Domaine Fabien Coche Monthelie 1er Cru Les Barbières AOC 2022

Domaine Fabien Coche Monthelie 1er Cru Les Barbières AOC 2022Maker: Established in 1940 and formerly known as Coche Bizouard, the Domaine Fabien Coche is dedicated to cultivating the exceptional qualities found in the renowned wines of Burgundy. With a commitment to traditional methods, Domaine Fabien Coche carefully tends to every aspect of the winemaking process, from vineyard work to bottling, ensuring the production of wines that are truly exceptional. Fabien Coche, is a fourth generation vigneron, who took

Maker:
Established in 1940 and formerly known as Coche-Bizouard, the Domaine Fabien Coche is dedicated to cultivating the exceptional qualities found in the renowned wines of Burgundy. With a commitment to traditional methods, Domaine Fabien Coche carefully tends to every aspect of the winemaking process, from vineyard work to bottling, ensuring the production of wines that are truly exceptional. Fabien Coche, is a fourth-generation vigneron, who took over the management of his family's prestigious domaine in 2005, following in the footsteps of his well-known relatives. 

Fabien Coche’s father is a first cousin of Jean-Francois Coche-Dury and it is not so long ago that the two domaines shared almost identical labels. Fabien started working with his father in 1998 and since 2005 has taken over the running and now has his own distinctive labels. The Coche-Dury family holds a prominent position among Burgundy's esteemed families. Fabien Coche's holdings were formerly part of the same estate until 1940, Coche-Dury is now overseen by Fabien's cousin Raphael. Fabien has become a prominent figure in the wine industry, achieving notable success in the current generation. Showcasing his expertise and passion, Fabien's impressive collection of vineyards covers approximately 11 hectares, encompassing Meursault, Monthelie, Pommard and Auxey-Duresses.

Stylistically the wines at this estate are incredibly pure with little (if any) discernable mark from the hand of the winemaker with new oak at a low 25% and a notable percentage of larger format barrels. I would place the style of his wines in-between that of his cousins Coche-Dury and Roulot. Fabiens wines have the acidity and purity of Roulot without the trademark SO2 which tends to mark Roulots wines when young, and also without the extravagant luxuriant texture that so defines the wines of Coche-Dury. Here we simply find real old vine depth delivering some of the purest expressions of each vineyard site that we have seen right the way through the range from Aligote right to the very top.

Vineyard:
The vineyard was established in 1940, this estate spans prestigious appellations including AOC Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet, Pommard, Auxey-Duresses, and Monthelie, both village and premier cru. The vineyards, covering 12 hectares and have been practicing organic viticulture since 1998. With vine is high ranging from 8000 to 11000 per hectare. Average vine age is impressive here with more than 60% of vines over 60 years old.

Winestyle/Cuvee:
This 1er cru vineyard sits quite high on the slope and faces full south. Made with 30% whole bunch ferment in 2022 this wine shows rich and deep aromas given some lift and finesse by the use of whole bunches in the ferment. Shows lovely floral lift and also excellent freshness with excellent depth and intensity. A serious 1er cru with only 20% new oak used and bottled after 18 months elevage. This retains freshness and finesse and shows very bright rich fruit with great polish. Fabien aims to capture the fresher side of Pinot and these reds are lithe and effortless and not at all worked.

Nose - Deep Aromas, Floral Lift, Intense
Lifted floral aromatics, fresh unfurling red fruits with excellent depth and intensity.

Palate - Rich Bright Fruit, Mouth-Filling
Mouth-filling, plenty of sweeping flavour with a clean structure, layered with some attractive bitters present in the finish. 

Finish - Mineral, Persistent, Complex
A slight mineral character that adds complexity to the wine. The finish is long and persistent, leaving a pleasant sensation in the mouth.

Domaine Fabien Coche … is one of the most underrated sources of high-quality white Burgundy in the Côte de Beaune. Alain Coche took his time, leaving his wines on the lees to mature at a leisurely pace for two winters, and produced classically balanced, textbook Meursault that evolved beautifully in the cellar; today, his son Fabien follows suit, with a few small refinements: today, the Coche harvest takes two weeks, not one, with each parcel brought in at optimal maturity, and there are more larger-format barrels in the cellar alongside the regular Burgundian pièces. These are not stylized, flashy wines, and they aren’t as dramatic as some of the region’s more sought-after domaines on release, but readers with the patience to cellar them will be amply rewarded. - William Kelley, Wine Advocate

The Finer Details
Style - Red Wine
Varietal - Pinot Noir
Country - France
Region- Burgundy
Vintage - 2022
Bottle Size - 750ml
ABV - 13.5%