Chassagne-Montrachet Les Caillerets
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Ready, but will keep,
There is immediate power on the nose here and it is broad-shouldered but less evidently aromatic in its youth than the other cuvées. There is however a spectacular weight on the palate and a huge density of fruit that just needs time to show. One to put at the back of the cellar for longer-term enjoyment.
Jasper Morris MW, Burgundy Director
Jasper Morris MW, Burgundy Director
Caroline l’Estimé (née Gagnard) has been ploughing her vineyards since 2000 to avoid the use of herbicides and switched to full organic farming from 2010 with certification beginning from 2011. Noted soil scientist Claude Bourguigon is consulting. The 2010s were picked quickly (not many grapes alas) between 21st and 24th September, with any rot resulting from the famous storm having dried out or turned noble.
Ready, but will keep,
White Wine Of The Vintage
Caroline Lestimé's wines really stood out this year for their excellence across the board. The pick of her superb range of Premier Crus was the Caillerets: classy and complex with great concentration of minerally fruit and tremendous elegance. My tasting note finishes wow!.
(Chris Pollington Fine Wine Sales Advisor)
Full, pure and powerful, this really shows its class from the outset, building several layers of flavour on the palate. It has a great feeling of luminosity and a fabulous finish. Brilliant! Magnums and Jeroboams are packed in wooden boxes.
(Jasper Morris MW, BBR Burgundy Buyer)
Caroline Lestimé's wines really stood out this year for their excellence across the board. The pick of her superb range of Premier Crus was the Caillerets: classy and complex with great concentration of minerally fruit and tremendous elegance. My tasting note finishes wow!.
(Chris Pollington Fine Wine Sales Advisor)
Full, pure and powerful, this really shows its class from the outset, building several layers of flavour on the palate. It has a great feeling of luminosity and a fabulous finish. Brilliant! Magnums and Jeroboams are packed in wooden boxes.
(Jasper Morris MW, BBR Burgundy Buyer)
For laying down,
Bright in colour again, with a light green tint, the nose has fruit and floral notes, while the palate retains the elegance and marries it to a rich cashmere weight. There are pears and yellow plums, with huge density behind and intense power. It just needs a little longer in barrel to come together completely. Drink 2019-2025.
Jasper Morris MW, Wine Buyer
The sometimes hesitant Caroline Gagnard was in confident mood when showing us her excellent range of 2015s, and rightly so. Poor conditions during flowering have resulted in a small crop in red, but somewhat better for white. Caroline began picking on 31st August and thinks that 2015 resembles a mix of 2010, ‘12 and ‘13, describing the wines as being both “glace et sorbet” – ie with the fresh precision of a sorbet and the richer texture of ice-cream.
Jasper Morris MW, Wine Buyer
The sometimes hesitant Caroline Gagnard was in confident mood when showing us her excellent range of 2015s, and rightly so. Poor conditions during flowering have resulted in a small crop in red, but somewhat better for white. Caroline began picking on 31st August and thinks that 2015 resembles a mix of 2010, ‘12 and ‘13, describing the wines as being both “glace et sorbet” – ie with the fresh precision of a sorbet and the richer texture of ice-cream.
For laying down,
After the exuberant Blanchot Dessus, the Caillerets is positively discreet and reserved. The nose is very serious, with the fruit masked by aromas of fine minerals and gunflint. The palate is fine, elegant and stony with a persistent salinity to the finish. As ever this is taut in its youth but will gain weight in due course. Drink 2024-2032.
After the catastrophically small vintage last year, Caroline is much happier with the good but in no sense excessive crop of 2017. Indeed, her organic viticulture methods and old-vine holdings mean that yields are a long way below the permitted maximum. Caroline is pleased with the ripe fruit profile of the wines, highlighting the velour, density and volume as key attributes, but taking care to explain that they are not heavy. These are exciting wines, which will be hedonistic in youth but the abundance of dry extract points to huge ageing potential.
After the catastrophically small vintage last year, Caroline is much happier with the good but in no sense excessive crop of 2017. Indeed, her organic viticulture methods and old-vine holdings mean that yields are a long way below the permitted maximum. Caroline is pleased with the ripe fruit profile of the wines, highlighting the velour, density and volume as key attributes, but taking care to explain that they are not heavy. These are exciting wines, which will be hedonistic in youth but the abundance of dry extract points to huge ageing potential.
Showing 1-9 out of 9 items
The 2014 vintage is their first to be certified organic by Ecocert, which will appear on the label. Sadly it is another small crop, no bigger than 2013. While Caroline Lestimé was, as usual, self-deprecating with regards to her wines, we can tell you that they are absolutely stunning this year. We cannot remember a better vintage in her cellar.