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Delamotte Rosé Champagne N/V
Origin: Le Mesnil sur Oger, France
Retail: $105 | Sale: $94.50
There is a hint of the exotic about the making of Delamotte Rosé champagne, and perhaps a little eccentricity too! It is made with the traditional bleeding technique rarely used in Champagne. Colour and aromatic range are extracted from the grape skin. How? They are left to macerate in their skin before and/or during fermentation. This delivers an elegant and structured wine thanks to Grand Cru Pinot Noir growing on the south-east facing hillsides of the Montagne de Reims: Ambonnay, Bouzy and Tours-sur-Marne. In association with Chardonnay from Mesnil-sur-Oger, this rosé is a dazzling salmon pink in colour, with an amazingly complex wine sparkling beneath. Delamotte Rosé matures for around two years on the lees before disgorgement. The ideal accompaniments for this sophisticated wine with slightly smoky notes are raspberry charlotte, red fruit soups and sugary desserts of the kind that Marcel Proust would surely never forget.
It has a caramelized, brioche-scented style as well as plenty of strawberry and cherry fruits, building, medium-bodied richness, and a pretty, elegant texture that keeps you coming back to the glass. It’s a classy, beautifully balanced rosé to drink over the coming. JD
80% Pinot Noir and 20% Chardonnay
Jean Claude Bachelet Chassagne-Montrachet 1erCru ‘Les Macerelles’
Origin: Burgundy, France
Retail: $108 | Sale: $97.20
All of the vineyards are estate-owned, and they started conversion to biodynamic production in 2012. In 2016, all ten hectares were managed following biodynamic principles. Although it means a lot more work in the vineyards, the brothers find that the wines have more precision and you get a stronger sense of terroir. Full east exposure. Macherelles is normally the most open upon release of Bachelet's 1er Cru. Native fermentation. Vinification is natural with indigenous yeasts and slow fermentations. Aged for 18 months in French oak barrels on fine lees. This means that the wines have two winters in the cellar, which contributes to the finesse, depth and structure of the wine, necessary for its aging capacity.
Aromas of spiced pear, white flowers and honeycomb preface the 2018 Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Macherelles, a medium to full-bodied, bright and lively wine that's one of the more introverted in the range, revealing promising depth at the core and concluding with a chalky finish
100% Chardonnay
Francois Carillon Puligny-Montrachet 2019
Origin: Burgundy, France
Retail: $95.95 | Sale: $86.25
The Carillon family domaine dates back to the 16th century. The winemaking tradition has been passed down from father to son since 1632 when a Carillon viticulteur is recorded, and even since 1520 when Jean Carillon is mentioned in archives. The family still occupies the same site as they did then in Puligny-Montrachet, between the church and the old château which belonged to the original nobles of the village. The motif on their label, showing a grape harvesting knife and the year 1632, is a reproduction of a carving above the door frame.
The primary aromas of this white Burgundy are ample, with notes of white stone fruit highlighted by a summery minerality. Generous and flexible, it is a crowd-pleaser that can be enjoyed upon release. The vinification is done in the traditional Burgundian style, with fermentation taking place in small oak casks. The wine is aged in Allier oak.
100% Chardonnay
Gonet-Medeville Ambonnay ‘Cuvee Athenais’ 2018
Origin: Champagne, France
Retail: $104 | Sale: $93.60
From a third of a hectare of old vines planted in 1905. Xavier remains true to the ideas for his Champagnes – that is to say he is seeking full ripeness, and the wine is all aged in barrel. A deep colour and bright cherry fruit, with a spicy overlay and pure silky feel. Long on red berry and pure Pinot juice. Hypnotic, dense, ripe, strawberry-tinged and rarely-made red wine – from 97-year old Pinot Noir vines grown on the steepest slopes of Ambonnay – among the best still wines of Champagne
The dark colored red offers a beautifully deep, perfectly ripe and intense, but subtle, fresh, very elegant dark cherry and berry fruit. These fruit flavors are intertwined with some spicy flavors. Silky textured, very pure and intense on the palate, this is a fresh and elegant Pinot Noir with fine tannins, great finesse and purity. Very long and a true expression of fruit.
100% Pinot Noir
Domaine François Boillot Gevrey-Chambertain
Origin: Burgundy, France
Retail: $89.95 | Sale: $80.95
Louis’ domaine has quietly become one of the most admired small estates in the Côte d’Or. The turning point came in the mid-2000s, when he and his partner—the supremely talented Ghislaine Barthod—built a cave together in Chambolle-Musigny. This brought two of Burgundy’s most gifted winemakers together—working and tasting side by side—with the alchemy you’d expect. The vineyard management was also combined, with Louis responsible for not only his own vines, but those of Ghislaine as well.
Deep ruby red with intense and enjoyable aromas of blackberry, raspberry, black cherry, plum, blueberry and violet. Warm, soft, fruity, with intense sensations of ripe black cherry and blackberry; remarkably persistent with soft tannins, velvety, balanced and harmonious. Combines well with braised & roasted meats, hard cheese.
100% Pinot Noir
Delamotte Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs 2012
Origin: Le Mesnil sur Oger, France
Retail: $132 | Sale: $118.80
2012 will be remembered as one of the champagne region’s most challenging growing seasons. While the champenois are well-versed in the caprices of a marginal viticultural climate, this was a year when Mère Nature – or rather her diabolical twin sister – seemed hellbent on showing who is boss. From January to June, the vignerons found themselves under siege as virtually every single one of the region’s most feared climatic events was unleashed upon them. Downpours of Biblical proportions. Throw in a hailstorm and make it wild! Then, as if this weren’t enough, a cruel sharp slap of cold compromised flowering and fruit set. ‘Natural pruning’ sounds far more pleasant than reality. Finally, after so much turbulence, July brought calm, resetting the defaults. The skies cleared and temperatures rose, to the relief – albeit cautious - of the beleaguered growers. Resplendent sunshine and warm, dry days helped accelerate the ripening process, while brisk breezes and fresh nighttime temperatures preserved bright acids. These beautiful, luminous conditions continued until harvest. Unsurprisingly, this did not take long - crop levels were significantly lower than usual, a factor of the difficult growing season. The grapes were harvested in pristine condition, the fruit and acidities in perfect balance, not seen since the great 2008 vintage.
Delamotte’s 2012 Brut Vintage is rich, creamy and super-expressive. This is only the second vintage (the first was 2008) in which fruit from Oiry rounds out the classic core of Le Mesnil, Oger and Cramant that forms the backbone of the Vintage. Dried pear, white flowers, chamomile and mint are some of the notes that grace this exquisite understated Blanc de Blancs. AG
100% Chardonnay