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Domaine Gaston & Pierre Ravaut, Ladoix “Les Carrières”

Burgundy, France 2016 (750mL)
$30.00
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Domaine Gaston & Pierre Ravaut, Ladoix “Les Carrières”

The majestic hill of Corton is sprawling, meticulously segmented, and loaded with confusing regulations, but one thing has always resonated clearly: these powerful and equally noble wines make for some of Burgundy’s finest when they’re fully mature. But not everyone can play the waiting game for a decade-plus, and that’s exactly why we imported Ravaut’s Ladoix “Les Carrières.” This Corton-adjacent site is elite Burgundy that doesn’t need further aging to enjoy in peak form—it’s ready right now! Given a one-hour decant, this 2016 is a smoking Pinot Noir that emphasizes the blue-blooded class emanating from this hidden gem of a vineyard.


Accordingly, I’m scrutinizing a map of Corton as I write this, wondering why “Les Carrières” isn’t a part of this Grand Cru-populated hillside. It seamlessly runs into Corton Grand Crus Rognet, Charlemagne, and Haut-Mourottes, shares the same exposure, the same soils...and yet costs fractions less. In my eyes, “Les Carrières” holds Grand Cru-equivalent terroir and sacrifices nothing, making it (1) the epitome of classy Burgundy and (2) a bullseye for value hunters. It’s also coming to your door at a truly unbeatable price, so if you’re looking to drink top Burgundy whilst saving a substantial chunk of change, this is the golden ticket. Our small batch was purchased directly from their cellar—provenance is guaranteed!


Up until several years ago, Vincent and his brother, Pierre, represented the sixth generation of Domaine Gaston & Pierre Ravaut, a long-admired estate that reached new levels of success in the latter half of the 20th century. But, as is ever-so-common in Burgundy, the brothers wanted to forge their own trails, so Pierre left to open up his own domaine while Vincent stayed behind at G&P Ravaut. Off a fresh visit to the latter, we were thrilled to walk through rows of barrels and taste the extraordinary quality coming from this small-scale estate. 



Monsieur Ravaut only owns a sparse number of vines in Ladoix’s “Les Carrières” but each one is diligently farmed by hand. Enjoying an eastern exposure at higher elevations, his parcel is in prime position to soak up the soft morning rays while avoiding direct contact with the hot, late-afternoon sun. Therefore, come harvest, they’ve retained acidity and reached optimal ripeness.



In the winery, the hand-picked crop is completely de-stemmed and undergoes a long upbringing: after fermenting in concrete and 12 months of aging in French barrels (15% new), the wine is blended together and transferred into stainless steel for five months on fine lees. It is lightly filtered before a gentle bottling. Upon leaving Ravaut’s cold cellar in 2019, today’s small batch has quietly rested in our temperature-controlled warehouse. 



It’s important to note that while Ravaut’s 2016 “Les Carrières” is much more accessible in its youth than a Grand Cru Corton, this still has an impressive life ahead of it. I can’t wait to see what it will evolve into in a couple of years, and wouldn't be at all surprised if by its tenth birthday it was drinking exactly like a Corton. That said, do what I mentioned above and enjoy a bottle right this second: Simply decant for at least 60 minutes (even two hours) and serve it in Burgundy stems around 60 degrees. In the glass, the wine reveals a brilliant garnet core moving out to a light ruby-pink rim and slowly releases fine-tuned notes of rusticity and Burgundian purity. High-toned red florals and red forest fruits blend into a taut core that flexes Corton muscle, underbrush, and crushed stone minerality. The palate is exactly what you’d expect from this grand hill: Powerful, nuanced, a bit restrained, but ultimately a beautiful expression that sings with sweet cherries, black raspberry, black tea, and red plum. Enjoy slowly and savor every sip!
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Country
France
Region
Burgundy
Sub-Region
FranceCôte de Beaune
Soil
Limestone, Gravel, Clay
Farming
Lutte Raisonnée
Blend
Pinot Noir
Alcohol
13.0
OAK
15% New French
TEMP.
60
Glassware
Large Burgundy Stem
Drinking
Now-2026+
Decanting
60 Minutes
Pairing
Venison w/ Caramelized Mushrooms

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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