Burgundy 2012 En Primeur Offer

Transcription

1 Burgundy 2012 En Primeur Offer Let us start with the prosaic question: Are the Burgundy 2012s any good? The answer to that is "Yes". Neal Martin, in the end quality-wise 2012 has turned out, not merely 'all right', but really very good indeed, if not perhaps even very fine. I have already heard the wines refered to as 'classic'. There are some who regard the potential of 2012 reds as superior to anything recent, and that includes 2010, 2009, 2005 and other years. Clive Coates on Burgundy Contents 2 Burgundy 2012 Overview 4 Summary of Whites on Offer 5 Summary of Reds on Offer 7 The Fine Wine Team s Picks of the Vintage 9 Domaine Antoine Jobard 10 Domaine Bachelet-Monnot 12 Domaine Bonneau du Martray & Domaine Laurent Borgeot 13 Domaine Buffet 14 Domaine Lucien Camus-Bruchon 15 Domaine Chofflet-Valdenaire & Domaine des Deux Roches 16 Maison Joseph Drouhin 18 Domaine Henri Gouges 20 Domaine Grivot 21 Domaine Hudelot-Baillet & Domaine Jouard 22 Benjamin Leroux 24 Domaine Georges Lignier 25 Domaine Matrot 26 Domaine Méo-Camuzet 29 Domaine Bernard Moreau & Domaine du Meix-Foulot 30 Château de Puligny-Montrachet 31 Domaine Michel Niellon 32 Domaine Rossignol-Trapet 33 Hospices de Beaune 34 Dujac Fils et Père 35 Laroze de Drouhin 36 Roche de Bellene 37 Domaine de la Vougeraie 39 Terms & Conditions Prices are quoted in bond unless otherwise stated and are exclusive of duty, VAT and delivery, which is expected through the course of late 2014, you will be notified by post once your wines have arrived. Bottles sizes are 75cl unless otherwise stated. For full details please see our terms and conditions on page 39 1

2 Burgundy 2012 Vintage View What a surprise 2012 has been, what an utterly topsy turvy year this is! It s very challenging for me to explain to you succinctly how this vintage is so good despite how difficult the conditions were for the vignerons. Let me assure you of one thing, this is a lovely Burgundy vintage and certainly the most enjoyable and easiest wines to taste at this stage than any other of the visits I have made to the region. Some are suggesting it is superior to 2010, 2009 and 2005, in general and in my view it s certainly more appealing than 2009, but the longevity of the reds in 2010s and 2005s make them marginally finer. The 2012s will keep well, but will be more enjoyable in their youth than the 2010s and 2005s. The Vintage Conditions Quite a story this year, a vintage of two halves! While 2012 started in reasonably mild shape, April, May and June were grim, cold, wet and simply not conducive to a good yielding vintage from the off. The result of this weather was that flowering was exceedingly late and uneven and given the damp conditions the risk of rot and Oidium was very high. It s worth noting though that this tough start is primarily a concern in terms of volume of grapes produced by the vine rather than meaning low quality fruit. Come the end of June and later into the summer though, although the weather improved the vineyards were hit with a double blow with not one but two extensive and devastating hail storms and a few other minor ones besides. The majority of the damage was focussed on the Côte de Beaune, especially so in Puligny, Meursault and Volnay. In the most part, the Côte de Nuits escaped the worst of the hail. In fact while yields were reduced by up to 80% in some parts of the Côte de Beaune (typically 30-40% down), some parts of the Côte de Nuits were reporting yields up close to 2009 levels which were very high indeed, so not a horror show for everyone. While the first half of the year was not too far short of a disaster, the second half of the year which generally governs the quality rather than the volume of the vintage was not far short of perfect, bar the yield-reducing hail. The temperatures were consistently hot during July and August which allowed the grapes to catch up following the late start to flowering. Over the course of a vintage the grapes tend to need around 1300 sunshine hours to ripen ideally, so given the cold and wet start to the year they needed maximum sunshine hours to achieve full ripeness in later summer and autumn. thankfully they got it! The evenings prior to harvest turned rather colder which meant that the acidity levels in the grapes were maintained and matched with ripe fruit the resultant wines were full of ripe red fruit and wonderful freshness. The tannins were very refined and ripe, but not overbearing. The Whites I would advise readers not to ignore the wines from Chassagne-Montrachet this year: a village appellation too often overlooked vis-à-vis Meursault or Puligny-Montrachet. I am not sure why that is. Neal Martin Prior to our trip to taste the wines there was plenty of press coverage writing up the merits of the reds in However, having spent a week travelling from Mâcon, through the Côte de Beaune to the Côte de Nuit and up to Chablis, the quality of the whites was most surprising. There was certainly less consistency in the whites than there was in the reds, but there are a number of producers who really stood out in terms of concentration, finesse and balancing acidity. There were the occasional whites which appeared to be lacking a little freshness, precision and acidity, but these were really few and far between. 2

3 The Whites (continued) A selection of producers who overachieved in my view include; Domaine Bernard Moreau: Now one of the most consistent producers in Chassagne, the balance Alex strikes between power, acidity and elegance is remarkable. Domaine Bachelet-Monnot have very quickly established themselves as the visit I most look forward to and it s no surprise their 2012s follow the success of their 2011s. Rather more restrained than the style of Moreau, their focus and precision is particularly attention grabbing. Domaine Antoine Jobard struck me as particularly interesting. Stylistically they are very lean, zippy wines and this year is no exception. I feel pound for pound the attraction here is at the more affordable end of their range, and so that is where we have bought. Although in most cases this year I felt the specialists performed well whereas the jack of all trades struggled slightly, I was very impressed by Maison Drouhin for both reds and whites. Erring on the side of rich, weighty and generous this year, their Côte de Beaune Blanc is extraordinary value. The Reds Where to start? It would probably be a swifter exercise to highlight who didn t perform well rather than who did given the quality of the reds this year! The majority had wonderful purity of fruit, generally more aromatic, perfumed and red fruit orientated than say the 2005s or 2010s to which they are being compared. The acidity is high without being intrusive and the tannins soft, fun, but significant. Many producers we have spoken to are of the opinion they are better than 2002, 2010 and even 2005, but I think they are just totally different. The tannic structure in 2005 and 2010 in particular was so marked that while they will both age wonderfully, they were and still are pretty tough is just far friendlier, the tannins more enjoyable at this stage and fruit more charming and aromatic. Versus the 2011s the 2012s are a clear notch up from every angle. Some 2011s I though felt a little green, stalky and lacking purity in saying that some of those I tried again, in particularly those of Henri Gouges were going very well indeed, but that s for another day. the best 2012s have the freshness to make many nigh irresistible in their first five years. They are definitely more approachable than the 2010 because that tannins a less rigid, yet there is the intensity of fruit, the substance and length to suggest that the best premier crus will cruise for 15 to 20 years, the grand crus 20 to 30 years or longer in some cases. Neal Martin Producers who did particularly well include: Henri Gouges, whose wines were forward, supple and generous. In the past it s been difficult to appreciate Gouges s wines given they have been very angular and often reductive in their youth. Not so in 2012, Gregory has done a terrific job since he took over and his wines are better than I have ever tasted. We visited Benjamin Leroux for the first time this year, a young winemaker, but already with bags of experience at the top level. Having been the General Manager of Domaine du Comte Armand, he has now set up his own négoce. His wines are superb, his Savigny-Lès-Beaune and Gevrey-Chambertin stood out for us. At a more affordable level across his range George Lignier offers wines of great elegance and purity. At an even more modest price point a new range of reds from Domaine Laurent Borgeot were both surprisingly well priced and utterly charming, his red 1er Cru Clos St Jean Chassagne-Montrachet at just 220 per 12 IB is delightful. At the top end we (and Tim Atkin it appears) had our best tasting at Jean Grivot, utterly breathtaking, long lived blockbusters. The only thing left to say is please accept my apologies again for the lack of volume available, there is so much to want and just not enough to go around. Angus McLean, Laithwaite s Fine Wine, 5 th December

4 White Summary (F) On the table below this indicates a Fine Wine Team Favourite. (A) On the table below this indicates a wine which is on allocation and priority for these wines will be given to those having bought these wines in previous vintages and those buying across the producer s and our range. Wine Appellation Case Size Domaine Borgeot 'Clos de la Carbonade' Bourgogne Domaine Deux Roches 'Rives de Longsault St-Véran Domaine Matrot Bourgogne Case Price IB Laroze de Drouhin Bourgogne Domaine du Meix-Foulot (F) Mercurey Domaine Henri Gouges 'Pinot Blanc' Bourgogne Collovray et Terrier Pouilly-Fuissé Maison Drouhin (F) Côte de Beaune Château de Puligny 'Clos du Château' Bourgogne Domaine Antoine Jobard (F) Bourgogne Domaine Matrot 'Fleur s de Côteaux' St-Aubin 1er Cru Domaine Méo-Camuzet 'Clos St Philibert' Hautes-Côtes de Nuits Domaine de la Vougeraie (F) Beaune Domaine Benjamin Leroux 'Sur le Chateau' (F) St Romain Domaine de la Vougeraie Savigny-Lès-Beaune Domaine Vincent & François Jouard Chassagne-Montrachet Domaine Bernard Moreau 'En Remilly' St Aubin 1er Cru Domaine Bachelet-Monnot (F) Chassagne-Montrachet 12 SOLD OUT Domaine Bernard Moreau (F) Chassagne-Montrachet Domaine Bachelet-Monnot 'Clos du Cromin' Meursault Domaine Bachelet-Monnot (F) Puligny-Montrachet Domaine Matrot Meursault Domaine Antoine Jobard (F) Meursault Domaine Vincent & François Jouard ' Champ Gains' Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Château de Puligny Puligny-Montrachet Domaine Bernard Moreau 'Champs Gains' (F) Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru Domaine Matrot 'Charmes' Meursault 1er Cru Domaine Matrot 'La Quintessence' (F) Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Château de Puligny 'Chalumeaux' Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Maison Drouhin 'Morgeot Clos de Laguiche' (F) Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Domaine Henri Gouges 'La Perrière' Blanc Nuits St Georges Domaine Bonneau du Martray (A) Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru Domaine Bachelet-Monnot (F) (A) Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru 6 SOLD OUT Domaine Bernard Moreau (F) (A) Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru Domaine Michel Niellon Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru Domaine Bernard Moreau (A) Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru Maison Drouhin - Marquis de Laguiche (F) (A) Montrachet Grand Cru 3 SOLD OUT Neal Martin Score 4

5 Red Summary (F) On the table below this indicates a Fine Wine Team Favourite (A) On the table below this indicates a wine which is on allocation and priority for these wines will be given to those having bought these wines in previous vintages and those buying across the producer s and our range. Wine Appellation Case Size Domaine Laurent Borgeot Bourgogne Case Price IB Laroze de Drouhin (F) Bourgogne Domaine Laurent Borgeot Santenay Maison Roche de Bellene Côte de Nuits-Villages Domaine Lucien Camus-Bruchon Bourgogne Domaine Bachelet-Monnot Bourgogne Domaine Bachelet-Monnot 'Fussière' Vieilles Vignes Maranges 1er Cru Domaine Henri Gouges Bourgogne Domaine Chofflet-Valdenaire 'Clos Jus' Givry 1er Cru Maison Drouhin Côte de Beaune Domaine Lucien Camus-Bruchon 'Les Pimentiers' (F) Savigny-Lès-Beaune Domaine Benjamin Leroux (F) Savigny-Lès-Beaune Domaine Laurent Borgeot 'Clos St Jean' (F) Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Domaine Georges Lignier Morey St Denis Domaine Buffet Volnay Domaine Lucien Camus-Bruchon 'Les Gravins' (F) Savigny-Lès-Beaune 1er Cru Maison Roche de Bellene Nuits St Georges Domaine Buffet Pommard Domaine Rossignol-Trapet Gevrey-Chambertin Domaine Georges Lignier Gevrey-Chambertin Dujac Père et Fils Chambolle-Musigny Dujac Père et Fils Gevrey-Chambertin Dujac Père et Fils Morey St Denis Domaine Hudelot-Baillet (F) Chambolle-Musigny Méo-Camuzet Frère et Soeurs Morey St Denis Domaine Henri Gouges Nuits St Georges Domaine de la Vougeraie Gevrey-Chambertin Domaine Rossignol-Trapet 'Teurons' Beaune 1er Cru Méo-Camuzet Frère et Soeurs (F) Fixin Domaine Georges Lignier ' Clos des Ormes' Morey St Denis 1er Cru Maison Roche de Bellene Vosne-Romanée Domaine Henri Gouges 'Chênes Carteaux' (F) Nuits St Georges 1er Cru Domaine Buffet 'Carelle Sous La Chapelle' Volnay 1er Cru Domaine de la Vougeraie 'Grèves' (F) Beaune 1er Cru Domaine Buffet 'Poutures' Pommard 1er Cru Hospices de Beaune Cuvée Dames Hospitalières Beaune 1er Cru Neal Martin Score 5

6 Wine Appellation Case Size Hospices de Beaune Cuvée Billardet Pommard Case Price IB Domaine Benjamin Leroux (F) Gevrey-Chambertin Domaine Henri Gouges 'Clos de Porrets St Georges' Nuits St Georges 1er Cru Domaine Hudelot-Baillet 'Charmes' Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Maison Drouhin Clos Sorbé Morey St Denis 1er Cru Domaine Méo-Camuzet (A) Vosne-Romanée 6 SOLD OUT Maison Drouhin (F) Chambolle Musigny 1er Cru Domaine Rossignol-Trapet 'Petite Chapelle' (A) Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Domaine Rossignol-Trapet 'Clos Prieur' (A) Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Domaine Georges Lignier ' Clos Combottes' Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Laroze de Drouhin (F) (A) Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru 6 SOLD OUT Domaine Georges Lignier Clos St Denis Grand Cru Maison Drouhin 'Cazetiers' Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Méo-Camuzet Frère et Soeurs 'Feusselottes' (A) Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru 6 SOLD OUT Domaine Méo-Camuzet 'Boudots' (A) Nuits St Georges 1er Cru 6 SOLD OUT Domaine Méo-Camuzet 'Murgers' (A) Nuits St Georges 1er Cru 6 SOLD OUT Domaine Grivot 'Roncières' (F) Nuits St Georges 1er Cru Domaine Georges Lignier Clos de la Roche Grand Cru Domaine Georges Lignier Bonnes Mares Grand Cru Domaine Benjamin Leroux 'Suchots' (F) Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru 6 SOLD OUT Domaine Benjamin Leroux (A) Mazoyères-Chambertin Grand Cru 6 SOLD OUT Domaine Grivot (A) Clos Vougeot Grand Cru 6 SOLD OUT Domaine Grivot 'Suchots' (A) Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru 6 SOLD OUT Domaine Méo-Camuzet 'Brûlées' (F) Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru 1 SOLD OUT Maison Drouhin (F) (A) Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Grand Cru 6 1, Domaine Méo-Camuzet 'Cros Parantoux' (A) Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru 1 SOLD OUT Maison Drouhin (A) Musigny Grand Cru 3 SOLD OUT Maison Roche de Bellene (A) Bonnes Mares Grand Cru 6 TBC Maison Roche de Bellene (A) Clos de la Roche Grand Cru 6 TBC Maison Drouhin 'Cuvée Véronique' Givry 12 TBC Neal Martin Score (F) On the table below this indicates a Fine Wine Team Favourite. (A) On the table below this indicates a wine which is on allocation and priority for these wines will be given to those having bought these wines in previous vintages and those buying across the producer s and our range. 6

7 The Fine Wine Team s Picks Given we chose the wines offered here, we are more than happy with everything we selected from hundreds upon hundreds of wines tried. However, if you are in any doubt, Stewart and I have each selected our absolute favourite two reds and whites of the trip below factoring in both quality and value for money. Gus s Picks P Maison Joseph Drouhin, Côte de Beaune 170 per 12 IB Joseph Drouhin are perhaps best known for their red and white Clos des Mouches of which they own a vast volume of the 1er Cru site in Beaune. The quality of Clos des Mouches is not in doubt, but the price has recently skyrocketed. This modestly priced Côte de Beaune comes from a number of sites, including a significant volume of the aforementioned 1er Cru and it is as clear as day. The quality for a wine at this price is astonishing and if it were not for the demand our customers have for it I would have bought it in each of the last 4 vintages. Fingers crossed there is enough for me this year? P Domaine Bachelet-Monnot, Chassagne-Montrachet SOLD OUT Many of you who buy white Burgundy would have probably had a conversation with me about these two brothers. They ve only been going since 2005, but they are my tip to become Burgundy superstars. Not only is their wine of top quality, but they are surprisingly affordable in relation to their competition and they are a charming bunch here which always seems to make the wine taste better. Although I could have picked any one of their wines I opted for the Chassagne as it it probably the best performing white village overall in 2012 in my view. TBC Benjamin Leroux, Savigny-Lès-Beaune 215 per 12 IB Like the Bachelet brothers mentioned above, Benjamin Leroux is my other tip to become a winemaking legend in Burgundy. Some may say he already is having been the General Manager of Domaine Comte Armand despite still being in his 30s, so he s got so much more potential. His whole range was impressive, but at a relatively modest price point, this just sums up the vintage so well given the purity of fruit, the accessibility and quite frankly it just put a massive grin on my face when I tried it. P H. Gouges, Nuits St Georges 1 er Cru Chênes Carteaux 180 per 6 IB Gouges have a very loyal following indeed; they have a plethora of top 1er Cru sites of which you will no doubt be familiar. I pick this because it is one of the lesser known sites and one of the least expensive. In 2012 though I thought it was superior to the more fashionable Les St Georges and Vaucrains and I was not the only one with it being awarded the highest score from the Domaine by Neal Martin too. Granted it is a different style to those two, being far more elegant, so perhaps not quite as long lived (although that s relative given the longevity in general of Gouges wine) but I think this will give consumers more enjoyment and you can have twice as much of this as you can the more fashionable 1er Crus mentioned.allocations depending. 7

8 Stewart s Picks P Domaine Antoine Jobard, Meursault 185 per 6 IB If I had to place myself one side of the fence or the other between the big, rich, opulent style of Meursault and the leaner, focussed, precise style I would have to go for the former. Antoine Jobard produces Meursaults that are undoubtedly in the latter camp, but they are so well made that I adore them nonetheless. The 2012s were even a step up from the brilliant 2011s that were my first experience of this estate, showing greater generosity of fruit, but lacking none of the hallmark laser-like precision and focus. His Bourgogne Blanc is a great introduction to his style and this wine is one of the very best Village-level Meursaults I have ever tasted. TBC Domaine de la Vougeraie, Beaune 220 per 12 IB Opinions are divided as to what difference following biodynamic principles has on growing grapes for wine production. While I am sceptical as to the science behind the process, I have certainly noticed that most biodynamic producers do tend to produce excellent wine and I believe this is down to the sheer amount of hands-on time that is required in the vineyard. Indeed, every one of Vougeraie s wines greatly impressed on tasting, and this white from an often-overlooked appellation (despite being at the very centre of wine production in the Côte d Or!) displays all the purity, brightness of fruit and multi-dimensional flavours I so enjoyed at this address in TBC TBC Domaine Camus-Bruchon, Savigny-Lès-Beaune Pimentiers 210 per 12 IB I like to think of Savigny as something of a little secret a good to great value village with some impressively steep South-East facing slopes tucked away in a side-valley just North of Beaune itself. Much of the production is sold through the big Beaunebased négociants, but Camus-Bruchon are based on the edge of the village itself and produce some of the best I have encountered. The Pimentiers is from a village cru and shows plenty of dense, dark fruit. It will drink well on release, but based on the quality of a 1985 village Savigny that was pulled out of their cellar and was on top top form, it would age well too. Dom. Borgeot, Chassagne-Montrachet 1 er Cru Clos St Jean 220 per 12 IB A new producer to our range this year and one who showed us some excellent wines. One red in particular stood out for its quality and also for interest s sake. Most of the Chassagne vineyards that are best planted with Pinot Noir have been replanted to Chardonnay in recent years as sale prices are higher for the whites. Admirably stubborn, Borgeot are insistent on producing the best wine the vineyard can offer, so continue to produce this delicious red Chassagne Premier Cru. Not difficult to appreciate, its perfumed charms leap from the glass. Delicious. A real find and great value to boot. 8

9 Domaine Antoine Jobard Antoine Jobard took over from his father François on his retirement eight years ago, becoming the fifth generation to take charge of the domaine. Last year was the first time we had tasted chez Jobard and the wines hugely impressed. This year the bar has been raised higher still. Here is a perfect example of the trend seen in Meursault over the last few years where the archetypal sweet-fruited, buttery, highly-oaked wines that dominate popular perception of the appellation have started to give way to wines that that are more lightly oaked and earlier picked, keeping a tension and focus to the wine and allowing the terroir to better express itself. Jobard now produces "some of the most long lived Meursaults" (Andrew Jefford, The New France) The flavour profile too is shifting, from tropical fruits to citrus. This having been said, Jobard s 2012s show plenty of depth and weight of fruit, making our tasting here one of the absolute highlights of the trip, with the wines at the Bourgogne and village level standing up particularly well pound-for-pound versus the Premiers Crus. P Bourgogne Blanc 185 per 12 IB Nature restricted yields far below the usual in many parts of the Côte d Or in 2012 and the consequent levels of concentration and seriousness found in some supposedly humble Bourgognes was testimony to this. Jobard s Bourgogne is very much in the house style and punches well above its weight. A real mini-meursault. P Meursault 185 per 6 IB True to Antoine Jobard s style of winemaking it doesn t deliver a massive, buttery style of Meursault, instead focussing on freshness and bright, clean fruit. This, combined with the weight and depth of fruit combine to produce an incredibly moreish wine. 9

10 Domaine Bachelet-Monnot Based in Maranges, but with several parcels of in Meursault, Chassagne- and Puligny-Montrachet village and 1er Cru vineyards. Domaine Bachelet-Monnot were a new producer to us last year and are one of the most exciting Domaines in our range in my view. Given they were only founded in 2005 they are making exceptional wine and I foresee a particularly bright future for them. As at Jobard there is a young winemaker driving up quality, in fact there are two brothers Marc and Alexandre, although they look so similar I didn t realise there were in fact two of them at first! Their wines, both red and white are delicious, each seeming to get the balance between drinkability and structure just right, with the oak well-judged too. The Bachelets make wines that are classically styles, emphasizing the inherent freshness, complexity and minerality in each cuvee Stephen Tanzer, International Wine Cellar P Puligny-Montrachet 295 per 12 IB Wonderfully elegant and pure on the nose, pure and clean with little hints of white flowers and grapefruit. The palate has lovely richness and use of oak. Super mouth feel, deliciously rich and rounded, but a clean bright finish. Perfect village Puligny in my view. The 2012 Puligny-Montrachet Village comes from plots of vine within Les Corvees, Les Meix, Les Houillieres, and Noyer Bret. It has a fragrant, leesy bouquet with touches of dried yellow flowers and peach skin. It just needs to gain a little more delineation. The palate is well balanced with a crisp opening, drops away a little in the mid-palate but comes back nicely on the taut citric finish Points, Neal Martin, erobertparker.com, December 2013 P Chassagne-Montrachet SOLD OUT Not dissimilar to the nose of the Puligny, perhaps a little more lemon and zippier fruit, but equally pure, clean and elegant. While still elegant as you would come to expect from Bachelet-Monnot the palate is broader as one would expect for a Chassagne. Juicier, even more rounded and compliments the range ideally. The 2012 Chassagne-Montrachet Village comes from vines located in close proximity to premier and grand crus in: La Caniere, Le Chene, Les Benoites, Le Pot Bois, and En Journoblot. It is rounded and generous on the nose with light orange and apple blossom. It takes two or three minutes to really unfurl. The palate is well balanced with an understated entry, building towards a slightly pinched fresh pear finish. Fine Points, Neal Martin, erobertparker.com, December 2013 P Meursault Clos du Cromin 295 per 12 IB Although notably direct and focussed for a Meursault, in the context of their range this is fatter, darker and more concentrated. A really interesting take on Meursault which adds variety to our Meursault range. The palate is tightly wound though suggesting this may take a few years to blossom. The 2012 Meursault Clos du Cromin comes from 25 and 75-year old vines that make 0.21-hectares. It has a very pretty dried peach and apricot blossom bouquet that is well defined, vibrant and fresh. The palate is very crisp and citrus-driven on the entry. Tighter and more linear than some of Bachelet-Monnot s other crus, it leads to a crisp, marine-influenced finish that is bright and pointed. Excellent Points, Neal Martin, erobertparker.com, December

11 TBC Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru SOLD OUT What a nose was the first line in my notes this year. So complex although clearly an infant. This is clearly the big brother of the village Puligny given the gentle house style, little hints of white flowers, citrus, quince and little spice. So elegant, utterly wonderful and a candidate for the white of the vintage. The 2012 Batard-Montrachet Grand Cru comes from the tiny 0.14-hectare parcel on the top of the slope towards Montrachet and it sees around 40% new oak. The vines are recent compared to others, planted in There are three barrels this year. For a Batard-Montrachet, it has a more expressive bouquet at this stage with vibrant green apple, orange zest and dried apricot scents that billow from the glass. The palate has good weight, smooth in texture with the creamy complementing the citrus lemon and orange rind notes, the mineralite appearing belatedly on the aftertaste. This is quite a regal Batard-Montrachet that should give pleasure over 15 to 20 years Points, Neal Martin, erobertparker.com, December 2013 TBC Bourgogne Rouge 135 per 12 IB Made from three parcels of fruit one from Santenay, one from the Hautes-Côtes and one from the home territory of Maranges, Bachelet-Monnot s entry red is a blend of good quality fruit to start with, which is of course a prerequisite for a good quality wine. What is unexpected is how high the quality bar can be raised for a humble Bourgogne rouge. The polish and precision of this wine is what sets it apart. Very good value. TBC Maranges 1 er Cru 'Fussière' Vieilles Vignes 165 per 12 IB Maranges is a beautifully hilly appellation at the southern tip of the Côte de Beaune, just South of Chassagne-Montrachet. Bachelet-Monnot s Fussières comes from 70 year old vines and the fruit is unsurprisingly rich and concentrated, joined by a little hint of spice on the finish. Substantial, but fully ripe tannins combine with the other elements to give this wine real longevity. 11

12 Domaine Bonneau du Martray In 1993 Jean-Charles de la Moernière turned his back on a successful career in architecture and returned to Domaine Bonneau du Martray, the family property in Corton. Remarkably, the Bault de la Moernière family are one of only three different owners of this ancient estate in twelve centuries. This is the only Domaine in Burgundy that makes solely Grand Cru, owning the single largest block of vineyards on the Corton hill, their Corton-Charlemagne is one of the greatest wines in all Burgundy (Clive Coates MW). TBC Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru 475 per 6 IB The sample of 2012 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru was taken from tank. It had been racked in September and was resting on the fine lees and will be racked again in January. The malolactics were delayed and only finished towards the end of August. It has a very subtle bouquet with hints of chalk, gunflint and citrus fruits almost Chablis-like in terms of delineation and personality. The palate has a marineinfluence on the entry, traces of seaweed, plus a tingle of zesty fruit on the side of the mouth. It is tender and airy towards the finish with traces of lemon sherbet lingering long after the wine has departed. The red grand cru is no longer distributed into the United States since the previous importer declined their allocation. Not the greatest business decision since Jean-Charles has pulled it up by the scruff of its neck in recent years by lowering yields and fine-tuning the vinification Points, Neal Martin, erobertparker.com, December 2013 Domaine Laurent Borgeot A new producer for us this year, based down in Remigny, near Santenay, one of only four domains in the village. They own 20 hectares of vines across predominantly Chassagne, Puligny and Santenay. With a large estate of 20 hectares they practice lutte raisonnée rather than completely embracing organic viticulture. In the last few years they have invested heavily in their winery and in my limited experience of their wines pre this work, the quality is on the rise. The reds in particular worked wonderfully well in this vintage maximising vibrancy and purity of the fruit. The key here is the value they offer, given price rises elsewhere in Burgundy. TBC Bourgogne 'Clos de la Carbonade' Blanc 95 per 12 IB Very aromatic, citrus and tropical fruits and ever so slightly perfumed. The palate is very clean, crisp and correct. Excellent value. TBC Bourgogne Rouge 95 per 12 IB Very generous nose, full of red fruit with little hints of sweet spice. Very well rounded on the palate, but elegant and balanced. Fresh, friendly, but enough structure and complexity to keep everyone happy. Super value. TBC Santenay 125 per 12 IB A little more direct than the Bourgogne, concentrated and powerful. Interesting savoury spice and firm tannins. TBC Chassagne-Montrachet 1 er Cru Clos St Jean 220 per 12 IB This Domaine is one of the few planting more Pinot Noir in Chassagne as opposed to increasing proportions of Chardonnay which tends to fetch more money. Wonderfully fragrant, how red Chassagne is not more popular I will never know and such good value. Impressive structure too. Such an easy wine to appreciate with its perfumed succulence. 12

13 Domaine Buffet Based in a cracking spot in the heart of Volnay behind the church, Jacques Buffet has some charming cellars comprising not only the 2012s in their barrels, but a selection of bottled wines dating back to the Second World War, alas not available for sale! In his vineyards he is a keen exponent of repiquage, replacing individual wines once they are dead or stopped producing rather than ripping up large plots at one time, thus maximising the age of his vines. He has 7 hectares spanning Volnay, Pommard and Savigny-Lès-Beaune. A popular and good value newcomer to our range last year, in 2012 we have expanded the range to include two Premier Crus and wines from neighbouring Pommard. P Volnay 230 per 12 IB Buffet tends to perform best on home soil in Volnay and while he produces a selection of Premiers Crus, we feel that the village-level Volnay is the best introduction to the house style. The fruit is sourced from two separate vineyard sites Famines and Gigottes. The resulting wine is elegant, silky and dominated by red fruits, although the 2012 has an almost Pommard-like backbone that would allow it to age for five years or longer. TBC Pommard 270 per 12 IB While the Volnay surprised us by how structured it was, by contrast the Pommard showed relatively unobstructive tannins, meaning that this wine could be approached earlier than one might expect for the appellation. The same bright, crunchy red fruits that were present on the Volnay are here in abundance too. P Volnay 1 er Cru 'Carelle Sous La Chapelle' 185 per 6 IB Produced from 50-year old vines, this wine was the pick of the Premiers Crus that we tasted at Buffet. Savoury and serious, but thankfully not overly heavy, I see this wine as being ideal with food from around three years from the vintage. TBC Pommard 1 er Cru Les Poutures 190 per 6 IB The Les Poutures is very much a Pommard! The muscular tannins dominate and likely will for the best part of a decade, at which point the wine will emerge from its shell and reveal more of its primary red fruit which can already be found at this stage if you look beneath the tannins. Those with patience will be rewarded by this Premier Cru, those without should stick with the village Pommard. 13

14 Domaine Lucien Camus-Bruchon Based on the edge of Savigny overlooking the finest plots, this domaine has 9.5ha of vineyard across many 1er crus in Savigny, Pommard and Beaune. Our first visit to this address last year had been one of the revelations of the trip and this year the wines have managed to be even better still. Savigny can offer some of the Côte d Or s best value reds and this point was really brought home not only when we tasted the quality of the 2012s, but also when a bottle of a village-level Savigny 1985 was brought out for us to taste. The freshness and beautifully evolved fruit were stunning I promise never to underestimate little Savigny again! TBC Bourgogne Rouge 130 per 12 IB A very good wine for its price point and a candidate for house red Burgundy, the fruit for Camus-Bruchon s Bourgogne comes from around the Savigny area. The sweetness of the fruit on the attack and density of the wine are truely impressive for the price. Usually simple tasty fruit is sufficient to make a good Bougogne, but here the texture impresses too. TBC Savigny-Lès-Beaune 'Les Pimentiers' 210 per 12 IB Just as last year this village cru absolutely stood out. A sweet attack of dark, dense fruit gives way to a touch of black pepper. The 84 year old vines no doubt help with depth and intensity. Impressive on the nose too, with some parma violet and blueberry notes. A seriously good and seriously drinkable wine. P Savigny-Lès-Beaune 1 er Cru 'Les Gravins' 260 per 12 IB Our very favourite of Camus-Bruchon s 2012s, Les Gravins is new to our range, but really merits its place. Enormously drinkable, everything in this wine just seems to appeal to the senses. The nose is very expressive showing cherries and strawberry. On the plate the fruit is whistle-clean and is joined by a touch of minerality. The 50% new oak used is well integrated, adding to the wine s complexity, rather than dominating proceedings and just enough acidity pops through on the finish to keep it clean, fresh and moreish. 14

15 Domaine Chofflet-Valdenaire Chofflet-Valdenaire are based in Russilly in the Givry appellation, right in the middle of the Côte Chalonnaise. Denis Valdenaire is in charge of the Domaine, having taken over from his father-in-law Jean Chofflet in Today he practices lutte raisonée viticulture and in 2012 has produced a selection of Givrys, but given the level of competition at the more affordable end this year we ve focussed on his top cuvee. TBC Givry 1 er Cru 'Clos Jus' 175 per 12 IB The Clos Jus is a more structured wine than the Clos de Choué which we have taken previously, That is to say that it currently exhibits higher acidity and meatier tannins. Given a little time in the cellar and/or some food to go with it it will surpass anything we have done from them in the past. Particularly impressive at this point in time is the aromatic, rich nose and the length and harmony of the finish. Domaine des Deux Roches & Collovray et Terrier Domaine des Deux Roches is one of the leading estates in the Mâconnais thanks to the astute leadership of Jean-Luc Terrier and Christian Collovray. The domaine has always owned some of the region s best vineyard plots, most notably in St-Véran, but it is their state-of-the-art winery that has helped capture the essence of this terroir. Jean-Luc is another charming character; those of you who are attending our Vintage Festival will have the opportunity to meet with him. His wines in 2012 are right on form perhaps even up to the quality of the 2010s and they always represent excellent value. TBC St-Véran Rives de Longsault 100 per 12 IB Greater levels of acidity perhaps offers better balance to this year s St-Véran. More crisp, green apple character as well as a little pear, but fresher and purer. A little honey on the finish. Charming. P Pouilly-Fuissé 170 per 12 IB Greater and more obvious use of oak here versus the St-Véran. Very rich, ripe and yeasty. Very refined, pure, fresh and very well balanced. 15

16 Maison Joseph Drouhin Maison Drouhin was established in 1880 by Joseph Drouhin and has remained a family affair ever since, being run nowadays by the fourth generation. Frédéric is assuming overall control of the firm from his father Robert while his brother Phillippe and sister Véronique, who both studied at Dijon now look after the vineyards and winemaking respectively. Last but not least is Laurent, who is the export manager. The estate itself occupies the breathtaking Parliament building, one of the most beautiful cellars in all of Beaune, originating from when Beaune was a duchy separate from France. Nearly all of Domaine Drouhin is fully organic and biodynamic, with that very same philosophy being extended to newly acquired vineyards. P Côte de Beaune Blanc 170 per 12 IB Wonderfully floral nose, honeyed. A very serious wine, 1er cru levels of concentration, rich, complex and mineral, but balanced. A twist of lemon on the finish keeping it really fresh and moreish. Such a shame volumes are so limited. P Chassagne-Montrachet 1 er Cru 'Morgeot Clos de Laguiche' 320 per 6 IB Clearly more new oak used here, very dark, very concentrated, but balanced with refreshing lemon-like acidity. Not at all shy, the richness of fruit and the oak influence makes this a great fun wine already. TBC Montrachet Grand Cru 'Marquis de Laguiche' SOLD OUT This never fails to wow me, yes it s expensive, but it s extraordinary. Very spicy, powerful, wonderful nose. I would happily just sit in a chair and smell this for hours. Just so so intense and satisfying and hits a massive crescendo with a long, long length. P Côte de Beaune Rouge 210 per 12 IB Plenty of dark, chunky fruit, but retaining elegance, balance and structure. Really very satisfying. The 2012 Cote de Beaune was picked between September 20 and 28, and as well as Cote de Beaune fruit, the blend includes declassified barrels of village and premier cru. It has a simple dark cherry, red currant and pomegranate bouquet with crisp delineation and fine clarity for such a modest wine. The palate is medium-bodied with grippy, red currant and pomegranate fruit with a touch of spice on the brittle finish. Fine what you might call a breezy entry-level Pinot Points, Neal Martin, erobertparker.com, December 2013 P Morey-St-Denis 1er Cru 'Clos Sorbé' 240 per 6 IB The 2012 Morey-Saint-Denis 1er Cru Sorbe has a masculine, tertiary bouquet with broody, sulky red and black fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with a prettier opening than the aromatics suggest. The acidity is well-judged and it builds toward a lovely, fleshy red berry fruit finish. Very fine, but it will need a couple of years to settle postbottling Points, Neal Martin, erobertparker.com, December

17 P Chambolle-Musigny 1 er Cru SOLD OUT Absolutely lovely nose as is typical for this generic 1er Cru blended from 4 named sites too small in volume to justify bottling separately. This is always a great buy and this year is no different. Slighly floral aromatic nose. A slightly firmer, minerally palate with a lovely complex finish. Very perfumed! The 2012 Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru comes from several parcels from the north and south of the appellation. Picked between 21 and 24 September it includes 10% whole cluster fruit. It has a lively bouquet with perfumed blackberry, pomegranate and wild strawberry aromas infused with sous-bois and mineral scents. The palate is medium-bodied with a supple opening, fleshy tannins and a generous, supple finish that is very satisfying Points, Neal Martin, erobertparker.com, December 2013 P Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Cazetiers 390 per 6 IB The 2012 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Les Cazetiers has an intense bouquet with showy cassis-tinged fruit that is missing a little composure at present. The palate is better, adorned with a succulent opening that is rounded and high-toned. There is plenty of ripeness here with an almost glossy, ostentatious finish. This has a more modern sheen at present and will be intriguing to taste after bottling to see if it remains in situ Points, Neal Martin, erobertparker.com, December 2013 TBC Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Grand Cru 1350 per 6 IB Lovely nose, really sweet red fruit. Very concentrated and firm. Far more perfumed that recent vintages of Clos de Bèze, almost more Musigny-like. The 2012 Chambertin Clos-de-Beze Grand Cru was completely de-stemmed. It has a light bouquet with mulberry and wild raspberry scents that are a little loose-knit considering the vineyard. The palate is medium-bodied with a soft supple opening. It is fleshy and voluminous in the mouth, although here I am seeking a little more backbone on the finish. Would that have been given by some stem addition? This Clos-de-Beze is sensual, but it is not as intellectual as I expected and will be earlier drinking than examples from other growers Points, Neal Martin, erobertparker.com, December

18 Domaine Henri Gouges Domaine Gouges is one of Nuits-Saint-Georges most famous domaines and one of the appellation s best the doyen of Nuits-Saint-Georges with magnificent wines says Clive Coates MW. The Gouges family have been owners of this domaine since 1919 and founder Henri is something of a Burgundian revolutionary. He was a key player in the battle against fraud and was the first Burgundian to bottle his own wine because it guarantees provenance and therefore quality. Domaine bottling is now practised throughout Burgundy. Grandson Gregory runs the domaine with the same drive and passion for quality as his legendary grandfather. The domaine s wines were renowned under Henri as some of the most structured and long-lived of Nuits-Saint-Georges wines. However, Gregory has been working towards a more approachable style. These are some of the most sought-after red Burgundies and made in very small volumes, so we are delighted to have expanded the range, including not one but two of their rare whites. TBC Bourgogne Pinot Blanc 150 per 12 IB Pears and sweet spice on the nose, almost akin to a Tarte Tatin. Wonderful freshness clean, racey and satisfying. A little citrus on the finish. Finishing with Gouges two white wines, the 2012 Bourgogne Pinot Blanc has a clean fresh grapefruit-scented bouquet that is simple and charming. The palate is nicely balanced with melon and pithy fruit, good acidity but a simple, quaffing finish. Drink this over the next two or three years. 86 Points, Neal Martin, erobertparker.com, December 2013 TBC Nuits St Georges Blanc 1 er Cru La Perrière 350 per 6 IB Bright lemon fruit, licorice, smoke on the nose. Slightly creamy attack on the palate, lovely concentration and a little more oak evident. A really lovely lemon, tangerine character along with a little tropical fruit and a touch of coconut. Remarkably complex with a friendly ripe finish. The 2012 Nuits Saint Georges 1er Cru La Perriere is 100% Pinot Blanc with nary a Chardonnay vine in sight. It is adorned with a fresh pear and melon-scented bouquet that is lively and focused. The palate is well-balanced with more weight than the Bourgogne Pinot Blanc, building nicely in the mouth towards the composed, lemongrass-tinged finish. This is simply a delicious white Burgundy that personally I would prefer to enjoy in its flush of youth. 88 Points, Neal Martin, erobertparker.com, December 2013 TBC Bourgogne Rouge 170 per 12 IB Good density, red and purple fruit. Good freshness. Opens up nicely, tannins growing. Will be worth keeping for a year or two. P Nuits St Georges 320 per 12 IB Very elegant and perfumed, yet pure. A little Vosne-Romanée like given the aromatics. Very charming and instantly appealing. Good effort! The 2012 Nuits Saint Georges Villages comes from nine separate parcels scattered around the appellation that together makes 1.70 hectares. It has a fragrant, floral bouquet with red currant and raspberry leaf. The palate is very refined with supple red cherries and red currant fruit, leading to a delicate, simple but pure, lithe finish. This constitutes fine, early drinking Nuits Saint Georges Points, Neal Martin, erobertparker.com, December

19 P Nuits St Georges 1 er Cru Les Chênes Carteaux 180 per 6 IB The most appealing Nuits of the trip, a wine to consider, to think about. It doesn t offer everything right away. More red fruit with greater structure. A great texture and grows on you as the length just goes on and on. Fascinating. The 2012 Nuits Saint Georges 1er Cru Les Chenes Carteaux comes courtesy of the domaine s 50-year-old vines. It has a strict, linear bouquet that is cut from the same cloth as Robert Chevillon s, with an emphasis of mineralite rather than fruite. Nothing wrong with that and with time it offers delicate forest floor and beguiling autumnal aromas. The palate is more feminine, with pointed acidity and a citrus core of fruit. This is one of Guillaume Gouge s more sophisticated, refined offerings with wonderful precision towards the finish Points, Neal Martin, erobertparker.com, December 2013 TBC Nuits St Georges 1 er Cru 'Clos de Porrets 195 per 6 IB Pretty dark and dense, but with excellent acidity and structure. Dark, intense fruit. Lots of small berries on this plot according to Gregory Gouges. Lovely balance and texture. Super. The 2012 Nuits Saint Georges 1er Cru Clos des Porrets-Saint-Georges comes from the family s almost 3.5-hectare monopole that is occupied by 50- to 60 year-old vines. This has a fantastic bouquet that sprints out of the blocks: blackberry, dark cherries and blood orange all beautifully defined. The palate is very well-balanced with succulent, ripe red berry fruit. There is more matiere evident here than in Les Chaignots with a suave, fleshy, mineral-rich finish. This has a sense of completeness already superb Points, Neal Martin, erobertparker.com, December

20 Domaine Grivot One of the Côte d Or s greatest and longest-established Domaines, Grivot is today in the hands of Etienne, a man who has a particular vision of red Burgundy, which while initially controversial has proved, to my mind certainly, 100% correct. Considering the Pinot Noir grape, when grown in the right sites (of which Domaine Grivot luckily own several) as more robust that most do, he advocates late harvesting and extended periods in oak. The result is muscular, structured styles that can be difficult to taste when young, but which after a few years in the cellar open up to reveal beautiful black-fruit driven wines. Etienne is creating wines that I think he has always dreamed of making and 2012 delivered the goods. (Neal Martin). P Nuits St Georges 1 er Cru 'Roncières' 475 per 6 IB The dense, dark palate I always associate with Grivot s Roncières is very much in evidence here, but there is plenty more to the wine than that. While the fruit itself may be dark and brooding, it somehow manages to have a real prettiness to it. There is a herbal note and a notable minerality too. Complex and appealing. The 2012 Nuits Saint Georges 1er Cru Les Roncières possesses a very expressive bouquet whereby the soil's gravelly composition is articulated through its tertiary and somehow "spacious" nose. The palate is fresh and vibrant on the entry. It is well balanced with supple tannins, hints of orange rind infusing the black and red berry fruits with a forward, slightly showy finish tinged with iodine. This should be a generous Nuits with plenty of fruité Points, Neal Martin, erobertparker.com, December 2013 P Vosne-Romanée 1 er Cru 'Suchots' SOLD OUT A big monolith of a wine at the moment, all the ingredients are there to complete a great wine, although a period in the cellar of at least five or six years is a must in order to allow all the elements to integrate. Harmonious and balanced. The 2012 Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Suchots was showing a little reduction on the nose, but there seemed to be plenty of red berry fruit waiting underneath. The palate is all texture: smooth and silky with not a hair out of place, dovetailing effortlessly into a tender and citrus fresh finish that delivers its mineralité on the aftertaste. The Les Suchots represents a more constrained but perhaps more intellectual take on the vintage Points, Neal Martin, erobertparker.com, December 2013 P Clos Vougeot Grand Cru SOLD OUT This wine has a most fantastic backbone of acidity drawing all the elements together and keeping them in focus. Red fruits as well as dark are evident on the palate, which is not atypical for many of the 2012s we tried at Grivot. The length is very impressive with that seam of acidity keeping it fresh. Another one for the cellar. The 2012 Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru offers plenty of dark berries, briary, woodland scents on the nose - deep and penetrating. The palate is very structured with one particular barrel sample showing more backbone than other. The grip and intent are both palpable on the long, cola-tinged finish that brims over with energy. This is a multifaceted Clos de Vougeot endowed with a Pandora Box of delights down the road Points, Neal Martin, erobertparker.com, December