Critic ratings
robert_parker
2011
Rating:
90
–90
The 2011 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Folatieres has a pretty bouquet that is stony and mineral-rich, perhaps stylistically more 2010. The palate is nicely balanced but does not quite have the verve I was expecting for such a propitious lieu-dit. It is very linear and precise, although it needs a little more character on the finish that is a little abrupt.
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
robert_parker
2010
Rating:
92
–95
The 2010 Puligny-Montrachet Les Folatieres is laced with citrus, white flowers and pears. It shows fabulous energy and focus through to the pure, dazzling finish. This is another hugely impressive wine. The style is a bit linear, yet there is no shortage of purity and sheer finesse. Anticipated maturity: 2014+.
Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey is one of Burgundy’s most exciting young producers. Colin-Morey works with six hectares of vineyards, three of which are estate owned, while the rest are sources of purchased fruit. According to Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey, the key to 2009 was picking early. The harvest started on the September 4. Colin-Morey did a long, slow press, with no batonnage once the wines were in barrel, all with the aim of preserving as much freshness as possible given the natural ripeness of the fruit. Roughly 80% of the wines were aged in 350-liter barrels, larger than the norm in Burgundy. Colin-Morey finished bottling the 2009s in April 2011. Colin-Morey told me he wasn’t enthused about the 2009s at first, but now thinks the wines have enough freshness to age well.
A Daniel Johnnes Selection, imported by Michael Skurnik, Syosset, NY; tel. (516) 677-9300
robert_parker
2010
Rating:
93
–93
There is a cool, inward minerality to the 2010 Puligny-Montrachet Les Folatieres that is quite striking, but the wine is going to need some time to fully come together. Lemon, white flowers and flint are some the many notes that are layered into the wiry, tense finish. I very much like the sense of energy here. Anticipated maturity: 2013+.
Pierre-Yves Colin and Caroline Morey follow their stunning 2009s with an equally compelling set of 2010s. The 2010s have deep site-specific signatures, rich fruit and plenty of acidity. Fans of this small, but increasingly high profile address will want to flock to these wines. Pierre Yves Colin started picking on September 22. Yields were down just 5-10%, which is pretty remarkable considering the vintage. It was a difficult vintage in the cellar, as malos were late and slow. When I visited last June, virtually all of the wines were still finishing their malos. With the exception of the St. Aubins, the 2010s spent about 18 months in barrel. The St. Aubins were bottled in November 2011. All of the other 2010s were bottled in April 2012. The 2011s, which I tasted from barrel, are very promising, so there is a lot to look forward to.
A Daniel Johnnes Selection, imported by Michael Skurnik, Syosset, NY; tel. (516) 677-9300
robert_parker
2009
Rating:
95
–95
The 2009 Puligny-Montrachet Les Folatieres bursts onto the palate with an exciting array of mineral-infused fruits. It shows fabulous intensity in a weightless, beautifully articulated style. Hints of smoke and ash add additional layers of complexity. The long, clean finish makes it impossible to resist a second taste. This is one of the most backward, vibrant wines of the year. I loved it. Anticipated maturity: 2014+.
Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey is one of Burgundy’s most exciting young producers. Colin-Morey works with six hectares of vineyards, three of which are estate owned, while the rest are sources of purchased fruit. According to Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey, the key to 2009 was picking early. The harvest started on the September 4. Colin-Morey did a long, slow press, with no batonnage once the wines were in barrel, all with the aim of preserving as much freshness as possible given the natural ripeness of the fruit. Roughly 80% of the wines were aged in 350-liter barrels, larger than the norm in Burgundy. Colin-Morey finished bottling the 2009s in April 2011. Colin-Morey told me he wasn’t enthused about the 2009s at first, but now thinks the wines have enough freshness to age well.
A Daniel Johnnes Selection, imported by Michael Skurnik, Syosset, NY; tel. (516) 677-9300; also imported by Bertin Henri Selections, 10900 N.W. 21st Street, Unit 180, Doral, Florida 33172 tel: (305) 343-4054
robert_parker
2007
Rating:
90
–90
Like his Meursault bottlings, from fruit for which his contracts date to 2001 and over whose growing he is exercising increasing control, Colin’s 2007 Puligny-Montrachet Folatieres smells of peach, high-toned distilled fruit esters, grapefruit, anise, vanilla, and wood smoke; comes to the palate intense but rather austere in its combination of fruit pit and citrus rind bitterness, chalk, iodine, and ash; and finishes with impressive if almost riotous diversity and intensity, underscored and extended by bitter citrus rind and implacable, adamant minerality. Will the austerity subside? This wine has enormous extract, energy, and potential, but one needs to revisit it in a couple of years.
Pierre-Yves Colin – who openly pledges allegiance to Riesling virtues – does more than just talk the talk of achieving ripe fruit at low levels of potential alcohol. Finished alcohols in his collection – after half a percent or so of chaptalization – range from a (for modern times almost astonishing) 11.75% up to 12.75%. “I really can’t say,” he confesses, “why so many growers were getting fruit of 12.5% or more potential alcohol already at the end of August,” ten days before Colin even began picking, but he can say he doubts their fruit tasted ripe then! Half of the acreage he accesses is in Saint-Aubin – naturally conducive to later ripening – and was not picked until past mid-September this year. Colin believes in minimal settling, by gravity, and retaining lots of lees, but not in actively working them; favors rapid pressing, and 350- (one-third new) over 225-liter barrels; and welcomes late and protracted malo-lactic conversions – although this vintage's malos were completed by the following June. He bottled his Saint-Aubin crus at just over a year; his other premier crus this past March; and the grands crus (of which I was unfortunately unable to taste the Chevalier-Montrachet) in May, sealing them all with wax, in the belief that this will provide extra protection against harmful oxygen ingress.
For myriad further details on this relatively new estate and its rapidly-growing family of wines – nearly half of which are from contract fruit – readers are urged to consult my report in issue 180, where – having up until then not seen a label – I inadvertently left-off the “-Morey” from the winery name
A Daniel Johnnes Selection imported by Michael Skurnik Wines, Syosset, NY, tel. (516) 677 9300;Atherton Wine Imports, Menlo Park, CA, tel. (650) 328-6639 and Bertin Henri Selections, 10900 N.W. 21st Street, Unit 180, Doral, Florida 33172 tel: (305) 392-6995
robert_parker
2009
Rating:
95
–95
The 2009 Puligny-Montrachet Les Folatieres bursts onto the palate with an exciting array of mineral-infused fruits. It shows fabulous intensity in a weightless, beautifully articulated style. Hints of smoke and ash add additional layers of complexity. The long, clean finish makes it impossible to resist a second taste. This is one of the most backward, vibrant wines of the year. I loved it. Anticipated maturity: 2014+.
Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey is one of Burgundy’s most exciting young producers. Colin-Morey works with six hectares of vineyards, three of which are estate owned, while the rest are sources of purchased fruit. According to Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey, the key to 2009 was picking early. The harvest started on the September 4. Colin-Morey did a long, slow press, with no batonnage once the wines were in barrel, all with the aim of preserving as much freshness as possible given the natural ripeness of the fruit. Roughly 80% of the wines were aged in 350-liter barrels, larger than the norm in Burgundy. Colin-Morey finished bottling the 2009s in April 2011. Colin-Morey told me he wasn’t enthused about the 2009s at first, but now thinks the wines have enough freshness to age well.
A Daniel Johnnes Selection, imported by Michael Skurnik, Syosset, NY; tel. (516) 677-9300; also imported by Bertin Henri Selections, 10900 N.W. 21st Street, Unit 180, Doral, Florida 33172 tel: (305) 343-4054
robert_parker
2010
Rating:
93
–93
There is a cool, inward minerality to the 2010 Puligny-Montrachet Les Folatieres that is quite striking, but the wine is going to need some time to fully come together. Lemon, white flowers and flint are some the many notes that are layered into the wiry, tense finish. I very much like the sense of energy here. Anticipated maturity: 2013+.
Pierre-Yves Colin and Caroline Morey follow their stunning 2009s with an equally compelling set of 2010s. The 2010s have deep site-specific signatures, rich fruit and plenty of acidity. Fans of this small, but increasingly high profile address will want to flock to these wines. Pierre Yves Colin started picking on September 22. Yields were down just 5-10%, which is pretty remarkable considering the vintage. It was a difficult vintage in the cellar, as malos were late and slow. When I visited last June, virtually all of the wines were still finishing their malos. With the exception of the St. Aubins, the 2010s spent about 18 months in barrel. The St. Aubins were bottled in November 2011. All of the other 2010s were bottled in April 2012. The 2011s, which I tasted from barrel, are very promising, so there is a lot to look forward to.
A Daniel Johnnes Selection, imported by Michael Skurnik, Syosset, NY; tel. (516) 677-9300
robert_parker
2003
Rating:
88
–88
Sappy, spicy minerals make up the aromatic profile of the light to medium-bodied 2003 Puligny-Montrachet Les Folatieres (white). Armed with good depth of fruit, a fleshy character, and a long finish, this fresh mint, resin, and mineral-flavored wine is a candidate for drinking over the next 3-4 years.
One final note: Pierre-Yves Colin (and others) have also found the mint/pine resin characteristics in this small firm’s wines. While these traits are not unappealing, he is baffled as to where they can come from since he acquires fruit from numerous sources and uses barrels that others employ without the same results.
Importer: Robert Chadderdon Selections, New York, NY; tel. (212) 757-8185
robert_parker
2006
Rating:
91
–92
Bartlett pear, musk melon, and heady lily and gardenia perfume scent the nose in Colin’s 2006 Puligny-Montrachet Folatieres. Inner-mouth floral notes and nougat-like nutty richness lend a suggestion of sweetness, and this wine’s texture is opulently creamy, almost doughy; yet, an uncanny sense of clarity, purity, and refreshment is preserved along with decidedly alkaline and wet stone mineral character, all of which curb the flamboyant tendencies on exhibit in this long-finishing wine that should merit 5-7 years of cellaring.
In 2005, Marc Colin presided over a division of his estate among his four children, and Pierre-Yves Colin – who had worked at his father’s estate since 1995 and had been making a few barrels of his own from purchased grapes since 2001 – elected to strike out on his own, bottling in his inaugural vintage of 2006 a considerable range of wines in small lots – not all of which I tasted – both from his inheritance in Saint-Aubin and Chassagne and from (presently 30%) contract fruit (largely picked by picked by his own team) in Meursault and Puligny. (He employs the same label for both groups of wines). Colin is one of Burgundy’s unabashed admirers of Riesling, and while he believes in a long elevage for his wines, he does not stir their lees (yet his wines are flatteringly creamy in texture) and professes unconcern as to whether his wines complete malolactic fermentation. (Although I taste no indication that any of these 2006s failed to complete their malo, there is no question most are noticeably bright.) Colin overwhelmingly favors 350-liter barrels over standard (228- or 225-liter) barriques for the freshness and clarity he believes they confer, and even his less prestigious appellations receive 30-50% new wood. Like many in Chassagne, he felt comfortable delaying the commencement of his 2006 harvest until September 21, yet most of the resultant wines hover on either side of 13% alcohol.
A Daniel Johnnes Selection imported by Michael Skurnik Wines, Syosset, NY, tel. (516) 677 9300; also imported by Atherton Wine Imports, Menlo Park, CA, tel. (650) 328-6639
robert_parker
2001
Rating:
91
–91
Mint and flowers can be found in the nose of the light to medium-bodied 2001 Puligny-Montrachet Les Folatieres. This elegant wine is fresh, focused, pure, and exceptionally long in the finish. Loads of floral flavors are discerned in its lace-like, soft character. Drink it over the next 6-7 years.
Talk about garage wines... there are only between 265 and 275 bottles of each of these wines. Pierre-Yves Colin has begun this microscopic negociant firm “to do all the crazy things I cannot do at the family estate, here I can take risks that I’d never do with my family’s wines. In addition, here I’m working with tiny quantities, so hand bottling is easy.” Colin’s modus operandi is to place barrels at the estates of vignerons whose wines he appreciates at harvest, then, if he likes the result, he picks them up to finish their elevage. In 2001 he dropped 8 barrels off and purchased only six, the other two growers kept the barrels and the wine. Batonnage takes place once a week and the wines are fined but not filtered, then bottled by hand. Interestingly, I found a minty, pine-cone characteristic in almost all of these wines (the Chevalier was the exception), something I haven’t encountered in Burgundy before.
For those interested in Burgundian minutia, the “Morey” in the name of this company is due to the fact that Pierre-Yves Colin is married to the daughter of Jean-Marc Morey of Chassagne-Montrachet.
Importer: Robert Chadderdon Selections, New York, NY; tel. (212) 757-8185
robert_parker
2002
Rating:
90
–90
Freshly crushed mint leaves and creamed minerals are found in both the aromatic and flavor profiles of the 2002 Puligny-Montrachet Les Folatieres. Fleshy, revealing loads of depth and an impressively concentrated personality, this pear-laced wine possesses a long, fruit-packed finish. Drink it over the next 6 years.
Importer: Robert Chadderdon Selections, New York, NY; tel. (212) 757-8185
