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Domaine Marius Delarche, Pernand-Vergelesses, Reserve - Les Combottes

Other, France 2013 (750mL)
$42.00
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Domaine Marius Delarche, Pernand-Vergelesses, Reserve - Les Combottes


Corton-Charlemagne, cultivated entirely with Chardonnay, is a Grand Cru appellation that stretches across portions of Aloxe-Corton, Pernand-Vergelesses and Ladoix-Serrigny within the Côte de Beaune region of Burgundy. Named for Emperor Charlemagne, legend has it that the land was planted entirely to Chardonnay because his wife detested his Pinot Noir-stained beard after a long night of drinking. Whether the story holds true, Corton-Charlemagne is undoubtedly one of the most treasured and famous sites in the world for Chardonnay. Today’s lieu dit vineyard, “Les Plantes des Champs et Combottes,” is directly adjacent to grand cru Corton-Charlemagne, just north of the village of Pernand-Vergelesses, and offers incredibly similar minerality and personality. However, the style of this wine is conducive to earlier consumption than Corton-Charlemagne, which usually requires a minimum decade in the cellar to become approachable. This wine’s pristine, crystalline minerality delivers a riveting sense of place and a mirror image of its prestigious neighbor at a fraction of the price. 
 
There are no better stewards of this special terroir than the Delarche Family who is firmly dedicated to terroir-driven wines and allowing nature to take its course. Father, Philippe, and his son, Etienne, jointly tended the vineyards and crafted the wine as team until Philippe lost his long battle with cancer in 2008. Since then, Etienne has carried on and implemented the wisdom of his father while also utilizing his oenological education from Beaune to produce beautiful wine one vintage after the next. Etienne hand-harvests and crafts his wines traditionally with little use of new oak; the wines are not filtered and the result is simply stunning.
 
This 2013 Domaine Marius Delarche, Pernand-Vergelesses “Les Combottes” Blanc Reserve exhibits a pale straw core with green and gold reflections on the rim. Although the aromas are initially shy, thirty to forty minutes in a decanter with bring this wine out of its shell. With sufficient air, this wine will unfold to reveal white peach skin, yellow apple core, lemon blossoms and a hint of dried pineapple woven with white flowers, honey, white mushrooms, a touch of vanilla bean and crushed oyster shells. The dry, medium-plus-bodied palate delivers abundant, rich creaminess combined with additional layers of bosc pear, yellow apple, white flowers and fresh hazelnut alongside fresh lemon zest that is driven by stunning crystalline minerality. This wine exudes the perfect reflection of a young Corton-Charlemagne with a touch more flesh and roundness. Although this wine is delightful at the moment, it should hit a sweet spot in 3-5 years; if kept in a proper cellar, this wine will surprise those patient enough to wait even a decade or more. So, endeavor to sit on a few bottles for two to three years, but enjoy one now while you wait to experience the splendor of this wine in its youth.
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Country
France
Region
Other
Sub-Region
FrancePernand-Vergelesses
Soil
Limestone and Clay
Farming
Sustainable
Blend
Chardonnay
Alcohol
13.0
OAK
Mostly Used French

France

Bourgogne

Beaujolais

Enjoying the greatest wines of Beaujolais starts, as it usually does, with the lay of the land. In Beaujolais, 10 localities have been given their own AOC (Appellation of Controlled Origin) designation. They are: Saint Amour; Juliénas; Chénas; Moulin-à Vent; Fleurie; Chiroubles; Morgon; Régnié; Côte de Brouilly; and Brouilly.

Southwestern France

Bordeaux

Bordeaux surrounds two rivers, the Dordogne and Garonne, which intersect north of the city of Bordeaux to form the Gironde Estuary, which empties into the Atlantic Ocean. The region is at the 45th parallel (California’s Napa Valley is at the38th), with a mild, Atlantic-influenced climate enabling the maturation of late-ripening varieties.

Central France

Loire Valley

The Loire is France’s longest river (634 miles), originating in the southerly Cévennes Mountains, flowing north towards Paris, then curving westward and emptying into the Atlantic Ocean near Nantes. The Loire and its tributaries cover a huge swath of central France, with most of the wine appellations on an east-west stretch at47 degrees north (the same latitude as Burgundy).

Northeastern France

Alsace

Alsace, in Northeastern France, is one of the most geologically diverse wine regions in the world, with vineyards running from the foothills of theVosges Mountains down to the Rhine River Valley below.

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