Dear Friends,
With the ending of the Vente des Vins and the holidays I thought it was time to give you a bit more information on the 2006s that will soon be in bottle. First, as I am prone to do a couple of observations and admonitions.

As I wrote last year the frenzy for the 2005s was even crazier than even I anticipated. The cellars in Burgundy are empty of the 05s and all that remains are the stray dogs and cats. Please stick with good names and you will be rewarded but these wines are keepers. They are not for “debutants.” Currently they are very closed and in 5-7-10 years will begin to show their potential.

The 2006 and the 2007 vintages will separate the ladies from the girls and the men from the boys i.e. who are the best grape growers and winemakers. We have had two challenging vintages but I am very happy with both. In all candor vintages such as the last two would have been disasters in the 70s or 80s when there was very little triage in the vines and in the cuveries. As a result yields are down at the best addresses 20-30-40%. Thus means that what was made is going to be quite good but it also means that the wines will be more expensive.

The euro continues to be strong and puts us at competitive disadvantage. That said other non euro regions have used the euro’s strength to boost their prices so that the best wines throughout the world are more expensive across the board. I will let you judge which deserve a premium and which deserve a Bronx cheer.

We have continued to diversify our exports as well as our sales in France. This past year we have placed our wines in starred restaurants throughout Paris. We also continue to export throughout the world and see growing interest in Burgundy and in greater Asia (not necessarily China).

Finally, this fall I completed my 16th Vente des Vins, and 12th harvest. I turned 50 this year and for the first time when I go to tastings I realize that I am not the new kid any longer. This is a gratifying feeling but also humbling as I know that each 12 months we have another harvest to capture in the bottle and I feel as though I have just begun.

2006
You have all heard me repeatedly talk about how I learn something new each year and this year it has been the magic of élevage of our wines in barrel. The 06s, both red and white, have a wonderful power and center that makes them very attractive. They are fruity, rich, never heavy, and simply delicious to drink. These wines will probably not close up too much after bottling and will give great near to even long term pleasure. . 

Pinot Noir
2006 was a year of triage; triage in the vines and triage at the cuverie. As a result the wines are rich, full of red fruits and soft tannins. We vinified with a “light hand” so that what was extracted enhanced the grape’s ripeness and did not add astringency.

As you have heard me say before making red wine and especially pinot noir is balancing the red grape’s three principal components; fruit, acid and tannin. Each vintage had its own profile of these three elements and it is our job in the vinifications to try to make sure that these elements are in harmony with one another. In a “great” vintage nature provides grapes that are perfectly balanced and there is little the winemaker has to do. In most years, 9 out of 10 times we are dealt an uneven hand and it is here that experience, skill and a little luck comes in hand. The ability to husband the wines and balance out the often competing priorities of the fruit, acid and tannin is what makes for a successful bottle in the context of its vintage.

The red vinifications were shorter in 2006 than in 2005. We did this in order to extract more fruit and less of the tannins that were not as ripe as in 2005. The élevages and the malolactic fermentations were textbook and were mostly over in the spring. The wines tasted great out of the barrel and the forward rich fruit tempted us to on several occasions this summer to siphon off some of our Bourgogne Pinot Noir directly into a magnum and serve it with a barbequed cote de boeuf; delicious!

We bottled our Pinot Noir and our Chambolle just before the harvest and racked the rest of our reds in December. All the wines will be bottled by the end of January 2008. They are all very clear and limpid and have a pinot ruby brilliance. A handful of the wines will get even deeper in color and richer in flavor in bottle; something I noticed throughout their élevage.

In summary this is a red vintage for those who like their Burgundies young as well as with some age; I suspect they will be a pleasure and a surprise whenever you open them.

Chardonnay
I mentioned last year that this was the one year in everyone’s memory that we wished we could have picked earlier rather than later. Because the ban de vendange, harvest picking date, was later than it should have been, and because of a violent storm followed by sunshine, the sugar levels were very high by Burgundy standards; 13-14 sometimes close to 15%. What is amazing however is that the wines do not seem “hot” or out of balance because of the wine’s great acidities. Our natural acidities are what a Californian or Australian can only dream of even though we often get hyper because we think the wines will not age beyond 5-7 years. My repeated mantra is; let’s work with what the vintage has given us and not make it something it is not. Each year we have the character of the place and the character of the vintage to celebrate not to change.
From a technical standpoint the acidities of the 06 and 05 vintages were virtually the same but needless to say the sugars in 06 were much higher. Thus the 06s have a rich mouth feel, have multiple layers of white fruit (as 2000) with acidities that support and allow their differences to be quite evident. They gained definition and “cut” through the winter and into the spring and with their sous tirage and light fining they gained even further definition, form with a warm personality that everyone will love.

2006 Vins Blancs
Please note that all of our whites are bottled by gravity and are unfiltered. The Bourgogne Chardonnay, Bourgogne Chardonnay Cuvée Prestige, Puligny-Montrachet, Chassagne Montrachet and Meursault Clos du Cromin were bottled in August 2007. The other whites were racked and put into cuve in August and will be bottled in January 2008.

2006 Bourgogne Chardonnay – Our Bourgogne Chardonnay continues to come from several parcels located in Meursault, Puligny, the Haute Cote and now our parcel in Volnay. Our parcel especially contributes richness with good minerality; our plowing has already made the fruit more interesting. As usual we vinified the wine in ~ 10% new oak and we made 700 cases.

2006 Bourgogne Chardonnay "Cuvée Prestige" – Our Cuvée Prestige is especially interesting this year because its core comes from Savigny les Beaune Village grapes. This is a classic 2006 with its white peaches and pears but a great freshness; the Savigny grapes were some of the most perfect we harvested in 2006. As usual it was made with about 20% new oak and we made 310 cases.

2006 Fixin – The grapes were rich yellow; like a Duncan Hines Golden Cake and the wine reflects the grapes depth. What is fascinating is that even with its richness there is a strong backbone that supports all of the wines body. The Fixin is always better after some time in bottle; we always underestimate its overall strength. 20% new oak and we made 170 cases.

2006 Meursault Clos du Cromin – This is our 6th year making Cromin and now I have to change my story; the vines are now past 70 years old. These magnificent "sélection massale" vines are not the uniform producing cloned variety but are twisted, beautiful and produce small tiny berries. There are also a few Muscat or "Muscat Chardonnay" plants intermingled that give the wine its exotic nose." 1/3 new oak and we made 150 cases.

2006 St. Aubin 1er Cru Dents de Chien – When the season is challenging the best vineyards come through. Dents de Chien, with its rocky soil drains and thus our grapes were ripe, rich but not “sur mature.” The sunshine of the vineyard is evident in this rich year. 150 cases were made with 25% new oak.

2006 Puligny-Montrachet – In 2006 we found an additional old vine parcel of 5 barrels for a total of 10 pieces that made one of our best and most complex whites in 2006. The two parcels seem to complement one another and the sum was truly much better than either one alone. A mineral rich wine with classic Puligny lemon/lime and a razor focus. 240 cases and 20% new oak.

2006 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Folataires – In 2005 Puligny excelled and here we have made what I consider to be a prototype of the genre; mineral, rich but with the lemon and citrus quality of young Puligny. We made 73 cases from this old vine parcel and vinified it in 20% new oak.

2006 Chassagne-Montrachet – As in years past our Chassagne village comes from two parcels of 65/35 year old vines (below Criots and Champs Gains). There is a wonderful exuberance and floral quality this year as well as its inherent power. We used 20% new oak and we made 240 cases.

2006 Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Clos St. Jean – The theme of 2006 shows clearly in Clos St. Jean with its aromatics, richness but light touch. The St. Jean has its normal friendliness but will last easily 5 years. We used 30% new oak and only made ~ 85 cases.

2006 Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru la Maltroie – As the Clos St. Jean typically is open and inviting this year the Maltroie is concentrated, reserved but with 06’s exuberant nose. Maltroie’s mineral quality (due to iron ore stones in the soil) makes the wine tight and elegant like a suspension bridge cable. We made 100 cases with 25% new oak.

2006 Corton-Charlemagne – Charlemagne or "Chuck" as we affectionately call him is as powerful as ever in 2006. In ripe years the hillside of Charlemagne helps enormously with its drainage and exposure. The 06 is very powerful and on reserve; give it 5 years. 100 cases we made and 50% new oak.

2006 Vins Rouges
Please note that all of our reds are bottled by gravity and are unfiltered. All will be bottled by January 2008.

2006 Bourgogne Pinot Noir Cuvée les Deux Papis – Our first full year tending to our vines produced a very concentrated Pinot. Our yields were ridiculously low due to our pruning and the harvest. The wine is rich, deep in color and an intense Pinot. Our vines genetics show in this wine; here is a “Petite Volnay” reflecting its vineyards. 580 cases.

2006 Savigny Les Beaune Vielles Vignes – In 2006 the grapes were even better than in 2005, in fact they were the best Pinot grapes we brought in. Everyone wants Pinot and here it is in its perfect Burgundian form. Elegant, ripe, pure, with black fruits dominate. 181 cases were made and we used 20% new oak.

2006 Volnay 1er Cru Les Santenots Vieilles Vignes – Our Santenots is a classic Volnay with its silky elegance coupled with the rich fruit of 06 and refined tannis. I suspect the Santenots will close up a bit after bottling and reopen in 18-24 months. It has real class in 2006 and needs a bit of time.  We made 125 cases and 40% new oak.

2006 Vosne-Romanée Vieilles Vignes – What is it with this parcel? Why does it and Vosne always exhibit a spicy cinnamon character? The Vosne is similar to 2005 but it shows, as do most of the 2006’s, a delightful fat middle. It has gained body and structure with its élevage and as the Santenots will need some time or a good aeration to really open up. We made 100 cases with 25% new oak.

2006 Chambolle-Musigny – This was put in bottle before harvest and is already delightful to drink. Perfumed with dense black cherry fruit; yummy. Give it 3-4 years and you will have the Chambolle that we all love so much. 25% new oak and 100 cases made.

2006 Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Charmes – From the beginning the Charmes has been rich, silky and a joy to taste. It will last 3-5-7 years in bottle but in all frankness I suspect it will be drunk quickly; it is simply too good now to wait. As in 2005 it has Chambolle’s perfume, richness and elegant power. We made ~ 75 cases and 2/3 new oak.

2006 Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Amoureuses – Amoureuses is a very interesting wine to watch evolve in barrel because it always gains weight, color and density but never loses its elegance, perfume and power that it exhibits form the beginning. As I wrote last year “if Charmes is about density and power that refines itself over time in bottle Amoureuses is about delicate power and elegance that will concentrate over time in bottle. 25 cases made in 100% new oak.

2006 Clos Vougeot – I love/hate the word fruity because it means so many things to so many different people. Our Clos Vougeot because 2/3 of the wine comes from the top of the hill always has an elegant red fruit sense akin to Chambolle-Musigny with the texture of Echezeaux and Grands Echezeaux. As usual 3 barrels from the top of the hill next to the wall and 2 barrels from the middle center, 4/5 very old vines and 66% new oak. This will begin to show well in about 5 years. 125 cases made.

Dear Friends,
As the snow falls and winter has finally arrived in Burgundy and Europe I wanted to write to you all about my impressions of 2005. Sometimes I feel as though I am always trying to give counsel with a contrary view; this year it is not the case but I do want to give you a different perspective on the vintage that you will not hear over the cheering and frenzy. Thus before I wax and wane about the individual wines and talk about gobs and gobs of hedonistic fruit...NOT...let me give you my thoughts on the 2005s now that they are 17 months old and will soon go in bottle.

Pinot Noir
Last week we finished the soutriage (racking) of our reds and, yes, they are going to be wonderful. They needed the aeration and the racking allowed the fruit to explode from their cages. In many ways it reminds me of how a fire smolders and with a hint of air it leaps to life; this is our 2005 reds. I want you to note that I used the future tense; the 05s were slow to develop and took their own pretty time finishing their malos thus they display the capriciousness of a great thoroughbred; the genes are there but it needs to grow into its body.

One of the dangers of so called "great vintages" is that everyone expects the wines to be over the top from the moment they are put in bottle; nothing could be farther from reality. As I wrote during the harvest the grapes were about the most beautiful grapes any of us, including old timers, have ever seen. We literally put everything in the cuves (tanks) and did not have to sort through the grapes at all. The grapes were intense on the three levels we look for: ripeness with no maladies, ripe elegant skins/tannins that "felt good" in the mouth and zippy acidities. With this much intensity we did not have to do much and let the grapes preferment "Cold soak" 7-8 days with a vinification of another 3 weeks; start to finish a good month. Yes, Virginia, this means big wines that are beautifully balanced but will need time.

I see this again, now just a week after their rackings, as I did throughout their elevages in barrel; when one wine was exuberant its neighbor was closed, dense dark and brooding. Many of you will open these puppies as soon as they are delivered and will say "I do not get it"; give them time. 2005 is a blend of 1999’s texture (my favorite), 2002’s tones and the sweetness of 1985 or 1990. These are wines with great genes but all of these wines will need time to show their greatness.

For juicy fruity wines 2006 will be what most people will enjoy early. This does not make them "lesser" wines but wines that are exuberant and delicious and accessible at an earlier age. In our cellar (and those who vinified gently, 2 weeks total for us) they are showing beautifully. If we had any courage we would ship the 06s before the 05s. So this summer when you go to a restaurant, with a great wine list be aware that if you see the 05s on the list remember what the late and great James Brown sang " Please, Please, Please!"…have patience with these wines.

Chardonnay
I looked over my notes on the 2004s and now I can see more clearly how the 2005s differ from 2004 but interestingly they are different more from appellation to appellation than between vintage; let me elaborate.

In 2004 we had lots of maladies on the grapes because of a mild wet winter. In 2005 we had a real good cold spell that killed off all the bugs and funguses so from a sanitary standpoint the grapes were impeccable. The real climatic challenge was from one edge of Chassagne to Santenay where in mid July there was a massive hail storm. The 1^er Cru vineyards were ravaged and thus our yields are down 25-35% in La Maltroie and Clos St. Jean and for those who have Morgeots and Santenay the yields are down more that 50%.

These wines are especially intense and concentrated but as some of you have heard me say before (some say I speak like a heretic) concentration can only go so far with white Burgundy. Just as when yields get too high one loses the terroir if yields get too low one also loses terroir to the sake of body, richness and "bigness."

On the flip side you have the Puligny and Meursault appellations that have a real finesse, elegance, and concentration that make them delicious and classic.

Will they last? Absolutely but I know that most of the wines will be drunk right away; too bad. Our Charlemagne is probably the best we have ever made and the Criots is its opposite in style and shows why we all love Puligny and why Puligny soared in 2005.

Dear Friends,
I feel that as I enter my 10^th vintage (I cannot believe I am writing 10^th) I sound more and more like a broken record as I describe our wines. I guess as all parents I am proud of my “kids” warts and all. Too often we as parents see perfection in all they do while the public at large only sees their faults. In time I believe all of our perspectives mellow a bit and in time see the awkward and at times saucy youngster in a different light.

This said there are some kids who grow up to be miserable cusses and we know who you are. However, if there is a joi de vie in the kid there will always be exuberance through his/her life. This is how I view our wines every year especially as we begin another harvest. There is the anticipation of Christmas when we were kids; what will the season bring. Have I been good or good enough or is it just the way things are?

So far this growing season portends good things although the last week has been as the French weathermen (Meteo) say is variable. In short the grapes look good and optimism reigns supreme; after all Christmas comes but once a year….

Here is a bit of what I wrote to you last year. It is every bit as relevant.

“As many of you have come to know I enjoy sharing my rather wacky and unusual life with you during the harvest. With our move to our new building on the periphique in June, sous triage in July, bottling 30,000 bottles last week and beginning the harvest in a few days we have hardly had a moment to breath. However I will continue to write down some notes for you as the harvest progresses and also offer up my thoughts on the finished and almost finished 2004.”

Pinot Noir
As easy as it is, being a Monday morning quarterback is fraught with risk when you make wine. The simple reality is that even when one is involved at every step in the process you never really know what the wines will be like until you put them in bottle. This is especially true as I re-read my notes on the 2004 harvest for the first time since I wrote them. In short in spite of all the analysis and “feel” we have for the wines we really do not have a good idea until the wines have finished their malos. What does this have to do with 2004 you ask….

In 2004 the pinot noir grapes throughout the Cote D’Or were very high in malic acid. In addition the winter and spring were cold so the combination of high levels of malic acid and the cold weather retarded and elongated the malolactic fermentations. Thus many of our wines did not finish their malolactic fermentations until the late spring or summer. (Some winemaker’s wines have hardly even started.) In general prolonged malos are a good thing because the wines gain complexity during their elevage.

The vintage’s pure pinot character now has a secondary quality of having fat and definition on its bones. The 2004s are bigger wines than I thought they would be. I do not mean Australian or California big but they have a pure red fruit quality coupled with power (in reserve). I see this in the reaction when folks taste out of fut. The wines are very “fruit forward” (how I hate these journalistic terms) but are neither jammy nor hard. There is a wonderful definition to the wines that make you think that this is a pure pinot noir vintage then there follows a second wave of complexity and power.

Interestingly we vinified the wines a bit as we did in 2003 for very different reasons. Because the yields were much more towards the norm (remember 2003’s yields were 30-50% less), and because we had great weather in September (a marginal August) the fruit quality (sugars) were good but the tannins were a mirror of 2003. However, we did less punching down and more pumping over as we did in 2003 in order to extract the sweet fruit aromas and not make astringent unbalanced wines. Thus we have a red vintage full of fruit, elegance and surprising complexity. One that will please purists as well as the newcomer to Red Burgundy.

Chardonnay
The Chardonnay, as I wrote last year, was especially susceptible to odium. Thus the critical piece was good vine treatments throughout the year and triage in the vines and the cuverie (if necessary) and a gentle pressing. After these pieces our vinifications were absolutely normal with perhaps a bit more batonage for certain wines. When the vinifications proceed normally without fanfare we are normally in store for a very good year.

The juice itself was pure and sweet with good acidities. I could taste it in the grapes in the vines; the grapes had a real complexity and each vineyard’s grapes tasted differently.

During the winter after the malos were completed the wines were one week beautiful the next cusses. It was wild to taste our two cuves of Chassagne with clients and see their reactions. One week the consensus was the Blanchots was rock and roll and Les Essarts was moyen and the next week the consensus was reversed.

Because we only rack once before bottling our wines when tasted in fut, protected by their natural CO2, at times can taste dense and square especially this year with the cold winter. However after the whites were racked and fined they became different wines. For example we found that in tasting each wine after the fining tests (3 X 13 = 39 different samples) our wines gained definition and character. Thus the aeration of racking and bottling freed the wines and they could then show their richness, density, power, balance and purity that only revealed itself in parts during their elevage. In short the whites are beautiful expressions of Chardonnay from Burgundy. Each climate is unique and one would be hard pressed to confuse them. It is a vintage that will last a long time and develop into something special.

2004 Vins Blancs
Please note that all of our whites were bottled by gravity and are unfiltered. They were bottled in September 2005 except for the Chassagne 1^er Cru La Maltroie, Chassagne 1^er Cru Clos St. Jean and Corton-Charlemagne will go in bottle in December 2005-January 2006.

2004 Bourgogne Chardonnay – Our Bourgogne Chardonnay continues to come from several parcels located in Meursault, Puligny, the Haute Cote and Volnay. The soils in these areas are a mix of gravel, limestone and some clay that gives the wine its rich quality without it being heavy. The 2004 is especially balanced and complex.  The elevage, fining and bottling took it to another level. We vinified the wine in ~5-8% new wood and made 680 cases.

2004 Bourgogne Chardonnay "Cuvée Prestige" – Our Cuvée Prestige continues to please with its ripeness and richness. We harvest the grapes from the Haute Cote de Beaune and its minerality is evident along with a concentration and extra “punch”. As usual it was made in 20% new oak and it was bottled in September 2005. As with many 2004 whites there is a wonderful middle palate full of “gras.”   We made 150 cases this year.

2004 Fixin – 2004 was a good news bad news year for our Fixin. Yields were very low and we only made 2 p or 50 cases. This was due to odium (powdery mildew) in the vineyard that required us to discard most of the vineyard except for the part that we cleaned up over the summer. The result is an incredibly concentrated white wine: reminiscent of Puligny.

2004 Meursault Clos du Cromin – I sound like a broken record but our Cromin comes from magnificent very old +65 years "sélection massale" vines that are not the uniform producing cloned variety but are twisted, beautiful and produce small tiny berries. There are also a few Muscat or "Muscat Chardonnay" plants intermingled that give the wine its exotic nose. 1/3 new oak with a concentration and elegance that is the signature of 2004. We made 150 cases.

2004 St. Aubin 1^er Cru Dents de Chien – Dents de Chien, stones shaped like dog's teeth. Tastes like sunshine; the limestone rocks radiate the heat and give the wine its characteristic richness and “stoniness” (for lack of a better adjective). In some ways you can almost smell/taste the stones as you did as a kid on a hot summer day after a thundershower. We made 125 cases with about 40% new oak.

2004 Puligny-Montrachet – Many of you have asked me for years when would I make a Puligny…well Dorothy this ain’t Kansas. The problem is that Puligny is small and the large negociants control significant contracts which they protect. Puligny is a village where there are not that many growers who bottle on their own or sell off in small quantities of high quality. It tends to be just a handful of good growers who bottle everything they grow and the others who sell off annually to the big houses. Finally in 2004 we found an old vine parcel well located. Our Puligny gained a great deal from its elevage and the classic citrus and mineral notes are coated with a rich flan like quality. We made 100 cases and vinified it in 25% new oak.

2004 Chassagne-Montrachet – Absolutely delicious.  This year our grapes are from two parcels of 65/35 year old vines (below Criots and Champs Gains). There is body, weight and elegance due to the locations, vine ages and low yields. The 1/3 new wood supports and marries well with its concentration. We made 250 cases.

2004 Chassagne-Montrachet 1^er Clos St. Jean – The theme of 2004 shows clearly in Clos St. Jean with its richness and purity. There is always an exotic white flower or Acacia nose in Clos St. Jean but there real fat and richness behind it. Everyone will drink this wine far to young but it will last for at least a decade or more. About 1/3 new oak and about 100 cases made.

2004 Chassagne-Montrachet 1^er Cru la Maltroie – As I wrote last year; Is Maltroie the most complete and "typical" Chassagne? For me it is always the wine with the best legs. This is a real long distance runner and gets more complex and distinct after a few years in bottle. The 2004 is a very big wine tempered by the iron ore content of the soil. We made 75 cases with 1/3 new oak.

2004 Corton-Charlemagne – The good news is that we made 100 cases in 2004. The better news is that this is perhaps the finest Charlemagne we have ever made. The high wire tension is in the 2004 and it is what carries its dense flavors. A wine not to touch for at least 10 years.

2004 Vins Rouges
Please note that all of our reds were bottled by gravity and are unfiltered. The Pinot Noir, Gevrey and Chambolle Musigy 1^er Cru Les Charmes were bottled in September 2005. Our other reds will be bottled in December 2005-February 2006.

2004 Bourgogne Pinot Noir Cuvée les Deux Papis – As in 2003 we sourced two parcels of terrific Pinot in Pommard “Les Crenilles” and Volnay “Montpoulain”. As with all the 2004s it is pure pinot; frank, ripe and “joyaux.” A client who loves “the fruit” but not “fruit bombs” said this is full of ripe fruit. I said thank you because we sorted out the less ripe grapes in the vines and again on the sorting table. Not easy but it produced results. As usual about 8% new oak and we made 575 cases.

2004 Savigny Les Beaune – Everyone talks about old vine parcels but the vines from these three parcels are tree trunks: 55/65/85 year old vines. Small berries and sorting in the vineyard and in the cuverie produced perfumed red fruit with a rich middle palate. 25% new oak and 100 cases made. As always a great Pinot at a great quality/price value.

2004 Volnay 1^er Cru Les Santenots Vieilles Vignes – As I wrote to you last year we are sourcing more and more interesting parcels of red vineyards and here in Santenots, one of my favorite vineyards in Burgundy, with mature old vines (plus 50 years). The Santenots has taken its time to finish its malolactic fermentation. The longer elevage is a good thing and is making it a more complex, silky and balanced wine. We made 100 cases in about 1/3 new oak; Volnay at its best.

2004 Vosne-Romanée Vieilles Vignes– Our 2004 comes from the same vineyard sites as in 2003; old vine Vosne next to Clos Vougeot and Grand Echezeaux. From vines planted in the 40s and 50s. Here the malos finished a bit earlier and we could see the lush Pinot of 2004 at an earlier moment. We made 112 cases made and used 25-30% new oak.

2004 Echezeaux– Our 3 pieces of Echezeaux come from vines planted in 1945 in the heart of Echezeaux across from Grands Echezeaux. In some ways there is a similarity between Echezeaux and Santenots in 2004 yet their élevage could not have been more different. Their respective purity is what shines through and again the middle palate of crushed fresh fruit dominates. We made 75 cases and used 1/3 new oak.

2004 Clos Vougeot – We found this year an additional 2 pieces of Clos Vougeot made from very old vines. The marriage with our Clos Vougeot from the top of the hill makes for a wine of another dimension. Truly here is a wine that in sum is better than its parts. It will need an extended elevage and I am thinking now a bottling in the spring of 2006.  We made 100 cases.

2004 Chambolle-Musigny – Each year the grapes from this parcel get better as the young vigneron with whom we works strives for better quality; i.e. lower yields. Less black fruit in 2004 but the same silk, perfume and seamlessness that characterizes Chambolle. We made 150 cases made with 1/3 new oak.

2004 Chambolle-Musigny 1^er Cru Les Charmes– Luckily 2 pieces (50 cases) in 2004 and there is a deceptive power to the 2004. In the mouth it starts off pure, “cool” and subtle but builds on the palate and lasts. Les Charmes in 2004 shows an even higher level of purity than usual.

2004 Gevrey-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes – In 2004 we harvested the grapes from Les Marchais across from Lavaux St. Jacques. This is pure Gevrey but with the elegance and purity we try to make in our wines, 100 cases and 25% new oak. As I wrote last year this is a wine that will crossover and can be drunk early and for 5-7 years to come.

2006 • 2005 • 2004 • 2003 • 2002 • 2001 • 2000 • 1999 • 1998 • 1997 • 1996

Vintage 2003-Burgundy
Hot, hot and even hotter… but not a draught
I began last year’s notes with the title “Sorting fact from fiction and other musings” and this year I feel it is almost more appropriate than last year. Everyone heard about the heat wave in Europe in the summer of 2003. People said the hottest in 100 years or since the 15^th century or since the Big Bang. It was catastrophic socially for the elderly as well as just plain murderously hot everywhere sans A/C (there is little to no A/C in France). As a matter of fact about the hottest spot in all of France was the Burgundy region.

To give you perspective on the vintage and another reason why I love the land and especially the Burgundians let me tell you one of my classic lunch stories. This not only illustrates French “savoir faire” and but also why I have so many great winemaking friends who have guided me to this point.

Our supplier of Echezeaux is a couple who are in their late 60s. He is a retired courtier (wine/grape broker). On the side they tend to a family plot of 60 year old vine in Echezeaux Dessous (lower Echezeaux) from which they make about 10-11 pieces of wine a year. (Did you know that Echezeaux was actually what we now call Grands Echezeaux and Echezeaux Dessous? They were one in the same. Grands Echezeaux got its name because the owners would tell the workers to go to Echezeaux where there were “les grands rangs” , long rows. There was no distinction in quality between GE and Echezeaux Dessous at the time. Only when Echezeaux was expanded to include the upper slope areas was there a distinction made between E and GE.)  Not only are they adorable together (I am her little brother and he is one of my Master’s of the Universe in his frank curmudgeonly way), but they make great wine, are generous beyond belief and she is a great cook.

In brief on a Saturday in late July we started tasting 8 vintages of Echezeaux in their cool cellar and then of course we had to stay for lunch. She made a civet de lapin; rabbit cooked in a blood wine sauce. Delicious but really a fall/winter meal. We left the cave and were hit by the wave of heat, retired to their home, closed the shutters and hunkered down for a long wonderful afternoon finishing those 8 vintages about 5:00.

The point of this digression is that during this day we discussed and dissected vintages going back to the 30s, and the climatic conditions, the changes in how wine is made (actually less then you would think) and what the heat meant for the grapes and vinification in 2003. At this point my biggest concern and that of others was that we were in store for another 1976 which was hot and dry. The 1976’s in some cases are just beginning to come around while others are just showing dry tannins 28 years on. In 2003 the weather was hotter than in 1976 but we had some rain. The vines were stressed but there was juice and ripe concentrated (not dry) tannins. There was acid but softer acids. The theme throughout the summer leading up to a very early harvest was “piano, piano,” vinify gently, softly, take your time and see what nature gives.

Pinot Noir
My thoughts from above concern the Pinot Noir and not the Chardonnay. As we harvested the grapes and tasted them the grapes were ripe, in some cases juicy (north facing grapes) and in all cases concentrated. The skins were thick because the ratio of juice to skins was lower than normal. Thus during vinification we tasted the red wines at least twice a day and made decisions on the vinification literally moment by moment. It was the most intense vinification we have ever had to do (e.g. in comparison 1999 and 2002 made themselves).

We did only 1-2 pigages (punch downs) during the entire vinification when normally we do this twice a day. We preformed remontage (pumping over) throughout the vinification when normally this ends with the start of fermentation. The goal was to keep the cap moist and to extract the ripe soft tannins. Remember; to extract color and tannins it is simply a leaching process. The actually physical act of punching down breaks the skins so that there is more juice/skin contact and thus more tannin and color (in theory). With a higher proportion of skin to juice we wanted to emphasize the fruit and let the tannins take care of themselves. Thus our philosophy of making the wine did not change but we adapted to what nature gave us.

One of the horrific mistakes that was made in 2003 was that some winemakers acidified their reds and extracted too much tannin via excessive pigage. It was heartbreaking for us to taste though many samples of young unfinished wines and reject them because it was obvious the wines had been acidified or over extracted and were screeching on the palate (think of a tasting version of fingernails on the blackboard and you will get the picture.)

This happened because people listened to the consulting oenologist who said the acids were low. Yes the acids were low but who cares? The tannins were massive and the acid that was present was high but not a “classic” acid but volatile acidity = acetic acid …that can = vinegar. Ok, the gloves are off now. AV as we say in France or VA as they say in English is bad when it is too high. Query what is too high? It all depends on the vintage and its taste profile. In a year such as 1997 and 2003 it is normal to have higher average levels of VA and in years like 1996 or 1999 much lower. Thus if you have a barrel that has high AV in a low AV year it sticks out like a sore thumb. The inverse is also true (in 1997 our Beaune 1^er Cur Les Perrieres had 1 piece that was higher in AV than the rest but the final cuvee tasted better with it than without it.)

One final thought: some of the great all time vintages are low in total acid but high in AV; 1937, 1959 etc. These were hot years. The late Gerard Potel from Domaine de la Pousse D’Or in Volnay told me that in 1937 it was hot and the vinifications took off like mad (as in 2003). There was obviously no way to cool down the fermenting grapes so the vignerons literally threw in blocks of ice and covered the cuves with straw to get the temperature down. We did a slightly different thing in 2003 and threw in many kilos of dry ice. 2003 in the cuveries was really and Adam’s Family event.

Chardonnay
Ok…..purists beware this is not a “classic” vintage whatever that means but it sure is sexy. New World weather arrives in Burgundy is really the theme. Sugars off the chart. Acids that would make an Aussi blush. Density (yields 30-50% lower) and richness that we only dream about however there is definition to the wines chez Gambal. Not classic definition but definition non the less. These are not “mout” or soft flabby wines but rich and exotic with smells of tropical spring flowers. The wines are immensely enjoyable and as I described to some of my friends “sexy but not trashy.” (Sorry for those of you who are in the politically correct speech mode.)

My next statement seems obvious but I can not stress it enough that one of the fascinating aspects of vinification is how different every year really is. I was depressed by the 2001s until their malos were done. After malo I could see the pleasure and the joy in the wines. (As you have heard me say repeatedly drink the 2001s now and forget about the 2002s. The 2002s whites at this moment are dense, dumb and awkward and will remain so for an extended period. The 2001s rock today.)

We did acidify the 2003 whites. If we did not they would have been too syrupy. We did not however systematically acidify but did so barrel by barrel in varying doses and tasted each alone and then the assembled cuvée in order to make a judgment on what we felt the wine needed by tasting rather than following a formula. Thus our wines are alive, not heavy and reflect the vintage. As you know, I believe that the character of a wine is as much its place as its vintage. The two elements must be present; if not we have failed.

The key to succeeding with the 2003s whites were the collages or finings. In 2002 most of the wines were unfined. They had a purity and clarity that both from a tasting standpoint and aesthetic standpoint were about perfect. The 2003s, except for the Meursault Cromin needed fining and as a result the wines have the purity and precision that we try to put in the bottle. The process itself is very interesting because our lab will try several “brews” of collages in varying doses and then we taste them all and compare and debate their relative merits within the context of the vintage and what we want to achieve. Never before have we had to fine tune (no pun intended) the various doses (sometimes 8-10 different tries) in order to achieve the balance of the character of the vintage and the place. The results even surprised me in that the wines have 2003’s richness but also the purity and definition, that is so important to us.

We bottled the wines early and found that the aeration also helped them. Sometimes a wine is just plain cranky in barrel and never wants to show its potential and we say “What the heck let’s put it in bottle and see what happens.” It is the proverbial stiff kick in the pants to get someone motivated. This happened with our 1999 Vosne Romanee 1^er Cru Les Petites Monts and 2001 Meursault 1^er Cru Les Pourzots. I tried selling these off several times to other negociants but ended up putting them in bottle. The results were a great surprise to all of us. Go figure.

Final commercial thoughts: we have been blessed with several terrific vintages in a row. There have been no real dogs. You can argue with their styles but there have been no wash outs. For those of you who collect and hold (and there are only a few of you) you have the 2002s. For the rest of us who hold some but also like to enjoy a good bottle the 2001s and 2003s will do the trick. If you really want to introduce someone to Burgundy, and or have someone who says “Oh, I do not like Chardonnay” the 01s and 03s are a way to happily teach that “yes Virginia White Burgundy is Chardonnay.”

2003 Vins Blancs
Please note that all of our whites were bottled by gravity and are unfiltered. They were bottled in July and August 2004 except for the Chassagne Maltroie, Chassagne Clos St. Jean and Charlemagne that were racked and put in cuve in August and will go in bottle in November/December 2004.

2003 Bourgogne Chardonnay – Our Bourgogne Chardonnay continues to come from several parcels located in Meursault, the Haute Cote and Volnay. The soils in these areas are composed primarily of gravel and limestone that gives the wine its rich Meursault like quality without it being heavy, and its zip and liveliness from the Haute Cote. We vinified the wine in ~5% new wood.

2003 Bourgogne Chardonnay "Cuvée Prestige" – Our Cuvée Prestige continues to please with its ripeness and richness. We harvest the grapes from the Haute Cote de Beaune and its minerality is evident along with a concentration and extra “punch”. As usual it was made in 20% new oak, bottled in August 2004 and we made 100 cases.

2003 Chassagne-Montrachet – From very old vines +50 years old and a great vineyard that lies just below Criots-Batard-Montrachet. There is a body, weight and a "viney" character to this wine due to its location, vine age and low yields. The 1/3 new wood supports and marries well with its concentration. Another example of a lower lying vineyard with old vines that soared in 2003; less stress, good definition, the wine that we acidified the least.  We made 145 cases.

2003 Chassagne-Montrachet 1^er Clos St. Jean –Clos St. Jean sits below the quarry in Chassagne and under a thin layer of soil is a solid limestone base. In 2003 the wine blossomed early and we kept that in bottle. It exhibits its typical richness but with an exotic white flower or Acacia nose. We vinified it in 1/3 new wood and made 72 cases.

2003 Chassagne-Montrachet 1^er Cru la Maltroie – The most complete and "typical" Chassagne? An academic question but for me it is always the most complete; richness, minerals, acidity, fresh fruit and balance. Slower to come around than St. Jean but there for the long haul. ~30% new oak and we made 75 cases.

2003 Corton-Charlemagne – Here is what I wrote for the 2002; “For our 2001 I wrote: "Intensity, power, density and length. A wine to lay down for 5-7-10 years to see its full potential." I do not need to add more for 2002.  It is different than 2002 in its flamboyance.  What will it resemble in 5-7-10 years? It is going to be the fun to taste and to compare it with its older brother from 2001.” I feel the same way about the 2003 but in addition it is a bit more brooding than the 2002. A good sign for the long term with a wine of this pedigree. We made 75 cases.

2003 Fixin – 2003 was the fifth year where we could control 100% of the viticulture of the vineyard that lies just below Clos du Chapître in Fixin. We harvested 30% below the rendement de base and parallel with its fat white fruits its mineral core is evident. Once again we vinified it in ~25% new oak and made 125 cases.

2003 Meursault Clos du Cromin – From magnificent very old +65 years "sélection massale" vines that are not the uniform producing cloned variety but are twisted, beautiful and produce small tiny berries. There are also a few Muscat or "Muscat Chardonnay" plants intermingled that give the wine its exotic nose. 1/3 new oak and this is the one wine we did not fine. It fell clear and beautiful. Was it because of the old vines and they were less stressed by the heat?

2003 St. Aubin 1^er Cru Dents de Chien – Our Dents de Chien (stones shaped like dog's teeth) comes from a great parcel, in a great location. You can taste the sun in the wine from the radiating stones that hold the heat, provide for great drainage and produce ripe, intense berries. We vinified in about 25% new oak and made only 62 cases.

2003 Vins Rouges
All of our reds were bottled by gravity and are unfiltered. They were bottled in August/September 2004 except for the Savigny Les Beaune, Volnay 1^er Cru Les Santenots and the Vosne Romanee Vieilles Vignes and Echezeaux that will be bottled in November/December 2004.

2003 Bourgogne Pinot Noir Cuvée les Deux Papis – In 2003 we sourced two parcels of terrific Pinot in Pommard “Les Crenilles” and Volnay “Montpoulain”. We are calling it pinot a baby Pommard/Volnay; you might call it better that most villages from the same areas. 25 hl/ha, +13% natural alcohol.  Rich, exuberant and unfortunately only 287 cases made with about 8% new oak.

2003 Chambolle-Musigny – Already our fifth harvest from this same parcel with 30% lower yields and an additional parcel that we have added that gives the wine a bit more tension and definition. Classic mouth feel and nose. About 25% new oak.

2003 Chambolle-Musigny 1^er Cru Les Charmes Vieilles Vignes– Only 25 cases made in 2003 and here is what Chambolle is all about; a heady perfume, an elegant long mouth feel with density and length. Sensual only begins to come close to describing this wine.

2003 Clos Vougeot – As always our Clos Vougeot comes from a site at the top of the hill in the Clos (really it does) that gives the wine its power and super sweet pure fruit. As with the Echezeaux 50% less in 2003 and just 25 cases made. Will last 15-35 years.

2003 Echezeaux– From vines planted in 1945 in the heart of Echezeaux across from Grands Echezeaux. It and our Clos Vougeot are the most consistent wines we make every year. A wine and style that says purity and a wine to hold for 7-10-15-20 years but when you taste it young you will be amazed by the potential. 50% less crop in 2003 and never before have I tasted the wine so dense and yet so pure. Just 50 cases 1/3 new oak.

2003 Gevrey-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes – All of the above descriptions can be used for the Gevrey but add in Gevrey’s broad shoulders and muscle and you get the picture. 2003 has given Gevrey a more mellow look but its personality is there. 4 pieces about 25% new oak. A wine that will crossover and can be drunk early and for 10 years to come. 100 cases made.

2003 Savigny Les Beaune Vieilles Vignes– Everyone talks about old vine parcels but the vines from these three parcels are tree trunks: 55/65/85 year old vines. Small berries, plus 13% natural, perfumed, silky mouth feel. 25% new oak and 200 cases made. This will be a great crowd pleaser and a great quality/price value.

2003 Volnay 1^er Cru Les Santenots– We are sourcing more and more interesting parcels of red vineyards and here in Santenots, one of my favorite vineyards in Burgundy, we finally have a location (en milieu), mature vines (plus 50 years), and a vintage that shows off the silkiness of Volnay along with its power. 150 cases made with about 30% new oak; Red Burgundy at its best.

2003 Vosne-Romanée Vieilles Vignes– In 2003 we found another source of old vine Vosne this next to Clos Vougeot and Grand Echezeaux so that we now are only going to make one unified cuvée of old vine Vosne. From vines planted in the 40s and 50s we only made 125 cases in 2003 with 25-30% new oak. All curves and violets on the nose. Power and purity and richness in 2003.

2006 • 2005 • 2004 • 2003 • 2002 • 2001 • 2000 • 1999 • 1998 • 1997 • 1996

Vintage 2002-Burgundy
Sorting fact from fiction and other musings:
Below are detailed notes on each of my wines that we made in 2002. Let me begin with a summary of my thoughts on the vintage gathered from tasting my and many other's wines throughout 2003 and into 2004.

All the hype aside the 2002s are very good to great. We were very lucky because as I described, to many of you, after the vendange that we had a miracle vintage. "Miracle vintages" arrive too often but if I show you the pictures of our outdoor team meals during the harvest you will understand. What happened was that after a rather cool but dry August, there were some days of rain which resulted in a clinical depression for all of Burgundy. I remembered having lunch with Chrisophe Buisson; he just kept muttering… c'est la merde, c'est la merde….

That said on Saturday and Sunday the 14th and 15th of September the weather changed and we had a north wind “le vent du Nord.” This happened in 1996 and in 1999; i.e. cool air that dried the ground, concentrated the grapes and allowed the acidities to remain high and in balance. In short we harvested ripe, healthy beautiful grapes. Yields were not too wacky (high) and in some cases lower than normal.

Vins Blancs
I hate to say it but these are the best white wines that we have ever made. I will give you more details below but we have never before made a group of wines that top to bottom are so solid. When the range of wines from the top to the bottom of a vintage are all exciting it is the mark of a great vintage. This is rare and gives us who love Burgundy the excitement of tasting the earth.

The Bourgognes are terrific. As often happens in good to great harvests the “little wines” soar. There is an amazing concentration, depth and “viney” nature to the best whites regardless of their pedigree. At the village level it is difficult for me to say which commune did best. It is of course always dependent on the grower, maker and the élevage (more on this later). Our Meursault Cromin is the best Cromin we have ever made. I cannot take too much credit because when I brought the juice, the grower and I tasted it and he and I smiled; he said” Comme la miel” (like honey). The juice was like apple juice sweetened with honey. It was terrific as juice, terrific fermenting and terrific at bottling. This wine, as were most of our whites, was bottled unfined and unfiltered. We have never before had a group of wines that were as clear or needed as little fining. Interestingly, the wines we bottled at the end of January 2004 were even more defined and delineated. Even after the heat in the summer of 2003 the wines do not lack definition. (Please be aware that some observers were worried that the heat of 2003 would tire out the wines. If one protected the wines with their natural CO2 gas and maintained sulfur levels during their élevage the wines are wonderful. However there are some disasters, which I have tasted where people were not meticulous.)

One final note: buy early and often the best St. Aubin, especially those from the front of the combe. Notwithstanding the fact that I am not unbiased I think that our Dents de Chien is amazingly concentrated and long. About a week before we harvested the grapes I visited the vineyard. I could almost feel the grapes ripening and concentrating from the sun that was striking the vineyard directly from the southeast and the heat that was radiating off the stony earth. There is real personality and passion here.

Vins Rouges
Here is the question: are the 2002 reds better or as good as the 1999 reds? Short answer: the best are as good but you need to taste CAREFULLY. In 1999 from top to bottom it was easy to taste and choose. In 2002 you need to be careful and you will be rewarded. I feel that our 2002s are as good as our 1999s but they are different. Here are some stories that will shed some ideas:
Tannin/fruit/acid and how they dance:
In 1999 the tannins were elegant, refined and have a linear texture that continue to refine the red fruit of the vintage. Along with their acidity the wines have balance and they dance on the palate. I continue to find that the 99s “grow” in the bottle. This is to juxtapose the 2002s because the fruit is similar, the acid is similar but I have a sense that the tannins are softer, the fruit more “yummy” and plump. What the heck do I mean? On verra…. a bit of 1985’s sweetness, 1990’s flamboyance, 1996’s acid (hidden) and almost the power of 1999. In short really, really good. As good as the whites top to bottom…..???? Come over, taste and you decide.

Bourgogne Pinot Noir: rocks, rocks and rocks again. We finally got a line on some good grapes in Savigny and Volnay and we have made our best Bourgogne Pinot Noir. The parcel from Volnay is what I call our “Little Volnay” that we are blending into the Cuvée Les Deux Papis.  Village: yummy, concentrated with a wonderful fatness. The Chambolle is the BEST Chambolle we have yet made. The Vosne has Vosne’s violets and spiciness and the Gevrey Old Vine gets everyone excited with its deep fruit and muscle.  1^er Crus: I made few 1^er Crus. Why….quality was all over the place… be careful what you buy but the best (best is the operative word) have an extra concentration that are as good as the 1999s; their fruit is black and elegant.Grand Crus: Again at the top there is a concentration and note…..definition and a lushness that will last for years.

Final Thoughts:
When to drink? The age-old question. The  whites and reds will be yummy young and probably throughout their lives especially if you decant months through the first years after bottling. The best wines will be extraordinary in 5-7-10 years time.

2002 Vins Blancs
Please note that all of our whites were bottled by gravity and are unfiltered.

2002 Aligoté Vieilles Vignes – Our Aligoté grapes come from +65 year old vines in Chassagne (it is surrounded by village Chassagne). We vinified in neutral wood and in cuve and it tastes like ripe fresh picked grapes. This wine never has the screeching acidity of normal Aligoté but has a wonderful mineral character and a rich balanced body due to very high natural ripeness. It could pass for a village Puligny. It was bottled in August 2003.

2002 Bourgogne Chardonnay – Our Bourgogne Chardonnay continues to come from several parcels located (~20-25% very old vines) in Meursault as you enter the village on the left and the right from the route national (it is an old village designation). The soils in this area are composed primarily of gravel and limestone that gives the wine its rich Meursault like quality without it being heavy. In addition we harvested grapes from two parcels in Savigny of which the final assemblage is about 5% Pinot Beurot that gives the wine in 2002 an extra fatness. We vinified the wine in ~5% new wood and it was bottled in August 2003.

2002 Bourgogne Chardonnay "Cuvée Prestige" – Our Cuvée Prestige continues to please with its ripeness and richness. We harvest the grapes from the Haute Cote de Beaune and its minerality is evident along with a concentration and extra “punch”. As usual it was made in 20% new oak and it was bottled in August 2003.

2002 Fixin – 2002 was the fourth year where we could control 100% of the viticulture of the vineyard that lies just below Clos du Chapître in Fixin. We harvested just the rendement de base and parallel with its fat white fruits its mineral core is evident. Once again we vinified it in ~25% new oak and it was bottled in August 2003.

2002 Meursault Clos du Cromin – As I wrote above, this came in as the most beautiful grapes and juice imaginable. From magnificent very old +65 years "sélection massale" vines that are not the uniform producing cloned variety but are twisted, beautiful and produce small tiny berries. There are also a few Muscat or "Muscat Chardonnay" plants intermingled that give the wine its exotic nose. About 1/3 new oak it was bottled in August 2003.

2002 St. Aubin 1^er Cru Dents de Chien – Our Dents de Chien (stones shaped like dog's teeth) comes from a great parcel, in a great location in a terrific year. You can taste the sun in the wine from the radiating stones that hold the heat, provide for great drainage and produce ripe, intense berries. We vinified in about 25% new oak and it was bottled in January 2004.

2002 Chassagne-Montrachet– From very old vines +50 years old and a great vineyard that lies just below Criots-Batard-Montrachet. There is a body, weight and a "viney" character to this wine due to its location, vine age and low yields. The 1/3 new wood supports and marries well with its concentration. It was bottled in August 2003.

2002 Chassagne-Montrachet 1^er Clos St. Jean –Clos St. Jean sits below the quarry in Chassagne and under a thin layer of soil is a solid limestone base. In 2002 the wine was delicious to drink young and exhibits its typical richness but with an exotic white flower or Acacia nose. We vinified it in 30% new wood and it was bottled in January 2004.

2002 Chassagne-Montrachet 1^er Cru la Maltroie – The most complete and "typical" Chassagne? An academic question but for me it is always the most complete; richness, minerals, acidity, fresh fruit and balance. Fabrice and I are our wine’s severest critics but we both smile like proud parents when we taste the 2002. As usual vinified in 25% new oak and we bottled it in January 2004.

2002 Corton-Charlemagne – For our 2001 I wrote: "Intensity, power, density and length. A wine to lay down for 5-7-10 years to see its full potential." I do not need to add more for 2002. It is different than 2002 in its flamboyance. What will it resemble in 5-7-10 years? It is going to be fun to taste and to compare it with its older brother from 2001. 50 % new wood and it was bottled in January 2004.

2002 Vins Rouges
All our 2002 reds will be bottled unfined and unfiltered in March 2004.

2002 Bourgogne Pinot Noir Cuvée les Deux Papis – As I mentioned we finally…. FINALLY obtained some grapes from an old vine parcel across from Volnay and a parcel above Savigny-Les-Beaune Les Perrières across the path from village Savigny and our "Little Volnay" which is exponentially denser, richer and longer. The 2002 Pinot is what everyone wishes from a basic Bourgogne Pinot Noir: plump fruit, acidity and balance. What a novel concept! About 10% new oak and 285 cases made.

2002 Chambolle-Musigny – In our 4th harvest from this same parcel we have hit the ball; yields lower, grapes healthy, fruit pure, rich and long. The perfume is heady as Chambolle should be. As usual we used 25% new wood and made about 225 cases.

2002 Chambolle-Musigny 1^er Cru Les Charmes– The Grail of Chambolle? After Les Amoureuses the most difficult to find and it’s a more flamboyant cousin. As Les Amoureuses is refined, intense, often taunt but always-sensual Les Charmes is the same but a bit more amplified. In very fruity vintages it is opulent and giving. In more difficult vintages a bit more of a coquette. In great vintages it is the two; refined, rich, alluring and in 2002 with a black fruit and red tannins that are classic. 30% new oak and 50 cases made.

2002 Clos Vougeot – As always our Clos Vougeot comes from a site at the top of the hill in the Clos (really it does) that gives the wine its power and super sweet pure fruit. Our 2002 shows the height 2002 can reach which is no doubt due to the pigage (au nu) that is dérigeur. A wine that will last 15-20 years. We made fifty cases in 50% new oak.

2002 Echezeaux– From vines planted in 1945 in the heart of Echezeaux across from Grands Echezeaux. It and our Clos Vougeot are the most consistent wines we make every year. A wine and style that says purity and a wine to hold for 7-10-15-20 years but when you taste it young you will be amazed by the potential. Recently I held a tasting in Washington, DC and we tasted a vertical of our Echezeaux 1998-2001. They were all just babies but with a concentration, purity of fruit and class that showed their pedigree. About 1/3 new oak and we made 75 cases.

2002 Gevrey-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes – Why is it we all love Gevrey or do we love the name? Why do our hearts race at the name? Why are we often let down? I could give you a dissertation but will tell you that we are finally making it again because too often I am disappointed with the grapes or the wine I find. Finally I found some that fits us. Rich, long, mineral, and a food wine. This is a Gevrey that I can stand behind as I could in 1998 and in 1999. We used about 25% new oak and made 100 cases.

2002 Vosne-Romanée – Ah Vosne…The Siren's Song of La Bourgogne… Better than our1999 because it has an added richness, depth and length. Violets, spiciness and a hint of minerality make this the best Vosne we have yet made. About 20-25% new oak and we madet 200 cases.

2002 Vosne-Romanée Vieilles Vignes– We only make this in exceptional vintages such as 1999 and in other years add it to our normal Vosne Cuvée. In 2002 we can enjoy the richness, density, spiciness and perfume of our Vosne from vines planted in 1945 across the line from Echezeaux. About 30% new oak and we made 75 cases.

2006 • 2005 • 2004 • 2003 • 2002 • 2001 • 2000 • 1999 • 1998 • 1997 • 1996

Vintage 2001-Burgundy
Below are detailed notes on each of my wines that we made in 2001. Let me begin with a summary of my thoughts on the vintage gathered from tasting my and many other's wines. The whites have turned out to be pure, fat and follow their respective terroir very well. If 2000 is a vintage of ripe August fruits such as white peaches, 2001 is one of tropical exotic fruits. What I always find fascinating is that if the wines are well made, (read best growers and makers) the wines all seem to have the vintage's signature. The best 2001 whites are VERY pure. They have an elegance that is balanced by good acidity that gives them zip and makes them so enjoyable. They benefited greatly from their élevage and bottling and seemed to gain purity up to the moment of bottlingWhen to drink? The age-old question. They will be yummy young and will gain complexity over 3-5-7 years. At the highest levels, especially in Corton-Charlemagne, the wines have incredible power and structure and will easily improve over 10 years.

The reds, especially in the Côte de Nuits, display a classic purity of fruit, tannin and acidity. The reds of 2001 gained fat and a deep red fruit quality throughout their élevage. I believe that the 2001 reds will continue to gain complexity and intensity after bottling. There are often vintages where the wines "grow" in the bottle. My instincts tell me that this will be a vintage that will give pleasure in short term but after 3-5-7 years will be seen as something altogether more interesting. As you know I love my red Burgundies between 5-7 years of age and this could be a "classic."

2001 Vins Blancs
Please note that all of our whites were bottled by gravity, lightly fined and unfiltered.

2001 Aligoté Vieilles Vignes – Our Aligoté grapes come from +65 year old vines in Chassagne (it is surrounded by village Chassagne). We vinified the wine in neutral wood, in cuve and it is dense, rich with a great natural acidity. This wine never has the screeching acidity of normal Aligotés but has a wonderful mineral character and a rich balanced body due to very high natural ripeness. No need for cassis with this Aligoté. It was bottled in September 2002 and we made 150 cases.

2001 Bourgogne Chardonnay – Our Bourgogne Chardonnay comes from several parcels located (~20-25% very old vines) in Meursault as you enter the village on the left and the right from the route national (it is old village designation). The soils in this area are composed primarily of gravel and limestone that gives the wine its rich Meursault like quality without it being heavy. We vinified the wine in ~3-5% new wood, was bottled in September 2002 and we made 375 cases.

2001 Bourgogne Chardonnay "Cuvée Prestige" – This Chardonnay is a special cuvée we made from grapes we harvested from the Haute Côte de Beaune. The wine was made in 20% new oak and in 2001 has a wonderful "fat" (gras) middle palate. It was bottled in September 2002 and we made 175 cases.

2001 Chassagne-Montrachet – From grapes we harvested in Chassagne that lie between two 1^er Cru parcels this has the body and richness of Chassagne with the liveliness and tropical fresh fruit quality of the vintage. We vinified the Chassagne in ~30% new wood, bottled in it January 2003 and made 75 cases.

2001 Chassagne-Montrachet 1^er Clos St. Jean – From grapes we harvested, Clos St. Jean sits below the quarry in Chassagne and under a thin layer of soil is a solid limestone base. The wine possesses a distinct mineral elegance with super ripe fruit. Clos St. Jean tasted so good after it completed its malo everyone who tasted it wanted to take home a carafe right then and the from the barrel. We vinified it in 30% new wood, bottled it in January 2003 and we made 80 cases.

2001 Chassagne-Montrachet 1^er Cru la Maltroie – From the 1^er Cru vineyard in the heart of Chassagne, La Maltroie possesses richness, depth and a mineral quality (iron). The soil is red but not due to clay but to its iron core content that has rusted/reddened the limestone. The 2001 vintage brought another level of complexity to La Maltroie due to the exotic fruit of 2001. We vinified it in 25% new oak, bottled in January 2002 and made 100 cases.

2001 Chassagne-Montrachet 1^er Cru Morgeots – The most backward long term and "vin de garde" of our 3 Chassagnes due to its location; Les Grand Clos across from the old Abbey of Morgeots as you approach Santenay. The wine has a coiled restrained power but seems a bit more expressive and "relaxed" in 2001 than usually. We made 75 cases, vinified it in 1/3 new oak and bottled in January 2003.

2001 Corton-Charlmagne – Intensity, power, density and length. A wine to lay down for 5-7-10 years to see its full potential. Charlmagne needs time. When it is made correctly its mineral quality resembles a great athlete ready to burst out of the starting blocks. One sometimes must have patience for this moment. We made 50 cases; it was vinified in 50% new oak and bottled in March 2003.

2001 Fixin –2001 was the third year where we could control the viticulture of the vineyard that lies just below Clos du Chapître in Fixin. Our Fixin each year has a ripe pear character; some have said poached pears. (A coincidence that there is a pear tree in the middle of the vineyard?) Vinified in ~20% new oak it was bottled in September 2002 and we made 170 cases.

2001 Meursault AC – Our second year with this vineyard that lies in the center of the village behind Meursault's town hall. The vines have great quality and produce tiny intense berries. We vinified the must in ~20% new wood; it was bottled in September 2002 and we made 75 cases.

2001 Meursault Clos du Cromin – Also our second year with this wine our Clos du Cromin comes from magnificent very old vines; +65 years old "sélection massale" plants that are not the uniform producing cloned variety but are twisted, beautiful and produce small tiny berries. There are also a few Muscat or "Muscat Chardonnay" plants intermingled that give the wine its exotic nose. 1/3 new oak, the wine was bottled in January 2003 and we made 150 cases.

2001 Meursault 1^er Cru Les Pourzots – We only made 50 cases of this classic Meursault. Rich, ripe, with a honey layer and good minerality; Meursault as we think of it. We vinified from must with 50% new wood and bottled in January 2003.

2001 St. Romain – This was a great surprise for us because after the wine finished its malolatic fermentation it became a real fruit bomb. I have learned never to fully judge a wine until it has completed its malo and our 2001 St. Romain proves the rule. As with many 2001’s the fruit became even more intensified after bottling. Vinified in 20% new oak, bottled in September 2002 and we made 125 cases.

2001 St. Aubin 1^er Cru – Our St. Aubin 1^er Cru, "Sur Gamy" comes from the "sweet spot" or "sweet band" of St. Aubin that faces south/southeast starting with Les Murgers Dents de Chien, En Remilly and La Chatenière. The soil is 100% limestone gravel and thus holds the heat, provides for great drainage and produces ripe, intense berries. We vinified in about 15% new oak, bottled it in January 2003 and made 150 cases.

2001 St. Aubin 1^er Cru Murgers Dents de Chien – New this year, it comes from a supplier who owns parcels in Chassagne and St. Aubin. Murgers Dents de Chien is considered first among equals in St. Aubin. It is a stony vineyard that holds the heat and thus provides for an extra level of ripeness and mineral intensity that is typical of the site. We vinified in 25% new oak, bottled it in January 2003 and made 100 cases.

2001 Vins Rouges
All our 2001 reds were bottled unfined and unfiltered.

2001 Bourgogne Pinot Noir Cuvée les Deux Papis - From Bourgogne in the Côte de Nuits we also declassified some Cote de Nuits Villages in our 2001 pinot to give it an even richer middle. We made 250 cases, about 5% new wood and it was bottled in December 2002.

2001 Chambolle-Musigny – Harvested and vinified by us from a village parcel adjacent to Musigny. We work closely with the grower and did a green harvest again in 2001 and attained the same level of ripeness as in 1999 and 2000. Our Chambolle is consistent; always fragrant, elegant with lovely silky tannins that are ripe and refined. Bottled in March 2003 we used 25% new wood and made 200 cases.

2001 Chambolle-Musigny 1^er Cru Les Grunchieres– We conducted a green harvest in July 2001 and at the vendange attained nearly a natural 13% level of alcohol. As with all our red we de-stem 100%, let the wine have a normal cold maceration of 5-7 days and then heat the juice to start fermentation. The temperature rose to approximately 31-33 degrees celsius over a 7-8 day period with a pigage two times per day. The élevage was in 1/3 new oak and Les Grunchieres was bottled in March 2003.  We made 150 cases. Les Grunchieres takes Chambolle to the next level of intensity, sophisticated tannins and length. The pinot fruit is deep red, cool, pure and perfumed.

2001 Clos Vougeot – From sites at the top of the hill in the Clos that gives the wine its power and super sweet pure fruit. Delicious now but it will keep easily for 10 years. Bottled in March 2003, 50% new oak and we made 50 cases.

2001 Echezeaux – From vines planted in 1945 in the heart of Echezeaux across from Grands Echezeaux. Classic Echezeaux: power, intensity, spicy and will need time to show its full expression. In 7-10 years "un grand bouteille." Bottled in March 2003, 1/3 new oak and 75 cases made.

2001 Fleurie Vieilles Vignes – The 2001 vintage in Fleurie was a bit more structured than in 2000 and the wine displays dark red fruits. We made a wine that is intense and rich that was vinified in cuve and as always an élevage in neutral wood. The wine was bottled in January 2003 and we made 100 cases.

 2001 Moulin a Vent – From the same source as our Fleurie and Meursault Clos du Cromin our Moulin comes from original Moulin à Vent sites and vines that average +40 years old. The wine has that distinct granite burley character that is Moulin. Vinified in tank with an élevage in neutral wood.  The wine was bottled in January 2003 and we made 150 cases.

2001 Savigny-les-Beaune 1^er Cru Les Lavieres – Purchased "sur pied" which means that we purchased the entire crop and it allowed us to conduct a severe green harvesting (20%) in July. We harvested the grapes with our team, vinified the grapes, and conducted an élevage in about 1/3 new oak. Les Lavieres is very bright, pure, and surprisingly long; very "Savigny." We made 150 cases and bottled the wine in March 2003.

2001 Vosne-Romanée – As in 2000 we did not make a separate cuvée of old vine Vosne but instead made one cuvée in order to make our 2001 Vosne very rich, full and "gras." From several locations and styles in Vosne the wine married beautifully and is rich, deep and spicy. We made 100 cases, about 25% new oak was used and it was bottled in March 2003.

2006 • 2005 • 2004 • 2003 • 2002 • 2001 • 2000 • 1999 • 1998 • 1997 • 1996

Vintage 2000-Burgundy
Below are detailed notes on each of my wines that we made in 2000. Let me begin with a summary of my thoughts on the vintage gathered from tasting my and many other's wines over the winter and spring of 2002. The whites continue to excite me; Meursault made some great wines.  Chassagne and parts of Puligny seem to have had a very good vintage from top to bottom. (Watch for acidification in Puligny.) The best 2000 whites are VERY concentrated. There is real structure to the wines balanced by amazingly fat plump fruit. Chez nous in June 2001, the wines were fat and plump. In the fall, they began to close down because of the wine's natural acidity (I did not acidify any of my 2000s). In many ways the 2000 whites behaved as did the 1999 reds in their evolution; juicy and full of bright fruit at the start but their bodies gained definition, structure and balance through their élevage. Over the course of many tastings, I found that bottles that had been opened for 4-5 days were still singing and others just beginning to sing; there is great potential. Finally, the sense of white peaches and pear continue to be a trait of the vintage.

When to drink? The age-old question. They will be yummy young and probably throughout their lives especially if you decant them in the early months through the first year after bottling. The best wines will be extraordinary in 5-7 years. The reds, especially in the Côte de Nuits, display a plumpness and bright red fruit quality that make them delicious today and over the near to medium term. The red fruit quality of the vintage enhances the expression of pinot and the wines are "vins des plaisirs." Because many of the 1999 reds are now showing their structure and are a bit closed, the 2000s continue to be open and give immediate pleasure and should do so over the next 3-5 years with a handful of surprises that will be wonderful in 7-10 years.

2000 Vins Blancs
Please note that all of our whites were bottled by gravity, lightly fined and unfiltered.

2000 Aligoté Vieilles Vignes – Our Aligoté grapes come from +65 year old vines in Chassagne (it is surrounded by village Chassagne). We vinified the wine in neutral wood and in cuve and it tastes like ripe fresh picked grapes. This wine never has the screeching acidity of normal Aligoté but has a wonderful mineral character and a rich balanced body due to very high natural ripeness. It was bottled in August 2001 and we made 150 cases.

2000 Bourgogne Chardonnay – Our Bourgogne Chardonnay comes from several parcels located (~20-25% very old vines) in Meursault as you enter the village on the left and the right from the route national (it is old village designation). The soils in this area are composed primarily of gravel and limestone that gives the wine its rich Meursault like quality without it being heavy. We vinified the wine in ~5-7% new wood, was bottled in August 2001 and we made 700 cases.

2000 Bourgogne Chardonnay "Cuvée Prestige" – This Chardonnay is a special cuvée we made from grapes we harvested from the Haute Côte de Beaune. The wine was made in 20% new oak and the wine exhibits a real "grapeiness", concentration and mineral liveliness. It was bottled in August 2001 and we made 175 cases.

2000 Bourgogne Cuvée Alexa (Pinot Blanc) –The vines from our parcel sit above Savigny-les-Beaune (Hautes Côte de Beaune) and it is 100% Pinot Blanc. The wine is consistently rich, concentrated and balanced due to its mineral content and cool microclimate. Alexa was vinified in tonneau, 20% new wood and was bottled in August 2001.

2000 Chassagne-Montrachet – From grapes that lie between two 1^er Cru parcels this has the body and richness of Chassagne with the fresh fruit quality of the vintage. We vinified the Chassagne in about 20% new wood, bottled in December 2001 and made 75 cases.

2000 Chassagne-Montrachet 1^er Clos St. Jean – From grapes we harvested, Clos St. Jean sits below the quarry in Chassagne and under a thin layer of soil is a solid limestone base. The wine possesses a distinct mineral elegance with an almost creamy texture and extra density in 2000. We vinified it in 30% new wood, bottled it in February 2002 and made 80 cases.

2000 Chassagne-Montrachet 1^er Cru Champs Gains – The "prettiest" and most elegant of our four 1^er Crus.  The vineyard is a combination of the elegance of Clos St. Jean and the richness of Maltroie. Les Champs Gains always seems to smell of white spring flowers but with more power and density in 2000. Vinified in tonneau about 40% new, was bottled in February and we made 53 cases.

2000 Chassagne-Montrachet 1^er Cru Morgeots – The most backward long term and "vin de garde" of our 3 Chassagnes due to its location; Les Grand Clos across from the old Abbey of Morgeots as you approach Santenay. The wine has a coiled restrained power but seems to be more expressive and exuberant in 2000 than in other years. We made 62 cases; it was vinified in about 40% new oak and bottled in February 2002.

2000 Chassagne-Montrachet 1^er Cru la Maltroie – From the 1^er Cru vineyard in the heart of Chassagne, La Maltroie possesses richness, depth and a mineral quality (iron). The soil is red but not due to clay but due to its iron core content that has rusted/reddened the limestone. The 2000 vintage brought another level of density and elegance to La Maltroie and even before. We vinified it in 25% new oak, bottled in February 2002 and made 90 cases.

2000 Fixin – 2000 was the second year where we could control the viticulture of the vineyard that lies just below Clos du Chapître in Fixin. We severely reduced the harvest in 2000 and the wine is even more concentrated and mineral than in 1999 but still exhibits fresh pears. (A coincidence that there is a pear tree in the middle of the vineyard?) Vinified in ~20% new oak it was bottled in December 2001 and we made 170 cases.

2000 Meursault AC – Our first year with this vineyard that lies in the center of the village behind Meursault's town hall. The vines have great quality and produce tiny intense berries. We vinified the must in ~20% new wood, it was bottled in August 2001 and we made 75 cases.

2000 Meursault Clos du Cromin – Also our first year with this wine our Clos du Cromin comes from magnificent very old vines; +65 years old "sélection massale" plants that are not the uniform producing cloned variety but are twisted, beautiful and produce small tiny berries. There are also a few Muscat or "Muscat Chardonnay" plants intermingled that give the wine its exotic nose. About 20% new oak, the wine was bottled in August 2001 and we made 150 cases.

2000 Hospices de Meursault 1^er Cru les Genevrières Cuvée Baudot – In 2000, as in 1998, I was stunned by the quality of this Hospices cuvée. It always seems to possess the richness of Meursault with an almost other worldly power and grace. During one of my apprenticeships I worked in Les Genevrières, hoed weeds, and saw up close the gray sandy/schist like fine soil of the vineyard; one can almost taste the soil in the wine. We received the wine in January 2001 and we immediately racked the wine into 1 year old Damy barrels. (The Hospice's initial vinification was in 100% new Remond barrels). We bottled the wine in March 2002 and made 75 cases.

2000 Pouilly-Fuissé – A concentrated wine with natural sugar levels close to 13.5 % all the while it has finesse, elegance and intense mineral qualities that come from old vine parcels in vineyard designated sites such as Les Cailloux, Clos du Chalet and Le Pommard. The Pouilly always needs more time to open than does the St. Veran and it was bottled in January 2002. We made 150 cases.

2000 St. Aubin 1^er Cru – New this year, this comes from a supplier who owns terrific parcels in Puligny, Chassagne and St. Aubin as well as supplying many top vignerons with their vines as a nurseryman. Our St. Aubin 1^er Cru, "Sur Gamy" comes from the "sweet spot" or "sweet band" of St. Aubin that faces south/southeast starting with Les Murgers Dents de Chien, En Remilly and La Chatenière. The soil is 100% limestone gravel and thus holds the heat, provides for great drainage and produces ripe, intense berries. We vinified in about 15% new oak, bottled in February 2002 and made 180 cases.

2000 St. Veran – 2000 was another great year in the Maconnais and especially in St. Veran where our wine achieved wonderful natural sugars and acid levels that came from old vines and south facing sites as you approach Solutré. The wine was vinified in tank, finished in neutral wood, bottled in January 2002 and we made 150 cases.

2000 Vins Rouges
All our 2000 reds were bottled unfined and unfiltered.

2000 Bourgogne Pinot Noir Cuvée les Deux Papis – From Bourgogne in the Côte de Nuits. As is the vintage, the wine is bright, plump and fruity. We made 250 cases and it was bottled in December 2001

2000 Clos Vougeot – From a site at the top of the hill in the Clos that gives the wine its power and super sweet pure fruit. Delicious now but it will keep easily for 10 years. 25 cases made.

2000 Chambolle-Musigny – Harvested and vinified by us from a village parcel adjacent to Musigny. We worked closely with the grower.  A green harvest gained an even more concentrated wine than in 1999. Fragrant, elegant, and lovely with silky tannins that are ripe and refined. We used 25% new wood and made 200 cases.

2000 Charmes-Chambertin – From the same supplier as our Lavaux the Charmes is exuberant and seems to reflect perfectly the 2000 millésime because of its rich red silky fruits. 50% new wood.  We made 50 cases.

2000 Echezeaux – From vines planted in 1945 in the heart of Echezeaux across from Grands Echezeaux. Very close in quality to 1999 but with the pure, sweet red fruits of 2000. 75 cases made.

2000 Fleurie Vieilles Vignes – The 2000 vintage in Fleurie was especially supple, delicious and as always from our old vine site in Fleurie. We made a wine that is intense and rich that was vinified in cuve with an élevage in neutral wood. The wine was bottled in February 2002 and we made 100 cases.

2000 Gevrey-Chambertin 1^er Cru Lavaux St. Jacques – Gevery in 2000 seems to have been one of the most successful appellations. Our Lavaux is very concentrated and has power mixed with an elegance and ripe almost griotte cherry fruit. It will be best in about 5 years. About 1/3 new oak and we made 50 cases.

2000 Morey St. Denis – Harvested and vinified by us. Our Morey gained density and deeper color throughout its elevage and is fragrant with a typical Morey black briary quality. We used 20% new wood and made 125 cases.

2000 Moulin a Vent – From the same source as our Fleurie and Meursault Clos du Cromin our Moulin comes from original Moulin à Vent sites and vines that average +40 years old. The wine has that distinct granite burley character that is Moulin. It needs time to open up and will easily keep 5 years. Vinified in tank with an élevage in neutral wood, the wine was bottled in February 2002 and we made 150 cases.

2000 Nuits St. Georges – Made primarily from old vines on the Vosne side of Nuits; Aux Lavières and Au Bas du Combe. As usual, it is very Vosne like with the underpinnings of Nuits St. Georges. As is typical of the vintage the fruit displays a ripe red character. We made 50 cases.

2000 Nuits St. Georges 1^er Cru Les Pruliers – Very ripe plump fruit with smooth tannins balanced by Nuits' muscle and an intense long finish. In cask, you almost wanted to simply siphon off a carafe and have it immediately with a cote de boeuf. 50 cases made.

2000 Savigny-les-Beaune – Vivified by us from two parcels where we conducted a severe green harvest in July 2000; 40 HL/HA were produced. This very intense, long and complex wine needs time; it is very similar to our 1999 except that the fruit has the bright red fruit quality of 2000. We used 15% new oak and made 350 cases.

2000 Vosne-Romanée – In 2000 we did not make a separate cuvée of old vine Vosne but instead made one cuvée in order to make our 2000 Vosne very rich and full of gras. From several locations and styles in Vosne the wine married beautifully and is rich, deep and spicy. 112 cases made.

2006 • 2005 • 2004 • 2003 • 2002 • 2001 • 2000 • 1999 • 1998 • 1997 • 1996

Vintage 1999-Burgundy
1999 Vins Blancs
All of our whites were bottled by gravity, lightly fined and unfiltered.

1999 Aligoté – Our Aligoté grapes come from +65 year old vines in Chassagne (it is surrounded by village Chassagne). We vinified the wine in neutral wood and in cuve.  It exhibits ripe fruit, a mineral character and a rich body. It was bottled in July/August 2000 and we made 130 cases.

 1999 Bourgogne Chardonnay – Our Bourgogne Chardonnay comes from a parcel located in Puligny (it is an old village designation). The wine has a richness, natural liveliness and good length. We vinified the wine in ~7-10% new wood and it was bottled in July/August 2000.  We made 200 cases.

 1999 Bourgogne Chardonnay "Cuvée Prestige" – This Chardonnay is a special cuvée we made from grapes we harvested from the Haute Côte de Beaune. The wine was made in 17% new oak. The wine's balance, length and "grapeiness" are what I find attractive. We made 150 cases.

1999 Bourgogne Pinot Beurot – (Hautes Côte de Beaune) – The grapes come from the Hautes Côte in the Meloissy/St. Romain endroit. 100% Pinot Beurot (Pinot Gris' old Burgundian name) the wine is rich, concentrated and balanced due to the mineral content and cool microclimate. Vinified in cuve and finished in barrel (~5% new) it was bottled in January 2001. We made 200 cases.

1999 Bourgogne Pinot Blanc Cuvée Alexa – The grapes come from our parcel of Hautes Côte de Beaune that lies above Savigny-les-Beaune. 100% Pinot Blanc the wine is rich, concentrated and balanced due to the mineral content and cool microclimate. 1 new fût of 6. The wine was bottled in January 2001 and we made 150 cases.

1999 Chassagne-Montrachet – From older vines in Chassagne next to 1^er Cru parcels this has the body and richness of Chassagne with the freshness of the vintage. Vinified in wood; about 16% new. Bottled in January 2001. 80 cases made.

1999 Chassagne-Montrachet 1^er Clos St. Jean – Clos St. Jean sits below the quarry in Chassagne and under a thin layer of soil is a solid limestone base. The wine possesses a distinct mineral elegance and grace with classic Chassagne richness. 1999 was a vintage where the vineyard showed a bit more muscle and body. Vinified in wood about 30% new. Bottled in November 2000. 80 cases made.

1999 Chassagne-Montrachet 1^er Cru la Maltroie – From the 1^er Cru vineyard in the heart of Chassagne this wine possesses richness, depth and even more length and mineral quality (iron). Vinified in wood about 25% new. Bottled in November 2000. 110 cases made.

1999 Chassagne-Montrachet 1^er Cru Champs Gains – The "prettiest" and most elegant of our four 1^er Crus. It is a combination of the elegance of Clos St. Jean, the richness of Maltroie and power of Morgeots. Vinified in tonneau about 20% new. Bottled in November 2000.

1999 Chassagne-Montrachet 1^er Cru Morgeots – The most backward and long term and "vin de garde" of our 3 Chassagnes. Coiled restrained power of the vineyard needs time to open up. 62.5 cases were made. Bottled November 2001.

1999 Fixin – In 1999 we took control of this vineyard that lies just below the Clos du Chapître in Fixin. The grapes, must and finished wines from the outset have exhibited fresh pears. (A coincidence that there is a pear tree in the middle of the vineyard?) Vinified in tonneau: 1 of 9 new barrels. Bottled in January 2001. 175 cases made.

1999 Meursault AC – Richness balanced by good acidity and smelling of fresh spring flowers all the while you taste the grapes. Vinified in ~ 25% new wood and bottled in January 2001. 175 cases made.

1999 Pernand-Vergelesses – Vinified in neutral wood (tonneau of 2-3 years) it was slow to finish vinification but finished well especially after bottling. "Typical" Pernand in that the wine has a mineral and muscular base but also has a wonderful richness and elegance. 125 cases made.

1999 Pouilly-Fuissé – A concentrated wine with natural sugar levels close to 13.5 %. All the while it has finess, elegance and intense mineral qualities. The Pouilly always needs more time to open than does the St. Veran. Bottled in January 2001. 150 cases made.

1999 St. Romain – 1999 as a vintage and St. Romain as an appellation shows balance, fruit and length. The fruit has become even more intensified after bottling. Vinified in neutral wood. Bottled in December 2000. 50 cases made.

1999 St. Veran – 1999 was a great year in the Maconnais and especially in St. Veran where there were wonderful natural sugar and acid levels. The wine smells and tastes of ripe white peaches and was vinified in tank and finished in neutral wood. Bottled in December 2000. 150 cases made.

1999 Vins Rouges
All our 1999 reds were bottled unfined and unfiltered.