I’m a bit hesitant to disclose the fact that I reckon the wines of Claude et Catherine Maréchale are probably my best value wines of the Côte d’Or. Claude makes wines that are pure, adequately fruited and show off their respective terroirs in the highest light. He is a generous and engaging chap who seems not to compromise in the vineyard or cellar and his wines are well and truly worth tracking down.
We spent a couple of hours late on our last day in Burgundy with Claude working through his 2011’s from barrel and 2010’s from bottle with a cheeky older Auxey thrown in at the end.
2011 Bourgogne ‘Cuvee Gravel’: Lovely sweet, luscious fruits, loaded with black cherry goodness.
2011 Chorey-Les-Beaune: There’s a little meat to the aroma along with white flowers and red berries. It is tasty and full with good energy.
2011 Ladoix ‘Chaillots’: Loads of geological material on the nose, think minerals rocks and dirt. There’s fresh, supple red fruits caressing the gums and it has chalky tannins on the finish.
2011 Auxey-Duresses: Possesses a lovely floral perfume working nicely with some liquorice and vibrant tart cherry fruit. It is a generous wine with plenty of grip from its ample structure.
2011 Savigny-lès-Beaune ‘Vieilles Vignes’: On the nose there’s the scent of just ripe blueberries with some notes of dried flowers and sweet earth. It is nicely proportioned with good balance and crisp cut to the finish.
2011 Savigny-lès-Beaune ‘Les Lavières’ 1er Cru : Very bright, lifted and energetic. Perfectly ripe, juicy fruit coats the gums. It is delicious but has a degree of brooding potential about it and quite substantial structure.
2011 Volnay: Violets and red fruits combine to give a wine that is pretty, perfumed and energetic. It is detailed and balanced with loads of mineral action on the finish.
2011 Pommard ‘La Chanière’: Shows a little mint to the aroma. This is a strong, muscular wine with powerful structure. There’s intense berry flavours and it is firm but balanced.
2010 Bourgogne ‘Cuvee Gravel’: Lively, fresh and floral. Pretty, mineral infused things of loveliness ping around the gums and it finishes with good length.
2010 Chorey-Les-Beaune: The nose shows some lightly smoked meats and sweet earth. It has great fruit intensity and balance for its level and village and is really quite classy.
2010 Auxey-Duresses: Some cherry blossom notes along with deep, dark plums. It is totally mouthfilling with a perfect balance between sweet and savoury elements. It is a wine of great poise and length.
2010 Savigny-lès-Beaune ‘Vieilles Vignes’ : Very savoury nose of all sorts of wet earth and undergrowth type things. The fruit is there and plays along well with these mossy, leafy things and it is a wine of good volume and character, punching well above its weight.
2010 Savigny-lès-Beaune ‘Les Lavières’ 1er Cru : Beautifully sweet and ripe fruits abound and are laced with an engaging white flora trait. It is sweet and luscious in the mouth, filling every crevice with sappy fruit. Mouth-watering acidity counters all the flesh and it is intense with good composure. Terrific stuff!
2010 Volnay: Smells like hot water hitting red jelly crystals. Lovely minerally structure, quite tight and unyielding at this early stage with a fullness and silky mouthfeel but also playing within a compact channel. It’s all here it just needs time.
2010 Pommard ‘La Chanière’: Purple flowers, purple fruits, floral and rocky. This is superb Pommard, absolutely true to its origins with its muscular posture but loaded with intense, sappy fruits. It is very minerally with burly, chalk laden tannins.
2010 Aligoté: Cheeky little number full of fruit and freshness. There’s plenty of peach, straw and minerals. It is simple, fresh and vibrant, just itching to be consumed in its youth with some fresh seafood.
2010 Bourgogne Blanc: Quite fine with some lightly candied fruit. It is full in the mouth with good tension and should be a Bourgogne capable of good mid-term aging.
2010 Savigny-lès-Beaune Blanc: Complex aromatics of candied peel, honeysuckle, nectarine and cumquat. It is full and rich with good shape and nice mineral cut.
1997 Auxey-Duresses: Has a bit of the 97 sweet and sour going on but is thoroughly delicious none the less. The nose is developed with notes of beef stock, died herbs, sweet earth and mushrooms. It is round, full and vinous with just a little grip remaining on the finish.
Cheers
Jeremy