𝑬𝒏𝒕𝒓𝒆 𝑫𝒆𝒖𝒙 𝑩𝒍𝒆𝒖𝒔, 2016

To a start, the nose had some matchstick, yeasty and croissant-like notes backed by some yellow apple. It opened up and offered fresh citrus, lemon peel, apricot, wax, honey, dried ginger and roasted nuts. Some smokey, stony and oystershell notes.

The palate is medium-bodied, tight and with a crispy and sharp acidity, that rounded over some time making it perfectly balanced. Ripe red apple, dried pear, lemon and red grapefruit, pickled ginger, fennel and walnut. Long finish, quite salt and super mineral.

• Hand-harvested from the famous Grass terroir

• 24 months in French oak barrels (small and big)

Kenjiro Kagami is very highly spoken and pretty much on every Jura-lovers’ lips. Everything about this domaine is small, except for prices and the international demand.

The name ‘Miroirs’ itself is both a play on his name in Japanese and he believes in an expression of the “Mirror” between himself, the wines and the terroir.

 ⭐️93+/100⭐️ 𝑬𝒏𝒕𝒓𝒆 𝑫𝒆𝒖𝒙 𝑩𝒍𝒆𝒖𝒔, 2016 📍Côtes du Jura, Jura

𝑴𝒆𝒖𝒓𝒔𝒂𝒖𝒍𝒕-𝑮𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒓𝒊𝒆̀𝒓𝒆𝒔 1𝒆𝒓 𝑪𝒓𝒖, 2015

Right in the middle of the Beverly Hills area of white wines, Côte du Beaune, Meursault is home to some of the most prestigeous Chardonnays in the world.

For 300 years, this domaine has been run by the Latour family, who merged with the Giraud family in 1958 to the current configuration.

Since the 90s, winemaker Jean-Pierre Latour has been the main figure and the man behind the domaine’s more recent succes - implementation of organic practices, lower yields, natural yeast and cellar investments.

* The 1er cru of Les Genevrieres, located in the kind of central-southern part of Meursault, are named after the juniper bushes planted next to the vineyard. The soils are mainly clay and limestone, and due to the location and the sun exposure of the slope, it’s often one of the earliest 1er crus to be harvested in Meursault. The wine profile are often fat and rich in structure with high minerality.

* Aged 15-17 months in barriques (25% new Allier and Vosges oak)

Unfortunately, it was quite closed this time. It slowly opened a bit, bit it lacked of intensity especially on the nose.

After some hours, the wine offered aromas of nectarine, peach, honey, bees wax, hay loft, lemoncurd and roasted pines. It was complemented by a hint of whipped cream and petrol, a bit of vanilla and chalk.

The palate is well balanced; medium-bodied, stony and mineral and medium+ acidity. Flavours of quince, Meyer lemon, fennel, whitecurrant and nuts. It’s a bit bitter on the finish at this stage.

Less full than expected and potential for higher score when not this closed.

 ⭐️91+/100⭐️ 𝑴𝒆𝒖𝒓𝒔𝒂𝒖𝒍𝒕-𝑮𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒓𝒊𝒆̀𝒓𝒆𝒔 1𝒆𝒓 𝑪𝒓𝒖, 2015 📍Meursault

2017 Joseph Drouhin - Beaune 1er Cru Clos des Mouches Blanc (94 pts)

ℹ️ The wine is 💯 Chardonnay from the Beaune Premier Cru Clos des Mouches in Burgundy. A "Clos" is an enclosed or walled vineyard. "Mouches" typically translates as flies, but bees locally are referred to as "mouches à miel" or honey flies. This Clos historically contained beehives, hence the name. This vineyard is the single largest cru holding of Joseph Drouhin in Côte d'Or at 14 hectares (50% Pinot Noir and 50% Chardonnay). The vineyard has been organically farmed since 1990, with Biodynamic farming starting a few years later. The grapes are hand-harvested, pressed slowly, and then transferred directly to barrel where indigenous yeasts start the fermentation. The wine is aged in French oak barrels for 12-15 months with 25% new oak.

👃 Medium+ intensity on the nose. Aromas of preserved lemon, citrus pith, yellow peach, orange zest, lemon verbena, olive oil, oak, toasted almond, and salted butter.

👄 The wine is dry, medium acidity, medium+ alcohol (13.5%), and full body. The wine is very broad on the palate, almost oily (in a good way). A long length finish of lightly grilled peach, preserved lemon, and bitter almond.

🔔 2017 Clos des Mouches Blanc shows a great range of flavors on the nose that are starting to meld together on the palate. The core of this wine is quite powerful and still needs time to unfurl. The extremely long finish highlights the concentration. I have always been a bit more smitten with the Blanc over the Rouge, and the 2017 vintage confirms that once again. For good reasons, this wine is an iconic wine from Joseph Drouhin. If you are patient, waiting at least 3-5 years should take this up a notch. Never a bad thing to have in the cellar.

 2017 Joseph Drouhin - Beaune 1er Cru Clos des Mouches Blanc

Domaine Yvon Clerget - Volnay 1er Cru Les Caillerets (93 pts)

ℹ️ This Domaine is currently under it's 28th generation with roots going back to the 13th century. 😱 These vines are currently around 60 years of age, around 40 at the time of bottling. In 2009 Yvon Clerget retired. Afterwards they sold the fruit until his son Thibaud completed is education and apprenticeship. His first vintage was in 2015 and apparently he has leveled up the wines 🍷·

👁 Medium garnet core with a pale tawny rim. Showing its age·

👃Medium intensity on the nose. Aromas of dried cherry, dried strawberry, red plum, smoked meat, subtle oak, charcoal brick, and a touch of leather·

👄 The wine is dry, medium+ zippy acidity, medium- present and fine tannins, medium alcohol, and medium- body. Red plum, dried cranberry, dried cherry, dried leaves, cinnamon spice, smoke, and charcoal brick. The finish is medium+ length and picks up to end on ripe red fruit notes·

🔔 Review written on day 2. This wine has aged well, but is at peak and will hang here a bit before a slow decline. There is something beautiful about a wine at full maturity that cannot be replicated. The wine shows great acidity, tannins still have some grip, and the texture overall is wonderful. I love how everything has come together and with a nice dried red fruit flavor profile. A happy acquisition 😃 from auction, can't wait to taste the wines from

 Domaine Yvon Clerget - Volnay 1er Cru Les Caillerets (93

Albert Bichot Virtual Tasting and Interview with Matthieu Mangenot

🎙 Join my Instagram Live interview with Matthieu Mangenot, the Assistant Technical Director at Domaines Albert Bichot, on Thursday, April 1st, at 9:00 am PST / 6:00 pm CET. Matthieu and I will discuss the history of Albert Bichot, which was founded in 1831. We will be discussing the Terroir of Chablis through the lens of Domaine Long-Depaquit. The history of their monopole "Moutonne" in Chablis Grand Cru. Then we will go to the Côte de Beaune and discuss the village of Pommard. Clos des Ursulines is a monopole lieu-dit of Domaine du Pavillon on the southern end of the village bordering Volnay. We will discuss how Volnay and Pommard can be so close in proximity, yet the wines are so different.

🍷 We will taste 2018 Domaine Long-Depaquit Chablis 1er Cru Les Vaillons, 2015 Domaine Long-Depaquit Chablis Grand Cru Moutonne, and 2018 Domaine du Pavillon Pommard Clos des Ursulines. Please join our Instagram Live and participate in the conversation. Don't forget to click the reminder in the stories.

 Albert Bichot Virtual Tasting and Interview with Matthieu

2018 Bouchard Père & Fils - Beaune-Grèves 1er Cru Vigne de L'Enfant Jésus (93 pts)

ℹ️ This wine is 💯 Pinot Noir from the Beaune-Grèves Premier Cru appellation. More specifically, it is a lieu-dit vineyard named Vigne de L'Enfant Jésus but often referred to as simply "Baby Jesus." This property's name comes from an old story that Marguerite du Saint Sacrament predicted the birth of Louis XIV, even though his mother was sterile. After the birth of the future King of France, this vineyard was renamed. Bouchard Père & Fils bought the vineyard in 1791, and the 32-hectare property has been a monopole since then. The fruit is hand-harvested and partially destemmed. The wine is aged 12 to 14 months in French oak barrels with around 40% new oak. The wine is aged in the historic Château de Beaune.

👃 Medium intensity on the nose. Aromas of ripe black currant, black cherry, pomegranate, oak, toast, cinnamon, beef roast, earthy, dried leaves, violets, and black tea.

👄 The wine is dry, medium+ acidity, medium ripe grainy tannins, medium+ alcohol (13.5%), and medium+ body. A medium+ length finish of ripe black fruit, oak spice, and tea leaves.

🔔  Baby Jesus is one of the jewels of the Bouchard Père & Fils portfolio with a lovely balance of ripe, yet crunchy, black fruit with oak spices, a slightly savory edge, and earthy tea notes. This wine is still very young with a lot of primary fruit and oak influence. As these flavors meld, it should improve further over the next 5-7 years. This wine is always an ambassador of Beaune.

 2018 Bouchard Père & Fils - Beaune-Grèves 1er Cru Vigne de

Bouchard Père & Fils Instagram Live Interview and Virtual Tasting with Frédéric Wéber

🎙 Join the Instagram Live with Frédéric Wéber, the Cellar Master of Bouchard Père & Fils, on November 5th at 9 am PST / 6 pm France. Bouchard Père & Fils has been making wine since 1731. They are one of Burgundy's oldest wine merchants and one of the largest vineyard owners in Côte d'Or. They are also the most prominent owner of Beaune Premier Cru vineyards. We will discuss the differences in making Domaine and Maison wines. A high-level overview of the 2018 vintage given the comprehensive view of so many wines. We will discuss sustainable farming and the move to full organic certification for such a large landowner. We will discuss some of the crown jewels of the estate.

🍷 We will taste three iconic wines of  Bouchard Père & Fils from the 2018 vintage: Le Corton Grand Cru, Beaune Grèves Vigne de L’Enfant Jésus Premier Cru, and Beaune Clos Saint-Landy Premier Cru (Monopole). Please join the Instagram Live session and participate in the conversation. Don't forget to click the reminder in the stories.

 Bouchard Père & Fils Instagram Live Interview and Virtual

Maison Joseph Drouhin  and Domaine Drouhin Oregon Virtual Tasting and Interview with Véronique Drouhin·

🎙 Join my Instagram Live interview with Véronique Drouhin, Head Winemaker across Maison Joseph Drouhin

 , on Wednesday, June 17th, at 9:00 am PST·

🇫🇷 Véronique will talk about the difference between Domaine wines and Maison wines. The estate owns 80 hectares of vineyards that are all farmed Biodynamically. We will talk about Drouhin-Vaudon in Chablis, Gevrey Chambertin, and the flagship wines of Beaune 1er Cru Clos des Mouches·

🇺🇸 Véronique will talk about the reason the family expanded into Oregon and, more specifically, the Dundee Hills. She will also cover the new expansion in Eola-Amity Hills with the Roserock brand. Lastly, we will discuss how Oregon can expedite finding its equivalent of Premier Cru and Grand Cru sites·

🍷 We will taste a selection from Burgundy and Oregon. Please join our Instagram Live and participate in the conversation. Don't forget to click the reminder in the stories·

 Maison Joseph Drouhin  and Domaine Drouhin Oregon Virtual

1988 Comte Armand - Pommard 1er Cru Clos des Epeneaux Monopole

ℹ️ This wine is 💯 Pinot Noir from the premier cru enclosed vineyard of Clos des Epeneaux in Pommard. Comte Armand exclusively owns this vineyard.

👁 Medium garnet color with a pale rim.

👃 Medium- intensity on the nose. Aromas of dried red berries, black truffle, dried leaves, earthy, and rosehip.

👄 The wine is dry, medium+ acidity, medium grippy tannins, medium alcohol (~13%), and medium body. The fruit has faded away, but the tannins are still there in force. A medium length finish, but mostly astringency and earthy notes.

🔔 1988 Red Burgundy was a low-yielding and concentrated vintage. In many cases, the wines can be pretty austere. I am unsure if this wine is past prime or if the structural components are now just out of balance with the fruit concentration. As a wine geek, it is always fun to try older wines, but hitting that sweet spot is very fickle.

 1988 Comte Armand - Pommard 1er Cru Clos des Epeneaux

2017 Joseph Drouhin - Beaune 1er Cru Clos des Mouches Rouge (93 pts)

ℹ️ The wine is 💯 Pinot Noir from the Beaune Premier Cru Clos des Mouches in Burgundy. A "Clos" is an enclosed or walled vineyard. "Mouches" typically translates as flies, but bees locally are referred to as "mouches à miel" or honey flies. This Clos historically contained beehives, hence the name. This vineyard is the single largest cru holding of Joseph Drouhin in Côte d'Or at 14 hectares (50% Pinot Noir and 50% Chardonnay). The vineyard is Organic farming since 1990, with Biodynamic farming starting a few years later. The grapes are hand-harvested, around 30% whole cluster, only indigenous yeast fermentation, and daily punch-downs during fermentation. The wine is aged in French oak barrels for 14-18 months with 20% new oak.

👃 Medium+ intensity on the nose. Aromas of ripe red cherry, raspberry, red currant, rosehip (stemmy), peonies, oak, cinnamon, Earl Grey tea, and orange zest.

👄 The wine is dry, medium+ acidity, medium- ripe tannins, medium+ alcohol (13.5%), and medium+ body. A medium+ length finish of ripe crunchy red fruit, freshly ground cinnamon, and Earl Grey tea.

🔔 Clos des Mouches Rouge is a very underrated bottle of wine, in my opinion. This is one of the most iconic wines from Beaune and Joseph Drouhin. The Blanc is fabulous too, but that is for another post. Great mouthfeel that coats your palate but stays bright with good acidity. Subtle complexity added through stem inclusion and deft use of new oak. An excellent example of classic restraint, but still very accessible when young. The 2017 vintage will improve with additional time in the cellar.

 2017 Joseph Drouhin - Beaune 1er Cru Clos des Mouches Rouge

🍷👨🏼‍💻 I am so happy to see the wine industry adapting to wine education in the digital age, a great presentation on some of the regional and village appellations. Also, an interesting platform that involved a team quiz and tasting.

 🍷👨🏼‍💻 I am so happy to see the wine industry adapting to wine

2018 Bouchard Père & Fils - Beaune 1er Cru Clos Saint-Landry (91 pts)

ℹ️ This wine is 💯 Chardonnay from a Premier Cru of Beaune in Burgundy. Clos Saint-Landry is a monopole of Bouchard Père & Fils since 1791. The walled vineyard is 1.98 hectares. The soils are limestone and clay marl. The wine is aged 9 to 10 months in French oak barrels with up to 15% new oak and followed by 3 to 4 months in stainless steel vats.

👃 Medium intensity on the nose. Aromas of ripe white peach, apricot, Asian pear, kumquat, grapefruit pith, acacia, and Greek yogurt.

👄 The wine is dry, medium acidity, medium alcohol (13%), and medium+ body. The palate has a beautiful texture and is quite broad. A medium length finish of orchard fruit and creamy yogurt.

🔔 Beaune is Pinot Noir territory, so it is fun to taste a Chardonnay with such a long history in this monopole. The 2018 Clos Saint-Landry is primarily fruit-driven on the nose and offers up a plush texture on the palate, making this extremely pleasurable to drink now. This wine is an interesting juxtaposition to the red wines of Beaune that can be earthier and more savory.

 2018 Bouchard Père & Fils - Beaune 1er Cru Clos

interview with Matthieu Mangenot, the Assistant Technical Director at Domaines Albert Bichot.

Matthieu and I discussed the history of Albert Bichot, which was founded in 1831. We discussed the Terroir of Chablis through the lens of Domaine Long-Depaquit. The history of their monopole "Moutonne" in Chablis Grand Cru. Then we went to the Côte de Beaune and discuss the village of Pommard. Clos des Ursulines is a monopole lieu-dit of Domaine du Pavillon on the southern end of the village bordering Volnay.

🍷 We tasted 2018 Domaine Long-Depaquit Chablis 1er Cru Les Vaillons, 2015 Domaine Long-Depaquit Chablis Grand Cru Moutonne, and 2018 Domaine du Pavillon Pommard Clos des Ursulines. Special thank you to Matthieu Mangenot for answering all of my questions and the e tire team at Domaines Albert Bichot.

 interview with Matthieu Mangenot, the Assistant Technical

2018 Domaine Bouchard Père & Fils - Le Corton Grand Cru (94 pts)

ℹ️ This wine is 💯 Pinot Noir from the Corton Grand Cru appellation, the only red Grand Cru in the Côte de Beaune. This wine is labeled "Le Corton," which means that it comes from a specific lieu-dit vineyard of that name and not the broader Grand Cru appellation. There are 32 lieux-dits in the Corton appellation, but only a handful are found on labels. The fruit is hand-harvested, and 20% stem inclusion was used in fermentation. The wine was aged 12 to 14 months in French oak barrels with around 50% new oak.

👃 Medium+ intensity on the nose. Aromas of ripe red currant, cherry, peonies, roses, dried leaves, oak, cinnamon spice, rosehip, and Earl Grey tea.

👄 The wine is dry, medium+ acidity, medium fine-grained tannins, medium+ alcohol (14%), and medium+ body. A long length finish highlighting flavors of ripe red fruits, subtle wood notes, and floral notes that linger on.

🔔 It has been a long time since I have a wine that floral on the nose and palate. Yes, there are crunchy red fruits and well-integrated oak, but these florals are the real highlight. I will admit I was surprised that the bottle said 14% ABV as I didn't notice it. This wine can age for a decade or two, but it is lovely right now. Classy juice!

 2018 Domaine Bouchard Père & Fils - Le Corton Grand Cru (94

2009 Domaine François Raveneau - Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons (94 pts)

ℹ️ This wine is 💯 Chardonnay from the Vaillons climat of the Chablis Premier Cru appellation in Burgundy, France. Grapes are hand-harvested, gently pressed, and then fermented in vats. The wine is transferred to barrel for malolactic fermentation. Then the wine is aged in older oak barrels for 18 months, and there is a tiny percentage of new oak.

👃 Medium+ intensity on the nose. Aromas of lemon pith, citrus oil, yuzu, yellow apple, nectarine, flint, peat, salted butter, oyster brine, acacia, and dandelions.

👄 The wine is dry, high electric acidity, medium alcohol (13%), and medium body. A bit more weight and ripe fruit upon entry, but the acidity and overall texture quickly cut through. A long length finish of lemon pith, dried flowers, brine, and flint.

🔔 Raveneau is the benchmark of Chablis for a reason. This wine is concentrated but delicate at the same time. The acidity drives this wine from start to finish but takes your tongue on a journey from ripe fruit to florals to savory, earthy notes. 2009 Vaillons is just starting to enter its drinking window, quickly shedding some reduction with a healthy amount of air. For a 2009 vintage, it showed a touch leaner than I was expecting. Overall, a stellar wine on any account. 🤩

 2009 Domaine François Raveneau - Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons

2014 Domaine Cecile Tremblay - Chambolle-Musigny Les Cabottes (93 pts)

ℹ️ This wine is 💯 Pinot Noir. The Les Cabottes grapes come from three different lieux-dits of the Chambolle-Musigny commune in Burgundy, France. The Domaine is practicing organic and Biodynamic Viticulture. Grapes are mostly destemmed although more and more whole cluster is being used. Wines are aged 15 to 18 months in French oak barrels with about a third new oak, then bottled unfined and unfiltered.

👃 Medium+ intensity on the nose. Aromas of potpourri, violets, peonies, ripe black cherry, raspberry, red plum, coriander seed, flint, and slight mint tea.

👄 The wine is dry, medium+ acidity, medium- soft tannins, medium alcohol (13%), and medium body. Great texture on the palate. A medium+ length finish of ripe red and black fruit, rosewater, and wet rock.

🔔 The 2014 Les Cabottes started a bit reductive when first poured, but after hours in a decanter, it was worth revisiting at the end of the meal. The nose was a veritable bouquet with roses, violets, peonies, and some flower pot water as well. Still tightly wound, this wine needs considerable more time to unfurl truly. These wines are utterly impossible to find, but I look forward to hunting some more down. Hard to believe it was just a village-level wine.

 2014 Domaine Cecile Tremblay - Chambolle-Musigny Les

1990 Domaine Ramonet - Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Morgeot (96 pts)·

ℹ️ This wine is 💯 Chardonnay from a Premier Cru vineyard of Morgeot in the village of Chassagne-Montrachet in Burgundy, France. Morgeot is the largest Premier Cru vineyard in Chassagne-Montrachet. Morgeot is situated near – and named for – the Abbaye de Morgeot at the southern end of Chassagne-Montrachet village. The soil of Morgeot is made up of a heavier clay-gravel mix than the climats further up the hill. Based on Bathonian limestone, it is free-draining and helps to encourage deep root growth to access mineral-laden water deeper in the ground·

👁 Medium+ gold color with slight amber hue·

👃 Medium intensity on the nose. Aromas of lemon pith, lemon custard, baked yellow apple, baked pear, grilled nectarine, crème brûlée, salted almond, and chrysanthemum tea·

👄 The wine is dry, medium acidity, medium+ alcohol (13.5%), and medium+ body. A chalky texture to the wine. Medium+ length finish of baked stone fruit, salted almond, and chrysanthemum tea·

🔔 This bottle is damn near a perfectly aged example of Ramonet. The charm of properly aged white Burgundy is not lost on me. The wine comes together on the palate so harmoniously. The wins has weight and concentration that have been subdued, resulting in newfound nuance. A savory salted nut component on the nose and then mingles with a chalk-like texture on the palate adds another dimension. The dried flower or flower tea notes became more apparent as the wine opened up with air. Thought-provoking juice 🤔💭·

 1990 Domaine Ramonet - Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Morgeot

2002 Domaine Fourrier - Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Les Cherbaudes Vieille Vignes (93 pts)

ℹ️ This wine is 💯 Pinot Noir from the Premier Cru Les Cherbaudes in the village of Gevrey-Chambertin in Burgundy's Côte de Nuits. The vines were planted in 1940 on a parcel that is just below the Grand Cru Mazis-Chambertin. The grapes are hand-harvested, destemmed, with spontaneous fermentation in stainless steel tanks. The wine is aged for 18-20 months in French oak barrels with around 20% new oak. The wines are bottled unfined, unfiltered, and with no added sulfur.

👃 Medium+ intensity on the nose. Aromas of ripe sour cherry, red currant, smoke, dried leaves, peppery spice, earthy, wet rock, and a slight herbal note (aloe).

👄 The wine is dry, medium+ acidity, medium- soft tannins, medium+ alcohol (13.5%), and medium body. More mineral notes of wet rock and charcoal on the palate. A medium+ length finish of ripe and tart sour cherries, wet stone, and aloe.

🔔 It is always fun to try a wine with a bit more age from a highly regarded Producer like Domaine Fourrier. I have always found that Les Cherbaudes was quite open and soft compared with many of the other cuvées. 2002 was a great vintage, but Fourrier hit their stride a few vintages after this one. Very enjoyable and definitely in the right drinking window. I found the slight cooling aloe vera flavor quite exciting and not often encountered. A decent amount of spice as well. Everything on this wine was in the right place, and it just shows you that sometimes less is more.

 2002 Domaine Fourrier - Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Les

Exploring a Star Micro-Negociant in Burgundy - Checkout Episode 7 (https://youtu.be/JDfCL27DOyQ)

.co I am a huge fan of this producer and they have been killing it! Please watch the video.

 Exploring a Star Micro-Negociant in Burgundy - Checkout

2005 Domaine Ponsot - Chapelle Chambertin Grand Cru (96 pts)

ℹ️ This wine is 💯 Pinot Noir from the Grand Cru vineyard of Chapelle-Chambertin, which is in the northern part of Côte de Nuits in Burgundy, France. Domaine Ponsot only uses barrels that are a minimum of five years old that they purchase from other domaines. The wines spend up to two years in barrel. The wines are bottled unfined and unfiltered.

👁 Medium+ ruby color and slightly cloudy (unfiltered).

👃 Medium intensity on the nose. Aromas of ripe Bing cherry, red currant, cranberry reduction, red plum, rose stems, sage, thyme, sanguine, and freshly turned topsoil.

👄 The wine is dry, medium acidity, medium- powdery tannins, medium alcohol (13.2%), and medium+ body. The palate is more expressive than the nose showing a mix of ripe fruit and savory notes. The texture is plush and silky. A long length finish showcasing ripe to preserved red fruits, sage, and sanguine (iron and meaty) notes.

🔔 Domaine Ponsot wines fresh out the gate tend to be quite bold and powerful but never oaky. This 2005 Chapelle Chambertin is just starting to hit its prime and may continue to improve. The nose is predominantly ripe fruit and herbs. The palate explodes with flavor that has a kaleidoscope of fruits, herbs, florals, and savory notes. This bottle needed a few hours of air before it was showing the full spectrum of flavors. A stunning wine, but I will probably wait a few more years before opening another bottle.

 2005 Domaine Ponsot - Chapelle Chambertin Grand Cru (96

2014 Maison Chantereves - Bourgogne Pinot Noir (88 pts)

- Pale ruby color. Medium intensity on the nose. Aromas of red cherry, red currant, cranberry, violets, and wet stone. Medium+ acidity, medium- fine grained tannins, medium alcohol, and medium body. No noticeable new oak as expected. Flavors of red cherry, cranberry, herbal tea, cherry blossom, and violets. Medium length finish that ends on a solid floral note. The wine is simple, straightforward, and varietally correct. A value pinot noir from burgundy? Honestly with the premier cru and grand cru prices skyrocketing, this wine offers a lot for the money. Good job Becky Wasserman & Company for bringing this stateside.

 2014 Maison Chantereves - Bourgogne Pinot Noir (88 pts)

Domaine Méo-Camuzet and Nicolas-Jay Interview and Virtual Tasting with Jean-Nicolas Méo·

🎙 Join my Instagram Live interview with Jean-Nicolas Méo owner and winemaker of Domaine Méo-Camuzet

_meo_camuzet in Vosne-Romanée and co-founder and winemaker of Nicolas Jay

 in Oregon on July 15th at 9:00 am PST / 6:00 pm CET. Méo-Camuzet is one of the most celebrated domaines of the Côte d’Or, located in the heart of prestigious Vosne-Romanée. The Domaine boasts fourteen hectares of land in some of the most spectacular appellations and crus of Burgundy. Nicolas-Jay is the story of a three-decade friendship between famed Burgundian winemaker Jean-Nicolas Meo and visionary music entrepreneur Jay Boberg, and their shared love of Oregon Pinot Noir. It is also the story of their desire to build something lasting together while creating a distinctive expression of great Willamette Valley Pinot Noir·

🍷 Jean-Nicolas selected two wines from Burgundy and two from Oregon to compare and contrast. From Domaine Méo-Camuzet, we will taste the 2017 Nuits-Saint-Georges Aux Boudots 1er Cru and 2017 Corton Les Perrières Grand Cru. From Nicolas-Jay, we will taste the 2017 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir and the 2017 Bishop Creek Yamhill-Carlton Pinot Noir. Please join our Instagram Live and participate in the conversation. Don't forget to click the reminder in the stories·

 Domaine Méo-Camuzet and Nicolas-Jay Interview and Virtual

𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐠𝐡𝐢𝐚 (𝐆𝐚𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐨 & 𝐆𝐢𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐨 𝐁𝐢𝐧𝐢) 𝒁𝒊𝒃𝒊𝒃𝒃𝒐 𝑩𝒊𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒐, 2014

📍Pantalleria, Terre Siciliane, Italy🇮🇹

🍇 100% Zibibbo (Muscat d’Alexandria)

In a former life Gabrio Bini was an eccentric architect in Milan. Now, he’s a an eccentric winemaker in a very eccentric place: the tiny volcanic island of Pantelleria, located just south—west of Sicily.

Since the foundation of Serragghia in 2000, Gabrio has become a legend - a cult figure when it comes to natural wine - because of his skills in the toughest natural environment, and because of his personality. Today, Gabrio and his son Giotto run the winery together.

+60 years old bush vines located on some of the highest vineyards on the island - extreme sun exposure balanced with the cool breeze from the ocean and the altitude. The vineyards have never seen any chemicals, are biodynamically farmed and tended by hand and horse

• Aged 7 months on the skin in Spanish amphoras, that are buried in the vineyards, and a few months in the bottle.

• Unfined, unfiltered and no added sulphur.

Wow!!! Extremely expressive on the nose and very tropical, offering notes of grilled mango and pineapple, orange oil, dried papaya, canned peach, dried apricot, rosemary and some undefinable herbs and a smoked/burnt scent.

The palate is almost vulgarly rich and “warm” with silky soft tannins and medium(+) acidity. On the tongue; sweet/sour unfiltered apple juice, kumquats in syrup, mango, passion fruit, candied citrus, almonds and yeast. The finish is long with lots of minerality - mainly salt.

 ⭐️92+/100⭐️ 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐠𝐡𝐢𝐚 (𝐆𝐚𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐨 & 𝐆𝐢𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐨 𝐁𝐢𝐧𝐢) 𝒁𝒊𝒃𝒊𝒃𝒃𝒐 𝑩𝒊𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒐

𝐃𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐅𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐢𝐬 𝐑𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐚𝐮 𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒊𝒔, 2012

Dom. Francois Raveneau, arguably the most celebrated estate of Chablis, was establish in 1948. After WWII, the economy in Chablis was in bad condition and the region was hit by phylloxera, so many wineries sold off parcels. Francois saw the potential and secured himself af few parcels here and the on some of the best 1er and Grand Crus in Chablis (approx. 9he in total)

The exceptional Raveneaus are a combination of the greatest holdings, low yield and quality consistency.

Francois passed away in 1995, and today, François’ sons, Bernard and Jean-Marie, direct the domaine with their father’s philosophy in both the vineyards and the cellar.

* The pressed juice is left to settle, and then racked off its lees into cuve to ferment.

* Elevation: 18 months in older oak barrel and feuillette (a local barrel size holding 114-132 liters)

Extremely clean expression of Chardonnay!

Expressive aromas of ripe pear, yellow apple, dandelion, mild soured cream, lemon curd, freshly cut Meyer lemon, white flowers, flint, seashell and a slightly waxy touch.

The palate is medium-bodied with great acidity. Crispy and milky at the same time. Peach, baked apple, lemon zest and juice, almond and “unsalted parmesan”. Long finish with huge minerality - salt and chalky.

 ⭐️92/100⭐️ 𝐃𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐅𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐢𝐬 𝐑𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐚𝐮 𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒊𝒔, 2012 📍Chablis

Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru “Les Amoureses”, 2016

📍Chambolle-Musigny, Bourgogne, France🇫🇷

This small but high quality domaine has holdings in the top vineyards in Chambolle such as the Grand Cru “Bonnes-Mares”, 1er Cru “Les Amoureuses” and “Les Charmes”, with vines that are around 45 years old. Bertheau has been in the business since 1984, and took over the management of the winery in 2004 carrying the philosophy of as much hand-off winemaking as possible. The domaine is certified as biodynamic with no intervention in the cellar - only indigonous yeasts, little remontage and pigeage and mainly use of 2-3 year old barrels to let the wine express itself as pure and typical for the terroir as possible.

“Les Amoureses” might be the most hailed 1er Cru vineyard in Bourgogne. There’s a general agreement in the fact, that it outshines some of the Grand Crus (and should be counted as one).

What a sensual and beautiful young wine! The bouquet needs some time to show off, but wow, the fruit and floral scents were magnificent, pure and intense with notes of blueberry, amarena cherry, violet and rose petals (with a green touch of stem), chocolate, hibiscus, warm baking spices and mild toasted oak.

The palate is soft and bold with a refined, balancing acidity.  The taste is very youthful offering fresh raspberry, cranberry juice, candied orange peel, black tea, white pepper and a dark touch of sweet cranberry sauce - a fine, medium long mineral finish.

It might sound like any other good Pinot Noir from the tasting notes, but this one is extremely well made with great elegance, power and structure. What a wine!

 ⭐️93/100⭐️ Domaine Francois Bertheau Chambolle-Musigny 1er

From one giant to another in this fantastic lineup...

Maybe the best Shiraz from Australian ground - the elegant and rare “Warhorse”-singlevinyard wine from

The legendary hilltop of Sorì Tildìn in Barbaresco, named after Giovanni and Angelos mother/grandmothe, is the origin to this iconic wine,

 , is known for his fantastic and complex wines with a perfect symbiosis between powerful oak and minerality. A hard to get finesse of which he masters brilliantly.

Quality combined with geography and history makes the

) one of the world’s most prestigious wines..

Some unique experiences await in the nearer future🍷🔥

 From one giant to another in this fantastic lineup... Maybe

📍Côte de Beaune, Bourgogne, France🇫🇷

Domaine Bouchard, established in 1731, is one of the oldest wineries in Bourgogne and also the largest owner of Premier- and Grand Crus in Côte d’Or with around 12 hectares of Grand Crus  and 74 hectares of 1er Crus. Besides this, they also buy high quality grapes.

Like almost all great wineries, this one has also had its ups and downs through the years. But especially after Joseph Henriot bought the estate back in 1995, the quality has risen enormously - especially with the modernisation of the winery in 2005.

A funny story, true or not, is that the vines of Corton-Charlemagne (named after Charles the Great, ruling from 768-814) required a part of the hill of Corton planted with Chardonnay, because red wine discolored his beard…

Their own vines have been organically cultivated since 2000 without certificate (applied for in 2020).

The Corton-Charlemagne is rested 13 months in French oak of 15% new ones (varies a bit depending on the vintage).

Very heavy aromas from this one! You can almost feel the fatness inside you nose. Elements of pineapple, yellow plum and apple, lemon curd, aged hard cheese, butterscotch, honey, candied ginger, smoke (from the btw very well integrated oak), buttercup, fresh yellow hay, minerality and mild menthol.

The palate is full-bodied with only medium(-) acidity. It’s a Chardonnay concentrate, almost oily in texture. Warm yellow fruits mixed with brioche, lemongrass, unsalted peanuts, honey and s nice (baking)spicy finish. The minerality is very fine, and together with the use of oak, quite a nice structure balances the general weight.

Picture from Enomania in September. Can’t wait for restaurants/bars to reopen🥺

 ⭐️92+/100⭐️ Domaine Bouchard Père & Fils Corton-Charlemagne

𝑹𝒊𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒈 𝑮𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑪𝒓𝒖, 2017

📍Vosne-Romanée, Côte-d’Or, Bourgogne, France🇫🇷

A throwback to the last sick wine event with the restaurants open:

DRC is easily one of the two most legendary and best-reputed wineries of Burgundy. Located in the village of Vosne-Romanée, they are associated with producing wines from the best vineyards in Bourgogne, only making grand crus. The reds are coming from the legendary vineyards of Romanée-Conti, Richebourg, La Tâche, Romanée-Saint-Vivan, Grands Echezeaux, Echezeaux and Corton. One white, Montrachet, is made so far, but Corton-Charlemagne is to added to the portfolio from 2019 after a deal with Domaine Bonneau du Martray.

Biodynamic viticulture, whole bunch fermentation with indigenous yeasts, 16-20 months in 100% new oak barrels (private supply of oak from the Troncais forests).

Color: Bright, almost transparent, and pomegranate juice-like.

The bouquet was remarkably fresh and open taking the “age” in consideration. During almost 2 hours in the glass, the bouquet generously offered fresh aromas of ripe cranberry and raspberry with an impressive variety of ethereal, fresh and dried floral notes with light spices. A very clear and refreshing, almost nostril cleaning, scent of menthol and chalk, followed by a bit of dusty iron and ceder.

The palate is light, yet intense and insisting. The texture itself was amazing: The silky body, the mouthwatering acidity, super low tannic effect and a slightly oiled feeling. The wine showed flavors of cherry, raspberry and pomegranate with a touch of blood orange peel, a dash of white pepper, mild raw liquorice and a long mineral finish.   Summarized, fantastic and sumptuous!

Obviously not super developed yet, but so pure, vibrant, complex, and a great joy to taste.

 ⭐️97/100⭐️ 𝑹𝒊𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒈 𝑮𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑪𝒓𝒖, 2017 📍Vosne-Romanée

Domaine Prieur-Brunet (Chateau Perruchot)

📍Santenay, Côte de Beaune, Bourgogne, France🇫🇷

Chateau Perruchet has been in the Prieur-family for more than two centuries, family-run generation after generation. In 1955, Guy Prieur merries Elisabeth Brunet from another big wine family of Meursault, and the relationship between the two domaines creates the historic Domaine Prieur-Brunet, covering some top 1er Crus in Santenay, Beaune, Chassagne-Montrachet, Meursault, Pommard and Volnay.

From 2017, the estate is owned by Maison Louis Jadot, an the team aims to continue with same care and precision as the domaine’s former owners.

Perfect, pure granate color. Very bright and no sediments at all.

The bouquet opens slowly going crazy with the tertiary aromas. Dehydrated chanterelles, moss, wet gravel, cloves, orange peel, truffle and some dried herbs. There are almost no fruit left in the nose, but it’s somehow still charming and very interesting.

Unfortunately, the palate is more or less gone.

The bottle happened to be open for a few hours improving a bit, but not enough to make an experience out of it.

A tiny bit of cranberry showed up with a medium short finish of raw liquorice.

Some Bourgogne Pinots seem to just keep getting better and better year after year, and sometimes showing exceptional balance of youth, secondary and tertiary aromas.

In this case it was a wine to be enjoyed by the beautiful aromas, not to be consumed.

 ⭐️81/100⭐️ Domaine Prieur-Brunet (Chateau Perruchot) Beaune

📍Chassagne-Montrachet, Côte d’Or, Bourgogne, France🇫🇷

After working with the family business, Dom. Marc Colin, from 1994-2005, Pierre-Yves established his own domaine in 2006 with his wife, Caroline Morey, and soon after the first vintages, the domaine became a must-have-cult-winery for the Bourgogne lovers’ cellars.

Both bought and domaine grapes are of highest quality harvested with sustainable philosophies - organic as a “minimum”.

Being proactive in the prevention of premature oxidation, wider and longer corks are used as well as wax capsules.

⭐️93+/100⭐️ 𝑬𝒏𝒕𝒓𝒆 𝑫𝒆𝒖𝒙 𝑩𝒍𝒆𝒖𝒔, 2016 📍Côtes du Jura, Jura

⭐️91+/100⭐️ 𝑴𝒆𝒖𝒓𝒔𝒂𝒖𝒍𝒕-𝑮𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒓𝒊𝒆̀𝒓𝒆𝒔 1𝒆𝒓 𝑪𝒓𝒖, 2015 📍Meursault

2017 Joseph Drouhin - Beaune 1er Cru Clos des Mouches Blanc

Domaine Yvon Clerget - Volnay 1er Cru Les Caillerets (93

Albert Bichot Virtual Tasting and Interview with Matthieu

2018 Bouchard Père & Fils - Beaune-Grèves 1er Cru Vigne de

Bouchard Père & Fils Instagram Live Interview and Virtual

Maison Joseph Drouhin and Domaine Drouhin Oregon Virtual

1988 Comte Armand - Pommard 1er Cru Clos des Epeneaux

2017 Joseph Drouhin - Beaune 1er Cru Clos des Mouches Rouge

🍷👨🏼‍💻 I am so happy to see the wine industry adapting to wine

2018 Bouchard Père & Fils - Beaune 1er Cru Clos

interview with Matthieu Mangenot, the Assistant Technical

2018 Domaine Bouchard Père & Fils - Le Corton Grand Cru (94

2009 Domaine François Raveneau - Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons

2014 Domaine Cecile Tremblay - Chambolle-Musigny Les

1990 Domaine Ramonet - Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Morgeot

2002 Domaine Fourrier - Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Les

Exploring a Star Micro-Negociant in Burgundy - Checkout

2005 Domaine Ponsot - Chapelle Chambertin Grand Cru (96

2014 Maison Chantereves - Bourgogne Pinot Noir (88 pts)

Domaine Méo-Camuzet and Nicolas-Jay Interview and Virtual

⭐️92+/100⭐️ 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐠𝐡𝐢𝐚 (𝐆𝐚𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐨 & 𝐆𝐢𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐨 𝐁𝐢𝐧𝐢) 𝒁𝒊𝒃𝒊𝒃𝒃𝒐 𝑩𝒊𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒐

⭐️92/100⭐️ 𝐃𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐅𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐢𝐬 𝐑𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐚𝐮 𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒊𝒔, 2012 📍Chablis

⭐️93/100⭐️ Domaine Francois Bertheau Chambolle-Musigny 1er

From one giant to another in this fantastic lineup... Maybe

⭐️92+/100⭐️ Domaine Bouchard Père & Fils Corton-Charlemagne

⭐️97/100⭐️ 𝑹𝒊𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒈 𝑮𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑪𝒓𝒖, 2017 📍Vosne-Romanée

⭐️81/100⭐️ Domaine Prieur-Brunet (Chateau Perruchot) Beaune

⭐️91/100⭐️ Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Bourgogne Aligoté, 2018

⭐️84/100⭐️ Domaine Pierre Vincent Girardin Éclat de Calcaire

⭐️87/100⭐️ 𝑷𝒖𝒍𝒊𝒈𝒏𝒚-𝑴𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒕 1𝒆𝒓 𝑪𝒓𝒖 “𝑳𝒆𝒔 𝑪𝒐𝒎𝒃𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒔”, 1988