Goisot Bourgogne Cotes d'Auxerre Corps de Garde

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Bottled last January, the Goisot 2008 Cotes d’Auxerre Corps de Garde exhibits a nutty depth as well as textural richness – both reinforced by the effect of its stay in barrel – along with citrus oils, salt, mint, iodine, and white pepper. But of bitterness or diminution of minerality, clarity, or sheer juiciness – limitations that I have often found in past renditions of this cuvee – I find no trace here. There is plenty of positive pungency and invigoration to the wine’s gripping, energetic finish, and this estimable Auxerre Chardonnay ought to be worth following for at least 4-5 years, not to mention capable of challenging any generic Chablis whatsoever. This year’s blend, incidentally, comprises nearly 40% each selected barrels of Gueule de Loup and Biaumont, with the rest originating in Gondonne and a tiny portion from one other parcel. Extreme millerandage characterized his family’s 2008 crop, explains Guilhem Goisot, and even if one did not know that, it is easy to imagine the concentration of tiny, sparse berries when one tastes the superb collection rendered here this year. Yet even with these low yields, 2008 was not the vintage to threaten too much of a good thing, and the natural sugars sufficed for a collection of Chardonnay weighing in entirely between 12-13% alcohol from ripe, healthy fruit.Thomas Calder Selections (various importers), Paris; fax 011-33-1-46-45-15-29; also imported by Beaune Imports, Berkeley, CA, tel. (510) 559-1040

The Goisot 2007 Cotes d’Auxerre Corps de Garde – representing, as usual, a blend from three sites, the best barrels from which are separately-bottled – displays an oak-induced note of lanolin in the nose, beneath which emerge scents of toasted nuts and grapefruit zest. It offers an impressive sense of substantiality and richness of texture, but – while maintaining of modicum of refreshment – still fails to offer the brightness or clarity to mineral elements of the estate’s basic Cotes d’Auxerre cuvee (and adds some bitterness, too). Nor does it display anything like the compelling personalities that generally accrue to Goisot’s single-site bottlings. But long before those prestige wines were being singled out for separate bottling, I generally thought the Corps de Garde cuvee struggled against its wood, and that is definitely my impression in this instance. I would plan on drinking this over the next 2-3 years. Guilhem Goisot (whose name has now replaced that of his mother in this estate’s official title) echoed the sentiments of many regional growers that the grapes – while already adequately high in sugar at the end of August – were simply not ripe. But time was on an Auxerrre vintner’s side in 2007, and the Goisots were able to pick selectively, parcel by parcel, for three weeks, as compared with nine days in 2006. Their single-vineyard bottlings came close to 13.5% in natural alcohol, those few lots that approached 14% having been consigned to blends. Sauvignon, with its characteristically southwestern exposures (hail-free this year), was picked last – albeit already mid-September – and adequately ripe.Thomas Calder Selections (various importers), Paris; fax 011-33-1-46-45-15-29

The Bourgogne Cotes d'Auxerre Corps De Garde offers perfumed and fresh aromas reminiscent of talcum (baby) powder. This wine is a touch austere (like many wines from this northern Burgundy region) and displays good ripeness, a medium body, and sweet layers of minerals, flowers, chalk, and earth. Anticipated maturity: now-2001.Importer: Mark Whitmore, Vineyard Expressions, Ithaca, NY, 1-800-782-1972.