By Dan Rhodes
This year's La Paulée
extravaganza took place in San Francisco (March 12-15th) and once
again lived up to its impeccable and stellar reputation once described by The Financial Times as “…the greatest
Bacchanalia on the face of the Earth.” Kudos and congratulations to Daniel
Johnnes and his hard-working, über-talented
staff for putting together and organizing another memorable and superb
celebration of France’s Burgundy region and wines!
I was fortunate to attend three of the week-end’s top
events; including the Verticals Tasting and the Chablis Seminar as well as the
show-stopping Grand Tasting. All three events took place at San Francisco’s
venerable Fairmount Hotel which provided an ambience eminently worthy of both
the historical legacies and distinguished reputations of the sundry domaines
and vignerons who participated. As
per usual, Les Chanteurs de Bourgogne
serenaded throughout providing all with a petit
morceau of France, Burgundy and the La Paulée de Meursault.
 |
| The view from the Crown Room of the Fairmount Hotel. A lovely day to drink Burgundy and gaze over SF! |
It was with great anticipation and excitement that I entered
the Fairmount’s legendary Crown Room on Friday to behold a Burgundian “who’s
who” in terms of wines and domaines represented. In conjunction with the
captivating experience of the Crown Room’s panoramic views of San Francisco and
the Bay Area, this was an event not soon to be forgotten. Anyone who doubts the
reality or efficacy of terroir as a relevant and meaningful concept would
surely be forced re-think their position after experiencing this tour de force exposition which included so
many of the Côte d’Ôr’s most important and
memorable vineyard sites.
So many highlights…so little space! The two overriding
themes that The Verticals Tasting brought to bear were the dual notions of quality
consistency and fidelity to terroir as the event reinforced the famous dictum
that great producers make great wines. Many of the so-called “lesser vintages”
represented showed quite well within the context of the above and reminded me once
again that, as is usually the norm in the Burgundian universe, rushes to judgment
are just that. Upon finishing, it was with great pleasure that I enjoyed a
victory lap to re-visit some of my favorite tables of the day which, not
coincidentally, also happen to be some of my favorite terroirs including:
Chassagne – Montrachet “Grandes
Ruchottes” (Bernard Moreau)
I’ve long been a fan of Grandes
Ruchottes. It’s one of my “go-to” choices in Chassagne and there are many
fine examples out there. The vineyard, to my palate, brings to the imbiber the
best of both worlds as it were in delivering the honeyed richness normally
associated with Chassagne Montrachet along with sublime nuances of stone and
soil that may have a bit more in common with Puligny. Alexandre Moreau chose to
pour the 2010, 2008 and 2007 for the event and all were singing. The
consistency of each flavor profile was amazing and spoke clearly to the notion
of terroir in delivering balanced vectors of ripe stone fruits in conjunction
with sublime nuances of hazelnut, walnut, praline and all-spice along with
subtle underpinnings
of citrus. I’ve long been a fan of Domaine Bernard Moreau and this superb assemblage only increased my admiration for this stellar estate.
Meursault “Genevrieres” (Comtes Lafon)
Genevrieres is one
of my favorite vineyards in Meursault. The other two would be Perrieres and Charmes. All three bring a unique take to the richness of Meursault
with both Perrieres and Genevrieres adding typically a more discernible
element of focused acidity, rock and terroir. One could easily make the case
for elevation to Grand Cru status for any or all of them. But hopefully this won’t
occur so as to spare us the inevitable price increase that such events
invariably engender. As it is, Genevrieres
delivers, for the most part, a Grand Cru experience at a 1er Cru price. And
while wines from Comte Lafon are typically somewhat difficult to find in the
market place, there are many other fine examples to be had as the vineyard
delivers extraordinary consistency across a range of quality producers.
The domaine chose to pour the 2010, 2007 and 2002. All were
show stoppers! Starting with the 2002, a crescendo was slowly built which
climaxed for me with the other-worldly 2010. The wine captured every possible
particle of the vintage and every neutron of terroir in conjunction with the
legend himself --- Monsieur Dominique Lafon!
Corton – Charlemagne (Génot-Boulanger)
There is nothing like a profound Corton-Charlemagne! From an
historical perspective alone, it’s fascinating to drink a wine from vineyards once
owned by this historical medieval personage – Emperor Charlemagne -- who stands
as the founding father of both France and Germany. I tend to prefer more classically-styled
interpretations of Corton Charlemagne that emphasize steely minerality and cut
as opposed to the fruitier, more Chardonnay-driven versions that tend to be
fashioned for the American market and what I tasted here did not disappoint.
The domaine did a vertical comparison of 2008, 2009 and 2010. All were superbly
crafted and captured uniquely and in a positive manner the salient
characteristics of these three very different vintages. I’m not exceedingly
familiar with this estate but will be on the look-out in the course of my
future travels.
Volnay “Clos des Ducs” (Marquis d’Angerville)
Volnay is undoubtedly one my very favorite communes in
Burgundy. Quality consistency in this village is paramount and rarely do the
wines disappoint. Having said that, wine from Clos des Ducs stands in a league of its own. Guillame d’Angerville
chose to showcase the 2006, 2007 and 2008 Clos
des Ducs and all were outstanding. Each captured the stony red cherry/cherry
pit fruit so characteristic of this renowned terroir along with the subtle
personality differences that each harvest and growing season brought to bear.
In that I seldom have the opportunity to enjoy d’Angerville’s Clos des Ducs; this was a rare treat for
me which I will relish for quite a long time.
Pommard “Clos des Épenots”
(Domaine de Courcel)
On the whole, I’m not a huge fan of Pommard. It’s not one of
my “go-to” picks when it comes to Burgundy. I much prefer the regal femininity
of Volnay to the muscular masculinity of Pommard. Having said that; if there is
one Pommard I have consistently enjoyed throughout my sojourn on the planet, it
is Clos des Épenots.
For me, Clos des Épenots
raises Pommard to a more refined and exquisite niveau of civility. Madame de
Courcel herself was pouring the domaine’s 2007, 2009 and 2010 and all were
lovely. C’est Pommard trés
raffiné!
Chevalier Montrachet (Domaine Bouchard)
The Grand Cru trio of Chevalier, Bâtard and Bienvenues Bâtard Montrachet are always welcome at my table. Each
delivers its own unique textural identity and flavor profile. I have always
thought of Chevalier as the most noble of the three. Aristocratic enough to
carry the name, sometimes perhaps, even to a fault, the strength of Chevalier
has always been to my palate the nuance and intricacy that the terroir
delivers; particularly with some bottle age. Like a medieval tapestry, the
subtle threads of flavor that so characterize this wine are best enjoyed in
contemplative fashion in a smaller, more intimate environment.
Bouchard chose to serve the “La Cabotte” from 2010, 2009 and
2006. All were superb! What struck me here was how, moving backwards from
youngest to oldest, each successive wine showcased increasing evolution and
nuance while retaining the basic core of flavor richness, complexity and cut
that is undeniably regal and unmistakably Chevalier Montrachet. This was a most
impressive flight!
Chambolle-Musigny “Amoureuses” (Maison Drouhin)
Chambolle Musigny is one of my most beloved appellations in
Burgundy and Amoureuses cannot help
but compete for a place in my heart as my favorite vineyard in this delightful
village. Not that there aren’t many top-notch vineyard sites to look for in
Chambolle --- because there are --- but Amoureuses
has always held a special place for me. And why not --- the terroir basically
delivers Grand Cru quality! Veronique Drouhin-Boss generously poured her 2009,
2002 and 1998 Amoureuses for a most
receptive and appreciative audience which included yours truly. All three of
the wines captured the glory of Amoureuses
as well as the classic Drouhin style. Merci
Veronique pour le bon travail!
Bonnes Mares (Hudelot-Baillet)
I must
admit to being completely unfamiliar with this domaine. However, upon tasting
here I definitely wanted to learn more! Bonnes Mares is a wine that invariably
requires patience and judging from the quality of their 2007 which was offered
in conjunction with the estate’s 2009 and 2010; this is a property to keep your
eye on. Upon doing a bit of internet research, I discovered that the domaine
was created in 1981 by Joël Hudelot and his wife Chantal Baillet. Joël
retired in 2004 and passed along the reins to his son-in-law Dominique Le Guen
whom I was able to meet the following day at the Grand Tasting.
Interestingly
enough, I also discovered that Monsieur Le Guen also works as Frederic
Mugnier’s vineyard manager. In that “Freddy” Mugnier has long held
an elevated position in my personal Burgundy hierarchy, it became readily
apparent to me the quality at play here likely utilized the same formula:
judicious yields and painstaking work in the vineyards along with a minimalist
approach in the cuverie. The wines
all spoke to me as classically Bonnes Mares but with that extra bit of je ne sais quoi --- let’s call it for
now the artistic touch of Monsieur Le Guen --- and a source no less than
Christophe Roumier recently opined to describe Dominique Le Guen as “a vigneron
to watch.” I’m on board with that!
Clos des Lambrays (Domaine des Lambrays)
To this palate, Clos
des Lambrays stands as one of the crown jewels of the Côte d’Ôr. Winemaker Thierry
Brouin has done a magnificent job in restoring this historical terroir to its
rightful place in the celestial order of the Burgundian firmament. Many years
ago I visited the property upon the outset of its current renaissance and can
attest to the incremental improvement in the quality of wine emanating from the
estate vintage after vintage. Today, Clos des Lambrays stands in the upper
echelon of Burgundy’s Grand Cru hierarchy thanks to the tireless commitment to
quality and painstaking work of Monsieur Brouin.
Thierry chose to pour the 2003, 2006 and 2010 Lambrays. All three brought to bear that
impressive combination of exotic spice, silky red fruit and sophisticated
terroir that verily defines both Morey St. Denis and Clos des Lambrays. This
was one of the most impressive tables of the event!
Gevrey Chambertin “Mes Favorites” (Alain Burguet)
There is no specific vineyard with the name of Mes Favorites. But the wine,
nonetheless, delivers a high quality translation of terroir. This blend combines
vineyard parcel holdings from old vines in preferred plots and reflects Alain’s
desire to create an excellent Gevrey Chambertin year-in and year-out. To me,
Alain stands as one of Burgundy’s unheralded stars and with this wine he annually
puts forth a production that is classically “Gevrey” in every sense of the
word. The estate chose the stellar trio of 2008, 2009 and 2010 to uphold the
superb reputation of Mes Favorites
and succeeded once again in demonstrating the ongoing quality of one of
Burgundy’s very special wines, places and winemakers.
Gevrey Chambertin “Cherbaudes” (Jean-Marie Fourrier)
A small coterie of devotées was crowded around the Fourrier table as I
arrived enjoying a superb trio of wines from Burgundy’s newest superstar:
Jean-Marie Fourrier. Domaine Fourrier chose to pour their 2007, 2009 and 2010
to represent one of Gevrey’s lesser known terroirs – Cherbaudes. All three wines captured a richness and complexity that
went way beyond that which one normally associates with this vineyard which is
located adjacent to the Grand Cru sites of Chapelle
and Mazi. The quality at play speaks
to Fourrier’s skill in getting the most out of his holdings as the wines
combined both elegance and finesse while remaining true to their origins of
soil as well as their specific vintage identities.
Clos de Beze (Domaine Faiveley)
As I am more of a Burgundian traditionalist, the Faiveley
wines have always appealed to me and I have had the good fortune to know
several collectors who buy Faiveley with regularity affording me the
opportunity to taste and enjoy cellar-aged versions of many of this domaine’s
top wines including Clos de Beze. To me Clos de Beze stands with Griottes,
Ruchottes and Le Chambertin foursquare to comprise the ultimate Grand Slam “terroir
– team” of Gevrey Chambertin. Not to say that I haven’t had superb wines from Charmes, Mazi and Mazoyeres over
the years but the consistency of the above-mentioned puts them in a league of
their own.
Beze to me is a
broad, forthright Grand Cru and the more classical Faiveley philosophy suits
the vineyard well. The Maison chose to pour the troika of 2009, 2010 and 2011
and this triumvirate of power delivered satisfactorily anything and everything
one would look for or could desire from Clos
de Beze. And while the new regime has softened and modernized the Faiveley
style just a bit, these are still wines that stand, philosophically, on the
traditional side of the fence and will continue to deliver long-term
satisfaction for those so inclined.
Saturday AM, I attended The La Paulée Chablis Seminar led by Jon Bonné of the San Francisco Chronicle. Participants
included Veronique Drouhin (Maison Drouhin) and Christian Moreau (Domaine
Christian Moreau) along with Didier Seguier of Domaine Fevre and Guillaume
Gicqueau-Michel of Domaine Louis Michel. These four names are virtually
synonymous with high-quality Chablis and their wines did not disappoint. It was
well-worth the early rise! The conversation was both lively and informative encompassing
a superb juxtaposition of winemaking philosophy and viticultural/vinicultural
insights as well as sundry tidbits of French and Burgundian history. Nothing better
than Chablis and croissants for breakfast!
Chablis remains one of Burgundy’s top bargains. Given the
quality at play, it’s one of my personal “go-to” faves and holds an ongoing
steady place in my Burgundian circle of trust. The Burgundian notion of terroir
reaches its apogee here in that no other wine region in the world produces
Chardonnay in such a distinctive manner. Many try to imitate but few actually
succeed. There is no replicating the unique Kimmeridgian soils and cool climate
milieu of Chablis which produces what is arguably the wine world’s most
transparent, translucent and transcendent white wine.
Upon finishing the Chablis Seminar, it was a quick hop, skip
and a jump to the Fairmount’s Grand Ballroom for one of the overriding events
of the week-end: The Grand Tasting. Life is good! This year’s tasting was
focused on the 2011 vintage. There were literally hundreds of wines available
for edification and the challenge to taste in comprehensive manner was offset
nicely and magically enhanced with a superb array of appetizers and petits plats from several of the Bay
Area’s finest chefs and restaurants including some of my SF faves ---
Boulevard, Pearl and Ash, RN 74 and The Slanted Door.
It’s always hard to draw sweeping conclusions in Burgundy
given the multiplicity of domaines and terroirs but from a generalized
perspective, I feel 2011 is a somewhat underrated vintage. I would not go so
far to characterize it as a “great” vintage (although some winemakers made
great wines) but would more comfortably classify it as good/very good. The 2011
reds are a bit lighter than 2010. It’s more of a watercolor affair rather than
the thick “oil-on-canvas” identity of 2010. But this should not be seen in a
negative light. The fruit is clean and lively with above-average complexity and
gorgeous bouquets. In terms of the whites, the vintage delivers a useful cadre
of wines which can be readily consumed and successfully aged over the
short/mid-term. In short, don’t ignore 2011 Burgundies. Overall, most everyone
I spoke with at the Grand Tasting, including both producers and imbibers, were
pleased with the quality at hand. I see 2011 as kind of an “insider’s vintage”
that will reward with a bit of time in the cellar and patience for those so
inclined. “Selectivity” is, for sure, the key word in formulating a purchase
strategy for 2011 Burgundy but don’t be afraid to get in the water.
Part of the joy of attending the La Paulée Grand Tasting is the
pleasure of running into and catching up with old colleagues and friends which
necessarily takes some time away from the main task at hand; namely, tasting
wine. Given the constraints of a 3-hour tasting window, focus becomes the key
procedural directive. With such an incredible array of wines at hand, it was
impossible to taste everything but what follows is a brief rundown of some
productions that caught my attention. All are 2011.
Bernard Moreau
Chassagne Montrachet “Vergers” **
Chassagne Montrachet “Maltroie” *
Chassagne Montrachet “Grands Ruchottes” **
Comte Lafon
Volnay “Santenots” *
Meursault “Clos de la Barre” *
Meursault “Charmes” **
Sauzet
Puligny Montrachet “Combettes” *
Chevalier Montrachet **
Génot
– Boulanger
Pommard “Clos Blanc” *
Meursault “Boucheres” *
Puligny Montrachet “Folatieres” **
Domaine de Courcel
Pommard “Vaumuriens” *
Pommard “Fremiers” *
Pommard “Grand Clos Epenots” **
Pommard “Rugiens” *
Marquis
d’Angerville
Volnay “Fremiets” *
Volnay “Champans” **
Volnay “Taillepieds” **
Volnay “Clos des Ducs” **
Domaine Chanson
Beaune “Clos des Fèves”
*
Beaune Clos des Mouches” *
Chassagne Montrachet “Chenevottes” *
Maison Drouhin
Beaune “Clos des Mouches” (Rouge) **
Chassagne Montrachet “Morgeot – Marquis de Laguiche” *
Corton Charlemagne**
Domaine Bouchard
Nuits St. Georges “Les Cailles” *
Beaune “Greves – “Vigne de l’Enfant Jesus” *
Meursault “Genevrieres” *
Corton Charlemagne **
Maison Louis Jadot
Corton Charlemagne *
Domaine Simon Bize
Savigny-les-Beaune “Fournaux” *
Savigny-les-Beaune “Aux Vergelesses” *
Domaine
Hudellot-Noëllat
Clos Vougeot *
Romanée
St. Vivant **
Domaine Hudelot-Baillet
Chambolle Musigny “VV” *
Chambolle Musigny “Charmes” **
Chambolle Musigny “Cras” **
Bonnes Mares **
Armand Rousseau
Clos de la Roche *
Chambertin **
Domaine Fourrier
Gevrey Chambertin *
Gevrey Chambertin “Cherbaudes” *
Gevrey Chambertin “Combe-aux-Moins” **
Gevrey Chambertin “Clos St. Jacques” **
Domaine des
Lambrays
Puligny Montrachet “Folatieres” *
Puligny Montrachet “Clos du Cailleret” *
Clos des Lambrays **
One last thought on 2011 --- upon tasting through the wines
I was struck by the following notion --- 25 years ago, 2011 probably would have
been an utter failure. Given the vagaries and challenges of both weather and
harvest which are reflected in the irregularity of many of the wines 2011 produced,
this crop would have been harvested and vinified in such manner as to engender,
for the most part, dismal wines of an unpleasant nature --- green, dilute,
astringent and thin. That the wines are as successful as they are is a
testament to the ongoing embrace of a renewed quality ethos and intellectual
renaissance which started in the 1990s and is still taking place throughout the
Côte d’Ôr in conjunction with the
spirit of a new generation of young vignerons
in Burgundy who are not afraid to utilize both tradition and innovation in crafting
higher quality wines that reflect the unique grandeur of these hallowed
vineyards.
The La Paulée
week-end is a special time that creates enough pleasure, joy and memories to
last a life time. Each one is singular in combining a unique vintage focus along
with the ambience and hospitality of either San Francisco or New York. The La
Paulée staff does
an incredible job year-in and year-out to provide participants with new and
interesting themes for dinners, seminars and tastings. And what would the event
be without the vignerons themselves, as
well as the many chefs and sommeliers, who donate so much time, energy and
good-will to the event in conjunction with their passion for Burgundy and its
wines --- all deserve a shout!
Anyone who has a serious interest in or passion for wine as
either a collector or imbiber owes it to his or herself to attend this event at
least once in their life time. Whether you are an amateur or aficionado, the
rewards are abundant and the experience timeless. Next year’s event will be
once again in New York. Hope to see you at La Paulée 2015!
