2013 Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru white (93-95)
2013 Chablis – Les Preuses Grand Cru white (89-92)
2013 Chassagne-Montrachet “Caillerets” 1er white (90-93)
2013 Chassagne-Montrachet « La Grande Montagne » 1er white (89-91)
2013 Chassagne-Montrachet « Morgeot » 1er white (88-91)
2013 Chassagne-Montrachet “En Remilly” 1er white (89-92)
2013 Chassagne-Montrachet “La Romanée” 1er white (91-93)
2013 Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru white (93-95)
2013 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru white (91-94)
2013 Corton – Les Grande Lolières Grand Cru white (88-91?)
2013 Criots-Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru white (92-94)
2013 Meursault “Bouchères” 1er white (91-93)
2013 Meursault “Charmes” 1er white (91-93)
2013 Meursault “Genevrières” 1er white (89-92?)
2013 Meursault “Goutte d’Or” 1er white (92-94)
2013 Meursault “Perrières” 1er white (91-94)
2013 Meursault “Poruzots” 1er white (90-93)
2013 Meursault-Blagny “La Pièce Sous Le Bois” 1er white (90-92)
2013 Montrachet Grand Cru white (93-96)
2013 Nuits St. Georges « Les Terres Blanches » 1er white (89-91)
2013 Pernand-Vergelesses “Sous Frétille” 1er white (88-91)
2013 Puligny-Montrachet “Champ Canet” 1er white (89-92)
2013 Puligny-Montrachet « Champ Gains » 1er white (90-92)
2013 Puligny-Montrachet “La Garenne” 1er white (90-92)
2013 Puligny-Montrachet “Folatières” 1er white (89-92)
2013 St. Aubin « Les Murgers des Dents de Chien » 1er white (90-92)
For more detail on Mounir and Rotem Saouma’s general views of the 2013 vintage, please see Issue 58 or the database. As to their whites, they noted that none of the whites had been racked and the lees had been stirred a grand total of only 3 times. There had also been no SO2 added at the time of my February visit. Their view is that this process allows anything that can oxidize to oxidize and fall out of the wines naturally rather than being filtered or fined out (or to actually oxidize in the bottle).
As a result they note that the colors of their whites are always deeper yellow than would be considered typical, at least outside of peculiar vintages such as 2003. They note that because their wines are expressly built to age and are always bottled with elevated CO2 levels (~1000 mm) that they should be decanted. Moreover they argue that their wines need a minimum of 10 years of bottle age before they’re ready so that if you want to try one before that to decant it. They further advise that between trying a bottle young or in middle age, younger is better. One other key aspect of the Le Moine whites bears mentioning in this discussion is the current divide in the wine world today between what are referred to as reductive and oxidative styles of wine making. The vast majority of Burgundians are in the former camp but the Le Moine wines are in the latter. Note carefully that oxidative wine making in this case is a bit of a misnomer because it does not mean that the process makes oxidative wines, only that the wine making encourages oxidizable elements in the wine to oxidize and precipitate out and hence the name.
This can occur during and/or just after the pressing or it can occur during the élevage, or in a few cases both. Mounir Saouma argues that premox could be prevented altogether if you take away the wine’s ability to oxidize and that is what he is attempting to do with his totally non-interventionist approach. This is entirely laudable, and logical, so far as it goes. As longtime readers have seen me remark many times over the years, there is no free lunch in winemaking, meaning that every action, or inaction, has a consequence and that most wines are the way that they are based on a series of winemaking compromises. Well, the compromise in this case is that the style of the Le Moine whites definitely appears oxidative yet the wines are stable. The important point for you as informed Burgundy consumers is to decide whether you like the Le Moine style as it is indisputably particular and as a natural consequence, controversial. But particular does not mean flawed or uninteresting, only that you may or may not like it. If you have never tried a bottle of their whites then I strongly suggest that you do. I guarantee that you will find the wines to be of high quality but that you may or may not be attracted to the style because the wines often have aromas that speak of cider and aged yellow orchard fruit. Some love those characters and some do not and this is part of what makes individual domaine styles so interesting. I would also add that many of the 2013s here had only just finished their malos and thus exhibited lactic aromas and were full of gas. This of course complicates their evaluation and thus in some cases my projected ranges should be viewed as preliminary. However in all cases that are not specifically excepted my ranges assume that any odd aromas will dissipate before the wines are bottled.
2013 Pernand-Vergelesses “Sous Frétille”: Lactic aromas dominate the fruit though the rich and full-bodied flavors are clean and bright before terminating in a mineral-inflected, firm and complex finish. I like the balance and of course as noted above my predicted range assumes that the nose will clean up before it’s bottled. (88-91)/2019+
2013 Nuits St. Georges “Les Terres Blanches”: (100% chardonnay). Reduction pushes the fruit to the background though there is good vibrancy and detail to the medium weight flavors that possess plenty of minerality and salinity to the complex, balanced and linear finish. (89-91)/2020+
2013 Puligny-Montrachet “Champ Canet”: Lactic-tinged aromas dominate the nose. By contrast there is excellent vibrancy and richness to the attractively textured, mouth coating and delicious flavors that display the natural class of Puligny, particularly on the nicely complex, balanced and lingering finish. (89-92)/2021+
2013 Puligny-Montrachet « Champ Gains »: Here there is nothing masking the pretty citrus, floral and pear-suffused aromas that are trimmed in subtle wood notes. The racy, intense and more evidently mineral-driven middle weight flavors possess good focus on the clean, dry and impressively persistent finale. (90-92)/2020+
2013 Puligny-Montrachet “La Garenne”: There is a very mild touch of the exotic to the ultra-fresh and notably ripe dried yellow orchard fruit, floral and jasmine tea scents. The suave and very rich medium-bodied flavors coat the palate with dry extract before concluding by a distinctly mineral-infused, persistent and balanced finish. (90-92)/2020+
2013 Puligny-Montrachet « Folatières »: (from vines of approximately 100 years of age). In the same fashion as the La Garenne here too there is a hint of the exotic that adds breadth to the acacia blossom, pear, apple and soft oak nuances. The seductively textured medium weight flavors possess a natural sweetness that is partially buffered by a noticeable salinity on the lingering finish that exhibits a hint of minerality. (89-92)/2019+
2013 Meursault “Poruzots”: Reduction presently suppresses the fruit. Otherwise there is excellent volume, concentration and solid power to the firmly constructed flavors that also possess very good focus on the balanced, lemony and impressively lingering finish. This should reward up to a decade of cellaring and will need most of it. (90-93)/2021+
2013 Meursault “Bouchères”: This too is firmly reduced. As one might reasonably expect the elegant middle weight flavors are notably finer than those of the Poruzots though not as powerful or voluminous, all wrapped in a lilting, stony and detailed finale. This understated effort is a wine of finesse and grace and is one of the few wines in the range that should drink reasonably well when young. (91-93)/2020+
2013 Meursault “Charmes”: A notably ripe but not really exotic nose offers up notes of both white and yellow orchard fruit, floral elements and a hint of pain grillé. There is fine richness and a really lovely sense of underlying tension to the lightly mineral-infused medium-bodied flavors that coat the mouth with dry extract that serves to buffer the relatively firm acid spine on the citrusy, long and impressively complex finale. This too is a wine of harmony and balance. (91-93)/2021+
2013 Meursault-Blagny “La Pièce Sous Le Bois”: An exquisitely pure and ultra-elegant nose presents notes of citrus, white flowers, green apple and wet stone. The racy, intense and equally pure lighter weight flavors brim with plenty of minerality before terminating in a saline, long and delicious finish where a smoky hint surfaces. (90-92)/2019+
2013 Meursault “Genevrières”: A notably lactic nose is joined by very gassy flavors that have a clipped and short finish. On the plus side there is good richness and detail but this is very tough to read and my projected range is decidedly preliminary. (89-92?)/2021+
2013 Meursault “Perrières”: A pungent yet elegant nose is composed of wood toast, wet stone, white flowers, pear and essence of apple. The racy, intense and tightly focused middle weight flavors seem to be constructed directly from liquid stone as the mouth feel is very much akin to rolling tiny pebbles around in the mouth. Moreover there is a lovely sense of energy and harmony present on the stylish, complex and impressively persistent finish. This should be excellent in time though note well that plenty will be needed. (91-94)/2023+
2013 Meursault “Goutte d’Or”: Reduction flattens the underlying fruit though there is a lovely sense of verve and freshness to the gorgeously textured, intense and suave medium-bodied flavors that possess excellent mid-palate concentration, all wrapped in a beautifully long and seriously complex finale. This is the most complete wine among this group of Meursault 1ers and should amply repay up to a decade of holding. (92-94)/2021+
2013 Chassagne-Montrachet “Morgeot”: (mostly from Tête du Clos). Once again distinct lactic elements crush the fruit. On a more positive note there is excellent richness to the full-bodied flavors that brim with dry extract which helps to buffer the linear finish that isn’t particularly complex though it does deliver reasonably good length. More depth will almost certainly deliver but overall this seems less promising than the best of these Chassagne 1ers. (88-91)/2019+
2013 Chassagne-Montrachet “La Grande Montagne”: Cool, pure and airy aromas of citrus, resin, stone and floral hints precede the detailed and energetic middle weight flavors that exhibit a touch of lemon peel character on the balanced and lingering finish that offers good but not special depth. (89-91)/2020+
2013 Chassagne-Montrachet “En Remilly”: Mild reduction is enough to render the nose difficult to assess. Otherwise there is fine intensity and lovely delineation to the mineral-inflected, rich and solidly well-concentrated flavors that culminate in an interesting finish in that it is moderately austere but not particularly dry. (89-92)/2020+
2013 Chassagne-Montrachet “La Romanée”: Reduction. There is a very sleek mouth feel to the refined mineral-inflected, pure and delineated medium-bodied flavors that possess excellent depth of material as well as a well-integrated acid spine that shapes the lemony finish that is the polar opposite of the En Remilly in that it is quite dry but not really austere. This lovely effort should reward up to a decade of cellaring. (91-93)/2021+
2013 Chassagne-Montrachet “Caillerets”: Reductive and lactic aromas presently dominate the nose. The impressively and seductively rich flavors possess a suave mouth feel yet still manage to retain reasonably good delineation before concluding in a lingering and sappy finish that exhibits hints of exotic fruit and wood. This is awkward today but the underlying material is so good that this should harmonize and my predicted range certainly assumes that it will. (90-93)/2020+
2013 St. Aubin “Les Murgers des Dents de Chien”: Reduction. This too possesses a decidedly sleek and cool mouth feel as the middle weight flavors are notably finer than those of the Caillerets even though they don’t have the size and weight. In addition I like the depth and persistence of the saline-infused finish and like the Bouchères this is one of the few wines in the range that could be enjoyed young. (90-92)/2019+
2013 Chablis – Les Preuses: (Saouma noted that this will see 3 years of élevage). Strong lactic and reduction dominates the nose. There is exceptionally good richness to the minerally and delicious medium-bodied flavors that terminate in a clean and notably dry finish. This is attractive in its fashion but there isn’t much in the way of Chablis character though perhaps this will become more prominent with time. As an aside I generally don’t find Chablis that has seen longer than usual barrel aging to do that but I look forward to seeing this wine in bottle one day. (89-92)/2023+
2013 Corton – Les Grande Lolières: A background hint of wood serves as a relatively neutral backdrop for the somewhat curious aromas that display distinct notes of peppermint that carry over to the rich and full-bodied flavors that possess fine power and punch on the lingering finish. The peppermint isn’t unpleasant per se but it is definitely atypical. (88-91?)/2021+
2013 Corton-Charlemagne: (from vines in Pernand). Notes of green apple, wet stone, spice and plenty of white floral scents introduce muscular, intense and big-bodied flavors that exude plenty of minerality on the bitter lemon-infused finish that delivers beautiful length. This too is youthfully awkward but the quality of the underlying material appears to be excellent and that is a very promising sign. (91-94)/2023+
2013 Criots-Bâtard-Montrachet: An overtly exotic nose features ripe and fresh notes of mostly dried yellow orchard fruit aromas that are trimmed in just enough wood to notice. The rich, full-bodied and powerful flavors possess fine intensity and a seductive texture, all wrapped in a mouth coating, focused and impressively complex finale. (92-94)/2023+
2013 Bâtard-Montrachet: (from Chassagne vines). This is overtly oxidative in character and thus it is very difficult to read the nose. By contrast there is superb concentration to the markedly powerful and almost painfully intense broad-shouldered flavors that possess a massive reserve of dry extract that completely drenches the palate on the explosively long finish. This is almost tannic in character and this is going to require a very long snooze in a cool cellar before it’s ready. (93-95)/2025+
2013 Chevalier-Montrachet: Reduction flattens the nose though it does not extend to the strikingly intense and chiseled medium-bodied flavors that seem to be extracted directly from liquid stone on the equally long and explosive finish. This does not possess the same size, weight and power of the Bâtard but it compensates by the notably better refinement and class and this is particularly evident on the impeccably well-balanced finale. While these two wines are quite comparable in terms of their intrinsic quality, they are completely different from a textural perspective. (93-95)/2025+
2013 Montrachet: (from both the Chassagne and Puligny sides). A highly reserved and all but mute nose only grudgingly offers up notes of white and yellow orchard fruit along with soft nuances of spice, wood and jasmine tea. Consistent with the nose there is a restrained mouth feel to the powerful, muscular and focused flavors that deliver superb authority on the hugely long and faultlessly well-balanced finish. This is extremely primary but even so it manages to do what all of the greatest burgundies do, which is to deliver a remarkable amount of power with no discernible weight. (93-96)/2028+
