Skip to content
Featured Wines: Chandon des Brialles

Featured Wines: Chandon des Brialles

".. for my money, these are among the small handful of wines that realize the true potential of the hill of Corton—to say nothing of the domaine's reference-point wines from Savigny-lès-Beaune and Pernand-Vergelesses."

—William Kelley, Wine Advocate

"The proprietors, the de Nicolay family, make natural, pure, delicious whites and reds that reward aging. They do make grand cru Cortons, both white and red, but most of their production is village and premier crus from Savigny-lès-Beaune, Pernand-Vergelesses and Aloxe-Corton. The reds are spicy and expressive. Highly recommended."

—Eric Asimov, New York Times

"This domaine is quickly becoming one of the very finest to be found anywhere in the Côte D’Or...these are great, classically styled, terroir-driven red and white Burgundies that age brilliantly, and are among the treasures to be found in the Côte de Beaune for those adventurous enough to try a few bottles.”

—John Gilman, View From the Cellar.

 
Dry January is lame.  Sorry, but it's true.  I prefer dry Tuesdays.  Try it sometime with me.
But you know what's not lame? 2020 Burgundy....one of the greatest vintages in my lifetime.
A vintage in short supply and right behind another vintage, 2021, in even shorter supply.  
And you know what else isn't lame: collectible Burgundy that is still affordable to middle class collectors like yours truly.  Chandon des Briailles is one of the first Burgndies I ever put in my cellar.  Back in the great 2005 vintage, the Pernand ils des Vergelesses was $55 and has only doubled in 17 years.  Incredible. 
Even more incredible is that I just finished the last bottles during Covid.  These are some serious age worthy wines, one of the best QPR wins out there with amazing grace, finesse and and bounce.  I like to think of these as the grace of Volnay and the power of Gevrey.  If you have't tried any, now is a great time or as the dry January people like to say: a New Year's resolution.,
  

2020 Chandon des Briailles Savigny Les Beaune Aux Fournaux
Newsletter Price: $54.99
BH 90-92: An ultra-fresh nose features notes of both red and dark currant that enjoy pretty top notes of violet and rose petal plus a touch of earth. There is excellent precision to the super-sleek and precise middle weight flavors that terminate in a balanced finale that is less rustic than usual and with only a touch of rusticity. This offers especially good quality for its level and is recommended....
 
 
2020 Chandon des Briailles Savigny Les Beaune 1er Cru Lavieres
Newsletter Price: $91.99
BH 90-93: Cooler and more restrained aromas include those of spicy dark berries and an array of elegant floral nuances. The rich but racy medium-bodied flavors possess excellent volume as well as evident minerality on the slightly more complex and persistent finish where the only nit is a hint of warmth.

 
2020 Chandon des Briailles Pernard Vergelesses Les Vergelesses
Newsletter Price: $81.99
BH 90-93: An earthier and not quite as spicy array is comprised by notes of red and dark berries with a similar plethora of pretty floral nuances. The mouthfeel of the medium weight flavors is again super-sleek thanks to the moderately fine-grained tannins supporting the firm, youthfully austere and sneaky long finale. At least some patience advised.
 
2020 Chandon des Briailles Pernard Vergelesses Ils des Vergelesses
Newsletter Price: $108.99
BH 91-94: Here the equally cool and restrained aromas are the most floral-suffused in the range long with an airy and spicy mix of red currant and dark cherry coulis. The mouthfeel of the intense and beautifully detailed flavors is more refined still while displaying even more evident minerality on the perfumed, stylish and classy finale. This is lovely and should age extremely well as it virtually always does. Recommended.

2020 Chandon des Briailles Corton Blanc Grand Cru (extremely limited)
Newsletter Price: $262.99
BH 91-94: A slightly riper nose offers up aromas of just sliced apple, essence of pear and white flowers. There is more volume if less minerality to the broad-shouldered flavors that also possess almost painful intensity that carries over to the impressively long finale. Corton blanc is often rustic and can be ponderous, but this is actually reasonably similar to a quality Corton-Charlemagne plus it will age like one.

2020 Chandon des Briailles Corton Charlemagne (extremely limited)
Newsletter Price: $359.99
BH 92-94Smoky aromas feature those of Granny Smith apples, citrus, mineral reduction and pretty acacia blossom nuances. The racy and equally intense big-bodied flavors brim with both minerality and sappy dry extract that helps to buffer the firm acidity supporting the compact, youthfully austere and strikingly long finale. This beauty is very much built-to-age and is going to require at least 5 to 7 years of patience.

 
2020 Chandon des Briailles Corton Bressandes
Newsletter Price: $261.99
BH 92-94:  In much the same fashion as the Ile de Vergelesses, the expressive nose is abundantly floral in character with its broad-ranging nose of red and dark cherry, warm earth and anise wisps. There is once again excellent volume to the more refined and sleeker big-bodied flavors that also flash a taut muscularity on the overtly built-to-age finale that delivers excellent length. This is impressive though a wine that will definitely need at least 5 to 7 years of keeping and one that should reward 15+.


2020 Chandon des Briailles Corton Clos du Roi
Newsletter Price: $349.99
BH 92-95: Ripe if restrained aromas of violet, plum liqueur and dark berry coulis are trimmed in hints of spice and the sauvage. The super-sleek and almost painfully intense large-scaled flavors brim with both minerality and sappy dry extract that serves to buffer the dense if relatively fine-grained tannins shaping the hugely long, serious and youthfully austere finale. This is an imposingly scaled Clos du Roi that should age gracefully for the better part of the next two decades.
 
 
How to get the special pricing for Newsletter Subscribers:
Call: 212.777.3151
Email: 
Jeremy@somegoodwine.com


We offer FREE SAME DAY LOCAL DELIVERY in the Greenwich Village/Union Square Neighborhood. We ship anywhere in the US and offer free ground shipping on orders over $150 (pre-tax) in NY State.

10% Discount on any order of 12 or more wines on our website!
Previous article Bargains in Burgundy: Saint Véran
Next article Fleury Vintage Champagne