TN: Marechal 2011

Jeff Grossman

Jeff Grossman
Marechal 2011 Chorey-les-Beaunes - I haven't had one of these in years even though I generally like them. So, when I was shopping for something else I grabbed it. Upon opening, rather thin, somewhat closed, crisp and maybe even pure but not interesting. Finished it tonight, nearly a week later, and it is much improved: fuller and richer, a flicker of licorice amongst the cranberries, still lightweight but with much greater presence. Made the roast chicken dinner grunt approvingly.
 
originally posted by Jeff Grossman:
TN: Marechal 2011Marechal 2011 Chorey-les-Beaunes - I haven't had one of these in years even though I generally like them. So, when I was shopping for something else I grabbed it. Upon opening, rather thin, somewhat closed, crisp and maybe even pure but not interesting. Finished it tonight, nearly a week later, and it is much improved: fuller and richer, a flicker of licorice amongst the cranberries, still lightweight but with much greater presence. Made the roast chicken dinner grunt approvingly.

Wish we saw these wines in retailers more consistently. Last month I took an 05 Pommard Chaniere to a Pommard dinner with some heavy hitters and it outshone many of them.
 
I feel like 2005 was the last good vintage from them, though. I gave up after a few austere, thin offerings sampled now and again in ensuing vintages.

Am I wrong?
 
originally posted by Sharon Bowman:
I feel like 2005 was the last good vintage from them, though. I gave up after a few austere, thin offerings sampled now and again in ensuing vintages.

Am I wrong?
Looking through my notes, I think I've had only a single wine of theirs since the 2005 vintage!

A lurker tells me that Marechal have been using RO in recent years, despite their LDM cred, and that is why the wines are thin (though, of course, every now and then the treatment produces a nicer wine).
 
Small sample size alert, but I had a few bottles of 2005 Cuvée Gravel in late 2010 and thought they were delicate and beautiful. I grabbed a bottle of 2011 Gravel last year and didn't even recognize it. I thought it was monolithic and over-concentrated.
 
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