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We are delighted to offer you the very special 2007 Burgundies (seven red and six white) from Domaine Dublère (read all about the domaine and its owner, Blair Pethel in our January 2009 edition of ‘Selections’). These wines are in very short supply and are selling rapidly at the winery. For example, we have been able to secure only two six-bottle cases of the Savigny-les-Beaune Villages and the Chablis Grand Cru Les Preuses. So, as each order comes in, we will check availability with Blair and then confirm with our Member. |
The 2007 Vintage in Burgundy
Before describing the wines, a word or two about the 2007 vintage is in order. As reported by Frederick Wildman & Sons, “The 2007 vintage in Burgundy was a tough one. Bad weather throughout the summer meant that around harvest time there was a lot of rot and mildew in the vineyards. But a very dry fall meant that with careful harvesting and sorting, many producers were able to bring in fine fruit, especially white grapes, but yields were correspondingly low. As is true in all but the most disastrous vintages, the best producers did just fine, and they are fairly happy with their wines, but there apparently is a lot of variability across the region. While 2007 is a better vintage than 2006, it is clearly not as good as 2005.”
Michael Apstein goes on to say, “Louis-Fabrice Latour, head of Maison Louis Latour, confirmed the importance of selection. 'Twenty years ago a vintage like 2007 in Burgundy would have been a disaster because nobody was doing the kind of severe selection that a vintage like 2007 demanded. Now everybody realizes the importance of selection.' The reason the 2007 reds are good, according to him, is that conscientious producers performed a green harvest and used sorting tables. Gambal echoed Latour's assessment, ‘Now even small producers have vibrating sorting tables’.”
And Rosemary George, MW adds, “I really enjoyed tasting the 2007 Burgundies. There are some delicious wines, and in contrast to some vintages, the intensive week of tastings did not seem a marathon. However, it was not an easy vintage. The spring was warm and the flowering took place in fine weather. But then July turned wet and August was cool. Happily things took a turn for the better in September so that the harvest took place in good weather. A strict selection of grapes was essential, and the growers who did that have produced some very appealing wines, with wonderful fruit and freshness. For my taste buds, the white wines of the Côte de Beaune were overshadowed by Chablis, for 2007 is an absolutely classic Chablis vintage. The wines have a real steely minerality and firm acidity. The weather was similar to the Côte d'Or, with a cooler than average summer and a warm September once again saving the quality of the vintage. The Grand Crus should age beautifully.
So, in summary, in the hands of conscientious and skilled vintners like Blair Pethel, the wines made from the 2007 vintage will be very good indeed with the added bonus that they will be drinking well at an early age.
The 2007 Domaine Dublère Burgundies
Each of the Domaine Dublère wines comes in a six-bottle case. Blair is offering two six-bottle sampler cases in addition to the thirteen individual wines – Blair’s Early Drinking Sampler and Blair’s Cru Sampler (see below for details).
I have not had a chance to try these wines but believe them to be top flight. The following tasting notes come from Allen Meadows (AM) of Burghound note (self-proclaimed the ultimate Burgundy reference) and Patrick Maclart (PM) whose comments appeared in the Belgian magazine ‘In Vino Veritas’. Both experienced tasters tried the wines from casks – before they were bottled and well before full maturity. As an inevitable result, the wines will have been somewhat lighter and less complex than when bottled and given a chance to put on some age.
We will be taking you orders for these fine Burgundies to the LCBO on Friday, June 19th.
The Reds
2007 Savigny-les-Beaune Villages – 13.5% Alc. by Vol. $44; $264 per case of six
A relatively elegant and perfumed nose of red berry fruiy with obvious Savigny style pungent earth aromas that complement delicious, forward and clean light to barely middle weight flavours that possess lovely balance and persistence. Lighter in style but focused and precise. (86-88)/2011+ -AM.
Nice nose with red fruits, small smoky notes, very Pinot. Very nice flavour with a simple but sincere fruitiness. Caramel notes in the mouth. Pleasing. 4 of 5 stars. – PM. Order some now.
2007 Savigny-les-Beaune 1er Cru Les Rouvrettes – 13.5% Alc. by Vol. $49; $294 per case of six
(from a little seen 1er that is an extension of Les Jarrons). A more elegant and more complex nose of earthy red berry fruit aromas that display touches of underbrush and game that continue on the detailed, pure and refined barely middle weight flavours that are delicious, sappy and lingering. Lovely refinement for a cru that is not known for it. (88-90)/2012+ - AM.
More subdued nose than preceding wine but seems more profound. First impression of vegetal notes, evolves discreetly. Elegant finish. 3 of 5 stars. PM. Order some now.
2007 Beaune 1er Cru Les Blanches Fleurs – 13.5% Alc. by Vol. $57; $342 per case of six
(a rarely seen split-rated vineyard that adjoins Clos du Roi; this example is from the upper portion that is a 1er). Light ruby. A more deeply pitched yet wonderfully elegant and expressive nose of earth, tar, wet stone and pure red pinot fruit leads to detailed, intense and delineated barely middle weight flavours that possess simply terrific intensity and laser-like focus. This is like the 90 pound karate champion that can really pack a punch in a deceptively lightweight package. (88-91)/2012+ - AM.
Morello cherry nose, typical of the Côte de Beaune Pinots. Light ash notes. Nice flavour with nice acidity at first impression, presense of very ripe fruit, clean and sincere. Honest finish. 5 of 5 stars. PM. Order some now.
2007 Volnay 1er Cru Les Pitures – 13.5% Alc. by Vol. $66; $396 per case of six
This is a wine built on its minerality from stem to stern and it’s also one stunningly elegant wine with an extremely pure red berry fruit nose nuanced by an intense stoniness that continues on the admirably precise, intense and delicious middle weight flavours that are, stylistically speaking, much like the Blanches Fleurs in that there is a tremendous punch packed into a barely medium weight package, all wrapped in a wonderfully long and moderately austere finish (which is by the way spot on picture perfect for young Pitures). Terrific. (90-92)/2013+ - AM.
Nose – red cherry, damp earth, violets, good finish. Alcohol a tad evident at this stage and flavour a bit subdued. To be retasted after bottling as potential is enormous. 4 of 5 stars. PM. Order some now.
2007 Morey-St-Denis 1er Cru Les Blanchards – 13.5% Alc. by Vol. $91; $546 per case of six
This is also wonderfully elegant and pure while the earthiness of Morey is certainly present, as well as a touch of sauvage, the red berry fruit nose is essentially an exercise in delicatesse and this sense of finesse continues into the middle weight flavours that possess good mid-palate density and a spicy and lingering finish. This will be approachable young but has the balance to reward mid-term cellaring (89-91)/2013+ - Bh.
Nose subdued, cherries in alcohol, almonds. Nice and fruity in the mouth with creaminess (black fruits). Very nice bitters. Nice finish. 4 of 5 stars. PM. Order some now.
2007 Corton Renardes Grand Cru – 13.5% Alc. by Vol. $110; $660 per case of six
A classic Renardes nose of game and intensely sauvage aromas that are pure, earthy, fresh and pretty with mostly red berry fruits though there are background notes of plum and dark currant that introduce detailed minerality and impressively punchy flavours that carry the hallmark of the best burgundies, which is to say they deliver power without weight. The best wine in the range and strikingly well balanced. (91-93)/2014+ - AM.
Morello cherry note, nice acidity, vegetal notes with subtle white pepper notes, supple (too much so?) tannins and well mastered for the appellation. Good finish. 3-4 of 5stars. PM. Order some now.
Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru – 13.5% Alc. by Vol. $179; $1074 per case of six
(all from Charmes proper). This is night and day from the Blanchards with an earthy red berry fruit nose where the pungency of the Gevrey character is so different from the earthiness found on the Morey side, merges into rich, fresh and beautifully detailed flavours whose strong suit is depth, focus and length and not power or size. A Charmes of elegance and purity. (90-93)/2014+ - AM.
At this stage, the best wine of the tasting. The nose is fabulous, with smoky licorice notes – the Pinot is very present. On the whole presents as much structure as it does freshness, vinified with great intelligence. 5 of 5 stars. PM. Order some now.
The Whites
2007 Puligny-Montrachet Villages – 13.5% Alc. by Vol. $69; $414 per case of six
Subdued nose, green apples, mineral. Fresh vegetal notes in the mouth along with a certain minerality. Nice finish. 3-4 of 5 stars. PM. Order some now.
2007 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Sous le Puits – 13.5% Alc. by Vol. $91; $546 per case of six
Smoky nose, mineral, with tinges of grapefruit and floral notes. The ensemble is more cerebral than physical. Nice flavour, hawthorne aromas. Nice acidity in the finish. 4 of 5 stars. PM. Order some now.
2007 Savigny-les-Beaune 1er Cru Les Peuillets – 13.5% Alc. by Vol. $52; $312 per case of six
Nice lemony nose with fresh hazelnuts and roasted notes. In the mouth, very well made. Nice acidity midway. On the whole, sound with a very nice fruitiness. 5 of 5 stars. PM. Order some now.
2007 Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Chaumées – 13.5% Alc. by Vol. $91; $546 per case of six
Nice typical nose: butter, hazelnuts, with a bit of earthiness. Very nice flavour with definite presence of fruits. Fantastic finish. 5 of 5 stars. PM. Order some now.
2007 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru – 13.5% Alc. by Vol. $161; $966 per case of six
Subdued understated nose. The flavour is too subdued at this time and does not resemble the standard for the domaine. To be revisited. 3 of 5 stars. PM. Order some now.
2007 Chablis Grand Cru Les Preuses – 13.5% Alc. by Vol. $107; $642 per case of six
Atypical nose, more like a Pinot Gris. In the mouth, tense, biting, spirited. Needs more maturity. To be retasted when ready. 3 of 5 stars. PM. Order some now.
Mixed Cases
Blair’s Early Drinking Sampler – 13.5% Alc. by Vol. $57; $342 per case of six
One bottle each of the 2007 Savigny-les-Beaune Villages, Savigny-les-Beaune 1er Cru Les Rouvrettes, Beaune 1er Cru Les Blanches Fleurs, Volnay 1er Cru Les Pictures, Puligny-Montrachet Villages and Savigny-les-Beaune 1er Cru Les Peuillets. Order some now.
Blair’s Cru Sampler – 13.5% Alc. by Vol. $124; $744 per case of six
One bottle each of the 2007 Morey-St-Denis 1er Cru Les Blanchards, Corton Renardes Grand Cru, Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru, Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Sous le Puits, Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru and Chablis Grand Cru Les Preuses. Order some now.
Know any Burgundy fanciers? If so, please pass this note on to them.
Many thanks and cheers,
Jim and Hélène
jaswalker@arthursellers.com
hbuisson@ofrance.ca
www.arthursellers.com
