I have written several times about the delicious Emilian Gillet produced by Jean Thevenet. It's a favorite Chardonnay of mine, and locally it sells for about $22 or so. (Click here to see my most detailed post.) I had seen Thevenet's higher-priced, flagship wine Domaine Bongran AOC Vire'-Clesse' but had not drunk it.
Six months ago I attended a tasting of Louis/Dressner imports at Chambers Street Wines. I tasted a Roally and asked Joe Dressner, "How is this related to Jean Thevenet?" For the wine had M. Thevenet's imprint all over it, and at about $16-17 retail it seemed a reasonable facsimile of the Emilian Gillet. Joe told me that Thevenet had purchased the property several years earlier and that this was his first, or one of his first, vintages. He also mentioned there was word that the Roally would eventually replace the Emilian Gillet line.
That's all to set up my recent experience with a bottle of Domaine Bongran.
This was a 2002 -- the same vintage as the Emilian Gillet that's on the shelves -- so the comparisons are easy to make.
On the Emilian Gillet, I first wrote about the 1999 (not so different from the 2002):
With a warm, rich, rather tawny color and an almost tarry, fruity aroma, this complex Chardonnay confounds all one's expectations about the grape -- if one is a New World type of guy -- even though Thevenet is known for harvesting very late and for encouraging noble rot on some of his Domaine Bongran wines. Certainly this wine is warm with residual sugars. Ken said, "it reminds me of a Meursault. It's that rich." ... rich, complex, simultaneously light and heady, austere and luscious, admirably balanced. It comes from a tiny portion of his land holdings and has, to my tongue, a riveting distinctiveness. M. Thevenet inveigles everything that's to be had out of the grape, with new depths of flavor and scent appearing as the air embraces it, and the seductive pleasure of drinking it is proof enough of his artistry.
The Domaine Bongran 2002 was richer, deeper and almost nutty in flavor with a pleasing copper color, and it was a bit longer than the Emilian Gillet. It is a wonderful wine. M. Thevenet has extracted even more beauty from this grape. But...
And here's my point in bringing these wines up...
Is the Domaine Bongran at $33-34 worth the premium over the slightly different, rather less expensive Emilian Gillet at $22-23?
No.
The quality/price ratio is out of whack. No wonder there's a move afoot to discontinue the Emilian Gillet line and replace it with one that's half the price of Domaine Bongran. The quality difference is too small to justify that Domaine Bongran premium.
From a marketing point of view this makes sense. But from a consumer's point of view it's unfortunate. While Emilian Gillet is quite close to Domaine Bongran in "organoleptic" characteristics, Roally isn't quite as close to the E.G. in quality.
Is Emilian Gillet worth the premium cost over the Roally? Yes: to me at least, it is worth $6-7 extra.
Terry
OK I'm biased as Jean Thévenet is a friend, and I think in terms of EU pricing. At 20€ I think Bongran is well worth the difference compared to his second wine, Bongran is far more complex and rich and in top years becomes the kind of wine that makes me want to sing. An example of what Burgundy whites seldom are, affordable, sun-drenched mature. With a few years they become transformed with lots of mature chardonnay honey and pineapple notes.
For a treat, be sure to try the Cuvée Levroutée, a vendange tardive, but especially the €50+ Cuvée Botrytis that he makes whenever nature allows him to, the last one tasted from 2001, as beautiful, rich and extraordinarily complex as the best Sauternes or Layons.
cheers m8
Posted by: Mike Tommasi | August 31, 2007 at 11:19 AM
Mike, old bean, Thevenet's wines are truly beautiful, and the Bongran is a marvellous one. And in top years, I submit, sah, the Emilian Gillet is **nearly** as complex and deep as its big brother.
Still, in terms of US pricing, I do think things are out of whack. Maybe the price differentials aren't so small in France?
Posted by: Terry Hughes | August 31, 2007 at 11:48 AM