Dear wine lover,
Chanson Pere et Fils 'Viré Clessé' 2014
Wine this good (for so little $) can make the oenophile chuckle on occasion. A single sip will cause the taster to consider how COPIES of the real thing from around the world (at 2, 3 or 4 times the $) can attract a sustained audience?
You’ve asked for as many 2014 white Burgundy examples as I can get my mitts on and there’s a good reason why: the vintage is ultra classic with a purity, nervous tension and presence that long-term collectors crave in abundance.
For $34.99, the wine below represents the heights of what Chardonnay is and can be when the vintage and Burgundian terroir are allowed to sing and dance without intervention.
Therefore... My keystrokes dedicated to 2014 French white wine may be getting a touch boring to some of you but I know a bargain/terroir windfall when I taste one and the vintage is just that. The category (especially white Burgundy) represents a cadre of traditional and classic values that are among the best of the last 10-15+ years. With 2015 set to be in complete opposition to 2014, when I come across a world-class/fresh example of 2014 (under $35) with actual terroir, poise, electric fruit and a sap-laced/mineral/stone-filled finish, it makes the decision about as easy as any in the trade.
If you enjoy so-called “classic” Burgundy vintages—wines with elegant, clean aromas, bright acidity, and a maximum expression of underlying
terroir—then the 2014s are not to be missed. The vintage features brilliant purity of flavor with a wiry core of minerality. Its wines are refreshing and taut at the moment, with top cuvées offering serious cellaring potential.
The Chanson Pere et Fils Viré Clessé 2014
is just such a wine. It makes my job very easy as there's nothing to do except allow the wine to speak for itself. This is another terrific bargain that will make many friends in the high-end/glass-pour sommelier circuit as well as at home all summer long (and well beyond).
Here’s our tasting note:
"Apple and citrus aromas are lifted by spicy, resiny oak. Tactile yet smooth, showing good density and salinity. Ultimately round in style but with lovely energy and inner-mouth lift. Nicely integrated oak gives the palate a subtle sweetness. We only wish more $35 white Burgundy was this dignified and driven!"
Buy the Viré Clessé here.
Cheers
Sarah Fuller
World Wine
Wednesday
