BURGUNDY 2013 en primeur Latimer Vintners Ltd 146 Freston Road London W10 6TR T: +44 (0)20 7985 1005 F: +44 (0)20 7681 3211 wine@latimervintners.com latimervintners.com
The 2013 vintage in Burgundy was extremely challenging for winemakers both in the vineyard and the cellar, but out of this adversity some very good wines have been made. When we say good that is not just in the context of a difficult vintage, in fact, there are some genuinely delicious wines which will give enormous pleasure in the years to come. We are, of course, lucky to deal with some of the best growers in the region and that certainly helps. The 2013 is vintage where the best sites and intelligent winemaking were needed to triumph against some very tough conditions. This year we are delighted to announce a new white producer in Domaine Bachelet-Monnot. Although we have tasted their wines several times in the UK it was our first time tasting at the Domaine and it did not disappoint! We were blown away by the quality of the wines on offer in 2013 and we are very excited to be able to offer these to our clients. Demand for Burgundy seems to be still on the rise, prices are increasing in the secondary market due to demand from Asia and the increasing willingness for people to see great Burgundy as a good investment. It was noticeable on this trip that there were more wine collectors from South East Asia in Beaune than in previous years and according to our producers demand from Asia was at an all-time high. With this in mind it is good to see that prices have not increased for the 2013 vintage (in some cases prices have come down)even though production was reduced and demand has increased. If these trends continue it seems likely that prices will only go one way. The Vintage 2013 was not blessed with easy conditions. The vintage started with cold and damp weather which delayed bud break and flowering considerably. This was followed by more cold and wet conditions throughout May, again slowing the development of the vines and meaning a late harvest was guaranteed. June saw warmer temperatures and rapid growth although this was short lived due to cold humid conditions returning around the 20th. It was these conditions which reduced yields for the vintage as it caused both coulure (failure of flowers to turn to fruit) and millerandage (small berry cluster). Luckily July was warm and offered good growing conditions throughout the region, that was until 23rd July when a hail storm yet again devastated much of the Cotes de Beaune. August was warm but temperatures dropped in early September meaning that the grapes took longer to achieve full ripeness delaying the harvest further. The whites were picked from the 25th of September and reds from October 1st by which time the weather had turned wet and rot had started to have an effect. Speed was of the essence at this stage and careful selection of fruit was also essential. Michael Stobbs Managing Director Follow us for up to date offers: @latimervintners Latimer Vintners Ltd 146 Freston Road London W10 6TR T: +44 (0)20 7985 1005 F: +44 (0)20 7681 3211 wine@latimervintners.com latimervintners.com
White Unit Unit Price Domaine-Bachelet Monnot Tasting at Bachelet Monnot was an eye opening experience, the wines across the board are fantastic. We think Neal Martin sums it perfectly: Bachelet-Monnot. Brothers Marc and Alec Bachelet are producing exquisite expressions of both Côte Chalonnais and Côte de Beaune wines that I have regaled in previous reports. Their 2013s reaffirmed my position that these boys know exactly what they are doing: mineral-driven, terroir-defined expressions of Chardonnay with a knack for sending tingles down the spine. Neal Martin erobertparker.com Bourgogne Blanc 12 120 InBond Attractive primary fruit on the nose. A lovely freshness with good balance and attractive apple and lemon fruit finishing with a hint of minerality. St Aubin 1er Cru En Remilly 12 220 InBond Some peach, lime and sherbet notes on the nose, very fine and elegant. Fine linear structure with mouth-watering acidity and a lovely honey and liquorice character, very mineral. Really very impressive. Puligny Montrachet 12 295 InBond Classic Puligny with a lovely elegance and precision to the limey green fruit. Superb minerality, this is still quite tight but has a lovely balance and a real limey freshness. Chassagne Montrachet 12 250 InBond Ripe lemon and apple notes along with strawberries and a lovely mineral smokiness. This is richer and broader than the Puligny but retains a lovely balance. Puligny Montrachet 1er Cru Hameau de Blagny 12 380 InBond Salty and savoury with some lime fruit and a lovely mineral character, very precise and slightly perfumed. This is very fine and elegant with a slightly perfumed feminine character there is a real richness and power on the finish. Puligny Montrachet 1er Cru Referts 6 220 InBond This is bigger and more powerful with apricot and peach on the nose. The fruit flavours continue in the mouth, there is a lovely controlled power, extremely elegant with a moreish saline note on the finish. Puligny Montrachet 1er Cru Folatieres 6 245 InBond Very fine and elegant with a perfumed, powdery fruit character. There is a lovely concentration of ripe lime and peach fruit, a real freshness and vibrancy, perfect balance and tension. Batard Montrachet Grand Cru 6 850 InBond A lovely buttery, creaminess alongside the crisp limey fruit. This is very complex with lots of ripe fruit, butter, fat and mineral character yet retaining and elegance and superb concentration.
White Unit Unit Price Domaine Buisson Charles Patrick Essa continues to make lovely examples of Meursault which are true to their terroir. The 2013 s are lovely with crisp acidity and lovely concentration of fruit. The critic Allen Meadows burghound.com is also a fan, saying the following: If you aren t familiar with the wines, you should be, at least if you enjoy classically styled whites Meursault Veilles Vignes 12 280 InBond A classic Meursault style with a caramel and buttery character. Lovely acidity with lots of ripe apple fruit and some citrus character, a nice touch of minerality. Meursault Tesson 6 195 InBond This has a real minerality and a lovely freshness, there are notes of smoke and liquorice on the nose. There s a lovely tension between the crisp, fresh acidity and ripe fruit. This is very good for a village wine. Meursault 1er Cru Boucheres 6 235 InBond More serious with less obvious fruit character but with a real strong backbone of minerality. Fabulously balanced and poised with a really elegant character, this is very classy and a lovely example of Boucheres. Meursault 1er Cru Cras 6 235 InBond Not available to taste when we visited, Neal Martin wrote: The 2013 Meursault les Cras is very closed at the moment, broody and surly in the glass, but opens with a few swirls to reveal apple-blossom and nectarine scents, later wet rocky notes joining the fray. The palate is medium-bodied with crisp acidity, hints of bitter lemon and nectarine with great precision on the finish. This is very classy and sophisticated. 91-93 points Meursault 1er Cru les Charmes 6 235 InBond More open and forward than the Boucheres, this is more feminine and elegant with the characteristic lime and apple fruit. There is a lovely weight and density in the mouth with balance, very precise! Meursault 1er Cru Goutte d Or 6 235 InBond This is the most masculine of the 1er Crus, powerful with rich ripe fruit very focused and compact. Lovely acidity but rather tight at the moment, everything is here it is just feels coiled with great potential.
White Unit Unit Price Domaine Marc Morey This Domaine consistently produces excellent wines which are true to their terroir, they are also excellent value for money. Bourgogne Blanc 12 125 InBond Really punching above its weight as usual, this has lovely green apple fruit with a touch of butter and richness. Crisp and fresh with a lovely balance. Puligny Montrachet 12 280 InBond Very expressive and quite classic Puligny nose. This has a delicious minerality alongside the green apple fruit, perfectly balanced and very precise. Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru Virondot 6 190 InBond This is bigger and more powerful with layers of ripe apple fruit flavour alongside, spice and a refreshing acidity. Quite forward this will be lovely to drink from 2014 on. Puligny Montrachet 1er Cru Pucelles 6 260 InBond As with the village Puligny this is quite classic and restrained. More exuberant on the palate there are ripe apple notes as well as cinnamon spiciness. Very well balanced and expressive.
White Unit Unit Price Domaine Paul Pillot Thierry Pillot has made some fabulous wines in 2013. We are delighted to be able to offer them as they are the perfect expression of Chassagne Montrachet. Bourgogne Blanc 12 120 InBond A really saline mineral character on the nose. Lovely freshness, very focused linear and precise this is very impressive for a village wine. Chassagne Montrachet 12 255 InBond A bouquet of lime and citrus fruit with a hint of smoke. Very precise and slightly austere at present but extremely elegant. Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru Champ Gains 6 170 InBond Rich and ripe fruit with some candied apple and peach fruit. This is full and round but with enough acidity to balance the caramel and apple notes. Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru Clos St Jean 6 170 InBond More red strawberry fruit on the nose with some lemon. Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru La Grande Montagne 6 210 InBond Notes of pineapple and lime alongside a very mineral streak with a hint of smokiness. This is always the most mineral of the wines, there is crisp acidity and more lime and pineapple in the mouth, very balanced with a very long finish. Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru Cailleret 6 215 InBond A lovely concentration of lime and lemon fruit. This has lovely texture, very elegant and precise with a lovely minerality running through. Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru La Romanee 6 275 InBond A step up, this is extremely elegant and poised. Still quite tight but with a lovely vibrancy and depth, all in perfect harmony. Excellent. Domaine Roulot We have a very limited allocation of these wines due to the reduced harvest and limited stocks at the domaine. Please enquire regarding availability, these wines will be offered on allocation only basis.
Red Unit Unit Price Domaine Sylvain Cathiard We have been lucky enough to taste at this domaine for 9 years and we are delighted that we can offer these wines to our clients in the UK. Sylvain s son Sebastian has been in charge of making the wines since 2010. The wines are the very definition of elegance and purity and are always true to the place in which they are grown. Vosne Romanee 6 240 InBond Serious for a village wine with lots of red and black fruit and a seam of minerality. Very pure with racy acidity and a polished texture, lovely freshness. Chambolle Musigny Clos de l Orme 6 260 InBond Very pretty raspberry fruit on the nose, lovely purity. A lovely freshness and elegance, lots of soft red fruit no hard edges. Nuits St Georges 1er Cru Thorey 6 450 InBond More warmth and richness here with red hedgerow fruit and gentle spiced notes. This is vibrant and retains a real freshness, very elegant. Nuits St Georges 1er Cru Murgers 6 485 InBond Darker fruit and far more Vosne in character (unsurprising given where the vineyards are). This is powerful with a large frame but ample fruit to fill it. Well balanced with an attractive structure. Vosne Romanee 1er Cru Orveaux 6 510 InBond Distinctly savoury notes alongside the black fruit and smoke. A lovely minerality with a supple structure and lots of ripe fruit and a long finish. Vosne Romanee 1er Cru Reignots 6 510 InBond This is more feminine and elegant than the Orveaux. A lovely freshness and vibrancy in the mouth, crisp black fruit envelops the tannins and structure leaving a long and balanced finish. Vosne Romanee 1er Cru Malconsorts Superb! Complex with many layers. Rich berry fruit combine with a gentle spice to create a simply stunning Malconsorts. It is clear to see why this vineyard is considered by many to be one of the top 1er Cru vineyards in Vosne. Long on the finish. A perfect balance between power and elegance. This will need some time in the cellar but will be well worth the wait. Highly recommended. Romanee St Vivant A beautifully polished nose with black pure pinot fruit and a wonderful suaveness. Amazingly complex with a lovely breadth of fruit, mineral and caramel flavours. Super elegant and super long. POA InBond very limited quantity/allocation POA InBond very limited quantity/allocation
Red Unit Unit Price Domaine Coquard-Loison-Fleurot Thomas Collardot is making some wonderful wines at this relatively under the radar domaine. Thomas is great friends with Sebastian Cathiard and has instituted a similar philosophy to Sebastian since taking over the domaine in 2010. The wines are characterised by a striking purity, we can t recommend them enough. Bourgogne Rouge 12 125 InBond Fresh, pure ripe fruit with good balancing acidity and a classic pinot character. This is supple and pleasing. Chambolle Musigny 12 290 InBond This was a little closed on the nose but offered fresh, pure and elegant red fruit. Very fresh with a nice structure and fine tannins. Morey St Denis 12 290 InBond Very fresh with a quite defined raspberry fruit character. Again lovely purity of fruit with an attractive structure and breadth. Delicious fruit with some mineral and spice character. Vosne Romanee 12 290 InBond The most serious of the village wines with a plush and polished nose which is very Vosne in character. Lovely balance and a really pure expression of pinot fruit, linear and very precise. Vosne Romanee 1er Cru 6 240 InBond The purity of fruit that is evident throughout all of CLF s wines is even more pronounced here, but wrapped up in a more muscular and complex form. Notes of ripe strawberry and damson, silky and very fine tannin supported in wonderful balance by the refreshing acidity, and pleasingly long finish. A little declassified Echezeaux goes into this too Charmes Chambertin 6 390 InBond A little closed at the moment with some savoury notes and a distinct mineral character. Ripe sweet fruit with layers of complexity, there are notes of spice. This is powerful and impressively long. Clos de la Roche 6 390 InBond Rather closed on the nose at this stage. Super pure on the palate this has a real elegance, exceptionally well balanced with a very mineral backbone. Clos St Denis 6 390 InBond More masculine, with raspberry fruit, spice and framboise liqueur. Very fresh with lots of ripe fruit and a real stoniness, complex with lots of finesse, very impressive.
Red Unit Unit Price Clos Vougeot 6 415 InBond Quite perfumed with a red fruit character and also some spicy notes. Quite a lot of power here alongside a supple structure, good acidity and a lovely balance. This is remarkably serious and really very good. Echezeaux 6 390 InBond This is super fine and elegant with a really beautiful nose, this polished but not in a superficial way. This is very precise and linear, lovely pure fruit and a long delicious finish. Grand Echezeaux 6 550 InBond This is the most serious of the lot, more masculine with a lovely minerality. This is tightly wound with lots of power behind the layers of fruit and mineral complexity.
Red Unit Unit Price Domaine Odoul Coquard Sebastian Odoul has taken over the running of the Domaine from his father in the last couple of years. We are not the only ones to believe that this domaine is getting better and better. The wines tend to have a lovely purity and elegance and at the moment offer exceptional value for money! Gevrey Chambertin 12 230 InBond Fresh, pure raspberry and plum fruit with a hint of warm spice. The purity continues in the mouth with ripe fruit and a lovely supple structure. This is already moreish and has a persistent long finish. Morey St Denis les crais gillon 12 230 InBond Very fresh raspberry fruit with a perfumed character. Ripe fruit with a firm structure and some mineral and spice character. Chambolle Musigny 12 245 InBond Quite a concentrated style of Chambolle red and black fruit. Lovely purity and concentration in the mouth good breadth. Nuits St Georges les Argillats 12 260 InBond This is more closed with darker black fruit and lovely minerality. Very elegant for a Nuits St Georges with a real purity of fruit and a masculine defined structure. Gevrey Chambertin 1er Cru Combettes 6 205 InBond Ripe bramble and loganberry fruit. Very attractive, juicy fruit, with some clove and cinnamon spice, elegant and very attractive. Morey St Denis 1er Cru clos la riotte 6 200 InBond Attractive mineral character on the nose with dark fruit, really quite serious. Black fruit dominate the palate with lovely elegance and fine structure and tannins. Morey St Denis 1er Cru les Millandes 6 200 InBond There is a real precision to the red a black fruit, extremely elegant. Very defined berry fruit with a touch of spice, supple structure and a lovely fresh acidity. Chambolle Musigny 1er Cru le fuees 6 205 InBond Classic Chambolle characteristics feminine and precise red berry fruit. Very compact with fine tannins and a good structure, ripe fruit, this is lovely. Charmes Chambertin 6 300 InBond Classic very feminine, elegant Charmes. Lovely velvety mouthfeel, vibrant acidity and lovely pure fruit. Ripe, fine tannins and a defined structure frame the wine. Really excellent.
Red Unit Unit Price Domaine Hudelot- Noellat The wines have just got better and better under the guidance of Charles Van Cannyet. For us they are the epitome of classic Burgundy with an elegance and poise that is rarely bettered. We expect demand for the 1er and Grand Crus to be high so preference will be given to those clients purchasing wines from throughout the range. Bourgogne Rouge 12 115 InBond Soft, pure red fruit. Nice balance with crisp acidity, exactly what you look for in a Bourgogne. Chambolle Musigny 12 290 InBond Attractive, suave and polished with ripe red fruit. Very balanced with good acidity and freshness to the fruit fine structure. Nuits St Georges Bas de Combes 12 290 InBond Red currant fruit and slightly more high toned, maybe a little closed at the moment. This opens up on the palate with lots of ripe red fruit, quite structured and mineral. Vosne Romanee 12 290 InBond More minerality here with ripe dark fruit. Very pure with a nice tension and balance, not austere but well structured. Vougeot 1er Cru Petits Vougeot 6 250 InBond Dark, ripe, hedgerow fruit, which is suave and polished. A lovely richness and breadth, lots of juicy fruit and fine tannins, very attractive. Nuits St Georges 1er Cru Murgers 6 270 InBond Delicate and fresh dark berry fruit. Round tannin and clearly defined. A very elegant Nuits-St-Georges! Chambolle Musigny 1er Cru Charmes 6 365 InBond Always the definition of the elegance of Chambolle, sweet ripe fruit and already very open. There is a lovely balance, very pretty berry fruit and a lovely freshness all wrapped up in a fine delineated structure. Vosne Romanee 1er Cru Beaumonts 6 365 InBond This is also very pretty with darker fruit and a lots of mineral character. Powerful with a lovely freshness and balance, long, precise and linear. Vosne Romanee 1er Cru Suchots 6 385 InBond Richer and more open than the Beaumont, darker fruit with some spice and mineral notes. Again the trade mark purity of the Domaine, very fine tannins and lots of lovely fruit very attractive and very good.
Red Unit Unit Price Vosne Romanee 1er Cru Malconsorts As with 2012, this will only be bottled and offered in Magnum format. A classic Malconsorts nose, sexy and elegant at the same time. Extremely precise and compact with an underlying power. Super concentrated and complex and yet retaining a perfect balance. Clos Vougeot Grand Cru POA InBond very limited quantity/allocation 6 560 InBond Bramble and hedgerow fruit. Juicy up front character with a lovely minerality and a touch of spiciness on the long, precise finish. Romanee St Vivant Grand Cru Beautiful nose with raspberry and cherry fruit, perfumed and very elegant. This bursts into the mouth with fabulously pure fruit, minerals and spice, lovely balance with an amazingly complex and long finish. Richebourg Grand Cru Brown sugar and bramble fruit, with lots of spice and almost a Christmas cake character. Dark fruit with a certain brooding, layers of mineral and fruit flavours, this is extremely complex. Firm structure but lovely balance and elegance, will be fascinating to see how this ages. POA InBond very limited quantity/allocation POA InBond very limited quantity/allocation Domaine Paul Pillot Alongside Thierry s whites he also produces a range of reds of which he is justifiably very proud! It s a running joke between us that English clients do not like red Chassagne, we were very impressed by the wines and have taken up the challenge to prove him wrong. We recommend the wines wholeheartedly! Bourgone Rouge 12 110 InBond Dark, pure fruit with a nice purity. Good acidity with lovely crunchy fruit. Chassagne Montrachet Rouge 12 175 InBond Elegant nose with blackcurrant fruit and some pepper and earthy notes. Rich, pure fruit nice intensity and long persistent finish. Chassagne Montrachet Rouge Clos St Jean 12 285 InBond Ripe red fruit with a lovely purity and attractive minerality. This is very linear with crisp, sweet fruit and a lovely balance, very good!
Latimer Vintners Ltd 146 Freston Road London W10 6TR T: +44 (0)20 7985 1005 F: +44 (0)20 7681 3211 wine@latimervintners.com latimervintners.com