You will probably never catch Eric de Suremain (Sure Hand in English) in
a coat
and tie. You're far more likely to catch him
bent double in the vineyard peering at his
vines, working on getting perfectly ripened grapes. Making great, natural wine is the only thing he
cares about. And he believes that it all comes from the vineyard with minimal intervention.
Wine Spectator bestows a whopping 92 rating for the vintage and writes of the 2007 white Burgundies, "The whites are pure, precise, dry and marked by vibrant, even racy structures, with plenty of mineral flavors." -Wine Spectator
Robert Parker agrees and rates the 2007 white Burgundy
vintage a 91!
According to Allen Meadows of Burghound, arguably the most knowledgeable and comprehensive Burgundy reviewer, "The most important takeaway on the '07 white burgundy vintage is that while it is a classically styled
vintage, meaning that it's pure, transparent and displays impeccably well the underlying terroir, it's also relatively forward and
accessible."
In other words, the three biggies and I all agree that this is a very fine vintage and one you definitely want in your cellar and in your glass now.
Last December I visited Chateau de Monthelie,
home of Eric de Suremain There aren't many
chateaux in Burgundy and there is only one in
the tiny hillside village of Monthelie. It's
about 300 years old and it looks every year
of its age, but there is something noble
about it with its brightly colored polychrome
roof and turrets.
Eric de Suremain inherited it from his
grandfather, Robert, in 1983. The Chateau
sits on the side of a hill and you can see
all around the Cote de Beaune from its
balustrades (don't lean too heavily). It is
clear that Eric has spent all of his time
(and money) on his vineyards and winemaking
and not the chateau. This is a good thing for
all of us.
Eric de Suremain took his vineyards
biodynamic (the highest and most disciplined level of organic) in 1996. He was way ahead of
his time, still is. His yields are very low.
His vines are old. He is restrained when it
comes to wood.
When I tasted his 2007 white Rully
I just had to have it. This is a Premier Cru
classified wine (a blend from only the best vineyards in
Rully) This is a rounded,
beautiful white Burgundy with winning
acidity. It is fabulous stuff and feels very
comfortable in a crowd of Meursault and
Puligny-Montrachet swells (at half the price).
Cynthia
Hurley
