La Paulée is here!

2014 LAFON CLOS DE LA BARONNE $132/bottle 88 points, Allen Meadows   2015 DOMAINE LEFLAIVE SOUS LE DOS D’ANE, MEURSAULT PREMIER CRU $174/bottle 89-91 points, Wine Advocate   2009 DOMAINE DUJAC AUX COMBOTTES, GEVREY-CHAMBERTIN PREMIER CRU $245/bottle 93 points, Anotonio Galloni   2012 FAIVELEY CHAMBERTIN GRAND CRU, CLOS DE BEZE $299/bottle 94 points, Wine Spectator  …

A Modern Tradition

In 1923 the modern day La Paulée was initiated by Jules Lafon, one of Burgundy’s most respected wine growers, when he decided to revive the traditional medieval grape harvest celebration to which Cistercian monks invited their vineyard laborers. Lafon held his first Paulée at his Meursault Domaine, inviting some of his friends to a small banquet in the…

Three Glorious Days

La Paulée is a traditional Burgundian celebration held at the end of the grape harvest. This was once a widespread practice throughout France but now most often refers to the festivities held in the village of Meursault. La Paulée de Meursault is part of Les Trois Glorieuses, “the three glorious days,” that take place around Beaune…

These Roots Run Deep

Rightly famous for their single vineyard Clos des Goisses, Philipponnats have lived in and around Mareuil-sur-Äy for 500 years. Having focused for many years on the Clos, the family have since expanded their production to include more vintage as well as non vintage wines. The name of Cuvée 1522 is a tribute to the year when the…

“Je bois les étoiles!”

“Brothers come quickly, I’m drinking the stars!” The immortal words of Dom Pierre Pérignon, the Benedectine monk popularly responsible for the creation of sparkling wine. Even though in the modern era we’ve found this tale to not entirely be true, it’s still a lovely story. The wines which bear his name need no introduction. When…

12 Years Later

There was a time in the not too distant past when we got our wine news from magazines. When you anxiously awaited the vintage reports to come out and for Mr. Parker or Mr. Suckling or Ms. Robinson to declare the vintage good bad or otherwise. Once in awhile these critical voices would lineup in chorus…

The White Horse

Located right over the border from Pomerol in St. Emilion sits one of the most storied Libourne estates, Chateau Cheval Blanc. Since its founding in 1832, Cheval Blanc has been consistently producing one of the finest wines in the world. With 39 hectares of vineyards the estate produces a wine that tends slightly towards their…