2003 Meursault Rougeots

The 2004s took a very long time to finish their alcoholic fermentations (until early March), as did the '78s in this cellar, according to Jean-Francois Coche. Most of the malos, however, were done by the time I visited. As I mentioned last spring, Coche believes he benefited in 2003 by keeping, and using, a percentage of second-generation fruit in a number of his cuvees. Not only did the grapes themselves contribute healthier levels of acidity, but the second-generation fruit was accompanied by new foliage, which helped to protect the grapes from burning in the hot summer sun. Coche's 2003s have more freshness than most of the wines I sampled from this extreme vintage, and Coche believes that "these wines will be just fine in seven or eight years." But he admits that the vintage was best-and least atypical-in Corton-Charlemagne.

Jean-Francois Coche, who harvested his chardonnay during the last week of August, describes the 2003s as "like the '83s but without botrytis. "Interestingly, Coche told me he routinely included 10% to 15% of the second generation grapes in his various cuvees which gave the wines a better balance. The second generation crop was less likely to be grilled by the sun because there was stronger vegetation to protect these grapes," explained Coche, adding that the advantage of using some of these grapes was more than just a matter of getting better acidity in the final blend. Still, admits Coche, the 2003s show the power of the sun; it's not a vintage of finesse. The terroir is often neutralized by the ripeness. The 2003s are not minerally enough; they're not the Coche style. "It's a vintage to drink with food, not as an aperitif, Coche adds. The wines are for drinking early or late:they'll last on their power, he says, "like the '83s, which are still good. "Coche used much less new oak for his 2003s, including a lot of barrels that had previously been used more than once. He told me that he wishes he used even less. All of the malolactic fermentations were done by the time I visited at the end of May, and most, but not all, of the barrels had been sulfited. (Kermit Lynch, Berkeley CA