though clearly young, this wine is very Chambolle — silky and floral. Neal Martin awarded 90-92 points, and called it “all nicely defined and quite glossy,” predicting it would “drink nicely over 12 – 15 years. (-) Free East Coast Shipping | $108 | ||
| The Amiots have tended vines in Morey-St-Denis since… (+) The Amiots have tended vines in Morey-St-Denis since 1702, and in 2020 welcomed the 10th generation Léon Amiot back to the domaine. He's brought a passion for organic viticulture and low-intervention winemaking. We’ve always loved the wines from the Amiot family, but we’re even more excited about where they’re going.Their 2022 Chambolle-Musigny is very Chambolle, with a pretty rather than powerful profile, and just the right touch of oak in the nose. The mid-palate has lovely ripe cherry fruit and fine-grained tannins. (-) Free East Coast Shipping | $108 | ||
| Patrick and Christophe Bonnefond’s wines somehow keep getting… (+) 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 in oak, larger barrels, and earlier harvests. The Bonnefonds now achieve an extraordinary subtlety in their wines -- it’s still bold, brooding, inky-dark Northern Rhône Syrah, but somehow also with subtlety, grace, and lift.In recent years Christophe’s daughter Lea has become his partner in winemaking. She has crafted her own cuvée, “Dans les Vignes de Mon Père” (In My Father’s Vines), of grapes selected from Rochins and Rozier, and made with whole clusters. The wine has garnered much critical acclaim (Vinous’s Josh Raynolds awarded it 97 points!). It’s a bigger wine than either Rochins or Rozier, more extracted and dense, and will require even more patience before showing its best. But all of the elements are there, and maybe a few more: some clove and spice mixed in with the fruit, smoke, and minerals; and the wine has great length. (-) Free East Coast Shipping | $108 | ||
| Vincent Boyer and his sister Sophie are the… (+) Vincent Boyer and his sister Sophie are the winemakers at this gem of an estate in Meursault. They farm a mouthwatering collection of vines in and around Meursault and Puligny-Montrachet, including all three famous Meursault premier crus. They farm organically, and use a long elevage in barrels then concrete eggs to give their wines a regal depth and complexity. These are some of our favorite white Burgundies from anywhere.Reuchaux is a small village plot right near the town of Puligny which offers excellent value for its class, and is unusually good this year. The nose is stony and austere, with dried flowers, apple, lemon, and stones. The mouth is laser-focused and extremely elegant, with finely channeled sucrocité balanced on a chiseled stony core. “A lovely Puligny villages,” writes Burghound. (-) Free East Coast Shipping | $108 | ||
| Free East Coast Shipping | $108 | ||
| Thomas Morey makes the most precise, elegant, understated… (+) Thomas Morey makes the most precise, elegant, understated white Burgundies in our cellar. His style is one of restraint and precision. We think of them as “minimalist” white wines — what’s not there (oak, butter, heaviness) is as important as what is there. Thomas’s grandfather planted the oldest of the vines in the family parcel in Embrazées during the 1960s, reclaiming a vineyard that had lain fallow since the phylloxera epidemic in the late nineteenth century. As usual, the 2023 offers a fine balance between ripe fruit and freshness. It’s polished and serious with exquisite balance and a long, lithe finish. From Morris: “Mid lemon yellow, just over 13% naturally. An easy yellow fruit, not soft but happily sunny. Good tension once again. Crisp behind, before the weight of fruit returns, the orchard has been picked at a healthy and benign moment.” (-) Free East Coast Shipping | $108 | ||
| Thomas Morey makes the most precise, elegant, understated… (+) Thomas Morey makes the most precise, elegant, understated white Burgundies in our cellar. His style is one of restraint and precision. We think of them as “minimalist” white wines — what’s not there (oak, butter, heaviness) is as important as what is there. Morgeot is a premier cru sector near the southern end of Chassagne-Montrachet. The wine from Morgeot is always bigger and rounder than Embrazées, so it’s a good one to consider if your taste falls to that side of the spectrum. Of course this is Thomas Morey, so the wine is worlds away from heavy or buttery. From Morris: “Vibrant lemon and lime. Beautifully scented. White fruit behind, floral, with a fine intensity. Thomas Morey elegance and precision on top of the natural weight of Morgeot, indeed class of upper Morgeot.” (-) Free East Coast Shipping | $108 | ||
| Philippe Cheron’s Domaine du Couvent is the successor… (+) Philippe Cheron’s Domaine du Couvent is the successor to the Domaine des Varoilles, though Cheron’s family has long held a minority interest in all the Varoilles parcels and he knows them well. Philippe brings a gifted winemaking technique developed through decades of experience, and has added superb family parcels to the Domaine’s range.Chambolle-Musigny Quarante Ouvrées is an assemblage of small plots from around the appellation. Lifted cherry and strawberry notes, with a little spicy white pepper, with energy and a long finish. This has the classic silky texture that could only be from Chambolle. We expect it to drink well from the time it arrives, and to stay at a high level for five years or more. (-) Free East Coast Shipping | $108 | ||
| The 2018 growing season was hotter and drier… (+) The 2018 growing season was hotter and drier than anything in recent memory, and making wine under the scorching provencal sun was even toastier than usual. But Gigondas has some advantages amid ever warming seasons: it’s on the slope of a hill with excellent drainage, and the tall mountains (Dentelles de Montmirail) behind it foster continuous airflow. Harvest is often a week or two later than Châteauneuf-du-Pape.Goubert has just released the 2018 Gigondas “Florence,” after its two year elevage before bottling. It’s rich and bold and smooth, offering easy enjoyment and a perfect match for wintery weather. Jeb Dunnuck awarded 92-94 points, calling it “beautiful” and finding “focused texture.. and a great finish.” (-) Free East Coast Shipping | $115 | ||
| Free East Coast Shipping | $115 | ||
| Free East Coast Shipping | $115 | ||
| Winemaker Philippe Cheron’s success in the tricky 2021… (+) Winemaker Philippe Cheron’s success in the tricky 2021 vintage is a marker of unusual talent. His unmarked cuverie is hidden down a back street in Nuits-St-Georges, and Cheron himself is quiet and pensive. But his wines more than speak for themselves.From a vineyard near the border with Vosne-Romanée. It was vinified from 100% whole bunches, which gave it a terrific intensity and depth. The nose is inky and dark with cassis and violets, the mouth long and sleek. Morris gave 92-95 points, finding “a gorgeous, airy, floral note to the bouquet, and the little dryness at the back which will soon disappear into the sweet cherry fruit.” The vines were planted in the mid nineteen-forties, and the special intensity and length of wine from truly old vines shows through. (-) Free East Coast Shipping | $115 | ||
| The Amiots have tended vines in Morey-St-Denis since… (+) The Amiots have tended vines in Morey-St-Denis since 1702, and in 2020 welcomed the 10th generation Léon Amiot back to the domaine. He's brought a passion for organic viticulture and low-intervention winemaking. We’ve always loved the wines from the Amiot family, but we’re even more excited about where they’re going.The Morey St. Denis 1er cru “Aux Charmes” is well-named. It is usually the first of the three to drink well, and that is likely to be the case with this vintage. Already aromatically expressive, it garnered praise from Allen Meadows (Burghound) for its “layered mix of red and dark pinot fruit, anise and soft floral wisps” as well as its “delicious, rich and quite suave medium-bodied flavors.” This ages beautifully, but it’s hard to keep your hands off it young. (-) Free East Coast Shipping | $115 | ||
| The Amiots have tended vines in Morey-St-Denis since… (+) The Amiots have tended vines in Morey-St-Denis since 1702, and in 2020 welcomed the 10th generation Léon Amiot back to the domaine. He's brought a passion for organic viticulture and low-intervention winemaking. We’ve always loved the wines from the Amiot family, but we’re even more excited about where they’re going.The Morey St. Denis 1er cru “Les Millandes” is a bigger wine, with more structure and the need for a little more time to integrate its elements. There’s a bit more oak (30% new barrels vs. 20% in Charmes) and a similar increase in whole clusters. As Burghound put it, “The sleek, delicious, and tension-filled larger-bodied and tautly muscular flavors display the hallmark power of a classic Millandes.” This is very refined, and very Morey-St-Denis. (-) Free East Coast Shipping | $115 | ||
| Léon Amiot is first and foremost a farmer… (+) Léon Amiot is first and foremost a farmer. A cheerful twentysomething with a quick smile and friendly demeanor, he’s traveled the world gaining extensive viticultural experience, and has brought real energy and renewed focus to his family’s tiny 5-hectare gem of an estate in Morey-St-Denis. He’s officially organic as of this year, but has already started the process of biodynamic certification. He has abandoned herbicides, planted cover crops, and this year begins an agroforestry project in the name of vineyard biodiversity.This is the northernmost vineyard in Morey-St-Denis, and sits on the border with Charmes-Chambertin, a Gevrey-Chambertin Grand Cru. The charming silky quality for which “Charmes” is known is there in spades, with elegant notes of earth, cassis, and smoke. The classic, chiseled character of Morey-St-Denis is below the surface here too, and the combination is enticing. Burghound found it “succulent, round and seductively textured,” with a “velvety mid-palate. (-) Free East Coast Shipping | $115 | ||
| Chambolle-Musigny is known for its elegance and silky… (+) Chambolle-Musigny is known for its elegance and silky texture, and indeed the Cherons’ cuvées here show exquisite polish. But they trend more towards deepness and intensity, making them terrific candidates for aging. Today’s wine is from the outstanding 2019 vintage, now six years on from harvest. Chambolle is usually delicious right from the barrel, but it’s only with a few years’ age that the town’s magic really shines through.Couvent’s Chambolle-Musigny “Clos de l’Orme” is from a village plot bordering the strip of premier crus, a vineyard rich in minerals with excellent drainage. Cheron bottles the rest of his village Chambolle plots together, but holds this one out for its refined intensity. Jasper Morris found it “attractive, balanced and long,” and Neal Martin writes of its "succulent black cherry and blueberry fruit, smooth and harmonious.” (-) Free East Coast Shipping | $115 | ||
| Just north of the famous Grand Cru vineyard… (+) Just north of the famous Grand Cru vineyard Clos Vougeot a narrow valley channels groundwater into a bubbling spring at the base of the slope. This boiling meadow, or champ bouillant in French, gave Chambolle its name. The Boursots have been making wine there for the past 475 years.Boursot’s 2023 Chambolle Musigny came in at 13.1% and saw 25% new oak. It is a bigger wine than usual for village Chambolle, with a lot of density on the palate and enough structure to age well. There is an expressive nose of ripe fruit with floral notes alongside. We’d suggest perhaps a year in the cellar followed by many years of sampling as it evolves. (-) Free East Coast Shipping | $115 | ||
| Vincent Boyer somehow continues to fly a bit… (+) Vincent Boyer somehow continues to fly a bit under the radar of much of the international wine press. He’s an insiders’ producer with a mouthwatering collection of terroirs; together with his sister Sylvie who handles much of the viticulture, they continue to turn out magnificent expressions of their unparalleled terroir. Boyer’s 2023s are simply delicious – juicy and fleshy and approachable, but with excellent tension and low alcohol.In Puligny, Vincent and Sylvie farm a small village level plot just north of town in Reuchaux. It’s a tricky plot in an unusual spot, but the wine it produces is exceptional. The 2023 is the best we can remember. The nose is exquisite, a mixture of stones, pear, flowers and flax. The mouth is classic Puligny – chiseled and fine – but with unusually attractive weight this year. (-) Free East Coast Shipping | $115 | ||
| Arnaud Baillot is a bit of an anomaly… (+) Arnaud Baillot is a bit of an anomaly in Burgundy, a new arrival with little winemaking experience and no family history. He started just 10 years ago as a micro-negociant, purchasing grapes and making tiny batches from small plots. In the last decade he has acquired 10 hectares of vines around the Côte d’Or, farming organically and crafting beautiful, understated modern Burgundy. Vinous’s Neal Martin describes Baillot’s wines as “excellent,” “impressive,” and “lovely and energetic.”Baillot’s Pommard 1er cru “Charmots” is darker and fuller bodied than the Volnays, but without losing Baillot’s signature elegance and refinement, helped along by 80% whole clusters. The nose is deeply perfumed with spices, redcurrants, and tea. The mouth is dark and bold but with tremendous freshness. Neal Martin awarded 92 points, writing “This is an excellent Pommard that should give a decade of drinking pleasure.” (-) Free East Coast Shipping | $115 | ||
| Free East Coast Shipping | $115 | ||
| We have been buying Côte Rotie made by… (+) We have been buying Côte Rotie made by Christophe Bonnefond for some twenty years now, and have watched his style evolve. His wines have always had plenty of stuffing, but over the years he has dialed back the oak and extraction, and his wines now show a particularly elegant, deft touch. This year the Domaine released a wine made By Christophe’s daughter Lea, a blend of grapes from Roziers and Rochins called “Dans les Vignes de Mon Père.” Apparently the apple falls not far from the tree. Made with 100% whole clusters, this wine is ultra-dense, almost unctuous in the mouth but supported by lots of structure. Josh Raynolds awarded 93-95, finding it “juicy, appealingly sweet and concentrated yet lively on the palate, offering intense black raspberry, cherry liqueur and spice cake flavors and a hint of candied flowers on the back half.” (-) Free East Coast Shipping | $118 | ||
| Bonnefond's 2020s are magnificent. Josh Raynolds of Vinous… (+) Bonnefond's 2020s are magnificent. Josh Raynolds of Vinous writes “the 2020s are shaping up to be as impressive, especially in terms of elegance, as any bottlings I have experienced here.” Having bought here for nearly 20 years, we agree — the wines have never been better.Vinous 97. "Deep violet color. Bright and energetic on the intensely perfumed nose, displaying vibrant red and blue fruit, bacon fat and floral scents that take on olive and exotic spice notes as the wine opens up. In a distinctly vibrant style, offering appealingly sweet, mineral-tinged cherry, black raspberry, mocha, salty olive, clove and allspice flavors, plus suggestions of licorice and cola. Finishes extremely long and smooth, with just a hint of fine-grained, polished tannins and resonating floral and spice notes." (-) Free East Coast Shipping | $118 | ||
| Free East Coast Shipping | $118 | ||
| The Grand Cru of Corton is massive. Stretching… (+) The Grand Cru of Corton is massive. Stretching across a prominent hill just north of Beaune, the vineyard covers 236 acres, just 40 less than the entire appellation of Morey-St-Denis. The terroirs vary widely across the giant vineyard, and so it’s further divided into dozens of smaller “climats.” The finest of these are the three farthest north in the middle of the slope: Bressandes, Clos du Roi, and Renardes.The humble family domaine of Gaston and Pierre Ravaut has made wine from the hill of Corton for generations. Longtime local customers account for the majority of their business, and there’s barely a sign on the front door. The Ravauts make excellent whites and reds from the towns surrounding the hill, but the jewel of their collection is their plot of Grand Cru Corton-Bressandes. (-) Free East Coast Shipping | $125 | ||
| Nobody will ever call 2017 a “great vintage”… (+) Nobody will ever call 2017 a “great vintage” in Burgundy – it has neither the structure nor the concentration for longterm cellaring. But as anyone who has had one recently will tell you, on finesse, drinkability and sheer pleasure, the vintage is off the charts. They’ve been delightful since they arrived, and the few that are about as pleasant as Burgundy gets.The 2017 Bressandes is a silky wine, almost sweet in its intensity. Writing for Jancis Robinson, Master of Wine Richard Hemming found it “fleshy, ripe, sweetly spiced and wonderfully fruit-forward too. Expressive violet aromas on the nose with crunchy acid and a succulent, silky tannic texture.” In short, every inch a Grand Cru. (-) Free East Coast Shipping | $125 | ||
| The 2018 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er cru “Champonnet” is the… (+) The 2018 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er cru “Champonnet” is the best version of the wine we've had. The nose is sleek and delicious, the clear oak notes mingle with the dark blackcurrant fruit. But its pedigree really shines in the mouth: there’s plenty of substance and really good balance to boot. Look for notes of cassis, gingerbread and an enticing, suave texture. This Champonnet offers more finesse and elegance than the village level Meix, and for a premier cru it is surprisingly expressive right now.More from Varoilles (-) Free East Coast Shipping | $125 | ||
| From 75 year old vines. Combining elegance and… (+) From 75 year old vines. Combining elegance and depth, the 2018 Côte Blonde shows terrific intensity and extraordinary length. The nose shows cassis and raspberry, with dried violets and earth; the mouth is exceptionally long and intense, without an ounce of harshness or dryness — every inch of tannin perfectly coated in inky fruit. The Wine Spectator’s James Molesworth wrote “this has a beautiful flow to it,” finding “savory and floral details carried by a seamlessly embedded iron spine. A really pure expression of Syrah. 94 points.” (-) Free East Coast Shipping | $125 | ||
| Founded in 1997 by Angelo Sassi, the small… (+) Founded in 1997 by Angelo Sassi, the small estate is today run by Davide Carniel, producing just a few hundred cases of Barbaresco annually. Both of the wines we’re offering come from San Cristoforo, a well known Barbaresco cru in the heart of the appellation.The nose is deep and lovely, with beautifully integrated oak and notes of roses, violets, and orange zest. The mouth is clean and beautifully textured, with subtle tannins and a long, tightly channeled finish. The balance of tannin and fruit and acidity is magnificent – think Volnay premier cru with a few years in the bottle. It’s denser than the regular cuvée, and should age well over the short- to mid- term. (-) Free East Coast Shipping | $125 | ||
| This vineyard lies at the top of the… (+) This vineyard lies at the top of the slope in Vosne, adjoining the Grand Cru Richebourgs and the Premier Crus Aux Brûlées and Henri Jayer’s famous “Clos Parantoux.” (The view alone is worth the trip to see it.) This wine blew us away – impossibly fine and delicate, but with density and length. The shallow limestone soil and unusual north-easterly exposition balance the extreme ripeness of the vintage, and the resulting wine is a masterpiece.Jasper Morris gave it five stars (his top rating) and awarded it 93-95 points, calling it “really quite a striking Vosne-Romanée, though it will need time in the bottle to express itself fully.” (-) Free East Coast Shipping | $125 | ||
| Michel Chauvet and his son are the winemakers… (+) Michel Chauvet and his son are the winemakers at the Domaine Lancelot-Royer, a tiny house in Cramant in the heart of the Côtes des Blancs. All of their wines come from grapes they grow themselves, and their vineyards are 100% Chardonnay from exclusively Grand Cru vineyards. Everything here is done by hand, from harvesting and riddling to disgorging, dosing and labeling.The base of this wine (around two thirds) is from the 2017 vintage, with the rest from barrels of reserved older wines. After four years on the lees this is rich and toasty, with a lovely nose of pear, apple and buttery croissants. The mouth is crisp and delicious with plenty of richness amid the energetic freshness. William Kelley awarded 90 points, finding “generous aromas…rich and fleshy, with an enveloping core of fruit.” (-) Free East Coast Shipping | $125 | ||
| Free East Coast Shipping | $125 | ||
| Thirtysomething Justine Clerget (Christian’s daughter) is now in… (+) Thirtysomething Justine Clerget (Christian’s daughter) is now in charge of this tiny gem of a domaine in Vougeot. She's brought renewed energy, refined techniques, and a passion for organic viticulture. The Clerget wines were always classical, terroir-transparent, old school red Burgundy; Justine has maintained this spirit but added polish and class.Their Chambolle 1er cru “Les Charmes” is appropriately named– a charming, classically Chambolle wine with a terrific dose of depth and intensity. Neal Martin gave 92-94 points, calling it “very well-crafted” with “fine tannins” and “silky-smooth texture.” Not to be outdone, Jasper Morris gave 92-95, finding “a joyous, almost rumbustious energy,” and “excellent length.” (-) Free East Coast Shipping | $125 | ||
| Thirtysomething Justine Clerget (Christian’s daughter) is now in… (+) Thirtysomething Justine Clerget (Christian’s daughter) is now in charge of this tiny gem of a domaine in Vougeot. She's brought renewed energy, refined techniques, and a passion for organic viticulture. The Clerget wines were always classical, terroir-transparent, old school red Burgundy; Justine has maintained this spirit but added polish and class.Broad, sturdy and delicious, this is not a wine you’ll soon forget. Burghound found “lovely mid-palate texture” and awarded 91-93; Neal Martin found it “very well balanced,” concluding “a solid, well-crafted Vougeot.” This will need at least a few years before opening, and will reward 10-15 with ease. (-) Free East Coast Shipping | $125 | ||
| The Amiots have tended vines in Morey-St-Denis since… (+) The Amiots have tended vines in Morey-St-Denis since 1702, and in 2020 welcomed the 10th generation Léon Amiot back to the domaine. He's brought a passion for organic viticulture and low-intervention winemaking. We’ve always loved the wines from the Amiot family, but we’re even more excited about where they’re going.Morey St. Denis premier cru “Les Ruchots” is the best premier cru in town, and just down the slope from the Grand Cru Clos de Tart, and just up from the Domaine Roumier’s monopole Clos de la Bussière. From what most consider the best premier cru terroir in the village, this wine combines intensity and elegance, with exceedingly fine-grained tannins that produce what Burghound calls “a caressing, even sappy, mouthfeel.” (-) Free East Coast Shipping | $125 | ||
| Philippe Cheron is an excellent winemaker farming 10… (+) Philippe Cheron is an excellent winemaker farming 10 hectares around the Côte de Nuits -- limited oak, whole clusters where needed, sleek, modern, terroir-transparent, muscled Burgundies.“Aux Murgers” Nuits St. Georges premier cru is from 80 year old vines in a parcel Cheron’s grandfather bought in 1938. This is a highly concentrated wine, vinified from 100% whole clusters. Cheron described it to us as “dark, somber, and rich,” and it is all that and much more. Burghound praised its “spicy aromas of black pinot fruit, earth and spiced game nuances.” This is dense and sleek; the rich stem-fermented core is entirely enveloped in deep inky fruit. (-) Free East Coast Shipping | $125 | ||
| This is our fifth vintage buying from Sofie… (+) This is our fifth vintage buying from Sofie Bohrmann, a domaine in Meursault whose wines we discovered in a Beaune restaurant. Her wines are quietly brilliant, many hailing from well-known vineyards in St-Aubin, Puligny and Meursault. Her 2022 white Burgundies are terrific – low in alcohol, full of ripe fruit and excellent freshness, with terrific concentration and appealing textures.Puligny’s calling card is a chiseled angularity that sets it up well for aging; but this wine has enough premier cru level richness to merit early drinking. The stony concentration in this wine is extraordinary – chalk and savory white pepper mix with with notes of apple crisp and gardenia. This is high class white Burgundy, and one that would be hard to top in a lineup of its peers. (-) Free East Coast Shipping | $125 | ||
| Among Cheron’s long-held family parcels is a gem… (+) Among Cheron’s long-held family parcels is a gem in Vosne-Romanée (as Clive Coates put it, “the greatest Pinot Noir village on earth”), a village-level plot called “Les Barreaux.” It is along the highest part of the slope and adjoins Grand Cru Richebourg, Cros Parantoux, and Aux Brûlées below. It shines particularly in hot years, and the 2023 is strikingly good, with just 13% alcohol despite the heat of the vintage. Jasper Morris gave the 2023 five stars and praised its “deep glowing purple, with a pure racy dark cherry fruit.” Overall, he called it “a really fine village Vosne with impeccable length.” (-) Free East Coast Shipping | $125 | ||
| Thirtysomething Justine Clerget (Christian’s daughter) is now in… (+) Thirtysomething Justine Clerget (Christian’s daughter) is now in charge of this tiny gem of a domaine in Vougeot. She's brought renewed energy, refined techniques, and a passion for organic viticulture. The Clerget wines were always classical, terroir-transparent, old school red Burgundy; Justine has maintained this spirit but added polish and class.Broad, sturdy and delicious, this is not a wine you’ll soon forget. Burghound found “lovely mid-palate texture” and awarded 91-93; Neal Martin found it “very well balanced,” concluding “a solid, well-crafted Vougeot.” This will need at least a few years before opening, and will reward 10-15 with ease. (-) Free East Coast Shipping | $125 | ||
| Léon Amiot is first and foremost a farmer… (+) Léon Amiot is first and foremost a farmer. A cheerful twentysomething with a quick smile and friendly demeanor, he’s traveled the world gaining extensive viticultural experience, and has brought real energy and renewed focus to his family’s tiny 5-hectare gem of an estate in Morey-St-Denis. He’s officially organic as of this year, but has already started the process of biodynamic certification. He has abandoned herbicides, planted cover crops, and this year begins an agroforestry project in the name of vineyard biodiversity.Léon’s vines here cover a wide swath of the terroir within the vineyard, and he credits the diversity of soils with the complexity of the wine. He’s able to blend elegant juice from up-slope stony sectors with rich juice from down-slope clay-rich soils; and the resulting wine has nearly unmatched complexity for its level. (-) Free East Coast Shipping | $125 | ||
| Arnaud Baillot is a bit of an anomaly… (+) Arnaud Baillot is a bit of an anomaly in Burgundy, a new arrival with little winemaking experience and no family history. He started just 10 years ago as a micro-negociant, purchasing grapes and making tiny batches from small plots. In the last decade he has acquired 10 hectares of vines around the Côte d’Or, farming organically and crafting beautiful, understated modern Burgundy. Vinous’s Neal Martin describes Baillot’s wines as “excellent,” “impressive,” and “lovely and energetic.”Volnay 1er cru “Mitans” is 100% whole cluster, dark and beautiful with remarkable detail. The nose shows wild cherries, clay and a hint of soy sauce; the mouth is intense and very long but perfectly balanced. Nothing is overdone, nothing out of place. Neal Martin awarded 93 points, finding it “refined and focused.” (-) Free East Coast Shipping | $125 | ||
| Free East Coast Shipping | $125 | ||
| Philippe and Paul Cheron are father and son… (+) Philippe and Paul Cheron are father and son winemakers at Domaine du Couvent, born five years ago when the Cherons acquired most of Domaine des Varoilles and combined it with their family holdings. Today they farm 25 hectares across nearly every corner of the Côte de Nuits. Their Chambolle-Musigny comes from the village-level Clos de l’Orme vineyard. This is every bit a Chambolle, with a silky dried-flower perfume that unfurls from the glass with grace and poise. The mouth is fine-grained and smooth, with faint notes of stems and violets. It’s lacelike and lovely. (-) Free East Coast Shipping | $125 | ||
| Thomas Morey's wines are always clean, precise, and… (+) Thomas Morey's wines are always clean, precise, and elegant. The 2024 vintage is an excellent showcase for his style, with finished wines that are fine examples of what Jasper Morris MW admiringly describes as the "chiselled Thomas Morey style."Thomas's grandfather reclaimed the Embrazées vineyard after the phylloxera epidemic of the late nineteenth century, and the old vines have produced a wine of excellent richness and exceptional balance in 2024. Ripe apples, floral notes, and beautifully balanced acidity lead into a long finish. Though you won't have to wait decades to enjoy it, the 2024 Embrazées has many years of fine drinking ahead. (-) Free East Coast Shipping | $125 | ||
| Thomas Morey's wines are always clean, precise, and… (+) Thomas Morey's wines are always clean, precise, and elegant. The 2024 vintage is an excellent showcase for his style, with finished wines that are fine examples of what Jasper Morris MW admiringly describes as the "chiselled Thomas Morey style."The Morey family's Morgeot vines lie farther down the slope in heavier clay soils, giving the 2024 even more richness than Embrazées. It will need time for its elements to come together, but already shows notes of lemon peel and orange skin along with a fine mineral line on the finish. Given patience, it has the depth and structure for real longevity. (-) Free East Coast Shipping | $125 | ||
| Pierre Gros (Michel's son) now steers this iconic… (+) Pierre Gros (Michel's son) now steers this iconic estate in Vosne-Romanée, after his father ran it for 45 years. Neal Martin writes “I detect a change in tack rather than charting a totally different course.” Like many of his peer group Pierre has moved the domaine toward organics, and if his first few vintages at the helm are any indication, the future at Gros may be even brighter than the past.Neal Martin calls the 2022 Chambolle's aromatics one of his favorites among the Domaine’s wines: “black cherries, wild strawberries, sous bois and light tobacco.” He praised the palate as “smooth with filigree tannins, well-judged acidity, and a caressing and Vosne-like finish with plenty of allure.” (-) Free East Coast Shipping | $129 | ||
| Pierre Gros (Michel's son) now steers this iconic… (+) Pierre Gros (Michel's son) now steers this iconic estate in Vosne-Romanée, after his father ran it for 45 years. Neal Martin writes “I detect a change in tack rather than charting a totally different course.” Like many of his peer group Pierre has moved the domaine toward organics, and if his first few vintages at the helm are any indication, the future at Gros may be even brighter than the past.Domaine Gros's Vosne-Romanée offers an excellent example of the village’s signature aromatic profile of spice and violets. Burghound found notes of “plum, violet, pomegranate, sandalwood, and Asian-style tea” in the nose of the 2022. He also praised its “subtle minerality” and its “chalky, lingering and well-balanced finale,” concluding: “Lovely, and a wine that should repay up to a decade of keeping.” (-) Free East Coast Shipping | $129 | ||
| Belland’s Chassagne 1er cru Clos Pitois blanc is from… (+) Belland’s Chassagne 1er cru Clos Pitois blanc is from a large monopole in the Morgeot sector along the border with Santenay. Like other whites from Morgeot, this is an opulent and powerful wine, rich and mouthfilling, with plenty of concentration. There is ripe orchard fruit with a floral overlay, and the flavors persist well on the palate. No shrinking violet, this Clos Pitois blanc has the substance to stand up to dishes with robust flavors. (-) Free East Coast Shipping | $129 | ||
| From old vines, clay-rich Gevrey terroir, and an… (+) From old vines, clay-rich Gevrey terroir, and an unusually bold vintage, this is as muscly and intense as red Burgundy gets. The blend of sweet fruit and oak recall a big time Pomerol in the mouth, though the essential character is of course Burgundian. Burghound found “notes of poached plum, black cherry jam, and subtle hints of spice, warm earth and the sauvage.” In fact, the 2018 is closer to a Grand Cru than usual in intensity and sheer size.More from Varoilles (-) Free East Coast Shipping | $135 | ||
| Winemaker Gilbert Hammel retired after the 2019 vintage… (+) Winemaker Gilbert Hammel retired after the 2019 vintage and has been replaced by Philippe Cheron, a well-established winemaker in the Côte de Nuits whose family owned the Varoilles vineyards years ago. Cheron has combined his properties under a new name, the Domaine du Couvent.The 2019 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er cru “Clos des Varoilles” was vinified by Gilbert Hammel and bottled by Philippe Cheron. It is an excellent vintage for the wine, which is as always a big wine with lots of body, mouthfilling and rich. The fruit is dark and lovely, with an earthy mineral line and a persistent finish. Nanson writes: “a flavour that melts and slowly fades over the palate…Delicious and complex wine with a nervosité… Excellent again.” (-) Free East Coast Shipping | $135 | ||
| Roger and Julie Belland are 5th and 6th… (+) Roger and Julie Belland are 5th and 6th generation growers in Santenay -- their wines are perennial favorites among our readers, offering early drinking and friendly pricetags. Belland’s are always delicious and precocious, but in 2020 they’re even better than usual.This wine is very much a Puligny, giving up a bit of Chassagne’s weight for a racy elegance. The fruit and floral notes are carefully channeled across a long, very intense palate. It will need some time to develop, but its dry freshness should soften just as the floral notes in the nose begin to assert themselves and the white peach and lemon fruit melt together. (-) Free East Coast Shipping | $135 |
































