Puligny-Montrachet, Les Folatieres, 2006
Les, or Ez Folatières is Puligny's largest first growth, at 17.65 hectares. It lies on the same altitude as Les Caillerets, Chevalier-Montrachet and Le Montrachet itself, but to the north, between 250 and 300 metres above sea level. It includes the lieux-dits of En La Richarde, a recent addition, Peux Bois and Au Chaniot, all of which are at the southern end.
While many would argue that Caillerets is possibly the best of the Puligny premiers crus, Folatières is certainly among the very best. Those further upslope – Le Garenne, La Truffière, Les Champs Gain and others – are lighter and less fine, and in lesser years can be a bit thin. Clavoillon, below, produces a more four square wine. Only Clos de la Garenne, next to Folatières, Perrières, Combettes and Champ Canet, further north towards Meursault, plus Pucelles, which marches with Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet, can match the elegance of Folatières, and only in Clos de la Garenne (owned by the Duc de Magenta and exclusive to Maison Jadot) will you find a wine with the same depth of character.
As you would expect in Burgundy, though essentailly limestone, the geology is complex. The lower and eastern part of the Folatières climat is made up of a compact, hard, erosion-resistant lower Bathonian rock, found and quarried a couple of kilometres away in Chassagne-Montrachet. The surface soil is rich in stones and rather thin. The uppermost part consists of compact limestones and dolomites equivalent to the Comblanchien rocks of the Côte de Nuits, and also found in the rocky outcrop between Genevrières and Narvaux in Meursault. The soils are once again thin, and rich in stones. Between the two lies a thin strip of marl abundant in large mussel-like fossils. Erosion is more commonplace here, so rendering the shalier soils found here more concave. Downslope there is a distinct fault, below which the limestone resembles that of the hill of Corton. You can see the fault in the upper part of Le Montrachet. (My thanks to Francoise Vannier-Petit, local geologist for this information).
But, while this geology is instructive, what effect does this have on the wine? Eric Rémy, regisseur of the Domaine Leflaive, says that in the southern part of the climat there is a little more clay: hence powerful, but elegant wines with good fruit; while the more stony northern section makes more mineral wines. Franck Grux of Olivier Leflaive Frères points out that up-slope the surface soil is very thin. It can get very hot and dry; and the fruit can rapidly degenerate into super-ripeness, producing wine which is heavy and superficial on the follow through: too primeur for comfort. I incline to the view that the best sector is that on the same altitudinal line as the Caillerets, rather than further up-slope. Here are the most complete Folatières.
Those who have vines here, in rough south to north order, include Philippe Chavy, the Château de Puligny, Domaine des Lambrays, Jean Chartron, Réne Monnier, Paul Pernot (in part),Vincent Girardin and Sylvain Bzikot.
Folatières is a full wine, meaty, mineral and with plenty of weight of fruit and good grip. It ages well. The best, in the best vintages, require seven or eight years to mature. I asked the growers in the early months of 2010 whether they would be interested in participating in a comparitive tasting, and I chose 2006, one of the best of the recent vintages, though perhaps one which is more vintage- than terroir-representative. They responded enthusiastically, though some did not have a single bottle to spare for the tasting. The tasting was held at Hotel/Restaurant Le Montrachet in Puligny itself. My thanks to André Berthier, chef sommelier, and his colleagues for setting up the tasting.
Here are my notes.
Bachelet-Monnot.43 ares. Bottled after 18 months. 30 percent new oak.
Slightly heavy nose, with a touch of sulphur and at the same time some evolution. Better on the palate. Much cleaner. Fullish body. Very good grip. Plenty of depth. Properly dry. Quite a meaty wine. Long and satisfying. Very good indeed. From 2012.
Bernard-Bonin.16 ares. 18 months. 30 percent new oak.
Clean, crisp, racy, high class nose. Subtle and flowery. Medium-full body. Ripe, complex, lovely fruit. Very well-balanced. Lots of depth and distinction. Very fine. Just about ready.
Vincent Bouzereau.20 ares. 11 months. 20 percent new oak.
Delicate nose. There doesn't seem to be a lot of depth here. On the palate medium to medium-full body. Clean and enjoyable. But not really the concentration and dimension of a top premier cru. Balanced but a bit slight. Good at best. Ready.
Sylvain Bzikot.40 ares. 15 to 18 months. 40 percent new oak.
Ripe nose, a touch exotic. Fullish, open, balanced and just about à point.Good grip. Plump. Quite rich. An attractive wine which is long on the palate and just about ready. Very good indeed.
Michel Caillot.17 ares. 12 months in cask, followed by 12 months in cuve. 100 percent one year old casks.
Quite evolved and a little tropical on the nose. Full and rich, but does it lack a little grip? Better on the palate. Fullish, abundant, decent acidity. Not too exotic, but it could have done with a little more finesse. Balanced and quite concentrated nevertheless. Good plus. From 2012
Jean Chartron.45 ares. 12 months in cask and then three in vat. 30 percent new oak.
Attractive, cool and minerally on the nose, but a little light-weight. Medium to medium-full body. Good attack, ripe and racy with a touch of new oak. Lacks a little energy on the follow through but by no means short. Very good indeed. From 2011.
Chàteau de Puligny.52 ares. 12 months plus 3 months en cuve. 15 percent 600 litre new oak casks.
Firm, quite closed nose. But good depth and grip underneath; Lots of class too. Full body, backward, meaty and profound. Very good grip. It is just a little four-square at present but it needs time. Fine. From 2013.
Alain Chavy.1.35 ares. 15-16 months. 25 percent new oak.
A slight touch of sulphur on the nose. Better on the palate. Youthful. Medium-full body. Lots of energy and plenty of depth. Lovely balanced, classy fruit and very good grip. Fine. From 2012.
Hubert Chavy.60 ares. 12 months. 25 percent new oak.
From magnum. Lovely rich, ripe nose. A touch more exotic than most. Lovely fruit. Medium-full body. Subtle, balanced, vigorous and very complex at the end. Very long and classy indeed. Fine plus. From 2012.
Jean-Louis Chavy.1.03 hectares. 14 months. 30 percent new oak.
Lovely subtle nose. Delicate, complex, classy fruit. Not a blockbuster. Indeed quite understated. Very harmonious, long and complex. Very fine. Just about ready.
Philippe Chavy.30 ares. 11 months. 30 percent new oak.
The nose is quite hidden. Fullish and a bit four-square on the palate. But a lot of depth and vigour. Still very young. Fullish, classy, very good grip. Got better and better in the glass. Very fine plus. From 2014.
Maison Joseph Drouhin.Usual purchase not disclosed. 11 months. 30 percent new oak.
Just a touch of sulphur on the nose. Ripe and rich and quite exotic on the palate. Fullish body. Not the greatest of class but good energy. Good plus. From 2012.
Benoit Ente.27 ares. 12 months. 20 percent new oak.
Classy if not very concentrated on the nose. Fullish, clean, racy and energetic on the palate. Finishes better than it starts. No lack of depth or finesse. Very good indeed. From 2012.
Vincent Girardin.1.40 hectares. 18 months. 20 percent new oak.
Very lovely nose. Lots of class. Subtle and complex. Balanced and definitive. Medium-full body. Ripe, multi-dimensional, especially at the end. Very lovely. Very fine plus. From 2012.
Thierry Glantenay.50 ares. 14 to 16 months. 20 percent new oak.
Classy nose. Still closed. Fullish body. Balanced, and full of fruit. This is really very fine indeed. Multi-dimensional. From 2012.
Louis Jadot.24 ares. 20 months. 20 percent new oak.
Delicate nose. A little more marked by the oak than most. Medium-full body. Ripe, clean and well-balanced. Gently oaky on the palate but long and classy. Very fine. From 2012.
Domaine des Lambrays.29 ares. 12 to14 months. 50 percent new oak.
Full, concentrated, very well-balanced nose. This is profound and youthful. Full bodied. Ripe, rich and vigorous. Lots of wine here. Lots of depth and lots of class. Very lovely finish. Needs time. Very fine indeed. From 2014.
Maison Louis Latour.Usually buy the equivalent of 10 pièces. 12 months. 50 percent new oak.
Not a great deal on the nose. Medium-full body. Somewhat four-square. Not a lot of either class nor dimension; But decent grip and length. Good. From 2012.
Domaine Leflaive.1.07 hectares. 12 months in cask, then 6 to 8 months in tank. 20 percent new oak.
From magnum. Good balanced fruit on the nose. Fullish body. Ripe. Good grip. Good depth. Lots of energy and a long way from being ready for drinking. Lots of dimension and concentration. Very fine. From 2014.
Maison Olivier Leflaive Frères.Usually buy the equivalent of 8 to 10 pièces.15 to 18 months. 25 percent new oak.
From magnum. Subtle nose. There is more here than seems at first. Classy and very harmonious. Lovely fruit. Fullish body. Ripe and complex and multi-dimensional. Very lovely, long, lingering finish. Very fine. From 2012.
René Monnier.82 ares. 14 months. 30 percent new oak.
From magnum. Complex, subtle nose. Still not fully evolved. But classy and promising. Beautifully balanced. Fullish body. Poised, energetic and very high class. Very fine indeed. From 2014.
Jean Pascal et Fils.63 ares. 11 months. 25 percent new oak.
Attractive peachy fruit on the nose. Good grip. Ample and very Puligny. Medium-full body. Succulent, pure, balanced and classy. Lovely finish. Fine plus. From 2012.
Pernot.3.08 hectares. 11 months. 40 percent new oak.
Not a lot of depth or class on the nose. A bit of sulphur too. I feel this is one of those 2006s that was picked a little late. It is a little concocted. Others liked it more than I did. Three voted it as one of their favorites.
Maison Remoissenet Père et Fils.Usually buy the equivalent of 5 pièces.16 months. 40 percent new oak.
Ripe, racy and classy on the nose. Profound and stylish. Lots of dimension. Full bodied. Youthful. Very good depth. A big wine with lots of energy. Needs time. Fine plus. From 2014.
Etienne Sauzet.27 ares. Plus the equivalent of 9 pièces bought as négociant. 18 months. 25 percent new oak.
Lovely fruit on the nose. Ripe, clean and harmonious. Nicely racy. Medium-full body. Balanced. Good grip. It just seems to tail off a bit at the end. Very good indeed but not fine.
I took a consensus of the group's preferences. The four most favoured wines were those of Vincent Girardin, Domaine Leflaive, Olivier Laflaive and Remoissenet, the last two being merchant wines (but where such merchants were heavily involved in the local viticulture and were bought in as fruit.) The Lambrays sample, plus one or two others, were late arrivals and sampled seperately. Note that Chanson and Faiveley, who can today offer you Folatières, did not possess their parcels in 2006.
En primeur, Puligny-Montrachet, Les Folatières, 2006, was offered at £240 to £275 per six bottles, ex cellars, to customers in Britain, $450 or so per six pack in the USA.
As well as the above, the following also produce Folatières: the Domaine d'Auvenay in Saint-Romain, Jean-Michel Gaunoux and Château Genot-Boulanger, both in Meursault, and the Domaine Maroslavac-Léger in Puligny. The wine may also be carried by other merchants.