SPRING DANDELIONS

Hey, Fionn coming to you on my new Tuesday spot. Sun’s out and new releases just keep on comin’. Nature is healing.

Last week saw a drop from one of my all-time favourite producers. If you’re a regular, you’ve probably heard me bang on about them before. Sorry not sorry. These wines slap. I’m talkin’ Dandelion. Their Hautes Côtes Nature is their flagship, but it changes quite a bit from year to year, mostly depending on which parcels they’re working with. TLDR: 2023 vintage is one of my favs so far.

These wines are magic with a bit of age. The producer who started my cellar. I’ve been toying with the idea about a vertical from 2020 onwards chez Dan’s. Could be fun, eh? Still, I always open one young to get a vibe check. I sourced this earlier in the year in Paris and held off until the UK release. I know, I’m too kind. Like all the cool Burgundy producers, this one's in the modern whole bunchy style. What does that actually mean? Well, you get a stemmy, spiced expression from the inclusion of the stems. That can sometimes when overdone can lead to a ‘greener’, slightly bitter wine too. However, this was hand-destemmed after two weeks to avoid it going too green. Then a final gentle soak for another week. Clever stuff.

In the glass: wild strawberries, cherries, rose petals, a little black tea, and some floral bits. If you’re drinking it now, I’d recommend a decant. Though you don’t need anything fancy. In a pinch, I’ve used a saucepan before. Classy? No. Effective? Absolutely.

Then, we have Fruit Défendu. A one-off bottling made with fruit from mates in Savigny and Puligny, plus some of their oldest vines on the steepest slopes. Same winemaking as above, but this is a totally different beast. It’s broodier, darker, and feels more wild. Tea-like tannins and a fresh line of acidity that’ll mellow beautifully with time. If you’re impatient, again decant! As ever, made in tiny quantities. And just look at those hand-pressed flower labels. Cute. Future you will be very pleased.

We’ve also managed to snag a few gems from the legendary De Moor cellar and they’re every bit as good as I remember. I’ve got many happy memories of knocking back copious amounts of these with Megan (RIP). Gone but definitely not forgotten. Funnily enough, we cracked a bottle of L'Humeur du Temps during one of her many send-offs. Bright, refreshing, almost tonic-like, but with a lovely roundness. Yum.

Bel-Air et Clardy brings a bit more intensity. Briny, concentrated, and layered, thanks to those mature old vines. One for the fancy glassware.

We’ve also got a few bottles from the 2022 vintage. Le Masque is made from négoce fruit and carries the warmth of the vintage, while still holding that electric De Moor energy. Coteau de Rosette balances time in foudre and barrel to create something harmonious and built for the long haul.

And then there's Vaux de Vey, the most serious wine in a lineup that doesn’t mess around. Aged longer in old wood, this one needs a bit of air to really show off, but when it does… wow. Rich, complex, and worth the wait. Also: very, very limited.

Gonna squeeze in a bit of Prum ‘cos im on a roll. You know a winemaker’s a proper legend when they’ve got their own Wikipedia page. Joh. Jos. Prüm is a benchmark producer nailing a style that’s seriously slept on, but absolutely essential if you’re into this whole wine thing. The only downside is trying to wrap your head around those tricky German labels. I think it’s very much worth the effort, though.

The Bernkasteler Badstube Kabinett is almost cassis-like and a gateway into the wonderful world of off-dry Riesling. The Graacher Himmelreich is smoky and sweet with that laser-sharp acidity keeping things together. Please, please try with some spicy Szechuan food. Truly one of life’s great pleasures. Gold-foil Prüm is the final boss. With age like this, these wines become cerebral. It could go on longer, this is just a glimpse into the future! Some of the best value, age-worthy bottles anywhere. Drink more Riesling!

So much good stuff also landed this week that I’ll talk more about later in the week! If you’re impatient, the best Robinot release in recent memory and a bit of FRM.

Peace + Love
Fionn
xoxo