Vincent Dancer – 2017

21.11.2018billn

Tasted in Chassagne with Vincent, the 02 October 2018.

Domaine Vincent Dancer
23 Route de Santenay
21190 Chassagne-Montrachet
Tel: +33 3 80 21 94 48
www.vincentdancer.com

Vincent on 2018:
2018 was another August start. It resembles 2017 a little, certainly with its humid to start, but the rain didn’t last too long. A warm, dry, summer followed – it passed well, bringing very clean, well aerated grapes. I think the fact that the grapes clusters were not so tight, sometimes with a little coulure, helped us to avoid maladies. There was relatively regular rain, perhaps a little less here in Chassagne than in Puligny, but I was happy with what we got. In the end it was good volume harvest, I’ve heard of some big yields, but here I was 20% below what’s allowed – I’m very happy. Red and white look homogenous.

Vincent on 2017:
​Well, there was certainly more than in 2016 – but that wouldn’t be too hard – we still lost 50% in 2017. In 2017 we had a weather pattern similar to 2018 though with a higher amount of rain in the first half of the year, which brought some maladies in some vines. It was warm and dry and it was again the end of August for harvesting. So another early vintage. They have some resemblance. And not forgetting, 2016 would certainly have been another early one if it hadn’t been for the frost.​

The wines…

Despite being racked before the harvest, with their lees, like the 2016s last year, at this stage of elevage no sulfur had been used yet, indeed, some had not even finished their fermentations! The 2016s took 14-15 months to ferment, this year more like 12-13 months.

Despite some tardiness in fermentation, I simply loved Vincent’s cellar this year – I will ask if I can buy some – though probably doesn’t have any wine to sell!

2017 Bourgogne Chardonnay
From two parcels of vines; one in Meursault near the ‘hopital’ and the other in Puligny. Probably a february bottling. ​
Round, a hint of mineral vibration. Mouth-filling, but with clarity and energy – lots of concentration too. You would say a villages from the richness of extract. Long – really impressive – and bravo – just like the 2016!​

2017 Chassagne-Montrachet
From vines behind the house – Voillenots Dessus plus from La Bergerie near the route nationale.
A similar nose to the last, faintly reductively mineral. Hmm, depth again, not a massive leap from the Bourgogne this year – similar concentration, melting flavour. Long, lots of fine, chiselled flavour padded with richness. Excellent.

2017 Meursault Corbin
Near Santenots
The nose is different – this has not completed fermentation yet. More mineral more open volume fine clarity and a super mouth-watering flavour. This should be excellent but in the line-up of today it’s certainly different today…​

2017 Meursault Grands Charrons
From just under Tessons, older vines than the domaine’s Corbin.
Returning to a pretty and subtle, reductive quality to the nose. Wider, with a flexing of lean muscle, with a more obvious, melting sucrosity. Beautiful,y textured. Bravo!​

2017 Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Morgeot
Also still fermenting, first vintage from 5 year-old vines, planted at a density of 20k/ha. In grand borne under clos pitios.
Also a fermenting nose. Rich but mineral, mobile and balanced. Really an intensity and persistence for such young vines. Fine texture too – to wait for.

2017 Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Tête du Clos
Under La Romanée, from the highest plot of vines within Morgeot, planted in 1954. Vincent recovered these vines in 2000 and labelled with the lieu-dit Tête de Clos instead of Morgeot – the first to do so – others said ‘where’s that?’ Now it’s much better known.
Back to the modest, reductive aroma. More attack, freshness and clarity – super-complex, beautiful clarity and mid-palate peaking of flavour – bravo!

2017 Chassagne-Montrachet 1er La Romanée
Also modestly reductive – a little more forward nose here. Like the last with just a few millimetres more cushioning – a stony limestone wine. Small moving waves of finishing flavour, more generous but not better that the Tête de Clos today.

2017 Meursault 1er Perrières
Vincent has very good neighbours; his vines sit between those of Lafon and Roulot.
The family faint reduction, just a little more vibration of energy here. Ooh – clarity like the TdC but with much, much more width – the texture of the Romanée and a little more stony intensity. and weight of lingering flavour.
2016 Chevalier-Montrachet
From 1952, these are the oldest vines of domaine – ‘good roots’ says Vincent!​
It’s the family nose but with more volume again – it’s highly inviting. Whilst this has width, it’s just a little behind the Perrières, but in terms of drive and line this has another level of delivery. Great wine.​

​Les Rouges:

2017 Bourgogne Pinot Noir
A parcel in the commune of Pommard
A fuller nose, dark-red fruited and airy. Hmm, nicely structured, complex, vibrant. Super wine with just a touch of tannin.​

2017 Pommard Les Perrières
Another level of aromatic intensity, pure and highly attractive. It’s like the bourgogne with extra depth, concentration and a fine cushioning of texture – really a wine that envelops the palate. Delicious – Bravo!

2017 Pommard 1er Pezerolles
More open and spiced red fruit, more clarity and less cushioning to this nose. Extra depth and complexity again, despite the energy here. A wine to contemplate and enjoy – a bright peak in mid to finishing flavour – this is great stuff!

Agree? Disagree? Anything you'd like to add?

There is one response to “Vincent Dancer – 2017”

  1. Thomas7th March 2021 at 6:56 pmPermalinkReply

    Hi, when did Vincent start using DIAM enclosures?

    • billn8th March 2021 at 7:46 amPermalinkReply

      Hi Thomas,
      I neglected to ask the question when I tasted 17s and I know that some of the 18s are DIAM – I’ll ask him next time I see him – that could be quite soon 🙂

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