Domaine Sainte Barbe Jean-Marie Chaland Vire Clesse Thurissey

You just received an email on Jean Marie Chaland’s single vineyard Vire Clesse “Chazelles”. Well, burgundy being burgundy and Waterford being Waterford, we wanted to bring you more selections from his single vineyards. Two more. Here they are:

Thurissey is one of the oldest vineyards in the appellation, and all of Jean Marie’s vines are over 100 years old. One funny comment about this he told me at the winery is that the vines are sold old that the resulting wine can’t be bottled at the same time – it needs more time in barrel (all used) to stretch out and get a touch more oxygen.

Jean Marie further noted that the slope here is also quite sunny, like Chazelles, but that is not as an important factor in the wine as the soil, which is dolomite limestone with just a touch of Silex and clay. He feels, and I noted this while tasting at the winery, that this results in a wine that is big and rich on the nose and addition to having toast and brioche notes. I believe these smells are not from wood because its all used oak, but rather primary flavors right from powerful chardonnay. The palate has lots of depth and salty minerality to it. I noted that the wine is fat, but sophisticated, all in a wonderful way.

Clos du Buc is among many top wines, The top wines. Or maybe it just holds a special place in their hearts because it is a monopole for the Domaine.

Here is one of those wonderful Burgundian twist where the “top” wine is not the heaviest, weightiest, or oakiest. That is actually Thurissey (minus the oak comment). Here at the Clos of Goats (if I got the quick translation right) you have an upper slope vineyard of all blue and gray marls with the forest above. I believe we are all beginning to understand how these upper slope, wood protected vineyards are gaining notoritity in this day and age of climate change, and here is no exception. The wine is delicate and very floral, with suggestions of flowers and rose hips, although Jean-Marie noted also yuzu and citrus. The finish is fine chiseled and expressive a beautiful long minerality. A stupendous wine.

As with the Chazelles, my question to you is the same. Where in white burgundy can you find value such as these? 100 year old vines, organic, Domaine, stunning. Nowhere but here. I think this is quite a find. Please take part!