CORTON-THEMED EURO LUNCH - Zibbibo Restaurant, Palo Alto, California (10/30/2009)
This roughly monthly gathering met for a Corton-themed lunch tasting that included both Corton-Charlemagnes and red Cortons. This turned out to be an excellent theme. Two of our three whites showed very well, with the '04 Girardin being my WOTT. Both it and the '02 Bouchard are somewhat tight at this point, but both are tasty and poised. Corton reds have a particular reputation for not being drinkable for at least 10 years after the vintage, which is why it was a surprise to us that our younger reds, from 1999 to 2003, were fairly approachable, especially the '99 Drouhin Corton, which was the group’s and my favorite in our younger Corton flight. The Faiveley Corton-Clos des Cortons Faiveley has a particular reputation for needing years to be approachable (at least for vintages prior to 2006, when the Domaine made changes in vinification), and our '98 was still too young. The '90, however, was mature and drinking fine, if somewhat austere. Our final two reds, from '96 and '85, both showed beautifully: the Maillard Corton-Renardes and the Belland Corton-Greves respectively. We drank only the first two flights and our “tweener,” what turned out to be the '94 Gary Farrell, blind.
Corton-Charlemagne Flight
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2004 Vincent Girardin Corton-Charlemagne - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru
Bright yellow color with a slight green tinge; lovely lemon, citrus, mineral, floral nose; tight but tasty, poised, citrus, lemon, mineral palate with racy acidity; medium-plus finish 93+ pts. (93 pts.) -
2002 Bouchard Père et Fils Corton-Charlemagne - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru
Light yellow color; high-toned floral, fresh lemon nose; very tasty but a little tight, poised, lemon, mineral, citrus, pear palate; medium-plus finish (93 pts.) -
1999 Antonin Guyon Corton-Charlemagne Domaine Hippolyte Thevenot - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru
Medium golden yellow color; marshmallow, oak, caramel, hazelnut, almond nose; marmallow, ripe lemon, almond palate with hollowness mid-palate; medium-plus finish 89 (88 pts.)
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2001 Domaine Bruno Clavelier Corton-Le Rognet - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton Grand Cru
Medium dark red color with clear meniscus; nice sous bois, mineral nose with green notes; tart red fruit, rosehips, mineral, pine, green notes, with good structure; medium finish (group’s 2nd WOTF) (92 pts.) -
2003 Louis Latour Corton-Clos de la Vigne au Saint - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton Grand Cru
Slightly cloudy dark cherry red color with pale meniscus; framboise, strawberry syrup, berry syrup nose; strawberry jam, very ripe strawberry, red fruit, black cherry, raspberry syrup palate; medium-plus finish (91 pts.) -
1999 Joseph Drouhin Corton - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton Grand Cru
Dark cherry red color with pale meniscus; mineral, black cherry, tart cherry nose; tasty, tart cherry, black cherry, mineral palate, drinking well now; medium-plus finish (group’s WOTF) (93 pts.)
Tweener Whackage
With the brett and minerality on this wine, it’s not surprising that about half of us thought it might be French. It was a respectable representative from California for a 15-year old wine.
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1994 Gary Farrell Pinot Noir Russian River Valley - USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
Dark red color, slightly cloudy and slightly bricking, with clear meniscus; brett, tart red fruit, mineral nose; brett, tart red fruit, mushroom, mineral palate; medium finish 90+ pts. (90 pts.)
Clos des Cortons Faiveley Flight
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1990 Faiveley Corton-Clos des Cortons Faiveley - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton Grand Cru
Bricked medium dark red color with pale meniscus; mature, mushroom, earthy, truffle nose; mature, tart red fruit, mushroom, truffle, earthy palate; medium-plus finish (91 pts.) -
1998 Faiveley Corton-Clos des Cortons Faiveley - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton Grand Cru
Dark cherry red color with pale meniscus; tight, tart red fruit, oak nose; tight, tart cherry, mineral, oak palate, structured but needs at least another 3 years or more; medium-plus finish 91+ pts. (91 pts.)
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1996 Domaine Maillard Père et Fils Corton-Renardes - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton Grand Cru
Bricking dark red color with clear meniscus; appealing, tart cherry, red fruit nose; tasty, poised, tart black cherry, mineral, tart raspberry, roses, strawberry palate; medium-plus finish (93 pts.) -
1985 Adrien Belland Corton-Grèves - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton Grand Cru
Medium bricking red color with floating sediment and pale meniscus; mature, mushroom, charcoal, mineral nose; earthy, mature, mushroom, red fruit and mineral palate; medium-plus finish 92+ pts. (92 pts.)
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