2012 vintage

Christy Canterbury

 

Extract from www.christycanterbury.com, from the full roster of 1558 scores published in May 2014 by Christy Canterbury (MW), concerning the vintage 2012.
All these wines have been tasted in london in January 2014.

Christy canterbury is an english master of wine, she is is also a Manhattan based journalist, speaker and judge.
She also writes for decanter Magazine and Wine Enthusiast.

Bourgogne Pinot Noir Cuvée Fine Sélection 2012	87
Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru 2012	93
Gevrey-Chambertin «Les Corvées» 2012	92
Gevrey 1er Cru «Lavaux St Jacques» 2012	94
Grand Cru Mazis-Chambertin 2012	93
Morey Saint Denis 2012	91
Morey St Denis 1er Cru “Aux Charmes” 2012	94

Site Burghound.com - Allen Meadows - 1st Quarter 2015 Issue 57

 

Domaine Gabriel Tortochot (Gevrey-Chambertin)

 

2012	Bourgogne Cuvée Fine Sélection	red	87
2012	Chambertin Grand Cru	red	94
2012	Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru	red	93
2012	Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru	red	93
2012	Gevrey-Chambertin “Les Champeaux” 1er	red	92
2012	Gevrey-Chambertin “Champerrier Vieilles Vignes”	red	90
2012	Gevrey-Chambertin «Les Corvées»	red	90
2012	Gevrey-Chambertin "Les Jeunes Rois"	red	88
2012	Gevrey-Chambertin «Lavaut St Jacques» 1er	red	92
2012	Mazis-Chambertin Grand Cru	red	94
2012	Morey Saint Denis	red	89
2012	Morey St Denis “Aux Charmes” 1er	red	91

 

Chantal Tortochot, who directs this biologically farmed 11 ha domaine, described 2012 as a “tiny vintage where yields were off
fully 40% due mostly to a poor flowering that provoked a high incidence of shatter and shot berries. We made an amazing 21
treatments against mildew alone because it was constantly wet. All of the rain made treating the vines all the more difficult
because it was a challenge just to get the machinery into the vineyards. In fact we did the last couple of treatments manually
with the scuba diver-like tanks that you carry on your back! July was thankfully warm and sunny though we had one 10 day
period of very hot weather that sunburned some of the exposed bunches and that cost us some yield as well. Suffice it to say
that it was necessary to thoroughly sort but what we were left with was superb, indeed about as good as I have seen in terms
of the raw materials. I like the wines a lot as they’re ripe, concentrated and serious though not so much so that they won’t be
approachable young if that’s what clients want.” I was very impressed with the quality of the Tortochot 2012s, revisited below,
in particular at the lower levels of the range. Tortochot noted that her 2012s were bottled between September 2013 and
March 2014. The Tortochot wines are generally relatively old school in terms of style and structure though they do evidence
noticeable wood when the wines are young. (Bertin Henri Selections, www.bertinhenriselections.com, Doral, FL, Simon N
Cellars, www.simonncellars.com, Charlottesville, VA, Milton Road Trading Corp, LLC, www.miltonroadtrading.com, Napa CA,
P. Comms International, www.pcommswines.com, Ashville, NC and T. Edwards Wine, New York; Waitrose, Waterloo and Fine
and Rare and O.W. Loeb, www.owloeb.com, all UK).

 

2012 Bourgogne Cuvée Fine Sélection: A ripe, fresh and solidly complex nose features notes of earth and assorted red
berries along with a hint of wood. There is excellent density for a regional wine that possesses an attractive saline nuance on
the delicious middle weight flavors that display very fine length on the balanced finish. This delivers villages wine level quality
and is highly recommended. 87/2017+

2012 Morey St. Denis: (from a .46 ha parcel). This is notably earthy with a well-layered blend of red and dark currant,
sandalwood and soft anise hints. There is a really lovely texture to the dense and mouth coating flavors that coat the palate
with dry extract before terminating in a lingering and well-balanced finish. This is a notably fine Morey villages and one that
could be enjoyed young if youthful fruit is your preference. 89/2018+

2012 Gevrey-Chambertin “Les Jeunes Rois”: (from Brochon). This is earthier still with plenty of sauvage character to the
ripe and fresh dark berry fruit and game suffused scents. There is solid volume and punch to the medium-bodied flavors that
possess a textured mouth feel where the stone-inflected finish delivers good persistence on the muscular finish that is very
Gevrey in style. This is firm but not so structured that it could not be enjoyed with a few years of bottle age. 88/2019+

2012 Gevrey-Chambertin “Les Corvées”: (from a .86 ha parcel). Here the nose is also quite distinctly earthy with notes of
humus, underbrush and forest floor adding breadth to the very fresh dark currant aromas. There is even better density and
power to the delineated middle weight flavors that don’t possess quite the same degree of minerality but there is just better
overall depth and length. This is a first-rate Gevrey villages and highly recommended. 90/2020+

2012 Gevrey-Chambertin “Champerrier Vieilles Vignes”: (from a .46 ha parcel). A pungent and highly expressive nose is
composed of overtly animale aromas of humus, warm earth, wild berries and a touch of oak. The concentrated, powerful and
tautly muscular middle weight plus flavors are shaped by a very firm core of ripe and robust tannins on the serious and old
school finish. This outstanding effort is built-to-age and will definitely need it. This too is recommended. 90/2022+

2012 Morey St. Denis “Aux Charmes”: (from a .23 ha parcel). A deft touch of wood frames elegant and pure aromas of
mostly red berries though there are background floral, earth and spice nuances. There is a really lovely mouth feel to the
round and charming medium-bodied flavors that possess a generous and sappy finale that delivers fine length. This is refined
but underneath the sap there is a solid core of tannins and even a certainly muscularity. Worth checking out. 91/2022+

2012 Gevrey-Chambertin “Lavaut St. Jacques”: (from a .64 ha parcel). Like the Champerrier this is intensely animale and
blind this could be nothing other than a classic Gevrey aromatic profile though in this case the nose is cooler and a bit more
elegant than that of its villages stable mate with its earthy mix of red and dark currant and wet stone scents. There is
outstanding mid-palate density to the overtly muscular and intense medium-bodied flavors that display an abundance of
mineral hints on the longer, serious, powerful and youthfully austere finish. The supporting tannins are very firm and while I
wouldn’t describe them as rustic, they do flirt with it. Note that unlike a number of the prior wines this would not be a good
candidate for drinking young. In sum this is textbook Lavaut and recommended. 92/2024+

2012 Gevrey-Chambertin “Les Champeaux”: (from a .81 ha parcel of 40+ year old vines). This isn’t quite as animale as
the Lavaut though there is certainly a healthy dollop of this character present on the cool, pure and beautifully layered nose of
earthy red currant and wild dark berries that are trimmed in a hint of exotic tea. There is a more refined texture to the tautly
muscular and focused middle weight flavors that conclude in a pungently stony, balanced and wonderfully long finish that is
also youthfully austere. This beauty is likewise recommended. 92/2022+

2012 Charmes-Chambertin: (from .57 ha parcel in Charmes proper; aged in 80% new wood). A pretty and more expressive
nose features elegant aromas of assorted red berries, newly turned earth and a lovely floral note, all of which is trimmed in a
whisper of oak. There is excellent volume and plenty of punch to the mouth coating and intense medium weight plus flavors
that possess plenty of dry extract that coats the palate and imparts a seductive, even silky texture to the balanced, complex
and lingering finish. A Charmes of refinement but should drink well both young and old. 93/2024+

2012 Mazis-Chambertin: (from .42 ha parcel in Mazis-Bas). There is a plenitude of sauvage character to the earth and teainfused aromas of red berry, dark currant and humus scents. This is also seductively textured but notably more powerful as
the big-bodied, intense and more obviously mineral-inflected flavors possess positively huge length on the strikingly complex
finale. This is a seriously structured effort but there is so much mid-palate sap that it should be approachable after only 7 to 8
years of cellaring. 94/2027+

2012 Chambertin: (from a .40 ha parcel). This too is overtly sauvage in character but otherwise the aromatic profile is
somewhat different with more obvious floral and spice elements adding a touch of refinement to the red and dark berry aromas
that are again trimmed in enough wood to notice. There is fine delineation and focused power to the broad-shouldered and
imposingly scaled flavors that brim with both minerality and mouth coating sap, all wrapped in a gorgeously long if quite
youthfully austere finish. This is old school but not hard and should make for wonderful old bones if you have the patience to
wait. 94/2027+

2012 Clos de Vougeot: (from a .21 ha parcel). A restrained and distinctly cool nose exhibits a pretty array of ripe and fresh
red berry scents that are laced with earth, spice, tea and oak nuances. There is a lovely sense of energy to the intense and
muscular medium-bodied flavors that possess fine mid-palate density, all wrapped in a palate coating, austere and strikingly
complex finish. I really like the persistence here and while this is youthfully austere it’s not hard or tough. In the same fashion
as the Mazis this should be approachable after only 7 to 8 years yet effortlessly reward 12 to 15 years of cellaring. 93/2024+

Asian Palate - novembre 2013

 

Jeannie Cho Lee is a hong kong based south Korean wine critic author, journalist, consultant wine educator and master of wine, the first ethnic asian to achieve this accreditation.

All these wines have been tasted in november 2013.

Gevrey Chambertin 1er Cru Lavaux St Jacques 2012
Silky tannins with velvety texture.lovely flavours with balanced floral and berry flavours long length beautifully made
Note : 90/100

Grand Cru Mazis Chambertin 2012
Full bodied with lively fruit concentration generous blackberry and herbal flavours.
Broading power and concentration in this wine wait 5 + years before approaching.
Goog length
Note : 90/100

Sélection de la Revue des Vins de France en novembre 2014

 

Les 100 vignerons à ne pas manquer au Salon des vignerons indépendants à Paris Porte de Versailles du 27 Novembre au 1er Décembre 2014.
642 vins dégustés, seulement 100 vins retenus.
En Bourgogne le Domaine Tortochot a été retenu pour son Gevrey 1er Cru les Champeaux 2012. Note 14.5/20.
Toute la force de Gevrey est dans ce 2012 aux notes fumées et aux saveurs de noyau de cerise.

Sélection Bettane Desseauve 2015

 

Notre Domaine figure en bonne place dans la version numérique avec la sélection du Gevrey 1er Cru Lavaux St jacques 2012
Note:15/20
Apogée:2020  à 2027
Prix : 31 Euros
Coloré, tannique, très classique, un rien ferme mais d'une expression droite du terroir et montrant un bon savoir faire.

Sélection Guide Hachette 2015

 

Gevrey 1er Cru Lavaux St Jacques 2012
Apres quinze mois de fûts, ce Gevrey livre un bouquet discret de sous-bois et de toaste. La bouche se montre dense et structurée par des tanins solides et un boisé encore dominateur. A attendre pour plus de fondu.

Grand Cru Chambertin 2012
Des vignes de 60 ans sont à l'origine de ce Chambertin encore sur la réserve à l'olfaction. L'aération le libère quelque peu et fait apparaitre une complexité naissante : toastée, sous-bois, touche animale, réglisse, fruits rouges. Le palais se montre dense et strict, droit dans ses tanins, soutenu par une fine trace minérale. Un vin monacal et prometteur que le temps révelera.

The world of fine wine March 2014

 

We are very proud to announce that our Grand Cru Mazis Chambertin 2012 obtained a note of 17/20 in the last magazine the world of fine wine noted by stephen Brook.

Stephen brook was born in London in 1947 studied at Trinity college Cambridge, graduating in English litterature in 1969, and then worked until 1976 in Boston Massachussetts.
In 1982 he became a full tome writer He has written numerous books on wines He is also a guest judge at wine competition around the world.

Grand Cru Mazis Chambertin Tortochot 2012 : 17/20 Issue 43 The world od Fine Wine March 2014 noted by Stephen Brook.

Ripe fleshy cherry and red fruits nose.Round and concentrated, this lack some rigor but there is acidity and persistence Needs time to blossom.

Steven Spurrier for Decanter March 2014

 

So proud to share that Domaine Tortochot made it to Decanter's top 12 red Burgundy 2012 wines (Steven Spurrier for Decanter March 2014).

Gevrey 1er cru Lavaux st Jacques 2012 obtained 17/20 (90/100).

Silky balanced wine with elegant floral and spicy flavours .Beautifully made with freshness supple texture and long finish.
Price POA OW loeb
Drink 2018-2024

 

 

www.timatkin.com - February 2014

 

Very satisfying is the new Tim Atkin special report 2012 Burgundy wines released .He gave the 2012 Tortochot wines good scores in February 2014.

All these wines have been tasted in London in January 2014.

Please discover the report on www.timatkin.com.

Charmes Chambertin Grand Cru 2012: 92

Gevrey 1er cru lavaux St Jacques 2012: 92

Gevrey Chambertin les Corvees 2012: 91

Grand cru Mazis Chambertin 2012: 92

Morey St Denis 2012: 89

Morey 1er Cru Aux Charmes 2012: 92

Gevrey Chambertin les Corvees 2012 appears also in the top 50 best wines under 250 pounds noted 91 (distributed by OW loeb London) Price 225 pounds case price.

Tim Atkin is an english award winning writer and english Master of wine with 28 years ' of experience.

He writes for a number of publications including the world of fine wine,Imbibe, decanter and is one of the three wine men.
He is also a co chairman of the international wine challenge, the world national rigourously judged blind tasting competition, he has won over 25 awards for his journalism and photography.

 

www.vinifera-mundi.ch - 11th March 2014

Probierung von Roi Chambertin in November 2013 , Weine von Jahr 2012

Chambertin Grand cru 2012

Sinnliche, sûsse Nase mit dem typischen Pinot Noir Charakter.Es gibt etwas Mürbe in dieser Nase, was fasziniert.Der Gaumen mag vollmundig und fleischig wirken.Er fehlt trotzdem am Komplexität.Das angestrebte Ziel ist ganz klar auf den unmittelbaren Spass gerichter . note:17.5/20

Mazis Chambertin Grand Cru 2012

Am 14. November gefiel uns der Mazis genau so gut wie ein paar Tage zuvor.Unser Urteil über den Jahrgang 2012 lautete."Ihn nicht zu kaufen wäre ein klarer Irrtum¨

Höhstens kann man etwas die Speckaromen bedauern, welche auf eine überreife der Trauben hinweisen

note:18/20

Reviewed by Neal Martin in Wine advocate number 211 from February 2014, tasted in London during OW loeb tasting in January 2014 - 10th March 2014

Bourgogne pinot noir 2012: 85
Grand Cru charmes chambertin 2012: 91
Gevrey 1er Cru Lavaux St Jacques 2012: 89
Gevrey Chambertin les Corvées 2012: 89
Grand cru Mazis chambertin 2012: 93
Morey 1er Cru Aux Charmes 2012: 91
Morey St Denis 2012: 86


I recall tasting the wines from Domaine tortochot several years ago.

Meeting Chantal Tortochot and reacquainting myself with their 2012's in London,I was pleased to discover a significant improvement and thanks a valuable thing because we need more affordable wines from gevrey.

Part of the reason is the transition to organic viticulture since 2010 and achieving complete conversion in 2013

In addition the talented Sylvain Pataille has been on board in a consulting capacity since 2001 and has resulted in more complexity and nuance

The tenets here are straightforward the fruit completely destemmed twice daily punch down and a decent amount of new oak 100 % for all grand Crus 50 % for all Gevrey 1er Cru and 25 % for all village

Domaine Tortochot is one to put back on your list and I look forward to keeping track of their progress in future issues

 

www.jancisrobinson.com  - 9th January 2014

 

All these wines have been tasted by julia Harding, an english MW, who is full time assistant of Jancis Robinson during the last OW Loeb Tasting in London on 9 th January 2014:

 

Morey 1er cru Aux charmes 2012 Tortochot
Lightish cherry red. Lovely spicy fruit on the nose. A touch smoky. Then firm and deep fruited on the palate. Savoury, long and quite tight at the moment. All in place.
Score:17/20 when to drink:2017 to 2025

 

Gevrey 1er cru Lavaux St Jacques 2012 Tortochot
Dark,spicy fruit. At first seems more austere on the palate than theMorey 1er CruAux charmes, but still have velvety tannins and juicy fruit escaping round the edges. Subtile and just fresh enough.
Score:17/20 when to drink: 2017 to 2025

 

Gevrey chambertin Les Corvees 2012 Tortochot
Bright cherry red. Smoky, peppery, aromatic fruit. Refined, dry texture with fresh persistence. Fine harmony with a gentle grip on the finish.
Score:16.5/20 when to drink: 2016 to 2023

 

 

 

www.oldvinenotes.com - 2012 Burgundies an initial report
18 décembre 2013

 

It is very difficult to write a headline for the 2012 vintage. The growing season presented vignerons with almost every conceivable difficulty, with results that varied from disastrous to extraordinary, and much in between.

 

The weather problems began even before the growing season, with a deep freeze in February that, surprisingly, seemed to affect primarily the old vines, and reduced their production of berries; predominantly cool and wet weather from April through July, resulting in a poor flowering; oïdium [powdery mildew, which needs treatment in advance; once it appears, it is very difficult to control] and other diseases, all of which contributed to very small yields in 2012. Even the advent of sunny weather in August contributed to the problem, producing a number of sunburned grapes. However, by far the worst problem, which primarily affected the Côte de Beaune—and Volnay much worse than elsewhere–was hail. There were in fact two major hailstorms that affected portions of the Côte de Beaune, the first on June 30th, and another at the beginning of August. While yields in general were 30-50% lower than “normal, “ the variation from vineyard to vineyard could be considerable, and in parts of Volnay yields were often down 70% and even more. As more than one producer commented, the only problem they didn’t face in 2012 was botrytis (though there were some reports of that as well, especially among the whites). In the face of these difficulties, constant vigilance, and treatment, was necessary, and particular problems were presented for practitioners of biodynamics, whose repertoire of treatments is necessarily limited.

 

Despite all these travails, and the resulting short crop, dry and sunny weather finally arrived in August, and persisted through the harvest, which began around the 20th of September. The combination of low yields and fine weather (“August makes the must” is an old Burgundian saying) meant that those grapes that remained (and which were generally smaller than usual, with a higher-than-usual ratio of skins to juice) achieved full and relatively even maturity.

 

To the extent generalizations can be made, let me make a few: first, the best wines are in the Côte de Nuits, and the top wines are superb, most closely resembling the 2010s. The best 2012s have significant density, a balance of fruit and acidity, excellent terroir expression, silky textures, and fine tannins. That harmony, however, was not easily achieved, and there are certainly wines that fall short of the mark, even at the best addresses. Also, problems with oïdium devastated some of the vineyards located higher on the hill: there will be no Ponsot Clos des Monts Luisants, for example, and many producers in Bonnes Mares had significant problems, as detailed in the notes below. (Indeed, while in some vintages certain communes may be more successful than others, in 2012 it seemed almost to go vineyard by vineyard: consistently remarkable Chambolle Amoureuses, for example, as opposed to the problems in Bonnes Mares).

 

In the Côte de Beaune, where the problems were worse, the results were far more irregular, though some red wines achieved quality levels close to the best of the Côte de Nuits. Among the white wines, that irregularity seems amplified, with some significant successes but many others that are less interesting. In particular, a number of white wine growers struggled with balance, as acidity levels seem quite pronounced in many wines.

 

Some well-known wines will not be produced in 2012, as yields were too low to commercialize the wines, and such juice as there was has been blended into premier cru and Village wines. Others will be very hard to find: a typical case allocation of D’Angerville’s Volnay Clos des Ducs, for example, may be replaced by a single magnum. Prices will of course be higher, but it is doubtful that prices can be raised enough to cover the shortfall (and, as several growers noted, many estates have lost the equivalent of two full years of production between 2010 and 2013). Nonetheless, as one courtier said, “we are all going to have to get used to paying more for less.”

 

Red Burgundy - Côtes de Nuits

Tortochot. This was also a first visit. Chantal Tortochot is engaging, chatty and a font of information on subjects great and small; in fact, despite the moderate number of wines to be tasted, we found ourselves rushed at the end of our usual 1.5 hour visit. Surprisingly, most of the wines, including the premiers crus and two of the grands crus, had recently been bottled. Overall, I found that the wines, like their proprietress, had a good deal of charm but were not always as focused as one might prefer. Among the ones I liked best were the Gevrey Corvées, a soft, balanced and supple wine that was nonetheless hiding a good deal of extract; Gevrey Lavaux St. Jacques, which had delicacy and balance; Gevrey Champeaux, with soft blackberry and blueberry fruit, spice, stones, a touch of meatiness and excellent density; Mazis-Chambertin, with red berries and iron on the nose, was a structured wine, showing its (90%) new oak, but also transparent on the finish–overall it had good intensity; and, from barrel, a very elegant Chambertin, with plenty of material, balanced, long and nuanced. Overall, the proportion of new oak is a bit higher than I’d like, and the wines as I noted a bit more soft-focused, but the prices are extremely reasonable and represent good value.

 

 

 

www.newbordeaux.com - Le Roi Chambertin tasting

Jane Anson is Bordeaux correspondent for Decanter, and has lived in the region since 2003. She is author of Bordeaux Legends, a history of the First Growth wines (November 2012 Editions de la Martiniere as Elixirs (French title) / April 2013 Stewart, Tabori & Chang, English version), the Bordeaux and Southwest France author of The Wine Opus and 1000 Great Wines That Won’t Cost A Fortune (both Dorling Kindersley, 2010 and 2011). Anson is contributing writer of the Michelin Guide to the Wine Regions of France (March 2010, Michelin Publications), and writes a monthly wine column for the South China Morning Post in Hong Kong, where she lived from 1994 to 1997, and a weekly column for DecanterChina.com. Accredited wine teacher at the Bordeaux Ecole du Vin, with a Masters in publishing from University College London, WSET qualified, Diplôme Universitaire d'Aptitude à la Dégustation des vins (DUAD) from Bordeaux Faculty of Oenology (2013).

Le Roi Chambertin Tasting - Gevrey-Chambertin 2012s, tasting in November 2013 in Gevrey

The organizers of Le Roi Chambertin could be forgiven for having had a wobble last year. November 2012 was the second time that they had held a tasting of their 'en primeur' wines a year on from the harvest (instead of the more usual Burgundy timing of a few months after harvest, when many are still undergoing malolactic fermentation). The change had been voted for by over 80% of the producers in the syndicate, and they were showcasing the 2011 wines in Beaune, the Friday of the Hospices de Beaune auction weekend. Clearly minds were elsewhere, as a pretty measly handful of journalists turned up, and the number of wines showcased had taken a vertiginous drop from the same event the year before – 59 down from 83. The organizers seriously questioned whether to hold the tasting again.

Luckily, what they decided to do instead was to move it forward by a day, to the Thursday evening, and to hold it in Gevrey-Chambertin rather than Beaune, followed by a Paulée-style dinner. The results, I can attest, were highly enjoyable for all involved. This year, 44 of the village’s producers showcased around 120 wines from the 2012 vintage. We were able to get an overview of all nine Grand Crus, 26 Premier Crus and numerous village wines, a year into their ageing process. I loved having the tasting arranged by climats – so all the 1er/grands crus etc from each climat together on one table with all the producers, not arranged by producers showing all their wines on one table. Really useful!

It’s worth pointing out that, besides being one of the oldest vineyard sites in the region, Gevrey is also the largest wine-producing village on the Côtes de Nuits, and both prices and styles vary far more than a smaller appellation such as, for example, Chambolle. It’s why these kind of wide-ranging tastings are so helpful if you are trying to get a feel for the wines, and which names to go for. There are climats here that almost approach Clos du Vougeot for the number of different producers making wines from them – Charmes-Chambertin, for example, is 28.97 hectares and has over 40 producers, while Clos de Beze has 14.67 hecatres and 18 producers.

Gevrey is famous for its ageing, for its structure and tannins in its youth (adding even more weight to the argument of showing its wines a year into the ageing process), but for me the key to the best ones is a softness behind the power, a velvety texture that cuts through the tannins and offers a subtlety that was most marked for me in Armand Rousseau’s Clos de Beze 2010, that I tasted at the estate in May of this year. A good Gevrey needs structure and power, but isn’t afraid of being immediately appealing. Some I felt were over-marked by oak, even allowing for the fact that during ageing there are bound to be moments when that happens. There was also a lot of reduction – entirely normal at this stage in the evolution, especially for wines that are being aged on the lees. The right kind of reduction will clear, and can even be a positive sign in a young wine. The wrong kind of oak less so.

Overall it was a great tasting, fascinating to see the evolution of what was at times a difficult vintage, if overpowering in the number of wines. But that's the nature of Burgundy, where no cellar visit seems to offer less than a dozen different samples! And I would say that although there is going to be some selection needed, the best 2012s look like they are shaping up to be rather fine.

Lots of these wines would be a pleasure to own, but talk throughout the evening kept returning to prices. Even Burgundy passe-tout-grains has been going up 30% in price over the past six months, so imagine how much these will have risen by the time they are bottled (especially as the 2012 vintage was 25-30% down in volume from 2011). Sadly, many of us were tasting wines that we won’t be able to buy.

GRANDS CRUS

The nine are Chambertin, Chambertin Clos de Beze, Chapelle-Chambertin, Charmes-Chambertin/Mazoyeres-Chambertin (most Mazoyeres is labeled Charmes), Griotte-Chambertin, Latricieres Chambertin, Mazis-Chambertin and Ruchottes-Chambertin. I have focused here on the ones I found particularly interesting (and I may well have missed some – there were well over 100 wines at the tasting, and I did not attack them all).


2012 Mazis Chambertin Grand Cru

Very different flavour profile from charmes chambertin, much tighter, more masculine, acidity higher, blacker fruit, imagine if you want ageing, here you are. This comes from the colder terroir of this Grand Cru. I really enjoyed the three of these that I tasted Domaine Harmand Geoffroy Mazis Chambertin Grand Cru 2012, Domaine Jean Michel Guillon et Fils Mazis Chambertin Grand Cru 2012 (a tight, angular expression of Gevrey, barely budging from its youth). My favourite, hands down, was Domaine Tortochot Mazis-Chambertin Grand Cru 2012 (tasting note, word for word: Mmmm, this is gorgeous, has a wonderfully earthy, sensual immediacy to it that reminds you how bloody tasty good pinot can be, and also builds slowly in your mouth. A really great terroir wine, one in the eye for the super smooth versions).


2012 Chambertin Grand Cru

Again, it was the Domaine Tortochot Chambertin Grand Cru 2012 that got me the most excited This lives up to billing, sweet, seductive, totally thrilling, great persistency, clearly young but already singing. The Trapet Chambertin GC 2012 again had that tight, curled, poised delivery that spoke of a very very young wine, hugely interesting, a herbal undertone, this was barely starting out, even a year after harvest.