2003 Barrel Samples in Burgundy

[Mark Sommelier]

I just got back from a week in France and two days in Burgundy. I would like to describe the entire 2 day stop to put the tastings into context. We arrived in the Beaune area after dark and headed toward our hotel, Le Montrachet in Puligny. Taking a turn down a narrow, dark road, we followed the sign that indicated Puligny-Montrachet. Going up a hill, the road turns. Peering out the window, I told my friend driving to slow down because something looked familiar to me from pictures I had seen. Stopping the car, I got out and looked at an ancient portal outside the vineyard. The inscription on the lintel: Le Montrachet, Domaine Baron Thenard. I got shivers down my spine. This was it. We continued to the hotel, which is totally charming and very beautiful and well appointed. Having had a rather large lunch on the way down, we went to Lameloise to cancel our dinner reservations and apologize to the chef. We came back and ate at Le Montrachet. The food was fair, but the wine list is what you come here for. The largest selection of Puligny,Chassagnes and Montrachets I have seen. We drank a Leflaive Clavoillons for a whopping 87€. The next day was tasting day. I had made arrangements to taste wine with 2 vignerons, one in the morning, one in the afternoon. Morning came and we set out to Remilly after breakfast to visit one of my favorite producers (and new friends), Laurent Borgeot. M. Borgeot is fairly young. He is a brilliant winemaker. He asked what we would be interested in tasting and I immediately told him 2002 and 2003. Laurent's domaines lie in Puligny, Chassagne and Meursault. He has no Grand Cru as yet. We tasted all the tank samples of his 2003 whites. Even though the malo is not completed, these were stunning and delicious wines. They reminded me most of the '97 vintages - floral, forward, balanced wines. The Puligny "Charmes" stood out from the group as being most delicious. The small amount of red he makes comes from Chassagne and Santenay. These wines were also robust and easy drinking. I made a joke about the "California vintage" and he just smiled. We then tasted through his white 2002. This is indeed a very great collector vintage. I intend to buy all I can. After tasting about 16 wines before 11:30 (and copping a buzz), we left. We had lunch arrangements with my friend Pascal Maillard, going to his cellar afterward. Pascal took us to Le Chassagne in the middle of Chassagne-Montrachet. This restaurant is run by the vingeron association. What a surprise to find a "gastronomique" restaurant in the middle of this tiny, ancient village. Over lunch we drank his superb Corton Blanc (not Charlemagne) 2001, Pommard "La Chaniere" 1996 and Corton-Renardes Grand Cru 1996. All stunning and showing very well. My Burgundy snails and main course of sole with langoustines were more than adequate. The cheese course finished us off. A delicious, gooey St. Felicien stands out. We then hopped in the car and made off to Chorey-les-Beaune where Pascal's winery is. Again, I asked to taste 2002 and 2003. Being half in the bag already (before 3 in the afternoon), we asked to only taste 3 or 4 wines because my boss was sleeping in the car at this point. Needless to say, the exuberant Pascal started dipping the pipette into barrel after barrel. He always starts with his village wine, Chorey-les-Beaune. Pascal's domaines are in Chorey, Meursault, Pommard, Corton, Beaune, Aloxe and Savigny. The '03 reds were uniformly delicious across the whole range, even though he told me that the malolactic fermentation was only 30% completed. The whites, clean, sweet and sumptuous. We then turned to 2002. We tried to put the brakes on with limited success. '02 Corton Blanc is a knockout. His Meursault Vielles Vignes a truly great wine. All the '02 wines possessed power, fine bouquet, length and finesse. At this point, I was happy to climb in the back seat of the car and sleep all the way to Lyon.

[budrichard]

Great report! The only time I purchased a bottle of Le Montrachet, Domaine Baron Thenard was when I found two bottles at a Foremost liquor store in Antioch Illinois under priced. One had a large ullage and I left it. The other I took and it was one of the best(1967 I think) whites we have ever had. Truly a stunning wine. I understand how you felt at the lintel completely. -Dick

[docsconz]

Nice report. I'm envious. I'll have to be on the lookout for the 2002 burgundies. I really haven't paid attention to the press on these. Any idea what the prices are going to be like?

[Craig Camp]

Mark - thanks for the report. I remember the goosebumps I got when I saw that gate for the first time (that was longer ago than I like to think about).

As this was your first trip to Burgundy, do you now think about the wines in a different way now that you have been to the place of their birth?

[Mark Sommelier]

Mark - thanks for the report. I remember the goosebumps I got when I saw that gate for the first time (that was longer ago than I like to think about).

As this was your first trip to Burgundy, do you now think about the wines in a different way now that you have been to the place of their birth?

Craig,

Chassagne has always been my favorite white Burgundy. Puligny is close behind. Staying in the village where Sauzet is just up the street was very cool. I will post a larger group of tasting notes soon.

[Mark Sommelier]

Nice report. I'm envious. I'll have to be on the lookout for the 2002 burgundies. I really haven't paid attention to the press on these. Any idea what the prices are going to be like?

So far, the 2002 prices are in line with a great vintage - slightly higher than 2001. Much of this can be explained by the weak American dollar at the moment. At the Vente de Vin last week at the Clos de Vougeot, prices were up 21% from 2002, so these wines will be more expensive due not only to the exchange rate, but the small harvest as well. What I tasted from 2003 was very promising in the hands of these winemakers. There is some doubt if the vintage will be uniformly excellent.

[badthings]

Mark - thanks for the report. I remember the goosebumps I got when I saw that gate for the first time (that was longer ago than I like to think about).

I got goosebumps reading about it.

Thank you.

[LOS]

Thanks for the report. One small note. I assume that Le Chassagne is the new restaurant owned by the people behind the Caveau de Chassagne. The Caveau de Chassagne is not a cooperative, but a privately owned store. They *do* have access to, and first-rate prices on, an amazing selection of wines from the growers in the village, and I cannot recommend it highly enough.

[Mark Sommelier]

Thanks for the report. One small note. I assume that Le Chassagne is the new restaurant owned by the people behind the Caveau de Chassagne. The Caveau de Chassagne is not a cooperative, but a privately owned store. They *do* have access to, and first-rate prices on, an amazing selection of wines from the growers in the village, and I cannot recommend it highly enough.

I was told earlier this week that Le Chassagne is owned by several vignerons, including Michel Colin-Deleger and Bernard Morey.