Bottle number 1.
I’ve never been one who sets out to write things with the potential to annoy a producer, indeed, if I don’t like the wines of a certain domaine, I actively avoid visiting, preferring to visit, and write about, somebody who provides more interest and colour. Such is his ‘story’, Ray Walker certainly provides the interest.
It’s been well documented in various fora, and probably here too, that Ray had some issues with his small-cuvée Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Les Corbeaux in the 2010 vintage: Because it didn’t go through malolactic fermentation in its first year (as others in the cellar did), Ray chose the non-interventionist route and to let nature take its course. And take its course it did the following year. There was always likely to be some penalty to pay for this from an organoleptic standpoint, probably, but I guess Ray didn’t account for the flack that came his way when the shipping of his 2010s was delayed – certainly for those who (like me) elected to take the full mixed shipment when ready, rather than accept just part of the order. Such is life – one lives and learns. Anyway, I certainly didn’t bitch.
Having collected my mixed pack of 1ers in January, I waited a few days before opening the first Corbeaux, as it happened, together with some winemakers while checking out another producer’s wines – one who also makes ‘Corbeaux’. The packaging is rather well done on the Ilans, except that none of mine carried a back-label; you know, those administrative things with mandatory health warnings, alcohol levels, etcetera, etcetera! Still, I was taking these home, not doing the F&DA’s biddings – I simply didn’t care. One aspect of the packaging I did care about was the cork when extracted – it seemed rather short – it also had a significant piece (wine-end) missing. Very strange; the other piece wasn’t in the bottle. I trusted that a faulty cork had simply, and mistakenly, been slipped into the bottling line – if bottle #2 had been different, I probably wouldn’t even have mentioned it. Yet, because of the presentation of that wine (note below) I anyway chose not to delay opening my second bottle (of only two).
As you will note from the pictures that follow the tasting-note, that second cork was also the same smaller, presumably cheaper, and unbranded (by the producer) article, an article that was rather crushed on one side so almost broken – presumably not inserted straight. It had also (almost) lost a chunk. This raised a question, was the first cork also badly inserted, pulled out, lost chunk removed and then re-inserted? I can honestly say that I’ve never seen such an appalling bit of corkery – at any price point. Either Ray, or the person he was supervising did a totally unsatisfactory job here. For comparison, the corks in the other Ilan cuvées are longer, darker, ‘maison’ and ‘cuvée’ branded, and seemingly perfectly inserted – for that reason, I have no qualms about those bottles.
Maybe in the end, Ray wasn’t planning to commercialise this but felt forced to by the complaints about deliveries(?) I anyway suggest, that those with the 2010 Corbeaux, drink them without too-much delay. For good order, I’ve emailed Ray about this. I’m sure he’ll chip-in…
2010 Maison Ilan, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Les Corbeaux
The colour is rather lovely; bright and inviting – don’t mind if I do. The nose is a bit of a Jekyll & Hyde; switching between lovely, ripe fruit (more 09 in style) and flashes of something acetic and volatile. Fine texture – it’s really rather soft and silky. There’s an overall 09 style about this wine’s flavour too, delivering a beautiful ripeness and padding to the presentation, yet with traces of that aromatic volatility in the flavour too. A wine the currently delights but also disturbs. That volatile note is hardly going to improve – the wine didn’t lose it with 2 hours aeration. I’m pretty sure Ray would warm his cellar next time, at least if his 5 barrels of Chambertin showed no signs of malo 😉 Still I’ve no problem with the winemaking choices – bravo him – but the packaging is hardly designed to bring longevity to the product – only here do I have an issue – but I think it’s a big one…
Rebuy – No – Drink them quickly…
For comparison: 2010 Corbeaux bottle number 2 cork, with the cork from Ilan’s 2010 1er Cru Monts-Luisants for comparison…