Mission Codename Carrefour bag
Doesn’t take fortune-telling to see that a Premier Cru white under $30 would sell out.
It does take a lot of effort to procure a SECOND insane Burgundy deal on the same day though.
This one is UTTERLY DELICIOUS, firstly, and equally mysterious…
Let’s talk about deliciousness first, especially at $25 a pop, it’s nearly impossible to find a red Burgundy that tastes halfway decent at this price these days. And from what a vintage! Bruce Sanderson of Wine Spectator points out: “Ripe, fleshy, and bursting with fruit, these are big, powerful reds that deliver immediate gratification… I rate the 2020 vintage 96 points in the Côte de Nuits…”
And what do we have here? Red? Check! 2020? Check! Côte de Nuits? Check, and check!
Now the mysterious part. Our importer buddy has the story: “Spend time at an international wine fair, and you’ll never see ‘Spitfire’ behind a booth. You’ll instead find him in the shadows, with awkwardly loose black jeans and a crumpled Carrefour bag hanging at his waist. When you consider the math, his approach makes sense: A booth costs upwards of $50,000, while a grocery bag costs $0.05. Add to the fact that ‘Spitfire’ knows EVERYONE in Burgundy, and you have a creative one-man business model. ‘Spitfire’ is discreet. This means minimal risk in terms of an approach that clearly skirts the regulations at trade fairs. The setup works incredibly well, and no, you’ll never get to meet him.”
Nor do we want to, as Spies we appreciate being soaked in mysterious deliciousness. They used a custom crush facility to label it up and get it in our (your) hands. What awaits in the bottle is simply fantastic. Deep and dark, this juicy, medium-bodied red has loads of complexity and stays elegant, reserved, and focused. Offers fresh red berries, marvelous acidity, a kiss of rusticity, a plush mouthfeel, and a beautifully balanced finish. You’ll want to drink lots of it.
Oh, and Sanderson has something to say on 2020 prices too: “At the top tier, nearly 20 reds from 2020 cost $500 or more, with the most expensive wines topping out at $1,500. With price increases that show no signs of slowing down, Burgundy is one of the world’s most expensive regions. My advice is to buy the 2020s you can afford now, before prices rise even higher for the 2021s.”
And our advice? You know the drill…
What the Winery Says
2020 'La Tour du Bois' Hautes Côtes de Nuits
- Winemaker
- Mikaël Marillier
- Varietal
- 100% Pinot Noir
- Vintage
- 2020
- Alcohol
- 14.0%
- Appellations
- Hautes Côtes de Nuits, Burgundy, France
- Soils
- Limestone and Clay
- Aging
- 10-14 months
- Barrels
- 100% French, mostly new