Domaine Coste-Caumartin

It is interesting how a great vintage can bring a person back to Burgundy...

Having shied away from the wines of the Côte d'Or in favor of the wines of Bordeaux for the past two years, I am finding myself more and more attracted to Burgundy, its wines, the region, its history and culture.

There are a few solid reasons why I have not gravitated towards this most haloed of wine regions: 1) Both the 2003 and 2004 vintages posed problems for Burgundian winemakers (less so the 2004 white wines, which were actually quite successful, especially in Chablis), whereas the 2003 vintage (as well as the 2004) received quite good press in Bordeaux. I must admit that I got quite caught up in the bordeaux frenzy with the string of (what appears to be) great wines produced in a succession of vintages. 2005 Bordeaux will be monumental of course, but because few of us will be able to afford them, we would be wise to take a look at 2004 as a vintage that has turned out many fine wines and some exceptional ones, with still (nearly) affordable price tags.

Burgundy in 2004 rather disappointed me (with the exception of some great white wines as mentioned above), many of the reds were vegetal, austere, lean, and acidic. Some of these qualities, namely austerity and acidity I can appreciate, but so many of the wines I tasted possessed a green, underripe component, a major turn-off in my opinion.

And then the 2005s began to appear in the warehouse and the more I tasted, the more impressed I became. Great purity of fruit, balance, and structure, these wines were, are and will be delicious. And as regards pricing, it does not appear that Burgundy will vie with Bordeaux's awe inspiring level of inflation. Yes, prices are up, but then, so is the Euro, and the quality also.

And so, I have been tasting many 2005s and finding myself more and more in the clutches of Burgundy's Sirens. For many, one taste of a fine Pinot Noir from Burgundy is enough to justify a lifelong pursuit of finding another as good or better. And for many, this quest is akin to the hunt for the Holy Grail. For some reason, Burgundy seems to disappoint more than it enchants, and those of you chasing after this fickle mistress know that even the same exact bottle drunk only months earlier from the same exact case can taste radically different, for better or for worse.

While I have had some nearly enlightment achieving bottles of Burgundy (1983 Domaine Leroy Gevery-Chambertin Clos St Jacques, drunk last September after 1983 Yquem), this experience is rare, indeed frustratingly so. The majority of Burgundies tasted have been mediocre with some good to very good wines but few excellent ones. Buying it is such a gamble as, like I mentioned earlier, bottle variation runs rampant. And to get a potentially good bottle of red Burgundy one must generally spend at least $60, while in Bordeaux one can buy such second growths as Leoville Barton for about the same price and be guaranteed quality.

In any case, when people discuss the allure and magic of Burgundy, its mystique and romance, they do so quite justifiably, as is evidenced with a vintage like 2005. The wines are good at the entry level and get better as one climbs the appellation hierarchy. I have had maybe two mediocre wines out of fifty, a truly incredible ratio. Of course, do some research before taking out a second mortgage to buy 2005 Burgundies, as there are still underachievers out there producing wines at prices far above what they merit...

This rather long winded preamble brings me to the main subject of this post, the wines of Domaine Coste-Caumartin, located in Pommard.

The viticultural history of Coste-Caumartin dates back to the mid 17th Century, with the current Sordet family taking control of the Domaine in 1793. In 1988, the current proprietor, Jérôme Sordet (pictured above), took control of Domaine Coste-Caumartin and has continued the tradition of making very terroir driven wines that combine (in his words) elegance, power, and finesse.

I happened upon this winery (as luck would have it) in the midst of the 2005 growing season and met the amiable proprietor who very generously led me through a tasting of his wines. At the time I was still in the infancy of wine appreciation, though I remember liking the wines very much.

Recently, I rekindled my connection with this Domaine, in the hopes that the Importing Company for whom I work might be able to import these wines to Virginia, Maryland, and DC. They recently sent a six bottle assortment of samples for me to taste. I also plan to taste through their entire line-up when I visit Burgundy at the end of August.

See part two for tasting notes...