Tasted in Puligny with Sylvie Prevot-Joly and Gilles Gerard, 07 October, 2020.
Domaine Albert Joly
Rue des Creux de Chagny
21190 Puligny-Montrachet
Tel: +33 3 80 21 30 29
More reports for Domaine Albert Joly.
On the 2020 vintage:
“We finished our harvest on the 31 August, that was our start date in 2003! We hesitated, thinking a little rain might come but no, it didn’t! Yet we were surprised that the grapes had so much juice – like in 2018 – and we made our volumes. The alcoholic fermentations are already done, so now we are waiting for the malos…”
On the 2019 vintage:
“We lit candles just once in April, but there was no damage. The balance of 2019 is super – we have lovely acidity, though the alcohols are higher than usual – 14.5° for the Bourgogne, mid to late 13s for the others – maybe it will help with US taxes! We kept the aligoté this year, it was 13.8°! We bottled it in June! The malos for chardonnays only finished in August, so they are not yet bottled. I think will be bottled before the end of the year.”
The wines…
Plenty of flavour in these wines, but a number I found a little warm in the middle flavours – of course, they are not yet bottled so that may, or may not, change. Very drinkable wines all the same, but keep them chilled for that. My picks this vintage would be the Aligoté and ‘Charmes.’
A DIAM-style style amalgam is used to seal their aligoté and Bourgogne Côte d’Or, the rest use cork.
2019 Bourgogne Aligoté
One third new oak
Ike all the wines, 13.9 natural but in this case you wouldn’t guess: A tight nose – many are at the moment. But this is a big bundle of delicious flavour in the mouth – wide, mouth-filling, open, slowly mouth-watering, for what it is, it’s delicious and long.
2019 Bourgogne Chardonnay Côte d’Or
All from the commune of Puligny – from just across the road from the domaine – 60-year-old vines.
A nose that shows a subtle touch of reduction but a clarity too – that’s a fine invitation. Vibrant, concentrated, mouth-watering wine. A little warm in the middle but so full-flavoured and tasty. Give this an extra chill and you won’t be disappointed…
2019 Puligny-Montrachet Vieilles-Vignes
‘It’s our more classic Puligny,’ not made every year.
A good width, though tighter below. Big in the mouth, a mineral aspect, cushioned, big wine here but with both feet firmly in the minerality. Broad, absolutely delicious finishing. I’d give this a bit of extra cooling like the last, due to some middle warmth, but full and delicious like the previous wines.
2019 Puligny-Montrachet Les Tremblots
At the limit of Puligny with Chassagne.
Compact, with freshness, certainly a base of citrus here. The most open so far, lots of mouth-watering energy, almost a tannin in the texture. Big again, a certain warmth once more – keep it cool. I really enjoy the stony finish.
2018 Puligny-Montrachet Les Charmes
This time at the limit of Puligny with Meursault.
The nicest nose – typically a favourite for me – a suggestion of minerality of spice of reduction too. Bright, nicely structured, growing wider and more intense. Delicious and seeming with the best balance of all – after the aligoté.