Gevrey Chambertin & Chambolle Musigny from Philippe Leclerc: I have tasted no better red Burgundies

  Philippe in his tasting room, which he designed himself.

These pinnacle Pinot Noirs will thrill you every time you uncork them:

2006 Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru La Combe aux Moines
2006 Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru les Cazetiers
2006 Chambolle-Musigny les Babillaires

Allen Meadows of Burghound reports on Leclerc’s Chambolle Musigny:

2006 Chambolle-Musigny Les Babillières: “A touch of wood spice frames the very ripe yet fresh earthy red raspberry, cranberry and cherry fruit nose where the concentrated, rich, round and sweet flavors are also very firmly structured and the style is clearly old school. Built to age as this is serious but well-balanced. Patience required.”

Chambolle Musigny, wine with an “electric gout de terroir” is an appellation south of Morey St Denis and north of Vougeot on the extraordinary, incomparable Cote d’Or which yields the finest expression of Pinot Noir in the world.

What does a Chambolle Musigny taste like? I’ll let Matt Kramer of Wine Spectator answer that one:

“Chambolle Musigny makes wines of grace. Their power derives not from mass but from a coordination of flavor with finesse: a kind of vinous jujitsu…there should always be underlying strength, even in cummune-level Chambolle-Musigny. It’s too easy to confuse lightness with deftness. A good Chambolle Musigny at whatever level should have backbone; one should be able to readily sense forceful flavor and see both structure and fruit.”

Chambolle Musigny has more limestone in its soil than other appellations in the Cote d’Or and this determines the weight of the wine and its unique fruit signature. You have to get to know Chambolle Musigny and I would start with this one.

Here is what Allen Meadows of Burghound says about Leclerc’s Gevrey-Chambertin:

“2006 Gevrey-Chambertin Combe Aux Moines: An expressive nose that is also trimmed in a bit of oak influence features a panoply of complex red fruit aromas that are slightly more elegant and notably pure that dissolve into round, detailed and rich flavors that display subtle minerality on the precise, firm and nicely focused finish. This is less powerful than the Cazetiers but it’s actually more persistent and less obviously rustic. Rated 90/2016+”

2006 Gevrey-Chambertin les Cazetiers: “A pungent nose combines wood spice and very ripe dark, black and cassis berry fruit aromas where the ripeness continues onto the extremely rich, earthy and animale-infused big-bodied flavors that are chewy, concentrated and serious and culminate in a mouth coating and very powerful finish that is overtly rustic. Rated 90/2016+”

I’ve never had better Gevrey-Chambertin, make that Burgundy, than Leclerc’s Gevrey Chambertin. Philippe’s Premiers Crus are at the Grand Cru level ( at half the price). Philippe is a driven superstar winemaker who produces muscular, concentrated beauties aged over two years in new oak that will make you a Burgundy addict.

I have always felt that Philippe must have some sort of “in” with Mother Nature because there is virtually nothing she can hurl at the Cote d’Or that stumps him in the least. Year in and year out, he pulls off magnificent wines when others stumble.

Philippe’s wines are never fined or filtered. Philippe is such a perfectionist, he’s always busy reaching for that next rung of quality – never completely satisfied with his efforts. There is always something new with which to experiment, but I know he is much, much too hard on himself; his red wines come as close to perfection as I’ve ever had in Burgundy. Don’t miss a chance to experience these wonderful expressions of all that the Cote de Nuits can deliver. Cynthia Hurley