"...a Mâconnais reference point that produces some of the region's most idiosyncratic wines." - William Kelley, Wine Advocate
Our new direct-import relationship with Gautier Thevenet's Domaine de la Bongran is one of the most exciting results of our November trip to Burgundy last year. As one of the most meticulous and thoughtful growers and winemakers in Viré-Clessé, his wines occupy two realms simultaneously - on the one hand, they're paragons of classic, age-worthy white Burgundy, while on the other, they're stylistically singular in ways that none of his contemporaries can seem to match.
The elusive Cuvée E.J. Thevenet is "one of Burgundy's greatest wines [and] what's more, its longevity is legendary," according to Kelley. The 2020 more than lives up to this lofty reputation. Based on that endorsement alone, you'd assume a triple-digit price is the norm, but for less than $40, you can stock up on a bona fide cellar contender that will outlive many Côte-de-Beaune benchmarks at many times its price. "Rich and bright ... Super in its style," the 2020 E.J. Thevenet is one of the most distinctive and intriguing white Burgs we've seen in a while.
Taking that same character to another level, the 2017 Cuvée Levroutée is easily the most unique expression we encountered on this trip. It's safe to say there's nothing else like it in Burgundy. Made only in certain vintages that provide the perfect conditions for botrytis formation (the last being 2006), Levroutée is simply a one-of-a-kind wine, with 95 points from Kelley and 94 points from Neal Martin and Jasper Morris, who declares, "This really is gorgeous as it combines the pretty side of botrytis aromatics with a classic chardonnay heart." The 2017 Levroutée is a collectible treasure par excellence, only hinting at its full potential and set to cruise for a long, long time in the cellar.
Finally, not part of the original Bongran domaine but one that Thevenet's father purchased several decades ago, the vineyards for the Cuvée Emilian Gillet are classic Viré-Clessé limestone terroir, which results in a wine markedly distinct from its stablemates. While the warm 2022 vintage provides it with just the right level of fruit ripeness, the terroir signature is all verve and nerve, with racy acidity and pristine minerality providing a thrilling background for those old-school white Burgundy purists seeking structure and longevity.
The quality trajectory of the Mâcon has skyrocketed in recent years, with domaines like Bongran at the forefront. Fortunately though, prices remain accessible for anyone, and once you've experienced these wines for yourself, you'll surely want to be on the lookout for more discoveries like these that are coming through our pipeline in the future.
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