Tasted in Gilly les Citeaux with Mark Haisma, 05 December 2017.
Mark Haisma
Lot 4, Parc d’Activités “La Petite Champagne”
21640 Gilly les Citeaux
www.markhaisma.co.uk
Mark on 2017:
“I have 90 barrels, that’s the most ever, but that’s because I’ve sourced new things, not because yields were so high! I’ve things that I never dreamt of having – grand crus! – and it seems to be because I’ve my own place now, the courtiers treat me very differently now…”
Mark on the 2016:
“Back to reality! I had 65 barrels of 2015 from the Côte d’Or, compared to 15 barrels worth directly after the harvest in 2016, this eventually became 24 barrels. It wasn’t easy, but what I have I like. I went big in southern Cornas for instance – there was no frost there – I had no choice, I had only 24 barrels of Côte d’Or with a new building to pay for!”
Mark on the 2016 prices:
“Prices have to go up again 5% and I hate that. I’m going to be desperate to keep them the same in 2017, I’m really bored of these increases!”
The wines…
Mr Haisma going from strength to strength. Despite the difficulties of sourcing (great) grapes in 2016, this is a super range of wines – from those to be patient with to those that are simply delicious.
CdN and HCdN fruit about 50-50 – the CdN with elevage in tank to accentuate the freshness, and the HC in barrel. I do a long elevage, I treat it as a proper textural wine just as I do my St.Romain…
Nice – a little vibrancy to this nose. Round, supple, but with a perfect freshness, long, long, on fine acidity – just a delicious wine to drink and drink…
2016 Saint Romain Le Jarron
‘I blended this vineyard last year and still question that, as it’s so unique up there. I’ve decided to keep it separate now. I should make 12 barrels, I made 4.’
A little more richness of yellow citrus depth. Melting over the palate, a wonderful citrus flavour suggesting but never over-delivering in salinity. Just delicious.
2016 Marsanne-Roussane
‘I’m chasing the aromatics and the textural feel. Vinification in situ to keep the AOC, then elevage here in the Côtes’
A deep nose of ripeness, apricot style – rich but fresh. Nice volume and freshness in the mouth, still with a richness of flavour. Complex and certainly saline – long, almost a mineral finish here.
Les rouges
2016 Nuits St.Georges La Charmotte
‘Charmots below 1ers on Vosne side with deep gravels. This was a great afternoons work, we slowly triaged the grapes at the vines with some beer to hand… it was so relaxed, I’d like to find a way of replicating that…’
Quite a pretty nose but it’s a tight nose. Open, elegant, a little herb complexity, nice mid-palate width, pretty wine, elegant wine, tasty wine though today there’s restraint – it could be more open…
2016 Gevrey-Chambertin
A blend of Croix des Champs and Justice, here with some whole cluster. One new barrel from 6. ‘It’s the best Gevrey that I’ve made…’
A deeper colour and a deeper nose to match, and yes a little whole cluster. A hint of gas. More depth of concentration – more structure to match but really intensity and energy here, long finishing, this is a wine to wait for but it’s a proper, characterful Gevrey…
Hmm this has lovely, open top notes that are half floral and herbal it’s very attractive. Big, fresh, ebullient, a mouth-full of wine. Communicative, demonstrative and just great. This is its maker in a glass…
2016 Pommard 1er Clos des Arvelets
Should be 6 barrels, just 1.5 this vintage. ‘We crawled on our hands and knees all afternoon searching out every single useful grape! I never believed that small volumes really added up to concentration – until I met this wine!’ A 350 l barrel
Ooh, this is such a deep and concentrated nose. Really a richly concentrated wine – rich of texture and flavour. Less overt freshness but how could it be other with such a concentration. Modest tannin for what’s in the mouth – long, long, long. What an amazing wine – to wait for while drinking your Morey!
2016 Syrah-Grenache Vin de France
A mix of tank and wood elevage. ‘I don’t want to revolutionise the world here, i just want to make good drinking booze…’
Lots of colour here. A nice herb and freshness – an open armed invitation to drink. Really a nice freshness, a depth that suggests a subtle reduction. Wide and tasty. Just a subtle drag of tannin – tasty wine…
2016 Cornas
For the first time a blend of two vineyards. Now a blend of the base and the highest Cornas vines
Lots of colour, with a deep, almost tarry nose. Supple, wide, growing concentration, sweetness but not overtly rich, a mouth-wateringly delicious wine. Really delicious dark fruit…