This is a producer that I haven’t had, but seems to be getting a bit of a buzz. From what I’ve read, she changed the house style to incorporate a pretty large percentage of whole cluster. I’ve also read the new oak is pretty aggressive, as much as 90 percent for the CSJ. I think it may have been on here, but she has a special source for the barrels (her boyfriend perhaps?) So, what’s the consensus on the wines? A board favorite? A pass? Any more info would be greatly appreciated.
No-one is always great, but my rule of thumb here is - Easy vintages = great wines. The Gevrey VV amongst the greatest with that label.
Less easy vintages the more overt the stems and the oak - the wines tend to come round despite that - but you need more than a 20 year outlook in the latter case…
Actually I’m still waiting on my 2005s despite an easy vintage!
My 2005 Gevrey VV is occasionally delicious and ready to drink but unpredictably closes up. Still, I’m 100% confident in the remaining 6 or 7 bottles and happy to have them. Am down to 3btls of 2003 CSJ and am holding them albeit with slightly less confidence than the 2005.
The 2009, 2008, & 2007 vintages of CSJ were extremely well priced when released in relation to other CSJ Producers. Fortunately, the value, or demand, for the wines has significantly appreciated as I have received more pleasure auctioning wines and using gains to purchase other wines than actually drinking them. The wines are generally well made, but the style is not may favorite. Maybe more recent vintages have less elevage footprint.
I loved the wines she made under her own label and under the M. Esmonin label through 98 after which the new oak took over. 99 was the last vintage I bought as a result so I can’t comment on anything more recent.
For point of reference, Dressner is the importer for these wines, and has been for a while. Once upon a time, the CSJ saw about 50% new oak, and it showed that it needed more. The wines were VERY precocious, to put it in a friendly way.
Try a 2002. Ripe vintage, but the wine has been drinking well for close to 10 years now.
That’s what I find so interesting about the producer. It seems that they are breaking the mold of what a normal “Dressner” wine would be. They are ripe, the new oak is very high. It doesn’t seem to be in their wheelhouse, but I assume there must be a reason for the long relationship.
She’s a producer I think is good value in vintages like 2016, but I’d be a bit hesitant in lighter years where the oak is a bit more prominent. The terroir is there, so when the oak integrates, the wines can be very good imho. But I’ve had a couple of bottles from weaker vintages where the oak was just overwhelming.
I wouldn’t call the wines ripe or oaky. The wines represent the vintage they come from, so the 2002 is more round and plush compared to other years, but no oaky. The 2008 CSJ hits my other point on the heard, VERY precocious. It’s the one wine I have for my son that I have no fears will make it 30+ years.