France

A QUICK LOOK BACK: DELICIOUS, AFFORDABLE BURGUNDY

Around here we’re usually pretty occupied talking about the newest stuff that comes our way. We rarely have time to repeat ourselves. We do drink wine on our own time as well and drink pretty well as you might guess. That said, it seemed worth a note on something from the floor tasted the other night that really lit us up, the Domaine Etienne Delarche Pernand-Vergelesses Les Boutieres 2020.

The short story is that this wine, on that night, was hitting on all cylinders. The nose is an effusive mix of boisterous red and black fruits, dark spices that persisted all the way through the finish, and accents of subtle minerality. On the palate there were layers of flavors almost like fireworks hitting all parts of the palate. Maybe it was just the day but it was a memorable bottle.

Here is a quick recap of the story we told many months ago…

“Though we know the importer is writing to sell wine, his descriptors for this wine are ‘spot on’ when he says, “… Delarche Burgundy offers a clarity and purity of flavor that is captivating; whites are creamy and concentrated, taking a cue from Corton-Charlemagne, while reds are spicy and refined, seductive from the moment they’re bottled yet able to age effortlessly for years…” The Pernand, in fact all of these, follow those descriptors pretty much to the letter.

The star of the show, Domaine Etienne Delarche Pernand-Vergelesses les Boutiers Vieilles Vignes 2020, comes from vines that are quite ‘vieilles’ at age 70+. This lieu dit sits in deep, clay-rich soils facing southeast at the foot of the slope, touching Pernand Premier Crus ‘Vergelesses’ and ‘Les Fichots on one side and Aloxe Corton Premier Crus Vercots and Guerets on the other. It’s a very nice neighborhood. As to the vintage, we have spoken many times already about our love of the 2020s, one of the few times in memory where both reds and whites excelled.

The reds from 2020 are like nothing in recent memory. The colors are deep and saturated and there is an uncommon richness and authority to the mouthfeel of the best examples. With a little air, the les Boutieres virtually jumps out of the glass with notes of deeply ripe black cherry, spice, violet and underlying sweet earth.

Urgent fruit is the order of the day with intense, energetic black cherry and brambleberry from front to back and the kind of cohesive statement of fruit and terroir that makes Burgundy so special. Yeah, it’s not a Premier Cru but it sure tastes like one and, at $34.98, certainly doesn’t cost like one. Even among all of the exciting 2020 reds we have been tasting thus far, this one is memorable.

The importer’s notes called this small estate ‘one of the Cote du Beaune’s best kept secrets’ and it still is with regard to the media. Bur that’s find with us. More attention usually means higher prices and less availability. This is another shrewd buy for Burgundy lovers and you will never regret having a lot of 2020s.”

TASTY ‘LITTLE’ SAUMUR FROM A TOP SOURCE

The central figure in this story is Arnaud Lambert, author of the Chateau de Brézé Cremant we sold a while back and the owner of forty hectares of vineyards of serious vineyards in the Loire. The holdings are principally within three communes: two within the Saumur-Champigny appellation (Montsoreau and Saint-Cyr, on opposite sides of the appellation—north and south, respectively) and the resurrected, historic commune, Brézé, on the southernmost border of the AOP Saumur-Champigny.

Lambert bottles nearly twenty different cuvees under Chateau de Brézé and his own eponymous label. He is highly respected in the region and has garnered some strong press for his still wines from a number of writers, particularly the reds. So when Lambert does something, we pay attention. This cuvee is new to us and a little less specific than most of his work which focuses on specific sites. That’s fine by us as the combination of Lambert’s skills, the quality of his sites and the riper 2022 vintage combine to make an engaging, complex, rather accessible window into this producer’s style.

As we have said many times, we are de facto fans of Chenin Blanc and consider it one of the world’s great whites by virtue of not only it’s quality when it is at its best, but also its versatility to perform beautifully in every expression from bone dry to exotic, botrytised dessert wines. This one is dry and fairly easy going as Chenin Blanc goes, making it a perfect ambassador for both Chenin and Lambert.

The nose on the Arnaud Lambert Saumur Blanc Les Parcelles 2022 is an inviting mixture of classic Chenin with notes of orange, peach, and quince with streaks of earth and chalky minerality. All of this comes through on the palate in a dry but fruit focused style, with a rounded, supple palate feel and without the sometimes searing acidity that can make this varietal difficult for some folks to appreciate. Because of Lambert’s approach to Chenin emphasizing the varietal purity and unique terroir of Saumur, and this wine’s relatively gentler demeanor make it a wine to win friends for the region.

The modest fare ($21.98) for this blend of a variety of properties (hence the title Les Parcelles) also make this a marvelous option for a broader range of people and more food applications. It is particularly good for lighter Asian and fish dishes as well as offering up a lovely aperitif option that, while it is an easy approach to the varietal, it is definitely not the ‘same old thing.’ Holiday ham? You bet! Classy, workhorse, versatile Chenin from an impeccable source, yeah we got that.

A WONDERFUL, ‘HISTORIC’ WHITE FROM ALSACE

There are many less traveled paths in the wine world where some truly special things can happen. We feel it is our duty as wine merchants to point things like that out for you consideration. Sometimes we wonder why we do it. Guess it’s just the wide-eyed geekiness that we still haven’t lost after all these years. Take this wine. A Alsace white made by a cooperative without a varietal designation for over $30? What next? Hungarian Cabernet Franc? Oh wait, we already did that. Orange wines from Georgia (the country not the state)? Yeah, did that too. If it’s worth knowing about, we’re on it, and this striking little gem is definitely something worth knowing about.

We’ll start with the producer. Cave de Ribeauvillé is a well-run cooperative in Alsace. In their words, Cave de Ribeauvillé covers a unique vineyard of 235 hectares with 8 Grands Crus and numerous high-value terroirs. The entire estate is managed by a quality charter which guarantees manual harvesting, strict control of yields, work in the vineyard using sustainable management or organic farming. All the grapes are brought to the press in whole bunches and the juice then flows by simple gravity into the vats. Thanks to state-of-the-art equipment, the wines from Cave de Ribeauvillé respect the purity of the grape variety and the identity of each terroir. The wines are frank, straight, fresh, fruity and express all the richness of the great Alsatian terroirs.

In other words this isn’t some local cooperative just phoning it in as some do and we have brought to your attention a number of high functioning operations like this over the years like Produttori di Barbaresco, Terlano, and Domaine Wachau to name a few. This is our first experience with Cave de Ribeauvillé but, if they can do things like this, we need to dig a little deeper. The cooperative itself dates back to 1895.

As to the wine itself, this is a stylistic take on the work of Alsace icon Marcell Diess. Deiss’s thing is to highlight terroirs in great vineyards. In this mindset, he does not highlight specific varietals but harvests the various grapes from a vineyard as a field blend and identifies them by the name of the vineyard only. These wines are dazzling and highly sought after, as well as not cheap. The Clos de Zahnacker is planted to Riesling, Pinot Gris and Gewurztraminer.

The history of this Clos is pretty interesting. The oldest writings date its origins back to the 8th century, to the time when Benedictine monks divided their time between prayer and work on the land. The creation of this walled vineyard is attributed to monk-knight Martin Zahn after returning from the crusades. It was a subject of dispute among the Lords of Ribeauville in the Middle Ages and was said to be a favorite of the Sun King Louis XIV. It has been a part of the Cave de Ribeauvillé since 1965.

The nose of the Cave de Ribeauvillé Clos du Zahnacker 2015 speaks of lemon zest, tea, mineral and stone fruits with faint hints of lychee. In the mouth is it rich, rather ample, a little exotic, yet with just the right amount of lift to support its frame and maintain appropriate freshness. It almost feels the weight of a vendage tardive but isn’t particularly sweet and it is loaded with character. At age 8 it shows no signs of fading and has palate coating extract. We’ve had a few nice surprises from the 2015s recently.

We found one review from Wine Enthusiast that kind of captures the essence of this grand but surprising effort, “Chalk, chamomile tincture and dried lemon peel have immense lift on the nose of this wine. They also pervade the bright, balm-like but concentrated palate with their aromatic intensity. This wine is fluid and layered, showing signs of evolution that is set to continue for many years. Gentle sweetness balances the bracing freshness and makes this a real experience. The finish is off dry but very balanced and long. Drink until 2040…94 points.”

We don’t have a lot of it but we had to tell the story.

SHOCKING CHARDONNAY BUY FROM THE LAND OF GAMAY

The thing about wine is that the story is ongoing. There are always new regions and new personalities coming along to broaden one’s selection and unusual things coming from places you might not expect. Yes, they do grow some Chardonnay in Beaujolais, some of it pretty good but mostly utilitarian stylistically. Here in the land of granite, Gamay is king. With that in mind, there are apparently rare exceptions. In this case, in and among the Gamay in the Cru Beaujolais villages are plots of Chardonnay. A few of them (well, this one anyway) have soil conditions more akin to those of the Cote d’Or.

Located near the dividing line between Macon and Beaujolais, Domaine de la Sorbiere is the new name for an existing estate that was purchased by Jacques Juilliard and his wife Anne Marie. It was not Jacques original intent to dive deeply into either farming or winemaking. But there was a commitment to making wine in the most non-interventionist way possible and, once he got his hands dirty, it was ‘game on’. Like a lot of small estates these days, the golden rule was to showcase the terroir. In this case, for this area, the ‘terroir’ has more in common with those famous Chardonnay plots to the north. Yeah, it’s the limestone that makes this plot so Chardonnay-friendly here in the land of granite, something rather rare in this part of the world.

Since it was legitimately ‘natural’, it quickly found an audience. But unlike a lot of wines made this way, it is meticulously clean and bright. The juice is fermented with native yeasts and aged in a combination of amphorae and neutral, 600-liter barrels. No sulfur is added during winemaking and only tiny amounts are used during bottling.

This has all of the trappings of something from the Cote de Beaune with crisp minerality and a touch of salinity in the nose. The flavors run from yellow stone fruits to apple with flecks of grilled nuts and stones. It is round in the mouth, reflecting the warm vintage, but has sufficient cut to keep everything lifted and fresh. Very classy juice for the fare.

In the end, the Domaine de la Sorbière Bourgogne Blanc Terre de Roche 2022 bears a strong resemblance to a Chardonnay from more famous terroirs with its unexpected nuance and purity of fruit save for one important aspect…the price ($17.98)!

CHAMPAGNE ALERT: ANDRE CLOUET

As we have mentioned on several occasions, there is a lot going on in Champagne, most of it not necessarily good. There has been a concerted effort on the part of the Champenois to push prices upward. We took a quick scan at wine-searcher for data to support our thesis. The average market prices on some of the ‘favorites’ don’t make a lot of sense to us and haven’t for a while.. Clicquot $64? Bollinger $66? Pol Roger is actually one of the better buys of that category at $57.

Our constant question is always the same…what exactly are you paying for? Bluntly, you’re paying for their promotional tools and infrastructure to tell you why you should pay more. Granted, we have the advantage of getting to taste a wide range of Champagne. Given that, what do you think we take home? Admittedly we have confessed our preference of grower Champagnes because the fact that they come from specific terroirs ( as opposed to the big houses that blend from across the region). The site specificity adds another dimension to the wine.

Not only that. Often the grower Champagnes come through small, passionate importers and, as such, miss a markup or two along the way because there are no ‘marketing intermediaries’ or traditional distributors to add to the cost. That’s to say nothing of the fact that we find the juice in the bottle to be more complex and interesting even at the same price. It’s the ultimate win-win.

Our latest edition to the lineup is the Andre Clouet Brut Grand Réserve Grand Cru NV. Jean-François Clouet, who was born and raised in Bouzy, still lives in the 18th century village house built by his ancestors. As his family was the official printer to Louis XV’s Royal Court at Versailles, Jean-Francois takes great pride in his lineage. He is also well aware of the influence his family has contributed to the grand and tumultuous history of the region.

The domaine’s 8ha (20 acres) of Grand Cru vineyards are situated in the coveted middle slopes of Ambonnay and Bouzy. They make a full range of Champagnes but their ‘entry level’ made an impression on us, particularly for the fare. Made from 100% Grand Cru Pinot Noir, the nose is a fresh expression of appley Pinot Noir fruit with subtle hints of hazelnut and brioche. The bead is fine and not overly aggressive, and the combination of low dosage and long aging with this Grand Cru fruit creates a Champagne of supreme elegance and charm.

As to the process, 70% of the vintage juice spends 36 months on the lees with the other 30% coming from 2-5 year old reserve wines. We found a particularly interesting quote from a review source we didn’t know called Loibenberg who wrote, “No branded champagne can achieve this extremely good substance in terms of quality. Fantastically creamy apple note, nuts and pear in the aftertaste, infinitely charming and everybody’s darling.”

We have very nice notes from more familiar sources as well. From Wine Advocate, “The NV Brut Grand Réserve Grand Cru is a pure Pinot Noir from Bouzy. It’s pure, fresh, fine and aromatic on the nose and round and delicate on the palate. The fruit-intense finish is chalky-mineral and stimulatingly fresh in its salty finesse and elegant yeastiness. Nice lemon juice flavors give an extra kick of refreshment. This is a picture-book NV Brut… 91 points.

Stacy Slinkard, Decanter Magazine had this to say, “Incredible value for a blanc de noirs (100% Pinot Noir) grower Champagne from the grand cru vineyards of Bouzy. It shows gorgeous aromas of stone fruit, citrus and strawberry, with complex brioche nuances, remarkable balance, ongoing elegance and a rich, refined, persistent finish…92 Points.“

Finally, , JamesSuckling.com, “The effusive nose of candied citrus, ripe pear and brioche pulls you into this fresh and creamy champagne that hits all the pleasure buttons for a non-vintage Brut. Then the chalky freshness at the finish pulls you back for another sip. Excellent balance! 100% pinot noir. Drink now…93 Points.”

All that and only $41.98 per bottle? With all do respect to ‘marketing’, this is how you Champagne.

CHABLIS TRIPLE PLAY FROM COLLET

It may appear to some that we write disproportionately about Chablis. Well, to be honest, we’ve long been fans of the region. But, perhaps more to the point, it has been increasingly difficult to find things to get excited about. First off, pricing in Burgundy overall has become even more expensive even to those of us that have been around it for quite some time. Add to that the dual effect of global warming, and the success rate seems to have been greatly reduced.

First off, these days, it seems they have some sort of weather disaster on a regular basis. There have been a few untimely frosts over the last few years that have decimated the size of the crop almost to the point where you wonder how these folks can make ends meet. Farming in Chablis these days would hardly be a proposition that would invite outside investment given the variability in the crop size.

Perhaps more consistently problematic is the increasingly warm growing seasons threaten the mojo of Chablis itself. As we have also said of Sancerre, the riper vintages and lower acidity presented by global warming make far to many examples from the region today taste fat and flabby, definitely not the crisp, flinty profile that makes Chablis, well, Chablis. So when we do run across something that gives us a wine that is crisp, linear, vibrant, truly terroir driven and packed with nuances of the marine soils that define the region, these days that is newsworthy.

Within that context, 2021 was a cooler, closer to normal (from a weather standpoint anyway) vintage for fans of traditional Chablis. The producer in this case was Jean Collet, a domaine we have featured a few times of late because they are, unlike a lot of other sources in the region, are still making Chablis that tastes like Chablis, really good Chablis as a matter of fact.

The aromas all centered on the happy scents of crisp apples, ripe limes, and seashells, with a fine underpinning of acidity to support a fruit component that was giving but with the proper amount of tension. In other words, delicious Chablis bottlings that were well made, terroir driven examples of what they were supposed to be. We tasted four and bought three because each one was such a spot-on, focused expression of their distinct Crus. Thrillingly ‘real’ Chablis…tasting notes from Burghound and quite good scores for him.

Domaine Jean Collet Chablis Les Forêts 2021 (90-93 ♥)-“A slightly riper nose features nose of white peach, sea breeze, citrus confit and quinine. There is again fine volume and intensity to the relatively powerful, even muscular, medium-weight flavors that flash ample minerality on the youthfully austere, balanced and more complex finale.”

Domaine Jean Collet Chablis Montmains 2021 (90-92)-“A much more floral nose expresses nuances of citrus confit and spice if more moderate amounts of Chablis character. There is however both better volume and refinement to the medium-bodied flavors that offer a lovely minerality on the lingering, balanced and delicious finale. If this can add depth with a few years in bottle it could be excellent.”

Jean Collet et Fils Chablis 1er Cru Montee de Tonnerre 2021 (90-93 ♥)-“Discreet but still noticeable wood easily allows the elegant floral-suffused aromas of mineral reduction, lemon rind and sea breeze. The racy, wonderfully refined and beautifully detailed flavors exude a bracing minerality on the youthfully austere and impressively long finale. This too needs more depth but appears to have the necessary stuffing to develop it.”

ROSÉ ROUNDUP

First of all, our apologies for just getting around to our first words on pink wine in the middle of summer. We’re usually better than that but the supply chain issues are still a reality. A lot of the things we are most excited about just got here. There are still some favorites that are ‘on the water’. We would have loved to have them back in mid-May but it didn’t happen. For the locals, you know that summer itself was a little late this year, but it has come upon us with a vengeance. Hence, it is now time to talk pink.

First off a couple of notes. The 2022 vintage in Europe was generally as warm one. While that is a great thing for red wines in most cases, the effect is sometimes the opposite for whites and pinks. Simplistically speaking, when the grapes get ripe, there is plenty of fruit and body to the wines, but a corresponding drop in the acidity levels. For that reason a lot of our past go-tos were showing a little soft in the middle in 2022 and lacking the backbone to have the necessary brightness that makes rosé so appealing.

Don’t get us wrong. We found enough to like, and a few things we really like. But the ‘hit ratio’ was down quite a bit. We have never felt the need to adhere to any particular numeric guidelines. There’s no particular amount of anything we need to have. But what we do have has to measure up to our criteria. If that means fewer wines in a particular category, so be it.

We’ll also make another point about pink wine. Consumers have been given the notion that rosés have to be just-off-the-boat super fresh. That’s not necessarily an axiom in all cases. Many rosés benefit from a few months to a year in the bottle and drink well until age three. They may have a touch less snap, but reveal more of their origins and pick up nuance provided they have sufficient acidity in the going in.

So don’t ignore the 2021s as you fill your pink needs. It was a cooler vintage and the majority of them are in a really good place right now. We know there are cynics that will accuse us of just saying that to sell the older stocks. We were selling pinks long before they became the item they are today and would argue that anyone who really knows their stuff would not say otherwise. That said, we have both as ’22s and ’21s as options, so whatever you choose is fine with us.

Briefly on the subject of very tasty 2021s, here are a few to consider…

Chateau Sainte Roseline Cotes de Provence Rosé Cru Classé Lampe de Meduse 2021-One of the original Cru Classé Provence rosés (there are only 14 that are permitted to carry that designation), this blend of Grenache, Cinsault, Mourvèdre, and Syrah is settling in nicely with red berry and red melon fruit and citrus with classic Provenҫal herb nuance, subtle minerality, and a refreshing finishing salinity. Robertparker.com 91 and a special price ($14.99)

Leo Steen Rose of Grenache Sonoma Valley 2021-The Leo Steen Rose of Grenache Sonoma Valley Rose Ranch 2021 comes from the Rose Vineyard at the base of Sugarloaf not far from Kenwood in Sonoma Valley. Sugarloaf is an extinct volcano and this vineyard, made up mainly of clay laced with lava, has been farmed biodynamically since the 1990s. One of our complaint about domestic rose (besides that there are way to many of them) is that they are often blowsy and alcoholic. Not this one! Steen, a European sommelier in a past life, understands what rosé is about and this Grenache based effort has that euro feel with a bit heartier fruit. Special price $15.99 (was $22) !

Clos Cibonne Rosé Cuvee Speciale des Vignettes 2021– A brilliant and substantial rosé made from old vinte plots of the arcane, ancient grape Tibouren. This can hang with any of those ‘special reserve’ bottlings from Ott and Esclans but with a more textural personality and substance. A 94 point selection from robertparker.com with comments, “…matured in old barrels. It has a delicate, refined bouquet with aromas of spring flowers, garrigue, red berries, tonca bean and iodine as well as delicate oaky hints. Medium to full-bodied, lively and delicate, it has a lively, fine acidity structure and perfectly well-integrated oaky notes. Perfectly ripe, it will offer a broad drinking window…”

Poli Family Ile de Beauté Rosé Nielluc+Sciacca 2021-Corsican grape varieties Neulluccio and Sciaccarellu are still relatively unknown to most folks on this side of the Atlantic, as are the wines of Corsica in general. But this Mediterranean island is perfectly primed for growing crisp rosés with minerality and a haunting salinity from the sea’s influence. Crisp, bright, high-toned and floral, this is a superb pink for food and a cooler-edged choice for aperitif applications. A steal at $10.98 (was $16.99).

Clos Alivu Patrimonio Rosé 2021– Made by the same winemaker as the Poli but from a different estate, this is once again the essence of Corsica…crisp, nervy rosé with flowers, mineral, and salinity reflecting its seaside origins, all augmenting the delicate berry fruit. Made of Niellucciu, which has been genetically linked to Sangiovese, which thrives on the island of Corsica. The naturally low yields result in wines with more freshness and ﬁnesse than those made from its Tuscan cousin. Was 24.98, now $14.98 as we make room for our late shipments of pink wine.

The best of the 2022s:

Saint Damien Gigondas Rosé 2022 Saint Damien Gigondas Rosé 2022– This rosé doesn’t have a long history but this bottling, from one of the absolute top producers in Gigondas is round and ample with a broad palate of red berries and surprising nuance of spice, earth and flowers. A touch rounder than the stunning 2021, this is one of the most complete pinks in the store.

Commanderie de la Bargemone Coteaux d’Aix en Provence Rosé 2022-Typically one of the ‘go-to’ stars of delivering interesting, juicy fruit components, with bright acids and plenty of personality at a really comfortable price, this Bargemone hits all the right notes once again. It may, in fact, be the most engaging versions in recent memory as it reflects the fatter fruit f the vintage and still manages to maintain the necessary lift. The stars of the show are Grenache and Cinsault with Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, and Sauvignon Blanc in a supporting role. Too easy to drink.

Domaine de Fontsainte Corbières Gris de Gris Rosé 2022– We don’t even remember how long this has been one of the anchors of the rosé section. The 2022 is, as always, a blend of 90% Grenache Gris, 5% Carignan, and 5% Mourvèdre, a saignée rosé made from Grenache Gris. One of the most consistent value pinks on the planet.

Bastide Blanche Bandol Rosé 2022– Bandol is a unique and special category, and the predominance of Mourvedre gives them a kind of Provence with attitude vibe. Sure there’s plenty of red berry at the center but it is augmented with notes of spice, mineral, tonic, and that intriguing earthy/musky note we associate with Mourvedre. There is also Grenache, Cinsault, and white grapes Clairette and Ugni Blanc in the mix. A 92 from robertparker.com.

La Coste Coteaux d’Aix en Provence Rosé 2022-If you were making something to work itself into current market sentiment, this would be a good profile. They make their organic practices into a banner and promote the fact that this is an organic wine. “Organic” and “Provence” will push a lot of buttons but the wine’s round, juicy, outgoing demeanor will win friends. Pretty Grenache-y up front with support from Cinsault and Cabernet Sauvignon, this plays nicely to the crowd.

Chateau Pradeaux Bandol Rosé 2022– Thus far, once again, this is the star of the lineup. Deeper color, redder fruits and all kinds of nuance of earth, spice, wild herbs, and that distinct Mourvedre thing, this is packed with character. The folks here have controlled the property since the French Revolution and work as organically as possible. It’s 50% Mourvedre, 50% Cinsault, 93 from robertparker.com and super tasty.

ANOTHER RISING STAR IN CHABLIS

We’ll start with what is essentially the importer’s notes. Sebastien Christophe is a budding superstar from Chablis but is the ultimate underdog. While known for its stolid rigidity, France’s wine culture still allows for a lot of mobility. That’s how a young kid gifted just a couple of acres of average vineyard land in Chablis could rise up seemingly out of nowhere to make brilliant wine from the three most heralded Premier Crus in the region. That happened because he was also gifted with a good bit of moxie and a cranking work ethic, which will you get far anywhere.

What makes Sebastien’s wines so great? Well, as is the case in Chablis, it’s not the winemaking, which is pretty standard for the region, as the goal here is never to showcase cellar prowess, but rather the nature of the vineyard itself. Sebastien vinifies and ages wine overwhelmingly in stainless steel, as is the general practice of the region. Less than 10% of the wines see cellar aging in neutral oak barrels, providing a little textural and structural contrast to the bristly energy of stainless steel.
He started with a small half hectare parcel of Petit Chablis from his family and made a run for it. After winemaking school he started to vinify this tiny parcel and has slowly acquired small parcels of village vineyards and a lot of Petit Chablis land. He also rents parcels that he farms entirely himself. Today, he has three premier crus on the right bank of the Serein river, Fourchaume, Mont de Milieu and Montée de Tonnerre. Except for the wines designated for Paris hotspots, almost all of his wines are exported.

Chablis itself is a place that is changing. Obviously the soils and exposures remain the same. But the warming climate and consequential erratic weather have had impact. There have been unpredictable frosts that have devastated some harvest. Plus the heat can have a negative effect on acidity. But there are some plusses. You don’t get searing acidity as much these days. The problem is actually maintaining adequate acidity to support the fruit and keep the mineral laced, brisk backbone that is an important part of the region’s identity. The best winemakers like Sebastien know what to do, and Mont de Milieu is a vineyard has many faces stylistically depending on the producer, but is a perfect ‘centrist’ for today’s Chablis.

The grapes are picked by hand, pressed, settled in tank overnight, then racked off the heavy sediments after one day before beginning its low temperature fermentation. The spontaneous wild yeast fermentation lasts between 1-2 months and takes place in stainless steel (80%) and the remainder in 228-liter oak barrels (new, 1-, 2- and 3-year-old, the total new wood is approximately 7%). Battonage (lees stirring) is sometimes made, but only in the steel tanks and the frequency depends on the vintage—warm years nothing and in colder ones no more than two times.

This Christophe Chablis Mont de Milieu 2021 shows the perfect combination of the more tender fruit of these warmer times but with perfectly proportioned minerality and acidity to stay true to its origins. Apple, apricot, and lime alongside chalky minerality and some salinity, it is clean and insistent but with just the right volume. It is for Chablis drinkers to enjoy and not designed to overpower. In other words, perfectly engaging. None of the media has caught up to this vintage as yet (many are several vintages behind with this producer) so there is nothing else to add to our own enthusiastic recommendation. Well priced for the performance and pedigree.

BRILLIANT WHITE BURGS FROM VIRTUOSO FABIEN DUPERRAY

As most of you who have been with us for a while know, we have been standard bearers for Beaujolais. We have brought you amazing values like some of the single-vineyard bottlings from Dubouef, promoted the classics like Thevanet, Lapierre, and Burgaud and chronicled the Cote d’Or invasion from the likes Girardin and Liger-Belair. For us, Beaujolais has always been important. In doing our research for the wines we were going to promote, we kept running across the name Jules Desjourneys. Not only were they some of the highest scoring Beaujolais we had ever seen, they were some of the most expensive by a fair bit.

When we finally had the opportunity to taste some of Desjourneys red Beaujolais, given their other worldly reputation, we were frankly disappointed. Yes the wines were unique and deeply colored, but they were also dense, impenetrable, and not really representative of the appellation. Yeah, we understand that being different will get you noticed, but we were certainly not as impressed as the pundits were. What did shock the heck out of us were how good the whites were, something that was not widely published.

That was the last time we saw anything from Desjourneys who, we were told by the importer at the time, wasn’t easy to deal with. Near as we can tell, he doesn’t have a national importer (only two stores have it on winesearcher). So when we saw some of these wines offered in Europe, remembering those stunning efforts from the 2015 vintage, we were all over them.

Now there is some buzz about the whites thanks to Wine Advocate’s Europe based reviewer William Kelly. His overview, “As I’ve written before, the irrepressible Fabien Duperray displays just as virtuosic talents in the vinification and élevage of his Mâconnais whites as he does with his Beaujolais reds, drawing on lessons learned in the company of the likes of Jean-François Coche, Arnaud Ente and Pierre Morey, producers he has represented in the French market for decades. In merely a handful of years, this project—a collaboration with Fuissé’s Domaine Thibert—has begun to consistently realize wines of genius that rank among the region’s élite…Whether this is the highest form of expression in wine, and whether a strong personal fingerprint is incompatible with or complementary to the articulation of nuances of site is a question for everyone to ponder; but Duperray appears to have arrived at his own answer.”

As a former sales arm of some of Burgundy’s elite estates, Duperray learned from the best. All of these are surprisingly expressive with driving underlying acidity. They knocked us out initially and this batch only served to prove our first impressions those years ago were not off base. We have modest quantities of these wines below, providing the reviews as well. But know that we could easily add a point or two just for the experience. Yes they are more expensive that typical Macons, but these are not ‘typical’ in any way.

Of the Jules Desjourneys Macon Fuissé Bois de la Croix 2018, Kelly wrote, “From a southeasterly exposed parcel characterized by schist soils, the 2018 Mâcon-Fuissé Bois de la Croix offers up notes of pear, orange oil and buttery pastry. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and muscular, it’s impressively structured and built to age for the vintage, with racy acids and chalky extract, concluding with a long finish. This already punches above its weight, and it will be even better with a bit of bottle age…92+ points.”

About the Jules Desjourneys Macon Verzé 2018, Kelly waxed, “From holdings at the top of the slope, exposed to the west, the 2018 Mâcon-Verzé unwinds in the glass with notes of pear, confit lemon, white flowers, warm bread and clear honey. Medium to full-bodied, satiny and enveloping, it’s fleshy and elegant, with a seamlessly layered mid-palate, bright acids and a saline finish…92 Points.”

On the Jules Desjourneys Macon Prissé en Chailloux 2018, we found no reference to the lieu dit En Chailloux anywhere in reviews. There were multiple reviews on something merely called Macon Prissé that certainly describes this wine, “The 2018 Mâcon-Prissé offers up aromas of clear honey, fresh pear, blanched almonds and citrus zest. Medium to full-bodied, ample and fleshy, it’s bright and precise, its lively spine of acidity cloaked in crisp but fleshy fruit…91 points.”

These are thrilling and distinctive wines that every white Burgundy lover should explore and their driving style should provide a structure for aging should that be your choice. But these are special wines that we don’t have access to on a regular basis, and they expand the expectations of what can be done in Macon.

CHATEAUNEUF INSIDERS’ PICK

It’s pretty easy to get lost in the crowd. Back when we started seriously working with Chateauneuf in the early 90s, there weren’t near as many selections available in this market as there are now and the series of vintages up to 1998, a breakout year and the beginning of an unprecedented run of vintages in the southern Rhone that has continued through 2020. There are a lot of domaines and a lot of scores out there, and our job is to highlight as many things that we think are viable. But there are some really delicious wines that represent sensational value for the genre that don’t necessarily get the broad attention they deserve. That is one of the things we can do in this space.

Jean Royer, who also makes another house favorite Chateauneuf-look alike steal called Le Petit Roy from grapes outside the appellation and sometimes declassified Chateauneuf, is one that we think falls into that category. His cuvee ‘Tradition’ is exactly that…a classic, sappy Grenache-based effort that is plush, tender, and engaging. The domaine was one of the late Philippe Cambie’s first clients when Cambie started back in 1998, and they have learned well.

It gets good reviews, this one garnering a 93 from Wine Advocate and 92s from Jeb Dunnuck and Wine Enthusiast. For whatever reason, Vinous hasn’t said anything about this wine since 2009. They also make a couple of upper cuvees which of course limits this wine’s ‘upward mobility’ in the numbers game. On the hedonist scale, however, it scores high.

We are fans and, even though we have plenty of wines representing the region, we couldn’t leave the Jean Royer Chateauneuf Tradition 2019 off the team. A blend of 85% Grenache and 5% each Syrah, Mourvedre and Cinsault, it is an ample, layered, sexy bottle of Chateauneuf and it sells for under $40!

The reviews tell the same story. Joe Czerwinski of Wine Advocate say, “…the palate is full-bodied, creamy and lush. Supple but concentrated, this strong, almost entirely tank-aged effort finishes long, with ample intensity.” And from Jeb Dunnuck, “…a big, ripe, incredibly sexy classic cuvée that has full-bodied richness and no hard edges. It’s for the Grenache lovers out there.” You get the picture.