So I have to begin this email with the embarrassing admission that I drank up most of the bottles we had in stock of my Wine of the Year - Nicolas Potel's delicious 2005 Cote de Nuits-Villages. (Sorry about that.)
As penance though, I'm happy to offer the final shipment, arriving in early 2008, at a special pre-arrival price that's discounted down to under $30. I've been on a 2005 Burgundy rampage for much of the year, going to just about every tasting I could find. At this price, Potel's Cote de Nuits is the most authentic and invigorating 2005 Burgundy I've experienced - an energetic and worthy mascot for this unbelievable vintage.
The bottle is packed with suave and voluptuous Pinot Noir fruit and drizzled from beginning to end with a gravelly minerality that adds texture and depth. In a vintage with undeniable ripeness, this Potel is flawlessly balanced.
There is an honesty and an energy to this wine that is so invigorating - a wine juicy enough to be just plain fun to drink and structured enough to demand a certain amount of respect. All this is what kept bringing me back to the wine again and again, depleting our first shipment in no time flat.
While I have always viewed Potel's wines as excellent values, it was my assumption that there was a ceiling to the quality, a line in the Burgundian limestone that Potel would just never be able to cross. With the 2005 vintage, Nicolas Potel shattered my expectations and left an indelible mark on my palate.
I first came upon Potel's wines in the 1999 vintage - the fact of the matter is I was a fan right from the start. I still have some Vosne-Romanee Malconsorts sleeping in my cellar from this first encounter.
Across the board, from village to Grand Cru, Potel's lineup of 2005s is simply one of the best set of wines I tasted from what is certainly the best young Burgundy vintage of my lifetime. From Chambolle, Gevrey, Vosne and Morey, not to mention just about everywhere else throughout the Cote d'Or, Potel just made truly masterful wines.
No matter how many other 2005 Burgundies I had, my focus kept coming back to Potel and how I wanted to buy, drink and sell these wines so that other people could instantly drop any preconceived notions about Potel's place in the Burgundian hierarchy. He really has shattered the ceiling in 2005.
This is your chance to grab a piece of the "2005 Burgundy" action. For me, this year was all about the Burgundy campaign - I have to say, it's been a thrilling ride so far. From the rumors of the "profound" 2005s, to the first tastings last spring, to the unleashing of the wines on the market and the mad-dash of collectors to grab what they could of this magic vintage, it has been a non-stop joy ride for me.
I have no doubt that many of the 1er and Grand Cru wines from the top domaines will simply reset the bar. But you had better have a very thick wallet and a good-sized cellar, because most of these wines have already reset the pricing structure and they will most definitely need some time to really come into top form.
Finding great Burgundy under $30 is getting tougher all the time - it's like finding a needle in Clos Vougeot! Potel's Cote de Nuits is just such a sincere and inspiring expression - so look no further.
For the next 3-5 years, this wine will be the perfect complement to just about anything. Juicy and hedonistic enough to pair with Monday Night Football, structured and complex enough to accompany a great meal.
The last shipment of 2005 Potel Cote de Nuits arrives in early 2008; stock up while the price on this wine is still reasonable! Please reply to this email or call the store at (212) 980-9463 to secure your bottles as soon as possible.
Ian McFadden
Director of Fine and Rare Wine
Crush Wine & Spirits
Click below to purchase Potel's 2005 Cote de Nuits-Villages!