When you’re dining at Remoissenet’s imposing, castle-like manor and sitting across from the one and only Pierre-Antoine Rovani—a man who has seemingly tasted just about every Burgundy ever made—it means something when one of the many decades-old bottles scattered on the table is everyone’s clear favorite. Simply put, today’s rarefied 1979 is a perfect expression of mature, deeply profound, brilliantly nuanced Nuits-Saint-Georges.
We pleaded with Pierre to release every last bottle because finding anything with this amount of age and flawless provenance is somewhat of an impossible task in today’s Burgundy—especially if you want to avoid shelling out $500-$5,000+. So, about the perfect provenance: Until two months ago, this trove hadn’t moved a millimeter from it’s dark and humid subterranean haven for nearly 40 years. We’ve offered a number of wine antiques from Remoissenet’s deep library collection, so it’s worth discussing how they are so astonishingly vibrant upon arriving at your house. Pierre knows purchasing old wines can be a gamble, so he does everything that is humanly possible to take the risk out of it. For today’s ‘79, every ‘shiner’ bottle was decanted off its 40 years of sediment, topped off with the very same wine, recorked, cleaned, and then labeled. Pierre says Remoissenet is a “merchant of pleasure” and that the goal here is to deliver a beautifully accessible wine that retains its historic charm. That’s the epitome of today’s breathtaking 1979 Nuits-Saint-Georges. Don’t miss this extraordinary piece of potable art!
To say that Remoissenet is a historic négociant would be a gross understatement. My first visit in 2007 with my father was an experience I’ll never forget, and has subsequently led to many return visits. Located in the center of Beaune, Pierre takes you through an iron gate and into a building that instantly transports you back to the medieval ages. That’s just the beginning: You then descend a flight of stairs and the temperature begins plummeting with each step until entering a vast cave below. This is Remoissenet’s winery and cellar, built in the 1300s, which connects to the medieval walls of Beaune itself.
The 2005 purchase of Remoissenet ushered in a new era at this historic firm (est. 1877). In addition to bringing in Répolt, who was previously at Louis Jadot, the new ownership team also added journalist-turned-GM Pierre-Antoine Rovani and winemaker Claudie Jobard, all of whom have re-established the property as a quality leader primarily through investments in vineyards and farming. A prime example: Remoissenet-owned vineyards are farmed biodynamically, and all contract growers are closely managed with an eye toward sustainability. Like many of their modern contemporaries, Remoissenet is re-defining what it means to be a ‘négociant’ in Burgundy. They are much more than grape buyers and wine labelers—they are fully involved in every step of the way.
Because (1) today’s special offer saw four decades of perfect cellaring and (2) painstaking quality measures were carried out prior to shipping, Remoissenet’s 1979 Nuits-Saint-Georges is a remarkable wine bursting with aromatic freshness and incomparable savory components. At our dinner with Pierre, the cork was simply pulled during amuse-bouche and the wine was poured about an hour later during the main course. Decanting just before service is also an option, but the former proved ideal for us and resulted in a perfect drinking experience. In the glass, the wine reveals flashes of a youthful ruby, though the overall impression is a mature brick orange. First time experiencing legitimately old Burgundy? Dip your nose in for a masterclass crash course: Dried black cherries, dried plum skin, redcurrants, damp roses, autumnal leaves, crushed rocks, steeped black tea, herbal underbrush, and supple notes of baking spice slowly waft out. The mature palate is velvet-smooth, with fully integrated, plush tannins and prickles of acidity that keep this antique lively. Savor it slowly around 60 degrees in Burgundy stems and prepare a meal for the senses: We had a beautiful pork roast in Beaune, but right now my mind is stuck on Peking duck. Most important of all, share this life-affirming ‘79 with your closest companions. Cheers.
