(Originally published 13 January 2017.)
In whites, there’s a little bit of everything here. Brian Sieve, chef de cave, made a comparison to 2012, but with less botrytis. From not bad but not exceptional and perhaps comparable to 2012, there’s the Beaune and the Meursault, then a good Perrières. But rising above 2012 are an extremely good Corton-Charlemagne and a stunning Puligny-Cailleret.
In whites, there’s a little bit of everything here. Brian Sieve, chef de cave, made a comparison to 2012, but with less botrytis. From not bad but not exceptional and perhaps comparable to 2012, there’s the Beaune and the Meursault, then a good Perrières. But rising above 2012 are an extremely good Corton-Charlemagne and a stunning Puligny-Cailleret.
2015 Beaune 1er Cru Les Aigrots
This wine is chewy and round, but contains some elegance to go with white and yellow fruits. (87-90)
2015 Meursault Les Narvaux
A clear step up from the Aigrots, the Narvaux shows good crispness and firmness with some austerity and good white fruits. (88-92)
2015 Meursault 1er Cru Les Perrières
The Meursault-Perrières has butter and hazelnut elements with firmness, penetration, depth, and steeliness. (91-95)
2015 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Le Cailleret
With the great Cailleret, we move into a completely different realm. The wine is light, austere, and penetration with tension, energy, liveliness, and steeliness. These are the elements usually used to describe Chevalier-Montrachet — not surprisingly, since it is a neighboring vineyard. (95-98)
2015 Corton-Charlemagne
There are very few wines that could top the Cailleret, and indeed the Corton-Charlemagne is not one of them, but it makes a good effort. The nose is stony ad pure, very Corton-Charlemagne. The mouth is stony, energetic, pure, and austere — it is classic CC that one has to wait a while for. (94-97)
There are very few wines that could top the Cailleret, and indeed the Corton-Charlemagne is not one of them, but it makes a good effort. The nose is stony ad pure, very Corton-Charlemagne. The mouth is stony, energetic, pure, and austere — it is classic CC that one has to wait a while for. (94-97)