Vincent Dancer – 2013

24.11.2014billn

dancerI tasted in Chassagne with Vincent, the 22nd October, 2014.

Domaine Vincent Dancer
23 Route de Santenay
21190 Chassagne-Montrachet
Tel: +33 3 80 21 94 48+33 3 80 21 94 48
www.vincentdancer.com

The fit looking Vincent Dancer, and his friendly but less fit looking dog (with a bandaged paw) met me at the door at exactly 08h30. There was a bit of a chill in the air, but the cave was much warmer than the courtyard! Vincent has run the family’s vines since 1995 – his first harvest in 1996 – his father had chosen a different career-path, away from their vines. Vincent’s production was destined for the négoce until 2002. In 2003 he bottled for himself and already with his 2004 vintage was being acclaimed as a sympathetic winemaker.

The wines are all from domaine vines – Vincent doesn’t buy to augment his modest 6 hectares because he says “I work in a Bio way, so I would want grapes that met the same standards – it’s really much too difficult to get a guarantee like that.”

I’d followed the pictures he used to post on his website, for years – though sadly they are rarely updated these days. But I was reminded that a visit was long overdue when a friend mentioned that she had recently tasted with Vincent…

Vincent on 2013s:
“I think 2013 is a nice ‘traditional’ vintage with good freshness – I don’t really like heavier wines. It was helped by having a nice September for harvesting, and we harvested a roughly similar time to the 2004 and 2008 vintages – both of which I really like. The volumes are not really where I would like – more than 2012 but still not close to normal.”

The wines…

The 2013s are now in tank, still on their lees. Vincent plans to bottle his Bourgogne in November but all the other cuvées will wait until the springtime. This is a great cellar in 2013!

2013 Bourgogne
From two parcels of vines; one in Meursault and the other in Puligny.
The nose offers up pretty fruit with perhaps a faint leesy augmentation. Pretty fruit in the mouth too – a wine that’s very round but with ample acidity. Lovely extra intensity of flavour (for a Bourgogne) in the mid-palate. Tasty.

2013 Chassagne-Montrachet
The nose shows a faint reduction with some green herbs. Lovely texture – a wine that’s more lithe and flexible on the palate. Super energy coupled to a nice intensity.

2013 Meursault Le Corbin
From vines just under Santenots.
A classic, if slightly modest Meursault nose. Lovely freshness on the palate, showing both energy and focused detail. There’s a lovely peak of flavour again. Yum!

2013 Meursault Grands Charrons
From just under Tessons, older vines than the Corbin.
Hear is more obvious, cliché Meursault nose and one with impact! Lovely lithe and silky palate with a slow-burn undertow of acidity rather than overt energy of the Corbin. Fine depth of flavour.

2013 Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Tête du Clos
From the highest plot of vines within Morgeot.
A wide, fresh and faintly herbed, very fine nose. The flavour impression is lithe and obviously mineral. Like the Charrons, it’s a slow-burn undertow of acidity set against a beautifully silky texture. What’s not to love?! faintly saline in the lovely hooks of finishing flavour.
2013 Chassagne-Montrachet 1er La Romanée
Here the aromatic is quite tight, just a faint brioche to take in. Once more, rather mineral but with a little more intensity to burrow into your tongue. There’s still a peak of flavour to mount after you swallow – before a long diminuendo. Excellent!

2013 Meursault 1er Perrières
Vincent has very good neighbours; his vines sit between those of Lafon and Roulot.
The nose is wide and fresh – it’s a quite lovely aromatic. In the mouth I find this very interesting – weight without form – it seems to fill the mouth, without imposing a shape as it rolls and slides across the tongue. An understated acidity but a far from understated length. More contemplative than many here, but simply gorgeous wine.

2013 Chevalier-Montrachet
The nose has nice twist of reduction to go with an obvious minerality – like a stony waterfall. Ooh – shame! – a little CO2 to spoil my appreciation of the texture, but it cannot hide the concentration and intensity of this wine. Very complex, perfectly balanced, put simply – a rare treat!

Agree? Disagree? Anything you'd like to add?

Burgundy Report

Translate »

You are using an outdated browser. Please update your browser to view this website correctly: https://browsehappy.com/;