2014 Domaine Jean-Marc Brocard Chablis Butteaux 1er Cru
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Tasting notes
Tasted blind at the Burgfest annual tasting, the 2014 Chablis 1er Cru Butteaux from Brocard showed a little reduction on the nose, a bit Coche-like in style with cooking apple and pear. I would like more terroir and mineralité but that may well surface with an hours' decanting. The palate is fresh on the entry with a faint smear of wild honey that segues into subtle tropical fruit notes toward the finish. It actually finishes with more class than it begins with, completing a finely-tuned Chablis Butteaux.
Critic scores
Average Score
Jancis Robinson MW
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
More reviews and scores
Part matured in foudres. Pale straw. Classic, juicy Chablis aromas. Extremely appetising and pure. No hurry whatsoever to drink this, but get your hands on it now so as to beat the 2016 Chablis shortfall. (JR)
The 2014 Chablis 1er Cru Butteaux has one of the most succinct bouquets under the Julien Brocard range; there is some very fine mineralité here, flint and smoke intertwined with the citrus fruit. The palate is fresh and vibrant, very crisp and full of tension and energy, gently fanning out with a touch of spice on the finish. This is a feisty, but complex Butteaux that should offer plenty of pleasure over several years.
(one-third done in foudre ; from an essentially south-facing amphitheater vineyard protected by the wind): Medium bright yellow. Apricotty ripeness on the nose, along with a tangy citrus quality. Very ripe and rich if a bit reduced, showing a lovely pliant texture and a smoky quality from the oak. This wine is made from Brocard's hottest site and lowest-yielding old vines, which were picked at the very beginning of the harvest. Already quite harmonious and showing no heaviness, finishing with excellent fruit persistence. The yield here was a moderate 45 hectoliters per hectare, according to winemaker Odile Van der Moere.