1985 Domaine Rion Pere et Fils Vosne Romanee Les Chaumes

Domaine Rion Pere et Fils was created in 1955 by Daniel Rion near the commune of Vosne Romanee. His grandfather had left him five acres of vineyards, and for more than 20 years Rion grew grapes and sold them to negociants. But in 1978 Rion’s three sons joined him in the family vineyards and persuaded him to bottle their own wine. Since then the family has enlarged the estate to 45 acres with parcels in Cotes des Nuits and Hautes-Cotes. There is a Grand Cru parcel in Clos-de-Vougeot and Premier Cru parcels in Vosne-Romanee and Nuits-St.-Georges. There are also village appellations. Today the estate is run by brothers Christophe and Olivier Rion. A third brother, Patrice, left the family domaine in 2000 to set up his own domaine and negociant business.

Les Chaumes is a 16.1-acre Premier Cru vineyard in the Vosne-Romanee appellation of Burgundy’s Cote de Nuits. Located on the appellation’s southern boundary, it is just to the west of Aux Malconsorts. The slight slope of the vineyard makes for good drainage, and the soil is a rich mix of clay and alluvial soil.

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.