Beach Wines Part 1

June 28
By Daniel Johnnes

This year’s beach break was marked by a trio of fantastic white Burgundies.

Truth be told, my wife and I drink more red Burgundy than white. And every time I drink a glorious white like the ones I enjoyed on Fire Island last week, I wonder why that is.

Each revealed why these wines are so special. All made from the same grape and mostly vinified the same way, they could not have been more different from each other. Granted the youngest was 2012 and the oldest was 1983, so that’s a big spread. Mostly this was a major display of “terroir”.

PART ONE

The first was the youngest. It was a Coche-Dury Les Chevalières 2012. Chevalières is on that magical band of lieux-dits (Narvaux, Tillets, Casse-Têtes, Tessons, Rougeots, and then Chevalières) that streches above the Premier Cru vineyards of Perrières, Genevrières, Poruzots, Bouchères, Gouttes d’Or. In the hands of a master like Coche, one could easily mistake this wine for a Premier Cru.

The wine was brilliant light straw gold and had the tell tale signature Coche reduction, even though the Jean-Francois match stick notes have been less pronounced since Raphael took the reins of this estate in 2009. The palate was mouth filling and textured (rich vintage) yet I was impressed by the dimension and tactile nuance. And best of all was the great energy and well balanced acidity binding it all together. The intention was to pair this wine with steamed lobster and drawn butter with lemon but the lobsters missed the boat from the mainland. It was pretty, pretty good with the swordfish steaks nonetheless.

I pleasantly fell asleep with the sounds of the waves crashing on the beach and the brilliant thought that I really don’t drink enough Coche.