Roy Cloud’s Vintage ’59 Imports brings in an outstanding Côte-de-Brouilly, the Domaine du Pavillon des Chavannes. If you thought the label looked like that of the great Ch. Thivin, well, it does. The owners are related. These two, along with Nicole Chanrion’s marvelous Domaine de la Voûte des Crozes, are my three go-to Côte-de-Brouillys. I adore the silkiness of these wines, their perfume, and their length on the palate. Lynch has the great distinction of bringing in both the Thivin and Madame Chanrion’s wines. Great value at $25-$28 a bottle; and an excellent run of wines at all three properties, 2015-2018.

March 16 -2021

The 2019 vintage of Cuvée Ambassades from Domaine du Pavillon de Chavannes is a beautifully sappy example of this outstanding vintage, which is a bit out of character for the normally more strait-laced appellation of Côte de Brouilly. The wine offers up beautiful aromatics in its bouquet of black cherries, pomegranate, lovely spice tones, woodsmoke, raw cocoa, gamebird, stony soil tones, sweet stems and a bit of thyme in the upper register. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied, focused and beautifully solid at the core, with excellent mineral drive, modest, buried tannins and superb balance and grip on the long, complex and very classy finish. This is a classic example of Côte de Brouilly and will age very long and gracefully. Though it is approachable out of the blocks, I would give it three to five years in the cellar and really let it start to sing! 2023-2055. 93+. pts

September / October 2020

Complex, incisive scents of fresh red berries, blood orange, allspice and candied rose, lifted by a smoky mineral nuance. Juicy raspberry, cherry and spice cake flavors are accented by a hint of white pepper; bitter orange pith and rhubarb qualities lend refreshing bitterness. Gains depth on the very long, penetrating finish, which features sneaky, fine-grained tannins.

OCTOBRE 2019

Domaine du Pavillon de Chavannes’s Côte de Brouilly Cuvée Ambassades is pure, clear and vibrant.

Cette cuvée des Ambassades, élue coup de coeur pour le millésime 2009, renouvelle l'exploit avec le 2013 salué pour sa typicité remarquable. Elle s'ouvre sur d'élégants parfums de fruits frais rehaussés d'une touche minérale héritée du terroir granitique. Tout aussi aromatique en bouche, elle déroule des tanins soyeux, et séduit par sa fraîcheur jusqu'à la finale où l'on retrouve une agréable minéralité.