- But Boito's Mephistofele Can Compete with the Best of Them
- Berlioz - An Unknown Genius from a Lesser Loved Region
2017 Gilles Berlioz (Domaine de Partage) Chignin "Ja Ja"
- An Entree to Greatness for Under $30
- Stunning Freshness and Precision
- Amazing Length
2017 Gilles Berlioz (Domaine la Partage) Mondeuse "La Deuse"
- Almost Flambouyant
- Huge Berry Fruit with Remarkable Freshness and Precision
- Unique Combination
Some of the best wine conversations I have ever had and will continue to have is with my partner, Matthew Cohen. I can truly be 100% honest with him, he can't offend me and I can't offend him when it comes to real wine talk there is no one better. Once all the rules are off the the table and nobody can be offended then you can speak frankly and really get somewhere. I can't really be myself in my offers. You get a watered down version as anyone who has called office hours knows.
Matthew and I got on me of our insane conversational wine benders the other night and we both came to the conclusion that when they are on, which is quite often, the wines of Savoie resident Genius can compete (and in fact sometimes be) the best wines in our portfolio. It sounds crazy given that they are not from Burgundy, Germany or the Rhone but facts are facts. Over it on the same level as Garaudet and Chavy whites, Battenfeld whites, Muellen whites and Weltner whites to name a few classics and Janotbos, Boussey and Schatzel to name a few newcomers.
The thing is when the Berlioz wines are on they are so stunningly unique while also being superbly high quality wines on par with the world's greatest wines. They have a certain depth and ethereal quality to them along with an always racy character no matter how much fruit complexity (for the Roussanes) or mineral complexity (for the Jacqueres and Altesse) each wine offers and they all offer it in spades. I think everyone should buy Berlioz because the wines are, what we internally call them, is "Our Ganevat, but way less funky." Ganevat also makes like 60+ wines and I can't keep track anymore. With Gilles, he makes 6-8 a year and I sell the same 6-8 every year. They have something for every wine lover who drinks say the "classics." If you love excess minerality like in Chenin/Riesling or Muscadet then the Jacqueres are for you. Gilles Jacqueres all have firm minerality but then they veer off with their own unique textures and alpine scents. There is never a shortage of acid or freshness but if you give the Jacqueres some age they can be magical. 14 Chez l'Odette is pure magic now. Bring it blind to an anything tasting and people will be thrown and love it. There is a that magic balance, mid palate fat, sizzling minerality and most important of all that alpine character, the magic terroir of Savoie and specifically Chignin. Gilles has progressively lowered his sulfur program and now he is not as low as his good friend Ganevat but he adds only as much as needed during fermentation and a little at bottling. This has made his wines even more pure than when I first started selling them. But they are not the nasty low sulfur natural wine bombs one thinks of (or at least I do) when they hear low sulfur. The wines are magic and I reach for them often as nothing I have in my cellar can come close to reproducing the magic they can be. These are on the same level as Ganevat, Roches Neuvee, Richard Leroy, and whoever else that is hip, expensive and has that magic. These are worth hundreds of likes on Instagram.
The 2017 Vintage
2017 is the best vintage yet for Berlioz since I've started working with him. Frost barely affected them and neither did the drought except as far as quantity and they had a long beautiful summer growing season that stretched into a perfect Autumn. Gilles was ecstatic and immediately emailed me that the Ja Ja was the best wine of the lineup in terms of heights it has never achieved before. While other wines maybe better he said he has never had a Ja Ja like the 2017. It was the first time he fully thinks the site truly expressed itself and maximized its potential. That is some big words. I'd agree. 2017 Ja Ja is lights out. 2017 as a vintage for Jacquere I'd say has opulent yet concentrated fruit, terrific expressive and deep minerality, wonderful freshness from terrific acidity from the long growing season and my goddess is there length.The Wines
Up first is the 2017 Gilles Berlioz (Domaine de Partage) Chignin "Ja Ja" for $29.99 a bottle on a 4-pack. This is one of two of Gilles' favorite wines he produced in 2017. It is a smoking great Ja Ja. Everyone on the list needs to buy this wine. It has a huge nutty nose with enormous Berlioz "wall of flavor" texture backed up by intense minerality. Almost Chablis/Laible/Pepiere 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 way better than any Muscadet I've had. and I've had a lot. It's more like the Chenin/Riesling/Muscadet of the Alps. The Berlioz has insane freshness and length and is just a very complete, deep wine that makes your mouth salivate and has that extra that makes it one of if not the top Jacquere of the Savoie (next to his Chez O'dette). I cannot even count how many e-mails I have received about this wine. Order soon and often as there is hardly ever much laying around during the sale. This is like a clone of the 2014 I first offered but I find it more refined and finesse-driven. Maybe the best Ja Ja of the 3 I've sold. is many mountain fresh minerals. Palate has bracing acidity and loads and gobs and tons of minerals. Amazing texture (best tetxured Jacquere?) and freshness. Like drinking a mountain stream. Very long finish.
Next up is the cult favorite, the 2017 Gilles Berlioz (Domaine la Partage) Mondeuse "La Deuse" for $41.99 a bottle on a 4-pack. The first time Gilles poured it for me and I was just like "wow!" I had never smelled any wine like this. It was frankly amazing. The '17 reminds me of that morning he poured it for me. So fresh, so pure, so flamboyant. 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. Huge berry fruit. High toned and very precise. Palate is silky with layered and juicy fruit with a bright fresh character. Super crunchy Alpine goodness. Amazing freshness, It is pure genius. 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 (those tannins be fierce) 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. The '15 blew my mind but the '17 is on the same level and even more refined and finesse driven. The '15 and 17 are brilliant and will age gloriously for 10-12 years and I find this wine drinks best at age 5+.
2017 Gilles Berlioz (Domaine Partage) Chignin "Ja Ja" - $31.99 ($119.96 4-pack)
2017 Gilles Berlioz (Domaine Partage) Mondeuse "La Deuse" - $43.99 ($167.96 4-pack)
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