Vanessa

9.2

Here’s to exploring Fixin AOC, the northernmost appellation of the Côte de Nuits in the Côte d’Or of Burgundy!

Fixin is home to 6 premier cru climats including Clos Napoléon. It’s primarily known for its Pinot Noir (approx. 96%) but also produces Chardonnay and Pinot Blanc.

Fixin rouge wines are sometimes compared to its neighbor to the south, Gevrey Chambertin AOC, but with a lighter body and profile. It can be a great source of value in an increasingly expensive region.

Tonight, we’re enjoying the 2019 Pierre Gelin Fixin rouge 1er Cru Clos Napoléon.

Clos Napoléon is also a monopole, owned exclusively by Domaine Pierre Gelin today. It’s a small but prestigious vineyard, situated on a hillside slope, with old vines dating back 70 years!

This property used to be owned by Claude Noisot, the surgeon to Emperor Napoléon, and the vineyard was formerly called “Aux Cheuzots.”

Claude Noisot renamed the property “Clos Napoléon” in honor of his famous patient and hired a renowned sculptor to create "Le Réveil de (the awakening of) Napoléon” – a nearby statue, featured on this label.

As for this particular wine, it’s beautiful! It’s medium ruby in color. Its bouquet is perfumed and layered with notes of black cherry, mulberry, boysenberry, pomegranate, red plum, fennel seed, fennel fronds, chervil, licorice, clove, cooked morel mushroom, wet earth, vanilla, and saddle leather. The palate is lively with bright acidity and smooth, polished tannins. The alcohol has a delicate warming presence and the finish lingers. — 14 days ago

with Deked1

Lyle Fass

Founder Fass Selections

9.4

Blend of the 1er Crus Sur La Velle, Champs Fulliots and La Taupine. Stunning nose of buttery mineral salty apples. So much minerality. So saline and clean. Palate is rich yet bracing with awesome acidity and freshness. So pure and drinks like a great Meursault. So elegant and lingers. Top shelf. Great spice on the nose. Wet earth. Terrific. So close to 9.5. Palate is gaining complexity. — 9 months ago

Paul A

9.2

In magnum. — 2 years ago

Shelly Duke

9.0

Drank in Hilton Head — a month ago

Vasanth Balakrishnan

9.0

Second bottle and impressions are just as good as from back in winter of this year. Lemon zest, bit of white flower, background of minerality. Palate leans Chablisienne, lemon curd, big acidity - delicious for that $13 price. #hautevallee — 3 months ago

Ian Hamel

9.1

2024 spring. No detailed notes on this bottle but I’ve enjoyed this multiple times in the recent past and this was of a piece — 8 months ago

Paul A

9.2

In magnum. — 2 years ago

Vanessa

9.3

Happy Thanksgiving from our family to yours!

We’re breaking out the Burgundy with this 2011 Domaine Faiveley Latricières-Chambertin, one of nine grand cru climats in Gevrey-Chambertin located in the Côte de Nuits.

It’s a beautiful crimson hue trending garnet around the edges.

On the nose and palate are medium (+) intensity notes of Luxardo cherry, black raspberry, dried redcurrant, strawberry rhubarb preserves, rose water, cardamom and other sweet baking spices, star anise, anise seed, licorice, clove, pencil shavings, sandalwood, potpourri, mushroom, leather, moss, and forest floor.

It has a smooth mouthfeel with ripe, fine-grained tannins and a long, elegant finish. It is layered with complexity, dimension, and wonderful balance. All around superb!

Cheers to the holidays; savor it all!! — a month ago

with Deked1

Jan de Weerd

9.4

Chateau de Pommard. A beautiful place in the picturesque village of its name’s sake. This is where the micro terroirs of Burgundy, or climats, came to life for us when we visited a year ago. Their vineyard around the Chateau was a mosaic of climats that produced just an incredible diverse and contrasting Pinot Noir wines. The Monopole is a blend of seven different blocks from the limestone and clay-rich terroirs. It is a deeply complex, rich Burgundy Pinot. Layers of reserved red fruit infused with subtle notes of earthy forest floor and mushroom, all wrapped in smooth silky tannins providing a balanced lingering finish. I guess you can tell we are still under its spell 😊 — a year ago

with Tammy

Romain Fitoussi

9.0

Pretty purple dress. First superb nose both fresh and peppery on small black blueberry, blackcurrant, violet flower; then more surprising notes on mountain climates and stink in Switzerland for me. It evokes more southern notes of syrah, such as Cornas, St-Joseph, bacon and smoke without the graphite charcoal side. Really a beautiful cuvée that connects two types of syrah usually tasted. The mouth is fluid. Cuvée full of charm with certainly cold extraction to infuse the fruit to the maximum without excess alcohol. Congratulations Switzerland once again! 🙏🇨🇭

Jolie robe pourpre. Premier nez ouvert à la fois frais et poivré, petits fruits noirs myrtille, cassis, violette; puis des notes plus surprenantes sur les climats de montagnes évoquant les syrah plus sudistes (Cornas, St-Joseph): lard, fumée sans le côté charbon graphite. Une belle cuvée faisant la jonction entre deux types de syrah habituellement goûtées. La bouche est fluide et salivante. Cuvée pleine de charme avec certainement une extraction à froid pour infuser le fruit au maximum sans excès d’alcool. Bravo la Suisse encore une fois ! 🙏🇨🇭 — 3 years ago