November 2021

HENRI GIRAUD CHAMPAGNE IS BACK

Well over a decade ago, when we were still producing our written newsletter, there were a lot of folks (including industry people) that read it. It had surprising reach (we even got a report that someone found it in a port-o-poddy in Cabo). In any case we got a call one day from an importer back east, a former customer if memory serves, who wanted to know if we were interested in a limited production Champagne call Henri Giraud, specifically in that case their ‘Fut de Chene’. It was expensive, but it was also glorious and it was fun having it for a time. Unfortunately, thanks to shipping and licensing realities, long distance relationships can be tenuous in this business and we subsequently lost touch with the purveyor. But w never forgot the bubbles.

A year or two, pre-Covid, we were at a restaurant in Las Vegas that had the entry level Henri Giraud on their list. Remembering how good the ‘big dog’ was those years before, we ordered it figuring it was probably worth a look. It was gorgeous and even in a busting restaurant setting it made a big impression…out of a half bottle no less! We remembered and were thrilled when we were presented with the line by a local supplier recently.

Tasting the Henri Girad Brut Nature Esprit here brought back fond memories of what we tasted in the restaurant. This had a beautiful, refined mousse, fresh and dried stone fruit nuance and a biscuit-y edge to the flavors. Lovely stuff. The short story is that the house located in Ay is under the direction of Claude Giraud, the twelfth generation at the helm (the ‘origens’ go back to 1625). The vineyards are farmed sustainably and this cuvee is 80% Pinot Nor and 20% Chardonnay raised in 3-5 year old barrels with “50% of reserve wine in perpetual reserve. Aged for at least 2 years on lees.”

This from Wine Advocate’s William Kelley, ” The latest release of Giraud’s NV Brut Esprit Nature opens in the glass with a lovely bouquet of citrus oil, mandarin, crisp yellow pears, pastry cream and blanched almonds. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, broad and vinous, with racy acids, fine concentration and a compelling sense of integration and harmony. This is a charming, elegant bottling that’s very hard to resist. It comes warmly recommended…92 Points.” Amen to that.

We also have limited stock of the big dogs at present if you are so inclined, the ‘terrific’ Henri Giraud Brut Grand Cru Fut de Chene MV 15 (WA 96) and the ‘extraordinary’ Henri Giraud Brut Grand Cru Aÿ Argonne 2012 (JS 99, WA 98, VM 96+).

NEW FACE ON AN OLD STANDARD

This isn’t a story we have told very often. There are a lot of variables. First, this estate in Cigales is owned by Rioja luminary Baron de Ley. Second, what’s Cigales? Cigales is a small DO in the western part of the broader Castillo y Leon region in western Spain. The grape varieties are mainly Tempranillo and Grenache for reds though international varieties like Syrah, Cabernet and Merlot are permitted. As to Finca Museum itself, it seems their goal is to raise the level of the appellation. You may have seen the label as we have sold it on occasion over the years. It was a unique etched metal on a tall bottle.

We aren’t going to tell you the history is necessarily compelling. The Reserve bottling, which we are offering here, is often on the rustic side, which is a recurring theme in the region probably more as a function of the producers there than the area itself. So these wines are hit and miss from a qualitative standpoint, and Museum typically sells in the mid-$30s as well, which means we seldom have cause to make a case for them. We have sold their wines on only a few occasions over the years, and this is the first time at this location. But that’s why we taste everything. This wine, in this vintage, at this price, made a heck of a lot of sense.

The Finca Museum Reserve Cigales 2016 is made with the kind of attention to detail that producers with high expectations have. The grapes, 100% Tempranillo in this case, are harvested by hand into small crates, fermented in temperature controlled stainless steel, and the juice spend 22 months in new French oak with frequent rackings. Then there is an additional 15 months in bottle before being labeled and released.

As we have said on many occasions, the 2016 vintage is special in many parts of Spain. Here it made the difference between a wine that had some overt rusticity in the past and one that has the stuffing to go along with its underlying muscle. There’s plenty of dark red fruit going on here, and the fruit weight to polish over the ripe tannins. There’s some notes of mineral, earth, and dark chocolate to add interest along the way, and the kind of continuity across the palate that this wine rarely has.

We also think this kinder, gentler version has enough size to appeal to New World palates as well as Old World. Take all of that, and factor in a nearly half-price buy-in (we’re selling it for $19.98), and the whole proposition changes. This ‘new look’ Museum is worthy of attention and delivers great value as well.

FORCE MAJEURE: NORTHWEST SUPERSTAR

As lifetime entrepreneurs constantly on the lookout for opportunities to improve and innovate, Paul and Susan McBride were attracted to the Northwest for the promise of developing world-class vineyards and wines from the region. Their decision was to create vineyards. In their own words, “Drawing inspiration from the great vineyards of Bordeaux, the Northern and Southern Rhône valleys, as well as parts of Spain, and with a desire to challenge existing viticultural practices in Washington state, we embarked on an ambitious plan to pioneer the very first vineyard on the steep, rocky upper slopes of Red Mountain.”

It’s been more than a decade since we first ran across their wines. We kind of recall, like so many vintners we run across, these folks seemed pretty convinced they were going to be the next big thing. In fact, we can’t dispute that given the body of work we have seen from them. We’re actually a little surprised they aren’t better known given the consistent, super high quality we have seen. If you look at the reviews (which are generally quite spectacular) there were 32 different bottling titles with notes in Wine Advocate, many of which bore the title ‘Collaboration Series’. They seem to be honing in on a smaller lineup f ro the long haul now.

Jeb Dunnuck has been a fan from early on and says this about the winery, “Now focusing almost exclusively on their Red Mountain estate vineyards, Force Majeure is making some of the most compelling wines in Washington State, as well as in the United States. Winemaker Todd Alexander (previously at Bryant Family in Napa Valley) came on board in 2014 and today the wines show another level of purity and finesse, all while not sacrificing depth of fruit or texture… Trust me, these are gorgeous wines you need to try.”

We can’t disagree. These folks seem to be able to create wines of great intensity but also remarkable plushness, that latter element something that isn’t apparently that easy to accomplish in Washington. There aren’t many (any?) names that come to mind that work at this level in terms of polish, saturated palate feel and seamless presentation of fruit. The Force Majeure Epinette 2018 is, to their definition, their “Right Bank” effort. We know there will be a few folks out there that will balk at a wine that is Merlot dominated. So is Petrus, by the way, and this wine has the depth and lavish layers of flavor to overcome notions that Merlot is a ‘lighter’ fare.

From Jeb Dunnuck, his highest mark for the Epinette series (the lowest was a ‘94’) since he first reviewed the 2014 with Wine Advocate, “The 2018 Epinette is the Merlot-dominated release from this team, and it’s 79% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Petit Verdot, all from the estate vineyard on Red Mountain. Lots of smoky black cherry and darker currant fruits as well as notes of chocolate, graphite, lead pencil, and chalky minerality emerge from the glass, and this full-bodied beauty is beautifully textured, with a stacked mid-palate, velvety tannins, and a blockbuster finish. It’s up with the finest Merlots in the New World and will drink brilliantly for at least a decade, if not longer…97 points.”

Everything seems to be working here and this is impressive juice. We’ve been pioneering Washington wines since the late 80s (like the Leonetti Merlot 1987) and can tell you this is a rare effort. It’s not inexpensive, but something this good from Napa would cost two or three times as much.

A WORD ABOUT THE BIRD

We’ve published our rather expansive recommendation list for Thanksgiving on many occasions, focusing on all the choices we think best for that holiday fowl. We’ll sum up the basics in a couple of sentences. First, Turkey in its various preparations is pretty versatile and plays nicely with a huge variety of wines, the only exceptions in our minds being oaky whites and heavy reds. The choice has more to do with the accompanying items, whether they are sweeter or more savory, than it does with the bird itself. That said, we tend to be on the savory side food-wise and our personal preferences are lighter reds like Pinot Noir or Beaujolais with the traditional roast (or smoked, or fried) bird.

Also, we think that the multifaceted menu that most people serve, the passing of food and lively conversation, don’t necessarily present the best showcasing of ‘top wines in the cellar’. All the nuances and layers of such wines, that extra little something that puts them at a higher qualitative level, could definitely get lost in the commotion. We tend to be thrifty sorts anyway. As you know we always have plenty to choose from. But this time around here are a few specific, modestly priced selections in our preferred categories that will ‘get it done’ and not break the bank.

Bonaccorsi Pinot Noir Santa Rita Hills 2018 ($19.98)- This wine is composed of grapes sourced from elite sources, Fiddlestix, John Sebastiano and a small amount Duvarita. It’s also important to stress that the winery didn’t bottle these as single vineyards in 2018. These aren’t the ‘remnants’ of the selection process for designate bottlings…it’s all of what they got. The wine was held in neutral Francois Freres barrels for 20 months (to marry and round out with imparting any oaky imprint) and bottled unfiltered and unfined. The wine itself is classic Pinot for the region. Plenty of insistent strawberry and mulberry laced fruit with all sorts of nuance (rose, orange, tea, savory spice, and violet). The fruit is pure, ripe, and ample and, at every turn, bright and lifted. It’s really fine Pinot that could play at your Thanksgiving table or any white table cloth occasion, yet it is friendly in a way that it makes it comfortable to just haul off and drink.

Rene LeClerc Bourgogne Rouge 2017 ($26.98)- The ample, meaty style packed with sweet fruit is still the classic recipe here by tradition and one that is no doubt made lusher , rounder, and more engaging by the recent warmer vintages. Everything in this wine is grown in within the appellation of Gevrey Chambertin, from parcels in the Billiards, the Platière and the Pressionniers. The yields are low and this wine sees no new oak, Francois’ deference to his father. But this is as engaging, pure, and honest a Burgundy as you will find. This is a fine, juicy example of ‘authentic’ Burgundy, with the ‘kids’ now in charge, giving props to the ‘old style’, but with the kind of finesse and hygiene that elevates the entire experience. Ripe, maybe a little ‘chewy’ but with an intriguing lush palate presence, there’s plenty of soulful, sweet dark cherry and currant character laced with notes of mineral, earth, and leather. This is the kind of Burgundy we love to drink and a special experience for this kind of fare. Anybody else would be charging a lot more.

Pavillon de Chavannes Cote de Brouilly Cuvee des Ambassades 2020 ($21.98)- This estate was acquired by the Jambon Chanrion family around the time of the American Civil War (1861). Today Pavillon de Chavannes consists of 37 prime acres on Mont Brouilly. They make two cuvees, and this is the top one, Cuvee des Ambassades, which comes from 12 acres of Paul’s best parcels. The name ‘cuvee Ambassades’ (ambassadors cuvee) is rather a literal one as this Cote de Brouilly is purchased by the Quai d’Orsay for use in French embassies around the world. It is the last wine to be bottled by the estate in a given vintage and it is the most age-worthy. The Cote de Brouilly is all about the blue granite that is laced with volcanic porphyry, or crystallized mineral deposits. The Cote de Brouilly appellation refers only to the higher, better-ripening parcels (the rest is simply labeled Brouilly) on the upper part of the hill. Within those parameters, Paul’s holding are the highest and the steepest in this elevated appellation. This is a very old school Beaujolais stylistically in the best sense. Traditional winemaking allows this concentrated wine to showcase pure, intense red-leaning-to-black fruits with hints of spice and plenty of the granite minerality for which this particular ‘rock’ is known. There is plenty of fruit here, but of a cooler profile, with more lift and brighter flavors. Mouth-filling and delicious, but also showing the more serious, structured, ‘wants-to-be-Burgundy’ side of Beaujolais.

Georges Duboeuf Fleurie Clos des Quatre Vents 2019 ($19.98)-Why would one worry about ‘Nouveau’ when you could have something this good and ready to go here. The 2021 vintage has a tough one anyway and the cost of air freight these days adds more to the tab. Here we have a lovely effort from a proven source in a great vintage with multiple reviews for under $20! From the Decanter Wine Awards, “Gorgeous aromatics of plush blackberry jam, warm bramble and toasty oak, while the expressive palate is layered with generous, full bodied bramble fruit and high, toasted oak… 97 Points. “ From James Suckling, “This has a fresh, fruity nose of raspberry, red apple, peach and watermelon. Some earth and mushroom, too. It’s medium-bodied with sleek, silky tannins. Layered and delicious. Drink now…93 points.” Serve this with a little chill and watch it disappear.

Georges Glantenay Volnay 2018 ($29.98)– Ease and likeability is what always comes to mind when we think of Volnay, arguably one of Burgundy’s most appealing appellations. Admittedly, we have a particular passion for good Volnays. Very often Volnay, with all of its bright, spicy, lilting cherry fruit and pure flavors, is a ‘first love’ as one gets into Burgundy in the first place, and that never changes. This is like that. The nose opens with effusive red and dark cherry fruit that leans even a little darker with air. There are hints of savory and earth as nuances in both the nose and subtly woven into the flavors. There’s a little hint of toast at the back end, again purely acting as an accent to that ‘Volnacious’ fruit core. We’ll borrow a little from Burghound in closing, “…sleek, delicious and nicely vibrant flavors possess a lilting mouthfeel (with) the sneaky long and relatively pliant finish…” It’s really well priced as Burgundies go as a bonus.

Anselmann Spatburgunder 2014 ($14.99)–Jah, Spatburgunder. German Pinot Noir isn’t always the first wine people think of. It’s colder there and a lot of the examples we have tasted over the years have been on the tart, thin side. Add that to the fact that the Germans are quite proud of their Pinots, and charge a lot for them, and it isn’t a proposition that we present very often. That’s what makes this last minute discovery fun to talk about. This is ‘typical’, but also not so typical. It definitely has the cooler, more savory profile of a cool climate Pinot, but also the fruit and texture to present itself to a much broader audience. The Anselmann family holdings are located in the Pfaltz where they have been in the wine business for over 400 years. Atypically for this region, 40% of their plantings are red grapes (Dornfelder anyone?). This Pinot is fruit-driven and is reminiscent of strawberries, raspberries and cherries with notes of violets and sage. The fruit has Just the right weight to fill in the palate and round it out while still keeping its typicite. Surely the bottle age had a positive effect and we also got it at about half price! A screaming deal and great with food. Sehr gut.

SURPRISE CAB DEAL FROM A FAMILIAR ‘FACE’

Corporate types never seem to tire of creating new SKUs. Beringer already has a few different Cabernet bottlings. We went to their website and started counting, quitting when we got to 30. So why not one more? We had not seen the Cabernet Sauvignon Distinction Series before this 2016, nor could we find a review on a vintage before this (though there was a 2014 on the Beringer site). So we’ll say this is not the first, just the first for us. It is packaged in a black label that is a different design than their Knight’s Valley.

So what is it? Good question. From the winery, “Beringer’s Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is an enticing expression of this varietal and the depth and complexity of flavor it can exhibit when grown in the right place. Select vineyards and blocks from AVAs up and down the valley are used to craft a wine that is the quintessential expression of Napa Valley terroir.” That doesn’t really tell us a lot but it wasn’t the marketing that caused us get interested in this, it was the juice itself. Whatever they called it, they clearly had bigger intensions for this one, as evidenced by the $65 price on the website.

Deep, saturated color leaning toward black, a big nose of cocoa, vanilla and toasty oak along with cassis and dark cherry, it prepares you for what’s coming. With air, insistent spice notes started to emerge and the well ‘seasoned’ fruit making a big impression across the palate. This is big, dark, expressive Cab from a vaunted vintage. Yes this winery makes a lot of wine, but they have wherewithal to make some rocking Cab when they have a mind, too. To be clear, no one is going to confuse this with something European. This is unabashedly Californian and we were taken with its power and balance and thought we’d pass the message along.

It got some love from Wine Advocate’s Lisa Perotti-Brown who wrote, “The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Distinctions is blended of 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petite Sirah, aged in 35% new French oak for 20 months. Deep garnet-purple colored, it bursts from the glass with crème de cassis, blueberry pie and preserved plums over nuances of Chinese five spice, hoisin, chocolate box and dusty soil. Full-bodied, rich and decadent, it has loads of spicy layers and a firm, grainy backbone, finishing on an earthy note… 93 points.”

Even though the name doesn’t really tell you much of a story, at just a notch over $40 ($41.98) the Beringer Cabernet Sauvignon Distinction Series 2016 qualifies as a notable value in Napa Cabernet,

MORE AFFORDABLE, DELICIOUS RED BURGUNDY

This is a period to turn every stone in Burgundy and see as much as one possibly can. Since 2015, there haven’t been any ‘dog vintages’, with every vintage having its share of generally plush, tender, engaging wines. We have found a number of reds that are gushing with ripe, supple, lusty red fruit that have repeatedly proven to be imminently likeable. Also, thanks to the vintages success, likely with an ‘assist’ from global warming, the juicy demeanor has ‘trickled down’ to every quality level, including typically modest ‘village’ bottlings.

To that end, we are pleased to present this Chorey Les Beaune Le Grand Saucy 2019 from Robert Gibourg, another shining example of a well-priced, remarkably engaging nature red Burgundy from the latter half of this decade. Robert Gibourg, born in 1942, inherited about 1 hectare of very old vines from his parents in the Cote de Nuits and from his grandfather in the Cote de Beaune.

In 1975, Robert Gibourg married Marie Therese, whose family was a winemaking family in Ladoix and, a year later, Marie Therese’s uncle retired and Robert Gibourg has been farming his parcels under metayage ever since, including parcels in Ladoix, Aloxe Corton including a small amount of Grand Cru Corton. Robert continued to expand the domaine to its current size of about six hectare (approximately 14.5 acres) including this parcel of Chorey Les Beaune Les Grande Saucy purchased in 1999.

These days the estate is run son-in-law Sebastien Bidault. Yields are kept low, and all grapes are hand-harvested. No chemical fertilizers are used and the soil is turned to promote diversity and health. All wines are vinified at the domaine in Morey-Saint-Denis. Grapes are de-stemmed in most years. The must is cold-soaked for 3-5 days to extract color and aroma from the skins. Fermentation is 100% natural, and the wine sees 16-18 months in barrels (30% new) and then is bottled unfiltered and unfined.

The 2019 Chorey Les Beaune Le Grande Saucy comes from a single vineyard (lieux dit) that, as the crow flies, is closer to the village of Aloxe Corton than the village of Chorey. The nose shows plenty of inviting dark cherry fruit with subtle but intriguing notes of violet and spice. Packed with red fruits with a supporting snip of acidity, this is a riper version of classic Burgundy with plenty of fruit to the midpalate but a little more old school chew to the edge. Another great go-to from a generous vintage, these are definitely good times for Burgundy drinkers because you can find delightful wines that won’t break the bank. We also have a little bit left of the delightful, plush, energetic 2018 Chorey Les Beaune Le Grande Saucy . Both sell for the modest fare of $34.98.

ANOTHER GREAT UNDER-THE -RADAR CHAMPAGNE

We’re always open to new faces in Champagne, and this one caught our fancy. Jean-Paul Lancelot gives the appearance of being just a simple vigneron, a man of the earth, a French grower harkening back a couple of generations. That part is true. He is, however the proud owner of 4 hectares of the some of the greatest vines in Champagne. All four of his hectares are in Grand Cru villages Cramant, Avize, Oger and Chouilly.

All of his vines are old, and the Lancelot-Curtois Cuvée Traditionelle is comprised of his two oldest sites. One parcel in Oger, named “Les Monts Chenevaux,” was planted in 1953. The other in Grand Cru Chouilly, named “Les Monts Aigous,” was planted in 1957 and adjoins one of Moet’s principal parcels for Dom Perignon.

Thus this 100% Chardonnay cuvee comes from 60+ year old vines, rather a unique situation in this part of the wine world. This cuvée carried the reference “Vieilles Vignes.” Besides having some very serious dirt, Jean-Paul’s yields are very, very low for Champagne. Given the low yields and important vineyard sources, this Champagne is very attractively priced ($49.98). It costs as much as the mass marketed ‘bruts’ of a number of big name Champagne houses, but clearly the pedigree is much more impressive.

Stylistically this is a crowd pleaser. There’s a big nose of baked apples, brioche, and baking spices. Creamy and polished in the mouth, with a fine bead, this has a round, open texture and plenty of apple, pear, spice, and toast on the palate, delivering lots of forward fruit without an overt amount of sugar. Simply put, this is a round, juicy, imminently likeable Champagne pleases by flashing plenty of aristocratic, classy yet clearly very friendly fruit. A special and very tasty find.

ARTADI: A BLUE CHIP VALUE AS ALWAYS

This is a simple acknowledgment of a new rendition of one of our old standards in the Spanish section, Artadi’s Vina de Gain 2018. First of all, just to get it out of the way, this is technically a Rioja. Artadi has chosen not to use the name with regard to their wines because they feel the term is too generic. You won’t see the word ‘Rioja’ on their labels. They, like many other wine regions, are on about more specificity regarding where the wines come from. The term Rioja covers a broad area that includes three subsets (Rioja Baja, Rioja Alta, and Rioja Alavesa). Just saying Rioja says it comes from anywhere in the region. Artadi would rather make reference to the more delineated village of Laguardia (within Rioja Alavesa) where their parcels are located.

An excerpt from Wine Spectator stated, “Over the years, the bodega (Artadi) has focused more on origin (bottling a number of single-vineyard wines, including its flagship El Pison) than on the Rioja designations of Crianza, Reserva and Gran Reserva, which set minimum aging requirements. As a consequence of its decision, Artadi will no longer display the Rioja appellation on its labels.” The winery stated, “We would like to highlight that there is no change in our project…. We will keep betting on the land and the vineyard as the main sources of value for our wines.”

These folks aren’t rebels, just purists. This is 100% Tempranillo grown in several plots around Laguardia and fermented in open-top wooden vats, finishing with 12 months in standard small oak barrels. Packed with dark red fruits, spice and earthy underpinnings, the texture is supple but there is plenty of verve and freshness to the overall impression. What’s in a name, anyway? It certainly doesn’t affect the soulful, classy juice in the bottle and the ‘entry level’ Artadi Vinas de Gain 2018 is another value winner.

Wine Advocate’s Luis Gutierrez even gives it a nod over the striking 2016, “The young red 2018 Viñas de Gaín follows the same philosophy as the white, grapes from a variety of vineyards in Laguardia and Elvillar ferment in oak and stainless steel vats followed by malolactic in barrel and an élevage in oak of nine months. It showcases the serious and fresh style of the best wines from the year. It has cold fruit and a very fine thread in the palate, fine tannins, long and balanced, very fresh. It has depth and complexity. A very good wine, it transcends its price point, like an upgraded version of the 2016…93 points.”

Though more succinct, James Suckling was also on board, “Very pure fruit to this with blackberries and blueberries and some dried flowers. Medium-bodied with very fine tannins and a linear, refined finish. From organically grown grapes…94 points.” Spain does it again, but that should be no surprise by now.

‘LITTLE’ CAB FROM A TOP GUN, CALIFORNIA STYLE

Long time followers of Napa Cabernet will recognize the Chateau Le Grande Roche as the working, quite competent value bottling/second wine of Napa icon Ric Forman. What brings up the conversation this time around is that this particular bottling hits heights we don’t recall experiencing with past efforts. Yeah, they have been quite good on a consistent basis, but not this good. The label was created way back in 1984 as a second wine and, as is common in the Napa Valley, is not acknowledged on the Forman website so there is no visible association with the ‘premier’ label.

That being said, since Ric has been making wine, and this wine for a long time, we have to attribute this wine’s plush, outgoing, layered personality to 2018. The supple cassis and black cherry fruit that rolls across the palate like a wave, leaving flecks of toast and minerality as a calling card. Such a profile has been a recurrent theme with the 2018 and 2019 Cabs we have tasted thus far from Napa. Delicous, well-infused acidity, melty tannins, the Chateau Grande Roche Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 definitely made us pay attention. This isn’t a wine that is on everybody’s mind and it isn’t aggressively marketed. That said, our message is simple…don’t miss it. This is a sleeper hiding in plain sight.

From Antonio Galloni, “The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Chateau La Grande Roche is such a delicious wine. A burst of sweet red cherry, red plum, mocha, spice, licorice and leather race out of the glass. Exuberant and juicy, yet very much medium in body, the 2018 is a wine of pure and total pleasure. All the elements come together in a mid-weight Cabernet Sauvignon that hits all the right notes. The Grand Roche is the second selection from the Forman Cabernet, and a great value to boot…93 Points.”

MORE JUICY BURGUNDY FROM LESS FAMOUS SITES

The Burgundy boats are finally coming in. It has been a tough year for ‘logistics’. As we have been preaching, no matter how you feel about global warming, it has raised the bar substantially in certain, formerly ‘lesser ‘regions in Burgundy. Those terroirs don’t have the historic reputation because they were ‘marginal’ sites that didn’t ripen consistently. Give them a little more heat and the whole equation changes. Areas like Givry, Monthelie, Mercurey, and Marsannay have enjoyed unparalleled success over the last few vintages.

On the northern end of the Cote de Nuits, Marsannay was a region prized mostly for pink wine and is unique in Burgundy for having AOC status for red, white, and pink wines. The producer of this pair of Marsannays, Jean Fournier, dates back to the reign of Louis XIII and the 17^th Century. Now at the helm of the domaine is the dynamic young Louis Fournier. He converted his vineyards to organic farming and has been Ecocert certified since 2008. Harvest is completed manually and grapes are hand-sorted to guarantee that the wine is made from only the highest quality fruit. His winemaking is determinedly non-interventionist and honest, and the combination has surely contributed to these intense, expressive wines that are absolutely bursting with bright cherry fruit.

The Jean Fournier Marsannay Clos du Roy 2018 is a showpiece for a vintage that was generally quite good for reds yielding wines of bright, ripe fruits and great harmony. The juice was done in temperature-controlled stainless with native yeasts then aged for one year in 50% 600L and 50% 225L (25% new) oak, then 5-7 months in old 600L barrels. The review from Neal Martin in Vinous tells the story pretty well, “The 2018 Marsannay Clos du Roy has a perfumed bouquet of blackberry and raspberry fruit infused with blood orange and tangerine, playful and quite forward in style. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins and a fine bead of acidity. Fresh from the start, with good grip and detail on the finish. Good potential here…90-92 points.”

Jean Fournier Marsannay Les Longueroies 2018 comes from a one hectare plot averaging 40 years of age and has a 2% dollop of old Pinot Beurout (Pinot Blanc) that is permitted to be co-fermented in’ very old Burgundy vineyards’. This one was fermented the same way and then saw 12 months in oak, 50% new. Neal Martin’s notes here were even a touch more enthusiastic, “The 2018 Marsannay Les Longeroies has darker fruit on the nose compared to the Clos du Roy, offering blackberry, hints of tar and a touch of menthol that emerges with time. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins and a fine bead of acidity, and pure in style as it fans out toward the fresh and energetic finish. This is a lovely Marsannay that will give heaps of pleasure…91-93 points.”

These are barrel notes but clearly, from what we’ve tasted, these wines got into the bottle just fine. Even during a period where we are finding a lot to like in Burgundy, these are thrilling examples where everything is ripe, round, bright, and vivid. They demand to be noticed and, thanks to global warming if you will, these ‘little’ appellations are offering up big surprises.