1993 Tollot-Beaut et Fils Beaune Clos du Roi

Domaine Tollot-Beaut et Fils has been bottling under its own label since 1921, and the Tollot family has been in the wine business since the 19th century. Today the 60-acre estate in Chorey-lès-Beaune is run by cousins Nathalie, Jean-Paul and Olivier Tollot, fifth-generation vignerons. Jean-Paul is the winemaker. The family is so much a part of the history of Chorey-lés-Beaune that the domaine’s cellar is in the center of town on a street named for the cousins’ great grandfather, Alexandre Tollot. Domaine Tollot-Beaut produces Grand Cru, Premier Cru and villages wines. Of special note are the estate’s two monopoles, Savigny-lés-Beaune Champs-Chevrey and Chorey-lés-Beaune Piece du Chaptire. Vinous notes that the “Tollot-Beaut style remains quite classic….Tollot-Beaut is an estate that in my view deserves much more attention."

Beaune is the heart, soul and capital of Burgundy. A walled, medieval city of ancient buildings and cobble-stoned streets, Beaune is home to the annual Hospices de Beaune wine auction, a charity auction dating to the 15th century. Beaune has always been a natural crossroads, and it was a commercial center as far back as the Roman era. Today Beaune is home to many of Burgundy’s most famous negociants, including Drouhin, Jadot, Latour and Bouchard Pere et Fils. The Beaune appellation includes 1,620 acres of vineyards, of which 95% are planted to Pinot Noir, with the remainder to Chardonnay. Although there are no Grands Crus, there are 44 Premier Cru vineyards which account for nearly half the appellation’s vineyard acreage. The best vineyards are on the upper slopes around the town, and Beaune is especially known for its “clos,” or small, walled vineyards that are often parcels of larger vineyards. There are also Beaune village wines. Robert M. Parker Jr. wrote that the primary traits of Beaune reds in the best vintages are “an intense bouquet of berry fruit, principally black cherries and strawberries. The wines are rarely massive or large scaled, relying more on their smooth, silky, berry fruitiness and harmony to seduce…”

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.