Chronicle 170: Domaine Buisson-Charles 2012, 2011, the Outsider from Meursault

Domaine Buisson-Charles 2012, 2011, the Outsider from Meursault Lafon Rochet, a Saint-Estèphe cru classé, never been so good!. Evolution of the vintages from 1995 to 2011. Chronicle 170 (August 8) • Another Outsider unearthed, this time in Meursault: Domaine Buisson-Charles Which white Burgundy that is not too expensive or prematurely oxidised, should we put in our cellars? Here is an answer to the tricky question that fans of Bordeaux reds and Burgundy whites often raise. When travelling in Burgundy in October 2012, I was visiting Domaines de la Vougeraie (note the excellent Clos Blanc de Vougeot, even more crystalline since 2008), Anne Gros, Charlopin, Jean-Marc Roulot, Ropiteau Frères, La Romanée Conti, Clos de Tart and came upon the top quality whites of Domaine Buisson-Charles in Meursault. I put some into the Outsider category. To do things properly as I do in Bordeaux, I tasted the wines again in December 2013 with my Paris club. The results were truly sensational. The winemaker Patrick Essa does not seek to keep selling his wines for more. His prices remain reasonable, even though the quantities he makes are small. I would recommend you write to the Domaine for the names of their importers on patrick.essa@wanadoo.fr The 2011 whites are superb. The 2012s that have been bottled are even better with lovely body, a lovely quality to the texture and delightful aromas. However, Patrick Essa particularly likes the emerging 2013s, although this vintage in Burgundy white is less well spoken of than 2012. It was a great evening with a lot of emotion, explanations and differences between Burgundian and Bordeaux cultures. Aligoté 2012 15.5 // 88 The 2010 was a real find, confirmed by the 2012 with a better score. I know no other white wine with such an elegant, subtle nose at €8 per bottle. Smooth and refined on the palate falling away on the finish, but it's impossible to spit out! Drink now and before 2018. Bourgogne Vieilles Vignes 2012 16.25 // 91 Outsider and favourite What an achievement! Subtle nose of white fruits with a slight lemon hint. Big and smooth on the palate with a richly supple feel, vibrant balance and a lovely finish with an elegant hint of lemon. €12 including VAT per bottle. Drink now and before 2020. Meursault Village Vieilles Vignes 2012 16.5 // 92 Grand nose, complex and noble, of fruits, honeysuckle and vanilla. Silky and very fresh on the palate, both richly supple and a little austere on the finish, but made with meticulous attention to details. A feeling of class. Drink now and before 2023. €26 including VAT. Meursault Village Les Tessons 2012 16.75 // 93 3,000 bottles of a wine with an intense, elegant nose and silky, tender and brilliant on the mid-palate, then melting with a touch of liquorice on the finish. Sheer delight! Drink now and before 2025. €35 including VAT. Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru En Remilly 2011 16.5 // 92 Much more expressive nose than last year. Complex hints of truffle, lemon, pineapple and liquorice. Lively attack, very fruity, fragrant in the middle and more richly supple on the finish. Sappy wine. Drink now and before 2025. Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru La Romanée 2011 17 // 94 Elegant nose, but a little more compote than its peers. Especially fruity and melting on the palate with a surprising taste of violets. An impression of building up to a burst of flavour on the finish. Long and subtle. 2015 - 2025. Meursault Village Les Tessons 2011 17 // 94 Favourite The score has increased since last year. Superb, multilayered nose that is intense, elegant, noble and subtle with hints of raspberry, aniseed and orange. The first to display such a crystalline texture on the palate. Impossible to spit out! Drink now and before 2023. €35 including VAT. Meursault 1er Cru Les Charmes 2011 16.75 // 93 Here, the nose is spicier and more discrete. Lively on the palate, yet richly supple and fragrant right through with a note of lemon as it lingers. Standard length. Drink now and before 2025. €44 including VAT. Meursault 1er Cru La Goutte d'Or 2011 17.5 // 95 Favourite What a pleasure to come back to this wine, I liked so much last year, and to find it at this level. Clear colour. Grand, dense nose of white fruits, violets and aniseed. On the palate, it melts, lends fragrance and caresses with a nobility in its feel that ranks it among the very best. Its character is unique and better still, it remains impossible to spit out. Drink now and before 2030. €50 including VAT. Corton Charlemagne Grand Cru 2011 17.25 // 94 Clear colour. Chiselled, deep and discrete all at once on the nose. Richly supple, structured, deep and flavoursome on the palate, finishing with vigour and a little austere with almost tannic hints of liquorice. 2016 - 2035. €55 including VAT. Volnay 1er Cru Les Santenots 2011 16 // 90 Volnay 1er Cru Les Santenots 2010 15.75 // 89 Both have subtle fragrant noses with a little more truffle on the 2010. Same mouthfeel and aromas on the palate, but I prefer the finish of the 2011, which is less leafy. Memorable primarily for their nose, medium body, these wines dance on the palate with their fragrance. 2016 - 2030. • Lafon Rochet from 1995 to 2011. This Saint-Estèphe cru classé has never been so good. The enjoyment score is going up. Key points: 45 hectares (111 acres) in a single plot, 15 (37) of which are made up of well drained sandy clay with fine gravel. Two points that stand out in Saint-Estèphe: 10 hectares (25 acres) of clay in the middle of Saint-Estèphe ( instead of Graves) and cultivating more Cabernet Sauvignon than Merlot. The rest that grows mainly Merlot is used for the second wine, Les Pèlerins de Lafon Rochet. What changes the profile of this wine is the expression of the Cabernet on clay, which makes it sometimes “colder” than its peers. Since 2001, the wines have been denser, while keeping a lovely balance and their enjoyment score has increased because of their more mellowed, less firm tannins. As a result, these wines have become more accessible when young, but have not lost their ageing capacity, which is a great advantage. From 2007 onwards the proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend increased, while that of Merlot decreased from 60 - 40 to 70 - 30. On the human side, a new label was issued in 2000, a position of cellar master was opened in 2002 and one of technical director in 2009. Basile Tesseron took over from his father Michel in 2007. Denis Dubourdieu was consultant for the estate from 2007 to 2010 and Jean-Claude Berrouet, consultant to Maison Christian Moueix on the right bank took the role in 2012. (In the 2013 primeur a little more softness and subtlety appeared in the tannins and the fruit showed added sparkle.) Enjoyment score Remember in 2006, I invented the enjoyment score to complement the score for a wine's potential and wrote, “I have introduced the enjoyment score for enthusiasts who buy wine to enjoy it immediately. This enjoyment score complements the general score, which assesses the potential quality and/or enjoyment provided by a wine after being cellared. The wine is ready to be drunk when the enjoyment score and the score for potential become closer and finally are the same.” 2011 15.75 // 89 - Enjoyment score now: 15,5 // 88 Subtle, floral nose. Elegantly structured and flavoursome on the palate. Standard body. 2018 - 2030. 2010 16.75 // 93 - Enjoyment score now: 16 // 90 Great accomplishment. Creamy nose. Richly supple, full and vibrant on the palate. Fine tannins. 2020 - 2040. 2009 16.75 // 93 - Enjoyment score now: 16 // 90 Pure, fresh nose. Melting, floral and fruity on the nose. Deep finish. 2018 – 2035. 2008 16 // 90 - Enjoyment score now: 15,5 // 88 Fruity, ripe nose. Melting body with no harshness in the tannins. Standard length. 2015 – 2023. 2007 15.5 // 88 - Enjoyment score now: 15,5 // 88 The beginnings of a bouquet. Caresses the palate. Fine, very pleasant tannins. 2013 – 2018. 2006 16 // 90 - Enjoyment score now: 16 // 90 Lovely success. Very fruity nose. Particularly balanced, juicy, flavoursome on the palate with no corners. Very good at the moment. Decant two hours before serving. 2013 – 2025. 2005 16.25 // 91 - Enjoyment score now: 15,5 // 88 Discrete, creamy nose. Caresses the palate to start with, then becomes more tannic on the finish, but not grainy. 2016 – 2035. 2004 15.75 // 89 - Enjoyment score now: 15,5 // 88 Subtle hint of coffee, if it is not decanted. Caresses the palate in the beginning and fragrant on the finish. Good, pleasant length. Drink now and before 2020. 2003 16.75 // 93 - Enjoyment score now: 16,5 // 92 Great achievement! Both ripe and fresh on the nose. Big and caressing on the palate, full in the middle, juicy and powerful on the finish. Noticeable, but mellowed tannins. 2014 – 2030. 2002 15.5 // 88 - Enjoyment score now: 15,5 // 88 Vanilla on the nose, needs decanting. Aromatic, elongated, no harshness. Drink now and before 2017. 2001 15.5 // 88 - Enjoyment score now: 15 // 87 The nose is more elegant and displays more vanilla if decanted. Very enjoyable and caressing on the palate and a little tannic as it lingers. Drink now and before 2018. 2000 15.5 // 88 - Enjoyment score now: 15 // 87 Gamey nose. Initially smooth on the palate, but austere on the finish. Standard length. Drink now and before 2020. 1999 14.5 // 86 - Enjoyment score now: 14,5 // 86 Gamey nose. Lacks body. Drink now and before 2015. 1998 15 // 87 - Enjoyment score now: 15 // 87 Creamy nose if decanted. Colder if not decanted. The beginnings of a bouquet. Caresses the palate, but lacks body. Drink now and before 2016. 1997 14 // 85 - Enjoyment score now: 13 // 81 Old style vegetal nose. Light, but not dry on the palate. Should have been drunk by now. 1996 14.5 // 86 - Enjoyment score now: 14,5 // 86 Should be decanted for the nose. Surprising white fruit aroma. Light on the palate. Should have been drunk by now. 1995 15.5 // 88 - Enjoyment score now: 15 // 87 Leather, cedar, undergrowth and meat on the bouquet. Initially fruity, smooth and pleasant on the palate, finishing a little tannic. Drink before 2020. The next chronicle will be published on Friday 22 August. Happy reading. Jean-Marc Quarin _______________________________________________________________________ © Copyright 2014. This publication is the original work of Jean-Marc Quarin Sarl, 10 allée de Ginouilhac, Le Taillan-Médoc. France. - E-mail : jmquarin@quarin.com The news media and subscribing wine distributors, importers and retailers may use portions of this material (such as tasting notes, ratings or quotes) provided that it is not distorted, the proper wine and vintage are stated, www.quarin.com is given credit for the material utilized, and Jean-Marc Quarin (JMQ) is shown as the Copyright holder.

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Chronicle 170: Domaine Buisson-Charles 2012, 2011, the Outsider from Meursault

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