People toss around words like ‘venerable’ pretty freely when talking about old merchants in Burgundy but, by anyone’s standards, the Remoissenet firm of Beaune definitely counts.  They’ve been making, buying and selling wine from the length and breadth of the Cotes d’Or for over one hundred and fifty years. Their cellars are so old, they are actually built into the ancient walls of this mediaeval  town.  Its long history of producing reference-point Burgundies began its latest chapter, though, in 2005 when it was purchased and revitalized by a group of local vignerons led by Pierre-Antoine Rovani, who, most notably, was for many years, Robert Parker’s Burgundy critic in the Wine Advocate, and Bernard Repolt, long in the cellars of Louis Jadot, one of Burgundy’s premier negociants.  They set about cleaning up the old property, adding vineyards to the estate and, slowly, converting more and more of Remoissenet’s bottled wines to self-farmed, bio-dynamically grown vines.  The results have been staggering!  Known for generations for their sturdy, age-worthy wines of great complexity from some of Burgundy’s most iconic sites, Remoissenet is all that and a whole lot more these days.  Tasting through the firm’s 2022s was like a Burgundy primer in miniature: A young Vosne-Romanee tasted just like a  Vosne-Romanee should, only more so.  A Beaune Greves Premier Cru was lively, focused and startlingly delicious, evoking Repolt’s longstanding mastery of that appellation at Jadot. But it was this extraordinary Bourgogne Rouge that reminded us of how good Burgundy can be, even at this more modest price point.  Sourced entirely from the winery’s estate vineyards from up and down the Cotes d’Or, this is a wine with an incredible pedigree, especially when compared with most wines that wear this modest moniker.  All the vineyards are hand harvested, the grapes hand sorted, and all of the wines ferment spontaneously on their own yeast.  Aging is in the same barrels and undergo the same regimens as even their most vaunted Grand Crus, albeit with less new wood.  We loved its forward, crunchy red Pinot fruit that runs to a nice cool blue.  Not weighty, but not at all light, it strikes just the right balance between its sweet fruit and florals as well as an earthier, brambly, baking spices side.  This is Pinot Noir at its most elemental and fun.  Easy going, but unmistakably Burgundy, you’ll love it alongside a garlicy, rosemary-scented grilled lamb, a smoked pork chop, polenta and wild mushrooms, or one of those half pre-cooked Maple Leaf ducks they sell at Costco.  Drink it now because it’s so good but you can easily hold it for at least the next five or six years.  Very highly recommended.