I am more excited about this Burgundy offer than any I can remember… except for last year when I offered the 2017!

Domaine Denis Mortet Marsannay Les Longeroies 2018

Sale $64.99

90-92 pts Vinous / 90-92 pts Wine Advocate 

“Okay, Todd… it’s $65… this had better be good! What’s the deal?”

For starters, this is Denis Mortet! THE Denis Mortet, one of the legendary producers in Burgundy. After the untimely death of Denis in 2006, his son Arnaud took over, and has continued his father’s legacy, continuing the Domaine’s status in the “legendary” stratosphere.

Look, I like to geek out as much as everyone, and I have only ever heard of these wines until last November. I had never even seen a bottle, let alone drunk one. The fact that I have cases of this wine, at an affordable price, is super exciting. I’m as giddy as a schoolchild!

Ok, so it has uber geek appeal… and “Look at what I have!” appeal…  and, “chance to drink from a legend” appeal…

But there’s more…

In October, 2019, Master of Wine Andy Howard wrote an article for Decanter titled, “Identifying the best Burgundy vineyards”. From the Cotes de Nuits, there were the usual suspects – Chambertin, Clos de Beze, Clos St. Jacques, Clos de la Roche, Musigny, Bonnes Mares, Les Amoureuses, and Richebourg.  All Grand or 1er Cru wines that cost hundreds or thousands of dollars for a bottle.

And then there was Marsannay Les Longeroies. Huh? Has he lost his mind? Putting a basic AOC appellation in the same category as Grand and 1er Crus?

Nope. He’s just willing to say what others already know. The Cru classification system is flawed. GASP! You see, up until the first Lavalle classification of Burgundy in 1855, the finest crus of Marsannay enjoyed a classification equivalent to today’s Grands Crus. I don’t know, maybe someone ticked off Lavalle, but once his system become entrenched, there was no going back.

But the land didn’t change. The soil didn’t change. Nothing chan… wait, that’s not true. Marsannay is the northernmost appellation in Burgundy that produces red wine. As you can imagine, once upon a time, the vines struggled to ripen with any consistency. Of course, you would have to imagine, because global warming has changed that dynamic. Now, Marsannay is an bastion of weather that the rest of Burgundy used to have! Combined with the red marl and limestone soil, Les Longieres is quietly producing wines that compete toe to toe with the great Grand and 1er Crus!

Ok… Street cred? Geek cred? Bragging rights? Grand Cru Quality for a fraction of the price? All checked… and still there is more… the most important thing…you can drink this wine now.  Of course, you can lay it down, but you don’t have to.

Vinous talks of "svelte tannins" and Wine Advocate says it is "supple and succulent." I don’t know about you, but the ability to try a top-flight Burgundy NOW, as opposed to having to wait 10 years or more, is immensely appealing.

90-92 pts Vinous – “The 2018 Marsannay Les Longeroies, matured in 25% new oak, has a well-defined blackberry and raspberry bouquet with veins of blue fruit. The medium-bodied palate offers svelte tannins and fine acidity. Very cohesive, with an elegant finish. Excellent."

90-92 pts Wine Advocate - "Bursting with aromas of raspberries, cherries, woodsmoke, rich soil and grilled meats, the 2018 Marsannay Les Longeroies is medium to full-bodied, supple and succulent, with fine tannins and a lively, vibrant core of fruit. This represents a fine introduction to the appellation and to the domaine's style." WA


Or reply. The wine will be available Friday afternoon in both stores, as ordered.