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Domaine Lécheneaut (Nuits St. Georges)
2012 Bourgogne “Clos Prieur” red (86-88)
2012 Bourgogne Hautes Côtes de Nuits red (86-88)
2012 Chambolle-Musigny red (89-91)
2012 Chambolle-Musigny “1er” red (90-93)
2012 Chorey-lès-Beaune red (86-89)
2012 Clos de la Roche Grand Cru red (92-94)
2012 Gevrey-Chambertin red (89-92)
2012 Marsannay “Les Sampagny” red (87-89)
2012 Morey St. Denis red (88-91)
2012 Morey St. Denis “Les Charrières” 1er red (90-92)
2012 Morey St. Denis “Clos des Ormes” red (88-91)
2012Nuits St. Georges red (89-91)
2012 Nuits St. Georges “Les Chouillets” red (89-92)
2012 Nuits St. Georges “Les Damodes” 1er red (90-92)
2012 Nuits St. Georges “Les Pruliers” 1er red (91-94)
2012 Vosne-Romanée red (89-91)
Vincent Lécheneaut, who always keeps meticulous records of every vintage and is always one of my reference points for
details, told me that 2012 was “more than just challenging as the growing season was for the most part just plain lousy. It was
cool and wet for much of the spring and summer and this of course negatively affected the flowering. It was absolutely
essential to be rigorous in your treatments as there were serious attacks of both mildew and powdery mildew though thankfully
no botrytis. We even had a bit of frost and hail though most of vineyards were spared. However, once you added up the
damage from the various problems the inevitable effect was relatively low yields though they varied from one sector to
another. As a very general rule of thumb, the farther south you went the lower the yields became. Across all of our
appellations we obtained about the same yields as we did in 2010, which is to say a bit less than 30 hl/ha. We began picking
on the 23rd of September under good but not ideal conditions. Still we were very pleasantly surprised by just how clean the
fruit was. Moreover the level of phenolic maturity was outstanding with good if not great potential alcohols that averaged right
at 12%. We did a moderate vinification and used anywhere from no whole clusters to as much as 50%. As to the wines I love
the 2012s because they are very Burgundian in style. This is to say that they are elegant, fresh and vibrant wines that express
very clearly the underlying terroir.” I thought that the Lécheneaut 2011s reflected the general quality of the vintage but in 2012
they have clearly outperformed and this is especially true for their lower level wines. In particular I would advise that you
consider buying some of their villages wines as the quality of several of them is outstanding. Note that as was the case in
2011, in 2012 they also decided to separate the villages from the 1er portions of the Les Damodes to create a pure 1er.
2012 Bourgogne “Clos Prieur”: A complex, fresh and layered nose of various red berries and plenty of earth character
leads to rich, detailed and delicious flavors that possess a silky mouth feel, all wrapped in a lingering and balanced finish that
exhibits only a trace of rusticity. This lush effort should drink well young. (86-88)/2015+
2012 Bourgogne-Hautes Côtes de Nuits: Reduction presently dominates the nose. There is perhaps even better detail and
certainly more evident minerality to the restrained, cool and admirably pure middle weight flavors that are not quite as
generous as those of the Clos Prieur. The underlying structure is also slightly firmer and this should reward 4 to 5 years of
cellar time. (86-88)/2016+
2012 Chorey-lès-Beaune: (from a leased vineyard). An expressive nose features notes of pungent earth and fresh red
currant aromas. There is good richness to the unusually refined middle weight flavors that possess good balance if only
average concentration on the dusty and solidly persistent finish. (86-89)/2016+
2012 Marsannay “Les Sampagny”: (from Couchey). This is also quite strongly reduced yet the underlying fruit appears to
be ripe. In much the same way as the Chorey, the mouth feel of the medium-bodied flavors is relatively fine before terminating
in a fresh, balanced and ever-so-mildly rustic finish. Solid quality here. (87-89)/2017+
2012 Morey St. Denis: An attractively layered nose of plum, violets and earth nuances gives way to notably rich and
voluminous medium weight flavors that possess a suave mouth feel. Despite the excellent richness the saline-inflected finish
retains a good sense of delineation and fine persistence. This is clearly at another level. (88-91)/2019+
2012 Chambolle-Musigny: (from several different parcels of vines averaging between 40 to 50 years of age at both ends of
the commune). A pure and appealingly elegant nose offers up notes of cassis, black cherry liqueur, spice and plenty of floral
character. There is an equally good sense of refinement to the pure middle weight flavors that possess really lovely detail on
the lightly mineral-inflected, balanced and firm finish. This is lovely and very Chambolle. (89-91)/2019+
2012 Gevrey-Chambertin: (this was once entirely from the lieu-dit Charreux, situated on the north side of Gevrey on the
Brochon border but now there is also a proportion of Le Seuvrées included). A distinctly sauvage nose also displays touches
of underbrush, humus and floral notes on the wild dark currant aromas. Where this really shines though is the excellent depth
possessed by the mineral-driven, tension-filled and beautifully well-detailed middle weight flavors that deliver outstanding
length on the youthfully austere finish. This is textbook Gevrey and recommended. (89-92)/2020+
2012 Vosne-Romanée: (from a single lieu-dit Aux Ravioles which is situated fairly far down the slope abutting the Nuits St.
Georges lieux-dits of Aux St.-Jacques and Aux Herbues; vinified with 15% whole clusters). An overtly spicy nose of plum,
violets and black currants is followed by velvety and ripe medium-bodied flavors that are underpinned by firm and ever-soslightly
rustic tannins on the complex, balanced and impressively long finish. This is not a Vosne of finesse but is more of
combination of Vosne spice with Nuits structure. (89-91)/2020+
2012 Nuits St. Georges: There is really lovely aromatic complexity to the softly floral and sauvage suffused nose that also
exhibits notes of dark berries and earth. There is very good power and concentration to the delicious and intense middle
weight flavors that culminate in an austere and mildly rustic but seriously persistent finish. This delivers fine quality for a
villages level Nuits and is worth your attention. (89-91)/2022+
2012 Nuits St. Georges “Les Chouillets”: This is quite floral and a bit more elegant than the straight Nuits villages with its
pretty mélange of various red berries, spice and soft earth nuances. There is a relatively fine, even lacy mouth feel to the midpalate
though the lightly mineral-inflected finish displays more typical and quite firm tannins. There is outstanding depth and a
lovely sense of overall harmony. Terrific quality for its level. (89-92)/2019+
2012 Morey St. Denis “Clos des Ormes”: (this combines parcels from both the 1er and villages portions). This is also quite
earthy with overt notes of the sauvage on the mostly dark berry fruit suffused nose. There is a real sense of verve to the finely
detailed and seductively textured middle weight flavors that possess lovely balance and much better than average persistence
for its level. This can’t quite match the sheer depth of the Chouillets but it’s just as long. (88-91)/2020+
2012 Morey St. Denis “Les Charrières”: A very fresh and airy nose displays aromas of both red and dark currants, earth
and humus with background nuances of spice and flowers. There is excellent volume and richness to the full and generous
flavors that possess focused power and impeccably good balance on the attractively persistent finish. (90-92)/2022+
2012 Chambolle-Musigny “1er”: (50+ year old vines from two parcels, 75% of which is from Les Borniques and the
remaining quarter is from Les Plantes; Les Borniques is rarely seen by itself yet it sits on the northern border of Musigny just
above Les Amoureuses). Here the inexpressive and brooding nose is a bit more elegant with essence of plum and violet
aromas that are trimmed in notes of spice and sandalwood. There is a silky texture to the utterly delicious, suave and
seductively textured medium-bodied flavors that are a bit more concentrated on the harmonious, impeccably well-balanced
and highly complex finale. This is youthfully austere and strikingly long. Good stuff. (90-93)/2022+
2012 Nuits St. Georges “Les Damodes”: (in 2012 this is a premier cru as the villages portion was added to the Nuits
cuvée). This is much more expressive with notes of spiced plum, dried flowers, anise and plenty of freshly turned earth
character. Here too there is impressive richness to the lush and opulent medium-bodied flavors that are shaped by firm and
ripe tannins, all wrapped in a velvety if ever-so-slightly rustic finish. This is also very good. (90-92)/2022+
2012 Nuits St. Georges “Les Pruliers”: Strong reduction dominates the nose. There is impressive volume to the solidly
well-concentrated, vibrant and delineated broad-shouldered flavors that also possess a seductive texture before terminating in
a powerful, palate coating and very serious finish. This is very Nuits but it’s not quite so austere and backwards as to be
particularly tough or rustic. This has excellent development potential for those who have the patience to wait. (91-94)/2024+
2012 Clos de la Roche: (from a tiny .09 ha parcel of 40+ year old vines that are situated in the climat of Monts Luisants).
Here too strong reduction dominates the nose. By contrast there is good freshness and verve to the imposingly scaled, rich
and intensely mineral-inflected and velvety medium weight plus flavors that possess excellent concentration on the balanced and explosively long finish. There is plenty of tannin-buffering dry extract but even so, it’s clear that this will need plenty of
time in a cool cellar. (92-94)/2027+