2019 Seguin Manuel Gevrey-Chambertin Les Cazetiers

Domaine Seguin-Manuel is on Beaune property that has been planted to vineyards for nearly 200 years. But in 2004 the domaine was purchased by Thibaut Marion, a career vigneron whose family has been in the wine business for ten generations. Marion rejuvenated the domaine, which is also a negociant, and built a new winery. He also started growing organically and now all his holdings, both estate owned and leased, are organic. The estate produces about 80,000 bottles annually. Although estate vineyards were once located only in Savigny-lès-Beaune, today there are parcels in the villages of Beaune, Puligny-Montrachet, Pommard, Meursault and Vosne-Romanée. Seguin-Manuel makes a broad portfolio of red and white wines. Wine Advocate’s reviewer noted that “I have long been a supporter of Thibaut. He is a very considered winemaker, never pushing things too much, gradually building an admirable portfolio of both domaine and contracted bottlings…”

Côte de Nuits is the northern part of the Côte d’Or and it includes the most famous vineyards and wine communes in the world. There are more Grand Cru appellations in the Côte de Nuits than anywhere else in Burgundy. Of the fourteen communes, or villages in the Côte de Nuits, six produce Grand Cru wines. They are Gevrey-Chambertin, Morey-St.-Denis, Chambolle-Musigny, Vougeot, Flagey-Échezeaux and Vosne-Romanee. Some of the vineyards within the Côte de Nuits are tiny, which adds to their prestige. The fabled Grand Cru vineyard La Romanee is barely two square acres. Altogether there are twenty-four Grand Cru vineyards. The region takes its name from the village of Nuits-Saint-Georges. Côtes de Nuits produces mostly reds from Pinot Noir, and the wines have been in demand for centuries. During the 18th century King Louis XIV’s physician recommended that for his health the king only drink wines from Nuits-Saint-Georges. Like most of Burgundy, the soils of the Côte de Nuit can vary greatly from one vineyard to another, though most are a base soil of limestone mixed with clay, gravel and sand.

This red wine is relatively light and can pair with a wide variety of foods. The grape prefers cooler climates and the wine is most often associated with Burgundy, Champagne and the U.S. west coast. Regional differences make it nearly as fickle as it is flexible.