Louis MathieuPinot Noir Bourgogne Rouge “Les Nargilets” 2016 (750ml)

The only reason this ultra-micro production Burgundy is here in the U.S. – and not just being drank by Louis and his friends – is because of Klaus Peter Keller. Louis interned at Keller for six months and, as a humble gesture one afternoon, Louis put one of his bottles on the table for the entire vineyard crew, including KP, to drink. KP, who has forgotten more about Burgundy than most people will ever know, was impressed. Here was authentic, soulful Burgundy from a young kid on the periphery of Burgundy (the .19-hectare vineyard is in Aluze, on the outskirts of Mercurey), yet the wine had depth, focus, lift. It was a pleasure to drink; it expressed real passion. That’s the origin story anyway.

Aluze is a wilder, colder place than the Côte de Beaune or the Côte de Nuits – so cold in fact that Louis can harvest in late September (as he did in both 2016 and 2017) and produce a Pinot Noir with depth and complexity that is under 13% alcohol.

The 2016 presents a much lighter-styled Pinot Noir, with perfumed, ripe but still fresh red berry fruit. The mid-palate is generous and layered and lavish, yet the wine is also very linear and curvy and finessed. This has definition for sure, but it is really sauve and serpentine and a beautiful wine to drink now.