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Vincent Girardin Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru(2005)
- Winery:
- Domaine Vincent Girardin
- Varietal:
- Chardonnay
- Region:
- France > Burgundy > Chevalier-montrachet
- Type:
- White Wine
- User Tags:
- woody, oak - heavy, fruit, heavy, distinct, mineral, cellarable, style, closed, strong
Starting at
$201.69 USD
$201.69 USD
- Burghound
- Issue 27, Jul 01, 2007
- 93/100
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May 2008
- As detailed in Issue 23, Vincent Girardin has been telling me that he wants to increase the purity of his wines, to make them more age worthy but most of all, to make real burgundies that are terroir-driven and truly reflect their sense of place. To this end I explained how progress, in my view, had been mixed but that there had been progress nonetheless, particularly in 2004, where I definitely preferred the style of the wines compared to that of prior vintages. Well, I am happy to report that in 2005 the progress continues and while it is too soon to declare victory, I will say that this is a very strong read more...set of wines from top to bottom. It would appear that Girardin's policy of no lees stirring (adopted in 2002) served him well in 2005 as it avoided making the wines too heavy. This is important for someone that uses as much new, and recent, wood as Girardin does and again, while the oak in 2005 is hardly invisible, it is better modulated than in prior vintages. I know that in past Issues I have reported that Girardin has reduced the percentage of new wood to only 40% for the grands crus and one-third for the 1ers with the remaining proportions being a mix of 1 to 3 year old barrels. While I applaud these reductions, the wines nevertheless still display ample wood influence. Specifically for those readers who have objected to the amount of wood in the Girardin wines in the past, while they certainly are still carrying noticeable oak influence, I believe you will find it to be more moderate in this regard in 2005 though a few of the grands crus are still amply oaked. With respect to the '05 vintage, Girardin was clearly excited by the wines, saying that For me 2005 is a great vintage, even better than 1999 and I believe the wines, both red and white, will age extremely well. Lastly, Girardin will not release a Montrachet in 2005, explaining that he simply couldn't find quality must for anything close to a reasonable price. Except for the Quintessence, the wines were bottled between November and February. Girardin fans will see a heavy new bottle with a distinctive shape for the grands crus beginning with 2005. (Vineyard Brands, Birmingham, AL; Bibendums, Adnams, Berkmann Wine Cellars and Tanners, all UK). Note: from a .20 ha parcel An airy and elegant floral and spice nose that is distinctly higher-pitched is trimmed in a deft touch of wood and while the oak is more prominent on the palate, it doesn't seem to unduly compromise the detail or delineation of the minerally medium weight flavors that are delicious, classy and persistent. There is a citrus component to the finish, which adds lift. In short, excellent if not mind blowing and a good deal more forward than a classically structured Chevy. (hide)
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Source:
Morrell & Company
- Knockout perfumed aromas of cool, wet stone, nut oils and charred oak. Hugely ripe and impressively intense, with terrific penetrating minerality giving dimension to the wine sheer density of material. Chewy in the mouth and on the penetrating, very long aftertaste but not phenolic or harsh. Should make a great and ageworthy bottle.
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