Under the direction of fourth-generation proprietor/winemaker Nicolas Groffier, Domaine Robert Groffier Père & Fils has ascended to Burgundy’s elite ranks. This was built on a foundation of prime family vineyard holdings and enhanced by Nicolas’ ability to coax ever-more purity and polish from these great sites.
As exemplified by today’s Chambolle-Musigny Premier Cru, Groffier wines seamlessly meld tradition—that is, a faithfulness to their vineyard of origin—and modernity—which I’d define here as the mixture of ripeness and cleanliness that comes from keen attention to detail. It’s not about richness of extract, or the luxurious sheen imparted by new oak: Groffier’s wines are more subtle and seductive, with crushed-velvet tannins, finesse, and perfumes that make you swoon. They’re also some of the best examples of red Burgundies that are generous in their youth but also capable of long aging. Today’s 2013 is from the Premier Cru site “Les Hauts Doix,” nicknamed “Baby Amoureuses” because of its positioning right next to the famed “Les Amoureuses” Premier Cru. This impeccable red not only epitomizes the Groffier style but, more importantly, epitomizes Chambolle-Musigny: We expect silky, supple, prettily perfumed Pinot Noir from this village, and we get it here in textbook fashion. Our access to this gem is, as expected, quite limited: We can offer just three bottles per person until our stock runs out.
This 2013 shows off the fruit purity that comes from great raw material; its oak component, especially now with a little bit of bottle age, is very subdued (Groffier only uses about 25% new oak, at most, for aging here). In the glass, it’s a concentrated ruby-red moving to garnet and pink at the rim, with a perfumed nose of red cherry, red currant, wild raspberry, wet rose petals, and tea leaves with accents of crushed black stones, baking spices, and underbrush. It is medium-bodied and silky, in classic Chambolle-Musigny fashion, but also full of nerve and aromatic persistence. You can’t help but be entranced by its seemingly magical combination of finesse and vigor—it just dances across the palate in a lush wave of sweet red fruits and lingering floral aromas. There are 10-15 years of graceful evolution still ahead of this wine. It should peak in about 3-5 more years, but there’s also a seamless grace to it now that makes it tough to avoid: Should you choose to pull a cork soon, decant it about 30 minutes before serving at 60-65 degrees in Burgundy stems. With such a classic expression of Chambolle (especially when the weather starts to cool down), it makes me crave a Burgundy staple like coq au vin. The dish is easy to prepare and a perfect companion to classic red Burgundy.