Limited Library Offer Incredible 2010 Vintage, Our Most Popular Burgundy Producer - Herve Murat

When you have been working with a grower for a long time sometimes they open up the cellar for

you, of their personal stash, and offer it to you. You never really ask, but sometimes these things just happen and it's nice for all of us. Today is that day. Herve Murat, who if you don't know, was the first Fass Selections producer we offered in our very first offer. I can remember like yesterday being with my business partner after a long lunch at Dujac drinking lovely old Burgundies and German Riesling, then getting jacked up on some super espresso to go meet with Herve. It was my first meeting with a French grower to DI so I was pretty anxious. My partner and I don't speak French and we hoped Herve spoke English. He did and he started pouring his wines. There are frigging unbelievable. My partner was so shocked by the high quality that he pulled me aside and was like, "We were just at Dujac, and now we are at our first appointment and the wines are this good?" He was just checking with me because he did not trust his own palate at the time. But, yes, they were that good. Not just good but great.

These are two incredible wines that were great when I offered them and are now even better.  An incredible opportunity to buy ready to drink "entering its drinking window", aged Burgundy for a fantastic, direct from the winery price.

Herve remains our top grower based on sales and deliciousness. Today we are going back in time to offer two wines from Herve's glorious 2010 vintage, including a wine from our first offer. I for one am super excited as I have no 2010 Murat left and I am sure the same goes for most of you. Well except for the disciplined ones. Which is a surprisingly large number of you. You always impress me, clients. I am just excited typing this as this is my first ever library offer from a Burgundy guy who I didn't know had older wine from a killer recent vintage in his cellar left.

Up first is the 2010 Herve Murat HCDN "Les Herbues," for as little as $25.99 a bottle on a 4-pack. As I have said I haven't had any 2010 Murats in ages so I will only provide Herve's commentary and my original tasting note. Herve says his 2010's are beginning to enter their drinking window and they have the wonderful cooling and crunchy fruit that is a trademark of the vintage.

The wine is a stunner and was the first wine that Herve poured for me. I tasted it and just smiled. Why did I smile? Because I knew I was in the presence of greatness. 2010 is just plain absurd on a qualitative level and Herve's classy crisp, clean style worked perfectly with the vintage. The aromas were very high-toned but with a lovely dark fruit presence and .....wow...what inner mouth aromas. So full of flavor. Coats the palate. Brambly fruit galore and with the super sappiness that 2010 is known for. This comes from an area right near Concouer which is a hop and skip from Herve's winery. Tasting this blind, you would be hard pressed to say this is NOT village Vosne-Romanee. Really stinkin' great Vosne-Romanee. This is one of those rare wines where the fruit and purity present great appeal for wine novices and the complex aromatics make this a joy for even the most serious wine expert.  Drink it every day at this price and stock up for parties.

Up next is the 2010 Beaune 1er Cru "Les Tuvilains" which can be had for $51.99 on a 3-pack. This is one of Herve's signature wines and also is one of his two 1er Cru's. I had one glorious bottle of this when it arrived and is one of the best Beaune 1er Cru's that I have had. From anybody. My original note is below.

I'll admit I never heard of this 1er Cru before until I tasted it in Herve's cellar. As an aside, there are so many great Beaune 1er Cru's, and they might be the most underappreciated great wines of Burgundy. People can make a case for Santenay, Maranages, Fixin etc. which all can be very good but rarely great. But Beaune 1er Cru, in general as a category surprises me more often than almost any other category in Burgundy, especially with age on them. In some cases lots of age. It's still relatively affordable as well. The Murat Beaune Les Tuvilains is a very serious bottle of Beaune. One of those that will be great now, great in 10 years, and awesome in 20+. The vines for this were planted in 1947 and Murat owns them. He has .50 ha in this 1er Cru. It is on the Pommard (village in Burgundy that creates big, structured wines that need lots of age) side of Beaune and that results in a slightly more structured iteration of Beaune. Still very round and sweet. The tannins and sweetness combine to really give this an intense attack, but it finesses its way onto the finish while soaking your palate with fruit. The tannins are big, round and sweet. A complete bottle of Burgundy and one of the steals of the vintage

2010 Herve Murat Hautes Cotes de Nuits "Les Herbues" - $27.99 ($103.96 4-pack) (LIMITED) 2010 Herve Murat Beaune 1er Cru "Tuvilains" - $53.99 ($155.97 3-pack) (LIMITED)