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May be past its peak
2007 was a schizophrenic and highly challenging growing season in Burgundy, narrated by drastic weather shifts. It began with an unseasonably warm April that triggered dangerously early bud break, only to be followed by a cold, dank, and rainy summer plagued by rampant mildew and rot. Disaster was narrowly averted by a perfectly timed dry, sunny, and windy September that dehydrated the rot and pushed the surviving grapes to phenolic ripeness. It is broadly considered a restaurant vintage, yielding wines that are charming and red-fruited but often criticized for high acidity and a distinct lack of mid-palate depth. For Perrot-Minot, 2007 ranks in the lower-middle tier historically, far surpassed by the density of 2005 or the classical perfection of 2010. The wines matured early, and collectors seeking investment-grade lifespans will find the 2007s fragile, past peak, and demanding immediate consumption.
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Style: In assessing the 2007 Perrot-Minot Chambertin-Clos de Bèze against the classic BLIC framework, one finds a wine that reveals both the pedigree of its terroir and the limitations of its vintage. Balance is achieved through a lean, tensile framework: elevated, nervy acidity wraps tightly around fully resolved, silky tannins and a modest 13.5 percent ABV. However, this balance leans heavily on the structural acid rather than plush fruit weight. Length is good but not staggering; the finish persists with crushed stone and dried rose petals for a moderate duration, yet drops its primary fruit component faster than one expects from a Grand Cru. Intensity lies primarily in the aromatic spectrum, while the mid-palate intensity is noticeably slight, lacking the profound central depth of top years. Complexity is the wine's strongest asset, weaving tertiary layers seamlessly. Regarding typicity, this is an atypical expression of Clos de Bèze; rather than the voluminous, muscular power normally associated with the site, it offers a delicate, almost skeletal interpretation. In peer comparison, this bottling sits in the upper-middle prestige tier of Clos de Bèze producers, priced below the astronomical heights of Armand Rousseau but above Drouhin-Laroze. What Perrot-Minot's 2007 does better than its peers is express naked, transparent mineral tension. However, peers like Rousseau or even Pierre Damoy managed to extract marginally more mid-palate density in this difficult vintage. This wine is not for the buyer seeking the plush, extracted decadence of modern ripe Burgundy, nor for those wanting an immortal cellar monument. By purchasing this, you trade the sheer power and concentration expected at this price point for tertiary, gossamer delicacy and historical curiosity. A buyer spending four figures might be better served seeking a village or Premier Cru from a stronger, warmer vintage like a 2010 or 2015 from the same producer, where concentration naturally supports the structural bones.
Wine Spectator: 95/100
Robert Parker: 93/100
Vinous: 93/100
Decanter: 94/100
Temperature: 15C / 59F
Decanting: Decanting is highly risky for this delicate, mature 2007. Serve immediately upon opening. If necessary to remove sediment, double-decant swiftly. At 30 minutes, tertiary aromas of dried rose and iron peak. By 60 minutes, the lean fruit begins to fade noticeably. At 120 minutes, oxidation severely threatens the fragile structure.
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Vineyard Details:
• Critical Reservation (Consumer Consensus 91 pts): Obviously an outstanding wine, but far from the quality expected from a top Grand Cru. Only medium bodied and the finish marked by a slightly high acidity.
• Wine Spectator (95 pts): Tight and racy, this red exhibits floral, cherry, raspberry, mineral and spice aromas and flavors. There is fine balance and harmony.
• Noticeable disagreement exists between prominent critics who praised its transparency and consumers who felt the light mid-palate did not justify the Grand Cru pricing.
• Robert Parker Wine Advocate (93 pts): Reveals tension and linear drive.
• Decanter (94 pts): Showing extreme finesse and aromatic richness.
The "Clos de Bèze" name dates back to the 7th century when Benedictine monks first planted vines here—literally making it one of Burgundy's oldest continuously cultivated vineyard sites. Those vieilles vignes? They're essentially standing on nearly 1,400 years of winemaking history.
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