TNs: 98 Canon-Gaf, 01 Meo Clos Vougeot, 98 Musar, 97 Faiveley Corton Clos des Cortons

  • 1998 Château Canon-la-Gaffelière - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru (5/12/2019)
    Darker garnet. Nose of red currant, blackberry, fine soil, floral notes, cedar, stone. Wide open layers of red currant, plum, beef blood, earth, and green leaf on the palate. One can definite taste the Cabernet franc influence - which is a good thing. Hedonistic and a bit undisciplined but ultimately quite enjoyable. Great with lamb loin. (92 pts.)
  • 2001 Domaine Méo-Camuzet Clos Vougeot - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos Vougeot Grand Cru (5/11/2019)
    Darker ruby. Nose of cherry pits, black raspberry, violets, iodine, stone, damp cellar. Pure satin texture with fine-grained nubs of black raspberry, Bing cherry, brambles, iron, and stone beautifully integrated and layered on the palate. Freshening acidity and smoothed tannin leading to a long finish of grippy red and black fruits combined with stone. The bottle emptied very quickly. Maturing, classy wine showing well paired with roast chicken. (93 pts.)
  • 1998 Chateau Musar - Lebanon, Bekaa Valley (5/6/2019)
    Opened to accompany grilled steaks after hiking in Rocky Mountain National Park. Bought this bottle at Cured, Boulder (thanks for the advice). Cork disintegrated, had to push it through. Medium garnet. Nose of red currant, thistle, floral notes, stone, meaty tones. Hearty layers of red currant, plum, beef blood, rock, and a certain wild sauvage element on the palate. Ample acidity and firm but smoothed tannin leading to a long finish of stony red fruit with pleasant bite at the end. Delicious and seemingly made for the great outdoors. (92 pts.)
  • 1997 Faiveley Corton-Clos des Cortons Faiveley - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton Grand Cru (5/3/2019)
    Medium ruby. Nose of stone, mulberry, bramble, licorice, hyacinth. Took 90 minutes to give much, but eventually exhibited granite-like layers of stony, austere mulberry and red raspberry fruit cut with iron and briar on the palate. Firm tannin and moderate acidity ranging into a longer finish of brooding red fruit poised over immovable rock. El Cap with fruit. (92 pts.)

Posted from CellarTracker

Great notes. On the Canon-la-Gaffeliere…have you tried the ‘99? For the style, it is one of the best Bordeaux QPRs I’ve had. For context, I’m a bit of a “political” moderate as it relates to classical vs modern Bordeaux style.

The 2001 Meo Clos Vougeot was my “Holy Crap” Burgundy experience - the one everyone talks about where you drop everything and develop an unhealthy obsession (as if I didn’t already have one for wine in general - so obsession within an obsession?) with all things Burgundy. Unfortunately it is nearly impossible to find older vintages on the secondary market, and (probably because of that scarcity…and the wine quality…and the loose Jayer association for some of the 80’s Meo wines, though not Clos Vougeot) the auction prices have gone vertical.

Hi Mark

I have some of the 2005 Canon-la-Gaffeliere but not the 1999. Sounds like a great buy if one can find it - will be on the lookout.

I was lucky enough to source two bottles of the 01 Meo in the last year. It’s one of those wines which operates on so many levels that one keeps going back for another sip. Glad you had a chance to enjoy it.

Cheers,
Doug