Wine tells all; of its climate, vintage, place and craft.  Breathing in a wine will convey much more than any other drink or food; aromas tell you of the weather at harvest, of the minerals beneath the vines, and the ways it was handled all along the way your table.  So when your chance comes to try a great wine that has enjoyed every turn along the way and is a value to boot, there's no question but when and with what to serve it.  

Patrick Javillier elucidating the relationship between bottling date and
the resulting longevity of the wine in question.
 
Trust a man like Patrick Javillier.  He carries on a family tradition of making various wines from the most focused lieu-dit offerings to commune wines of special merit.  Especially renowned for his whites, Javillier also makes exceptional reds including this week's featured Pernand-Vergelesses -a little known secret among the wine cognoscenti.  In a time when Burgundy's treasured supply seldom satisfies the global demand at least at a reasonable price, the clever sleuth must set out for the lesser known regions and the perfect pockets of land that defy the blanketing generalities of vintage charts and pedigree.  2006 for example was not kind to all parts of Burgundy but Pernand Vergelesses, the northwestern commune of the Côtes de Beaune, enjoyed a smaller crop than the previous vintage and ripened fully while retaining the great aromas that were cooked off by the toasting sun of 2005.  Knowing where to look makes all the difference.

"Javillier is a passionate seeker after truth (or, in this case, perfection) working each barrel differently in a constant series of trials to see what works best. He has little in the way of grand land, but he is a real master. "-Clive Coates, MW
 
The 2006 Pernand Vergelesses is remarkable.  Tasting these wines vintage after vintage, we buy only in the years that best prove to be the most fragrant and flavorsome.  We do all the legwork and the empirical trial and error for you to benefit by our understanding and so you don't have to take a punt on mystery wines.  We work directly with Javillier, eliminating the middlemen, making his wines an even better value (and through Sunday you'll receive 15% off the regular low price of $42; please see below for more details).  Such effort on our end is what forges the trust we share with you and the other wine lovers that seek the exceptional and yet affordable.  We seek the same; take us at our word.

Domaine Patrick Javillier
2006 Pernand Vergelesses
Côtes de Beaune, Burgundy, France
 

From half an acre of 40 year old vines in clay-limestone soils mixed with chaillots (siliceous residues of flint limestone), this fair Pinot Noir has many aromas to lure you toward Burgundy without breaking your budget.  Dried flowers and the first scents of autumn waft up to stop you in your tracks and come again.  With a nose you could spend an afternoon with, this Pernand Vergelesses is worthy of all sorts of fall cuisine from roast birds and game to a variety of cheeses.  With such a nose full of scents, it is no wonder you enjoy a taste of confirmation.  Despite its pale color, Javillier's Pernand Vergelesses has a balanced weight and breadth in the mouth that makes it one of the best values out of Burgundy.  Sorted in the vineyard, the grapes were entirely removed from their stems to isolate the charms of Pinot Noir.  Javillier preserves as much of the innate nuances as possible; He encourages long cool fermentations and18 months of barrel maturation with the least manipulation possible.  In his own words, "Solid and fleshy, Pernand-Vergelesses is a great seducer."  This could be a segue wine to tug your senses deeper into Burgundy but at this enticing price point, perhaps you'll carry on drinking Pernand Vergelesses for the rest of your life -so long as we continue tracking down the best producers in the best vintages.
 
Watch our portfolio director Wil Bailey discuss with Patrick Javillier the fair complexion of his Pinot Noirs here.