Description
Domaine Saint-Germain, Irancy Rouge
Our search for great red Burgundy at a great price is never-ending, and, more notably, constantly expanding—into heretofore under-explored regions like Irancy. We’re well outside the Côte de Beaune/Côte de Nuits axis here, and instead up north near Chablis, but in an era of warming temperatures, places like Irancy may well start falling right inside the bullseye. Today’s sumptuous Saint-Germain Irancy Rouge is a case in point: When we tasted it, nothing could’ve prepared us for the sleight of hand it pulls off. It may come from the northernmost red appellation in Burgundy, but this is a plush, polished, black-fruited beauty.
We’ve been conditioned to think of wines from here as “red Chablis,” and for the most part, they are: nervous, angular, crunchy. But the combination of a generous vintage and the Ferrari family’s deft touch produces an Irancy with versatility and heady deliciousness you’d never expect from here. Brambly, hugely perfumed and full of berry fruit, yet with Burgundy’s hallmark mineral elegance, this is the bottle to wow your holiday guests with, be they Oregon aficionados or Côte d’Or loyalists. And, at this eye-popping price for a village-specific bottling, it’s something you can pop bottles of with abandon, all season long. Take note, because Irancy has arrived!
Irancy just might be the most elusive red Burgundy appellation I can think of. Every sommelier knows it exists, has maybe tried one or two, but it’s little more than an answer to a test question for most. Production in this tiny village is limited and mostly consumed by locals. But it is a fascinating place, a kind of bridge between the Loire Valley and Burgundy. Just to the west of Irancy, in Saint-Bris, Sauvignon Blanc is the star variety. Just to the east, in Chablis, Chardonnay is king. No matter the variety in the three villages, it’s all energy-imbuing Kimmeridgian soil underfoot. The promise of Irancy—Côte de Nuits fruit meets Chablisienne minerality—seems obvious, but has been rarely realized. Until now. Just as a string of recent warm vintages has allowed us to highlight some spectacular Sancerre Rouge, so too has it pushed Irancy into the conversation about serious red Burgundy. I wouldn’t be surprised if collectors start gobbling up bottles here and thus pushing prices up, so I don’t expect a value like Saint Germain’s Irancy to last!
Domaine Saint Germain, named for the patron saint of Irancy, is owned by the Ferrari family. Christophe Ferrari established the estate in 1987 by purchasing two aging farms in Irancy. By then, producers in the Côte d’Or were already upgrading their cellars with pneumatic presses and sorting tables, but Irancy was behind the curve. Christophe brought the newest technological advances, such as temperature control and vacuum bottling, to the tiny village. He’s long been a leader in the appellation, so much so that he was elected president of the grower’s association and still holds the title. Since 2015, his sons Nicolas and James have helmed the estate, and today’s wine makes it very clear that these two have a bright future ahead of them.
The 2018 Domaine Saint Germain Irancy pours a concentrated ruby. I’m thankful I never got this in one of my MS exams because the nose here immediately puts my mind in Oregon. Crushed blackberries, dark cherry, boysenberry, candied cranberry, cola, and rose petals take center stage, while a forest floor, mushroom earthiness grounds us in Irancy. The palate is plump and giving, leaning into the sweet, dark fruits on the nose, but a firm lick of acidity and mineral presence in the finish make clear its Kimmeridgian origin. Served in Burgundy stems, this would be right at home alongside a centerpiece pot roast on your holiday table. I never thought I’d be recommending Irancy of all things to wow your guests with, but here we are!
