Ready and Waiting

It’s always a treat to try white burgundy.  The prices mean they are relative rarities in the scheme of things, and recent vintages have been somewhat miserable and meagre.  However very good quality have meant they are wort seeking out and acquiring.  SWMBO and I were lucky to be in the right place and right time to see two lovely examples cross our paths.

The first was the 2008 Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru ‘Combettes’.  What a lovely drop this is, still pale and youthful looking, and indeed quite tight and elegant.  But looks can be deceiving, as the aromatics and flavours were coming together nicely, the white stonefruits, florals nuts all becoming integrated.  This had sweetness and lusciousness, in the finest way that Puligny-Montrachet can have, so there was still time to burn.  But why wait when it’s ready.  Our fellow guest who poured the wine was no slouch.  He knew it was delicious and the occasion suited its opening.

Then the 2010 Marc Colin Chassagne-Montrachet 1er ‘Les Caillerets’.  From the frisky and brisk 2010 vintage, this was still a puppy.  Gorgeous finesse for Chassagne with mealy and stonefruit detail, and the fruit sweetness balanced superbly by the acid cut.  The freshness of the wine was its feature, and while everything else was there in proportion, the briskness of youth was the over-riding factor.  More time needed for sure, and well-worth the effort in waiting.  Nevertheless, such occasion as this allow us the luxury of deciding what to do with our own bottles!