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Domaine Maurice Charleux, Maranges 1er Cru, Pinot Noir, Le Clos des Rois

Burgundy, France 2012 (750mL)
$30.00
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Domaine Maurice Charleux, Maranges 1er Cru, Pinot Noir, Le Clos des Rois


Domaine Maurice Charleux & Fils is situated in the town of Dezize-les-Maranges. This rural community is dominated by a sea of vineyards that rise and fall on gently-rolling hillsides that surround the town. The town itself reflects the ancient winegrowing culture—it’s filled with stone cellars and winery buildings, as well as ancient, architecturally-stunning homes. In this appellation, for four generations, the Charleux family has steadily become Maranges’ unsung hero; those in the know will tell you that this producer far outshines most others in Maranges, and that their wines are reminiscent of those from its more famous neighboring appellations. Though the estate has a rich history that dates back to 1894, today, Domaine Maurice Charleux & Fils is run by Maurice and his son, Vincent. Their vineyards are planted to majority Pinot Noir (85%), followed by Chardonnay (15%), in predominantly clay soils with limestone. The Premier Cru Le Clos des Rois sits at the bottom of a hill with a south and southwestern sun exposure at about 900 feet elevation. The 2012 vintage was a particularly small yield, which ultimately produced incredibly intense and concentrated fruit. The predominantly clay soils create a fleshy and complex Red Burgundy that is impossible to stop drinking. It is perfect to drink now.

The 2012 Maranges Premier Cru Le Clos des Rois has a concentrated dark ruby core that moves to garnet and light orange reflections on the rim. The nose is powerful with a myriad of just ripened red fruits, such as black cherry, strawberry, ripe red plum, a hint of orange peel, cranberry, fresh wild flowers, wet leaves and crushed stones, without any funk. The palate is classic and generous with a beautiful ripeness of fruit and incredibly polished tannins. The flavors are similar to the nose with the addition of fresh cherry, black tea, forest floor, wet flowers and crushed stones. Decanting is not needed for this wine; just open the wine and pour into a large Burgundy stem at just above cellar temperature. Although this wine is drinking deliciously now, keep in mind that it will also age gracefully for the next three to five years, so don’t be afraid to forget about a few in your cellar. A classic dish I cook often this time of year is Coq au Vin, a traditional Burgundian dish made with chicken—slow cooked with red wine in one large pot. This is one of the best recipes I have found that only uses dark meat, which tends to stay moist while cooking. Make sure to double the recipe and invite plenty of close friends to enjoy a spring evening drinking Burgundy.
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Country
France
Region
Burgundy
Sub-Region
FranceMaranges - Côte de Beaune
Soil
Clay and Limestone
Farming
Lutte Raisonée
Blend
Pinot Noir
Alcohol
12.5
OAK
20% New French

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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