I know why the wines are great. Florent just lives his entire life for wine. Every vine, every cluster, every grape. He lives to make the best wine placed in every bottle that he can. Some people have pictures their cats or children on their iphones; Florent has pictures of his vines. The last time I visited him, he showed me dozens of pictures of individual vines; he was as proud of them as parents are of their children. I am not making this up - I'm not that inventive.
The rest is history as Florent is one of our most popular wine makers in the whole portfolio. He has hit a new level in 14 in red and white. These wines, as I continue to taste and visit are really built to age. Even 2-3 years goes a long way for these wines. The first wine I am offering today is the 2014 Florent Garaudet Puligny-Montrachet for as little as $42.99 a bottle on a 4-pack. (Compare the similarly priced at the cellar 2011 Meursault at $69.99 through 3 tier) Florent is famous among the top winemakers in Burgundy (they all know him) for his white wines and this is his top white wine. To get this for under $43 is an incredible, incredible value, even for Fass Selections. I saved this for last and this is the last 2014 white I'll sell from Florent. He has saved me some but there is not as much left as I would like. It is my favorite 2014 of his. Before I get to that I opened a 2012 to prepare for this email and the wine blew me away. It was easily 1er Cru or higher level. The length, aristocratic flavor profile, unreal minerality, freshness, depth and acid were all top notch. The wine, which I had not had for 2 years had developed so much I was floored. It became a better wine and the first person to tell me his wines were for aging was Florent. But this cemented it in my mind. Which brings me to the absolutely magical 2014. This is his best yet and in 3-5 years will blow away much more famous wines at tastings. The vines have 45 years of average age and he uses 50% new oak from different coopers. Nose is all hazeluts and cooked nuts. There is a pure wet earth minerality that develops after a while. The nose is really pure. That is the trademark of the 14 Garaudet whites is purity. Stunning purity. It really wows you how great this wine is. Great, zippy and not shy classic Garaudet acids and and utterly classic structural profile. So juicy. Amazing finesse. A wine that takes the vintage and shows how great it can be in the right hands. It is epic and will last 10-15 years but will rock worlds in 3-5, if you can keep your hands off it. Easily 1er Cru quality. Amazing the great terroir in Puligny.
Next up is one of Florent's most limited reds and a personal favorite 1er of his. It is the Florent Garaudet 2014 Monthelie 1er Cru "Les Riottes" for $32.99 a bottle on a 4-pack. As I said Florent has turned a page in his career and 2014 has firmly cemented him in a higher echelon. He has so much talent and he takes every bit of terroir he has and extracts every possible inch out of it. This Les Riottes in 14 is miraculous wine. Riottes is planted high up in Monthelie, which is high up as it is naturally, and it has red stony soil not unlike the best terroirs in neighboring Volnay. But the palate is so big, so intense, Florent says it acts like a Pommard. I'd have to agree. Very complex, earthy and stuffed nose. Amazing aromas. Kills the 11 and 12 I will admit in aromatic intensity at this stage. You know how Pommard noses are so dense they need to be unpacked. Mineral and savory abound but after many hours a perfume develops. That's this nose. The palate is profound and explosive. There is a stunning balance between fruit and tannin. Powerful (but not heavy), fruity and elegant with a dash of mineral now. Extraordinary density and length. This is drinking on its fruit now but surely will close down. It really needs 5-7 years but what a wine.
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