If you don’t know Jean-Charles Boisset, it’s time to get acquainted. Not many of us are born into wine, but JCB is exactly that. He was born in Burgundy, France to a family of the Château du Clos de Vougeot. Right away, he had no choice but to fall in love with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. I mean, you’re kind of in the best place to see, smell and taste the best examples of the grapes. Maybe that is why he later opened up a shop in Yountville called “Senses”? Hmm…
When I first met Jean-Charles in Napa at Raymond Winery, right away I was blown away with his energy, persona and definitely his over the top outfits. After a couple of conversations I understood how this man could do so well and how he was quickly taking Napa and Sonoma by storm. Along with JCB, he has Buena Vista Winery back into true form, Raymond & DeLoach wineries doing amazing things and now has revamped the Oakville Grocery into one of the best stops in Napa with a phenomenal tasting room nextdoor. JCB is at the top of his game and it only felt right to bring these wines in to showcase what he can do and for a steal!
JCB #21 is not Champagne, as the grapes don’t come from that region. It is instead, sparkling Burgundy or Cremant de Bourgogne. Each wine in the JCB collection have a specific number associated with them. The number 21 signifies the French government’s “Department” number for the Côte d’Or or the “Gold Coast”. This is a Brut expression, meaning it’s dry, crisp, refreshing and leaves your mouth ready for another sip. The #21 is a combination of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir that have both been aged for 12 months to maintain a beautiful balanced wine. As they say at the winery, it’s a lovely harmony between freshness and fruit.
JCB #69 Cremant de Bourgogne, Brut Rose is as seductive as JCB himself. It’s a light and refreshing Rosé made in the saigneé method by carrying out a short maceration of Pinot Noir from Burgundy’s côtes. The number 69 in this case refers to the year JCB was born, 1969. If you know JCB, you probably can guess that this also has other meanings that he’d love to discuss over a glass. Aromas of fresh red fruit like raspberries and strawberries with cream come out of the glass. A dry style wine, but with just the right amount of sweetness on the finish. For his anniversary with Gina Gallo, JCB filled a bathtub with this exact Rosé for her to bathe in. Talk about seductive, but I think I’ll just stick with drinking it out of a glass.
Nick Mallon, Certified Sommelier
