Not quite a Gevrey - but it’s close! This sneaky Côte de Nuits-Villages shows a great similarity to Gevrey-Chambertin in style and substance but a BIG difference in price. Way, WAY less than its book value here, and it offers a glimpse of why icons like Dujac, Dugat, Fourrier, Mortet, Roty or Rousseau get their well-deserved hype - without the astronomical price. Sure to raise eyebrows on even the pickiest Burgundy connoisseur, or any serious Pinot Noir lover.

Limpid, translucent crimson-ruby with brilliant streaks define the alluring appearance. Very Gevrey on the nose, with earthen cherries laced with mineral and nutmeg nuances. Chewy, sappy, and refreshing all at the same time once sipped, with vibrance and savoriness gushing in the back. Complex notes of raspberry, pomegranate, dried herbs, and sassafras all emerge to expand long on the broad finish. A whole roasted bird is the ultimate accompaniment, wilder the better, with mushrooms or summer truffles.

Both the growing reputation of this Domaine and an exceptional vintage are at play here. Devastating as the weather hazards were in the region for the 2016 growing season, those who knew what they were doing excelled at even the tiniest yields Mother Nature granted. “Good news, burgundy lovers!” wrote Jancis Robinson; “2016 is a seriously delicious vintage.” While she added; “Bad news, burgundy lovers: there is a serious shortage of wine.” Stephen Tanzer chimed in for Vinous; “Despite extreme weather conditions in both 2016 and 2015, Burgundy’s Côte d’Or has produced an outstanding pair of back-to-back vintages studded with hauntingly beautiful reds.”

Burghound, one of the hardest to please critics, is a fan and recites the legacy here accurately; “The Livera family has owned Domaine des Tilleuls since 1920 as it was originally created by Philippe Livera’s grandfather when he was only selling grapes to négociant houses. In 1986 Philippe took over and began to bottle the wine under his name. In 2007 the reigns of the estate were passed down to Philippe’s son Damien, then in his 20s, who has improved the vineyard management, upgraded the winery, and raised the overall quality of the wines.”

While Stephen Tanzer did not rate this wine after bottling, his barrel tasting impressions for Vinous are in line with our assessments; “2016 was a very successful vintage at this address. Deep, saturated ruby-red. Pungent black fruits and licorice on the fresh nose. Juicy and intensely flavored, offering excellent cut and purity. Finishes brisk, dark, dense and long, with firm but well-supported tannins and no hardness. A lovely Côte de Nuits-Villages in the making.”

As everything Burgundian, there was very little of this available, so apologies in advance for the short supply. This time we have the TINY harvest to point a finger to. The only thing BIG with this wine is the 40% discount we were able to somehow achieve. We did our part, hope you click fast enough and secure what you can!