Vanessa

9.2

Here’s to exploring Fixin AOC, the northernmost appellation of the Côte de Nuits in the Côte d’Or of Burgundy!

Fixin is home to 6 premier cru climats including Clos Napoléon. It’s primarily known for its Pinot Noir (approx. 96%) but also produces Chardonnay and Pinot Blanc.

Fixin rouge wines are sometimes compared to its neighbor to the south, Gevrey Chambertin AOC, but with a lighter body and profile. It can be a great source of value in an increasingly expensive region.

Tonight, we’re enjoying the 2019 Pierre Gelin Fixin rouge 1er Cru Clos Napoléon.

Clos Napoléon is also a monopole, owned exclusively by Domaine Pierre Gelin today. It’s a small but prestigious vineyard, situated on a hillside slope, with old vines dating back 70 years!

This property used to be owned by Claude Noisot, the surgeon to Emperor Napoléon, and the vineyard was formerly called “Aux Cheuzots.”

Claude Noisot renamed the property “Clos Napoléon” in honor of his famous patient and hired a renowned sculptor to create "Le Réveil de (the awakening of) Napoléon” – a nearby statue, featured on this label.

As for this particular wine, it’s beautiful! It’s medium ruby in color. Its bouquet is perfumed and layered with notes of black cherry, mulberry, boysenberry, pomegranate, red plum, fennel seed, fennel fronds, chervil, licorice, clove, cooked morel mushroom, wet earth, vanilla, and saddle leather. The palate is lively with bright acidity and smooth, polished tannins. The alcohol has a delicate warming presence and the finish lingers. — 3 days ago

with Deked1

Jan-Willem van der Hek

9.4

Napoleon Dynamite! — 4 years ago

Laurie Ison

9.6

Full on wine here! Cherries, oak, leather. It’s got the works. Perhaps not as refined as some of the piedmont wines but very close. But it comes with a slight alpine freshness. — 5 years ago

Robert Torretti

8.9

Competently made wine, but Leoville Barton is always my least favorite of the Leovilles. Just not very exciting or dynamic. Served with braised short-ribs in a savoy cabbage, with potato Napoleon, confit carrots, and a bitter chocolate jus. The chocolate actually helped the Leoville Barton significantly more than when it was on its own. — 3 months ago

Andrew Liguori

9.5

Passionfruit, honeysuckle, lychee, white flowers. Ethereal; Napoleon and Washington nailed it — 2 years ago

Ross Chernin

9.4

Kiwi, canned pineapple, corn husks and asian pear on the nose.

Beautiful texture and balance. A richness but super bright and great lift with the acid that hits you at the mid palate and takes you through to the finish. Taste like a zesty Napoleon dessert (cream, kiwi, apricot). — 4 years ago

with Jazmina

Justin Bothur

9.2

Vive Napoleon! — 7 months ago

Ceccherini Cristiano

9.3

Old style wine
I love the detailed description attached to the neck of the bottle telling you all about the site, the winemaking and how to deal with the wine

This is a Barbacarlo's brother, not minor though

It starts quite fruit orientated, but it does unfold over many hours in the decanter

At first you can mistake it for a robust sparkling shiraz(given that it has a fizz when opened).
Day 2 the blue mineral it's all over and it is smoother and more enjoyable too( the tannin is more digestible too)
Very long and to review again in many years

Ps after a battle in Marengo(Italy) Napoleon stopped by in the area and sipped on this delicious nectar; from there the vineyard hill is also called Napoleon's hill(as well as Montebuono hill). — a year ago

romo

9.0

Not a lot of Beaujolais typicity but structurally broad and deep. Not for me. — 5 years ago

Thomas McKee

9.3

Fabulous Napa Cabernet to go with grilled Tenderloins and celebrate the inauguration of my beautiful new Napoleon barbecue! — 5 years ago