It’s often misused, but ‘classic’ is the perfect word to tag Burgundy’s 2007 whites, says MATTHEW JUKES, who is overwhelmed by their searingly fresh acidity, terroir-driven fruit and great potential to age.
My annual October pilgrimage to Burgundy is the highpoint of my wine diary. This year, I decided to break with tradition and just tackle the white wines – leaving the reds until the New Year – following rumours of tight, focused, high acid, mineral-driven wines. Word on the street was that 2007 was a mediocre vintage, but as few UK journalists bother to go to Burgundy for any length of time these days, I was not listening to any unfounded prophesies of doom and gloom.
It is far better to get down there in person than to wait to pass judgment at the London tastings in January when the samples are often flat and uneven. It is a shame that a Burgundy vintage is often praised or damned solely on the quality of its red wines – as with 2004, the quality of which many commentators missed. (I drank a lot of 2004 whites on this trip and they are delicious.)
I will not do this in this article. I will simply let you know just how good the 2007 vintage is for white wines. Chablis was the first stop, and after a run of pretty good, if a little warm vintages, 2007 was set to be a classic.
Something that one shouldn’t be afraid of in Chablis is high acidity, and the majority of the wines are sensational, if very tight by modern standards. Vincent Dauvissat could hardly control his excitement as he showed me his wines. He pointed out thatyou cannot make Chablis like this without having a dreary summer followed by a burst of good weather before harvest.
That is not to say you’d ever wish for the level of worry that 2007 caused these hardworking Burgundians, but it was, in every respect, a miraculous ending to a vintage that looked like it was heading for disaster. Benoît Droin came up with the most memorable quote. Talking about his lovely grand cru wines he said, ‘they are like big cars, accelerating and braking at the same time’.
This image is spot on; while a lot of growers talked about the similarity of their 2007 wines to the 2004s, it is a much better vintage, with more fruit and much finer acidity. Now that the 2005s and 2006s, with their lush, precocious fruit flavours, have all but sold out, we can finally concentrate on a vintage that defines the Chardonnay grape, its exact positioning in Burgundy and its superiority over every other Chardonnay made in the world.
Distinguished and chiselled
The positive mood continued in the heart of the Côte d’Or. While the weather was indeed dull and damp for most of the summer and hail hurt a corner of Montrachet and a decent sector of Chassagne-Montrachet and St-Aubin, it was again the fine weather at the end of August and beginning of September that saved the day.
Eric Remy, at Domaine Leflaive, condensed the character of the vintage into just one
well-chosen word: ‘distinguished’. Jean-Marc Roulot went a stage further saying that it is a ‘terroir vintage’. Each and every wine tastes of exactly where the grapes were grown. These are very truthful wines with nowhere to hide, on account of their flavours being laid bare by the exposure high acid forces onto a wine.
You can spot heavy-handed oak a mile off. You can sense vine age, cropping levels and all
manner of interesting details that so often are covered up with juicy, pulpy fruit. We have all become so used to Chardonnays that flatter and charm from day one that it is almost shocking to taste the raspingly refreshing 2007s and find yourself craving more of these devastatingly attractive, chiselled wines.
Some Domaines apologised for the tartness of their wines, when I was in raptures about the exactness of the flavours and definitive, identifiable postcode of each and every wine. ‘Classic’ is a word that is serially misused in the wine world, but it is one word that sums up this year neatly. ‘Enigmatic’ was another word used, this time by Jean-Charles le Bault de
la Morinière at Bonneau du Martray, a man who chooses his words with great accuracy.
I am certain that 2007 is a great white vintage and one that will keep well and continue to
excite the keen drinker. I am also convinced that it’s a classic.
Jukes’ top tier whites
★★★★★ 5 STARS
Comtes Lafon, Perrières, Meursault (20/20)
This was the only perfect score I gave in
2008 and it came as a total surprise. My
tasting note is ridiculously superlativedrenched
so I won’t repeat it, suffice to
say that every molecule of this wine is
perfect. I was literally struck dumb when I
tasted this – and that never happens! DDi
Etienne Sauzet, Montrachet (19.5)
One of the most closed and concentrated
of wines, but it already shows impeccable
balance and an amazing acid line which
points to a very long life. DDi
Etienne Sauzet, Les Combettes,
Puligny-Montrachet (19)
With so many of Sauzet’s premiers crus to
choose from, I have plumped for the most
grand cru in flavour. It’s the intensity and
layers of fruit that make this a must buy,
not its weight or brawn. DDi
Jean-Marc Boillot, Truffière,
Puligny-Montrachet (19)
A tight, introverted wine showing the
energy and minerality of this vineyard.
Boillot has made amazing village wines,
but when you step up to his unbelievable
premier cru, there’s no looking back. Gdh
Jean-Marc Roulot, Perrières,
Meursault (19)
Roulot cranked up the volume of his
Tessons but with this, its big brother,
comes more structure, minerality and
focus. One of the most incredible wines
this Domaine has made in a decade. DDi
Leflaive,
Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet (19)
All of Leflaive’s grand crus score 19s this
year but Bienvenues is the most beautiful
and gentle. Its grace masks a steely core
of fruit and acidity which will propel this
wine forwards for 20 years. C&B
Leflaive, Pucelles,
Puligny-Montrachet (19)
Eric Remy has engineered some superb
’07s. Pucelles is my pick of the premiers
crus on account of its stony minerality
and socking acidity, which keeps the
awesome fruit in check. A wine that
expands relentlessly on the palate. C&B
Marc Colin, Bâtard-Montrachet (19)
Colin’s Bâtard is the antithesis of many,
with its spice, density and power sitting
back, letting the soul of the wine come
through. A relief after many blockbusters,
showing a domaine heading towards a
new era of finer, more beautiful wines. Gdh
Bonneau du Martray,
Corton-Charlemagne (18.5)
Incredible aromatics and extraordinary
minerality. The control is gripping and
this marshals the exuberant, evocative,
floral, brioche and citrus notes beautifully.
A classic, ‘collectors’-only’ wine. C&B
Bruno Colin, La Boudriotte,
Chassagne-Montrachet (18.5)
Pear, apple, pineapple and beeswax crowd
the nose and then the fruit power and
white-knuckle acidity rush in. A dramatic
wine that leaves you exhausted. Grand
cru-like tension and depth. Gns, Gun, L&W
Colin-Morey, Folatières,
Puligny-Montrachet (18.5)
Pear, apple, toast and melon aromas and
palate, this is an exuberant and racy wine
that shows more succulence and texture
than many. The immediacy of the fruit
hides a steely core of minerality which
will give this balance for a decade. VTr
Comtes Lafon,
Clos de la Barre, Meursault (18.5)
I often find this wine a little too forceful
and butch, but in 2007 the balance is
utterly mesmerising. There is a fitness
and litheness that really suits the terrific
fruit and it is the acidity that is the key.
An essential wine to seek out. DDi
Fabien & Christian Moreau,
Les Clos, Chablis (18.5)
Harvested three times, this is one of the
most complex offerings ever from
Moreau, made with incredible attention
to detail. With masses of energy and a
delicious raw acid lick on the finish, it has
a great future ahead. Gun
Henri Germain, Perrières, Meursault (18.5)
Jean-François Germain crafts some of the
most delicious white Burgundies, and this
is his top wine. There’s depth of fruit and
power, but it is the way all the nuances
focus back on the palate some minutes
after you take a sip that impresses. DDi
Jean-Marc Roulot, Les Tessons,
Meursault (18.5)
The attraction here is the counterpoint
between the rich, defined fruit and the
lip-licking acidity. Often the more
exuberant wines in ’07 have done well
because of their obvious, taut acid and
intriguing minerality. Tessons nails it. DDi
Jean-Paul & Benoît Droin,
Grenouilles, Chablis (18.5)
Round, rich, deep and flamboyant, this is
a classic Grenouilles and one of the finest
I’ve ever tasted. The staggeringly fresh
acidity draws the finish out to
extraordinary dimensions. DDi
Louis Carillon, Les Referts,
Puligny-Montrachet (18.5)
2007 shows the grace and depth of fruit
Jacques Carillon coaxes from his vines.
Referts is the finest: a hypnotic assault of
hazelnut and lime blossom fruit. Gdh
Thomas Morey, Les Dents de Chien,
Chassagne-Montrachet (18.5)
Thomas has taken over from father
Bernard and starts his solo career with a
top vintage. Only two barrels were made
of this complex wine, as captivating as its
neighbour Montrachet. DDi
Vincent Dauvissat, Les Clos, Chablis (18.5)
Stunning length, power and grace mark
this as one of the wines of the vintage in
Chablis. A classic wine that will develop
beautifully over 10 years or more. DDi
★★★★ 4 STARS
Colin-Morey, Caillerets,
Chassagne-Montrachet (18)
Pierre-Yves Colin makes wine with flair.
Like a fashion designer, he encourages his
creations to show well and they do, with
intense fruit and incredible length.
Caillerets is my pick, with its bold notes
and firm acid backbone. VTr
Hubert & Olivier Lamy,
Clos de la Chatenière, St-Aubin (18)
Lamy is a St-Aubin specialist and 2007 is a
classic vintage for these mineral-driven
wines. This has an exotic fruit core, yet the
trademark taut acidity shows on its long
finish. It will evolve gently for 10 years. DDi
Jean-Paul & Benoît Droin,
Montée de Tonnerre, Chablis (18)
A top line-up of wines with consistently
high scores mark this as a key domaine.
With earthy flintiness and tight-grained
oak underpinning the stellar citrus fruit,
this is a heroic, great-value wine. DDi
Patrick Javillier,
Tête de Murger, Meursault (18)
This mix of fruit from Casse-Tête and
Murgers is Javillier’s most thrilling wine.
In ’07 the acidity and mineralityaugments the bold fruit to give it great
balance. Ignore it till 2014, then you won’t
be able to keep your hands off it. C&B
Vincent Dauvissat, Vaillons, Chablis (18)
Dauvissat’s ’07 portfolio is precise and
finely crafted, and Vaillons has a little
more structure and vinosity than his
other premiers crus. Stylish, intense and
vital, this is a very impressive wine. DDi
Bruno Colin, Les Charmois, St-Aubin (17.5)
St-Aubin must be the best-value village in
2007 – the top wines have a complexity
usually only seen in Puligny and Chassagne.
Colin’s Charmois has trademark lushness
cut by superb acidity. Gns, Gun, L&W
Etienne Sauzet, Bourgogne Blanc (17.5)
The most chiselled of Bourgogne Blancs,
Gérard Boudot makes all his wines with
deftness, showing total understanding of
the vintage. Keep till 2011 and see how it
beats all but the top village Pulignys. DDi
Laurent Tribut, Côte de Léchet, Chablis (17.5)
A more forward style, showing just how
pretty and floral Chablis can be in its
youth, despite the obvious energy and
quality of the vintage. Already opening up
and looking desperately alluring. DDi
Marc Colin, En Remilly, St-Aubin (17.5)
The quality and value of Colin’s St-Aubins
is unmissable. With lower alcohol levels
and pronounced acidity, they are
exquisite, with En Remilly being the star
of the lower-priced wines. Gdh
Vincent Bouzereau, Narvaux, Meursault (17.5)
In the right hands, 2007 yielded highvalue,
high-quality wines. Domaines with
a strong viticultural bent have faired well
and Bouzereau’s stunning Narvaux is a
sensational, mightily rewarding wine. Gun
Patrick Javillier, Cuvée Oligocène,
Bourgogne Blanc (17)
Normally robust and often oaky,
Oligocène has elegance and detail for the first time.
its potential to age will prove that this is one of the
finest Bourgogne Blancs of 2007. C&B
Sarah Marsh MW’s Value Whites
A&P de Villaine, Aligoté de Bouzeron
Simple, bright and breezy, light and
lively with fresh citrus fruit. C&B
Charles and Remi Jobard,
Bourgogne Blanc
Crystalline purity, citrus fresh, direct
and well defined. L&S
Christian Moreau Père et Fils,
Les Clos, Chablis
Svelte and textural with a wet stone
minerality beneath the ripe, citrus
fruit. Fine finish. HHC, Gun, ThH
Daniel Dampt, Côte De Lechet, Chablis
Glassy, smooth and lucid with a pure
citrus and mineral core. HHC
Domaine des Malandes,
Côte De Lechet, Chablis
Lively, pure, linear, mineral wine with a
whiff of gun-smoke on the finish. Haw
Domaine Drouhin, Vaudesir, Chablis
Lithe and steely with white flowers
and peach; a graceful line and a long,
chalky, citrus finish. Ben, F&R, Ply
Domaine Dujac, Morey-St-Denis
Full and broad with a polished stone
character. Richness is countered by
fresh acidity and a citrus finish. Loe
Domaine Lignier-Michelot, Axelle
Citrus aroma, lightly ample middle
palate with white stone fruit, a hint
of butter-mint and mineral finish. CDW
Henri Gouges, Bourgogne Blanc
Energetic, orange and spice. Round,
with a smooth stone minerality. Loe
Louis Michel, Vaudésir, Chablis
Elegant and shimmering, it dances
on the palate with minerality and
electric tension on the finish. DrA
Maison Alex Gambal,
Chassagne-Montrachet
Appealingly floral and spicy with
good weight and depth on the
middle palate and a fresh finish. Loe
William Fevre, Les Preuses, Chablis
Lovely depth and intensity and
mineral strength. A complex and
seriously stylish wine. Fel
Written by Matthew Jukes
