Maison Philippe Pacalet
2011 Gevrey-Chambertin ♥Villages Red 750 ml
Score: 89
Tasted: Apr 15, 2013
Drink: 2018+
Issue: 50
Outstanding
Producer note: The iconoclastic Philippe Pacalet, who is the nephew of the late Marcel Lapierre and who was for years the régisseur (estate manager) for Henri Roch of Domaine Prieuré-Roch, started his own négociant operation in 2001. He has moved operations from Gevrey to Nuits and now to Beaune and has installed himself in the old de Montille cellars near the railroad station, which are ice cold. Pacalet describes 2011 as an “early maturing vintage yet the wines don’t taste like it. The growing season started very early and though much of the summer was mediocre the substantial head start afforded the vines in the spring was enough to arrive at the harvest with phenolically mature fruit. We began picking with the chardonnay on the 28th of August but didn’t start on the pinot until the 5th of September. There was a bit of sorting required for the pinot but really no more than usual. Yields were a bit less than average at around 33 hl/ha mainly because I didn’t lose any to sunburn. This is due to the fact that I did very little leaf pulling as I wanted to promote as much photosynthesis as possible. Yes, you can engender rot due to less air flow but I would rather do a bit more sorting than have under-ripe fruit. Potential alcohols were in the 12 to 12.5% range, which is fine for the style of wine that I wish to make, particularly given that as usual I used 100% whole clusters in the vinifications. As to the style of the 2011s, they are very fresh and round wines with plenty of energy, in fact while it sounds pejorative, they are wonderfully refreshing. In its fashion this is just as well because they will drink earlier than their 2010 counterparts.” I found the Pacalet 2011s to be a most interesting group in the sense that they are one of the few where the Côte de Nuits was not head and shoulders above the wines from the Côte de Beaune. This is to say that there are good choices, and a few question marks, in both Côtes. The wines will be (or have been) bottled without fining or filtration and it’s interesting to note that Pacalet is one of the few remaining domaines that still do the mise (bottling) by hand.
Tasting note: There is the same floral character present though the red berry, earth, humus and underbrush-suffused scents are even cooler and more restrained. There is an interesting contrast with the almost delicate mouth feel and the sauvage character of the medium-bodied flavors that culminate in a firm, delicious, complex and well-balanced finish that displays excellent persistence for a villages level wine. Worth considering.
Maison Leroy, Gevrey-Chambertin
US$10,800 / 每箱價格
Maison Philippe Pacalet
2011 Gevrey-Chambertin ♥Villages Red 750 ml
Score: 89
Tasted: Apr 15, 2013
Drink: 2018+
Issue: 50
Outstanding
Producer note: The iconoclastic Philippe Pacalet, who is the nephew of the late Marcel Lapierre and who was for years the régisseur (estate manager) for Henri Roch of Domaine Prieuré-Roch, started his own négociant operation in 2001. He has moved operations from Gevrey to Nuits and now to Beaune and has installed himself in the old de Montille cellars near the railroad station, which are ice cold. Pacalet describes 2011 as an “early maturing vintage yet the wines don’t taste like it. The growing season started very early and though much of the summer was mediocre the substantial head start afforded the vines in the spring was enough to arrive at the harvest with phenolically mature fruit. We began picking with the chardonnay on the 28th of August but didn’t start on the pinot until the 5th of September. There was a bit of sorting required for the pinot but really no more than usual. Yields were a bit less than average at around 33 hl/ha mainly because I didn’t lose any to sunburn. This is due to the fact that I did very little leaf pulling as I wanted to promote as much photosynthesis as possible. Yes, you can engender rot due to less air flow but I would rather do a bit more sorting than have under-ripe fruit. Potential alcohols were in the 12 to 12.5% range, which is fine for the style of wine that I wish to make, particularly given that as usual I used 100% whole clusters in the vinifications. As to the style of the 2011s, they are very fresh and round wines with plenty of energy, in fact while it sounds pejorative, they are wonderfully refreshing. In its fashion this is just as well because they will drink earlier than their 2010 counterparts.” I found the Pacalet 2011s to be a most interesting group in the sense that they are one of the few where the Côte de Nuits was not head and shoulders above the wines from the Côte de Beaune. This is to say that there are good choices, and a few question marks, in both Côtes. The wines will be (or have been) bottled without fining or filtration and it’s interesting to note that Pacalet is one of the few remaining domaines that still do the mise (bottling) by hand.
Tasting note: There is the same floral character present though the red berry, earth, humus and underbrush-suffused scents are even cooler and more restrained. There is an interesting contrast with the almost delicate mouth feel and the sauvage character of the medium-bodied flavors that culminate in a firm, delicious, complex and well-balanced finish that displays excellent persistence for a villages level wine. Worth considering.
