2009 de Villaine, Bourgogne, 'La Digoine' (Mercurey)

K

Karen Goetz

Karen Goetz
Tasted this bottle over two days after I removed it from my cellar. Original vintage purchase.

Wow! Robust and fascinating, fresh wine immediately from the glass. Bouquet restrained dark earth the first day, opened up the second day to fleeting violets. Tasted of black bark, black soil (these are good things) and cold black cherries. Fruit is held close by a robust structure of mineral and citric sensation. Some tannins add a pleasant graininess. The flavors relaxed the second day and became more expressive.
It went beautifully with cast iron skillet-roasted porterhouse steak; something about the sensation of iron in both items merged and the fruit complemented the sweetness of the steak. The wine was very much from it's place and spoke of it.
Overall a unique communication of darkness.
 
Fascinating note, Karen. I'm interested in your designation of it as Mercurey, as the bottle that I consumed back in '14 was labeled only as Côte Chalonnaise. Different bottlings, or do you have some insider information that I don't have? Yours also sounds darker fruited and more robust than my bottle, but six extra years in the bottle may account for those differences.

Mark Lipton
 
originally posted by MLipton:
Fascinating note, Karen. I'm interested in your designation of it as Mercurey, as the bottle that I consumed back in '14 was labeled only as Côte Chalonnaise. Different bottlings, or do you have some insider information that I don't have? Yours also sounds darker fruited and more robust than my bottle, but six extra years in the bottle may account for those differences.

Mark Lipton
Click to expand...

Hi Marc,

Just being a terroir shit disturber! I have to admit it is my assumption since the grapes are all from the Domaine in Mercurey (the label clearly indicates "Cote Chalonnase")... In some tiny back corner of my mind I hear a voice saying the lieu-dit is non-premier cru grapes from the appellation.

Feel free to terrorize this shit disturber! :')
 
Thanks, Karen. I went a bit long in this wine's stable-mate, les Montots, in 2009, after opening a bottle on release. It seemed deep, dense, and promising. I think de Villaine's site says (or used to say) to let les Montots age for something like 14 years and have been waiting patiently. Your interim report on the Digoine sounds promising.

I recall Florida Jim singing praise of the Digoine generously many years ago on the Parker board, and I've been through a case or so of his Chardonnay-based whites. These wines used to be good value, IMHO; but their prices have increased quite a bit over the years.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top