Smile broadly and extend your hand as I’m convinced you’ll be rewarded for getting to know this quiet, somewhat reserved vintage: 2004 White Burgundy. I’m taking a stance for one wine in this entry that I hope will echo the voices of many other 2004 white Burgundies. There are a few reasons why I think this wine can be the spokesperson for the vast majority of 2004s we have in stock. It’s not the most famous, nor does it have the longest history. But I’ve been paying attention to Domaine Paul Pernot wines since the 1992 vintage. They’ve gotten better and better in their own right and are no longer ‘under the radar’ for the Burgundy consumer. His vineyards, at least have been on the “map” so to speak for years and sought-after by at least one large domaine/neighbor of his (he’s been a fruit-source for Domaine Drouhin for years). Now with a slow increase of his holdings, more and more proof of his winemaking skill makes it to bottles that bear his own labels.
Mostly, the wines are prototypical Burgundy: precision, higher-toned, lighter in body yet concentrated. And there’s the main idea: that the 2004 White Burgs are demonstrative of archetypal Chardonnay from this famed region. Though the reviews for 2004 are generally excellent across the board, I think the wines merit the same respect as 2002s and maybe 1995s (longer lived than 1995 perhaps). It’s also sandwiched on many tasting tables between the 2003 and 2005 vintages which are the sexier wines (2003 is also fairly underrated as a vintage overall but the top-end wines are even higher scoring that the 04s).
No discredit meant to these wines at all, I’m just saying that you have to remember to let the 2004s do what they do. Somewhat shy (sexy in its own right at times), the wines prefer to act stereotypically “European.” They’re not very showy, they might seem a little snooty until you get to know them, their opinions can be ‘bracing.’ But they’re generally long-lived, complex and concentrated! The 2004s are still quite austere and edgy overall. But when the mango fruit softens in the Pernot Folatieres, for example, it broadens as it will along with the flowery aromas. And when the spicy, almond-notes from the oak fully soak-in—wow! An out-and-out provocative wine!
Folatieres itself is even a typical vineyard to represent this vintage. It is often “of the orchard” and is a wine that has to come along its path before it drinks at its best (kind of like high school-er getting through his or her freshman year at college). Or like a reserved person, the first meeting might not even reveal a significant sample of what that person’s about. Well, the 2004s are sort-of at a “3rd time meeting” stage. A drinker is able to get some of the background of this wine; you’re intrigued to learn even more but you still can’t expect to know what’s “on their mind.” Trust that they’re on the right path and you’ll surely make great friends from this exceptional vintage.
2004 Pernot, Paul Puligny-Montrachet Les Folatieres 1er Cru - $57
