November Newsletter

Sleeper's Pick of the Month

2019 Frantz Changnoleau, "Clos Saint-Pancras" Mâcon-Village

Now that your mouth is watering after reading that comforting fall chicken recipe, its time to quench your thirst. All of my wine roads lead to Burgundy. If you know me, you know I love both red and white Burgundy. For those who do not know, Pinot Noir is the primary red grape and Chardonnay is the primary white grape of Burgundy. The rest of the world has been trying to make Pinot and Chard taste like Burgundy for a very long time, and for good reason. They want to be like Frantz Chagnoleau and his wife Caroline Gon who make absolutely incredible juice. 

The young couple have worked under some of the best wine mentors in the world; names like Newton, Lafon, and Merlin decorate their résumés. Now, this humble duo is bringing the noise in Southern Burgundy. The Mâcon is in the part of Burgundy a little less traveled and less sought after, but Chagnoleau is changing that. With little intervention and completely organic farming, Frantz and Caroline are producing Chardonnay from Southern Burgundy that can puff up its chest next to some of the best wines in the world from the heart of Burgundy; in towns like Meursault, Puligny, and Chassagne. I truly believe most sommeliers would blind taste this as 1er Cru White Burgundy, and it seriously blew me away. 

This Chardonnay is exploding with minerality and acidity that can stand up to more hearty dishes like Tday turkey, and also compliment lighter dishes, like fish. There's a beautiful mouthfeel and body, which give way to a finish that seems to linger forever. For those of you who "don't drink chardonnay" or "only drink Cali chard," heres a wine that will push your boundaries, in fact, I'm willing to guarantee it. The diverse palate of pear, lemon, honey, honeysuckle, apple, peach, and more, is for everyone. This elegant and approachable white should be the one for the holidays. Throw it in a gift bag confidently knowing you're going to make someone very happy!

What we've been reading...

Dan Southey from Washashore Farm sent this one over to us and it is a must read. This article from the New Yorker on the The Great Organic Food Fraud has dropped our jaws, but at the same time we are not surprised. It once again validates the fact that we need a closer connection to our food. We need to hold ourselves accountable when choosing where we get our food from, who we get it from, and what those people are doing to our beautiful planet. Please take some time to give this one a read and share with friends who may not know exactly where their food is coming from.