Retail Team | October 12, 2023
Grandeur, nervosité, opulence, perfection – these are the kinds of words critics reach for when attempting to describe the near-mythical greatness of Meursault’s Domaine Coche-Dury.
“This is arguably the most sought-after internationally of all white burgundy domaines,” said resident Burgundy authority Jasper Morris. Robert Parker has called Jean-François Coche, who shepherded the estate’s rise to stardom, “one of the greatest winemakers on planet earth.”
Arguably, Coche-Dury has never gone looking for cult status – but cult status has certainly found it. That tradition of excellence is grounded in fundamentals established by Jean-François, which his son Raphaël continues today. Their vigilance in the vineyards, as rich and teeming with life as a garden, is notorious. They are often the first to arrive at their plots in the morning and the last to leave at night.
Extraordinary pains are taken to press grapes for the correct length and intensity, and to time élevages and fermentations just right. This meticulous work has produced some of the most extraordinary village-level Burgundies on the market, hotly anticipated and difficult to find – which makes the Sotheby’s Wine selection a serious cause for celebration.
Raphaël – more expressive than his reticent father – has compared the 2020 vintage to 1990, sharing in its generosity and pinpoint precision. In this selection from the 2020 vintage, you can see the shades of a subtle evolution that has taken place at Meursault’s iconic estate. In a move that both Raphaël and Jean-François agreed was necessary to better reflect terroir, they have shied away from the slightly toasty, reductive style for which Coche-Dury was formerly known, and diminished the use of bâttonage, new oak, and heavy lees.
In the whites, Coche-Dury’s trademark nerviness is unmistakable, as is the incredible breadth and sumptuous power which reveals itself over years in the cellar. The Les Enseigneres is an instant classic with a fine latticework structure, while the creamy, fleshy Les Rougets brims with vibrancy.
The domaine’s reds are just as riveting, showcasing beautiful minerality and haunting aromatics of exotic spice and floral notions. The two Hospice de Beaune cuvées reflect the deep, dark majesty of Pinot Noir sourced from top plots in Pommard and Corton.
From an estate too busy in its quest for perfection to seek attention, these extraordinary wines speak volumes.
All wine will be ready for delivery from 16 Oct. White wines are limited to 6 bottles each per client.
