There aren’t many sure things in life. In our world here at KLWM—the world of fine wine—one of our core competencies is finding the sure bets that consistently stand the test of time despite all the curveballs Mother Nature throws at them. It is a challenge we embrace and savor! Few wine growers demonstrate this level of skill better than Domaine Robert Chevillon in Nuits-Saint-Georges, a domaine we have imported every year since the 1979 vintage. Pick a vintage, and if the wine has been stored properly, you can and should expect greatness. Chevillon simply never disappoints; their wines are built to last. I keep a vertical in my cellar, and have the good fortune of benefiting from the Chevillon family’s collection in Burgundy on an annual basis for a little blind tasting challenge. Burgundy was my first love in the wine business, and early in my career chez KLWM, Kermit himself bowled me over with a gift of 1985 “Les Cailles.” (When I talked to him today, he was raving about a picture-perfect 1989 he recently opened from his French cellar.) I’ve tasted just about every vintage since that ’85, and I’m convinced there is no surer bet in Burgundy, despite the fickleness of Pinot Noir grown in this climate prone to extremes. I’ll take it a step further—there are few better investments in fine wine, period.
     The Chevillon style is one of finesse, of pure Pinot fruit, of terroir transparency, of solid bones and longevity. Each of their parcels—most of them very old vines whose deep root systems help them traverse time more gracefully—expresses itself individually and profoundly in the capable hands of brothers Bertrand and Denis Chevillon, who worked alongside their father, Robert, for years and have run the domaine themselves for decades. A masterful team at the height of their careers, they have not disappointed in the great 2022 vintage, a year that combines the ripeness and concentration of the trilogy of 2018-2019-2020 with lower alcohol and better balance. It is hard to imagine a more ideal vintage for Burgundian Pinot Noir—this one hasn’t seen many equals over the past few decades.