BEN'S PICK: RED BURGUNDY PRICE BREAK
Ben Giliberti, CW Director of Wine Education
Where but from Burgundy's Domaine Michel Goubard can one find a legitimately complex red Burgundy with genuine Burgundian breed and panache for less than $20? If you're lucky, you might find one or two this good for less than $30. But under $20? Ain't gonna happen. That's even more true today due to inflation. However, thanks to a special purchase direct from the importer, we are able to hold the price on the Domaine Michel Goubard Bourgogne Côte Chalonnaise Mont-Avril 2022 to the same price as last year: just $19.99 on case purchases of 12 bottles or more ($21.99 for 1-11 bottles; reg. 27.99). Please note: this rock-bottom Ben's Pick case price is for one week only; quantities are limited.
I've highly recommended several previous vintages of this wine in the past. However, I've been careful to point out that the style is more Côte de Beaune than Côtes de Nuits, meaning if you're looking for the gripping power of a Nuits-Saint-Georges or Morey-Saint-Denis (both in the Côte de Nuits), this might not be your cup of Burgundy. In ordinary years, that observation made a lot of sense, as Goubard's Mont-Avril is made in the Côte Chalonnaise, which, for all practical purposes, is the southern extension of Burgundy's Côte de Beaune.
However, the 2022 vintage was an exceptional year in the Côte Chalonnaise. Thanks to its power, precision, and complexity, I could easily have mistaken the 2022 Goubard Mont-Avril for a village-level Nuits-Saint-Georges or Morey-Saint-Denis costing two to three times as much. At the same time, the 2022 Mont-Avril Bourgogne maintains the enviable Goubard tradition of being a total crowdpleaser. Enjoy it now for its effusive fruit and Nuits-Saint-Georges-like intensity (decant 30 minutes in advance), or cellar it for a few years and enjoy it as it evolves gracefully in the bottle. (I plan to do some of both with my case.)
Explained Pierre-François Goubard, who runs the family estate with his brother Vincent, under the watchful eye of father Michel, "After the huge losses from the spring frost in 2021, the 2022 vintage came as a blessing. It's a bountiful and very classic Burgundian vintage that really showcases what people love about Pinot Noir – bright, flashy red fruit, precise tannins, perfect ripeness, and a classic structure."
Domaine Michel Goubard Bourgogne Côte Chalonnaise Mont-Avril 2022 is made from 100% estate-grown Pinot Noir. But, as Burgundy's feisty vignerons often say, "We don't make Pinot Noir, we make red Burgundy." The 2022 Michel Goubard Bourgogne Mont-Avril expresses the multifaceted complexity of 100% Pinot Noir grown in the uniquely grand terroir of Burgundy. Moreover, it does so in a way that belies the reputation of Burgundy for expensive luxury. |
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