Though easily among Burgundy’s truest originals, Claire’s seem too the most under-discussed of the region’s great wines. A cult following plus minuscule production means a small throng of admirers sops up most of what’s available. Current vintage offers are rare; this parcel of mature Naudin is the first of its kind here.
Few wines straddle the usually-separate worlds of wildness and civility so persuasively. As simple as this reads, it’s the best approximation of the Naudin magic I know. Most wines orient, at least directionally, toward deliciousness or fascination. The number of domaines that routinely locate both in the extreme are exceedingly few. Jean-Yves Bizot, Claire’s husband, helms one of them. Claire, another.
‘Viola Odorata’ issues from a plot of 90+ year old vines just south of Nuits-St.-Georges in the village of Corgoloin. The 100% whole-cluster programme works especially well here, the vieilles vignes providing a rich backdrop for the expressive dried flower/lavender stemmy notes. There is a lot of limestone in the vineyard which, as usual, has ‘Viola’ presenting among the most mineral-forward wines in the cellar (it’s often a match race with Nuits ’Damodes’). ’13’s sweet/sour character too comes through to high effect, with plenty of flavory fruit buffering the vintage’s alert acidity.
The sense of liveliness and energy are irresistible. ‘Value’ undersells the appeal: few wines in all of Burgundy offer such force of personality, and of them far fewer can be had sub-$100 at their expressive peak.
Cheers, Jason
*this offer is pre-arrival with a mid-July ETA
