CLOS ST JACQUES DINNER - Gunther’s, Purivs Street, Singapore (13/11/2019)
This was a greatly educational dinner, where every single CSJ maker was represented. A great opportunity to get to grasp on what the vineyard really offers. A Grand Cru in the waiting, or a 1er Cru pretender?
Clos St Jacques was a monopole for a long time. It was named after a statue of Saint James that had been placed in the area, as it was a resting point on the pilgrim’s way to Santiago de Compostela. The vineyard is 6.7 hectares in size and there are five strips, running from the top to the bottom of the vineyard, currently owned by five different producers. The largest holder is Domaine Armand Rousseau with the original 2.20 hectares purchased by the Domaine. Sylvie Esmonin, the granddaughter of Henri Esmonin, holds 1.60 hectares. Bruno Clair and Maison Louis Jadot own 1 hectare each, which was split between them from the land purchased by Domaine Clair-Dau. Domaine Fourrier holds 0.89 of a hectare that was originally purchased by the family.
My impressions after this dinner - the 5 different makers had vastly different styles, resulting in very different expressions of the terroir. There were some commonalities in flavour and profile that shone through though. Lush red fruit, ferrous minerality, a nice velvety grip - a very noble expression of Gevrey in each case. These were quietly impressive, rather than exuberant wines. All very enjoyable though. In some hands, and in some vintages, one could see why many think the vineyard is a good candidate for promotion to GC. However, these were few and far between All in all, I think pegging this as very good 1er Cru is just about right.
BUBBLES TO START
-
2004 Louis Roederer Champagne Cristal Brut - France, Champagne
Absolutely lovely. Drinking a bit early for a Cristal, but boy this was tasty. The nose was really pretty, with a lift of sweet cream, fresh flowers, and ripe red apples, shades of yeast and mineral, all coming together in a really attractive kaleidescope. Just beautiful. It was a sleek beauty on the palate, with silky mousse and a spine of superbly integrated acidity gently tracing its way through a wonderfully pure mouthful of fresh, crunchy red apples and orchard fruit. There was yummy roundness and a real delicious depth, even power, on it, but this was so poised and balanced that it never felt any less than impeccably focused, defined and balanced. Really tasty stuff. It had a lovely finish too. Effortlessly long, superbly detailed, and really yummy, with a lovely trail of fruit and mineral and just a hint of spice. Wonderful now. It has the chops to age, but it was so tasty at the moment that I really do not see why one should wait. (94 pts.) -
2003 Dom Pérignon Champagne - France, Champagne
Yummy in its own right, but this suffered from being served next to a supremely elegant and refined 2004 Cristal. The DP just seemed bigger and a little clumsier. Still though, a really good effort for 2003. The nose showed ripe yellow fruited notes with touches of earth and white meat and spice, and then a brighter lift of strawberries that was more characteristic Dom. The palate carried some of the richness suggested on the nose, with sweet red apples and red berries, all with a certain ripe warmth to them, and then a bit of toasty brioche, mineral and spice at the end. Not one for the ages - this was on the richer, riper, toastier side then, but still decently balanced and poised nonetheless. Went well with food too. (92 pts.)
A LONE WHITE
-
2005 Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Combettes - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru
A really, really nice 2005 white Chez Leflaive. The nose was classic Leflaive, with ripe yellow fruit touched with whiffs of smoky flint, mineral and matchsticks. It was rich, ripe and sweet on the palate as one would expect from a 2005, but still very nicely balanced and defined, with sweet yellow fruited tones underlined with a beautiful bit of flint and chalky mineral, decent acidity, and then some nice spice notes stretching into superbly long, full, satisfying finish. A voluptuous wine - tons of luscious buttery depth and Grand Cru-like power - yet still beautifully controlled. Bravo. Absolutely delicious stuff, drinking nicely now, but this should age effortlessly as well. (94 pts.)
2006 - ALL 5 PRODUCERS
-
2006 Domaine Bruno Clair Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos St. Jacques - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru
A solid showing, but this needs time yet. The nose was very attractive, if a bit tighter than its flight mates’, with a dusty, earthy undertone to rather rich aromas of black cherries, wet ferrous stone, meat and a hint of spice. Really nice. The palate was very solid as well. Very Gevrey, very CSJ, with tight but pure notes of dark cherry fruit, ferrous mineral and dried earth underpinned with a nicely sinewy structure of fine, firm tannins and decent acidity. Surprisingly cool toned for 2006. Very good, even if slightly overshadowed by some of its illustrious company. This does need another 6-8 years in the bottle at least though. (92 pts.) -
2006 Louis Jadot Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos St. Jacques - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru
Really delicious - this was such an enjoyable wine, drinking wonderfully now. It smelt wonderful, tumbling out of the glass with wafts of red cherry and raspberry fruit, earthy mineral and just a hint of spice and sweet florals. Beautiful, perfumed stuff. The palate was delicious. Surprisingly soft and velvety, with gentle acids and round tannins lapping around a beautiful sweet core of red fruit seasoned with bits of spice and mineral as it drifted away into a lovely long finish. Maybe lacking a bit in terms of sheer depth and complexity, but this was so yummy, and drinking so beautifully now. (93 pts.) -
2006 Sylvie Esmonin (Michel et Fille) Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos St. Jacques - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru
Also very nice, but this felt a bit less refined than its peers, but it was really solid and yummy in its own slightly more down-to-earth fashion. The nose was lovely, with dark cherries, earthy mineral, some bloody hints, and lots of fragrant spice. Really, really nice. The palate was thicker and maybe a bit more clearly sinewy than the other CSJ, but was still very nicely balanced and well-shaped, with fine, firm tannins and nice acidity shaped around a rich core of dark cherries and berries, iron, sous bois, and a good bit of spice pulling away into a strong finish. Plenty of power, yet really poised. Very yummy indeed, and drinking well now. The most rest of the 2006 five. I think it will eventually be overtaken by the rest, but this is just delicious now. (93 pts.) -
2006 Domaine Fourrier Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos St. Jacques Vieille Vigne - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru
Really nice. The nose was a bit different from the other wines, with a bit of sweet oak framing nice, fragrant aromas of red fruit, hawthorne, earth and spice. The palate was probably the tightest of the lot, with fine firm tannins and bright acidity giving a bit of a chew to otherwise fairly intense notes of dark cherries, earth and spice. Great long finish too. Full, powerful and compelling, but this needs time yet. It was blushing and delicious on first pour, but shut down slightly after half an hour in the glass, with a firm structure coming to the fore. (93 pts.) -
2006 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos St. Jacques - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru
Wow. This was beautiful. The nose was just a killer, with sweet strawberries and raspberries touched with flower petals, a bit of ferrous mineral, and a nice kiss of wood spice. The palate was delicious too. Open, fresh, lovely, with juicy flavours of red cherries and berries, showing in such a beautifully clear, transparent fashion. Glowingly pure I thought. Lovely midpalate and finish too, quietly intense, with red fruit, mineral and spice riding into the sunset on a lovely end of mineral and orangey acidity. Wow. Superb stuff - tons of energy and finesse on this. It probably has its best drinking 4-5 years ahead of it yet, but it is already starting to give so much now, growing in the glass wit every passing minute. (94 pts.)
2002 PAIR
-
2002 Domaine Fourrier Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos St. Jacques Vieille Vigne - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru
Very nice. This had a nicely mature Burgundy nose, with sous bois, meat, earth and spice swirling around a core of haw flakes and dried red fruit, and just a touch of freshly cut flowers. The palate was lovely. Juicy, fresh and pure, and showing a lovely depth to it, with gobs of lovely fresh cherries seasoned with gentle bits of earth, spice and mineral. A hit of orangey acidity then carried it into a beautifully energetic finish. Superb stuff, starting to drink nicely now, but will be even better in a few years’ time. 93+ (93 pts.) -
2002 Louis Jadot Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos St. Jacques - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru
Another lovely Jadot CSJ. This was wonderful. Even better than the 2006 from the last flight. The nose was superb - meaty, earthy, ferrous, with a lovely touch of matured cherries riding on a bed of sous bois and boiled herb. Absolutely wonderful. Wow. The palate was lovely too, rich and warm, yet beautifully balanced and poised, with velvety tannins and soft acidity framing deep, delicious flavours of dark cherries infused with a lovely bit of mineral and spice, and showing a wonderful earthy, meaty lilt. There was a lovely depth, breadth and length to this, ending with a burst of fresh acidity. Absolutely delicious. (94 pts.)
A MIX FROM THE EARLY 2000s
-
2004 Domaine Fourrier Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos St. Jacques Vieille Vigne - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru
Another really delicious wine - this was much better than the last bottle I had. It had a beautiful nose, with touches of herb and spice, earth and meat, with a
red cherries and berries, and touches of ferrous mineral. No 2004 green meanies here. The palate was lovely too, fresh and lovely, with juicy acidity and velvety tannins alongside lovely rounded flavours of dark cherries, red berries, earth, meat and gentle spiciness. There was a little hint of warm, boiled herbs at the end, but nary a sign of the extreme green the wine showed in its youth. This was delicious, and drinking so nicely now. (93 pts.)
-
2001 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos St. Jacques - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru
I have had this numerous times down the years, and it has never failed to wow me. This had a lovely nose. Sweet, perfumed, even floral, with red cherries and raspberries draped with a garland of roses and violets, a bit of earth, iron and spice. Lovely stuff. It was delicious on the palate too. Juicy and energetic, with orange acidity and velvety tannins wrapped around a beautiful pure core of red cherry. Lots of quiet intensity here. This just coated the mouth with flavour, yet remained so light and lovely in spite of its depth. I loved the finish too, with the sweet red fruit being met with a gently savoury counterpoint of earth and mineral and spice, and just the lingering kiss of sweet oak and citrus acidity. There was something a bit Rioja-like about that. I just loved this though. It closed down a bit after an hour opened, but when it was first poured - wow. (94 pts.) -
2000 Domaine Fourrier Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos St. Jacques Vieille Vigne - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru
Rather tight for a 2000, but this was pretty fine. The nose was tight and subtle, with quiet notes of dark berries and black cherries, sous bois, mineral and gentle spice. The palate was tight as well, but very impressive nonetheless, with a focused beam of dark cherry patted down with earth and ferrous mineral, and a touch of spice drifting away into a nicely lithe finish. An unusual 2000, and very much less generous and giving than the other wines on show, but good nonetheless. (92 pts.)
OLDER ROUSSEAU CSJ PAIR
-
1995 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos St. Jacques - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru
Really lovely. What a nose this had - ferrous and bloody, mineral and earth, sous bois, and a lift of ripe red fruit and flowers and spice. Really nice and full of character. The palate had some of the structure and sinewy feel of the 1995 vintage, but this was so beautiful charming, with melting flavours of red cherries and raspberries wrapped in a seductively smooth, yet textured mouthful of raw silk. Beautifully integrated by this point of its evolution, and yet impeccably balanced, with the sweet red fruit mingling with little hints of earth and white peppery spice as the wine drew away into a long, beautifully finish. The best and most generous 1995 red Burgundy I have had in ages. (94 pts.) -
1988 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos St. Jacques - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru
Just gorgeous - this was the best 1988 that I have had in a long time. What a lovely nose it had, sweet mature red fruit, touches of earth, and meat, and dirty spices. Glorious. The palate was absolutely beautiful. None of the lean and mean that I have had in many 1988s. Instead, this was sinewy, lithe and beautifully controlled, with a wonderful sense of definition and focus to its pure, delicious flavours of dark berries, cherries, iron mineral and spice. Never fat or voluptuous, but quietly generous and very yummy indeed. There was a nice sense of depth and breadth too, with the fresher fruit developing into tones of haw flakes and savoury meat on the midpalate, all this undergirded with a noble structure of fine tannins and lovely acidity that led the wine into a gently long finish. What a fabulous drink, firing on all cylinders now. (95 pts.)
Posted from CellarTracker