2017 Cyprien Arlaud Vosne-Romanée Aux Réas 750 ml

Finding a Vosne-Romanée red wine for under $100 is near impossible—until now. 

Sipping this sort of standout red Burgundy will typically put you back double or triple the $89 price of Cyprien Arlaud’s Vosne-Romanée Aux Reas. 

Dark fruit, wild herbs, spices, and earth come together in this magical wine that’s a prime example of all that Cyprien Arluad does. Proclaimed by industry leaders as one of the finest young winemakers in Burgundy, Arlaud marries his family’s legendary status in the region with three generations of know-how at Domaine Arlaud and his passion for biodynamic techniques. What results is an unfined and unfiltered, balanced and beautiful expression of Pinot Noir from the most sought-after village in all of Burgundy, Vosne-Romanée.

Arlaud produced the 2017 from a parcel adjacent to the 1er cru monopole Clos des Reas which features 50-year-old vines that Arlaud cultivates with biodynamic practices. He is a huge fan of the philosophy, having converted the entire domaine to biodynamics over the first seven years he led the estate, including moving to a modern facility in Morey St. Denis; it was certified biodynamic in 2014. This means he uses as little intervention as possible in both the vineyard and the winery, keeping the soils healthy without the use of industrial pesticides and with minimal use of sulfur dioxide. He even ploughs the vineyard by using horses rather than tractors.

His low intervention winemaking and focus on elegance is clear anytime you pop a cork on his wines, especially this 2017. That year, the region rejoiced with a stress-free and uneventful vintage after the prior year’s struggles with unexpected weather and frost. Arlaud’s wine perfectly expresses the heralded terroir. He uses only 15% new oak, as to allow some fruit flavors to shine alongside the spice and earth, finishing with velvety tannins that just beg you to bring the glass back to your lips. It, not surprisingly, pairs particularly well with French classics like cheese, duck breast, and roasted mushrooms.