Auxerre today is a sleepy little city on the banks of the Yonne river, just a few miles west of Chablis. The town skyline is defined by the Cathedral Saint Etienne d’Auxerre, a hint to the town’s former prominence in the region as the last major stop on the route from Burgundy to Paris and a well-known source for Pinot Noir. With the advent of railroads diminishing the importance of river trade, Auxerre’s vineyards waned in importance until the region was relegated to Bourgogne Rouge status in the mid 20th century. But the vineyards are still there, and a few dedicated producers have maintained the high standards of this once proud region. Pascal Sorin’s family has been making wine at Domaine de Grisy for 18 generations and today, he farms organically and makes wine simply, to avoid covering up the delicate nature of this cold-climate Pinot Noir. This is a high-toned red that gets its power from energy rather than mass, and it offers impressive complexity. The wine starts with aromas of raspberry, cranberry, cinnamon stick, rose petal, and smoked orange peel, The palate is silky and seamless, with a touch of underbrush and clay alongside precocious notes of strawberry, raspberry, cranberry, and lemon drop. Talc-like tannins, limestone minerality, and fresh acidity carry the finish along much longer than expected. A versatile food wine for lighter summer fare.