J F Coche Dury Meursault 1999 750ml

Burghound.com, Nov 17, 2015
I hadn't had this since 2003 and it has necessarily changed considerably since then and I'm happy to say for the better. The mature but still youthful and admirably fresh nose reflects notes of hazelnut, pear, apple and acacia blossom nuances. There is excellent intensity and vibrancy to the delicious flavors in the context of what is typical for the '99 vintage, all wrapped in a mineral-driven, delicious and notably dry finish that is even ever-so-mildly austere (which is highly unusual for the '99 vintage). This is simply terrific and while fully mature, it should easily be capable of holding at this level for years to come.

The Domaine was established in the 1920s by Leon Coche. Some vineyard plots with established grapevines were purchased and Leon bottled some wine himself.The vineyard land was passed down to Leon's three children, with Georges Coche taking control of his share in 1964 and continuing to run the estate and purchase new vineyard land. Jean-Francois Coche took over from his father Georges, on his fathers retirement in 1973. Jean-Francois's wife has the surname Dury which was added to the name of the estate.
Jean-Francois Coche officially retired in 2010 but there will clearly be continuity of style in the hands of his son Raphael who has been working alongside his father since 2003. There have been some changes already in the detail: the vineyards are now all ploughed, and a pneumatic press has been ordered to work alongside the old mechanical Vaslin.
The wines are firmly crushed before pressing, which must surely be a factor in the Coche-Dury style, then fermented and matured in barrels using a relatively low percentage of new wood, not exceeding 25% except for the very top wines.

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