Drinking Old Wine Many of our favorite wines have been old bottles. While the great majority of wines are made to be consumed within a couple of years of their production, the relatively few wines that are intended to age can offer absolutely magical tasting experiences.
We are pleased to offer older wines for
The Not-So-Simple Jacquère of Savoie: Domaine des Côtes Rousses and Blard & Fils It is so easy to put your nose into Jacquère from a recently opened bottle, or take a sip three seconds after you pull it from the fridge, and assume that the wine will be pleasant, but rather neutral for the entirety of its life. Lean and bracing, but not particularly complex. This isn't
2019-Freshness and Filigree from Florian Lauer 2019 is shaping up to be an extraordinary vintage in Germany, from both a quality and scarcity standpoint. The wines we've been fortunate enough to taste combine exquisite fruit, frank minerality and an airy, lifted character to the aromatics—what lovers of Riesling want. And Florian Lauer has deliv
Thierry Valette's Clos Puy Arnaud: Two Bottles, Two Soils in Castillon Clos Puy Arnaud is located near the town of Belvès-de-Castillon, which is perched along a large plateau of limestone - a geological formation similar to the neighboring long stretch of elevated limestone belonging to the St.-Emilion AOC. Thierry Valette purchased the estate in 1999 after
Spring and New Arrivals from Champagne After a long, dark, and anxious winter, spring is finally here! The days are longer, the tariffs have been suspended, and the air is sweet (though it's certainly hard to tell from behind our masks). And with spring we are finally seeing the arrival of a passel of new wines. And of the new arrivals,
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Featured Articles
Drinking Old Wine Many of our favorite wines have been old bottles. While the great majority of wines are made to be consumed within a couple of years of their production, the relatively few wines that are intended to age can offer absolutely magical tasting experiences.
We are pleased to offer older wines for
The Not-So-Simple Jacquère of Savoie: Domaine des Côtes Rousses and Blard & Fils It is so easy to put your nose into Jacquère from a recently opened bottle, or take a sip three seconds after you pull it from the fridge, and assume that the wine will be pleasant, but rather neutral for the entirety of its life. Lean and bracing, but not particularly complex. This isn't
2019-Freshness and Filigree from Florian Lauer 2019 is shaping up to be an extraordinary vintage in Germany, from both a quality and scarcity standpoint. The wines we've been fortunate enough to taste combine exquisite fruit, frank minerality and an airy, lifted character to the aromatics—what lovers of Riesling want. And Florian Lauer has deliv
Thierry Valette's Clos Puy Arnaud: Two Bottles, Two Soils in Castillon Clos Puy Arnaud is located near the town of Belvès-de-Castillon, which is perched along a large plateau of limestone - a geological formation similar to the neighboring long stretch of elevated limestone belonging to the St.-Emilion AOC. Thierry Valette purchased the estate in 1999 after
Spring and New Arrivals from Champagne After a long, dark, and anxious winter, spring is finally here! The days are longer, the tariffs have been suspended, and the air is sweet (though it's certainly hard to tell from behind our masks). And with spring we are finally seeing the arrival of a passel of new wines. And of the new arrivals,
Superb 2018s from Domaine Chantal Lescure in Nuits-Saint-Georges, Part 2!
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We are proud to again offer the wines of Domaine Chantal Lescure, an important organic estate based in Nuits-Saint-Georges, proprietors of 18 hectares from Meursault in the Côte de Beaune to Chambolle-Musigny in the Côte de Nuits. Founded in 1975 by Chantal Lescure and Xavier Machard de Gramont, this family domain is now owned by their two sons Aymeric and Thibault and directed by François Chaveriat. Upon Chaveriat's arrival in 1996 the use of herbicides was stopped and the estate has been practicing fully organic methods since 2000, certified since 2006. The estate has a very high percentage of old vines in a superb collection of parcels including .42 hectares in Vosne-Romanee "Les Suchots" and 30 ares in the lieu-dit "Montiotes" in the upper part of the Clos de Vougeot.
Francois Chaveriat of Chantal Lescure
We tasted 2018s at the estate in January 2020 - they are gorgeous wines showing the ripeness of 2018 with bright, elegant texture, great purity of fruit and beautiful minerality. Fifteen-plus years of organic farming of course contributes to this as do the estate's slow fermentations with wild yeasts, minimal pigeage and bottling without fining or filtration. Another factor in the subtle fruit and terroir expression in these wines is the careful use of sulfur-dioxide, with the reds averaging only around 30 mg/L of total SO2. This shipment of 2018s includes wines that will drink beautifully now, although most will benefit from medium to long-term cellaring as well. The Bourgogne Rouge "Les Verduns" for example, is a true wine of terroir from the slope above Pommard that will develop nicely over the next five to eight years. We especially love the two wines from "Le Clos des Topes Bizot," a unique spot high on the slope in Beaune just above the 1er Cru "L'Ecu," facing east, in a terroir of clay and pebbles over limestone. Superb now, they will also repay short-term cellaring. Quantities here are very small and please note that we have only 12 btls of the estate's sensational Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru "Les Suchots." While Burgundy lovers will consider these prices to be unusually low, we can assure you that the quality of the Chantal Lescure wines is uniformly outstanding. We hope you will try these superb wines, rarely seen in the US, and we again offer our congratulations to François Chaveriat for his great work at this estate. (Due to delays at the port, we now expect arrival to be approx 7/21)
The Chantal Lescure Bourgogne Rouge "Les Verduns" is from 45 year-old vines on a soil of "marnes blanches" in this unusual south-west-facing parcel high on the slope adjacent to Pommard "Les Vignots." Vinification is 100% with whole-clusters giving a firm structure to this very classy Bourgogne Rouge. The wine shows elegant high-toned quite floral aromas of earthy Morello cherry and strawberry with hints of spice, mint and rose petal. The palate is earthy and mineral with saline acidity underlying ripe wild strawberry and red currant fruit. The finish is long and sappy, dominated by mineral and red currant flavors that linger on the palate. This is not a fruit bomb, but is a very satisfying red Burgundy that will benefit from many hours of aeration or cellaring for 5 to 8 years. David Lillie
"Le Clos des Topes Bizot" is a unique spot, high on the slope in Beaune just above the 1er Cru "L'Ecu," facing east, in a terroir of clay and pebbles over limestone. Harvested by hand into small crates, slow fermentation (4 to 8 months) with wild yeasts, 15 month élevage in barrel without battonage, 10% new. The 2018 Clos de Topes Bizot was kept on the lees longer due to the ripeness of the vintage. The wine shows floral ripe white fruits, apricot and almond; the palate is rich and expressive with white fruits, pineapple, citrus and mineral flavors that continue in the long finish. This is a delicous and affordable white Burgundy to serve with lobster, shrimp, a full-flavored fish dish and white meats. David Lillie
"Le Clos des Topes Bizot" is a unique spot with vines planted in 1960, high on the slope in Beaune just above the 1er Cru "L'Ecu," facing east, in a terroir of clay and pebbles over limestone. The grapes from this high elevation vineyard are harvested late and undergo a short pre-fermentation maceration, aging is in two and three year-old barrels. The 2018 shows high-toned aromas of ripe black cherry and red currant fruit with violet, brown spice, earth and citrus, quite elegant. The palate is dense and earthy with sappy black cherry and black raspberry - intensely mineral with firm acidity, earth and black fruits that linger in the long finish. This is a quite elegant, beautifully balanced and "mineral" Burgundy at a very reasonable price, that will benefit from a few hours open or three to five years of cellaring. David Lillie
The Chantal Lescure Meursault is from a tiny parcel called "les Pellands" on deep sandy clay soils over limestone below "Charmes Dessous." The 2018 finished its alcoholic fermentation in August 2019 and was still in barrel on the lees when tasted in January 2020. The wine shows elegant aromas, very "Meursault" with almond, pear, citrus and earth. The palate is elegant and bright with lovely minerality below the white fruits, finishing beautifully with firm acidity. This is a lovely Meursault, unblemished by excess oak, batonnage or sulfur and it's an excellent value as well. David Lillie
The Chantal Lescure Volnay is from 50+ year-old vines on sandy clay soils over limestone. Fermentation is with wild yeasts in cuve inox followed by 18 months in barrel, approximately 20% of which are new (500L), bottled without fining or filtration.The wine shows a bright deep red/garnet color with black cherry, blackberry and red currant aromas, quite floral and elegant with complex hints of earth, brown spice and tea. With aeration, the palate shows a round, velvety, chalky texture backed by firm acidity with violet, plum, cherry and strawberry fruit, mint, bitter chocolate and earth that continue in the long, sappy finish. This is a lovely "village" Volnay that is delicious now, but decant if possible, this will really sing in three to five years and until 2030+. David Lillie
From a 1.5 hectare parcel of 50+ year-old massale selection vines on clay/limestone soils rich in iron, in this excellent 1er cru vineyard at the foot of the slope in Beaune. (Near Pommard and below "Les Vignes Franches" and the "Clos des Mouches") 2018 is a great vintage for the Chantal Lescure "Chouacheux" which shows very floral aromas of ripe, fresh red and black fruits, with hints of brown spice, citrus zest and earth. There is ripe, sappy, chalky fruit on the palate which is silky and elegant with raspberry, red currant and cherry fruit, really lovely and very long - backed by firm acidity and the ever-present core of minerality found in the Chantal Lescure wines. Quite delicious now, this beautiful Chouacheux is highly recommended and should be best 2024 - 2035+. David Lillie
From the village portion of Les Damodes on the Vosne side of Nuits St. Georges, at 320 metres, on a slab of hard pink limestone with shallow clay soils. long-time organic farming, minimal use of SO2. 30% new barrels by Franis Miquel. The 2018 "Les Damodes" shows a bright red/black color with very elegant floral aromas of violet, black raspberry, cherry and strawberry liqueur, with hints of mint, licorice and brown spice, beautifully perfumed! There is deep black cherry, strawberry and red currant fruit on the palate which is chalky, round and ripe and is nicely balanced by bright acidity, a bit of tannin and a hint of oak. This opens up with aeration becoming more complex, with pretty red fruits and minerals lingering in the very long finish. Quite delicious now, this will show best in 5 to 8 years when the tannins and oak have integrated. Beautiful wine. David Lillie
Apparently Les Vallerots 1er Cru is a near monopoly of Chantal Lescure on a steep slope in the combe above "Vaucrains" on very shallow stony soils over the limestone at 260m altitude. Aged in approx 30% new oak by Francis Miquel. The nose is initially closed and tight with deep red fruit aromas emerging with notes of black raspberry, plum, cherry pit and a hint of anise.The palate shows deep, dense red fruits with great elegance and energy, a superb combination of fruit and terroir. This will need a long decant if drinking now, best to hold 3 - 5 years then enjoy until 2035+ David Lillie
Nestled in between Richebourg and Romanée-Saint-Vivant and Echezeaux, Les Suchots is a premier cru break in the line of grands cru that runs from La Tache to Mazis-Chambertin, this is likely due to the small dip in the hillside that makes the climat cooler. But what a premier cru! ("the best terroir for Pinot Noir in the world" says Francois Chaveriat...) Our tasting from barrel in January 2020 revealed meaty, earthy, ethereal red fruits with a palate then showing all minerals over deep bright red fruits, very dense and very long. Superb wine, for the cellar. David Lillie
