Two very different expressions of nicely aged Burgundian Chardonnay
Stas Medvedev
May 11, 2019·3 min read
2005 Jacques Prieur Les Combettes (🏅94)
Mineral. Mostly secondary aromas but with plenty of tertiary present as well. Floral, honey. Mineral on the palate.
📖Domaine Jacques Prieur, offers one of the greatest ranges of wine in all Burgundy in terms of grand climats. Most of their vineyards are biologique. Whites are vinified at 20-22C and given 30-100% new wood. The better wines are bottled after 18-20 months. Batonnage takes place until the end of malo.
📍Les Combettes is the jewel among the climats adjacent to Mersault-Perrieres. Producers the plump and complete wine, mouth-watering and deliciously elegant combination of Meursault and Puligny, with the steeliness of the latter and the honeysuckle and hazelnut of the former. It is one of the most flavor-packed taste experiences you are likely to encounter.
📅2005 is a very high quality vintage both for reds and whites. However, whites are mostly too ripe and rich, and despite their impressive power and concentration generally lack the elegance and refinement of the greatest vintages.
1996 Chablis Jean-Marc Brocard Montée de Tonnerre (🏅93+)
Yellow golden hue. Full of tertiary aromas. Striking. High acidity. Flowers, mint.
Jean-Marc Brocard - one of the success stories of Chablis. Quite young domaine which also operates as negociant exploits as much as 110 ha. Among the first adapters of biodynamic principles and big part of his vineyards are managed this way. This producer is also famous for no oak style and favours stainless steel to get the purest flavour of Chablis with the firm streak of acidity and the mineral quality that the French describe as gout de pierre a fusil, or gunflint.
📍Montée de Tonnerre is in top 3 Premier Crus of Chablis. It lies on the right bank of the Serein, facing southwest just as the grand crus do.
📅1996 is the legendary vintage in neighbouring Champagne and mediocre acidity driven year in Burgundy which produced a bounteous harvest. This year also marked with peak of the premature oxidation making it a very risky vintage to buy for white Burgundy. On the other hand that pushed the prices down and makes it a steal for some wines if you are ready to take such risk.
