Description
Domaine Philippe Gavignet, Bourgogne Pinot Noir
Over the years, we’ve done everything in our power to make Philippe Gavignet a household name among Burgundy lovers. Whenever I encounter a Pinot Noir from this domaine, I know two things instantly: (a) that the value-for-dollar will be off the charts; and (b) that the wine will be the kind of classically styled woodland creature I read about in books when I first started getting into wine.
The textbook melding of perfectly ripe, old-vine fruit and profound minerality in Gavignet’s reds absolutely screams “Burgundy” and nowhere is this domaine’s incredible value proposition better illustrated than in this Bourgogne Pinot Noir bottling. Burgundy lovers know instinctively that a $30-something bottle of ‘Bourgogne’ is not a sure thing, even today. But it is with Gavignet, whose ace in the hole is old vines: Whereas many Bourgogne 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. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call this a SommSelect “house” red, so if your home is currently in need of such a wine, I couldn’t recommend a better one than this ’17. It continues to be one of the best red wine values we offer!
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-George ‘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 2017, expect a touch less of the juiciness that characterized the ’15s (the last vintage of this we offered), and instead a more “classic” Burgundian 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 fairly delicate, 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 2022, when they’ll really be singing (especially when you recall what you paid for them). As I’ve said before, 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!
