As the best wine importers will tell you, there’s no better way to discover new gems than to ask a respected vintner whose wines he drinks when he’s not drinking his own. This is how the wines of ascendant Burgundy talent Étienne Julien made their way to us: One of our favorite Burgundy specialists was tasting with Emmanuel Rouget, and, given Rouget’s reputation (he’s the nephew and protégé of the late, legendary Henri Jayer), was keen to hear Rouget’s take on up-and-coming producers. Domaine Julien was enthusiastically recommended, the importer tracked them down, and, not surprisingly, the wines were phenomenal—and, because they were relatively unknown, extremely affordable.
Today marks the third time we’ve offered Étienne Julien’s Côte de Nuits-Villages bottling, and once again, I cannot stress enough how much this wine over-delivers for its appellation/price. It is structured for aging, it is mesmerizingly aromatic, it is impeccably polished—in short, it’s one of the most cosmopolitan “village” wines you’ll ever have the pleasure to taste. When you see “Côte de Nuits-Villages” on the label you might be thinking “pop and pour,” but my experience with it has always been much more profound than that: Given time to breathe, this wine blossoms into something of real breed, with soaring aromatics reminiscent of more-famous wines from Chambolle-Musigny or Vosne-Romanée. This wine is Superman wearing Clark Kent’s nondescript suit—don’t let it escape your notice!
Although still relatively new to the United States, Domaine Julien’s roots date to the late-1800s, when François Xavier Julien first purchased land in Comblanchien and Nuits-Saint-Georges. The estate was expanded after World War II by François’ son, Armand, and grew even more under his son to its current 10.5 hectares. These plots stretch from Echézeaux to Aloxe-Corton. Today, fifth-generation Étienne Julien has taken the reins and successfully maintained the precise style of the domaine while promoting a more organic philosophy in the vineyards.
Étienne’s Côte de Nuits-Villages hails entirely from the family’s historic vineyards in the southern village of Comblanchien, which is nestled between the town of Nuits-St-Georges and the grand hill of Corton. Offering fascinating history as well as terroir-driven wines, Comblanchien was a seat of the French Resistance during World War II and was also the source of fine marble that was used to construct such famous landmarks as the Paris Opera. While many Côte de Nuits-Villages bottlings are typically a blend throughout the appellation, Domaine Julien offers a unique sense of place by using fruit only from the small commune of Comblanchien, just outside Nuits-Saint-Georges.
Etienne runs on low yields that reward him with pure Pinot Noir of maximum concentration. Combine that with vines ranging from 20-90 years old and clay-limestone soils from the Jurassic period and you have terroir-rich grapes with expression. Like me, you’ll start wondering why Comblanchien doesn’t yet have their own AOC. Etienne’s vineyards are farmed according to lutte raisonnée principles and hand-harvested fruit is meticulously sorted twice. After 100% destemming, a nearly two-week fermentation was triggered by indigenous yeasts. The wine then aged for two years in a mixture of tank and French oak (25% new) before bottling.
The ’16 Côte de Nuits Villages displays a highly reflective dark ruby core moving to slight garnet tones on the rim. The nose is reticent without air, but after an adequate decant, it explodes with wild strawberry, black cherry, persimmon, dried orange peel, damp leaves, black tea, forest floor, wild herbs, and slight accents of leather. On the palate, the wine is medium-plus in body with a sweet core of wild berries, wet flowers, and crushed stone that all leads into a long, savory finish. If drinking now (and you should), DECANT THIS WINE for a minimum of one hour. Keen collectors should stow a few bottles away for several years, as the true magic for quality Burgundy happens six years after the vintage and beyond; it will age gracefully over the next 10 if cellared properly. Enjoy around 60 degrees in Burgundy stems alongside a nice grilled chicken and toast one of the savviest Burgundy purchases you’ve ever made. Cheers!
