A tale of two Chambertins (Henri Boillot/Maison Ilan)

WINE TALK
1

I was looking at the 11 Maison Ilan Volnay thread and Alan mentioned that he wished other volnays were tasted side by side. I remembered that for my birthday dinner (which reminds me, I need to post notes on all the wines tasted), as some side bottles, I had poured these two wines for the guys to try. Thought it would be fun to put two 2011, Chambertins, from negotiants up against each other.

Both wines were double decanted in the morning. Tasted both wines prior to pouring it back. I had my wife bag em and pull them for pouring at dinner (so I wouldn’t know which was which). Unfortunately, once I tasted the Ilan at dinner, I knew immediately which one it was due to the consistent oak/coffee note that runs through the wines. So I kept my opinions to my self and let the guys talk amongst themselves. Generally, my thoughts on the wines were reflected by the group. Maybe they can speak up as well.

I would highly recommend seeking out the Boillot Chambertin. My guy only limited me to three bottles. 2012 was so limited that I got none! Here’s to hoping my 13 allocation gets me a few :X.

Over the course of the night, the Boillot really exploded. Fantastic wine. I think Allen Meadows had it as one of his “Can’t miss” wines for 2011 and I completely agree.

I’ve now tasted ALMOST every 2011 Maison Ilan (I think I’m missing one of the MSD). I don’t think they are bad wines, nor do I think they are a bad value at the price I paid ($150 for the chambertin I think. the 1ers were all $60-70 and the Mazayares/Charmes were $90-100) , but from the 09 and 11s I’ve tried (haven’t tried 2010), they definitely lean more toward a rougher, denser pinot that kinda screams more modern/riper central coast pinot.

  • 2011 Henri Boillot Chambertin - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambertin Grand Cru (12/9/2014)
    double decanted 12 hours before serving. Served Blind. Really pure red fruit on the palate, cooling acidity but really dense concentration of bright fruit. Taste a touch of oak on the back end, but the length is pretty fantastic and the finish is long and filled with sweet fruit. The nose is as pure as the palate.

Group enjoyed this very much. Just a wonderful youthful expression of grand cru burgundy.

  • 2011 Maison Ilan Chambertin - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambertin Grand Cru (12/9/2014)
    Double decanted 12 hours before serving, served blind. Really brawny thick wine. Very rough tannic structure and dark sweet purple fruit. While the 11 boillot chambertin we had next to it was about purity this swayed on the opposite side of the spectrum, it was brutish and all over the place. There’s also an underlying charred coffee/oak. I don’t know what it is, but I tend to get a lot of reduction/coffee/oak flavors from the Ilan wines.

Multiple people at the dinner (tasted blind) assumed I had poured a California Pinot due to the type of dark sweet fruit concentration and the chocolate notes

Initially when I tossed it into the decanter it was incredibly reduced and showing a ton of oak on the nose. So I would highly highly recommend giving the wine a lot of air.

2

Nice work, putting up the same vintage of the same vineyard - apparently two highly contrasting styles! Isn’t 2011 considered somewhat ‘weak’ as a vintage in Burgundy?

3

Charlie, thanks, very interesting. I have not tried the MI Chambertin in any vintage. It sounds distinctly different from the other MI 11s I sampled from barrel a year ago - those were all lighter body, very elegant and feminine wines.

As for Boillot, you don’t see many reports on his reds. I’m thrilled you like this one. Though I haven’t bought his Chambertin, I’ve been collecting some of his other reds (particularly Volnay and Pommard) for the past few years. Just pulled the trigger on a small number of 2013 Clos Vougeot and Bonnes Mares.

4

Another good, relevant report on the MI “what’s in the bottle talk” as many of us have long called a spade a spade on the business/CS issues ongoing.

I’ve found that same " Californiacated" fruit expression on both Charmes Chambertin ('09 and '11) I’ve tried. Though I’ve also found it with more reputable producers, recently with an '11 Fourrier Chambertin village and a '12 Perrot-Minot Bourgogne Rouge. Out of the three I probably liked the P-M the most, and M-I least, though to be fair to the Chambertin’s will be revisited down the line but my early impressions obviously affect my buying decisions.

5

I admit it.

I preferred the Ilan that night. It was softer, richer, and more fruit forward. Very easy drinking now and yes, there was definitely oak influence but not overpowering. Much better than the 09 Charmes.

The Boillot was more tannic with bright fruits and good minerality. Certainly more elegant but needs lots of time.

No green on either of them.

6

Thanks for the tasting note, Charlie. As with the notes on the MI Volnay thread, I’m concerned about the recurring coffee (and related) aspect to the wines. Seems to be a theme with the 2011s from MI. I’ll just keep my fingers crossed. I agree with Alan’s post regarding how the 2011s tasted from barrel. Seems to be a shocking contrast with what’s in the bottle (at this point in time, anyway).

7

I’m ignorant and haven’t been paying attention… is Maison Illan producing Chambertin? (I thought he just had Charmes Chambertin.)

Also - I’ve not had Boillot - thanks for the note/tip!

8

Do you have to wear a bag over your head at future tastings?
[cheers.gif]

9

he’s gonna have to wear the bags I used for the blind tasting

10

Awesome!

11

Thanks for posting these as well, Charlie. Unfortunately, have not had the opportunity to try Boillot’s Chambertin–your note on it sounds yummy indeed.

For MI, I will cross-post my tasting note from the Volnay thread, remembering that I tasted it back in May. I do recall rather dimly that it was pop and pour, but don’t hold me to that.

Be that as it may, back then it was not a roughhouse wine by any stretch—and I’ve tasted a fair number of red burgs myself (not a patch on you and Marshall, true [grin.gif], but…)

"2011 Maison Ilan Le Chambertin

This came in at 12.6%. Light mocha notes strike first, and then cocoa, earth and plum emerge. Ahhh—this is smooth….smooth. Good, solid balance, red fruits and some plum. Structure is there for many years’ enjoyment, but it also has a nobility of feel about it too. It is Chambertin, maybe a bit more demure than the 09 and 10 vintages…which makes a kind of sense. And it develops more complexity with each sip, always a good sign. Still hard to say if it will be a true superstar, but there’s certainly “very fine” potential."

12

By the way, also glad to see more folks picking up the oak showing on these wines. I posted this sentiment on Burgundy Geeks a few months back and got plenty of the no new oak! Pushback, including from Ray himself.