2013 Marsannay From Domaine Bart

---

Burgundy Bonanza!!!

Domaine Bart

Martin Bart and his nephew Pierre have made truly inspired 2013s. They take a back seat to no recent vintage. Bart makes nine, count ’em, nine, different Marsannays. Normally I buy two or three of my favorites, feeling that there’s no reason to confuse everyone. In 2013 I bought eight of the nine. They’re all fabulous, in their own way, and if you value terroir in your Burgundy, you’ll be thrilled by any of them.

They’re all slightly different, each parcel with varying degrees of calcaire, clay, marl, and each with slightly different expositions, varying degrees of stems retained in the wine, very small variations in the amount of new oak (none have more than a third, most less than that), but all are farmed in the same manner, all are fermented using only natural yeasts, and all are bottled without fining or filtration. Several are micro cuvées – the Les Saint Jacques, for instance, was three barrels – 75 cases for the world. The Clos du Roy, just two.

Below are my tasting notes from my visit at Domaine Bart in November 2014, just before the wines were to be bottled. First, the Marsannays:

Ouzeloy – significantly more concentrated than Finottes, lots of black cherry, deep sandy soil, 15% new oak. This sure bodes well for the group. *

 

 

Longeroies – calcaire, marl, gently sloping parcel; intense fragrance, delicious, structured, very nice sweetness *+

 

Montagne – more rocky soil, nearly south facing slope, similar profile to Longerois, with maybe just a touch more plump middle. *+

 

 

Echezots – more limestone on this parcel; good acidity, a bit closed down at first, but with air it sings. Both red and black fruits, very complex already. *(*)

 

St. Jacques – 3 barrels; 1 new. Bigger scaled than all the others before it; needs time, but all the parts are there. This is serious wine. *(*)

 

 

Grandes Vignes – 20% whole clusters. Yes, it is “grand.” very concentrated, structured, deep, long, lots of black fruit and spice.**

 

Clos du Roy – 50+ year old vines. same soil composition as Bonnes Mares – mainly calcaire 50% whole clusters. A step up, even from the St. Jacques and Grandes Vignes. This reminds me of 1er Cru Gevrey Chambertin; would love to sneak this into a Gevrey tasting.**

 

Champs Salomon – Also 50+ yrs old. This has even more grip. That’s why he poured it after the Clos du Roy. Again, layers of dark fruit, with plenty of structure. The richest wine of the group. *(*)

These have the structure along the lines of 2005 or 2010. An incredibly impressive lineup.

 

Then, we have the glorious Grand Crus. These two vineyards came to Domaine Bart, as did much of their Marsannay, from the dissolution of the once-venerable Clair-Daü estate in the 1980’s. We get miniscule quantities of these, and they are worth seeking out!

Chambertin Clos du Bèze –5 barrels made from 1/2 ha. 40% stems, but impossible to tell. Incredible perfume – violets, black fruits, spice, and it’s plush and seamless on the palate. I could just smell this all day. Dense, but with no rough edges. Oh la la! ***

Bonnes Mares – 10 barrels. Bart’s parcels are next to those of Comte de Vogüe. Bigger structure than the Clos de Bèze, quite a powerful wine. Gorgeous fruit quality that lasts and lasts, with a stony/mineral note; long, intense, so expressive. Wow. ***

These two wines will age effortlessly for two decades. Both are absolutely worth the price, and really, they’re bargains when compared with similar Grand Crus from other producers. Both are extremely limited. – David Netzer

Dazzling 2010 Red Burgundy: Introducing Stephane Magnien

After the striking, curvaceous 2009’s, now we have 2010, which to many observers are more classical, certainly more structured, and which have been ordained as great, greater even than 2009, by some critics. What fun it will be in 10 or 20 years to compare! Certainly we haven’t had such a super pair of back-to-back vintages in many years, and it’s rather nice that they’re complementary in style. The only downside to 2010 is the quantity. Yields were down significantly from ’09, so there’s less to go around than usual.
I (DN) have been tasting at Domaine Magnien over the last several years and am extremely pleased to now be able to offer these stunning wines to you.

These are red Burgundies of precision and purity. They’re NOT oaky, alcoholic, fruit bombs; they don’t overpower you in any way. They just seduce you with their dazzling beauty until you’re a quivering mess, incapable of rational thought, wanting only another taste, and then you just collapse in a blithering heap. Oh, sorry, I got sidetracked there.

Stephane Magnien works his vineyards in the traditional manner (though he is not certified organic), and he is not a fan of lots of new oak. Just a very small percentage of new barrels is all the seasoning he requires. How refreshing! The domaine dates back to 1897, and Stephane, now the fourth generation at the helm, has been working with his father Jean-Paul since 2002, and took over the reins with the 2008 vintage. Stephane has received plaudits from the French press, and just recently was the recipient of a very complimentary review from Allen Meadows in Burghound.

It’s such a treat to be able to offer wines from Morey St. Denis and Chambolle-Musigny, two tiny villages with only a small amount of wine to be had. You will have a great time working your way through these wines. They are absolutely delicious the moment they’re opened, and they continue to benefit from air; in fact when we opened several bottles the other day, just after their refrigerated voyage, all were even better on day two. The two villages wines have gorgeous character and represent tremendous value for the money. The Morey “Aux petites Noix,” a blend of two 1er Cru vineyards, Les Greunchers and Clos Baulet, is a lovely, deeply scented pinot, just so elegant and long. Les Faconnières (from a parcel just a stone’s throw from the Grand Cru Clos de la Roche) and Mont Luisants show the breed that you expect from top 1er Cru vineyards.

We are thrilled to be able to offer these gorgeous wines to you, and it is especially fortuitous to be able to debut them in such a fine vintage. Oh, and I was able to pry away a few cases of Stephane’s 2009 Morey 1er Cru Faconnières. Taste the ’09 next to the ’10, and enjoy the pleasure of both superb vintages. Feel free to ask the staff for their own personal recommendations, but don’t be surprised to hear “We love them all!” – David Netzer

Domaine Michel Bouzereau: Burgundy For Grown Ups

Tasting with Jean-Baptiste Bouzereau in January of this year I was overwhelmed by the absolute “deliciousness” of his 2009’s. I have never tasted a vintage of white Burgundy that was just so perfect at such an early age. This doesn’t mean the wines won’t age; I think they’ll be beautiful for several years, but they are just so enjoyable already that you just won’t be able to keep your hands off them. You may have heard this quote before, but the source lay here, as Jean-Baptiste said during our tasting, “If the pleasure is there for the taking, why resist it?”

The Bourgogne Blanc, which has been in stock before, just continues to impress. It’s as close as you can get to good Meursault without paying the price for good Meursault. Speaking of which, the Meursault Les Tessons is simply screamin’ great right now – a beautiful blend of fruit and minerality with that ‘come-hither’ look that is pretty alluring! The Premier Cru offerings are a step up, and while also quite tempting and scrumptious now, will reward after just a little cellar time. – David Netzer

Burghound‘s Allen Meadows’ reviews listed below:

2009 Domaine Michel Bouzereau Bourgogne Blanc
A very fresh and appealingly bright nose of white flower, straw and nut nuances leads to round and fleshy flavors that are quite forward, indeed to the point that this could easily be drunk and enjoyed now. There is a slight touch of warmth on the vibrant finish but overall, this is quite pretty for what it is.

2009 Domaine Michel Bouzereau Meursault Les Tessons
A subtle hint of SO2 and reductive notes presently dominate the nose though hints of ripe pear and flowers can also be discerned. There is good density and richness to the solidly voluminous flavors that possess fine dry extract that buffers the firm acidity and discreet minerality of the racy and dry finish. This is a bit awkward today but the underlying material is such that this should be an extremely good villages in time.

2009 Domaine Michel Bouzereau Meursault Les Charmes
A pure and very Meursault nose of hazelnut, pear and soft floral notes that gives way to rich, intense and utterly delicious flavors that possess an abundance of dry extract that confers a seductive texture upon the mouth coating and impressively complex finish. This lovely effort exudes energy and it should age well over the medium-term.

2009 Domaine Michel Bouzereau Meursault Les Genevrieres
A classic Genevrières nose features spice and slightly exotic fruit aromas that complement the equally spicy, pure, intense and fleshy flavors that deliver superb length on the balanced, mineral-inflected and mouth coating finish. Like the Charmes, there is an abundance of dry extract that should ensure excellent aging potential.

2009 Domaine Michel Bouzereau Puligny Montrachet Champs Gains
Here the sulfur* is no longer subtle and I would strongly suggest decanting this if you’re going to try one young. There is good richness to the overtly ripe yet detailed flavors that possess plenty of dry extract yet the finish is distinctly hard. I suspect that it’s the sulfur that is causing the hardness as the ’09 vintage is not given to this sort of aggressiveness nor is Champ Gains typically like this either. A bit of patience as the SO2 is absorbed will see things righted.

*TWH Note: Mr. Meadows’ notes first appeared in the February 1, 2011 issue of Burghound. We’ve opened a couple of bottles ourselves recently, and the wine is showing spectacularly! The SO2 has blown off, allowing for the soft mineral, snappy pear-like fruit, and lively finish to shine.

Jean-Baptiste makes Red Burgundy as well. When negociante Jeanne-Marie de Champs last visited us, we were all treated to a taste of this fantastic Volnay, and you should have seen the dogfight over who got to take the remainder home! Elegant aromas of brambly red berries, incense, cola, and earth reveal the precision and purity of this signature Volnay. Easy entry on the palate, it is marked by harmonious balance, great weight and elegance. It is Red Burgundy for grown ups. The finish is lengthy and complex with all nuance fading slowly and evenly. This is delicious juice! – Peter Zavialoff

The Fantastic 2009 Paul Pernot Burgundies

Pssst. Recognize this label? Yup. It’s Paul Pernot’s Puligny-Montrachet. These wines are among the precious few White Burgundies that once drunk will never be forgotten. Once you’ve had a Pernot Puligny, it is difficult to envision a comparable white wine experience. Through negociante Jeanne-Marie de Champs, we are able to directly import Pernot’s wines, and by golly we are happy and proud to do so! David traveled to Burgundy this past January and tasted through Pernot’s line-up and wrote the following:

“At the great estates, there’s always something fascinating to discover, no matter what the vintage. At Pernot, 2009 is about as pleasing a vintage as I have ever tasted. It’s a vintage where the fruit is king, and in which the wines are almost impossible to resist now. (Here’s a thought: If the pleasure is there for the taking, why not take it?)

The village Puligny-

Montrachet, always a good benchmark

for the vintage, has a lovely spice note on the palate. It tastes nourished, not fat, not sleek, just beautifully balanced and delicious. The Puligny ‘Clos de la Garenne‘ has more flesh and richness than I have ever encountered, yet it still manages to retain a stony note that is so prized in this wine. The Puligny ‘Folatières‘ has, as always, more power than the Garenne, and vive la difference! The Puligny ‘Pucelles‘ has a real crescendo of flavor, and I detected an almost Ramonet-like minty note on it this year. Fascinating! The Grand Cru Bienvenue Bâtard Montrachet is truly compelling, with its apple/pear scent and custard-y finish.

(Please note: The 2009 Bâtard Montrachet sold out in between the time we received it and the time this write-up went to press, but we have ordered more, and are offering it at a special pre-arrival price of $179. It’s scheduled to arrive in the early fall.
And, last, but not least, we have one of Pernot’s reds from 2009! The lovely, beautifully fragrant Volnay ‘Carelle Sous la Chapelle.’ If bouquet is something you prize in Red Burgundy, this is worth it on nose alone. Burghound’s Allen Meadows calls it ‘lacy’ and I think that’s perfect. This isn’t a powerhouse, but it’s beautiful Red Burgundy.” – David Netzer

2008 Red Burgundy: Domaine Francois Lamarche

Tasting the 2008’s just after the ’09s at Lamarche this past January was a revelation. When looking back at my notes from a year earlier, I noted the same beautiful core of fruit, but in their year of elevage, every single wine had gained in precision and focus, like re-watching an old movie in high-def.

2008 is turning out to be quite a beautiful vintage at Lamarche, from the lovely, lighter-bodied yet strikingly scented Hautes Côtes de Nuits all the way up to the big daddy, La Grande Rue. It was a vintage that didn’t show all its stuff early, probably due to the long, slow malolactic fermentations.

The Vosne Suchots is a case in point. Last year, it was in a slightly reductive state, stunting the bouquet some, and making the finish a little rough, but now, it’s just singing, with all that gorgeous fragrance the vineyard is known for and a nice fleshy middle. As always, the Nuits Les Cras has more of an animal, black fruit character, completely different from the elegant cherry spice of the Vosnes. Among the Grand Cru wines, the Echézeaux shows rich red fruit and spice, while the Clos Vougeot is a wine of more power and structure. This is a particularly strong lineup, and further evidence that 2008, at the top addresses, is a compelling vintage for red Burgundy. – David Netzer

Domaine Jean-Marie Chaland: Wines from the Mâconnais

Editor’s note: The boss is usually way to busy to send out emails, and quite frankly, still is. Though here’s a rare glimpse into one of his discoveries earlier this year that’s NOW IN STOCK!!!

This estate was the big “eureka!” moment of my trip to France this past January. I had visited Jean-Marie a year before, and was completely taken with his wines, but I like to see a grower more than once before deciding to take on a portfolio. It’s nice to get a confirmation of two vintages in a row, and boy did I!

The family was selling grapes to the co-op until 1967, at which time Jean-Marie’s father, Jean-Noël, began estate bottling, under the Domaine des Chazelles name, a very good estate in its own right. (A side note – I originally visited them with the idea of importing the Chazelles wines. While there, Jean-Noël said, “my son makes wines under his own label; would you like to taste them too?” Well, sure! And as soon as I had the first Mâcon in my mouth I knew these were the wines I wanted.) Jean-Marie created his own separate estate in 1999, and soon, when his father retires, will take over all of his holdings as well. The family has farmed organically since those early days, and Jean-Marie’s estate became certified organic in 2006 – the first grower in Viré-Clessé to obtain that certification.

Jean-Marie farms eight hectares of Chardonnay vines, consisting of more than 20 separate micro-parcels, and produces roughly 3,000 cases a year. There’s a lot to like here: a high proportion of old vines – 3/4 of his estate is over 50 years old, and his prized Thurissey parcel is over 90. He always uses natural yeasts, and there is no chaptalization, nor acidification. His single vineyard bottlings are bottled unfined and unfiltered. One amusing change from father to son: Jean-Marie is not the horseman his father is, so he must plow with a tractor!

2009 Mâcon “Les Tilles”

This is from a parcel of 40-50 year old vines, located on a plateau of clay/limestone soil in the village of Montbellet. It is aged in stainless steel tanks, on its lees, then bottled. This wonderfully expressive, floral, citrusy Mâcon is super fresh, super mineral, and utterly delicious.

2009 Viré Clessé “Vieilles Vignes”

Viré Clessé is an AOC of the Mâconnais region (similar to Pouilly Fuissé or St. Veran), created just over 10 years ago. It’s a relatively small AOC, producing less than half the quantity of Pouilly Fuissé or St. Veran. This Vieilles Vignes cuvée is produced from three parcels of 50+ year old vines, with gravelly soils. Very fleshy, with great minerality, and in 2009 it shows just a touch of honeysuckle. Jean-Marie says he likes this best at 3-5 years of age, but it sure tastes good right now.

2009 Viré-Clessé “Perrière”

This is a new cuvée for Jean-Marie, made from a parcel that used to go into the Vieilles Vignes, but which he decided has the individuality to stand on its own. Again, great minerality (do you notice a trend?) and a long, stony, lees-y finish. Really classy stuff.

2009 Viré-Clessé “l’Epinet”

All hand harvested, from a vineyard planted in the 1940’s. He makes about 15 barrels – 375 cases or so. There’s no new oak on this, or any of his other wines. The barrels average about 5 years old, as he wants all that brilliant old-vine fruit to take center stage, not the vessel it’s aged in. This is already showing some complexity, with peach and lime, and plenty of spice, perhaps even a touch of licorice. A densely mineral wine. Wow.

2009 Viré-Clessé “Thurissey”

Viré-Clessé “Thurissey” this exceptional little (1/2 hectare) south-facing parcel is on the northern end of the appellation, away from his other parcels. The vines here are up to 95 years old, and he produces only about 200 cases. Again, no new oak; he uses a regimen of barrels between two and five years old. The wine is kept in barrel for a year on its fine lees, then bottled, without fining or filtration.

Thurissey is always a mineral wine, and even in 2009, which is a fruit-driven vintage, this is the wine for rock-heads. It’s less expressive than the l’Epinet right now; more like a coiled spring, just waiting to release its energy, filled with apple, pear, lime, and stone. Jean-Marie says this should age 5-10 years, or if you drink it now, it’s best to decant it.

2008 Crémant de Bourgogne “Perle de Roche”

Yes, there’s a sparkling wine too! Jean-Marie bottles this one under his “Domaine Sainte Barbe” label. Please pardon the confusion. It’s made from a parcel of young vines rich in limestone. It spends between 2-3 years en tirage, with a very low dosage (4 grams/liter) and there’s a small disgorgement every couple of years of about 3,000 bottles. Very fine for a Crémant, with tiny bubbles, a fresh chalky nose and quite a bit of finesse. Only a few cases available.

Sampler Case

I guess the best thing I can say about these wines is that you will look forward to the next sip, the next bottle, the next case! With that in mind, we’ve put together a very special Sampler Case to introduce these superb wines to you. You’ll get 3 bottles of Mâcon, 2 bottles of each of the Viré-Clessés, and 1 bottle of the Crémant. For taking the plunge, you’ll save 25% off the regular prices. We think you’ll be impressed.- David Netzer

Expression of Burgundy: XAVIER MONNOT

NOTE: This email is long, but if you find yourself seduced by the wines of Burgundy, it is definitely worth your time.

As the 2005 red Burgundies were arriving, I was doing as we all were, buying all I could afford, but even as I was loading up I kept having these nagging thoughts: “You know you’re going to want 2006’s too.” You’ve seen this happen before. Load up on one great, collectible vintage, then exclude the next one and soon regret it. As one of our most respected customers has said often, “I’ve never regretted a wine I’ve bought, only those I haven’t bought.” Plus, every red Burgundy drinker knows that the most pleasant surprises are the wines from under-hyped vintages that turn out to be glorious 10 or 15 years down the road.

All of this is a roundabout way of saying that the 2006 vintage is filled with beauty and worth your attention. As I tasted through the 2006’s of two dozen growers this past January I was struck by their purity of fruit, and most of all their entrancing aromatic character. I started dubbing ’06 the ‘vintage for the nose’ but that didn’t sound too poetic so I dropped it. However, I would argue that much of the beauty of great Burgundy is in its bouquet and the amazing thing about 2006 is that even the wines that missed something in the flavor department still had lovely, sometimes even compelling aromas. (Don’t worry though, we left those behind anyway!)

Xavier Monnot is a guy who really believes in what he calls “the message of terroir” and he doesn’t just talk the talk. His work in his vineyards, his choice of clones, his pruning techniques, de-budding, how he chooses to re-plant, the very limited influence of new oak on his wines, all are examples of his commitment to the land and to the sincerity of his wines.

Xavier’s reds, tasted less than a week after bottling, showed remarkably well, and I would go so far as to say that they compare extremely favorably to his 2005’s. All offer great value, especially considering the impotent U.S. Dollar. For exceptional value, you can’t beat his 1er Cru Maranges. This village, or group of villages really, is located at the southern tip of the Cote de Beaune, just below Santenay. Another favorite is the Beaune Toussaints. Xavier’s piece, bordered by the vineyards of Bressandes and Greves, produces a wine of immense charm and length. Oh, and don’t miss the beautifully expressive Volnay Clos des Chenes. This one borders on heroic.

From the top growers, 2006 is a gorgeous, open-armed (I almost said something else, but decided to keep it clean) vintage. I tasted many ’06 whites that were plump and juicy, almost tropical, and which gave tremendous pleasure, even in their infant stage. Monnot’s whites though had something more to them, a restraint and kind of graceful power. Xavier says, “I prefer minerality, purity, and longevity to fatness and richness.” What an impressive lineup here! Favorites? They’re all my favorite! Really, it’s that good a group of wines. I’d have to say though that the two single vineyard (though not 1er Cru) Meursaults, “Le Limozin” and “Les Chevalieres” offer absolutely stunning quality, easily at 1er Cru level. David Netzer