PINOT NOIR

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.”

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.

‘LUCKY’ FIND IN THE VALUE PINOT DEPARTMENT

Having had enough experience in the wine biz to understand the broad picture, it is almost amusing to us how much of the industry spends its time trying to bamboozle the public with ‘smoke and mirrors’ or, worse yet, proceed without any clue what the market really needs. There are also, in truth, many glaring deficiencies in the marketplace that are easily identifiable to anyone who takes the time to look. Unfortunately, many of the efforts to fill those needs are, shall we say, not really solutions. Take for example value priced Pinot Noir. There are countless dull, overmanipulated, or just plain crummy ‘candidates’ that offer themselves to bargain buyers. Finding something actually viable is cause for celebration.

We can’t say we’ve ever heard of Lucky Rock before. In truth, the label picturing a snake coiled around a pickax and the fact that they also produced wine in cans gave us cause to pause. But in the end, the juice was plush, generous and, most importantly, honest, and the price was right. That’s what made it a worthwhile addition.

A look at how they talk about themselves gives a good clue about where these folks are coming from, “Some blather about “terroir” 🙄 but we’re essentially talking about micro-regions. Yeah there is a lot more science-y stuff to it, but this is the essence of what is important. Too many wineries get all hung up on The Vineyard as the be-all/end-all, forgetting that where it is from is only important if it’s making what’s in the bottle good.”

“At Lucky Rock Wine Co., the name of the vineyard or the valley isn’t important, it’s whether it makes a better wine – solo or blended. We find incredible Pinot Noir vineyards that almost magically blend together in the bottle to create a seamless, harmonious, delicious whole…Each vineyard is chosen for some specific quality in the grapes – a certain flavor, some pop of acid, a select smell. We mix when it serves the taste buds, and don’t when it rhymes on its own.

“The vineyards are in the service of our Lucky Rock County Cuvée Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc. That’s why our labels list the counties with the best damn vineyards we’ve found, whether it be one or several. Our wines aren’t pretending to be some swanky, expensive French Grand Cru Burgundy or Bordeaux Blanc, but those vineyards, with a bit of our help in the winery, make wines that are just as worthy (and a whole lot less pricey) for throwing down with Beethoven or bumping Kendrick.”

Within that context, this particular version, the Lucky Rock Pinot Noir County Cuvee 2021, is a mix of 70% Sonoma fruit with the other 30% coming from Monterey County. The fruit is dark red sporting flavors of black cherry, pomegranate, and red berries, with some surprising weight, and notes of spice, subtle savory herbs and a touch of tea. Plump, juicy, and ample, this is distinctly varietal but also with the kind of substance that might appeal to a broader audience as it is no shrinking violet at 14.1% ABV.

The label states ‘family owned and operated’ (brothers Aaron and Jesse Inman) and everything about their presentation makes the point that the intent is to make enjoyable, fruit driven Pinot at a great price, without any particular concern about if it was going to be served to the British royalty (“Wines made with intension not pretension” is prominently on their website). It also has a screw cap so you don’t have to worry about it being corked, or even having a corkscrew on hand. This is definitely ‘Pinot for the people’ done right and, like they say, that’s the important part.

By the way, as it turned out, this wasn’t a complete shot in the dark. Our research later found that prior releases from these folks were given nice words by James Suckling on a couple of wines and their 2019 Pinot Noir was included in a Wine Spectator article entitled “10 Stellar West Coast Pinot Noirs Under $30”. Guess this time we were a little late to the party which doesn’t happen very often. In any case a good new source for value Pinot is always welcome.

AN EARLY LOOK AT 2021 BURGUNDY WITH GERARD RAPHET

This wine represents a couple of things. It is the newest release from Gerard Raphet, highly respected vigneron based in Morey-Saint-Denis who produces from a variety of parcels in the Cotes de Nuits (Morey, Gevrey, and Vougeot). It is also a good indication of what expect from 2021. Somebody like Raphet is a good touchstone for the vintage. He has been a consistent source of engaging Burgundy for a long time and his style is supple, gentle and quite user friendly. If there is something to work with, it will show.

The 2021 vintage in Burgundy was not easy. You had to know your business. There were weather patterns early on that made this something of a vintage of perils from heat that caused the vines to sprout early and then a late frost that undid everything. Yields were greatly curtailed but what remained was good enough for those that knew how to farm and when to harvest. There’s the rub. If you want a blanket statement about the vintage, there isn’t one that is going to be accurate because there were so many bumps in the road and not everyone has the same skills.

We have access to reports describing the whole season, but in the end it’s all about what ends up in the glass. The constants are consistent quirks in the weather and dismal yields because of the early season freeze. As Frederic Mugnier is quoted as saying, “I like it when it’s difficult. It’s like the good old days…” The crazy weather tested the talents of the vintners. But there were many successes from proven performers, the difference being they were the firmer, more delicate profiles of the ‘days of old’ than the opulent examples post global warming. If you have been into Burgundy for a long time, this will be nostalgic and you’ll be right at home.

The Gerard Raphet Bourgogne Grands Champs 2021 comes from a lieu-dit that abuts villages Gevrey vineyards on three sides. It looks on a map like there was some gerrymandering around the vineyard. The vines here are 40+ years old and the soils are red clay and silt. The grapes were hand harvested and fermented via indigenous yeasts. They spent 18 months in older barrels and were bottled unfiltered and unfined.

The nose is an expressive mix of high-toned red fruits accented with some dusty minerality and emerging spice tones. There is weight and ripeness in the mouth in the form of expressive red fruits and deceptive nuance. It is decidedly and delightfully Old World with its lift and delineation and, while it isn’t necessarily going to last decades, it is a classy, elegant, more complex choice for a Pinot Noir in this price range.

THE RIGHT WINE, THE RIGHT PRICE

Sarah’s Winery has a long history at Winex dating back to our earliest days when it was a quirky but well respected boutique source. The ownership changed a few years ago, and along with it maybe some of the flair (original owner Marilyn Otteman had a distinctive personal style that got the winery media attention). Since the winery was purchased in 2001 by ‘mad scientist’ Tim Slater, former DJ, musician, and inventor, it has it has remained a valuable source for what the market needs but what consumers themselves don’t necessarily realize that they need, solid, tasty, honest, well-priced wines.

The problem with the new incarnation of Sarah’s is not the wine side, but the image side. They make really good, honest wines, however they typically don’t get the breakout media attention that tends to elevate the label in the minds of the public, nor make them easy fodder for your typical ‘cut and paste’ merchant. Granted we’ve seen plenty of ‘just okay’ wines (including many that we passed on) creatively verbalized by merchants to sound like they are the next big thing. That is part of the problem as well. With all of the internet merchants out there shamelessly testing the limits of hyperbole, the honest story about a wine like this gets lost in all of the noise.

So what is the honest story? This is a delicious, character-filled, tender and engaging bottle of Pinot Noir. Tim’s way of putting it is ‘capturing the music of the vineyard’. That is the story here. ‘Dwarf oak’ refers to certain blocks on this Santa Clara estate (along with a small amount of purchased fruit from neighboring vineyards). The fruit came from mainly familiar clones along with one entitled “Samsonite Chambertin” suggesting a ‘suitcase cutting’ from Burgundy. The juice saw 11 months in neutral oak.

The wine is a pure reflection of the terroir here, a basketful of red fruits (cherry, red currant, pomegranate, strawberry) laced with a little clove, sage, savory spice, and dried flowers. It has up front fruit, supple texture, and perfectly tempered acidity. It’s round and juicy yet retains a slightly cooler edge. Simply put, it’s an engaging and delicious bottle of Pinot Noir at a great price given the fare reduction from the purveyor. It would have been a great ‘deal’ a decade ago. You can imagine where it sits on the value scale now.

In short, it excels at exactly what it is supposed to be, a fine drink and something that can be enjoyed with gusto at your table. There aren’t crazy scores from some obscure source or overblown hyperbolic descriptors on our part (we try and ‘keep it real’ around here). It’s just a really good Pinot at a great price for what it delivers. That should be exciting enough.

PATRICIA GREEN

The recent lineup from Patti Green’s label crosse our table recently and both made a great impression and gave us a bit of more a feel for the 2021 vintage in Oregon, which is looking good. Founded back in 2000, this has been an insider’s winery for the most part as Patti, who passed in 2017, was always more focused on the natural synergy between vineyard and wine than the politics of the wine business. We tasted her stuff early on and liked this winery’s focus on purity and honesty of terroir.

These days a lot of folks talk terroir and geology in Oregon but, as partner Jim Anderson who now runs the show described, Patti was one of the first to really focus on those aspects 15-20 years ago before it became the anthem it is today. In his words, she didn’t always know the terminology, much of which hadn’t even been created yet, but she had an innate feel for what that meant in practice. The goal was to make wines naturally, which is not to say they were making ‘natural wine’ as that is defined today. One interesting quote from Anderson’s tribute to Patti is this, “If you go in with the idea that you know how to ‘make’ the wine or even really have a conception of what you want that wine to be like stylistically then you aren’t going about things the correct way to begin with.” It adheres to the philosophy of many great Burgundy domaines.

From three choices presented we picked this one as the best representative of the spirit of the vineyard, though they all delivered what a lot of winemakers don’t seem be as concerned with as we would like…joy. This is a bright, gushing, expressive show of spicy red cherries with subtle undercurrents of forest floor and savory as nuance. Medium weight with tender, delicate but juicy fruit, the Patricia Green Cellars Pinot Noir Chehalem Mountain Vineyard 2021 seduces one with the style that Pinot drinkers will respond to. It’s sort of an ‘essence of Pinot’ feel to this bottling.

The vineyard itself has a story of its own. The first planting of the vineyard was 1968, ancient history in Oregon. This bottling comes from the second planting in 1978, which is still very old vine material around these parts. Originally planted by Oregon pioneer/nurseryman Dick Erath, and located on the border between the now delineated Ribbon Ridge and Chahalem AVAs, it has been referred to as the ‘Erath clone’ block but the cuttings for this parcel are believed to have come from Clos Vougeot in the mid-70s. A delightful, pure expression of Pinot.

THE ‘LITTLE BOAT’ HAS LANDED

As much time as we spend researching and tasting in our never ending quest for exceptional wines, there are times when it can just take a little luck. We would likely never have crossed paths with Jose, the proprietor of these wines, had it not been for random chance. The wine has been almost exclusively sold in elite eateries like French Laundry, Daniel Boulud, Jose Andres and Spago.

The short story is that Jose Ignacio Cuerco, a native of Spain, was scratching his ‘homesick’ itch at a Saturday paella lunch offered at one of our favorite food sources, La Espanola Market. Randomly, someone whom we knew from a consulting gig happened to sit next to him at the lunch and they began to talk. He told Jose about these wildly passionate wine merchants that he knew and, as a result of the conversation, we got a call asking if we might be interested in checking out his wines. “Of course”, we said.

Jose picks the sourcing and, having worked with a few top flight sommeliers who were instrumental in developing the program, is very hands on about the stylistic results of the wine. He is not in the wine biz per se. But this is not an ego project either. This is a ‘passion’ project and speaks of his wines as if they were his actual children, clearly very emotionally involved in where they go. The name “The Little Boat” was chosen with reference to a song Barquito de Papel (‘Little Paper Boat’), an ode to peace and friendship. The project is dedicated to his son Mateo.

Jose brought in three wines and we bought all three of them, something that people who know us know that is a rare occurrence. The thing is that they hit all of the parameters we look for. They were tasty, well conceived and well made, and the prices were quite reasonable for the quality in today’s market. Most important perhaps is that they are classically styled, varietally pure, easy to like and food friendly. The style isn’t to bowl you over. This is California fruit with Old World sensibility.

The Little Boat Chardonnay Russian River Valley 2020 had the classic Russian River nose of peach/pear fruit, spice, and toasty oak. In the mouth, you get that same impression of delicate but insistent peach and pear, with just the right touch of toasty accents and a little underlying minerality, but the well proportioned acidity lifts at the finish a leaves the palate ready for the next bite.

The Little Boat Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast 2019 offers up aromas of baking spice and ripe strawberries with a little touch of cocoa. In the mouth it is silky and seamless with the spicy berries as the elegant center of attention. Great purity of fruit here but also the added bonus of drinkability. So many things from the vaunted but loosely defined Sonoma Coast can be very ungiving. This one is tender and ready for prime time.

Sometimes random chance can work in one’s favor. Enjoy these classy Cali efforts. We also have a small quantity of a Spanish Rioja called Barquito Rioja Gran Reserva 2014 (barquito is Spanish for ‘little boat’) that was made for him by La Rioja Alta, the first time the winery had done a contract bottling for someone else in 150 years we are told. We have big plans for that one, too, but must wait for the ‘big boat’ to come in to have enough stock.

SOMETHING TASTY AND NEW IN VALUE PINOT NOIR

It seems like only yesterday that we couldn’t turn around without another higher-end Pinot Noir producer hitting us with some crazy deal on a seriously good bottling at a greatly reduced price. Actually, it wasn’t that long ago that the COVID-19 pandemic closed restaurants and gave producers a sense of urgency in finding homes for their wares. The market is slowly returning to some sense of normalcy now and, in fact, is starting to swing the other way thanks to the California and Oregon wildfires that are beginning to cause serious gaps in the supply chain moving forward. For that reason, labels like this have much greater relevance for those looking for authentic, value-priced Pinot Noir.

As we have made the point on many occasions, Pinot Noir is a fussy grape that doesn’t respond well to the kind of increased crop loads it takes to produce at lower price points. To that end, producers and ‘negociants’ often beef up the ‘value’ Pinots with other varietals (Syrah, for example) to give the wines deeper color and more punch. The downside is that it often results in the wine losing a bit (or a lot) of its varietal identity. Maybe we’re purists, but when we’re looking for value Pinot, one of the main requirements is that they taste like Pinot. Something like that is harder to find than one might think so when we find something that fits the bill, we’re pretty pleased.

Mignanelli Pinot Noir 50/50 Grand Appellation 2019 is our latest discovery in this limited category. Their ‘program’ highlights ‘all the right stuff. Dry-farming single vineyards, hand harvesting, sustainable farming, native yeasts, whole cluster fermentation and minimal additions are all part of their stated mantra. This is certainly our first experience with this value bottling, with the ‘50/50’ speaking to the blend of two distinct and respected Pinot Noir appellations, Santa Lucia Highlands and Santa Cruz Mountains.

The ‘marriage’ seems to work well here with the classic macerated strawberry fruit of Santa Cruz playing nicely with the intense cranberry/cherry fruit and chunky demeanor of the Santa Lucia Highlands. There’s intense Pinot character here and surprising freshness and purity, particularly given the very modest price ($11.98). We hadn’t seen the winery before and, frankly, wonder how they are going to continue this kind of quality/price performance at this kind of fare given the wildfire-affected market over the next two years. But we are on board for as long as it lasts. Delicious, honest Pinot, super value.

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.

RANDOM NOTES: PHILIPPE MILAN MARSANNAY 2018

The trouble with Burgundy is that it’s confusing enough on the surface and then there are a whole bunch of folks fighting over a few hallowed labels. The critics don’t help a lot in that they are fighting to post scores on rare, pricey things like Romanee Conti and Roumier, and virtually everything falls in line with established historic hierarchies as far as reviews go. Who’s looking out for the guy that just wants a tasty bottle of Pinot without sacrificing a couple of house payments? We are! We’re with you and get pretty thrilled when we find something plush and tasty for under $30.

If you rush to your review books, you aren’t likely to find anything on Domaine Philippe Milan, even though the domaine was founded in 1950 by Philippe Milan, grandfather of the current proprietor Karl Milan. They farm 27 acres in southern end of Burgundy, the Cote Chalonnaise, an area that we always look to in warm vintages for sneaky value. Why? As we have explained many times, these typically cooler areas don’t hit the ‘high notes’ every year and, for that reason, can’t get top dollar for their wares because they aren’t necessarily consistent year in and year out.

However in warmer vintages, the grapes get a little riper in these places and the wines become richer and more plush. But the prices are still modest thanks to their history. With global warming, places like Maranges, Givry, and at the other end of the Cote d’Or, Marsannay, will be treasure troves of delicious, moderately priced red Burgundies.

Most of Milan’s production is sold in France. Only about 10% is exported. But in a warm, ripe vintage like 2018, the Philippe Milan Marsannay 2018 shines. Plenty of engaging cherry fruit to be the focus, hints of spice and minerality to add interest, and enough weight and richness to keep you coming back for more, this has all the requisites. Medium weight, sweet middle, tender edges, this is quite the satisfying beverage. At $21.98, it’s a bargain for even this modest neighborhood. A Burgundy for the people.