2015 Gerard Julien Cotes de Nuits villages MAGNUM

If it were possible to have a Comblanchien villages, that is what this would be, from a blend of eight parcels in their home village. For map readers, these four parcels on the west side of the route nationale are rockier with shallow, intensely iron rich soils: les Essarts, les Dominodes, les Plantes Dubois, and la Damoda. Whereas these four parcels are on the other side of the route nationale from heavier water retaining clay soils: les Poulardes, En Platerres, Au Clos Bardot, and En Retraits. The ensemble makes for a remarkably complete wine. This is the reason that I started working with Etienne in the first place, having been stunned to attention by the 2012 iteration at a dinner at Maxime’s house in summer of ’14. In substance and purity, this is as good as it gets for the money. Last year I encouraged folks whole heartedly to buy 6pks-cases of this wine, and i’ve heard nothing but glowing reviews from those that did…..once again, if a Michelin three star “by the glass” selection sounds good to you for an everyday red Burgundy house wine, load up now. I fear that it won’t be too long until this wine (or all of his wines) receives upward pricing pressure, as Etienne’s reputation and esteem grows.