Goisot Bourgogne Cotes d'Auxerre

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The Goisots’ 2008 Cotes d’Auxerre smells of peppermint, lemon, and oily, fusil suggestions of crushed local chalk that set the tone for its entire firmly textured but generously-flavored, long performance. Glycerin richness; hints of pit fruit sweetness; piquancy of fruit pit and coffee; along with mouth-watering salinity, all add to the complex appeal of a wine that – as have several of its recent predecessors – seems to set a new standard for this particular bottling and render it one of the region’s outstanding values, likely to perform well for at least another 3-4 years. 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

Fusil and quarry dust notes rise from the glass of Goisot 2007 Cotes d’Auxerre, which comes onto the palate juicily redolent of grapefruit, and striking a lovely balance between a palpable sense of extract and bright refreshment. If ever a case can be made for imagining that somehow chalk in the soil has a direct counterpart in chalkiness of taste, then this could serve as the proverbial Exhibit A. Subtle suggestions of nut oils lend an aura of richness to what might otherwise have been a rather austere finish. The basic Goisot Cotes d’Auxerre bottling incorporates a significant share of young vines and is harvested early, lest those lose acidity. The finest I can recall, I would plan to enjoy it 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

Browned butter, quince, acacia, and lime zest inform the nose of Goisot’s 2006 Cotes d’Auxerre, and on the creamy yet refreshing palate are joined by yellow plum and ginger. While this lacks quite the layering, clarity, or lip-smacking satisfaction of this year’s Aligote (which will surprise no one familiar with this estate), it offers convincing length, with a distinctly chalky sense of minerality. The Goisots farmed organically before that implied any fashion statement, and have long been the foremost vintners of appellation Saint-Bris (Sauvignon Blanc). Their Chardonnays of Cotes d’Auxerre appellation have been enhanced in recent vintages by the addition of barrel-fermented bottlings from individual sites that offer a level of complexity comparable to top-notch premier cru Chablis.Importer:Thomas Calder Selections (various importers), Paris; fax 011-33-1-46-45-15-29

Revealing an earth and stone-imbued nose, the Bourgogne Cotes d'Auxerre is a medium-bodied, lively, and well-made wine with rich doses of citrus fruit flavors. It should be drunk over the next two to three years. Importer: Mark Whitmore, Vineyard Expressions, Ithaca, NY, 1-800-782-1972.