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Marius Delarche, Pernand-Vergelesses Blanc, “Les Combottes”

Other, France 2017 (750mL)
$42.00
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Marius Delarche, Pernand-Vergelesses Blanc, “Les Combottes”

I would describe today’s wine as “aspirational” in the sense that, as a sommelier, I aspire to find wines like this. A white Burgundy with the words “Grand Cru” on the label essentially does my work for me—and often causes it to be priced out of my reach—so whenever I encounter an unsung gem of a wine like Delarche’s “Les Combottes,” it is especially satisfying.
As many of our subscribers know, Domaine Marius Delarche specializes in over-delivering: They’ve been a go-to source of superb whites and reds from Pernand-Vergelesses and Corton, from nine hectares of well-positioned vineyards that surround (and sometimes sit right on) the majestic Corton hill. The Les Combottes vineyard is the kind of prime, Corton-adjacent site that makes you wonder why it isn’t designated a Premier Cru—it’s right around the bend from “Sous Frétille,” one of the top Premier Crus in Pernand-Vergelesses, and shares a similar southwestern aspect with the Corton-Charlemagne Grand Crus. Does today’s 2017 Les Combottes perform at that elite level? You bet it does. In Burgundy, there’s all sorts of greatness lurking around in the nooks and crannies, if you know where to look. Delarche certainly does, as they’ve proved yet again: This is a taut, deeply mineral white Burgundy that’ll out-perform wines costing two and three times as much. It stretches your wine dollar about as far as it can possibly go!
Delarche’s importer describes the Les Combottes bottling as “chiseled,” which may be the perfect one-word descriptor. The vineyard’s name is derived from the French word combe, which describes a narrow valley that runs between hills—in this case the one that runs around the west side of the Corton hill. Les Combottes is at a slightly higher altitude but has a similar aspect to Grand Cru vineyards such as “En Charlemagne,” and that combination of altitude and aspect makes for a high-toned, fragrant, linear style of Chardonnay. This 2017 is tense and shimmering and poised to age—pretty great for $42, I’ll tell you that.

Sourced from vines averaging 30+ years of age, the 2017 Les Combottes was barrel-fermented with ambient yeasts, then aged for a year in older barrels. In the glass, it’s a bright yellow-gold with hints of green and silver, with aromas and flavors reminiscent of the excellent 2016 version: There’s a similar mix of ripeness and tension, fruit and minerality. Aromas of crushed stones and chalk mingle with notes of green and yellow apple, lime blossom, citrus, white mushroom, white flowers, and cheese rind. With air, the wine broadens considerably, its apple/pear component coating the mid-palate before the satisfyingly stony, spicy finish. It’s a beautifully constructed, laser-focused wine that is clearly built to last but also delivers plenty of pleasure now after about 30 minutes in a decanter. Serve it at 50 degrees in Burgundy stems with roast chicken, pork, seafood…there are all sorts of opportunities for this wine to shine. With the attached milk-braised pork loin, I’m expecting utter bliss. Enjoy!

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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
TEMP.
50
Glassware
Burgundy Stems
Drinking
Now-2030
Decanting
30 Minutes
Pairing
Milk-Braised Pork Loin

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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