Burgundy can be a confusing piece of France: regions, appellations, sub-appellations, vineyard specificity. The basics are pretty easy to grasp: the white grape is Chardonnay and the red grape is Pinot Noir, after that the head starts to spin. We can talk about the 5 regions: Chablis & Grand Auxerrois; Cote de Nuits; Cote de Beaune; Cote Chalonnaise; Maconnais ... but the key here is to find a region or sub-appellation or something else you can hang your hat on and stick with it. I have to admit that before today I had no idea where I really stood in the world of Burgundy wines - but looking back at various Vintages releases I started to notice my poking fun at the name of a certain sub-appellation. As it turned out I was crazy 'bout a Mercurey (or many of them). Not sure crazy is the word, but I sure did like them. I decided to take this opportunity to see if it was a fluke of the releases or that I truly had found my Burgundy region of choice.
Crazy or Not ...
I focused my attention on the red Mercurey (Pinot Noirs). I found 8 within the room, and discovered, after tasting, I was a fan of 7 of them. What a revelation - I can now say I like Pinot Noir from the sub-region of Mercurey (part of the Cote Chalonnaise) - here were my top 5 wines:
Domaine Michel Juillot 2008 Mercurey 1er Cru, Clos Tonnerre -
deep rich blackberry / cranberry and strawberry with plenty of tannins and spice. (****+)
Maison Albert Bichot 2009 Mercurey -
good spice and dark fruit. (****)
Domaine de Suremain 2007 Mercurey 1er Cru, La Bondue -
really good red fruit mixed with vanilla and spiced strawberries. (****+)
Domaine de Suremain 2007 Mercurey 1er Cru, Le Clos L'Eveque -
floral and delicate with lovely cherry notes. (****+)
Domaine de Suremain 2008 Mercurey 1er Cru, Le Clos L'Eveque -
darker and denser than its older counterpart. (****)
More from Burgundy ...
Of course there is more than just Mercurey, and I tried plenty, below is a list (with selected notes on the wines tasted):
4 Star Selections -
Domaine Bachey-Legros 2009 Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru, Morgeot - creamy vanilla and buttery goodness
Domaine Bachey-Legros 2009 Santenay, Les Charmes - rich in red fruit and red licorice
Maison Chanson Pere & Fils 2008 Santenay 1er Cru, Beauregard
Maison Joseph Drouhin 2008 Beaune 1er Cru, Le Clos des Mouches
Domaine Michel Prunier & Fille 2007 Auxey-Duresses 1er Cru, Clos du Val
Maison Loron & Fils 2009 Bourgogne Chardonnay, Montvallon ($12.95) - great value, lovely fruit
Domaine Jacques Prieur 2007 Meursault, Clos de Mazeray Monopole
Domaine Henri de Villamont 2008 Volnay 1er Cru Le Ronceret
4+ Star Selections -
Bailly-Lapierre 2006 Vive la Joie - a five year aged Cremant, very tasty and Champagne-esque
Maison Chanson Pere & Fils 2007 Beaune 1er Cru, Les Feves, Monopole
Domaine Daniel Rion & Fils 2009 Nuits-Saint-Georges, Les Grandes Vignes - this wine had spice to spare.
Finally, the curiosity of the day came from Maison Loron & Fils with a magnum of 1997 Pouilly-Fuisse, Les Vieux Murs, Reserve Caveau - 13 years and still going strong, delicious and good to the last drop.
Crazy or Not ...
I focused my attention on the red Mercurey (Pinot Noirs). I found 8 within the room, and discovered, after tasting, I was a fan of 7 of them. What a revelation - I can now say I like Pinot Noir from the sub-region of Mercurey (part of the Cote Chalonnaise) - here were my top 5 wines:
Domaine Michel Juillot 2008 Mercurey 1er Cru, Clos Tonnerre -
deep rich blackberry / cranberry and strawberry with plenty of tannins and spice. (****+)
Maison Albert Bichot 2009 Mercurey -
good spice and dark fruit. (****)
Domaine de Suremain 2007 Mercurey 1er Cru, La Bondue -
really good red fruit mixed with vanilla and spiced strawberries. (****+)
Domaine de Suremain 2007 Mercurey 1er Cru, Le Clos L'Eveque -
floral and delicate with lovely cherry notes. (****+)
Domaine de Suremain 2008 Mercurey 1er Cru, Le Clos L'Eveque -
darker and denser than its older counterpart. (****)
More from Burgundy ...
Of course there is more than just Mercurey, and I tried plenty, below is a list (with selected notes on the wines tasted):
4 Star Selections -
Domaine Bachey-Legros 2009 Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru, Morgeot - creamy vanilla and buttery goodness
Domaine Bachey-Legros 2009 Santenay, Les Charmes - rich in red fruit and red licorice
Maison Chanson Pere & Fils 2008 Santenay 1er Cru, Beauregard
Maison Joseph Drouhin 2008 Beaune 1er Cru, Le Clos des Mouches
Domaine Michel Prunier & Fille 2007 Auxey-Duresses 1er Cru, Clos du Val
Maison Loron & Fils 2009 Bourgogne Chardonnay, Montvallon ($12.95) - great value, lovely fruit
Domaine Jacques Prieur 2007 Meursault, Clos de Mazeray Monopole
Domaine Henri de Villamont 2008 Volnay 1er Cru Le Ronceret
4+ Star Selections -
Bailly-Lapierre 2006 Vive la Joie - a five year aged Cremant, very tasty and Champagne-esque
Maison Chanson Pere & Fils 2007 Beaune 1er Cru, Les Feves, Monopole
Domaine Daniel Rion & Fils 2009 Nuits-Saint-Georges, Les Grandes Vignes - this wine had spice to spare.
Finally, the curiosity of the day came from Maison Loron & Fils with a magnum of 1997 Pouilly-Fuisse, Les Vieux Murs, Reserve Caveau - 13 years and still going strong, delicious and good to the last drop.
My take...
ReplyDelete**** Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms):
-Domaine Parent Corton Grand Cru Les Renardes 2008
-Daniel Rion Nuits-Saint-Georges Les Grand Vignes 2009
-Daniel Rion Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Aux Vignerondes 2009
-Chateau de Corton-Andre Corton Grand Cru Les Chaumes 2007
-Domaine Parent Pommard 1er Cru Les Chaponnieres 2007
-Domaine d’Ardhuy Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru 2008
-Maison Chanson Pere et Fils Pernand-Vergelesses 1er Cru En Caradeux
2008
-Maison Chanson Pere et Fils Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les
Chenevottes 2008
-J Drouhin Puligny-Montrachet 2008
-Malandes Chablis Grand Cru Vaudesir 2009
-Prieur Meursault Clos de Mazeray Monopole 2007
-Roux Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru 2008
***1/2 Three and a Half Stars (88 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms):
-Domaine d'Ardhuy Clos des Langres 2007
-Taupenot-Merme Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru 2008
-Villamont Volnay 1er Cru Le Ronceret 2008
-Maison Chanson Chassagne-Montrachet les Chenevottes 2008
-Domaines François Labet Clos Vougeot Château de la Tour Vieilles Vignes 2007
-Domaines François Labet Clos Vougeot Château de la Tour 2008
-Domaines François Labet Meursault Les Tillets 2009
-Château Corton Grancey 2009 Grand Cru
-Domaine Parent Pommard Les Chaponnières 2007
-Domaine des Malandes Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos 2009
-Malandes Chablis Vieilles Vignes Tour du Roy 2009
-Domaine Marcel Servin Chablis Grand Cru Les Preuses 2006.
-Daniel Rion Nuits-Saint-George 1er Cru Les Pruliers 2009
-Gille Nuits-Saint-George 1er Cru Les Cailles 2006
-Gille Nuits-Saint-George Les Brulees
-Morot Beaune 1er Cru Les Aigrots 2006
-Coste-Caumartin Pommard 1er Cru Les Fremiers 2009
-Brocard Chablis 1er Cru Butteaux 2009
-Malandes Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos 2009
-Bichot Chablis Grand Cru Moutonne Domaine Long Depaquit 2008
-Chanson Beaune 1er Cru Les Clos des Mouches 2008
-Roux Saint-Aubin 1er Cru La Chateniere 2009, $39 Vinexx
-Roux Saint-Aubin 1er Cru Les Corton 2009, Vinexx
-Girardin Saint-Aubin 1er Cru Murgers des Dents de Chien 2008, $36
Halpern
-Juillot Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru 2008, $105 Case for Wine
-Champy/Laleure Piot Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru 2008, $125 H.H.D.
Imports
-Champy/Laleure Piot Corton Grand Cru 2009
-Domaine J-P Paquet Pouilly-Fuisse Vieilles Vignes Domaine de Fussiacus
2009
-Chateau de Corton-Andre Pommard 1er Cru Clos de la Commaraine 2007
-Domaine Coste-Caumartin Saint-Romain Sous Le Chateau 2009
-Girardin Savigny-Les-Beaune Les Vermots-Dessus 2008, $25.95 Halpern
-Girardin Santenay 1er Cru Clos de Tavannes 2008, $36 Harpern
-Girardin Puligny-Montrachet Vieilles Vignes 2008, $47.95 Halpern
-Girardin Chassagne-Montrachet Vieilles Vignes 2008, $44.95 Halpern
-Louis Latour Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru La Garenne 2008
-Lorion Pouilly-Fuisse Les Vieux Murs Reserve Caveau 1997, Select
-Roux Chassagne-Montrachet Les Chaumes 2009
-Roux Vougeot 1er Cru Les Petits Vougeots 2008
-Albert Morot Beaune 1er Cru Les Cent Vignes 2009
-Rion Vosne-Romanee 2009
-Rion Echezeaux Grand Cru 2009
*** Three Stars (85 – 87 in Quality/Price Rating terms):
-Taupenot-Merme Bel Air Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru 2007
-Domaine d’Ardhuy Savigny-Les-Beaune 1er Cru Aux Clous 2009
-Drouhin Savigny-Les-Beaune Fourneaux 2009
-Prunier et Fille Auxey-Duresses 1er Cru Clos du Val 2007, $59.85 Le
Sommelier
-Juillot Mercurey 1er Cru Clos Tonnerre 2008, $36 Case for Wine
-Domaine de Suremain Mercurey 1er Cru La Bondue 2007
-Moreau Chablis 1er Cru Vaulignot 2009
-Moreau Pere et Fils Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons 2009
-La Chablisienne Chablis 1er Cru Fourchaume 2008, 28.95 (Vintages July)
-Defaix Chablis 1er Cru Cote de Lechet 2008
-Vignerons de Buxy Montagny 1er Cru Les Chaniots 2008, $21.95 Vinexx
-Vignerons des Terres Secretes Saint-Veran Les Monts 2009, $19.95
Vinexx
-Loron Bourgogne Blanc Montvallon Chardonnay, +167155, $12.95.
I just tried the Joseph Drouhin 2007 Bourgogne Pinot Noir.
ReplyDeleteGood stuff!
I blogged about it here...
http://wp.me/p1CJLF-7z
Stay Rad,
Jeff