Description
Domaine Philippe Gavignet, Bourgogne Pinot Noir
It could be argued that the most important wines any Burgundy domaine produces are those labeled with the “Bourgogne” moniker. At the highest echelons of this very expensive market, Bourgogne Pinot Noirs are often the only affordable/viable choices for most consumers, but regardless of price point, they are “first impression” wines—and I can think of few that make a stronger first impression than Philippe Gavignet.
It’s gotten to the point that the release of a new vintage of this wine is a circle-the-calendar event for me (not something that’s said very often, if ever, about a “Bourgogne” wine). As I’ve said, this resolutely traditional estate makes Burgundy with a capital “B”—the kind of woodsy, structured Pinot Noir I read about in books when I was first learning about wine. Gavignet’s ace in the hole is old vines: Whereas most Bourgogne-designated wines come from newer plantings, Gavignet’s is sourced from 45+-year-old vines in the village of Nuits-St-Georges, lending his entry-level bottling uncommon breadth and complexity. In the generous-yet-balanced 2019 vintage, the result is a towering home run—a textbook melding of perfectly ripe, old-vine fruit and profound minerality that puts many more highly “ranked” bottlings to shame. To have this as your house wine is to have the classiest, most wine-savvy house on your block—on any block—so consider stocking up. It’s going to get even better from here!
The Gavignet domaine, based in Nuits-St-Georges, dates to the 1930s and still boasts some vineyards planted way back then. Current proprietor Philippe farms roughly 10 hectares as sustainably as possible, eschewing chemical herbicides and pesticides and harvesting only by hand. His range of wines is focused almost exclusively on Nuits-St-Georges and includes bottlings from several top Premier Crus; this Bourgogne Pinot Noir, meanwhile, is sourced from three estate vineyards located in and around Nuits, all of which lay just outside the line of demarcation between the Nuits-St-Georges village designation and the “Bourgogne” catchall. The soils contain a higher percentage of clay and silt, delivering a bass note of fruit to the wine. In a category known more for violins than cellos, this one always stands out.
Gavignet ferments this elegant Pinot Noir on indigenous yeasts and ages it one year in used French oak. It is generous and supple right out of the gate, and yet there’s elegance and balance as well—in 2019, expect great concentration but more vibrant acidity than in ’18. It’s a classically proportioned red Burgundy profile driven by perfumed aromas and fine-grained tannins. In the glass, it’s a medium ruby-red with garnet highlights at the rim, with aromas black cherry, black raspberry, wild strawberry, damp violets, forest floor, and a hint of black pepper. There’s a shimmering, mineral energy that, to me, is a Gavignet trademark. The tannins are firm but fine, while the acidity lends great tension and freshness. It is eminently enjoyable now after about 30 minutes in a decanter—serve it at 60-65 degrees in Burgundy stems—but I think this will be a real showpiece after a few more years in the bottle; lay a few down and revisit them in 2024, when they’ll really be singing (especially when you recall what you paid for them). This is “look-it-up-in-the-dictionary” red Burgundy and the most classic pairings are always the best—I know we recommend it a lot, but coq au vin is my play here. It never gets old!
