1993 Laboure-Roi Grands-Echezeaux

Laboure-Roi is a negociant in Nuits St. Georges. It is owned and run by the brothers Louis and Armand Cottin, and 80% of their wines are exported. Laboure-Roi works with more than 100 domains in Burgundy in nearly every appellation. Robert M. Parker Jr. has called Laboure-Roi a “reliable house that makes a good range of wines.”

Grands-Echezeaux is a Grand Cru vineyard in the southern Cote de Nuits. It is a 23-acre plot and is generally flat with an elevation of 260 meters. The soil is limestone mixed with clay and pebbles. Pinot Noir is grown in the vineyard and the largest proprietors are Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, with 8.83 acres; Mongeard-Mugneret, 3.6 acres; and Jean-Pierre Mugneret/Jean-Rene Naudant, 2.25 acres.

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.