Jean-Philippe Fichet – 2013

Update 14.12.2014(24.11.2014)billn

fichetI tasted in Meursault with Jean-Philippe, the 21st October, 2014.

Domaine Jean-Philippe Fichet
2 Rue de la Gare
21190 Meursault
Tel: +33 3 80 21 69 34
www.domaine-fichet-meursault.com

It’s been a couple of years since I last darkend Jean-Philippe’s door, but I have to say that, having tasted his 2013s, it is with regret!

Jean-Philippe on 2013s:
“It was clear to me right from the start that the 2013s could be a little lighter and more expressive than I would prefer, so I immediately decidied that I was going to go for a long press program and make sure that I kept as much lees as possible to extract sufficient richness and deliver a little more punch. I’m always looking for a wine that’s mouth-watering and with a hint of salinity – I’m not really a great fan of overly rich wines. Actually, I’d rather have a wine with more material that doesn’t ‘degust’ so well at the start, than one that’s pretty but meagre.”

The wines…

The 2013s are now in tank, still on their lees. Jean-Philippe notes “I have some reduction but I’m happy with that, because the wines have had 12 months in barrel and then have another 6 in tank where I can oxygenate if I wish, should the reduction become at all marked.”

I have to say that most of these wines showed a slight reduction, but it’s not marked in a ‘gunflint’ way, rather a more ‘agrumes’ aroma and flavour – it’s actually quite tasty and inviting at the level that these wines currently show. This reduction (today) is partly due to the late maloactic fermentions experienced here by this vintage. That said, the reds are completely free of it and showed rather well.

One of the top cellars in Burgundy in 2013!

2013 Bourgogne Blanc
First elevage was in a mix of 500 and 600 litre barrels.
A hint of reduction and agrume. Here is lovely brightness and freshness. Wow – lovely intensity in the mid-palate with fine acidity. This is a beauty!
2013 Bourgogne Blanc Vieilles-Vignes
A similar nose of faint reduction/agrume. Again there’s beautiful acidity and clarity. The flavours builds to a punch in the mid-palate. Clearly longer with a more powerful finish.
2013 Hautes Côtes de Beaune
A roughly equal mix of fruit from Nantoux and Auxey-Duresses.
The nose, whilst similar to the last two wines, has a little more mass and depth. Ouf! This is intense! Fine acid impact here yet it’s smooth too. Brilliant!

2013 Monthelie
Again there’s a modest but becoming reductive tone that hints at agrumes. The acidity here is as good as the Hautes Côtes but with a little more mid-palate roundness and weight. Super balance and fine concentration too.

2013 Auxey-Duresses
Here the soil is more limestone and schist. It’s also a very well ventillated vineyard and usually the first of the domaine’s plots to be harvested.
There are a few herbs and a decent depth too. Oof – attack! This is super-intense yet with smooth acidity that’s packed in soft fruit. A little reductive flavour if not aroma – but lovely style here. This is much more mineral in the finish than earlier wines. Different, but lovely.

2013 Meursault
An assembly of 8 different parcels of vines.
A booming reductive tone slowly fades-out, leaving faint spice – but only wth swirling. Wide and silky. There’s an inner concentration here, roundness too. The fine acidity underpins it all. Very fine and very yum!

2013 Meursault Meix sous Château
From a Clos in the middle of Meursault village.
The domaine’s current reductive milieu is here also. In the mouth this is full, energetic and excellently grows in intensity and acidity.

2013 Meursault Gruyache
The vines here are more than 80 years old, and sut under Les Charmes.
There is faint reduction but also a faint and quite classic Meursault character. Fine acidity, but more import for this wine is the beautiful depth and texture. Super!

2013 Meursault Chevaliers
There is more reduction here, than most. A little CO2 spoils appreciation of the texture too – yet, what energy and intensity!

2013 Meursault Tessons
Ooh! Some pretty floral notes flash in and then out focus – this is quite engaging. Wide on the palate and again with super intensity. This is really lovely in a finely textured and slightly padded way. Gorgeous – and with super persistence too.

2013 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Les Referts
Also reduced on the nose and slightly more-so on the palate. Together with some CO2 this is easily the hardest wine to describe. That said, its structure, freshness and vivacity seem to offer lots of positives.

Les Rouges…

2013 Bourgogne Rouge
Medium colour. Picture-perfect, fresh pinot fruit nose. Really good intensity coupled to a slowly growing, floral, flavour dimension. This may be more suited to aperos but it is textbook, gorgeous, Bourgogne.

2013 Auxey-Duresses
The aromas are not unlike the Bourgogne, except they add a deeper register. There’s still a little prickle from the late-malo gas – but not enough to marr a really lovely palate of pretty red fruit. There’s a nice density to the finishing flavours too!

2013 Monthelie 1er Les Clous
Here is a beautiful, Volnay-esque nose. The palate shows a little too much gas for detail, but again there is a picture-perfect fruit presentation as the previous two wines. Overall, bright fruit and fine intensity.

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