You may be unfamiliar with the Cacheux family, but that wouldn’t be a blunder on your end—this young (for Burgundy) estate was founded in 1966 and only consists of 7.5 acres that are divided throughout Vosne-Romanée. Don’t mistake their tiny share of vine holdings as a mark on their pedigree—this fourth generation Cacheux family own some serious Burgundian dirt! Most notably, a half-acre in today’s “Les Beaux-Monts” and a couple acres in nearby “Les Suchots,” which is perfectly wedged between two heavyweight Grand Crus. Their tiny parcel in the former holds 55-year-old vines that are sustainably farmed without one ounce of any “-cide.” After meticulously sorting and hand harvesting at impressively low yields, their Pinot Noir is de-stemmed and transferred into open-top tanks for a traditional fermentation. Afterward, the wine is sent into French barrels, ⅓ new, for 18 months. The final product is bottled without fining or filtration. 

The 2014 bottling of René Cacheux “Les Beaux-Monts” reveals a concentrated, nearly opaque ruby core that slowly stretches out to a hazy, soft-pink rim. If consuming now, I recommend a minimum 90-minute decant before enjoying, but even without it, the wine unveils a sexy nose the moment it hits the glass. At first, high-toned perfumes that are reminiscent of crushed rose petals, black cherry blossoms, and violets ooze from the glass. Bing cherry, black raspberry, currants, and ripe red plums then rise through the ranks, carried by a strong foundation of crushed stones, leather, loose tea leaves, wet clay, baking spice, and hints of cracked pepper.  What’s first apparent upon tasting this Premier Cru is the powerful structure at play, which indicates immense potential for cellar aging—at least 10 or 20 years’ worth, should you want to test that theory. It’s rusticity and thundering tannins soften as hours pass by, but the harmonious balance of supple fruit and elegant earthy savor lingers from the start and never cease. Serve in your largest Burgundy stems a touch above cellar temperature and prepare Julia Child’s toothsome take on classic beef bourguignon for a wonderful evening at home. Enjoy!