Notify me
2023 Bourgogne Rouge “L’Ermitage”
Domaine de la Cadette
Red Burgundy is inextricably linked to the grape that once grew wild in its forests, later tamed and propagated by Cistercian monks in the middle ages: the legendary and noble Pinot Noir. However, on the far northern tip of Burgundy, in the pastoral hills around Vézelay, there remain a few scattered acres of another red grape, curiously referred to as “César” by the locals. Legend has it that this grape was first introduced to this particular area when Caesar himself marched his soldiers there to face down and conquer the Gauls once and for all at the battle of Alésia. After a long siege and brutal battles, Caesar went home triumphant, with the Gallic leader Vercingetorix in a cage as his prize. He left behind not only fields of the red grape we call César today, but also a local populace with newly learned skills of vine-growing and winemaking.
While the legend may seem tall, recent DNA testing has shown that this far-away-from-home grape is a cousin to Barbera from Piedmont in Italy. Only a few small pockets of it remain in northern Burgundy, where it is blended with Pinot Noir. Fortunately for us, La Cadette is one of those lucky few who give us a chance to sip this wonderfully rustic and brambly blend with hints of ancient history and intrigue.
The Ermitage parcel in Vézelay, co-planted with both César and Pinot Noir, offers an unexpected marriage that works surprisingly well. The César adds an element of dense, dark fruit and tannic structure, while the fresh, bright, and lively Pinot Noir provides fluidity and high-toned aromatics. The result is a beautiful Cadette rouge with a bit more structure and plenty of pleasure.
—Chris Santini
Wine Type: | red |
Vintage: | 2023 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | 85% Pinot Noir, 15% César |
Appellation: | Bourgogne |
Country: | France |
Region: | Burgundy |
Producer: | Domaine de la Cadette |
Winemaker: | Valentin Montanet |
Vineyard: | 25 years, 13.5 ha total |
Soil: | Limestone, White Marl |
Aging: | Raised in barrel for 9 months |
Farming: | Organic (certified) |
Alcohol: | 12.5% |
More from this Producer or Region

2023 Bourgogne Blanc
France | Burgundy
A thirst-quenching, spirit-lifting, and downright delicious white Burgundy.

2023 Bourgogne Epineuil
France | Burgundy
Ethereal and bright, with the notes of cherry and earth that get red-Burgundy lovers’ hearts racing.

2023 Bourgogne Rouge
France | Burgundy
All you need to know is that this wine drinks like a Beaujolais with loads of black, sappy fruit and is ounce per ounce more pleasurable and delicious than anything you’d find in a collector’s stash.

2017 Mazoyères Chambertin Grand Cru
France | Burgundy
More Morey-like than the Charmes, with more muscle and spice. The grandest and longest-aging wine in this collection.

2022 Irancy “Palotte”
France | Burgundy
Don’t miss this opportunity to experience beautiful, old-school, age-worthy red Burgundy from our newest domaine in the region!

2023 Chablis “Vauprin”
France | Burgundy
Vauprin showcases Chardonnay’s ability to produce a wine that is simultaneously both round and taut in this mighty northern Burgundian terroir.

2023 Saint-Aubin Rouge “Les Eduens”
France | Burgundy
This medium-bodied rouge, with notes of freshly crushed black cherries and cranberries filtered through stones, would be sublime alongside any kind of grilled or roasted chicken or turkey.

2023 Vin de France Blanc Melon de Bourgogne
France | Burgundy
The grape is better known as the Loire Valley’s delicate, citrusy Muscadet, but grown in the land from whence it’s named, it takes on lovely length and texture.

2023 Vézelay Blanc “La Châtelaine”
France | Burgundy
La Châtelaine highlights what may be the best terroir of Vézelay and why this little appellation is on the map in the first place.

2022 Chablis “Vieilles Vignes”
France | Burgundy
Everything about this cuvée, from the delicately briny scent of slick oyster shells to the concentrated, pristinely focused sensation on the palate, is a demonstration of why this domaine has become one of Chablis’ very best.
About The Producer
Domaine de la Cadette
About The Region
Burgundy
In eastern central France, Burgundy is nestled between the wine regions of Champagne to the north, the Jura to the east, the Loire to the west, and the Rhône to the south. This is the terroir par excellence for producing world-class Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
The southeast-facing hillside between Dijon in the north and Maranges in the south is known as the Côte d’Or or “golden slope.” The Côte d’Or comprises two main sections, both composed of limestone and clay soils: the Côte de Nuits in the northern sector, and the Côte de Beaune in the south. Both areas produce magnificent whites and reds, although the Côte de Beaune produces more white wine and the Côte de Nuits more red.
Chablis is Burgundy’s northern outpost, known for its flinty and age-worthy Chardonnays planted in Kimmeridgian limestone on an ancient seabed. Vézelay is a smaller area south of Chablis with similar qualities, although the limestone there is not Kimmeridgian.
To the south of the Côte de Beaune, the Côte Chalonnaise extends from Chagny on its northern end, down past Chalon-sur-Saône and encompasses the appellations of Bouzeron in the north, followed by Rully, Mercurey, Givry, and Montagny.
Directly south of the Chalonnaise begins the Côte Mâconnais, which extends south past Mâcon to the hamlets of Fuissé, Vinzelles, Chaintré, and Saint-Véran. The Mâconnais is prime Chardonnay country and contains an incredible diversity of soils.
More from Burgundy or France
2022 Pommard 1er Cru “Saussilles”
Antoine Jobard France | Burgundy
2022 Santenay Rouge “Vieilles Vignes”
Bruno Colin France | Burgundy
2022 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru “Les Corbeaux”
Domaine Lucien Boillot et Fils France | Burgundy
2022 Bourgogne Passetoutgrain
Domaine Taupenot-Merme France | Burgundy
2023 Chablis 1er Cru “Mont de Milieu”
Henri Costal France | Burgundy
2023 Chablis “Hommage”
Famille Savary France | Burgundy
2023 Chablis 1er Cru “Vau de Vey”
Roland Lavantureux France | Burgundy
2020 Irancy “La Grande Côte”
Benoît Cantin France | Burgundy
2022 Gevrey-Chambertin
Domaine Taupenot-Merme France | Burgundy
2022 Bourgogne Passetoutgrain
Domaine Robert Chevillon France | Burgundy
2020 Pouilly-Fuissé “La Croix Vieilles Vignes”
Domaine Robert-Denogent France | Burgundy
2021 Bourgogne Rouge
Domaine de Villaine France | Burgundy
2022 Pommard 1er Cru “Saussilles”
Antoine Jobard France | Burgundy
2022 Santenay Rouge “Vieilles Vignes”
Bruno Colin France | Burgundy
2022 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru “Les Corbeaux”
Domaine Lucien Boillot et Fils France | Burgundy
2022 Bourgogne Passetoutgrain
Domaine Taupenot-Merme France | Burgundy
2023 Chablis 1er Cru “Mont de Milieu”
Henri Costal France | Burgundy
2023 Chablis “Hommage”
Famille Savary France | Burgundy
2023 Chablis 1er Cru “Vau de Vey”
Roland Lavantureux France | Burgundy
2020 Irancy “La Grande Côte”
Benoît Cantin France | Burgundy
2022 Gevrey-Chambertin
Domaine Taupenot-Merme France | Burgundy
2022 Bourgogne Passetoutgrain
Domaine Robert Chevillon France | Burgundy
2020 Pouilly-Fuissé “La Croix Vieilles Vignes”
Domaine Robert-Denogent France | Burgundy
2021 Bourgogne Rouge
Domaine de Villaine France | Burgundy
Where the newsletter started

Where the newsletter started
Every three or four months I would send my clients a cheaply made list of my inventory, but it began to dawn on me that business did not pick up afterwards. It occurred to me that my clientele might not know what Château Grillet is, either. One month in 1974 I had an especially esoteric collection of wines arriving, so I decided to put a short explanation about each wine into my price list, to try and let my clients know what to expect when they uncorked a bottle. The day after I mailed that brochure, people showed up at the shop, and that is how these little propaganda pieces for fine wine were born.—Kermit Lynch