Domaine Fabien Coche Bourgogne Côte d’Or Chardonnay 2019

Coming from 7 parcels of beautifully situated vines owned by the estate all within Meursault just below the village. This wine is whole bunch pressed then raised in a 3000 litre foudre before being moved back to stainless steel for 6 months in tank and bottled with no fining or filtration in January after a total of 16 months on lees. This is clearly not an average Bourgogne blanc with weight texture and character way above its humble appellation label. A Bourgogne blanc that delivers freshness and attractive Chardonnay fruit yet is also very complex and fine.

Fourth-generation vigneron Fabien Coche took over his family’s domaine in 2005. Hailing from one of Burgundies most famed families (Coche-Dury was part of the same domaine until 1940 and is run by his cousin Raphael), Fabien has quickly become the Coche of the current generation making the most waves. His enviable vineyard holdings total nearly 11 hectares spread across Meursault, Monthelie, Pommard and Auxey-Duresses.

Fabien Coche’s father is a first cousin of Jean-Francois Coche-Dury and it is not so long ago that the two domaines shared almost identical labels. Fabien started working with his father in 1998 and since 2005 has taken over the running and now has his own his own distinctive labels.

Organic farming practices here since 1998 for the 40 plots of vines that the family owns and now with 20 vintages experience. Average vine age is impressive here with more than 60% of vines over 60 years old.

Stylistically the wines at this estate are incredibly pure with little (if any) discernable mark from the hand of the winemaker with new oak at a low 25% and a notable percentage of larger format barrels. I would place the style of his wines in-between that of his cousins Coche-Dury and Roulot. Fabiens wines have the acidity and purity of Roulot without the trademark SO2 which tends to mark Roulots wines when young, and also without the extravagant luxuriant texture that so defines the wines of Coche-Dury. Here we simply find real old vine depth delivering some of the purest expressions of each vineyard site that we have seen right the way through the range from Aligote right to the very top.