When I think about the wines of Domaine Philippe Gavignet, I picture a bunch of schoolchildren choosing sides for a game—especially the quiet, unassuming kid who gets picked last but ends up being one of the best players on the field.
Once you’re introduced to the evocative, ultra-classic wines of Gavignet—be it a base-level Bourgogne Rouge or a Premier Cru like today’s stellar 2014—you won’t ever forget the name, I can assure you of that. This particular wine blew us away, just like the ’13 did. We’ve gotten to the point where we jump at any Gavignet release we can get our hands on, and this 2014 “Les Chaboeufs” perfectly encapsulates what Gavignet is all about: This is a well-placed, if lesser-known, Premier Cru in Gavignet’s home base of Nuits-Saint-Georges, and it would surely cost twice as much if it came from Vosne-Romanée or Chambolle-Musigny. Especially in a vintage like 2014, the depth and excellence of this wine is as irrefutable as a home run—especially at this price. We are enthusiastic members of Team Gavignet, and we locked down as much “Les Chaboeufs” as we could—there are up to six bottles per customer available, and you can’t afford not to take your limit; this is a blue-chip red Burgundy with lots of life ahead of it!
[PLEASE NOTE: We also have a small number of MAGNUM (1.5-liter) bottles of this 2014 “Les Chaboeufs,” which we can offer at $125 per bottle; limit 2 per customer! Please email info@sommselect.com if interested.]
The Gavignet domaine, based in Nuits-St-Georges, dates to the 1930s and still boasts some vineyards planted way back then. Current proprietor Philippe (whose first vintage was 1979) farms roughly 10 hectares as sustainably as possible, eschewing chemical herbicides and pesticides and harvesting only by hand. His range of wines is focused almost exclusively on Nuits-St-Georges, where his holdings include not just “Les Chaboeufs” but two other N-S-G Premier Crus, “Les Bousselots” and “Les Pruliers.” Today’s wine, Les Chaboeufs, is from the southern end of the village, tucked into a narrow valley next to more-famous neighbors such as “Vaucrains” and “Les Saint-Georges.” Vine age in Gavignet’s one-hectare parcel ranges from 20 to 70 years, and it is reflected in the deep concentration and aromatic complexity of this wine.
Gavignet’s vineyards are all hand-harvested and grapes are completely destemmed before fermentation in stainless steel tanks using only ambient yeasts. As with his other Premier Crus, Les Chaboeufs was aged 16 months in 30% new French oak, but what this wine showcases more than anything else is the profound minerality of this Côte de Nuits terroir.
The 2014 edition of Les Chaboeufs”is a step up from the outstanding ’13 (which we offered last year), with a level of concentration and structure that leaves no doubt as to its Premier Cru sourcing. In the glass, it’s a deep, dark ruby moving to garnet and pink at the rim, with perfumed aromas of black and red cherry, goji berry, raspberry, black tea, turned earth, wild flowers and accented by exotic spice and forest floor notes. Across the board, Gavignet’s reds show off the woodsy side of Pinot Noir without being excessively ‘rustic’—the fruit concentration and purity is there in abundance, and the push-pull of ‘masculine’ and ‘feminine’ traits are a signature of this wine, vintage after vintage. While it blossoms beautifully after about an hour open, I wouldn’t hesitate to lay it down for another 7-10 years—with plans to re-visit it periodically. A quick decant is optional, but if you have the time pull the cork 2 hours in advance and let it open up in the glass. Serve it at 60-65 degrees in Burgundy stems alongside your favorite game bird—quail, pheasant, squab…all will be beautifully complemented by this resolutely classic red. This is ‘look-it-up-in-the-dictionary’ red Burgundy and it should not be missed. Cheers!
