Pre Arrival Offer January 2022 (Closed)
OFFER OPENS 11 JANUARY 2022
OFFER CLOSED 21 JANUARY 2022
ESTIMATED DELIVERY DATE APRIL 2022
Pre Arrival Offer January 2022 (VIEW LANDED WINES)
Producers included in this offer:
- Champagne Leclaire Thiefaine, Avize
- Domaine Charles Baur, Eguisheim, Alsace
- Domaine Dubuet Boillot, Volnay, Burgundy
- Christian Clerget, Vougeot, Burgundy
Introduction
I hope you all had a lovely Christmas break and managed to do some serious relaxing. For most, this week will mark getting back into the swing of things. I recommend not going cold turkey and maintaining an early aperitif most evenings. To shock the body with work and sobriety almost always ends with misery.
In this Pre Arrival Offer we see a couple of new faces, an old favourite and the second shipment of a young, ambitious Volnaysien!
Champagne Leclaire Thiefane have vineyards in Avize and the surrounding Cote de Blancs. I was immediately drawn to these for their energy and silk characteristics, similar electricity to say Guiborat with a bit more of Pierre Peters’ silk. I fell in love with these Champagnes and as the producer has only just starting taking their vineyards back from long term leases, we were able to secure a couple of pallets, a harder task than one would think in Champagne!
For those long-standing clients who remember the Ross Duke days, Charles Baur will be a familiar name, from France’s most beautiful village, Eguisheim, Alsace (an official title). They produce beautiful Alsatian wines. Not as blunt and broad as many in the region but pure and long. I am a big fan of these wines and happy that we now have some room in our budget to bring these wines in! They have a very large range however I was very selective and can safely say that I stand by all of these wines and will be consuming them myself, even if they are not from the Cote d’Or!
We imported the first vintage from Maxime of Domaine Dubuet-Boillot , the 2016s. I truly believe Maxime will become a household name. When I first tasted with Maxime I made it clear that the price of Burgundy is prolonging the time before wine enthusiasts wind up up addicted. (Every wine enthusiast eventually ends up selling their Barossa Shiraz and base their vinous purchases around Burgundy). He responded with action; actively pursuing affordable wines from lesser appelations but with as much care as his higher echelon wines. He is starting to use a certain percentage of whole bunch and as a result the wines are gaining an ethereal nature and perfume. I am very happy with the way Maxime is progressing and growing.
Last but not least we see the brilliant Domaine Christian Clerget from Vougeot join the portfolio. These wines are brilliant in every sense. Classic and reduced Burgundies that reveal incredible purity, energy and perfume in the glass. Justine, Christian’s daughter, now looks after the commercial side of the business. We tasted the 2020s from barrel, fell in love with the wines and asked for FWC to represent them in Australia. Although the 2019 vintage was officially sold out she managed to scrape together some cases from 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2014 and 2013 for us to ship immediately. I really do appreciate this as it gives our clients the ability to get a feel for the wines before purchasing the newest release. I encourage buyers to read the Burghound notes as they do make a Burgundy enthusiast a little excited if you like energy and purity.
Enjoy!
Champagne Leclaire Thiefaine, Avize
Cuvee 01 Apolline - Grand Cru Avize - Blanc de Blancs RRP $124
Delicate white of almond, delicate white florals. All in control, defined and fine. With air more orchard fruits begins to reveal. High toned and energetic yet fine and wrapped in silk. Very suave, long and fine. - Jono Hersey, FWC
Cuvee 02 Guillemette – Rosé RRP $154
A lovely, very faint salmon colouring. A fragrance of delicate rose petal, slightly unripe raspberry, nuance of green been, white of almond and split pecan. Lovely salinity. The palate is salty and briny with defined unripe strawberry and whisps of ripe raspberry. A tiny squeeze lime juice. Very, very fine, enticing and long. - Jono Hersey, FWC
Cuvee 03 - Constantin - Grand Cru de Cramant VV - Blanc de Blancs RRP $185
There is a detailed, slight composing white floral character. Slightly more richness than Cuvee 01 shown through floral decaying character. Lifted lemon, lime and grapefruit sit alongside a slight pecan and white of almond nuttiness. The palate is again, incredibly energetic and driven all the while with the feeling of being wrapped in silk. A slightly rich lemon juice and sherbet character dances on the tongue. - Jono Hersey, FWC
Cuvee 2006 - Extra Brut Grand Cru - Blanc de Blancs RRP $182
Quite saline, lemon pith, fresh lime juice, discreet, white florals and grapefruit oil. The palate is initially subdued before becoming aggressively vibrant, electric and long. - Jono Hersey, FWC
Domaine Charles Baur, Eguisheim, Alsace
NV Cremant d'Alsace Rosé RRP $58
Beautifully fragrant yet reserved red fruits, rose petal, a nuance of aniseed all with a nice squeeze of lime juice. The nose is wonderfully complex and pleasing. The palate shows a balanced touch of fruit sweetness with griotte cherry, raspberry and strawberry. - Jono Hersey, FWC
2018 Sylvaner VV RRP $45
Quite savoury with quartz like minerality and salinity. Custard apple, yellow florals, fresh grass, hay and mountain herbs. The palate is fresh yet some broadness but not cloying. A waxy, soapy mouthfeel. Lovely length. Plenty of honeysuckle on the finish. - Jono Hersey, FWC
2018 Perles de nos Terroirs (PB/PN/PG) RRP $48
There is a waxy, nutty, saline, savouriness all with an underlying apple, pineapple and custard apple character. The palate is sumptuous and flavourful with a mouth coating waxy apple plushness. Quite smooth in nature. - Jono Hersey, FWC
2018 Riesling 'Cuvee Charles' RRP $59
Very dense with waxy, lanolin, honeysuckle characters. Lovely energy and minerality. Green apple with a big squeeze of lemon and lime. The palate is very defined, tense yet not ‘straight’, incredibly ripe and evolved phenolics which lace the mouth. Waxy in nature with honeysuckle quartz and lime. - Jono Hersey, FWC
2017 Riesling 'Brand' Grand Cru RRP $90
There is an underlying tense and chiselled nature to the wine all the while having a beautifully light ‘nothingness’. Pith, quartz and fresh water lift from the glass. The palate is strict with an incredible minerality and drive wrapped in a lovely honeysuckle and delicate apricot flavour. Very long. Very structured. - Jono Hersey, FWC
2019 Riesling 'Eichberg' Grand Cru RRP $89
There is glycerol, puppy fat component. Slightly flamboyant floral and honeysuckle. Lemon drops, lemon juice. Lanolin. The palate is very energetic with more tension as well as being finer. More angular phenolics. Juicy and salivating. Very long and very youthful. - Jono Hersey, FWC
2018 Pinot Gris RRP $61
Waxy, floral, lanolin, pear, pear skin. Full and detailed. The palate shares the same full and waxy character but shows more spice. Ripe phenolics that coat the mouth. Dry. - Jono Hersey, FWC
2016 Pinot Gris 'Eichberg' Grand Cru RRP $89
Expressive with a tense, smoky gunflint. Lanolin, honeysuckle, dried mountain herbs. Some flamboyant tropical characters building. The palate is full yet more direct than the above. Quite light on its feet compared to the previous. Salivating. Quince. - Jono Hersey, FWC
2017 Gewurztraminer Pfersigberg RRP $95
Much more floral and high toned, lifted. More citrus fruits rather than brooding tropical fruits. More pith rather than pepper and spice. The palate is very delicate and light on its feet. Rose petal, rose water, cucumber and lychee juice. - Jono Hersey, FWC
2017 Muscat 'Eichberg' Selection de Grains Noble RRP $222
A very feminine, detailed perfume. SO detailed. There is an underlying savoury character to the hauntingly refined and delicate perfume. The palate is ethereal and weightless. This is an outstanding wine of the highest order. - Jono Hersey, FWC
Domaine Dubuet Boillot, Volnay
Grandson of Pierre Boillot, Maxime Dubuet-Boillot produced his first vintage in 2016 from just over four hectares of family vines after a stint working at Remoriquet in Nuits-Saint-Georges. Cultivating his soils mechanically and harvesting by hand, he favours long macerations, with élevage in a small vaulted cellar in the heart of the village. These first efforts show plenty of promise, suggesting that this is a name to watch. - William Kelley, The Wine Advocate
2020 Rosalie RRP $59
2020 Bourgogne Cote d'Or Rouge RRP $89
From Volnay fruit. Delicate and pretty violets lift from ripe raspberry and cherry nose. There is an underlying amaro cherry and plum. Wonderfully tense and mineral. The palate, is again beautifully mineral with delicate ripe tannins wrapped in sumptuous fruit. - Jono Hersey, FWC
2020 Bourgogne Rouge La Grande Carelle RRP $110
Firmer with sturdier underlying dark, ripe fruits. More brooding and less floral. The palate is full of beautifully ripe fruit that is both darker and brooding yet so alive. Wonderful length with large, ripe tannins. Concentrated and bats well into village level. - Jono Hersey, FWC
2020 Beaune Les Prevolles RRP $127
Blackberry cassis, redcurrant, ripe raspberry, beautifully sweet wild berries. Layered florals of lavender, roses and violets. The palate entails firm tannins wrapped in beautifully sweet fruit. Long and alive with plenty of fruit. - Jono Hersey, FWC
2020 Volnay sur Roche RRP $193
Lifted, perfumed nose with obvious whole bunch but wrapped in fruit. Smokey, mineral and taut fragrance. Lavender and mountain herbs. The palate is light and zippy with a haunting fragrance of fresh berries and herbs lifting through the olfactory. Very long. Beautiful tannins. Extreme interest. Lovely sweet fruit supports the firm structure. Long. - Jono Hersey, FWC
2019 Volnay sur Roche RRP $193
2019 Volnay sur Roche 1500ml RRP $392
The 2019 Volnay Sur Roches is vinified without any destemming, and it's the most ethereal wine in the range, bursting with aromas of rose petals, orange rind, red berries and warm spices. Medium to full-bodied, elegant and fine-boned, with bright acids and melting tannins, it concludes with a mouthwatering finish. 91 Points - William Kelley, The Wine Advocate | An incredible perfume of spice, ethereal and delicate fruit, kirsch cherry and dried strawberry. The palate is so light on its feet yet fills the mouth with incredible fruit, almost magically so. Perfume builds and lifts through the olfactory. - Jono Hersey, FWC
2019 Volnay 1er Cru Carelle sous la Chapelle 1500ml RRP $533
The 2019 Volnay 1er Cru Carelle Sous la Chapelle is a pretty, delicate wine, delivering notes of red berries, plums, peonies and spices, framed by subtle soil tones. Medium-bodied, pretty and fine-boned, with lively acids and powdery tannins, it's a bright, succulent wine, though seemingly not quite as concentrated as the lovely Sur Roches. 90 Points - William Kelley, The Wine Advocate
2018 Volnay 1er Cru Carelle sous la Chapelle RRP $263
A bit closed but with underlying brooding fruit. A nuance of haunting perfume building. Graphite breaks through the detailed wild cherry nose. The palate is structured but finely so. Good fruit and breadth. Lovely length. - Jono Hersey, FWC
2020 Les granges de Verbaut IGP Pinot Noir 1500ml RRP $134
2020 Les Peaux Rouges IGP Pinot Noir 1500ml RRP $159
2019 Monthelie 1er Cru Les Riotte 1500ml RRP $322
Christian Clerget, Vougeot, Burgundy
2019 Morey St Denis RRP $198
Note: from Les Crais
This is surprisingly elegant with its perfumed and very pretty essence of red currant and a whiff of Maraschino cherry. The attractively textured if not especially dense medium weight flavors possess fine length on the mildly austere finale. This will need to add depth to achieve the upper end of my projected range. 87-90 Points - Allen meadows, The Burghound
2017 Chambolle Musigny RRP $198
Reduction again dominates. There is a lovely sense of underlying tension to the nicely delineated middle weight flavors that flash a discreet minerality on the mildly austere but not rustic finale that exhibits sneaky good persistence. 87-90 Points - Allen Meadows, The Burghound
2018 Chambolle Musigny RRP $210
A ripe, pretty and equally airy nose consists of red cherry, plum, pomegranate and violet scents. There is very good volume to impressively rich and concentrated middle weight flavors that possess fine complexity on the lightly stony, balanced and lingering finish. This is a very good Chambolle villages and worth checking out. Oustanding. Top Value. 89-91 Points - Allen Meadows, The Burghound.
2019 Chambolle Musigny RRP $229
From a range of vineyards all over the commune that include Nazoires, Les Condemennes, Les Athets, Les Babillières, Les Herbues and Les Bussières. | A herbal tea top note is present on the cool, airy and layered essence of red currant and raspberry. The mid-palate mouthfeel of the medium weight flavors is almost delicate that contrasts slightly with the youthfully austere and dusty finale. This too could use more depth but it's certainly very pretty. Outstanding. 87-90 Points - Allen Meadows, The Burghound
2019 Chambolle Musigny 'aux Croix' RRP $239
Firm reduction dominates the underlying fruit but there is really lovely delineation to the tension-filled and stony flavors that are not particularly dense but do possess a beguiling texture on the equally austere and dusty finale that offers notably better depth. This is worth checking out. 89-91 Points - Allen Meadows, The Burghound.
2019 Vosne Romanée les Violettes RRP $297
From 0.50 hecatre parcel planted in 1946; Les Violettes abuts Clos de Vougeot. | This too is sufficiently reduced to blur the underlying fruit though a whiff of wood does peek through. Otherwise there is good energy to the sleekly textured middle weight flavors that aren't quite as well detailed though more seductive, all wrapped in a sneaky long finish. This is a lovely combination of finesse with punch and also worth your interest. 89-91 Points - Allen Meadows, Burghound.
2013 Vougeot 1er Cru Petits Vougeot RRP $295
A pungent nose of new wood and reduction is impossible to assess. The refined, cool and delineated medium-bodied flavors exude a fine bead of minerality on the wonderfully fine and energetic finale. There is a lovely mouth feel to beautifully persistent finish and this is a classic example of Petits Vougeots. 89-92 Points - Allen Meadows, The Burghound
2014 Vougeot 1er Cru Petits Vougeot RRP $295
Once again the mild reduction is enough to render evaluating the nose impossible. I very much like the fine detail of the delicate, fresh and tension-filled middle weight flavors that culminate in a lilting finish that is both detailed and ever-so-slightly austere. As is often the case this elegant effort is distinctly Chambolle-like. 90-92 Points - Allen Meadows, The Burghound
2017 Vougeot 1er Cru Petits Vougeot RRP $308
Reduction. The mouthfeel of the beautifully vibrant, sleek and tautly muscular medium weight flavors is attractively refined which is enhanced by a subtle minerality that arises on the firm, saline-inflected and balanced finale. This is sufficiently concentrated and firm to reward mid-term cellaring. 88-91 Points - Allen Meadows, The Burghound
2018 Vougeot 1er Cru Petits Vougeot RRP $308
A discreet application of wood can be found on the more elegant if perhaps slightly less floral-inflected nose that speaks of tea and spice nuances on the plum and red cherry-scented aromas. There is good richness and volume to the lightly mineral-inflected middle weight flavors that possess moderately firm but fine tannins that contribute to the overall sense of refinement. Lovely. 89-92 Points - Allen Meadows, The Burghound
2019 Vougeot 1er Cru Petits Vougeot RRP $328
Firm reduction dominates the fruit at present. The lilting, elegant and wonderfully pure and transparent flavors possess a highly attractive underlying tension as well as a subtle minerality on the refreshing and mildly austere finale. This is clearly very young but it's so pretty that it could actually be enjoyed young, assuming of course that the nose cleans up before it's bottled. 90-92 Points - Allen Meadows, Burghound
2016 Chambolle Musigny 1er Cru Les Charmes RRP $308
This is also sufficiently reduced that the nose is tough to read. On the plus side there is both better volume and richness if a bit less refinement to the medium-bodied flavors that possess a lovely succulence that also characterizes the focused, punchy and balanced finale. This opulent effort should drink well young but age well too. 90-92 Points - Allen Meadows, The Burghound
2017 Chambolle Musigny 1er Cru Les Charmes RRP $308
Reduction. As pretty as the Petits Vougeot is, the mouthfeel here is finer and sleeker still with plenty of punch and salinity on the delicious if not especially dense flavors that deliver good if not special depth and persistence on the balanced finish. 89-91 Points - Allen Meadows, The Burghound
2018 Chambolle Musigny 1er Cru Les Charmes RRP $320
A moderately toasty nose is comprised by the super-fresh essence of various red berries where once again there is an abundance of floral influences adding both breadth and elegance. The delicious and nicely voluminous medium-bodied flavors possess a highly seductive inner mouth perfume before concluding in a palate coating and sneaky long finish. This too is lovely. 90-92 Points - Allen Meadows, The Burghound
2019 Chambolle Musigny 1er Cru Les Charmes RRP $363
From four parcels of 30+ year old vines aggregating 1 hecatre. | A highly perfumed and vaguely exotic nose offers up notes of red berries, lavender, rose petal and a hint of cinnamon. The super-sleek, intense and more concentrated flavors exude a refreshing salinity on the balanced, long and more complex finale. Lovely. 90-93 Points - Allen Meadows, The Burghound
2018 Echezeaux ‘en Orveaux’ Grand Cru RRP $552
A subtle but still perceptible dollop of wood can be found on the markedly spicy nose that mixes ripe yet still attractively fresh notes of both red and dark currant, violet and rose petal. There is outstanding density to the sappy, suave and seductive medium weight plus flavors that flash evident power on the serious and hugely long finish. This muscular and impressive Ech is not elegant but offers much to like. Sweet Spot. 91-94 Points - Allen Meadows, The Burghound
2019 Echezeaux ‘en Orveaux’ Grand Cru RRP $577
From a 1.1 hecatre parcel planted in 1947. | Here too the fruit is dominated by reductive notes though the intrinsic spice elements of a typical Echézeaux are discernible. More interesting are the racy and equally tension-filled if larger-scaled flavors that possess solid mid-palate volume if only average density before culminating in an inviting, firm and serious finale. As one would reasonably expect, this is going to need 12 to 15 years to reach its peak. 90-93 Points - Allen Meadows, The Burghound