Tasted in Puligny with Philippe Jomain, 11 October 2018.

Jomain Frères
1 Rue Abreuvoir
21190 Puligny-Montrachet
Tel: +33 3 80 21 93 46
www.vins-jomain.fr

Philippe’s summary of the recent vintages:

Philippe on 2018:
“2018 – if you can’t be happy this year you never can! We have volume of-course but there is quality behind that too. We started harvesting 1st September – it was 25 August in 2003.”

Philippe on 2017:
“We started on the 5th September – also early but with much less volume than in 2018, in fact we didn’t have much more in the villages than we had in 2016! We waited for the vines to finish their physical cycle, August was too early due to the dryness. It wasn’t a big yield here, but with good sugars and correct acidity. There was heat at the end of flowering that roasted them a little too much, so yields were lost there. After pressing we didn’t see a lot of bourbe – the juice was very clean. Our reds in Auxey and Monthelie had better yields, but still ‘correct’ and 12-12.5°. The colour started to extract very easily – but the colours were not super stable. But the whites are good, frank wines of freshness and balance that show very well the differences of the parcels. We lost St.Aubin Les Frionnes to frost in this vintage but was the only parcel touched, this small parcel at the bottom of the slope where the cold air collected.

“I’m really happy with the result in 2017, each terroir seems very well respected.”

The wines…

Really a very good range – no outstanding bottles unless you wish to factor in their price – then I could easily be tempted!

Wines that are bottled:

2017 Bourgogne Chardonnay
Parcels in commune of Puligny which are blended. Half barrel and half tank elevage. Not started with the new cote d’or label but will probably in 2018.
A pretty if modest freshness of aroma here. Hmm – wide, rather mineral, growing intensity with just enough sucrosity and citrus acidity to make lots of interest here.

2017 Puligny-Montrachet
A blend of two parcels. Below the average volume this year – almost resembling 2016 – about 10 barrels less – that’s a lot!
Like the chardonnay starting a little tight, but there are pretty and fresh citrus notes here. Fuller, silkier, certainly richer but still with admirable balance – a luxurious texture here – this is accomplished and absolutely delicious, again with a hit of citrus in the finish.

2017 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Les Perrières
Hmm – a nice, mineral aroma infused with citrus – really inviting. Hmm, good volume, more density here, not overtly rich, really concentrated but with meltingly accessible flavours. Hmm – excellent – a wide minerality in the finish that remains absolutely tasty. Excellent – I can still taste it 3-4 minutes later while waiting for Philippe to find the next bottle!

2017 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Les Combettes
A more fruited-freshness to this nose. More volume in the mouth – but open and accessible – slowly melting with flavour, ooh – I like this finish very much. Muscular but not harsh, melting flavour. Excellent!

2017 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Pucelles
Hmm – a lovely volume of fresh aroma. Extra volume again and a weight of flavour too. Layers of flavour here – plenty of energy yet still a more contemplative wine. Beautiful pure citrus in the middle and finish. A wine of purity and fine flavour and good length. Also a great price for a Pucelles – a value Pucelles if that makes any sense at all!