“One of the Great Domaines of Burgundy” Clive Coates.The Domaine Michele and Patrice Rion was born in 2000 when Patrice decided to leave the family estate DomaineDaniel Rion. He took with him parcels of Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Charmes and Nuits-St-Georges 1er Cru Closdes Argillieres and built a cuveries and cellar on his own property. Since then the domaine has expanded withincluding the addition of the monopole Nuits-St-Georges 1er Cru Clos St Marc which had previously been bottled byBouchard.

Patrice farms organically and is trialling biodynamic viticulture. Patrice is convinced that great wine is created in thevineyard. Grapes are sorted on two tables de tri and are 100% destemmed. Temperatures are kept cool through thewinemaking process to retain the aromatics. The Premier Crus typically see 50% new oak.

I tasted the 2009 reds in February 2011 and was impressed by the purity and aroma. The Chambolles are everythingthe commune should be - delicate and perfumed with lovely flavours and fine finish. The Nuits are at the moreelegant end but do not lack for power and terroir.

2009 Chambolle MusignyUsual Price $105.00Pre-Arrival Price $90.00

Lovely elegant lifted nose of red fruits with a little vanilla-creme. A delightful villages wine that will provide great earlypleasure.

Burghound: This is also wonderfully elegant, pure, airy andcool with red currant and wet stone aromas introducing lightto barely medium weight flavors that possess really lovelydelicacy that continues on the lacy, balanced and persistentfinish. This is light and quite forward but the purity ofexpression is dazzling. 87-89 Drink: 2012+

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2009 Chambolle-Musigny Les CrasUsual Price $115.00Pre-Arrival Price $99.00

Rion owns 0.50 ha of the lieu-dit slightly south-west ofBonnes-Mares. More weight and depth than the regular cuveebut still with an outstanding Chambolle character of red fruitsand violets on the nose. Tighter and more structured on thefinish.

Burghound: An exuberant and fresh nose of slightly riper redberries with hints of sour cherries merges into more obviouslymineral-inflected barely middle weight flavors that possess the same extraordinary purity and detail on the firmerand drier finish. 87-90 Drink: 2014+

2009 Chambolle-Musigny 1er CruLes FueesUsual Price $165.00Pre-Arrival Price $145.00

One of my favourite Chambolle Premier Crus. It alwaysseems fresh and lively with medium body but serious depth.Located immediately south of Bonnes-Mares. A little moreclosed and serious with the creamy red fruit typical of thecommune. Beautifully poised.

Burghound: Here the composition of the nose is similar but there is more restraint as well as a bit more freshnessthat carries over to the energetic and beautifully detailed middle weight flavors that are rich yet tight with a moreovert minerality on the complex, refined and driving finish. This is calm and poised with a palpable sense of innerharmony. A SWEET SPOT WINE 90-92 Drink: 2016+

2009 Chambolle-Musigny 1er CruLes CharmesUsual Price $165.00Pre-Arrival Price $145.00

From a 0.46 ha holding planted in 1951. A little riper with araspberry and cream chararcter from the old vines.Mouthfilling and quite juicy. Silky tannin finish, typical ofthese 2009 Chambolles.

Burghound: A completely different nose is slightly riper andnot quite as fresh though certainly very pretty with a mix of red berry, plum, anise and black tea that is followed bygenerous, round, rich and succulent flavors that are utterly delicious while culminating in a persistent and mouthcoating finish. This should reward 5 to 7 years of cellar time. 89-92 Drink: 2015+

2009 Vougeot 1er Cru Les CrasUsual Price $129.00Pre-Arrival Price $115.00

Les Cras is located across the road north of Clos Vougeot. I did not taste this wine during my visit but Burghoundlikes its awarding his SWEET SPOT designation to both the 2008 and 2009.

Burghound: mix of upper and lower register earth-inflected red and blue pinot fruit aromas complements the equallyearthy, round and quite generous medium-bodied flavors that possess good mid-palate density and fine complexityon the long and relatively fine finish. A Vougeot of relative finesse. A SWEET SPOT WINE 89-92 Drink: 2015+

2009 Nuits-St-Georges 1er Cru Closdes ArgillieresUsual Price $145.00Pre-Arrival Price $129.00

A 1.8 ha site planted in 1939 and 1955 located on the slope inPremeaux just above the winery. This 1er Cru is characterizedby finesse, elegance and powerful tannins, and is easilyrecognizable by its fruity nose of black cherries andblackberries. Round, supple and with a long finish, the ripetannins and depth of fruit produce a wine capable of drinkingyoung, yet which will improve with cellaring.

More blackberry and dark cherry than raspberry. Again an elegant style (somewhat Vosne-Romanee like),particularly for NSG. Finishes with chewy but fine tannins.

Burghound: A similar but more complex nose that displays more in the way of floral nuances that precede suavemiddle weight flavors that also possess relatively sophisticated tannins even though they're more prominent on themouth coating finish. 89-91 Drink: 2016+

2009 Nuits-St-Georges 1er Cru ClosSt Marc MonopoleUsual Price $165.00Pre-Arrival Price $145.00

A 0.93 ha monopole purchased by the Rions in 2003. This wasformerly farmed by Bouchard Pere et Fils and Patrice hasspent much time on the vineyard which had been subject toexcessive use of weed killers and anti-rot spray. Clos St Marcis almost entirely surrounded by the Clos de Argillieres but isquite different in style. A bigger richer wine with seriousconcentration finishing with a firm, yet fine and powerful finish. Patrice is proud of how this appellation hasimproved each year.

Burghound: A ripe plum and black cherry nose trimmed in warm earth notes leads to very rich, full and naturallysweet flavors that possess excellent concentration and plenty of mouth coating sap on the velvety finish. There isgood power and discreet minerality and this should reward 6 to 8 years or so of cellar time. 89-91 Drink: 2016+

Grand Millesime Pty Ltd6/40 Batman StreetWest MelbourneVic 3003Callers by appointment.Phone: (03) 9326 5737Fax: (03) 9326 6744www.grandmillesime.com.audarren@grandmillesime.com.au

Mixed 7-Bottle TastingPackUsual Price $989.00Pre-Arrival Price $865.00

One bottle of each of the wines on thisoffer.