2011 Gerard Raphet Bourgogne Les Grands Champs Cuvee Unique

Gerard Raphet owns or leases 30 acres in Burgundy’s Cote de Nuits. He officially took over the family domaine in 2002 when his father Jean Raphet retired, although Gerard had been in charge of the vineyards for many years. The domaine includes important Grand Cru parcels in Clos de Vougeot, Charmes Chambertin, Clos de Roche, Charmes Chambertin and Clos de Beze. There are also Premier Cru parcels in Gevrey-Chambertin and Morey-Saint-Denis. Clive Coates has written that the domaine’s wines are often “rich, full, plummy and succulent. Since Gerard has been in command, the yields have been tightened up, and the proportion of new oak increased.”

Burgundy in eastern France is, if not the most famous and storied wine region in the world, certainly one of the top two or three. Its winemaking history dates from the Roman era, and its relatively small size and reputation for outstanding wines means that the best wines of Burgundy are generally among the world’s most prized – and costly – wines. At about 110,000 vineyards acres, Burgundy is only 40% as big as Bordeaux, and its system of dividing up vineyards into small, family-owned parcels makes understanding the wines of Burgundy a life-long pursuit for Burgundy enthusiasts. The three main grapes of Burgundy are Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Gamay. Burgundy is a long, narrow, north-south running region consisting of five main areas. They are Chablis in the north, Côte D’Or, Côte Chalonnaise, Mâconnais and Beaujolais, which is just above the Rhone Valley. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are grown throughout most of Burgundy but Gamay is grown primarily in Beaujolais. The appellation system and rules about labeling can be confusing and the system classifies regions, villages and even individual vineyards. Grand Cru is the most prestigious appellation category, followed by Premier Cru and many village and regional appellations.