“Two Burgundy-loving California winemakers—Eric Railsback (Lieu-Dit) and Matt Murphy (Presqu’ile)—wanted to make some Burgundy of their own. With the help of a Burgundian colleague, they did just that.”
The grapes for today’s 2018 come from the “Champ Franc” vineyard, a site that sits on the east side of Gevrey-Chambertin, in soils of rich red clay and limestone. The wine was fermented using 60% whole clusters, which lent structure and spice in a ripe, forward vintage. It was aged in second- and third-passage French oak barriques, so the emphasis is really on soil and fruit. In the glass, it’s a deep ruby moving to garnet and pink at the rim, with classically “Gevrey” aromas of black cherry, forest floor, tea leaves, and black pepper. It is medium-plus in body and well-structured, with a well-modulated mix of lush, pure fruit, violet-scented florals, and crushed-rock savor. It is poised to age well throughout this decade, but there’s also a lot to love about the wine now, provided you give it 30-60 minutes in a decanter first. Serve it at 60 degrees in Burgundy stems and pair it with game or even beef.
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