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Philippe Gavignet, Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru, “Les Bousselots”

Other, France 2016 (750mL)
$72.00
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Philippe Gavignet, Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru, “Les Bousselots”

Nuits-St-Georges is not the most iconic village in Burgundy’s Côte de Nuits: That title would probably go to either Vosne-Romanée, which is next door, or Gevrey-Chambertin, which boasts the most Grand Cru vineyards. But if everyone in Nuits-St-Georges made wines like Philippe Gavignet, we’d all be singing a different tune.
His wines are models of elegance, polish, and purity in a village historically associated with more ‘rustic’ reds, and at the top of his impressive lineup is today’s Premier Cru showstopper, “Les Bousselots.” This wine blew us all away when we tasted it at the domaine back in March, and its recent arrival in our warehouse was cause for celebration. Gavignet’s 70-year-old vines in the “Bousselots” vineyard produce wines with similar depth and complexity to the Grand Cru reds of neighboring Vosne. This is truly revelatory red Burgundy without the prohibitive price—an especially smart choice for anyone who’s recently begun building a wine collection. We can offer up to six bottles per customer today, which, given this wine’s microscopic production, is actually a lot. I urge you to find some space for it, as it’s got a long life of positive evolution ahead of it!
The Gavignet domaine, based in Nuits-St-Georges, dates to the 1930s and still boasts some vineyards planted way back then. Current proprietor, Philippe, took over for his father in 1992 (though his first vintage was 1979) and has continued farming their small holdings as sustainably as possible, eschewing herbicides and harvesting only by hand. His range of wines is focused almost exclusively in Nuits-St-Georges, where his tiny, yet perfectly situated plots include three Premier Crus: “Les Bousselots,” “Les Chaboeufs,” and “Les Pruliers.” Today’s wine, Les Bousselots, is arguably the greatest of all: The Gavignets only hold 1.6 acres here, and their vines were planted way back in 1946. 

Gavignet’s vines are all hand-harvested and grapes are completely destemmed in the winery. After a nine-day ‘cold soak’—utilized to extract flavor and color prior to primary fermentation—an indigenous yeast fermentation occurs, followed by two additional weeks of grape skin contact. As with his other two Premier Crus, “Les Bousselots” ages entirely in French oak, 30% new, for 16 months. The wine is bottled unfined and unfiltered so as to preserve its authenticity and subtle nuances.

In the glass, Gavignet’s 2016 “Les Bousselots” pours a youthful dark ruby with slight crimson hues leading out to a bright magenta/pink rim. Seeing as this was bottled just months ago, be sure to let it yawn and stretch at least 30 minutes before sticking your nose in the decanter. When you do, you’ll pick up beautifully perfumed aromas of fresh black cherry, pomegranate, ripe raspberries, wild plums, black tea, crushed stones, cracked pepper, forest floor, fresh cloves, and intoxicating red and purple flowers. The seductive palate is a steady push-pull of elegance and depth, a mark that many high-end Burgundies often miss. Nothing is out of balance: the fruit, pure and supple; the minerality, stony and refreshing; the earth, savory and terroir-expressive. “Les Bousselots” finishes with great freshness and promises a long life in the cellar. If you have the ability to hold this until 2020, do so, but for those who want to drink now, simply decant for a minimum of one hour before consuming at 60-65 degrees in your largest, aroma-enhancing balloon stems. Pair with a tender fillet dish named after British Royalty: Beef Wellington. Cheers!
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Country
France
Region
Other
Sub-Region
FranceNuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru — Les Bousselots
Soil
Brown Limestone, Chalk, & Loam
Farming
Lutte Raisonnée
Blend
Pinot Noir 100%
Alcohol
13.0
OAK
30% New French
TEMP.
60-65
Glassware
Large Burgundy Stem
Drinking
Now-2036
Decanting
One Hour
Pairing
Beef Wellington

France

Bourgogne

Beaujolais

Enjoying the greatest wines of Beaujolais starts, as it usually does, with the lay of the land. In Beaujolais, 10 localities have been given their own AOC (Appellation of Controlled Origin) designation. They are: Saint Amour; Juliénas; Chénas; Moulin-à Vent; Fleurie; Chiroubles; Morgon; Régnié; Côte de Brouilly; and Brouilly.

Southwestern France

Bordeaux

Bordeaux surrounds two rivers, the Dordogne and Garonne, which intersect north of the city of Bordeaux to form the Gironde Estuary, which empties into the Atlantic Ocean. The region is at the 45th parallel (California’s Napa Valley is at the38th), with a mild, Atlantic-influenced climate enabling the maturation of late-ripening varieties.

Central France

Loire Valley

The Loire is France’s longest river (634 miles), originating in the southerly Cévennes Mountains, flowing north towards Paris, then curving westward and emptying into the Atlantic Ocean near Nantes. The Loire and its tributaries cover a huge swath of central France, with most of the wine appellations on an east-west stretch at47 degrees north (the same latitude as Burgundy).

Northeastern France

Alsace

Alsace, in Northeastern France, is one of the most geologically diverse wine regions in the world, with vineyards running from the foothills of theVosges Mountains down to the Rhine River Valley below.

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