A super-successful, eclectic, bunch of wines this weekend…
2017 Sylvain Pataille, Marsannay Blanc Chardonnay Rose
I’d already tasted one with him last week, but as I was leaving his cellar Sylvain thrust this unlabeled bottle into my hands – and why not! ‘Chardonnay rose’ is a mutation of chardonnay that seems to be found only in Marsannay. Sylvain Pataille noted that he had these pink grapes amongst the usual yellow-green as far back as 2002, and since then he’s decided not just to propagate this mutation, he’s also planted them at high density – 2014 was his first vintage for this cuvée.
A little roundness and silky texture to this wine – freshness and purity that not everyone manages to achieve with whites in this village – there differentiator, I think, versus ‘normal’ chardonnay, is that there is a more overt floral flavour-aroma – or as Burghound used to say ‘inner mouth perfume.’ Very easy – and delicious – wine to drink without ever seeming to be outstanding in a particular direction…
Rebuy – Yes
2005 Dubreuil-Fontaine, Volnay
As I tell you every time, there’s a lot of 1er cru juice in this wine, and as I also tell you every time – this is one of those very, very tight 2005s – since the beginning – except…
What’s this? A much more open nose than I remember ever from this cuvée. In the mouth it has the silky directness that I’ve come to expect – and almost appreciate – but for the first time, this wine is starting to widen over the palate, flavour that’s beginning to melt, offering mouth-watering deliciousness – if still in a direct form. The fruit is that supposedly classic but actually quite rare thing in Burgundy – strawberry – actually a lovely airy flavour. Easily the best outing for this wine – it’s only taken about 13 years since bottling – so far!
Rebuy – Yes
2013 Comte Liger-Belair, Vosne-Romanée Clos du Colombière
Modestly coloured. The nose and palate are very airy and have slight firework reduction – just like all the 2012s did. This is always the lighter, more airy of the Louis-Michel’s Vosnes. Open, tasty, only very slowly losing that vibration of reduction. Importantly, it’s very delicious wine – but don’t come here for impact or concentration.
Rebuy – Yes
2015 JC Bessin, Chablis 1er Fourchaume La Pièce au Comte
Of all this weekend’s wines, this takes the crown. A wine that’s intense, sparkling with personality and just so pure and complex – the vintage adding a hint of charm that’s probably still missing in the domaine’s 2014. Long, saline – but a wine that sparkles with complexity – bravo!
Rebuy – Yes
2017 Alice et Olivier de Moor, Bourgogne Chitry
I’m ashamed to say, that we drank this rather quickly – so a proper tasting note is out of the question 2 days later – but the lasting impression was of a sweetly mineral wine of fine texture – delicious wine!
Rebuy – Yes
I live at 580m in Switzerland, so unsurprisingly, my vines are a week or-so behind those of the Côtes – but they are coming on:
Chardonnay…
Pinot…
This afternoon, as I was leaving Beaune, I saw Blair Pethel – pictured doing what he loved – and he looked in good spirits. I stopped my car and we started to chat but then (of-course!) with no room to pass, other cars started to form a queue behind me – I quickly had to say ‘Ciao!’ – before we got into any nitty-gritty.