Pinot Noir is a famously finicky grape. Nowhere is this more apparent than in its ancestral homeland of Burgundy, where the name of the game for collectors and connoisseurs is always “is it ready to drink?” The heartbreak of opening a bottle that is too young–hard, firm, shutdown–or already past its prime is very familiar to those who pursue the heights of Pinot passion. But fear not, because we are here to do the dirty work for you! We taste dozens of wines before we chance upon a bottle like today’s gem from Sequin-Manuel, whose aromatics were leaping from the glass in all directions, and whose silky, sumptuous texture is now in perfect harmony with the classic components of fruit, flowers, and earth. When Burgundy hits like this it is clear why so many spend so much time and money chasing the dream. And that is the rub: With very little time, and relatively little cash (given current Burgundy prices) you can experience the full spectrum of what this famous region has to offer, but only if you act fast and grab a few bottles before they’re gone!
Burgundy, as I’m sure many of you know, is all about the subtle differences of expression that you can experience based on small variations of vineyard situations. This is the quintessential land of “climats” or named crus that have been delineated over the centuries as having characteristics that differ slightly from their neighbors. In other words the concept of “terroir” reigns supreme here. “Les Petits Noizons” is a prime example: This village level lieu-dit (named vineyard) sits near the top of the hill in Pommard, and faces mostly south. It is sun drenched and well drained, with lots of chalky limestone, and as such it produces wines that generally need only a few years of bottle age before they hit their prime drinking window. This is doubly true in a warm, precocious vintage like 2018.
A site like this could ask for no better interpreter than Domaine Seguin-Manuel. It’s one of the oldest continuously producing domaines in Burgundy, with their wines garnering acclaim all the way back to the 1800s. The current proprietor, Thibaut Marion, is a master of his craft who specializes in impossibly detailed, elegant, and ethereal red Burgundies. Macerations are generally on the shorter side and new oak is employed very judiciously. Burgundy, prone to trends as any region, has seen a shift in recent years towards a style that employs a lot of whole clusters and a lot of new oak, emphasizing early drinking at the expense of terroir transparency. We like a great many of those wines, but they are not what Thibaut is after. His style is classical, mineral, polished, and endlessly complex. His 2018 Pommard “Petit Noizons” is a perfect encapsulation of his style.
Serve the 2018 Domaine Seguin-Manuel Pommard “Petit Noizons” as you would all great Burgundy: slightly chilled at 60 degrees, in large Burgundy stems. One whiff and you know that this is Pommard from a master: wild strawberries, dark red cherries, Damson plum, dried roses, iron, a hint of chocolate and cinnamon, and a profound truffle/mushroom/potting soil earthiness. The palate is silken, dark-fruited, and round with limestone-based energy brimming throughout and a very fine but present coating of tannins. There is freshness and verve here, with a seemingly endless depth; it has the concentration and structure to last through the next 10-15 years, or more. This will work beautifully with any sort of spiced lamb dish or even salmon, but it calls for something equally classic and timeless. Maybe Julia Childs’ Coq Au Vin? This is the kind of wine you want at least a case of, so you can check in on it regularly before laying a few bottles down for the long haul. And act fast, too, because quantities are very limited. You don’t want to be left behind on this one!
