Wine Advisor
Pierre Yves Colin Morey, Corton Charlemagne Grand Cru 2011
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Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Pierre-Yves almost forgot to show me his 2011 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru, which I had to take back to my hotel room and cool down myself to the correct temperature. It has a precise bouquet with seamlessly integrated oak just lifting up those lime flower, apricot blossom and brioche scents. The palate has a fine line of acidity and wonderful focus: shimmering green lemon and white peach notes. They fan out toward the precise, mineral-laden finish. This is divine – at the right temperature of course! Following last issue’s “amuse bouche,” I could not miss an opportunity to visit Pierre-Yves at his winery in the village of Chassagne to take a look at his 2011s. “I like the 2011s because they give a lot of pleasure when they are young,” he said to me. “But I think they could age very well. The wines are on the ripe side – a bit like 2001 or maybe 2002. But I think it is a complete vintage. Personally, I prefer 2010 which is more on the mineral side, but the 2011s appeal to a wider audience, and in a way, bring people to Burgundy. When the customers come to the estate, they seem to have never heard about the 2011 vintage and so they do not know what to expect. But when they taste them they were quite easy to sell.” Pierre-Yves 2011s do not disappoint, mostly imbued with the delineation and poise we have come to expect from this top-tier producer who demonstrates that you do not necessarily have to own all your vines to create exceptional wines. We briefly discussed his move away from new oak and he admitted that perhaps during his initial vintages he was trying to impress. That is only natural. He has retreated from the cooperage to employ a minimal amount of new wood and things are about to change again. He had just taken delivery of two 11-hectolitre wooden troconic tanks that he will trial with the 2013 vintage, probably on one of the St. Aubin wines such as En Remilly. I cannot wait to taste the results. The Chassagne-Montrachets underwent a longer elevage than the St. Aubins and were bottled two months prior to my visit in July 2013. Importer: Daniel Johnnes Selection, imported by Michael Skurnik, Syosset, NY; tel. (516) 677-9300; also imported by Bertin Henri Selections, Doral, FL; tel. (305) 343-4054
About the Producer
Maison Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey is a Burgundy producer based in Chassagne-Montrachet, in the Côte de Beaune subregion. It is known for its fine Chardonnay wines, and has most of its vineyard holdings in Saint-Aubin. The estate was established in 2005 by husband-and-wife team Pierre-Yves Colin and Catherine Morey, both children of esteemed Burgundy winemakers. Colin had been winemaker at his family's winery since 1995 and in 2001 started a négociant business with his wife. In 2005, he left the family estate to establish his own label with his six-hectare (15-acre) share – the rest of the Colin vineyards remained with his three siblings (Caroline, Joseph and Damien, who run Domaine Marc Colin). Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey has holdings in several premier cru sites in Saint-Aubin and Chassagne-Montrachet including Chatèniere, Champlots, Remilly, Chenevottes and Caillerets. On top of this, the domaine buys grapes to make wines from several grand cru vineyards, including Bâtard-Montrachet and Corton-Charlemagne. The estate predominantly makes Chardonnay, but also produces a small amount of Pinot Noir from Saint-Aubin and Santenay. In the cellar, Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey does not employ battonage but favors lengthy lees contact and barrel aging. The wines are bottled without filtration and often without fining.
