White Burgundy Behaving

There’s still a residual distrust of white burgundy.  The major troubles of premature oxidation seem to have passed, though not completely.  There’s always the continuing story of whether winemaker signature is overwhelming terroir.  And sometimes the wines are just plain dilute and thus overpriced.  I’m a little nervous about splashing out on bottles.

Vincent Girardin has been a steady performer, in the modernist and up-front school.  His wines generally seem to fit into the international mould, while still reflecting their appellations faithfully.  They’re not overboard on winemaker signature nor are they the contemporary ‘Riesling-reductive’ elegant and linear style that seems to be sweeping across Australasia.  I like their bold personalities, but I wish they were a little better behaved and elegant.

I got my wish with the pairing of a 2009 Vincent Girardin Batard-Montrachet and a 2009 Vincent Girardin Chevalier-Montrachet.  The initial surprise was the finesse of both the wines from a warm and blockbuster fruity producing vintage.  The other 2009 wines from Girardin, down the pecking order were much broader and more obvious.  But no, these top-of-the-liners had slenderness, delicacy and poise, with just the perfect amount of winemaker input.  Great class was evident.  The Batard rounder, softer, weighter and with sweeter fruit flavours.  The Chevalier more white floral, tight and with delicacy.  Both will see 6 to 8 years and more.  These were behaving beautifully.