A Jaw-Dropping Burgundy Deal
2007 Chandon de Briailles
1er Cru Île des Vergelesses
Grand Cru Quality at a Great Value
We pounced on this parcel the second we saw it. Frankly I'm not sure I've ever seen a better deal.
Chandon de Briailles soulful 1er Cru is priced well below most current vintage Bourgogne Rouges! And this is most definitely not a Bourgogne Rouge.
If anything, Chandon's 1er Cru Île des Vergelesses flirts with Grand Cru quality. Clive Coates, among others, has insisted that the estate's parcels in Île des Vergelesses merit Grand Cru status. This is more than just hyperbole - we're talking old vines going back to 1938 and a serious wine of structure and purity.
The Burghound, in reviewing the 2007, called it an "outstanding top value" of the vintage.
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Chandon de Briailles is a great old school Burgundy domaine. This is one of those quiet houses that, despite the laid back reputation, you tend to find collected by the same folks that stock up on the elite regulars like Roumier, Rousseau, Bachelet, etc.
There's plenty that needs to be said about the domaine, but from the outset I should stately flatly: At this price, the savvy buyer goes long.
The wines of Chandon de Briailles are soulful; they are exemplars of classic Burgundy. The emphasis is on fruit of great purity, flavor and aromatics without weight. The Île des Vergelesses especially, is about subtlety and finesse.
Chandon de Briailles has some impressive Grand Cru holdings, including Corton-Charlemagne. However, in many ways it's their holdings in Pernand-Vergelesses that are the domaine's calling cards with the Île des Vergelesses the unquestionable headliner.
2007 is a vintage that Chandon de Briailles nailed. Stephen Tanzer captures the charm of the vintage quite well when he writes, "They finish with an almost electric impression of lift and perfume, as if their fine tannins were sparkling on the palate like diamond dust." The 07 vintage played perfectly into Chandon de Briailles' style and their Île des Vergelesses is one of the best we've tasted in recent vintages... and this includes heavy hitters like 05 and 09. (Both the 05 and the 09, by the way, begin at $50 a bottle.)
The 2007 Île des Vergelesses is red Burgundy full of woodland berry fruit saturated in minerals with fine earth notes. The delivery is detailed and focused, and above all else, refined.
2007 has a reputation for being an early-drinking vintage and, true to form, the Île des Vergelesses has a certain suppleness of tannin that makes it immediately appealing - even downright delicious. Slurp-able.
However, if the plan is to go deep and have this 1er Cru/Grand Cru as the house red for the next few years, have no worries about the wine drinking very well for another 5-7 years.
At this pricing, there's no better red Burgundy deal to stuff your cellar with. Quantities are limited so give us your maximum order and we'll allocate as best we can.
To order, reply to this email or call the store at (212) 980-9463.
Ian McFadden
Director, Fine & Rare Wines
Crush Wine & Spirits