August Arrivals - FRANCE

A more southern focus this time from France - including first-ever Burgundies. This group should be in my hands by the second week of August. Millesime's offering of direct import wines from France is truly something unique in the Seattle wine scene. Sure, some other distributors toy with direct imports here and there but they certainly don't stake their commercial existence on them as I continue to do. Maybe they don't have the time for direct imports, maybe there are language and/or knowledge barriers to being able to do the groundwork and pick the best possible wines at the best possible prices. Direct imports are a lot more work, but language and knowledge have not been any barriers thus far for MILLESIME...

COTES DE BEAUNE
DOMAINE CLAUDE NOUVEAU
Claude is the 5th generation to work this land, his Father Charles at 89 still has an active role. Interventions are minimal, the goal is to work as naturally as possible. The domaine is a respectable 13ha in size. Harvesting is entirely manual, and is a "period of conviviality and the maintenance of tradition"
2005 BOURGOGNE HAUTES COTES DE BEAUNE ROUGE - Made in the same way as the finest Burgundy wines, its equilibrium allows it to be at its best after 5 to 10 years. From an old-vine parcel directly behind (and 500m above) the family home.
2005 MARANGES - Deeply colored and more tannic than the HCB, still an underpriced commune.
2005 MARANGES 1ER CRU "FUSSIERE" - MDO CGA Paris 2007. Ample, complex and structured. Licorice, pepper, earth, and fine red fruits.
2005 SANTENAY ROUGE "CHARMES DESSUS" - Particularly well-balanced, intensely perfumed with vivid morello and black cherry fruit.


RHONE SEPTENTRIONALE

JEAN-MICHEL STEPHAN
Jean-Michel is a rising star in Côte Rotie. From small holdings (4.5ha), 10% Côte Brune and 90% Côte Blonde, he produces very classy wines where elegance and finesse predominate.
2004 COTE-ROTIE
2004 COTE-ROTIE "VIEILLES VIGNES EN COTEAUX"
2004 COTE-ROTIE "LES TUPINS"

RHONE MERIDIONALE
DOMAINE RIGOT
I read the Hachette review on the Prestige des Garrigues, and was impressed, but let it go as I felt like I needed another mid-range CDR like a hole in the head. My Comrade Jon tried it in France and said I should really take a look at it. He was right, and we all win! What you need to do is pretend that is not a CDR, but rather a CDP - that's right, a Chateauneuf, because that's what it resembles most. I always wanted a CDR in a BIB, now I have awesome one. The VDP is killer and you will not mind that it doesn't say CDR on the label - I promise!
2006 VIN DE PAYS DE LA PRINCIPAUTE D'ORANGE ROUGE
2006 COTES DU RHONE ROUGE "JEAN-BAPTISTE" 5L BIB
2004 COTES DU RHONE ROUGE "PRESTIGE DES GARRIGUES" - Coup de Coeur *** Hachette 2006.

DOMAINE DES ESCARAVAILLES
Escaravailles has been a big hit for Millesime since the 2001 vintage, and the hits just keep on coming.
2005 COTES DU RHONE ROUGE "ANTIMAGNES"
2004 COTES DU RHONE VILLAGES RASTEAU "LA PONCE"
2005 COTES DU RHONE VILLAGES CAIRANNE "LA BOUTINE"
2004 RASTEAU VIN DOUX NATUREL ROUGE

DOMAINE DE VILLENEUVE
In spite of what you may hear from some people in town who only bought the wine through the broker Jack Siler years ago, and the lost it when Jack did, I actually come the closest to having 'discovered' Villeneuve. I first learned about Villeneuve in 1992 when I met the owner, Philippe du Roy de Blicquy. The wines were then as know incredible. They had no US importer then, but they have had several over the years, and yes, I am buying it DIRECT. Excellent exposures, soils, old vines, 'biodynamie' and one man's obsession with quality produce these superb wines, which have been made for the last few years by Philippe Cambie.
2004 CHATEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE "VIEILLES VIGNES"
2004 CHATEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE "VIEILLES VIGNES" MAGNUM

ROUSSILLON
CHATEAU MOSSE
Wow, was I excited to land this estate, whose massive reds will make you say "Priorat Shmiorat". The Temporis is as good as any of those silly, overpriced, Parkerized (now Jay Millerized) wines for like 1/4 of the price. You be the judge. Fans of rarely seen Vins Doux Naturels will be excited about the Rivesaltes rouge. The Chateau is located in a picturesque village of 80 inhabitants, nestled in the Aspres area of the Pyrenees, a Templar "Commanderie" in the way-back days.
2004 COTES DE ROUSSILLON ROUGE "TRADITION" - MDO Paris 2006, Coup de Coeur *** Hachette 2007. 60% Syrah, 20% Grenache, 20% Carignan. Yields 40hl/ha.
2005 COTES DE ROUSSILLON ROUGE "TEMPORIS" - MDO CVI 2007. 80% Syrah, 10% Grenache, 10% Carignan. Yields are a miserly 28hl/ha.
2003 VIN DE PAYS CARIGNAN "VV" - This was way too cool to pass up, 100+ year old vines, yields of 1-2 bunches per plant - 20hl/ha. Carbonic maceration. You will want to impress your friends with this if you can stand sharing it.
2004 RIVESALTES ROUGE VDN "VIGNES DES CAUSSES" - MDO Paris 2006. 100% Grenache, aged 8 months in barrels exposed to the weather, with a further 'affinage' in bottle. Truly a unique beverage that stands among the great fortified wines of France.

CORSE
DOMAINE COMTE PERALDI
Situated on the hillsides that dominate the Gulf of Ajaccio, the domaine belonged to the Peraldi family from the the 16th century until 1905, when it was abandoned upon the death of Jean Peraldi. The estate was resurrected in 1965 by the Count Louis de Poix, grandson of Jean Peraldi and father of the current owner Count Guy de Poix. Louis' ambition was to give the wines of Ajaccio their own noble titles, and the proof of the success of the project is in the bottle.
2005 AJACCIO BLANC (VERMENTINO)
2005 AJACCIO ROUGE (SCIACCARELLO)

TBC