Ideal Summer Drinking – Fleshy Wines of Burgundy’s Mâconnais

The Mâconnais region of southern Burgundy is white wine country. Chardonnay production accounts for close to 90% of all its wine. 2014 was a superb vintage for white Burgundy and all of this week’s featured wines are drinking beautifully right now.

The composite of two top communes in the Mâconnais, Viré-Clessé was recognized in the late 1990s with appellation status for its superior quality Chardonnay-based wines. What makes Viré-Clessé so special is a combination of chalky clay soil over limestone and hillside vineyards with favorable exposition to the sun. In the right hands the result are wines plump with fruit yet balanced by a streak of bracing minerality. At their best, they are as close to a properly matured Côte de Beaune white you can get for a fraction of the price and without spending years in a cellar.

One of the top producers in the region, third generation winemaker Jean-Marie Chaland owns a little over 20 acres of vineyards mostly planted with vines aged 50 to 100 years old in and around Viré-Clessé. With organic certification since 2006, fermentation with indigenous yeast, and only the top cuvées maturing in a tiny proportion of new oak barrels, Jean-Marie’s wines are pure, complex, and expressing all of the fleshiness of this unique subzone.

Special Prices on Mix-and-Match 6-Pack

Domaine des Chazelles “Vieilles Vignes” (Viré-Clessé 2014) White
~$18/bottle SOLD OUT
From a five acre plot of 60+ year old vines that’s well protected from prevailing winds, allowing an advanced ripeness.

Domaine Sainte Barbe “Les Tilles” (Mâcon-Villages 2014) White
~$16/bottle
From a 3.75 acre plot of vines planted in the late 1960s situated on the silty, clay-limestone plateau of Montbellet. Matured on fine lees for eight months in stainless steel tanks. 3000 bottles produced.

Domaine Sainte Barbe “L’Epinet” (Viré-Clessé 2014) White
~$24/bottle SOLD OUT
From a 1.75 acre plot planted in 1940 on a southeast facing hilltop in the commune of Clessé. Fermentation and aging on lees in barrels for one year (with only one new barrel added per year). 4500 bottles produced.

Domaine Sainte Barbe “Thurissey” (Viré-Clessé 2014) White
~$27/bottle SOLD OUT
From a gently sloping, southeast facing 1.3 acre plot of 95+ year old vines in the northern zone of Viré-Clessé. Fermentation and aging on lees in barrels for one year (with only one new barrel added per year). 2000 bottles produced.

Domaine Sainte Barbe “Terres Rouges” (Mâcon-Burgy 2014) Red
~$19/bottle SOLD OUT
A blend of Gamay, Gamay Chaudenay, Gamay de Bouze and Gamay Fréau from a chalky sandstone and limestone plot of vines aged 45-80 years old. 3000 bottles produced.

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Posted on 2016.07.13 in Saturday Sips Wines, France, Burgundy  |  Read more...

Antoine Arena – A legend of Corsica

Antoine Arena “Carco” (Patrimonio 2013) Red
~$49/bottle

With only 5,500 cases total production of all Antoine Arena wines we were pleased to receive a tiny allocation of his “Carco” vineyard red and white bottlings. To introduce one of the legends of Corsican wine, we leave it to a good friend of Antoine’s:

“Antoine Arena as a winemaker is much larger than life. A few years ago, he was scheduled to present his wines at a small wine bar in Paris. A crowd of over 500 showed up to taste, he ran out of wine, and the wine bar owner had to call in the police to restore order. When I met up with Antoine and his wife in March at Restaurant Paul Bert in Paris, they were dining in the restaurant with the proprietor, hidden behind a curtain. The proprietor told me it was the only way he could have some privacy. Otherwise the diners would be besieging him all night for Arena’s autograph. His fame comes about for two simple reasons. One, his wines are extraordinary, and probably singlehandedly established the path of what we think of today as the ‘Natural Wine Movement’. Two, he’s Corsican, and there is nothing the French love more than the rebellious spirit of a true Corsican.

A few years ago, Arena slowly withdrew himself from his business and began to turn it over to his two sons, Antoine-Marie and Jean-Baptiste. At last we begin to see the preliminary results of that move. The brothers opted to continue to make wines under the Antoine Arena label as partners, working together in the vineyards and in the cellar. Each took over a portion of the vineyard holdings as well, and is making his own wine, each with a different label, and each with a slightly different style. We offer them to you as perhaps some of today’s most remarkable examples of all that represents the best about France and French wine.” – Bruce Neyers

The Carco vineyard was planted by Antoine in 1987 with Niellucciu (a descendant of Sangiovese vines brought to Patrimonio by Pisans with nearly nine centuries to adapt to the particularities of the local terroir) and Vermentinu. The grapes are harvested by hand and fermentation starts naturally. For the red wine, long macerations and up to two years of aging in concrete tanks and 350 liter neutral wood barrels yield a wine of savage elegance, ripe yet marked by a limestone nerve and minerality. On the nose the herbal and dusty Maquis shrubland of the island rises above aromas of sweet cherry and licorice. Add some sheep’s milk cheese or a hunk of lamb and you’ll be instantly transported to the Mediterranean.

The Wines of Jean-Baptiste and Antoine-Marie Arena

Vermentinu from 60 year old vines. Grotte di Sole (sunny grottoes) takes its name from its direct southern facing exposure. As the name implies, this clay-limestone terroir produces the ripest grapes from the property.

Jean-Baptiste Arena “Grotte di Sole” (Muscat de Cap Corse 2014) Sweet White 15% ABV

Fortified, sweet Muscat-based wine from vines planted in 1982, 1992 and 1995 in the Grotte di Sole vineyard.

Non-fortified, Muscat Petits Grains-based wine from the Morta Maìo parcel which has belonged to the Arena family for over 400 years.

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Posted on 2016.07.07 in France, Saturday Sips Wines, Corsica  |  Read more...

Red and White from Spain’s Rare Grapes of Tierra de León

Pardevalles Albarín Blanco (Tierra de León 2014) White
Price: ~16/bottle

Pardevalles Prieto Picudo “Gamonal” (Tierra de León 2012) Red
Price: ~$19/bottle

Third generation vigneron Rafael Alonso is one of the pioneer winemakers of southern León. Viñedos y Bodegas Pardevalles, his family’s vineyards and 300 year old cellars, are situated in northwestern Spain at around 2,400 feet in elevation where the uncommon and indigenous grape varieties Prieto Picudo (red) and Albarín Blanco (white) thrive in the extreme microclimate around the River Esla. Rocky soil, swinging diurnal temperatures and less than 20 inches of annual rainfall combine to create wines of superb ripeness, acidity and balance with highly developed aromatics.

Recently granted official Denominación de Orígen status in 2007, Tierra de León is nevertheless an ancient region that has been cultivated for wine production for centuries. The Alonso family holds around 95 acres there in the high plains, where Quaternary Period soils are covered in rounded stones that absorb the heat of the sun during the day. Similar to the galets roulés of Châteauneuf-du-Pape but at a much higher elevation, these stones help the vines bear the low nighttime temperatures and ensure a long, even ripening.

Pardevalles’ seven acres of Albarín Blanco (about 10% of all vineyards planted to the variety) were developed in 2004 for the purpose of recovering this indigenous grape which was on the edge of extinction. But the wine is far more than a rescue mission for an obscure variety. The Albarín Blanco is an exuberant wine brimming with aromatics of fragrant herbs, mouthfuls of white fruits, and a finish that’s fresh and clean. It’s a wine that delights both the casual drinker and the most discerning gourmand. It’s versatile enough for sipping on the patio or pairing with seafood and poultry dishes. Only 3,180 cases produced.

One of Spain’s most fascinating indigenous varieties, Prieto Pecudo is highly aromatic with fleshy bright fruit and good acidity. Aged for one year in 225 liter neutral oak barrels, you might compare the Pardevalles Gamonal to a Cru Beaujolais from a vintage that achieved full ripeness (and then some). While it’s a joyous wine full of bursting berries up front it shows a more serious side with a concentration and a pure, lengthy finish. With the slightest chill it will pair with myriad grilled foods or a simple plate of cheese and olives. Production is limited to a mere 1,665 cases.

Both wines are ideal for large holiday gatherings or intimate sunsets.

For a delightful travelogue featuring Rafael Alonso and Pardevalles, check out Lawrence Ulrich’s article in the online automotive journalism magazine, The Drive.

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Posted on 2016.06.29 in Saturday Sips Wines, Spain DO, Tierra de Leon  |  Read more...

Rapet’s Superb 2014 Red & White from Pernand-Vergelesses Premier Crus

$55 Pernand-Vergelesses “Ile de Vergelesses” (Premier Cru 2014) Red
$50 Pernand-Vergelesses “Sous Frétille” (Premier Cru 2014) White

One of the many highlights of the Burgundy tasting we held a couple weeks ago were the wines of Vincent Rapet. Drinking particularly well were both Premier Crus from the commune of Pernand-Vergelesses. We decided to revisit these two particular wines forthis Saturday’s tasting and focus specifically on the great work that Vincent is doing in his corner of the Côte de Beaune.

Domaine Rapet is one of the leading domaines in the region with over 50 superb acres of vines in the villages of Pernand-Vergelesses, Savigny-lès-Beaune, Aloxe-Corton and Beaune. Production is split roughly 50/50 between Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Although Vincent and his wife Sylvette produce a full range of wines, from Village to Grand Cru, they all express the sites that they come from and Vincent’s dedication to every detail of the winemaking process – from meticulous work in the vineyards to minimal intervention in the cellars.

Ile de Vergelesses is a climat situated on a limestone slope directly across from the hill of Corton where all of the Grand Crus in the northern part of the Côte de Beaune are located. Pinot Noir vines over 50 years old are hand-harvested and hand-sorted before aging in oak barrels (20% new). The resulting wine is both rich and elegant with heady aromas and sufficient structure to develop over the next decade or longer.

The Chardonnay vines of the Sous Frétille climat grow on steep slopes above the hill of Corton and the village of Pernand-Vergelesses. Poor, thin soils over white marl and limestone produce wines of finesse and minerality. Aging occurs in barrel (30% new) for 12 months with stirring on the lees for the majority of the process. Properly stored, this wine will be drinking at its peak in five or six years, with developed aromatics of toasted almonds and flint.

New Vintage Wines Also Available from Domaine Rapet

$38 Savigny-lès-Beaune Premier Cru “Aux Fournaux” (Premier Cru 2014) Red
$46 Beaune “Clos du Roi” (Premier Cru 2014) Red
$50 Beaune “Grèves” (Premier Cru 2014) Red
$84 Corton (Grand Cru 2014) Red
$84 Corton-Pougeots (Grand Cru 2013) Red
$187 Corton (Grand Cru 2014 Magnum) Red

$119 Corton-Charlemagne (Grand Cru 2014) White
$263 Corton-Charlemagne (Grand Cru 2014 Magnum) White

 
If you’re interested in how these wines develop over time we also have a small selection of Rapet wines from older vintages that have been stored with us since release.

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Posted on 2016.06.22 in France, Saturday Sips Wines, Burgundy  |  Read more...

A Case of Bordeaux in a Wooden Crate for Father’s Day

Château Haut-Maurac (Médoc 2012)
Special Father’s Day Price: $275/12 bottles in wooden crate (~$23/bottle)

Dads like barbecues. Dads like fishing (or at least the idea of fishing). Dads like agreeing with things in theory, inappropriate humor, and free t-shirts.

Dads love Bordeaux. Especially Bordeaux in fancy wooden crates.

Château Haut-Maurac, located on the left bank of the Gironde estuary, in the municipality of Saint-Yzans-de-Médoc, produces Médoc appellation wines. It’s a project owned and led by Olivier Decelle, who’s perhaps best known for rebuilding Mas Amiel, one of the leading and most respected wineries in the Roussillon, and also for bringing Château Jean Faure (neighbor to Château Cheval Blanc in Saint-Émilion) back to prominence. Because of the quality of production under Olivier Decelle, Château Jean Faure’s Grand Cru Classé status was recently restored.

So it comes as no surprise that Olivier Decelle is taking great lengths to ensure this Cru Bourgeois is of the highest quality. Aspects of organic and biodynamic cultivation are used alongside the more conventional lutte raisonée (reasoned fight), all with the aim of producing the best fruit possible given the challenges of the growing year.

From 60 acres of 35 year old vines on gravel and clay soils, 2012 Château Haut-Maurac is a blend of 60% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Malbec. Aging takes place for 18 months, 20% in vats, 80% in oak barrels (25% new). The result is a wine that clearly expresses its place with aromas of graphite, blackberry, and autumn hikes in the forest. A sip is generous with fruit yet balanced by a long and chewy finish.

A full case of Bordeaux for Father’s Day is the gift that keeps on giving. He can open a bottle or two this summer with burgers off the grill. He can open several bottles this autumn to pair with his disappointment of the Detroit Football Lions. He can uncork a bottle in winter while he settles into a leather chair next to a crackling fire to read an Ernest Hemingway novel. And when the wine is all gone, he can use the fancy wooden crate to store his favorite power tools. This is a gift way better than any necktie.

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Posted on 2016.06.15 in France, Bordeaux, Saturday Sips Wines  |  Read more...

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