If you were to stand in the 1er Cru Combottes and look around, you'd be surrounding by Grand Crus.
This situation plays out in the wine. Combottes marks a place where the line between Grand and 1er Crus gets hazy. And things get really interesting.
There's no better place to witness the greatness of Combottes than Dujac. Dujac is one of the elite estates of Burgundy. The domaine has a magic touch, delivering haunting perfume and whispering complexity. Their Combottes is a wine that often reaches the level of palate presence and distinction that's associated with Grand Crus.
I'm very happy to offer five favorite vintages of Dujac's Combottes, including half-bottles.
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The story of the 1er Cru Aux Combottes is, of course, all about location. Combottes is located in the southern part of Gevrey, on the border with Morey St. Denis, and is pretty much surrounded by Grand Crus. It exists in the shadows of Clos de la Roche, Latricieres-Chambertin and Charmes-Chambertin.
And that's a great snapshot of Combottes' beating heart: it's intense with earth, mineral and finely interwoven Gevrey fruit. For all of its minerality and power, Combottes manages to maintain a gorgeous silken elegance. There's some of the delicacy of Morey with some of the muscle of Gevrey - it's a really impressive combination.
This is a really strong collection of vintages. I have a particular fondness for the 2014 and 2008. Both vintages emphasize the ethereal and delicate side of the wine. The 2012 has a pitch-perfect expression of minerality and an outrageous elegance. The 2009 boasts a shocking harmony and clarity. And the 2002 and 2005 are simply stunning.
Combottes is one of the wines that's on the radar of serious collectors, where it rubs elbows with Burgundy's big boys in their cellar. It has the status of wildly overachieving 1er Crus, like d'Angerville's Ducs and Fourrier's and Rousseau's Clos St. Jacques. Please give us your ideal order and we'll try our best. I don't expect our modest quantities will last for long.
To order, email offers@crushwineco.com
or call the store at (212) 980-9463.
Ian McFadden
Director, Fine & Rare Wine
Crush Wine & Spirits
Dujac Gevrey-Chambertin
1er Cru Aux Combottes: 2002-2014
2014 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Aux Combottes
Special Email Bottle Price: $229.95
Compare at up to $245-310
Burghound: "This is also notably airy, cool and almost as elegant with its intensely floral nose that is composed by notes of restrained red pinot fruit, earth and tea scents that are trimmed in just enough wood to notice. The racy, intense and beautifully precise medium weight flavors that deliver excellent depth and persistence. Again this is not super dense but this certainly doesn't lack for intensity or refinement. Plus it should generously reward mid-term cellaring."
2012 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Aux Combottes
Special Email Bottle Price: $244.95
Compare at up to $260-300
Burghound: "This is also reduced if not quite as firmly as the Morey villages. This is extremely fine and pure with a knockout mouth feel to the restrained, pure and lacy medium-bodied flavors that are also shaped by fine-grained tannins on the mouth coating, understated and lingering finish where there is also a trace of austerity. This is not a big wine but as classic examples typically are, this is a Gevrey 1er of finesse and refinement plus it's impeccably well-balanced. I would make the same observation here that while the reduction is a concern my score assumes that it will ultimately dissipate with a few years of bottle age."
2009 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Aux Combottes 375ml
Special Email Half-Bottle Price: $124.95
No compare at pricing available
Burghound: "A fresh though very reserved nose that is airy, cool and admirably pure offers up plenty of floral notes along with the muted red berry fruit. The mineral-infused, tight and beautifully well-detailed middle weight flavors possess a lovely serenity on the harmonious, long, balanced and linear finish. This is exquisite and fashioned in an understated style."
2008 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Aux Combottes
Special Email Bottle Price: $224.95
Compare at up to $235
Burghound: "A very stylish and ultra fresh nose offers up classy if restrained red pinot fruit liberally laced with notes of stone and rose petal, both of which can be found on the detailed, pure and lacy middle weight flavors that are complex, focused, mouth coating, crisp and solidly persistent. I like the balance and punch."
2008 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Aux Combottes 375ml
Special Email Half-Bottle Price: $115.95
No compare at pricing available
2005 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Aux Combottes
Special Email Bottle Price: $319.95
Compare at up to $450
Burghound: "A wonderfully expressive and high-toned nose of cool red berry fruits and hints of spice, earth and minerals serve to introduce sweet and impeccably well-balanced flavors that are sweet, delicious, rich, detailed and altogether serious, packing good punch and energy into a finish that is all grace and harmony. This is a really lovely effort that will age well yet be accessible early on."
2002 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Aux Combottes
Special Email Bottle Price: $309.95
Burghound: "Red cassis fruit aromas of striking elegance and finesse introduce round, supple, forward, and precise middle weight flavors. The finish is quite long and I very much like the vibrancy and overall freshness here plus this too displays near perfect balance. There is a touch of finishing warmth but not enough to detract from what is a really stylish and seductive wine."
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