If you love elite-quality Premier Cru Volnay as much as I do, please read on: Today we are sharing one of the most spellbinding and instantly gratifying young Côte de Beaune reds I’ve tasted in a long time. This wine is nothing short of electrifying.
It looks like Volnay, it smells like Volnay, and it tastes like a gorgeous bottle of Premier Cru Volnay—the only things that don’t scream Volnay are the appellation and the price tag. I first encountered this beauty in late January at a 42-bottle blind tasting lineup of Premier and Grand Cru Burgundies from an honor roll of top estates. When the dust settled at the end of the tasting, today’s wine remained my hands-down favorite. This degree of intensity and perfume is why Romanèe-Conti’s Aubert de Villaine suggests 2015 is the finest vintage of his career. I was certain it was $100+ rarity from a top estate, but when the paper bags came off, the label said Saint-Romain! Never have I been so pleased to be wrong—and after sharing multiple bottles with friends over the last few weeks, I can assure you it was no fluke. It’s a guaranteed winner, and a rare, bankable opportunity to have your mind blown without blowing your budget. Do not think twice here. This is one you can’t miss.
While many wine critics have done somersaults over 2015 red Burgundy, I’ve found many of the vintage’s higher-end reds to be overripe and often unpleasantly high in alcohol. So, while everyone else fights over top names and costly cuvées, I’ve been enjoying 2015 as a chance to explore Burgundy’s “side roads” and less exposed microclimates. For instance, just a few minutes into the hills west of Volnay, the steep limestone-flecked slopes of Saint-Romain offer a similar, but slightly cooler, terroir. In moderate or cold vintages, red Saint-Romain can be a little austere and edgy—this is one of the highest elevation villages in the Côte de Beaune. Still, in a high-octane, sun-drenched year like 2015, the village’s top old-vine parcels are a veritable Burgundy goldmine—and an extremely convincing, lower-priced substitute for top-quality Volnay. There are no $500-per-bottle cuvées in Saint-Romain and you won’t find any Premier or Grand Cru vineyards, but in 2015 the Buisson family’s reds are breathtaking, and their top whites are in every way on par with nearby Puligny- and Chassagne-Montrachet (especially when the labels are hidden). Specifically, Buisson’s 2015 Saint-Romain Blanc “La Perriere” (which I’ll tell you more about in a few weeks) and today’s 2015 Saint-Romain Rouge “Sous Roche” are two of the finest 2015s I’ve encountered anywhere in Burgundy.
The Buisson family has been farming in Saint-Romain since the 1100s and has earned a reputation as arguably the village’s strongest and most consistent estate. The domaine’s renown is due not only to consistently great wine, but also to conscientious organic farming and an extremely judicious approach in the cellar with regard to additives and modern technology. The family has been farming their vineyards in Saint-Romain organically since the 1970s and was one of the first estates in the area to become certified (by EcoCert in 2009). This progressive, ecologically aware approach has made Buisson an increasingly hot ticket in all corners of the wine world. A friend recently texted me a photo of the wine list at Septime, one of Paris’ hardest-to-secure dinner reservations. Sure enough, there were multiple vintages of Buisson on this destination restaurant’s otherwise succinct list. You don’t need to visit elite restaurants in Paris to find Buisson, though. Because of the comparatively modest price and Saint-Romain AOC, I often encounter these wines in more casual settings. They remain an outstanding and rare value in the world of red Burgundy, and sommeliers across the globe are starting to catch on.
Buisson’s 2015 “Sous Roche” is an extremely classy wine. It looks, smells, and tastes a lot more expensive than it is! Its highly reflective dark ruby/crimson core and dark garnet reflections on the rim are a dead ringer for Volnay. From the moment it splashes from the decanter into your glass, there’s an explosion of perfumed black cherry, black currant liqueur, fresh wild flowers, crushed roses, wet fern, damp mushroom, atomized limestone and a whisper of French oak. Every detail sings in perfect harmony with the next. The thing that really sets this wine apart from the pack—beyond its undeniable quality and fair price—is that it’s on fire right now. It’s unusual to encounter a red Burgundy with so much to offer so soon after its release. So, while I have total confidence it will improve and become deeper and more expressive for another 8-10 years, nothing should stop you from drinking a bottle right away. Pull the cork, decant for 20-30 minutes and reward yourself with a large Burgundy stem full of this spectacular wine, served at 55-60 degrees. The dish I crave with it is a Whole Duck Cassoulet. Yes it will take some time, but a dish this memorable deserves extra effort; alongside two bottles of this exceptional wine, you’re guaranteed to blow away a dinner party of your closest friends. Enjoy!
