Philippe Pacalet is one of my favorite producers for pure enjoyment and pleasure .. his wines are in my view a safe bet, if I just want to relax with a delightful pinot after work.
The Pacalet wines rarely stay long in my cellar, although they age quite well …. I just love to enjoy them so my stock is always quite low.
I always try to taste the Pacalet wines from cask early on, as they are some of the first through the malolactic fermentation. This was also the case with the 2014 vintage, where I had the chance to taste the wines from cask with Johan Cola in March.
The 2014s from Pacalet – expressive and forward
The 2014s in general are quite forward wines, especially compared with the sometimes slightly austere 2013s – they are developing quite fast in cask, and was surprisingly ready to taste in mid March.
This was also the case at Maison Pacalet … where the wines seemed even more forward than usual. They are expressive wines, lovely fruit, quite openly knit – will provide excellent drinking early on. I don’t think this is a vintage for decades of cellaring, these are lovely forward wines for consumption within the first decade or so …. they never stay for a decade in my celler anyhow.
Notes from tasting March 18th 2015 – Red Village
All the wines mentioned below were showing well at this early stage, and show a nice potential. But its important to underline that this is very early in the development … much can happen during the following year in cask.
Tasting Notes – Pacalet red 2014s
Gevrey Chambertin 2014
The Gevrey Chambertin is very forward and expressive with red organic fruit and the classic pacalet spices cinnamon and all spice. On the palate forward, harmonious and very drinkable. Not a big wine but a lovely Gevrey village that will provide a lot of pleasure over the next years.
(Drink from 2019) – Good (86 – 87p) – Tasted 18/03/2015 from CASK
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Pommard 2014
The Pommard village is a bit more austere than the expressive Gevrey village. In the nose red and dark berry fruit, pure and transparent with hints of cinnamon and white peppar. On the palate more serious and weighty than the Gevrey, with more tannins and structure. A lovely Pommard village … will offer delightful drinking.
(Drink from 2021) – Very Good (87 – 88p) – Tasted 18/03/2015 from CASK
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Chambolle Musigny 2014
The Chambolle village is very expressive and forward bursting with red organic fruit and Chambolle minerality. On the palate pure, transparent and forward offering a high drinkability. Is perhaps lacking a bit of intensity compared with the previous vintages .. but will no doubt provide lovely drinking.
(Drink from 2021) – Very Good (87 – 88p) – Tasted 18/03/2015 from CASK
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Nuits-Saint-Georges 2014
The Nuits-Saint-Georges village is a step up in concentration. The nose offer red expressive fruit .. very forward and transparent. On the palate juicy and airy .. quite lightfooted for a NSG. Will provide fine drinking … but perhaps lacking a bit of weight compared to the previous vintages.
(Drink from 2021) – Very Good (87 – 88p) – Tasted 18/03/2015 from CASK
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Vosne Romanee 2014
The Vosne-Romanee village is quite a notch up in quality – as usual more backward at this stage – but still very accessible. The bouquet is slightly reduced but crammed with layers of red berry fruit – extrovertly spiced with violets, cinnamon and all spice. On the palate quite a step up in concentration from the other village wines .. more dense and tightly knit with a lovely juicy midpalate fruit. A lovely glass of Vosne village.
(Drink from 2022) – Very Good+ (89 – 90p) – Tasted 18/03/2015 from CASK
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Nuits-Saint-George 1er cru 2014
The Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er cru is a lovely wine and surprisingly dense and backward compared to the other 2014s. In the nose layers of pure red and dark berry fruit, with notes of red and dark cherries – spiced with a quite intense earthy minerality, cinnamon – textbook NSG. On the palate quite intense with a juicy quite dark fruit – with a classic slightly edgy expression of NSG terroir. Really like the combination of NSG masculinity and the delicate and forward fruit.
(Drink from 2022) – Very Good+ – (89 – 91p) – Tasted 18/03/2015 from CASK
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Chambolle Musigny 1er cru 2014
The Chambolle 1er cru is one of my old favorites from Pacalet – have followed this wine with great pleasure since the 2002 vintage. The 2014 version is a very forward and charming effort. In the bouquet layers of juicy red berry fruit – notes of raspberries, cherries spiced with a classic Chambolle minerality and hints of cinnamon. On the palate forward and juicy fruit – fresh, refined … charming. A wine build for pleasure and delight – it works for me!.
(Drink from 2023) – Very Good+ – (89 – 91p) – Tasted 18/03/2015 from CASK
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Chambolle Musigny, Sentiers 2014
The Chambolle Sentiers is a new wine in the Pacalet lineup … and a welcomed addition for us who adores the Chambolles from Pacalet. The Sentiers is a more serious and focsed wine than the extrovert 1er cru – at least in this first vintage. In the nose juicy red berry fruit and a lovely Chambolle minerality … somewhat darker than the 1 er cru. On the palate also slightly darker fruit, more weighty with a core of lovely sweet fruit. This wine really reflects the location of the vineyard on the Morey side of Chambolle with it’s somewhat denser nature and personality. This terroir really suits the style of Pacalet .. really looking forward to follow this wine.
(Drink from 2025) – Fine – (90 – 91p) – Tasted 18/03/2015 from CASK
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Gevrey Chambertin, Les Perrieres 2014
The Gevrey Chambertin LEs Perrieres is another wine build for pleasure and enjoyment. In the nose forward red fruit, rich and openly knit with a lovely sweetness. On the palate same story, rich and almost velvet fruit – perhaps lacking a bit of focus on the midpalate – but the finish is quite well defined and rather long. A delightful glass of pinot.
(Drink from 2022) – Very Good+ – (89 – 90p) – Tasted 18/03/2015 from CASK
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Gevrey Chambertin, Laveaux St. Jacques 2014
The Laveaux St. Jacques is quite a notch up in quality. The nose is really expressive with layers of energetic sweet red fruit – notes of strawberries, pomegranate and raspberries – spiced with white pepper, cinnamon and allspice. The palate offer layers of ripe and pure red fruit – lovely nerve and energy – supported by a nice filigree minerality. Love the effortless balance of this wine … gorgeous juice.
(Drink from 2023) – Fine – (90 – 92p) – Tasted 18/03/2015 from CASK
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Vosne Romanee, Les Chaumes 2014
The Vosne-Romanee Les Chaumes is quite new in the Pacalet collection – and is made from a plot located in the top part of the vineyard – just below La Tache/Malconsort. The bouquet offer complex layers of red berry fruit – spiced with violets, pepper and allspice. The palate is crammed with layers of juicy fruit and a playful quite intense minerality – this is a quite serious wine for the vintage. A very impressive effort … weighty and intense, but need time to unfold .. a really fine potential here.
(Drink from 2025) – Fine+ – (91 – 92p) – Tasted 18/03/2015 from CASK
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Charmes Chambertin 2014
The Pacalet Charmes 2013 is both a intense and charming wine in the making. The bouquet is bursting with energetic red berry fruit – spiced with allspice and cinnamon. On the palate layers of airy and sweet red berry fruit. It’s airy and quite refined with a gorgeous rich fruit. Not as weighty as the previous vintages but very charming and with a lovely mineralic backbone from the terroir. A lovely Charmes in the making .. effortless and lightfooted.
(Drink from 2024) – Fine+ (93p) – Tasted 18/03/2015 from CASK
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Echezeaux 2014
The Echezeaux 2014 from Pacalet is very forward compared with the same wine in the previous vintages.. The bouquet offer expressive organic red berry fruit – with lovely spicy notes of violets and peony rose. On the palate layers of airy red berry fruit – forward and quite openly knit. It’s not a powerful wine, but it has a lovely energy and intensity from the juicy fruit and the expression of terroir. A fine Echezeaux in the making.
(Drink from 2024) – Very Fine (93p) – Tasted 19/03/2013 from CASK
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Clos de Vougeot 2014
The Clos de Vougeot is another new terroir in the Pacalet lineup. The bouquet offer a quite classic expression of the weighty terroir – combined with the organic style of Maison Pacalet. The weighty red and dark fruit in the nose integrates well with the expressive and spicy style offering cinnamon, violets and allspice. On the palate same story … the lightfooted and energetic style really presents the virtues of Clos de Vougeot. The rather dense fruit of the terroir becomes almost energetic in the hands of Pacalet … and unfolds into a vibrant version of this famous wine. While this is a quite forward wine … the tannins suggest that it’s build for cellaring .. so best to keep for a decade or so.
(Drink from 2025) – Very Fine (93 – 94p) – Tasted 18/03/2015 from CASK
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Tasting Notes for this producer
- Philippe Pacalet, Chambolle Musigny 1er cru 2009 July 26, 2018
- Philippe Pacalet, Corton Charlemagne 2011 May 15, 2018
- Philippe Pacalet, Chambolle Musigny 2015 September 7, 2017
- Philippe Pacalet, Vosne-Romanee Les Chaumes 2014 August 25, 2016
- Philippe Pacalet, Chambolle Musigny 1er cru 2014 July 24, 2016
- Philippe Pacalet, Gevrey Chambertin 2002 May 17, 2016
- Philippe Pacalet, Chambolle Musigny 1er cru 2004 May 17, 2016
- Philippe Pacalet, Chablis Beauroy 2005 May 9, 2016
- Philippe Pacalet, Chablis Beauroy 2004 May 9, 2016
- Philippe Pacalet, Echezeaux 2010 April 28, 2016
- Philippe Pacalet, Chambolle Musigny 2010 January 17, 2016
- Philippe Pacalet, Vosne Les Chaumes 2013 November 12, 2015
- Philippe Pacalet, Chambolle Musigny 2013 September 18, 2015
- Philippe Pacalet, Chambolle-Musigny 1er cru 2010 August 21, 2015
- Philippe Pacalet, Corton Charlemagne 2010 February 5, 2015
- Philippe Pacalet, Vosne Romanee 2012 February 4, 2015
- Philippe Pacalet, Puligny Montrachet 2013 January 16, 2015
- Philippe Pacalet, Bourgogne Pinot Noir 2013 November 13, 2014
- Philippe Pacalet, Chambolle-Musigny 1er cru 2009 September 17, 2014
- Philippe Pacalet, Gevrey Chambertin, Laveaux St. Jacques 2013 September 13, 2014
- Philippe Pacalet, Gevrey Chambertin, Bel Air 2013 September 11, 2014
- Philippe Pacalet, Vosne Romanee, Les Chaumes 2013 September 9, 2014
- Philippe Pacalet, Chambolle Musigny 1er cru 2013 September 5, 2014
- Philippe Pacalet, Nuits-Saint-George 1er cru 2013 September 4, 2014
- Philippe Pacalet, Pommard 2013 August 19, 2014
- Philippe Pacalet, Nuits-Saint-Georges 2013 August 16, 2014
- Philippe Pacalet, Chambolle-Musigny 2013 August 15, 2014
- Philippe Pacalet, Vosne-Romanee 2013 August 13, 2014
- Philippe Pacalet, Gevrey-Chambertin 2013 August 12, 2014
- Philippe Pacalet, Chambolle-Musigny 2012 August 10, 2014
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