2018 Patrice Rion Côte de Nuits Villages Vieilles Vignes 750 ml

Patrice Rion “is currently producing some of the best wines in the appellation,” wrote Neal Martin for Vinous about the star Prémeaux-Prissey producer. Three years since his report, we can tell you from experience that Rion's 2018 Côte de Nuits Villages is one of the most dynamic bottles we’ve tasted at its price point.

The wine comes from old vines in the limestone-rich soils of Comblanchien, at the southern edge of Nuits-St. George, and displays immense Nuits character in a package that’s even silkier than its more expensive cousins. We aren’t the only ones to notice: The wine has gained quite the following in the UK and we have to fight for an allocation every year. 

Once harvest is underway, Patrice displays the care and attention to detail for this villages-level Pinot Noir that you’d expect for a Premier Cru. The grapes are hand-harvested into small bins, before eight workers select the finest berries. Most of the grapes are destemmed to emphasize the silkiness of the wine, then slowly fermented for nearly three weeks. That’s followed by 16 months of barrel aging, with only 5% of the cooperage new—the goal is to soften and polish rather than add wood flavor.

During the entire process, Patrice is adamant about restricting exposure to oxygen, in order to keep his finished Pinot fresh, fruity, and lively—creating with Master of Wine Jasper Morris has called, “very pure, harmonious wines, skilfully vinified.” That quality is why, at the end of his report in Vinous, Neal Martin practically begged readers to get on board. “If you are not familiar with this domaine, they are well worth seeking out,” he says. We think you’ll agree. Salut!