Julien Cruchandeau is an incredibly talented winemaker and makes delicious reds and whites in a beautiful, precise elegant style with amazingly fine tannins. I've never expressed it in an email before but I believe Julien is even more talented at making white wines than at reds. He just has not had the terroir to show off his amazing skill sets. All any of you who have tasted his Aligote, can attest that his version is a stunning example of Bouzeron. Julien, cut his chops at the famous Bouzeron estate of Lechenaut so white wine was in his blood. Today we have two of the most exciting white Burgundies I offer in my book in what I think is the perfect vintage to deliver the truest expression of both these wines. Julien, as many of you know and love (and a few who don't) Julien is not shy on the acid. All the material is there underneath but sometimes in vintages that have big acid, like 2014, the wines need excessive decants or some time in the cellar. Enter 2015 and what we have here is the perfect vintage for Julien to showcase two of the most important wines in his stable. 2015 is a warm vintage and Julien describes it like 2009 but with much better acid, freshness and structure. I tend to agree with him. His 2015s in both colors are bananas but these two whites, which sell out the fastest now that he has a new importer and is already insanely popular in his homeland of France, are his masterpieces.Up first is the 2015 Julien Cruchandeau Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru "Hameau du Blagny" for as little as $54.99 a bottle on a 3-pack. This is Julien's top white and his most limited. I have a set amount of these and cannot get any more at all. The thirst is real for Julien's wines. The Hameau de Blagny is one of the rarer Puligny 1er Cru's out there but can make a wine that has the finesse of Puligny and the power of Meursault. The minerality in this wine is off the charts and even when I tasted it in its infancy it has such a long presence on the palate. Really takes over your mouth. The levels of fruit showing well this early differ from the 14 which was all minerals and will need a decade for the fruit to develop. This is a super intense wine and just a remarkable wine with so much potential yet drinks well now. The nose is deeply floral and mineral. White flowers all over the place and tons of spice. Your nose will get stuck in the glass. It keeps changing and gaining in nuance. Hints of iodine and hazelnut after a while. His aromatics are not just limited to the reds. This is spectacular. The palate is gorgeous with the classic Cruchandeau finesse and purity. There is a depth and richness while having stunning acidity and freshness as well. The acid here makes this wine tastes like a producer who has a normal amount of acids in 2014, except that it is 2015. Amazing length. It pumps fruit, mineral, nuts, flowers, mineral and spice on the juicy finish. This is must buy and of course is limited. One of my favorite whites from 2015. The story of how Julien got this parcel is one of Burgundy's unique little quirks. There was a raffle for this slice of the 1er Cru, and Julien won the raffle and was awarded the land (our own Vincent Ledy finished 2nd). The soil is white marl and the age of the vines are 50 years. The vineyard produces very small grapes that yield very concentrated wines.
Up next is the 2015 Julien Cruchandeau Bouzeron "Massale" for as little as $19.99 a bottle but a 4-pack. Aligote is seen as the third wheel in Burgundy yet almost every great producer makes one. Ramonet, Leroy, Arnaud Ente, Aubert de Villaine and countless others. You should ask yourself a question: if all of these great winemakers are making wine from Aligote even though it is relatively inexpensive, what do they know that you don't? I must say I think Julien's Bouzeron is one of the best I have tasted. I like it even more than Aubert de Villaine's great one at A et P Villaine. Also it is a stunning value. The 2015 Julien Cruchandeau Bouzeron follows in the footsteps of the terrific 2014 with its incredible laser focused acidity and beautiful pure tart lime-lemon fruit. Yet it is a bit wider and more ample but still has laser acids but not as piquant as the '14. It makes up for that with wonderful body, and insane freshness on the finish. 10% of this wine is in barrel which gives this a touch of roundness, with 90% being in stainless steel. It's a bright wine and perfect as an aperitif or with Oysters or fish.
What is the appeal of this grape? It makes a very crisp wine, with lovely skeletal textures and is a real showcase for terroir. It also it the polar opposite of Chardonnay. I love Chardonnay, riesling and chenin but I don't want to drink them every day and once a week or so, I want something different. Something distinctive.
In Bouzeron, which is in the Challonaisse, it is generally thought to be the highest expression of Aligote. I've had two bottles the past month of the stunning '14 and also tasted the amazing 15 at the estate this past March in Burgundy. Both have been beyond impressive in different ways. Julien has roots in Bouzeron as he worked there for 5 years at Lecheneaut.
2015 Julien Cruchandeau Bouzeron "Massale" - $21.99 ($79.96 4-pack)
2015 Julien Cruchandeau Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru
"Hameau du Blagny" - $56.99
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