Two months ago I hosted a horizontal blind tasting of Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru En Remilly and Gevrey Chambertin 1er Cru Clos St Jacques, two of my favourite Premier Crus respectively in Chassagne Montrachet and Gevrey Chambertin.
The En Remilly in Chassagne Montrachet is a tiny 1er Cru vineyard (1.6ha) located next to Chevalier Montrachet and below Saint Aubin En Remilly. Most producers are lesser known apart from PYCM, most participants are new to almost all the producers in this prime vineyard. The highlight for me was the Bruno Colin, it showed superior concentration and winemaking skills in this tiny vineyard. PYCM needs no introduction, textbook reductive leesy nose and generous smoked minerals. Philippe Colin was also a notable producer in the flight.
The 2007 Gevrey Chambertin Clos St Jacques horizontal blind tasting results were as anticipated ranked according to the prestige and market price, expect Sylvie Esmonin, which I normally rate higher than Louis Jadot and Bruno Clair came last in the flight. Worth noting that the Fourrier was very close quality to the Rousseau, though Rousseau won the flight by its ethereal bouquet, outperforming even in a weak vintage.
Tasting Notes
Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru En Remilly
Colin Deleger Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru En Remilly 2015
Subtle reduction with fresh tree fruits, mild waxy sweet oak. Fairly straight forward on the nose with alcohol creeping up on the palate. Gentle extraction but the least concentrated of the flight. Also my least favourite of the flight. My guess: Colin Deleger 2015? (from its lighter concentration compared to the rest of En Remilly.) (87/100)
Maison Harbour Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru En Remilly 2015
This initially was the most low-key wine of the lineup, showing ripe citrus, white peach and creamy lactic note. Some heat and alcohol showing on the nose, reminds me of 2010, a warm vintage for chardonnay. It improved in the glass after an hour, showing mild white flowers and creamy tree fruits. Not bad. Buisson Charles 2010? (89/100)
Lucien Le Moine Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru En Remilly 2015
The Lucien Le Moine was voted for the wine of the flight by most guests in the Chassagne En Remilly lineup. I personally preferred Bruno Colin’s 2015, which has the most fruit concentration and energy. Cloudy colour with unfiltered nose. Natural nose with charming tree and orchard fruits, sweet oak spices and toast. My guess: Maison Harbour 2015? (89/100)
Bruno Colin Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru En Remilly 2015
The 2015 Bruno Colin was one of the highlights in the Chassagne Montrachet En Remilly lineup, showing superior concentration and winemaking skills in this tiny vineyard. Uplifting reduction. Full bodied with deep-pitched orchard fruits. Lovely texture and minerality. A producer to look out for. (91/100)
Buisson-Charles Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru En Remilly 2010
Buisson-Charles did not stand out from the crowd. Showing typical 2010 heat (lower acidity) and ripeness with slightly maturing fruits and thickness. Good grip of citrus and white peach. Lacking the tension I look for in a good white Burgundy. Not memorable. (87/100)
Philippe Colin Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru En Remilly 2016
The 2016 Philippe Colin Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru En Remilly is one of the better wines of the En Remilly horizontal tasting. Tasted blind – Clean pear fruits, beautiful mineral expression of this terroir. This is even more mineral crunchy than the 2013 Chevalier Montrachet from Philippe Colin even though it hasn’t got the same weight. Great length with a smart leesy touch. I mistaken this as the Chevalier Montrachet. (90/100)
Philippe Colin Chevalier Montrachet Grand Cru 2013
Most participants managed to identify the one bottle of Chevalier Montrachet out of 7 Chassagne Montrachet En Remilly in the blind flight (except me). This 2013 Philippe Colin Chevalier Montrachet offers a generous profile of orchard fruits. Good grip on the palate showing more structure than the 2016 Philippe Colin Chassagne En Remilly. (91/100)
Pierre Yves Colin Morey Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru En Remilly 2011
The 2011 Pierre Yves Colin Morey Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru En Remilly displays a generous profile of leesy pear fruits and smoked minerals, textbook PYCM leesy and reduction. Great texture and depth. Smoked minerals on the palate. This is the most distinctive style of wine in the Chassagne Montrachet En Remilly horizontal tasting. (91/100)
Gevrey Chambertin Clos Saint Jacques 2007
Sylvie Esmonin Gevrey Chambertin Clos Saint Jacques 2007
Tasted single blind (guess the producer in Clos St Jacques) – The richest and most extracted wine of the lineup, rich muddled dark berries, extracted wood tannins and green tannins from the grape. Muscular expression of Clos St Jacques, which I thought was Bruno Clair. 5th Place (86/100)
Armand Rousseau Gevrey Chambertin Clos Saint Jacques 2007
Tasted single blind (guess the producer in Clos St Jacques) and most people correctly identified this producer – Charming new oak spices and lifted rose petals, elegant array of raspberries, earthy smoke and dark cherry. Fruit forward with good ripeness and tone. The best wine of the 5 Clos St Jacques in blind. My guess: Rousseau? 1st Place (92-93/100)
Louis Jadot Gevrey Chambertin Clos Saint Jacques 2007
Louis Jadot doesn’t usually stand out in Clos Saint Jacques next to their neighbours but I wouldn’t say they are the worst either, especially in 2007. Tasted single blind (guess the producer in Clos St Jacques) – Good richness and confident use of oak. Maturing dark fruits, toasted wood, and earthy minerals. Fair ripeness (only hints of green peppers), good acidity with a firm backbone. My guess: Louis Jadot Clos St Jacques? 4th Place (88/100)
Fourrier Gevrey Chambertin Clos Saint Jacques 2007
Tasted single blind (guess the producer in Clos St Jacques) – Lots of chirpy new oak spices, fresh red berries and lifted rose petals. Modern style with an alluring bouquet, starting to mature showing signs of forest floor and saturated cherry. High toast oak and clean juicy fruits which always reminds me of Domaine Fourrier. Nicely done and very close quality to the 2007 Rousseau Clos St Jacques. My guess: Fourrier Clos St Jacques? 2nd Place (92/100)
Bruno Clair Gevrey Chambertin Clos Saint Jacques 2007
Tasted single blind (guess the producer in Clos St Jacques) – Rich and slightly more reserved showing a darker shade of fruits in Clos St Jacques. Earthy spices, dark cherry, sleek minerals with good roundness and a firm backbone. Higher phenolic ripeness than Sylvie Esmonin and Jadot. Conservative winemaking but a safe bet even in weak vintage like 2007. My guess: Sylvie Esmonin Clos St Jacques? 3rd Place (90/100)
