September 2022

BRIEF: 10/3/2022

**TASTY BUBBLES

We are always looking for good Champagne at a good price and this sleek, delicious Blancde B;anc fits the profile very nicely. Composed of all Grand Cru fruit (like the label says), Voirin-Jumel Champagne Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs can trace its origins to the 1970s. René Jumel had a transport business and his wife’s family had some vines that they cultivated. As the champagne market grew, René began selling some of his trucks and buying vineyards around the Côte des Blancs, which his wife, Paulette Richomme, worked and oversaw. Between 1950 and 1970, all the grapes were sold in bulk. Rene’s daughter Francoise Jumel and her husband Gilles Voirin created this label and started to build a brand.

In the 90s, Francoise’s children, Patrick and Alice, along with Patrick’s wife Valerie, began running the domaine. Today it is a true family affair, and they own 11 hectares of vines in 11 different villages (broken down to approximately 10% Cramant, 20% Chouilly, 10% Avize, 5% Oiry, 10% Oger, 10% Mareuil-sur-Ay, 10% Vertus, 15% Verneuil and the remaining 10% in 3 other villages). Fine, tight, creamy mousse, apple and pear fruit, butter and toast with clean lines, this is a classic Blanc de Blanc with a distinct touch of minerality. Low dosage, the acids aren’t aggressive and it’s also very well priced for a Champagne with that kind of pedigreed terroir.

**BEAUJOLAIS RULES

There’s a lot of new faces in Beaujolais these days, but that doesn’t make us forget some of the dependable favorites we have come to know over the years. Colette is a producer that does dependable work on a consistent basis in a lush, likeable, drink me style. We have liked what we have seen in the region from the 2020s and the 2020 Colette Moulin à Vent is a great representative of why. Great color, plush texture but with even a bit more substance than usual thanks to the vintage, ripe berries, a little rose in the nose, and subtle but insistent minerality throughout. From a south-southeast oriented vineyard with granitic soils and 70-year-old vines, it is round and juicy as a Beaujolais should be but has the size to play with red meat. Well-priced as always.

**ANOTHER BURGUNDY BARGAIN

As we have been saying pretty consistently, global warming has done wonders for the less famous parts of Burgundy. Here in Givry, south of the Cote d’Or in the Cote Chalonnais, that little extra degree of ripeness changes the whole dynamic. The 2019 vintage was charming enough on its own, but that ripeness really elevates the wines from this part of the world. The Ragot family was here long before the increased sunshine gave Givry a new perspective. They can trace their involvement with viticulture back to around 1760. Back then they farmed all sorts of things and raised livestock as well. But by the 1970s, they committed exclusively to grape growing and making wine.

The region still isn’t famous by Burgundy standards. But if things keep up like this, their star is on the rise. The 2019 Ragot Givry Vielles Vignes comes from a 1.25 hectare parcel of 50 year-old vines grown on clay and limestone soils. The wine sees 12 months in oak, 20% of which is new. Givry has always had an insistent minerality, but in the past the fruit component was often a little meager making in a little astringent on the palate. Not these days. That stony minerality is still there but plush, ample cassis, blackberry, and raspberry fruit fills in all of the cracks. There are notes of vanilla and spice as well. In the end it’s a whole lot of Burgundy for not a lot of money, and there’s an almost New World weight to it while still plenty of expression of its origins.

ENCORE DU GALOPIERE-KILLER BURGS AT LITTLE PRICES

We’ll make our basic case right up front. As we have explained many times, ‘value’ is a relative term. In no place is that harder to define than Burgundy but we think we have a pretty good formula. Simply, find a talented producer that hasn’t been discovered yet, and get them to the back door as cheaply as possible. If you are looking for labels that will impress your friends, notoriety costs. If you are looking for delicious Burgundy, our method works pretty well.

We introduced this new (to us) label, Galopiere, a few weeks ago with a blockbuster Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru Clos St. Jean 2020 for a price less than what you’d pay for a villages bottling from some high profile producer. Burgundy is packed with small, unknown, high quality producers. The trick is finding them. Galopiere was quite the find.

The Fournier family, who own and produce Galopiere, have been in the wine trade for over a century starting with Eusebe Fournier in 1882. A century later, in 1982, Gilbert Fournier’s parents gave him a plot of Bourgogne Rouge. Since that time Gilbert has been expanding the domaine, adding plots in Meursault, Ladoix, Aloxe Corton, Savigny-les-Beaune, and Pommard. He added this plot of Chassagne Clos St. Jean in 2010 and a parcel of Chassagne Morgeot in 2016. The estate now totals 11 hectares (about 27 acres).

Their vineyard philosophy involves taking things backward. They have spent great effort to recreate the flora and fauna of an earlier time with the idea that this natural, historic harmony is important for the vine’s performance. Like a lot of vintners, their intent is to reflect and express the terroir. They aren’t interested in talking about oak regimens. In their words, “our wines offer a journey on the original typicity of the terroirs and not on an excessive oakiness which hides everything, even what is missing.” They harvest by hand and perform several ‘sorts’ and ferment with natural yeasts.

Naturally, given the success of that Chassagne, we went back to our purveyor to inquire what other little gems they might have from this promising source. Their response was this pair of wines, though quantities precluded a broad email offer.

The Domaine de la Galopiere Savigny-les-Beaune 2019 is sources from three different vineyards, contiguous Aux Fourches and Les Pimentiers and Dessus des Vermot at the western end of the appellation. The harvest is manual, fermentation is done in traditional open vats and the finished wine sees 12 months in barrels ranging from 10-20% new.

Clean, pure, and expressive, this has loads of bouyant dark cherry fruit as a main thrust with tender edges and an efficient but not intrusive lift of acidity. Subtle notes of forest floor and fresh tobacco punctuate the fruit tones but it is a bright display of that hedonistic fruit aspect that has been a consistent theme of the 2019s. Delicious red Burgundy for under $30? Yes please.

The Domaine de la Galopiere Ladoix Blanc 2020 is a bit of a different proposition in that is from the best white wine vintage in Burgundy since 2014, but with perhaps a little more flesh than the typical ’14. From a single climat more or less in the middle of the hill (Le Clou) with classic clay-limestone and marl soils. If you recall some of the unique Ladoix bottlings we have featured from further up the hill that have profiles that remind one of Corton-Charlemagne, this one has a little of that almond and white flower note as well. The nose is delicate with spice, orange, and white stone fruit elements as well. In the mouth it’s quite flavorful, fresh and focused yet elegant and light on its feet. Very pretty Chardonnay in a style that can only be done here, and nicely priced under $35.

As we said before, since this is our first go-round with Galopiere we have no feel for how much two excellent vintages contributed to the outcomes here. We know that our sourcing had a lot to do with the great prices. But given what we’ve seen so far, you can bet we are gong to keep an eye on these folks moving forward and enjoy these for now.

RIDGE GRENACHE BLANC? A NEW STAR FROM A VAUNTED ‘OLD DOG’

You kind of have expectations from a producer like Ridge who has achieved great success with historic lineup of traditional California bottlings from grapes like Cabernet, Zinfandel, and Petit Sirah. Probably as a result of their constant experimentation with all kinds of ideas in their Advanced Tasting Program, they seem to have quickly mastered white Rhone varietals if this bottling is any indication.

Though this was our first look at this particular bottling, it looks like the program goes at least back to the 2018 vintage. The 2021 is a blend of 90% Grenache Blanc, 6% Roussanne and 4% Picpoul from the Adelaida Vineyard in Paso Robles (it’s right on the bottle). Fairly deep, healthy yellow color, it’s an energetic display of apricot, yellow melon, spice and floral notes.

There’s deceptive richness which the vibrant acidity keeps perfectly lifted and in line and an almost European sleekness to it’s definitely California body. We kept going back to it during the presentation to verify that it was really that good. It is! It probably isn’t unreasonable to compare it to other distinctive domestic whites like the old vine Chenin Blancs from Foxen and Chalone in that it is beautifully expressive and unique unto itself.

Another serious example of why we taste everything. A great match for white fish, shellfish, lighter handed chicken dishes and German styled pork roast. It can play all by itself as well.

ROSÉ ROUNDUP

There are those that might think rosé season is over as most people’s definition of summer, Labor Day, draws to a close. Locals know that ‘summer’ weather can appear again anytime through mid November, plus we believe that pink wine has appropriate occasions year round. Also, thanks to the general mess that is logistics, a lot of pink wines didn’t even show up until late June and beyond. Here’s a fresh batch of rosés to consider.

Conterno Nervi Il Rosato Piedmont 2021-A 100% Nebbiolo rosé from arguably the greatest estate in Gattinara now under the direction of iconic vigneron Roberto Conterno, such an intro is bound to raise expectations of this pink wine beyond reasonableness. It has actually stood up to its billing in the context of rosé in our experience. Nebbiolo is renowned for its conveyance of terroir and this salmon colored pink shows a lot of nuance under its crisp, appealing, food oriented red melon/red berry fruit. Bright, juicy, and deceptively complex.

Martinelli Rosé of Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast 2021– If it’s about sourcing, this deeply colored rosé comes from a saignee (bleeding) of the grapes used for this wineries iconic Pinot Noirs. About as dark as it could be and still qualify as rosé, there’s a bit of a red wine attitude with this one. Ample and weighty, it avoids the pratfall of so many California pinks by being relatively lighter on its feet. A great foil for darker fish, fowl, and whiter meats.

Saint Damien Gigondas Rosé 2021-To be honest, seeing a pink wine bearing the appellation Gigondas was a bit of a surprise (we had never seen one nor did we know the AOC allowed pink wine). That said, what a lovely addition to the lineup. A medium salmon-hued blend of 50% Cinsault, 30% Mourvèdre and 20% Grenache, it’s medium-bodied, with a lovely texture and clear layers of complexity that are somewhat unusual for pink wine. White stone fruits, a little citrus cut and some red melon along with notes of stone and a bit of a tactile mouthfeel, this is something of a house favorite.

Clos Alivu Patrimonio Rosé 2021-Corsican rosés are a bit perplexing. There is controversy even over the origins of the Neillucio graoe that is the lone star here as to whether it is indigenous to Corsica or is some transmutated clone of Sangiovese brought here by the Genoans centuries ago. When they are ‘on’, these rosés can be quite compelling as is this one. This comes from some of the best terroir on the island, 50+ year-old vines on terraced slopes composed of unique calcareous limestone, clay, and schist mix called Petra Bianca with marine influence. Strawberry, red cherry, and some floral and chalk underpinning with a little saline lick to the finish.

Pibarnon Bandol Rosé 2021-This is what Bandol rosé can be and why it is revered among wine geeks. The nose alone wafts complexity with berries, mineral, wild herbs, woodsy notes, and a bit of salinity. The aromas give full measure of what you will experience on the palate with, again, a broad array of nuances vying for attention. It’s almost a little wild but, at the finish, you realize these folks knew exactly what they were doing. A straight forward blend of 65% Mourvedre and 35% Cinsault from a terraced vineyard that faces the Mediterranean, it’s a little more money than your average quaffing pink but worth it.

Pascal et Nicolas Reverdy Sancerre Terre de Maimbray Rose 2021 -Reverdy is a name you run across a bit in the Loire Valley and there are many iterations of this family name. Pascal and Nicolas Reverdy work out of the the tiny hamlet of Maimbray nestled in a valley surrounded by chalk hills that are nearly mountain-like in steepness forming right angles with famous neighboring towns Chavignol and Verdigny. The estate is known for white Sancerre of course and has something of a name for their red Sancerres as well. The ‘Terre de Maimbray’ refers to their village terroir with its Kimmeridgeon soils. Organically grown, this is classic Loire rosé with fairly unctuous up front strawberry, melon and pear fruit cutting to a crisp slightly ‘flinty’ finish. If you don’t get to it this year, these actually can develop well over the next couple of years.