Of all the introductions to winemakers that we’ve had over the years, none was more fortuitous than the day we met Roger Capitain.  One Friday evening, late in the Fall of 1984, the man who gave us our first real job in France took us along to the Maison Capitain-Gagnerot, claiming that this was what real Burgundy was all about.

Roger died in 1999. But his sons Patrice and Michel, and Patrice’s son Pierre Francois (the whole family, really) carry on a tradition that is most easily described as a style. There is no mistaking a Capitain wine. Once you know it, you can pick out a Capitain just from the nose. It’s purity. And it is to this day our benchmark in Burgundy.

Mixed 12 bottle RED case, 6 of each with Ground Shipping Included:

Capitain-Gagnerot Ladoix 1er Cru 'La Micaude' 2019
The Capitain Ladoix 1er Cru 'La Micaude' is a 'monople', meaning they own the entire 4 acres of vines themselves. This is and has been for nearly 30 years, our benchmark Pinot Noir. Roger Capitain used this wine to show us that if you are looking for color in Pinot Noir, you are asking the wrong question.  He showed us here that a wine can be delicate and powerful at the same time, And he showed us that pretty little red fruits can age as well (and usually better) than concentrated extracted fruit bombs.  Racy and well-structured, 'La Micaude' is at the same time discreet with delicate black berry fruits. It's one of those wine that will surprise you as it ages, growing in elegance and nuance with each passing year.

Capitain-Gagnerot Aloxe-Corton 1er Cru 'Les Moutottes' 2019
This vineyard has belonged to the Capitain family for generations. The vines are 68 years old (in 2014), planted in classic Aloxe-Corton oxforian limestone making 'Les Moutottes' structured, muscular and dense, with great black fruit and overall charm. Elegance and power, that describes Aloxe-Corton in general, but 'Les Moutottes' has something more. It has that Capitain finesse that is like a signature. All Capitain reds see only 10% new oak, the better to conserve their fruit and diverse terroirs. We say it again, Capitain-Gagnerot is our benchmark Pinot.