2015 Puligny-Montrachet “Les Chalumaux”Comtesse de Chérisey
France | Burgundy
$120
Producers
The Guillemot family is a staple of Savigny-lès-Beaune. Kermit’s first visit to the domaine in 1985 introduced him to the characterful, mustachioed Pierre Guillemot; today, Pierre’s grandsons Vincent and Philippe carry on the tradition.
The bulk of the Guillemot holdings lies in the Serpentières vineyard, the source of Savigny’s most complex, long-lived, and beguilingly aromatic wines. This 2017 represents a superb vintage for red Burgundies, full of depth, elegance, and floral charm. Serpentières offers a sweet, seductive perfume of wild raspberry and clove, with a bright acidity and sappy viscosity that seem to characterize all the domaine’s cuvées. Delicious yet tightly wound, this fine Pinot will live many, many years.
The family proudly opened a 1947 during a recent visit, from two barrels their great-grandfather chose to bottle rather than sell for a new car. Someone gave him the sage advice that the wine would last longer than the car.
—Jane Berg
Wine Type: | red |
Vintage: | 2017 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | Pinot Noir |
Appellation: | Savigny-aux-Serpentières |
Country: | France |
Region: | Burgundy |
Producer: | Domaine Pierre Guillemot |
Winemaker: | Jean-Pierre Guillemot |
Vineyard: | 55 years, 1.7 ha |
Soil: | Marl |
Aging: | Wine is aged in barrel for 18 months and in bottle for 6 months before release |
Farming: | Lutte Raisonnée |
Alcohol: | 12.5% |
Domaine Pierre Guillemot France | Burgundy | Corton Grand Cru
Domaine Pierre Guillemot France | Burgundy | Bourgogne
Domaine Pierre Guillemot France | Burgundy | Savigny-aux-Serpentières
Domaine Pierre Guillemot France | Burgundy | Savigny-lès-Beaune
Domaine Pierre Guillemot France | Burgundy | Corton Grand Cru
Domaine Larue France | Burgundy | Saint-Aubin
In eastern central France, Burgundy is nestled between the wine regions of Champagne to the north, the Jura to the east, the Loire to the west, and the Rhône to the south. This is the terroir par excellence for producing world-class Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
The southeast-facing hillside between Dijon in the north and Maranges in the south is known as the Côte d’Or or “golden slope.” The Côte d’Or comprises two main sections, both composed of limestone and clay soils: the Côte de Nuits in the northern sector, and the Côte de Beaune in the south. Both areas produce magnificent whites and reds, although the Côte de Beaune produces more white wine and the Côte de Nuits more red.
Chablis is Burgundy’s northern outpost, known for its flinty and age-worthy Chardonnays planted in Kimmeridgian limestone on an ancient seabed. Vézelay is a smaller area south of Chablis with similar qualities, although the limestone there is not Kimmeridgian.
To the south of the Côte de Beaune, the Côte Chalonnaise extends from Chagny on its northern end, down past Chalon-sur-Saône and encompasses the appellations of Bouzeron in the north, followed by Rully, Mercurey, Givry, and Montagny.
Directly south of the Chalonnaise begins the Côte Mâconnais, which extends south past Mâcon to the hamlets of Fuissé, Vinzelles, Chaintré, and Saint-Véran. The Mâconnais is prime Chardonnay country and contains an incredible diversity of soils.
Domaine Lucien Boillot & Fils France | Burgundy | Volnay
Domaine François Lumpp France | Burgundy | Givry
Domaine de Villaine France | Burgundy | Mercurey
Domaine Larue France | Burgundy | Blagny
Domaine Lucien Boillot et Fils France | Burgundy | Puligny-Montrachet
Comtesse de Chérisey France | Burgundy | Meursault
Comtesse de Chérisey France | Burgundy | Puligny-Montrachet
Domaine de Villaine France | Burgundy | Bourgogne
Henri Costal France | Burgundy | Chablis
Domaine Méo-Camuzet France | Burgundy | Chambolle-Musigny
Domaine Colin-Deléger France | Burgundy | Puligny-Montrachet
Domaine Robert Chevillon France | Burgundy | Nuits-Saint-Georges
When buying red Burgundy, I think we should remember:
1. Big wines do not age better than light wine.
2. A so-called great vintage at the outset does not guarantee a great vintage for the duration.
3. A so-called off vintage at the outset does not mean the wines do not have a brilliant future ahead of them.
4. Red Burgundy should not taste like Guigal Côte-Rôtie, even if most wine writers wish it would.
5. Don’t follow leaders; watch yer parking meters.
Inspiring Thirst, page 174
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