2007 Burgundy – Beaune’s Finest

The church square in Volnay

Some consumers consider the Côte de Beaune white wine territory and overlook the red wines made here. Shame on them; lucky for us! The Côte de Beaune boasts some of the most interesting red wine terroir in Burgundy and also some of its greatest wine makers.

And due to the perception in some circles that the red wines made here are either too esoteric or of insufficient quality to be worthy of attention, the price:quality ratio works in our favour.

The Producers

Domaine du Château de Chorey-lès-Beaune

Tasting with Benoît in the Chorey cellars

Chorey’s on the “wrong” side of the tracks, being on the east side of the RN74. By far the most venerable property in the village is the 17^th century château that has a certain faded loveliness.

The cellars are further into this workaday commune and a visit here, especially one hosted by the supremely talented Benoît Germain – wine maker and scion of the family that own the property – is a chance to gauge the success of the vintage in some of the most important terroirs of Beaune.

I like Benoît’s wines very much. They have a purity and intensity, as well as being age-worthy. It’s a domaine to which I intend to return every vintage.

N.B. Other 2007 Germain wines are available here

Vintage	Wine	Drink dates	Case size	Price In Bond
2007	Beaune 1er Cru Les Cras, Château de Chorey-lès-Beaune, Burgundy, France Notes: N.B. The soils here are silaceous chalk. Well, there might be geologists among you! A very smoky nose greeted me, followed by extremely rich aromas of ripe red cherry fruit. There's a hint of clove-spice to the nose; perhaps with floral, red plum aromas creeping in. There's stunning concentration to the silky red fruits on entry. The fruit has picked up a great deal of mineral complexity from the soils of Les Cras. The wine swells in the mouth in that classic "peacock's tail" shape: a sure sign of the quality within. Very cool; very classy, and very backward. This is as utterly lovely as usual.	2014-2020	12x75cl	£321.00
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“Germain has again made some of the very best wines in the Côte de Beaune in 2006 and as the

scores and comments suggest, his now bottled 2005s are nothing short of brilliant and well worth a special search.” Comment from Issue 30 of Burghound.com, online periodical of Allen Meadows. His notes on the 2007s will appear later this month.

Domaine Joseph Voillot

Jean-Pierre Charlot, wine maker and son-in-law to Joseph Voillot

“ Jean-Pierre Charlot promotes a brisk, athletically lean and often downright rapier style on which opinions are bound to diverge. If it sets you salivating to imagine the brightness, transparency and cut of Riesling in the medium of Pinot Noir…then do not miss this address!” erobertparker.com

I concur. Tasting these wines in the Voillot cellars, one is amazed that someone so much larger than life as Jean-Pierre can fashion such focussed, incisive wines. They age gracefully into masterpieces of great typicity.

Vintage	Wine	Drink dates	Case size	Price In Bond
2007	Volnay 1er Cru Les Caillerets, Joseph Voillot, Burgundy, France Notes: The nose here is ripe and redolent of rich blueberry and red cherry. In the mouth, this starts off disarmingly cool and easy-going. What quickly becomes apparent, however, is the palate's wonderfully controlled, linear shape. There are minerals and juicy grip and beauiful fruit of red currants. The tannins are super-fine and totally integrated with the fruit; nutty. The impression one's left with is of otherworldy balance. Truly fine.	2013-2020	12x75cl	£342.00
2007	Pommard 1er Cru Les Rugiens, Joseph Voillot, Burgundy, France Notes: A lovely colour, properly pale I met spicy, tangy red and black fruit of bramble, cranberry, rosehip and currant. There's something earthy/masculine about this, as well as some clove-like spice. Like the Caillerets from the same source, this is cool and easy on entry, but there's subtle power that unmistakeable. It's relaxed for much of the palate, but then explodes in volume, picking up minerals and a juicy intensity. Very long. There's lots going on at the end. Big, bold and impressive wine.	2014-2020	12x75cl	£396.00
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Domaine Michel Lafarge

Michel Lafarge in his cellar, snapped during a previous trip

“Michel Lafarge produces some of Burgundy’s most precise and penetrating wines.” Remington Norman in his book The Great Domaines of Burgundy

Make no mistake, with the wines of Lafarge – both the 81 year-old Michel and his son Frédéric – we knock on the doors of Pinot perfection. I haven’t been to the domaine for some years, but time hadn’t dulled the memory and the mouldy weather in early December couldn’t dampen my enthusiasm for these stunning Pinot Noirs

N.B. Another 2007 Lafarge wine can be found here

Vintage	Wine	Drink dates	Case size	Price In Bond
2007	Volnay Vendange Sélectionée, Michel Lafarge, Burgundy, France Notes: Very rich and pure on the nose, giving up aromas of red and black fruits. The aromas are very beautiful, of plums, as well as earthy beetroot notes. First up, this is creamy in the mouth. The fruit is very pretty, very Volnay: feminine. Blueberry and raspberry. This is fresh and very mineral; very long, with nutty, ripe tannin. A beauty!	2012-2018	12x75cl	£285.00
2007	Volnay 1er Cru Clos du Château des Ducs, Michel Lafarge, Burgundy, France Notes: N.B. Quantities of this wine are very tight and purchases must be linked, £ for £, with purchases of other 2007 burgundies A very rich nose and rather an aristcratic one, of ripe plums. This is a touch meaty and wound around with subtle spice. The entry is fluid-cool and of black plums. This is a finely composed, elegant, pure wine. The blueberry fruit gains grippy intent and, retaining great elegance, the tacky tannins then grip right through to the very end. Just super-long. Just the finest wine	2015-2025	6x75cl	£288.00
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