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Domaine Daniel Rion & Fils, Côte de Nuits-Villages “Mosaïc”

Burgundy, France 2017 (750mL)
$36.00
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Domaine Daniel Rion & Fils, Côte de Nuits-Villages “Mosaïc”

Much like Domaine Daniel Rion itself, Burgundy’s Côte de Nuits-Villages AOC is a patchwork—a mosaic, if you will, of vineyards across several non-contiguous villages. Do some digging and you learn that the villages that shape today’s 2017 are Prémeaux and Comblanchien, the latter known as much for its marble quarries as its wines. So, the vineyard sourcing for this wine is more specific than its appellation would suggest, which makes sense because the quality of the wine is vastly higher than its price tag would suggest.
If you are relatively new to SommSelect, there’s something you need to know about wines like today’s: When we offer a Burgundy wine carrying a more ‘generic’ designation such as Bourgogne or Côte de Nuits-Villages, it’s because the wine's character and quality is so exceptional we simply must offer it, regardless of the relatively vague claims on the label. As we often say, the measure of a great producer is how the “lower-end” wines perform—and you’re in very good hands with the Rion family. Not only is this wine more special than they let on, but it’s also emblematic of a broader trend in Burgundy: The ability of lower-priced wines to really deliver. This is not a simple young red Burgundy; this wine makes you feel like you are drinking in the Middle Ages. Complex classic notes of wild berries, damp mushroom, black truffle and forest floor dominate. This is for those of you who yearn for classic Burgundy tradition!
Family lineage runs strong here: In 1955, Daniel inherited about two hectares of vines in Vosne-Romanée and began slowly building a reputation as a winegrower and maker by selling to local négociants. In 1978, his sons joined and expanded the business, bringing fresh energy and new parcels of land with them. Today, Domaine Daniel Rion consists of an impressive 18 hectares across 18 appellations in six villages of the Côte de Nuits and the Hautes-Côtes: Prémeaux, Nuits Saint Georges, Vosne-Romanée, Chambolle-Musigny, Vougeot and Marey-les-Fussey. In typical Burgundian fashion, however, overall production is small—about 8,300 cases annually. 

The Rion home base is in Prémeaux, which, along with neighboring Comblanchien, falls within the boundaries of the Nuits-Saint-Georges AOC. One of the key vineyard plots in today’s Côte de Nuits-Villages cuvée is a site right on the Comblanchien/Prémeaux town line called “Le Vaucrain.” Vines ranging from 10-50 years of age are rooted in hard Jurassic limestone, the same stuff that is mined for pink-veined marble flooring for palaces in Paris. If you’re thinking this high-quality stone might bode well for what goes into the bottle, you’re absolutely right. The vineyards are sustainably farmed according to lutte raisonnée (“reasoned fight”) principles, which entails organic farming unless an emergency in a difficult vintage arises.

As a terroir-driven wine, Domaine Daniel Rion Côte de Nuits-Villages maintains its purity of fruit not only through responsible farming but through careful handling in the cellar. The plots are vinified and fermented separately—first de-stemmed, then fed through a gravity press, and aged on lees in partial new French oak for a year and a half. In the glass, it displays a deep garnet-red core with light ruby reflections on the rim. Intense aromas of dried black cherry, wet herbs, a touch of rhubarb, mushroom, truffle, and crushed clay offer a stunning glimpse of village-level red Burgundy that drinks far above its modest price point. The medium-bodied palate reveals soft silky tannins that bind pristine flavors of redcurrant, cranberry, black cherry, and black tea. This wine is a beauty in its youth but will develop further complexity and depth over the next 7-8 years in the cellar. For instant gratification, open one hour prior and serve in Burgundy stems between 60-65 degrees alongside a lean beef tenderloin studded with peppercorns. This wine will stand up to it in style, now and for several years to come. Cheers!
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Country
France
Region
Burgundy
Sub-Region
FranceCôte de Nuits-Villages
Soil
Limestone, Clay, Marl
Farming
Sustainable
Blend
Pinot Noir
Alcohol
13.0
OAK
~40% New French
TEMP.
60-65
Glassware
Burgundy Stems
Drinking
Now-2025
Decanting
30 Minutes
Pairing
Beef Tenderloin

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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