03/09/2018
This Week on the Tasting Bar
Post Paulée
Let's Drink Burgundy!
I suppose it's possible that those who attended last week's SF edition of the traveling Burgundy fest known as La Paulée might be experiencing a wee touch of Burgundy fatigue. But you know what? I seriously doubt that.
In any case, not all of DIG's peeps attended La Paulée. And as last week I bucked that trend by pouring Italian wines, it seems like a good idea this week to have a little post-Paulée Burgundy fest of our own here at DIG.
There's no strong theme here - no single producer or commune focus - but rather instead a sampling of four whites and four reds ranging across different levels, villages, and producers to give a sense of where these wines are at in their still young years.
Our white flight begins with a pair of affordable rarities. First, a Bourgogne Blanc from Domaine Hubert Lamy.
Located in the village of Saint-Aubin, Olivier Lamy is one of the most intense, focused, and precise vignerons I know of. And his wines reflect that. I received precious few of them in this short vintage but want to share this one with you.
Located in Gevrey, Jean-Marie Fourrier is among the most revered of the region's winemakers. He crafts red wines of supreme purity and finesse, as well as this single white wine from a parcel in the northern reaches of the Côte de Nuits. Each year DIG receives a whopping 6 bottles (only 900 are made), and I usually simplify both my life and yours by purchasing them for me and Sher. This year I decided that was piggy, so I offer them here today.
We'll next move to wines from one iconic classic producer (Leflaive) and one iconic modern producer (Pierre-Yves Colin). Neither requires much introduction to DIG customers.
Leflaive is one of the great estates of Puligny-Montrachet - and a true pioneer of biodynamic viticulture - where the late Anne-Claude Leflaive's nephew, Brice de La Morandière, took the reins a few years back. In a warm vintage such as 2015, Leflaive's wines are unusually fresh and vibrant.
And Pierre-Yves Colin is simply one of Burgundy's finest talents. The man's wines have a combination of purity of expression, richness of texture, tension, and energy that mark them as at once true to their origin while being distinctly PYCM in style.
Our red flight begins with two of Burgundy's finest young winemakers.
Amélie Berthaut - who some of you met last year when Piccino hosted her for a winemaker dinner - studied enology in Bordeaux and made her first vintage in 2013, when she was all of 25. The daughter of Denis Berthaut and Marie-Andrée Gerbet, whose separate domaines are now merged as Berthaut-Gerbet, it's exciting to discover a fresh talent who has elevated established domaine's wines to new heights.
Now in his late-thirties, David Croix, whom some of you have likewise met at DIG, is another special young talent. The former winemaker at Camille Giroud, which he took over while in his twenties, David recently began working with the famed Meursault vigneron Jean-Marc Roulot, and also has a small Domaine of his own. Located in Beaune, Croix makes wines, as described by broker Becky Wasserman, that are "quiet" and "beautiful." I couldn't agree more.
We'll wrap with a pair of wines from Domaine Robert Groffier, whose range of vineyard holdings, largely in Chambolle-Musigny, are among the most enviable in Burgundy, including the single largest section of the great Chambolle premier cru Les Amoureses. Currently made by another gifted young winemaker, Robert Groffier's grandson Nicholas, these are seriously delicious Burgundies
We invite you to join us.
Friday, 5 - 7
48.00 for the 8-wine flight
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whites
Hubert Lamy Bourgogne Les Chataigners 2015 ($48)
~ From a quartet of parcels within Saint-Aubin, Scents of lemon zest, green apple, and sea salt introduce flavors that are both enveloping yet vibrant, high-pitched, and mineral.
Fourrier Bourgogne 2015 ($58)
~ From grapes grown in the Hauts-Côtes de Nuit. Apple, pear, and herb notes with a pliant, rather sexy mouth texture and deliciously appealing, easy going flavor profile that's ready to go right now. Pure drinking pleasure.
Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet 2015 ($135)
~ From several different lieux-dits, the expressive nose speaks of lemon zest and mineral, pear and orchard blossom. A clear step up in complexity, with a fine texture, plenty of verve, and nice length on the back palate.
Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Chassagne-Montrachet 1er cru
Abbaye de Morgeot 2015 ($150)
~ Sitting smack in the center of the overall larger set of vineyard s within Morgeot, Abbaye de Morgeot leans toward green pear and apple scents, with a touch of peach skin rubbed with sea salt. The enveloping flavors once again have a sexy richness, but the mineral and acid notes keep it in fine balance. In a word, delicious.
Reds
Berthaut-Gerbet Fixin Les Clos 2015 ($60)
~ From an upper parcel and from totally destemmed fruit, Les Clos is an elegant wine smelling of cherry, blackberry, a touch of rose, and forest floor. The pure, focused flavors, display a nice balance of fruit and mineral elements, with enough structure for aging if desired.
Domaine des Croix Beaune 1er cru Les Cents Vignes 2015 ($68)
~ From a variety of parcels in a large, upper slope lieu-dit; pretty floral, currant, and cherry notes with cool-toned flavors and gentle tannins. Lovey juice.
Robert Groffier Chambolle-Musigny 1er cru Les Sentiers 2015 ($195)
~ From an excellent parcel of 80-year-old vines, mid-slope, just beneath Bonnes Mares. Aromas here are vibrant, with dark cherry, blackberry, and spice, and a cool mineral core. A juicy and intensely flavored Chambolle that's balanced, richly textured, taut and pure.
Robert Groffier Chambolle-Musigny 1er cru Les Amoureses 2014 ($375)
~ For me Les Amoureses - situated right below Musigny - is grand-cru level wine. Groffier's is from a 70 year-old-parcel. The nose is quite aromatic with cool scents of cassis, blackberry and spice. Unusually concentrated and expressive. Elegant and pure, but not lacking depth. Needs time but the pedigree is fully evident.
