Tasted in Chassagne-Montrachet with Caroline Colin-Morey, 03 October 2018.
Domaine Caroline Colin-Morey
4 Rue de la Murée
21190 Chassagne-Montrachet
Tel: +33 3 80 21 90 10
In 2017, Caroline’s domaine increased to 7 hectares of vines, and stayed with this same area in 2018. 35% of the domaine is now red, with wines from Santenay, Chassagne and Beaune. There were also new whites in 2017 such as Chassagne blanc from her father plus red and white Beaune 1er Grèves.
The 2018 vintage:
“2018 has super quality. I chose with Pierre to start the harvest early, so 22 August. The vines were nice, I’m not looking for 13.5° rather the most interesting balance. The whites had lots of juice but similarities to 2017 remain. The reds showed a relatively good quantity, below the rendement, so less than in 2017 but correct, with uniform, colour and tannins that looked great. When hot, we only brought in the reds in the mornings.“
The 2017 vintage:
“2017 was a very interesting vintage for both volume and quantity, with nice fruit. We started relatively early, and I didn’t notice much of a difference between the juice pre and post rain. 2017 certainly brought less juice than in 2018 or 2015 but more than in 2016.”
The wines…
Caroline has mad a beautiful set of wines in 2017 – the whites are super in their clarity and detail, and the reds, despite very pale colours – and she also makes Pierre’s red – are aromatic, delicious and lack no flavour concentration.
All the wines see elevage in 350 litre barrels these days, except for the bit that are left over, of-course!
2017 Santenay Les Cornières
Near the Château de la Crée. ‘This had most of the lees removed before barreling as sometimes it brings a green character.’
Open, faintly sulfured. Plenty of volume, freshness, a nice width – round in shape but not in style – detail and precision here. Lovely, and the finish is impressive in a comfortable grapefruit style.
2017 Beaune 1er Grèves Blanc
Long rows of 4-500m shared with cousin Thomas Morey a mix of red and white, vines planted in 2001
Round, more floral, a hint of sulfur again. Faintly cushioned, a little mineral and with a very nice style – again round in shape but not in style, a wine of detail and complexity. A baby but a very pretty one…
2017 Chassagne-Montrachet Vieilles-Vignes
Average is at least 40 years-old. New vines en-fermage in this vintage. Assembled all the lieu-dits this year, though all vinified separately – but with the other new cuvees, ‘Chênes’ not separated this year.
More width and a little more depth of aroma too. More volume, a little more energy, less directly round more clarity and energy here with some agrume fruit flavour in the finish – though no obvious reductive elements.
2017 Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Les Champs Gain
Planted in 2009, lost 80% to the frost in 2016. This the second year with a longer (vs the villages) elevage like the other 1ers
A little extra yellow colour. Again a hint of sulfur. Hmm, fresh, wide, alive, a touch of sucrosity, a clinging intensity of finishing flavour. Super!
2017 Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Les Chaumées
Near Philippe Colin’s vines, near the quarry. Older vines with millerandes.
A little fuller, fine clarity and depth to this nose. Rounder again but with lots of action, it’s a broader intensity, but deliciously so – I slightly prefer the presentation of the Champs Gain, but im splitting hairs. Mineral finishing and with a broad line to that finishing flavour too, this is longer, even with an extra reprise.
2017 Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Les Vergers
Another new parcel in 2016, actually two parcels. Vines predominantly 50-60 years old with a small younger plantation
More weight of aroma, yellow fruited and profound. A little sucrosity, freshness, steely flavoured, wide, bubbling with movement and complexity. An intensity of mid-palate flavour. Super again
From the 3 different parts of this area – all the levels of the vines, different slopes, three different plantations, but the average is 45-50 year-old vines. From the road to the forest, a continuous line of vines from top to bottom vs the two separate parcels of PY
Plenty of width, pale yellow fruited and fresh. A touch of gas. Volume, not rich but richer than Vergers – there’s a little texture to these open and intense flavours. This is really something – bravo.
Second vintage, these vines not far from those of Leroy, but it’s the first vintage that they did everything as the vines were only theirs since November 2016 and they bought the harvest in that vintage.
The first nose was quite large the second tightens here, stony depth, floral characteristics, there’s a lot to find on this moving target of a nose. An extra depth of texture after the Caillerets, more composed but concentrated too, mineral edged agrume, almost a suggestion of tannin to the mid-palate texture. Very long. More contemplative than the Caillerets, and maybe a little better….
Les rouges…
All bottled just before the harvest – bottles are personalised now, embossed with Colin-Morey Chassagne so now used for both domaines.
2017 Santenay Le Chainey
2 parcels, 25% whole clusters
Very modest colour – a darker rose. Pretty, wide red fruit. Round, supple, sweetness of fruit, only slowly growing a base of tannin. No astringency. Delicious, easy drinking, round, tasty wine – easy!
2017 Chassagne-Montrachet
Three parcels, one more in the plain. Some fine massale selections from Volnay here, these latter vines always keep with their stems. 35% wc in this vintage.
Again a modest, transparent colour. A little more focus to the red fruit and a modest suggestion of roses. A step up in concentration, more drive and direction – the tannin is a little more evident too but not astringent. This I would wait longer for or carafe an hour before drinking. But tasty, balanced wine with a proper if modest structure.
2017 Santenay 1er Comme
Next to Chassagne-Embazées – young, 20 year-old vines. 35% whole-clusters
Again a pale red colour. More punch and a little more overt wc aroma – an exciting and inviting nose for fans of that style. Supple, flavour that winds around the palate, a modest grain but again not astringent. Wide finishing flavour. I love this!
Older vines here, planted in the mid-60s, roughly. White planted in the middle, bookended by this red
Very modest colour again. Round, attractive, transparently red fruit in the middle, modest bit fine. Extra sweetness and concentration. A little more structure but not to worry about. Complex and with the intensity and complexity of previous whites. Bravo!
2016 Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Champsgains
Only two producers make this in red – Caroline and her father. The parcel is now shared.
Lots of high and low tones here – a little more colour too – ‘yes its a small tank, it’s easier to do the pigeage!’ Theres more herb from the whole clusters but it’s exciting all the same. Round, full, concentrated, some of the wc showing here too – but sweetness takes the edge and the roundness makes life easy here. A wine of character and it’s not too ‘loud.’ I like the style. Not a wine for those unhappy with aspects of stems, but for others that embrace that, excellent!
There is one response to “Caroline Colin-Morey – 2017”
Ce Soir just opened my 2nd bottle of a 2008 Domaine Caroline Colin-Morey St Aubin 1er cru Les Murgers des Dents de Chien. Super delicious in an absence of fruit, very acid, very mineral, very 2008 style – which suits me & more. But, intrigued to note the latest bottle cork is ‘branded’ Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey ! Not sure if this was Caroline’s first/one of early vintages but would have thought she might have been ‘keen’ to ‘differentiate’ from her partner ? Don’t recall noticing same from the cork of the first bottle opened 04/2019 but maybe, of course, I didn’t notice. Super wine though, wish I had more but these few bottles my only one’s of CC-Ms