Montbourgeau has long stood as one of our favorite Jura producers, but their 2012 Vin Jaune blew us away.
Montbourgeau produces some of the finest and most elegant Vin Jaunes. Their only rival is Macle's great Château-Chalons.
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In any vintage, Montbourgeau's Vin Jaune excels at mineral-drenched finesse. The 2012 intensifies this signature, consolidating it into a punchy and dazzling package.
There's something about the clarity and force of the 2012 that catches something absolutely essential about the brilliance of Montbourgeau's Vin Jaune. The wine has an especially radiant profile showing plenty of citrus, spice, and a rainwater minerality.
When everything is factored in, the 2012 is incredibly complete and harmonious. It's easy to see why Jura expert and Wine Advocate critic, Luis Gutiérrez, awarded the 2012 the highest score that he's ever given a Montbourgeau Vin Jaune and one that places it among the region's best. A place that it very much deserves.
Everything is in place for it to age beautifully. We've tasted stunning bottles of Montbourgeau Vin Jaune from the 80s and 90s. The concentration and beautiful balance makes us feel that the 2012 will be a showstopper in the decades to come. I'm very happy to have another opportunity to offer this stunning success.
To order, email offers@crushwineco.com or call the store at (212) 980-9463.
Joe Salamone
Wine Buyer
Crush Wine & Spirits
Luis Gutiérrez, The Wine Advocate: "Year in, year out, the Vin Jaune from Montbourgeau has shown exceptional finesse and elegance, and the 2012 L'Etoile Vin Jaune is no exception. The grapes were picked quite late and achieved exceptional ripeness, then they were destemmed and pressed in a pneumatic press. The juice had a classic fermentation with temperature control, then the wine was transitioned to a 3,000-liter oak foudre, where it spent six months. Then, it was transferred to 230-liter oak barrels to undergo its real élevage without ever being topped up, which caused the development of a thin, gray veil of yeasts (flor) for almost seven years, during which time, they tasted the wine two or three times per year. After that time, they analyzed the ethanol and decided which barrels would go into the blend and which would not. The resulting wine is nutty and spicy and has some aromas of rubber and petrol, hints of herbs and smoke. The palate is full bodied at 14% alcohol, and the wine shows terrific concentration and balance. Bravo!"