Descent en Bourgogne - 2008 Reds of Domaine Marey

Well, we have just returned from a jam-packed weekend in Burgundy. Leaving Paris at 8am on Saturday morning, we were at the first tasting in Pernand-Vergelesses by 11am. Pernand is a tiny village, pinched between Aloxe-Corton and Savigny, at the base of the Mont Corton. While there is nothing quite like a well-aged Corton Charlemagne from a good millesime, we smile like a 4 year-old on December 24th with a glass of white Pernand-Vergelesses.

It's a wine not often seen in the US, existing in red and white and in village and Premier Cru. While very approachable, in the hands of a good producer in a good year, it is dynamite! And that is who we were visiting, a producer we think is better than good; Domaine Pierre Marey & Fils is great.

Located in a cave under their modest house down the street from the eglise romain this family domain produces some of the most amazing white wines we have drunk, a fact of which they are well aware. Contrary to established traditions, a degustation chez Marey begins with their red wines and moves 'up' to their whites.

We are known at this domain so the tasting does not begin with the most basic of their production. Our first glass is Pernand-Vergelesses, Les Belles Filles, 2008. This is a village appellation from a lieu dit, as the French say, or a 'named place.' Another words, the vineyard has a name like a Premier Cru vineyard but is not granted that qualification. At the same time, wine bearing Les Belles Filles on its label is made only from grapes grown in that vineyard.

The first note was something we saw regularly during the weekend - the color. It was intense, brilliant and jewel-like. The nose was explosive - expressing fresh fruit and more fruit. In the mouth it was agreeably approachable, fresh, and only lightly tannic with a good expression of red fruit that lingered slightly. A very drinkable wine now for about $25.

Next was the Premier Cru, Les Fichots. Similarly to the Belles Filles, the color and the nose here were beautiful. With a taste, there were significantly more tannins and the mouth felt slightly dried out after swallowing. The flavor, still of red fruit but underlined with a refreshing minerality, lingered longer than it had after the previous glass. This is a wine that needs some time in the cellar, perhaps 3 to 5 years.

Our final glass of red wine was THE GRAND CRU of the cote de Beaune - Corton. Unlike many of the neighboring domains, Marey does not bottle a particular Corton - Bressandes, Hautes Mourottes, etc. - but instead bottles one particularly approachable Corton for a very fair price. The 2008 is $66.

Again, it shows beautiful color and the nose is extraordinary. In the mouth, the tannins are strong and there is good matiere as the French call it, 'material' would be the translation, but we feel it is the body of the wine that makes the drinker stop at that first sip, smile and think about what is in his or her glass. The first sip lingers for several moments, but the red fruits and minerality are supported by a light smokiness not found in the Premier Cru.

For the price, comparatively to other Cortons, this is an excellent value for someone with limited patience. Unlike most Grand Cru, this wine would benefit from only 5 to 7 years of cellaring. However, we were on this weekend with our family restaurateur, Le Cousin, and he felt that it could be served almost immediately if it was carafed prior to drinking.

Worthy of the early morning drive, the wines of Marey deserve to be better known. Next we will highlight their whites. Hold firmly to your glass...