2013 Chambertin Grand Cru

David Croix described 2013 as his most difficult growing season to date, and the latest in 25 to 30 years; he picked the whites at the end of September and brought in the reds between October 3 and 15. "The whites went exotic and tropical," he told me in December. "Some reds also developed rot very quickly but for others we were able to wait. It was a very uneven vintage with a cold ripening character, and a lot of sorting was needed. But the wines can be very pure and focused. The low yields saved us." Croix added that he extended the fermentations to "build up the wines."

Like all of his colleagues, winemaker David Croix had to deal with another year of highly challenging conditions. To make matters worse, the oldest vines were especially affected, as they were in the middle of flowering when the weather was at its most capricious. Hail was also an issue, especially the July 23 storm that took with it as much as 30-40% of the production. The wines, though, are quite pretty. In particular, there is a sense of translucency in the best wines that is captivating. It also appears 2013 is a more complete vintage than 2012 in the Côte de Beaune, where the 2012s are severely marked by a combination of hail damage, scorching heat and huge tannins that are the result of freakishly high skin to juice ratios. In addition to these wines, I also tasted the Nuits Boudots, but it was too reduced to allow for an accurate read.