The Wisdom of Nicolas Gonin: 2019 Verdesse and Persan from the Isere's Greatest... plus stellar Bugey Pinot Noir from Chateau des Eclaz

"Maybe we can make a parallel with Persan because these two grapes have a lot in common," Nicolas Gonin explained to me after hearing that I'd soon be tasting his '19 Verdesse, a grape indigenous to his home in the Isère. As for the Persan, I'd already enjoyed it the evening before and had sent him my praise. This is how Gonin, ever since we began corresponding early last year, has helped me navigate his Alpine world of grapes, land, and people. He takes my simple requests for information (i.e. "What was the 2019 vintage like for you?") and naturally enriches the topic, thinking outside the box for me, with the blatant talent of a passionate teacher. To him, connections are thrilling. I cherish these emails. I read them over and over. Gonin writes in his best English, he ends many sentences with exclamation points and he throws in wit and sarcasm. There is no better way to kill a 45 minute commute on the Q Train than a new message from Nicolas Gonin.

First and foremost, every time, in his emails and his wines, it is all about the grape. His varietal bottlings, like today's two (one 100% Verdesse and the other 100% Persan), are priceless expressions of grapes that are only beginning to be understood, in the Alps and worldwide. And Gonin is not just a winemaker, but an ampelographer*, contributing to the heritage research of these grapes: where did they come from and how did they get to the Isère? When you drink Gonin's wines, it is hard to remove that aspect. He is an expert. His intention is to capture the unadulterated core of each individual variety and share it with others. To him wine, even after it's gone through the vigneron's care in the cellar, never becomes much more than grape - in a very good way. A beautiful, humbling thing. A mission that results in stunningly pure wines.

According to Gonin, Verdesse and Persan have a direct genetic link to Savagnin, the essential white grape of the Jura. Historically, Verdesse was found in the Isère and the Bugey to the north. Persan could be found in the vineyards of the Isère and the neighboring Savoie. Today, both are making a small comeback in the French Alps, but also across the border in Italy: Verdesse under the name Bianc Ver and Persan under the name Becuèt. In taste, Gonin believes (and I agree), "Verdesse is close to Savagnin ouillé and even Chenin, another child of Savagnin." And Persan? It shares Savagnin's sharp acidity, though he also finds it attractively similar to Pinot Noir. To me, Persan has the softness of Pinot and the savory essence of Syrah. (2019, by the way, was a great vintage for Gonin.)

Gonin's 2019 Verdesse is a bright, fresh lemon in color. An incredibly cool nose, minty and stony, with tangy yellow plums and white flowers. The palate has a crisp bitterness, with flavors of lemon and lime zest, salt, and firm apricot. Structurally, this Verdesse has strong acidity and a lovely richness on the tongue. The finish is very herbal - a beautiful touch after such vibrant and edgy fruit. Complex but solid, the wine has the guts to age a good 5-10 years. A delicious, powerful example of Gonin's successful approach toward single varietal bottlings of Alpine grapes. Exciting to drink in so many ways.

On the nose Gonin's 2019 Persan shows a full force of aromas, with black cherry, plum and red apple. Above the fruit are expressive nuances of espresso, mint, and smoke. The palate is absolutely Alpine in character, with a salty, mineral core that drives flavors of cassis and blackberry. On the wine’s finish, orange peel, black pepper, and dark cocoa appear. I found the structure to be incredibly engaging, with an initial edge that softens with air. After a few hours, a full and tender tannic form develops. Knock-out precision in this awesome bottle of red!

If you haven't tasted Nicolas Gonin's wines, this is the perfect opportunity to do so. And though I won't share his contact info on this newsletter... it is on his website. If you feel like going down an ampelographical wormhole with one of the Alpine masters, all you really have to do is start the conversation.

Today, we're also very excited to highlight a great Pinot Noir from the young winemakers at Château des Éclaz, an estate located in the Bugey (considered Alpine though the southern tip of the Jura mountains). Mickey, the man behind production at the estate, used to work at the natural wine hot-spot Ten Bells. The 2020 vintage is this organic Pinot's first release, and it is making a rather big splash here in NYC! Drink one bottle and you'll be back for more...

In the glass, it's a dark cherry in color. An excellent, wintery nose, with orange peel, red berries, roses, a hint of baking spice and a little black pepper. On the palate, this Pinot has a taut juiciness, like biting into a plum just underripe, and a flare of dark minerality. Great acidity counts for most of the structure, with just a brush of tannin on the tongue. Incredibly easy to drink, fresh but layered with flavor, snappy but structurally exciting - this could (should) be your next dinner party go-to!

So, go forth and drink Alpine wine... and just know that there are more amazing products arriving in the next few weeks. Malvoisie? Gringet? Get ready!! David Hatzopoulos

*Oxford Dictionary: an expert in the study and classification of cultivated varieties of grape.