Rare & Classic: Mongeard-Mugneret Grands Echezeaux 2012 – August 2016

Domaine Mongeard-Mugneret Grands Echezeaux Grand Cru 2012 750ML ($219.95) Buy Now: $189

Tucked behind the Clos de Vougeot, and on the same little road as Vosne’s Les Suchots, the Grands-Echézeaux vineyard could hardly be better situated. Known for producing Grand Cru wines of structure and definition, Grands-Echézeaux lives up to its reputation chez Domaine Mongeard-Mugneret. Their 2.5 acre plot hosts vines from 40 to 70 years old. Accordingly, the wine they make has good color, a full body, and a rich, sturdy backbone, perfect for its dose of 100% new oak. On the nose, this wine shows leathery, spiced, and animal notes over black fruit and mushrooms. Its tannins soften into velvet over time, but this Grand Cru definitely needs ageing.… Read the rest

Wine of the Day: Bodegas Roda, Rioja 8-10-16

Bodegas Roda Reserva, Rioja DOCa 2010 750ML ($49.95) Buy Now: $39 special

Bodegas Roda ‘Roda I’ Reserva, Rioja DOCa 2008 750ML ($69.95) Buy Now: $49 special

Bodegas Roda Sela, Rioja DOCa 2012 750ML ($34.95) Buy Now: $26 special

Case-12 Bodegas Roda Sela, Rioja DOCa 2012 750ML ($399.95) Buy Now: $269 special

rodaiselaTempranillo remains a grape unmastered by anyone outside of Spain. The Ribera del Duero has become famous for its version of Iberia’s noblest grape, but the world’s finest Tempranillo still comes from La Rioja. Perfect growing conditions aside, La Rioja possesses a centuries-old tradition of Tempranillo winemaking, which usually blends in some Graciano, Mazuelo, and/or Grenache. Today, styles vary in La Rioja, and amongst the more modern wineries Bodegas Roda stands out.… Read the rest

Wine of the Day: Andre Dezat & Fils Domaine Thibault Pouilly-Fume 2014 8-9-16

Andre Dezat & Fils Domaine Thibault Pouilly-Fume, Loire 2014 750ML ($24.95) Buy Now: $18.80 special

Case-12 Andre Dezat & Fils Domaine Thibault Pouilly-Fume, Loire 2014 750ML ($249.95) Buy Now: $199 special

Stunningly aromatic, precise, and refreshing: this is Sauvignon Blanc at its finest. Andre Dezat took over the family estate (founded in 1550) back in 1948, and today his sons and grandsons help grow and make beautiful Loire wines. Pouilly-Fumé offers a flinty note thanks to the soil, and the 2014 Domaine Thibault by Andre Dezat also delivers a bouquet of citrus, peach, and pear. At the end of this balanced white comes the characteristic grassiness of the Sauvignon Blanc grape, begging for fresh seafood or an assortment of fine cheeses.… Read the rest

Wine of the Day: Domaine Gachot-Monot Cote de Nuits-Villages 2012 8-4-16

Domaine Gachot-Monot Cote de Nuits-Villages 2012 750ML ($37.95) Buy Now: $21.90

Case-12 Domaine Gachot-Monot Cote de Nuits-Villages 2012 750ML ($349.95) Buy Now: $219 (That’s only $18.25/bottle!)

The notion of affordable Burgundy is beginning to sound as believable as a used car salesman’s pitch. But that bouquet of freshly crushed berries, of spice and violet and forest floor… That silky smooth mouth feel, refreshing acidity, and lingering finesse… The lover of Pinot Noir cannot abstain from such pleasures, especially when the wine comes from the Côte d’Or. Thankfully, producers like Gachot-Monot exist. Based in the town of Corgoloin, just south of Nuits-Saint-Georges, Damien Gachot represents the fifth generation of winemakers at his family’s estate. His 2012 Côte de Nuits-Villages stands out. Not just affordable, it is all that good red Burgundy should be: fragrant, balanced, elegant, and addictively delicious.… Read the rest

Rare & Classic – Bordeaux: Clos Fourtet 2012 – August 2016

Clos Fourtet, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2012 750ML ($149.95) Buy Now: $119

If you’ve driven to the town of St. Emilion you’ve probably seen Château Clos Fourtet, its rose bush-ended vineyard rows, and the classic château itself. Built in 1790, the stone manor sits atop one of Bordeaux’s best limestone-hewn cellars. And ever since Philippe Cuvelier purchased Clos Fourtet in 2001, the wines laid down in that cellar have only been better: the 2009 Clos Fourtet garnered 100 points from Robert Parker. Few vintages deliver like 2009, but 2012 was kindest to Merlot, which constitutes 86% of this Premier Grand Cru Classé (the rest being 10% Cab Sauvignon, 4% Cab Franc): a decidedly Right Bank year. Praised by critics from the USA, France, and the UK, the 2012 Clos Fourtet is drinking well now, but has a long life ahead still.… Read the rest