2019 Armelle Et Bernard Rion Chambolle-Musigny Les Echezeaux

2019 Armelle Et Bernard Rion Chambolle-Musigny Les Echezeaux

with No Comment $90-$100BurgandyFranceKevin VogtPinot Noir

ARMELLE ET BERNARD RION

CHAMBOLLE-MUSIGNY
LES ECHEZEAUX 2019

2019 Armelle Et Bernard Rion Chambolle-Musigny Les Echezeaux
Domaine Armelle et Bernard Rion was founded in 1896 by Pierre Rion after he acquired vines from Chateau de la Berchere during his years as a dedicated sharecropper. More than a century later, the fifth generation of the Rion family runs the winery. They have vineyard holdings strategically positioned in some of the most recognized Burgundian wine-producing villages, including Vosne-Romanée, Chambolle-Musigny, Nuits-Saint-Georges, and Vougeot.
 
‘Les Echezeaux’ is planted with vines of an average age of 50 years in the southern part of the village of Chambolle-Musigny, receiving ample sunlight and achieving perfect ripeness. The 2019 vintage saw frost, hail, and drought, which lowered yields but produced small but brilliant crops with deep concentration and may be one of the best vintages in the last decade.
 
ARMELLE ET BERNARD RION
CHAMBOLLE-MUSIGNY
LES ECHEZEAUX 2019
 
Your Price: $99.99
 
 
“The Armelle et Bernard Rion Chambolle-Musigny Les Echezeaux 2019 opens with a bright nose of tart red cherry, cardamom, pomegranate, fresh green herbs, saddle leather, cinnamon spice, shoe polish, and freshly harvested French lavender. On the palate, the wine has flavors of Ranier cherries, white raspberries, and clove hints, along with a liquid metal/saline quality that bolsters the fresh acids and medium-grained tannins, leading to a long, elegant finish. It’s enjoyable now due to its pristinely balanced fruit/tannin structure, but it will evolve beautifully over the next decade.”
95 Points
2018 Alex Gambal Bourgogne Aligote Burgundy

2018 Alex Gambal Bourgogne Aligote Burgundy

with No Comment $30-$40BurgandyFranceKevin VogtWhites

ALEX GAMBAL 

BOURGOGNE ALIGOTE
BURGUNDY 2018

2018 Alex Gambal Bourgogne Aligote Burgundy
Burgundy is synonymous with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir; however, a few vineyards grow lesser-known varieties, such as Aligoté. It takes a lot to stand up to the quality and hierarchy of the region. Still, Aligoté currently represents six percent of plantings in Burgundy, and it’s beginning to make a comeback thanks to increased knowledge in the vineyard, restricting yields and creating more intensely captivating fruit.
 
Vines aged 25 to 40 years in the southern part of the Côte d’Or in Auxey-Durresses are the source of the concentrated, complex fruit for this profound example of Aligote. The grapes are hand-picked, fermented in neutral oak, and aged for 12 months, adding body to the light, refreshing nature of the variety.
 
ALEX GAMBAL 
BOURGOGNE ALIGOTE
BURGUNDY 2018
 
Your Price: $35
 
 
“The Alex Gambal 2018 Bourgogne Aligoté opens with fresh notes of elderflower, honeycomb, lime zest, a hint of vanilla, brioche, and bright minerality. On that palate, the wine has a crisp acidity with flavors of green apple, lemon, and pastry dough. The invigorating style of this wine makes it very easy to sip in the afternoon, especially on a warm summer day.”
94 Points
2017 Jean-Marc Pillot Chassagne-Montachet Rouge Mes Vieilles Vignes

2017 Jean-Marc Pillot Chassagne-Montachet Rouge Mes Vieilles Vignes

with No Comment $40-$50BurgandyFranceKevin VogtRed Burgandy

JEAN-MARC PILLOT

CHASSAGNE-MONTRACHET ROUGE
MES VIEILLES VIGNES 2017

2017 Jean-Marc Pillot Chassagne-Montachet Rouge Mes Vieilles Vignes
Jean-Marc is the fourth generation of the Pillot family to tend to the family’s vineyards in the esteemed village of Chassagne-Montrachet in the Côte de Beaune. The Pillot’s several vineyard holdings are spread throughout the village, enabling the winery to produce a diverse range of terroir-driven Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays.
 
Mes Vielles Vignes comes from various plots of Pinot Noir planted in 1960 at a high density, forcing the vines to compete for water and nutrients, helping to reduce yields and concentrate the berries. The wine spends 12 months softening in neutral 228-liter barrels and another three to six months in stainless steel tanks without filtration before bottling, preserving every distinct flavor characteristic of the prized Chassagne-Montrachet terroir. 
 
JEAN-MARC PILLOT
CHASSAGNE-MONTRACHET ROUGE
MES VIEILLES VIGNES 2017
 
Your Price: $49.99
 
 
“The Jean-Marc Pillot Chassagne-Montrachet Mes Vieilles Vignes Rouge 2017 comes from this village that is much more famous for Chardonnay than Pinot Noir, which begs the question of why this vineyard is not Chardonnay. This wine boldly answers that question because it is simply a masterful, artistic expression of old-vine Pinot Noir. It is powerful on the nose and palate, with beautifully concentrated tart red cherries, wild mountain raspberries, cola bean, dried wild mushrooms, saline, and subtle earth. The flavors and complexity are wonderfully balanced and perfectly expressed in a wine that drinks well beyond its meager price for this quality level. I absolutely love this wine.”
94 Points
2019 Domaine Armelle Et Bernard Rion La Croix Blanche Red Burgundy

2019 Domaine Armelle Et Bernard Rion La Croix Blanche Red Burgundy

with No Comment $30-$40BurgandyFranceKevin VogtPinot Noir

DOMAINE ARMELLE ET BERNARD RION

LA CROIX BLANCHE
RED BURGUNDY 2019

2019 Domaine Armelle Et Bernard Rion La Croix Blanche Red Burgundy

Domaine Armelle et Bernard Rion’s parcels in Vosne-Romanée, Chambolle-Musigny, Nuits-Saint-Georges, and Vougeot, are strategically located in some of Burgundy’s most desired wine-producing villages. The estate was founded in 1896 by Pierre Rion, who acquired the vines from Chateau de la Berchere from his years as a dedicated sharecropper and is still owned and operated by the same family.

The fruit for La Croix Blanche comes from vineyards planted with vines averaging 50 years old, just south of the village of Vosne-Romanée on the border with the Nuits-Saint-Georges appellation. The grapes were hand-harvested and fermented in cement before aging in oak barrels for 12 to 15 months, forming fine tannins and red fruit aromas, evolving into classic Burgundian notes of savory mushrooms and earth, ridiculously great at this low price.

 

DOMAINE ARMELL ET BERNARD RION
LA CROIX BLANCHE
RED BURGUNDY 2019

Your Price: $39.99

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“The 2019 Domaine Armelle et Bernard Rion Bourgogne La Croix Blanche Vieilles Vignes 2019 begins with a gorgeous nose of bright red cherries, fresh red currants, dried wild mushrooms, white pepper, and light florals. The palate has concentrated, penetrating red fruits combined with a slightly savory earthy complexity, made in a focused, linear style that is perfectly balanced. My first thought when I tasted it was what an incredible find this is, and I can’t remember tasting a red burgundy this great at this low price.”

94 Points

2020 Domaine Chasselay Gamay Rouge Je T'Aime Mais J'ai Soif

2020 Domaine Chasselay Gamay Rouge Je T’Aime Mais J’ai Soif

with No Comment $30 and underBurgandyFranceKevin Vogt

DOMAINE CHASSELAY

2020 GAMAY ROUGE
JE T’AIME MAIS J’AI SOIF 

2020 Domaine Chasselay Gamay Rouge Je T'Aime Mais J'ai Soif
The Chasselay family has been growing grapes and making wine since 1464 in the small village of Châtillon d’Azergues, located in southern Beaujolais, where granite and limestone soils produce exquisite fruit. Today, Jean-Gilles Chasselay and his two children Fabien and Claire, work the vineyards and vinify the wines with an invested interest in sustainable viticulture and have been certified organic since 2006.
 
Whole-cluster fermentation is very common in the region; however, while Fabien was training under Bruno Clavelier in Vosne Romanée, he learned that destemming Gamay grapes produced a Burgundian style wine with silky tannins and a touch of salinity. The grapes are hand-harvested and fermented in concrete with natural yeasts, emphasizing the fresh fruit character and minerality from the soils for a wine that drinks deliciously on its own but is also magnificent with food. Trust me on this one; if you enjoy French Pinot Noir or top-quality Beaujolais wines, you’ll love this.
 
DOMAINE CHASSELAY
2020 GAMAY ROUGE
JE T’AIME MAIS J’AI SOIF 
 
Your Price: $27
 
 
“Je t’aime mais j’ai soif” means, “I love you, but I’m thirsty,” and this wine couldn’t be more accurately named. The intense and complex aromatics hook you immediately with cranberries, wild strawberries, black plums, warm apple cider, dried oregano, savory spice, and underbrush. The palate is bright and alluring with acidity that tingles on the palate, a deep concentration of flavors, and an electric finish. This wine pairs beautifully with charcuterie but also drinks superbly on its own.”
93 Points
2018 Maison Harbour Gevrey-Chambertin 'La Justice' Red Burgundy

2018 Maison Harbour Gevrey-Chambertin ‘La Justice’ Red Burgundy

with No Comment $80-$90BurgandyKevin VogtPinot NoirUSA

MAISON HARBOUR

GEVREY-CHAMBERTIN
‘LA JUSTICE’
2018 RED BURGUNDY

2018 Maison Harbour Gevrey-Chambertin 'La Justice' Red Burgundy
The prestigious appellation Gevrey-Chambertin is located in the Northern part of Burgundy in the Côte de Nuits (North Slope) and produces full-bodied, rich Pinot Noirs with a firm structure, velvety tannins, and delicate texture. Before establishing their small négociant house, Maison Harbour’s Nicholas and Colleen Harbour attended wine school in Beaune, making lifelong friends that connected the couple with small growers with vineyard parcels.
 
Revered for being more age-worthy and fuller-bodied than other parts of Burgundy, Pinot Noirs from Gevrey-Chambertin are great for your cellar, and this one is unbelievable right now. The Harbours age their Pinot Noirs in two to six-year-old barrels, focusing on the fruit’s reflection of the terroir, creating brilliantly defined wines with remarkable freshness.
 
MAISON HARBOUR
GEVREY-CHAMBERTIN
‘LA JUSTICE’
2018 RED BURGUNDY
 
Your Price: $85
 
 
“The 2018 Maison Harbour La Justice Gevrey Chambertin opens with a stunning nose of rich cherries, dried rose petals, gunflint, mixed berries, nutmeg, black tea, and earthy minerals. The complexity of aromas seamlessly continues on the palate with powerful richness and impressive concentration, including lush fruit flavors of splash pluots and red plums, then continuing with cola bean and dried mushrooms. At a mere fraction of the price, this village-level Gevrey drinks better than many Premier Cru and even Grand Cru burgundies I’ve had. It’s simply stunning, and if you like Burgundy, this one will blow you away with the power and richness it has, particularly at this price.”
96 Points
2017 Raoul Gautherin Grand Cru Chablis Les Clos

2017 Raoul Gautherin Grand Cru Chablis Les Clos

with No Comment $80-$90BurgandyChablisChardonnayKevin VogtUSA

RAOUL GAUTHERIN

GRAND CRU CHABLIS
2017 LES CLOS

2017 Raoul Gautherin Grand Cru Chablis Les Clos
Chablis exemplifies the purest expression of Chardonnay through minimal intervention in the vineyard and winery, the use of natural yeasts, and the limited use of oak, prioritizing the delicate nuances of flavor. Adrien Gautherin of Domaine Raoul Gautherin vinifies his Grand Cru Chablis Les Clos in tanks and ages it in old barrels, creating a wine with incredible aging potential. 
 
Grand Cru vineyards in Chablis are grown in 160 million-year-old sedimentary limestone-rich clay, known as Kimmeridgian marl, famous for giving wines with vibrant character, racy acidity, and a zesty mineral component. These world-class Chardonnays begin showing their spectacular depth and charm after three to four years, which is where this one is right now, and with only 120 cases produced, don’t hesitate to secure yours.
 
RAOUL GAUTHERIN
GRAND CRU CHABLIS
2017 LES CLOS
Retails at: $100
 
Your Price: $89
 
 
“The 2017 Raoul Gautherin & Fils Grand Cru Chablis Les Clos has an exquisite nose with aromas of honeysuckle, white blossoms, green apples, white peaches, and brioche. The flavors on the palate are reminiscent of a butter pecan ice cream, coating the palate in a creamy mouthfeel but finishing on a crisp note with the wine’s natural acidity. This wine can be enjoyed now but will really shine after laying down in the cellar for a few more years.”
93 Points
2019 Fabien Coche Bourgogne Cote D'Or Pinot Noir

2019 Fabien Coche Bourgogne Cote D’Or Pinot Noir

with No Comment $30-$40BurgandyFranceKevin VogtPinot Noir

FABIEN COCHE

BOURGOGNE COTE D’OR
2019 PINOT NOIR

2019 Fabien Coche Bourgogne Cote D'Or Pinot Noir
Fabien Coche is a fourth-generation winemaker with exceptional familial ties to the Côte d’Or, coming from one of Burgundy’s renowned winemaking families, Coche-Dury. Fabien took over his family’s Domaine in 2005 and has quickly become the Coche to keep an eye on with wines that are neither flashy nor dramatic but poised, powerful, and seductive.
 
The Pinot Noir for his Bourgogne Rouge comes from two parcels; One in Meursault and the other in Pommard, where roots have grown deep into the earth for the last 30 to 60 years, extracting the remarkable terroir. Fabien’s minimalistic approach focuses on expressing the site in each wine he creates without the use of pump-overs or punch-downs, ensuring a fruit purity that speaks of the terroir it was grown on, providing a sensation you won’t want to miss!
 
Our entire tasting panel wanted to buy a case for themselves after tasting this… 
 
FABIEN COCHE
BOURGOGNE COTE D’OR
2019 PINOT NOIR
 
Your Price: $39.99
 
 
“The 2019 Fabien Coche Bourgogne Côte d’Or Pinot Noir is everything you’re looking for in a Pinot Noir. This stunning wine has profound complexity opening with rose petals, cranberries, red cherries, wild strawberries, cloves, mushrooms, and forest floor. The wine has a silky mouthfeel on the palate with beautifully balanced fruity and savory flavors that gracefully linger on the finish.”
94 points
2018 Nudant Jean-Rene Meursault White Burgundy

2018 Nudant Jean-Rene Meursault White Burgundy

with No Comment $70-$80BurgandyChardonnayFranceKevin Vogt

NUDANT JEAN-RENÉ

2018 MEURSAULT
WHITE BURGUNDY

2018 Nudant Jean-Rene Meursault White Burgundy
Embodying complete balance, determination, and a sense of place, Nudant Jean-René wines are crafted with conviction to produce wine at the highest level. Their 2018 Meursalt manifests the terroir of the .54 acre plot brilliantly, voiced with buttered pear, roasted hazelnut, subtle stone, and liquid mineral qualities. This wine celebrates Meursault, one of the oldest and most significant regions in the world producing Chardonnay, and at less than $80, this classic Meursault deserves a spot in your cellar. 
 
The Nudant’s organically farm sixteen hectares of vines across Côte de Beaune and the Côte de Nuits by hand, utilizing meticulous canopy management, assuring optimum flavor development. 
 
In the cellar, winemaker Jean-René Nudant scrupulously sorts and de-stems the Chardonnay berries, following traditional winemaking methods passed down through generations.
 
NUDANT JEAN-RENÉ
2018 MEURSAULT
WHITE BURGUNDY
 
Your Price: $79.99
 
 
“This gorgeous, opulent white burgundy begins with a compelling nose of poached buttered pears, toasted hazelnuts, and light florals. It is big and concentrated on the palate with honeyed figs, ripe quince, freshly shaved white truffles, lemon zest, and liquid minerals. The intriguing, powerful finish is very long, and it drinks incredibly well now and will continue to for the next decade or more.”
95 Points
2018 Domaine Dominique Guyon Hautes Cotes De Nuits Les Dames De Vergy

2018 Domaine Dominique Guyon Hautes Cotes De Nuits Les Dames De Vergy

with No Comment $30-$40BurgandyFranceKevin VogtPinot Noir

DOMAINE DOMINIQUE GUYON 

2018 HAUTES COTES DE NUITS
LES DAMES DE VERGY

2018 Domaine Dominique Guyon Hautes Cotes De Nuits Les Dames De Vergy
Domaine Dominique Guyon (Domaine Antonin Guyon) is a family-owned producer in Burgundy with significant holdings in the Côte d’Or. Brothers Dominique and Michel Guyon lead the operation, and they’re meticulously hands-on, which is not replicable with larger producers and is palpable in the glass. Their 2018 Les Dames de Vergy Cotes de Nuits Red Burgundy has penetrating fruit, restrained with a high level of balance and place. At less than $40, this a joy to behold and a remarkable value.  
 
Dominique accumulated nearly 80 separate parcels in the hills above Nuits-Saint-Georges, in an area known for quality. He combined them into a single 22-hectare vineyard with South facing slopes and limestone, rock, and clay soils that produce a remarkable expression of Pinot Noir. 
 
The Guyon’s are just as meticulous in their winemaking as they are with farming. They sort the grapes by hand in the vineyard, aiming to get the fruit to the vat within just 30 minutes from picking. They age the wine in oak for just 12 months to preserve the natural essence of the fruit, and the results are brilliant. 
 
DOMAINE DOMINIQUE GUYON 
2018 HAUTES COTES DE NUITS
LES DAMES DE VERGY
 
Your Price: $36
 
 
“This rich, densely textured wine is impressively ripe. Its tannins are still young and will sustain further development. With plenty of red cherry fruitiness to balance the structure, it will age further. Drink from 2022.”
92 Points “Cellar Selection”