We've been drinking the wines of Garaudet for many years, and have long admired them for their excellent value. But in our most recent tasting of the wines, something was different. And the difference was very positive.

Domaine Garaudet is located in the village of Monthelie. Although we are in the heart of the Côte d’Or, Monthelie is not one of the famous villages that straddles the great east-facing slope that gives the world’s greatest Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Monthelie, instead, sits on a slope that cuts off from the main slope around Volnay, kind of like Auxey-Duresses. Jasper Morris says Monthelie combines the “attraction” of Volnay with the “structure” of Auxey-Duresses, and notes that recent warmer weather has also provided the wines with “grace”. That’s a nice combination of nouns!

All of this means that Monthelie is a great target for those of us who like to hunt around the Edges of Burgundy for good bargains. Garaudet has long been a great source.

But what has happened in the last ten years at this domain is that a new generation, Florent, has taken over, gradually taking on more and more responsibility until the point that he is now making 100% of the wines. Yes, he follows the classic “hands off” recipe that typically produces the kind of wines we like to drink: elegant and terroir-transparent. But what makes his wines so successful is his obsessiveness. He is the kind of vigneron that is intimately familiar not just with every vine on his property but with every bunch of grapes. It gives his village wines that extra bit of concentration and complexity so that they taste more like premier crus.

Today we present one of those village wines. It’s an old vines Monthelie rouge, from vines that were planted nearly 50 years ago. It's a beautiful Pinot Noir, with some Volnay character, but also a touch of spice and good interplay between red and black fruits. It’s the kind of red Burgundy that reminds us why we love this kind of wine — and that surprises us with its great affordability.

Florent Garaudet, Monthelie VV, 2022 $37.99