Saint-Aubin has been a white wine restaurant list preferred choice of your scribe for decades. They used to be very inexpensive and less popular consumer picks so provided some real value for aged white Burgundy. Today they are still less expensive than their neighbours but now more popular with the increased price getting up there. So well situated on the hills adjoining Chassagne and Puligny they didn’t always ripen to the same degree but are in a good zone presently with the help of global warming.
The Vancouver Group of Eight celebrated event # 123 at the Summer function with spouses on August 13, 2024 at Blue Water Cafe featuring 8 Premier Cru Saint-Aubin from 4 recent vintages. The overall impressions made were most favourable and confirmed my humble opinion that they remain underrated for the quality delivered. A few comments follow:
The aperitif was the dependable house POL ROGER 2012 SIR WINSTON CHURCHILL CHAMPAGNE all Grand Cru only 7 g/l dosage with a majority of pinot noir leaning to the style SWC preferred of “robustness, a full-bodied character and relative maturity. ” Certainly this vintage shows seductively ripe, dense, powerful, round, creamy rich, and forwardly. Perfect match for the diverse Dungeness Crab Trio.
THE EIGHT SAINT-AUBIN 1ER CRU:
1. 2020 CHARMOIS DOMAINE MARC MOREY Respected Chassagne producer with first of 4 Charmois (borders on Chassagne 1er Cru Le Chaumees) vintages to compare vertically. Very attractive chardonnay focus from an excellent year with wonderful elegance but has less length.
2. 2020 LES MURGERS DES DENTS DE CHIEN CHAVY-CHOUET Well exposed site with elevated airflow on the Puligny side. This defined “pile of stones’ of “dog’s teeth” is outstanding with classy citrus aromas and long balanced complex mineral flavours. Clear winner of the first flight.
3. 2020 CASTETS ARMAND HEITZ Purchased grapes (picked early on August 28) from the Western most site results in the lightest colour wine and rather lean bodied but shows refreshing top quality paired with the impressive halibut dish.
4. 2022 LE CHARMOIS DOMAINE BOUARD-BONNEFOY Small artisan long time grape grower family of this youngest vintage has sulphur issues at the moment overriding the closed in fruit.
5. 2018 LE CHARMOIS AU PIED DU MONT CHAUVE PICARD Famille Picard holds over 1/3 of the total Charmois vineyards (plus some red too). Very hot 2018 vintage style dominates with big ripe 14 abv softer richer textured fruit in full ready drinking style.
6. 2017 LE CHARMOIS AU PIED DU MONT CHAUVE PICARD Same wine as last one but entirely different. Fresh classic acidity balanced structure much more elegant in 2017.
7. 2017 CHAMPLOTS OLIVIER LEFLAIVE Steep SW facing vineyard at 300-350 metres often produces a leaner style but also this vintage with younger vines used here contributes. 20% new oak. Excellent with the delicious pasta seafood course.
8. 2017 CLOS DE LA CHATENIERE VV HUBERT LAMY Old vines planted in 1964 from a top vineyard on the Puligny side S/SW facing on a very steep hill and from a top quality producer. Less morning sun exposure but long late day rays leads to this opulent balanced outstanding wine. So terroir driven. Clearly wine of the second flight and has 3 years extra development on the 2020 vintage.
Finished up with two stellar wines of 1995 BARBARESCO MONTESTEFANO PRODUTTORI MAGNUM (lighter more accessible at 30 than the recent more tannic classic 1996 also in magnum) with well paired rabbit & foie gras and chanterelles plus 2001 GUIRAUD SAUTERNES outstanding year yet this property has sweetness but is quite evolved already.
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