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SKU: 1031986
750ml
MSRP$870.00
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Available: 6
98 Points! Absolutely bursting with blue and red fruits, the concentration is deceptive here, as it starts out juicy and full of air, but after a few minutes in the glass you start to feel the weight and the texture, and this turns into an extremely serious wine with real tannic hold. Gorgeous savoury finish, as you get so often in the best Burgundies, where weightlessness is such a brilliant veil to the power behind. 55% whole cluster. - Decanter Magazine
98 Points! The 2018 Clos de Tart Grand Cru was wonderful from barrel but now it seems to have gone up another level. It has an exquisite bouquet with wonderful mineralité infusing the brambly red fruit. Wonderful focus and quite profound complexity. You could nose this forever. The palate is medium-bodied with finely chiselled tannins married with a killer line of natural acidity. Everything is perfectly proportioned in this wine, very persistent with layers of dark berry fruit laced with white pepper and tea leaf on the finish. Immense. Tasted blind at the Burgfest 2018 red tasting. - Neal Martin, Vinous Media
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French wine covers a remarkable range of styles, from the structured reds of Bordeaux to the sparkling wines of Champagne, where a second fermentation in the bottle creates the bubbles. Bordeaux is best known for red blends built around Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot, but it also makes dry whites and the sweet wines of Sauternes. Burgundy is a benchmark for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, with wines that can taste distinctly different from one village to the next. The Rhône Valley offers a contrast within a single region: Syrah shapes the reds of the north, while Grenache often leads the blends of the south. In the Loire Valley, Chenin Blanc can be dry, sweet or sparkling, while Cabernet Franc is the signature red grape of appellations such as Chinon and Saumur-Champigny. A French wine label often starts with a place name. The Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC) identifies a defined area and sets rules for permitted grapes and production. Learning a few appellation names makes it easier to recognize the styles you enjoy and find related wines from neighboring villages or other producers.
Burgundy, or Bourgogne, is best known for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. A useful way to explore the region is to follow one grape across several places. Chablis shows Chardonnay’s brisk, citrus and mineral side, while Meursault and Puligny-Montrachet in the Côte de Beaune offer a contrast in texture and richness. In the Côte de Nuits, villages such as Gevrey-Chambertin and Vosne-Romanée are closely associated with Pinot Noir. Farther south, look to Mercurey in the Côte Chalonnaise for Pinot Noir and to Pouilly-Fuissé in the Mâconnais for Chardonnay. Burgundy’s labels tell you how precisely the wine’s origin is defined. A regional appellation can cover a broad area, while a village wine comes from a more narrowly defined area around a named commune. Premier Cru identifies designated vineyard sites within a village appellation, and Grand Cru sites have appellations of their own. These named vineyard parcels, known as climats, can differ in soil, slope and exposure even when they sit side by side. To get a feel for those differences, compare two villages from the same producer and vintage, or try two producers working in the same vineyard. Both comparisons help show how place and winemaking shape the wine in your glass.
2018 in Burgundy was hot and dry with a large crop, producing ripe, rich and powerful reds of generous fruit; the whites are full-bodied but require care, as some show lower acidity.
Pinot Noir is a thin-skinned red grape celebrated for aromatic detail, silky texture and sensitivity to its growing site. Cherry and strawberry are familiar flavors, often accompanied by floral notes and, with maturity, earthy or forest-floor complexity. Its wines are commonly light to medium in body, with freshness and fine tannins that can give a sense of delicacy alongside considerable depth. Burgundy is Pinot Noir's historic home and a benchmark for the grape. There, differences in soil, slope and exposure can produce distinct expressions from neighboring vineyards, making Pinot Noir central to the region's emphasis on terroir. Beyond Burgundy, cooler growing regions have developed their own interpretations, including Australia's Yarra Valley, Mornington Peninsula and Tasmania. Pinot Noir can produce fresh, fruit-focused wines for earlier enjoyment as well as more structured examples that gain complexity with age. Vineyard conditions and choices in fermentation and oak aging influence its balance of perfume, fruit and savory character. Its appeal lies in nuance and the way a single grape can communicate the individuality of a place.
