93 Pts Wine Spectator

"Rich, yet also bright and restrained, showing apple, yellow plum, lime, mineral and oak spice aromas and flavors. It has a linear profile, with intensity and terrific length. Best from 2010 through 2025. 400 cases imported. -BS" -93 points Wine Spectator

"Pale, green-tinged color. Apple and spice on the nose; at once more exotic and more austere than the '06. Ripe, supple and densely packed, with a piquant spice character to the apple and stone flavors. Finishes with subtly spicy dusty length and lingering sweetness." -93 points- Stephen Tanzer- International Wine Cellar

"A generously oaked nose features wood spice, vanilla and ripe green fruit aromas though the oak is more moderate on the palate as the big and sleekly muscled flavors possess ample dry extract to soak up most of the wood. There is good if not outstanding precision and detail, which keeps it from being at the next level. In sum, an excellent but not truly outstanding example." -92 points Allen Meadows

PRODUCER:
"As detailed in Issue 23, Vincent Girardin has been telling me that he wants to increase the purity of his wines, to make them more age worthy but most of all, to make "real" burgundies that are terroir-driven and truly reflect their sense of place. To this end I explained how progress, in my view, had been mixed but that there had been progress nonetheless, particularly in 2004, where I definitely preferred the style of the wines compared to that of prior vintages."

"Well, I am happy to report that in 2005 the progress continues and while it is too soon to declare victory, I will say that this is a very strong set of wines from top to bottom. It would appear that Girardin's policy of no lees stirring (adopted in 2002) served him well in 2005 as it avoided making the wines too heavy."

"This is important for someone that uses as much new, and recent, wood as Girardin does and again, while the oak in 2005 is hardly invisible, it is better modulated than in prior vintages. I know that in past Issues I have reported that Girardin has reduced the percentage of new wood to "only" 40% for the grands crus and one-third for the 1ers with the remaining proportions being a mix of 1 to 3 year old barrels. While I applaud these reductions, the wines nevertheless still display ample wood influence. Specifically for those readers who have objected to the amount of wood in the Girardin wines in the past, while they certainly are still carrying noticeable oak influence, I believe you will find it to be more moderate in this regard in 2005 though a few of the grands crus are still amply oaked."

"With respect to the '05 vintage, Girardin was clearly excited by the wines, saying that 'For me 2005 is a great vintage, even better than 1999 and I believe the wines, both red and white, will age extremely well.' Lastly, Girardin will not release a Montrachet in 2005, explaining that he simply couldn't find quality must for anything close to a reasonable price. Except for the Quintessence, the wines were bottled between November and February. Girardin fans will see a heavy new bottle with a distinctive shape for the grands crus beginning with 2005." -Allen Meadows in Burghound on this producer

WINE:
"This is a rich wine that is expressed in time with mineral flavors. Notes of mineral, flint, vegetal notes, lime, pineapple. Serve with Bresse chicken, foie gras, salmon with sorrel. Temperature: 12 degrees C." -Winery

VINEYARDS:
"The vines are in near the village of Aloxe-Corton, northern Côte de Beaune, with south and southeast exposure. The soils are hard limestone and marl and the total surface area is 2 hectares or 4.5 acres. The vines are 50 years old." -Winery

VINIFICATION:
"The grapes are harvested by hand and are sorted twice (when picking the grapes and on the sorting table). A light pressing is done to get a slow extraction, and after a gentle racking of the must, the wine is put in French oak casks (30% of which is new oak). The primary and malolactic fermentations can then begin with wild yeasts. The ageing is done on fine lees during 18 months and we follow the lunar calendar for bottling." -Winery