2005 Domaine Roger Belland Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru

Mission Codename: A Higher Expression

Operative: Agent White

Objective: Secure an exceptional Premier Cru white Burgundy

Mission Status: Accomplished

Current Winery: Domaine Roger Belland

Wine Subject: 2005 Puligny-Montrachet ‘Les Champs-Gains’ Premier Cru

Winemaker: Roger and Julie Belland

Backgrounder:

While California is well known for the ubiquitous Chardonnay, this grape finds its highest form of expression in France’s Cote de Beaune communes of Meursault and Puligny-Montrachet, where we find our self today. The Premier Crus of Puligny-Montrachet represent Chardonnay of exceptional finesse and elegance with deeply complex but subtle aromas and flavors. Located about 10 miles south of Beaune along the N74, are most influenced by the cooler and wetter climate and its limestone soil.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Deep yellow with bright gold reflections through its crystal clear core. When swirled, this wine leaves slow widely spaced legs that descend to the wine below at random speeds.

Smell – Complex and refined, this subtle aromatic wine shows hints of white flowers, toasted nuts, chalky minerality and honey over a base of bright citrus fruits.

Feel – Medium to full-bodied with extremely well integrated and balanced tannins and acidity that support the array of flavors long into the finish. Slightly creamy in texture but not overly weighted with a touch of minerality.

Taste – Deceptively complex flavors hide just underneath generously sweet and lively citrus and peach fruit and subtle fresh honey flavors. A touch of persistent minerality, rich toasted nuts, delicate vanilla and oak.

Finish – Clean and persistent with lingering fruit and other harmonious flavors that emerge and fade into the next flavor.

Conclusion – I wouldn’t call the 2005 Puligny-Montrachet ‘Les Champs-Gains’ Premier Cru austere, as this wine’s sleek elegance and subtlety emerges as you explore its depth of aromas and flavors fully. Extremely well balanced and integrated, this is a delicious Chardonnay that really delivers. Enjoy this wine now or cellar for the next 10-15 years. Pair this opulent wine with simple grilled lobster – it doesn’t get any better than that! Divine…

Mission Report:

Below is a recap of Agent White’s and Blush’s recent visit to Burgundy.

… December 2008 – East Central France, Côte-d’Or department …

We began the day early as we wanted to hit the Route des Grand Crus with lots of time to enjoy the food and especially the wine. Zipping through the back roads from our safe house in Bar Sur Aube(south end of the Champagne region) to Dijon at this hour was fast but just outside of Dijon, we started to hit the normal business day traffic. Thankfully, the GPS devise in my handheld spy communicator quickly re-routed us around and soon we were headed south through some of the finest vineyards in all of Burgundy.

The N74, or Route de Dijon as its known officially but wine aficionados know this as the Route de Grand Crus. We slowed down and started taking it all in. The names of each commune and village familiar to anyone who has spent time in the French section of a good wine shop. The vineyards, this time of year, bare, with a slight fog resting in the lower valleys, and along the tops of the hills to the west. A slight drizzle fell creating an almost surreal experience as the fog and low clouds moved with the weather exposing and then rehiding these prized vineyards.

After our lunch in Beaune, Agent Blush and I had the chance to explore some of the smaller communes that overlooked the valley and in particular, the historic village of Puligny-Montrachet with is many Premier Cru vineyards that are famous for exceptional white Burgundy. Puligny-Montrachet is located just about a ten miles south of Beaune. The white wines from Puligny-Montrachet are truly representative of the purity, finesse and elegance that Burgundy is known for.

Quite simply, this is the life. While you may not have been able to join us on the Holiday in Beaune, today’s selection from Domaine Roger Belland will at least give you a small bit of the flavor of the trip!

A votre sante!

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The location of the village of Puligny-Montrachet can be seen in this satellite photo.