Another tasting in our endless series of Burgundy tastings. To those who want to read more, here are the previous ones:
- Burgundies, again
- Burgundies, mainly new names
- Burgundies old and young
- A Chablis-heavy round of white Burgundy (mainly 2017-2019)
This time we had only whites. Chardonnays, no less; our Aligoté sessions are a different story altogether.
Most of these wines were pretty terrific, although we had a few minor disappointments, too. However, apart from one premox-suspect, we had nothing too serious this time, fortunately. And as always, we had a few blind extras to top the tasting off - and with which we this time kicked off the tasting.
- 2020 Chateau De Chillon Chasselas Reserve de la Fondation - Switzerland, Vaud, Lavaux (10.4.2024)
100% Chasselas from the historical vineyards near the Chillon castle that have survived the surrounding urbanization. The grand vin of the castle is Clos de Chillon, aged in oak barrels, while this Reserve de la Fondation is a 2nd wine, fermented and aged in stainless steel tanks. Vinified at the nearby Badoux Vins winery. 13% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Youthful, medium-deep and quite intense lime-green color. The nose feels youthful, sweet and quite tropical with aromas of honeydew melon and orange blossom, some apple jam tones, a little bit of peachy stone fruit, light notes of pineapple and a hint of mango. The wine feels ripe, juicy and tropical on the palate with a moderately full body and fruit-driven flavors of pineapple and white peach, some primary grapey tones, a little bit of honeyed richness, light apple jam nuances and a hint of pear drops. The medium acidity doesn't really lend much freshness or structure to the wine. The finish is round, juicy and medium in length with a sweet-toned, tropical aftertaste of white peach, some pineapple, light mango tones, a little bit of floral character, a hint of pear drops and a touch of honeyed richness.
An enjoyable but also quite a bit too youthful - even primary - wine that shows the typical hallmarks of Chasselas: quite soft and round overall feel due to the quite modest level of acidity. I guess this wine could benefit from additional aging by losing those sweet, candied primary characteristics, but I doubt the wine will evolve into anything particularly interesting with any amount of aging. Feels a bit pricey for the quality at 17,5 CHF (about 18 to 18,5€).
(87 points) - 2021 Domaine des Rémizières Hermitage Blanc Cuvée Émilie - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage (10.4.2024)
100% Marsanne from 50-60 yo vineyards in Hermitage. Fermented and aged in 228-liter oak pièces (70% new, 30% once used) for 12 months. 13,5% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Medium-deep yellow-green color. The nose feels smoky, somewhat reductive and a bit oaky with aromas of gunpowder smoke and salty liquorice powder, some toasty oak spice, a little bit of ripe red apple, light notes of grilled pineapple, a hint of juicy apricot, a woody touch of savory oak and a floral whiff of chamomile or lavender. The wine feels ripe, moderately spicy and somewhat oaky with a quite full body and quite expressive flavors of juicy Golden Delicious apple and grilled pineapple, some salty liquorice powder tones, a little bit of fresh nectarine, light floral notes of lavender, a toasty hint of sweet oak spice and a reductive touch of flinty smoke. The moderately high acidity manages to keep the wine quite balanced and structured, despite the rather big body and slightly viscous texture. The finish is long, rich and quite spicy with an intense aftertaste of ripe red apple, some apricot-driven notes of stone fruits, a little bit of smoky reduction, light oaky notes of both sweeter toasty character and woodier nuances, a hint of grilled pineapple and a floral touch of lavender.
A somewhat modern and oaky but still rather balanced and enjoyable effort for a young white Hermitage. Although the wine does show some oak influence, the overall feel is still more Burgundian rather than "new world", if that makes sense - this is not an overdone vanilla and caramel bomb, but instead a surprisingly fresh and harmonious effort. What I'd do with the wine is leave it for a good number of years so that the oak would integrate better with the fruit and the wine would develop some additional complexity. While I'm not the biggest fan of the style, this really does hold some promise and there's a good chance this vintage will be singing after another 6-10 years. Recommended.
(90 points) - 2019 Alice et Olivier De Moor Chablis Clardy et Rosette - France, Burgundy, Chablis (10.4.2024)
100% organically farmed Chardonnay from two parcels, Clardy and Rosette. Fermented spontaneously, aged for 12 months in old oak barrels. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. 13% alcohol.
Slightly hazy yellow-green color. The nose feels oddly herbal with aromas of chamomile and pilsner-like noble hops, some sharp Granny Smith apple tones, a little bit of fresh peachy stone fruit, light chalky mineral tones and a hint of lemongrass. The wine feels quite intense and rather saline on the palate with a medium body and dry flavors of aromatic herbs and tart Granny Smith apple tones, a little bit of lemony citrus fruit, light mineral notes of wet rocks, a hint of almost unripe peach and a crunchy touch of white currants. The medium-to-moderately high acidity feels a bit modest for a Chablis. The finish is crisp, long and pretty mineral with flavors of tart Granny Smith apple, some wet stone minerals, a little bit of lemony citrus fruit, light crunchy notes of white currants and a hint of tangy salinity.
This was a bit of an odd bird. I've normally enjoyed De Moor wines a lot and I love traditional Chablis, but this was quite all over the place and even the acidity felt somewhat modest for the appellation. Not really a bad wine in any way, but maybe not really what I'm looking for when I'm opening a Chablis.
(88 points) - 2018 Schloss Westerhaus Ingelheim Frühburgunder - Germany, Rheinhessen (10.4.2024)
100% Frühburgunder from vineyards around Ingelheim. 13% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Quite translucent and slightly evolved raspberry red color. The nose feels smoky, meaty and somewhat spicy with red-toned aromas of lingonberries, some gamey meat, light peppery tones, a little bit of ripe raspberry, an autumnal hint of leafy forest floor and a touch of damp earth. The wine feels dry, lively and crunchy on the palate with a quite light body and slightly evolved flavors of brambly raspberries and tart cranberries, some ferrous notes of blood, a little bit of earth, light savory notes of gamey meat and an autumnal hint of damp leaves. The wine is high in acidity with gentle, supple medium tannins. The finish is lively, dry and crunchy with a moderately long and slightly grippy aftertaste of brambly raspberries, some savory notes of meaty umami, a little bit of gravely minerality, light tart lingonberry nuances, a hint of peppery spice and a touch of smoky character.
A nice, tasty and enjoyably acid-driven little Pinot. There was good freshness here despite the rather warm vintage. However, the overall feel was also a bit more evolved than I expected from a 5½ yo wine - although not tired or tertiary, both the color and the aromatics felt quite developed and meaty for a wine not particularly old. Based on this observation, I'd probably drink any remaining bottles sooner rather than later.
(89 points)
- 2017 Domaine Diconne Meursault Clos des Luchets - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault (10.4.2024)
Aged for 12 months in oak barrels. 13% alcohol.
Medium-deep yellow-green color. The nose feels dry and surprisingly aged with aromas of damp wool and sawdusty wood, some beeswax, light nutty notes of walnut, a hint of stale bread and a touch of hay. No fruit to speak of. The wine feels quite tertiary on the palate with a medium body and flavors of stony minerality, some developed waxy tones, a little bit of dried apple, light nutty notes of walnuts, a woolly hint of lanolin and a touch of stale bread. The wine is high in acidity. The finish is long, dry and somewhat dull with an evolved, moderately acid-driven aftertaste of beeswax, some woolly lanolin, light stony mineral notes, a little bit of wizened yellow apple and a touch of hay.
Somewhat dull and surprisingly aged Meursault with very little fruit to speak of. Hard to believe this is the house style - although the appearance is that of a young wine, I feel this wine was nevertheless premoxed.
(NR/flawed) - 2018 Henri Germain et Fils Meursault 1er Cru Les Poruzots - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault 1er Cru (10.4.2024)
100% biodynamically farmed Chardonnay from a parcel replanted in the 1980's. Fermented spontaneously. Aged on the lees without any bâtonnage in predominantly old oak barrels (20-30% new) for 22 months. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. 13% alcohol.
Youthful, luminous and quite pale yellow color with faint greenish highlights. The nose feels quite pungent and smoky with aromas of savory wood spice, roasted nuts and lemony citrus fruit, some reductive notes of struck flint, a little bit of almost unripe pineapple, light mineral notes of chalk dust, a fragrant hint of apple blossom and a sweeter touch of exotic fruit. The wine feels rich, nuanced and textural on the palate with a medium-to-moderately full body and vibrant flavors of grilled pineapple and flinty smoke, some ripe lemony citrus fruits, a little bit of stony minerality, light sweeter notes of toasty oak spice and nutty wood, a hint of ripe nectarine and a touch of creamy oak. The rather high acidity lends good sense of freshness and balance to the wine. The finish is ripe, juicy and textural with a long aftertaste of fresh white peach, some smoky reductive notes of struck flint, a little bit of stony minerality, light toasty oak nuances, hints of juicy nectarine and grilled pineapple and a touch of creamy oak.
A rich, balanced and textural 1er Cru Meursault. Although the wine does show some ripeness and exotic fruit qualities, the overall feel is still relatively fresh and harmonious for the warm 2018 vintage. At first the wine seemed relatively reductive, but for the most part those smoky notes blew off rather quickly, leaving behind a somewhat sweeter and more expressive white Burgundy. As the wine shows very little if any age, I'm pretty sure this wine continues to evolve and improve effortlessly for a good number of years, but it is pretty darn lovely right now. Recommended.
(92 points) - 2017 Cristian Cholet-Pelletier Meursault - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault (10.4.2024)
100% Chardonnay from 60 yo vines in Meursault. Fermented spontaneously. Aged for 12 months in oak barrels. 13% alcohol.
Intense neon yellow-green color. The nose feels youthful, attractive and subtly reductive with aromas of sweet yellow fruits, some fragrant floral overtones, a little bit of greengage, light spicy notes of nutty wood, a mineral hint of wet rocks and a smoky touch of struck match. The wine feels broad and rather ripe on the palate with a quite full body and slick flavors of greengage and floral notes of apple blossom, some creamy oak tones, a little bit of fresh yellow fruit, light sweet notes of toasty oak spice, a mineral hint of wet rocks and a touch of crunchy Golden Delicious apple. The rather high acidity lends some sense of structure and balance to the wine. The finish is ripe and quite voluminous with a long, layered aftertaste of sweet yellow fruits, some stony mineral notes, a little bit of creamy oak, light juicy greengage tones, a hint of steely minerality and a smoky touch of reduction.
A ripe and a bit round and mellow but also a tasty and harmonious Meursault. The overall feel is still very youthful and it is more than likely that the wine will lose some of that rich, sweet-toned baby fat as the wine ages. Enjoyable stuff, but admittedly the wine isn't particularly thrilling - just very accessible and fruit-forward - at the moment. I hope the wine picks up some finesse and depth as it ages - at least the pieces are there.
(89 points) - 2017 Frédéric Magnien Meursault Les Peutes Vignes - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault (10.4.2024)
100% organically farmed Chardonnay made with purchased fruit from a vineyard with an average age of 35 years. Fermented spontaneously. Aged for 12 months in used oak barrels. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. 13% alcohol.
Youthful, quite pale neon-yellow color. The nose feels juicy, ripe and sweet-toned with rich aromas of apricot, some creamy oak tones along with buttery nuances of diacetyl, light fragrant notes of basil, a little bit of hay, hints of ripe Golden Delicious apple and exotic fruits, a touch of stony minerality and a faint whiff of rustic funk. The wine feels broad, quite substantial and slightly viscous on the palate with a full body and quite intense flavors of sweet Golden Delicious apple and ripe honeydew melon, some saline mineral notes, a little bit of exotic fruit, light extracted spicy nuances, a hint of waxy funk and a touch of creamy oak. Despite its sense of breadth and substance the moderately high acidity is sufficient to lend good sense of balance and structure to the wine. The finish is long, rich and somewhat sweet-toned with a quite intense aftertaste of stony minerality, some ripe Golden Delicious apple tones, a little bit of apricot, light creamy oak notes, a hint of saline minerality and a faint buttery touch of diacetyl.
A quite classically styled Meursault in the sense that the wine was quite big, substantial and somewhat exotic in flavor profile with rich, creamy oak overtones. Yet still, the wine came across as surprisingly balanced and sophisticated with its cool mineral core and harmonious acid structure. Furthermore, there was even a tiny bit of rustic funk lingering in the background, adding a lovely layer of complexity to the wine's flavor profile. An enjoyable, well-crafted effort for people who are looking for a rich and buttery Burgundy that still manages to feel mineral and structured at the same time. Nice.
(90 points) - 2017 Domaine Sylvain Langoureau Meursault-Blagny 1er Cru La Pièce-sous-le-Bois - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault-Blagny 1er Cru (10.4.2024)
100% Chardonnay from La Pièce-sous-le-Bois, the highest-altitude 1er Cru vineyard in Meursault. Fermented spontaneously. Aged in predominantly old oak barrels for 12 months. 13% alcohol.
Vibrant neon yellow-green color. The nose feel cool and focused with crisp, attractive aromas of spicy red apple, some reductive notes of flint smoke, a little bit of creamy oak, light cantaloupe tones, a faint green hint of herbs and birch leaves and a touch of pomelo rind. The wine feels ripe yet very crisp, concentrated and focused on the palate with a medium body and intense flavors of ripe citrus fruits and tart Granny Smith apples, some smoky mineral tones, a little bit of cantaloupe, light reductive nuances of struck flint, a hint of herby greenness and a touch of creamy oak. The high acidity lends great sense of structure and electric energy to the wine, but there's also a subtly grippy and textural sensation on the gums, perhaps due to a higher level of dry extract and even some tannins? The finish is crisp, long and quite concentrated with an intensely-flavored aftertaste of lemony citrus fruits, some stony mineral notes, a little bit of creamy oak, light cantaloupe nuances, a hint of smoky reduction and a faint toasty touch of sweet oak spice.
A very impressive and complex 1er Cru Meursault that packs a good deal of concentration and some sense of weight, yet retains remarkable sense of freshness, structure and energy. As seems to be typical of so many 2017 white Burgundies, this vintage can make wines combine elevated (but not excessive) levels of ripeness with great levels of acidity, resulting in very impressive wines brimming with flavor intensity, complexity, energy and structure. This Langoureau bottling was an absolute banger and easily one of the most impressive wines in our Burgundy tasting. While drinking beautifully right now, I have no doubts this wine will continue to evolve and improve wonderfully for another decade or even more. Highly recommended.
(94 points) - 2018 Jean-Marc Vincent Puligny-Montrachet Les Corvées des Vignes - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Puligny-Montrachet (10.4.2024)
100% organic Chardonnay from a parcel where the average vine age is approximately 40 years. Fermented in new oak barrels. Aged for at least 15 months in predominantly old oak barrels (approx. 10% new). 13% alcohol.
Pale and subtly hazy lime-green color. The nose feels rich, expressive and moderately toasty with aromas of ripe key lime and wet rocks, some smoky reductive notes, a little bit of cantaloupe and apple jam, light floral notes of apple blossom, sweet hints of toasty oak spice and cooked cream, a woody touch of savory oak and a whiff of blood orange. The wine feels nuanced, complex and slightly evolved on the palate with a medium body and layered flavors of sweet cantaloupe and apple jam, some nutty notes of almond, light mineral nuances of wet rocks and salinity, a little bit of creamy oak, a woody hint of savory oak spice and a touch of ripe citrus fruits. The bright, high acidity lends great sense of freshness and acidity to the wine. The finish is firm, lively and slightly evolved with a long aftertaste of ripe Granny Smith apple and key lime, some creamy oak tones, a little bit of woody oak spice, light sweeter notes of apple jam, a hint of cantaloupe and a floral touch of orange blossom.
A tasty, balanced and wonderfully nuanced effort that comes across as surprisingly bright and zippy for a 2018 Burg. Curiously though, the wine seemed a tad evolved than most of the similarly aged we tasted at the same time - not by much, mind you, but still enough for me to take notice. The overall feel is still relatively youthful, so most likely the wine will continue to age and evolve for many more years, but perhaps this is not going to be the most long-lived Puligny-Montrachet out there. Thoroughly enjoyable stuff all the same. Recommended.
(91 points) - 2018 Jean-Claude Ramonet Puligny-Montrachet - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Puligny-Montrachet (10.4.2024)
100% Chardonnay from multiple vineyards in Puligny-Montrachet. 13,5% alcohol.
Luminous, pale lime-green color. The nose feels surprisingly understated with light aromas of sawdusty wood and some mealy red apple tones, a little bit of cantaloupe, light floral notes of apple blossom, a hint of creamy oak, a smoky touch of reduction and a candied primary whiff of gummi bear. The wine feels airy but also surprisingly light and understated on the palate with a medium body and reticent flavors of creamy oak and savory wood spice, some sweet Golden Delicious apple, light fragrant notes of apple blossom, a little bit of woolly lanolin, a salty hint of brackish water and a smoky, reductive touch of struck flint. The rather high acidity makes the overall feel pretty fresh and balanced. The finish light and medium in length with flavors of ripe citrus fruits, some creamy oak tones, a little bit of woolly lanolin, light juicy notes of ripe yellow apple and cantaloupe, a hint of saline minerality and a sawdusty touch of savory oak.
A refreshing and structurally balanced but aromatically remarkably reticent and understated Puligny-Montrachet. Even with air the wine didn't seem to open up much, making the overall impression quite lukewarm. A remarkably unremarkable Ramonet. Meh.
(86 points) - 2018 Dureuil-Janthial Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Champs-Gain - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru (10.4.2024)
100% Chardonnay from a parcel planted in 1974. Fermented and aged in oak barrels (20% new) for 12 months. 13% alcohol.
Medium-intense neon yellow-green color. The nose feels expressive, complex and quite intense with aromas of nutty wood and some smoky notes of reduction and toasted oak, a little bit of grilled pineapple, light fragrant notes of lemon rind and passion fruit, a hint of salty liquorice powder, a mineral touch of wet rocks and a whiff of struck match. Lots of everything here. The wine feels broad and somewhat concentrated yet still quite fresh and sinewy on the palate with a moderately full body and intense flavors of tart Granny Smith apple and pomelo-driven citrus fruit, some toasty wood tones, a little bit of stony minerality, light smoky struck-match notes of reduction, a spicy, subtly bitter hint of extracted character and a touch of creamy oak. Despite the somewhat concentrated and ripe overall character, the wine comes across as firm, crunchy and structured, thanks to the wonderfully high acidity. The finish is crisp, long and quite intensely-flavored with a complex aftertaste of lemony citrus fruits and tart Granny Smith apple, some woody notes of savory oak spice, a little bit of salty liquorice powder, light smoky, reductive notes of struck match, a hint of saline minerality and a touch of grilled pineapple.
A crisp, very youthful and eminently promising Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru that is still a mere baby. The wine shows great sense of intensity, concentration and complexity, but the overall feel is still surprisingly tightly-wound and nervous - especially for the warm 2018 vintage - and I'm sure the wine will benefit greatly from additional aging. This is a smashing wine already now, especially with a little bit of aeration, but there's a lot to gain if the wine is allowed to age past its 10th birthday. Terrific stuff, highly recommended. Be happy if you were smart enough to stock up on this.
(93 points) - 2017 Cristian Cholet-Pelletier Puligny-Montrachet - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Puligny-Montrachet (10.4.2024)
100% Chardonnay from vineyards in Puligny-Montrachet. Fermented spontaneously. Aged for 12 months in oak barrels. 13% alcohol.
Quite youthful yellow-green color. The nose feels open but also remarkably youthful and quite primary with aromas of sweet, grapey fruit and pear drops, some sweet nectarine-driven yellow fruit tones, a little bit of stony minerality, light floral notes of apple blossom, a woody oak and a touch of creaminess. The wine feels youthful, lively and crunchy on the palate with a medium body and quite primary flavors of pear drops and fresh pear, some kiwi, light floral notes of apple blossom, a little bit of tart Granny Smith apple and apple peel bitterness, a hint of nectarine and a faint woody touch of savory oak. The high acidity lends great sense of freshness and structure to the wine. The finish is dry and crunchy with a youthful, moderately long aftertaste of tart Granny Smith apple, some grapey tones, a little bit of stony minerality, light kiwi tones, a hint of apple peel bitterness and a touch of key lime.
A refreshing and structured but also surprisingly youthful - even primary - Puligny-Montrachet that comes across as enjoyably fresh and crunchy, but also somewhat anonymous and banal. The oak influence is delightfully in the background, letting the fruit department take a leading role. However, unfortunately the primary overall feel makes the fruit flavors quite candied and very generic with those grapey tones and nuances of pear drops. At the moment the wine leaves me pretty cold, but it is entirely possible that the wine will perform much better once it loses those candied primary qualities. However, if the wine is this primary at 6½ years of age, I guess it is aging at a glacial pace - and thus I have no idea whatsoever how long it will take for this wine to reach some level of maturity. 15 years? Go figure.
(87 points) - 2017 Frédéric Magnien Puligny-Montrachet - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Puligny-Montrachet (10.4.2024)
100% organically farmed Chardonnay made with purchased fruit from 30 to 50 yo vineyards in Puligny-Montrachet. Fermented spontaneously. Aged for 12 months in used oak barrels. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. 13% alcohol.
Rather youthful, medium-deep yellow-green color. The nose feels quite rich and somewhat creamy with aromas of ripe apricots and juicy Golden Delicious apple, some herby notes of pilsner-like noble hops, a little bit of woolly lanolin, light mineral notes of wet rocks, a hint of chamomile and a woody touch of savory oak spice. The wine feels lively, clean and crunchy on the palate with a medium body and quite intense flavors of sweet yellow apples, some creamy oak tones, light notes of cantaloupe, a little bit of chamomile and herby spice, mineral hints of wet rocks and salinity and a touch of wool. The acidity feels high and quite incisive, lending good sense of structure and balance to the wine. The finish is dry, crisp and pretty intense with a quite long but also maybe a bit linear aftertaste of zesty citrus fruits, some mineral notes of salinity and wet rocks, a little bit of chamomile and herby spice, light youthful appley tones and a hint of creamy oak.
A nice, clean and tasty but maybe a bit linear Puligny-Montrachet. Although I enjoyed the somewhat leaner, more mineral and acid-driven style of this wine compared to Magnien's somewhat weightier 2017 Meursault Les Peutes Vignes that we tasted at the same time, I would've loved if this wine had shown those subtly funky undertones present in the Meursault bottling. However, seeing how youthful the wine still is, at 6½ years of age, I can see this evolving and improving nicely over the next decade, or even longer. An enjoyable effort with good upside.
(90 points) - 2017 Domaine Sylvain Langoureau Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru La Garenne - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru (10.4.2024)
100% Chardonnay from La Garenne, a high-altitude 1er Cru vineyard in Puligny-Montrachet. Fermented spontaneously. Aged in predominantly old (20% new) oak barrels for 12 months. 13% alcohol.
Medium-deep and quite intense neon yellow-green color. The nose feels open, rich and quite powerful with rather sweet-toned aromas of yellow fruits like peach and honeydew melon, some nutty oak tones, a little bit of honeysuckle, light smoky notes of reduction, hints of creamy oak and buttery diacetyl, a touch of spicy red apple and an evolved whiff of wizened nectarine. The wine feels rich and textural yet also firm and precise on the palate with a full body and layered flavors of crunchy citrus fruits and creamy oak, some reductive notes of flint smoke, light woody notes of savory oak spice, a little bit of apple peel bitterness, sweeter hints of ripe nectarine and honeyed richness and a touch of saline minerality. The brisk, focused acidity lends great sense of structure and energy to the wine. The finish is long, lively and crunchy with an intense aftertaste of tart citrus fruits and creamy oak, some honeydew melon tones, a little bit of smoky reduction, light woody notes of savory old oak, a hint of juicy nectarine and a buttery touch of diacetyl.
A beautifully rich and textural but also focused and structured 1er Cru Puligny-Montrachet with great sense of intensity and structure. Tasting this at the same time with Langoureau's 2017 Meursault-Blagny 1er Cru La Pièce-sous-la-Bois, I prefered the other wine a tiny bit more, it showing a bit more freshness and zip over the somewhat buttery richness of this Puligny-Montrachet. However, both the wines showed great sense of concentration, depth and balance and were easily among the top wines of our tasting. Although this wine didn't seem that youthful anymore, it didn't show that much aged qualities, either; most likely this wine will continue to evolve and improve wonderfully for a decade or even more, but it is drinking beautifully already now. An excellent white Burg with lots of upside; highly recommended.
(93 points) - 2015 David Moret Chassagne-Montrachet Vieilles Vignes - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chassagne-Montrachet (10.4.2024)
100% Chardonnay made with purchased fruit sourced from old organically farmed parcels in Chassagne-Montrachet. Aged in partly new oak barrels for 12 months. 13% alcohol.
Medium-deep and quite intense neon yellow-green color. The nose feels ripe, sweet-toned and slightly evolved with rich, layered aromas of peach and sweet Golden Delicious apple, some creamy oak tones, a little bit of ripe pineapple, light apple jam tones, a little bit of beeswax, a hint of sweet oak spice, a touch of honeysuckle and a faint smoky whiff of struck match. The wine feels broad, ripe and textural with a full body and complex flavors of apple jam, some ripe white peach, light woody notes of nutty oak spice, a little bit of beeswax, a hint of ripe Fuji apple and a faint, smoky touch of struck match. Despite the ripeness and sense of breadth, the wine shows surprisingly high acidity, making the overall feel wonderfully balanced with good sense of structure. The finish is ripe, long and lively with an intensely-flavored aftertaste of ripe citrus fruits and sweet Fuji apple, some woody notes of nutty oak, a little bit of beeswax, light smoky reductive tones, a mineral hint of wet rocks and a touch of creamy oak.
A rather big and ripe but also quite balanced and harmonious Chassagne-Montrachet. The wine manages to avoid the pitfalls of the warmer vintage, showing enough freshness and acidity to balance out the sweeter edge of the fruit and the sense of weight from the somewhat tactile, voluminous body. The overall style is maybe a bit bigger, richer and slightly more oaky than I'd like, but there's no denying this is a well-crafted, balanced and thoroughly enjoyable white Burg all the same. Although the wine is starting to show a little bit of age now at 10 years of age, I have no doubts this wine will continue to evolve and improve for many years more. Recommended.
(91 points) - 2010 Domaine Jean Chartron Puligny-Montrachet - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Puligny-Montrachet (10.4.2024)
100% Chardonnay from parcels planted between 1962 and 1973 in Puligny-Montrachet. Fermented and aged for 10 months in oak barrels (25% new, 75% used for 1-3 times). 13% alcohol.
Luminous and quite deep golden-yellow color. The nose feels rich, somewhat evolved and quite sweet-toned with aromas of browned butter and ripe apricots, some hay, a little bit of lactic diacetyl, light bruised apple tones, a hint of overripe pineapple and a touch of creamy oak. The wine feels lively, complex and moderately evolved on the palate with a medium body and layered flavors of stony minerality and bruised apple, some saline tones, a little bit of developed nuttiness, light lactic, buttery notes of diacetyl, a sweet hint of toasty oak spice and a touch of hay. The high acidity lends great sense of focus and structure to the wine. The finish is long, fresh and crunchy with an evolved, complex aftertaste of cooked cream and browned butter, some saline mineral tones, a little bit of bruised apple, light evolved nutty tones, hints of overripe pineapple and apricot and a touch of wet rock minerals.
A wonderfully complex, fresh and harmonious Puligny-Montrachet quite close to its peak. The wine shows quite a bit of age, but doesn't feel fully tertiary, so there's a tiny bit of room for additional evolution. I'm not the biggest fan of those sweet, lactic notes of diacetyl, but as they intermingle so wonderfully with the evolved notes of creamy oak, browned butter and sweet tertiary fruit flavors, I don't mind - this is a terrific wine all the same. Maybe the wine could be a bit heavy and clumsy if it weren't for that fresh, focused acidity that lends it so great sense of freshness, precision and structure. Now this is just more or less outstanding. Although the wine might continue to evolve, it doesn't call for any additional aging; it is smack in the middle of its drinking window right now.
(94 points) - 2006 Domaine Jacques Prieur Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Combettes - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru (10.4.2024)
100% Chardonnay from a 1,5-hectare plot in 1er Cru Les Combettes. Whole bunch pressed. Fermented and aged for 19 months in oak barrels.
Quite deep and rather intense burnished golden yellow color. The nose feels evolved yet fresh and wonderfully attractive with complex aromas of acacia honey and bruised apple, some stony mineral notes, a little bit of ripe pineapple, light creamy oak tones, a hint of beeswax, a touch of caramel and a toasty whiff of roasted nuts. Lots of things going on here. The wine feels evolved, complex and slightly viscous on the palate with a full body and layered flavors of roasted nuts and cooked cream notes of panna cotta, some stony mineral tones, a little bit of toasted bread with browned butter, light sweeter notes of ripe citrus fruits, tertiary hints of beeswax and toffee and a touch of salinity. The high acidity makes the overall feel fresh, focused and structured. The finish is rich, long and complex with an intense aftertaste of ripe red apple, some saline mineral tones, a little bit of cooked cream and browned butter, light nutty tones, a hint of caramel and a touch of pineapple.
A beautifully evolved, complex and wonderfully balanced aged white Burgundy. More or less at its plateau of maturity, this wine is now at that ideal spot of aged white Burgundy where there are lots of nutty and toasty tertiary notes yet more than enough fruit to keep things fresh and vibrant. With its bright, high acidity and wonderfully mineral overtones, this wine doesn't come across as one bit heavy, ponderous or tired, despite its evolved, toasty overall profile. I can understand some people want their white wines younger with more freshness, but to me, this is an archetypal example why someone would want to age their white Burgs. This is really the style of Burgundy I cherish.
(96 points)
Posted from CellarTracker