Catherine and Claude Marechal Lookalikes: $22.99 Ladoix and A Strong Dollar Single Vineyard Nuits St.Georges for $34.99! (the NSG is Allocated)

There are a variety of styles in Burgundy.  Some of my producers make wine with good fruit but the wines are more driven by aromatics and minerality.  Well, that's not the style of Xavier Durand. These wines are very well made and balanced (they have balancing acidity - this is Fass Selections,

after all), but Xavier Durand's wines are definitely fruit-driven and just an absolute hedonistic pleasure to drink.  And you know what?  Sometimes you want a wine with big delicious fruit either because you are tasting with someone who likes that or maybe the food you are eating would overwhelm something more feminine.  Sometimes you want something with just absolutely stunning, delicious fruit where you can kick back and say "life is good." That is why I am now proud to represent Xavier Durand. The wines are delicious and also fill a need. Masculine, ready to drink Burgs.

Today I am proud to offer the 2012 Xavier Ladoix Rouge for $22.99 a bottle (thank you weak Euro!) on the 4-pack. This is the type of 2012 I go bonkers for. From an unheralded appellation with huge quality for the money. The nose is super aromatic. Flowers, dark fruits and bramble galore along with the requisite sous bois. Such an honest nose. Only in Burgundy. It's deep, penetrating and layered. The palate had big fruit with terrific sweetness and intensity. Really nice tannin that melts on the palate into a fruit/tannin race on the finish. It needs around 45 minutes to breathe to get there, but many of you will pop and pour and be very happy.

The second wine is the 2012 Xavier Durand Nuits St. Georges Les Charmois for 34.99 on a 4-pack. Given that a so-so negociant NSG goes for $50, this is a ridiculous value.  Thanks weak Euro! This has dark, untamed and intense fruit. Such an intense fruit soak on the palate. Wonderful high toned aromas. The soils are sandy here and the wine is more soft and supple than a normal gritty Nuits St. Georges but it has that NSG intensity and structure yet more in a lighter style but still super voluminous due to the nature of the 2012 vintage. The wine is awesome and do not be thrown off by the price. It's just the euro is so low. It drinks like $50-$60. This is a terrific wine and monster value. This is allocated.

Xavier went to wine school with our own Sebastian Dampt and speaks no English, but Sebastien, who does speak English told me that Xavier, has so much to say but only in French. He was keeping my translator very busy. That is for sure. His first vintage was 2009, and the estate has been around since his grandfather Alexis started it. Xavier made many changes and has invested heavily in adding the NSG parcel and gravity equipment in the cellar.

As soon as I tasted the first wine from Xavier Durand I knew I had found gold in them thar hills in Comblanchien. Where? That's what I said, especially after being very lost for a while. He is in the southern end of the Côte de Nuits with Primeaux-Prissey being is most famous neighbor. It's where some Nuits St. Georges 1er Crus are. It's more famous for being the village next to NSG more than anything. I also got lost there in the vineyards at night two years ago, with just a dying iPhone and Google Maps. But for the lack of being in a famous village Xavier makes up for it with the mind-blowing quality of his wines.

They remind me of Catherine and Claude Marechal, one of my favorite wineries in all of Burgundy. These wines are full of fruit. And when I mean full of fruit I mean just dense and fresh with fruit, fruit and more fruit. The vines age best when 30-85 years old and the fruit had a sap you can only get from old vines. They are alarmingly delicious and fun to drink. For me, they can be drunk now, which is rare for a Fass Selections red Burgundy. Murat, Billard-Gonnet and Garaudet all need age and hours to express themselves but Durand is pop-pour-smile. I was very impressed with these.  Compact dark-fruited wines with beautiful finesse and long, juicy finishes and awesome textures. For people who like to not wait, these are for you, but they will age 8-12 years based on the vintage. These are wines of immense pleasure but also serious at the same time. He is using 25% oak and he is a master of integrating it. Just like our friend Florent Garaudet. He really knows how to handle new oak. Just like salt it is there and you don't notice it but you will notice it if it is not there.

Xavier is as passionate a grower as I have encountered and am honored to represent him at Fass Selections.

2012 Xavier Durand Ladoix - $24.99 ($91.96 4-pack)

2012 Xavier Durand Nuits St. Georges "Aux Charmois" - $37.99 ($104.97 3-pack) (LIMITED)