December 2023 | Terroir Wine Club

Sylvain Morey 2020 Chassagne Montrachet Rouge

Chassagne Montrachet (Burgundy) is historically predominantly a white wine growing region; with the impact of climate change, red wines are becoming more present and structured. The 2020 Chassagne Montrachet Rouge from Sylvain Morey is a textbook wine with notes of sandalwood, rose petals, wet forest floor, mushroom, and weighty toasted cumin. The wine changes dramatically with time and evolves into a lardon-type of fat with iron-like qualities. By the end of the day the wine has an overt sarsaparilla warmth to it and turns perfumed on day two. I prefer the wine on day one with the overall profile feeling more cohesive on day one. Drink now – 2034, serve in large bowl stemware, and enjoy alongside rabbit, duck, or roast squash with herbs.

Larmandier-Bernier Extra Brut NV Champagne

Within Champagne, the Côte de Blanc remains (likely) the most renowned region for Blanc de Blanc. The white slopes of limestone give rise to Champagnes made from Chardonnay of tense linearity and this expression from Larmandier-Bernier is no exception. On the pop, the wine is bouncy starfruit with a delicate minerality that flows across the palate. As the wine warms, there are warmer notes of carmel-corn, riverbed, and a bright, vinous lemon oil. On the finish, the wine has the sourdough water minerality with a hard finish that screams for food. Drink now – 2036, serve in all-purpose stemware, and enjoy at refrigeration temperature. Enjoy alongside oysters (classic…), halibut, or…in isolation.

Matthiasson 2022 Cressida Vineyard Vermentino

Steve and Jill Matthiasson maintain their hold as one of my favorite old-school Napa producers. I’ve waxed poetic before about the amazing work they do to inspire and encourage a younger and more diverse generation of wine industry folks, as well as their diligent work in their vineyards crafting wines of tense excellence. This estate grown Vermentino from Matthiasson is no exception. Right off the pop the wine is salllltyyyyy; also lemon oil, honeysuckle, and gun smoke. After a few hours the wine softens to a toasty and warm profile alongside preserved lemon, but the salinity will not stop. The striking acidity and salinity of this wine make it a dream for seafood pairings; think scallops, oysters, caviar, or paella. Drink now – 2032, serve in all-purpose stemware, and enjoy just above refrigeration temperature.