Picture the top reds of the Côte de Beaune, and you will doubtlessly envision crimson-hued pours of sensuously silky Volnay and chiseled, muscular Pommard. But with wines from such elite villages becoming harder to find and even harder to afford, the time has come for other appellations to deservedly step into the spotlight.
     Maranges, the southernmost appellation of the Côte de Beaune, was long overshadowed by its northerly neighbors despite its impressive terroir. Known for opaque reds with big tannins and significant aging potential, the village is not to be overlooked as a source of quality full-blooded Pinot Noir. Add meticulous vineyard management and old vines in top sites to the equation, and it is no surprise why Maranges is home to some of the best values in all of Burgundy.
     Didier Regnaudot is one of the appellation’s staunch traditionalists. He relies on his very old vines to produce richly concentrated fruit, opts for long macerations without adding cultured yeast, and eschews fining and filtration to protect the pulpous flesh that coats his wines’ chewy tannins. His top vineyard, Les Clos Roussots, is a mid-slope premier cru that yields a thick, dense Pinot Noir with the guts to age like the Maranges of old, but enough voluptuous fruit to provide pleasure in the near term. You may well visualize deep, dark splashes of sturdy Maranges upon contemplating Côte de Beaune reds after sipping this delightfully soulful nectar.