2007 Château de Chorey Beaune Les Cras Vieilles Vignes 1er Cru

Fresh plum and its distilled shadow, along with smoky black tea scent Chateau de Chorey’s 2007 Beaune Les Cras Vieilles Vignes. More delicate than those among its vintage siblings that I tasted alongside, its combination of finishing tannin, crushed stone, and fruit pit makes for some austerity, and I wonder whether the fruit will last long enough to keep this from seeming too spare in another 3 years. Still, there is considerable refinement and immediate appeal, provided you find appealing a Pinot whose minerality and delicacy are almost white wine-like. Benoit Germain did not begin picking his 2008s until September 29, “by which time,” he claims, “every other grower in Chorey was finished,” though he adds with a wry smile that “last year 2009 I was ahead of everybody.” With a little help from space heaters, all of the 2008 whites here finished their malos by early March (of 2009 that is), but timing for the reds varied widely, and in any case, Germain favors late-bottling, so that most of them were still in barrel when I tasted here in March. That the principal Germain 2007s displayed such vivacity and could hold their own against his 2008 collection surprised me, and since wines from this estate often require considerable cellaring to show their true meddle, these 2007s represent an excellent and immediately accessible introduction to the Chateau de Chorey. A Becky Wassserman Selection (various importers), Le Serbet, Beaune; fax 011-33-3-80-24-29-70 Also imported by Simon N Cellars, Charlottesville, VA; tel. (434) 977-4476 and a Scott Levy Selection, Norcross, GA; tel. (770) 730-0361