UNSUNG PREMIER CRU
RED BURGUNDY
by Chris Santini
2011 MARANGES 1er CRU “LA FUSSIÈRE”
BRUNO COLIN
Ever had a Maranges? It’s one of the least-known and most under-the-radar appellations in Burgundy. The premier cru La Fussière, a south-facing, fossil-strewn limestone slope, is what the locals call the most “Maranges” of all Maranges, with its lively fruit and marked minerality.
$39.00 per bottle $421.20 per case
2011 ALOXE-CORTON 1er CRU “CLOS DU CHAPITRE”
DOMAINE FOLLIN-ARBELET
Smack in the middle of the village of Aloxe-Corton, where one might usually find a parking lot or a park, lies the small premier cru vineyard of Clos du Chapitre, a prized terroir that the village has always found too precious to pave over; it remains today walled in between the streets, houses, and church of the village. Franck Follin-Arbelet is one of the lucky few to own a piece of this unique site and maintain its legacy with an old-school vinification in his deep, ice-cold cellars. True to the terroir, this wine shows remarkable balance and elegance.
$74.00 per bottle $799.20 per case
2011 BLAGNY 1er CRU “LA GENELOTTE”
DOMAINE DE CHERISEY
The estate refers to this parcel (which is a monopole, by the way), as “an island of red in a sea of white.” Surrounded by white premier cru Meursault on all sides, this rarity is given special attention, considering it’s the only red wine made at the estate. Fermented using mainly whole clusters (another rarity for the region), this wine captures a more ethereal tone, with hints of earth and chalk. Highly recommended for those who are interested in Burgundy off the beaten path.
