The Montagne de la Combe Grisard is the thickly forested hill that looms above the Grand Cru vineyards of Gevrey-Chambertin. Many Burgundy lovers have hiked it, and traversed the abandoned railway tunnel that cuts through it, and for American winemakers Eric Railsback and Matt Murphy, that quintessential wine-geek hike inspired the name for their new label. Like a lot of Burgundy fanatics, Matt and Eric really wanted to have a go at making some of their own, and with the help of a very well-placed friend—Jeremy Seysses of Domaine Dujac—they’ve done just that.

The 2018 vintage is just the fourth for La Combe Grisard, but everything we’ve tried from them thus far has all the authenticity and assurance a Burgundy drinker could ask for. Through Seysses, they’ve connected with top-quality growers to source the fruit for their wines, which are farmed, harvested, and vinified under the supervision of the Dujac team. Eric and Matt share Dujac’s preference for whole-cluster-fermented Pinot Noir, and in today’s 2018, from the “Champ Franc” lieu-dit in Gevrey-Chambertin, you get not only a spot-on expression of that village but the combination of power and polish that makes Dujac such a sought-after (and expensive) label. La Combe Grisard is a confident, convincing foray into the most hallowed Pinot Noir ground on earth!

But it’s not like I’m surprised. There are lengthy wine resumes behind the La Combe Grisard project. Matt and his family have created a jewel of a winery, Presqu’ile, in California’s Santa Maria Valley, while Eric has enjoyed success with his Loire Valley-inspired Lieu-Dit Winery, which he co-founded with Tyler’s Justin Willett. All these guys cut their teeth in wine in Santa Barbara County, as part of a close-knit group of sommeliers and winemakers who often lived, as well as worked, together. Among the keenest of their shared interests was, of course, Burgundy. Along with managing the sommelier team at San Francisco’s Burgundy-centric RN74, Eric also found the time to work harvests in Europe, among other projects.

The grapes for today’s 2018 come from the “Champ Franc” vineyard, a site that sits on the east side of Gevrey-Chambertin, in soils of rich red clay and limestone. The wine was fermented using 60% whole clusters, which lent structure and spice in a ripe, forward vintage. It was aged in second- and third-passage French oak barriques, so the emphasis is really on soil and fruit. In the glass, it’s a deep ruby moving to garnet and pink at the rim, with classically “Gevrey” aromas of black cherry, forest floor, tea leaves, and black pepper. It is medium-plus in body and well-structured, with a well-modulated mix of lush, pure fruit, violet-scented florals, and crushed-rock savor. It is poised to age well throughout this decade, but there’s also a lot to love about the wine now, provided you give it 30-60 minutes in a decanter first. Serve it at 60 degrees in Burgundy stems and pair it with game or even beef; it seems appropriate given the RN74 connection to share one of Chef Michael Mina’s signature dishes. This wine has everything you need to showcase it in style!