TNs: Two weeks in France (Lyon, northern Rhone, Champagne, Paris)

[melvinyeo]

Apologies didn’t expect it to be this long, but hope this provides some good tea or bedtime reading!

TWO WEEKS IN FRANCE - (12/4/2024-24/4/2024)

My first proper wine trip and glad to have met old friends from my university days and people who have spent time in Singapore, fellow Singaporeans who made the wine trip together, strangers in restaurants and bars with a common love for wine, as well as new wine friends from forums and Instagram. I rarely feel emotional, but coming back from this trip has reinforced my view that people always make the place. I lost count of the times when a simple sharing of a glass of wine or an open discussion led to beautiful experiences; at L’Âme Soeur where we practically closed down the restaurant, visits to so many vignerons that made us feel welcome, at the many wine restaurants / shops that allowed me to cherry pick wines that I would never have gotten access to in Singapore (of course I faced many other rejections!).

Looking back at my tasting notes, think I can classify them into four categories:

(i) Unequivocally the best wines of my life (that turned out to be all champagnes and whites): '18 Bouchard Creux d’Enfer, '20 Dureuil-Janthial Rully Gresigny VV, '15 Ente Meursault, '15 Ramonet BBM

(ii) Wines that are fair value in France, but not worth their current asking price on secondary markets: Roulot, Mugneret-Gibourg, Cathiard, Lamy-Caillat, Labet, Dancer, Gangloff, Faurie, Les Horées, Pierre Peters, Brochet, Lurquin, Ledru

(iii) New discoveries: Jestin, Vincey, Lancelot, Huré Frères, Gaspard Brochet (ok I tasted a bottle before for the latter two, but tasting across the range was an eye-opener for me).

(iv) Old favourites that I was lucky to have visited: Gonon, Balthazar, Gilles, Vilmart, Bereche, Georges Remy,
Lunch at Au 14 Février
Great way to start off my first day in France. Good food at lunch, and the somm Yusuke was incredibly knowledgeable when I chatted to him. He said that Lamy-Caillat reminded him for old Ramonet, which I put to the test at dinner.

• 2019 Lamy-Caillat Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Champs-Gain - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru (12/4/2024)
  What was most immediately apparent about this wine was the concentration on both the nose and palate. Deep, perfumed nose of pure fruit without oak or reduction which isn’t common in Burgundy whites. Intense, mineral and ripe stone fruit with plenty of dry extract; had much tension that it felt like drinking battery acid. Tried the leftovers at dinner but didn’t show differently to lunch. Quite a singular wine which I think explains the prices, but not sure if it is fully warranted. Interestingly the somm Yasuke (who I completely trust after our conversations and apparently has the best palate in Lyon) said that Lamy-Caillat reminds him of old Ramonet. (93 pts.)
• 2017 Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Les Chaignots - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru (12/4/2024)
  So tight and dense at first, with the oak use and chalky tannins dominating. Dark red fruit that was rustic and earthy with some smoky spice. Was slightly disappointed by this as it was too powerful and robust; more NSG than Vosne. Thankfully when we revisited this after dinner it was absolutely singing; the power had integrated on both nose and palate to deliver a superb drive and finesse that was finally both M-G and 2017. (94 pts.)

Dinner at L’Âme Soeur
Was lucky to have found this restaurant off Star Wine List. A homely restaurant where everyone dining felt like family, with a love for good wine. Fantastic food as well, really reminded me of the restaurant where I did my workaway a few years back. Also glad to have shared these wines together with my leftover M-G, Lamy-Caillat and Labet from earlier in the day with my first couchsurfing host back in the day and @Phil_T_r_o_t_t_e_r who was an absolute hoot!

• 2015 Jean-Claude Ramonet Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru (12/4/2024)
  Wow I haven’t had the chance to have many Ramonets but thankful to have found this for a reasonable price off a wine list. This went through three phases; (i) reticent with only the signature Ramonet spearmint note showing, (ii) became more expressive but the vanilla note dominated, (iii) attained a perfect balance. Had so much of everything; loved how the fruit and structure were able to support the sheer weight of the wine (always a giveaway for a good GC). Rich, hedonistic, yet delicate at the same time. A haunting wine and one of the best whites I’ve tasted in my life. Also agree with a friend who said that warm vintage white Burgundies are better than reds. (96 pts.)
• 2017 Domaine Duroché Gevrey-Chambertin Champ - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin (12/4/2024)
  Duroché 2017s are absolute knockouts. His wines can tend towards rustic at times but this vintage is all about elegance which I love. Seamless on the palate with dark red, slight spicy fruit. Impressive length and charm for its level. (93 pts.)
• 2021 Pierre Gonon St. Joseph - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, St. Joseph (12/4/2024)
  Similar impressions to when I had this with Pierre at POB HK. A more approachable vintage that showed the usual Gonon elegance and restraint, combined with the classic northern rhone markers of blue fruit and savoury olive notes. (92 pts.)
• 2019 Domaine Labet Chardonnay En Chalasse - France, Jura, Côtes du Jura (12/4/2024)
  Leftovers from a aperitif at La Cave Café Terroir. Slightly worrying golden colour but the wine was fine. Ripe citrus fruit with a searing acidity and red apple fruit that made it slightly cider-like. Think this is his best cuvée but I prefer the Varrons based on this data point. (91 pts.)

Lunch at Le Passe Temps
Best meal of 2024 so far. Usually fusion can be tokenism or an utter mess but was very impressed by how the Korean elements were infused subtly, but clearly. All the dishes were immaculate but the desserts really surprised me. Was dubious about the comté cheesecake and the poached pear in ginger syrup but both turned out to be refined, elegant and understated like the other dishes. Also lucky to have chanced upon this Dancer.

• 2018 Vincent Dancer Meursault 1er Cru Les Perrières - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault 1er Cru (13/4/2024)
  Under DIAM. Was lucky to have gotten this, apparently they only received a bunch of Dancers a few days ago and this was one of three bottles. Thought this was similar in style to the Lamy-Caillat - tensile, pure citrus fruit but with slightly more weight and less electricity. Incredible power and energy, overall more well-balanced than the L-C. Another example of an excellent white in a warm vintage. Interestingly I shared the leftovers with a natural wine shop owner, and his first comment was that the wine was marked by its élevage. I agreed with him but I am more tolerant of oak in whites, and at least the sulphur wasn’t enough to kill a horse unlike some other Dancers. Still very young, but enough complexity to make it a compelling wine. (94 pts.)

Lunch at Burgundy by Mathieu
Clearly a wine list that had been pored over but these were still great catches, think the somm was jaded from Asians like me who wanted to cherry-pick off the list but opened up when I chatted to him more.

Also shared these two wines with Antoine, who generously hosted me for a night for a great dinner with his wife Isabelle. Also glad we managed to do lunch together the next day with visits to Rostaing and Gonon.

• 2015 Arnaud Ente Meursault - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault (14/4/2024)
  Wow only my third Ente and I have to say I think it is one producer which is worth the hype. Explosive nose with a perfect dose of oak. On the palate, ripe citrus fruit that pushed ripeness, but even in the warm vintage it had a zen-like precision and linearity. A very complete wine with a lot of everything, if you get what I mean, but with all the components in perfect harmony. Loved the poise, balance, and overall texture on this. (95 pts.)
• 2017 Domaine Robert Arnoux / Arnoux-Lachaux Vosne-Romanée - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vosne-Romanée (14/4/2024)
  Probably was my tenth choice (my first was a Felettig Reignots for a crazy good price, but alas it was sold out). Glad to have tried my first modern-ish A-L in any case. Deep, spicy nose with clear stem inclusion. Slightly candied cherry, raspberry fruit on both the nose and the palate, some semblance of the ethereal texture that he has been striving for. Very good, but definitely worth nowhere near the asking price. (93 pts.)

[melvinyeo]

Wines in northern Rhone
More successful wine hunting in Rhone restaurants. Great food and service as well, the somms are always extra friendly if you show an interest. Will also combine my tasting notes from visits from here since I didn’t do detailed notes for them.

First two tastings in northern Rhone were with two Cote-Rôtie stalwarts.

Clusel-Roch
Hosted by the very lovely Gaelle who brought us through 11 wines up and down their range. Highlights were undoubtedly the single vineyards La Viallière and Les Grandes Places; the former more elegant and the latter more structured. She also opened a 2010 Cote-Rotie (now Schistes) that was more open than the Grandes Places from the same vintage I had a couple months ago, but with less potential for further improvement.

Rostaing
Tour was done by a friendly American who has been working with the family since 2019. Unfortunately most wines (Cote Blonde ‘20, ‘21, La Landonne ‘21, La Viallière ‘19) were way too young. Powerful, tannic wines with concentration; good to garner points but don’t think I could drink more than a glass of. Think the Rostaings that I’ve loved had age and came from cooler vintages like ‘04 and ‘06.

The following visits were to four brilliant, passionate winemakers - Balthazar, Barge, Gilles and Gonon - who generously shared their time, knowledge, and wines. I mentioned to a few friends that I wanted to prioritise northern Rhone (and champagne) for my first wine trip since I didn’t have any contacts but still wanted to meet the winemakers rather than a commercial face, and it was still possible to do so with an email in these regions.

Barge and Gilles are two producers who should be familiar to northern Rhone fans, so glad to have seen them in the flesh. Stylistically they were quite similar with fresh, elegant and pure red fruit that was almost Pinot-like.

Barge
Had some time to kill so we dropped by Barge for a visit, which turned out to be a great decision. Julien was so passionate and shared candidly about his philosophy and vision, and the sacrifices to get there such as a recent large outlay on big barrels (~3500l if I heard correctly).

Wines were in contrast to Rostaing, they were so fresh and elegant despite the warmer recent vintages. The 2020 Coeur de Combard was an absolute knockout, and the 2021 St Joseph Clos de la Ribaudy a hidden gem. Loved the red-fruited nature of the wines here, and will definitely be seeking out more of his wines.

Gilles
One of the most underrated producers around and one that I have been following for some time, so was glad to taste through the ‘23 and ‘22 vintages with him (even though I felt bad for my friend that it was all in French). Everything here was so fresh, with pretty, slightly candied (in a good way) cherry fruit. Wines were so restrained that they were almost Burgundian, especially the Combeaux Massardières made from Gamay. Both Les Peyrouses and the Nouvelle R Les Rieux were approachable, but can go easily for 10 years based on previous experiences. Was lucky to taste the ‘23, ‘22 Chaillot from barrel, and ‘21 from bottle which were primary and tight, but have no doubt that they will integrate with time.

Two of the best visits in Rhone

Gonon
Good to see Jean again after meeting him at the POB event in HK, possibly the most gentle man on earth. We tasted through his ‘22 and ‘23s, but thanks to his generosity (he kept saying ‘je cherche’ and returned with more wines ), we got to try a few older vintages too. Said that his wines were always so consistent and thus easy to tell when blind, and he responded that it was reassuring to him. I also asked when did he find his style, was interesting to hear that he said it had been a long road of refinement since they didn’t have access to the big names when they were younger.

Onto the wines - ‘23 and ‘22 were warm vintages; the former was uneven and interspersed with rain, which resulted in juicy and fresh wines, whereas the latter was more uniformly warm that I found more structured. In contrast, consistent with my previous experiences, the ‘21 was more open-knit. Jean also kindly opened 2016 which I luckily nailed blind since it was warmed and structured (definitely one of my clutch guesses). My first experience with the 2013 which was cooler and more resolved with mellow olive notes. First time trying the whites too which were enjoyable and refreshing, unlike most Rhone whites.

Balthazar
Again glad to meet a familiar face after seeing Franck in Singapore last month. Tasted through his ‘23s and ‘22s. All I can say is to buy his ‘22s if you can find any - crazy purity of fruit with a linear drive. To be honest I didn’t understand the incense note on the nose before, but I did after this tasting. Similar story with the no sulphur cuvees (sans soufre and cuvee hommage), they definitely showed better from what we tasted in Singapore. Loved the pure, fresh raspberry fruit from all the cuvees. Also was no surprise that he revealed that he was good friend with Gonon - two men of the same ilk; honest, down to earth and absolutely mind-blowing wines.

• 2013 Pierre Péters Champagne Grand Cru Cuvée Speciale Blanc de Blancs Les Chetillons - France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru (16/4/2024)
  Off the list at Le Cerisier. Much more open than my first bottle three years ago. Rich, broad nose and mouth feel with brioche, citrus and pear notes. Very 2013 Chardonnay which is right up my alley; brilliant drive and salinity. Another one of those very complete wines with a lot of everything. Lucky to have gotten the last bottle, not sure if it is worth the current prices but a steal at 145€. (94 pts.)
• 2020 Bernard Faurie Hermitage Bessards - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage (15/4/2024)
  Off the list at Le Mangevin. Deep, structured nose with powerful dark red fruit and a little smoky bacon fat. Gained concentration and weight with time in the glass, and sucrosity on the second day. A lovely old-school, honestly made Hermitage that managed to avoid the excesses of the warm vintage. His last commercial vintage I believe. (93 pts.)
• 2020 Mathilde et Yves Gangloff Côte-Rôtie La Serene Noire - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie (16/4/2024)
  Off the list at Le Cerisier. My first Gangloff and another steal at €145. Took time to get going but with time in the glass in it showed the elegance and concentration of old vines. Incredibly purity to the fruit and refinement to the tannins. Fruit profile was similarly dark red to the Faurie but lighter; both spoke of their origins well. Such a sensual, yet restrained and balanced wine, but again not sure of its value proposition. (94 pts.)

[melvinyeo]

Day 1 in Champagne

Vilmart
Fantastic array of wines up and down the range as expected. We saw how the production was organised and it really shows in the wines - clean, precise and refined. The entry-level wines see bigger barrels, and the opposite for the higher-level bottlings. Most people should already know Vilmart’s idiosyncratic practices of oak, high dosage and no malo but the wines always turn out to be perfectly coherent and harmonious. Undoubtedly the star of the show was the ‘19 Grand Cellier d’Or that reinforced what a great vintage 2019 was, while the ‘16 Coeur de Cuvée and ‘15 Rosé Emotion were still reticent. Glad to have introduced my friends to Vilmart as I think their top cuvees remain a relative bargain.

Huré Frères
Fantastic tasting with François who gave his honest takes (which were absolutely on point). Don’t think there was a more fun visit this trip, but the wines were a superb discovery too since I didn’t have much experience with them before. Most of the range are under the Huré Frères label, other than the 4 Elements single vineyard, single varietal bottling under that is under Pierre and Francois Huré label. Clearly more grower in style than Vilmart - wines were crisp, refreshing and precise. Liked the L’Instantanée the most which continued to improve and gained richness over the next few days.

And after dinner at Chez Nous without any wine (a famous potato place in Reims apparently!), Phil and Sylvain retired to our Airbnb to share these two wines.

• 2009 Jestin Champagne - France, Champagne (17/4/2024)
  Generously shared by Phil. Almost golden in colour. A round, rich old-school champagne that gained precision and tension with air. Superb aromatics, delicate red fruit on the palate in spite of its power. Very good. (93 pts.)
• 2016 Leclerc Briant Champagne Collection Aline - France, Champagne (17/4/2024)
  Bought this at Au Bon Manger and was interesting to compare this with the Jestin since Herve consults at Leclerc Briant too. This 300-bottle cuvee was made in tandem with the owners of Au Bon Manger. Made in a taut Chardonnay style, was less expressive than the Jestin alongside on both the nose and palate. Needs more time. (91 pts.)

Day 2 in Champagne

Ruinart
As expected, quite a boring, generic visit to be honest other than the nice chalk caves. Didn’t like the wines either.

Georges Remy
Very lucky to have gotten in as Georges mentioned that he doesn’t accept many visitors. The tasting was completely in French but everyone enjoyed it; Georges was down-to-earth and candid in his sharing. Respect his decision not to be swayed by the hype and hike his prices despite his wines being sold out every year. Soft-spoken but a fountain of knowledge; he had worked in Bordeaux for many years before returning to the family domaine in 2014. Also was cool to have shared a glass with him at La Rotonde later in the same evening as the family was celebrating his daughter’s birthday.

Fantastic wines up and down the range - all zero dosage but the wines were perfectly balanced with superb tension and energy. All his wines are vinified in oak to give a rich texture. I’ve only tried the 4 Terroirs before so it was a great experience to taste through the single vineyards - my favourites were the stunning ‘19 Mont de Tauxières and Rosé Les Vaudayants. Also was my virgin experience for vin clairs, thought it was interesting that they are aromatic and floral almost like a Rhone white with more structure. Lastly, thought the red coteaux champenois had superb aromatics that could rival a Burgundy of pedigree.

Bereche
Was delighted to visit Bereche as it was another producer who I adore up and down the range. Was hosted by the lovely Emma, and it was cool that Raphael popped in for a quick chat at the end of the tasting. Was saying that the Brut Reserve was probably the best entry-level champagne that you can find, and the Campania Remensis is definitely in my top 3 favourite roses. We also tasted Le Cran which I love but don’t buy many since it has gotten a little expensive, but it was by far the best wine of the tasting with signature green apple notes and salinity. I told Raphael that the Reflet d’Antan was one cuvee that I didn’t understand as it was always too oxidative for me, and he was kind enough to open a 2015 for me to taste which was singing. He said the more recent iterations have dialed back the oxidation as the perpetual reserve was refined. This cuvee is magnum only from 2017 onwards.

After visits, we dropped by La Rotonde for a bottle of Raveneau and the Glue Pot for dinner, where Phil and Sylvain joined us for post-dinner drinks.

The Glue Pot is an institution that all Champagne vignerons are familiar with as their watering hole. Almost all that we visited told us to look for the owners Stefan and Ambre, who indeed were so warm and gave us top-class hospitality. Food was absolutely delicious too.

• 2012 François Raveneau Chablis 1er Cru Montée de Tonnerre - France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis 1er Cru (18/4/2024)
  Off the list at La Rotonde, the wine bar of Les Crayeres. Thick and viscous as expected of Raveneau, but the creamy oak dominated too much at the moment. Needs more time. (91 pts.)
• 2015 Marie-Noëlle Ledru Champagne Grand Cru Cuvée du Goulté Blanc de Noirs Brut - France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru (18/4/2024)
  First time trying this almost mythical producer. Very old-school champagne that had almost a rustic quality, agree with Benoit who said that it might come across as a little brutal. Also why I felt this was clearly Pinot with fresh but coarse strawberry fruit; though I could see why previous notes said it was Chardonnay-like because of the acidity. Again, I think the secondary market prices reflect the scarcity and the singular style of the wine rather than its quality, but off the list for 145€ was reasonable to me. (94 pts.)
• 2018 Aurélien Lurquin Champagne Les Milieux - France, Champagne (18/4/2024)
  85% Chardonnay, 15% Petit Meslier. Disgorged November 2022, zero dosage. Thankfully not very natural with no cider-like notes, but was rather light such that it came across as dilute compared to the more powerful Ledru alongside. Agree with Phil that I don’t quite understand the hype but was a good experience to taste this style. (91 pts.)
• 2021 Mathilde et Yves Gangloff Côte-Rôtie La Barbarine - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie (18/4/2024)
  Unlike the La Serene Noire which had to structure to back up the candied style, this had artificial, almost plastic-like candied red fruit. Did develop more structure with air achieve a better balance. (89 pts.)
• 2018 Domaine Roulot Meursault Les Meix Chavaux - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault (18/4/2024)
  Slightly flabby with honey and hazelnut on the first day, but when we retasted it the second day it had gained the textbook Roulot minerality that balanced out the sweetness. Better to cellar for some time. (92 pts.)
• 2012 Jestin Champagne Extra Brut Clos de Cumières - France, Champagne (18/4/2024)
  Generously shared by Phil. Felt less ready than the 2009 generic cuvee tasted the day before. Same rich, opulent style but this didn’t have the same length, which I think will come with time. Felt it had the same markers as the Ledru which was interesting since their styles are completely different - the latter resolutely traditional while Jestin is one of the biodynamic pioneers in champagne. (91 pts.)

Day 3 in Champagne

Philippe Lancelot
Fantastic visit with Philippe who was so passionate about his biodynamic philosophy. His wines are definitely natural-leaning but are more interesting for it. For lovers of a leaner, more red-fruited style; I could see some similarities with Leclapart. The wines were full of life, reflecting his fun, outgoing personality. Winemaking is mainly stainless steel but he has some small 110 litre barrels, and doesn’t stop malo. Tasted through Les Pommiers (100% Meunier), Le Fond Du Bateau, Les Hauts d’Epernay and Cramant. Liked the first two which were softer the best, whereas the latter two were a little too powerful for me (possibly because they see time in wood). Also was super cool to see a live disgorgement by Philippe. Thanks Phil for arranging!

Petit et Bajan
Hosted by the lovely Veronique who took us through the five wines in their range. All their wines are vinified in tank and hence showed a laser-sharp acidity and precision. Some were a little strict and would benefit from more time. My favourites were the Obsidienne (assemblage) and the Nymphaea (rose). The latter reminded me of Bereche’s rose with fresh strawberry fruit, which is the highest praise that I can give.

Took the Vincey at La Gare for lunch, and the Bergère for dinner at La Grillade Gourmande.

• 2019 Domaine Vincey Champagne Grand Cru Oger - France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru (19/4/2024)
  Off the list at La Gare. Been a producer that I’ve been trying to find for some time and I wanted to visit but unfortunately they were unavailable. However, it was a happy coincidence that Quentin and Marine were having lunch just at the next table and we managed to say hi.
  100% Chardonnay and everything I look for in a BdB. Powerful with lots of dry extract in its citrus and green apple fruit. At the same time, what I loved most was the drive and precision, topped off by a stunning finish. A very complete, delicious wine. Just a shame that they don’t export anything since production is so small, but definitely one of my discoveries of the trip. (94 pts.)
• 2012 A. Bergère Champagne Brut Prestige - France, Champagne (19/4/2024)
  Off the list at La Grillade Gourmande. Disgorged March 2022, 3g/l dosage. Yeasty and brioche notes on the nose, showed the weight and warm, supple fruit of 2012 that made it a delicious drink. Well-balanced. (93 pts.)

[melvinyeo]

[melvinyeo]

Day 4 in Champagne

Hebrart
So glad to have visited Jean-Paul who gave an informative and passionate tour. My love for Hebrart is well-known; have said multiple times that the entry-level BDB and rose would be my house champagnes any day of the week so glad my other friends loved the wines too. Interestingly, the rose is 20% of the total production which is high compared to other producers. Also found it interesting that he served the Rive Droite Rive Gauche and Noces Craies after the Special Club, but agreed with the sequence as those were a cut above in terms of complexity. The Special Club’s composition depends on the year; difficult years such as ‘17 and ‘23 were 100% Chardonnay since Pinot is a more delicate grape. Another well-known fact is that Hebrart uses MCR for the liqueur de tirage, which he said that costs 7 times more. The visit completely reinforced my impression that these are some of my favourite wines that represent incredible value.

Michel Gonet
Think others didn’t like this tasting so much but I thought for a house-style champagne that is going for ~30 euros, the wines offered fantastic value. Liked the Chardonnay wines the best; rich, toasty but with clean, zesty green apple fruit and a good backbone of acidity. Think this is a house on the upward trajectory as the recent vintages showed much better.

Had the Faury and Coqueret at La Table Kobus for lunch, and the rest of the wines at Sacre Burger for dinner (absolutely fantastic wine list and food).

• 2021 Domaine Faury St. Joseph Les Ribaudes - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, St. Joseph (20/4/2024)
  Off the list at La Table Kobus. Solid, no-frills northern Rhone. Does what it says on the tin - savoury, peppery blue fruit. Primary, but approachable now. (91 pts.)
• 2012 Benard Coqueret Champagne Millésieme - France, Champagne (20/4/2024)
  Off the list at La Table Kobus. Probably the only miss of the champagne trip - really bad, generic champagne that tasted like it was artificially sweetened. (80 pts.)
• 2019 Elise Bougy Champagne Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Chetillon de Haut - France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru (20/4/2024)
  Disgorged December 2022, no dosage, 1985 bottles produced. Was afraid that this would be strict based on previous notes but think this benefitted from an extra year before disgorgement. Quite open-knit with clean, saline stone fruit. There is no make-up at all to this wine, and to me this is natural winemaking its best. Everyone at the dinner table loved this. (94 pts.)
• 2014 Sylvain Cathiard Chambolle-Musigny Les Clos De L’orme - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambolle-Musigny (20/4/2024)
  Was singing immediately after pop and pour. Explosive nose of cherries and rose petals, silky and sensual palate of dark red fruit. Not the most complex, but so hedonistic and pleasurable. Agree with Benoit’s comment that the oak spice was more Vosne than Chambolle, would peg it as an excellent village-level wine. (93 pts.)
• 2022 Les Horées Bourgogne-Aligoté En Coulezain - France, Burgundy, Bourgogne-Aligoté (20/4/2024)
  Consistent with the 2019 I had two years ago. Ambitiously-made Aligoté that combined tropical fruit with electric acidity. Strong winemaking signature but my type of white. 64€ off the wine list but not worth anywhere near the secondary market prices. (93 pts.)
• 2022 Les Horées Bourgogne Le Vieux Sage - France, Burgundy, Bourgogne (20/4/2024)
  I haven’t tasted new Arnoux-Lachaux but I can imagine this is what it would taste like. Crazy aromatics from stem use, light and airy palate with incredibly pretty fruit. Not much depth but so gulpable. Again, good for 80€ off the wine list but not worth the insane prices now. (91 pts.)
• NV Jacques Picard Champagne Extra Brut Les Bénis - France, Champagne (20/4/2024)
  Gift from Phil. 100% Chardonnay. Base 2016, disgorged November 2022. 2g/l dosage, vinified in 350l barrels. More interesting than the Waris-Hubert alongside. Oxidative, slightly natty and wild but in a good way. (90 pts.)
• 2017 Waris-Hubert Champagne Grand Cru “Blanche” Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut Millésimé - France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru (20/4/2024)
  Bought from a quick visit to the winery. Made in a reductive BdB style with toasty and brioche notes, didn’t find this very compelling. (89 pts.)

Day 5 in Champagne / Lunch at L’Assiette Champenoise

Final day in champagne where we spent almost all of it at a superb lunch at L’Assiette Champenoise with Benoit. One of the best meals of my life, and almost life-changing wines.

• 2012 Hugues Godmé Champagne Grand Cru Les Bouquets - France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru (21/4/2024)
  Disgorged April 2022, no dosage. First time trying this producer and again very impressed by a 2012 grower. Warm, round red apple fruit that made me think it was Pinot-dominant but turned out it was 60-40 Chardonnay-Pinot. Nice intensity and length. Think 2012 in general is a good fit for zero dosage growers. (92 pts.)
• NV Champagne Gaspard Brochet Champagne Brut Non Dosé Pinot de Sacy Cochon Tome I - France, Champagne (21/4/2024)
  2020 base. 100% Pinot Noir, no dosage, disgorged January 2023. Only 551 bottles made. Pale salmon colour but not sure if this was meant to be a rose. Agree with Benoit’s note that this was so delicate and finessed that it was a wine that I fell in love with on the first sip, but the intensity grew as the wine finished in your mouth. What a wine. (94 pts.)
• NV Champagne Gaspard Brochet Champagne Mouton Tome I - France, Champagne (21/4/2024)
  2020 base. 100% Meunier, no dosage, disgorged January 2023. Only 573 bottles made. Benoit kindly let us open this despite having already tried this the previous day, and it was a good contrast with the Pinot de Sacy - while the former was delicate and elegant, this was delicate and powerful. I’ve generally found rose de saignées difficult since they can be structured and tannic, but this managed to balance the power with crunchy blackcurrant fruit. More intellectual but less seductive than the Pinot de Sacy; both equally impressive. (94 pts.)
• NV Guillaume Selosse Champagne Largillier Extra Brut - France, Champagne (21/4/2024)
  Don’t have much experience with Selosse but discussed with Benoit who said Guillaume is making more precise wines which are less variable than his dad’s. Golden in colour, still quite oxidative with precise citrus fruit. Good, but overall less interesting than the two stunning Gaspard Brochets. (92 pts.)
• 2020 Dureuil-Janthial Rully 1er Cru Gresigny Vieilles Vignes - France, Burgundy, Côte Chalonnaise, Rully 1er Cru (21/4/2024)
  Saw this on the wine list and there was no way I could pass this up, glad it was uniformly a hit with everyone. Again, generally agree with Benoit’s note below. Intense, expressive aromatics of white flowers and citrus fruit with very well-judged oak use. A very complete wine on the palate with all the individual components dialled up in terms of concentration and intensity, but so seamless at the same time. tylistically reminded me of a top Meursault. Another white with a lot of everything like the Ramonet and Ente earlier in the trip, and I think this was the best white that I’ve had on this trip among some tough competition. (96 pts.)
• 2015 Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Abbaye de Morgeot - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru (21/4/2024)
  One for the road before we left Champagne at L’Assiette. Very typical PYCM - ripe mix of tropical and citrus fruit but completely outclassed by the stunning Dureuil-Janthial. (91 pts.)

[melvinyeo]

And the final few days in Paris

Dinner at Clamato
Adjourned to Paris the same evening, had to wait for the second seating at Clamato, but managed to meet a lovely Canadian couple while waiting at Septime La Cave. Shared these bottles with them over a lovely dinner at Clamato.

• 2021 Domaine de l’Anglore Côtes du Rhône Comeyre - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Côtes du Rhône (21/4/2024)
  Off the list at Septime La Cave while waiting for Clamati. 100% Carignan, seems like they haven’t made this cuvee for some time. Serious and structured, grippy tannins. This producer makes some of the most serious natural wines (91 pts.)
• 2018 Jean-François Ganevat Les Grands Teppes Vieilles Vignes - France, Jura, Côtes du Jura (21/4/2024)
  Slightly cloudy, dark yellow in colour. Rich, honey notes with the typical Ganevat high-acid, high-octane citrus fruit. Ganevat in warm vintages is always a winner. (93 pts.)
• 2020 Wasenhaus Spätburgunder - Germany, Baden (21/4/2024)
  Very Burgundian, Vosne-like with spicy dark fruit. Some new-school stem use and crunchy dark red fruit with a solid backbone. (92 pts.)

Dinner at Petit Verdot
Met up with a few seasoned French wine amateurs who were absolutely great company and shared so much knowledge and great wines with me. Also happy to have whittled down the wines I bought in haste with them, and impressively they managed to guess most of them.

• 2019 Georges Remy Champagne Grand Cru Blanc de Noirs - France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru (22/4/2024)
  Bought at Caves du Forum in Reims. Serious, powerful champagne with red-fruited notes whilst remaining elegant at the same time. Some baking spice notes, texturally rich and pleasurable with a superb finish. Someone at the table impressively managed to nail everything except the vintage. (93 pts.)
• 2012 Philippe Lancelot 100 Pour Sang Le Terme Bazin, Ambonnay - France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru (22/4/2024)
  100% Pinot Noir from Ambonnay, disgorged May 2023, 4.4g/l. Only 1102 bottles made so was lucky that Phil let me take two! Brought to compare with the Brochet, this had more delicate raspberry fruit and elegance (which was surprising as Phil said this was structured when he tasted it). Tannins were managed very well to have a saline drive as the focus of the wine. (92 pts.)
• 2020 Emmanuel Brochet Champagne Rosé de Saignée - France, Champagne (22/4/2024)
  Bought at Caves du Forum in Reims. So much foam on the mousse that we wondered if the restaurant didn’t wash off the soap from the glass properly! A powerful, vibrant, but structured champagne that needs food. Tannins were more obvious on this one. Even split on the table between the Lancelot and Brochet. (92 pts.)
• 2018 Domaine Roulot Meursault - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault (22/4/2024)
  Was lucky to buy this in Lyon for a great price. Unlike Les Meix Chavaux from the same vintage tasted a few days ago, this was good to go with all the signature Roulot markers of stony, mineral notes with a hint green apple. (94 pts.)
• 2003 Domaine Roulot Meursault Les Luchets - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault (22/4/2024)
  From a bottle that has been cellared by a collector in France. Unfortunately completely shot, tasted like sherry. NR (flawed)
• 1959 Domaine des Comtes Lafon Volnay 1er Cru Santenots-Du-Milieu - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Volnay 1er Cru (22/4/2024)
  The collectors in France kindly wanted to do a side-by-side comparison of old Burgundy and Rhone since I mentioned they converged with age, but this pair was easy to tell apart since the Burgundy had higher acidity and cooler red fruit. Guessed both to be from the 1970s and was shocked that they were two decades older, I felt this was autumnal rather than tertiary. Apparently this Lafon should have showed even more youthfully!
• 1955 Château Mont-Redon Châteauneuf-du-Pape - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (22/4/2024)
  The higher alcohol on this made it an easy tell that this was a CDP instead of Burgundy, but had fresher red fruit compared to the Lafon. Still very much alive and kicking, and unrecognisable from the CDP of today. Think all of us preferred this to the Burgundy.
• 2022 Morgane Turlier Vin de France La Miotée - France, Vin de France (22/4/2024)
  Bought a couple of cuvees from Vin d’Anges in Lyon for 30€ and wanted to share a bottle with Laurent who tipped me off about this producer. Cloudy in colour, lots of VA and acidity but not offensively so - think I could drink this as a casual, fun wine. Reminded me of the Overnoy that I’ve tried so I said we could just buy this, but was shocked at the current WS prices for the few bottles that are being sold. (92 pts.)
• 1996 Domaine Guillemot-Michel Mâcon-Villages Selection de Grains Cendres - France, Burgundy, Mâconnais, Mâcon-Villages (22/4/2024)
  This was shared alongside a 1930s Muscat (which was a generic negoce wine) to end off the dinner. I thought this was a Sauternes from the colour until the rest said that there wasn’t any Sauternes marker. Eventually, someone managed to impressively nail this as a sweet Mâcon white because of the white truffle note. Honey and apricot notes but with higher acidity than a Sauternes, this was very enjoyable. Not produced anymore, leaving Bongran as the other famous producer that still makes a sweet from this region. As for the older Muscat, it was completely brown but with still surprisingly vibrant fruit.
• 2018 Roses de Jeanne / Cédric Bouchard Champagne Rosé de Saignée Creux d’Enfer - France, Champagne (22/4/2024)
  Alas we were not done, I asked for the wine list and saw this and immediately asked for it - thankfully Hide was willing to let go of his last bottle. Barely any bubbles and didn’t feel like a saignée, in fact the fruit was so pure, fresh and weightless it reminded me the texture of the best Burgundies. Chiselled, precise and elegant, absolutely outstanding and the best champagne that I have drunk on this trip. (96 pts.)

Other wines in Paris
Paris wasn’t so productive for wine-hunting compared to Lyon, Rhone or Champagne but managed to find these off the list of various restaurants.

• 2016 Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg Vosne-Romanée - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vosne-Romanée (22/4/2024)
  Lucky to take the last bottle of this at Bistro Volnay for 175€. Similar to the ‘17 Chaignots last week - started off dense and a little rustic, but with time the silky structure emerged. More refined than NSG but would benefit from more time. (93 pts.)
• 2007 Domaine Ghislaine Barthod Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Charmes - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru (22/4/2024)
  Off the list at Tan Dinh. Fantastic selection but prices here were mostly marked to market, glad to have found this for 185€. Sweet, autumnal dark red fruit on both the nose and the palate; agree with a previous note that mentioned surmaturité. Oak and tannins quite resolved with delicate (but not tertiary) floral notes. Always a great feeling to drink a good Burgundy at its peak. On a side note, the owner was really friendly and said he has been collecting wine since 1968! (93 pts.)
• 2016 Alexandre Filaine Champagne “Cuvée Sensuum Vertigo” Brut - France, Champagne (23/4/2024)
  Off the list at Caves Legrand for 217€, a little on the high side compared to some bargains on the list but I’ve been searching for this for some time. A filigreed, balanced champagne with precise red fruit. Started off round and rich with slightly oxidative and yeasty notes, but with time it gained elegance and became more vinous. A very contemplative champagne which I liked a lot. (94 pts.)
• 2021 Domaine de l’Anglore Tavel - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Tavel (23/4/2024)
  Off the list at Le Baratin for 51€. Similar to my previous bottle in Singapore but felt fresher - think that natural wines drunk in France have more energy, which made this fun and serious at the same time. (93 pts.)
• 2021 David Moreau Santenay 1er Cru Beaurepaire Rouge - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Santenay 1er Cru (24/4/2024)
  By the glass at Montee. New-school style with explosive floral aromatics and juicy red fruit, but still had good structure. Good restraint from the cooler vintage. Big fan of what this producer is doing and think this is a step up from his 2017s, as he has evolved to a more red-fruited, less rustic style. (92 pts.)

[Phil_T_r_o_t_t_e_r]

@melvinyeo

Another white with a lot of everything like the Ramonet and Ente earlier in the trip, and I think this was the best white that I’ve had on this trip among some tough competition. (96 pts.)

Wow! High praise considering the Ramonet we had. But I’m not surprised, I’m a big fan of Dureuil-Janthial.

@melvinyeo

Very Burgundian, Vosne-like with spicy dark fruit. Some new-school stem use and crunchy dark red fruit with a solid backbone. (92 pts.)

I only tried the 2021 which was quite austere and thin. I need to try other vintages.

@melvinyeo

Tannins were managed very well to have a saline drive as the focus of the wine.

Great news! I’ll try another. Our US importer is having a tasting soon.

@melvinyeo

Chiselled, precise and elegant, absolutely outstanding and the best champagne that I have drunk on this trip. (96 pts.)

I don’t doubt that for a minute! Love Cédric Bouchard!

What a trip! You did this right my friend. I’m so glad to have had a chance to share some time with you and your friends. You’ll always be welcome, wherever I am. Cheers!

[DanielP]

Good stuff! Just ate at au fevrier in lyon earlier this week.

[AndyK]

Great trip report, thanks for sharing!

[J_Rock]

Great trip and great report!

I tried going to Huré Frères recently but he was busy. Enjoyed the bottle of Rose I had in a restuarant though.

I enjoyed the wines at Rostaing. I thought the 2019 and 2021 CRs were young and rather primary (as expected), but nicely polished and not overly tannic given the region. Even the '23 Cote Blonde barrel sample wowed me.

When you were at Gonon did Jean open an older Les Oliviers? He opened a '12 for us which really, really impressed me. I’m not sure if he normally opens something like this or if it was because I was so interested in the white and asked how they aged.

[melvinyeo]

@Phil_T_r_o_t_t_e_r Likewise, glad to have spent so much time in your company on this trip. Hope to visit Montreal one day as I haven’t been to Canada!

@J_Rock Think we visited producers that made wines in a lighter, red-fruited style so Rostaing suffered in comparison. As for Gonon, he didn’t as I don’t think we asked that much about the white even though I thought that they were the best Rhone whites that I tasted (not usually a fan, hence the lack of coverage in my report). The oldest white he opened was '18 I believe that I thought to be much older, which proves my lack of knowledge on the subject!

[gavin.f]

Melvin, I’ve so enjoyed reading your report. Know how much time this takes, so thank you. I leisurely went through over the last hour while enjoying, ironically, a beer by Colombia.

So glad to hear that in Champagne and Rhone it is still possible to have a genuine experience with the winemaker. We went to champagne last in '22 and had a very similar experience. Have not made it to the Rhone yet and hoping it does not change! btw - had Gonen '21 Les Iles Feray last week, very open knit and lovely right now.

[Barry_L_i_p_t_o_n]

Great report!

And way to rock those plaid pants!!

[Jeremy_Holmes]

Looks like a very successful trip, Melvin. Thanks for taking the time to write it up.

kind regards
Jeremy