This Week's Must-Try Wines from Vinous
Domaine du Clos de Tart
Monopole Grand Cru Pinot Noir 2019
The 2019 Clos de Tart Grand Cru has a wonderful bouquet of ebullient red berry fruit, hints of tea leaf and sous-bois, understated initially but unfurling with each swirl of the glass. The palate is very well balanced, with pure red fruit laced with white pepper and graphite, pleasing linearity, good focus and a saline finish. Persistent on the aftertaste, this is a compelling Grand Cru with a long and prosperous future ahead. Tasted blind at the Burgfest tasting. (Neal Martin, Vinous, December 2023)
— 4 months ago
Domaine Clos de la Chapelle
Carelle Sous la Chapelle Volnay 1er Cru Pinot Noir 2019
The 2019 Volnay Clos de la Chapelle 1er Cru has a lighter nose than its peers, with fine delineation, well-integrated oak and notes of sous-bois and leather infusing the raspberry and strawberry tones. The palate is medium-bodied with pliant tannins—taut and fresh with a sapid, dark cherry and sloe-tinged finish that lingers temptingly in the mouth. This is very Volnay, and I notice some melioration with time in the glass, developing a prolonged spiciness on the aftertaste. Tasted blind at the Burgfest tasting. (Neal Martin, Vinous, December 2023)
— 4 months ago
Domaine Rapet Père et Fils
Corton Grand Cru Pinot Noir 2019
The 2019 Corton Grand Cru has a rather conservative and earthy bouquet, but is well-defined with slightly darker fruit than its peers. Faint touches of fresh tobacco emerge with time. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy red fruit and a fine thread of acidity, but is a little stocky, as you might expect of a Corton. There’s a slight abruptness on the finish, but time should shave its corners. Give it another couple of years. Tasted blind at the Burgfest tasting. (Neal Martin, Vinous, December 2023)
— 4 months ago
Domaine Laroche
Les Vaillons Vieilles Vignes Chablis 1er Cru Chardonnay 2019
The 2019 Chablis Les Vaillons Vieilles Vignes 1er Cru has a lovely, charming bouquet with orange pith, tinned peach and light apricot scents that probably make it sound more tropical than it actually is. The palate is well-balanced with a waxy-textured opening. Certainly, this represents one of the more concentrated wines of the flight, grippy and pithy, maybe just missing a little tension and race toward the finish? Otherwise, this should age well in bottle. Tasted blind at the annual Burgfest tasting. (Neal Martin, Vinous, December 2023)
— 4 months ago
Domaine de Montille
Les Grèves Beaune 1er Cru Pinot Noir 2019
The 2019 Beaune Grèves 1er Cru has a fulsome bouquet with vivacious wild strawberry and cranberry, and impressive mineralité and complexity. Très Grèves! The palate is medium-bodied with saturated, pliant tannins and gentle grip. This fine-boned Grèves shows focus and precision through to the finish and has an assiduous whole bunch inclusion (50%). Harmonious and well-crafted, this is an exemplary Beaune. Tasted blind at the Burgfest tasting. (Neal Martin, Vinous, December 2023)
— 4 months ago
Domaine Louis Michel
Vieilles Vignes Butteaux Chablis 1er Cru Chardonnay 2019
The 2019 Chablis Butteaux Vieilles Vignes 1er Cru has a tightly-wound, backward, smoke-tinged bouquet opening with light orange blossom, nougat and wild peachy scents that begin to take over. The palate is well-balanced with a smooth opening, harmonious with well-judged acidity, and lightly spiced with pleasing coherence toward the finish that lingers in the mouth. Nuanced and intellectual, this is a very well-crafted Chablis that appears to have seriously "kicked on" since tasting it a couple of years ago. Tasted blind at the annual Burgfest tasting. (Neal Martin, Vinous, December 2023)
— 4 months ago
Maison Albert Bichot
Domaìne du Pavìllon Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru Chardonnay 2019
The 2019 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru has a powerful lemon verbena, orange pith and French patisserie nose, with plenty of energy and commendable delineation. The palate is well balanced with a fine bead of acidity. It’s slightly creamy in texture, with white peach and a touch of sesame oil, building commendably toward an intense finish. This is true Grand Cru quality. Excellent. Tasted blind at the Burgfest tasting. (Neal Martin, Vinous, December 2023)
— 4 months ago
Domaine Christian Moreau Père et Fils
Les Clos Chablis Grand Cru Chardonnay 2019
The 2019 Chablis Les Clos Grand Cru has an effervescent bouquet with orange zest and almond scents. Seaspray touches come through with aeration. The palate is well balanced with a pleasant sour lemon twist on the entry, relatively fresh and tensile with a brisk, quite peppery, lemony finish that lingers in the mouth. Superb. Tasted blind at the annual Burgfest tasting. (Neal Martin, Vinous, December 2023)
— 4 months ago
Domaine Armand Rousseau
Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru Pinot Noir 2019
The 2019 Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru has a very elegant bouquet of red berry fruit, briar, crushed stone and rose petal, and is, so it turns out, Very Rousseau-like in style. The palate is medium-bodied with filigree tannins, a silver bead of acidity and plenty of energy, with wonderful tension and verve toward the finish. This is a Charmes-Chambertin with great pedigree and will give many years of drinking pleasure. Tasted blind at the Burgfest tasting. (Neal Martin, Vinous, December 2023)
— 4 months ago
Delectable Wine
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The 2019 Montrachet Grand Cru is a little oakier and creamier on the nose than its peers, yet with enormous depth of fruit that crashes over the olfactory senses. But perhaps it needs more delineation? It seems slightly later-picked than its peers, giving off light caramel notes. The palate is medium-bodied and hewn from a richer style of this Grand Cru. Slightly viscous in texture, dense and powerful, it doesn't quite possess the killer clarity and/or mineralité on the finish as the best in the flight. Impressive nonetheless, this is a Montrachet with real heft. Tasted blind at the Burgfest tasting. (Neal Martin, Vinous, December 2023)
— 4 months ago