2020 St Aubin, Murgers des Dents de Chien, 1er Cru, Domaine Gérard Thomas, Burgundy
Critics reviews
The 2020 Saint-Aubin Murgers des Dents de Chien 1er Cru has a more complex bouquet than the Champ Tirant, certainly with more mineralité and terroir expression. The palate is well balanced with a fine bead of acidity, a little oaky and slightly reduced on the finish. Again, the winemaking M.O. comes across a little strongly here.
Drink 2023 - 2029
Neal Martin, Vinous.com (January 2022)
Quite a step up from the Champ Tirant. Subtle oak on the nose/palate. More concentration with a lovely combination of freshness, ripe fruit and lingering stony notes on the finish.
Drink 2022 - 2027
Andy Howard MW, JancisRobinson.com (January 2022)
About this WINE
Gerard Thomas
Gérard Thomas and his two young daughters run this traditional 11-hectare St. Aubin estate. The vines are situated primarily within the commune of St. Aubin, St. Aubin 1er Crus (Murgers des Dents de Chien, La Chatenière, Frionnes and Combes), also Meursault 1ers Cru Blagny and Puligny Montrachet 1er Cru La Garenne.
The Murgers des Dents des Chiens is named after the dog's tooth-shaped boundary stones that predominate in the vineyard, while La Chatenière is named after the cats that roam freely in the vineyard. The latter is one of the finest wines produced in St. Aubin.
Saint Aubin
Though tucked away in a side valley behind the two ‘Montrachet’ villages, Saint-Aubin is a great source of fine, steely white Burgundy and some attractively fruity reds. Production used to be about 50:50 between the two colours, but the whites have become the more sought-after and now represent two-thirds of the crop. There is a significant difference however between the best Premiers Crus – such as En Remilly – and the vineyards tucked away further up the valley.
- 80 hectares of village Saint-Aubin
- 156 hectares of Premier Cru vineyards (15 in all). The finest include En Remilly, Murgers des Dents de Chien, La Chatenière, Les Frionnes
- Recommended producer: Hubert Lamy
Chardonnay
Chardonnay is often seen as the king of white wine grapes and one of the most widely planted in the world It is suited to a wide variety of soils, though it excels in soils with a high limestone content as found in Champagne, Chablis, and the Côte D`Or.
Burgundy is Chardonnay's spiritual home and the best White Burgundies are dry, rich, honeyed wines with marvellous poise, elegance and balance. They are unquestionably the finest dry white wines in the world. Chardonnay plays a crucial role in the Champagne blend, providing structure and finesse, and is the sole grape in Blanc de Blancs.
It is quantitatively important in California and Australia, is widely planted in Chile and South Africa, and is the second most widely planted grape in New Zealand. In warm climates Chardonnay has a tendency to develop very high sugar levels during the final stages of ripening and this can occur at the expense of acidity. Late picking is a common problem and can result in blowsy and flabby wines that lack structure and definition.
Recently in the New World, we have seen a move towards more elegant, better- balanced and less oak-driven Chardonnays, and this is to be welcomed.
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Description
Murgers des Dents de Chien, named after the dogs’-teeth-shaped stones piled up by the vineyard, is arguably the best site in Saint-Aubin. Located a stone’s throw from Le Montrachet and Puligny Cailleret, it is characterised by the limestone and marl soil that imparts a delicate, mineral freshness in its wines.
The 2020 vintage is vibrant and citrus-filled, with a subtle, spicy oak character adding some support. The finish is saline, mineral and iodine-driven, leaving a satisfying, mouth-watering impression that lingers on the palate and encourages another sip. An excellent value white Burgundy from the top vineyard in a village now sits comfortably among the “big three” in terms of quality.
Drink 2023 - 2030
Adam Bruntlett, Senior Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd (May 2023)
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