2:15 PM Pag 1 Bvrags 2614 Buford ighway, NE Atlanta, GA 30324 PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID ATLANTA, GA PERMIT NO. 3259 Knny Go, Editor RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED Autumn 2015 Producd and distributd by Bvrags, Atlanta, Ga. Burgundy In This Issu: Thr is prhaps no win rgion as trasurd, daunting, misundrstood, and mythologizd as Burgundy; whil this may sm lik a contradiction in trms, this is an ara that has for long bn schizophrnic in natur. Administrativly spaking, th rgion of Burgundy ncompasss th sub-rgions of Chablis, th Cot d Or, th Cot Chalonnais, th Maconnais, and Baujolais, although th lattr sub-rgion is distinct nough that it is rightfully considrd sparatly in a win contxt. As such, th two graps that dominat th landscap hr (with th xcption of Baujolais) ar th majstic Pinot Noir & Chardonnay, th formr bing on of th most ancint varitis in xistnc. Ths ar two nativ Burgundian varitis that vn th casual win drinkr finds ubiquitous; thy ar plantd th world ovr, and in many cass as rprsntd by appllations such as Bourgogn Roug & Blanc (rgional), Pommard (communal), Mursault Ls Charms (1r Cru (singl-vinyard)), and La Tach (Grand Cru (singlvinyard)) it is th Burgundy styl that is rfrncd, if not mulatd dirctly. If you study win, thn you will invitably nd up bing wll-vrsd in Burgundy, and mor likly than Plas s pag 2 not you will nd up rvring it. DOMAINE BART Bourgogn Roug 2012 Cash Sal Pric: 2799 Raspbrry, bittr chrry, violts and damp arth inform this ntry-lvl Bourgogn from th six-gnration strong stat of Domain Bart, thir stat situatd in th northrn cornr of th Cot d Nuits. Th graps hr ar sourcd from throughout th domain s 22 hctars of vinyards, with an mphasis on purity of fruit (thr is no oak aging with this win). Th rsults showcas th thral quality of wll-mad Pinot Noir, th sns of richnss imparting itslf without any hint of havinss. Burgundy...1 Winry of th Yar...4 A Journy Through Franc...6 ALBERT BICOT Bourgogn Blanc 2012 Cash Sal Pric: 1499 A mdium bodid Chardonnay, with prcis nots of par, mlon, rd appl, and honysuckl, and a minral strak that bcoms apparnt mid-palat. Th subtl hints of toast and clovs show its oak sasoning. A wondrful option for vryday Burgundy (ys, thy do xist). DOMAINE LONG DEPAQUIT Chablis 1r Cru Ls Vaillons 2012 Cash Sal Pric: 3399 A traditionally styld Chablis pur fruit & minrality from on of th rgion s mor rnownd 1r Cru vinyards. A lan, firm whit, this displays appl, lmon, oystr shll and arth nots. Balancd, with fin lngth and a lmony aftrtast. Think oystrs. Bst from 2015 through 2022. TWO CONVENIENT LOCATIONS: Burgundy Plas s pag 1
1:46 PM Pag 2 Burgundy From pag 1: Yt Burgundy can also b an ara of hoplss isolation to th consumr many hav nvr trid, nor vr think thy want to try, a Burgundy of ithr hu, and pric points hr can b th most prohibitiv in th world. It is in many maningful ways th ssnc of trroir which translats roughly to sns of plac distilld, yt at its pak it can somhow still b at odds with modrn xpctations. It is also on of th most complx win rgions in th xistnc, its layrs of minutia whthr it is th study of th soils, th parcllation of vinyards, or th argumnt of how a good Burgundy should volv a dram com tru for win nrds vrywhr. On th othr nd of th spctrum, it dosn t hlp that during th fr-for-all days of gnric lablling, th trm Burgundy was usd for low-quality swtish rd blnds of dubious provnanc (and in th U.S. it is still allowd to b usd in this way in a crtain mannr). In th nd, Burgundy mans diffrnt things to diffrnt popl. Lt us b clar on on thing, howvr Burgundy, at its highst lvls, ar th finst wins in xistnc. Lt th argumnts bgin. DOMAINE BART Fixin 2011 Cash Sal Pric: 3499 Locatd in th northrn portion of th Cot d Nuits, sparatd by a slic of land only accordd Cot d Nuits Villags quality from th grand commun of Gvry Chambrtin. Lt this b to your bnfit, howvr this is vry bit th quality of its far mor illustrious nar nighbor. Candid chrry, raspbrry, licoric and minral flavors mark this succulnt styl. Though lgant, this shows dpth and fin lngth. Cot d Nuits 2 DOMAINE GALLOIS Gvry-Chambrtin 2011 Cash Sal Pric: 7899 Gvry Chambrtin, in th Cot d Nuits rgion of Burgundy, is arguably th first ral commun of consqunc in this part of th Cot d Or (at last in trms of rvrnc), if on is travling from north to south. Th bst Pinot Noir hr ar, in th words of Cliv Coats, sumptuous immaculat and full, firm and rich, concntratd and masculin. Th Domain Gallois follows suit, th palat thus prdictably suppl, with nots of blubrry, chrry cordial, and hrbs, and a taut, frsh finish. A big stp up from gnric Bourgogn Roug. CATEAU GENOT-BOULANGER Clos d Vougot 2011 Cash Sal Pric: 12999 Clos d Vougot is both th largst Grand Cru in th Cot d Nuits (and scond only to Corton/Corton Charlmagn in th ntir Cot d Or) as wll as on of th most unhraldd. Th main rason for this stms from (1) th fact that th vinyard is in fact so larg, occupying th lowr land that for many produc graps lacking in Grand Cru quality, and (2) th continual fractioning of th vinyard that now ss ovr 80 propritors and 100 diffrnt parcls within its confins, which can mak finding th right bottl a bwildring xprinc. Lt us hlp th Gnot Boulangr is clan and pur, with a vrv and dpth that dos justic to th Grand Cru dsignation. This is Pinot Noir of a highr ordr. CATEAU PETIT VEDRINES Sautrns 2011 Cash Sal Pric: 1299 TOQUES ET CLOCERS Limoux 2010 Cash Sal Pric: 1399 Th scond win from th lgndary Sautrns proprty of Doisy-Vdrins, lt this srv as th idal introduction to on of th most rnownd win rgions in th world, producing arguably th highst chlon of dssrt wins. 100% Chardonnay from th southrn zon of th Limoux appllation of Langudoc-Roussillon, showcasing lmon-lim, par, and minral purity, with th richnss of fully-ripnd fruit and a snsibl oak rgim. At fiv yars of ag thr is also a savory, smoky quality that is bginning to dvlop, which maks this about as complx a Chardonnay on can find for undr 15. Bright and frindly, with pinappl, whit pach, lmon curd and yllow appl fruit, lacd with a gingr not and lingring on th opn-knit finish. Drink now through 2018. ROSÉ DE CEVALIER 2014 Cash Sal Pric: 1299 CATEAU LAMOUR Castillon Cots-d-Bordaux 2010 Th bouqut of this win litrally nvlops th room whn you pop th bottl Cash Sal Pric: 999 Domain d Chvalir has bn producing a tiny quantity of Rosé win for around 20 yars, using th mthod calld rosé d saigné : no macration and th juic is frmntd sparatly. It is mainly mad from Cabrnt Sauvignon by Olivir Brnard and his tam. For this lovly rosé win, h chos a vry asthtic whit glass bottl from th bst glass bottl producr of Franc. Locatd ast of St. Emilion, th blnd for this 2010 is 90% Mrlot, 10% Cabrnt Franc. Th mrits of th 2010 Bordaux vintag hav bn wlldocumntd; this was in many maningful ways a prfct vintag in trms of vinyard conditions, which consquntly puts th onus on th stat to produc a win that livs up to xpctations. Th rsults hr don t disappoint, with blackbrry, plum, and tobacco laf nots and not a hard dg in sight. Domain d Chvalir, Pssac-Lognan LA LINEA Cots-d-Roussillon Villags 2013 Cash Sal Pric: 1299 This rd is vry frsh, with rip black chrry and blackbrry flavors, supportd by mdium-graind tannins. Intgratd hrb and minral nots add lganc through th spicy, loamy finish. Drink now through 2017. 88 points. A NOTE FROM TE EDITOR: This will b our pnultimat dition of th nwslttr to b producd in a print dition bginning in 2016, th nwslttr will solly b offrd in a digital format through our various mdia platforms. Thank you for your undrstanding in making this transition a smooth on. Mor dtails to follow! 11
1:47 PM Pag 3 y n c r u o J ran F A T R O U G CATEAU SOCIONDO MALLET St. Estph 2009 CATEAU AUTRIAN Bordaux Blanc 2013 Cash Sal Pric: 4499 Cash Sal Pric: 1099 This dlightful dry whit win is mant to b drunk young, cool and frsh. It dlivrs striking scnts of lim and lmon rind, whiffs of honydw and vn a hint of sashlls. And no tast of oak to b found, just pur play dry whit. If thr s a bttr dry whit win for th (littl) mony, I havn t tastd it This win could asily bcom your hous whit - it s that good. BOIS DE BOURSAN Chataunuf-du-Pap 2012 Cash Sal Pric: 4499 Without a doubt on of th most difficult proprtis in all of windom to find (no sign, no strt addrss, and a wary look from th young lady bhind th information dsk in th Chataunuf-du-Pap town squar), th wins hr nonthlss hold up to whatvr xtra scrutiny you fl is warrantd aftr you finally find th plac. Th straight 2012 Chataunuf du Pap (70% Grnach, 10% Syrah, 10% Mourvdr and th balanc othr prmittd varitis) has outstanding potntial with bautiful ripnss, mdium to full-body and a rich, roundd profil. Lafy hrbs, pppr, undrbrush and hints of matinss ar just som of th aromas hr and whil it should b rasonably approachabl on rlas, it should volv gracfully for ovr a dcad. Drink 2015 2022. 89-91 points. Win Advocat 10 Frocious tannins ar not unusual for Sociando Mallt, but I was surprisd that in a vintag that producd xcptionally tannic, but rip wins, th Sociando Mallt tannins wr atypically austr. Nvrthlss, th win boasts hug concntration along with an inky/purpl color, a full-bodid, powrful palat, and a long finish. Excllnt purity, dnsity, and minrality ar prsnt in this cuv, and it is capabl of lasting 30-40 yars. This stat is situatd on som of th finst trroir of th aut-mdoc, nar Calon-Sgur in St.Estph. 90-92+ points. LOUIS LATOUR Macon-Lugny 2009 LOUIS LATOUR Mursault 2009 Cash Sal Pric: 1399 Cash Sal Pric: 3999 Richly-txturd and possssing a smoky minrality, this win brought anothr lvl of rcognition whn it was introducd by Louis Latour a gnration ago, bstowing upon th win-drinking public a knly pricd altrnativ to traditional rich whit Burgundy. Th dpth hr is solly from th ripnss of th fruit th win is both frmntd and agd in stainlss stl. In its absolut prim at th momnt, and thus on to savor immdiatly. Th mountaintop for som whn it coms to rich whit Burgundy; round and rip and fruity with a rich buttry flavor which should b supportd but not ovrwhlmd by nw oak, as Cliv Coats so succinctly puts it, and that just about sums it up. Loosly knit, faturing bakd appl and grapfruit flavors with a touch of spic. This is rich nding with chos of appl and spic. LOUIS LATOUR Baun 1r Cru Ls Vigns Franchs 2006 Cash Sal Pric: 4999 Whil prhaps bst known as th nrvcntr of th Burgundy win trad, Baun is also known for th quality of thir Pinot Noir. This xmplary xampl is from on of th bst 1r Cru vinyards in Baun, and from on of th most rspctd stats in Burgundy. Th stat s Baun Vigns Franchs offrs a fascinating high-tond nos suggstiv of Cabrnt Franc in its mld of flowrs, nuts (pistachio?) and machin oil, xubrant, rip chrry fruit and a smooth txtur on th palat, and chalk and wt ston minral charactr. Win Advocat Win Advocat CATEAU BARET Pssac-Lognan 2010 Cash Sal Pric: 1999 Th Pssac-Lognan AOC appnds th nam of th two ponymous villags togthr, and srvs as th d facto prstig appllation of th Gravs rgion south of th city of Bordaux. Blubrry and clov on th nos. Fullbodid, with soft and vlvty tannins and a cor of imprssiv fruit. Suprfruity. 90-93 scor rang. 2614 Buford ighway 404.321.6232 3
Winry of thyar: 1:47 PM Pag 4 Th Grard Brtrand win company, our slction for Winry of th Yar and hlmd by its ponymous foundr (who in a prvious lif as a rugby playr rprsntd Franc at th intrnational lvl, and who in his currnt incarnation has bn calld th Princ of th Langudoc by win writr Jancis Robinson), can b most accuratly dscribd as a consortium of Europan stats within th Langudoc-Roussillon Winry rgion of southrn Franc, brought of th togthr ovr th cours of a quartr Yar cntury du to thir rprsntation of Win Enthusiast th Grard Brtrand thos. Th thos itslf can b calld, in Grard Brtrand s own words, th Mditrranan Art d Vivr (th Mditrranan Art of Living). Th ssnc of this is actually quit simpl, stmming from th dp Rd conviction that th cultural richs of this man s hom rgion, as rprsntd by Winmakr th local wins from whos production h of th has bn stpd in sinc childhood, ar Yar worthy of intrnational standing. As such, Intrnational Win Challng th company touts four fundamntal valus xcllnc, authnticity, conviviality, and innovation. In short spcific, maningful quality across vry lvl. Th rprsntation of Grard Brtrand wins in our stors throughout th yars attst to that. Whil th wins blow span th ntir spctrum of styls from dlicat ross to aromatic whits to rich rds thy ar thus tid togthr. 4 Picpoul d Pint 2014 Cash Sal Pric: 1099 DOMAINE DE L ESPIGOUETTE Cots-du-Rhon Blanc 2014 VMV 3 Msss Basss Vntoux 2013 Cash Sal Pric: A rd blnd from th cooprativ of Vntoux (Vignrons du Mont Vntoux, within th Southrn Rhon), this is traditional Southrn Rhon in styl and in vrsatility brambly fruit, hrbs, vrsatility, minnt drinkability. Cash Sal Pric: 1299 1799 Mad from Viognir and Grnach Blanc, th Côts du Rhôn Blanc is rock solid, with rich, slightly honyd nots of buttrd citrus, flowr blossom and brioch. Mdiumbodid, with good acidity and a grat mix of both richnss and frshnss, it should b consumd ovr th coming yar or two. This win, craftd 100% from th Picpoul grap varity, coms with a yllow hu and a shimmring quality. Th intns, complx nos rvals nots of whit and citrus fruit, honysuckl and whit flowrs. Full-bodid and livly on th palat, it offrs a crisp frshnss on th finish. Th varital showcasd hr is on of th mor dynamic in th south of Franc, as gratr lgions discovr th mrits of this appllation. Win Advocat Cot ds Ross 2014 Cash Sal Pric: 14 99 Th complxion for on of our most popular rosés is a pal, brilliant pink, with blu tints that tnd to orang on th dgs. Th bouqut rlass aromas of summr fruits, cassis and rd currant; floral nots of ros ptals alongsid hints of grapfruit complt th pictur. Th finish is light and frsh, offring nots of rock candy. On th palat th imprssion is rlativly full-bodid, with strong prsistnc and balanc. Rsrv Spcial Chardonnay 2012 Crmant d Limoux Rosé Jffrson Cuv Cash Sal Pric: 999 Cash Sal Pric: 1499 This ubiquitous grap varity stands out hr by its nobl aromas and th dlicacy this itration offrs. Frsh and flavorful, this 100% Chardonnay coms from coastal vinyards and offrs vibrant nots of citrus, rip appl and floral accnts. An vryday whit, prfct for lightr dishs or as an apritif. Crémant Thomas Jffrson Rosé boasts a bautiful, salmon-pink color and brilliant transparncy. Th bubbls ar dlicat and thr is vivacity on th palat, as wll as a rich, indulgnt txtur. It faturs a complx bouqut with long-lasting aromas of rd fruit (strawbrry and raspbrry), backd with hints of toastd brad. Th nam stms from Prsidnt Jffrson s documntd apprciation of this win, which was in fact th only sparkling win to b found in his prsonal cllar. LATOUR BELAIR Cots-du-Rhon 2012 DOMAINE DE L ESPIGOUETTE Cots-du-Rhon Viills Vigns 2012 Cash Sal Pric: Cash Sal Pric: 1399 1599 A Cots-du-Rhon from th Domain d l Espigoutt (this on mad from youngr vins), this was on of our first visits aftr dcamping in Avignon. To put it simply, this is a Grnach-basd blnd of a diffrnt ordr, mphasizing th floral lganc of Grnach that is most oftn pushd asid for th mor assrtiv charactristics of th grap and its blnding partnrs. A rvlation in my opinion. A mor traditional Cots-du-Rhon from Domain d l Espigoutt, from th old vins within th stat s dsignatd vinyards. An intrsting thm I pickd up during our visit with Julian Latour (son of th domain s currnt patriarch) was his insistnc that a win from th Southrn Rhon should rly on th mrits of Grnach solly, with th additions of Syrah & Mourvdr t. al. bing strictly complmntary in natur. Whil Syrah may b th mor globally clbratd grap, h argud, it is Grnach that shins in th Southrn Rhon, and thus a varital that is truly thir own. This blif factors into how thy compos thir blnds, and is subsquntly hard to argu against aftr you tast thm. DOMAINE DE L ESPIGOUETTE Gigondas 2011 Cash Sal Pric: 3799 Th flagship win of th stat, with absolutly no drop-off in quality whn compard to a wll-mad Chataunuf-du-Pap. A win of powr and substanc, with nots of blackbrry prsrvs, lavndr, garrigu and pain grill, and th structur of lush, fin-graind tannins. 9
1:47 PM Pag 5 y n c r u o J ran F A T R O U G PRESTIGE Abyms 2014 Cash Sal Pric: 1299 Th provnanc hr is th rlativly unknown Savoi rgion of astrn Franc, spcifically th sub-rgion of Abyms. Th varital is th whit grap Jacqurs, nativ to th rgion and obscur in vry othr sns of th word. Th win, howvr, is worthy of a gratr audinc. Pach, par, wildflowr, and hrbs fill out th nos and palat, with a crisp, mouthwatring minrality on th finish. Clan, unncumbrd, and somthing wondrfully diffrnt. AMELIE Chardonnay 2014 Cash Sal Pric: 999 A varital Chardonnay from th Pays d Oc rgion of southrn Franc (and th country s largst rgional dsignation), th closst comparison to th styl of this win is that of a clan, vibrant Macon-Villags. Whil ripr and mor forward than your anonymous unoakd Chardonnay, th purity of fruit and prsistnt minrality is nonthlss on display hr. 8 KOENIG Gwurztraminr 2013 Cash Sal Pric: 1799 Thr ar crtain graps out thr such as Chardonnay and Mrlot that can thriv in a numbr of diffrnt nvironmnts, and furthr rflct th spcific nuancs of whr thy r grown. Gwurztraminr is dciddly not that typ of grap. Instad it is fussy and difficult in th vinyard, frustrating winmakrs with its loss of acidity whn pickd slightly lat, or convrsly a lack of aroma whn pickd a tad arly. This nd for prcision xplains much as to why th varital is isolatd to such fw aras of concntration, most notably in th rgion of Alsac. It also gos towards xplaining why th pric tag is oftn highr than othr whit varitals. At 17.99 this is a stal; with opulnt nots of lychs, ros ptals and tangrins along with a fin sns of balanc, it is also what Gwurztraminr is supposd to tast lik. VMV Viognir 2014 Cash Sal Pric: 1699 As I v mad mntion bfor, Viognir is on of th vry fw wins that command prmium prics, vn though it is not on that is mant for aging (Gwurztraminr, it just so happns, is anothr on). Its pinnacl of xprssion is th Northrn Rhon s Condriu and just to b clar, this is not in any way analogous to a Condriu. What it is, howvr, is a wllmad Viognir papaya, whit flowrs, spic at a vry attractiv pric. Rsrv Spcial Pinot Noir 2013 Cash Sal Pric: 999 As has bn statd in ths pags bfor, Pinot Noir is a fragil, dmanding varity that is also capabl of producing xtrmly fin rd wins. Styls rang from soft, fruitcntric wins which should b consumd during thir youth, to mor concntratd vrsions coaxd from low-yilding vins; for th lattr, th wins gain in structur and aromatic complxity with tim, alongsid an phmrally vlvt txtur. This 100% Pinot Noir coms from vinyards in th rgion s coolst aras, as th vins ar plantd at highr altitud. Th rsult is a forward win in vry sns offring nots of rip chrry, wild raspbrry, arth and spics, with silky tannins and an lgant, balancd finish. Minrvois 2011 Cash Sal Pric: 1299 An incrasingly sought-aftr AOC from southrn Franc, this vrsion a blnd of Syrah & Carignan offrs complx aromas of black fruit (black olivs and blackbrry) that stm from th carfully controlld xtraction procss during vinification. Its full, rich body on th palat also paradoxically imparts a sns of lganc and hnc balanc. Th bouqut lingrs on to rval finishing touchs of roastd coff, blackcurrant and pruns. CATEAU L OSPITALET La Clap Blanc 2012 Cash Sal Pric: 1799 Th Châtau l ospitalt Blanc, a blnd of traditional southrn Frnch varitis Bourboulnc, Vrmntino & Grnach Blanc, faturs a mdium goldn color with grn tints. Initial woody scnts of vanilla and mocha giv way to nots of citrus, apricot and pach, finally rounding out to a honyd finish. Th concntration on th palat is balancd by th brightnss of this win, furthr supportd by complx nuancs of anisd, mint, garrigu and honysuckl. Wondrfully lgant and composd, this cuvé has a dpth of charactr that quit simply sts it apart. 90 points from Win Spctator. Corbirs 2011 Cash Sal Pric: 1199 Th classic blnd of Grnach, Syrah, and Mourvdr. Full-bodid with kn acidity, first imprssions ar nonthlss mad through th dp, concntratd color. Th complx aromas of black fruit again com from th carfully controlld xtraction procss within th gratr on of vinification, as wll as from th xcptional ripnss (but not ovrripnss) of th graps. A win of distinctiv charactr, with th classic profil of brambly fruit, liquoric, and hints of spics & hrbs. 90 points from Win Advocat; 88 points from Win Spctator. La Clap Grand Trroir 2011 Cash Sal Pric: 1499 A blnd of Syrah, Carignan, and Mourvdr. A ruby-rd complxion with flashs of violt. Th complx, aromatic bouqut hr boasts aromas of rd & dark fruits (blackbrry, blackcurrant, chrry and rdcurrant) and savory charactristics, which blnd samlssly with th toastd nots that mark its Frnch oak barrl maturation. Suppl and wll-balancd on th palat, th concntration of fruit is givn gratr dpth by th arth & lathr lmnts of aging. 91 points from th Win Spctator. Banyuls 2009 Cash Sal Pric: 1999 Banyuls wins, in a kalidoscop of sa, mountains, sunshin and wind, ar abov all wins for plasur. Th vins, opn to th gnrous climat, produc xprssiv, quintssntial, rich, powrful, lgant and aristocratic wins stpd in th warmth of th sun and th rusticity of th schist soils. Th charactr of th trroir and wins of Banyuls stms from th majstic Grnach grap varity. Grard Brtrand 5
1:48 PM Pag 6 y n r c u n o J ra F In Fbruary of this yar, myslf and our South Carolina Win Dirctor, Doug Wrnr, travlld to Franc to mt with our supplirs thr. Doug himslf has mad this trip across th pond many tims, along with my prdcssor Michal Bishop; th warm profssional rlationships stablishd thr wr ons I was anxious to b a part of, but apart from that I was anticipating rturning to Europ, whr I had livd for six yars during an assignmnt in th military. A T R O U G Our tim thr was filld with wondrful hospitality, visiting numrous proprtis in landscaps both stark and idyllic, trying with halting succss to navigat th Frnch countrysid in our compact rntal car, and of cours ultimatly slcting th wins that ar rprsntd blow. Whn it was all said and don w had journyd from Paris to Nims to Avignon to Bordaux and finally back to Paris, with numrous asids throughout; it was a fulfilling trip, to say th last, and on I look forward to doing again. I fl mor of a prsonal attachmnt to ths wins bcaus of this, but hopfully vryon ls can s thm for what thy ar univrsally a broad glimps of what Frnch win has to offr, and all at trmndous valu. FOURREY Chablis 2014 LE PARADIS Chinon 2014 Cash Sal Pric: 1299 Cash Sal Pric: 1999 Th Chinon appllation rsids within th Loir Vally at th wstrn dg of th Tourain district, and spaks most prominntly to th mdiumbodid, chrry & hrb-scntd rd wins that ar craftd thr from th Cabrnt Franc grap. For thos that compar this to a rustic, light Cabrnt Sauvignon, th answr for som is that this is th point, th natur of th win allowing it to b on of th most vrsatil with food. A soft floral finish round things out for this lgant xampl. Sinc 1992 this stat has bn hadd by Jan-Luc Fourry, th fourth gnration of winmakrs in his family. Th win offrs pur, xprssiv nots of lmon-lim, Mditrranan hrbs and salinity, with just nough acidity for short-trm aging. Th classic (if oft-citd) accompanimnt to shllfish. CLOS CARTIER Sancrr 2014 Cash Sal Pric: 1799 On of our most popular Sancrr, a worthy xampl of th unadultratd appal of Sauvignon Blanc. VICTOR Costirs d Nims Blanc 2014 Cash Sal Pric: 1099 Rip and pur, with a lovly cramy dg to th vrbna, chamomil, mlon and floral nots, all backd by a whit pach not on th minral tingd finish. 6 A classic southrn Rhon blnd of Roussann, Grnach Blanc and Viognir, this is a full-bodid, citrus & floral-accntd vrsion of a whit win blnd, its mak-up an inspiration to a numbr of mor rcnt domstic xampls. Not on for aging, this can nonthlss giv nar-trm plasur as a stand-alon win or as an idal accompanimnt to richr light-mat dishs. CATEAU CAMBIS Cots-du-Rhon Villags 2012 Cash Sal Pric: 1299 A 2014 Top 10 win, with mor substanc to it than your run-ofth-mill xampl. As is most oftn th cas, a Grnach-basd blnd. Th chrry past, plum skin and stpd currant fruit is lind with a muscular charcoal not. Stays frsh nough through th finish, though th plum skin dg lingrs. 87 points. VALLEE COQUETTE Vouvray 2012 Cash Sal Pric: 1299 For som rason or anothr, good, inxpnsiv Chnin Blanc sms a rarity ths days, much lss finding a rprsntativ numbr from its hom in th Loir Vally. Compar this to, for xampl, th rlativ prolifration of Sauvignon Blanc, th othr whit grap of th rgion along with Muscadt. Part of this may b du to Chnin s rputation as a swtish, simpl win; lik Risling, such a dscription is th palst shadow of what this grap is capabl of. Off-dry and aromatic, with nots of orang, lmon rind, straw and honysuckl, this is a good plac to bgin forming strongr opinions. CUVEE PRESTIGE Vacquyras 2013 Cash Sal Pric: 1699 Vacquyras is known as on of th crus of th Southrn Rhon, which for a numbr of ths AOCs signify a win villag that has bn lvatd to a status that nabls it to us its nam as a sol signifir, as opposd to bing appndd to th Cots-du-Rhon monikr (Cairann and Sgurt ar currnt xampls of th lattr). This is as usual a Grnach-basd blnd, but th analogu hr is mor Chataunufdu-Pap rathr than Cots-du-Rhon, th maty, black fruit & ppprinfusd charactr a good glimps of what sts CdP apart (and at a quartr of th pric). DOMAINE DES AUT CASSIS Saint Josph 2012 Cash Sal Pric: 2499 Northrn Rhon wins oftn hav th paradoxical distinction of bing both clbratd and xtrmly hard to locat on win lists/rtail shlvs, as th wins ar producd in small quantitis and hav pric points that aggrssivly discourag habitual consumption. In fact, th Northrn Rhon accounts for only 5% of win production within th gratr Rhon Vally! Lt this srv as a primr thn a classic Northrn Rhon Syrah in styl, with nots of blackbrry, grilld mats, and lavndr, and at as good a pric as you ll vr find. 7
1:48 PM Pag 6 y n r c u n o J ra F In Fbruary of this yar, myslf and our South Carolina Win Dirctor, Doug Wrnr, travlld to Franc to mt with our supplirs thr. Doug himslf has mad this trip across th pond many tims, along with my prdcssor Michal Bishop; th warm profssional rlationships stablishd thr wr ons I was anxious to b a part of, but apart from that I was anticipating rturning to Europ, whr I had livd for six yars during an assignmnt in th military. A T R O U G Our tim thr was filld with wondrful hospitality, visiting numrous proprtis in landscaps both stark and idyllic, trying with halting succss to navigat th Frnch countrysid in our compact rntal car, and of cours ultimatly slcting th wins that ar rprsntd blow. Whn it was all said and don w had journyd from Paris to Nims to Avignon to Bordaux and finally back to Paris, with numrous asids throughout; it was a fulfilling trip, to say th last, and on I look forward to doing again. I fl mor of a prsonal attachmnt to ths wins bcaus of this, but hopfully vryon ls can s thm for what thy ar univrsally a broad glimps of what Frnch win has to offr, and all at trmndous valu. FOURREY Chablis 2014 LE PARADIS Chinon 2014 Cash Sal Pric: 1299 Cash Sal Pric: 1999 Th Chinon appllation rsids within th Loir Vally at th wstrn dg of th Tourain district, and spaks most prominntly to th mdiumbodid, chrry & hrb-scntd rd wins that ar craftd thr from th Cabrnt Franc grap. For thos that compar this to a rustic, light Cabrnt Sauvignon, th answr for som is that this is th point, th natur of th win allowing it to b on of th most vrsatil with food. A soft floral finish round things out for this lgant xampl. Sinc 1992 this stat has bn hadd by Jan-Luc Fourry, th fourth gnration of winmakrs in his family. Th win offrs pur, xprssiv nots of lmon-lim, Mditrranan hrbs and salinity, with just nough acidity for short-trm aging. Th classic (if oft-citd) accompanimnt to shllfish. CLOS CARTIER Sancrr 2014 Cash Sal Pric: 1799 On of our most popular Sancrr, a worthy xampl of th unadultratd appal of Sauvignon Blanc. VICTOR Costirs d Nims Blanc 2014 Cash Sal Pric: 1099 Rip and pur, with a lovly cramy dg to th vrbna, chamomil, mlon and floral nots, all backd by a whit pach not on th minral tingd finish. 6 A classic southrn Rhon blnd of Roussann, Grnach Blanc and Viognir, this is a full-bodid, citrus & floral-accntd vrsion of a whit win blnd, its mak-up an inspiration to a numbr of mor rcnt domstic xampls. Not on for aging, this can nonthlss giv nar-trm plasur as a stand-alon win or as an idal accompanimnt to richr light-mat dishs. CATEAU CAMBIS Cots-du-Rhon Villags 2012 Cash Sal Pric: 1299 A 2014 Top 10 win, with mor substanc to it than your run-ofth-mill xampl. As is most oftn th cas, a Grnach-basd blnd. Th chrry past, plum skin and stpd currant fruit is lind with a muscular charcoal not. Stays frsh nough through th finish, though th plum skin dg lingrs. 87 points. VALLEE COQUETTE Vouvray 2012 Cash Sal Pric: 1299 For som rason or anothr, good, inxpnsiv Chnin Blanc sms a rarity ths days, much lss finding a rprsntativ numbr from its hom in th Loir Vally. Compar this to, for xampl, th rlativ prolifration of Sauvignon Blanc, th othr whit grap of th rgion along with Muscadt. Part of this may b du to Chnin s rputation as a swtish, simpl win; lik Risling, such a dscription is th palst shadow of what this grap is capabl of. Off-dry and aromatic, with nots of orang, lmon rind, straw and honysuckl, this is a good plac to bgin forming strongr opinions. CUVEE PRESTIGE Vacquyras 2013 Cash Sal Pric: 1699 Vacquyras is known as on of th crus of th Southrn Rhon, which for a numbr of ths AOCs signify a win villag that has bn lvatd to a status that nabls it to us its nam as a sol signifir, as opposd to bing appndd to th Cots-du-Rhon monikr (Cairann and Sgurt ar currnt xampls of th lattr). This is as usual a Grnach-basd blnd, but th analogu hr is mor Chataunufdu-Pap rathr than Cots-du-Rhon, th maty, black fruit & ppprinfusd charactr a good glimps of what sts CdP apart (and at a quartr of th pric). DOMAINE DES AUT CASSIS Saint Josph 2012 Cash Sal Pric: 2499 Northrn Rhon wins oftn hav th paradoxical distinction of bing both clbratd and xtrmly hard to locat on win lists/rtail shlvs, as th wins ar producd in small quantitis and hav pric points that aggrssivly discourag habitual consumption. In fact, th Northrn Rhon accounts for only 5% of win production within th gratr Rhon Vally! Lt this srv as a primr thn a classic Northrn Rhon Syrah in styl, with nots of blackbrry, grilld mats, and lavndr, and at as good a pric as you ll vr find. 7
1:47 PM Pag 5 y n c r u o J ran F A T R O U G PRESTIGE Abyms 2014 Cash Sal Pric: 1299 Th provnanc hr is th rlativly unknown Savoi rgion of astrn Franc, spcifically th sub-rgion of Abyms. Th varital is th whit grap Jacqurs, nativ to th rgion and obscur in vry othr sns of th word. Th win, howvr, is worthy of a gratr audinc. Pach, par, wildflowr, and hrbs fill out th nos and palat, with a crisp, mouthwatring minrality on th finish. Clan, unncumbrd, and somthing wondrfully diffrnt. AMELIE Chardonnay 2014 Cash Sal Pric: 999 A varital Chardonnay from th Pays d Oc rgion of southrn Franc (and th country s largst rgional dsignation), th closst comparison to th styl of this win is that of a clan, vibrant Macon-Villags. Whil ripr and mor forward than your anonymous unoakd Chardonnay, th purity of fruit and prsistnt minrality is nonthlss on display hr. 8 KOENIG Gwurztraminr 2013 Cash Sal Pric: 1799 Thr ar crtain graps out thr such as Chardonnay and Mrlot that can thriv in a numbr of diffrnt nvironmnts, and furthr rflct th spcific nuancs of whr thy r grown. Gwurztraminr is dciddly not that typ of grap. Instad it is fussy and difficult in th vinyard, frustrating winmakrs with its loss of acidity whn pickd slightly lat, or convrsly a lack of aroma whn pickd a tad arly. This nd for prcision xplains much as to why th varital is isolatd to such fw aras of concntration, most notably in th rgion of Alsac. It also gos towards xplaining why th pric tag is oftn highr than othr whit varitals. At 17.99 this is a stal; with opulnt nots of lychs, ros ptals and tangrins along with a fin sns of balanc, it is also what Gwurztraminr is supposd to tast lik. VMV Viognir 2014 Cash Sal Pric: 1699 As I v mad mntion bfor, Viognir is on of th vry fw wins that command prmium prics, vn though it is not on that is mant for aging (Gwurztraminr, it just so happns, is anothr on). Its pinnacl of xprssion is th Northrn Rhon s Condriu and just to b clar, this is not in any way analogous to a Condriu. What it is, howvr, is a wllmad Viognir papaya, whit flowrs, spic at a vry attractiv pric. Rsrv Spcial Pinot Noir 2013 Cash Sal Pric: 999 As has bn statd in ths pags bfor, Pinot Noir is a fragil, dmanding varity that is also capabl of producing xtrmly fin rd wins. Styls rang from soft, fruitcntric wins which should b consumd during thir youth, to mor concntratd vrsions coaxd from low-yilding vins; for th lattr, th wins gain in structur and aromatic complxity with tim, alongsid an phmrally vlvt txtur. This 100% Pinot Noir coms from vinyards in th rgion s coolst aras, as th vins ar plantd at highr altitud. Th rsult is a forward win in vry sns offring nots of rip chrry, wild raspbrry, arth and spics, with silky tannins and an lgant, balancd finish. Minrvois 2011 Cash Sal Pric: 1299 An incrasingly sought-aftr AOC from southrn Franc, this vrsion a blnd of Syrah & Carignan offrs complx aromas of black fruit (black olivs and blackbrry) that stm from th carfully controlld xtraction procss during vinification. Its full, rich body on th palat also paradoxically imparts a sns of lganc and hnc balanc. Th bouqut lingrs on to rval finishing touchs of roastd coff, blackcurrant and pruns. CATEAU L OSPITALET La Clap Blanc 2012 Cash Sal Pric: 1799 Th Châtau l ospitalt Blanc, a blnd of traditional southrn Frnch varitis Bourboulnc, Vrmntino & Grnach Blanc, faturs a mdium goldn color with grn tints. Initial woody scnts of vanilla and mocha giv way to nots of citrus, apricot and pach, finally rounding out to a honyd finish. Th concntration on th palat is balancd by th brightnss of this win, furthr supportd by complx nuancs of anisd, mint, garrigu and honysuckl. Wondrfully lgant and composd, this cuvé has a dpth of charactr that quit simply sts it apart. 90 points from Win Spctator. Corbirs 2011 Cash Sal Pric: 1199 Th classic blnd of Grnach, Syrah, and Mourvdr. Full-bodid with kn acidity, first imprssions ar nonthlss mad through th dp, concntratd color. Th complx aromas of black fruit again com from th carfully controlld xtraction procss within th gratr on of vinification, as wll as from th xcptional ripnss (but not ovrripnss) of th graps. A win of distinctiv charactr, with th classic profil of brambly fruit, liquoric, and hints of spics & hrbs. 90 points from Win Advocat; 88 points from Win Spctator. La Clap Grand Trroir 2011 Cash Sal Pric: 1499 A blnd of Syrah, Carignan, and Mourvdr. A ruby-rd complxion with flashs of violt. Th complx, aromatic bouqut hr boasts aromas of rd & dark fruits (blackbrry, blackcurrant, chrry and rdcurrant) and savory charactristics, which blnd samlssly with th toastd nots that mark its Frnch oak barrl maturation. Suppl and wll-balancd on th palat, th concntration of fruit is givn gratr dpth by th arth & lathr lmnts of aging. 91 points from th Win Spctator. Banyuls 2009 Cash Sal Pric: 1999 Banyuls wins, in a kalidoscop of sa, mountains, sunshin and wind, ar abov all wins for plasur. Th vins, opn to th gnrous climat, produc xprssiv, quintssntial, rich, powrful, lgant and aristocratic wins stpd in th warmth of th sun and th rusticity of th schist soils. Th charactr of th trroir and wins of Banyuls stms from th majstic Grnach grap varity. Grard Brtrand 5
Winry of thyar: 1:47 PM Pag 4 Th Grard Brtrand win company, our slction for Winry of th Yar and hlmd by its ponymous foundr (who in a prvious lif as a rugby playr rprsntd Franc at th intrnational lvl, and who in his currnt incarnation has bn calld th Princ of th Langudoc by win writr Jancis Robinson), can b most accuratly dscribd as a consortium of Europan stats within th Langudoc-Roussillon Winry rgion of southrn Franc, brought of th togthr ovr th cours of a quartr Yar cntury du to thir rprsntation of Win Enthusiast th Grard Brtrand thos. Th thos itslf can b calld, in Grard Brtrand s own words, th Mditrranan Art d Vivr (th Mditrranan Art of Living). Th ssnc of this is actually quit simpl, stmming from th dp Rd conviction that th cultural richs of this man s hom rgion, as rprsntd by Winmakr th local wins from whos production h of th has bn stpd in sinc childhood, ar Yar worthy of intrnational standing. As such, Intrnational Win Challng th company touts four fundamntal valus xcllnc, authnticity, conviviality, and innovation. In short spcific, maningful quality across vry lvl. Th rprsntation of Grard Brtrand wins in our stors throughout th yars attst to that. Whil th wins blow span th ntir spctrum of styls from dlicat ross to aromatic whits to rich rds thy ar thus tid togthr. 4 Picpoul d Pint 2014 Cash Sal Pric: 1099 DOMAINE DE L ESPIGOUETTE Cots-du-Rhon Blanc 2014 VMV 3 Msss Basss Vntoux 2013 Cash Sal Pric: A rd blnd from th cooprativ of Vntoux (Vignrons du Mont Vntoux, within th Southrn Rhon), this is traditional Southrn Rhon in styl and in vrsatility brambly fruit, hrbs, vrsatility, minnt drinkability. Cash Sal Pric: 1299 1799 Mad from Viognir and Grnach Blanc, th Côts du Rhôn Blanc is rock solid, with rich, slightly honyd nots of buttrd citrus, flowr blossom and brioch. Mdiumbodid, with good acidity and a grat mix of both richnss and frshnss, it should b consumd ovr th coming yar or two. This win, craftd 100% from th Picpoul grap varity, coms with a yllow hu and a shimmring quality. Th intns, complx nos rvals nots of whit and citrus fruit, honysuckl and whit flowrs. Full-bodid and livly on th palat, it offrs a crisp frshnss on th finish. Th varital showcasd hr is on of th mor dynamic in th south of Franc, as gratr lgions discovr th mrits of this appllation. Win Advocat Cot ds Ross 2014 Cash Sal Pric: 14 99 Th complxion for on of our most popular rosés is a pal, brilliant pink, with blu tints that tnd to orang on th dgs. Th bouqut rlass aromas of summr fruits, cassis and rd currant; floral nots of ros ptals alongsid hints of grapfruit complt th pictur. Th finish is light and frsh, offring nots of rock candy. On th palat th imprssion is rlativly full-bodid, with strong prsistnc and balanc. Rsrv Spcial Chardonnay 2012 Crmant d Limoux Rosé Jffrson Cuv Cash Sal Pric: 999 Cash Sal Pric: 1499 This ubiquitous grap varity stands out hr by its nobl aromas and th dlicacy this itration offrs. Frsh and flavorful, this 100% Chardonnay coms from coastal vinyards and offrs vibrant nots of citrus, rip appl and floral accnts. An vryday whit, prfct for lightr dishs or as an apritif. Crémant Thomas Jffrson Rosé boasts a bautiful, salmon-pink color and brilliant transparncy. Th bubbls ar dlicat and thr is vivacity on th palat, as wll as a rich, indulgnt txtur. It faturs a complx bouqut with long-lasting aromas of rd fruit (strawbrry and raspbrry), backd with hints of toastd brad. Th nam stms from Prsidnt Jffrson s documntd apprciation of this win, which was in fact th only sparkling win to b found in his prsonal cllar. LATOUR BELAIR Cots-du-Rhon 2012 DOMAINE DE L ESPIGOUETTE Cots-du-Rhon Viills Vigns 2012 Cash Sal Pric: Cash Sal Pric: 1399 1599 A Cots-du-Rhon from th Domain d l Espigoutt (this on mad from youngr vins), this was on of our first visits aftr dcamping in Avignon. To put it simply, this is a Grnach-basd blnd of a diffrnt ordr, mphasizing th floral lganc of Grnach that is most oftn pushd asid for th mor assrtiv charactristics of th grap and its blnding partnrs. A rvlation in my opinion. A mor traditional Cots-du-Rhon from Domain d l Espigoutt, from th old vins within th stat s dsignatd vinyards. An intrsting thm I pickd up during our visit with Julian Latour (son of th domain s currnt patriarch) was his insistnc that a win from th Southrn Rhon should rly on th mrits of Grnach solly, with th additions of Syrah & Mourvdr t. al. bing strictly complmntary in natur. Whil Syrah may b th mor globally clbratd grap, h argud, it is Grnach that shins in th Southrn Rhon, and thus a varital that is truly thir own. This blif factors into how thy compos thir blnds, and is subsquntly hard to argu against aftr you tast thm. DOMAINE DE L ESPIGOUETTE Gigondas 2011 Cash Sal Pric: 3799 Th flagship win of th stat, with absolutly no drop-off in quality whn compard to a wll-mad Chataunuf-du-Pap. A win of powr and substanc, with nots of blackbrry prsrvs, lavndr, garrigu and pain grill, and th structur of lush, fin-graind tannins. 9
1:47 PM Pag 3 y n c r u o J ran F A T R O U G CATEAU SOCIONDO MALLET St. Estph 2009 CATEAU AUTRIAN Bordaux Blanc 2013 Cash Sal Pric: 4499 Cash Sal Pric: 1099 This dlightful dry whit win is mant to b drunk young, cool and frsh. It dlivrs striking scnts of lim and lmon rind, whiffs of honydw and vn a hint of sashlls. And no tast of oak to b found, just pur play dry whit. If thr s a bttr dry whit win for th (littl) mony, I havn t tastd it This win could asily bcom your hous whit - it s that good. BOIS DE BOURSAN Chataunuf-du-Pap 2012 Cash Sal Pric: 4499 Without a doubt on of th most difficult proprtis in all of windom to find (no sign, no strt addrss, and a wary look from th young lady bhind th information dsk in th Chataunuf-du-Pap town squar), th wins hr nonthlss hold up to whatvr xtra scrutiny you fl is warrantd aftr you finally find th plac. Th straight 2012 Chataunuf du Pap (70% Grnach, 10% Syrah, 10% Mourvdr and th balanc othr prmittd varitis) has outstanding potntial with bautiful ripnss, mdium to full-body and a rich, roundd profil. Lafy hrbs, pppr, undrbrush and hints of matinss ar just som of th aromas hr and whil it should b rasonably approachabl on rlas, it should volv gracfully for ovr a dcad. Drink 2015 2022. 89-91 points. Win Advocat 10 Frocious tannins ar not unusual for Sociando Mallt, but I was surprisd that in a vintag that producd xcptionally tannic, but rip wins, th Sociando Mallt tannins wr atypically austr. Nvrthlss, th win boasts hug concntration along with an inky/purpl color, a full-bodid, powrful palat, and a long finish. Excllnt purity, dnsity, and minrality ar prsnt in this cuv, and it is capabl of lasting 30-40 yars. This stat is situatd on som of th finst trroir of th aut-mdoc, nar Calon-Sgur in St.Estph. 90-92+ points. LOUIS LATOUR Macon-Lugny 2009 LOUIS LATOUR Mursault 2009 Cash Sal Pric: 1399 Cash Sal Pric: 3999 Richly-txturd and possssing a smoky minrality, this win brought anothr lvl of rcognition whn it was introducd by Louis Latour a gnration ago, bstowing upon th win-drinking public a knly pricd altrnativ to traditional rich whit Burgundy. Th dpth hr is solly from th ripnss of th fruit th win is both frmntd and agd in stainlss stl. In its absolut prim at th momnt, and thus on to savor immdiatly. Th mountaintop for som whn it coms to rich whit Burgundy; round and rip and fruity with a rich buttry flavor which should b supportd but not ovrwhlmd by nw oak, as Cliv Coats so succinctly puts it, and that just about sums it up. Loosly knit, faturing bakd appl and grapfruit flavors with a touch of spic. This is rich nding with chos of appl and spic. LOUIS LATOUR Baun 1r Cru Ls Vigns Franchs 2006 Cash Sal Pric: 4999 Whil prhaps bst known as th nrvcntr of th Burgundy win trad, Baun is also known for th quality of thir Pinot Noir. This xmplary xampl is from on of th bst 1r Cru vinyards in Baun, and from on of th most rspctd stats in Burgundy. Th stat s Baun Vigns Franchs offrs a fascinating high-tond nos suggstiv of Cabrnt Franc in its mld of flowrs, nuts (pistachio?) and machin oil, xubrant, rip chrry fruit and a smooth txtur on th palat, and chalk and wt ston minral charactr. Win Advocat Win Advocat CATEAU BARET Pssac-Lognan 2010 Cash Sal Pric: 1999 Th Pssac-Lognan AOC appnds th nam of th two ponymous villags togthr, and srvs as th d facto prstig appllation of th Gravs rgion south of th city of Bordaux. Blubrry and clov on th nos. Fullbodid, with soft and vlvty tannins and a cor of imprssiv fruit. Suprfruity. 90-93 scor rang. 2614 Buford ighway 404.321.6232 3
1:46 PM Pag 2 Burgundy From pag 1: Yt Burgundy can also b an ara of hoplss isolation to th consumr many hav nvr trid, nor vr think thy want to try, a Burgundy of ithr hu, and pric points hr can b th most prohibitiv in th world. It is in many maningful ways th ssnc of trroir which translats roughly to sns of plac distilld, yt at its pak it can somhow still b at odds with modrn xpctations. It is also on of th most complx win rgions in th xistnc, its layrs of minutia whthr it is th study of th soils, th parcllation of vinyards, or th argumnt of how a good Burgundy should volv a dram com tru for win nrds vrywhr. On th othr nd of th spctrum, it dosn t hlp that during th fr-for-all days of gnric lablling, th trm Burgundy was usd for low-quality swtish rd blnds of dubious provnanc (and in th U.S. it is still allowd to b usd in this way in a crtain mannr). In th nd, Burgundy mans diffrnt things to diffrnt popl. Lt us b clar on on thing, howvr Burgundy, at its highst lvls, ar th finst wins in xistnc. Lt th argumnts bgin. DOMAINE BART Fixin 2011 Cash Sal Pric: 3499 Locatd in th northrn portion of th Cot d Nuits, sparatd by a slic of land only accordd Cot d Nuits Villags quality from th grand commun of Gvry Chambrtin. Lt this b to your bnfit, howvr this is vry bit th quality of its far mor illustrious nar nighbor. Candid chrry, raspbrry, licoric and minral flavors mark this succulnt styl. Though lgant, this shows dpth and fin lngth. Cot d Nuits 2 DOMAINE GALLOIS Gvry-Chambrtin 2011 Cash Sal Pric: 7899 Gvry Chambrtin, in th Cot d Nuits rgion of Burgundy, is arguably th first ral commun of consqunc in this part of th Cot d Or (at last in trms of rvrnc), if on is travling from north to south. Th bst Pinot Noir hr ar, in th words of Cliv Coats, sumptuous immaculat and full, firm and rich, concntratd and masculin. Th Domain Gallois follows suit, th palat thus prdictably suppl, with nots of blubrry, chrry cordial, and hrbs, and a taut, frsh finish. A big stp up from gnric Bourgogn Roug. CATEAU GENOT-BOULANGER Clos d Vougot 2011 Cash Sal Pric: 12999 Clos d Vougot is both th largst Grand Cru in th Cot d Nuits (and scond only to Corton/Corton Charlmagn in th ntir Cot d Or) as wll as on of th most unhraldd. Th main rason for this stms from (1) th fact that th vinyard is in fact so larg, occupying th lowr land that for many produc graps lacking in Grand Cru quality, and (2) th continual fractioning of th vinyard that now ss ovr 80 propritors and 100 diffrnt parcls within its confins, which can mak finding th right bottl a bwildring xprinc. Lt us hlp th Gnot Boulangr is clan and pur, with a vrv and dpth that dos justic to th Grand Cru dsignation. This is Pinot Noir of a highr ordr. CATEAU PETIT VEDRINES Sautrns 2011 Cash Sal Pric: 1299 TOQUES ET CLOCERS Limoux 2010 Cash Sal Pric: 1399 Th scond win from th lgndary Sautrns proprty of Doisy-Vdrins, lt this srv as th idal introduction to on of th most rnownd win rgions in th world, producing arguably th highst chlon of dssrt wins. 100% Chardonnay from th southrn zon of th Limoux appllation of Langudoc-Roussillon, showcasing lmon-lim, par, and minral purity, with th richnss of fully-ripnd fruit and a snsibl oak rgim. At fiv yars of ag thr is also a savory, smoky quality that is bginning to dvlop, which maks this about as complx a Chardonnay on can find for undr 15. Bright and frindly, with pinappl, whit pach, lmon curd and yllow appl fruit, lacd with a gingr not and lingring on th opn-knit finish. Drink now through 2018. ROSÉ DE CEVALIER 2014 Cash Sal Pric: 1299 CATEAU LAMOUR Castillon Cots-d-Bordaux 2010 Th bouqut of this win litrally nvlops th room whn you pop th bottl Cash Sal Pric: 999 Domain d Chvalir has bn producing a tiny quantity of Rosé win for around 20 yars, using th mthod calld rosé d saigné : no macration and th juic is frmntd sparatly. It is mainly mad from Cabrnt Sauvignon by Olivir Brnard and his tam. For this lovly rosé win, h chos a vry asthtic whit glass bottl from th bst glass bottl producr of Franc. Locatd ast of St. Emilion, th blnd for this 2010 is 90% Mrlot, 10% Cabrnt Franc. Th mrits of th 2010 Bordaux vintag hav bn wlldocumntd; this was in many maningful ways a prfct vintag in trms of vinyard conditions, which consquntly puts th onus on th stat to produc a win that livs up to xpctations. Th rsults hr don t disappoint, with blackbrry, plum, and tobacco laf nots and not a hard dg in sight. Domain d Chvalir, Pssac-Lognan LA LINEA Cots-d-Roussillon Villags 2013 Cash Sal Pric: 1299 This rd is vry frsh, with rip black chrry and blackbrry flavors, supportd by mdium-graind tannins. Intgratd hrb and minral nots add lganc through th spicy, loamy finish. Drink now through 2017. 88 points. A NOTE FROM TE EDITOR: This will b our pnultimat dition of th nwslttr to b producd in a print dition bginning in 2016, th nwslttr will solly b offrd in a digital format through our various mdia platforms. Thank you for your undrstanding in making this transition a smooth on. Mor dtails to follow! 11
1:46 PM Pag 1 Bvrags 2614 Buford ighway, NE Atlanta, GA 30324 PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID ATLANTA, GA PERMIT NO. 3259 Knny Go, Editor RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED Autumn 2015 Producd and distributd by Bvrags, Atlanta, Ga. Burgundy In This Issu: Thr is prhaps no win rgion as trasurd, daunting, misundrstood, and mythologizd as Burgundy; whil this may sm lik a contradiction in trms, this is an ara that has for long bn schizophrnic in natur. Administrativly spaking, th rgion of Burgundy ncompasss th sub-rgions of Chablis, th Cot d Or, th Cot Chalonnais, th Maconnais, and Baujolais, although th lattr sub-rgion is distinct nough that it is rightfully considrd sparatly in a win contxt. As such, th two graps that dominat th landscap hr (with th xcption of Baujolais) ar th majstic Pinot Noir & Chardonnay, th formr bing on of th most ancint varitis in xistnc. Ths ar two nativ Burgundian varitis that vn th casual win drinkr finds ubiquitous; thy ar plantd th world ovr, and in many cass as rprsntd by appllations such as Bourgogn Roug & Blanc (rgional), Pommard (communal), Mursault Ls Charms (1r Cru (singl-vinyard)), and La Tach (Grand Cru (singlvinyard)) it is th Burgundy styl that is rfrncd, if not mulatd dirctly. If you study win, thn you will invitably nd up bing wll-vrsd in Burgundy, and mor likly than Plas s pag 2 not you will nd up rvring it. DOMAINE BART Bourgogn Roug 2012 Cash Sal Pric: 2799 Raspbrry, bittr chrry, violts and damp arth inform this ntry-lvl Bourgogn from th six-gnration strong stat of Domain Bart, thir stat situatd in th northrn cornr of th Cot d Nuits. Th graps hr ar sourcd from throughout th domain s 22 hctars of vinyards, with an mphasis on purity of fruit (thr is no oak aging with this win). Th rsults showcas th thral quality of wll-mad Pinot Noir, th sns of richnss imparting itslf without any hint of havinss. Burgundy...1 Winry of th Yar...4 A Journy Through Franc...6 ALBERT BICOT Bourgogn Blanc 2012 Cash Sal Pric: 1499 A mdium bodid Chardonnay, with prcis nots of par, mlon, rd appl, and honysuckl, and a minral strak that bcoms apparnt mid-palat. Th subtl hints of toast and clovs show its oak sasoning. A wondrful option for vryday Burgundy (ys, thy do xist). DOMAINE LONG DEPAQUIT Chablis 1r Cru Ls Vaillons 2012 Cash Sal Pric: 3399 A traditionally styld Chablis pur fruit & minrality from on of th rgion s mor rnownd 1r Cru vinyards. A lan, firm whit, this displays appl, lmon, oystr shll and arth nots. Balancd, with fin lngth and a lmony aftrtast. Think oystrs. Bst from 2015 through 2022. TWO CONVENIENT LOCATIONS: Burgundy Plas s pag 1