Domaine Yves Chaley & Fille Bourgogne Les Rousselots Hautes-Côtes de Nuits 2018

The Hautes-Côtes de Nuits produces the finest red Burgundies, especially in vintages as splendid as 2018, a vintage in which all of the elements smiled favorably upon the undulating rows of Pinot Noir vines that cover the sacred hills of the fabled Côte d’Or. The 2018 Domaine Chaley & Fille Les Rousselots Hautes-Côtes de Nuits could easily be mistaken for wine from nearby Vosne-Romanée, the most hallowed ground in Burgundy, where dirt determines destiny. In fact, in 2018 the robust and animated Yves Chaley has fashioned his finest Hautes-Côtes de Nuits Les Rousselots to date. Deep ruby in color and full of energy, this quintessential red Burgundy just about sings from the glass, offering an intoxicating aroma of raspberry, cherry, and woodland berries that’s gently infused with exotic spices. In the mouth, the wine’s fruit and floral tones persist, slowly giving way to a complex blend of crushed berry and bergamot, wrapped ever so beautifully in silky tannins. Although ready to be enjoyed now, the 2018 Domaine Chaley & Fille Les Rousselots Hautes-Côtes de Nuits is built to last. Overlaying the 2018 Les Rousselots’s racy, sensuous fruit is a core of iron – the hallmark of the finest red Burgundies. For optimal enjoyment, we suggest affording Yves Chaley’s balanced, exceptionally crafted red Burgundy considerable aeration before consuming at cool room temperature (58-62° F). Furthermore, the wise gourmands among us will want to lay down additional bottles of the 2018 Domaine Chaley & Fille Les Rousselots Hautes-Côtes de Nuits to enjoy through 2027 and beyond. Enjoy!

A traditional red Burgundy such as Domaine Chaley & Fille’s 2018 Les Rousselots Hautes-Côtes de Nuits begs to be served with the finest foods brought to table, whether they come in the form of traditional Burgundian fare or emanate from a modern American kitchen. Yes, Coq au Vin is a perennial favorite pairing with Chaley’s Les Rousselots, and the Chaley’s 2018 Les Rousselots can stand up to a hearty Boeuf Bourguignon, too, as well as to a grilled New York Strip Steak. Chicken or rabbit in a creamy mustard sauce makes for another traditional accompaniment to Hautes-Côtes de Nuits reds. Salmon with either fresh porcini mushrooms or roasted shitakes provides another splendid companion to the 2018 Les Rousselots. And when tomatoes are fresh and ripe, an old-fashioned tomato, country ham or prosciutto, and melted Gruyere sandwich on thickly sliced crusty bread provides a real treat in the company of a bottle of Chaley’s 2018 Les Rousselots. Bon appétit!

Deep in the heart of Burgundy, or as the French so eloquently say: dans la France profonde, one finds small family owned and managed domains, tiny pearls of fine pedigree and great price which specialize in Burgundy’s illustrious grapes: Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Domaine Yves Chaley & Fille, located in the tiny village of Curtil-Vergy, is one such rural gem. Although about as deep into Burgundy as one can get, Domaine Yves Chaley & Fille and the village of Curtil-Vergy with its 100 or so inhabitants lay only a short distance as the crow flies from the illustrious Burgundian names of Vosne-Romanée, Chambolle-Musigny, and Nuits-Saint-Georges.

Domaine Yves Chaley & Fille enjoys enviable terroir and specializes in fashioning fine Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from the estate’s own grapes; recent vintages of this property’s wines have been nothing short of exceptional. Owned and run by the gregarious Yves Chaley and his charming daughter Cécile, this domain may be one of Burgundy’s best kept secrets, even though the Chaleys have been vignerons in Curtil-Vergy for 11 generations. Working just 10 prime acres of vines, very little of this estate’s wines are exported. Furthermore, the Chaleys are legally allowed to cultivate a little known Burgundian grape, Pinot Beurot, in addition to their excellent Les Rousselots Hautes-Côtes de Nuits red Burgundy from 100% Pinot Noir and a Hautes-Côtes de Nuits Bourgogne Blanc from 100% Chardonnay. Pinot Beurot, a white mutation of Pinot Noir, has been grown in the village of Curtil-Vergy since the Middle Ages, and it is one of the few exceptions in Burgundy to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay that can legally be made and sold as Burgundy wine.

In addition to fashioning three excellent and rare Burgundies, the Chaleys run a small 12 room inn set among the vines that serves a legendary breakfast, hearty enough to fortify even the most ardent oenophile for a day of serious tasting. We hesitate to mention this wonderful little jewel and truly thought about not featuring Domaine Chaley & Fille’s wines lest the secret of this newly discovered gem create such a stir that it would never again be available, as it has been hard enough procuring even a small amount of Chaley’s wines. However, this property and its wines are too good not to share with our faithful members.