Verget Bourgogne Blanc, Burgundy, France

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Lovely, rich aromas of sweet pears emanate from the glass of the 2003 Bourgogne Terroirs de Cote d’Or (white). Medium-bodied and expressive, this plush effort coats the taster’s palate with flavors reminiscent of lees, butter, yeast, candied apples, and pulp-laden pears. Drink it over the next 2-3 years.

Spiced herbs can be found in the aromatics of the 2002 Bourgogne Terroirs de Cote d’Or. Light to medium-bodied, bright, spicy, juicy, and satiny-textured, this fresh almond-flavored wine is expressive and supple. Drink it over the next 2 years.

Spices and pulp-laden pears can be found in the shy aromatics of the 2001 Bourgogne Terroirs de Cote d'Or. This tight, linear wine is light-bodied, juicy, and lively. Minerals immersed in lemons can be found throughout its flavor profile and long, pure finish. Drink it over the next 2 years. "Given what Mother Nature did to us, the 2001 vintage cannot be great." With that pronouncement, Jean-Marie Guffens, the most forthright producer in Burgundy, began his discourse on the vintage.Overall, Guffens views 2001 as being at the quality level of 1998, with Chablis fairing the worst. "Officially, I score the 2001 Chablis at 12/20, but only after having noticed that everybody gets really angry with me when I say the truth," said Guffens with a sarcastic laugh. He later added that he would score the 2001 whites from the Cote de Beaune 15/20 and those from the Maconnais 14/20.The season was difficult throughout Burgundy from the flowering onwards according to Guffens. "This was a year, unlike 1999 and 2000, that severely punished those with high yields." His approach was to purchase only the finest lots he could find (as well as those he had to acquire in order to maintain allocations), and resell to other negociants those that weren't up to his standards. "I sold back 30% of what I'd purchased, at lower prices than what I had paid.."To Guffens, 2001 is a vintage to drink early. "Those with high yields and/or those who harvested early have unripe acidity, which ages very poorly, those who harvested later had low acidities, there seemed to be no middle ground in this vintage." In response to this dilemma, Guffens elected to bottle all his 2001s earlier than usual, "to trap the fruit in the bottle."Whereas many producers in France are feeling the crunch of the sluggish world economy, Guffens announced that "business is good at Verget, because we are producing less wine, have lowered our prices, and told our importers to do the same." He went on to add that Verget's business model, unlike those of traditional negociants, is to never hold stocks of wine. "We make what we can sell, sell it, then make what we can sell. We are not in the storage business."A Peter Vezan Selection (Paris Fax # 011-33-1-42654293), various American importers, including North Berkeley Imports, Berkeley, CA; tel. (510) 848-8910

Packed with aromas of super-ripe pears and apples as well as leesy almond notes, the Bourgogne Blanc is a resounding success. This medium-bodied, silky-textured, and flavorful wine is rich, immensely pleasurable, and filled with nuts and honeysuckle-like flavors. Drink it over the next three years. A Peter Vezan Selection (Paris Fax # 011-33-1-42654293), importers include: North Berkeley Imports, Berkeley, CA; tel (510) 848-8910, and a Patrick Lesec Selection (Paris Fax # 011-33-1-42843822), various American importers, including Bacchus Importers (800) 525-9699.

Made from grapes mostly originating in the area of Puligny Montrachet but also including some declassified St. Aubin 1er Cru and other press wines, the citrus-scented Bourgogne Blanc (50,000 bottles) is certainly one of the best examples of this generic appellation. With Verget's trademark silky mouth-feel, this fresh, clean, medium-bodied wine is a delicious value. Drink now-2001. A note on availability: Verget's top wines are sold on pre-arrival, making them very hard to find after they have been reviewed. I apologize for this inconvenience and will make every effort to taste them prior to their offering in the coming years.This note is the result of tastings I did in Burgundy between January 7 and January 29. Critics say that Verget wines will not age. The '95s have good fruit, balance and acid structure, all the components necessary for cellaring. Guffens also makes every effort to prevent oxygen from entering into contact with the wines because this can cause them to either oxidize or can stunt their ability to evolve in the bottle. When I asked Guffens about these comments on the aging ability of his wines, he scoffed and replied that some people believe that if a wine is good young it can't age well, "so maybe they should buy bad wine and age it," he said. Another criticism is that the wines all taste the same. After having tasted all of the '95s and having had a number of Verget wines from previous vintages the following is clear: Guffens pushes for silky textures and long finishes, and his wines are generally thick and often full-bodied. The only other similarity (and I was looking!) is an herbal spiciness that can be found on the nose of many of the wines. Most importantly, each wine reflects its terroir. Moreover, each wine is one of the finest examples of its appellation.Note: Guffens feels that 1996 is the most exceptional vintage of his lifetime. I would not repeat most growers' statements about the next "vintage of the century," but my experience in the retail trade established that Verget's wines usually sold prior to arrival, and were nearly impossible to find after reviews have been published.A Peter Vezan Selection (Paris Fax # 011-33-1-42654293), importers include: North Berkeley Imports, Berkeley, CA; tel (510) 848-8910 and a Patrick Lesec Selection (Paris Fax # 011-33-1-42843822), various American importers, including Bacchus Importers (800) 525-9699.