Showing all 9 results
“The 2020 Mâcon-Cruzille Aragonite is very attractive, bursting with aromas of honeyed apricots and pastry cream, followed by a medium to full-bodied, satiny and racy palate with tangy acids and a mouthwatering finish. From old vines planted on the northern side of the Clos, it’s a cuvée that has gained in precision in recent years. Drink: 2022-2030. 92 points”
William Kelley, Wine Advocate (09/22)
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“In a sense, a visit to Julien Guillot’s Domaine des Vignes du Maynes is like stepping back in time. Farmed organically since the Second World War, these vineyards have never seen pesticides or herbicides. The Guillot family also never planted clonal selections of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Gamay, preferring to keep the lower-yielding local selections that have since died out elsewhere. Even the estate’s cellars are constructed on the ruins of a Roman villa. Yet for all the weight of history here, Domaine des Vignes du Maynes is also decidedly innovative. Guillot is a pioneer of biodynamics in Southern Burgundy: when he made the shift in 1998, his neighbors referred to his endeavors as “les conneries de Guillot”—”Guillot’s bullshit.” He vinifies with little or no sulfur dioxide. And he’s a darling of the so-called natural wine movement, his wines coveted by Parisian cavistes and East Coast sommeliers alike. They merit all the attention, because Guillot is far from a follower of fashion; wander through the vineyards of Cruzille in springtime, and the chances are you’ll run into him on a tractor. Complex and textural, the whites are exotic examples of white Burgundy that will surprise anyone habituated to aseptic commercial Mâcon. And the reds are superb—satiny and perfumed expressions of Pinot Noir and Gamay that disappear dangerously rapidly. This is an iconic estate in the Mâconnais, and readers shouldn’t hesitate to experience these singular wines for themselves.”
William Kelley, Wine Advocate (249)
In Stock
“After years of trying, it was with great interest that I at last paid a visit to Philippe Valette’s elusive 8.5-hectare Chaintré estate. The Valette family were the first to exit the local cooperative, and they rapidly won a reputation for rich, concentrated wines that were frequently celebrated in the pages of this publication. On leaving school in 1990, Philippe began to convert the domaine to organic farming, and since 1992, their wines have never been chaptalized. Influenced by a meeting with Pierre Overnoy, Valette has come to identify with the natural wine movement, and today, his wines see little or no sulfur and increasingly long élevage—indeed, the 2006 Clos de Monsieur Noly spent fully 12 years in barrel. If the estate’s wines through the late 1990s were simply powerful, textural examples of high-quality white Burgundy (notes on several will appear in the next installment of Up From the Cellar), the wines being released today belong in a category of their own. Complex and sapid, I find them fascinating, but readers should be prepared to find wines that are quite different from any of the Valettes’ neighbors. Anyone who appreciates the Jura bottlings of Jean-François Ganevat or the Thomas Pico Chablis wines is likely to love them! My experience is that they often benefit from extended aeration, and I tend to decant Valette’s wines or follow them over several days.”
William Kelley, Wine Advocate (244)
In Stock
“The 2018 Saint-Véran is a very pretty and expressive wine. Yellow orchard fruit, chamomile and lightly honeyed notes are pushed forward effortlessly. A touch of reduction adds character without being too dominant. This succulent, mid-weight white Burgundy offers plenty of immediacy and deliciousness. Drinking window: 2020-2026. 89 points”
Antonio Galloni, Vinous (10/20)
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“Aromas of minty green apples and citrus oil introduce the 2017 Mâcon-Villages, a medium to full-bodied, supple and fleshy wine that’s bright and layered, concluding with a saline finish. This bottling comes from comparatively young vines and is vinified and matured in tank. The 2017 is quite easy to understand and makes a great introduction to the wines of this fascinating and idiosyncratic domaine. Drinking window: 2019-2029. 89 points
After years of trying, it was with great interest that I at last paid a visit to Philippe Valette’s elusive 8.5-hectare Chaintré estate. The Valette family were the first to exit the local cooperative, and they rapidly won a reputation for rich, concentrated wines that were frequently celebrated in the pages of this publication. On leaving school in 1990, Philippe began to convert the domaine to organic farming, and since 1992, their wines have never been chaptalized. Influenced by a meeting with Pierre Overnoy, Valette has come to identify with the natural wine movement, and today, his wines see little or no sulfur and increasingly long élevage—indeed, the 2006 Clos de Monsieur Noly spent fully 12 years in barrel. If the estate’s wines through the late 1990s were simply powerful, textural examples of high-quality white Burgundy (notes on several will appear in the next installment of Up From the Cellar), the wines being released today belong in a category of their own. Complex and sapid, I find them fascinating, but readers should be prepared to find wines that are quite different from any of the Valettes’ neighbors. Anyone who appreciates the Jura bottlings of Jean-François Ganevat or the Thomas Pico Chablis wines is likely to love them! My experience is that they often benefit from extended aeration, and I tend to decant Valette’s wines or follow them over several days.”
William Kelley, Wine Advocate (244)
Sold Out
“After years of trying, it was with great interest that I at last paid a visit to Philippe Valette’s elusive 8.5-hectare Chaintré estate. The Valette family were the first to exit the local cooperative, and they rapidly won a reputation for rich, concentrated wines that were frequently celebrated in the pages of this publication. On leaving school in 1990, Philippe began to convert the domaine to organic farming, and since 1992, their wines have never been chaptalized. Influenced by a meeting with Pierre Overnoy, Valette has come to identify with the natural wine movement, and today, his wines see little or no sulfur and increasingly long élevage—indeed, the 2006 Clos de Monsieur Noly spent fully 12 years in barrel. If the estate’s wines through the late 1990s were simply powerful, textural examples of high-quality white Burgundy (notes on several will appear in the next installment of Up From the Cellar), the wines being released today belong in a category of their own. Complex and sapid, I find them fascinating, but readers should be prepared to find wines that are quite different from any of the Valettes’ neighbors. Anyone who appreciates the Jura bottlings of Jean-François Ganevat or the Thomas Pico Chablis wines is likely to love them! My experience is that they often benefit from extended aeration, and I tend to decant Valette’s wines or follow them over several days.”
William Kelley, Wine Advocate (244)
Sold Out
