Red Burgundy Verticals
Drinking multiple vintages of the same wine is an excellent way to get to know a wine. In Burgundy, vintages play an important role in the character of a wine, and tasting the same wine in vertical be an educational (and delicious) experience.
Of course there are two vintage variables with every bottle: the time elapsed from the harvest year, and the patterns of that particular vintage itself. In other words, it’s impossible simultaneously to drink two wines at the same age from different vintages. But in our eyes that only adds another variable of intrigue.
So we’ve collected some red Burgundy vertical trios — the same wine in 3 vintages. Quantities are limited.
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 | For his 2021 Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons, Romain… (+) For his 2021 Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons, Romain uses an elevage of ⅓ barrels, ⅓ foudre, and ⅓ stainless tank, and it suits the vineyard very well. The vines here are between 55 and 60 years old, and they produce a nicely balanced wine, with good concentration and well-supported ripeness.
Jasper Morris found the bouquet “both stylish and typical, stones with lemon zest.” Burghound praised its “cool and airy aromas,” its “intense and attractively sleek” flavors, and its “lovely minerality.” The Burgundy pricing bubble still hasn’t floated to Chablis, and we think this is tremendously polished sub-$40 white Burgundy. Enjoy this all fall and into cocktail party season.
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 | “Beautiful and bountiful,” writes Jasper Morris of the… (+) “Beautiful and bountiful,” writes Jasper Morris of the 2022 red Burgundies; “very good wines and plenty of them.” William Kelley calls them “succulent, suave and charming”, “offering excellence in both colors and in a wide variety of styles.” Roger Belland's reds are entirely classic, with ripe modern fruit but traditional, low-alcohol textures.
His Maranges premier cru “Fussiere” is excellent in 2022, with a very attractive texture. It has plenty of substance, with pleasantly ripe tannins and good dark fruit. The fruits are plum and cherry, with a youthful, friendly texture – bring this along to a summer picnic. (-) Free East Coast Shipping | $38 | |
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 | Arnaud Baillot is a bit of an anomaly… (+) Arnaud Baillot is a bit of an anomaly in Burgundy – he has no family connection to wine or the region, and has only been making wine for six years. His wife Laure is of a storied Burgundian family (Hudelot-Noëllat), but they have short winemaking experience and almost zero reviews. And since a hidden gem is the perpetual pursuit of all importers, we squeezed an appointment in late in the afternoon of our final tasting day this spring -- we're certainly glad we did.
This cuvée is lively, tasty, and eager to be drunk. The strawberry/cherry fruit is perfectly extracted, giving floral notes of violets and roses. It’s fully destemmed, from vines near Pommard and Volnay, and shows persistence and depth without sacrificing elegance. At just 10% new oak, this is a lithe, modern red Burgundy bursting with vibrancy and real style. In short, we think Baillot has the makings of a star (-) Free East Coast Shipping | $38 | |
 | The Boyers use an extended two-year elevage in… (+) The Boyers use an extended two-year elevage in oak barrels and then concrete eggs, and the resulting wines are sleek and full, steering well clear of the traps of overoaking and heaviness. Boyer’s Bourgogne Côte d’Or comes from vines near his hometown of Meursault, and even this humble cuvée shows a glimmer of that golden Meursault character.
The resulting wine is the best value Bourgogne blanc in our cellar – and with this year’s pricing it might be the best value too. Burghound found the nose “elegant” and “exuberantly fresh,” with “delicious and equally vibrant flavors” in the mouth. The nose opens with citrus and white flowers, and the mouth is full of concentrated fruit and tension. An exceptionally successful white Burgundy, and at the price, an excellent value.
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 | Sofie Bohrmann is a first generation winemaker from… (+) Sofie Bohrmann is a first generation winemaker from Belgium – hardly a recipe for success in the insular world of Burgundian vignerons where most inherit vines, and people even from the Maconnais (an hour south) are considered out of towners. And yet she’s cracked into the elite world of Côte d’Or winemaking. She’s a real winemaking talent, of course, but we’re betting her charming smile and disarmingly friendly demeanor go a long way. Her style is clear and juicy – the wines are packed with flavor, limited oak, and flat-out delicious textures.
Bohrmann’s Bourgogne Côte d’Or Blanc “Les Belles Goutes” is a core presence in many of our customer’s cellars, priced for regular drinking but showing the fine quality of Chardonnay from the Côte d’Or. The vines are from Meursault, and some of the storied village’s opulence seems to find its way into the glass. With alcohol at 13% in the 2023 vintage, the wine is generous, and its rich lemon curd fruit benefits from just the right amount of oak. It’s an excellent house Bourgogne blanc, and one that matches with everything and nothing. (-) Free East Coast Shipping | $38 | |
| 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.The Bourgogne Côte d’Or comes from vines around Meursault, and shows its village of origin. The nose is lovely and sophisticated, with sweet yellow fruits and a savory element. The mouth is dry and firm with terrific length and excellent energy. It’s unusually serious this year – tasted blind you might guess a village St-Aubin. (-) Free East Coast Shipping | $38 | |
 | Denis Basset produces delicious all-Syrah red wine in… (+) Denis Basset produces delicious all-Syrah red wine in Crozes-Hermitage, the modest close relation of the superstar appellations of Hermitage, Côte Rôtie and Cornas. Happily, the pricing is decidedly also modest, and over a decade or so Domaine Saint Clair has developed a loyal following among friends of Ansonia Wines. As you have heard us say before, the greatest expression of any grape comes at the northern end of its range, which explains the Northern Rhône where Syrah makes superb reds without an assist from Grenache or other red grapes from farther South.Basset has a small plot in St. Joseph across the Rhône on a hillside so steep and hard to work that he named the cuvée “Les Abimes de l’Enfer.” St. Joseph is a sort of junior version of its next door neighbor Cornas. It is a bigger wine than the Crozes, with more tannins and more time to its peak, but it also provides excellent value. The fruits are darker than the Crozes with notes of fig, blackberry jam, spice and pepper. (-) Free East Coast Shipping | $38 | |
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 | The 2018 Grüner Veltliner “Lindberg” contains all the beautiful dry… (+) The 2018 Grüner Veltliner “Lindberg” contains all the beautiful dry material of the Watchberg, but with an added splash of fruit. The nose has the elegance and fruit-earth balance of a fine white Burgundy, no doubt a testament to the vineyard’s 70 year old vines. There’s a tad of residual sugar in this wine — the fermentation stopped with 8 grams left, and the winemakers elected to bottle according to Nature’s apparent wishes — but the acidity and minerality handle the sweetness well, and we thought the wine in perfect balance.
The Wine Advocate awarded 91 points, finding “remarkable purity and elegance,” alongside “crystalline acidity and lingering salinity.” (-) Free East Coast Shipping | $39 | |
 | The Domaine Gross is our new producer from… (+) The Domaine Gross is our new producer from the Alsace. Though the domaine is generations old, Vincent Gross of the latest generation has brought it to the cutting edge of modern winemaking. They farm organically, follow the principles of biodynamics, and make expressive, terrific wine.
Their dry Grand Cru Muscat is seriously good -- far better and more interesting than most versions of the grape. The grapes were pressed very slowly, allowing for intense extraction from the extended skin contact. Muscat has a unique aromatic profile, but the nose of this wine is particularly complex, with ripe muscat fruit mingling with a definite mineral line. (-) Free East Coast Shipping | $39 | |
 | The Gerard Thomas 2021s show neither the concentration… (+) The Gerard Thomas 2021s show neither the concentration nor the ripeness of the last three scorching years, but instead carry a daintiness and precision that some (including us) find a welcome relief.
The village level St-Aubin Champ Tirant is more earthy and savory than the Bourgogne, with less cream in the nose – it’s long in the mouth, with an easygoing mouthfeel and fresh finish. Jancis Robinson’s reviewer found “rich, broad fruit with precise, sculpted purity and freshness,” and “well-judged oak.”
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 | Sebastien Giroux is a terrific young winemaker farming… (+) Sebastien Giroux is a terrific young winemaker farming just six hectares of vines in and around Pouilly-Fuissé. Giroux’s disciplined organic winemaking results in extraordinary wines – William Kelley describes them as “supple, pure and charming.” Everything in our first importation sold out in months.
Giroux's Pouilly-Fuissé “Vieilles Vignes” 2020 was raised entirely in oak barrels and bottled at the end of 2022. It is mouthfilling wine, another notch up in intensity and depth. Kelley gave it 93 points, calling it “ample and satiny, with lively acids and a vibrant, fleshy profile.” (-) Free East Coast Shipping | $39 | |
 | Nicolas Ragot is our newest Côte Chalonnaise source… (+) Nicolas Ragot is our newest Côte Chalonnaise source, and one of the leading producers in Givry. He makes ample use of amphoras, which give his wines an appealing patina and exquisite freshness. William Kelley calls his reds “supple and flavorful,” Jancis Robinson writes of their “purity” and “classiness,” and Neal Martin of Vinous finds them “caressing,” “fleshy,” and “excellent.”
Ragot’s village-level 2022 Givry Vieilles Vignes comes from a small plot with an average vine age of 50 years. Ragot uses 20% whole clusters, and the density of the old vine fruit is apparent. This is a beautiful introduction to the Ragot style: a deeply perfumed and spiced nose, with perfectly coated tannins and excellent freshness. (-) Free East Coast Shipping | $39 | |
 | The blanc de blancs Crémant Jean-Baptiste Chautard, named for the Founder… (+) The blanc de blancs Crémant Jean-Baptiste Chautard, named for the Founder, is the Maison Picamelot’s flagship wine. The current offering is from the 2016 harvest and a part spends time in oak barrels. With seven years on the lees it has developed plenty of complexity. The fruit recalls pear and apricot, and there are notes of brioche and oak alongside.
We cellar some of this wine in the bottle and recently have opened strikingly good bottles from the harvests of 2012 and 2015. During warehouse tastings last fall we put the 2015 up against some true Champagne – the Chautard more than acquitted itself (at half the price) and to some tasters won outright. (-) Free East Coast Shipping | $39 | |
 | While the market continues to bid up the… (+) While the market continues to bid up the price of Burgundy, the Domaine Michel Gros offers a refuge with its lineup of four excellent regional red wines, which are both delicious and capable of pleasing for many years.
Hautes Côtes “Au Vallon” faces directly south and so ripens a bit more readily than the regular cuvée. The 2021 Vallon will require less patience than the regular bottling, offering both dark and red fruits along with notes of spice and violets. It’s a wine of medium weight with good precision that should drink well immediately. (-) Free East Coast Shipping | $39 | |
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 | 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.
The regular Hautes Côtes red cuvée is very nice in 2022, garnering a designation from Allen Meadows (Burghound) for wines he judges to be “particularly outstanding for their respective appellations.” Vinous’s Neal Martin found it “particularly aromatic” and praised its “sweet entry” and “gentle grip.” (-) Free East Coast Shipping | $39 | |
 | Tucked into a sleepy hamlet just over the… (+) Tucked into a sleepy hamlet just over the western ridge of the Côte de Nuits lies the Ferme Fruirouge. The Olivier family has made cremes here for nine generations, and the farm itself dates back four centuries. Today they raise their fruits organically and biodynamically, and their crèmes are the cleanest, purest, most intense extraction of fruit we’ve ever seen. The hints of cassis we often describe in pinot noir are maximized here, and the taste is an extraordinary distillation of fruit.
We add a splash of crème de cassis to a glass of Picamelot crémant for a delicious, attractive, effortless (and cheap) aperitif – a “kir bourguignon” if you will. Other ideas include a traditional kir (cassis and aligoté), communard (cassis and pinot noir), or cassis drizzled on crepes. (You can add it to champagne too, of course, though we think the cassis is flavorful enough that the trade up from crémant generally isn’t worth it.) (-) Free East Coast Shipping | $39 | |
 | A humble thirtysomething winemaker with a near limitless… (+) A humble thirtysomething winemaker with a near limitless attention to detail, Gautier landed at his family’s domaine a decade ago, and has since transformed it into one of the region’s superstars. We find ourselves saying this almost every year, but his 2023s are the best he’s made – ripe and sleek with perfect extraction and maturity, vibrant textures, and elegant, lifting finishes. Gautier called them “digeste” (roughly, “digestible”), which is an excellent characterization.
Gautier’s 2023 Givry “Champ la Dame” is excellent. The nose shows violets and spruce, with perfectly rounded tannins and a welcoming finish. The tannins are chalky and fine but almost disappear by the end of the palate. Some years this wine finishes a bit rustic for the first month or so; the 2023 will require no patience at all, and will be hard to put down. Serve with chicken from the grill later this summer. (-) Free East Coast Shipping | $39 | |
 | Gautier Desvignes has also turned into a serious… (+) Gautier Desvignes has also turned into a serious white Burgundy producer as well. William Kelley describes his chardonnays as “chiseled,” “crisp,” and “vibrant,” and we’ve begun to enjoy them more frequently in recent years. His just-arrived 2023s are accessible, delicious, and under $8/glass. Think of this as a more floral Chablis, or a racier Pouilly-Fuissé.
The 2023 Desvignes Givry “En Cheneves” is carefree and delicious, with low oak and a vibrant, fresh mouthfeel. From a north facing vineyard that’s well positioned to weather today’s hot, dry summers, this is an overperforming spot in a town on the rise. It’s more polished than most wine of this level, but doesn’t take itself too seriously. Look for notes of white flowers and apple skins, and serve with a simple creamy pasta. (-) Free East Coast Shipping | $39 | |
 | Sebastien Giroux is a quiet and meticulous winemaker… (+) Sebastien Giroux is a quiet and meticulous winemaker making superb wines of understatement and precision. If some Maconnais whites can verge into overripeness in warm years, Sebastien’s are entirely devoid of heaviness. His careful winemaking – low sulfur, minimal oak, extremely long elevage – results in minimalist wines of precision and grace. Think Thomas Morey Puligny an hour south.
The Pouilly-Fuissé Vieilles Vignes 2022 is outstanding. It’s entirely barrel raised, from vines planted mostly in the 1940s. They’re at 250m altitude, so offer intensity from their age but fineness from their elevation. South facing and just next to the premier cru “Vers Cras,” this is a special plot of vines, and so is the wine it produces. The nose is gorgeous and deep, with floral intensity and savory spice. The mouth continues the theme with and adds a dollop of ripe yellow fruit and a burst of acidity. This is a delicious mouthful, and if it said premier cru on the label, nobody would raise an eyebrow. (-) Free East Coast Shipping | $39 | |
 | Sébastien Dupré and Guillaume Goujon’s superb cuvées of… (+) Sébastien Dupré and Guillaume Goujon’s superb cuvées of Beaujolais from the 2022 vintage are like no other Beaujolais you have tasted, unless you were lucky enough to taste the same wines from 2020. Pavé is a smaller parcel than Héronde, but in 2022 the wine is just as successful. Its interplay of red and black berry fruit, minerals, and earth well justifies the presence of a musical score on its label. The many elements play against each other across a broad, persistent palate. Elevage for this wine was mostly en cuve, with a small part in demi-muids, so there is barely any sense of oak.
Overall, there is a lacy character to the tannins and a glass of this wine will pair beautifully with many fine dishes. Look for notes of peony, chalk and wild cherries. Suckling’s reviewer writes: “A hypnotically beautiful Cote-de-Brouilly. Mouth-filling red and black berries are almost perfectly interwoven with concentrated fine tannins on the medium-bodied palate. Expands dramatically in the extremely long finish without losing its delicacy or precision. And even these words don’t quite grasp what makes this wine so great.” (-) Free East Coast Shipping | $39 | |
 | Sébastien Dupré and Guillaume Goujon’s superb cuvées of… (+) Sébastien Dupré and Guillaume Goujon’s superb cuvées of Beaujolais from the 2022 vintage are like no other Beaujolais you have tasted, unless you were lucky enough to taste the same wines from 2020. They offer a beautiful combination of density, complexity and persistence that more resembles the reds of the Côte d’Or more than any other wines made from Gamay. The growing season 2022 was exceptionally hot and dry, but their vines did not suffer excessive heat stress, and they were able to bring in grapes with full phenolic ripeness but potential alcohol in the range of only 12.5% to 13%.
Héronde is their largest parcel, on the slope just below the winery, where the dense grass growing between the rows reminds us that theirs is organic viticulture. Elevage was ⅓ in cement vats, ⅓ in demi-muids (500L barrels), and ⅓ in barrique (225L barrels). Sebastien explained to us that it is a delicate business to use barrels to raise Gamay, and that they employ them to enrobe the tannins, not to add to their prominence. In the glass, Heronde 2022 is indeed a serious wine, and already particularly attractive. Floral notes of violets mingle with the ripe fruit, and the wine fills the mouth despite its relatively low alcohol. (-) Free East Coast Shipping | $39 | |
 | Pierre Gros has now produced more excellent wine… (+) Pierre Gros has now produced more excellent wine than can be chalked up to beginner’s luck. His father Michel is never far away with ready counsel and advice, but this is Pierre’s ship now, and he’s steering it beautifully. Like many of his peer group Pierre has moved the domaine toward organics, and his wines are clean and pure – they sport the same polish as his fathers’ with perhaps a bit more concentration of fruit and slightly longer finishes.
Gros’s Bourgogne Côte d’Or comes from vines just outside his hometown – in this case Vosne-Romanée. It’s middleweight and pretty, with red currants and violets in the nose; the mouth has mild tannins and a pleasant earthy and floral finish. Burghound found it “quite aromatically pretty,” with a mouthfeel that’s “supple, succulent, and round.” It drinks effortlessly from the start, and however much we set aside for ourselves, we always wish it were more.
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| 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 Bourgogne rouge Côte d’Or comes from vines in Volnay and Pommard, and it’s half-destemmed and clocks in at a fresh 12.5% abv. The nose is delicate and clean with notes of strawberry and a bit of spice. The mouth is lightweight and vibrant with a pretty stoniness among the red fruits. Neal Martin found “red cherries…quite vivid and bright” with a palate that’s “medium-bodied with crunchy red fruit…it works well.” (-) Free East Coast Shipping | $39 | |
 | The 2018 Forces Tellurique Viré-Clessé features clean, pure… (+) The 2018 Forces Tellurique Viré-Clessé features clean, pure, lemony fruit, along with remarkable freshness and energy from such a sunny vintage. On the palate it’s unctuous and smooth with a long finish that would outlast many a Meursault. The nose bursts with yellow orchard fruit and notes of tangerine and honey. Reviewing the 2018 under its primary label, Kelley awarded 93 points, finding notes of “honeycomb, orange oil, and elderflowers,” calling it “layered and succulent… with a charming core of fruit and a saline finish.”
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 | Of the 2020 Jasper Morris MW writes: “… (+) Of the 2020 Jasper Morris MW writes: “ This has a most beautiful bouquet, just the right degree of ripeness, the lightest of peaches but no honeysuckle. Just the right acidity too, drink this unsparingly across the summer months." 5/5 Stars (-) Free East Coast Shipping | $42 | |
 | Romain Collet took over as principal winemaker not… (+) Romain Collet took over as principal winemaker not long ago, and he has transformed the winemaking. He is both a very talented winemaker and an innovator — for proof one need only walk through the cellar, where the stainless steel tanks and large foudres are now joined by cement eggs, demi-muids, and most recently, amphorae.
Forêts 1er cru is particularly elegant in the 2020 vintage. This lieu dit is actually at the top part of Montmains, and the farming has been certified organic there since 2018. Its élevage is more complicated, with 90% raised in cement eggs (whose shape fosters natural circulation of the lees over the lunar cycles). The last 10% is raised in Burgundy-sized barrels, bringing a soupçon of oak into the mix. The result is extra refinement and complexity, the sort of hard-to-explain quality that will cause a taster to add an asterisk to the margin of his tasting note.
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 | The Chastan family has been making wine in… (+) The Chastan family has been making wine in the same style for two generations. They were among the earliest in the region to farm organically (they were certified in 1980!), and their winemaking is simple and straightforward. Vinification for all the wines is cement vats, followed by an elevage in either vats or neutral oak foudres. The wines are neither fined nor filtered.
The Clos du Joncuas Gigondas 2019 has more structure and more prominent tannins than the 2020, but it is also very round, and also eminently drinkable already. There’s a bit more minerality mixed in with the ripe fruit here, and the wine may have a longer drinking window; but both wines are generous and fleshy, and will be easy to match with food. (-) Free East Coast Shipping | $42 | |
| The nose is extraordinary, hitting high notes and… (+) The nose is extraordinary, hitting high notes and low notes simultaneously in a symphony of fruit and earth. We find notes yellow orchard fruit and notes of tangerine and honey. The mouth is expansive and rich, but with pulsating energy and exquisite balance, with a finish that would outlast many a Meursault.
Reviewing the 2018 under its primary label, Kelley awarded 93 points, calling it “another terrific wine from this address,” and finding “white flowers, crisp melon and orchard fruit,” with “satiny and layered palate that’s racy and precise.” Jasper Morris MW was similarly impressed, predicting the 2020 might “join the very top vintages of the domaine.” (-) Free East Coast Shipping | $42 | |
 | For more than fifteen years we thought of… (+) For more than fifteen years we thought of Poggerino as our secret, but the word is definitely out now. Vinous’s Antonio Galloni considers their wines “some of the purest expressions of the Sangiovese grape in Italy."
The Chianti Classico “Riserva Bugialla” 2019 offers a different texture from the Classico. It is richer and more full-bodied than the Classico 2020, with dark red fruit and mouth-filling roundness. Galloni thought that “Black cherry, incense, leather and spice give this virile Riserva plenty of complexity.” He called it a “dark, powerful wine, . . . impressive, especially in terms of its depth and overall substance.” (-) Free East Coast Shipping | $42 | |
 | Gautheron's Chablis are old-school: little to no-oak, brisk… (+) Gautheron's Chablis are old-school: little to no-oak, brisk freshness, clean minerality, excellent clarity of terroir. Jasper Morris MW is also a fan, writing in early 2023, “I must say that Cyril Gautheron’s wines are climbing up my table of Chablis producers.”
Fourneaux premier cru is another right bank premier cru and lies just down the slope from the Gautherons’ winery in the hamlet of Fleys. There’s more clay in the soils here, which adds some power, and the name (meaning “oven”) refers to the warm, sunny valley where sits the domaine. The wine is raised entirely in tank, and lacks for nothing in the way of complexity. The Fourneaux 2021 is delightful, with white more than yellow peach in a pleasantly chalky nose and a particularly nice balance in the mouth. It has an elegant, unctuous concentration that persists on the palate and finishes long. With intense fruit and a nice dollop of sucrocité, this is sure to be a crowd pleaser – perfectly balanced Chablis. (-) Free East Coast Shipping | $42 | |
 | The Vaillons premier cru lies on a slope… (+) The Vaillons premier cru lies on a slope parallel to Montmains on Chablis’s left bank, known as a source of chiseled, vibrant wines. Gautheron’s Vaillons 2021 is round and full on the palate despite the vintage’s relative freshness. Morris gave it 90-93 points, writing: “Very pale colour, with impressive tension on the nose. The stones are there and a bit of flesh, too, pure and typical with the usual dry finish. Old vines here. Really very long.”
This is everything you want from Chablis – savory intensity, perfectly ripe fruit, brisk stony backbone and laser focused finish. This needs no accompaniment – a delicious, complete glass of white wine on its own. But should hunger force your hand, this will match anything in need of zip – scallops, creamy oysters, swordfish, lobster, chicken sausages, etc (-) Free East Coast Shipping | $42 | |
 | Jancis Robinson: "A very classy Hautes-Côtes de Beaune… (+) Jancis Robinson: "A very classy Hautes-Côtes de Beaune with a precise, chiselled character... Plenty of freshness... Nice mineral hint to finish."
Jasper Morris (5 stars): "This has a most beautiful bouquet, just the right degree of ripeness, the lightest of peaches but no honeysuckle. Just the right acidity too, drink this unsparingly across the summer months." (-) Free East Coast Shipping | $42 | |
 | "Cyril Gautheron is a superb producer making wines… (+) "Cyril Gautheron is a superb producer making wines in a crisp cool classically Chablis style, which is now really quite hard to achieve in these warmer seasons." – Jasper Morris, 2024
At the premier cru level, 2022 offers an embarrassment of riches. Gautheron’s Chablis 1er cru “Vaucoupin” has many loyal buyers. It is always raised entirely in stainless steel, yielding an impressive purity of fruit. In 2022, Morris praised its “good tension, with lemon and lime, a little youthful bitterness, very promising in its classical Vaucoupin style.” We found a note of white peach among the citrus (-) Free East Coast Shipping | $42 | |
| "Cyril Gautheron is a superb producer making wines… (+) "Cyril Gautheron is a superb producer making wines in a crisp cool classically Chablis style, which is now really quite hard to achieve in these warmer seasons." – Jasper Morris, 2024
Their vines here are old ones, and lie at both the top and the bottom of Vaillons’ long slope. Vaillons is classic left bank Chablis – cooler and less sunny – and the wine is drier and more piercing than Gautheron’s others. Morris was particularly impressed with the domaine’s Vaillons in 2022, projecting a score of 94 and writing "All in white fruit, barely even any lemons, with the requisite drier stony finish and the pleasing youthful grip. A fine example.” (-) Free East Coast Shipping | $42 | |
| "Cyril Gautheron is a superb producer making wines… (+) "Cyril Gautheron is a superb producer making wines in a crisp cool classically Chablis style, which is now really quite hard to achieve in these warmer seasons." – Jasper Morris, on Gautheron's 2022s
The Fourneaux premier cru 2022 regular cuvée was raised without any oak. In weight it is more Puligny than Meursault, to borrow a comparison from the Côte d’Or. When we tasted it, the nose was showing subtle ripe fruit, leaning orchard over citrus. Its combination of ripeness and elegance is hard to beat, and we serve it across a range of dishes. (-) Free East Coast Shipping | $42 | |
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 | The most clay-rich of Collet’s terroirs is “Butteaux,”… (+) The most clay-rich of Collet’s terroirs is “Butteaux,” a south-east facing sector of the Montmains vineyard on Chablis’s left bank. For this cuvée, Romain ages the wine in a combination of old oak barrels (5 to 10 years). The resulting wine has a concentration and layered complexity somewhere between premier cru and grand cru.
It’s not exactly classic Chablis – less brisk and angular than some of Romain’s cuvées; but it’s perfectly balanced and simply delicious in the glass. It begins with a rich attack of concentrated fruit that might make you think of modern Puligny-Montrachet, but a vibrant splash of Chablisienne minerals bursts through the palate and it finishes dry and precise.
Jasper Morris MW was similarly impressed, finding “lovely generous fruit yet with tension. Very good this year,” and awarding 91-94 points – just a point behind Romain’s Grand Cru Valmur. Think of it as a particularly stony Puligny-Montrachet, at a roughly 50% discount... (-) Free East Coast Shipping | $42 | |
 | Winemaker Romain Collet has deftly steered his family’s… (+) Winemaker Romain Collet has deftly steered his family’s domaine through this new climate, and we’re not alone in this conclusion. Wine Critics Allen Meadows (Burghound) and William Kelley (Wine Advocate) have noted a “higher level of refinement” and a “significant upsurge in quality.” Jasper Morris MW writes that Romain Collet “is moving towards joining the pantheon” in Chablis.
Collet’s 2022 Chablis 1er cru “Forets” is a delicious, classy Chablis. It’s raised mostly in cement eggs, which add depth and texture to the crisp minerals and fruit. This is delightful, complete white Burgundy on its own, but also a terrific match with food. Burghound cites “minerality on the moderately austere and quite dry finale.” He concludes, “I like both the balance and the delivery and this is one to consider.”
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 | Gautier’s 2022s show a talented winemaker firing on… (+) Gautier’s 2022s show a talented winemaker firing on all cylinders. He has refined his cellar technique considerably, using gentler extractions, and focused his barrel work through exhaustive (some might say obsessive) experimentation and tasting. The resulting wines easily rival reds from the Côte d’Or in detail and complexity, and simply blow them away on price.
Gautier’s Givry 1er cru “Grand Berge” is from vines just in back of the domaine, and is the friendliest of the Desvignes premier crus. The 2022 is lovely and welcoming – dark and floral with a dose of toast and a rich, jammy complexion. The vintage provides ample concentration but no heat. Look for raspberry and violets, and a clean medium weight finish. Serve this with a mushroom risotto. (-) Free East Coast Shipping | $42 | |
 | Gautier’s 2022s show a talented winemaker firing on… (+) Gautier’s 2022s show a talented winemaker firing on all cylinders. He has refined his cellar technique considerably, using gentler extractions, and focused his barrel work through exhaustive (some might say obsessive) experimentation and tasting. The resulting wines easily rival reds from the Côte d’Or in detail and complexity, and simply blow them away on price.
Givry 1er cru “Clos Charlé” is detailed and sophisticated – higher toned and with more chiseled detail than his other premier crus. It’s particularly good in 2022, and easily worth the $6 upgrade from the village. The nose shows peony, wild cherries, and a delicate stoniness. The mouth is darker but retains a vibrant minerality alongside the inky fruit. Serve with a roast chicken on a cozy Sunday afternoon. (-) Free East Coast Shipping | $42 | |
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| The Maconnais domaine that produces Forces Telluriques has… (+) The Maconnais domaine that produces Forces Telluriques has been certified biodynamic for over 30 years, and they’re true believers: minimal vineyard intervention in the vines, meticulous and hands-off winemaking. William Kelley calls them “one of the best producers in the Mâconnais “ producing “ honeyed, concentrated wines that are imbued with remarkable concentration and energy.”
The Forces Telluriques vines are between 30 and 100 years old, producing gorgeous, concentrated juice. The wine is raised in enameled vats without any oak. The 2022 vintage is superb, round and full in the mouth yet offering memorable lemony freshness (the alcohol level is just 13%). There is plenty of complexity, as mineral notes join the fruit; and the wine persists on the palate beautifully. Jasper Morris writes: “deliciously floral…amazing how such a luxurious style of chardonnay can retain elegance.”
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| 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.
For an Hautes Côtes de Nuits with a bit more flesh, consider “Au Vallon” 2022. This bottling comes from south-facing vines and with extra sun always achieves a bit more ripeness. Burghound also awarded his “ outstanding” designation to this wine, finding “sleek, vibrant and utterly delicious flavors.” Neal Martin of Vinous found “a lovely nose with rose-petal-tinged red cherry and crushed strawberry fruit.” (-) Free East Coast Shipping | $42 | |
 | 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.
The Fontaine St. Martin cuvée comes from a territory with the same soils and subsoils as the famous Hill of Corton in the Côte d’Or proper to the south. This is more serious wine, requiring more time to round out and drink well than the others from the Hautes Côtes de Nuits. Neal Martin found “plenty of brambly red fruit on the nose” and “commendable purity.” He thought today’s “muscular” finish would ebb with time in the bottle. (-) Free East Coast Shipping | $42 | |
 | 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.
Gros's only white wine comes from the Hautes Côte’s Fontaine St. Martin, and shows that a skilled maker of red Burgundy can also show a deft touch with white. Neal Martin found “good weight and energy” and a “fresh nose of yellow fruit, hints of nectarine, and chai tea.” Under $50, it offers excellent value for a barrel-raised Burgundy. (-) Free East Coast Shipping | $42 |