About Raphet
Whatever he is given by nature is rendered to wines of transparency unfettered by winemaking artefact. The 2015 vintage really suits the Raphet style as they have all the usual heady attraction and a little more plushness and sweet fruit which resulted in a bracket of sumptuous wines that are full of pleasure now but will develop more nuance with a little time.
We love these wines for their pure fruit, their persistence on the palate and their fidelity to the terroir that the Raphet family has worked for generations—they are classic, beautiful wines that because of their balance and purity will age very well, too. Ridiculously limited. Indeed of all our Burgundy partners, Raphet inspires the most emotion when trying to describe what exactly makes these wines so captivating. Raphet Burgundy surprises and delights; it opens the possibilities of what great, old-vine Burgundy can do, and just how intimate and special that experience can be. KERMIT LYNCH
*Stocks of the Grand Crus and Premier Crus are extremely limited. First come, first served. Following allocation you will be invoiced for 50% of the total. The balance payable when the wines are ready to ship in July.
About the Wines
Thoughts from Burghound
Gerard Raphet Bourgogne Rouge 2015
12 BOTTLES AVAILABLE
An agreeably fresh and pure nose is composed primarily by notes of earthy red berries. The delicious and appealingly energetic light weight flavors offer just enough depth and length to be interesting and this should drink well shortly after its release.
Gerard Raphet Gevrey Chambertin 2015
6 BOTTLES AVAILABLE
A relatively high-toned and very fresh nose combines nots of pomegranate and red cherry. The elegant and lilting flavors are almost delicate and while there isn’t much mid-palate density there is enough tannin to suggest that this should reward a few years of cellaring; that said, it would be no vinous crime to open this upon release.
Gerard Raphet Morey St Denis 2015
6 BOTTLES AVAILABLE
Here the expressive nose is almost a mix of the Chambolle and Gevrey with its red currant, plum, floral and earth scents. There is reasonably good richness to the attractively delineated and energetic lighter weight flavors that are at once supple and succulent while delivering acceptable depth and length on the balanced and saline-inflected finish.
Gerard Raphet Chambolle Musigny
3 BOTTLES AVAILABLE
Somewhat curiously the nose is more deeply pitched than that of the Gevrey with its array of plum, violet and discreet spice nuances. The succulent middle weight flavors carry a bit more volume and richness as well as a slightly firmer lashing of tannin on the agreeably persistent finish.
Gerard Raphet Gevrey Combottes 2015 1er
3 BOTTLES AVAILABLE
There is a lovely freshness and inner mouth perfume to the more refined medium weight flavors that possess an appealing sense of underlying tension before concluding in a sleek, focused and solidly persistent finish. Again this is prettier than it is deep but even so this should make for a satisfying wine in a few years.
Gerard Raphet Charmes Chambertin 2015
2 BOTTLES AVAILABLE
Here the pretty nose invokes another expression as the red currant and earth scents offer up a wide variety of floral nuances that include violet, lavender, rose and even a hint acacia that I rarely find in pinot-based wines. The sleek, delicious and rounded middle weight flavors possess a succulent mouth feel while delivering very good depth on the sneaky long finish. This isn’t particularly concentrated but I like the refinement and delivery.
Gerard Raphet Clos Vougeot 2015
2 BOTTLES AVAILABLE
Like the Gevrey villages the aromatic profile is relatively high-toned with its red cherry, pomegranate and raspberry-scented nose that is sprinkled with hints of earth and humus. There is both good energy and detail to the medium weight flavors that possess a quite supple mid-palate though the youthfully austere finish tightens up enough to suggest that this should reward mid-term cellaring.
Gerard Raphet Clos Vougeot VV 2015
2 BOTTLES AVAILABLE
Note: from a tiny .20 ha parcel of 100+ year old vines
This is the first wine to display any appreciable wood influence and even here it’s not intrusive and easily allows the ripe but fresh nose of red and dark currant, floral and newly turned earth scents to shine. There is excellent richness to the full-bodied flavors that possess plenty of dry extract that also serves to buffer the moderately firm tannic spine on the balanced and persistent finish. Like the Clos de la Roche this too should be approachable after only a few years if that’s your preference.
Gerard Raphet Clos de la Roche 2015
2 BOTTLES AVAILABLE
A much more deeply pitched nose features notes of dark currant, plum, violet and a hint of game. There is both a bit more volume and richness to the delicious and attractively textured flavors that possess focused power and solid punch on the lingering finish that is shaped by firm tannins. This should be approachable young, yet age well too.
Gerard Raphet Clos de Beze 2015
1 BOTTLES AVAILABLE
There is a genuinely lovely sense of energy to the beautifully well-detailed middle weight flavors that are at once succulent and sleek, all wrapped in a beautifully persistent and markedly firm but not really austere finish. This classy effort will need at least 6 to 8 years of bottle age first.
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2015 Burgundy's are running hot!