Domaine Fontaine Gagnard 2008

"I visited The cellars of Richard and Laurence Fontaine's estate in March this year. As always the wines showed as pristine and concentrated, however there is something "extra" in the 2008's. Richard says that the 2008 whites show great vivacity and are richer and more powerful than the 2007's, with similar acidity. They went through long malos (always a good sign) but they were difficult to make with many different cuvees behaving differently. However they all finished malos in July 2009, and were bottled in August as normal. There seems to be more mineral characteristics than 2005, 2006 and 2007, with some more hints of complex savoury "smoked meat" nuances that I always love. As I have done for the last few years, I chose 5 white 1er cru whites from the 10 on offer, to simplify things a little. This includes the 2 best La Romanee and Caillerets. They are impressive whites!

On an operational note, daughter Celene Fontaine (26yo) has now been working at the estate in a very intensive way for 3 years, and she is very interested, intelligent and enthusiastic. She is being well groomed to take over at some time in the future. The reds, in particular are "serre" (close or tight in structure and flavour) at the moment, although the Bourgogne and Villages are starting to now "fatten" up a little. The 1ers are still tight but should provide beautiful fragrant, flavoursome and elegant wines within a few years, but last for a decade or more." RANDALL POLLARD

 

The Wines:

 

2008 Bourgogne Blanc Price $54.90 | $49.90 dozen
This is from a .21ha parcel within Chassagne-Montrachet, planted in 1980. It is pale and fresh, showing hints of lemon zest and spice, balanced "nervous? acidity and nice texture and body. It was matured in three year-old oak and is made in the same way (with the same yields) as the villages and premiers. It is a great value wine to drink or age for a few years, but could possibly age even longer if required.

"A pleasant nose of exuberant freshness that is at once fruity and citrusy leads to racy, intense and pure flavors that possess fine detail, depth and length. Fontaine always seems to over achieve with this wine and he's done it again in '08 as this is really quite pretty. Outstanding. 86 points." Allen Meadows, BURGHOUND.

 

 

2008 Chassagne Montrachet Price $92 | $84 dozen

Always a very impressive wine for this level, the 2008 is impressive and leaves the taster in no doubt, that it is made in exactly the same manner as the more expensive wines below. It is from 7 parcels equalling 1.8ha, planted between 1960 and 1989. It really shows the lovely ripeness and tangy citrus of the vintage with razor sharp acidity.

"A more complex but not necessarily prettier nose of resin and ripe orchard fruit aromas gives way to nicely voluminous and textured medium-bodied flavors that are delicious yet serious with good mid-palate fat and an agreeably dry finish. I like the balance and depth for a villages level wine. 88 points." Allen Meadows, BURGHOUND.

 

2008 Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru 'Boudriotte' Price $124 | $111 dozen
La Boudriotte, is a special "subset" of Morgeot [it can be called either], and Chassagne vignerons who own both [above and below the road] usually use the more specific name of Boudriotte. In the case of Fontaine, the vines were planted in the 40?s and 80?s, and the parcel sits above the Chassagne- Santenay road on a higher and more sloping plot. Of the Fontaine wines, it is always a little more "square", or tight when young. But a 2004 tasted recently shows that a few years in bottle force it to open a little [although the 2004 has a long way to go]. The 2008 is tight, minerally, edgy, rich and long. There is a little "meaty" / savoury reductive character [a la Coche-Dury] which adds character and interest.

"A touch of reduction cannot completely hide the white flower, resin and ripe citrus aromas that are in keeping with the rich, full and slightly more energetic flavours that are a bit more elegant and certainly tighter if not quite as complex. Still, the superior finishing persistence gives this a slight edge vis-à-vis the Murées. 90 points." Allen Meadows, BURGHOUND.

 

2008 Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru 'Vergers' Price $124 | $111 dozen

The Vergers in 2008 seems to have been more successful than usual, with a wine of great power, ripeness and substance. It has the "savoury" reductive character mentioned above, and beautiful acidity [with mineral and grapefruit] that Richard says comes from the 50cm of red clay topsoil. The texture in this wine is benchmark and it too is an impressive white.

"A mild touch of reduction is not enough to block the otherwise nicely fresh aromas of peach and just sliced lemon that introduces rich, full and voluminous flavors that possess a silky mouth feel and a palate staining, mineral-driven and beautifully complex finish. Excellent quality for this understated and pure effort. Outstanding. 92 points." Allen Meadows, BURGHOUND.

 

2008 Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru 'Murees' Price $124 | $111 dozen

This is the "cutest" of the Fontaine 1er Cru vineyards. It is just outside the doors of the main church, and surrounded on 3 sides by the village of Chassagne itself. The word Murée means "small wall" and this small [0.3ha] vineyard a "monopole" of the Fontaine family. It was replanted in 1971 and the site has many limestone rocks in the topsoil, with solid limestone a little further down where the roots can easily get to. For a fairly flat site, it always seems to produce "minerally" tense wines that in blind tastings "appear" to come from a high, rocky sloped site. This 2008 has a long finish and is impressive wine. 8 barrels are usually made. You will have to make your own mind up as to its ultimate quality, as I disagree with the note below.

"An acceptably fresh, very ripe and slightly exotic orchard fruit nose also displays notes of resin and an earthy character that continues onto the rich, full and generous flavours that possess good mid-palate fat and solid volume, all wrapped in a sappy finish of good but not special persistence. This is quite forward and should drink well young. 89 points." Allen Meadows, BURGHOUND.

 

 

2008 Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru 'Caillerets' Price $148 | $134 dozen

This wine won the prize for the longest malo in 2008 and in 2008 looks like one of the best 1ers to age. The rows run up and down the hill so take in the white soil and the brown, giving a wine of complexity. The structure and acidity forms quite an unyielding wine that should develop well. This is usually the Fontaines? 2nd best 1er cru.

"As it often is, this is the most elegant wine in the range with a pure, refined, sophisticated and notably cool nose that offers up notes of wet stone, fresh lemon zest and white flowers where the citrus influence continues onto the stylish, intense and beautifully delineated flavours that ooze a fine minerality on the silky yet explosive finish. This is terrific if you enjoy cuts-like-a-knife delineation. Sweet spot, outstanding. 92 points." Allen Meadows BURGHOUND.

 

 

2008 Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru 'La Romanee' Price $157 | $141 dozen

This is usually the best 1er cru in the cellar, and often rivals a grand cru. It?s a .35ha vineyard planted in 1950 and 1960. Richard says that it?s the soil that gives the acidity, the slope the ripeness and it is the last to ripen because of the altitude. The 2008 has some meaty / yeasty reduction and powerful fruit. It?s ripe, very concentrated and balanced with a razor sharp acidity knitted through the whole palate.

"Here the nose is marked by a certain exoticism that is less obvious than it typically is with relatively subtle aromas of citrus, mango, white peach and apricot aromas that are trimmed in a subtle touch of wood before introducing rich, full and generous flavours brimming with buckets of dry extract that really coat the palate yet the balanced finish is bone dry with terrific intensity and persistence. This and the Caillerets always seem to be the very best 1ers in the Fontaine stable and they again distinguish themselves most admirably in 2008. Sweet spot. Outstanding! 93 points." Allen Meadows, BURGHOUND.

 

 

2008 Criots Batard Montrachet GC Price $324 | $290 dozen

This name comes from the old name "crai" which, of course" means rocky soil! The Criots is more sheltered from the wind than adjacent Batard and is usually just a little riper and a little better when young. Prior to 1936 it was sold as Batard. It is a rich and opulent wine with a nose of spice, wild honey scented alyssum flowers and citrus. It has "complexity" stamped all over it!

"This possesses arguably the ripest nose of the range with its mildly exotic aromas of white flower, spiced pear, apricot and mango that combine with rich, full, powerful and overtly well-muscled flavours that offer impressive volume and power on the textured, indeed even opulent finish that is amply concentrated and seriously long. Overall, this is no more elegant than the La Romanée but there is another dimension of depth and length present. A terrific Criots. Don't miss! 94 points." Allen Meadows? BURGHOUND.

 

 

2008 Batard Montrachet GC Price $324 | $290 dozen

This has more reductive character than the Criots and is fatter with more richness and length. It?s a stunning wine.

"As is often the case, this is much more reserved though not exactly discreet as the white flower and citrus aromas are well-layered and quite pretty. The restraint continues onto the rich, full-bodied and entirely serious flavours that are notably more backward, all wrapped in a detailed, lightly mineral-suffused and driving finish that is both lemony and quite dry. This explosive effort is a real beauty and should enjoy a long life. Don't miss! 95 points." Allen Meadows, BURGHOUND.

 

 

2008 Montrachet GC SOLD OUT

24 bottles for Australia! An amazing full, powerhouse of a wine with balance and poise. I could rave on and on, but this is Montrachet, and you know it?s one of World?s greatest wines.

"Interestingly, the '08 Montrachet is almost a hypothetical combination of the Criots and the Bâtard as it's less exotic than the Criots but more expressive than the latter. Ripe and exceptionally broad aromas of spice, wood, orchard fruit, acacia blossom and citrus nuances complement to perfection the impressively rich and full-bodied flavours that possess an abundance of dry extract that renders the firm acid spine almost invisible at present. More impressive still though is the pure, energetic and equally explosive finish that goes on and on. This is an absolute knock-out but note that patience will be required. 96 points." Allen Meadows. BURGHOUND.