As usual, Yves Confuron began his harvest after most other producers had finished theirs; in 2017 the start date was 15 September. Yields were 27 hl/ha, which he described as normal. Some malo-lactic fermentations were early, others late.
As usual, these are outstanding to great wines from beginning to end.
2017 Vosne-Romanée
The village Vosne has perfumed aromas and intense, concentrated, and long in the mouth with spicy dark fruits. Malo-lactic fermentation finished in August. (92-94)
2017 Nuits-Saint-Georges
Although not so labeled, this wine is from the highly-regarded Bas de Combe climat. The nose is floral, pure, deep, and spicy. As one would expect, the mouth shows more structure and power than the Vosne, but the vineyard’s proximity to Vosne is shown by the oriental spices complementing the dark fruits. (92-94)
2017 Chambolle-Musigny
The Chambolle has white flower aromas. The mouth is mineral, pure, long, and elegant with red cherry fruit. (91-93)
2017 Pommard
Deep and mineral in the nose and closed in the mouth with deep fruit showing, the Pommard was closed but promising for its fruit and great energy. But this wine may need substantial aging. (91-94)
2017 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Craipillot
The Gevrey-Craipillot is another wine that may need quite a bit of aging. The wine is intense, concentrated, tannic and deep with closed fruit and lots of energy. (92-95)
2017 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Petite Chapelle
The Gevrey-Petite Chapelle has an attractive violet nose. The mouth is pure with dense dark fruit and licorice, and the wine has length, concentration, and power. (93-96)
2017 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Lavaut Saint-Jacques
The Lavaut Saint-Jacques is very mineral, dense and intense with dark fruits, energy, concentration. Very tightly-wound, it is a model of what Lavaut Saint-Jacques should be. (93-96)
2017 Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Derrière la Grange
Derrière la Grange is one of Chambolle-Musigny’s greatest premier cru vineyards, and undoubtedly the least well-known of the great ones. The wine is pure and elegant with finesse, concentration, and red fruits. (94-96)
2017 Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Suchots
Like Grivot, Confuron-Cotéditot’s Suchots vines are at the bottom of the vineyard, and both producers consistently prove false but the oft-repeated assertion that the higher up in Suchots the vines are, the better. The nose has classic Vosne oriental spices. The mouth is intense and dense with purity, power, concentration, and great energy. (95-97)
2017 Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Vignes Rondes
The Nuits-Vignes Rondes is sensual and voluptuous with deep red fruits and spices that remind of the proximity to Vosne-Romanée. Very good length here. (93-96)
2017 Charmes-Chambertin
The malo-lactic fermentation was very late for this wine, finishing just before my visit in mid-November 2018. The wine is excellent with deep, pure, dark, mineral fruit, and plenty of energy and finesse. (94-97)
2017 Echézeaux
This wine, too, was very late to finish its malo-lactic fermentation. The nose and mouth show spiciness. The wine has concentration, purity, sensuality, length, and depth — a topflight representation of Echézeaux. (95-97)
2017 Clos de Vougeot
One of the finest 2017s from Clos de Vougeot that I tasted, this wine has intense licorice and red and black raspberry aromas and flavors plus very good finesse for Clos de Vougeot. (95-97)
2017 Mazis-Chambertin
Last, we have Mazis-Chambertin in in all its splendid, exotic glory. The wine is intense, deep, and mineral in the nose. The mouth shows red and dark fruits, the exoticism typical of Mazis, minerality, length, and precision. (95-97)