Morey

2002 Beaune "Les GrËves" 1er red 88
2002 Chassagne-Montrachet red 87
2002 Chassagne-Montrachet "Champ Gains" 1er red 88
2002 Chassagne-Montrachet "Clos St. Jean" 1er red 87
2002 Santenay "Le Chainey" red 86
2002 Santenay "Grand Clos Rousseau" 1er red 88

The ever genial Jean-Marc Morey characterized the 2002 vintage as an "excellent vintage with no problems from start to finish. We had a slight rot scare at the end of August but otherwise, it was an ideal growing season and an easy vintage to vinify. It's as good in red as white and reminds me a lot of 1999". The reds were bottled in December and this is perhaps the best set of reds that I have seen from this particular Morey. I very much admired his 2001s as well but when considered as a group, the '02s are better. They are classically pure and very pinot with each wine displaying a unique character. In short, they're really lovely wines from less well known appellations. (Atherton Wine Imports, Atherton, CA and Rosenthal Wine Merchant, Shekomeko, NY; Anthony Sarjeant Wines and Eldridge Pope, both UK).

2002 Santenay "Le Chainey":

Clean, bright and crisp with very fresh, ever so slightly rustic flavors that offer fine length. This is excellent for villages level Santenay. 86/2006-10

2002 Chassagne-Montrachet:

This is a bigger and earthier wine with more depth and weight if not necessarily more elegance. The flavors are moderately tannic and very pinot in style with admirable style and grace for what this is. Again, fine quality for its level. 87/2007-12

2002 Chassagne-Montrachet "Clos St. Jean":

A clear step up in elegance and subtlety with a lovely freshness and almost pungent minerality. I like the vibrancy but the finish is perhaps a touch more structured than the mid-palate can comfortably buffer and as such, pretty as this is, I suspect it will always have a slight edge to it. 87/2008-12

2002 Chassagne-Montrachet "Champ Gains":

Wonderfully expansive and elegant red and black fruit aromas lead to beautifully textured, impressively precise sappy and complex flavors plus a delicious, mineral-driven finish. The tannic spine is ripe, fine and well-integrated and I very much like this for its combination of finesse and punch. 88/2007-12

2002 Santenay "Grand Clos Rousseau":

This is not as elegant as the two Chassagne 1ers but it is wonderfully wellbalanced and possesses size, weight, punch and fine complexity with excellent length and slightly more prominent tannins. The finish is very fresh, precise and persistent and blessed with racy acidity. Again, great quality here. 88/2008-12 2002 Beaune "Les GrËves": The most elegant aromatic profile among this group with gorgeous red pinot fruit plus subtle notes of earth, leather and underbrush followed by rich, sweet and pure, moderately structured flavors that display impeccable balance plus a firm, pure, persistent finish. This is not a dense wine but it is undeniably pretty. 88/2008-14

Sept/Oct 2004

Tasting here can be a bit disorienting, as there's little make-up from new oak to sex up the young wines (20% is the maximum Morey uses). Morey began picking his chardonnay on August 31 in 2003, following "the little showers that brought life back to the vines. "He ultimately made what he described as "half a crop. ". At the time of my tasting, he had not yet added acidity to his 2003s; he pointed out that he has never acidified in the past either. Although potential alcohol levels went as high as 14. 5% in 2003, Morey described these wines as "not really surmuri Morey believes that too much new oak in 2003 would lead to faster oxidation in barrel, which in turn would raise the risk of the wines drying out after two or three years in bottle. While I found a couple of the young 2003s a bit warm, there was a complete absence of the acid burn that so many 2003s from other cellars can show. (Rosenthal Wine Merchant, Shekomeko NY

2003 Domaine Jean Marc Morey Chassagne Montrachet Blanc 84-86

(an assemblage of three parcels, with the vines averaging about 40 years of age) Cool, slightly rustic aromas of licorice and lime, with hints of resin and marzipan. Juicy in the mouth, with good limey cut. Boasts solid material but finishes with a slightly rustic dry edge. To my palate, there's often a fine line between the absence of new oak in a wine and the presence of older barrels, and this cuvee threatens to cross that line.

2003 Domaine Jean Marc Morey Santenay Cornieres 83-86

Pear and menthol on the slightly rustic nose. Richer, fatter and sweeter than the Chassagne villages , with ripe citrus flavors. Lush but not heavy or flat. Slightly aggressive today on the back end, in need of a bit more structure.

2003 Domaine Jean Marc Morey Saint Aubin Les Charmois 85-87

Aromas of minerals, white peach, pear and flowers, with a note of honeyed oak. Broad and rich but in need of a bit more clarity. A fairly large-scaled, low-acid wine that Morey describes as round and less minerally than usual for this cuvee

2003 Domaine Jean Marc Morey Chassagne Montrachet Les Chaumees 86-88

Spices, pear and honeysuckle on the nose. Sweet and nicely concentrated; less fat but more delineated and fresh than the Charmois. A bit more shapely and stylish, and spicy on the lingering finish.

2003 Domaine Jean Marc Morey Chassagne Montrachet Les Champs Gains 85-88

(14. 3% alcohol) Peach and white truffle aromas. Fat and sweet, dominated by the flavors of orchard fruit. There's no acid burn here, but the finish shows a slightly alcoholic warmth, which gives it a dry edge.

2003 Domaine Jean Marc Morey Chassagne Montrachet Chenevottes 86-89

Reserved nose hints at pineapple and grapefruit. Fruitier and purer than the foregoing samples, with a flavor of grapefruit nicely shaped by stony minerality. This offers good energy in the mouth, particularly in light of its low acidity. Finishes firm and persistent, with a hint of caramel.

2003 Domaine Jean Marc Morey Chassagne Montrachet Les Caillerets 87-90

Aromas of apple, pear, spices and menthol, along with a whiff of more exotic fruits. Lush, round and rich; verging on exotic but manages to avoid heaviness and maintain its balance. Offers impressive volume and weight.

2003 Domaine Jean Marc Morey Batard Montrachet 88-91

(14. 5% alcohol; one barrel only) Superripe aromas of candied yellow fruits, mirabelle , clove and ginger. Very sweet and rich; a huge wine with the fruit and spice to support its rather high alcohol. Still, this is heavier than the Caillerets. Finishes long and a bit aggressive, with the spice character carrying through on the end. Morey told me he expected to put this into a 2003 barrel at the next racking "to give it more vivacity. "

2002 Domaine Jean Marc Morey Chassagne Montrachet Chenevottes 89

($62) Pear, white flowers and a note of licorice on the nose. Bright and aromatic in the mouth, with flavors of citrus fruits and flowers. Finishes with lovely persistence.

2002 Domaine Jean Marc Morey Chassagne Montrachet Les Chaumees 89(+?)

($62) Aromatic, open aromas of pear and menthol; seems a bit more evolved than the Chenevottes. Then juicy and pure in the mouth, with sweet fruit and floral flavors. Finishes pure and persistent. Already drinkable, but this will probably be better in three or four years. For his part, Morey believes that his 2002s will offer pleasure in their youth but that there's enough glycerol for the wines to age well.

2002 Domaine Jean Marc Morey Chassagne Montrachet Les Caillerets 90

($74) Perfumed aromas of apple, pear, white flowers, lemon curd, smoke and spices. Fresh and moderately dense, with lemon drop and wet stone flavors. A fairly dry midweight, with virtually no make-up from new oak. Mouthwatering, stony finish.

2002 Domaine Jean Marc Morey Chassagne Montrachet Les Champs Gains 90(+?)

($62) Aromas of pear, minerals and wet stone. Sweet and lush in the mouth, with the pear, lemon, floral and stone flavors framed and enlivened by bright citrussy acidity. Very silky wine with noteworthy inner-mouth energy and perfume. Finishes lively and aromatic.

May 15, 2004

Chassagne-Montrachet Champs Gains 2001 91

Attractive, with layers of smoke, ripe fruit, mineral and some matchstick aromas. Fat, fleshy and supple, distinctive, long and balanced on the finish. Very Burgundian. Drink now through 2008. 35 cases imported.

Chassagne-Montrachet Les Chaumees 2001 90

Distinctive. Concentrated, with citrus, sweet flavors and mineral. It wraps around the taste buds and holds them in its grip, leaving the impression of power but also grace on the long finish. An experience. Drink now through 2010. 35 cases imported.

Chassagne-Montrachet Les Chenevottes 2001 90

Well-made white, with smoke, matchstick, and lots of cool fruit, all providing a minerally, intense midpalate feel. Distinctive full-bodied Chardonnay that is unmistakably Burgundian, with a long finish. Best from 2005 through 2010. 20 cases imported.

St. Aubin Blanc "Les Charmois" 2001 88

Crisp but wonderful. Distinctively Burgundian, with a wet earth, humus complexity, and some ripe pineapple, lemon and honey flavors. Rich in the midpalate, it delivers a succulent sweet-tasting finish. Drink now through 2007. 70 cases imported. (P.M.)

Sept/Oct 2002

Saint Aubin "Les Charmois" 2000 89

Lively, high-toned aromas of lime, minerals, nuts and earth. Round and silky in the mouth, but also quite bright, thanks to lovely juicy acidity and vibrant citrus and stone flavors. This has excellent density and viscosity for Saint-Aubin.

Chassagne Montrachet Blanc 2000 87

Lower-toned nose of lemon cream, marzipan, nuts and earth. Fat and nutty, with moderate density and concentration. Subtly sweetened by a bit of new oak. Or is there simply a bit less buffering extract here than in the Saint-Aubin?

Chassagne Montrachet "Les Chaumees" 2000 89

($50) Very ripe aromas of baked lemon, fresh herbs, marzipan and smoke. Sweet and lush, with a piquant flavor of citrus skin and sound framing acidity. In a rather full, soft style, but with a hint of dryness on the back end.

Chassagne Montrachet "Chenevottes" 2000 87

Rustic, slightly alcoholic aromas of smoke, lees, menthol and herbs. Comes across as less textured and ripe than the Chaumees, with earth and mineral flavors and a slight boniness toward the back. Slightly dry-edged, stony aftertaste.

Chassagne Montrachet "Les Champs Gains" 2000 89(+?)

Reticent nose combines citrus skin, minerals, vanilla and spice. Dense but juicy, with nicely integrated acidity and solid concentration. This has fat and fullness, along with sound structure and good grip. A bit youthfully disjointed today, but nicely ripe and long on the end.

Chassagne Montrachet "Les Caillerets" 2000 92

Musky, complex aromas of citrus fruits, smoke, lees, meal and mint. Dense, sweet and minerally, with firm acids giving the flavors excellent definition for a wine with this level of viscosity. Solidly structured, impressively minerally wine with a very strong, long, vibrant finish. A traditionally made Chassagne with the thickness of texture of wines made in this village a generation ago.

Sept/Oct 2000

Jean- Marc Morey, the brother of Bernard, reported that crop levels in '99 were in the 60 to 65 hectoliters per hectare range, but said the grapes were very ripe despite the sheer volume of fruit. Acidity levels were good after the end of the secondary fermentations, according to Morey, who believes that the crus from this vintage will need five years or so of bottle aging before they approach their peaks. Morey's wines are in a distinctly older style, relying on a very low percentage of new oak but possessing good texture and roundness. "Consumers today drink white Burgundy too terroir." Morey good-naturedly suggests that brother Bernard uses too much new oak because that's what some wine critics like, but I came away with the impression that a bit more new wood in this cellar would be constructive (Morey uses his barrels up to six or seven times for his reds as well as his whites). Morey racked his '99s in April following the malos, at which point he eliminated the gross lees; he planned to rack again in early July prior to fining the wines.

Chassagne Montrachet 1999 85 - 87

(from a single parcel of 40-year-old vines; Morey will have two more village parcels beginning in 2000) Flowers, peach and fresh herbs on the nose. Firm and nuanced, with good flavor precision; notes of licorice and fresh herbs. Shows more fat and intensity than the Santenay Les Cornieres that preceded it.

Saint Aubin Charmois 1999 86 - 88

(the vines here are 15 to 18 years old) Discreet aromas of pear and honeysuckle. Deeper and spicier than the Chassagne villages, with peach and stone flavors and firm spine. This wine finished with 2.3 grams/liter of residual sugar but comes across quite dry and minerally.

Chassagne Montrachet "Chaumees" 1999 86 - 89

(45-year-old vines) Pretty aromas of pear, apple and spring flowers, plus a hint of truffle. Dense and ripe, with round acidity. Not especially complex or bright but offers good texture and concentration. Glyceral but quite dry on the back end.

Chassagne Montrachet "Champs Gain" 1999 87 - 89

Pear, honey and mint on the nose. Deeper-pitched honey and vanilla flavors lifted by an herbal component. Smooth but lively, and solidly structured. Finishes with very good persistence.

Chassagne Montrachet "Chenevottes" 1999 87 - 90

Pale color. Bright aromas of fresh herbs, vanilla, nut skin, truffle and honey; faint whiff of old barrel. Intensely flavored and shapely; this is dense for a wine from 15-year-old vines, especially in light of the crop level of 60 hl/ha. Lovely ripeness and lemony lift-and noteworthy length, I like this.

Chassagne Montrachet "Caillerets" 1999 88 - 91

(from vines averaging about 40 years of age) Reticent aromas of lemon and truffle, plus a suggestion of old wood. Quite unenvolved in the mouth; citrus and stone flavors are firm and subtle. The longest of Morey's 1999 premier crus, but a wine that will require several years of bottle aging.

Batard Montrachet 1999 89 - 92

(from his father's vines; just four barrels made; 14.1% natural alcohol) Broad aromas of honey, lime and mirabelle; distinctly liqueur-like. Dense, fat and large-scaled, with harmonious acidity; surprisingly lively in the mouth after the rather heavy nose. Rather powerful, expanding finish shows some subtlety.

Chassagne Montrachet "Chaumees" 1998 86

Musky aromas of citrus, pear and fresh herbs. Good texture and volume; rather low-toned flavors of pear, licorice, honey and earth. Decent finish. Morey says the acids were a hair lower in '98 than in '99, but says that the wines seem higher in acidity because there's less buffering roundness. But this wine has some velour.

Chassagne Montrachet "Caillerets" 1998 88

Refreshing green-tinged color. Lively aromas of lime, spearmint, fresh herbs and honey. Ripe flavors of lime, pear and minerals have good cut and precision. Nicely balanced. Distinctly purer than the Chaumees and Champs Gain. Finishes with good persistence.

Batard Montrachet 1998 88

(Albert Morey label; vinified by Jean-Marc): Very ripe aromas of mirabelle, apricot confit, menthol, licorice and oak spice. Thick and powerful in the mouth, with strong, very ripe fruit salad flavors. Showing more material than complexity today. Finishes with a touch of dryness.