Spotlight on Burgundy & Jura
w/ Rosenthal Wine Merchants
Thursday, April 20th
4-6pm, $20
256-964-7980 to Reserve
Rosenthal Wine Tasting
Le Petit Bijou
Thursday, April 20th
4-6pm, $20
With Special Guest, Beth Farris of Grassroots
Rosenthal Wine Merchant is one of the most respected importers of fine wine in the United States. From the outset, founder and CEO Neal Rosenthal has been devoted to working with small, family-owned estates producing limited quantities of exceptional wines which reflect their place of origin with great character.
2021 Jean Claude Thevenet Macon Pierreclos, Maconnais, Burgundy, France $19.99
Jean-Claude Thevenet took control of the family domaine in 1971 from his father Raymond; at this time their holdings were a mere three hectares. Over the decades, Jean-Claude built the domaine to its current size of thirty hectares with vineyards centered on their village of Pierreclos at the heart of the Maconnais. Wines of purity, honesty, fine value were the objective, and indeed, the wines consistently performed at a high level.
This is the workhorse wine of the domaine both for the Thévenet family and for us. The grapes for this cuvée are sourced from four separate parcels within Pierreclos: “Margots”, “Le Château”, “Les Grands Buys” and “La Bucherate”. The average age of the vines is forty-five years. The vineyards face east, southeast and south and are situated about 350 feet above sea level on the gently sloping hills of Pierreclos. The wine is aged in cuve in contact with the fine lees but without any exposure to oak. Total annual production is in the neighborhood of 15,000 bottles with a hefty majority dedicated to the US market.
2018 Domaine Pecheur Cotes du Jura Chardonnay, Jura, France $28.99
The Domaine Pecheur began producing wine in 1976 from a single hectare of vineyards. Located in Darbonnay, in the Cotes du Jura appellation, the domaine is owned by Christian and Patricia Pêcheur who, since its inception, have worked diligently to improve and expand production of classic Jura wines. Chardonnay goes in fermentation and one year of elevage are both hosted in large, 600L barrels. An intensely mineral wine with bright acidity.
2021 Jean Claude Thevenet "Clos Les Brussiers" Bourgogne Rouge, Burgundy, France $24.99
The pinot noir for this wine is found in the village of Bussières and is sourced from the lieu-dit Les Clos. The vines are south-facing at 350 feet above sea level on gently sloping hills that are principally composed of clay. The fruit tends to ripen early due to its excellent exposure. Pigeage and remontage are practiced during fermentation. This wine is marked by notes of black, ripe berries, often a touch “sauvage”.
2020 Domaine Pecheur Cotes du Jura Pinot Noir, Jura, France $34.99
Fermented in steel and aged entirely in used barrels, the Pêcheurs’ Pinot Noir combines varietal silkiness and delicacy with a hint of the Jura’s telltale mineral twang; and, as with all the domaine’s red wines, it impresses with balance and freshness rather than depth of color or richness of structure.
2017 Domaine Hoffman-Jayer Bourgogne Hautes-Cotes de Nuits Rouge, Burgundy, France $49.99
The Hautes-Côtes de Nuits Rouge comprises a significant portion of Hoffmann-Jayer’s production, coming from 2.4 hectares of vines planted in several plots: Les Mailles, La Flie, and Sous le Mont in Magny-lès-Villers, and Les Chasserots in Villers-la-Faye. These 50-year-old vines produce a wine more savory and earth-tinged than its Hautes-Côtes de Beaune counterpart, although the aging process is identical: two-thirds in 20% new oak and one-third in terracotta, and bottled without filtration after 18 months of élevage.
2017 Henri Prudhon Sanit Aubin Rouge 1er Cru "Sur Le Sentier du Clou" Vielles Vignes, Cotes de Beaune, Burgundy, France $51.99
This wine is from some of the oldest vines in the estate, planted between 45 and 85 years ago. The parcel is about 1.5 hectare in size and sits on a hillside between Saint Aubin and Gamay with an east-southeast exposure. There is an élevage of 15 to 18 months (with very little new oak used). Perhaps the most serious and complex of the red wines of the domaine with a character dominated by red fruits and spices supported by substantial backbone.