Interesting!
In Switzerland, at least, and two months after they were offered, I see that none of these have sold out. And we can assume that some were offered in very small quantities…
It’s actually a great vintage chez Arlot – but are these the first winds – breezes – of market change?
I have a ton of merchant offers for the 2021 vintage for you – I’ll trickle them out a couple ata a time over the next week – but first a little ‘colour’ from Chablis this week.
Less sun than in Beaujolais but but always with a warmer (than the weather!) welcome 😉
As I beaver-away typing reports – currently in Chablis – I must remember to give you a window into my days of visits – here from Beaujolais last week. I will finally return to the Côte d’Or at the end of this month!
2020 Domaine Alain Gautheron, Chablis 1er Homme Mort
Here’s a cuvée that developed some green notes – but my nose is seemingly not on green form today as I can’t smell it – but I know that it’s still there – because my better half can still smell it!
Today this has such a lovely nose – vibrating with energy and cool, clean aromas. In the mouth it’s equally vibrant and quite mouth-filling too – impressive complex wine. Delicious.
Rebuy – Maybe
2016 M&C Lapierre, Morgon
The no-sulfur version. And here was a test for it: Opened by Mathieu Lapierre on Thursday afternoon, direct from his cold cellar at the domaine. But then the rest of Thursday and for most of Friday the bottle (stoppered only with its original cork) lay in the back of my car before arriving home in Switzerland. The first 2 glasses were taken on Friday evening – the wine then glass-stoppered in my Fridge until Sunday evening (we were at friends for dinner on Saturday) when I drank the last two glasses.
This was very stable from first to last. A broad nose, finely red fruited with a little vibration of energy, these aromas become ever-more direct and impressive. A juicy wine, still with some modest tannin and fine waves of finishing flavour. This was delicious and ultra-impressively stable for a no-sulfur wine!
Rebuy – Yes
I know that I’ve bored you on this subject before but it’s something of an evergreen – articles popping out of the woodwork years after the idea has been put forward. But that works both ways – it also gives me the opportunity to vent once more 😉
Indeed, identity IS a hard-won thing.
The thing is, that Burgundy IS that identity in the English-speaking (Anglophone) world, an identity that has been honed over many, many generations, in many, many magazines and in many, many books and by generations of winemerchants.
Is it not enough that we have to endure the LouisVuittonification of the wines and, slowly, also the themeparkification of the Côte d’Or? Now they want us to change a name that means something inalienable to so many people.
I can’t discount that it could be my age that’s to blame but I simply say no!
Very sad news last week – which I forgot to post on – but obviously remembered when out and about in Beaujolais this week.
This restaurant is now formally closed after the death of the proprietor/chef.
A place with the ambience of a truck-stop but also a place of pilgrimage for their plate of coq au vin rouge – a dish of which I’m sure I will never see the like again…
Thanks for the memories…
That’s my second of three weeks of visits done, and all being well, by Friday, I’ll have bagged about 75 domaines and their 21s. As is always the case with my February timing, some domaines have already sold-out of a large part of their 21s and are starting to present some from 2022. Even some that are already bottled!
Back on the road for part 3 at 05h00 tomorrow!
Week(-end) 8 2023:
Ah, my memory is going – it must be my age!
I found this 2009 in the cellar (and there’s more!) and thought to myself ‘well, I have 2008 and 2010 but I don’t remember having any 2009.‘ Fortunately the search function of this site has a much better memory than I!
2009 wasn’t my favourite vintage to start – it was just sooo ripe. Given that almost every vintage since 2015 has been equally, or more, ripe – perhaps I’m more tolerant – despite my old age!
2009 Camille Giroud, Bourgogne Cuvée L
A beautiful, darker, Trescases cork – robust and with hardly 1mm of wine ingress – the end so darkly painted by this wine.
Medium-plus colour. The nose is now a little smoky – it gives the impression of oak – but swirling releases redder fruit and perhaps something floral too – these aromas are concentrated and, of course, ripe – but never too ripe. Broad over the palate, the merest ripple of tannin in support. A luxurious depth of flavour and texture – obviously not really ‘Bourgogne.’ Holding well in the finish too. This wine is crystal clear/clean, aromatic and with such generosity of top-class flavour. It’s absolutely drinkable yet still a baby. Bravo! – It must have been very well triaged 😉
Rebuy – Yes
From my usual Swiss merchant with, where offered, the price of their 2020s and 2019s are in brackets, also from the same merchant, the last two years. — indicates not offered:
Domaine Dugat-Py 2021
Monthelie Très Vieilles-Vignes 75cl — (89.00*, —) Swiss Francs
Beaune 1er Cru Clos des Avaux Vieilles-Vignes 75cl — (119.00, —)
Beaune 1er Cru Les Grèves Très Vieilles-Vignes 75cl 198.00 (198.00, —)
Pommard VV La Levrière 75cl — (149.00, 139.00)
Pommard Les Vaumuriens Hauts Très Vieilles-Vignes 75cl 169.00 (168.00, —)
Gevrey-Chambertin Vieilles-Vignes 75cl 119.00 (119.00, 99.00)
Gevrey-Chambertin Cuvée Coeur du Roy Vieilles-Vignes 75cl 159.00 (159.00, 149.00)
Gevrey-Chambertin Les Evocelles 75cl — (188.00, 149.00)
Gevrey-Chambertin Les Corbeaux 1er Cru 75cl 325.00 (315.00, 265.00)
Gevrey-Chambertin Champeaux 1er Cru 75cl 325.00 (355.00, 265.00)
Gevrey-Chambertin Petite Chapelle 1er Cru 75cl 369.00 (355.00, 265.00)
Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru 75cl 558.00 (545.00, 475.00)
Mazoyères-Chambertin Grand Cru 75cl 645.00 (599.00, —)
Mazis-Chambertin Grand Cru 75cl 885.00 (850.00, —)
*As usual, these are delivered prices but without the Swiss purchase tax of 7.7%. Remarkable restraint don’t you think?…!
For those of you wondering about (most of) the Côte de Beaune wines, these are rented from the no-longer-existing Domaine Christopher Newman.
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