Jura, Puligny Montrachet and Champagne
Tasted Sunday, September 8, 2013 - Friday, September 20, 2013 by honest bob with 1,619 views
Introduction
A wonderful holiday and wine journey, despite unseasonal low temperatures and much more rain than sunshine. We felt for all the winemakers we visited, saw bunches of grapes starting to rot on the vine in famous appellations despite intensive spraying, waded through muddy puddles between rows of vines where the rainwater simply hadn't drained. The hope seems to be that a 1998-style late burst of warm dry weather might save the harvest —but the weather forecast has been promising that for weeks already and there is as yet no sign of improvement. Fingers crossed.
DISCLAIMER: I am an amateur de vin, tasting for my own pleasure and education, and paying my own way. On past experience I tend to undermark immature wines tasted from unfamiliar glasses under the watchful eyes of the winemaker. A couple of years later, tasting at home in familiar surroundings, I tend to be more generous.
Flight 1 - JURA (13 Notes)
We started out in the Jura, where we once again were overwhelmed by the openness, friendliness and warmth of almost everyone we met, regardless of social status or commercial interest in gaining our favour. This is an experience which seems, alas, far from common in other (often more prosperous) parts of France.
Our principal interest was laying in stocks of Vin Jaune (VJ), especially Chateau Chalon, as it is hard to obtain in Germany, and tends to come with an absurdly high markup. Based on previous experience and extensive reading on the internet, especially a couple of interesting French-language forums on the effects of the economic downturn on the VJ market, we tasted at Macle in Chateau Chalon (tricky to get an appointment; quite an intensive experience in dialogue with the formidable Madame Macle), the Co-Op in Voiteur (walk-in during office hours), Stéphane Tissot and Rolet in Arbois (both walk-ins).
The Chateau Chalon wines were uniformly thinner and more elegant than the Arbois VJ; The 2005 wines were uniformly riper, "cleaner" and more delicious than 2006, except for the exceptional 2006 collection from S. Tissot.
Flight 2 - PULIGNY-MONTRACHET (5 Notes)
We stopped overight in Pouilly (as a base from which to take a first look at the Beaujolais appellations —boy is this a beautiful area, and a treasure-trove of underrated wines at bargain prices. We will return!) and again in Puligny-Montrachet to stay and eat at the excellent "Le Montrachet" hotel and restaurant.
Once again, the restaurant delivered a superb meal (even if we had to wait 100 minutes from placing our order to getting the first course, a lapse in service barely compensated for by two delicious amuses-bouche). Once again we drank by the glass (most wines in range 11 to 20 EUR/13cl) and unwisely partially followed the advice of the sommelier. Once again he recommended us several wines which were not appropriate for the food served and in at least one case IMHO should not have been on the list at all. Fortunately this time around I had the courage to insist on getting three out of five appropriate wines served.
The main wine-list is, of course, superb (and can be downloaded from the restaurant's website). Such a shame that 95% of the red burgundies are from vintages since 2006, and that even among the Grand Cru wines (even among the DRCs costing up to 10.000 EUR/75cl) perhaps a total of 12 might be considered ready to drink by Anglo-Saxon members of the CT community. I strongly considered drinking whites all through the meal, and really should have done so.
Flight 3 - CHAMPAGNE (20 Notes)
Return visits to Diebolt-Vallois and Guy Charlemagne were a pleasure and a welcome confirmation of the excellence of the former and the solid achievement of the latter. Vilmart were under stress when we visited, but still managed to receive us politely and conduct an interesting tasting between phone-calls. It was quite a shock after experiencing so much perfectionist artisan winemaking to re-taste Pommery's NV Blue Label after a short but enjoyable guided visit in their bombastic cellars and find it so void of almost any discernable substance. But the strongest impression was left by the fascinating tasting at Aubry; a challenge to the intellect and the taste-buds, and quite a revelation! (All appointments arranged without fuss at about 7 days' notice).
Flight 4 - Various restaurant meals (6 Notes)
The two Champagnes don't really fit in the main section above; the Beaumont was fine but neither really part of my narrative nor of our exploration of the work of individual producers. The Baradon-Michaudet might perhaps be considered in some way representative of old-style winemaking by a small independent family concern which sells principally to its Bed and Breakfast guests on the basis of mutual affection rather than conoisseurship.
Closing
We were received with politeness and occasional genuine warmth almost everywhere despite the stress these weather conditions must be causing to everybody in the wine business in France. It was very noticeable that the winemakers themselves were putting a brave face on things, whereas the middlemen, especially restauranteurs and hoteliers, tended to complain vocally and uniformly about the weather (but also about the economic downturn, Monsieur Hollande and what they described as the over-taxation of the French middle class).
Without residual school French and some intensive wine-relevant vocabulary study in advance, most of these visits (not to mention the friendly social encounters en route) would have been either impossible or much less enjoyable. I know this is a truism, but for whatever reasons, even well-educated French people are very reluctant to admit they can communicate in another language...
Our conclusion was that this is an excellent time for amateurs de vin like us to visit France and stock up on fine wine made by independent producers. The cellar door prices seemed extremely reasonable, and the winemakers evidently pleased to be able to sell directly to the consumer (rather than to an agent or a hospitality professional usung the economic downturn as an excuse to increase their resale margin by bidding their suppliers' prices down).
I have posted hotel and restaurant notes on Trip Advisor.
2009 Domaine Macle Côtes du Jura Tradition 90 Points
France, Jura, Côtes du Jura
(9/13/2013)
80% Chardonnay, 20% Saviginin. Piercingly volatile aromatics (a mix of fierce citrus vinegar and some powerful solvent you might use to degrease a bike chain) promise (threaten?) more Savignin acidity than the surprisingly civilised entry delivers. The Chardonnay shows on the (almost) smooth mid-palate, even allowing a touch of richness on the unexpectedly smooth finish. Madame Macle said this will keep a decade, but right now it is such a thrilling white-knuckle ride I don't think my bottles will last that long. Head and shoulders above a half a dozen other Chard/Savignin blends tried this week in the Jura. 90P
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2005 Domaine Macle Château-Chalon 91 Points
France, Jura, Château-Chalon
(9/13/2013)
Sous bois, mushroom, dried wild mushrooms, beef consommé, yeast... what a scent! The entry is quite deep, if not quite oily; a layered mid-palate with considerable minerality and persistence balances the intense acidity beautifully. Very fine indeed. 14,5% alc. 91P(+)
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2006 Domaine Macle Château-Chalon 88 Points
France, Jura, Château-Chalon
(9/13/2013)
This infant has been in bottle for less than 6 months, and has just been released for sale. Amazingly light and very, very acidic. Short, narrow, thin, penetrating (if this makes you think of paint stripper then I'm sorry, but...) Will surely be a good drink in (?) 15 years time, but right now the less than stellar 2006 vintage character dominates. 14% alc. 88P(?)
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1990 Domaine Macle Château-Chalon 90 Points
France, Jura, Château-Chalon
(9/13/2013)
After layer upon layer of fungal intricacy it is quite a relief to stop sniffing this wine and start drinking. This very complex wine has a mid-palate weight which belays the very modest 13% alc. declared on the label. Unmistakably a superb wine, but I preferred the 2005 today. Madame Macle watched our faces intensely as we tasted, and after I confessed my opinion, she said that although the conventional wisdom is that Château Chalon needs 15 years, she likes drinking it younger. I agree... 90P
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2006 Tissot (Bénédicte et Stéphane / André et Mireille) Arbois Vin Jaune En Spois 92 Points
France, Jura, Arbois
(9/13/2013)
Generous wafting scent of candied citrus peel; thick, almost sweet entry; very concentrated gently citrus-like mid-palate and a long, resonant finish. All absolutely pure, not a hint of cellar mould or fungus (boy, this is a relief after tasting some pretty manky Vins Jaune this week). From young wines planted on an East-facing slope, this is a brilliant Vin Jaune which can be drunk right now or cellared for a decade. 15% alc. 92P
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2006 Tissot (Bénédicte et Stéphane / André et Mireille) Arbois Vin Jaune La Vasée 88 Points
France, Jura, Arbois
(9/13/2013)
Thin, under-ripe citrus zest scent is as laser-beam-pure as the super-model-lemon-juice-drinking-skinny-teenage-girl entry. Hard to believe this has 15% alc., or indeed that it is a Vin Jaune from Arbois... stylistically (of course not taste-wise) this reminds me most of a very young Chablis (Les Lys?) which has seen no wood. From a North-facing slope. 88P(?)
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2006 Tissot (Bénédicte et Stéphane / André et Mireille) Arbois Vin Jaune Les Bruyères 91 Points
France, Jura, Arbois
(9/13/2013)
Fat, buttery scent – a world apart from the La Vasée – this is so rich on the entry that in direct comparison it even seems to lack a little acidity. But the mid-palate and finish are rollingly pure (again, no fungus, mould or mushroom in sight) so I predict a great and very long future. From South-facing slopes. 15% alc. 91P(+)
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2005 Domaine Rolet Arbois Vin Jaune 86 Points
France, Jura, Arbois
(9/13/2013)
Fungal profile from start to finish, but good balance of strong acidity and weighty, oaky fruit (what fruit? I don't know. Something a bit mouldy and very acidic? Ancient cooking apple, perhaps?) Not very clean on the finish. Time may tell; unlike the 2006 there is plenty of stuffing here. 14% alc. 86P(+?)
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2006 Domaine Rolet Arbois Vin Jaune 84 Points
France, Jura, Arbois
(9/13/2013)
Mouldy cellar, fresh button mushroom and slightly mouldy dried mushroom scent. Thin, acidic; frankly, this tastes unpleasantly impure. Brand new, screaming baby-like VJ . 14% alc. 84P(?)
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2005 Voiteur Château-Chalon 90 Points
France, Jura, Château-Chalon
(9/13/2013)
Pure, skinny, underripe lemon scent (not a hint of mould or mushroom); almost Manzanilla-like salt tang on the entry; delicate yet persistent mid-palate. Fantastic quality for a Cooperative product; great potential if it fattens up in bottle (over the next 25 years...) 89-91P
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2005 Voiteur Côtes du Jura Vin Jaune 89 Points
France, Jura, Côtes du Jura
(9/13/2013)
This was fatter than the cooperative's Chateau Chalon, pure and closed up tight. I liked it enough to buy a couple of bottles and look forward to opening one in about 4 years. 88-89P(?)
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2008 Fruitiere Vinicole d'Arbois Savagnin Arbois 83 Points
France, Jura, Arbois
(9/11/2013)
From 75cl, P+P in a restaurant. I really wanted to enjoy this (being on holiday, knowing it was being served at a 320% markup and trying not to care...) but alas, this is like drinking an even sharper version of the unpleasantly sour Frankfurt speciality non-sparkling and unsweetened cider called "Äppelwoi" (not a recommendation). Wood, acid, sour grape juice, more acid: burn stomach, burn! Pure Savagnin may be the basis for great Vin Jaune, but there is a good reason why the better winemakers in the Jura blend it with Chardonnay in table wine. 14% alc. Pass the Alka-Seltzer, please. (82-)83P
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2009 Domaine de Montbourgeau L'Etoile 85 Points
France, Jura, L'Etoile
(9/13/2013)
From 37,5cl. This "Chardonnay" may indeed have a high proportion of the aforementioned grape in its blend, but I bet there is at least 15% Savignin in there and it completely dominates. Sour, acid, sharp, cutting... and not as lifted or mineral as the best blends of its kind. Nonetheless, not a bad wine, just not anywhere near what one might reasonably expect from a "Chardonnay" (even from the Jura). Hard work. 85P
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