talked Jerry into making the OC trek last night. Started with 96 Deutz Cuvée William rosé, stunningly good bubbly that almost stole the evening. Full of fruit, peach and pear as well as apple, gentle acidity and fine mousse, just a beautiful and subtle wine. Next up—01 Ramonet Batard. Ramonet killed it in 01, this bottle no exception. Jerry reminded me to save some and by the 4 hour mark this bottle was singing. Ramonet mint, clean citrus, balance, power, and length, just a great bottle.
Three reds—01 Roumier Bonnes Mares, 99 Arnoux Suchots, and 78 Varoilles Clos Vougeot. The latter was still delicious but a bit past prime, lovely fruit, tertiary notes, some coffee and smoke. Arnoux and Roumier battled it out for the lead, Roumier edging out the Arnoux, both wonderful. Roumier was blue fruit, Arnoux more red, both showing quite young.
WOTN for me—Ramonet, then Deutz, Roumier, Arnoux, and Varoilles, but a very tight race.
It was, as always, great fun to hang with Jerry and Cindy. We were happy to be joined by my daughter and boyfriend Bejan, both with excellent palates. As usual I overdid the volume of food, and there are still leftovers!
The top red burgundy seem to never mature… getting concerned I may not make it for my older purchase (a bottle of 2008) Roumier Bonnes Mares… not to mention the 2015 and 2016…
Another night at the Weinberg’s with great food and wines. Some wonderful appetizers - cheese and crab melts, stuffed mushrooms, and gougeres - were perfect with the light copper salmon colored 96 Deutz rosé. Peach and lighter fruit flavors with a fine mousse, and a creamy texture. The most interesting wine of the night. The '01 Ramonet Batard showed young right off with a light green color; the Ramonet mint was there but subtle. And throughout the 4 hours it just kept opening to show its strength and power but with all the nuances of a great wine, and plenty of time left if stored as well as Alan keeps his wines… And this went perfectly with a garlic shrimp pasta dish. The three reds - '01 Romier Bonnes Mares, 78 Varoilles Clos Vougeot, and '99 Arnoux Vosne-Romanée Suchots - were opened a few hours before being poured into Zalto red burg glasses, which I love. The Roumier was dark in color and the fruit spectrum of blueberry and plum. The wine was young but had all the stuffing to go the distance. This was probably the wine with the most potential of the night. The '78 Varoilles was familiar to me since I’d tasted many from this producer in the 80’s and 90’s. This wine has seen better days with a little dustiness on the nose and the fruit was past its prime, but still interesting to taste. This bottle may have not been stored or shipped properly before Alan got it. Arnoux and Suchots always combine to make a great wine and in the '99 vintage, this was obvious. Dark color and the '99 dark fruits on the nose with beautiful texture, balanced, and still young.
My favorites were the same as Alan’s with white Burgundy just continuing to outshine any other region for me. I loved the Deutz, Roumier, and Arnoux but the Ramonet was the complete package.
By chance, we had a 2001 Ramonet Batard as well a week ago. Ours was very good, but not quite as stunning as it sounds like your bottle was–perhaps a little lusher felling than i would have expected, somewhat overshadowed by a killer 1996 Sauzet Puligny Perrieres, and a 2004 Coche Meursault Chevalieres. (I’ll try to post notes if and when I get a chance)
I can’t say anything better than Alan and Jerry above. Great food, great wines, and great company. I had the distinct pleasure of enjoying what was left of the Ramonet later in the evening. It really hit its stride around 6 hours after opening with minerality and bright tropical notes that are still making my mouth water. Wine of the night.
about 2002 I had a night at Roumier where over dinner Christophe pulled out dusty bottle after bottle from his cellar below his home—40s and 50s of Musigny and Bonnes Mares as I vaguely recall—nothing over the hill. Wish I remembered more of that night but I drank far too much.
Rare for me, I actually own some of the wines alan and jerry drank last night (not the ramonet or deutz, alas). The roumier and arnoux have been in my cellar since release but I keep mine a bit warmer than alan does (56-58) so perhaps my bottles are a bit farther along. I have never tried either but perhaps this fall i will open one of each as I am encouraged by their notes.