Coche Dury

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

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

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

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

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:  -