I’m in Burgundy this week. The weather is as it usually is this time of the year: cold, grey and rainy. The landscape feels drab and somewhat colorless. People seem to be in a hurry to get back inside their homes, where it is warm and dry…So, what am I doing here? In fact, I am in wine heaven! It is wine heaven precisely because of this weather.
In California, there is constant sunshine and huge heat indexes, making the grapes ripen fast with high alcohol content. Wines as a result are often too ripe, too rich, too sweet. Many Cali winemakers say that the sun is their biggest problem.
In Bordeaux, it rains often. So much so that sometimes the grapes do not ripen enough, taste green and give off vegetal aromas.
In Burgundy, in good vintages, there is a decent amount of sun warming the grapes during the day for slow ripening. Cooler nights keep the fruit fresh and juicy. The biggest quality about the weather in Burgundy is that the grapes do not grow a thick skin. Pinot Noir then becomes an explosion of juice, wrapped by a very light, soft skin. Tannins are therefore soft and integrated and the resulting wine is nuanced and extraordinarily elegant.
Of course, I am speaking of good vintages. Thunderstorms, hail, extreme heat — all of these can destroy those fragile grapes in Burgundy. Winemakers there are often criticized for their high prices but somehow I don’t adhere to that way of thinking. In fact, for the past few years, every vintage seems to be smaller than the previous one due to some weather problems. So, as I sit and swirl a glass of wine from this magnificent region, I know you’re jealous.
Wish you were here!
These outstanding Burgundies will arrive between now and Spring 2017
Please place your order quickly, as many of these wines are highly allocated. Contact us directly at mthibaultwine@gmail.com.
Vincent Girardin 2014 reds:
Arriving December 2016
Giarardin uses stem inclusion whenever possible, minimal handling during cuvaison and no punching. Purity of fruit and smooth, supple tannins are the trademark of these wines.
Volnay Champans 1er Cru. $59 per bottle
Volnay Santenots 1er Cru Gevrey Chambertin Vieilles Vignes. $59 per bottle
Corton Perrieres Grand Cru. $79 per bottle
Louis Michel 2015 Chablis
Arriving December 2016
The epitome of the classic style with high minerality and flinty aromas.
Chablis Butteaux 1er Cru. $36 per bottle.
Chablis Vaudesir Grand Cru. $59 per bottle.
Chablis Les Clos Grand Cru. $69 per bottle.
Chablis Fourchaume 1er Cru. $39 per bottle.
Chablis Vaillons 1er Cru. $29 per bottle
Francois Carillon 2015
Arriving Spring 2017
Wines show concentration and lots of energy.
Puligny Montrachet Champ Gain 1er Cru. $89 per bottle.
Puligny Montrachet Perrieres 1er Cru. $93 per bottle.
Puligny Montrachet Folatieres 1er Cru. $91 per bottle.
Puligny Montrachet Combettes 1er Cru. $65 per bottle.
Thomas Morey 2015
Arriving Spring 2017
Indigenous yeasts, whites kept on lees for extra fat and texture.
Chassagne Montrachet Baudines 1er Cru. $65 per bottle.
Chassagne Montrachet Embrazees 1er Cru. $65 per bottle.
Vincent et Sophie Morey 2015
Arriving December 2016
Wines are plumper, more fruit forward than Thomas Morey’s style.
Puligny Montrachet Truffiere 1er Cru. $79 per bottle.
Chassagne Montrachet Embrazees 1er Cru. $59 per bottle
Etienne Sauzet 2015
Arriving Spring 2017
These wines are a superb balance of intensity and elegance.
Allocations will be formatted in the near future. Stay Tuned!
