Jean-Philippe Fichet (Meursault)
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O C Jean-Philippe Fichet E Great Meursault as a Window into the Earth N of Jean-François Coche, Jean-Marc Roulot and, of noble terroir has reclaimed its birthright. I Once esteemed above all other Burgundy vil - course, René Lafon’s son Dominique. But Fichet has carried Lafon’s revolution to another level —studying W lages for its white wines, Meursault fell from A every square inch of earth and stone in his domaine, grace in the late 19th century —despite having a to make Meursault’s purest set of single- climat wines. greater diversity of superb E Chardonnay soils than any Purity & Passion R other place in Burgundy, and Even if uneconomical, Fichet A As I have said repeatedly, the Fichet possibly any other spot on would rather produce a very R earth. “ wines are among the very best small amount of wine from and purest in Burgundy. his best sites than to lose Today, Meursault is back on their unique character in a E top, and a new generation of A. Meadows, Burghound blend. In 1998, his H Meursault-Tesson vines yield - winemakers is capitalizing on (This is) real Meursault, if so unlike T its diverse soils to make some ed little more than four bar - of Burgundy’s most exciting “the buttery cliché that I and my con- rels; anyone else would have white wines. “Expresion ” is temporaries were brought up to expect.” blended so little wine into the order of the day, and Jancis Robinson their village cuvée. But the wines of unprecedented indi - Tesson was so magical that viduality are emerging from such cellars as Comtes Fichet bottled it separately, Lafon, Guy Roulot and Arnaud Ente. But if there is exclusively in magnum. one winemaker who points the way to the future, it Just as Jean-Marc Roulot did until recently, Fichet may be Jean-Philippe Fichet. has flown largely under the world's radar. He began as a grower in 1981 but was forced to rebuild his The Magic Within domaine from scratch in the 1990s, having lost all More than any of his peers, Fichet is testing the lim - his best fruit sources —including a piece of Meursault- its of transparency, to find the very soul of Perrières —for lack of long-term contracts. But he Meursault’s terroirs. It was Meursault’s destiny to learned from this experience. By 2000, he had used have its soils revealed in this way: their intense carefully negotiated long-term fermage and mètayage stoniness is magnified by an exceptionally low water agreements to create an extraordinary new table, forcing the vines’ roots deep underground. domaine, brimming with exceptional sites. Fichet’s work is a direct outgrowth of a break - No Short Cuts through that happened three decades ago: René Lafon’s decision to bottle his Meursault "Clos de la Fichet's methods reflect his philosophy: he is Barre" on its own. For a century before, such a famously meticulous and abhors taking short cuts. thing had been unheard of, as only the most His low yields, the foremost key to quality, are famous vineyards —the premiers crus —were ever achieved through severe winter pruning rather than bottled individually; everything else was blended by green harvesting. And he believes his wines’ into Meursault villages . expressiveness is enhanced through a patient eight - Lafon’s innovation not only proved that a lieu-dit (a een-month élevage , with little new oak and by non-classified vineyard) could say something pro - avoiding aggressive lees stirring. found, it drew attention to Meursault’s incredible - The wines that Jean-Philippe Fichet is making today soils —paving the way for the later accomplishments have few rivals for their class in Burgundy, and a 21481 Eighth Street East • Sonoma, CA 95476 • 1-707-996-4484 • Fax: 1-707-996-4491 [email protected] • Twitter: @RareWineCo • Copyright 2010 The Rare Wine Co. O C Jean-Philippe Fichet E Great Meursault as a Window into the Earth a they could be unmatched in their transparen - Meursault-Charmes. This is the richest and N I cy and expressiveness. His top wines include: fullest of the Fichet lieux-dits, yet it shares their Bourgogne Blanc Vieilles Vignes — Produced common focus, minerality and length. W from 40-year-old vines in a parcel across a nar - "Tesson" — Very similar to Chevalières in its row road from Meursault-Charmes. This wine minerality and fruit character, Tesson often has E has more Meursault character than the vast even more mid-palate weight and length. R majority of Meursault village s wines. Focused like a laser beam, Fichet’s Tesson fre - quently surpasses wines from other producers’ A Meursault — Based on three beautifully situat - ed parcels on the southern slopes of the village: premiers crus. R les Cloux (60-year-old vines); les Chaumes de Puligny-Montrachet premier cru "Referts" — Narvaux , just above Bouchères and Gouttes Just across the border and adjacent to Meursault- E d'Or; Limouzin, directly below Genevrières, Charmes, Fichet's Referts is intense and racy —yet H plus a little Criots . rounder than all but the Gruyaches —with soaring T "Meix sous le Château" — The vines in this floral and white pit fruit aromatics. It is the most lieu-dit were planted in 1953. This tiny, steep, powerful of these wines. west-facing site in the middle of the village is classically Meursault in character, with citrus The Best is Yet to Come and mineral notes, beautifully pure fruit in the As good as Fichet’s wines have been up to now, mid-palate and fine length. the best lies ahead. His winemaking gets better "Chevalières" — One of Meursault’s finest lieux- each year, and so do his holdings, with a covet - dits: a superb plot of 30- to 77-year-old vines on ed piece of the iconic Meursault-Genev rières pre - the same slope as the premiers crus —with soil like mier cru acquired in time for the 2006 vintage. that of Perrières. With its intense minerality, Jean-Philippe Fichet is one of Burgundy’s great delineation and length, this is a lieu-dit of greatest talents —and his wines are every bit soaring quality. as extraordinary as he is. It is an honor to "Gruyaches" — Gruyaches is a small plot of represent this brilliant winemaker for the 77-year-old vines enclosed on two sides by United States. q What Happened to Meursault in the 100 Years before Lafon? ntil the late 1800s, it was widely known that Meursault —and not Puligny and Chassagne —had Burgundy’s most compelling Chardonnay terroirs. In his pioneering 1855 UBurgundy classification, Lavalle placed Meursault’s Perrières vineyard higher than both Chevalier-Montrachet and Batard-Montrachet. Earlier —when Julien ranked the premier crus in his historic 1816 Topographie —only Puligny’s Combettes could hold its own against Meursault’s Charmes, Genevrières and Goutte d’Or. But over time, Meursault became lost in the giant shadow cast by Le Montrachet, the hallowed ground that straddles Puligny’s and Chassagne’s border. In the late 1800s, both villages added “Montrachet” to their names, transferring its cachet to countless lesser vineyards. And while Puligny’s and Chassagne’s stars both rose, Meursault’s fell. By the 20th century, only Meursault’s top premier crus were ever bot - tled on their own. As for the unclassified vineyards —the so-called “lieux dits” —they disappeared into anonymous village blends, until René Lafon and others allowed them again to express themselves . 21481 Eighth Street East • Sonoma, CA 95476 • 1-707-996-4484 • Fax: 1-707-996-4491 [email protected] • Twitter: @RareWineCo • Copyright 2010 The Rare Wine Co. Jean-Philippe Fichet Burgundy, France OVERVIEW Sampling of the Wines Winemaker/Proprietor: Jean-Philippe Fichet Bourgogne Aligoté Fruit Source: Varied. Jean-Philippe Fichet has assembled this Avg. Production: 250 cases Meursault-based domaine parcel by parcel over two decades. Bourgogne blanc “Vieilles Vignes” Viticulture and vinifications aim to capture Fruit Source: Several old parcels primarily in terroir, delineation, and minerality in the Meursault, including one that abuts Charmes. wines. Avg. Production: 450 cases Auxey-Duresses blanc VINEYARD INFORMATION Many small parcels throughout Meursault and Fruit Source: 2 parcels of old—one north- surrounding communes, with a focus on facing and one south-facing. Avg. Production: 375 cases Meursault lieux-dits (single vineyards) of distinction. Meursault “Meix Sous le Chateau” Harvest: by hand Fruit Source: 45-year-old vines on a steep west- facing vineyard in the town center. RECENT VINTAGES Avg. Production: 300 cases 2008 – The year resulted in intensely concentrated, generous wines – like a hybrid Meursault “Gruyaches” of 2007 and 2006. Fruit Source: A small parcel of 80-year-old 2007 – A terrific vintage at Fichet, with ample vines at the base of Charmes. Fichet added ripeness but classic minerality and terroir drainage in the late-1990s to limit vigor. Avg. Production: 325 cases expression. 2006 – This year yielded wines with atypical Meursault “Chevalières” lushness. They will drink well over their first Fruit Source: Stony, northeast-facing hillside 5-10 years of life. vineyard. 2005 – A profound vintage at Fichet, with great Avg. Production: 400 cases concentration and restraint. Wines need time Meursault “Tessons” in bottle or decanter to display fully. Fruit Source: Northeast-facing hillside vineyard at the same elevation as Perrières ADDITIONAL NOTES Avg. Production: 400 cases Viticulture is ―lutte raisonée‖ (reasoned organic). Jean-Philippe aims to know his Puligny-Montrachet 1er cru “Referts” vines, and to work with them to find a healthy Fruit Source: Fichet’s only parcel in Puligny- equilibrium. He eschews chemical fertilizers, Montrachet. herbicides or pesticides. Avg. Production: 100 cases Fermentations take place in barrel, except for Bourgogne blanc and Aligoté (barrel and tank).