Mission Codename Those who know
WE ARE NOT WORTHY!
Inventors have da Vinci.
Artists have Monet.
…and Burgundy lovers? They have Raphet.
Whisper the name in any Burgundy lover’s ear and you’ll trigger goosebumps.
And guess what? Today, WE have Raphet too, for an unreal price. But wait, there’s more - literally. Because we have not just one but TWO mindblowing Raphets, read on…
His wines are among the most sought after in the region, and North Berkeley Imports claims “Raphet inspires the most emotion when trying to describe what exactly makes these wines so captivating.”
And those words come from the 2019 AND 2020 winner of the prestigious ‘Importer of the Year’ award from Wine & Spirits, an accolade never achieved before. And just in time for their 40th-anniversary celebration, bringing many top Burgundy growers into the limelight along the way. Yet Raphet remains their top darling, and rightfully so.
Before we wax poetic about the artistry here, let’s geek out and zoom in on THE VINEYARD for a minute.
Insiders gather round! Les Seuvrées is essentially a Grand Cru in disguise as it borders the Mazoyères side of the mythical Charmes-Chambertin vineyard. It also corners another legendary Grand Cru, Clos de la Roche. Not only you can SMELL and TASTE the pedigree, but you can also CELLAR and AGE it here too with zero hesitation, and at under $50 thanks to a crazy third off break, you can even take it to the bank.
Antonio Galloni’s Vinous picked Raphet for a “Burgundy Under the Radar” feature a few years ago, pointing out “an impressive portfolio that includes five Grand Crus and three Grand Crus. They have some very old vine stock to work with… I absolutely loved the two latest vintages of Clos de Vougeot, so much so that I was compelled to mention Raphet here and make a vow to visit the Domaine on my next visit to Burgundy.”
And you should too, at least we plan to! But before we plan that trip, let’s dig in here. Bright cherry red, translucent and brilliant. More cherries emerge on the nose, with a dusty fresh-picked basket of bramble along with nuances of raspberry leaf and candied orange peel. The palate is a massive burst of more red berries, pomegranate seeds, scorched earth, exotic spices, and dried flowers. Long, ripe, and smooth on the sensual finish, staying balanced, vibrant, and elegant. It has a decade of prime drinking, begging to be paired with game and wild mushroom dishes, or charcuterie of your choice.
Only a couple of barrels made a year, so sincere apologies for the inevitable fast sell out. We can’t invent wine out of thin air you know, so when production is as infinitesimal as it can be with cult Burgundy. BUT what we CAN do is throw in a Grand Cru Clos Vougeot deal on top into the Store below, same Raphet, same vintage.
Grab all you can, fast as you can, thank us later.
….and for those who REALLY know… Don’t forget to take a peek at what’s in the Store today.
What the Winery Says
2018 Gevrey-Chambertin Les Seuvrées
- Winemaker
- Gérard Raphet
- Varietal
- 100% Pinot Noir
- Vintage
- 2018
- Appellation
- Gevrey-Chambertin, Côte de Nuits
- Vineyard
- Les Seuvrées
- Soils
- Limestone scree with iron-rich clay
- Alcohol
- 13%
- Vine age
- 35-60 years
- Maceration:
- 100% destemmed
- Aging
- 18 months
- Barrels
- 15% new Burgundian oak