A bit of “patriotism” as Moray Tawse of Tawse wineries in Ontario is part-owner here. We (my friends Lynn and Jon who are with me for this full tour) were treated royally by Lorenzo who showed us up, down and around the whole complex and let us do a little barrel tasting as well. Pascal Marchand also popped his head in and we were glad to meet him. They’re making wine all up and down Burgundy and making much of it well. For convenience, I will refer to all of the wines under the Marchand-Tawse label, although there are Domaine Tawse wines and they have still kept separate the Domaine Maume wines (this will be the last year for labeling of any Maume)
2016 Marchand-Tawse Bourgogne in neutral Francois Freres barrel
A real spiciness and rosemary already, small red berry. Very tangy, lively feel with some tannins, probably on the right path.
2016 Marchand-Tawse Gevrey Chambertin from new Cadus barrel
Some cherry, plum and rhubarb all waft up the glass. Earthy too. Already fine stuff–forest, pine nuts, firm red fruit and tastes very “natural”, and on its way.
2015 Marchand-Tawse Bourgogne Cote de Nuits
Cedary notes to strawberry. Easy-drinking, very pleasant with strawberry and some pomegranate.
2015 Marchand-Tawse Bourgogne 47 degrees North
For this, Marsannay, Cote de Nuits and some Savigny Lavieres. Light baking spice and darker fruit bouquet, with strawberry but also plum and boysenberry. Palate has more “seriousness” here, and flow, roots and a light chewiness. Just more than the Bourgogne CdN
2015 Marchand-Tawse Cote-de-Nuits Villages
All the grapes come from an area around Corgoloin. Cedar box, cocoa, sage…even mint, with cranberry and strawberry. Interesting light funky note on the tongue, length and possibly some 'shrooms to go with raspberry fruit.
2015 Marchand-Tawse Nuits-St. Georges
Piney aromatics again, perhaps even some back-nose marmalade. Small dark berries in main. To taste, full and long and rich–fine expression of black raspberry and black cherry. Hints at a roundness that will be very satisfying in 5-10 years.
2015 Marchand-Tawse Chablis
Lemon, lime and some sweetness that seems to be with this vintage in whites. Tactile, a “girlfriend wine” says Lynn. Easy to drink. Entry-level wine that presents good value.
2015 Marchand-Tawse Meursault Blagny
Lime and minerals and a real hazelnut component to the scents. In the mouth, this is very good. Very good–more lime, but undertones of buttered almond too. Length and acidity complements a chalky feel and acacia wood finishes things off. A lot going on, in the right way.
2013 Marchand-Tawse Chambolle Musigny
Lorenzo quite likes this vintage and we chatted a bit about 2003s and how they have started to turn into quite interesting wines. All of the next set of wines have been open 3 days. Strawberry and raspberry shortcake in the nostrils. Le gout, has the silkiness that I so love, some veiled iron grip to this too though. Pure raspberry, airy, a meditation wine very sure of its footing. Well done.
2014 Marchand-Tawse Volnay Fremiets
Plum & black raspberry and maybe some crabapple and cassis. Big tannins and structure here, fruit is redder with some sandalwood. Good stuff–hard to know its ups and downs for ageing, I do think there will be some closed periods. Touch of cinnamon on the breathe-back.
2013 Marchand-Tawse Nuits St. Georges Les Corvees Pagets
This was done 50% whole cluster and is from a plot I’m completely unfamiliar with. Beautiful perfume–panoply of red, purple and blue fruit and flowers, one of the more evocative noses I’ve had from a NSG. Big wine, but definitely a full and grippy wine that is in proportion. It does get to an elegant finish. Cloves at the end, Lynn and Jon note. A fine future here.
2011 Marchand-Tawse Corton (Rognets)
Although they don’t label it as such, 100% of the grapes come from Rognets. Asian spices are an accent in the bouquet to strawberry and plum. Sandalwood is prevalent on the palate and this is a long, long wine. Dark chocolate, raspberry and bilberry all have a say. And again, there is that clarity of expression that seems to be starting to show in these 11s.
2012 Marchand-Tawse Clos de Vougeot
Very full nose, nutmeg, coriander, lots of mocha and strawberry and plum base. It is big, but not too big. Lots and lots of fruit, this is really a lovely and secure wine, black fruit in the main with great carry and conversation value. Lynn and Jon haven’t had Clos de Vougeot before and were quite entranced.
2015 Marchand-Tawse Clos de Vougeot
Lorenzo served this to us to give us the comparison. Spicier here, the baby bear bouquet. Baking spices. And on the tongue, more “Clos” here, austere and severe at the moment, with chewy plum and currant. Lots and lots of material, it has the familial resemblance to the 12.
Lorenzo then served us a blind. And the first sniff makes me smile! Just stunning combo of woodsy, dark fruit, spiciness. We’re in Grand Cru land, and I was deciding between Clos St. Denis and Clos de Beze. Wow! A grand cru. So incredibly silky (he did reveal it is a 2015). Gorgeous baking spices, velvety red fruit. So beautiful now yet can hold for 40 years at the end of the day. This has to be Clos de Beze. I guessed, and got the gold star! The top Chambertin doesn’t always win out, but this is for sure the best red wine I’ve had on the Burgundy part of the trip. 96++ an incredible future lies ahead. Huge thanks to Lorenzo for pouring this.
A wonderful opportunity to taste across the range of what Pascal and his team are doing. I am very grateful.
DOMAINE JOSEPH DROUHIN
We joined 3 others for an in-depth tour done very capably indeed by Ludivine. She answered pretty much every question and got into more than I think is usual on these tours, seeing our interest. It’s clear she has a passion for working here. The stories about WWII were fascinating, no less so than the 1500s winepress and its use to make a special cuvee. Also learned a great deal about the Hospice and how those wines work. Many thanks!
Veronique continues as the winemaker and they now have 90 wines across 200 acres and run out 3M bottles per year.
2014 Drouhin-Vaudon Chablis Mont de Milieu
Ludivine told us that Vaudon is the name of the millworks where their Chablis winery is, thus the name. Done in stainless, lemon square and a squeeze of grapefruit in the nuzzie. Hint of stone as well. On the palate, bright, a little less in intensity, but has salinity and chalkiness to go with quite pure lemon and grapefruit.
2013 Drouhin Chassagne Montrachet
Popcorn and roasted almond over top of unripe bosc pear here. Fairly balanced in feel, but for taste, the oak is in play, missing a bit of depth of fruit, though it does have a roundness.
2014 Drouhin Puligny Montachet Les Folatieres
I was very surprised to learn that they purchase the fruit (although it has clearly been a long-standing contract), since for me, this plot is one I invariably identify with Drouhin. No disappointment here either. Edges of ginger powder frame luverly pear and apple base. Such sublime elegance here, replays and smooth but with just enough horsepower. A fine effort.
2011 Drouhin Vosne Romanee
Lifted—the perfumed aromatics that distinguish Vosne are on display here, with add of toasted spices. And man, that’s very silky indeed and eminently drinkable. Happy bing cherry and strawberry fruit buttressed by a touch of nutmeg. Perhaps I haven’t had any Vosne from 11, but that is very, very nice and quite possibly the best 2011 red I’ve consumed to date.
2012 Drouhin Volnay Santenots
Bits of saddle leather and cedar mingle with strawberry and some tomato leaf on the aroma. On the tongue, kinetic and structure, with quite racy acidity, but still with expressive raspberry, currant and apple peel. Still a mere adolescent, a long way to go.
1995 Drouhin Nuits St. Georges Roncieres
From mag, well wasn’t this a treat? The sniffs are all about cedar, sandalwood and varnish blended with quite pure strawberry and raspberry. Taste adds violets and lilacs along with chestnut, some meat, raspberry and currant. It’s just entered its prime drinking window and should be fine for another 10-20 years easy. Goody-good wine, there is still a freshness to this.
TAUPENOT-MERME
I have visited Burgundy 3 times. Virginie is the only person I have visited all 3 of my times here. I love seeing her and just sitting down and relaxing and talking about everything. I was thrilled to introduce Lynn and Jon to her and we talked about the wines, the vintages, her family, the female winegrowers’ initiative here and elsewhere…for me, this is always about friendship in addition to great wine.
2014 Taupenot-Merme Saint-Romain
I always enjoy these tastings because Virginie takes us through the full range of wines they make. She feels the 2014 vintage for them is balanced with good acidity but also juicy fruit. That is so here, where bright red berry is there for me and Lynn and Jon both get Alphonso mango, where I get a touch of sarsaparilla. Forthright, juiciness is definitely there. Very little tannin, with red plum and a slash of rose petal. This comes from 2 parcels, Le Marsain and En Pollange
2014 Taupenot-Merme Auxey-Duresses 1er Cru
Les Grands Champs and Les Duresses are the sources for this. Tighter with bits of cocoa and cinnamon around black plum and black cherry. Tightly wound to taste too, plenty of crunch and lots of acidity. Give time to let it sort itself out.
2014 Taupenot-Merme Gevrey Chambertin
A couple villages plots and some also from La Justice and Bel Air. Rhubarb, potpourri scents. This, too, has a juicy bounciness, chewy cherry edged by berry fruit. A touch of underlying gaminess. Some interest here for sure.
2014 Taupenot-Merme Morey St. Denis La Riotte
12 months in 30% new oak, she uses Mercurey and Francois Freres now. 61 year vines. Nose gets loads of cocoa, a bit of coffee, black cherry—lovely bouquet. Dans la bouche, wow, is this ever good. Drive, balance, great mouthfeel, a sense of pride to this wine. Pure red cherry and pomegranate. Already delicious, with balsam at the back. I always like La Riotte, but this rivals the 2010 as the best I’ve had. Couldn’t leave without a bottle. 92
2014 Taupenot-Merme Charmes Chambertin
Some game here, some coffee grounds. Plenty of raspberry and currant in aromatics. In the mouth, definite earthy side but fine feel and flow to this–length and very of the vintage—intensity of juiciness, sharp red fruit and acidity are all there. Should be at its best in 12-15 years.
2014 Taupenot-Merme Mazoyeres-Chambertin
58 year vines (36 for the Charmes). Cocoa is back, with some fur/game, plum and blackberry. less “friendly”–plenty of backbone with sous-bois, black cherry, plum and some small cassis. Good, balanced finish—definitely needs longer in the bottle.
2015 Taupenot-Merme Chambolle Musigny Combe D’Orveaux
I puppydogged and “got my way” to try one of my other faves here. 
1 month bottled, so still in a bit of lock-and-shock mode. Nevertheless, this is definitely more “masculine” for Chambolle aromatics, with some rootiness, cedar a bit, plum and blackberry. And on the tongue, it rather is primeval, as “brawny” and dense—Virginie’s word—a Chambolle as I can remember. Not to say bad. Not at all–plenty of sweet fruit base will see this through and it does promise the velvet texture. It’s also just a tiny bit on the ripe side of my expectations at this point. Would be a fascinating wine to follow through its life.
My always-sincere thanks to Virginie for taking so much time with us.
We ate at La Cabotte and the boeuf bourgignon was as good as ever! We also had a 2013 Francois Chidaine Montlouis-sur-Loire Les Choisilles sort of hint of white asparagus–though that could be from the restaurant too! Star fruit and a trace of ginger root. Quite sparky, tart and juicy, with grapefruit candy and an interesting almost hot pepper twinge at the end. NOT alcohol, since it’s 12%. Zap plus. And very good, if different from Huet.
We’ve also been drinking over the course of our stay the 2005 Lucien Bouchard Pernand Vergelesses 1er Cru which has finally come around this 4th day to show fine sweetmeats and red berry fruit. Good and long.
Mike
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My next trip is scheduled for spring 2020, Howard. I did pick up a bottle of 15 Clerget and I am very much looking forward to trying that as an introduction to his wines. I will meanwhile diarize the Relais de Saulx (already knew about and loved Maison du Colombier, when we went for lunch a few years ago they did this chicken dish in red wine, cilantro and Cajun spice that I have been trying to replicate for some time now).