2002 Jean-Claude Boisset Echezeaux

Garagiste

• By Jon Rimmerman
  12/19/2008, (See more on Garagiste...)

  (ECHEZEAUX Boisset) Burgundy Dear Friends, Last night I was treated to some wonderful bottles of Jean-Claude Boisset, a firm on the rise since the arrival of Gregory Patriat with the 2002 vintage (not a bad year for your debut). The bottom line is that Boisset is set to challenge Bouchard and their resurgence and they now have one thing on their mind - quality of the highest order. With an almost fanatical attention to detail and artisan mantra, Patriat has carte blanche to treat every wine like a 25-50 case production and the reality is that most of the top wines are just that. This is not Jadot (or even Bouchard) - they only produce miniscule quantities of each, some as little as 15-20 cases. As an example, their regular Gevrey-Chambertin or Chambolle AOC has only 150-200 case production - that's about as low as it gets for a major producer. In general, Patriat has brought pinpoint detail to this domaine and each wine tastes of its place and vintage with an extra dimension that makes them stand out. I tried over a dozen Boisset 2002s last night and allowed each of them to open over six hours. I had the pleasure of tasting with one of the more experienced and (acknowledged) Burgundy voices in our fair land and he was shocked by the quality level (he had never reviewed or even tasted the 2002 wines before last night - something he was not proud to admit). Life is a continual learning process and that was proven to both of us - if you close the door to new horizons, the door will quickly return the favor by locking you in. All of these are HIGHLY RECOMMENDED and would also make excellent choices for those of you that lean toward Oregon but also have a foot planted in the soil around Beaune. They have a distinct style that is clean but full of nuanced terroir and my guess is that they will be highly admired by Burgundy lovers and neophytes alike as there's something to like here from all sides (that was the comment of my tasting companion and it rings very true). Boisset's philosophy for each bottle: "This wine was produced with uncompromising commitment to its spontaneous character - from the vine (where the wine is truly born), in the cellar and throughout vinification. With its distinct personality, it reflects the soul of its terroir, lending full expression to its strong individuality". Sounds like the magic of Burgundy to me - where each vineyard, exposure and foot of earth has a distinction and a reason for being different than the soil only 50 meters away. If you are looking for reviews, Burghound only started reviewing Boisset with the 2005s but Bruce Sanderson has reviewed them since the the 2002 vintage and has consistently bestowed glowing comments - as he should. For me, the 2002s have turned out beautifully, maybe even stronger than 2005 as the oak component in 2005 is more apparent (as it is with many producers top bottlings) - be warned on many of the better 2005's from a wide variety of producers throughout the Cote d'Or used full-on new wood in 2005 - they will need years to integrate their wood. As more and more new oak is being used in Burgundy, I become more of a skeptic and it is not a desirable direction in my opinion. Most of the vintners you speak with are certain that (given the right amount of age) the 2005 wines will absorb the wood - we will see. With Boisset's set of 2002s, while there is cooperage, all of the wine selected below can be enjoyed without QP (quercus phobia). All are directly from the source with perfect provenance: 2002 Jean-Claude Boisset Volnay 1er "Les Brouillards" STRICT LIMIT 6/person This is a gorgeous bottle of Pinot Noir at a great price. It is no secret that Volnay is one of my favorite wine-regions of the world as the delicacy, lithe structure and brilliance of the Pinot Noir can be unmatched. If you are collecting any of the better Oregon bottles and wish to experience just a touch of authentic Burgundian presence instead, this Volnay is delicate but very strong-willed with a wonderful sense of minerality and place. From one of Volnay's oldest parcels of vines, it's genuine fruit dances over the palate with a captivating elegance that only comes from Burgundy. 2002 was a terrific vintage (it keeps getting better for the Cote d'Beaune as the vintage starts to come of age) and this wine is an absolute steal of a deal at this price. If nay-sayers tell you Burgundy is too expensive they are not doing enough research - this 1er is worth every penny and it will only get better over the next 6-10 years. One of Boisset's most limited and tough to find wines. 2002 Jean-Claude Boisset "Corton-Renardes" Grand Cru STRICT LIMIT 6/person Like the Volnay above (and Mazis), this is the toughest 2002 wine to find in the portfolio. Lets just say, Girardin this isn't. While Boisset's Renardes cannot match Leroy's 2002 version for sheer density, it is certainly the equal of Francois Gay or any of the other more successful wines. What makes Renardes so appealing is an almost Ampuis meets Beaune sense of animale with a style that is akin to rocky Cote-Rotie-in-Burgundy clothing. This vineyard often presents a certain proud sense of funk and mineral tone and this wine is no different. Suave and starting to hit its stride, Boisset's Renardes will improve over the next decade and should prove to be a steal of an investment for Grand Cru wine from a top year. This was probably the most interesting wine in our tasting as it showed brilliant terroir focus and kept improving over six hours. There is cooperage, but this is certainly not for those seeking Russian River or Central Coast toast and jam. A real wine of its place with power to burn - 12.5-13.0% alcohol. 2002 Jean-Claude Boisset "Echezeaux" Grand Cru STRICT LIMIT 6/person This is a strapping wine built for the long-haul. If you have the patience to cellar this Echezeaux, it could be one on the unsung heroes of the vintage. There is everything here --tannin, gritty and masculine Pinot Noir, excellent acidity and just enough cooperage to lend a mysterious spice element that does not detract from the brooding sense of terroir and varietal depth. In general, Echezeaux from this vintage has turned out to be quite strong across the board and it rivals the best of the Cote d'Nuits. Most should live a very long life as they seem to have an extra layer of tannin absent from even some of the better 2005s. Only 60-70 cases produced (we have a great price on this). Thank you, Jon Rimmerman Garagiste Seattle, WA Burg7911 Burg7912 Burg7913