Coche Dury

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Jean-Francois Coche-Dury can be found in Meursault, Burgundy and produces some of the finest, most enduring, complex and aromatic white wines in the world.

Coche is well-known for his extraordinary flexibility and work in the vineyards, where he believes 90% of a wine’s quality comes from.  Low yields (approx 40 hl/ha) and impeccable viticulture are the keys to producing his finest wines, which are never over-oaked and often needs 4-5 years of bottle age before they strut their pedigree.  He employs straightforward winemaking practices, including gentle pressings, ageing of the wine in a maximum of 50% new Allier oak (only the top cuvees) for 18-20 months, two rackings and no filtration at bottling.  Production of the Corton-Charlemagne is approximately 1500-2000 bottles and for the Meursault-Perrieres it is around 3000 bottles.  The vines have an average age of 30 years.

Vint Description Cl ? Cs Bt Cs Bt +
2007 Corton Charlemagne 75 IB   2 - 850
2007 Corton Charlemagne 75 IB   3 - 850
2007 Corton Charlemagne 75 IB   1 - 795
2007 Corton Charlemagne 75 IB   1 - 795
2007 Corton Charlemagne 75 DP   1 - 750
2007 Meursault 75 IB   2 - 104
2007 Meursault Les Rougeots 75 IB   2 - 175
2007 Meursault Les Chevalieres 75 IB   2 - 175
2007 Bourgogne Aligote 75 IB   6 - 35
2006 Corton Charlemagne 75 DP   1 - 725
2006

Meursault Les Perrieres

75 DP   1 - 495
Tasting Notes:
The 2000 Meursault Perrieres reveals spices, cinnamon, and vanilla in its deep, concentrated character. Medium to full-bodied, it explodes on the palate with pears, apples, butter, gravel, stones, and minerals. It is velvety-textured, lush, exhibits massive depth and an intensely pure, powerful, and deep character. This is a Perrieres that will give Coche's 1996 a run for its money. Drink it over the next 12-14 years. Robert Parker Wine Advocate
Parker Points: 96
Drinking Period: 2001-2015
2005 Meursault Les Perrieres 75 DP   1 - 775
2005 Meursault Les Genevrieres 75 DP   1 - 395
2004 Meursault Les Perrieres 75 DP   1 - 575
2004 Meursault Les Rougeots 75 IB   1 - 155
2003 Meursault Les Rougeots 75 IB   1 - 145
2003 Meursault Les Genevrieres 75 IB   1 - 275
2003 Meursault Les Caillerets 75 IB   1 - 165
2002 Meursault 75 IB   1 - 120
2001 Corton Charlemagne 75 IB   1 - 795
2001

Meursault Les Rougeots

75 IB   1 - 195
Tasting Notes:
The awesomely aromatic 2001 Meursault Les Rougeots bursts from the glass with vanilla-infused toast. An opulent, medium-bodied, exceedingly spicy wine of huge power, depth, as well as density, it is velvety-textured and crammed with pear-laced honeyed minerals. Moreover, its finish is bursting with flavor and resin, sticking to the palate for an astoundingly long time. Anticipated maturity: now-2014. *Note: Jean-Francois Coche labels three different wines as ÙMeursaultÎ, the Vireuils-Dessous, Vireuils-Dessus, and Narvaux. His US importer, Kermit Lynch, typically purchases only the Meursault from the Narvaux vineyard. By the time I entered the cellars of Jean-Francois Coche, IÕd been tasting in Burgundy for nearly three weeks. The vintage remained perplexing. A plethora of unripe wines had been encountered (with green acid and sharp textures), some plump, delicious, near-term drinkers were located, but only a handful of great offerings had been unearthed. My mind contained many pieces of the puzzle as to why this vintage was so heterogeneous, even within a single estate. Within minutes of my arrival, Coche took all those pieces of the puzzle, rearranged them, and showed me a clear picture of the vintage. ÙPeople simply harvest too early, and theyÕre thinking about finishing before they even start, so they harvest too early and too quickly.Î He went on to explain that he takes 11 days to harvest his 9.43 hectare (23.3 acre) estate even though he could do it much more quickly. ÙThe key is to wait for each parcel to ripen. I wait seven days between my Vireuils-Dessous and Vireuils-Dessus because thatÕs what it takes. I donÕt simply send the harvesters up the hill just because they happen to be in the vicinity.Î In a year where many vignerons were whining about the difficulties associated with the vintage, an ecstatic Jean-Francois Coche could be found gleefully slurping his wines, joyfully uttering such comments as Ùmagnificent yellow-pink grapesÎ, Ùpure and richÎ, Ùincredible flesh, the grapeÕs resin in factÎ. While others bemoaned the rot and botrytis, Coche extolled the virtues of his Ùstunning grapes, without a trace of botrytis.Î To Jean-Francois Coche, 2001 is a great vintage for whites, Ùbecause the grapes were healthy, perfectly ripe with golden colors, yields were moderate, certainly lower than 2000 and 1999, and the malolactic fermentations took a really long time, from early winter to September for most of them (one was still gurgling away). These wines will age extremely well, in fact IÕm considering not releasing the top wines for a number of years like IÕve done with the 1996s.Î On the issue of the red Cote de BeauneÕs (Coche produces a number, none of which were tasted), he said, Ùit was a really tough year, rather mediocre in fact.Î What sets Coche apart from the worldÕs hordes of winemakers is more than his picking dates and harvesting techniques. It is dedication. With exceedingly few exceptions, producers throughout the world wish for their wines to be tasted between 10am and 11:30am, because somebodyÕs told them the wines showed best during that time-frame. Coche demands that tastings be conducted after nightfall, ÙIÕll be in the vineyards starting at dawn, so we must meet at night.Î Therein lies the answer as to why Coche has yields low enough that they can ripen, healthy bunches, and the conscientiousness to harvest only when the grapes are fully mature. Robert Parker Wine Advocate
Parker Points: 93-95
Drinking Period: 2003-2014
1996

Meursault Les Rougeots

75 IB   2 - 290
Tasting Notes:
The outstanding Meursault Rougeots possesses awesome mineral depth on the nose and a super-concentrated, luscious, broad-shouldered, yet defined, focused and highly-delineated personality. It is medium-to-full-bodied, refined, and precise. This wine is filled with oily minerals intertwined with zest citrus peels. Robert Parker Wine Advocate
Parker Points: 90-93
Drinking Period: 2001-2008
1996

Meursault Les Perrieres

75 DP   1 - 990
Tasting Notes:
Tasting the 1996 Meursault Perrieres is an out-of-this-world experience! This masterpiece has perfect balance, focus, and delineation. It is vibrant, spiritual, and as complex a wine as I can imagine. It attacks the palate with waves of candied lemons, marzipan, creamed hazelnuts, pears, grilled oak, curry, red berries, and loads of minerals. It is truly mind-blowing! Robert Parker Wine Advocate
Parker Points: 99
Drinking Period: 2004-2010
1992 Meursault Les Perrieres 75 DP   1 - 875
1986

Meursault Les Perrieres

75 IB   1 - 950
Tasting Notes:
With only a handful of exceptions, my experience with Coche-Dury's wines has taught me that they are about as profound white burgundies as one is likely to find. The fully mature 1986 Meursault-Les Perrieres reveals huge aromas of sweet, buttery, apple fruit, grilled nuts, and smoke. The fabulous texture and richness that Coche-Dury routinely appears to achieve is evident, as well as a fascinating, unctuous richness, enough acidity to provide focus, and a spectacularly long finish. It promises to last for another 3-4 years, Robert Parker Wine Advocate
Parker Points: 94
Drinking Period:  -