Tim Atkin 12th November 2015, London
WHITES
Saint Romain Le Jarron 92/100
Sourced from a 0.5 hectare parcel, this is a wine that often needs a year in bottle to show at its best, but is still enormously drinkable young. Showing slight carbon dioxide at this point (which adds to the wine’s zip), it’s textured and attractively oaked with notes of toast and cream underpinned by acidity.
REDS
Nuits-Saint-Georges La Charmotte 91/100
A Nuits from the Vosne-side of the village, with a little bit of cooling influence from the ‘combe’, this is spicy, plush and intense, with well-integrated oak, chalky acidity, fine tannins and good palate length. The oak is smoky, yet not intrusive here, marrying well with the sweet, brambly fruit.
Gevrey-Chambertin 92/100
A village wine that has benefited from the additon of a second parcel (La Justice, one of the largest in Gevrey) to Croix des Champs in 2014, this has spice from 40% whole bunches, a touch of new oak and plenty of forward, supple fruit. Not a keeper perhaps, but this is delicious for the short to medium term.
Morey-Saint-Denis PC Les Chaffots 94/100
Described, rightly in my view, as “my rock n’ roll wine” by Mark Haisma, this is all about perfume, finesse and balance. The 75% whole bunches are less evident than you might expect, while the fruit flavours owe as much to Chambolle as they do to Morey-St-Denis: balanced, sweet and elegant but with underlying opulence.
Pommard PC Clos Les Arvelets 92/100
From a south-facing site located just below the village, this a Pommard made with old vines. It’s made in a lighter style to minimise “clunkiness”, showing juicy plum and blueberry fruit, savoury spice from 25% whole bunches and deftly handled oak. The finish shows classic Pommard rigour.
Bonnes-Mares GC 95/100
Mark Haisma only gets a barrel’s worth of fruit to make this wine, but he’s certainly made the most of his allocation. Pale, elegant and aged in one-year-old oak, it’s sourced entirely from white soils. Restrained, polished and refined, with notes of bramble and raspberry, stylish oak and a floral note that lingers in the glass. One of the cheaper Bonnes Mares on the market at £130 per bottle!
Bill Nanson 18th November 2015, Gevrey Chambertin
The reds this year are elegantly styled but wonderfully tasty. The whites are more brash and energetic – and equally delicious.
Was a single vineyard (Croix de Champs) but also got offered La Justice in 14. Started separate vinifications but found the blend so much more interesting than the individuals so now 8 barrels – ‘About 35% whole-cluster here. More zen.’ Wide and fresh with an undertow darker red fruit. Theres a round core, a more ethereal impression on the palate. This is beautifully elegant wine. Never forceful just a beauty.
2014 Nuits St.Georges La Charmotte
Charmots below 1ers on vosne side with deep gravels. Totally destemmed, no remontage or pipeage, just pushing the cap down with hands. ‘Not looking for any of the alleged Nuits structure.’ A little more aromatic depth, very faintly spiced. Fills the moth nicely, very finely textured, fruit flavor that comes in waves, bright and beautiful waves.
2014 Morey St.Denis 1er Les Chaffots
Here is lovely and rather floral inflected nose, lovely complexity. Direct, linear flavour, quite mineral, cool fruit, delicate and precise complex flavours. 75% whole-cluster. In terms of shape, this is very Clos de la Roche just missing the finishing width of that label…
2014 Pommard 1er Clos des Arvelets
A new cuvée. Also the Nuits approach here, looked for a specific ripeness in the grapes, self-picked like the majority of the grapes here. 5 barrels, but potentially 10 in hail free, normal yield vintages. A soft red fruit, rather discreet. Wide, a little muscle, a growing tannin, but very much an anecdote – still a Pommard anecdote. Lovely floral finishing flavour. Almost a little shy – or maybe I should say coy…
Very fine high tones with a gentle spice. Big in the mouth, plenty of structure, finely textured tannin, a growing high-toned fruit flavour in the mid-palate. A composed rather than a massive or brutal Bonnes-Mares – I like it all the more for that. Super. Nice almost saline note coming through in the finish.
Les Blancs…
A cold plot, planted in the 1950s, that can get frosted early in the growth-cycle, very often with millerande fruit. Wide open, an engaging freshness of aroma, faintly lemon yellow, lots of depth here. A nice little plushness to the texture but with beautiful citrus acidity and length very mineral too…
Neal Martin December 2015, Gevrey Chambertin
Ex-Yarra Yerring winemaker Mark Haisma has a loyal following over here in the United Kingdom, where he succeeds in selling his entire production directly through a combination of hard work, force of personality, social media and most importantly, some very decent wines that are well worth seeking out. He sources fruit from a small number of vineyards and is quite meticulous in controlling the vineyard husbandry to ensure he obtains the quality he needs. Hopefully he will relocate into a new winery by this time next year (apparently the paperwork is due to be signed imminently).
His 2014 reds showed well, although for some reason, the whites were having an off-day; I re-tasted them when Mark was over in London, sitting opposite one Jancis Robinson.
Pinot Noir
2014 Mark Haisma Bonnes Mares Grand Cru
The 2014 Bonnes Mares Grand Cru has a fragrant bouquet, orange blossom and tinned apricot infusing the primal red fruit. This is very effervescent. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, very linear compared to other 2014s; it is quite grippy and masculine with a structured, graphite-tinged finish that needs more fruit to develop and counterbalance its backbone. One barrel produced and I expect this to land at the top of my banded score once in bottle.
2014 Mark Haisma Morey Saint Denis 1er Cru les Chaffots
The 2014 Morey Saint Denis 1er Cru les Chaffots has a pure bouquet with blackberry and raspberry coulis scents, touches of orange blossom coming through with time. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, quite succulent in the mouth with a precise, quite mineral-driven finish that will serve this well. This is a fine Morey Saint Denis to enjoy over the next 4-6 years.
2014 Mark Haisma Pommard 1er Cru Clos des Arvelets
The 2014 Pommard 1er Cru Clos des Arvelets is a new release from Mark Haisma. It has a clean and fresh bouquet with fresh strawberry and blueberry scents that are nicely defined. The palate is medium-bodied with chalky tannin, a nice austerity here in keeping with the Pommard style, back by taut red berry, minerals fruit on the finish. Classic Pinot from Burgundy’s favorite Aussie.
2014 Mark Haisma Gevrey Chambertin Village
The 2014 Gevrey Chambertin Village comes mostly from Croix des Champs, but in this vintage Mark has blended in some La Justice. It has a detailed and pure bouquet with macerated red cherries, wild strawberry and rose petals. The palate is clean and fresh on the entry with blood orange and red berry fruit, fine salinity and a taut, linear finish that shows the best of these two vineyards. Eight barrels produced.
2014 Mark Haisma Nuits Saint Georges le Charmotte
The 2014 Nuits Saint Georges le Charmotte is fully destemmed and undergoes hardly any pipeage or remontage. It has a perfumed and very pure bouquet with vibrant red cherry and blood orange aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with slightly chalky tannin, good backbone, but fresh and tensile on the finish. This has good pedigree
Chardonnay
2014 Mark Haisma St Romain le Jarron Village
Tasted in London, the 2014 St Romain le Jarron Village has a crisp, cooking apple and fresh lime-scented bouquet, a squeeze of fresh lemon popping up with aeration. The palate is very malic on the entry, quite spicy on the front palate and that is matched with a pleasant sour note on the finish that is pitched just right. This is brimming with character and should drink well over 4-6 years.
Jancis Robinson, December 10th 2015, London
Whites
Mark Haisma, Les Jarrons 2014 St-Romain 16.5/20
Grown by Nicolas Ruelle. He now names the viticulteur on the label – chapeau! (Ruelle grows the grapes, Haisma makes the wine.)
Rich and salty. Fun and broad. Lots of depth and no hint of oak. Really nervy and exciting.
Reds
Mark Haisma, La Charmotte 2014 Nuits-St-Georges 16.5/20
No stems, pigeage or remontage. Dark crimson. Firm and dense on the nose with bags of fruit on the front palate and then quite a bit of grip on the end. Really needs a bit of time but pretty frank.
Mark Haisma, Clos des Arvelets Premier Cru 2014 Pommard 16.5/20
New vineyard still recovering from hail damage. At full capacity it should produce eight barrels. This is four barrels, of which one was new. 25% whole bunch. Faces a vineyard called La Vache that Haisma is very keen to get his hands on (simply for the name, of course). Greyish crimson. Rich, dark fruit nose. Very sweet start and round, well-managed tannins. Very charming.
Mark Haisma, Les Chaffots Premier Cru 2014 Morey-St-Denis 17/20
Very steep vineyard with shallow soils. Tiny berries. 75% whole bunch. Mid crimson. Real substance and race on the nose – savoury! Solid and convincing. Lots of zip and substance.
Mark Haisma, Grand Cru 2014 Bonnes Mares 17.5/20
White soils, next to Leroy. Dark crimson. Rich and heady. Sweet and round fruit. Utterly beguiling! Maybe not for the very long term. Haisma is surprised by how rapidly it has evolved in November and early December 2015. Velvety texture, Very forward. Extraordinary. Total charmer. Long.
Jamie Goode, December 20th 2015, London
Mark Haisma Saint-Romain Le Jarron 2014 Burgundy, France
Lively pear and white peach with a bit of apple character. Lemony finish. Lovely weight to this wine. 91/100
Mark Haisma Viognier 2015 Vin de France
New for this year, a northern Rhone Viognier. Four barrels made. Floral, nutty and textural with nice pear and apple fruit, and some fennel, too. Focused and textural, this shows a lot of promise. 91/100
Mark Haisma Gevrey Chambertin 2014 Burgundy, France
50% whole bunch. Juicy with nice grip, and powerful cherry, raspberry fruit. Quite angular and grippy, but with lovely focus to the fruit. Direct. 93/100
Mark Haisma Nuits St Georges 2014 Burgundy, France
No whole bunch. Rounded and supple with sweet cherry and plum fruit. Smooth sweet fruit here with nice density. 93/100
Mark Haisma Morey Saint Denis 1er Cru Chaffots 2014 Burgundy, France
75% whole bunch. Superbly textured with bright sweet fruit dominating: cherries, raspberries. Lovely juiciness at this early stage. Nice structure and acidity here. Lovely wine. 94/100
Mark Haisma Pommard 1er Cru Clos des Avelets 2014 Burgundy, France
This is NV6 clone, which isn’t highly regarded, but it’s older vines. Mark was careful not to extract too much, and the result is a lovely elegant expression of Pommard. Fresh, exuberant cherry fruit with brightness and good acidity. Pure and quite elegant – not what you’d expect from Pommard. 94/100
Mark Haisma Bonnes Mares Grand Cru 2014 Burgundy, France
There’s something special about the texture of this wine. Smooth with lovely structure and purity. Very textural with fine red cherries and plums. 95/100
Mark Haisma Cornas 2014 Northern Rhone, France
Lively and juicy with nice fresh peppery red fruits, and some black cherry. Grippy with nice fruit and
freshness. Pure and very attractive. 93/100