What Happens When One of the Great Winemakers of Europe Makes Wine from Terroir That is Completely Unique? You Get a Red and a White that Are Both Stunning and Yet Both Completely Different from Anything You've Ever Had

I am still beaming from the 4 hours I just spent with Gilles and Christine Berlioz. There is no winery like this in the world. Located in Chignin, Savoie at the foot of the majestic French Alps the wines

are more beautiful than the landscape and that is very very hard to achieve. Believe me, this is the most breathtaking vinous landscape I have ever been to, and I've been to the Mosel over 10 times. There is nothing like Chignin and nothing like the hard work of Gilles and Christine Berlioz. Steep vineyards, organic and biodynamic principles rule the day here plus some other ways of working that can only be described as quirky. They use low sulfur and have the ppm used during fermentation and at bottling on the back of the bottles. The more info the better on the back label is my motto. What I learned this visit from Christine, is that Gilles only works with women as he thinks their energy is better for the vines.  But obviously they are on to something as these wines are perfect in my book. They work with the local Jacquere, Altesse, Mondeuse and, after phylloxera killed almost everything, Roussanne .  The wines have a shimmering beauty and purity that puts them at the top of the heap of wines from Savoie in my humble opinion. The alpine freshness, combined with what can only be described as a depth so profound that if these wines had Puligny or Chassagne on the label they would be $85+. I LOVE these wines. Call me during office hours and you will hang up on me because I will not shut up about these wines. It is vinous magic in a bottle.

They have changed or actually addended the name of the winery to Domaine Partage, which means "sharing" in French as they want to share their wines with the world. There is a very 1960's vibe going on with Gilles and Christine that I really dig.

The 2015s are electric and have a richness not in the 14s but they also have higher acidity so what goes on your palate is just depth and freshness for days. There is fruit but what is so striking is the magical  balance they they get and it is on full display on the 15s. I believe I am the perfect messenger for the hard work of Gilles and Christine Berlioz as this is the type of wine that gets lost in the 3-tier system as they will be too expensive and salespeople will not know how to sell them. You gotta spend time here. I have, now twice, and can easily say that I have caught lightening in a bottle. And I believe many Fass Selections clients have as well as I get more e-mails about these wines than anyone else in the book. Maybe E & M can compete.

Gilles Berlioz is wildly popular amongst the Parisian wine bars and tastemakers.  One thing that I admire about the French approach to wine is that there are incredible wines in regions outside of Champagne, Burgundy and Bordeaux. Why?  Because great winemakers find the best terroir in any region, work their butts off and make incredible wine.  The French know this, we are still getting to know that idea.

Today I have the first two Berlioz wines on offer from the brilliant 2015 vintage.

Up first is the 2015 Gilles Berlioz (Domaine Partage) Chignin "Ja Ja" for as little as $26.99 a bottle. Everyone on the list needs to buy this wine. It really is that simple. It has a huge nutty nose with enormous richness backed up by intense minerality. Almost Chablis/Laible like. There is such a stunning amount of freshness and precision that is makes your mouth water like only the best wines of the world can. People call Chignin the "Muscadet of the Alps" but it's actually better than any Muscadet I've had. I've had a lot. I've worked at Chambers Street Wines. Twice. This has insane freshness and length and is just a more complete, deeper wine than the '14. I cannot even count how many e-mails I have received about this wine. Order soon and often as I need to have my order into Gilles and Christine by the end of the week.

Up next is one of the craziest, most insane, unique, distinctive and delicious red wines on the planet and that is the 2015 Gilles Berlioz (Domaine Partage) Mondeuse "La Deuse" for as little as $37.99 on a 4-pack.  The '14 blew my mind but the '15 is on another level. Gilles poured it for me and I was just like "wow!" I had never smelled any wine like this. It was frankly amazing. So fresh, so pure, so flamboyant. All one could do is say wow. Gilles told me he wanted to name the wine, Wow, as that is what everybody says when they smell and taste it. It is sick wine. Exciting wine. Redefining wine. It's Mondeuse in all its unadulterated savage untamed glory but Gilles semi tames it and it is a beautiful wine with a delicate but firm structure and silken texture, powerful concentration and uncanny freshness . It is so fresh.  It was red wine of the year contention as soon as I smelled it. Then I tasted it and had to be talked off the ledge for it NOT to be red of the year.  Maybe because it is only 10.5% alcohol, is why it is so great. But I won't ask questions. It is truly great. Violets and black pepper dominate on the finish and attack. Super sappy and racy at the same time. The tannins are so Mondeuse but also insanely juicy and refined. It is pure genius.

2015 Gilles Berlioz (Domaine Partage) Chignin "Ja Ja" - $28.99

 ($107.96 4-pack) (LIMITED)

2015 Gilles Berlioz (Domaine Partage) Mondeuse "La Deuse" - $39.99 ($151.96 4-pack) (LIMITED)