Description
Fabien Coche, Bourgogne Côte d’Or Chardonnay
At the bare minimum, a top Bourgogne Côte d’Or should be treated as a luxuriously textured, tension-loaded, appellation-shattering Chardonnay. But, if you’re like me, and have tasted a wide assortment of Burgundy’s best from all villages and producers for 15+ years, you likely understand that the “bare minimum” in regards to Fabien Coche’s 2017 is criminally insufficient. This explosive release is a masterful interpretation of elite white Burgundy, sourced entirely from old heirloom vines in the village of Meursault and aged for a whopping 18 months on lees—this doesn’t just stand up to the exorbitantly priced village-level competition, it thrashes a great number of them!
What’s more, Fabien Coche is closely related to the heavyweights of Coche-Dury and Roulot, whose current-release Bourgognes are fetching $300 and $100, respectively. Ties to Burgunidian royalty, 22 years of organic farming, enviable prime real estate, and a tremendously long aging regimen in the cellar—it shouldn’t take a logician to persuade you that this $39 beauty is among the greatest white Burgundy deals on the market! Once per year, a small amount reaches our shores, an even smaller allocation gets into our hands, and they’re zealously snatched up like a hot-ticket item on Black Friday (pre-2020). This 2017 is the finest I’ve had from Coche in years—I’m certain you’ll agree—so secure a few while/if you still can.
If you’re more of a visual person, glance over the attached family tree to see how Fabien Coche is linked to legendary Burgundian domaines like Coche-Dury and Roulot. Everyone else, continue on: In 1940, Julien Coche started with one humble hectare (under the name Domaine Julien Coche-Debord) and when his son, Alain—a first cousin of Jean-François of Domaine Coche-Dury—came aboard, land ownership grew to a dozen hectares through decades of manual work and wine peddling. At this point, the estate was renamed Domaine Coche-Bizouard. Alain’s son, Fabien, took the reins in 1998, and for the last two decades, he has impressively managed their 40 parcels of vines in and around the villages of Meursault and Puligny-Montrachet. Equally impressive are their old vines that have been farmed organically for 22 years running: over 60% of them are pushing past 60 years old!
Though they have vineyard holdings ranging from Saint-Aubin to Pommard, today’s 2017 Bourgogne Côte d’Or was sourced from their family-owned heirloom vines in the village of Meursault, just below the “village” designation line. They are known for picking later (up to seven days) than most other local growers and when they finally harvest, all activities are carried out by hand. In their old-school cellar, a very cool and subsequently long fermentation occurs before aging over 12 months in mostly used, large-format French barrels—one out of every eight barrels is renewed each year. Following, the wine is transferred into stainless steel tanks to “tighten up” (something Roulot also practices) for six additional months before bottling.
A keen eye may note that Coche’s newest vintage has abandoned the all-encompassing “Bourgogne Blanc” title for one of Burgundy’s newest appellations: “Bourgogne Côte d’Or.” This geographical designation was established in 2017, and in order to place it on a label, one’s grapes must be sourced from the Côte de Beaune and/or the Côte de Nuits. Historically speaking, Burgundy’s potential is highest in the Côte d’Or, so this new appellation is an attempt to elevate certain wines past the generic “Bourgogne” title!
After a minimum 30-minute decant, one smell of Fabien Coche’s 2017 will instantly place you in the upper crust of white Burgundy. Truly, there’s no other grape or region it could be mistaken for. This powerfully sublime Chardonnay funnels out finely crushed stones, struck flint, and baking spice before a cavalcade of deliciously lush fruit and high-toned florality emerge: baked pear, yellow apple, white peach, honeysuckle, lees, white flowers, lemon blossoms, lime peel. Per usual, the unstoppable trio of taut acidity, intense minerality, and rich texture on the palate combine to create a soul-stirring experience akin to top-tier Meursault. These wines come from old, organic vines and they’re raised for a methodically long period in the cellar, so it should be noted that Fabien Coche is not a “pop and pour” wine built for early drinking. His are Burgundies with serious pedigree that demand to be savored slowly, and into the second day (if you have the patience). Plus, your unopened bottles will easily keep for 5-10 years. Cheers!
