From biodynamically-farmed sites in the vineyard of Malantes, adjacent to the Brocard winery and the under-rated (non-cru) Pargues vineyard (for more about which, see under Servin), the superbly-concentrated 2006 Chablis Vieilles Vignes Domaine Sainte Claire (recently filtered and awaiting bottling the day I tasted it) displays a surprising underlying sweetness of pit fruits, and strong iodine and savory crustacean minerality. Long and quite luscious yet hardly lacking in dimensions one is bound to call “mineral,” this should drink well for at least 2-3 years.
Since my visit, Quebecois cellarmaster Patrick Piuze, who arrived here in 2005 from Verget, has been replaced by Nadine Gublin of Domaine Jacques Prieure. A significant portion of the vast Brocard estate is now being farmed biodynamically. Piuze, like many vintners this year, favored racking his young wines off their lees earlier than usual with the intention of avoiding any heaviness. I did not by any means taste all of the enormous range of wines crafted at this address, and including several different labels. Brocard bottled from 2006 the first commercial quantities of three premier cru cuvees under the name “Quintessence,” each representing a broad range of sites that precludes “single vineyard” status. (I place that expression in quotes, since the names of many of the best-known premier crus by law already serve as collective or alternate names for certain nearby crus.) The blends are largely determined as juice, subject to some later fine-tuning.
Imported by: Martine’s Wines, Novato, CA; tel. (415) 883-0400
