1995 Daniel Rion Nuits St. Georges Les Vignes Rondes

Domaine Daniel Rion is a 45-acre estate based in Premeaux. It was started in 1955 when Daniel Rion inherited 5 acres and began growing grapes to sell to negociants. Starting in 1978 Rion’s sons joined the family business and the domaine added vineyards, built a larger cellar and started selling wine under their own label. Today the estate is still family run and has parcels in 18 appellations. The estate has a Grand Cru parcel in Clos Vougeot as well as Premier Crus in Vosne-Romanee and Nuits-Saints-Georges.

Aux Vignerondes is a 9.4-acre Premier Cru vineyard in the Nuits-Saints-Georges appellation, in Burgundy’s Cote-de-Nuits. Because there are no Grand Cru vineyards in Nuits-Saints-Georges, the appellation’s considerable reputation rests on its excellent Premier Crus. Aux Vignerondes is in the northern part of the appellation, where the soil is limestone mixed with gravel. Burgundy writer Clive Coates notes that the wines from these northern Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Crus are “rich, full and elegant.”

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.