The Boisset Insider - February 2020
In This Issue:
► Raymond Vineyards Celebrates 10 Years of Iconic Blending
► 2018 Burgundy Pre-Sale
► 2018 Burgundy Harvest Report
In The News:
► Forbes Calls Jean-Charles Boisset “The James Bond of Wine”
► Top Critics Show Love for Boisset Bottles
► Boisset Opens Oakville Wine Merchant in Historic Landmark
Raymond Vineyards Celebrates 10 Years of Iconic Blending
This year, the Raymond Vineyards Sommelier Selection Blending Event coincided with 2020’s Premiere Napa Valley, making the 10th Anniversary of the blending program a truly unforgettable experience.
Raymond’s annual event brings together a collection of top sommeliers from around the country to blend Raymond Vineyards Sommelier Selection Cabernet Sauvignon, an on-premise exclusive. This year, our coveted Winemakers, Stephanie Putnam and Thane Knutson joined forces with nine somms from previous blending years to honor the 10th anniversary and to craft the 2018 vintage which is a blend of fruit from Napa, Sonoma, Lake and Mendocino County’s and is expected to be released in the fall. A commemorative label for the 2018 vintage proudly displays the 84 names of previous sommeliers who have had a hand in creating this wonderful wine.
Thank you to our 2020 participants!
Kenneth Luciano, Ham Sandwich Hospitality Group LLC, 2008 vintage
Mary Horn, Wine Trends, 2010 vintage
Russell Burkett, Park House, 2010 vintage
Christopher Sawyer, Sawyer Sommelier Consulting, 2012 vintage
Jon Arroyo, Founding Farmers, 2015 & 2016 vintages
Anthony Martinez, Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center, 2015 & 2016 vintages
Nick Mallon, Selland Family Restaurants, 2015 & 2016 vintages
Alec Bruggenthis, Smith and Wollensky, 2017 vintage
Steven Ackad, A Restaurant, 2017 vintage
2018 Burgundy Pre-Sale
Wines from Burgundy are some of the most sought after in the world as they are some of the most rare and unique. Boisset Collection is proud to import an exclusive allocation from our domaine and wineries in the Côte de Nuits, the Côte de Beaune and Chablis each year. These appellations are renowned for the noblest expression of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes.
These wineries are special to the Boisset family: Domaine de la Vougeraie, which bears the name of the family home, is the congregation of all of the family’s estate vineyards, which are Biodynamically farmed. Jean-Claude Boisset is the eponymous house founded by Jean-Claude and Claudine Boisset that carries the family name across the globe. J. Moreau & Fils, founded in 1814, built the foundation of excellence for Chablis that is recognized worldwide. Bouchard Ainé & Fils is one of the first families of wine in Beaune, who arrived in Burgundy in 1731 and started their wine business in 1750. Reach out to your Boisset representative to reserve your 2018 allocation of our amazing Burgundies!
2018 Burgundy Harvest Report
The 2018 harvest marks the return to more normal quantities. In general, after a very mild winter, perhaps too mild, this vintage was marked by two contrasting periods. The spring was sunny and mild, with no frost, although there were some localized storms with significant episodes of hail that hit certain plots hard on the Côte de Nuits in June. Then the summer was very dry and very hot, blocking the ripening process in some areas. Harvesting was early and was exceptionally abundant. The wonderfully healthy crop promised great potential for producing highly sophisticated wines. Further to the east, in the Jura, the winter was more intense but we still saw a hot summer with perfect sunny conditions for harvesting. Learn more about the 2018 vintage at all of our Burgundy wineries.
In The News
Forbes Calls Jean-Charles Boisset “The James Bond of Wine”
Jean-Charles is the subject of a profile story in the latest issue of Forbes magazine. The business magazine titled the article "The James Bond of Wine: How Jean-Charles Boisset Built a $450 Million Empire in California and Burgundy" and details the history of Boisset as a company as well as Jean-Charles' business strategy and philosophy. The piece includes commentary that helps paint a picture of Jean-Charles’ larger-than-life personality, from the suggestive entendres that pepper his conversations to the pride he feels for his adopted homeland: “In the U.S. you could come from wherever, whoever, whatever. It’s about you. That’s what I really value. That’s what allowed me to become who I am,” he said.
Top Critics Show Love for Boisset Bottles
Top marks keep coming in for Boisset wines and we are proud to share the latest round of scores with you, as we know they are a key driver of sales. James Suckling awarded 95 points to the 2016 Chateau Buena Vista Cabernet Sauvignon with the comments: “This is wonderfully balanced and refined… Succulent. Shows reserve.” Jeb Dunnuck scored the 2017 Raymond Generations at 96 points, noting it “is a brilliant Cabernet Sauvignon… Rich, full-bodied, nicely concentrated, and textured, it's a beautiful wine.” He also gave both the 2017 Raymond Napa Valley Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon and Red blend 90-point marks, remarking on the Cab: “It’s balanced, has loads to love, and sells at a great price.” About the Red blend he had this to say: “It offers a beautiful complexity and nuance… it's balanced, charming, and delicious.” Wine Spectator critic Kim Marcus lauded our 2017 Raymond Napa Valley Reserve Merlot with 90 points, while Wine Enthusiast’s Virginie Boone awarded the 2017 Buena Vista Winery The Sheriff red blend 91 points. Cheers!
Boisset Opens Oakville Wine Merchant in Historic Landmark
Jean-Charles Boisset has opened Oakville Wine Merchant, a destination for wine lovers to enjoy more than 50 wines by the glass from Napa’s finest producers, adjacent to Oakville Grocery in the nearly 150-year-old historic Victorian building that also is home to 1881 Napa Wine History Museum. Building on the success of the wine program at Oakville Grocery, which offers nearly 700 wines from 250 producers mainly from Napa Valley, Boisset has created an environment where guests can experience the depth and breadth of the region’s wines.
“We invite everyone to explore the diversity of Napa Valley’s wines in an amazing space where they can relax and discover the magic of our elixirs as well as our rich history,” said Boisset, who opened 1881 Napa Wine History Museum last year. “We are thrilled that 1881 Napa has evolved into Oakville Wine Merchant, allowing us to include the wines from our friends and neighbors.”
Oakville Wine Merchant has 12 Napa Tech machines installed on the ground floor of the Victorian home filled with wines grouped by the Napa Valley sub-appellations. Labels include highly sought-after bottles from Bond, Shafer, Dominus, Dalla Valle, Spottswoode, Dana and more. Guests can purchase a card loaded with various denominations and select a taste, half glass or full glass themselves from the machines. Alternatively, visitors may choose from a selection of wine flights that explore the diverse terroir of Napa Valley. Wines from Boisset’s 1881 Napa label are included in both the machines and flights alongside those from other Napa Valley producers. Bottles will be available for purchase to enjoy on premise or to go, allowing visitors to try iconic wines and then take them home.