Now that you mention it, I had a bottle or two of Chidaine that was oxidized.
The Guiberteau was the worst oxidation I’ve experienced in a wine… The Sauzet almost tasted sound in comparison!
Chidaine had massive and widely reported premox problems with the '14 vintage. I think I had one good bottle out of many. I also opened a 2010 Huet sec the other day which was premoxed. That was a shame as it was my last bottle and all previous bottles had been excellent.
While PYCM is by far my favorite producer of white burgundy, I’ve always been 1.) too eager to let them wait for more than a few years 2.) playing mainly with the St. Aubins, PV, and maybe a Meursault or two. I’ve also been a bit worried, likely foolishly, that with age, the hallmark reduction/flint and tension will go missing and perhaps that’s what I love most about the wines. Morgan Harris had posted something a few years ago about it and it made sense to me, but something tells me I’m likely over thinking it.
Ouch, I suppose I should not hold on to my one bottle of the 2016 for too long even if the CT notes don’t exactly scream “drink up!”.
I had a 2005 St Aubin 1er at the end of last year and wished that I had more/waited longer. I’ve found the PYCM wines to be too simplistic when young, with the reduction and tension dominating without revealing much else (i.e., there is tension but you’re really not sure what elements are actually in tension).
It’s been all over. I had some '02 Chidaines that premoxed very quickly.
Since this seems to be the PYCM thread, can I ask a novice question? His more “classic” appellations (Meursault, Puligny, etc.) seem to be rapidly becoming unaffordable, especially at the 1er cru level and above. However, unlike other high-prestige producers he seems very committed to producing a lot in less well known appellations like St Aubin and Pernand-Vergelesses. This makes the overall price of trying his wines lower than other cult producers. But what is the quality differential as you move up his hierarchy? I tend to feel like in Burgundy it is producer-vintage-site, in that order, so are you pretty much getting the PYCM experience in bottles from his less expensive sites, or is it worth trying to stretch for some of the “classic” high end appelations?
Others have had a lot more pycm than I have, but IMO there is a clear step up when you try his wines from more celebrated sites (eg Meursault 1er crus and CC). Have not tried the really high-end (eg Chevalier) so can’t comment there
I’d say both. PYCM’s St Aubins and Pernands are fantastic wines that give you a clear picture of his style, and are frankly fantastic values. I have tons of his 17 Pernands for this reason. The wines from better sites, however, are a different level.
I’d recommend (as I try to do with any new producer) try a Bourgogne, A Pernand/St Aubin, a Meursault/Chassagne/Puligny 1er and maybe a CC or other GC if you’re willing to spend that much.
Otherwise I think any of his wines will give you an idea of what he is about, as he has a pretty distinct style. The Pernand Belles Filles I had to start this thread was beautiful, and his St Aubin Le Banc is a reliably good drink. Great Bourgogne too.
I find the same thing to be true with young Guiberteau whites. I had an incredible bottle of '14 Moulins last night. On release, it was a pretty mute wine. Now I’m wondering if perhaps it’s the sleeper in the lineup.
I’m a big PYCM fan and mainly buy St Aubin with a few bottles of Chassagne / GC thrown in. I purchased somewhere between half a case and a case of various Pernand Vergelesses PYCM in '17 and was disappointed by the couple of bottles I opened shortly after release. The notes here make me hopeful that I just caught 'em at a weird time.
I’ve had a few of the higher end bottlings through the years, but in reality I play pretty much exclusively in the PYCM minor leagues (St. Aubin, Pernand, Rully, even the Hautes-Côtes de Beaune), and I’ve loved every minute of it. There is a certain sameness to the wines, but in this case that’s a very, very good thing! If I can get a PYCM blanc for $33 and love it 90% as much as his Meursault, that is genius in my book.
Despite the meh vintage reputation, CT notes on the 2018 PYCM stable of blancs are very encouraging.
ironically i liked his 2010 and earlier wines which were far less reduced but had that awesome energy still. Sitting on some 02/04 perrieres and 04 chevy that i’ll crack in a couple years (or next month who knows!)
Ain’t that the truth. My wife and I are spending September in the Colorado Rockies and every. single. bottle. that I’ve been packing is one I swore I’d let sit for a few more years. Oh well.