2011 Chablis Bougros

Representing an amalgam of fruit from both the plateau and steep Cotes de Bouguerots sectors, Brocard’s 2011 Chablis Bougros comes off as surprisingly soft and broad, with notable absence of such juiciness, energy and levity as exhibited by this collection’s premier crus. Compensatory are a lush impression of lightly-baked apple in juxtaposition with striking and intriguing notes of toasted hickory and wood ash. This static, imposingly rich and long-finishing grand cru seems to recommend itself for drinking by 2016, but perhaps there is more diversity and sense of energy to come, so I wouldn’t lose track of it (nor lose heart) over the next couple of years. (And it’s certainly possible that this wine was simply experiencing a “bad day” when I tasted it.) Julien Brocard reports unproblematic alcoholic fermentations and malo-lactic conversions in his 2012s, although the grand crus among them were not at a stage in elevage and assemblage that he felt permitted them to be assessed at the time of my June visit. The substantial subset of Brocard 2012 premier crus I tasted was determined by limitations of time; Brocard’s notion of wines that were at a perspicuous point in their elevage; and my choices of certain crus that I did not want to miss. Virtually all of the Brocard crus are now being farmed biodynamically and major inroads in that direction have been made with their village-level vineyards, too (most notably in the historical core of the family’s holdings that constitute the Domaine Sainte Claire). Julien Brocard is of the opinion that 2012 presented the sort of test in extremity that biodynamics at his domaine under-went as well in 2003, and that not only does this approach conduce to quality, but also to more regular yields. Yields from those vineyards that weren’t being biodynamically farmed, he reports, nosedived in both vintages while the others experienced only a small dip. Potential alcohol in 2012 was only slightly higher than in 2011, and nowadays most Brocard wines weigh-in well below 13%; but most of the sizeable share of 2011s I tasted – both the more exuberant among them, and some that were, for now at least, more restrained – share a disarming and delightful sense of levity. Vinificatory vessels at this address continue their nearly decade-long trend toward diversification, with larger barrels, full-fledged foudre and concrete eggs all supplementing the more prosaic stainless steel tanks and barriques. Incidentally, like Fevre, Brocard is now utilizing DIAM composite cork to stopper their wines, right up through grand cru. Various importers, including: Chambers & Chambers, San Francisco, CA; tel. (415) 642-5500, M.S. Walker, Sommerville, MA; tel. (617) 776-6700 and Verity Wine Partners, New York, NY; tel. (212) 683-8763

(done entirely in foudres): Pale, bright yellow. Complex, vibrant aromas of lemon, lime, mint, white flowers and powdered stone. At once glyceral and firm, combining very good stuffing with firm mineral cut. Kept a bit lean and backward by its firm spine of acidity and minerality but this boasts excellent inner-mouth tension for Bougros.