Community Tasting Note

• Capt Cutlass Likes this wine: 89 points

  March 6, 2019 - Sweet nose of honeysuckle flowers and honey gives the impression of a sweet wine. In fact there is a fair amount of residual sugar apparent. Big oak flavours intially dominate the palate with its citrus and honeysuckle notes. This is rich and the alcohol burns on the finish (14%). I get a sense that it is trying to be mineral and lean but gets held back by its weight and alcohol. Much less successful at this balance than the recently tasted Labet Chardonnay from the Jura which had even more alcohol yet more grip (14.5%).

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4 Comments

• William Kelley commented:

  3/6/19, 5:32 AM - The wine is fermented and matured in epoxy lined tanks so no oak contact whatsoever.

• Capt Cutlass commented:

  3/6/19, 6:38 AM - Wow, I am surprised to read William Kelly's comment about there being no oak in this wine but I trust his word as someone who has been to the domaine. I blind tasted it for another experienced taster who commented on the oak which I also thought present. I would be interested to hear how such similar flavour impressions could come about?? Interesting to hear about the epoxy tanks - I wonder when organic wine producers will question the logic of allowing such a potentially toxic product to come into contact with their wines....

• William Kelley commented:

  3/6/19, 6:44 AM - There is lots of clay as well as marl in Quintaine, and the Thevents pick very ripe; fermentations are long, keeping the lees in suspension, and élevage is long, too. So the wines are naturally honeyed and buttery and textural - but that is not coming from barrels. It is a very, very idiosyncratic expression of Chardonnay that doesn't really have any analogy (except old vintages of DRC's Montrachet when they used to pick the grapes super ripe after they were done with the reds). I love Labet's wines too, but you couldn't make his wines in Quintaine, or vice versa. For me, the real interest of Thevenet comes with extended bottle age, and if you can find a vintage such as 2008, then that will give you an idea of what to expect (unlike with Labet, which sadly seems very prone to premox).

• Capt Cutlass commented:

  3/6/19, 6:53 AM - Appreciate the tip - I'll keep my eye out for an older Quintaine although the epoxy thing will niggle me. Luckily, I haven't had any premox issues with Labet wines since I cannot keep my hands off them! However, I was sad to discover this issue with Francois Chidaine's 2014 Chenin Blancs (Les Choisilles specifically) after having had a great run with his 2008's which were stunning.

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