Domaine de Bellene Vieilles Vignes Côte de Nuits-Villages 2022

Côte de Nuits-Villages is the smart money of red Burgundy – the appellation that scoops up excellent Pinot Noir from the northern and southern edges of the Côte de Nuits, right alongside big names like Nuits-Saint-Georges, but at a fraction of the price. This bottling pulls its fruit largely from organically farmed old vines in Comblanchien, and it's made by one of Burgundy's most respected hands, Nicolas Potel, at an all-out screaming deal of under $35.

Côte de Nuits-Villages is the appellation that stitches together the best of the "leftover" villages at the top and bottom ends of the Côte de Nuits – Fixin and Brochon up north, Comblanchien, Corgoloin, and Premeaux down south – vineyards that sit shoulder-to-shoulder with the famous communes but didn't make the cut for their own village label. This particular wine leans on Comblanchien, a village so famous for its hard, glassy limestone that it's been quarried since Roman times for monuments and grand buildings. That same stone is what gives the wine its spine. (Fun history nerd bonus: This style of big-hearted Côte de Nuits is exactly the kind of thing King Henri IV reportedly wanted alongside the Sunday chicken he wished for every family in France. Man had taste.)

Now, the maker. Nicolas Potel, who sadly passed away last summer, was Burgundy royalty in the working-vintner sense, and his legacy lives on in his wines. He grew up at Domaine de la Pousse d'Or in Volnay, where his father Gérard was a legendary figure in the rise of estate-bottled Burgundy. Nicolas built his own reputation as a négociant with an unmatched contact book before founding Domaine de Bellene ("Bellene" being an old Latin name for Beaune), where he farmed his own vineyards organically and obsessed over old vines. His cellars are literally housed in 16th-century former military buildings in the heart of Beaune. The fruit for this wine comes from vines averaging around 77 years old – ancient, low-yielding plants that give tiny amounts of deeply concentrated Pinot. 

In the glass, it’s all dark cherry and plum, a lift of violets, subtle spice, and the kind of chalky, saline minerality that makes this feel almost refreshing. The 2022 was fermented with whole clusters for extra structure and rested about a year in large French oak, so it's not an oak bomb, but it's pure, supple fruit with excellent energy and a little grip. It drinks beautifully now and will hold happily for several years, but this is honestly the kind of Burgundy you're allowed to just open on a Tuesday. For under $35, and over 55% off – genuine old-vine Côte de Nuits from a producer of this caliber doesn't come around often, and it won't sit around long. Grab three and shipping's on us!

FOOD PAIRINGS: I would be a happy clam with a simple roasted chicken – with extra salty, crispy skin and collard greens and smashed rosemary potatoes on the side – alongside this humming and blissful Burgundy.