Burgundy the Way It Should Be: Purity & Perfection from Lucien Le Moine

 

Why Buy: When we talk about Burgundy the way it should be – wines of quiet power, elegance, and natural grace – we're talking about producers like Lucien Le Moine. What elevates them above other négociants is that they have privileged access to vineyard sources that few others in the region do, which results  in wines of greater typicity and purity. But that’s not all. Their methods are also a class apart, and a harkening back to timeless traditions: using oak from France's slowest-growing forest for their barrels, allowing for exceptionally long, slow aging, and working with minimal intervention  to create wines of remarkable vitality. We're proud to have partnered with them to bring you their 2022 vintage, having secured shipment directly from the domaine. This is an extraordinarily rare opportunity to access these highly-coveted bottles that typically sell out upon release.

What They're Saying: Though these 2022s await their critical reception, previous vintages have left the wine press reaching for the highest superlatives. Wine Spectator's Bruce Sanderson champions Lucien Le Moine as "one of a new breed of négociants" offering "high-end Burgundy with richness and character,” while Jancis Robinson, rarely moved to superlatives, has revealed herself to be a devotee: "An extraordinary micro-negociant. Very serious quality."

Our Tasting Notes: Here's what gets us excited about these wines: they absolutely nail what makes great Burgundy great. You know that moment when a wine stops you in your tracks, makes you pause mid-conversation? That's what we're talking about. These bottles deliver that perfect balance of precision and soul that collectors chase after, with a purity that comes from letting each legendary terroir speak for itself. The winemaking approach – minimal sulfur, patient aging – creates something almost alive in the glass. Be sure to give these wines the gift of air, let them stretch their legs in a decanter, and watch what happens. From their Premiers Crus to their Grand Crus, each bottle is like a story that keeps revealing new chapters. The reds unfold like a slow smile, all bright fruit and silky tannins, while the whites pull off that magical high-wire act between tension and richness that reminds you why these vineyards have been turning heads for centuries. These aren't wines for mindless sipping – they're wines that reward your attention, that have you coming back to the glass again and again, finding something new each time.

The Story: This is what happens when two people dedicate themselves completely to their craft. Husband-and-wife team Mounir and Rotem Saouma do everything by hand, working with an astonishing array of Burgundy's finest vineyards. Though some call them “modernist" producers, their methods – including the use of naturally occurring carbon dioxide from slow fermentation and oak from France's slowest-growing forest – actually harken back to a bygone era. As Mounir says, it's "as traditional as it gets." Their dedication to minimal intervention allows each terroir to speak with remarkable clarity, creating wines that showcase the true soul of Burgundy.

Fun Fact: The wood for their barrels comes exclusively from the Jupilles forest — the slowest growing forest in France. This exceptionally fine-grained oak allows for the most subtle and controlled interaction between wood and wine.

Our Guarantee: Remember, friends – we always buy and source directly from the domaine, so you can rest assured that your wines will arrive in your hands with pristine provenance.