This past Thursday, Maureen organized a dinner at Lavandou in DC in order to showcase several '09 red Burgundies.
The consensus at the table was that, while the '09s were grapey and young, they weren’t overripe or overly fruited as a general rule. Someone commented that, in comparison to '07 Barolos, these wines were downright austere (which may not necessarily be saying much, but there you go). But, nonetheless, I believe most everyone at the table derived pleasure from these wines, and while a little gawky and awkward, were approachable enough to get a decent sense of the vintage while at the same time retaining a distinctively Burgundy characteristic that no one would mistake as New World.
Unfortunately, I left my notes at the restaurant, so I am working off my memory. If I have made any mistakes with regard to the names of the wines, corrections would be appreciated.
The Red Burgundies were tasted single-blind.
Whites
2000 Trimbach Pinot Gris Hommage a Jeanne: I didn’t care for it initially, but with air it blossomed into a melange of apples and pears with a touch of sweetness. However, there was distinctive crisp minerality to the wine as well. Fulsome, rich, and intensely flavored. I wish I had some in my cellar.
1996 J.J. Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese: All elegance and grace, especially in comparison to the power of the Trimbach. Having had a couple of Prums now, there is this distinctive signature I always pick up from their Wehlener wines…a certain honeyed apple note, I suppose, but it is hard for me to describe. I’m not sure whether this is a product of house style or terroir (perhaps both), but I found it again in this wine.
2009 Red Burgundies
Pavelot Aloxe-Corton: Meh. It seemed simple to me.
Chandon de Briailles PV Iles de Vergelesses: Young and tannic, but the quality of the underlying material was apparent. I’m guessing the backwardness of this wine, at least with respect to the others at the table, can be attributed to the stems.
Hospice de Beaune Beaune 1er Cru Grèves Cuvée Pierre Floquet (Maison Drouhin): A little oaky. I liked it regardless, though weirdly, less so with air.
Pierre Guillemot Savigny les Beaune Les Jarrons: A little closed on the nose initially, especially in comparison to the first three wines. However, with time in the glass, it really bloomed. It had a certain herbal, medicinal streak to it that really distinguished it from the grapey-ness of the other wines.
Pousse d’Or Volnay Le Clos de la Pousse d’Or: Good wine. Focused and precise. I enjoyed it.
Alain Michelot Nuits St. Georges Les St. Georges: Good. Nice stuff.
Henri Gouges Nuits St. Georges Clos de Porrets: Weightless, ethereal, and absolutely lovely. The tannins were well managed and in check. To me, it was drinking very well. I think it surprised everyone that this was a Gouges wine, considering their reputation for making wines that are backwards when young. I guess the stories of a stylistic change for this producer are true, at least with respect to their lower tier Premier Crus and not the Les St. Georges and Vaucrains. This was my favorite wine of the night.
Remoissenet Savigny les Beaune Les Serpentiere: Big, lush, and fruit forward, at least to my palate. Others liked this quite a bit. While this was enjoyable, it was not really my cup of tea.
Cecile Tremblay Morey St. Denis Les Tres Girard: I liked this village wine quite a bit, but I was a little palate fatigued by the time I got to this. Others picked up some spritz, presumably from CO2. However, this wine was certainly elegant and light on its feet. I would like to revisit it some day.
Dinner at Lavandou was great (lamb chops and red burg, yum) and the company was even better. Thanks Maureen for setting this up!