Domaine Humbert Frères, Fixin (Burgundy, France) 2014

It’s a sad commentary of wine pricing when a bottle of Burgundy from Fixin, one of the least prestigious villages in the Côtes de Nuits, costs fifty bucks.  But that’s life, and compared to many of the Pinot Noir coming out of California, it’s still a reasonable price for a wine made from that grape–especially this one.  Domaine Humbert Frères, a consistently good producer, has fashioned a village wine from old vines (60 years) that has the character and complexity of a premier cru.  An underlying savory, almost leathery quality complements the bright red and black fruit notes.  This is an example of how old vines trump the appellation system, resulting in a wine that exceeds its pedigree.