But that’s another week without any gas needed for the central heating – 23-24°C in downtown Beaune this week:
Of course, so far, there have been some vignerons to see 🙂 Of course, you will meet them in the coming Burgundy reports…
I may have taken a couple of days out of my Burgundy tasting schedule but as you might see, not all of Burgundy was taken out of my days 😉
On Friday, the only place in Switzerland that wasn’t rainy was Ticino – so we took a trip to Lugano and Morcote – pizza for lunch! We returned via Luzern’s Wilden Mann restaurant. Saturday with family, starting with an impeccable Montrachet – so young with firework reduction and still some creme brulee. Then followed the 1962 Nuits 1er Clos des Forêts St.Georges. This dates from the time, before l’Arlot, of Domaine Belin. When Axa bought Belin, the old cellar of Belin wasn’t included in the sale. For some time the cellar, containing many wines from the 1960s, resided with Domaine Louis Max in Nuits – where a name change appeared during covid times. I have an appointment to get a bit more info on what’s afoot with Louis Max (by another name…)
Anyway, about 10 years ago I asked, chez Louis Max, if I could buy some 1962 Clos des Forêts and they said they would get back to me. It turned out that not all the old bottles were in the best shape, but they decided to put two (and a bit!) good ones together, with a dab of sulfur, and make a magnum – well, I couldn’t turn down the opportunity! And you know what? 10 years later it was brilliant. All the concentration and sweet depth of flavour that I’ve found characterises the 1962 vintage – only the first couple of sips suggested a faint oxidation – and then it was gone. It’s a simple measure of whether a wine is good or not – it was drunk to the last few millilitres of its earthy sediment – and only 3 of us were drinking! Brilliant – simply a joy!
Domaine Henri Boillot 2021 – en primeur
As always, from my local Swiss merchant who makes this offer about the same time each year.
I leave you with the 2020, 2019, 2018 and the 2017 pricing in brackets.
With anywhere between minus 90% and minus 50% volume for whites in 2021 – hence so many missing cuvées in this offer – you didn’t expect it to go down did you?
— = not offered
*Bourgogne Chardonnay 2021 75cl 33.00 (29.00, 29.00, 26.00, 23.00) Swiss Francs
St.Aubin 1er 2021 75cl — (55.00, —)
Meursault 2021 75cl 68.00 (—)
Meursault Les Gouttes d’Or 2021 75cl — (105.00, 95.00, —)
Meursault Clos Richemont 2021 75cl 149.00 (115.00, 105.00, —)
Meursault Les Genevrières 2021 75cl — (129.00, 125.00, 115.00, 108.00)
Meursault Les Perrières 2021 75cl — (138.99, —, 125.00, 115.00)
Puligny-Montrachet 2021 75cl 68.00 (58.00, 58.00, 55.00, 52.00)
Puligny-Montrachet Folatières 2021 75cl 149.00 (135.00, 125.00, —)
Puligny-Montrachet Les Combettes 2021 75cl — (135.00, 125.00, 115.00, 108.00)
Puligny-Montrachet Les Perrières 2021 75cl 149.00 (129.00, 115.00, 115.00, 108.00)
Puligny-Montrachet Clos de la Mouchère 2021 75cl 149.00 (138.00, 128.00, 115.00, 108.00)
Corton Charlemagne 2021 75cl 248.00 (205.00, 188.00, 175.00, 168.00)
Montrachet 2021 75cl — (945.00, 895.00, 845.00, 795.00)
Volnay Les Chevrets 2021 75cl 89.00 (89.00, 89.00, 89.00, 89.00)
Volnay Les Caillerets 2021 75cl 99.00 (99.00, 99.00, 99.00, 99.00)
Clos de Vougeot 2021 75cl 208.00 (185.00, 179.00, 169.00, 158.00)
Echézeaux 2021 75cl 259.00 (239.00, 229.00, 229.00, —)
Latricières-Chambertin 2021 75cl 330.00 (—)
Bonnes-Mares 2021 75cl — (350.00, 330.00, 319.00, 298.00)
Chambertin 2021 75cl — (350.00, —, 319.00, 298.00)
*The price you see is ‘delivered’ but ex 7.7% Swiss purchase tax.
As Dan and Mike, in the comments, were interested. Here are some notes from a previous post plus some other bottles too:
2019 Berthaut-Gerbet, Bourgogne Hautes Côted de Nuits
Medium-plus colour. Perfumed with dark-red fruit. Nicely sweeping lines from this middle-weight wine, a wine that was drunk in one evening – elegant and pure. it really hit the spot
Rebuy – Yes
1993 Comtes Lafon, Volnay 1er Santenots de Milieu
A cork that came out like the wine was just 2 years old – a loud ‘pop!’
A wide, structural, interesting and super-clean nose. Like the nose a structural wine, wiry, some minerality here too. Just a little austere but beautifully boned – I wouldn’t hesitate waiting 2-3 more years for this, I have the feeling it’s not going anywhere fast!
Rebuy – Maybe
1999 Marquis d’Angerville, Volnay 1er Fremiet
Here the nose is showing some leathery characteristics – it’s not got the Volnay purity that I like. On the palate, however, this is lovely; more floral and elegant than the Lafon and simply delicious today – its structure is less obviously visible. Delicious but not the best aromatic.
Rebuy – Maybe
2018 Charles Lachaux, Vosne-Romanée
The current pricing of these wines is eye-watering but we took this from a wine list and tried to keep an open mind. We were rewarded!
Very modest colour – it could be a 2017. Aromatically captivating! What a fabulous and elegant, frankly ethereal, perfume – yes! It’s the same on the palate too – ethereal, intoxicatingly perfumed, elegant wine. It transcends AOC – it doesn’t have the weight or concentration of a grand cru but most grand crus don’t satisfy as this wine did – a little marvel!
Rebuy – I wish!
1986 Romanée-Conti, Grands-Echézeaux
The cork came out in one – not bad with this age!
Another wine with super perfume – more complex and more rugged than the Lachaux – but doesn’t quite transport you to another dimension like that wine. In the mouth, this is an old lady – all in place, easy to drink – not special (like the nose) just a fine and satisfying drink. On its way down, I think, but still very good.
Rebuy – no, it’s no-longer worth the tariff
2001 Georges Mugneret, Clos de Vougeot
I bought three of these on release. The first I opened about 5 years ago and it wasn’t a very interesting bottle. Has 5 more years made a difference?
Not a forceful nose but one with some pretty floral elegance. The flavour profile is similarly floral; the structure present though modest for a Clos de Vougeot. Not an amazing grand cru but certainly a delicious wine!
Rebuy – Maybe
2001 Louis Jadot, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Clos St.Jacques
Like the previous wine, my last one of these was unsatisfying – in this case seemingly muddied and bretty – this was altogether better.
Airy, partly floral – good complexity with plenty of maturity starting to show. Engaging, open wine. Like the Mugneret a 2001 that’s very much on the elegant scale but delivers satisfying complexity, texture and length. That’s a lovely wine – I have much more hope for my remaining bottles.
Rebuy – Yes
2019 Françoise Andre, Corton-Charlemagne
A little on the young side – both aromatically and from the flavour perspective – just a little tight. Yet, engaging and fun to drink, all the same. The finish impresses. To see again but very good.
Rebuy – Maybe
2x 2017 Chablis
Great to compare and contrast the VV from Gilbert Picq with the wine of Laurent Tribut:
The Picq, as most of my wines from them, is just a bit young and tight – I feel the shape and love the clarity but a wine to be more patient with than the example that I set. To the contrary, Tribut’s wines often seem to have that little extra pizzaz at the same stage – maybe the lack of (stated!) VV in this case – but here’s a wine that is already drinking deliciously; structural and deliciously mouthwatering. For a villages – absolute class.
Rebuy – yes, one to keep and one to drink
2017-2019 Coche-Dury, Meursault
Not everyday drinking, for sure, but with occasional friends in town and a restaurant that sells locally for about 25% of retail, there are some opportunities here 😉
The first I tasted was the 2018; clearly a good wine, in fact a very good wine, but I didn’t really see the Coche-ness with this one. Delicious but a hard sell even at this price. No problem, a couple of weeks later it was sold out! So then came the 2019 – and wow! This is a beauty, subtly rippling muscle and signature reductive elements – now we are talking. But given that my acquaintances had drunk too many bottles of this, our host has removed it from the wine-list, worried that it will be sold out long before it is possible replenish stocks with the 2020s. However! They had done similar with 2017 and there is still some of this, only for an increased tariff, now €300! I can honestly say that this is also the real deal – precise and very Coche. Another beauty.
Rebuy? – I’d happily drink any of them but I’d only buy 2 of them!
2019 Jeremy Recchione, l’Ambroise
An interesting assemblage of aligoté and gamay (70%). Zero added sulfur
Still plenty of colour. A nose that’s not the height of interest but still intriguing. In the mouth this is quite direct and has a flavour profile that’s hard to pin down. Drinkable for sure but just a little anonymous in style – and you know that burgundy addicts like to be able to put their finger on a map when it comes to wines.
Rebuy – No
2016 Maison Harbour, Gevrey-Chambertin La Justice
A nice wax top to this bottle – I know some buyers don’t like this – but I do 🙂
Relatively pale colour. The nose and flavours are hardly even those of middle-weights but the fragrance and perfume in the flavours is lovely. As the wine reacts to the air, structurally it becomes just a little jarring, structurally, in the middle and finishing flavours – a nod to the difficult 2016 vintage – but still great perfume.
Rebuy – No
That’s enough for now – but later today I’ve a 2016 Juliénas to check in on 😉
I’m very sorry to hear that we lost a good wine friend.
Yesterday, Alex Brault left us tragically early.
For a number of years, he was an integral part of Alex Gambal’s (yes, two Alexes!) operation in Beaune. When Gambal decided his time was up in Burgundy, Alex Brault entertained the idea of making a bid but he soon realised that he had no chance when the Boisset company became the prime suitor.
Alex was undaunted and set up his own operation in Meursault – and he was making some lovely wines.
Only a few hours before I got the news, I’d put him on my list of producers I’d like to visit over the next weeks…
He was one of the good guys…
From my usual Swiss merchant. Prices for Groffier’s 2019s, 2018s, 2017s, 2016s and 2015s in the brackets, — indicates not offered…
Domaine Robert Groffier 2020
Gevrey-Chambertin Les Seuvrées 75cl 119.00 (115.00, 95.00, 89.00, 89.00, 79.00) *Swiss Francs
Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Hauts Doix 75cl 209.00 (209.00, 205.00, 169.00, 159.00, 146.00)
Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Sentiers 75cl 229.00 (229.00, 205.00, 199.00, 179.00, 158.00)
Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Amoureuses 75cl —, (590.00, 399.00, 399.00, 349,00)
Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru 75cl —, (590.00, 399.00, 399.00, 349.00)
When you don’t see the price of the last two, you almost have the impression that the wines are cheap 🙂
*As usual, these are delivered prices but without the Swiss purchase tax of 7.7%
As always, from the same Swiss supplier each year. Priced in Swiss Francs (chf)
Image (right) courtesy Domaine Leflaive:
DOMAINE LEFLAIVE 2021 – Puligny-Montrachet
In brackets are the prices for 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016 & 2015 – though most of the 2018 prices are missing (—), sorry …
THE ENTRY WINES
Bourgogne 75cl 74.00 (69.00, 55.00, 49.00, 45.00, 42.00, 38.00)*
Puligny-Montrachet 75cl 129.00 (119.00, 99.00, —, 89.00, 82.00, 69.00)
PREMIER CRUS
Puligny-Montrachet Les Clavoillons 75cl 195.00 (185.00, 148.00, 139.00, 128.00, 118.00, 89.00)
Meursault Sous Le Dos d’Âne 75cl 195.00 (185.00, 148.00, —, 128.00, 118.00, 99.00)
Puligny-Montrachet Les Folatières 75cl — (—, —, —, 198.00, 185.00, 145.00)
Puligny-Montrachet Les Combettes 75cl — (—, —, —, 198.00, 185.00, 185.00)
Puligny-Montrachet Les Pucelles 75cl 475.00 (385.00, 299.00, —, 259.00, 245.00, 195.00)
GRANDS CRUS
Bienvenues Bâtard-Montrachet 75cl 895.00 (—, 595.00, —, 498.00, 459.00, 325.00)
Bâtard-Montrachet 75cl 1,040.00 (890.00, 648.00, —, 565.00, 498.00, 348.00)
Chevalier-Montrachet 75cl 1,350.00 (1,190.00, 840.00, —, 695.00, 685.00, 445.00)
*As always the Swiss purchase tax (7.7%) is not included but otherwise, these are delivered prices.
Well, not only do they have an expensive new cuverie to pay for, they also have only a tiny, tiny volume of 2021s to sell!
Well, it’s been quite some time that a big pile of money has been looking for a new home!
Last week at the press conference of the Hospices de Beaune, a fellow ‘writer’ asked me if I’d heard about a billion euro transaction to buy Louis Jadot and then they jinked and said ‘or maybe Bouchard Père!‘ – Well, what could I do with that?
Then came this yesterday – no links, no other information, and at least as far as Google was concerned, nothing to corroborate. So, still nothing that I was going to go out on a limb to publish. But today, Bourgogne Aujourd’hui and Wine Spectator had the press release:
“François Pinault’s Artémis Domaines—the owner of Bordeaux’s Château Latour, Burgundy’s Clos de Tart and Napa’s Domaine Eisele Vineyard—is buying a majority stake in Maisons & Domaines Henriot, which owns Bouchard Père & Fils in Burgundy, William Fèvre in Chablis, Maison Henriot in Champagne and Beaux Frères in Oregon. The Henriot family will become minority shareholders in the combined company.”
The amount of money involved in this transaction has not been disclosed but the magic billion is on many peoples’ lips.
But let’s turn the clock back to 1995 when the Henriot family from Champagne bought Bouchard Père for an estimated, at the time, $50 million. This was a time when Bouchard was in the doldrums – both the company and their wines – losing money despite having 90 hectares of their own vines – today it’s more like 130 hectares – oh and not to forget their cellar of more than 6 million bottles came with the sale. Three years later, Henriot added Domaine William Fevre in Chablis to their family of wineries. Since the purchase of William Fevre, a whole generation of wine-writers have seen Fevre and Bouchard as domaines joined at the hip.
And the nice little earner?
With a little under 0.9 of a hectare, Bouchard Père is the third largest owner of Montrachet. In the current climate of (Burgundy) vineyard valuations, those vines alone have, possibly, a value of 150-200 million Euros. With that context, a billion Euros might just seem a little cheap don’t you think? I think you can safely expect that the price of (their) Beaune will be on the up!
As an (obvious) addendum to the Artemis/Henriot announcement, on this same day, came the announcement that the previous head of Bouchard Père – Thomas Seiter – was taking on the position of President at Louis Jadot in Beaune, replacing (the retiring) Pierre-Henry Gagey, whose son, Thibault Gagey, will be taking on the role of Jadot’s ‘Directeur-Générale.’
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