leonce bocquet

WINERY PROFILE:
Leonce Bocquet
by Charles M. Bear Dalton
What is Leonce Bocquet? It’s really
more of a “who was” than a “what is.”
Leonce Bocquet was one of the six
Burgundy merchants (negociants)
who, in 1889, purchased and began
subdividing them up until then
unified vineyard of the Clos Vougeot.
He sold the wines of Clos Vougeot
and many other appellations under
his eponymous negoçiant label. Leonce Bouquet later built the estate
house and winery and planted some of the vineyards of what is now
Henri de Villamont. Bocquet named the property after the famous
crusader Henri de Villamont who settled in Savigny at the end of his
adventures. Villamont is now owned by Schenk, and Leonce Bocquet has
been absorbed into Burgundy negoçiant Patriarche, which in turn is now
owned by international negoçiant Jean Jean.
When I was looking for larger volumes of good Burgundy wines, I
visited Patriarche to taste. Together, we decided that Spec’s needed a
different label than the standard Patriarche brand, as we were using wines
that were quite different from the standard Patriarche catalog. When they
told me the Leonce Bocquet label (simple, traditional, and understated)
was available, I was delighted.
Here are my notes divided into three sections on these mostly value
priced, fine quality, everyday drinking Burgundies.
The BASICS
These are the basic, daily drinking value priced wines that everyone needs.
There are three distinct whites and two distinct reds. All are finished with
Stelvin screw caps to insure quality, freshness, and ease of enjoyment.
LEONCE BOCQUET “Unoaked” Chardonnay, Macon Villages, 2009
12x750ML $12.39 $139.52
100% Chardonnay fermented and aged 6 months in stainless steel tanks.
Straw in color, bright and clear with good legs; dry, medium light-bodied
with refreshing acidity and very light phenolics. Clean, fresh, and simple
(in a good way) with lemon and some limestone mineral. Fine basic
Macon Chardonnay for everyday drinking. Spec’s Score: 86. 12.5%
Alcohol.
LEONCE BOCQUET Bourgogne Chardonnay, 2009
12x750ML $13.49 $150.94
100% Chardonnay from Macon and the Cote Chalonaise fermented
and aged 6 months in tank. Straw in color, bright and clear with good
legs; dry, medium light-bodied with fresh acidity, very light phenolics.
Richer tasting (than the Macon Villages) with riper citrus and a nice
limestone minerality. Bear Note: Very clean and more elegant. Very easy
to like and drink. Spec's Score: 87+. 12.5% Alcohol.
LEONCE BOCQUET Chablis, 2010
12x750ML $14.19 $159.43
100% Chardonnay fermented and aged 6 months in tanks with no
malolactic fermentation and sealed with a Stelvin closure (screwcap).
Straw in color, bright and clear with good legs; dry, medium light-bodied
with balanced acidity, very light phenolics. Clean and ripe but lively,
lemony citrus fruit and subtle limestone chalk. Classic Chablis, vibrant
and alive-in-the-mouth. Super un-wooded Chardonnay to serve with
oysters or mussels, with grilled fish, or simple roast chicken. Spec's Score:
89+. 12.5% Alcohol.
LEONCE BOCQUET Macon Rouge, 2009
12x750ML $12.39 $139.52
100% Gamay aged 6 months in tank before bottling with a stelvin closure.
Red-magenta in color with good legs; dry, medium-bodied with freshly
balanced acidity, light phenolics. Fresh and alive just like 2009 Beaujolais.
Supple with fresh raspberry and cherry fruit. YUM. Tasty, vibrant, alive-inthe-mouth.
Super fresh red alternative to Beaujolais. Spec's Score: 90.
12.5% Alcohol.
LEONCE BOCQUET Bourgogne Pinot Noir Screwcap 2009
12x750ML $13.49 $150.94
100% Pinot Noir from all over Burgundy (Cote d’Or, Hautes Cotes,
Chalonaise, and Macon) aged 6 months in tank before bottling under stelvin.
Red-magenta in color with well formed legs; dry, medium-bodied with
freshly balanced acidity and medium light phenolics. Supple, easy red fruit
Pinot. Red cherry and hints of cola, earth, and black pepper. Not much in
the way of site specificity but easy to drink and like. Serve Cool. Spec's
Score: 88. 12.5% Alcohol.
The VILLAGES
These are the mainstays of Burgundy; the wines you drink at nicer family dinners
and at casual dinners with your friends. They are cork finished and have the
acidity and character to keep and even improve for a few years. Nevertheless, these
2009s have a freshness and charm that has them drinking very well already.
LEONCE BOCQUET Auxey Duresses Blanc, 2009
12x750ML $30.69 $345.65
100% Chardonnay fermented and aged 18 months in all French oak barrels
(50% new). Straw in color with well formed legs; dry, medium full-bodied
with freshly balanced acidity. Deep, ripe citrus with LOTS of mineral and
supple oak. Fine balance and feel; elegant, complete, integrated. Bear Note:
Real Cote d’Or flavor and character. Outdoes most sub-forty dollar
Meursault. Spec's Score: 91. 12.5% Alcohol.
LEONCE BOCQUET Chambolle Musigny, 2009
12x750ML $64.29 $723.66
100% Pinot Noir aged 15 months in French oak barrels (40% new).
Violet-red in color with well formed legs; dry, medium full-bodied with
freshly balanced acidity and medium phenolics. Spicy, perfumed, supple.
Lots of spice and big red cherry fruit. Perfumed and fresh. Bear Note: Lovely
pure wine. Classic, complete, elegant, alive-in-the-mouth. Premier cru
quality. Delicious. Spec's Score: 93+. 13% Alcohol.
LEONCE BOCQUET Gevrey Chambertin, 2009
12x750ML $49.89 $561.44
100% Pinot Noir aged 15 months in French oak
barrels (30% new). Medium red in color with
well formed legs; dry, medium full-bodied with
balanced acidity and mediumplus phenolics.
Good classic Gevrey with a fine feel and LOTS of
bright red cherry berry fruit to go with enough
mineral and oak. Delicious. While it is not
intense or flashy, this has a real appeal. Spec's
Score: 91+. 13.1% Alcohol.
Wine Pump in Co-Ops
continues on page2

LEONCE BOCQUET Mercurey, 2008
12x750ML $23.74 $267.18
100% Pinot Noir aged 14 months in French oak barrels (10% new).
Medium red in color with well formed legs; dry, medium full-bodied
with balanced acidity and medium chewy phenolics. Richer, supple,
very dry. Classic red fruit Mercurey with darker earth and some black
pepper. Has a bit of rusticity. Old School. Spec's Score: 89. 13.4%
Alcohol.
LEONCE BOCQUET Nuits St Georges 2009
12x750ML $49.89 $561.44
100% Pinot Noir aged 15 months in a combination of 25% new
French oak and 50% used French oak barrels with 25% tank.
Red-violet in color with well formed legs; medium plus-bodied with
fresh, firm acidity and medium phenolics. Supple, fresh, bright red
cherry fruit. Classically hard Nuits fruit. Also a bit Old School but in a
good way. Spec's Score: 90+. 13.25% Alcohol.
LEONCE BOCQUET Puligny Montrachet 2008
12x750ML $45.59 $512.40
100% Chardonnay fermented and aged 15 months in all French oak
barrels (30% new). Straw in color with well formed legs; dry, medium
full-bodied with freshly balanced acidity. Supple, ripe but elegant with
richer citrus and tree fruit, plenty of mineral, and supple oak.
Complete and integrated Lovely elegant nose, flavor, and feel. Classic
Puligny. Spec's Score: 91. 13.2% Alcohol.
LEONCE BOCQUET Rully Blanc, 2009
12x750ML $21.19 $238.49
100% Chardonnay fermented and aged 13 months in all French oak
barrels (15% new). Straw in color with well formed legs; dry,
medium-bodied with freshly balanced acidity. Offers richer citrus and
tree fruit with plenty of limestone mineral and a hint of oak. Satisfying
but refreshing. Try it with crab or pork. Spec's Score: 88+.
12.5% Alcohol.
LEONCE BOCQUET Rully Rouge, 2009
12x750ML $21.19 $238.49
100% Chalonaise Pinot Noir aged 14 months in a combination of
50% used oak barrels and 50% tank. Red-violet in color with well
formed legs; dry, medium-bodied with freshly balanced acidity,
medium chewy phenolics. Supple darker red cherry berry fruit and
even a hint of cocoa to complement the cola and dark floral notes.
Complete. This is red Rully at a high level. Call it a “Professor Pinot”
Spec's Score: 91. 12.7% Alcohol.
LEONCE BOCQUET Savigny les Beaune, 2009
12x750ML $28.99 $326.18
100% Pinot Noir aged 16 months in a combination of 20% new French oak
barrels, 60% used oak barrels, and 20% tank. Red-violet in color with well
formed legs; dry, medium-bodied with freshly balanced acidity and medium
chewy phenolics. Supple, focused, easy to get at Savigny. Lots of red fruit with
some nice cocoa earth and a bit of cola. Classic. Pushes the right buttons.
Spec's Score: 90+. 13.15% Alcohol.
The PREMIER CRU
A step up in price from Village and a nice step up in quality as well. Go on, splurge
a bit; they’re premier cru and there isn’t much of them. And they are worth it.
LEONCE BOCQUET Beaune Greves Rouge 1er Cru 2009
12x750ML $44.99 $506.25
100% Pinot Noir aged 17 months in French oak barrels (1/3 new). Red-violet
in color with well formed legs; dry, medium full-bodied with balanced acidity
and medium phenolics. Very nice, juicy with dark cherry and dark gravellyminerally
earth and supple oak. Complete, integrated, quite tasty, satisfying.
Beane Greves is one of my favorite appellations in Burgundy. Spec's Score: 92.
13.1% Alcohol.
LEONCE BOCQUET Chassagne Montrachet les Embazées 1er Cru, 2009
12x750ML $70.99 $799.93
100% Chardonnay fermented and aged 16 months in all French oak (50%
new). Straw in color with well formed legs; dry, medium full-bodied with
freshly balanced acidity and very light phenolics. Supple, rich, ever so slightly
rustic Chassagne offering ripe citrus and tree fruit (pear and quince) with
supple oak and a bit of mushroomy minerality. Complete and delicious.
Perfect for veal or pork, mushrooms, or crab. Spec's Score: 93. 13.5%
Alcohol.
LEONCE BOCQUET Mercurey Clos l'Eveque 1er cru, 2009
12x750ML $30.39 $342.43
100% Pinot Noir aged 17 months in French oak barrels (15% new).
Medium red purple in color with good legs. Dry, medium-bodied with freshly
balanced acidity and medium phenolics. Supple with bright red spicy fruit.
Hints at both cola and cocoa. Notes of violet and black pepper. YUM. Sweet
in the mouth. Quite delicious and unique. Spurge a bit on this. Spec's Score:
92+. 13.25% Alcohol.