2014 Domaine Mouton Givry Clos Charle Premier Cru Burgundy 750 ml

The 2014 Domaine Mouton Givry Clos Charlé 1er Cru is for Burgundy-lovers looking for high-quality Pinot well below the soaring prices of the Côte d’Or. Eric Asimov of The New York Times sung the praises of the stunning Pinot Noir values found in Givry in his article “A Peek at the Promised Land.” This complex and elegant wine hails from the 2014 red Burgundy vintage described in Decanter Magazine as “Classic,” and a family whose grape-growing legacy dates back more than a century.

Laurent Mouton’s family is part of the long tradition of the winemaking clans who proved themselves as growers for years—or a full century, in the case of the famille Mouton—before turning to winemaking. Laurent is the fourth generation of Moutons to farm the clay and limestone soils of Givry in the Côte Chalonnaise, south of Burgundy’s famed Côte d’Or: Roughly 98 years after Eugène Mouton determined the direction of the family business by transitioning from blacksmith to vigneron, Laurent’s father Gérard produced the Moutons’ first vintage in 1968. Now, led by Laurent, the family farms 30 acres in the Bourgogne, Givry, and Givry Premier Cru appellations.

Givry wines were said to be Henry IV’s favorite, four centuries before Eric Asimov of The New York Times singled them out as a savvy alternative for lovers of quality Burgundy discouraged by the high prices of Côte de Nuits reds. The Moutons harvest most of the grapes plucked from the southerly-exposed 20- and 26-year-old vines of Clos Charlé, at the fringe of the village of Givry. They hand-harvest and completely destem all of the fruit, before aging the wine in 30% new French oak barrels. Known for producing wines that are elegant and ready to drink in their youth, Clos Charlé is a perfect terroir for those seeking classical Burgundy Premier Cru quality and grace without paying Côte d’Or prices.