WTN: 2002 Vincent Girardin Whites

[Mark Sommelier]

I had the opportunity to sit down and taste the whole range of Vincent Girardin's stunning 2002 white Burgundies yesterday. All I can say is that everything you have heard about 2002 in Burgundy is true. We started with a gorgeous, fat Rully 1er Cru "Les Clous". Tasted blind, this would easily pass for Meursault or Puligny. Nice toast, huge body, honey. Tasting this, I knew we would be in for a treat. Next up, a new offering from Girardin, Puligny-Montrachet "Vielles Vignes". Thick and viscous, this was a crowd pleaser. Personal favorites from the line-up, Meursault-Charmes, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru "Morgeot" Domaine Vincent Girardin, and the out of this world Corton-Charlemagne. I actually preferred the Corton-Charlemagne to the Bienvenue-Batard-Montrachet, although only by a small margin. The C-C had huge body, great balance, perfect acidity, beautiful toast on the nose, length. I would rate it in the high 90's. The most amazing part was the price: less money than many top end California chards. This is a wine for the ages. These wines will begin to show up in stores and restaurants in mid November. Taste one, and you will buy a case or more.

[ctgm]

Mark, agree with you there. I recently tasted some of his 2002s (although would have liked to taste a few more!!)

Savigny Les Beaune Les Vermots Dessous

Santenay 1er Cru Les Gravieres

Saint Aubin 1er Cru en Remilly

Meursault Les Narvaux

Pul Mon Vieilles Vignes

Chass Mon 1er Cru Morgeot

Pul Mon 1er Cru Folatieres

Corton Charlemagne

Had the 2002 Rully sometime after this tasting and thought that it was really good.

Must agree with you that the Corton C was absolutly fantastic. Not a great fan of his Meursaults (or rather I should say that I prefer other producers). Liked the Vieilles Vignes but preferred the Folatieres, as it had richer fruit with a better structure and balance. Having said that the Folatieres is about 30% more expensive! Apart from that they were all good apart from (TO MY TASTES) the Saint Aubin which whilst not bad was a little unexciting.

I hear that there are still plenty of stocks of the 2001 vintage around, due to cancelled orders from the US as they decided to hang out for the 2002. Therefore if you want large quantities of the '02 it is more than likely that you will have to take some '01! Not sure if this it true but....

Edited October 16, 2003 by ctgm (log)

[Mark Sommelier]

ctgm wrote:

"I hear that there are still plenty of stocks of the 2001 vintage around, due to cancelled orders from the US as they decided to hang out for the 2002. Therefore if you want large quantities of the '02 it is more than likely that you will have to take some '01! Not sure if this it true but...."

ctgm,

I avoided buying reds from 2001 altogether, primarily because there is still so much '96-'99 around. I think many of the whites from '01 are what I call a great classic vintage. Of the smaller producers I have grown to admire, Borgeot and Maillard made stunning Meursaults and Chassagnes. The 2002's, IMO, are a stunning, great vintage. I will be buying them in great quantities as the quality of '03 is anybody's guess at this time. I was told that they lack acidity and will be useful for early drinking, not long term aging.

[jddoyle]

Did you guys get a chance to sample any of his reds? Or have they not been released yet?

The wine that got me excited about wine in the first place was a 1999 Baron de la Charriere Maranges 1er Cru "Clos Des Loyeres". Girardin does the Baron label for Eric Solomon. (imagine not knowing anything about wine, finding the one that turns you on and having it be a Burgundy, which is obscure and complicated enough, but beyond that a Maranges! Talk about an education!)

I plan on getting some of the 2002 but was wondering how the reds were faring? I know that Maranges isn't a very higly thought of area, but to me it has a distinct and unique terrior that I like.

Anyway, any info you have I would appreciate (or any comments about Maranges).

Jay Doyle

[Mark Sommelier]

Jay,

The reds have not been bottled yet, as far as I know. All the things I've heard are that they will be spectacular. Maranges is one of the newer appellations in Burgundy and has not really yet got its own following. Girardin's Maranges in the past have been quite tasty, and good bargains, too.

[jddoyle]

Thanks Mark. I thought that was the case. I need to reserve some.

Thanks.

[ctgm]

I will be buying them in great quantities as the quality of '03 is anybody's guess at this time. I was told that they lack acidity and will be useful for early drinking, not long term aging.

All that I have heard is that some of the grapes were getting burnt on the vine. Presumably this would affect those cepages with thinner skins (but am happy if someone can put me right). If this is the case then I would imagine that there is not a huge amount of acid about. Time, I suppose, will tell.

I might be going to Girardin in 3 weeks time - if so I will try and get a straight answer re: 2003. If I can't make either my colleague or a good friend also in the wine trade (who is a great pinotphile) will be going so will get a report.

Edited October 17, 2003 by ctgm (log)

[rshorens]

I live in Santa Cruz, CA and have been having trouble locating these wines. Does anyone know what wine stores in the San Francisco bay area carry Vincent Girardin white wines? I'd like to try them

Thanks,

Roz

[Mark Sommelier]

I will be buying them in great quantities as the quality of '03 is anybody's guess at this time. I was told that they lack acidity and will be useful for early drinking, not long term aging.

All that I have heard is that some of the grapes were getting burnt on the vine. Presumably this would affect those cepages with thinner skins (but am happy if someone can put me right). If this is the case then I would imagine that there is not a huge amount of acid about. Time, I suppose, will tell.

I might be going to Girardin in 3 weeks time - if so I will try and get a straight answer re: 2003. If I can't make either my colleague or a good friend also in the wine trade (who is a great pinotphile) will be going so will get a report.

I was in Burgundy last November and tasted with Laurent Borgeot in Remilly and Pascal Maillard in Chorey-les-Beaune. We tasted through all of their 2002's and they were uniformly delicious. Instead of moving to older vintages, they both let me taste their 2003's still in tank. The reds, both Villages and Grand Crus that I tasted, were chewy and sumptuous. At the time, the malolactic fermentation had not even completed, and the wines were very tasty. I think 2003 will produce some stunning wines.