Colin popped into the office for a spot of lunch yesterday.
2006 Taittinger Champagne Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut: An expressive nose of struck match, pure white peach and baker’s yeast. It if full, rich and fluffy in the mouth. There’s good depth of flavour and a finish that has some chalky cut.
1968 Bouchard Père et Fils Montrachet, Grand Cru: This was a Domaine du Chateau de Beaune bottling. The cork was in excellent condition and the wine had a deep golden colour. The nose had some truffled honey, apricot and a rancio-like nuttiness. In the mouth there was a sweet core of tinned peach fruit and something akin to custard apple. It was layered and still very much alive, with the nutty flavours lingering and mixing it up with a little citrus rind. The best ’68 Burg I can remember having. I can’t remember having any other ’68 Burgs.
2017 Domaine Jean Chartron Corton-Charlemagne, Grand Cru: Generous, open-knit and downright delicious. Loaded with sappy orchard fruits. There’s plenty of spice too. It has great shape in the mouth and the vineyard’s cut on the finish. Length is terrific.
1976 Charles Noellat Clos Vougeot, Grand Cru: It opened closed, but then got going. There’s just a hint of mushroom from the cork and plenty of undergrowth development. Had was bright and measured in the mouth, with delicious cherry fruits and plenty of earth. There’s some pine needle sap and a gentle meatiness in the background. It is mid-weight, nicely balanced and right in the zone right now.
This sounds a delight. Lunchtime with an earthy, old (but still kicking) Clos Vougeot? Wooof. Just effing fantastic. Well done on living well. Everything sentence from your note is what I love about old burgs. Wondrous.
Sounds great- and nice score on a 1968 Montrachet! I was excited to finally get my hands on a 1975 a while back (well- until I drank it anyway), but I have never even seen a 1968. Montrachet is one of those wines I try to find in old off vintages. Usually proves the best bet to still be sufficiently alive to give some first hand indications of the specifics of the vintage for white burg.
