Tasted with Isabelle Collotte in Marsannay-la-Côte, 24 April 2019.

Earl Collotte
44 Rue de Mazy
21160 Marsannay-la-Côte
Tel: +33 9 63 50 33 42

Isabelle on 2018:
“2018 was good for us – very hot and dry in the summer. The vinifications started well, and we are still happy because they taste good already!”

Isabelle on 2017:
“Wow! A lovely return to some volume of course after the 2016s. Even the Bourgognes taste great. People like the wines too – most are sold – but we’ve kept some for the local restaurants. I think that the quality is there – and we have nice acidity too.”

The wines…

No heart-stopping wines in 2017, but a really consistent delivery of excellent, delicious wines. Well-done!

All destemmed, cooled, and in 2017 there was remontage but no pigeage. A little warming for the last days then 25% new oak for elevage – all are treated the same “This is important for us, to properly show the terroirs…”

2017 Bourgogne Rouge
Vines in Marsannay and Chambolle – mainly Champ Forey, some Auvone too.
Hmm – silky and some weight of aroma – almost a little tea aroma – but in a good (English Breakfast!) sense. Full, supple, tasty and concentrated – a delicious wine with chunky but tasty fruit. Tasty wine – simple pleasures are made of this…

2017 Marsannay, Champs Salomon​
Deep colour. Dark fruit – but a fine texture to this fruit, very faintly spiced too. More open, more class to the flavour – sweetly delicious – with weight but also freshness of flavour. Just a little lick of finishing tannin too – but no grain.

2017 Marsannay Clos de Jeu
Plenty of colour again. Deep, dark-fruited again, a hint of spice too – but these are silky aromatics. More structural on the palate but also more open – lovely bubbling energy in the middle and finishing well – particularly good this delicious finish – excellent wine!
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2017 Marsannay Boivins
Another deep nose, almost a suggestion of coffee here. Open like the last, a little more depth of concentration and mouth-watering flavour – the middle flavours seem less open but only due to the extra concentration. Moreish flavour with a touch of floral – yum! – Really!

2017 Marsannay Grasses Têtes
The First vintage, there will be more in 2018. There was once some of this in the VV blend but that cuvée isn’t made any more, as they are preferring to make more lieu-dit wines. ‘I was worried that I might have a standardised approach but I’m so agreeably surprised that this is so different!’ says Isabelle.
A nose that’s finer and more floral-inflected after the others – ‘but the work in the vines is the same,’ underlines Isabelle. Transparent, open, fresh, lovely energy – there is purity and energy here – this is super. Not the same cushioned depth of concentration as the others but more of direct intensity and floral, mineral-accented flavour. I’d buy this completely excellent wine!

2017 Fixin Les Champs Tions
Round and cushioned, a guarded but pretty nose. Fresh, direct, lithe, good energy – lots of mouth-watering flavour. Lovely finishing intensity, framed with a modest tannin but no grain – ooh that’s lovely – and so different to the wines of Marsannay!

2017 Fixin Crais de Chêne
Hmm – good depth, nice dark-red fruit, floral-inflected. Rounder, fuller but fresher, more energy too – very different – I don’t actually know which I prefer – they are just different – but both are tasty, touched with a little tannin – and importantly very tasty wines!

2017 Gevrey-Chambertin
2 parcels; En Champs and Evocelles, 80% Evocelles but the total is more than 1 hectare
A more guarded nose – not letting much show. In the mouth there’s some class – there’s freshness, energy and complexity – structural but in a fine sense – mouth-watering and touch mineral finishing. Super wine – no – excellent wine!

2017 Chambolle-Musigny
80% aux Echanges plus Athets and les Chardannes
A little vibration of aroma – slowly growing from a slightly mean and spicy base to a more flowering and inviting larger whole. Extra sucrosity to start, but open, mineral and a little structural – complex. Holding really well. The finish is more modest but the flavour is wonderful.