News — France

The Heart of the Matter Revisited:
2014 Vilmart Coeur de Cuvée

In the cellar, Coeur de Cuvée impresses me as being "bulletproof." I've had many compelling experiences with mature Vilmart.

"This beautiful effort is packed with development potential and is very classy."
2020 De Montille Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Le Cailleret

De Montille Cailleret's greatness isn't widely known, but it is consistently one of the most exciting bottles of white Burgundy that we taste.

Champagne:
Agrapart, Dom Pérignon, Laval, Ledru, Peters, Savart, Taittinger & More

Today, I'm happy to offer a list covering some of my favorite Champagne producers.

Red Burgundy 2001-2020
Angerville, Arnoux-Lachaux, Bachelet, Fourrier, Lafarge, Rousseau & More

I had a lot of fun putting together this red Burgundy list that stretches over nearly two decades.

Our Go-To Champagne Value
Laherte Frères Ultradition Blanc de Blancs Brut NV

Ultradition has become one of the most popular Champagnes in Crush history. Simply put, Ultradition is an irresistible Champagne that delivers serious value. It's an accessible Champagne, but also one of incredible balance and interest.

"The balance is impeccable" -Burghound
2020 Drouhin Beaune 1er Cru Clos des Mouches Blanc

Clos des Mouches Blanc is one of the true insider wines in all of Burgundy.

"In a word, lovely" -Burghound
2019 De Montille Saint Aubin 1er Cru En Remilly

Saint Aubin's 1er Cru En Remilly is a go-to for many Burgundy fanatics. The site pulls in everyone from collectors to value seekers. Not many other places offer white Burgundies at this level for this price. After all, En Remilly sits just behind the Grand Cru, Le Montrachet.

"One of Champagne's brightest young talents"
2017 Renoir Les Epinettes Grand Cru

In 2019, I named Renoir's 2015 Les Epinettes my wine of the year. Today, I'm happy to follow up with the impressive 2017 Epinettes.  

Loire Benchmark
2020 Pépière Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine Clos des Briords

Showstopping Champagne
2014 Laherte Freres Les Empreintes Extra Brut

Laherte's Empreintes is among the most impressive and eye-opening Champagnes we've tasted this year. Over the past handful of years, Laherte has emerged as one of the most talented growers in Champagne.

Like No Other
2015 Château d'Yquem Half-Bottles

Curnonsky, the famous 20th century Parisian "Prince of Gastronomes" included Yquem (along with Montrachet) among "the five great white wines of France.”

Unbeatable 2019 Red Burgundy
2019 Fornerol Côte de Nuits - Villages Rouge

Didier Fornerol's Côte de Nuits - Villages offers a rare combination of rigor, deliciousness, and value. For many vintages, the Côte de Nuits - Villages Rouge is a staff and customer favorite. The 2019 takes things to another level.

Loire Royalty - In Top Form
2019 Roches Neuves Saumur Blanc Clos de l'Échelier

The l’Échelier Blanc is always the most incisively mineral of Roches Neuves' whites. Clos de l’Échelier is a 1.8ha clos (a walled vineyard) that has hard limestone soils.

Lowest Price: 2019 White Burgundy Sweet Spot
2019 Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Clavoillon

By all accounts, Leflaive's 2019s are some of the top white Burgundies of the vintage. The wines have showstopping elegance, incredible complexity, and serious cut and structure. The total package is jaw-dropping.

Red Burgundy:
Barthod, Dujac, Mugneret-Gibourg, Rousseau, & More

Hitting On All Cylinders:
2019 Colin-Morey St. Aubin 1er Cru En Remilly Nicholas et Mathis

It wouldn't be out of line to say that Pierre-Yves Colin's work in St. Aubin has been crucial in establishing the domaine's cult status. This speaks volumes about how impressive his work in St. Aubin is. Colin has holdings in Grand Crus and top 1er Crus, yet savvy buyers hunt the En Remilly bottlings down with the same fervor as the Chevalier-Montrachet.

Cotat Rarity
2019 François Cotat Chavignol Rosé

For many rosés, there's a race to drink them within the first year of release. In contrast, Cotat's is in prime form after 6-10 years of age.

The Other Foillard - Enter Agnès and Nadine
2018 Foillard Morgon Elles

Like so many others, we find Foillard's wines totally irresistible. The Morgon Elles is yet another entry of Foillard's that we love to drink, but there's a twist.

Marquis D'Angerville: 2006-2018

Whether it's the stony and intricate raciness of Taillepieds or the singular combination of intensity and breeding of Clos des Ducs, d'Angerville's wines possess a captivating silkiness, finesse, and excellent transparency.

Hiding In Plain Sight Revisited
2018 Pierre Boisson Auxey-Duresses Blanc

Boisson's work in Auxey-Duresses has been "hiding in plain sight". Their Auxey-Duresses Blanc shows a similar tension and cut that makes their Auxey 1er Cru En Reugne so thrilling.

Century Old Vines
2019 Roches Neuves Saumur-Champigny Les Mémoires

This is very much the story of old vines, ones that are over hundred years old, that dig deep into limestone.

White Burgundy
Colin-Morey, Coche-Dury, De Moor, Lamy-Caillat, Lafon & More

Here Today, Gone Tomorrow
2020 Lapierre Morgon Sans Soufre

The unsulphured version of Lapierre's Morgon consistently shows a textural dimension, a clarity of expression, and an intangible depth that sets it apart.

"Nicely Delineated" - Burghound
2017 Domaine Bernard Moreau Chassagne-Montrachet

Moreau's wines are explosive, rigorously sculpted, and above all, pure. I'm always taken by their pristine high-toned gracefulness.